As the COVID-19 pandemic created a mental health crisis, urban planners Jenny Roe and Layla McCay formulated a new way of thinking about the role of urban design in fostering healthy environments. Their new book, Restorative Cities: Urban Design for Mental Health and Wellbeing, outlines seven concepts that are fundamental to this emerging topic of…To read more — login/subscribe
Billboard welcomes workers downtown When Promedica, a nonprofit healthcare system, moved its corporate office to downtown Toledo, OH, in 2017 the management team wanted to be sure that everyone felt welcome in the new location. One part of the welcome campaign came in the form of a strategically placed digital billboard. The words, “Promedica Welcomes…To read more — login/subscribe
Back in the 2000s, there was little reason to visit downtown Sisters, OR (est. pop. 2,643). The main thoroughfare was a high-speed freight route, and there were few reasons for traffic to slow, or for visitors to stop. The sidewalks were narrow and poorly maintained. And the mix of businesses was uninviting. But Sisters has…To read more — login/subscribe
In an effort to breathe new life into downtown districts nationwide, two U.S. Senators and three Representatives introduced the Revitalizing Downtowns Act. The bill — which is supported by the International Downtown Association and by three dozen smaller downtown organizations — was sponsored by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D—MI) and Gary Peters (D—MI) and Reps. Jimmy…To read more — login/subscribe
Most cities that built pedestrian malls in the 1960s and 1970s quickly abandoned the experiments. Galveston, TX, Ashtabula, OH, and Fayetteville, NC, removed their failing pedestrian malls soon after installing them. However, in some cities decades-old pedestrian malls continue to thrive. Downtowns in Boulder, CO, Charlottesville, VA, and New Orleans boast bustling pedestrian malls. With…To read more — login/subscribe
For many downtowns, feet on the street are a crucial factor, a variable that determines the viability of everything from stores and restaurants to cultural attractions to public transit. There’s good news on that front, according to newly released data from the 2020 census. U.S. population density increased in the past decade after falling in…To read more — login/subscribe
Hoping to reduce severe accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists, many downtowns have tested traffic roundabouts as an alternative to intersections with traffic signals. One city isn’t experimenting — it’s going all in. During the past two decades, Carmel, IN (est. pop. 101,918), has invested heavily in a plan to replace traffic lights with roundabouts. After…To read more — login/subscribe
Paducah, KY (est. pop. 24,894), is offering incentives to lure remote workers to town. Paducah, a folk arts hub and a UNESCO Creative City, joins other small and mid-sized cities in wooing white-collar workers by offering cash stipends and other bounties. Paducah’s program includes cash reimbursements for relocation costs and Internet services, as well as…To read more — login/subscribe
In Ann Arbor, MI (est. pop. 119,976), the Healthy Streets program returned for a second year this spring. The program, which launched in 2020 in response to the pandemic, aims to provide additional space for socially-distanced walking and bike riding. The 2021 activities saw changes to many streets such as reducing a stretch of Main…To read more — login/subscribe
