A compendium of benefits of walkable urban places, put together by Hazel Borys and Kaid Benfield.

"Whether we’re talking equity, affordability, jobs, health, or a list of other pressing topics, every community strives for more effective outcomes from policies to address a broad range of competing demands. The fact that the demands – and the strategies to address them – are competing for time and resources is its own problem, especially in an era of diminishing trust in cities’ and towns’ capacities to deliver on the collective local vision."
"There’s hope, though, in what we’ve learned about bonuses that come with protecting and expanding compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that aren’t auto-dependent. Here’s a fundamental epiphany: The challenges are interconnected. And so are the solution paths."
Borys goes on to connect some of the many dots – or data points – painstakingly laid out in the cool new tool, Code Score. Lest you be put off by the sound of 135 studies about the paybacks of city planning, know they distill them down to soundbites for you, and deliver them in a couple of ways: paragraph form per topic followed by a bibliography, as well as a downloadable Google Sheet. Their reason why:
"It would be super helpful, would it not, if there was one space on the crowded internet to help us visualize the path between community vision and the strategies and tools for capitalizing on urbanism’s bonuses? And wouldn’t it be great if such a resource also provided a ton of high-quality research to back up the pitch for prioritizing such strategies?"
FULL STORY: Code Score: A New Aid for aligning policy and vision with outcomes

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

U.S. Transit Agencies Face a Financial Crisis
Transit providers around the country are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace lagging ridership and reorienting their systems to a future less dependent on daily commuters.

California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.

Washington Focuses Road Safety Efforts on Individuals, Neglecting Design
Legislative efforts to reduce traffic deaths could move the needle toward Vision Zero, but state leaders failed to commit infrastructure funds to making structural improvements.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
York County, Human Resources
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
City of Piedmont, CA
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