Provoked by the excessively wide road in front of his home to ponder the options by which cash strapped cities might place suburban streets on road diets, land use attorney Bill Adams comes up with one possibility - give away the excess.
A fan of the narrow streets in the older neighborhood near his home but not a fan of the wide expanse of asphalt in front it, San Diego land use attorney Bill Adams ponders the benefits of narrow streets, and brainstorms a way to transform existing suburban wide streets to narrow streets - a way that might be technically, politically, and economically feasible. His solution: give away the excess road.
"Little attention has been given to street slimming retrofits of suburban residential streets. While safety is equally, if not more, imperative in such streets, it has more to do with children than bicycles. The lack of density along residential streets and the vastness of the suburban road network make public expenditures to accomplish such road diets daunting and impractical."
"But what if the excess street land was simply given to the adjacent property owners? Wouldn’t these property owners be motivated to improve their newly annexed property?"
FULL STORY: One Simple Step to Suburban Street Slimming: Give it Away!
Milwaukee Road to Get Complete Streets Upgrades
The city will reduce vehicle lanes and build a protected multi-use trail including bioswales and other water retention features on its ‘secret highway.’
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
Houston Road Safety Project at Risk
Mayor Whitmire reversed his support for a planned road safety project that includes lane reductions, putting $40 million in federal funding in jeopardy.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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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.
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