Pay phones are over in New York City. Soon, however, 7,000 futuristic looking Link towers will be a standard presence among the New York streetscape.
"[The] New York City mayor's office announced the winning bid to transform the city's existing payphone infrastructure," report Mario Aguilar. "LinkNYC will bring free gigabit Wi-Fi connectivity to some 7000 street towers. It's one of the largest and most ambitious citywide Wi-Fi networks in the world."
The LinkNYC contract is the result of a request for proposals announced earlier this year. New Links will be deployed in every borough in the city. As for what the Link towers will offer: "In addition to an antenna providing 150 foot Wi-Fi radius, the 9.5-foot towers will have a built-in Android tablets with series of pre-loaded apps, as well as a charging station for your personal gear. And of course, the Links are still phones, except now instead of popping in a quarter, you'll be able to make free calls to the fifty states."
In coverage for the Wall Street Journal, Mike Vilensky reports that "[construction] on the devices will begin next year, with roughly 500 set to become fully operational by year’s end. The city is pledging up to 10,000 Links."
Read the full story: The Plan to Turn NYC's Old Payphones Into Free Gigabit Wi-Fi Hot Spots
NYC's Link5G Towers Face Neighborhood Opposition
More than 2,000 32-foot towers are coming to New York City street corners to improve 5G connectivity throughout the city, and residents aren’t happy, citing incompatible design and visual distraction as a threat to safety.
'Smart Cities' and Surveillance
The big city isn't such an anonymous place anymore.
Watch the Olympics on Digital Kiosks
Three cities around the country have the hardware to provide coverage of the Olympics in public.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal
Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.
Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states
Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority