A legacy of discriminatory planning exacerbated the low-density sprawl that's been so hard for Los Angeles to roll back.
The Los Angeles stereotype is insane commutes and unwalkable streets. The stereotype is not completely unfounded, because of when the city was growing. "Social inequality is baked into the regional land use laws characterized by low-density sprawl that has contributed to car dependence," Emily Han writes for The American Prospect. The sprawl makes it particularly hard to grow public transit. "Long distances between home and work complicate walking and biking, while the absence of a high-frequency transit network also encourages driving," Han writes.
But many are looking to change that reality. "A walkable city means building more workforce housing, a robust bike network, and reliable transit that puts homes and employment in closer proximity," Han writes. Some road diets have been put in to slow drivers, but they've faced serious opposition, "despite the fact that road diets reduce fatalities, these projects have also generated considerable political controversy."
FULL STORY: The Continuing Quest for a More Walkable Los Angeles
LA’s Mobility Plan Implementation Faces Opposition
The city’s firefighters’ union claims that bike and bus lanes would slow response times and impede access for first responders.
Why Is Silicon Valley So Bleak?
The built environment in one of the most affluent places in the country leaves much to be desired. Why are Silicon Valley communities missing so many key urban features?
The Consequences of Sprawl: Overcrowded Housing and Covid Deaths
Los Angeles is the nation's capital of both crowding and sprawl. A feature published by the Los Angeles Times provides the history of how the metropolis achieved this contradiction.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service