St. Cloud, Minnesota is considering the question of whether to renovate or rebuild—and where to rebuild—a local high school.

Kristi Marohn reports on the implication of a proposal to move the location of Technical High School in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota to a location on the edge of town 4.5 miles away from the current location. Among the costs of moving the school away from the city's core, according to the article: the loss of walkable access to the school.
Marohn presents the Technical High School case as an example of a trend found elsewhere in the country:
"As school districts nationwide seek to provide modern learning environments, many are building large schools outside of core urban areas, where land is cheaper and more plentiful. The spacious, modern schools offer many benefits, including attractive and functional designs, better accessibility for students with disabilities and on-site athletic fields."
"But they also come with hidden costs," adds Marohn. The article goes on to describe the case made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as smart growth advocates, who argue that a more holistic cost benefit analysis should influence the decision of where to site the location of new schools. Writes Marohn: "Among the costs of building a new school farther from the center of St. Cloud: extending sewer and water utilities and improving roads that aren't designed for the traffic a school would bring."
FULL STORY: Moving Tech to the outskirts could have hidden costs

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and harrowing close calls are a growing reality.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)