Business interests on a downtown commercial street complain a transit mall is making the area less attractive for retail.
Developers say that potential retailers and their customers are deterred from the Broad and High Street area by passengers waiting for bus transfers. Instead, they would like to see the Central Ohio Transit Authority transfer point replaced with on-street parking, according to Angie Schmitt.
Local transit advocates argue that buses bring up to 14,000 potential customers to the area each day, far more than additional parking spaces would. Schmitt quotes John Wortz of Xing Columbus:
"I don't see any way the parking could generate even close to as much pedestrian traffic as the buses currently do. So if I were someone promoting downtown businesses, I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice the bus lanes on High Street unless a very good alternative solution could be found that would be both convenient for bus passengers and keep them walking down High Street and passing those potential retail locations."
Read the full story: Columbus Developers: Transit Riders Are Bad for Business
King County Metro adds 3,000 weekly bus trips, more connections to rail
King County Metro and Sound Transit are both making major adjustments to their bus networks to improve light rail connectivity across the region.
Denver mayor announces 'Mile High Line' vision for interconnected bike and transit routes
The mayor emphasized building more housing near transit lines and bike paths, but failed to address planned transit service cuts.
New NYC plan promises to speed up buses by up to 20%
Although the mayor's plan to make buses fare-free faces an uphill battle, a new proposal could make them significantly faster.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority