New York's Broadway goes pedestrian, while Sacramento's K Street goes back to having car traffic. Are pedestrian plazas a relic of the past, or the wave of the future?
Yonah Freemark says that density is key.
Freemark writes, "California's capital may have suffered from a density problem: it didn't have enough residents and office workers in the immediate surrounding area to keep its streets active during off-hours, so the pedestrian mall often felt too quiet to be comfortable. The fact that many consumers visiting the street arrived by automobile made the situation worse. In New York, where there are hundreds of people on virtually every block, there's little to fear, and most people visiting businesses likely come on foot anyway, so getting rid of car access won't change much."
FULL STORY: Are pedestrian malls the future or the relic of antiquated thinking?
University of Pittsburgh Settles for Pedestrian Improvements on Adjacent Street
The university wanted to limit a section of Bigelow Boulevard to pedestrians, but the city pushed for a compromise: better crosswalks and traffic calming features. Now the challenge is finding the funds.
Development Overtakes Open Space in Boston's Seaport District
Planners worry that the success of the waterfront district has led to its overdevelopment.
Saving Lives: Including Sidewalk Bollards in Street Design
Countless lives were likely saved by a strategically placed bollard on W. 45th Ave. which stopped a motorist who had driven three blocks on city sidewalks, mowing-down as many pedestrians as possible, from entering the Times Square pedestrian plaza.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Median Home Prices Top $1 Million in Over 200 California Towns
Towns once known for their affordability are seeing sharply rising home prices.
LA County Receives Reconnecting Communities Grants
Seven grant awards totaling $162 million will be used for planning, capital projects, and regional partnerships to reduce environmental harm and improve access in disadvantaged communities.
Seine Pollution Could Hinder Olympic Swim Events
Events like the triathlon could be impacted if tests continue to reveal high levels of dangerous bacteria in Paris’ famous river.
Licking County
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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