This article from The Phoenix looks at Boston's reputation for being a walkable city, why that reputation is fading, and who is helping to bring it back.
"It's not enough to rely on the achievements of the past; we need streets that work for us today. Stand back and take in the city from the pedestrian's point of view: too many streets are not all they are cracked up to be. Overflowing trash cans and asphalt perennially under repair belie those adoring urban portraits found in college view books and tourist brochures. The delights of the city should be endless, yet they're too often marred by rundown sidewalks, uninspired design, and a loss of civility and respect."
"In Boston, a number of advocates are committed to making our streets accessible to the diverse city constituencies that share these narrow slices of real estate by making them as great they can be. Some are urban designers, some are nonprofits, and others are city officials, but they all want to give a better form to the pulsing energy of urban life today."
FULL STORY: Walk the talk
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.
San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows
The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.
What Forest Service Cuts Mean for Cities
U.S. Forest Service employees work on projects that have impacts far beyond remote, rural wilderness areas.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
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