Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Urban Planning

Making Your City More Walkable? That’s Not “Zoning”

By Angie Schmitt | Feb 20, 2013 | No Comments

In last week’s Washington Post, Roger K. Lewis, an architect and professor at the University of Maryland, wrote an intriguing column suggesting that it’s time for a big rethink of the concept of zoning, which he says is a relic of the early 20th century: Zoning conventions are no longer conventional. Land-use regulation is still needed, but […]

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Study: Shorter Blocks May Be the Key to Cutting Traffic in Small Cities

By Tanya Snyder | Jan 7, 2013 | No Comments

It’s well-established that density and mixed-use development reduce driving. Right? But strategies like those don’t work the same way everywhere, according to new research published in the Journal of Transport and Land Use. While in major cities, denser development is linked to lower rates of driving, researchers found that in smaller cities it might not […]

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Will Cities Hold on to Younger Residents as They Have Children?

By Angie Schmitt | Dec 6, 2012 | No Comments

Many American cities are proving to be more resilient than suburban areas thanks in part to the shifting preferences of today’s young people. But as USA Today reported in a talked-about article earlier this week, the cohort that has flocked to cities is now reaching a stage of life which, historically, has been more closely associated […]

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Why It Can Be More Affordable to Live in an “Expensive” City

By Katie Pearce | Oct 19, 2012 | No Comments

So, how did Washington, D.C. — widely perceived as one of the most expensive cities in the country — end up topping a “most affordable” housing list? First and most importantly, adjust for average income levels. Then, factor in transportation costs. Using that formula, the D.C. region is tops among 25 American metro areas in […]

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Raleigh’s Smart Plan to Grow Inward

By Angie Schmitt | Oct 18, 2012 | No Comments

Growing Sun Belt cities aren’t generally known for their sustainable urban form. But Raleigh, North Carolina is putting the finishing touches on a plan that could break the mold. Raleigh has been working to overhaul its zoning codes with a plan that hits all the right notes: prioritizing transit-oriented, infill, and mixed-use development. But one […]

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The Traffic Projections Fallacy

By Charles Marohn | Jul 23, 2012 | No Comments

Cross-posted from Strongtowns. We spend billions every year in this country on our transportation network, large percentages of it based on traffic projections. This despite the fact that we have a long record of not being able to accurately project traffic. The answer isn’t better projections but a better transportation system, one that is robust […]

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