The relocation of a museum in San Francisco offers a model for how private developments can create quality public space, writes John King.
The kid-focused science museum The Exploratorium is moving to a new site on San Francisco's Embarcadero. With it will come a new public space that King says will create a real benefit to the public.
"Encircling the ticketed portion of the Exploratorium will be 1.5 acres of publicly accessible space, starting with a plaza along the Embarcadero. We'll be able to stroll the "apron" along the south and east edges of Pier 15 and ascend to a second-floor perch in a new glass observatory building on the end of the pier. A 12-foot-wide causeway will span the inlet and take us to Pier 17, where there will be a walkway along the south edge back to the Embarcadero.
...this is how we connect to "our" bay: the Port of San Francisco finds developers who, thanks to long-term investors or deep-pocketed fans, can absorb the enormous costs of pier restoration and endure the existential review process."
FULL STORY: Public access to S.F. bay tied to private projects

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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