Did you know that Jane Jacobs never formally studied urban planning? Yet, she managed to reshape an entire field with just her wit, a typewriter, and a fierce passion for city life. In her pivotal book, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” Jacobs took a wrecking ball to the 1950s urban planning norms that prioritized concrete jungles over vibrant neighborhoods.
Her crowning achievement was leading the charge against the Lower Manhattan Expressway, a project that would have bulldozed much of Greenwich Village. Jacobs showed us that sometimes building bridges means stopping highways—literally. Through grassroots activism, she united communities and preserved the human scale of neighborhoods, proving that the pen (and protest) can be mightier than the bulldozer.
Jane Jacobs didn’t just write about cities; she fought for their soul, demonstrating that everyone has the right to shape the city around them. Like many women featured on our blog, Jacobs built lasting bridges between people and places, making our cities more livable and lovable.
Women build bridges 