A innovative approach to I-20/59 could thrust downtown Birmingham past other revitalizing cities, but the state has been reluctant to think outside the box.
"As the city of Birmingham remembers the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, the state of Alabama is in the midst of reenacting the 1960s with two antiquated engineering projects," writes Wesley Vaughan. "Successful communities preserve rural areas and maximize urban areas. Yet, the Alabama Department of Transportation is intent on ruining both."
"The $4.7 billion Northern Beltline project will create more resource-inefficient sprawl, and the $340 million I-20/59 bridge replacement project would further the damage done by a downtown-dividing interstate."
"Both projects will diminish the city of Birmingham's standing in the region, but the I-20/59 project will directly affect its urban makeup."
FULL STORY: The downtown I-20/59 project deserves state interest
Highway Widening Plan Meets Resistance in Birmingham
A petition and a lawsuit are so far the tactics used by local advocates to oppose a plan by the Alabama Department of Transportation to widen an interstate that runs through the heart of Birmingham.
California Environmental Leaders Call on State Agencies to Prioritize Multimodal Transportation
Even before President Trump took office, California was not meeting its emissions reduction goals.
Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions
This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.
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.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
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.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service