Once again, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) delightfully surprises the design community with another major leap forward in making city streets a public realm for all users (I can’t tell you how odd it still feels to write that). As if the impressive, incessant roll-out of bike lanes, successful implementation of the “Select Bus Service”, and the unprecedented changes to Times Square and its environs weren’t enough to pique the imaginations of New Yorkers used to streets built for cars, NYCDOT has just issued their “2009 Street Design Manual”. Planners and Engineers, get ready for a thrill!
Once again, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) delightfully surprises the design community with another major leap forward in making city streets a public realm for all users (I can't tell you how odd it still feels to write that). As if the impressive, incessant roll-out of bike lanes, successful implementation of the "Select Bus Service", and the unprecedented changes to Times Square and its environs weren't enough to pique the imaginations of New Yorkers used to streets built for cars, NYCDOT has just issued their "2009 Street Design Manual". Planners and Engineers, get ready for a thrill!
Don't let the year in the name fool you; if you've endured the rigors of learning the ropes of roadway design in New York City, then you know well enough that such a comprehensive document has never existed to guide the designer through the complexities of one of the most challenging processes known to man (Full disclosure: that might be a slight exaggeration). It is with great joy (and relief) that I can dispense with the ten-times-photocopied half-sheet details and loose collection of materials assembled over the years that substituted for a comprehensive design manual, and share with you a document that stresses the importance of accommodating all modes, offers a broad range of design treatments, and is bursting at the seams with visual examples and precedents from around the world (for illustrative purposes only, of course!).
So don't waste any more time reading my banter, dig into the 2009 Street Design Manual right away and discover the eerily new NYCDOT; it may in fact be the perfect set of guidelines for other cities to adopt in their pursuit of a safer, more balanced public street space. Enjoy!
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/streetdesignmanual.shtml

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software
Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers
Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.

Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action
Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.
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Planning for Universal Design
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Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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