A comic strip titled The Amazing World of Tomorrow. A food delivery robot cooler drives down a sidewalk. It crashes into a rental scooter. It backs up. It crashes into the rental scooter again. The scooter wobbles. The scooter falls to the ground as the food delivery robot backs up again. A driverless taxi crashes into both the scooter and the food delivery robot sending them flying.
The Amazing World of Tomorrow
Nonetheless, the plan contains many good ideas, and provides a needed, shared vision that will be useful for many decisions we will face in coming years about projects, zoning, infrastructure, and more.
Unfortunately, the failure of the plan to model growth scenarios was a missed opportunity to have a robust, informed debate about the impact of different styles of growth, and will mean we will continue to re-hash tired density debates, since the plan doesn't quantity impacts and benefits.
I am especially proud of the inclusion of a map showing some of Justice InDeed's research in the location of racial covenants in a section documenting our history of racial segregation -- which all modern plans should contain: www.justiceindeedmi.org
Earlier this week, the City of Ann Arbor adopted a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which for the first time in living memory replaces a hodgepodge of topical and sector plans with an integrated shared framework for future development: www.a2gov.org/news/posts/a...
Lecture series poster
Excited about our lineup this semester! Includes @kerryhowley.bsky.social @mc-lens.bsky.social @wonyoungso.bsky.social & others not on here yet ...
Syracuse University chancellor and president Kent Syverud speaks during a press conference at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex on Dec. 4, 2023 in Syracuse, New York. Photo by Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports
BREAKING: Syracuse University @syracuseu.bsky.social President Kent Syverud to lead University of Michigan @umich.edu
"Traders, Speculators, and Captains of Industry" is currently available on the @harvardpress.bsky.social website at a 30% discount (use code HOL25) and can also be found at your favorite booksellers. Thanks for reading and happy holidays to all!
2/2 ...here is the Alan Mallach piece that shreds the arguments in the libertarian piece above.
shelterforce.org/2023/04/05/i...
Book Cover
New Book! "Digital-Era Urban Transformations: Advancements in Data Science, Analytics and Technology" features 16 papers presented at last summer's CUPUM 2025 @casaucl.bsky.social with cutting-edge urban analytics, Planning Support Systems, big data, AI, VR, etc.
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Provides further impetus to the Washtenaw Ave. PEL Study - which has selected an alternative with stronger safety and transit performance than what exists: www.washtenawpel.com
The online survey for the Ann Arbor Roadway Rightsizing project closes on December 19.
If you have not yet filled it out, please do so, and tell the project team to put safety for ALL road users first in their designs.
#A2Council #VisionZero
engage.a2gov.org/a2r2
Check out this 🧵 on our own @robertmanduca.bsky.social's work with @bhighsmith.bsky.social and Jacob Waggoner. 👇 #AcademicSky #WealthInequality
@rpplan.bsky.social @smartgrowthusa.bsky.social @bridgemi.com @semcog.bsky.social ...
... So we used original, high-quality urban greening data to answer them! "Diverse dynamics of urban sprawl: Examining changes in urban form, forest landscapes, and demographic across the Metropolitan Detroit region" w/ Z. Tan, K. Conedera, and T. Mulatu: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... (open)
New paper! What's the relationship between sprawling urban form, urban forest cover, and racial diversity? Can communities maintain racial diversity, or both grow denser AND greener, in a broader context of regional sprawl? Surprisingly, studies on these questions are scant ...
Garrett Graff’s book UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government's Search for Alien Life Here—and Out There, is good, and a sane and thoughtful trip through the topic …
Care about statewide transit improvements in Michigan? Check out the excellent brand new report: Reconnecting Michigan: A Vision for Cross-State Transit by @detroittransit.org, breaks down problems & proposes solutions. By P. Mihalko, J. Batterman, & A. Punto www.detroittransit.org/cross-state-...
All books. 50% off. Last chance to get them from Island Press. Islandpress.org/half #SimplyEverything
I'm going to run my immersive three-day short course on Scenario Planning for Urban Futures (in-person in Ann Arbor or live online) with Heather Hannon @landpolicy.bsky.social in May 2026 -- register before 12/31 to save 25% ope.engin.umich.edu/pe/scenario-...
Everything Justice InDeed rolled out yesterday — our Washtenaw County racial covenant map, repeal toolkit, conversation guide — and more — is on our website! www.justiceindeedmi.org
We have a map! Over the last five years, Justice InDeed has uncovered more than 9,000 racially restrictive convents in Washtenaw County, with the help of over 1,000 volunteers. Come learn & imagine what comes next for housing justice and repair on Oct. 21/28: growth.futureroot.co/justiceindeed
