With its elegant skyline, walkable streets and stunning parks, Vancouver exemplifies great city-making. Add to the list of achievements the city's ability to reduce traffic by 20 to 30 percent since 2006 while growing its population by 4.5 percent.
"The perennial contender for the title of world’s most livable city has accomplished what Houston or Atlanta never even dream of: It has reduced traffic on its major thoroughfares even as its population has swelled," writes Angie Schmitt. "How did the city pull off this feat? The answer is intentionally, with smart policies."
"In the 1970s, the people of Vancouver decided they wanted their city to be walkable and healthy," she explains. "To make that work, Vancouver worked hard to establish the kind of land use policies that would make living car-free a natural choice. The city prioritized walkable, mixed-use development and established a strong transit system with light rail, streetcars trolly buses, and rapid buses, as well as walking and biking connections."
"And guess what? That strategy has worked exactly as planned."
FULL STORY: In Vancouver, Traffic Decreases as Population Rises
Paris Creates Limited Traffic Zone in City Center
Most vehicles will be barred from entering a 5.5 square kilometer zone to limit traffic, noise, and pollution.
Vancouver Day Care Rejection Poses Larger Questions
What does it mean for cities and civic life when neighborhoods are viewed as products geared for individual consumption rather than ever-evolving communities?
Bring Back the Corner Store
‘Accessory commercial units’ were once common across U.S. towns and cities. Now, zoning regulations make them illegal in many places.
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
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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