LPS Watch List: March 2015

Each month we bring you a roundup of landscape performance news worth sharing – the latest in research, tools, and innovative thinking related to the measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits of sustainable landscapes.

Economic Benefits of Safety Investments for Bicyclists and Pedestrians

ACTIVE LIVING RESEARCH | Mar 4, 2015
Findings from a SafeTREC intercept survey at nine rail stations in the San Francisco Bay Area show that pedestrians and bicyclists are more likely than those in cars to stop for goods or services on the way to the station. More

Say Goodbye to the Clipboard, City Surveyors

SCIENCE OF CITIES | Mar 10, 2015
Instead of hiring, training and sending a team of “raters” into the city, this sociologist is conducting fieldwork from a computer lab, using an app he developed called CANVAS (Computer Assisted Neighborhood Visual Assessment System). More

Why Some Parklets Work Better Than Others

CITYLAB | Mar 11, 2015
A detailed new report out of Philadelphia finds that the type of businesses closest to a parklet play a key role in their success. More

We Could Put Utility-Scale Solar Plants in Our Cities

GRIST | Mar 17, 2015
Big solar projects don’t have to be built in undeveloped areas, a new Stnaford University study finds. We could fit them right into developed urban areas. More

Is Daylighting and Restoring Urban Streams, Ponds and Wetlands “Worth It”?

THE NATURE OF CITIES | Mar 17, 2015
Nine experts discuss projects, pitfalls, and how to demonstrate the benefits and elevate them in the public discourse. More

The Manual for Tactical Placemaking

BETTERCITIES.NET | Mar 18, 2015
A new book covers an emerging trend: Citizens experience urban placemaking in real time, building support for more livable communities in the long run. More

Safer Streets, Stronger Economies: Complete Street Project Outcomes

SMART GROWTH AMERICA | Mar 24, 2015
This new report from the National Complete Streets Coalition explores the outcomes of 37 projects across the country. Complete Streets projects tended to improve safety for everyone, increased biking and walking, and were related to broader economic gains. More