A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
The city of Orlando says it will ramp up efforts to improve walkability after receiving a Walk Score of 41 out of 100, reports Sabrina Maggiore for Yahoo News. According to the city’s 2023 Growth Management Plan Indicators Report, only 2.7 percent of Orlando residents walk to work.
Additionally, accessibility is an issue: “Some in wheelchairs say getting around the city can be especially challenging: they point to missing sidewalk ramps at pedestrian crossings, incomplete sidewalks, and areas where sidewalks are altogether non-existent.”
The report also notes that the city did not meet its 2023 goal of building 25 miles of new sidewalks or reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
The city released a statement touting its current and future efforts to build out its sidewalk network and make its roads safer. According to the statement, “Quick-Build projects, such as crosswalks, bike lanes and parklets, are all part of Orlando’s Vision Zero efforts to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries within the city by 2040.”
FULL STORY: Orlando says improvements are coming after city scores 41 out of 100 for walkability
How “Proven Safety Countermeasures” Save Lives
A bill named in honor of a U.S. diplomat killed while on her bicycle would let state DOTs access full federal funding for road safety projects.
Report: San Diego’s Lack of Progress on Vision Zero Mirrors Nationwide Trend
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Houston Mayor Pauses Complete Streets Projects
The move raises concerns among road safety advocates who point out that traffic deaths continue to rise.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
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Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
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Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service