Chicago's flat topography makes it ideal for bike riding. Now Rahm Emanuel and Gabe Klein's new public policies aim to grow their use. The city consistently scores as highly in bike-friendly rankings as New York, Austin, or Denver.
In july, CDOT announced a second protected bike lane, which will move Emanuel closer to his promise of 100 protected miles within four years. In September, an extension of the B-Roll sharing program announced the addition of 5,000 and 500 stations by the end of summer 2012.
"These pro-bicycle planning and policy initiatives announced this past summer are the first of bicycle-minded transportation changes for Chincago," writes Renee Patten. "With these initiatives, Chicago will enhance the design of streets and mold urban transportation for all users of the road; pedestrians, cyclists and pedestrians alike, enhancing the sustainability of our transportation options."
FULL STORY: A Summer of Bicycle-Focused Transportation Policy For Chicagoans

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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Custer County Colorado
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