A few things to know this week: July 2, 2021
This week’s things to know:
Small Cities Can't Manage the High Cost of Old Infrastructure (Governing)
The infrastructure funding gap is revealing itself in cities across the country. We've helped cities quantify their street liabilities at as much as $1.3 billion, which is generally around $50-80 million per year. Contrast this with what these same cities spend on street maintenance and replacement, which is usually anywhere from 2 to 10 percent of what they should be spending, and you begin to understand the challenge. One of the core services we provide here at Verdunity is helping communities quantify their gap, understand which development patterns generate surplus revenue or create unfunded liabilities, and most importantly, discuss strategies to close the gap over time. If you're interested in learning more about our approach and how we've helped communities in Texas and across the country dig into this critical issue, give us a call. I guarantee the problem's not going away on its own! -Kevin
Parks and an equitable recovery parkscore report (Trust for Public Land)
The Trust for Public Land just issued their 2021 Parkscore Rankings and their report on the park equity gap. Both are definitely work taking some time to review. The report is both easy to read and well-constructed. Each section can be viewed in turn on the website; those sections are: Equity, Health, Climate, The Economy, and The Future. The findings are significant. For one, parks serving a majority of people of color are on average half the size - and serve nearly five times as many people - as parks serving a majority-white population. Also, parks serving primarily low-income households are on average four times smaller than parks that serve a majority of high-income households. Enter your city (or any city about which you're curious) into the Parkscore Rankings and get graphics and info depicting things like the percentage of residents within a 10 minutes walk of a park, where parks are most needed in the city, and how their amenities stack up to the 100 largest cities. -AJ
How to raise a meadow (PRB)
I came across this article while doing some research for a Parks Master Plan I'm working on. When it comes to planning documents, I believe outlining the 'how' makes a big difference on how a plan will be received in your community. The article tells how cities and communities can use meadows to lower park maintenance spending, deal effectively with stormwater management, and restore natural beauty. The details about what mistakes to avoid while raising a meadow is super helpful too! -Tim
Peachtree street lanes now closed downtown for pedestrian, cyclist uses (Urbanize)
Follow this "three-block experiment" along Peachtree Street currently in its first phase in Atlanta. The idea is to test out a Shared Space Study, or a phased approach to create a signature shared street. As the article reports, "the study’s goal is to test and refine elements of shared space design before time and money is committed to more permanent changes." Regardless of the size of your city, these ideas can be easily modified to provide an environment for education and experimentation that opens up dialogue about how public space is best used. -AJ
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