Two ramps that have minimal impact on traffic could make way for apartments, commercial spaces, or much-needed parks.

Bill Lindeke argues that "a pair of one-lane viaducts looming in the middle of a lovely neighborhood, blotting out the sun atop massive concrete pillars surrounded by surface parking" have no place in their otherwise "thriving, cosmopolitan part of downtown" Minneapolis. According to Lindeke, the ramps likely "do more harm than good," saving about 15,000 drivers per day "maybe two minutes of travel time, and that’s if you are being very generous with route mapping." Meanwhile, the "marginally useful" ramps are surrounded by "some of the hottest real estate in the country."
"Back in the 1950s, building urban freeways through the downtown core seemed like a good idea with few drawbacks. But now, when downtowns are adding tens of thousands of new residents, it might be time to shift urban planning priorities." With freeway removal projects "becoming a hot trend" around the country, Lindeke argues the North Loop is an ideal candidate. "Based on the property tax receipts of the adjacent block, the land underneath the viaducts is worth at least $5 million of property tax revenue annually" and could be developed into housing, offices, and parks. "This example is as clear-cut a case as you’ll find in Minnesota of addition by subtraction, taking out an unneeded section of freeway, improving the downtown economy, and greening one of the city’s thriving neighborhoods."

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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