A study that asked regular drivers in Boston and San Francisco to go car-free found that access to real-time mobile information was key to raising the status of public transit for study participants.
Participants in the car-free study (conducted by Latitude Research and Next American City) cited mobile apps as a factor that made the experience more "convenient, personalized, and enjoyable."
Participants also made suggestions for mobile apps they would like to see in the future (From Next American City):
"Participants suggested apps that would help plan their routes easily and efficiently, but would also track progress toward their goals in terms of fitness achievements and positive environmental impact. Relatedly, there may be a role for apps with game elements that tap into people's deeper, intrinsic motivations like doing good for society (e.g., a points system to track small sustainable choices tied to an online local leader board with the highest-scoring citizens)."
FULL STORY: http://americancity.org/buzz/entry/2956/
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.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.