The Most Underrated Thing About American Urbanism

Happy 4th of July to our neighbours to the south. In this video we want to cover what we think is underrated about US urbanism from a Canadian perspective.

Keep Urbanity rolling:

References:

[samranda]

y’all are the antidote to urban doomerism it’s incredible

[Frantastic]

Trolling Staten Island as a foreigner. You get it.

[aquaarietta]

We're at the beginning of a rail renaissance in the U.S., and I'm so happy to live to see it.

[Scipio]

I immediately clicked because your thumbnail for "how good American urbanism is" is a spot I have walked through in Georgetown hundreds of times.

[Kludgzenjammer]

Perhaps it does take a pair of Canadians to tell me why America isn't so awful at urbanism after-all. Thanks guys, happy 4th!

[HallsofAsgard]

Y'all scratched out Staten Island and put Jersey, I'm dead 😅😅

[Sordesman]

I live in DC and it is pretty sweet in terms of urbanism. I no longer get upset about not being able to walk places and I have found new things to be upset about. (My new thing I am pissed off about is the lack of public bathrooms in the US)

[lakrids-pibe]

I, for one, enjoy snarky angry urbanism.

But I'm also a fan of this channel and its insistence on constructive optimism.

I'm for anything that isn't car centric doomerism.

[dunnowy]

2:30 this point is SO UNDERRATED. The reason why very few people actually leave the United States (relative to the people who claim they "hate it here" online or claim they're moving to Canada or Europe) is that the US is that every city and region feels like a different shade of America. It's nearly impossible NOT to find some corner or region of the United States that you can't jive with eventually.

[Littleweenaman]

shout out oh the ubranity for bringing a lighter more optimistic leaning point of view

[underratedbub]

You guys are my favorite urbanist channel, and this video just solidified it. Happy birthday, America!

[brianking]

Nice video. As someone who has lived in DC and Bostom, those cities are definitely urban gems that I have loved living in. I think the US issues are cultural. There is a stark divide between people that like cities and people that hate cities, but live in them because that's where the jobs are (there are many of these people in every US metro). These people often live in the suburbs or exurbs and have am outsized say in state policy which tends to impose itself downward onto more progressive cities, stalling progress. (See NY congestion pricing)

Also, the US is very stratified economically and the neighborhoods you mention tend to be unaffordable for most working class people.

Best way to say it is, the US has great urbanism for the rich and also sometimes decent urbanism for everyone else.

[nasifsiddiquey]

There's plenty of other things too that can be great for U.S urbanism. Let's not forget the potential of very wide roads that can:
1.) Carry future bike lanes and bus lanes while still having room for wide sidewalks.
2.) Enable the construction of subways or elevated lines relatively hassle free.
3.) Hold plenty of mixed-use development potential since they are lined with large properties usually belonging to only one owner (big box stores and strip malls with huge surface parking).

[hankboog]

I love the optimism but I do also think it's worth noting this is part of what frustrates U.S. urbanists and affordable housing advocates. The US (especially the west coast imo) genuinely has the potential to be one of the best places to live in the world and it's being squandered on car centrism and unaffordable single-family homes and luxury condos.

[highwayheaven]

To be fair, Canada actually does a lot right when it comes to urbanism as well. Both countries have their highs and lows.

[Pleasingwave]

Thanks y’all! Happy belated Canada Day 🇺🇸❤🇨🇦

[robertcartwright]

I love your Venn diagram for urbanism, weather, and affordability. Made me laugh!

[sethdickfield]

Currently a Texas resident, but have been considering a move to Chicago. The weather does not deter me, and in fact the idea of living in a place with all 4 season sounds really appealing. It just seems “right” for it to be chilly for Halloween/football season, snowing for Christmas, and warming up (or starting to) for baseball season. Where I’m at, it’s hot (ie >90°) for more than half the year. And for maybe 3 months it’s extremely uncomfortable to be outdoors, with temps consistently over 100°. We get maybe 1 freeze per year, and basically the entire state shuts down because we don’t have the infrastructure for it. I’m tired of it! I want seasons!!!

[mattcaff]

This video was a wonderful birthday present to America from our friends up north! 🇺🇸❤🇨🇦

[transitimprover]

Thanks for the more nuanced view than Not Just Bikes. As an American, we needed this