Complete streets, road diets, streetscape improvements - geared to promote suburban downtowns for new residents who seek access to amenities without having to drive is a hit for some towns who have successfully obtained government grants to fund them
Just a few miles from the Queens (New York City) border lies the quiet, upscale hamlet of Great Neck in Long Island's Nassau County.
"Jean A. Celender, the mayor of Great Neck Plaza, sees walkability as a 'big issue' in her 0.33-square-mile village of 7,000 residents... Many have downsized from two-story homes nearby, seeking the 'availability to age in place' in the village. "They like it even more when they can go downstairs and have everything," she said, from Great Neck's array of boutiques and restaurants to the 26-minute train trip to Manhattan."
On Great Neck Road - which the article depicts with a photograph showing resident using a walker utilizing the new median strip for crossing, travel lanes were reduced and bike lanes added.
"Dealing with 'requests from residents to make our streets safer,' Ms. Celender, a professional planner, has helped enact five traffic-calming pedestrian and bicycle-safety projects over the last decade."
At a mid-November workshop on the legislation, part of the 10th Annual Vision Long Island Smart Growth Summit, (Republican) State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., the original sponsor of the Complete Streets bill, said that retrofitting suburbs with pedestrians rather than cars in mind was "a positive for any community" and "would certainly encourage" development.
FULL STORY: ‘Walkable’ Steps Into Spotlight
Grassroots Activism Wins a Road Diet Instead of a Road Widening in Toledo
Streetsblog tells the story of how a Toledo resident got involved in complete streets activism in her community.
Austin Suburb Launches Walkability Study
Kyle, Texas is developing a Sidewalks Master Plan to improve walking facilities.
Houston Developers Question Mayor’s Stance on Pedestrian Projects
The new mayor’s reversal of road safety projects, some already underway or completed, is raising eyebrows among developers who say residents want walkable, mixed-use streets.
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