Neal Peirce reviews the flurry of rebuilding ideas taking shape in Katrina-ravaged areas.
Ideas have included: "...grind up storm debris to raise elevations, turn the main coastal road into a beachfront boulevard, pull major retail back into the historic city centers, build high-speed regional rail connected to local streetcar systems.
The charrette's most captivating idea: a compact (308 square feet) and affordable ($35,000) "Katrina cottage" designed by New Yorker Marianne Cusato -- big-windowed, one-bedroom structure with four bunks, ingenious storage space, faithful to Southern architectural traditions and built with quality materials -- a compelling alternative to FEMA trailers."
"And dare one say it -- could FEMA speedily release of all its advisory data on base flood elevations? And keep updating it? Then there'd be more grounds for debate and action on whether -- and how high -- to rebuild damaged homes, and where future federal flood insurance will be available."
FULL STORY: Katrina paradox: Calamity but fresh ideas

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.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

Knoxville Dedicates $1M to New Greenway
The proposed greenway would run along North Broadway and connect to 125 miles of existing trails.

Philadelphia Launches ‘Speed Slots’ Traffic Calming Pilot
The project focuses on a 1.4-mile stretch of Lincoln Drive where cars frequently drive above the posted speed limit.

NYC Delivery ‘Microhubs’ Aim to Cut Down on Truck Pollution
The hubs are designed to provide parking for large delivery trucks, which can pass on their cargo to bikes or other zero-emission vehicles.
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