Streetscapes

Where Words Fail: Teach Architects and Urban Designers Like Violinists
Architects and urban designers justify or explain their work with words, and municipalities govern design with jargon-filled regulations. The outcome is often underwhelming.

Electric Bike Sales Explode as Cities Rethink Streetscapes
North America has experienced a 5% jump in rates of cycling since the U.S. started staying home. As electric bikes enjoy impressive sales increases, cities around the world consider making the shift permanent by planning bike-friendly infrastructure.

Unequal Distribution of Shade Is Environmental Injustice
A longread, written by Sam Boch and published by Places Journal, has been creating a stir online and is highly recommended for those with an interest in intersections between social justice and urban design.

Downtown Seattle Corridor Gets Visioning Treatment
A stakeholder group hopes to create a pedestrian- and business-friendly streetscape in Downtown Seattle.

Great Places: What Every Urban Enthusiast Should Know
Melissa Hege, AICP, shares her thoughts on what every urban enthusiast should know about good streets and great places.
Innovations in Street Furniture Reflect New Approach to Public Space
After a tour of Los Angeles street furniture, Alissa Walker offers her reflections on cities' changing approach to public space.

Urban Taxidermy: When Authenticity and Artificiality Collide
A new breed of preservation has sprung up in Toronto, where existing structures are partially preserved to give new building's old facades. But is this attempt to preserve the existing streetscape actually succeeding?
Los Angeles' 'Premier Complete Street' Clears Final Hurdle
The MyFigueroa project, long-delayed and almost-dead on more than one occasion, will move ahead free of local opposition. The project, which includes the city's first separated cycle track, will become Los Angeles' "premier complete street."
Dallas Working to Streamline Approval Process for Sidewalk Cafés
A City Council committee got its first look at a proposed revision of the streetscape licensing process by which restaurants and cafés can acquire sidewalk seating. Councilmembers sent the plan back the drawing board again.
Conan O'Brien's Streetscape Improvements to Proposed 'Conan O'Brien Blvd.'
In response to Chicago's recent naming of a street in honor of Oprah Winfrey, late night TV host Conan O'Brien has suggested having his own street in L.A., along with various streetscape improvements.
L.A. Plans to Fix its Streets
Los Angeles County is in the process of writing a "Model Streets Manual", with funding coming from an unlikely source: The Department of Public Health.
Forget The Automobile, More Streets for Pedestrians and Cyclists Coming to L.A.
Despite the city's heavy dependence on cars, a newly-approved project in Los Angeles will transform a Downtown street into a better experience for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit-riders.
The Importance of Quality Streetscapes
This piece from Next American City looks at plans to dramatically rework streetscapes in Boston, and cheers the effort.
Sustainable Streets in St. Louis
The city of St. Louis has been testing out a new sustainable streetscape design that calms traffic and helps absorb stormwater. The test run has been so well-received, the city is thinking about rolling out the design permanently.
No Ground-Floor Garages ... Except This One
Despite advocating for an end to ground-floor garages, a neighborhood group in Philadelphia is now asking for an exemption to the rule it wrote against them.
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 Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
M-NCPPC Prince George's County Planning Department
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service