Throughout the country, municipal public works departments have found themselves doing more than just wearing masks and social distancing to keep their operations running during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether the city has two public works employees or 200 the last … Continue reading →
Today more cities are investing in their downtowns than ever before by completing a variety of streetscape and placemaking projects. While these updates generate a visually pleasing place to visit, cities shouldn’t discount adding background music when crafting the perfect … Continue reading →
We can thank the Germans who in the 1930s gave rise to a new word: Verkehrsberuhigung, literally translating to traffic calming. This practice protected residential areas from through traffic by means of speed bumps, narrower roads, physical design, traffic control … Continue reading →
People asking for money on the streets of cities and towns goes way back. Some reports state the term “panhandling” seemingly originated in the ’30s when people from the Oklahoma/Texas panhandle migrated to California to escape the Dust Bowl, often … Continue reading →
When it comes to net zero energy, the city of Burlington, Vt., holds the road map to success. Sept. 9, 2019, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, in conjunction with the Burlington Electric Department, released the Net Zero Energy Road Map, which … Continue reading →
Now that spring is finally here, people are coming out of their musty winter caverns and enjoying pure, warm sunlight again, including venturing into the heart of their cities. Those who work in offices yearn for the outdoors, especially folks … Continue reading →
Bordering three Great Lakes and covered with forests, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is 30% larger than the state of Maryland in terms of landmass but with a population 20 times smaller. While the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge is the more celebrated entrance … Continue reading →
Ken Young, AICP, and director of community development, doesn’t use the word “boom” in regards to his city’s recent development but rather prefers to call it continued strong growth. “Several factors would be involved, of course,” said Young. “One of … Continue reading →
As we experience this unprecedented event in modern history, safety has taken on a new face. It is no longer enough to clean dirt and debris from parking lots and job sites to protect our pavement and natural resources, including … Continue reading →
With water in the Great Lakes at or near record levels and rainfall in the Midwest well above normal this winter, it’s not surprising that cities around the region are facing erosion issues on lake shores and riverbanks. According … Continue reading →
As the calendar turns to Spring, we have entered an unprecedented chapter. While navigating through this uncertain time, it is more important than ever to keep surfaces clean – thus the need for a spring cleanup of streets, parking lots, … Continue reading →
