One of the problems with investing in large infrastructure, and transportation in particular, is that it's difficult to predict the needs of future cities, says Mathias Crawford. If we're all telecommuting, will we need buses?
Crawford writes, "Transportation is one area where the mismatch between planners' assumptions and the uncertainly of future needs is growing alarmingly wide. One way to anticipate future needs of cities is to better understand the changing ways, and reasons why, people move around cities. This kind of understanding will allow us to start creating cities that are flexible enough to respond to the as-yet unknown future demands we will place on them.
For example, transformations to the organization of our cities will undoubtedly come from how advances in communications technologies are reshaping our personal interactions."
FULL STORY: The Future of Cities and Transportation
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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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions