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Globally, the pandemic has sparked conversations about how our streets and other public space can and should be used. But what's still missing in most cities, including New York, is a comprehensive, citywide strategy for public space management.
In this guest post, Jackson Chabot, a Transportation Policy Associate at Open Plans, shares his research into three models for how New York City could empower neighborhoods to transform their own streets. Read more.
More from the Blog
The Joy of Being In: Dr. Mindy Fullilove on Trauma, Healing, and Main Street
April 2, 2021 • by Nate Storring
Creating Online & In-Person Events with a Sense of Place: A Conversation with Juliet Kahne
March 12, 2021 • by Nate Storring
How to Nurture Flourishing Cultural and Creative Hubs: Lessons from the Netherlands
March 4, 2021 • by Rinske Brand
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June 15-18, 2021 • Walk/Bike/Places, Indianapolis & Online
Project for Public Spaces' active transportation and placemaking conference will take place both online and in-person this year in Indianapolis, Indiana.
This year's theme is "The Route to Recovery," and the program includes inspiring keynotes, 50 virtual breakout sessions, and a dozen covid-safe tours and workshops for those attending in person. Learn more and register.
More Events & Opportunities
April 18-25, 2021 • Global Event: Placemake Earth Challenge, PlacemakingUS
April 21 • Webinar: How to Bring Radical Truth & Joy to City-Building, Next City
Apr. 30, 2021 • Grant: Asphalt Art Initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies
May 19-21, 2021 • Conference: CNU 29. Design for Change, Congress for the New Urbanism
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Parks as a Crucial Pandemic Resource. The Knight Foundation released a study showing that park usage increased by as much as 300% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally planned as an impact assessment to evaluate the foundation's prior investments, the report provided a window into how park usage evolved, as well as what makes parks successful.
The study re-emphasizes the need for sustained community engagement before, during, and after the creation of public spaces. It also found that in addition to providing a place to recreate, they can drive economic growth. (Fast Company)
The Saddest Place to Wait. While competition was stiff, two finalists have been announced in StreetsBlog's annual Sorriest Bus Stop competition. The tongue-in-cheek award draws attention to underinvestment in the places many people spend time while they wait for a ride. (Streets Blog)
Public Memory in the South. The University of Virginia Democracy Initiative has launched "The Memory Project," which aims to promote a more inclusive approach to shared memory. Amid an ongoing debate about the removal of Confederate monuments, the project contrasts the honoring of antebellum culture with the approach of the German public in the wake of World War II. (CBS19)
Chicago's Search for Transit Equity. The Metropolitan Agency for Planning released a new report on inequities in both mass and private transit. The report shows that low-income households may spend up to 16% of their income on transit, and that discount programs intended to help resident often leave out many people, such as unbanked residents. (Next City)
Clearing Encampments Clearly Doesn't Work. A new study highlights the ineffectiveness of clearing encampments of unhoused people. A housing affordability crisis and inadequate shelters have driven growth of tent cities across the U.S. These are often cleared by law enforcement or sanitation departments, causing property loss and trauma for residents.
Local governments are paying millions each year in order to clear encampments. Advocates point out that this approach does little to address the underlying issues and that the funds—as much as $6,000 per person evicted—could be better spent. (CityLab)
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As always, here is a roundup of 10 inspiring placemaking ideas from the week:
- An inspiring look at radically inclusive playgrounds that go beyond mere accessibility (Next City)
- A call for designing streets to be safer for women (BBC)
- Four examples of creative placemaking in rural towns (Daily Yonder)
- An outdoor church made from repurposed construction materials in Bogota (dezeen)
- A look at transforming alleys into community gathering places (NAR)
- A pop-up food park that helps vendors hit hard by the pandemic (D Magazine)
- The news from Buffalo: deprioritizing parking makes more space for people (Planetizen)
- A powerful essay on the need for a community-based approach to streets (Greater Greater Washington)
- This update on LA County's efforts to make green spaces more accessible to all (NRPA)
- A reminder that placemaking can be as simple as a well-placed bench (Social Life Project)
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