Monthly Archives: January 2009

Squandering the Transformative Moment

By Dom Nozzi   The Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Washington Post reports that there is some congressional disappointment that Obama’s $800 billion stimulus bill has only a “small amount devoted to long-lasting infrastructure investments in favor of spending on a … Continue reading

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Filed under Economics, Peak Oil, Politics, Urban Design, Transportation

Ingredients of a Walkable Street

By Dom Nozzi How does a community create “walkable” streets? Streets that feels safe for all— particularly for seniors and children? Streets that are sociable due to large numbers of pedestrian users? Streets that are richly interesting? Streets that provide … Continue reading

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Filed under Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking

Top Ten Urban Design Books

        By Dom Nozzi In no particular order, here are the ten best, most influential urban design books that I have ever read. Each of these books changed the course of my life and how I view … Continue reading

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Filed under Economics, Environment, Miscellaneous, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking

Measuring Walkable Urbanity

What are the benefits of Walkable Urbanity? By Dom Nozzi A community fortunate enough to contain walkable urbanity is a community to cherish, celebrate and protect. A walkable place is lively, physically and financially healthy, fashionable, affordable, sustainable, sociable and … Continue reading

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Filed under Environment, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking

Top Five Recommendations for a Bicycle-Friendly Community

By Dom Nozzi What are the ingredients for creating a bicycle-friendly community? A community that feels safe, convenient and pleasant for all ages and abilities to ride a bicycle. It is important to understand, to begin with, that there are … Continue reading

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Filed under Bicycling, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation

Context-Sensitive Access Management

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Access_management) By Dom Nozzi Wikipedia defines “access management” as “…the regulation of interchanges, intersections, driveways and median openings to a roadway. Its objectives are to enable access to land uses while maintaining roadway safety and mobility through controlling access location, … Continue reading

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Filed under Bicycling, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking

Should We Subsidize Parking for Low-Income Households?

      By Dom Nozzi Subsidizing parking for low-income people is a mistake, in my opinion.       There is no easy way for a city to subsidize only low-income motorist parking. All motorists will be able to … Continue reading

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Filed under Urban Design, Transportation

The Car is the Enemy of the City

By Dom Nozzi The emergence of the car in the 20th Century led to a downward spiral for downtowns of most American cities. Retail, cultural, civic and employment began decanting outward to the suburbs. For the first time in history, … Continue reading

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Filed under Urban Design, Transportation

Downtown Master Plan Returns to the Timeless Tradition

      By Dom Nozzi Until the advent of the auto age about 100 years ago, the imperative for developers was to make people happy. This tradition led to design that was pedestrian-oriented, human-scaled, compact and ornamental.     … Continue reading

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Filed under Economics, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking

Time to End Soviet-Styled Economics

      By Dom Nozzi For several decades now, Americans have employed a very curious way of “solving” the problem of a congested road or an overflowing parking lot. In nearly all cases, the “cure” for this “problem” is … Continue reading

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Filed under Economics, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation