Street Design

Opening Up Downtown Spaces for the Post-Pandemic City
Toronto's University Avenue is set for a major makeover, transforming nearly ten acres of pavement to connect with other open spaces to create a contiguous 90 acres of open space, ideal for safe outdoor street life.

How Oakland Is Fixing its Pandemic Planning Equity Problem
The Oakland Slow Streets program, one of the most controversial developments of the early pandemic, has evolved to become the Essential Places initiative, thanks to new planning practices and a commitment to equity in Oakland, California.

Street Redesign as an Economic Development Tool
The city of Covington in Kentucky is working on street improvements on key downtown streets in the hopes of attracting new business to the area.

A Thorough, Mixed Review for a New Protected Bike Lane in Seattle
So many highly anticipated bike facilities finally deliver only to fall short of real game changing status. Seattle provides the latest example of the phenomenon in the wild.

NACTO Releases Pandemic Streets Design Guide
After three months of study and analysis, NACTO is providing authoritative guidance on new ways of thinking about rights of way now that the coronavirus has changed the way we live and work in cities.

Vehicles Restrictions for COVID-19 Made Permanent for Seattle Streets
The temporary measures of the coronavirus pandemic are being made permanent fixtures on 20 miles of streets in Seattle.

Atlanta Lowers Speed Limits Citywide
Vision Zero arrives in one of the country's most car-centric big cities.

The Pandemic Offers a Chance to Rethink the Mobility Priorities of Cities
Cities have an opportunity to make bold changes that would give pedestrians and cyclists the space on streets that they deserve.

Plan for Expanded Road Inconsistent With Denver's Values
The idea of road improvement catering only to cars and congestion didn't pass muster on Quebec Street in Denver. A new plan for the heavily used, but narrow, corridor will prioritize pedestrians, safety, and transit.

Watch the Miracle on 14th Street in Action
The changes to 14th Street in Manhattan have proven innovative ideas about bus priority and congestion relief.

A Pedestrian-Forward Vision for Toronto Roadway
Toronto’s iconic Yonge Street is heavily used by pedestrians, and, according to this article, it's time for a revamp that acknowledges all of the street's users.

Austin to Ban Cars From Popular Street on Weekends
An entertainment district in Austin will soon be the sole province of pedestrians on busy weekend nights.

Dramatic Overhaul Planned for Key North Philadelphia Intersection
An architecture critic writes about plans for a key intersection in North Philadelphia: "By all means, straighten out the street and make it safe, but keep the twists and turns that make this an authentic Philadelphia place."

The Deadliest Day for Young Pedestrians
Children are three times more likely to be killed by a driver on Halloween than another day of the year. It's worse for kids between the ages of 4 and 8.

The Universal Need for Better Sidewalks
The "8 Principles of Sidewalks" guide has been translated from Portuguese to English and is available to download.

Hopes Dashed for Pedestrian Only Street in Seattle
The city of Seattle is planning for street improvements around the University District station under construction on NE 43rd Street. But the latest designs don't allow for a street designed exclusively for pedestrians.

U.S. Lagging in Making Streets Safer for Pedestrians
Pedestrian deaths are on the rise in the United States, but cities have been slow to implement effective policies and road design measures to change the trend.
Bike Lane Debate Continues in San Antonio
As a project to re-engineer Broadway in San Antonio continues, questions about where to put bike lanes persist.

Quick Build Initiative Transforming the Streets of San Francisco
Street improvements to benefit cyclists and pedestrians have been moving rapidly in San Francisco since the June approval of the Vision Zero quick-build initiative, a two-year plan to expedite safety project on high-injury corridors.

Cars Still Rule the Road. Is Change Possible?
The dominant narrative is that streets are for cars and infrastructure that accommodates driving is necessary for cities to grow. But cities ended up this way because of decisions that make other modes secondary.
Pagination
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