Urban designers are playing the advocate in a Michigan Department of Transportation study that is considering ways to reconfigure U.S. Highway 131 where it curves through Downtown Grand Rapids.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on a potential redesign of U.S. Highway 131 in Grand Rapids.
"The state’s fiscal year budget that began Oct. 1 included $10 million to study the reconstruction or reconfiguration of the Wealthy Street interchange that has been referred to as the most dangerous intersection in the state," reports Kate Carlson for MiBiz.
The route is heavily used for goods movement and freight for large industrial uses, but some local advocates monitoring the US-131 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study say that safety should be a larger concern in the redesign. The Wealthy Street interchange, for example, is at the southern end of the highway's S-curve through downtown Grand Rapids.
"The concept of redesigning the area surrounding the S-curve dates back decades, with some supporting a redesign that puts the stretch of US-131 at grade, potentially rerouting freight traffic to I-196," explains Carlson.
Soundbites from Ted Lott, principal with Lott3Metz Architecture LLC, and Tim Mroz, vice president of strategic initiatives at The Right Place Inc., are included in the source article.
FULL STORY: MDOT study of U.S. 131 to balance industrial, placemaking concerns
‘Safe Land Use:’ A Key to Road Safety
How approaching transportation planning through a public health lens can reduce traffic deaths.
Olympia Draft Transportation Plan Zeroes in on Complete Streets, Bike Infrastructure
The city’s comprehensive plan update could signal a shift in transportation planning priorities to a more comprehensive approach that ensures safer roads for all users.
California Transportation Commission Reluctant to Incorporate Complete Streets Guidelines
The agency plans to update its road design guidelines by the end of the year — before a new law that prioritizes pedestrian and cyclist safety takes effect.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Savannah Reduces Speed Limits on Almost 100 City Streets
The historic Georgia city is lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce road fatalities.
A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.
Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs
The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.
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 Clovis
City of Moorpark
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