The National Association of City Transportation Officials is an association of 81 major North American cities and transit agencies formed to exchange transportation ideas, insights, and practices and cooperatively approach national transportation issues. As part of their work, they have been publishing some excellent guidebooks drawn on established case studies and best practices from their members.
The Urban Street Design Guide is a great example. Filled with guidelines and case studies, it is part guidebook and part evangelical document, aimed at assisting civic practitioners make their communities better.
Offering specific examples with wider strategy, I find these volumes to be excellent directional guides. They strike the right balance between what is compulsory, what is optional, and ways to extend the installation.
I also appreciate the mix of simple line drawings and photos from existing installations. This bridging the desired with the actual installed facts on the ground move these guides from the academic to the practical.
More Inspiration
Rooftop Catalogue by MVRDV
Axonometric views of NYC as inspiration
