Our Friday update here at kickstART farmington highlights some great articles we’ve read this week dealing with art, creative placemaking, and building great communities. You’re sure to find some inspiration to make your life and our community even better!

1. No school buses in a suburb?!: The city(‘s) … seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school are all within walking or biking distance of the children they serve…. (research shows) kids can concentrate better if they walk or bike to class rather than being driven or taking transit…. The school also saves about a million dollars a year because it doesn’t have to run buses.

2. In support of busking and street performers: People who heard him missed their trains on purpose. I saw one man with tears in his eyes listen for a full hour. I saw children dancing, couples holding hands, brows un-furrow, and complete strangers turn from potential threats to companions.

3. As we build more roundabouts in our community: Designed properly, roundabouts enhance placemaking and the pedestrian experience. (But are we building them in the right places?)

4. The rise of bicycling (except among children): To promote cycling among children, more should be done to meet their special needs, in particular reducing their risk of injury on local roads…. Since children usually cycle in their own neighborhoods, traffic-calmed residential streets would greatly increase the safety and comfort of cycling for American children, helping launch them to a lifetime of cycling.

5. Will self-driving cars make roads safer?: Robot drivers are far better than humans at sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists.