As they reflect on a year of exciting advances in urbanism, and look forward to the next, the writers at The Atlantic Cities discuss the most loathed trends they hope will die in 2013.
While many of the trends discussed by the writers have been with us for several years, if not decades, there's always hope that the new perspective brought by the new year will bring elected officials, public agencies, the courts, planners, and guerrilla urbanists to their senses. Below are just a couple of the smart suggestions to help "stop the (urbanism) madness and start getting real in 2013."
Sara Johnson targets "fancy" bike lanes: "There are ideas to heat, elevate, and elaborately paint bike lanes. What we really need are consistent and safe networks of lanes, not flourishes and finishing touches before we've completed the system. (See this list of what bikers really want.)"
Amanda Erickson bares her claws for what has to be the snuggliest trend in guerrilla urbanism - yarn bombing: "We're all for beautifying public spaces. But yarn bombing is little more than a nuisance. It gets wet and grimy after the first rain storm, insulating perfectly functional handrails and bike racks in a tube of mildew and mold. And for what -- covering up perfectly attractive tree trunks with twee stripes? Do trees really need to be any more beautiful?"
Is there a trendy term, practice, or policy you think has outlived its usefulness? Let us know in the comments below.
FULL STORY: Urban Trends We Hope Die in 2013
Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI
Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.
Report: 100 Trends Urban Planners Need to Know About
APA’s third annual Trend Report for Urban Planners is out and offers a comprehensive look at potential drivers of change that could impact communities and the work of planners for decades to come.
Transportation Predictions for 2023
Seventeen transportation experts and professionals weigh in on what they think trends in the sector will look like in 2023.
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.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)