In some cities, maintenance of sidewalks is not the responsibility of the city but of adjacent landowners. Philadelphia is finding what a hassle this arrangement can be. With countless blocks in disrepair, everyone is passing the buck.
Back in 1891, the city of Philadelphia adopted an ordinance assigning responsibility for sidewalk maintenance to adjacent landlords. This seemed like a good idea at a time when everyone walked and before laws like the Americans With Disabilities Act required that sidewalks always provide safe passage.
Today, many Philly sidewalks are impassible not just to citizens in wheelchairs, but also to just about anyone short of a mountain goat. And the city is finding, not surprisingly, that landlords and neighborhood associations aren't eager to pay up. The city has tried to fine landlords, but the fines are often paltry compared to the cost of compliance.
Neighborhood groups are searching for creative solutions. One of them suggests a list of "Top-10 Offenders" in case a public display might spur landlords to action.
"[P]articularly outside of Center City, where busted, tree-root shimmed and all-but-obliterated sidewalks are distressingly common. Philadelphia’s walkability is one of its chief strengths—but not on those stretches where sidewalks are in gross disrepair."
Read the full story: Lots of Philadelphia Sidewalks Are in Horrible Shape — How to Fix Them?
For Once, Cars, Not Pedestrians, Make Room for Construction
In a welcome turnabout of the usual state of affairs, a Philadelphia construction site gives a lane of traffic to pedestrians to make up for the three blocks of sidewalk it's taking.
The number of kids walking to school dropped from over 50% to 11% since the 1960s
Unsafe pedestrian infrastructure makes walking to school dangerous or impossible for a growing number of American students.
Why Walk Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story
A popular measure of walkability only measures proximity, not safety or comfort.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
Brightline Florida files for bankruptcy
The transit company is over $5 billion in debt.
St. Louis Metro to test if single-car trains can reduce operating costs, maintain rider satisfaction
The pilot program will run from October to spring 2027, and begin with one single-car train operating on Metrolink’s Red and Blue lines.
Pennsylvania is building data centers in abandoned mines
Housing data centers in mines provides an alternative to destroying local forests and may spare residents from data centers’ noise and air pollution.
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 Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello