Wendell Cox delves into the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau that have prompted some to herald a return to America's downtowns, and argues that reports of such population growth are vastly overblown.
Although some news reports of the latest Census Bureau numbers showing America's downtown population growth were careful to note the attendant growth in suburban and exurban areas, Cox shows just how exaggerated the ratio of the latter to the former is. "[T]o characterize the trend since 2000 as reflective of any 'flocking' to
the cities is to exaggerate the trend of downtown improvement beyond
recognition," says Cox. "Among the 51 major metropolitan areas (those with more
than 1 million population), nearly 99 percent of all population growth
between 2000 and 2010 was outside the downtown areas."
While Cox's reasoning for the increasing popularity of the nation's downtowns, which he attributes largely to "efforts to make crime infested urban cores suitable for habitation," is suspect, his breakdown of the Census numbers is hard to argue with.
FULL STORY: Flocking Elsewhere: The Downtown Growth Story
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.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Bourbon Street Could Be a Model for Pedestrian Spaces
The conversation around pedestrianizing public streets isn’t new — think Times Square. Could one of America’s oldest streets lead the way in a revival of the pedestrian mall?
Multiple Lawsuits Aim to Save NYC Congestion Pricing
Environmental and transit advocacy groups, along with the MTA, are suing USDOT over its recent crusade to end the cordon pricing program.
Massachusetts Gov. Makes Case for Road Funding Reforms
A package of proposed bills would change the state’s road funding formula to ensure more money flows to rural areas with limited resources.
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.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
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