Spencer Fleury looks into the contradictory nature of his hometown Detroit; as the city commonly praised for its car culture is now being crushed by it.
Detroit became the car capital of the world by way of easy accessibility to raw materials, close proximity to water and rail transportation, and the historically fortunate location of Henry Ford's birthplace. And its built environment reflects its association with the automobile. "Detroit is the poster child for low-density urban sprawl. With nice, wide roads and endless parking, Detroit has physically changed itself over the years to accommodate the needs of the vehicles it produces." Fleury observes that this environment fails to offer the benefits that urban density can provide, and that the city is suffering from the repercussions of its sprawl-based development patterns.
"The entire metro Detroit region is having a lot of difficulty attracting educated, creative talent from the outside. What firms in the area are finding is that it isn't Detroit's, um, gritty reputation that's scaring people off. No, it's the sprawl. (And really, do read that link.) The inconvenience and ugliness of it all is preventing – or at the very least noticeably hindering – the city's rebirth."
Fleury, however, is hopeful that the emptying out of large sections of the city may provide an opportunity to retrofit its fabric to accommodate transit, cycling, and walkability.
FULL STORY: The irony of Detroit
The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.
Detroit Says Problems With Property Tax Assessments are Fixed. Advocates Disagree.
With higher-valued properties under assessed and lower-valued properties over assessed, advocates say there's still a problem with Detroit's property tax system.
Detroit Launches Community Land Trust
A newly created CLT aims to support the building of affordable housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie