The La Independencia neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia sprawls up a hillside, leaving the inhabitants to walk up to 10 flights of stairs every day. An ambitious development program is considering building an outdoor network of escalators.
Alex Hutchinson writes that the pedestrian infrastructure of La Independencia is "unsafe, unpleasant, and a grueling experience for users."
Medellin's Empresa de Desarollo Urbano (EDU), or Urban Development Corporation, is proposing to build an extensive system of escalators throughout the community. The EDU is also responsible for building Medellin's new urban gondola system, or "metrocable":
The metrocable is seen as a success for creating economic opportunities and improved mobility for Medellin's isolated and disadvantaged populations.
Here is video of an outdoor escalator system in Hong Kong that could be comparable to the one proposed for Medellin:
Thanks to Jeffrey Riecke
FULL STORY: Climbing 164 Stairs in Medellin, Colombia
Denver to Shift Sidewalk Repair Work to City, Funded by Property Owners
The city is shifting from a piecemeal approach to sidewalk repairs that charged property owners with doing the work to a more streamlined, city-led process.
When ‘Prioritizing All Modes’ Is a Lie
In many cases, it’s impossible to prioritize the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users without sacrificing some speed.
Commentary: Avoiding Ableism in 15-Minute Cities
One author calls on planners to challenge assumptions that exclude people with mobility challenges and other disabilities.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie