Cities around the continent are reclaiming the previously unwelcoming confines of underpasses for active, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing uses.
According to an article by Megan Barber, "many cities are turning transit underpasses into public parks, replacing trash, overgrown weeds, and dark passageways with art installations, funky lights, and pedestrian thoroughfares."
The article presents seven prominent examples of underpasses that have been transformed into attractive public spaces, including a blurb and some fetching photography. Some of these examples have been recently completed, others have long histories, and some are still in planning or design phases.
- The Wabash Lights in Chicago
- The I-5 Colonnade Bike Park in Seattle
- The Underline in Miami
- The Bentway in Toronto
- Burnside Skatepark in Portland
- Underpass Art Parks in Washington, D.C.
- Sabine Promenade in Houston
And because Barber asked for examples that the post missed, what about the Underpass Park in Toronto, which was awarded the ASLA's 2016 Professional Award of Excellence?
FULL STORY: 7 ugly urban underpasses now functioning as public parks
Reimagining the Space Beneath Houston’s Freeways
Opportunities abound for Houston to capitalize on otherwise unused space beneath its wide network of freeways.
Audit: Caltrans Ignored Red Flags Before Freeway Fire
A lax inspection schedule contributed to the hazardous conditions that led to the massive blaze that shut down Interstate 10 in Los Angeles last year.
Fire Officials Say More LA Freeway Underpasses at Fire Risk
The city’s fire department is surveying other underpasses for hazardous materials and other code violations that led to the November 11 fire that shut down a key interstate segment.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate
The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.
Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law
Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions