Featured Resources on Physical Design & Walkability

“The Top 100 Public Spaces in the U.S. and Canada” was compiled by Planetizen and the Project for Public Spaces after a public vote. Exceptional places in Michigan that made the list include Detroit’s Campus Martius Park, at the #3 spot on the list, Shain Park in Birmingham (#38), and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (#98).

Grounds for Change: Activating Vacant Land is a new online interactive guide to using vacant land. The website covers topics like physical community design, urban gardening, biotechnology, and more.

“The Vermont Smart Growth Scorecard: a community self-assessment tool” assesses “how well you are prepared for the pressures of growth.” The scorecard was published by Vermont Forum on Sprawl, “a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to preserving Vermont’s unique landscape and quality of life while encouraging economic vitality in community centers.”

Two checklists ask you to quiz yourself and score your community. The “Bikeability Checklist” helps you find out: “How bikeable is your community?” And the “Walkability Checklist” tests; “How walkable is your community?” The checklists are published by US EPA Smart Growth.

“Urban Bikeway Design Guide,” a online interactive manual on innovative street design in the U.S., was published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO).

Have you given your neighborhood “the popsicle test” or the “Halloween test?” Learn how to test if your neighborhood is kid-friendly and well-designed in a blog by Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities.

A “2011 Community Preference Survey” conducted by The National Association of Realtors® found that most Americans prefer living in mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods, “Where shops, restaurants, and local businesses are within an easy stroll from their homes and their jobs are a short commute away,” according to the survey.

The MSU’s Land Policy Institute announced survey results on “placemaking” and the housing industry. They asked developers, bankers, and local officials about their perceptions of “placemaking” strategies and their impact on the housing industry, and the survey identifies some barriers that impede implementing “placemaking” projects. The survey is part of a larger report, forthcoming in 2011.

The “ReImagine Rural” blog is a useful resource you can read to explore issues and efforts related to creating healthy rural communities in the 21st Century.

Michigan Complete Streets Coalition The Michigan Complete Streets Coalition began in 2009 as a way to connect grassroots Complete Streets movements across the state. Today, the Coalition represents over 100 organizations, businesses and individuals, promoting statewide Complete Streets policy and supporting local communities' initiatives.

Walkability Toolkit Although much of the information is condensed and localized for Minnesota, this toolkit will help you understand the value of Complete Streets and how it can be a part of your community.

What is your “Walk Score"? How does your neighborhood rank in walkability? This website calculates the “Walk Score” of your street address. Explore the characteristics required for a walkable neighborhood.

Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build strong communities. Founded in 1975, PPS embraces the insights of William (Holly) Whyte, a pioneer in understanding the way people use public spaces. Today, PPS has become an internationally recognized center for best practices, information, and resources about Placemaking.

Urban Land Institute: Placemaking/Public Realm Through the exploration of the issues surrounding quality places, the Urban Land Institute examines the intrinsic nature of what makes a great place and the revitalization of existing centers.

Southwest Solutions recently redeveloped the Whitdel Buidling in southwest Detroit. What makes the Whitdel stand out is its connection to the arts and community. Read more about “Solutions for Southwest Detroit.”

'This Place Matters' Photo-Sharing Campaign The National Trust for Historic Preservation and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company has launched "This Place Matters," a web-based photo-sharing campaign to empower Americans to weigh in on places that they feel are architecturally or culturally significant.

Urban Strategies is a full-service planning and urban design firm, based in Toronto, Canada. The firm works with a number of municipalities and clients in both the public and private sector. “We shape and enhance urban places of all scales through strategic actions, holistic design and progressive policies.”

Planetizen.com is a public-interest information exchange provided by Urban Insight for the urban planning, design, and development community. It is a one-stop source for urban planning news, commentary, interviews, event coverage, book reviews, announcements, jobs, consultant listings, training, and more.

Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, Inc.
The Walkable and Livable Communities Institute is a non-profit training center focused on helping cities and towns become more walkable, bicycle friendly, sustainable, socially engaging, and welcoming places. Learn more at www.walklive.org.

Promoting Active Communities (PAC) has a free online assessment tool designed to help communities evaluate local policies, programs, and environments to identify ways to promote and support physical activity. Communities that receive high assessment scores are eligible for five designation award levels.

The League of American Bicyclists is a leading force in the movement to make more American cities and towns bicycle friendly. Their Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) program and interactive map ranks and scores bike-ability by state. They reward the country’s most bike-able communities with gold, silver, and bronze “Bicycle Friendly Community” designations.

The Michigan Chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism (MiCNU), has developed Form-Based Codes in 7-Steps. This guidebook is filled with information to prepare communities to move toward adopting a form-based code. The book’s introduction is available as a digital web-based resource and a full-color hardcopy version is available.

10 ways to help cities grow smarter
Andres Duany is one of the foremost architects and thinkers about "place." The father of New Urbanism wrote a Smart Growth Manual “10 ways to help cities grow smarter” with co-writers Jeff Speck and Mike Lydon. The manual includes 150 tips for building “livable, sustainable” cities.

The Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts conducted a study, entitled Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure: Case Study – Baltimore, which says that building non-motorized infrastructure creates up to twice as many jobs than auto-based infrastructure projects.

The Institute of Transportation Engineersreleased a report, Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach, which “has been developed in response to widespread interest for improving both mobility choices and community character through a commitment to creating and enhancing walkable communities.” Buy a copy of the report online or download a free PDF version.

“Complete Streets” legislation recently enacted in Michigan gives communities tools to create connected, walkable, and bicycle-friendly places.