Local businesses in Beaverton, Oregon hope new walking and biking infrastructure will attract young talent.
The city of Beaverton plans to reduce auto lanes and add bike lanes on a stretch of road in "Silicon Forest," John Maus reports at Bike Portland. What makes this particular bike project "a big deal," in Maus's words, is that it was requested by local merchants as a strategy to boost business.
In a city survey, owners of businesses on the street "overwhelmingly" supported building up bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, Maus reports. In fact, it became the "top priority" of the city's plan for the area employment district, West Five. The goal stressed in planning documents is to attract a younger demographic to the area, who will hopefully become the next generation workforce for the tech cluster and other major businesses nearby.
Read the full story: To boost business, Beaverton will build separated bikeways on Western Ave
Even Quaint Towns Can Be Cutting Edge
Small towns can teach big cities about effective roadway designs.
Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces Bike/Ped Safety Initiative
Streetsblog's Tanya Snyder, attending the Pro-Walk Pro-Bike Pro-Place conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., reports that Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced a U.S. DOT pedestrian and bike safety initiative.
New Federal Grant Rules Could Kill Detroit Road Diets
Millions in federal dollars for safe streets could be in jeopardy after federal agencies changed conditions for grant funding.
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.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority