Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos

The basic principles and functions of the planning profession are constantly challenged. Advocating the public interest, illustrating comprehensive interactions, and maximizing choices of future inhabitants are rarely like driving a straight, smooth, uncrowded, highway. On the contrary, planners often risk traveling in the fog amidst swerving traffic, going at break-neck speeds according to ambiguous rules, on twisting roads with broken signals and a few potholes. It is tempting to seek a safe haven in this career. I admire and appreciate planners and politicians who have been leading their communities and professions in democratizing policies and processes, and bringing to life rational, conservationist, equitable principles. It appears that these leaders spend much of their time in the streets; but they spend almost no time in the middle of the road