Planners hope that Detroit's Airport City will take off, lifting the fate of Detroit, and even Michigan, with it.
"March 1, 2026...
Airport City, a landscape of modernity and prosperity, has helped Detroit become the nation's fastest-growing big city and pushed southeast Michigan back to the top of America's best economic performers, a place it has not held in 70 years. The quality of life in southeast Michigan -- which at the start of the century embarrassed bright young adults and drove them away -- is now a point of pride keeping them around.
One reason is that Airport City's neighborhood streets, colorful boulevards and smooth highways are surprisingly free of traffic. Workers and residents in this high-wage and healthy young city like to walk. Recreational trails tie together neighborhoods and offices, schools and stores, parks and shopping and recreation, all of which are planned and built in close proximity. And new lines of fast commuter rail, convenient light rail and easy-to-use rapid bus transit make longer trips and commuting more convenient and much less expensive than driving a car."
FULL STORY: Trains, planes and (fewer) automobiles
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association