What is Tactical Urbanism?

Tactical Urbanism is all about action. Also known as DIY Urbanism, Tactical Urbanism refers to a city, organizational, and/or citizen-led approach to neighborhood building using short-term, low-cost and scalable projects or interventions to bring about long-term change related to street safety, public space and more.

Over the past decade Tactical Urbanism has become an international movement, creating a shift in how communities think about project development and delivery.

In between the planning and the realization of a complete community vision is a stage of testing ideas in the real world, and that is what tactical urbanism is all about. Temporary bicycle lanes and public spaces, colorful crosswalks, turning parking lots into pop-up parks—such activities are taking place across America. This concept gets planning off of the paper and involves the community in creating their own change.

What is Transit-Oriented Development?

What is transit-oriented development?⁠

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Transit-oriented developments (TODs) are integrated urban places designed to bring people, activities, buildings, and public space together, with easy walking and cycling connections and near-excellent transit service to the rest of the city. The goal is to have inclusive access for all community members to local and citywide opportunities and resources by the most efficient combination of mobility modes at the lowest financial and environmental cost. Inclusive TOD is a necessary foundation for long-term sustainability, equity, shared prosperity, and civil peace in cities.⁠

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Right now, @NCTCOGtrans is in the process of gathering feedback on the public transportation needs of North Central Texas communities. Leave your feedback at nctcog.org/accessntx.⁠” - copy reshared from @tarranttransitalliance

Mark your calendar for our Urban Design Talk focused on equitable transit-oriented development on July 28.

What is Urban Sprawl?

What is urban sprawl? Urban sprawl is the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas. The end result is the spreading of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural areas. Unfortunately an increasingly common feature of the built environment in the United States and other industrialized nations.

Urban sprawl cuts off neighborhoods in a manner where the inhabitants are bound to be reliant on their cars even for their day-to-day needs. Sprawl is also expensive to a city that has to provide basic amenities like sidewalks, streets, and fire stations to these communities. The urban planning is so poor that it is not sustainable. That is why having organizations like CDFW and even your own neighborhood association are so important in urban communities.