“Benches are microcosms of an expansive debate about who belongs in urban public spaces. When they are removed or made uninviting, we lose more than just a place to rest.”
urban planning
Posted inEditor's Pick
Doors Closing
“With ridership lagging and a fiscal reckoning looming, the L is in trouble. Here’s why our train is worth saving.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Longevity Hot Spots That Weren’t
‘Our culture has become obsessed with “blue zones,” where people purportedly live longer. But does the underlying research stand up to scrutiny?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Potent Pollution Of Noise
“Earth’s acoustic environment has been profoundly altered by noise, but it’s not too late to change course.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Sick City
“My dad grew up in Robert Moses’s New York City. His story is a testament to how urban planning shapes countless lives.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How to Quit Cars
“The history of transportation will always be social history, writ large.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How Tokyo Became an Anti-Car Paradise
“The world’s biggest, most functional city might also be the most pedestrian-friendly. That’s not a coincidence.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Spiraling in San Francisco’s Doom Loop
“What it’s like to live in a city that no longer believes its problems can be fixed.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
“They Just Need a Safe Place to Be:” How Public Transit Became the Last Safety Net In America
“The surge in homelessness on transit systems creates a conundrum for agencies used to the old way of doing things.”