A study prepared for the McKnight Foundation’s Food for Thought series has searched far and wide for lessons for keeping Minneapolis-St. Paul a prosperous and livable place.
Over two articles for MinnPost, Jay Walljasper identifies 27 ideas for improving education, attracting young talent, encouraging diversity, boosting planning and design, and addressing a host of other issues that could benefit Minneapolis-St. Paul, or any other metro area. Each idea has been inspired by specific examples from other locales.
"I present the following ideas not as a detailed road map to a brighter future," writes Walljasper in the introduction to "27 Bright Ideas We Should Steal from the Rest of the World" [PDF], "but as a way to stimulate our own creativity to tackle problems and seize opportunities that lie ahead. In a world becoming ever more global in its outlook and operations, it’s crucial to find inspiration and borrow ideas from everywhere."
FULL STORY: How to keep Minneapolis-St. Paul prosperous
Singapore: A Model for Longevity and Quality of Life
Singapore's remarkable rise in life expectancy, driven by government policies on health, green spaces, and social cohesion, has earned it the distinction of being named the world's sixth “Blue Zone.”
Sustainable Urban Design: A New Tool and Approach on The Talking Headways Podcast
Discover how the Sustainable Urban Design Framework helps planners create livable, sustainable communities. Nico Larco from the University of Oregon explores a new tool and book in the latest “Talking Headways” podcast.
When You Gotta Go: NYC Launches Public Restroom Map
New York City created a Google Maps layer to help residents and tourists alike more easily locate public restrooms.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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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