Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Urban Design

Talking Headways Podcast: Get Off My Lawn

By Tanya Snyder | Dec 12, 2013 | 3 Comments

Jeff Wood and I talk about the news of the week that most tickled us or burned us — the BBC’s exposé of anti-social urban design features intended to repel people, San Francisco’s social tensions over the Google bus, and the decision by Cincinnati’s new mayor and City Council to “pause” construction of the streetcar. […]

Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast, Episode 3

By Tanya Snyder | Nov 26, 2013 | 1 Comment

This week, Jeff and Tanya take on the Atlanta Braves’ terrible, no-good, very bad decision to move their stadium to Cobb County, Georgia. We discuss cities that are (and are not) shaped like wedding cakes, and whether that means you need to smoosh your spouse’s face in it. Tanya makes a pedestrian-rights argument against high-heeled […]

The Secret to a Happy City? Author Charles Montgomery Explains

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 25, 2013 | No Comments

The premise behind journalist Charles Montgomery’s new book — Happy City — is a bold one: That the way we design cities can have a profound impact on well-being and mood — in essence, personal happiness. For Happy City, Montgomery worked with experts in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to understand the […]

Arlington Strikes Walking Gold in a River of Highways and Pentagon Sprawl

By Tanya Snyder | Oct 9, 2013 | 7 Comments

Urbanists have long told tales of the success story of Arlington, Virginia. Named a gold-level walk-friendly community by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, this Washington, DC suburb made the smart decision in the 70s to develop along the metrorail line. Because of that, Arlington workers drive alone at a rate 25 percent lower than […]

NACTO Urban Street Design Guide Sets Out to Change the DNA of Our Cities

By Tanya Snyder | Sep 24, 2013 | 19 Comments

In a direct challenge to the long-standing authority of state DOTs to determine how transportation infrastructure gets designed, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) yesterday launched its Urban Street Design Guide. NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide has already empowered cities around the country to embrace protected bike lanes and other innovative designs that […]

Crawlable Urbanism: Cities Are for Kids, Too

By Tanya Snyder | Aug 13, 2013 | 143 Comments

All of a sudden, I feel like all anyone is talking about is whether it’s a good idea to raise kids in the city. I’m raising a kid in the city. I feel great about it when she has a blast on the back of the bike, or makes friends on the bus, or gets […]

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