The social and economic upheaval of the last two years accelerated a shift in thinking about how we use public space and organize the urban realm.

After decades of glacial progress on shifting public space away from a focus on cars, the disruption brought on by COVID-19 led to a radical rethinking of how we use roads and sidewalks. As Adam Rogers writes,
The virus—and specifically the understanding that as an aerosol it spread more easily in poorly ventilated spaces—changed something fundamental about urban life. The expansion of restaurants to curbside spaces and the closure of city streets to automobiles began in 2020, but in 2021 those alterations felt like a new phase in a decades-old cold war over the look and feel of the modern city.
Although the pandemic also halted progress that cities were making on increasing density and boosting public transit use, Rogers writes, the focus on social distancing and access to the outdoors brought a new urgency to reinventing the right-of-way for more people-oriented uses and encouraging walkable, bikeable neighborhoods. But this hasn't come without its own challenges: as cities scramble to create new regulatory frameworks for pandemic-era projects, the process often becomes onerous and expensive for small businesses and organizations. Meanwhile, disability advocates caution that some parklets impede access for wheelchairs, and public space proponents criticize dining setups for using public right-of-way for private businesses.
Nevertheless, Rogers concludes optimistically, "this new image of the city offers a sense of possibility—of hope, even—in the fight against climate change and inequality."
FULL STORY: The Pandemic Might Have Redesigned Cities Forever

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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