Language Clustering In Princeton And The Townships

Newly-released data from the US Census Bureau reveals the distribution of speakers of different languages throughout the USA (here showing just the immediate Princeton area) (Click to expand.)

Spanish and Chinese are the most commonly-spoken non-English languages in the Princeton areas, but speakers of these languages seem to cluster in different areas (Click to expand.)

Freshly-released data from the 2011 American Community Survey shows us where speakers of different languages speak throughout the USA. Over 20% of US residents speak a language other than English at home, and thanks to a handy online mapping tool, we can now see exactly where they live! Continue reading

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Has Sprawl Made Princeton ‘Fragile’?

Princeton's precarious electrical infrastructure can be expected to fail catastrophically during the next big storm. (Click to expand)

Princeton’s precarious electrical infrastructure can be expected to fail catastrophically during the next big storm. (Click to expand)

Note: This article is cross-posted at Strong Towns Network.

Chuck Marohn at Strong Towns recently posted an article titled ‘Detroit: An American Autopsy‘, inspired by the book of the same name by Charles LeDuff. Here is the gist of Chuck’s piece:

“I’ve long held that Detroit is not some one off place that we can discount but that it actually represents the logical outcome of the Suburban Experiment..” Continue reading

Posted in Density, Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability, The Parking Question, Zoning | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

TCNJ ‘Campus Town’ Looks Set To Be A Model of ‘Smart Growth’

The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) campus in Ewing, NJ. (Click to expand.)

The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) campus in Ewing, NJ. (Click to expand.)

Princeton University is planning to close its much-loved [and affordable!] Butler Apartments off South Harrison Road next summer. Despite complaints from graduate students about the limited rental options in Princeton, there are currently no plans to redevelop the site. In June, we called for Princeton U. to ‘think big’ at Butler, by providing a higher-density, mixed-use center for accommodating graduate students, post-docs and moderate-income families, with shops and amenities directly on-site. Continue reading

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How Walkable Boulder, CO Protected Its Undeveloped Areas

Panoramic view of Boulder Co. Image via www.downtownboulder.com (Click to expand)

Panoramic view of Boulder, CO– which emerged joint-top of our recent survey of ‘greatest college towns’. Image via www.downtownboulder.com (Click to expand)

When we recently compiled a list of the Best College Towns, based on 10 other lists, the towns that came out tops were Charlottesville, VA and Boulder, CO. Looking at Boulder, what does it have that makes it such a great place to live? Continue reading

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Density, Downtown Vibrancy, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Trails, Transit, Walking, Zoning | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Dorothea’s House – John Street and Green Street, Princeton

Dorothea's House, Princeton. (Click image to expand.)

Dorothea’s House, Princeton. (Click image to expand.)

This post is part of a series where we celebrate the many beautiful and characterful sights of Princeton, NJ. You can find previous entries in this series here and here or by searching the blog for ‘beautiful walkable Princeton’. Continue reading

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More Details About 255 Nassau Street Development

A rendering of the proposed redevelopment of the 255 Nassau site. (Image courtesy of

A rendering of the proposed redevelopment of the 255 Nassau site. (Image courtesy of ROI Renovations and Development) (Click to expand.)

We recently learned that a new plan had been developed for the 255 Nassau St site, currently home to a Crossfit gym. A rendering of the proposal has now been released (see image above). Continue reading

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Making Cycling Attractive To The Rest Of Us In Princeton

The majority of potential cyclists are not being served by on-street cycle infrastructure. (Click to expand.)

Research indicates that potential cyclists can be classified into one of four main ‘tribes’. The majority are not being served by existing on-street cycle infrastructure. (Click to expand.)

Cycling as a means of transportation is still very much a niche activity in Princeton. Of the ~30,000 people who work in Princeton, just 1.8% use cycling as their primary mode of commute. Why is this? Some possible explanations: Continue reading

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Complete Streets, Princeton | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Robert Hillier Seeks Feedback On Witherspoon Corridor Plan At Community Meeting

Robert and Barbara Hillier set up their presentation at the Princeton YMCA July 27, as Chair Jim Floyd looks on. (Click to expand.)

Robert and Barbara Hillier set up their presentation at the Princeton YMCA July 27, as Chair Jim Floyd looks on. (Click to expand.)

“Welcome, we’re delighted you came to our subterranean spy headquarters,” said former mayor Jim Floyd, welcoming attendees to a meeting of the Witherspoon-Jackson Neighbors group, held Saturday, July 27 in a disused squash court on the lower level of the Princeton YMCA. As fans whirred to try to move the air around the close-packed basement space, Mr Floyd ushered a plethora of speakers before the audience for a brisk-paced agenda. Continue reading

Posted in Affordability, Alternative Transportation, Community, Density, Downtown Vibrancy, Events, People, Princeton, Smart Growth, The Parking Question, Traffic, Zoning | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The 2nd Walkable Princeton Happy Hour – Alchemist & Barrister – Thu August 1

Our second ever Meet-Up will be Aug 1, 2013, at the 'Alchemist & Barrister' in downtown Princeton. (Click to expand.)

Our second ever Meet-Up will be Aug 1, 2013, at the ‘Alchemist & Barrister’ in downtown Princeton. (Click to expand.)

What would it take to make Princeton a town where people can live and work without being dependent on motor vehicles? Can we provide affordable housing for our workforce while keeping the historic character of Princeton? What infrastructure improvements are necessary to allow more people to use active transportation – and how can we get those improvements? These are the questions that motivate ‘Walkable Princeton’, and if they interest you too, why not consider getting together with us at our next meet-up on Thursday, August 1? Continue reading

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Hooray For Our Walkable Jersey Shore Beach Towns!

Your walkable, bikeable Jersey Shore!

Your walkable, bikeable Jersey Shore! (Click to expand)

At this time of the year, many of us head to the beach to enjoy the summer! One of many good things about the Shore is that lots of the beach communities are highly walkable and bikeable. Check out some of the Walkscores and associated ratings for beach towns below…remember, Princeton scores 68% on Walkscore: Continue reading

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Density, Downtown Vibrancy, Local, Smart Growth, Walking | Tagged , , | 1 Comment