That's part of what Wayne Senville, editor of the Planning Commissioners Journal will be finding out during a six-week cross-country trip along U.S. Route 50.

Between the Memorial Day weekend and July 10th, Senville will be meeting with planners and planning commissioners in more than two dozen communities in the 12 states (and the District of Columbia) that Route 50 crosses.

Why Route 50? As Senville puts it, "Route 50 goes through an amazingly varied mix of cities and towns. From the beach resort of Ocean City, Maryland through our nation's capital, and then on through small cities in states like Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado, as well as the major hubs of Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Kansas City, Route 50 offers as good a reflection of the United States as can be found on any one roadway."

Discussions along Route 50 will focus on the most challenging planning and development issues communities are working on, highlighting both obstacles and opportunities.

According to Senville: "In conversations I've had with planners in setting up this trip, I know I'll be reporting on many critical issues facing cities and towns, from the revitalization of downtowns and urban riverfronts to dealing with the effects of explosive growth. I'll also be covering a diverse range of concerns: tourism and its impacts; inner-city economics; neighborhood efforts to make it easier for residents to 'age in place;' how to promote citizen involvement in local planning; and much more." And, adds Senville, "of course, I'll also be talking with planners about the challenges they face in dealing with roads and highways."

One of most innovative aspects of this trip is that Senville will be posting daily online reports on what he's hearing. Through a combination of text, photos, video, and audio clips, visitors to the Route 50 blog site: www.Rte50.com will be able to follow Senville as he works his way West.

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Now in its 16th year, the Planning Commissioners Journal, with subscribers throughout the U.S. and Canada, serves the needs of "citizen planners" -- including members of town, city, county, and regional planning boards.

Related Link: Senville's Route 50 Travel Blog

For more information contact:

Betsey Krumholz
Planning Commissioners Journal
P.O. Box 4295
Burlington
VT 05406
United States

Phone: 802-864-9083
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.plannersweb.com