Cafe seating overlooking New York's Broadway traffic is popular in spite of safety concerns.
"The city has provided a new kind of thrill right in the heart of Midtown: an esplanade carved into Broadway where people can sit and relax as cars and trucks whiz by. One alfresco diner stated, 'You hear so many accidents of the cars going out of control and all they have here is plastic pots. We're going to roll the dice and eat lunch here today.' Seth Solomonow, a spokesman for New York City's Transportation Department, assured that the planters weigh 600 or 1,000 pounds and are positioned to prevent vehicles from passing in between them. The design is standard throughout the city.
To create the esplanade, the city used two of the four traffic lanes on Broadway between 42nd and35th Streets. On the eastern portion of Broadway, there are new pedestrian areas, which have a gravel coating glued to the pavement, and a bike lane that runs next to the sidewalk. And the city bought the benches, tables, chairs and planters, which were set out last week. The total project cost was $700,000."
FULL STORY: Front-Row Seats on Broadway, if You Dare
The Responsibility of the Building to the Street
Structural engineers are responsible for ensuring that buildings do not fall over. Mechanical engineers must ensure that people inside can breathe. But what responsibility do building designers have to the street outside?
Envisioning the 'Soft City'
Density and diversity—where boundaries between spaces and uses are lessened—create more vibrant, livable places and more functional cities.
Trends and Strategies in Urban Assessment Districts
Business improvement districts and other assessment districts are evolving as more residents move downtown. Among other things, place making is more important. Long time district consultant Marco Li Mandri explains the trends and strategies.
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