Planning in Second Life

Planners in Acton, Massachusetts used Second Life as a pr and outreach tool to engage citizens in planning a key commercial area.

1 minute read

June 22, 2010, 5:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


Local planners worked with Justin Hollander of Tufts University and Ann Sussman of openNeighborhood to organize and create the Second Life planning process.

From a final report prepared by Tufts on the project:

"The [Second Life] model allowed users to explore the existing conditions of Kelley's Corner and fly over the neighborhood, while at the same time interacting with other Acton citizens who may also be logged onto the site simultaneously. After exploring the virtual model, users were invited to visit the Village Design Center, a futuristic looking structure placed at the edge of the neighborhood by the OpenNeighborhood team."

Friday, June 18, 2010 in Cornerstones Blog

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Blue and white Seattle Link light rail train exiting concrete Downtown Bellevue Tunnel in Bellevue, WA.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

April 7, 2025 - Todd Litman

Two people on bikes in red painted bike lane with bus in traffic lane next to them.

Understanding Road Diets

An explainer from Momentum highlights the advantages of reducing vehicle lanes in favor of more bike, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.

4 hours ago - Momentum Magazine

Aerial view of large warehouses across from development of suburban single-family homes in Jurupa, California with desert mountains in background.

New California Law Regulates Warehouse Pollution

A new law tightens building and emissions regulations for large distribution warehouses to mitigate air pollution and traffic in surrounding communities.

5 hours ago - Black Voice News

Purple Phoenix light rail train connected to overhead wires at sunset.

Phoenix Announces Opening Date for Light Rail Extension

The South Central extension will connect South Phoenix to downtown and other major hubs starting on June 7.

6 hours ago - Arizona Republic