Street furniture and plantings transform a small strip of roadway within a bustling San Francisco neighborhood, much to the delight of the planners and designers who fought for the change for over five years.
It took five long years for one hundred feet of Linden Street to be reborn as the Linden Living Alley in San Francisco, a city widely recognized for its innovative and cutting-edge urban design practices. Local planners and designers overcame a variety of bureaucratic hurdles over the course of five years to transform a small strip of the street into a space that attempts to reconcile the needs of automobiles with those of pedestrians and cyclists.
John King of the San Francisco Chronicle sees the setbacks faced by the Linden project as a quintessential example of the disconnect between creative visions of ideal urban settings and what actually manifests itself in the form of the built environment at the conclusion of construction.
"That's because when you look past the new trees and grasses, Linden Alley shows how difficult it is to transfer planning theory to real life," writes King.
FULL STORY: Linden Alley planners in S.F. went extra mile
Philadelphia Alleys Ranked for Makeover
In advance of what may be a wider program, Philadelphia's alleys have been ranked for their aesthetic quality. Those in the "average" range are most suitable for retrofits.
Milwaukee Road to Get Complete Streets Upgrades
The city will reduce vehicle lanes and build a protected multi-use trail including bioswales and other water retention features on its ‘secret highway.’
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
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.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
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