In spite of concerns from business owners about losing parking, research shows that retail benefits from better bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

According to an article by David Zipper, "a growing body of evidence suggests that retailers ultimately come out ahead if their neighborhood becomes more inviting to shoppers arriving by foot, bike or transit." Thanks in part to pandemic-related programs that freed up street space for new uses, Zipper writes, the "privileged status that cars enjoy in urban shopping areas is being questioned as never before."
Zipper describes how various cities have repurposed former parking spaces and the reservations that some business owners still have about eliminating car parking. But data shows that business owners' fears, often based on their own experience and the assumption that most people drive to shops, are misplaced: a 2012 study in the Portland region "found that only 43% of bar patrons, 63% of restaurant customers and 58% of convenience store shoppers drove — the rest took transit, biked, or walked." In many urban settings, the customers that frequent small businesses don't drive to their destinations.
Research also shows that economic activity grows when bike infrastructure is installed. In Toronto, an analysis showed increased consumer spending after bike lanes were installed in one commercial district. Jeffrey Tumlin, the director of San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency, suggests implementing small, reversible, community-informed pilot programs to ease business owners and other opponents into new street designs and show how parking conversion actually affects commerce.
FULL STORY: Note to Store Owners: Not All Holiday Shoppers Drive

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

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

Demise of Entertainment Industry Mirrors Demise of Housing in LA
Making movies has a lot in common with developing real estate: producers = developers; screenwriters = architects; directors = general contractors. The similarities are more than trivial. Both industries are now hurting in L.A.

How Public Spaces Exclude Teen Girls
Adolescent girls face unique challenges and concerns when navigating public spaces. We can design cities with their needs in mind.

Proposed Ohio Budget Preserves Housing Trust Fund
The Senate-approved budget also creates two new programs aimed at encouraging housing construction.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)