In the first of a five-part series, Angie Schmitt pays tribute to three "visionary bureaucrats" who are changing the face of transportation in the United States.
It's an exciting time for progressive transportation policy, with transit, bike, and pedestrian programs gaining traction in every corner of the country. These programs depend on the hard work of transportation officials at every level of government, "people who are transforming transportation and planning agencies from public sector backwaters into centers of bold innovation and change." Schmitt starts us off with three bureaucratic champions who have set the stage for the coming renaissance.
Of Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, Schmitt writes, "This list had to start with her." Under Sadik-Khan's tenure, New York City has seen 250 miles of new bikeways, the introduction of bus rapid transit (BRT), and the lowest rates of traffic fatalities in a century.
Next, there's Chicago DOT Commissioner Gabe Klein, who cut his teeth on a popular bike sharing program in Washington, D.C. Now, excitement over his protected bike lane program in the Windy City is "attracting enough bike traffic to outnumber cars during the morning rush," Schmitt writes – not to mention a new BRT system on the way.
And with his work guiding growth and development in Maryland, State Secretary of Planning Richard Hall "doesn't shy away from facing the critics head on." By establishing "priority growth areas," Hall has helped Maryland "[lay] the groundwork to be a national leader in smart growth."
With eight more acknowledgements to come, Schmitt notes, "Everyone here is deserving, but not everyone who's deserving is on the list."
FULL STORY: 11 Transportation Officials Who Are Changing the Game
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.
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.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.