The Dallas City Council approved a road diet for Knox Street in Dallas, where 1,000 residential units are under construction on an already thriving commercial corridor.
According to Robert Wilonsky, the Dallas City Council recently approved a plan to reconfigure Knox Street from four lanes to three between McKinney Avenue and Travis Street. The changes are "intended to fix a terrifying parking experience and render narrow sidewalks more walkable…"
The project provoked heated rhetoric from longtime business owners on the corridor. Wilonsky devotes plenty of ink to their case, which argues that the corridor's regional draw requires more vehicle lanes to prevent congestion.
The project will cost $734,700, paid for by 2012 bond funds. "It's expected to begin within a year, and take about 12 to 18 months to complete," according to Wilonsky. The corridor got a temporary traffic calming and reconfiguration makeover back in 2012.
FULL STORY: Knox Street to go from four lanes to three, to the chagrin of some mainstays
When it Comes to Road Diets, Evidence Doesn't Matter
Drivers are a powerful enough lobby to overcome all evidence of the need to redesign streets for safety. Examples from Maryland and Virginia provide the latest case studies in Vision Zero futility.
Dallas Considers Nixing Parking Requirements
According to one local official, Dallas projects routinely build 20 to 30 percent more parking than they need, driving up the cost of housing and leading to unsustainable land use patterns.
Dallas Could Eliminate Parking Requirements
Supporters of the measure say it would contribute to economic development and make local development more affordable.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
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.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Grand Rapids Mayor Proposes Garage Conversion Plan
The mayor says allowing homeowners to convert garages to dwelling units could alleviate the city’s housing shortage.
Baltimore Ordered to Improve Sidewalk Accessibility
The city is one of many to face lawsuits for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This Toronto Suburb Has More Bus Riders Than Columbus, Ohio
Brampton, Ontario used gradual improvements in service to prove that if you build it, they will ride.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
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