Sean Patrick Farrell examines the lengths that Midwesterners are willing to go to get their bike riding fix during snowy winter months, including a popular new indoor mountain bike park in Milwaukee.
Opening just last winter, Ray's Mountain Bike Park in Milwaukee has become an instant success drawing riders from as far away as Chicago to test its ramps, twisting wooden lattice paths and teeter-totters during the seven months of the year it is open, reports Farrell.
Capturing the enthusiasm of avid cyclists and beginners, such indoor parks have spread across the country's winter weather capitals, from Boulder to Syracuse, ever since the first Ray's opened in Cleveland in 2004.
Farrell also profiles all-weather enthusiasts who are utilizing new advances in "fat bike" design that make snow biking possible, proving that cycling in the Midwest has no off-season.
FULL STORY: Indoor Park Lets Mountain Bikers Ride Through the Midwest Winter
60 Years of Midwestern Urban Renewal
Researchers at the Institute for Quality Communities at the University of Oklahoma prepared a set of images to show the indelible impact of mid-20th century urban renewal on Midwestern cities.
State, Local Governments Clash over Highway Planning
A clash between transportation planning mentalities is playing out in Milwaukee over a proposed highway expansion—on one side the car-centric concerns of the state; on the other, the placemaking concerns of the city.
Bike-Share Spreads Across Sprawling Midwest
Bike-share is continuing its march towards world domination, with seemingly every large Midwestern American city now jumping on the bike lending bandwagon, reports Angie Schmitt.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
The EV “Charging Divide” Plaguing Rural America
With “the deck stacked” against rural areas, will the great electric American road trip ever be a reality?
Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal
Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.
Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)