Sprawl defines life in Central Florida, and costs citizens much more than just money, writes staff writer Rich Mckay.
"...If Central Florida grows as it always has, Orlando-area taxpayers will shell out $44,955 each in taxes during the next 20 years to pay for roads, water and sewer lines and other services that governments provide as development stretches farther outward, according to a new book, Sprawl Costs: Economic Impacts of Unchecked Development."
"...You could weigh up to 6 pounds more if you live in a sprawling area, and you may have a higher risk of obesity or high-blood pressure, according to research paid for by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation."
"...55 hours 28 hours is the average annual traffic delay per person."
"...On the scorecard of sprawl, Central Florida continually ranks among the worst regions in America. A 2005 national study by urban planners, Sprawl Costs: Economic Impacts of Unchecked Development, ranked Orlando among the worst sprawling communities nationwide. It ranked 13th while two other Florida cities also joined the top 20: Miami at No. 8 and Jacksonville at No. 20."
Thanks to Livability Listserv
Read the full story: What urban sprawl costs you
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
‘Going backwards:’ Baltimore mayor, students rally against state's transit funding plan
Maryland's proposed six-year plan provides no funding for Baltimore’s BMORE bus program and reduces its road maintenance funding.
Detroit to transform waterfront with $2.2 billion investment
Developers will convert about 18 acres of unused parking lot space into civic spaces.
NYC’s landfills will soon overflow — expanding them invites health risks
In as little as 16 years, New York City will have to find new places to dump its trash.
This Boston neighborhood is filling its roads with obstacles — intentionally
Somerville is embracing ‘extreme street makeovers’ to make its roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Planned $2 billion courthouse in MA sparks tension with local government
Springfield owns an essential piece of the land developers intend to build on, and some city officials do not want to see the project come to fruition.
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.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello