Streetsblog tells the story of how a Toledo resident got involved in complete streets activism in her community.
A year ago, the city of Toledo received an $11 million federal grant to add a fifth lane to a road between West Toledo and the Ottawa Hills suburb.
The project would have required demolishing at least 12 homes. But thanks to the organizing of longtime resident Dana Dunbar, the city has now agreed to abandon the road-widening plan, federal funding and all; in fact, Dunbar is now working to get the street reduced to just three lanes.
Streetsblog USA's Angie Schmitt spoke to Dunbar, a small business owner, about how this campaign launched her into transportation advocacy. After researching walkability and complete streets, she was able to mobilize the community to bring forth a perspective that the city engineers hadn't considered.
“They said, ‘It’s a collector arterial,'” Dunbar recalled. “But we said, ‘No, it’s a neighborhood.”
FULL STORY: How a Toledo Mom Stopped a Destructive Road Widening
Retrofitting Long Island Suburbs For The Pedestrian
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
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.
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.
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