• Merging Tactical Urbanism with public works

    The City of Burlington, Vermont, has initiated an innovative, flexible streetscape improvement program that saves money and time and is more responsive to the community.
    Burlington’s interest in bike-walk issues goes back decades, at least to when Bernie Sanders was mayor, when his administration focused on the revitalization of downtown and the waterfront in the 1980s—working with Republicans and Democrats at the start of his political career. The city of 42,000...Read more

  • Good congestion, bad congestion

    Our model for traffic congestion is flawed. We need to make the crucial distinction between good and bad congestion and plan our transportation systems accordingly.
    A few years ago, after taking a blood test, my doctor told me I had a cholesterol problem. I wasn’t in immediate danger, but I started running regularly. After a year I returned for tests, and he told me the good news: My life expectancy had risen eight years . That was my best checkup ever. What...Read more

  • Health benefits of New Urbanism

    A study examined nine counties across the US and reviewed other research, finding evidence that health is positively impacted by urban design that follows principles of New Urbanism.
    Urban design factors can affect public health in several ways, including physical activity, traffic accident risk, pollution exposure, access to health resources, mental health and affordability, which affects households’ ability to afford other critical goods, such as healthy food and medical care...Read more

  • From busy roadway to public square

    Reducing redundant roadway in cities can be good for people both outside and inside of vehicles.
    One thing cities need is more creative traffic planning of pedestrian-unfriendly intersections, informed by good urban design. Here's a video of a cool design for Kenmore Square, a complicated and heavily traveled intersection in the Fenway/Kenmore neighborhood of Boston, near Boston University and...Read more