In an effort to attract more traffic to downtown businesses, one New Jersey downtown partnership planned for a diverse farmer's market in a plaza, just off of the city's main traffic artery. Surveys show that 80 percent of the 1,000 weekly market customers, also visited local businesses while at the farmers' market. 

Designers are working to create spaces and situations to encourage and promote interaction in a time where people are living closer together physically, but farther apart socially.  Community cannot be built; what can be built are spaces and situations to draw neighbors together. These spaces come in all forms. Multi-family complexes can center on a water feature, a nearby park, a common yard, a special tree or a barbecue patio.

The 2007 Growth and Transportation Survey shows that Three-fourths of Americans surveyed believe that developing communities that reduce the need to drive and improving public transportation are both better long-term solutions for reducing traffic congestion than building new roads.

The Spitzer administration has released plans for a rebuilt Penn Station, complete with natural light pouring in and a "grand public space" in a new, rezoned business district on Manhattan's far West Side.

The new plans would also create 7.5 million square feet of mixed use development, including a commercial district that would link to a plan to redevelop the Hudson railyards closer to the river.

The faces of San Antonio's parks are beginning to change as work has begun on several new greenbelt parks along the city's major creeks and rivers.  This is big news for the "park-starved" community.  The parks will be along creeks and rivers, many of them connecting - each specifically for hiking, biking and preserving beauty.

Lawmakers in Illinois are recognizing what is becoming common sense across the country -- that our roads need to serve everyone using them, whether they are driving, walking, bicycling, or catching the bus.  There was a unanimous vote under which the Illinois Department of Transportation must include safe bicycling and walking routes in all planning for urbanized areas immediately and in construction by August 2008.