In Portland, Oregon, transportation advocates are questioning the justifications for crosswalk closures in the city.
"In Oregon we’ve had it drilled into our heads that 'every intersection is a crosswalk.' It turns out that’s not exactly true," write Catie Gould and Jonathan Maus. But in Portland, they say, "no crossing" signs have been installed at intersections throughout the city.
"These [signs] are used to give notice to road users that state or local statutes or ordinances exclude designated types of traffic from using particular roadways or facilities," note Gould and Maus. People can still cross at these intersections, but the signs then leave pedestrians responsible if a crash occurs.
They add that the City of Portland and the Oregon Department of Transportation are putting up the signs, but the closure decisions are being made without public input. Critics say that while the signs are legal, the reasons for eliminating crosswalks are not always clear and restricting public access to roadways need better justifications.
FULL STORY: As ‘No Crossing’ signs proliferate, every intersection is no longer a crosswalk
DIY Crosswalks Appear in Hollywood
A group claiming the city of Los Angeles fails to protect pedestrians is taking action on their own, painting a set of crosswalks at a busy residential intersection.
Milwaukee Traffic Calming Projects Take Aim at Reckless Driving
The city is using restriping, delineators, and other traffic calming measures to fight reckless driving and improve pedestrian safety.
'Beg Buttons' Quietly Appearing at East Bay Crosswalks
Critics of pedestrian crosswalk buttons say the devices, meant to help improve bus speeds, give pedestrians the 'absolute lowest priority' on city streets.
Four ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ Zoning Reforms
An excerpt from the latest book on zoning argues for four approaches to reform that can immediately improve land use regulation in the United States.
San Francisco Just Ended Single-Family Zoning
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to Tuesday to eliminate single-family zoning, but pro-development advocates say additional changes are needed to unleash a wave of construction.
Land Banking to Prevent Transit-Oriented Displacement in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will implement a new land banking program to mitigate gentrification and displacement around future transit lines.
San Francisco to Reconsider Inclusionary Zoning as Development Slows to a Crawl
Critics of inclusionary zoning frequently point to San Francisco as an example of what not to do. A sluggish year of development has some local politicians ready to reconsider the city’s program.
California Senate Committee Kills Freeway Expansion Bill
The proposed legislation would have prohibited new construction in historically underserved areas that often bear the burnt of the negative impacts of freeways.
Initiative Brings Capacity Building to Booming Rural Towns
A research and capacity building initiative based at Utah State University seeks to help fast-growing tourist meccas in the West plan for smart growth.
City of Bothell
Town of San Anselmo
Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
City of Apache Junction
City of Helena
Gallatin County, Montana
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
