Alleys for People?

Can the community of Long Beach, California use examples from much larger places like San Francisco and East Village to reclaim its extensive public alleys?

1 minute read

December 23, 2011, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Writer Jesus Hernandez explores the alleys in the Southern California coastal city of Long Beach, and considers how the city's alleys might have more than a utilitarian function:

"...Alleys make up a significant portion of Long Beach's public right-of-way space, and there is value in viewing them as more than a home for forgotten mattresses and rusted clunker cars. With some foresight and investment, they can become living lanes, lush with landscaping and filled with art, extensions of bike and pedestrian networks as well as the city's public parks. It might take some vision to scratch away initial layers of grime, but we can find examples across California and beyond from which to draw inspiration."

Thanks to Brian Ulaszewski

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 in Long Beach Post

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

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.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

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.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

Mamdani behind a microphone, in front of a snowbank

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge

A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.

November 6 - CNN

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6 - Grist

People board a bus in Seattle.

Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion

Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.

November 6 - KOMO News

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.