In an effort to reduce touch points amid the pandemic some cities are de-activating beg buttons and automating crossing signals. Chapel Hill, NC, was among the earliest cities to make the switch with 30 signal locations automated in late March. To read more — login/subscribe
Home to the Mayo Clinic and a global destination for health and wellness, the City of Rochester, MN, is offering business development grants to help local companies adapt to the pandemic. The city and the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency have announced $100,000 in grant funds to help small businesses and organizations that are…To read more — login/subscribe
The Traverse City DDA and local partners have launched the Buy Local, Give Local Fund. Individual donations are used to purchase items from downtown businesses which are then donated to partner organizations. The DDA says that, “donations will help purchase art supplies, books, puzzles, and additional items that will be provided to children housed at…To read more — login/subscribe
The Downtown Manhattan Beach Farmers’ Market reopened in mid-May after a brief closure due to the pandemic. Operated by the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professional Association, the California market has been active since 2006. The market reopened with a new look and new procedures. The number of customers was limited to 35 people at…To read more — login/subscribe
The coronavirus pandemic has raised many questions, including this one: After the outbreak recedes, will Americans still want to live, work, and socialize in bustling downtowns? A disease that thrives on close contact could cause a shift in the preferences of office users and home buyers, and, possibly, a reappraisal of development patterns, some experts…To read more — login/subscribe
Santa Cruz, CA (est. pop. 64,729), has a thriving downtown. Some 4,000 workers have jobs in the district, and downtown’s mix of early-morning cafés and late-night bars create what Claire Gollogly, the city’s transportation planner, calls a “23-hour” city. There is a catch, though. Downtown Santa Cruz is home to just 2,000 parking spaces. “We…To read more — login/subscribe
During the month of February, the GO Santa Cruz program hosted the Fall in Love with Carpooling Challenge. Through the challenge, downtown commuters who carpooled at least four times during the month earned Downtown Dollars plus the chance to win a downtown date night for two valued at $200. To enter, participants signed up with…To read more — login/subscribe
Transit systems nationwide are struggling to cope with a severe labor shortage that is hampering performance and hindering ridership, The Wall Street Journal reports. Rock-bottom unemployment coupled with a wave of retirements by baby boomer operators has left many transit agencies understaffed. Denver, for instance, needs dozens of train operators, while Minneapolis and St. Louis…To read more — login/subscribe
