Taking a page from the playbook of Bogotá, Colombia, American cities are instituting temporary street closures as a way to encourage walking and biking while fostering a greater sense of community. (Christian Science Monitor — Tim Holt)

With big city officials across the country warming to the idea of revitalizing downtown with convenient public transportation, at least 40 cities are developing plans for streetcar service. (New York Times — Bob Driehaus)

In Boise, Idaho, politicians and planners believe that a downtown streetcar program could go a long way in promoting development and housing in the center of the city. (Boise Weekly — Nathaniel Hoffman)

On the New York Times Freakonimics blog, a host of experts wonder aloud what America’s suburbs will look like in 40 years, and come to some vastly different conclusions.

With gas prices high and commuters looking to live closer to work and amenities, the Washington Post editorial board says that our next president, whomever it may be, will need to support smart growth planning and push for more sustainable communities.

On the first of three “Summer Streets” Saturdays in Manhattan, a host of walkers, bikers, dancers and pleasure-seekers enjoy six hours without cars on 6.9 miles of street. (New York Times — Javier Hernandez)

High gas prices are forcing commuters, planners, transportation experts, and others in the Washington D.C. area to rethink the manner in which suburbs are being designed — and pushing many potential home buyers to live closer to urban centers. (Washington Post — Eric Weiss)

Cities are undergoing dramatic demographic changes, according to The New Republic‘s Alan Ehrenhalt, and well-off whites are increasingly taking the place of poorer minority residents in urban centers.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Harvard urban economics professor Edward Glaeser argues that high gas prices prices could usher in a “wholesale change in the nature of American urban development.” (Wall Street Journal — Kelly Evans)

In big cities across the country, downtown rents are climbing as more and more residents look to save gas money by living closer to work. (Associated Press — J.W. Elphinstone)