Like the major automakers, cities have been warned for years that they need to rein in sprawl and become more energy-efficient; and having neglected these warnings must now restructure how they operate, says Jack Diamond of the Globe and Mail.
"As difficult as it is for General Motors to restructure its business, with so-called legacy issues embedded in the way it does business (gas guzzlers, too many dealerships, union contracts and so on), so it is difficult to restructure the shape of our cities. But it is not impossible, and like GM, we have no option. The sooner we acknowledge the problem, the better our prospects for a sustainable future.
There are ways to begin the necessary transformation. First, higher densities should be zoned within walking distance of existing public-transit stops. Second...No expensive rail bed is required for bus service. Buses can serve local routes or longer-haul, express routes. They can have a number of stops in one neighbourhood, then go directly to a more remote destination.
These are just two of the steps available to begin the process of rendering our cities economically and environmentally sustainable. Once these are begun, there are a host of others to accelerate the change."
FULL STORY: Now is the time to reshape our cities
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Some commentators defend anti-urban government policies such as exclusionary zoning on the basis that homeowning suburbanites have high birth rates. But this doesn't seem to be true in recent decades.
Density and Disorder: The Imaginary Link
A recent article tries to tie public transit and walkability to social disorder — but in fact, sprawling Sunbelt cities like Memphis are as likely to have high crime rates as transit-rich metropolises such as New York and San Francisco.
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Robotaxis can lead to longer, more frequent trips and are projected to increase VMT by as much as 83 percent.
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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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
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Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
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NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service