The same political force that helped bring the Central Subway in San Francisco is now opposing a proposal that grew in the project's wake—turning Stockton Street into a permanent pedestrian space.

Matier & Ross report from San Francisco that a Chinatown political activist named Rose Pak is marshaling forces to obstruct a proposal to turn lower Stockton Street into a pedestrian walkway.
"The idea of turning lower Stockton Street into a permanent pedestrian space — possibly with a provision for buses — has been percolating since the city tore up the once heavily traveled link between Chinatown and Market Street five years ago to build the Central Subway," according to Matier & Ross. Business in the area suffered while subway work was underway, so the city compromised by suspending work during the holiday season and "turning the three-block stretch between Market and Post streets into an artificial-turf-covered walkway complete with benches, food trucks and nighttime light shows."
Union Square merchants support the proposal to permanently turn Stockton Street into a pedestrian-only space, but Pak disagrees. She's opposing a preliminary study on the proposal, arguing that Stockton Street is "a vital link in and out of Chinatown that needs to be restored to its old self as soon as possible."
FULL STORY: Rose Pak flashes red light on Stockton Street pedestrian mall

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

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)