Would Jane Jacobs Approve of Janette Sadik-Khan?

With a new edition of The Death and Life of Great American Cities releasing this week, Sam Lewis looks at a handful of "planebrities" to see how they would measure up for Ms. Jacobs.

1 minute read

September 17, 2011, 1:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur


Sam thinks Jane Jacobs would have a mixed reaction to Ms. Sadik-Khan's record:

"Her accomplishments are impressive (read what New York Times‘ columnist Frank Bruni has to say) and like Jacobs, she's committed to a walkable city. Jacobs herself might even have joined Sadik-Khan for a bicycle ride if she were here today. But it may have been a quick cruise - even Mayor Michael Bloomberg nudged the commissioner to solicit more input from residents (a key tenet of Jacobs' vision) and to tone down her aggressive approach to implementing projects."

Sam looks at other New York urbanists through the Jane Jacobs lens, including Amanda Burden and Daniel Goldstein (the activist who fought the Atlantic Yards Project).

Friday, September 16, 2011 in WNET

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

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

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.

5 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Streetcar and bus stopped at station on Market Street in San Francisco with Ferry Building visible in background.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street

If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

2 hours ago - San Francisco Examiner

Parklet with wooden benches and flower boxes on street in Ireland.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces

Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

3 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Bronze statue of homeless man (Jesus) with head down and arm outstretched in front of St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.

4 hours ago - The New York Times