• Long-discussed plans to pedestrianize London’s Oxford Street will finally be put into motion in 2018. A major shopping mecca, the street is also known for its congestion and pollution issues, and currently pedestrians share space with two lanes of traffic–meaning shoppers, tourists, residents, and workers have to vie with hordes of taxis, buses, and bikes. The new proposal will re-route buses and expand taxi ranks, while bringing the road to the same level as the pavement, making it more accessible for wheelchair users. Cyclists, however, are not part of the plan—which many view as a major missed opportunity.

• Thanks to a public land swap between the Port of New Orleans (PNO) and the Public Belt Railroad (PBR), the City of New Orleans may be on track to create the largest stretch of public riverfront in the U.S. The redevelopment and linkage of two existing parks is a key component of the city’s long-term vision to turn its entire riverfront into one contiguous public parkway. 

Topics: Waterfronts

• This week, PPS participated in Placemaking Week Latinoamérica in Valparaíso, Chile! Check out our Storify account of the event, which features highlights and discussions from those able to attend. The conference covered everything from light pollution to community resilience, and we're already looking forward to next year's Placemaking Week Latinoamérica in Mexico City!

Topics: Placemaking Week

• Melbourne Public Space Project Aims to Cut through Red Tape (Next City)
• Stop the Leakage: How Food-Centered Urban Design Solves Economic Challenges (StrongTowns)
• San Francisco's Vision for Seismic and Social Resilience (Planetizen)
• How Local Governments Came to Embrace Business Partnerships (CityLab)

• Job: Executive Director, Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) (Seattle, WA)
• Conference: Nairobi Placemaking Week (Nairobi, Kenya, November 16-19, 2017)
• Job: T4America Policy Associate (Washington, DC)
• Job: President and CEO, Smart Growth America (Washington, DC, Deadline: November 15, 2017)
• CFP: EDRA49 "Social Equity by Design" in Oklahoma City, OK, June 6-9, 2018 (Deadline: December 1, 2017)
• Conference: UN-Habitat World Urban Forum, Cities 2030 (Kuala Lumpur, February 7-13, 2018)
• Conference & CFP: 55th International Making Cities Livable (Ottawa, Canada May 14-18, 2018)