Sidewalks

A 'Curious' New Report on Pedestrian Behavior in Public Spaces
The Seattle Department of Transportation recently released its first-ever public life study.

Checking in With St. Paul's First-Ever Pedestrian Plan
The public is providing feedback on the city of St. Paul's first-ever Pedestrian Plan.

Costs and Outcomes of Seattle Sidewalk Program
Move Seattle included a promise of 250 blocks of new sidewalks and pathways. But costs are much higher than predicted and the low-cost pathways are minimal improvements for pedestrians.

A New Pedestrian Plan for St. Paul
The city of St. Paul released a draft Pedestrian Plan in November, its first-ever addendum to the city's Comprehensive Plan to focus specifically on pedestrian safety.

West Hollywood Pilots Pop-Up Walkability Improvements
Six-month pilot projects along the Sunset Strip include a parklet and painted sidewalk extensions by a street artist.

Minneapolis Considers Drastic Action to Clear Snow-Blocked Sidewalks
Minneapolis is stepping up enforcement of snow removal scofflaws and considering taking on the job of clearing sidewalks in the name of walkability.

More Rights, Fewer Responsibilities, for Electric Scooter Riders in California
A bill that would toss the helmet requirement for adult e- scooter riders and allow them to ride on roads where the speed limit is 35 mph, up from the current limit of 25 mph, is on Governor Jerry Brown's desk. He has until Sept. 30 to decide.

San Francisco Taking a Proactive Approach to Poop
The problem of feces in the public realm is rampant in San Francisco, so the city is launching a new "Poop Patrol."

Sidewalks and Footpaths 'Functionally Obsolete' in the Near Transportation Future
With so much attention devoted to how technology will change roadways and vehicles, less speculation has attended to the ways technology will change walking.

Chicago Should Legalize A-Frame Signs, Alderman Says
A-frame sandwich board signs are illegal in Chicago, but they're widely used anyway.
Houston Metro's Beacons Serve Visually-Impaired Population
A system of beacons will send signals to cell phones in Houston to help bus riders find stops and navigate public transit safely.

Portland to Upgrade Sidewalks in ADA Settlement
The city will survey every one of its 37,000 street corners for compliance.

Sidewalks Maintenance Matches Neighborhood Affluence in Boston
Roxbury, Mattapan, and parts of Dorchester are dealing with cracked and buckled sidewalks.

How Sidewalks Literally Sideline the Pedestrian
Plenty of sidewalks stand in need of improvement, and many aren't there at all. But they're also a symbol of the automobile's engineered dominance of our roads.
More Projects Adopt Pedestrian-Friendly Sidewalk Shed
Last year more than 9,000 sidewalk sheds dotted New York streets, protecting public safety and inspiring universal frustration.

The Real First-Last Mile Solution: Fix the Sidewalks
Upgrading sidewalks on the way to transit stations could make a difference in cities facing declining transit ridership.

$604 Million Makeover Coming to San Francisco's Market Street
The changes in store for the main corridor through San Francisco's central business district connect to a larger story about accessibility for people with disabilities.

The Struggle for a Walkable Houston
Houston is fighting itself on walkability. While some build sidewalks and benches, parking minimums and outdated policies hold the city back.

Seattle Experiments With Fence-Free Sidewalk Cafés
Sidewalk-adjacent eating spaces generally separate diners from pedestrians. By using markers instead of fences, some Seattle eateries are opening their dining areas to the street.
Suburban Community Welcomes New Sidewalks
The county of El Paso and the state of Texas are partnering to install sidewalks in the city of Sparks. The project reveals a community enthusiastic about investments in pedestrian safety.
Pagination
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