The city of Denver lost its streetcar more than half a century ago, and it's been growing east ever since.
Denver is growing in a way that many American cities envy, but the popularity of the city has not led to more density. "Even after the revival of urbanism in Denver and other American cities, it turns out that most of those neighborhoods are, in fact, less populated today than they were in 1950 — which was when the last streetcar in Denver’s once-extensive network shut down," Jon Murray reports in the Denver Post.
If the city's population has increased without getting denser, the city is spreading. This sprawl creates all kinds of consequences. For instance, "[Denver residents] own cars at about twice the rate as 1950," Murray writes.
FULL STORY: Denver is absorbing a lot more people, but it’s not more densely populated than 1950
A New Urban Growth Boundary for Metro Denver
Douglas County’s master plan indicates that areas south of current development will likely remain preserved through conservation initiatives, but the metro area’s booming population indicates that growth will continue to happen, somewhere.
Denver Struggling to Unlock the Potential of Accessory Dwelling Units
Why doesn’t Denver build more ADUs? It’s complicated.
Denver Affordable Housing Program Moves Forward
A proposal to reduce parking requirements near transit and encourage higher-density affordable housing development received Planning Board approval, but community concerns about affordability and displacement remain.
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Minneapolis Awards Affordable Housing Funds
The city awarded over $17 million to affordable housing construction and rehabilitation projects.
Tall Vehicles: Unsafe at Any Speed
Vehicles with taller front-end designs are more likely to injure pedestrians even when traveling at lower speeds.
Commentary: Minimum Lot Sizes Drive Up Housing Costs
How making residential building requirements more flexible can ease the housing crisis and make neighborhoods more livable for more households.
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.
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
City of Laramie
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners