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Urban planning is no longer just about roads, zoning, and parks—it’s about rethinking the way we live, work, and move. Cities across the globe are facing the twin challenges of population growth and climate change, and the solutions they’re coming up with are reshaping urban life as we know it. From Boise, Idaho’s groundbreaking green infrastructure to Grand Rapids, Michigan’s mixed-use developments, cities are using innovative approaches to enhance livability, boost local economies, and protect the environment.
The trend? Think bigger than skyscrapers and sprawl. Communities are leaning into multi-use spaces where people can shop, work, and relax—all within walking distance.
This article dives into the top urban planning trends that are transforming cities across the U.S., showing how places big and small are leading the charge in redefining what it means to thrive in the 21st century.
Many cities are built around natural features, like rivers or mountains. To maximize the value for residents and wildlife alike, some city officials are creating what’s known as green infrastructure. This isn’t simply a focus on preservation but an opportunity to build resilience in the face of climate change. Beyond the improvements in water and air quality, green infrastructure can create buffers between development and nature during extreme weather events.
What’s more, green infrastructure often promotes physical activity, making green space accessible to everyone while keeping nature clean and safe. Boise, Idaho, has been developing its green infrastructure since the 1960s and is leading the way in this environmental trend today.
More than 50 years ago, Council Member Bill Onweiler secured a $100,000 federal grant to begin the work of the Boise River Greenbelt. Now, it is a 25-mile pathway running along the entire city and preserving both the northern and southern banks of the river. Bicyclists and pedestrians both use the Greenbelt to connect the city’s many recreational parks with 210 miles of hiking trails throughout the Boise Foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
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Doug Holloway, the city’s director of Parks & Recreation, said the 12-foot-wide Greenbelt, now funded with general maintenance dollars, is slowly being upgraded from asphalt to concrete. It’s such a popular transportation corridor for residents that officials adopted specific city codes for police to educate users, ban alcohol within 250 feet of the Greenbelt, and enforce proper driving etiquette when necessary.
“Everyone loves it. It is heavily, heavily used,” he said. “It is really the center point of the city’s Parks and Recreation program. I don’t know what our city would look like, quite honestly, without it.”
People aren’t the only ones who enjoy the green infrastructure. Mr. Holloway said you’ll also likely see deer, elk, coyote, bobcats, weasels, and minks along the banks. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game stocks the river with steelhead trout, and Greenbelt users are known to pull on waders and fly fish during their lunch breaks. That’s why strict ordinances are overseeing the permit process for restaurants and other businesses seeking access to the water, Mr. Holloway added.
“Cities usually look at the economic benefit of a clean river to capitalize on. We don’t rule that out, but we are very particular,” he said. “You could say we are purposeful. We want to protect the river and its wildlife and vegetation.”
What happens when you mix creativity, private development, and open minds on city councils? Sometimes, the result is a project that changes how residents and visitors interact with a community. For Grand Rapids, Michigan, this happened when the Downtown Market opened 11 years ago. Today, it’s an excellent example of why mixed-use development is a hot urban trend.
Mixed-use development exists when various zoning uses, like residential, commercial, and office, co-exist in the same area. It’s far from a modern concept, as you can see it even in ancient Roman construction. Yet decades of automobile-focused construction led to urban sprawl, which many residents would love to reverse. To make this happen, elected officials and development directors often search for opportunities to build new communities where people can live, work, and play.
Sometimes, mixed-use development starts with a residential community and business follows, but it was the opposite for Grand Rapids.
There, the Downtown Market stands as a brainchild of their nonprofit economic development group called Grand Action. It worked with city officials and private investors to create a year-round facility that combined local food vendors, restaurants, and even a working commercial kitchen used to incubate food-focused small businesses in Grand Rapids.
“We’re building a new food culture with the Downtown Market, with different types and cultures of food,” said Brian Burch, the Market’s spokesman and former city council member for nearby Holland, Michigan. “It’s become an economic development engine for that entire neighborhood. We support the tax base and the city in general.”
Mr. Burch points out the “halo effect” of the mixed-use project, as renovated lofts and other sought-after residential developments have been built or are now under construction just across the street.
Within walking distance of the city’s convention center, the Downtown Market’s food vendors, artisan sellers, and restaurants are popular with tourists. It’s also a common stop after spending the day downtown along the river or visiting the museums, university, or the new entertainment district.
This year, organizers also plan to expand the popular Christmas market, which runs from the week before Thanksgiving through the week before Christmas.
“This plan started decades ago. People wanted to see the city moving in this direction, that downtown should be a place where people who live here want to go,” he said. “It’s the greatest city in the world.”
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The city of Tempe, Arizona, was founded seven years before the automobile was invented, so maybe it’s not such a surprise that residents today don’t need a car to get around. But it’s something that Tempe city council members — along with their fellow elected officials in Maricopa County — worked hard to ensure.
Back in 2004, government officials joined together to help pass a half-cent tax voter referendum to fund what today has become one of the best multi-model public transportation systems in the region — and perhaps the country. Their highly connected buses, light rail service, streetcar, and bicycle lanes make owning a car optional for many residents.
They are also leading the way in another national urban trend: channeling development in patterns that support public transit. A 2024 report by the International Association of Public Transport found that the demand for public transportation rose 16 percent from the previous year after an understandable drop in usage during the coronavirus pandemic.
Vice Mayor Jennifer Adams, who also serves as the Vice Chair of Valley Metro, the transportation authority in Tempe, said that residents have always wanted more transit options.
“We’re one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and people were just sitting in traffic. You couldn’t build freeways fast enough,” she said. “The fewer cars we have downtown, the better. We’re focused on sustainability. That’s one of our top goals.”
That’s why she’s proud of the Tempe Transportation Center, a LEED-certified, multi-use facility in the heart of downtown. Here, residents can catch a bus, get their bicycles fixed, or connect with the streetcar or light rail service. Some people also work in the offices upstairs. Residents living in neighborhoods that are too far to walk can hop on a small circulator bus called Orbit to deliver them to the center.
The interconnected system was a draw for new residential communities, like Culdesac, the first car-free neighborhood built in the United States. The 17-acre development, which includes a market, coffee shop, and other retail stores, is located directly next to the light rail station. Vice Mayor Adams said that if she were one of the 60,000 students at Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, she’d live there.
“We want to give people who live in Tempe the opportunity to lower their carbon footprint, save fuel, and save money,” she said. “We need to work on saving our planet, and it promotes sustainable practices by getting all those cars off the road.”
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