Public support of people-friendly infrastructure is not automatic. Get your streets right by getting the conversation right. (Includes lots of great shareable graphics.)
"Most people alive today have been told for their entire lives that infrastructure upgrades occur to ease congestion and, by that measure, the reduction of lanes does seem sort of, well, stupid, right?"
"But here’s the thing: Traffic calming isn’t done to ease congestion. That’s not the problem it’s trying to solve. If that’s surprising news to the community, one of two things has likely taken place: Either leadership has done a poor job of articulated and validating a particular vision; or infrastructure investments are being made outside the participation of the community."
Scott Doyon goes through a few key decisions about the character of roadways that much be decided, and how to talk in plain-speak to articulate the collective community vision.
Read the full story: Better Streets: Whatchu whatchu whatchu want?
'People Habitat': Kaid Benfield Takes Smart Growth to a Higher Level
Kaid Benfield has a new book out, which Scott Doyon found positively uplifting. In ways beyond what you might be thinking.
Research: More Complex Streets Are Safer
Streets that offer more perceived obstacles and distractions can force drivers to slow down and drive more carefully.
Reimagining Your Street
How to use free online tools to redesign your local streetscape.
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.
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.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
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