The Complete Streets act, which passed this spring and took effect August 1, requires the Minnesota Department of Transportation to consider the safety of all users, not just drivers, when designing roads and highways. The law only applies to MNDOT funded roads. Local governments are encouraged to enact their own complete streets policies. The Minnesota Complete Streets [...]

The St. Cloud Times has published a series of articles about the fall-out of the development boom and examines the reprocussions to cities and homeowners. Click a link below to view these articles:

So many lots, so few houses
In stalled developments, disappointed homeowners wait for expected amenities
When developments stall, cities are left paying the bills
In Avon, [...]

The Consumerist, a website focused on exposing wasteful consumer practices, writes today about  suburban development patterns that are discouraging physical activities such as walking, running, and biking. The post compares a typical cul-de-sac laden community with a grid-system community and examines the impact of each development pattern on walkability. Read the full article here.

MPR reports today on the challenges facing exurban developments that sprouted during the housing boom and now must deal with the consequences of unplanned growth. Read the full article here.

The University of Minnesota Law School will be hosting a forum Tuesday, November 17 to discuss land use and related vehicle-miles-travelled (VMT) issues. Forum participants include U of M professor Dr. Julian Marshall and Director of the Office of Energy Security William Glahn. The forum will be moderated by Prof. Kent Kaiser and held in Room [...]

A proposal to protect bluffland in the City of Winona from unrestricted development is close to passage. Read the full article here.