A temporary bike and pedestrian path is changing the street design game in Baltimore.
"Last August, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT), working with a local bike advocacy group called Bikemore and a national group called PeopleForBikes, installed a rather unusual mobility path using only water-filled traffic barriers," according to an article by Alex Holt.
The Big Jump, as the multi-modal trail is called, is located along a 1.4-mile stretch of Druid Park Lake Drive, 28th Street, and Sisson Street in North Baltimore. The trail also has proven "incredibly popular," and could provide a model for street design in the future, according to Holt.
The article provides additional historical context for the trail's popularity (mostly centering on the construction of the Druid Hill Expressway, which cut working class neighborhoods from Druid Hill Park) and also details the process that produced the popular final product. Next steps for the Big Jump include converting the trail to more permanent forms of infrastructure and landscaping.
FULL STORY: Baltimore’s “Big Jump” path aims to bridge highways and historic wrongs

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.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.

Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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