A major plan to improve Sydney's walkability, urban design and public transit system have been applauded throughout the city. The only problem is figuring out how to pay for it.
"An ambitious plan to remake Sydney is a 'grand project and a grand vision' but lacks some vital details, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says."
"For instance, no-one appears to know how much it will cost or who will foot the bill."
"Under the proposals, based on the ideas of Danish architect Jan Gehl, George Street would become a pedestrian mall and the Western Distributor would be buried beneath a revitalised Darling Harbour."
"A light rail loop would also be established between Central and Circular Quay, and retail and business development would be built over the rail lines near Central Station."
"The plan has been applauded by industry groups and even received the qualified backing of the state government."
"But asked about the cost of the various projects, and who would pay for it, neither the lord mayor nor economics and planning expert Pat Fensham could say."
Thanks to ArchNewsNow
FULL STORY: New Sydney 'all about sustainability'
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.
Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals
The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
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