Contents – April 2024
CONTENTS – April 2024 Character towns, small and large, are economic systems with jobs and family incomes driven by economic development that retains and recruits jobs. The economic system also includes the public sector that not only employs residents but also supports development in order to generate taxes and fees that fund public […]
“Parks and Recreation System Planning, A New Approach for Creating Sustainable, Resilient Communities” by David L. Barth
FROM CharacterTowns.org… David Barth has provided the city-building professions with a holistic guide for developing a great parks systems while using it to develop a great city. The power of the parks and recreation system to address the full range of social issues is presented in terms of tactics and aspirations. A great and useful […]
Contents – March 2024
CONTENTS – March 2024 Character towns, small and large, help build social cohesion, community connections, civic pride and institutional trust with places and spaces for people to socialize. A systemic approach to obtaining, designing and connecting the many open spaces in the city results in a network of beautiful and sociable spaces that […]
Sidewalks and Trails
From the Florida Department of Transportation From CT.org…FDOT has done a great service in describing their ideas and specs for sidewalks. A useful guide plus links to three other resources. From FDOT…”To meet the needs of all pedestrians, designers must have a clear understanding of the wide range of abilities that occur within the population. […]
![Delivery Robots, Competing with Pedestrians for the Sidewalk.](https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Delivery-bots.jpg)
Delivery Robots, Competing with Pedestrians for the Sidewalk.
The time is now for public right-of-way policy. Delivery robots are being tested in many urban settings. Planning for robots to share streets and sidewalks is not a “far in the future” possibility but a near term probability. Policies and regulations to organize these new devices in the public right-of-way can avoid the confusion and […]
Multi-Modal Mobility: Getting Anyone, Anywhere, Safely and Cheaply
Citywide Mobility. City streets host a wide variety of uses and activities throughout town; especially downtown where they are totally dependent on accessibility. Main street civic and private businesses live or die based on the ease of access to their front door. Having a library or museum on main street that is not easily accessible […]
![There’s a 750 Mile Bike Trail in New York](https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Empire-State-Trail-.jpg)
There’s a 750 Mile Bike Trail in New York
Last December, the Empire State Trail — a sprawling, 750-mile cyclist and pedestrian route that connects Buffalo to Albany and New York City to the Canadian border, forming what looks like a sideways T — opened to the public. Considering the pandemic bike boom, the timing was perfect. About 400 miles of greenways, repurposed rail […]
US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty
SUMMARY. Every family should be able to live in a neighborhood that supports well-being and boosts children’s chances to thrive and succeed. Yet today too many low-income families and families of color live in neighborhoods that lack resources and instead amplify the effects of growing up poor. We lay out a proposal for a coordinated […]
Multi-Modal Planning and System Management
VISION OF THE TOWN’S MOBILITY SYSTEM. A basic idea is that every resident, employee and visitor in a town with character can travel safely, conveniently and inexpensively anywhere in town at any time. At its essence, mobility is about moving people and goods, not vehicles. The point is to apply the right transpotation mode to the appropriate trip type to maximize […]
The Race to Code the Curb
Everyone—from ride-hailing cars to delivery trucks to bikes and scooters—wants a piece of the curb. How can smart cities map and manage this precious resource? The curb is hot. No longer just a home for parked cars and cigarette butts, this is where the action is in the 21st century city. It’s where electric scooters […]