Welcome to Velotopia.
A new book by Steven Fleming, founder of bike-centric planning consultancy Cycle Space, lays out a utopian city built around bicycles as the main form of transportation. In fact, cars are largely illegal in "Velotopia," a complete streets paradise where the flow of traffic is smooth, development is mixed-use and compact, and millions of people find their daily commutes "fun." An edited excerpt in The Guardian showcases the Dutch planner's wry thought experiment.
"No disciples of Le Corbusier, Harvey Corbett, Robert Moses or Norman Bel Geddes have been to Velotopia," Fleming writes. "That means there are no highways and no racks of car-parking stations. Neither have any disciples of Ebenezer Howard been there to suggest that development be clustered around satellite towns with train connections back to the core."
Traffic lights are replaced by roundabouts. Local rail is replaced by solar-powered carts. A few vehicles remain—garbage trucks, ambulances, and construction equipment, primarily—but "there are never more than a few dozen heavy vehicles moving throughout Velotopia at any one time – not enough to warrant a network of service roads."
FULL STORY: What would the perfect cycling city look like?
America's Second Protected Intersection Now Open
The first protected intersection opened in August in Davis, Calif., a university town with the nation's highest percentage of bike commuters. Salt Lake City's new protected intersection is explained on NPR's "Here & Now" report with audio and videos.
Houten, Netherlands: Where Cars and Bikes Coexist
Well-known in transportation planning circles, Houten's suburban multi-modality can be found almost nowhere else. Perimeter ring roads, train access, and bike-friendly features have cut car trips down to 44 percent.
Sharrows Are Ineffective, Potentially Counterproductive
Research shows there’s no substitute for protected bike lanes, and sharrows may make roads more dangerous for cyclists.
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
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
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