Jeff Speck

Eminently readable manifesto for reviving not just American cities by making them cities for people not cars. This one pushed all my buttons - cyclist, pedestrian, public transport user, greenie, art and architecture nerd - but you don't have to be all those things to learn from this book. If we want to save the planet and boost the economy we need to remake our towns and cities on a human scale. Jeff Speck doesn't just say what needs to be done he says why, and backs it up with reference to show more research and case studies. Which may sound dull, but this book is very readable and also laugh out loud funny. A must read for everyone who can influence design of their urban and suburban spaces - but in particular Mayors. (I suspect my Mayor may already have read this). I bought this at a Lecture by the author and also recommend following him on Twitter @JeffSpeckAICP. show less

Really like this one--I'm on an urban-planning kick, and to a certain extent some books are running into others--but Speck's background (he's worked with Duany and Plater-Zyberk) and his focus on real, specific suggestions for improving cities, kept this book humming along.

I've learned so many things that I'd never even considered before, an example would be his suggestion that metered street parking be priced high enough that it's only ever around 85% full--because if too cheap, too many show more people will opt to drive, not find anywhere to park, and drive around and around, circling, until finally they luck into a spot (one study showed that after 6:00pm, in their particular city the vast majority of traffic downtown consisted of hopeful parkers circling, which is self-evidentally a horrid unenvironmental practice).

This sort of sensible, data-driven, obvious-when-pointed-out information permeates the pages. Greatly recommended.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). show less

Fantastic treatise on how to fix what's wrong with most of America's sprawling cities (and what is right in some of our biggest and best cities). I do not understand how any urban planner, having seen the evidence in this book, does not then follow its precepts. There will always be plenty of people in this country that want the country/suburban life, but as Speck points out, the number of those looking for a more lively urban lifestyle is growing and we need to have great cities! He says show more walks should be useful (by having mixed use, limited traffic, and good transit), safe (by protecting the pedestrian and encouraging biking), comfortable (by shaping space and planting trees) and interesting. One stat that stuck in my mind from this read is that a 23 minute commute is the equivalent knock on one's happiness to taking a 19% pay cut! For me, along with The Read-Aloud Handbook, one of the most important books I have read recently. Highly recommended. show less

Jeff Speck's Walkable City is an accessible look at American urban planning practices over the previous decades and the largely car-friendly cities they have produced. It also offers a prescription for moving away from auto-centricity to pedestrian, bike and transit supportive cities.

Speck argues that Millennials - the demographic to which I sometimes begrudgingly belong - are more interested in urban life and less interested in owning vehicles than preceding generations. In my case, this is show more an accurate assessment. Speck offers 10 suggestions for making cities friendlier for non-drivers. His ideas range from having scaled rates for parking - and fewer parking spaces - to planting trees along roadways to slow driving speeds and keep pedestrians safe.

As someone who is not a student of urban planning, it's hard to judge how revolutionary Speck's ideas are and how much opposition exists to their implementation. Based on living in Pittsburgh - which I consider a far cry from a pedestrian / transit friendly city - it seems like Speck's ideas are making some headway in revitalizing, urban centers. I hope this is a trend that continues as more young people choose to make this city their home.

Walkable City is probably best suited for those a novice understanding of urban planning. I learned some interesting things - how fears of traffic congestion are often overblown (but have powerful sway over city planners), how confusing streets are often the safest and how making improvements to already walkable neighborhoods is generally more productive than trying to rehab lost causes - but never felt bogged down by jargon. Overall, Walkable City is a well argued, enjoyable and generally humble look at how we can make our urban spaces safer and more enjoyable for everyone. show less