When selecting a design for San Francisco's new Transbay Terminal, planners and the public should be cautious of building too high in a seismically-active city, writes Harold Gilliam.
"We may wonder what late seismologist Charles Richter would say about the proposals for clusters of new towers of 50 to 80 stories in downtown San Francisco. At least one of them, being considered for the Transbay Terminal site at First and Mission streets, would be as high as New York's tallest, the Empire State building."
"There is no doubt that decisions to be made soon could open a new era in the city's history. Surely those decisions should not be made without full public participation and thoughtful consideration of all the consequences, including earthquake risks."
"If the city chooses the maximum high-rise route, it will be venturing into unexplored territory. There has been no experience anywhere on Earth with hyper-high-rise buildings in earthquakes of the magnitude expected for San Francisco (think 1906)."
FULL STORY: Consider earthquake risks of Transbay designs
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.
Trump: Federal Government Won’t Pay for California HSR
The President has targeted federal funding for the California bullet train project since his first administration.
San Francisco Enhances Urban Planning Initiatives with Green Infrastructure
San Francisco incorporates green infrastructure in its city development initiatives, elevating the importance of sustainability in urban planning.
Chicago Approves Green Affordable Housing Plan
The Mayor’s plan calls for creating a nonprofit housing corporation tasked with building affordable housing that meets Green Building standards.
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.
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions