city planning

Berlin & China Creating “Sponge Cities” — Landscape Architects Help Cities Absorb Water, Cool Down

8 years ago Cynthia Shahan 0 Comments

Berlin (Germany) and China are working with nature to create sponge cities that absorb rainwater and cool the city. Even without the challenges of climate change, cities would do well to consider the benefits of imitating natural ecosystems to cool down and store rainwater, a precious resource. With problems from climate change in urban areas, such as increased flooding and more extreme heatwaves, the need to develop “sponge cities” is essential.

The Loop Link In Chicago: $32,000,000 For A Lane Still Filled With Rush Hour Traffic

9 years ago Cynthia Shahan 0 Comments

Rush hour Chicago provides an untapped income for the city of Chicago. Traffic enforcement could pick up funds from well-deserved traffic tickets. It seems no one is getting a ticket and the chaos continues. The larger question is — after $32 million of taxpayer money to build it, is the Loop Link being used as intended? No, not much, it seems. It was designed for fluid, fast, reliable movement — time-saving, much-needed flow for the city’s buses. Lost? The Loop Link is specially marked bus lanes meant to offer mass transit an unfettered flight during rush hour times. And yet…

Loved Dutch Bikeway Design Manual Now Updated!

9 years ago Cynthia Shahan 0 Comments

Word of mouth is a way of education that continues to be powerful in the midst of societal and technological change. In the impassioned subcultures I frequent, activities growing fast because of word of mouth include bicycling, urban farming, and organic farming. For those subcultures, word of mouth seems more powerful than anything else. The word comes from someone doing rather than telling, and that is largely the force of change.