Posts tagged Planning
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This video uses the “Cities: Skylines” game to show how freeways damage cities
This one video gives viewers a look at how freeways impact cities. Keep reading…
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These 1970s-era plans show the Silver Spring that could’ve been
Today, many people might think of Silver Spring as a pretty prosperous place, with a steady stream of restaurant openings, cranes everywhere, and busy sidewalks. But not that long ago, Silver Spring’s future was highly in doubt. These 1970s-era plans from Montgomery County show just how far we’ve come. Keep reading…
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A new rendering of the Dave Thomas Circle redesign suggests an important bike lane extension
After a series of updates, it appears that DDOT’s most recent plan for the Florida and New York Avenue NE intersection is more aligned with advocates’ vision of a safe space for pedestrians and cyclists. Keep reading…
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One man zoned huge swaths of the DC region for sprawl, cars, and exclusion
Harland Bartholomew’s legacy demonstrates with particular clarity that planning is never truly neutral; value judgments are always embedded in the objectives engineers set for themselves. Keep reading…
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National links: The complicated intersection of protests and transit safety
Transit agencies have a lot to consider when choosing to shut down during protests. The COVID-19 pandemic shows how work expectations align with where people live. This is a moment of reckoning for city planners, and more in this week’s National links. Keep reading…
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US cities were segregated by design. This video shows how we’re still affected.
Generations of housing segregation in the United States has had lasting effects on social issues such as crime, education, achievement, and the environment. Keep reading…
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Here’s what you need to know about Montgomery County’s proposed growth policy
The working draft of the county’s Subdivision Staging Policy has nearly 40 recommendations for schools, transportation, and taxes, but we’re highlighting the top five that would result in the most significant changes. Keep reading…
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City planners need to talk about race. The lives of our residents depend on it.
Historic discriminatory urban design practices, such as redlining and restrictive zoning, continue to degrade the health of communities of color. In order to build more equitable communities, planners must better understand and acknowledge this legacy of discrimination — and actively work to undo its persisting effects. Keep reading…
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How 1920s-era zoning laws separated people from what they love about cities
A video by the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University shares some history of how zoning laws caused decades of construction that separated people from the things they tend to love about city living, such as easy access to shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, and random encounters with diverse people. Keep reading…
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Gentrification in DC isn’t just a black and white issue
Most conventional debates over gentrification in DC position the process as one that replaces long-time black residents with newer, wealthier white residents. Given the context, this framing makes sense: DC has a well-established black middle class and a wealth of black history. However, the reality is a bit more complex — and diverse. Keep reading…