A new report on sidewalks and climate change in Seattle prompts a call to urban planners and municipal officials to take greater care in installing sidewalks in neighborhoods.
"Sidewalks have long been the indicator of whether a neighborhood has the attention of City Hall planners and politicians. Lack of sidewalks can also provide a rallying point for disaffection. A new study of the relationship between sidewalks and climate change released by the Washington State Department of Transportation may provide some new backing for the concrete crusade being led by some neighborhoods. But the city needs to be careful to consider other factors like the impacts on water quality."
The report downplays the role of sidewalks in reducing vehicle miles traveled, but this article from Crosscut argues that it also disregards the role sidewalks and curbs play in public safety and water retention.
FULL STORY: Sidewalks are a neighborhood's status symbol, but do they help the environment?
New Yorkers Face New Climate Risks
A two-acre fire in a city park prompted city officials to ban grilling while urging residents to conserve water to limit the impact of a historic drought.
Southern Water Infrastructure at Risk From Climate Impacts
A water main breaks somewhere in the United States every two minutes, according to an estimate from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Northeastern Waterways More Polluted After Wet Year
Intense rains washed more runoff into local bodies of water, while warmer temperatures contributed to the growth of an invasive bloom.
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.
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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