Water is encroaching on neighborhoods and shorelines in Detroit at rare levels. Those impacts and many more are considered only a preview of what's to come when the worst effects of climate change strike the Great Lakes region.
"Anyone who doubts that climate change could deliver a nasty shock to Michigan's economy need only take a stroll along the Detroit riverfront these days," according to an article by John Gallagher.
Experts disagree whether high lake levels and heavy rains that have been the reality of the spring and summer in Michigan can be directly traced to climate change, according to Gallagher, but experts do agree that the worst of climate change is yet to come. And that means, "the kind of problems we're seeing now because of high lake levels and abundant spring rainfall give a hint to what Michigan will endure from full-blown climate change one day."
Detroit has been sandbagging properties in the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the far lowest east side. "And far from the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair, Michigan farmers have been dealing with soggy fields produced by the spring downpours," according to Gallagher.
FULL STORY: High water levels foreshadow huge cost of climate change in Michigan
Flooding in the Midwest Shows There's No Refuge From Climate Change
While projections say areas of the U.S. Midwest around the Great Lakes will become more hospitable as the climate changes, stormwater and flooding is still a challenge in a surprising number of locations.
Detroit Floods as the Pacific Northwest Bakes: It's Time to Shift the Conversation About Climate Change
The record-breaking heatwave in the Pacific Northwest has mostly been depicted in the media by kids running through fountains, but images of flooded highways and stranded vehicles in Detroit tell a more accurate story of climate change.
Auto Insurance Rates Spike Due to Extreme Weather
Car insurance costs around the country are going up as insurers receive more claims from areas struck by storms and other climate disasters.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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 Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research