June Williamson, co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia, spoke with Streetsblog about the challenge of making that most auto-centric of development typology—the big box—friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists.
Angie Schmitt interviewed June Williamson, co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia, about the possibility of salvaging the streets and parking lots around big box stores "to make them more walkable for the people who shop and work at these stores every day?"
Schmitt what she found in the interview, organized around a few central concepts, some of which are listed here:
- "Make sure you have sidewalks and crosswalks."
- "Create a path through the parking lot."
- "Make sure there's bike parking."
- "Create some outdoor public spaces and seating."
The article includes more details on these points, as well as the others included in the article.
Read the full story: How to Make Big Box Stores Less Terrible for Walking: 8 Expert Tips
Is Driving Traffic to Big Box Stores True Economic Development?
Strong Towns’ Charles Marohn argues that planning for ‘commerce’ perpetuates an unsustainable, car-centric development model.
Why Big Box Stores Are Abandoning Their Urban Experiment
And why that may not be such a bad thing.
The Walkable Urbanism of Big Box Stores
For residents of many U.S. small towns and exurbs, the local Walmart offers a surprising benefit missing elsewhere in their communities: walkability.
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.
Housing is the top priority of Seattle’s sole new councilmember
Jenks campaigned on building 1,000 new units of affordable housing.
New tax cuts may slash $1.5 billion in funding for Miami transit, public parks
Amendment 3 will save Miami-Dade homeowners $2,700 in 2028.
Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania hope to finally advance climate goals post-midterms
The three states have spent years under Republican or divided control.
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority