San Diego is considering a plan to block off an eight-block portion of its Downtown, known as the Gaslamp Quarter, to automobile traffic.
"San Diego officials and community leaders are exploring plans to create an eight-block pedestrian plaza in the Gaslamp Quarter by closing Fifth Avenue to vehicles between Broadway and L Street," reports David Garrick.
The Gaslamp Promenade, as the idea is currently known, would feature street furniture, public art, trees, painted murals and possibly outdoor entertainment venues," according to Garrick, who mentions Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade as inspiration for the idea.
Project boosters are hoping the car-free area would attract new volumes of tourist and regional traffic, potentially decreasing vacancies along Fifth Avenue and nearby streets, and "boosting property values and sparking a flurry of renovations to the Gaslamp’s older buildings," according to Garrick.
As a supplement to Garrick's news coverage of the Gaslamp Promenade plans, see also a column by Philip Molnar that includes a survey of local planning and development experts for their opinion on the proposal. Spoiler: not one of the respondents says the city should not proceed with the plan.
FULL STORY: San Diego may create ‘Gaslamp Promenade’ by banning cars from Fifth Avenue
California Coastal Commission Nixes Parking Reforms Intended to Spur ADUs in San Diego
Environmental causes run into conflict with zoning reforms intended for environmental benefit once again, as the California Coastal Commission requires San Diego to reinstate parking requirements for ADUs.
San Diego Merchants Call for Halt to Dockless Bikeshare Operations
Public bikeshare arrived in San Diego in 2014. Last month, three companies unleashed thousands of dockless bikes, cluttering sidewalks in three business districts to the chagrin of merchants who want a time-out so the city can develop regulations.
San Diego's Redevelopment Undermined by Parking Lot Blight
Now that redevelopment projects in CA are officially dead, a retrospective on one of the state's 'most successful' redevelopment projects reveals an inconvenient truth: demolition for surface parking has undermined much of its accomplishments.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
Chicago Approves Green Affordable Housing Plan
The Mayor’s plan calls for creating a nonprofit housing corporation tasked with building affordable housing that meets Green Building standards.
E-Scooter Parking: A Guide
How smart planning — and ample designated parking — can end conflicts over shared scooters.
‘It’s Been 50 years’: Public Transit Law Passes in Montana
Legislation would fix transportation district issue, allow for greater reach on city bus routes.
Top 10 Tech-Ready Cities
An index ranks U.S. cities based on their preparedness for the ‘smart city future.’
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions