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Stories of Impact

Smart Growth America's stories of impact highlight the transformative effects of smart growth initiatives on communities across the country, showcasing how efforts have led to more livable, equitable, and sustainable urban environments.

IMPACT

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Kalamazoo, Michigan, is dealing with a problem seen in a number of cities across the US: a state highway running through the downtown as a “couplet,” two parallel one-way streets. These two wide and fast state-owned routes cut through a downtown neighborhood full of parks, restaurants, and museums near Western Michigan University. Six lanes with no visual friction from oncoming traffic encouraged high speeds–a dangerous situation for people who hope to enjoy downtown on foot. Kalamazoo is taking big steps to reverse past car-centric decisions and improve safety for everyone by regaining ownership over state routes and converting them back to two-way streets.
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;]As part of the Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program, participant Nolan Bergstrom from the City of Kalamazoo, authored a case study on Kalamazoo&#8217;s most dangerous road, West Michigan Avenue.  Nolan also published a storymap on the history of Kalamazoo&#8217;s transportation networks.
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;/knowledge-hub/news/champion-spotlight-kalamazoo-mi/&#8221;] Read the case study [/button] 
[/alert]
<h3>How is Downtown Kalamazoo moving in the right direction?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Jurisdictional transfer: In 2019, Kalamazoo <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2019/01/kalamazoo-accepts-control-of-state-trunklines-spanning-city.html">regained ownership</a> of state routes through the city, including sections of Stadium Drive, Westnedge Avenue, Park Street, Michikal Street, Michigan Avenue, and Kalamazoo Avenue. The agreement puts the city in charge of the maintenance and design of these routes, which will no longer function as state highways. This means Kalamazoo can now implement the street improvements previously proposed for downtown without the approval of Michigan DOT (MDOT). For residents, this means that they have a more direct connection to the changes being made, with opportunities to have their concerns addressed by their local government, which was not happening from the state.</li>
<li>Street design projects: The jurisdictional transfer was enabled by the city’s long-term strategic plan, <a href="https://www.imaginekalamazoo.com/#gsc.tab=0">Imagine Kalamazoo 2025</a>. The vision of this plan includes a conversion of the downtown grid back into two-way streets and slowing traffic, which the city is able to implement with control of its roads. The Street Network Design Project, completed in 2020, affirmed that the community wants the downtown road network to be redesigned to slow vehicular speeds and improve connectivity for people walking and biking in the neighborhood. In addition to the two-way conversion, the plan includes reducing the number of vehicle lanes, adding pedestrian crossings, and installing bike facilities.</li>
<li>Community engagement: The planning process for the strategic plan and related safety improvements involved extensive community engagement through workshops, surveys, walk audits, and other forms of outreach and participation. With every new streetscape project, the city conducts more <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57582dcbf85082d2ca1fb7f0/t/631a7133aed7e72a623c5997/1662677300524/PPP%2BBook.pdf">public participation</a> to confirm the community’s desire to continue with Imagine Kalamazoo and to conduct more detailed planning for the work to be done.</li>
</ul>
<h4>What’s next for these improvement projects?</h4>
Construction for these safety improvement projects is underway, starting with Kalamazoo Avenue and Michikal Street. Surface treatments have already been installed to reduce lanes, narrow lane widths, and provide bike facilities on Westnedge Avenue, Park Street, and Michigan Avenue. <a href="https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Community/Projects/2023/Planning/Traffic-Calming-Safe-Streets-for-All">Pilot projects</a> funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All program are being implemented in 2024.
<a href="https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Community/Projects/2024/HSIP-Vulnerable-Road-User-Safety-Projects">Highway Safety Improvement Program</a> funds from MDOT and <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/reconnecting-communities-pilot-project-for-kalamazoo-and-michigan-avenues/">Reconnecting Communities Pilot</a> funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will support these ongoing efforts for Downtown Kalamazoo. While the funds are much needed to support change, the IIJA money is received through MDOT. This results in ongoing negotiations on design and other issues between the city and state DOT even though the facilities are under city control.
Thank you to Nolan Bergstrom, Dennis Randolph, and Christina Anderson for their contributions to this case study.

DOT Coordination Case Study: Kalamazoo and Michigan

The most dangerous road in Seattle, Washington, is State Route 99, Aurora Avenue N. 19 people were killed while walking on Aurora Ave N between 2008 and 2022, on just 7.6 miles of road. 14 of these deaths occurred between 2018 and 2022, which is 15% of all pedestrian fatalities in Seattle during that time. The downtown portion of Rte 99 was recently buried–the highway that used to cut through the downtown now tunnels underneath it. However, when the highway resurfaces in the Queen Ann and Westlake neighborhoods, a mixed-use area just north of Downtown, people walking still have to navigate wide lanes, inadequate pedestrian facilities, and high speeds to cross the street or access the bus routes. Though Aurora Ave N is owned by the state DOT, the city is responsible for day-to-day maintenance and operations, so the city and state have worked together closely for years on improving this corridor. There are many ongoing plans and campaigns to improve the safety of the road through design, and it will take continued collaboration and strong partnership between the city, the state, and local stakeholders to make these plans a reality.
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;]As part of the Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program, participant Natalie Lubsen from Seattle, authored a case study on Seattle&#8217;s most dangerous road, State Route 99.
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/champion-spotlight-seattle-wa/&#8221;] Read the case study [/button] 
[/alert]
<h3>How is Aurora Ave moving in the right direction?</h3>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Long-term visioning: The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and King County Metro are currently in the third phase of a multi-year <a href="https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/current-projects/aurora-ave-project">Aurora Ave Project</a>, planning for safety improvements to the corridor. This study breaks Aurora Ave into five segments and includes community engagement through surveys and design workshops to incorporate local needs into the proposed design. Part of this work is funded by a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Pedestrian and Bicycle Program grant, and WSDOT is a key partner in the planning process. WSDOT owns the route, but Seattle is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance and operations, so this project is only one part of a long-term partnership between the city and the state.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Local advocacy: <a href="https://www.got99problems.org/about-us">Aurora Reimagined Coalition</a> is a partnership of neighbors, advocates, businesses, and public agencies that works extensively to envision a people-centric future for Aurora Ave. The coalition provides invaluable lived experience to incorporate into the city-led planning processes, conducts supplemental community surveys, and pushes for designs that meet the needs of <a href="https://www.got99problems.org/blog/year-3-of-the-aurora-ave-redesign">all users on the entire corridor</a>. For example, when SDOT released new design ideas for a community survey, the Coalition encouraged residents to <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/03/23/op-ed-heres-how-we-can-fix-aurora-avenue-from-people-who-might-know-how/">ask for more</a>, requesting designs that prioritize active transportation and transit.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Short-term safety improvements: SDOT is not waiting for the long-term planning to address immediately known safety concerns. SDOT is implementing some shorter-term strategies, including No Turn on Red signs and <a href="https://highways.dot.gov/media/11841#:~:text=An%20LPI%20gives%20pedestrians%20a,%2D%20or%20right%2D%20turning%20vehicles.">pedestrian leading interval</a> signals at all signalized intersections, and these strategies will inform WSDOT’s improvements to similar roads across the state. The <a href="https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/blog/2022/02/08/move-ahead-washington/">2022 Move Ahead Washington</a> transportation funding package includes a set aside for a demonstration project on Aurora Ave, but the funds have <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/05/03/state-transportation-budget-passes-over-aurora-avenue-safety-project/">not been released</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h4>What’s needed to continue improving?</h4>
There is a long way to go before the entire corridor is reconstructed. As Aurora Reimagined Coalition, Transportation Choices Coalition, and many others are aware, it will take long-term collaboration, engagement, and funding to complete and implement these plans. A project of this size needs to continue through many elections and rounds of funding, which requires ongoing pressure from residents and advocates for safety to be prioritized on Rte 99.
Thank you to Natalie Lubsen and Dongho Chang for their contributions to this case study.

DOT Coordination Case Study: Seattle and Washington

Milwaukee, WI: Capacity challenges slow, but don’t stall Complete Streets work

Baltimore, MD: Consistent reflection is crucial to inform binding next steps

Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report

Bristol has made commitments to Complete Streets in the past as a strategy to confront their lack of biking and walking infrastructure. With major state routes running through its borders, the Bristol team was eager to collaborate directly with CTDOT in the program so that they could learn how to make their roads safer for all users—and create a roadmap for other cities to do the same. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-05-Bristol_Aerial-View_Photo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-84171" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-05-Bristol_Aerial-View_Photo-1024x421.png" alt=" width=" height="329" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-05-Bristol_Aerial-View_Photo-1024x421.png 1024w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-05-Bristol_Aerial-View_Photo-300x123.png 300w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-05-Bristol_Aerial-View_Photo-768x316.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-05-Bristol_Aerial-View_Photo.png 1090w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
From the program’s launch, Bristol had a clear idea of where they wanted to deploy their quick-build demonstration. The site covered several blocks on West Street (CT 69), home to key community destinations including Immanuel Lutheran School, the Boys and Girls Club, and St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church, making it a place that draws more pedestrians. However, the offset crosswalks and frequent parking made it a challenging place for pedestrians to cross and otherwise get around.
Bristol temporarily removed one of the existing offset crosswalks and installed a temporary perpendicular crosswalk to encourage crossings at a single location to make it more clear to drivers to yield to people walking. They also improved visibility for both drivers and people on foot at the intersections by removing the capability to park at corners. The team worked with community members— including the Boys and Girls Club—to host a launch event in September where they solicited feedback and celebrated the temporary changes.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. One highlight from their findings was that speed data confirmed that the travel speeds were reduced during the installation, from approximately 38 miles per hour pre-installation to approximately 29 miles per hour at the end of the installation period.
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Community connections are key. When making changes, it is important to think about who will be the most impacted by them and make an effort to include those groups in the process from start to finish. This will not only help create a better project that improves the community but also builds trust within the community and can ultimately lead to more community support and involvement in future efforts. In Bristol, the city made sure to do a lot of outreach in preparation for the quick-build demonstration and held a launch event that allowed the community to interact with the changes and give their feedback.
Strong collaboration equals success. When embarking on a project, it’s critical to connect with all the partners as early as possible whether they are local community groups, city or county staff, or those from a state department of transportation. Bristol found experiences interacting with CTDOT and transportation professionals from other cities extremely valuable, especially when they were able to connect in person.
Keep the momentum going. Coming out of the Complete Streets Leadership Academy, Bristol was figuring out what the project meant for long-term change. Quick-build projects are useful tools to test out potential infrastructure improvements without investing tons of funding and to make sure they work for the community before putting in something permanent. When implementing a quick build, start thinking of ways to use the lessons learned to plan for future permanent investments in transportation safety.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Bristol, CT: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

With the goal of putting their 2023 Complete Streets Initiative Master Plan into action, Middletown joined the Complete Streets Leadership Academy to design and deploy a quick-build project that would improve nighttime visibility for pedestrians. Despite early setbacks, the team from Middletown was able to pivot and successfully implement a quick build that informed future efforts in the community. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
&nbsp;
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-84204 size-medium" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1-300x225.jpg" alt=" width=" height="225" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CT1.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>One contributor to the national pedestrian safety crisis is the lack of visibility of pedestrians, with almost 6,000 pedestrian deaths happening when it is dark outside. Middletown sought to address this by installing pedestrian-level crosswalk lighting at the signalized intersection of Grand Street and Main Street. The location sees significant numbers of people walking as it is near multiple restaurants and other amenities.
This was not the first idea Middletown came up with for their project. Middletown initially planned to create back-in-only parking on Main Street by changing the angle of the parking spaces. However, when a local newspaper heard about the project and wrote an article on it, public opposition grew and the team realized that the constraints of the academy program did not allow time for the necessary engagement to build community support. Quickly, Middletown shifted to address concerns over pedestrian visibility and opted to explore lighting improvements to an intersection on Main Street. The pivot away from parking took staff time and resources and delayed progress on the ultimate installation.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. Interviews on the ground were conducted and people noted that it was more comfortable to walk with the lighting installed. Businesses, law enforcement, and other community members also noted that it improved visibility and some inquired whether it would be made permanent.
The city felt the experience was positive overall. Middletown hopes that the effort can be replicated at other locations with minimal investment now that it has been done once before.
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Expect the unexpected. Proposed projects may encounter unexpected reactions from the community or other external variables. Be flexible, creative, and open to change. Middletown’s original project idea received opposition before it was even solidified. The city then decided to pivot and come up with a project that was achievable and impactful.
Make a project that fits. Quick-build demonstrations can have a positive impact on a community without being overly ambitious. Exploring possibilities that are within budget, timeframes, and resources can still lead to permanent solutions in the future.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Middletown, CT: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

Over the years, the City of Waterbury has worked to revitalize its downtown and implement its 2014 Complete Streets Resolution. Participating in the Complete Streets Leadership Academy gave Waterbury the dedicated time to focus on addressing problems related to the safety and accessibility of people walking and biking. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Waterbury_Quick_Build-01-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-84178 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Waterbury_Quick_Build-01-232x300.jpg" alt=" width=" height="389" /></a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
The participants from Waterbury identified Grand Street as the project location because it is a major commercial, residential, and civic corridor in the heart of downtown which also connects to a number of interstates. The Complete Streets Leadership Academy allowed Waterbury to dedicate time to demonstrate the value of using a holistic approach that considers all modes of transportation including walking, rolling, biking, and public transit use. It was an opportunity to reimagine what a main street could look like that serves residents, encourages visitors, and protects the interstate travel the area supports.
The implemented quick-build demonstration aimed to address unsafe vehicle speeds, long pedestrian crossings, and crosswalks that lack visibility, all of which put pedestrians at high risk. Additionally, the project sought to draw the community to the area, giving businesses and the economy overall a boost and making the main street a hub again.
The Waterbury project shortened the crossing distance for pedestrians, narrowing travel lanes to 11.5’, and providing at least 25’ of no parking area on both sides of the crosswalks to improve visibility at intersections. Waterbury used barrels, traffic cones, and other easily moved materials to narrow lanes and improve crossing protection. They also increased the visibility of existing crosswalks with temporary paint and tape.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. Highlights include:
<ul>
<li>Data collected in August 2023 demonstrated an 11 percent decrease in speeds from similar data collected in April 2023. Data collected after the project was removed showed an increase in vehicle speeds, further demonstrating the impact of the decrease in lane width on driver behavior.</li>
<li>Program participants noted an increased knowledge in how to balance vehicular traffic with active transportation, including the logistical issues that need to be navigated in order to ensure success.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Partnerships can help overcome internal barriers. Waterbury faced internal staffing and resources challenges early on. By engaging the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG), they were able to build capacity and successfully complete the project. This effort also brought in other partners who could be part of future efforts for permanent changes to the area.
Early communication and engagement is key. Local businesses were concerned about the impact of removing parking spots. The team knew that it was key to engage businesses early in the project. Multiple forms of communication, including an in-person activity, demonstrated the need and potential of the proposed changes.
Data can tell a story. Numbers don’t lie, and the early success in reducing speeds contributed to the narrative of the project. Capturing before and after data is critical to being able to make the case that the project was successful and to inspire future action.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Waterbury, CT: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

The City of Chattanooga has taken steps in recent years to address the safety of all road users, but it sought to find a more nimble approach to addressing dangerous street design. Their participation in the Complete Streets Leadership Academy allowed them to deliver a quick-build demonstration project on a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) state route. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page67_Chattanooga-scaled.jpeg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-84173" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page67_Chattanooga-1024x682.jpeg" alt=" width=" height="533" /></a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
After analyzing state routes across the city, the City of Chattanooga selected South Willow Street—a state-owned road—for a quick-build demonstration that would improve the pedestrian experience and safety. Although multiple state routes have high crash rates, two intersections were selected on South Willow Street to demonstrate that safety improvements could be made at a relatively low cost and to ease coordination with TDOT.
The project installed two striped crosswalks with rubber removable medians to slow drivers and reduce the number of conflict points at the intersections where the pedestrian refuges were installed. To further reduce speeding, the project also included two removable speed bumps so that cars would have to slow before turning onto cross streets. The City of Chattanooga used flex posts and traffic paint along South Willow Street to reclaim public space for people walking and cycling. Later, they further increased visibility by using geometric shapes along the walkway, painted in colors not typically seen on roadways. Designed and installed with direct input from neighbors on both sides of South Willow Street, this sidewalk art created a sense of place by pulling inspiration from the Highland Park and Ridgedale neighborhoods.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. Highlights include:
<ul>
<li>Increased interest and positive reactions from the community. By building part of their quick build before the modular medians arrived, city personnel were able to start collecting community feedback early, improving community engagement overall and expediting the installation.</li>
<li>Measurement of pedestrian activity in the area to see if the addition of safe infrastructure was impacting the way people traveled. The City of Chattanooga found that when they installed safe crosswalks, people were eager to use them.</li>
<li>Thanks to this quick-build project, the City of Chattanooga will create a quick-build program with several more demonstration projects planned in the coming years.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Infrastructure improvements can reduce speeds. Slowing vehicle speed is a key tactic to improve safety for people walking and cycling because the risk of injury and death increases as driver speed increases. However, though this project was meant to improve pedestrian safety by addressing street design, it wasn’t explicitly a traffic-calming project. Even so, the mere introduction of crosswalks and flex posts naturally slowed vehicles as drivers became more aware of other road users.
One small step towards reconnecting communities. Without proper infrastructure for people to cross, South Willow Street divided two neighborhoods. However, the simple introduction of crosswalks and pedestrian refuges helped address this divide—a small step, but an initial and inexpensive one that allowed the city to help knit these neighborhoods back together.
Improvements can be cost-effective. The improvements on South Willow Street cost less than $15,000, demonstrating that a relatively small investment can quickly improve the street for all users, especially the most vulnerable users. Similar quick-build projects are efficient, low-cost tools that the City of Chattanooga can use to improve streets citywide.
Collaboration supports innovation. Buy-in from TDOT helped ensure that communication was quick and efficient. The city conferred with the state on the types of materials to use, compliance for curb ramps, and other interventions they could try on the state-owned road. Only four weeks passed between Chattanooga’s design adjustments and TDOT’s final review, which took place over email without a need for other permits.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Chattanooga, TN: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

With a newly adopted Vision Zero plan in place, Metro Nashville joined the Complete Streets Leadership Academy to strengthen partnerships and test out new paths to achieving safer streets. Working together to improve crossings for people walking allowed them to strengthen their relationships with local partners and provide quick, tangible benefits to a community that was ready for change. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-48B60A86-8BFD-408D-A769-2CC325395B0B_1_105_c.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-84175 alignright" style="padding: 5px;" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-48B60A86-8BFD-408D-A769-2CC325395B0B_1_105_c.jpeg" width="327" height="436" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-48B60A86-8BFD-408D-A769-2CC325395B0B_1_105_c.jpeg 769w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Copy-of-48B60A86-8BFD-408D-A769-2CC325395B0B_1_105_c-225x300.jpeg 225w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 327px) 100vw, 327px" /> </a>As the participants from Nashville combed through potential sites, one location stood out among the rest due to the high pedestrian traffic along the route and the known equity concerns in the area: Dickerson Pike and Queen Avenue. Despite known safety concerns, the project area hasn’t seen major transportation improvements in 30 years. A quick-build project was a way to demonstrate to the people who live around Dickerson Pike—who are primarily low-income and people of color—that their safety and accessibility are a priority for both local and state decision-makers.
To reclaim pedestrian space, the Nashville team painted walkways along the east side of Dickerson Pike and the north side of Grizzard Avenue, a roadway on the west that dead-ends into Dickerson. The painted walkway on the east side of Dickerson included a mural by local artist Charles Key, who used affordable and easily accessible materials including colored concrete seal applied with roller brushes to make the art attractive and functional. Adding art further drew attention to the changes along Dickerson, both attracting pedestrians and signaling drivers to slow down and watch for people walking.
The Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) also made multiple changes to the long crosswalk to make it more comfortable and safer to traverse. A pedestrian refuge in the center turn lane, painted with bright yellow paint and lined with flex posts, shortened the length people needed to cross. NDOT also refreshed the crosswalk with thermoplastic and replaced the school bus crossing signage with pedestrian crossing signage to match current needs.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. Highlights include: 
Quick builds allowed NDOT to test out safety improvements on a temporary basis, giving them an opportunity to boost buy-in within their agency for more permanent change to roadways. These low-cost projects were also easily replicable, so for a relatively low lift, NDOT built momentum on safety improvements throughout the metro area. 
Communication with Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) helped build relationships with different regional engineering teams. These relationships will make it easier for NDOT to embark on design solutions for state-owned roads in the future. 
NDOT also enjoyed stronger communication within their own DOT, as multiple team members worked together to identify hurdles and come up with solutions.
<h4>Key takeaways</h4>
Dedicated time and space can improve partnerships and foster future collaboration. Nashville metro’s quick-build demonstration project was an important step toward building a stronger partnership between NDOT, TDOT, and the community, which has sparked the potential for long-term Vision Zero improvements at the Dickerson and Queen intersection. This exercise testing creative, temporary solutions also sets a strong foundation for future quick builds in the metro area.
Build upon existing momentum. While many intersections in the Nashville metro area would benefit from safety interventions, partners had been working at the Dickerson and Queen intersection long before NDOT started their project there, creating a strong foundation of knowledge and community input for the demonstration. NDOT was also able to draw upon existing momentum for change from TDOT, which has identified multiple Nashville locations for Pedestrian Safety Initiative Projects.
A lot can be learned with some striping tape and a few cones. NDOT benefited by using tactical urbanism in advance of their quick build to create an even deeper understanding of their project site and the needs of the surrounding community. The data they collected, in addition to community input, helped create a more successful demonstration project.
Community members will notice when they feel safer, and they’ll want that feeling everywhere. Though outside the scope of NDOT’s demonstration project, community members offering feedback frequently pointed to the nearby successful HAWK signal at Dickerson and Sunset Avenue, which provides a flashing signal when pedestrians want to cross. This community input is a testament to how effective change can inspire community members to advocate for similar improvements elsewhere. Hopefully, improvements from the quick build will have a similar impact.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Nashville, TN: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

The City of San Leandro’s project was unique as they chose to demonstrate a small portion of an already approved county-led bike-lane project. The city leveraged this opportunity to host a pop-up event to unveil an art installation, build better partnerships, and engage the community on its plans and vision. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SSF_BikeRide_SergioRuiz8-scaled.jpeg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-84174" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SSF_BikeRide_SergioRuiz8-1024x682.jpeg" alt=" width=" height="533" /></a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
San Leandro selected East 14th Street (State Route 185) from Hesperian Blvd to 150th Avenue for the quick-build demonstration site. The team utilized a city-owned striping paint machine and stencil to create a protected bike lane further supported by flex post delineators and adhesive pads to create the physical separation. The San Leandro cohort selected this street because it connects residents to regional transportation facilities, employment areas, and activity centers but is a dangerous corridor in need of improvement: about 90 percent of the corridor is identified as part of the countywide high-injury pedestrian network and 50 percent of the corridor is part of the high-injury bicycle network.
East 14th Street is part of an upcoming East Bay Greenway project which is a regional trail project spanning multiple cities to improve pedestrian and cyclist connections along the BART corridor. This includes a separated bike lane on East 14th Street, providing a vertical barrier between the bike lane and moving traffic, as well as transit boarding islands along a portion of the corridor. Unlike other projects in the academy where cities choose to test out new project ideas (which are not already a part of an approved project plan), San Leandro decided to use this opportunity to demonstrate a small portion of the already designed, approved, and upcoming bike lane to gather additional data and community input.
As part of the quick-build demonstration project, the city hosted a pop-up event in June 2023 on the Hesperian Triangle, often referred to as &#8220;the Triangle,&#8221; to share more information about the upcoming changes to the corridor and encourage community members to try out the bike lane and provide feedback. The event was also the opening of a new art installation in the Triangle called &#8220;Genie Bottle,&#8221; in addition to an existing art installation called the “Purr Pods.” Approximately 70-100 people attended the one-day event which had live music, food, and stalls from other community partners such as Bike East Bay.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
While photos, videos, and media coverage demonstrated a successful launch event and engagement on the project site, San Leandro did not collect or report any formal outcomes from the experience. Collecting data such as the number of users, their experience with the temporary bike lane, or feedback from surrounding businesses would have strengthened the case made by the quick-build project.
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Be aware of any conflicting and overlapping project timelines when a corridor is within the jurisdiction of multiple agencies. The City of San Leandro planned their eight-week demonstration project timeline strategically so that the removal could take place in advance of a Caltrans repaving project on the same corridor. This would’ve been a challenge if city and Caltrans officials hadn’t communicated and coordinated on the project timeline and schedules before project implementation. Alternatively, in cases where timelines overlap, there may be opportunities to collate resources which could be beneficial for all partners involved.
Take weather into account when selecting temporary materials. In addition to the permanent art installations already cited on the Hesperian Triangle, the city installed a temporary interactive art installation which was destroyed by high winds. Taking local weather conditions into account is crucial when selecting materials for pop-up installations.
Starting small can be a good first step to build momentum. San Leandro utilized this opportunity to engage the community through a demonstration of a short stretch of an already approved project and received a great response. Smaller-scale projects such as this one can be a good way to build internal and external momentum when a city is trying a new approach like quick builds on state-owned roads, but the city does not capitalize on the momentum quickly. Subsequent tests of more creative ideas to improve safety on city streets should be planned to help move toward successive implementation as soon as possible.
Data collection is key to making your case. San Leandro chose to not collect any formal feedback around the project including at the pop-up event. Collecting data would have provided important opportunities for community engagement and input. Data collected could have been used in determining next steps and demonstrating the impact of the project for future planning.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

San Leandro, CA: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

The City of Berkeley’s vision was to test an unconventional design to improve safety for cyclists navigating a non-linear intersection on San Pablo Avenue. Ultimately the project was not installed due to various capacity constraints, but nevertheless, going through the design iteration process within their team, discussing permitting with Caltrans, exploring contractor support options, and conducting community engagement with adjacent businesses left the city valuable insights they will be able to leverage in the future. <a href="/knowledge-hub/news/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-84192" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley-1024x768.png" alt=" width=" height="600" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley-1024x768.png 1024w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley-300x225.png 300w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley-768x576.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley-1536x1152.png 1536w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Page37_Berkeley-2048x1536.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
<h4>Failure to Implement</h4>
Throughout the program, Berkeley experienced staff turnover and capacity challenges. With limited staff time available to be fully dedicated to this project and competing priorities, the city would’ve needed to rely on an outside contractor to complete the project, incurring additional costs. Due to these challenges, the city withdrew from the academy before the project could be installed. Even so, the city was able to make some progress on safe streets, charting out its community engagement plan and beginning initial engagement.
Though Berkeley was ultimately unable to see their quick-build demonstration come to fruition, plans are in the works for the corridor informed by their Complete Streets Leadership Academy experience. In November 2023, the Berkeley City Council considered and approved two conceptual designs for the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ATC) to explore with CalTrans: their preferred option of a one-way cycle track on each side of the street and a fallback option that includes a two-way cycle track on the east side. Whichever design is chosen, the ATC will be constructing the project simultaneously with other Safety Enhancement Projects on San Pablo Avenue, expected in the spring of 2025.
<h4>Proposed Project Concept</h4>
The project goal was to test a design solution for a bike boulevard crossing on San Pablo Avenue at the selected intersection. Initially, the city started with the idea of a conventional configuration of adding a one-way cycle track on each side of San Pablo Avenue but faced pushback from adjacent businesses about parking impacts. This combined with cost concerns and cumbersome Caltrans permitting procedures related to signal timing modifications. This pushed the city to explore an alternate configuration of a two-way cycle track on one side of the street. Now, the city envisions a potential permanent project similar to the original one-way cycle track at street level on each side of San Pablo Avenue.
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Identify potential issues and obstacles early on in the process and communicate them to partners. While it is inevitable that some unexpected issues will arise throughout the process, things like competing priorities and staffing challenges can and should be considered in the early stages of planning. Doing so allows for improved coordination to resolve these issues and the potential of getting support from partners.
Despite a failure to implement the project, lessons can still be taken from the process. The main goal of a quick build is to test new and creative ideas to better understand the project implementation process. While this project didn’t move from paper to pavement, developing the quick build for several months allowed city staff to build a greater understanding of the two-way cycle track option, making it a competitive alternative for a permanent project in the future.
Open communication allows agencies to build trust and opens the door for creative and alternative solutions. Upon understanding that the temporary project was intended for the summer months when the region does not expect heavy rainfall, Caltrans was able to waive a required hydrology review. By building upon this partnership in future projects, the city and Caltrans are both better prepared to utilize similar flexibility in the future.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Berkeley, CA: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

While local and state participants had the desire to address safety and accessibility in Soldotna, they were unable to overcome a number of challenges that ultimately prevented the implementation of the quick-build project during the program. However, both Soldotna and the State of Alaska benefited from their efforts to make Sterling Highway safer. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a> 
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Day-1-Map-Exercise-1-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-84176" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Day-1-Map-Exercise-1-1024x485.jpg" alt=" width=" height="378" /></a>
<h4>Failure to implement</h4>
Although AKDOT&amp;PF and the Soldotna team were able to build partnerships and a vision during an in-person convening, when the teams went their separate ways, they lost that face-to-face communication, and this proved detrimental to future progress on the project.
The overarching themes of the relationship between Soldotna and AKDOT&amp;PF can be witnessed in any number of states across the U.S.—lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities and challenges around available resources. Multiple people at AKDOT&amp;PF were involved and it was unclear who had authority to make approvals to move ahead. While Soldotna personnel hoped to use temporary materials, standard for a quick-build project, these required specific approval from AKDOT&amp;PF. AKDOT&amp;PF did not have policies or processes in place to support quick-build demonstrations and participating staff did not have the space to create such policies. Confusion about what was and wasn’t allowed slowed the project’s progress.
Ultimately, the teams were up against the most unforgiving element: time. Soldotna had aimed to install the project so it was in place at the time when visitor traffic in the area was highest and before the challenge of winter weather would put the demonstration at risk. As the process to reach a consensus and receive AKDOT&amp;PF approval dragged on, finding a path forward seemed all but impossible.
<h4>Proposed Project Concept</h4>
The city selected the intersection of Birch Street and Sterling Highway for their quick-build project. Summer festivals at the nearby park attract visitors from far and wide, creating increased traffic across all modes. City personnel and local residents wanted to address concerning design elements so that people walking, cycling, and using mobility aids—especially in large crowds during the summer—would be able to feel safe as they crossed the streets.
To address the narrow sidewalk near crossings, the Soldotna team proposed bump-outs along the curb, giving more people space to wait for the signal to change. They planned to accomplish this with flex post delineators. A bike lane along Birch Street disappears at Sterling Highway, forcing cyclists to cross unprotected to continue their journey. The team discussed painting a green bike box just before the crosswalk on Birch Street and adding dashed 
green lines across Sterling Highway, giving cyclists a place to wait and a dedicated place to ride across the highway. In addition to the dashed green bike lane, the Soldotna team proposed widening the crosswalks and changing from the two-line parallel style to a ladder design. This would also allow the 
team to experiment with colors or patterns that add additional visual appeal and further attract the attention of drivers on the large, high-speed road.
Other components to enhance visibility included standard options, like introducing a pedestrian crossing sign, and more creative solutions, like hanging brightly colored flags or flower baskets on the light poles along the highway.
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Establish clear processes. Members at DOT&amp;PF felt that the quick-build project would have benefited from having clear processes established early on, including clarifying what the state DOT would be comfortable allowing for a temporary project, whose approval would be needed, and what the approval process would look like. This would have resolved many of the challenges and frustrations faced by the city in installing their project and would be necessary if this type of work is to be replicated in other parts of the state.
Coordination is key. Sharing ownership of any project can be difficult, particularly when working with a team several hours away. But partnership is essential to a quick-build demonstration’s success, not only in terms of clear 
communication but also in a willingness to share resources. This is particularly true for state DOTs working with smaller communities that might have fewer resources to spare where the state DOT could offer equipment, staff, and other resources to advance the project.
Obstacles will arise. A first-time quick build always comes with challenges, and anticipating and planning for hiccups will help ensure a project’s success. State DOTs and cities would be wise to embed some flexibility in their timeline and commit to resolving obstacles quickly with creativity and the larger outcomes in mind.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Soldotna, AK: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

South San Francisco’s project had several challenges—from differences of opinion on site selection with the city council to additional costs for seeking consultant support, to design challenges with ADA accessibility ramps. However, the city staff and supporting partners were determined to find solutions, which resulted in a resounding success for the project. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SSF_BikeRide_SergioRuiz8-scaled.jpeg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-84174" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SSF_BikeRide_SergioRuiz8-1024x682.jpeg" alt=" width=" height="533" /></a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
The City of South San Francisco chose to focus on El Camino Real (ECR or State Route 82) as their corridor of interest. Despite changes in surrounding land uses that have brought in more businesses, schools, services, and other destinations along ECR, most parts of the corridor continue to prioritize the speed of vehicles passing through over people walking, biking, or using transit to get to a destination along the corridor. The City of South San Francisco’s participating cohort recognized these issues and wanted to test out temporary changes to reduce speeds, protect pedestrians at crossings, and improve transit access and operations. They identified a 2500-foot stretch on the ECR corridor to have temporary Class IV protected bike lanes, new high visibility crosswalks at Country Club Dr and ECR, and a Zicla bus boarding platform for hybrid bike/bus zones.
The city staff, supporting partners, and consultants did a tremendous job of overcoming the challenges they faced, including missing necessary tools to install the bus boarding platform and slope challenges with the ramps for ADA accessibility. The tenacity and commitment of everyone involved in the project was nothing short of exemplary, resulting in a successful project that caught the attention of the neighboring cities in the process.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. Highlights include:
<ul>
<li>The Zicla bus boarding island has proven to be a huge success with passenger pick-up time reduced from 1 minute and 15 seconds to 10 seconds since the project.</li>
<li>SamTrans, the local transit agency, loved the island’s success and has offered to buy back the island from the city to test it out in other locations across their service jurisdiction.</li>
<li>Given there are no sidewalks on this section of ECR, which has a school nearby, the city observed that students used the bike lane, which directly connects to the back entrance of the school, to walk to the school after getting off the bus. This helped illustrate the need for pedestrian infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Having to iterate and shift from original plans is not a bad thing. The goal of these temporary demonstration projects is to allow cities to troubleshoot and resolve challenges along the way to ensure that lessons are learned and the final project serves the community&#8217;s needs.
Costs for temporary projects can still be significant. While temporary projects cost significantly less than permanent projects, the costs of purchasing materials for temporary quick-build projects can still be notable, particularly if they span long stretches of time and require outside contractor support. Cities that have adopted this model as an ongoing part of their system tend to store materials that can be reused for multiple projects and lean on their public works staff and volunteers as much as possible for installation to reduce associated costs.
Don’t think small. The South San Francisco project team dreamt big and faced a lot of challenges as a result. But they leaned on multiple partners for support and help, stayed in consistent communication with their city council and Caltrans staff, and committed to making this happen. It wasn’t smooth sailing, but all of their efforts resulted in this being a huge success for the city and its partners, and the largest quick-build project that Caltrans has ever participated in on a state-owned road.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

South San Francisco, CA: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

The City of Memphis passed a Complete Streets plan in 2019 to make their streets safer, building on an earlier 2013 policy. But the plan&#8217;s non-binding nature combined with the lack of dedicated funding and support produced significant challenges in implementing the policy. Their participation in the Complete Streets Leadership Academy armed them with more methods and partnerships to make safe streets a reality. <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Read the full case study in the Complete Streets Leadership Academies Report and explore the other case studies here.</a>
<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Memphis-before_after.png"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-84268" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Memphis-before_after.png" alt=" width=" height="275" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Memphis-before_after.png 1011w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Memphis-before_after-300x103.png 300w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Memphis-before_after-768x264.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1011px) 100vw, 1011px" /></a>
<h4>Project Snapshot</h4>
The Memphis project location was selected because it is a hub for people walking and biking, with two transit stops nearby. Even with a lack of safe infrastructure, an average of 30.5 pedestrians and cyclists cross this roadway per hour, meaning someone crosses at least every two minutes. Between 2020 and 2022, six pedestrians and cyclists were hit while trying to cross the street. Two people were seriously injured, and four people were killed.
The City of Memphis already has a Complete Streets plan for this area, created by TDOT, but that plan hasn’t been implemented yet. Their quick-build project followed the existing draft plans but utilized temporary materials. In doing so, Memphis was able to test out how the design would function so that any needed changes could be made in advance of a permanent installation.
The Memphis quick-build demonstration project took place on Summer Avenue between Tillman Street and Baltic Street. To provide pedestrians and cyclists with a safer place to cross the five-lane roadway, the City of Memphis worked with TDOT to add a striped crosswalk, providing more visibility to the crossing. They also installed pedestrian crossing signs with a flashing LED light that alerts drivers and placed an “island” made of flex curb and cold mix asphalt in the center lane to calm traffic and reduce conflict points. The City of Memphis helped add ADA-compliant curb ramps so that more people would be able to use the crosswalk safely, regardless of how they travel.
<h4>Outcomes</h4>
The impact of the project was measured through observations, data collection, and engagement. Highlights include:
<ul>
<li>Engagement throughout the quick-build demonstration built confidence among community members in TDOT’s plan for permanent change.</li>
<li>During the quick-build project, city staff were stationed onsite to talk to community members. Links to an online survey were advertised throughout the city so that people could easily provide feedback on the project and whether or not it made them feel safe. This also produced increased knowledge and awareness of the issue among community members.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Key Takeaways</h4>
Internal capacity is essential to success. There were staffing issues within the City of Memphis team that impacted the quick-build project’s road to implementation. When plans for Summer Avenue were first put in motion, three people were working together on the city’s Bikeway Pedestrian Program. By the end of the project, only one staff member remained. While the project was ultimately successful, there were some aspects of the project that needed to be set aside as internal capacity dwindled.
Barriers will arise—but they don’t have to stop a project in its tracks. Originally, the Memphis team planned to involve an artist to draw attention to the demonstration project using bright colors along the sidewalks of Summer Avenue. However, their artist had a scheduling issue that made this portion of the project difficult to accomplish. Though the final version of their quick-build project didn’t fully match their original vision, the Memphis team continued moving forward and still took valuable steps toward building strong partnerships and paving the way for permanent change.
<hr />
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-84180" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png" alt="The Complete Streets Leadership Academy report cover featuring an animated complete street, with a bike lane, bus lane, and sidewalk surrounding a street with lots of active people." width="116" height="150" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-791x1024.png 791w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-232x300.png 232w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-768x994.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1187x1536.png 1187w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Leadership-Academies-Cover-image-1583x2048.png 1583w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>In 2022, Smart Growth America launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">Complete Streets Leadership Academies</a> in Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee to equip and train local agencies and state departments of transportation to collaborate, innovate, and commit to making changes together to address safety on these dangerous state-owned roads. Cohorts were selected to plan and implement &#8220;quick-build&#8221; demonstration projects, a way to pilot and test new ideas and street designs to activate streets and better support walking, biking, and rolling. 
 
[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/&#8221;] Read the report [/button]
[/alert]
This program and report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not necessarily reflect the views and/or positions of CDC.
&nbsp;

Memphis, TN: Complete Streets Leadership Academy case study

<a href="http://smartgrowthamerica.org/community-economic-roadmap/"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-82516" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Approaching-the-Energy-Transition_Header-1024x307.png" alt=" width=" height="307" /></a>Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant played an integral role in stimulating the economy of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding Harrisburg metropolitan region from its opening in 1974 until its 2019 shutdown. TMI contributed approximately $1 million in annual tax revenue and an annual $60 million in payroll to the local economy. However, regional leaders are investing in assets and growth sectors, such as transportation and logistics, to bolster economic resilience in the wake of the plant becoming inoperable.
The Greater Harrisburg region is a national logistics hub and sits at a strategic crossroads between Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C. &amp; and New York. Covering three counties (Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry) the Tri-County Regional Commission operates the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (<a href="https://www.tcrpc-pa.org/about-tcrpc">HATS</a>). The HATS region is located within one day’s drive for 40% of the U.S. population, 60% of the nation’s buying power, and 50% of Canada’s population. The region is home to a unique confluence of interstate highways, in addition to rail service from Norfolk Southern, CSX, and York Railway. The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) also operates four airports across South Central Pennsylvania, including Harrisburg International (<a href="https://www.flyhia.com/about-hia/">HIA</a>) which hosts commercial and freight air traffic. Due to this strategic geographic location and transportation infrastructure, the region has become a major distribution and goods-movement hub for national and global companies– including nine of the top fifty logistics companies in North America—and is home to some of the largest warehouse facilities in the nation. Over 100 warehouses and distribution centers are located in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties alone, totaling around 10 million square feet of facility space and including prominent companies such as Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
According to the regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (<a href="https://indd.adobe.com/view/2c0cb7ab-4140-4d5b-b148-8026554da0a7">CEDS</a>) completed by <a href="https://www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org/harrisburg-regional-chamber-credc/">Harrisburg Chamber &amp; Capital Region Economic Development Corporation</a>, Warehousing and Storage was by far the largest growth sector in new jobs from 2011-2022 for the region at 22,270 new jobs. To build on this growth and to utilize the region’s competitive advantage, the CEDS also lists Transportation and Warehousing as one of the four top target industries best fit for the region to attract and retain jobs.
<figure id="attachment_82482" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82482" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82482" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image1-1024x631.png" alt="Map of Harrisburg region and the logistics industry presence. " width="800" height="493" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82482" class="wp-caption-text">Map of Harrisburg region and the logistics industry presence.</figcaption></figure>
Air cargo is used to haul lightweight, but high-value and time-sensitive goods, such as medical devices and supplies, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. HIA—located 2.5 miles from the Three Mile Island plant site– provides critical infrastructure to ensure the success of the current supply chain and growing logistics industry. However, HIA’s air cargo facilities are presently functioning at near capacity, and the growth in freight being received and total air cargo is expected to increase to 69,000 tons by 2032, a 1.5% annual increase. To support this growth, SARAA recognized the value of improved access and connectivity between HIA and the region’s supply chain infrastructure and enterprises. Thus, major improvements to airport infrastructure are in progress to support increased air cargo traffic at HIA and the efficient movement of goods, supporting the region’s most in-demand industries: warehousing and logistics.
To support SARAA in this capital project, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) invested $3.75 million in August 2021 as a part of the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/nuclear-closure-assistance/awards-snapshots/">Nuclear Closure Communities</a> (NCC) funding. Specifically, this funding will improve and realign the primary roadway artery (Third Street) from the cargo facilities connecting to airport ingress/egress.
<blockquote>
“Third Street now is a very dangerous, narrow, steep, intersection. The scope of this project will be to realign the road and include a rotary component so traffic doesn’t have to stop and will make it easier to access the cargo sortation facility,” said Timothy Edwards, Executive Director of SARAA.
</blockquote>
This rotary component will be a roundabout traffic pattern, in which the perpetual movement and traffic calming feature should help with efficiency, in addition to traffic safety by reducing conflicts, according to Louis Pirozzi, SARAA Deputy Director for Engineering &amp; Planning. SARAA worked directly with <a href="https://www.deltaone.com/">Delta Development Group</a> on this project development and application.
<figure id="attachment_82483" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82483" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82483" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image2-1-1024x553.png" alt="Site plan design at Harrisburg International Airport for improved roadway and roundabout." width="800" height="432" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82483" class="wp-caption-text">Site plan design at Harrisburg International Airport for improved roadway and roundabout.</figcaption></figure>
This investment on the ‘landside’ of the airport fence (access roads, parking, sortation, and support facilities) will allow the airport to add capital investments on the ‘airside’ of the fence, including expansion of the cargo ramp to accommodate three additional wide-body cargo aircrafts, which is expected to increase freight capacity by 30 percent and enable more than $50 million in airside investment by FAA and air cargo handling companies.
<blockquote>
“We have calculated that by expanding the cargo ramp, adding sortation facilities, and improving access points that we would create an additional 350 jobs…offsetting some of those losses from the power plant closure,” said Edwards.
</blockquote>
Once this project is fully completed in late 2025 or early 2026, it is expected to infuse over $23 million annually into the regional economy, add $4.5 million in property tax revenues for regional school systems, and generate nearly $70 million in landing fees and other fee and lease revenues for HIA.
<hr />
This resource is part of the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/community-economic-diversification-roadmap/">Community Economic Diversification Roadmap</a>, a new tool created by Smart Growth America and the Nuclear Communities TA team, to support communities in planning for the challenges and opportunities that stem from hosting energy infrastructure.

Economic Diversification Roadmap: Keeping the Economy Moving in South Central Pennsylvania (Case Study)

<a href="http://smartgrowthamerica.org/community-economic-roadmap/"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-82518" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Building-Economic-Resilience_Header-1024x307.png" alt=" width=" height="307" /></a>The 52-year-old Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, located in Van Buren County on the scenic shores of Lake Michigan, formally closed in May of 2022 and was sold to the nuclear decommissioning company Holtec. First announced for a 2018 closure, the Palisades decision was amended, extending its operation until 2022. As Palisades provided approximately 600 well-paying jobs and served as one of the largest taxpayers in Van Buren County, the plant closure announcement led key partners and stakeholders across Southwest Michigan to jolt into action to plan for the closure impacts on the regional economy.
<figure id="attachment_82475" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82475" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82475" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image1-1.jpg" alt="An aerial image of Palisades Nuclear Plant on the shores of Lake Michigan." width="800" height="526" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82475" class="wp-caption-text">Palisades Nuclear Plant on the shores of Lake Michigan</figcaption></figure>
“We knew that planning needed to happen,” said John Egelhaaf, Executive Director of the Regional Economic Development District: <a href="https://www.swmpc.org/">Southwest Michigan Planning Commission</a> (SWMPC). While the negotiated closure timeline extension gave the region and its communities a brief exhale of relief, the newly developed Nuclear Closure Communities (<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/nuclear-closure-assistance/awards-snapshots/">NCC</a>) program of the U.S Economic Development Administration (EDA) emerged as a strategic and timely avenue for SWMPC and partners such as <a href="https://www.marketvanburen.org/">Market Van Buren</a> (the economic development organization for Van Buren and Cass Counties) to prepare for economic resilience and recovery before the plant closed.
Through the EDA NCC funding program, a federal grant of nearly $970,000 was awarded in June of 2021 to SWMPC, and a collaborative of partners including Market Van Buren (Kinexus Group), the University of Michigan Economic Growth Initiative, and the State of Michigan Department of Treasury—to support the Palisades Closure Recovery Strategy Initiative. The Michigan Department of Treasury’s Energy Transition Impact Project (<a href="https://www.michigan.gov/treasury/local/etip">ETIP</a>) provided supportive match funding of over $242,000 for the initiative. The Palisades Closure Recovery Strategy was designed as a three-year, multi-phase effort to 1) gather and analyze data on the impacts of the plant closure; 2) develop an assessment of data findings and weave them into a ‘story of closure’ and; 3) turn the assessment closure story into an action strategy with identified action steps to respond to impacts and pursue new opportunities. Community engagement and transparency with the public, including media interaction and social media presence, were central to the project kickoff phase to “build a scaffolding on the front end” for the plan and will continue to serve as a core pillar throughout the project, John Egelhaaf highlighted. “We wanted to make sure we are as accessible as we possibly can be.”
As of August 2023, the initiative is into the final third of the project timeline and into the action strategy phase: the <a href="https://www.vanburencountymi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3500/12023-Draft-Assessment-Section-of-the-Palisades-Economic-Recovery-Strategy?bidId=">Palisades Economic Recovery Initiative</a>. According to the assessment, for example, the total impact of closure (direct, indirect, and induced effects) is estimated to be 739 jobs lost and a reduction of $259 million in total output (GDP). For the action strategy, a recovery specialist will be hired to help in the process of building action steps and ultimately shepherding the plan to implementation. “Planning is not the end. All too often we think we succeeded when the plan is done and it’s not even close…it is really about what happens afterwards,” said Engelhaaf. While this action strategy will be completed in Fall of 2023, prior planning work from the regional COVID-19 <a href="https://www.swmpc.org/downloads/economic_recovery_and_resiliency_plan_final.pdf">Economic Recovery &amp; Resilience Plan</a> and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (<a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1088d0f26689491cb3497ee19092192d">CEDS</a>) have spotlighted growth opportunities in tourism, value-added agriculture, and potential in other value-chain opportunities, including asset of <a href="http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/aqualift/contact.html">Whirlpool’</a>s world headquarters in the region to pursue more strategic investments in the research and development (R&amp;D), technology, or advanced manufacturing sectors.
Throughout the recovery strategy initiative, there has been an increasing discussion and movement towards a reopening of Palisades—an unprecedented move for a decommissioning nuclear plant. While this decision looms, community and local leader support for economic diversification and the recovery strategy remains committed.
<blockquote>
“In some ways, that’s an interesting twist of fate and we’re right back to where we wanted to be at the very beginning…diversifying the economy and preparing for an eventual closure, but doing it in an environment where it’s not an emergency anymore,” Egelhaaf said of a potential Palisades reopening.
</blockquote>
<h3>SMART Park</h3>
Midwest Energy &amp; Communications (<a href="https://www.teammidwest.com/">MEC</a>), born of a 1998 merger of two Great Depression-era rural electric cooperatives, MEC has since continued the rural co-op spirit to “provide innovations and solutions to create vibrant, relevant, and sustainable rural communities&#8230;where others won’t.” The concern of diminishing rural populations and quality-of-life drives MEC to fill those critical gaps of rural services, noted Dave Allen, Vice President with MEC. The closure announcement of the Palisades power plant further fueled MEC’s creative and expanding community role to retain jobs and talent in rural Michigan.
The <a href="https://www.imaginesmartpark.com/">Southwest Michigan Advanced Research &amp; Technology (SMART) Park</a> is a 400-acre center for technology and industry nestled in the rural Cass County village of Cassopolis (pop. 1,700), 45 miles from the Palisades plant. MEC was awarded $6 million from the U.S. EDA NCC program in September 2021 to support the development of SMART Park, including water and sewer lines, stormwater management system, and access road construction. Adjacent to MEC’s headquarters and their recent community solar energy array, this park will target enterprises focused on technology, R&amp;D, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability. This target focus is directly aligned with the larger regional vision for economic development strategies and is identified in the regional CEDS completed by SWMPC and complements the longer-term regional Recovery Strategy efforts with short-term wins.
<figure id="attachment_82477" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82477" style="width: 916px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82477 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image3.png" alt="An aerial site plan of SMART Park" width="916" height="515" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82477" class="wp-caption-text">An aerial site plan of SMART Park</figcaption></figure>
The first tenant for SMART Park is Hydro, a Norwegian company focused on a sustainable future, which will open operations in late 2023 or early 2024 with a state-of-the-art aluminum recycling plant. Hydro is investing $150 million in the project, which at full capacity will create 70 jobs and produce 120,000 metric tons of low-carbon aluminum extrusion ingot per year. Additional site investments will soon connect the park to rail via the Canadian National Railway that runs along the site property. In total, the SMART Park project is expected to create 250 new jobs. MEC is also coordinating with Market Van Buren and institutions of higher education on proactive workforce training and development partnerships in advance of Hydro and future tenants of the park.
<figure id="attachment_82476" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82476" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82476 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image2-1024x539.jpg" alt="A view of the future Hydro facility and SMART Park under development" width="1024" height="539" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82476" class="wp-caption-text">A view of the future Hydro facility and SMART Park under development</figcaption></figure>
A dedication to community engagement and being good neighbors has helped get SMART Park off to a promising start and will remain a ‘north star’ for the future. Immediately south of the park site sits Diamond Lake, which is home to residential and vacation home communities. MEC and community leaders have strived to balance the park business development with the preservation of the bucolic landscape, with covenants including aesthetics and dark-sky lighting standards as just one approach. This community engagement and relationship-building also has the potential to prove fruitful in securing future investment from interested Diamond Lake residents and second-home owners from Chicago. “You never know where the next gem will come from… so keep mining,” Allen offered in reference to the importance of engagement, partnerships, and patience in economic development.
<hr />
This resource is part of the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/community-economic-diversification-roadmap/">Community Economic Diversification Roadmap</a>, a new tool created by Smart Growth America and the Nuclear Communities TA team, to support communities in planning for the challenges and opportunities that stem from hosting energy infrastructure.

Economic Diversification Roadmap: Smart Planning & Development in Southwest Michigan (Case Study)

<a href="http://smartgrowthamerica.org/community-economic-roadmap/"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-82519" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Land-Use-and-Planning_Header-1024x307.png" alt=" width=" height="307" /></a>For the majority of Plymouth, Massachusetts’ 400-year history, the town has grown and thrived; now it has its eyes set on the next 400 years. Plymouth—&#8217;America’s Hometown’— holds great prominence in American history and the town has long capitalized on that brand to support its economy through tourism and hospitality. Plymouth is also home to the aptly named Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, which helped power the regional economy from the early 1970s until its shutdown in 2019. To pair with their tourism economy, community leaders are now leveraging Plymouth’s ‘post-nuclear’ status to build economic diversification and attract talent through technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The Plymouth Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing quality of life through smart economic growth. Steering the ship into the future and a post-nuclear era is Executive Director, Stephen Cole. Cole defined a post-nuclear economy in Plymouth as “embracing the entrepreneurial spirit, utilizing assets we control, supporting small business, and investing in emerging technologies such as AI, quantum, and robotics. We’re never going to get something back in only one fell swoop that pays as much in taxes and wages as a nuclear power plant.”
In August of 2020, a $200,000 award from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Nuclear Closure Communities (<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/nuclear-closure-assistance/awards-snapshots/">NCC</a>) program supported a study to help outline how the town and larger region can support an entrepreneur ecosystem, identify innovative new opportunities, and make this new future a reality. The study was completed by the <a href="https://donahue.umass.edu/about-us">University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute</a> and encouraged Plymouth to double down on an asset-based approach. “Lean into your assets…look to your unique geography,” Cole offered advice to peer communities going through decommissioning.
<blockquote>
“The building of the Pilgrim plant was pivotal in the economic development of the town 50 years ago. And its decommissioning is going to be even more important.”
</blockquote>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-82471 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image1.jpg" alt="Aerial shot of Plymouth Harbor and coastline." width="804" height="534" />
An asset unique to Plymouth’s geography is its 37-mile underutilized coast. Leaning into this asset has led Plymouth to pursue entrepreneurship and economic innovation in the marine economy or blue economy. The community hosted its first annual conference on the blue economy in October 2022—<a href="https://www.plymouth-ma.biz/conference/#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20the%20Blue,sanctuaries%2C%20cultural%20heritage%2C%20and%20climate">Blue Future Conference: The Now and Next of Plymouth’s Marine Economy</a>—and a second annual event is being planned again for October 2023. In an exciting nexus between both the marine economy and AI technology innovation, a centerpiece of this conference was the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (<a href="https://mas400.com/">MAS</a>)—the first unmanned autonomous vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean using AI and edge computing. Honoring Plymouth’s history and culture, MAS’ retracing of the original 1620 Mayflower journey also showcased technology to advance solutions to improve ocean health and support a sustainable economy.
The region is also exploring growth in aquaculture research and development, especially with kelp. Plymouth Foundation and other stakeholders have even been in discussions with Holtec for utilizing water frontage sites on the decommissioning Pilgrim plant property for kelp and other aquaculture pursuits. “As post-nuclear and not post-industrial, we are not trying to solve problems from the last 50 years. We are generally focused on what the next 50 years look like,” said Cole.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-82472 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image2.png" alt="Model image of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) Text Reads: A ship without a (human) captain and crew. Taking the human factor out of the Mayflower has allowed us to completely reimagine the design. Instead of thinking about eating, sleeping, and sanitation, the Mayflower's engineers were able to purely focus on the mechanics and function of the ship. " width="874" height="414" />
Another core piece of the UMass Donahue study provided recommendations for three to four distinct brick-and-mortar buildings to advance an entrepreneurship ecosystem:
<ul>
<li>Co-Working Space (Short Term)
<ul>
<li>This space would provide critical office facilities to help alleviate a lack of available and affordable office space in downtown Plymouth.</li>
<li>The space will connect entrepreneurs and remote work residents with a community and culture and help to attract and retain a young, talented workforce to live, work, and play in Plymouth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Food Science Center / Shared Kitchen (Intermediate Term)
<ul>
<li>Building off the tourism destination economy in Plymouth, the town is seeking to further build its brand as a food destination, and complete the fourth “P” linking four food towns of New England (Providence, Portsmouth, and Portland).</li>
<li>The center will offer facilities and support to existing restaurants and aspiring food service entrepreneurs and chefs, in addition to catalyzing a burgeoning food truck industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Maker Space / Proof-of-Concept Space (Long Term)
<ul>
<li>This facility will provide a space for innovators to prototype or add technical components to ideas while offering peer-to-peer engagement.</li>
<li>The maker space would be targeted toward marine technology, energy technology, robotics, and drones.</li>
<li>Future integration and partnerships with the local school systems could also utilize the maker space to offer a creative learning environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Convention Center
<ul>
<li>A new convention center facility will help attract tourism and support the local hospitality industry, while potentially combining the Food Science Center under the same roof.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
“The building of the Pilgrim plant was pivotal in the economic development of the town 50 years ago. And its decommissioning is going to be even more important… We are generally focused on what the next 50 years look like”- Stephen Cole, Executive Director, Plymouth Foundation
</blockquote>
<hr />
This resource is part of the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/community-economic-diversification-roadmap/">Community Economic Diversification Roadmap</a>, a new tool created by Smart Growth America and the Nuclear Communities TA team, to support communities in planning for the challenges and opportunities that stem from hosting energy infrastructure.

Economic Diversification Roadmap: Looking to the Future in ‘America’s Hometown’ | Case Study

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>CREATING CONNECTIONS IN MONTPELIER, VT</h3>
Location: Montpelier, VT 
Population: 7,434 (2020) 
Typologies: Traditional main street 
Key takeaway: In small cities and rural areas, the effects of emergency situations like a global pandemic can hit especially hard. Finding ways to connect the community during crisis can be essential for resiliency in rural areas
<figure id="attachment_82112" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82112" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82112 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Montpelier_Page28-1024x796.jpeg" alt="People, vendor tents, and activity on an open street in downtown Montpelier, Vermont." width="1024" height="796" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82112" class="wp-caption-text">Source: montpelieralive.com</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
Vermont’s capital city, Montpelier, looks like it could have been drawn straight out of a storybook, with beautiful brick buildings from the 1800s set along the Winooski River and backed by a wooded hillside. But this little rural city, which had a thriving economy before the COVID-19 pandemic, has seen a significant economic impact from the loss of state office workers that resulted from the emergency shutdown—a loss that has continued to affect the town.
<blockquote>
“Boomers and millennials, both generations who think they have nothing in common, actually want the same things &#8211; everybody wanted to have that house and now everybody&#8217;s aging. No one wants to drive. Everyone wants to have a place downtown.” – Elizabeth Parker, CFO, Sustainable Montpelier Coalition, Montpelier, VT
</blockquote>
Amid the pandemic, the Sustainable Montpelier Coalition, a local community organization, saw a need to build communication channels and connect neighbors across Montpelier, and reinstated the Capital Area Neighborhoods program. The program identified 50 different neighborhoods across the city and began assigning neighborhood coordinators who encouraged civic engagement and held community events to get residents talking about these issues and how people can work together. Along with encouraging communication connections, Sustainable Montpelier Coalition is working toward making Montpelier a more physically connected community with denser neighborhoods within the city to provide more affordable housing options, including through mixed-use housing and invisible infill strategies such as accessory dwelling units and duplexes.

Active Roadmap Case Study: Montpelier, VT

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>QUALITY OF LIFE IS KEY IN RUSTON, LA</h3>
Location: Ruston, LA 
Population: 21,987 (2020) 
Typologies: Retirement, second-home; Traditional main street; College 
Key takeaway: Ruston is implementing changes to their built environment to encourage walking and to connect their communities. These changes have enabled them, in spite of their distance from a large metropolitan area, to remain a vibrant small city that can attract new residents, including students graduating from the local college, while improving the quality of life of their current residents.
<figure id="attachment_82147" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82147" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82147 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/rrpark.jpg" alt="A small park with a tent that appears to be covering a stage. There are many people in front of it, many of who are wearing bright pink shirts. A small downtown is in the background" width="800" height="533" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82147" class="wp-caption-text">Source: ruston.org</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
Ruston, LA, is in some ways an island. With no major metropolitan area nearby (the nearest city, West Monroe, is about 30 miles away) and commuter traffic through the area decreasing over the last decade, Ruston has developed an internal resilience, focused on the quality of life of their residents, including supporting Complete Streets, walkability, local restaurants, and downtown programming.
Ruston’s Monroe Street Corridor is a multi-use greenway that will run from the north city limit to the south city limit, and connect to Louisiana Tech University. The trail will provide a walkable and bikeable connection between the southern part of town, which has historically been a lower-income area with higher percentages of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and the northern, wealthier, and predominantly white part of town—two groups that have been divided by interstate highways in the past.
Ruston’s other recent efforts to enhance quality of life include pedestrian-friendly site design. The city’s 2016 Reimagine Ruston plan included a major walkability component, including a requirement for all new buildings and businesses throughout the city to put in sidewalks. They’ve also explored zoning changes to reduce the amount of land used for parking and implemented using a parking calculator to look at private lots with different uses between daytime and night, which resulted in a 20% reduction and increased parking efficiency.
<blockquote>
“Downtown has been reborn as a cultural, entertainment, professional, and retail hub, much like its glory days when the town center was the heartbeat of the city.” – Mayor Ronny Walker, Ruston, LA
</blockquote>

Active Roadmap Case Study: Ruston, LA

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>OXFORD’S COMPLETE STREETS ADD ECONOMIC BENEFITS</h3>
Location: Oxford, MS 
Population: 27,662 (2020) 
Typologies: Traditional main street community; College community. 
Key takeaway: Improving safety and comfort for people walking, biking, and rolling can improve not only the safety and enjoyment of people in a rural community but also the economy of the community.
<figure id="attachment_82145" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82145" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82145 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/oxford-mississippi-double-decker-crowd-from-above-4-Pano-scaled-1-1024x568.jpg" alt="A wide shot of people using the street, with a street fair happening and buildings with second floor patios filled with people." width="1024" height="568" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82145" class="wp-caption-text">Source: visit-oxford.com</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
Oxford, MS, is home to the University of Mississippi with a population of about 27,000 residents and a picture-book downtown square. Oxford has a rich history as the former home of William Faulkner, and a successful food and retail scene. Oxford recognizes that safe, walkable streets are a key part of making downtown economically prosperous. Since the 1990s, Oxford’s economic development foundation has focused on creating an environment where people enjoy everyday life.
Oxford focused on creating good design standards for streets to make them safer and more comfortable for people walking, biking, and rolling. These strategies paid off—Oxford was ranked ninth for strongest micropolitan economy in the US in 2019. Today, Oxford’s Complete Streets resolution is improving safety for people walking in the downtown area. The City is converting East Jackson Avenue in downtown into a more walk-friendly corridor. This is important since although it has a row of restaurants, retail, and heavy foot traffic, it is one of the least walking-friendly streets in the community.

Active Roadmap Case Study: Oxford, MS

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>ERWIN’S THRIVING DOWNTOWN ACTIVITY CENTER</h3>
Location: Erwin, TN 
Population: 5,910 (2020) 
Typologies: Retirement, second-home; Traditional main street; Edge 
Key takeaway: By focusing on attracting investment to its historic downtown, expanding broadband, and improving access to local amenities and commercial areas, Erwin has created a thriving downtown activity center, where residents can safely walk to the various amenities and services that draw them to the area.
<figure id="attachment_82108" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82108" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82108 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ErwinTN_Page6-1024x683.jpeg" alt="An active street filled with tents and people attending the Unicoi County Apple Festival in Erwin Tennessee" width="1024" height="683" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82108" class="wp-caption-text">Source: unicoicountyapplefestival.com</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
While some rural communities have struggled in the face of economic shifts, and continue to face the challenges to expanding broadband access, Erwin, TN—a town of just 6,000 people—is successfully adapting by attracting investment to its historic downtown, expanding broadband, and improving access to local amenities and commercial areas in the process. Erwin already has a relatively compact town center and lots of potential for revitalization, with commercial activity clustered around the downtown area and two of the largest employers in the area located in the southwest area of the city, a short drive from downtown.
Erwin has had great success with improving broadband access which supported businesses in the downtown and easy switch to remote work during COVID. But the city realized it&#8217;s still not a great downtown from a walkability perspective. They did a sidewalk assessment study during COVID with an intern walking all streets in the town and grading them on a scale which is now being used by the local government for their long range plan so they have a strategy to create a walkable network rather than merely a walkable Main Street.
Erwin has also worked to transform its downtown into a thriving activity center, in part due to the work of grassroots organization, RISE Erwin. Erwin changed some of the town’s ordinances to allow residences in the commercial downtown area, marketed the downtown to businesses, and installed several public art projects, including securing Tennessee Arts Commission funding to install a large mural on the pavement of downtown streets in an area with a skate park, library, and two art studios. The city reported that traffic has since slowed on the streets with the mural, making it safer for people walking to the library and skate park.
&nbsp;

Active Roadmap Case Study: Erwin, TN

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>EXCELSIOR SPRING RESILIENCY CAPABILITIES</h3>
Location: Excelsior Springs, MO 
Population: 11,688 
Typologies: Traditional main street; Edge 
Key takeaway: By applying a combination of strategies to support local businesses during a global health crisis, Excelsior Springs was able to minimize negative effects to their local economy, continue to attract visitors, and maintain the healthy, stable community that existed pre-pandemic.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-82149 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Trails-Excelsior-Springs-1024x580.jpg" alt="Joggers running with their backs facing on a train through green grass and spring trees with a building in the background" width="1024" height="580" />
<hr />
Located 30 miles northeast of central Kansas City, MO, Excelsior Springs was built as a “health community,” attracting visitors who wanted to access one of the five natural supplies of ferro-manganese mineral water in the world. This spring is responsible for the growth of Excelsior Springs as a tourist and health treatment center.
Much of Excelsior Springs’ local economy today depends on visitors and tourists. Therefore, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, the town was faced with a huge challenge to support the economy and to provide support to local businesses, while making sure residents, business owners, and visitors were safe. A combination of various successful local efforts did the trick, and the city reported that none of their local businesses closed because of the pandemic. While there was a 22% decrease in visits between 2019 and 2020, the visits were back up in 2021 with an increase of 33% compared to 2020 and were even 4% higher than the pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.
<blockquote>
“We have to think about it as being a right-sized community. Because we are a tourist destination. We want to remain a destination. We don&#8217;t want to grow into the next largest city next to us. It doesn&#8217;t really benefit our growth as a tourist community. We&#8217;d like green space between us and someone else. We will lose our identity if we become an extension of Kansas City.” – Melinda Mehaffy, Economic Development Director, Excelsior Springs, MO
</blockquote>
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Downtown Excelsior Partnership (i.e., their Mainstreet Program) began hosting Facebook Live meetings with merchants on a private page to collaborate on the best ways to support each other. City restaurants quickly transitioned to curbside pickups. City staff saw more people eating outdoors and using their walking trails and parks more often. The City allowed for special parking signage to go up along the sidewalk or in parking lots reserving parking for curbside pickups. A few of their local businesses also put chairs and tables outside their buildings for public use and have continued the curbside pickup.
One major concern from merchants in downtown Excelsior Springs was that they weren’t set up to go virtual. The city immediately realized that with much uncertainty about the pandemic, an online presence was critical for their local businesses to succeed.
Morgansites, a local business with over 20 years of experience in helping area businesses get online, offered to build free websites with online e-commerce, not only for businesses located in downtown Excelsior Springs but also in the surrounding communities of Kearney, Lawson, Raytown, and Richmond. Any business negatively impacted by the pandemic was invited to take advantage of this opportunity, which included a professionally built six-page e-commerce website at no cost for six months.
Fifteen businesses took advantage of this opportunity and saw the direct benefits of online revenue streams throughout the emergency shutdown. On top of that, the city reported that the businesses have continued to benefit from diverse revenue streams through reopening and recovery. Morgansites’ service provided a chance for businesses to survive a time of uncertainty, without fear of having to shut down permanently.
&nbsp;

Active Roadmap Case Study: Excelsior Springs, MO

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>PARIS TAILORS FIXED-ROUTE SERVICE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS</h3>
Location: Paris, Texas 
Population: 24,814 (2020) 
Typology: Traditional Main Street community 
Key takeaway: Through community partnerships, Paris’s fixed-route service was kept affordable for residents, and was tailored to the needs of the sponsoring partners.
<figure id="attachment_82122" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82122" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82122 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/954-paris-metro-bus.jpg" alt="A red and white Paris Metro minibus" width="700" height="394" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82122" class="wp-caption-text">Source: ruralhealthinfo.org</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
Paris is a town of 25,000 people located in northeastern Texas along the border of Oklahoma. It is part of a 10-county area serviced by the Ark-Tex Council of Governments Rural Transit District (TRAX), which only operated an on-demand service requiring reservations. Though the on-demand service was critical for residents who used it, the advanced notice required, limited availability of rides and small fleets were major limitations.
In 2016, Paris and other local partners supported TRAX to launch an affordable fixed-route bus service called Paris Metro. It costs 50 cents a ride, and 25 cents for students. They also recently partnered with the Texas Veterans Commission to provide free six-month ride passes for veterans living in a transitional shelter. The service, which includes four routes in Paris running hourly between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, has filled a critical need in allowing residents to access jobs and social services. The Paris Metro was created with the specific transportation needs of each sponsoring partner in mind. For example, the Paris Regional Medical Center, the largest employer in the city, is located outside the city center and was previously inaccessible by transit. Now, the Paris Metro allows residents to get to scheduled appointments rather than coming in through the emergency room.
Lack of access to reliable transit was a barrier for students with disabilities at Paris Junior college. To give students the support they needed to reach classes and other daily destinations, TRAX and the college created a discounted semester pass for students, subsidized by Pell grant funds. Reliable, affordable transit allows more students to enroll and attend their classes.

Active Roadmap Case Study: Paris, TX

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>CHILLICOTHE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS</h3>
Location: Chillicothe, OH 
Population: 21,668 (2020) 
Typologies: Traditional main street; Edge 
Key takeaway: Chillicothe’s process was successful because the decisions the city made were driven by and through the extensive community engagement that was conducted. This led the city to pursue a hybrid option of preserving the fixed-route service while also adding the on-demand option for flexibility where the fixed route didn’t reach.
<figure id="attachment_82107" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82107" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82107 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ChillcotheOH_Page33-1024x683.jpeg" alt="Red transit trolley with historic design passes through an arch that reads &quot;Majestic&quot; in Chillicothe, Ohio." width="1024" height="683" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82107" class="wp-caption-text">Source: City of Chillicothe</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
Chillicothe, Ohio’s first (and third) capital city, sits in southern Ohio, near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. US Routes 23 and 50 dissect the city, and like in many small towns and rural communities, these major corridors built to prioritize cars above all else have also divided the community. But leaders of Chillicothe have been working hard to improve access and mobility in the community for everyone to safely walk, bike, roll, and use public transit.
From November 2020 to August 2021, Chillicothe participated in the Bloomberg Harvard Innovation Track, a Leadership Initiative program where 11 interdisciplinary city teams from across the US developed innovative solutions to a pressing city problem. Chillicothe focused on improving public transit throughout the city. The city’s journey over the year led to a complete revamp of service, from a fixed-route only service with extremely inefficient and long routes, to a mix of 30-minute fixed routes coupled with on-demand point-to-point service. The new transit system covers the whole city and two outlying regions where major employers exist. The city also partnered with the library to locate a transit transfer hub and introduced a new trolley system, an idea that came from their community engagement sessions. The trolley was piloted in December 2021 and received an overwhelmingly positive response with over 750 visitors in the pilot week, which led to the service being officially launched in June 2022.
<blockquote>
“Instead of a forum or interview, if you hop on the bus and say, “Hey, what do you like or not?” They start chatting with you. And then the only other piece is getting them to trust you. When we first started talking, people didn&#8217;t want to say anything bad. They were like, “Oh, it&#8217;s fine.” and I was like, “Well, ma&#8217;am, you&#8217;ve been on the bus for 45 minutes. Is it really fine?” – Asti Powell, Director of Planning and Development, Chillicothe, OH
</blockquote>

Active Roadmap Case Study: Chillicothe, OH

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>OSAGE NATION TRIBAL COMMUNITY DEVELOP A VISION FOR THE FUTURE</h3>
Location: Pawhuska, OK 
Population: 3,456 (2020) 
Typologies: Gateway; Traditional main street; Edge; Tribal and Native American 
Key takeaway: With a clear vision, shaped based on an understanding of their history and identity, the Osage Nation implemented a series of projects that worked together toward a common goal of improving the health of the Osage community, and by extension, the surrounding community of Pawhuska.
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<figure id="attachment_82144" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82144" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82144 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NAJA_2ndPlace_NewsPhoto_Cody_Aug22-1024x715-1.jpeg" alt="A large group of kids run toward the camera through a gateway entrance along a path with grass on both sides of the WahZhaZhe Heritage Park Trail" width="1024" height="715" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82144" class="wp-caption-text">Source: osagenews.org</figcaption></figure>
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The leaders of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma had a vision for improving the health of the Osage community, and they have strategically taken on projects in recent years that align with that vision. One such project was the completion of the WahZhaZhe Heritage Park and Trails in 2021. Completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, this ecopark and trail system near the downtown area was particularly successful as a place for community members to safely socialize, and it continues to serve not only the Osage Nation but also the City of Pawhuska, providing a community asset that improves the quality of life and health for residents.
WahZhaZhe Heritage Park and Trails includes 2 miles of trails, workout stations, a playground, a frisbee golf course, a picnic area, and an outdoor classroom to teach about the nation’s culture and history. The park is also adjacent to Harvest Land, a tribe-owned working farm and food store, which provides access to healthy food options, including native species the Osage has traditionally harvested. The Nation plans to expand on the success of this project with a large health and sports complex nearby. The Nation has also partnered with the City of Pawhuska in applying for a streetscape project to revitalize the downtown area with new sidewalks to make walking safer, improving traffic flow and vehicular safety, and updating street infrastructure, a step that has benefited the economic development of not only the tribe but of the entire region.

Active Roadmap Case Study: Pawhuska, OK

[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] For our new report—<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">an Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>—the SGA team interviewed rural communities across the country that have implemented successful strategies to improve multimodal transportation access to key destinations. This could be through transportation and/or development decisions such as improving transit access, adopting a Complete Streets policy, thoughtful community engagement methods, investing in downtown revitalization, and more.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/rural-roadmap/">Read the report and learn more about the eight other communities we profiled here.</a> [/alert]
<h3>DOWNEASTER RAIL SERVICE CONNECTS COMMUNITIES</h3>
Location: Saco, Brunswick, and Surrounding Rural Communities, ME 
Population: 19,716 (2020) 
Typologies: Gateway; Resource-dependent; Retirement, second-home; Traditional main street; College; Edge. 
Key takeaway: Transit service can make living in rural areas more attractive for young adults who want access to attractions and resources in nearby cities, and more feasible for older adults who need access to health care services.
<figure id="attachment_82134" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-82134" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-82134 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Downeaster-AmtkDE100607-109Mstr8-e1690462631603-1024x718.jpg" alt="An amtrak train going over a bridge that is passing over small waterfalls and green foliage" width="1024" height="718" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-82134" class="wp-caption-text">Source: NNEPRA</figcaption></figure>
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A number of rural communities have expanded transit service and have seen significant benefits. The Amtrak Downeaster rail service in Maine began over 20 years ago through a citizen-initiated bill, the first of its kind, called the &#8220;Passenger Rail Service Act.” The service acts as an anchor for the interconnectedness of smaller communities in Maine, for students to get to colleges and universities in Saco and Brunswick, and for a large proportion of the senior population to access medical services in Boston.
Changes brought by COVID-19 have created opportunities for rural communities like those in Maine. Many young adults have moved to fewer urban parts of Maine because of the increased flexibility of remote work. For example, Saco, Maine, has a walkable downtown; is one of the fastest-growing communities in Maine; and saw an increase in its younger population during the initial years of the pandemic. The Downeaster train connects this growing population to cities like Boston for services and entertainment, which according to agency officials, is often cited as an attractive factor for younger people to live in parts of Maine. For older residents, Downeaster has a partnership with the American Cancer Society to offer $15 fares for people going from anywhere in Maine to Boston for medical appointments. The discounted fair applies to both the patient and a travel companion.
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“Each train has its own distinct personality. For example, 682 is the second Southbound Train to Boston, so we get a couple business travelers, some leisure travelers, seniors that are going to medical appointments. That&#8217;s very different from 686 which is usually the sports fans and that’s where we sell beer and chicken sandwiches.” – Patricia Quinn, Executive Director, NNEPRA, Downeaster, ME
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Active Roadmap Case Study: Saco, ME

As the impacts of climate change continue to intensify, zoning presents a key tool to direct development to protect communities from climate events. Norfolk, Virginia, a city at severe risk from sea level rise due to climate change, is among the first cities in the US to use climate adaptation as a core consideration for future development.
This report examines the economic and social impact of resilience zoning in Norfolk, Virginia, which offers a cutting-edge example of climate-informed policy through the adoption of two land use plans—planNorfolk2030 to guide short-term development and Vision 2100 for long-term development. Using quantitative analysis, the Smart Growth America team explores the fiscal implications on Norfolk’s annual budget and property values. Additionally, this report includes a national scan of resilience zoning efforts, and shares recommendations to Norfolk and other cities facing flood risk seeking to address climate risk in land use policy and advance equitable climate adaptation.
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[button type=&#8221;primary&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://go.lincolninst.edu/Burgess_WP23KB1.pdf?_ga=2.129747086.386307756.1689602775-799266633.1689265581&#8243;] READ THE REPORT [/button]

The Case for Climate-Informed Zoning: A Study of Fiscal Impact in Norfolk, VA

Our newest video tells the story of how Pittsburgh’s former mayor decided to take action on building safer, complete streets, why the city’s new mayor is picking up the baton with a focus on equity, and how city staff are making progress across administrations.
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“This is affordable, essential mobility. But it’s not: ‘should we?’ It’s ‘HOW should we.”
– Karina Ricks, former director of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure.
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A 2016 Complete Streets policy is providing the actionable blueprint for “how,” giving Pittsburgh the guidance they need to design and build safer streets. The city’s new mayor has a clear understanding of how safer and more enjoyable streets contribute to making his city both healthier and more equitable.
“This is a public health issue, and if we don’t address equity from a public health standpoint, then we can’t get healthy,” says Mayor Ed Gainey.
<h3>About these videos</h3>
With the support and partnership of <a href="http://cityhealth.org">CityHealth</a>, we have been profiling cities with exemplary Complete Streets policies and starting today, we’ll be releasing a new video each week for the next three weeks. Next week, on Tuesday, February 15, we’ll be taking you to Louisville, Kentucky. On Tuesday, February 22, we’ll be bringing you the story of Tucson, Arizona, which in 2019 passed what our National Complete Streets Coalition says is one of the strongest policies they’ve ever scored. The videos will premiere at 12 p.m. Eastern each day on our Youtube channel, and we’ll be sharing them immediately on twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/smartgrowthusa">@smartgrowthusa</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/completestreets">@completestreets</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/city_health">@city_health</a>
The National Complete Streets Coalition at Smart Growth America has been advancing the adoption and implementation of Complete Streets policies for two decades to ensure that everyone who needs to use our streets—no matter how they get around—can safely and comfortably do so. Complete Streets are streets for everyone—designed and managed to prioritize safety, comfort, and access to destinations for all people who need to use a street. Complete Streets policies can help cities transform how they make decisions about their streets. Done right, these policies can help cities improve public health and address longstanding inequities in the transportation system.
CityHealth and the National Complete Streets Coalition at Smart Growth America recognize cities with exemplary Complete Streets policies—a key step in producing safer streets that can be used by everyone. Learn more at <a href="http://cityhealth.org">cityhealth.org</a> and <a href="http://completestreets.org">completestreets.org</a>
<h3>Pittsburgh’s story</h3>
Whereas the road to change a city’s approach to street design and construction is sometimes driven by nonprofit advocates and community stakeholders, former Mayor Bill Peduto deserves a lot of the credit for getting the city’s Complete Streets work off the ground and building the political support that was vital to both its creation and implementation.
With the support of nonprofit advocates like AARP, the American Heart Association, and Bike Pittsburgh, Mayor Peduto signed an executive order in 2015 calling for a city-wide Complete Streets policy and updated street design guidelines, which passed in 2016. The new policy also created a new transportation department to coordinate these efforts: the Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI). Karina Ricks was hired as DOMI’s first director and was charged with (among other things) the implementation of the Complete Streets ordinance to ensure that it would drive all design and construction decisions about streets.
The ordinance laid “a foundation to have the conversations and get other planning documents in place,” as DOMI Acting Director Kim Lucas says, such as the city’s connected bike network plan, their long-term transportation plans, and other design guidelines.
<h3>“The double-black diamond of roads.”</h3>
The most difficult and steep of extreme sport ski trails: That’s how former Mayor Peduto characterizes the challenges of mobility within a city of 302,000 people that has 90 distinct neighborhoods, 800 public staircases, incredible elevation changes, multiple rivers, and more bridges than almost any other US city—as well as the ripple effects of an economic collapse in the 1980s that devastated the city and took 30 years to recover from.
With that last point in mind, he urges other mayors weighing Complete Streets laws of their own to consider the economic power of improving mobility.
“If your population needs multiple different ways to get from point A to point B, then you have a responsibility. [Because] the greatest factor in economic mobility is the ability to get from point A to point B,” he says.
<h3>A difference of equality and equity</h3>
This policy is “not about [building] a complete street in every council district,” Mayor Peduto says. Mayor Ed Gainey, the city’s first Black mayor who was inaugurated in January, is on the same page with his predecessor on an equitable approach to Complete Streets.
“We start with who is in the most need, and then you move forward,” Mayor Gainey says, making it clear that data and equity should drive decisions about where to make improvements.
But the city’s policy is the foundational key, providing the blueprint for the future.
“We have a Complete Streets law on the books, and it’s our mandate as representatives and trustees of the city to follow that. Having that is a great north star, for us to aspire to in all areas and neighborhoods of the city,” says Councilmember Erika Strassburger.
The work isn’t easy, and after a few years of making changes and improvements to dangerous hotspots, starting to build out the city’s protected bike network, and reconfiguring some key corridors, “all of the easy stuff has been done,” according to Karina Ricks. “This is something that’s going to have to continue to be implemented over many mayors and many directors and many city councils.”
It won’t be easy, but the Complete Streets policy provides the path for a healthier, more economically inclusive city. “If we invest and we plant the right seed of change in this city, then this city will be a better city because they will see it as a city for all,” concludes Mayor Ed Gainey.
<h3>Stay tuned for more videos!</h3>
Louisville, KY will release on Tuesday, February 15, and Tucson, Arizona will release on Tuesday, February 22.
Follow us on social for more news: <a href="http://twitter.com/smartgrowthusa">@smartgrowthusa</a> / <a href="http://twitter.com/completestreets">@completestreets</a> / <a href="http://twitter.com/city_health">@city_health</a>

VIDEO: Complete Streets in Pittsburgh are vital for improving public health

In the past three years, drivers struck and killed more people walking than in three decades. This happens in part because we continue to design our streets to prioritize moving cars—not people—as quickly as possible, creating a dangerous, high-speed environment for all people who use the street. To test out creative approaches to safer street design, the National Complete Streets Coalition launched the <a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/tag/safe-streets-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Safe Streets, Smart Cities Academy</a>. We worked with three cities around the country to build skills in safer street design, creative placemaking, and community engagement, then helped the cities put these skills into practice.
Through demonstration projects, the Cities of Durham, NC, Huntsville, AL, and Pittsburgh, PA transformed their streets and intersections into slower, safer places for people. Communities around the country can learn from the stories of these demonstration projects to test out low-cost ways to create safer streets.
These case studies highlight lessons learned from these demonstration projects, including how the projects helped these cities build trust with the community and with other jurisdictions, test out new approaches for safer street design and make quick adjustments as needed, and change the conversation about the importance of slower, safer streets.
You can download the full report here, or read each case study on our blog:
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/durham-nc-demonstration-project-west-club-boulevard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Durham, NC demonstration project: West Club Boulevard</a>
The City of Durham recognized their demonstration project as an opportunity to try out more intensive, inclusive methods of community engagement to reach segments of their community they have not connected with in the past. They identified a dangerous site along West Club Boulevard, where a frequently used bus stop across from a shopping mall offered no safe, convenient way for bus riders to cross. The team conducted intercept surveys at the bus stop to learn more about the safety challenges people experienced and to guide the design of their demonstration project. Based on these insights, the team reduced the number of lanes on West Club Boulevard and installed a new mid-block crossing, resulting in safer, slower driving speeds and better yielding to people crossing. The project also spurred important conversations and partnerships with bus riders and with a local bike advocacy group.
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/huntsville-al-demonstration-project-4-mile-post/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Huntsville, AL demonstration project: 4 Mile Post</a>
The City of Huntsville partnered with the South Huntsville Business Association, AARP, and the Rotary Club to implement a demonstration project on 4 Mile Post. The project makes it easier and safer for people to walk or bike along and across the street, and it also restores missing connections between nearby destinations, including homes, parks, trails, and employment centers. Along the way, the team faced resistance from elected leaders outside the project area who opposed any project—even a temporary one—that would take space away from cars, but thanks to their persistence and close engagement with the community, they won the support they needed to install temporary safer streets improvements on 4 Mile Post and to work toward making these changes permanent
<a href="https://smartgrowthamerica.org/pittsburgh-pa-demonstration-project-lincoln-and-frankstown-avenues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pittsburgh, PA demonstration project: Lincoln and Frankstown Avenues</a>
The City of Pittsburgh historically relied on 311 requests to help decide which streets need safety improvements, but when a team from the city looked more closely at the data, they realized they were not reaching the whole community through this process. In particular, they were not addressing key locations with high crash rates in low-income communities of color because this traditional channel of collecting complaints. In partnership with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the Allegheny County Health Department, the Port Authority of Allegheny County, and PennDOT, they launched a demonstration project at one such site to implement safety projects and to establish new partnerships with the community. Working closely with a local school, they added crosswalks with protected refuges to help children reach school more safely, and they also redesigned the intersection of Lincoln and Frankstown Avenues to make it less stressful for all people—including drivers—in the process.

Safety Demonstration Projects: Case studies from Durham, NC, Huntsville, AL, and Pittsburgh, PA

Smart growth stories: New York City Councilmember Brad Lander on building better neighborhoods with community participation

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<td><a href="https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5184/t/1623/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=2046">Help SGA become a sponsor of American Makeover with a small donation</a>.</td>
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The makers of a viral sensation from last year (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/1standMain#p/u/2/VGJt_YXIoJI">Built to Last</a>) are back with a new video series that takes a hard look at America&#8217;s collective frustration with sprawl and the smarter alternatives for growth and development happening in communities across the country.
<blockquote>Today, the average American spends about three hours per day driving — three hours stuck in traffic, emitting carbon, burning oil, wasting time. The harmful effects of sprawl are well chronicled in recent news stories, books, and documentaries. With ugly sprawl everywhere you look in America, it&#8217;s time for a national makeover. So what&#8217;s the alternative?</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.americanmakeover.tv/">American Makeover</a> is a new web-exclusive series that explores those alternatives in communities across America, looking at what can be done to help our communities grow in such a way that gives us the kind of neighborhoods and choices we&#8217;re increasingly looking for.
Episode One, which just launched last week, &#8220;sounds the alarm bell on Atlanta&#8217;s sprawl.&#8221; No one who has ever been to Atlanta will argue their status as poster child of sprawling growth, but it&#8217;s encouraging that the filmmakers spend most of the short episode taking a closer look at the alternatives. Or as they say, the &#8220;transformational possibilities of new urbanism and traditional neighborhood design&#8221; in Atlanta — focusing on those growing millions of people who are looking for places to live that are walkable and connected and don&#8217;t entail hour-long car commutes to work, school, or the local market.
In Atlanta, they focus on an intown new urbanist project called Glenwood Park, just a short distance east of downtown Atlanta, where Charles Brewer, a motivated and inspired developer, sought to break the cycle of the same old car-oriented development in Atlanta and build a coherent community rather than just a smattering of homes or businesses. It&#8217;s not perfect, and Brewer&#8217;s company faced an uphill battle all the way with outdated zoning codes and legal barriers that get in the way of exactly the kind of development that the city desperately needs, but Glenwood Park made a powerful statement in Atlanta about the pent-up demand for walkable neighborhoods and desire for real community.
Dr. Chris Elisara, producer of the series for First+Main Media, told me that the series was born out of the desire to see CNU and other advocates for smart growth or new urbanism reach the masses with this message they&#8217;re ready for — but aren&#8217;t regularly hearing in a compelling way or with language that makes sense to them.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of content out there, but people need to see it; connect with it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They need to not only read the books and understand the theory, they need to see it in practice and hear about it from people living it.&#8221;
A chapter in a book with some facts about how our streets are unwalkable and unforgiving for pedestrians is good, but using video to illustrate the dangerous obstacles that a grandmother in Atlanta has to overcome just to get around her community hits our hearts on a whole different level.
&#8220;We saw it all firsthand. We were stuck in the traffic, stuck on those streets. Those pedestrians shots of people crossing those boulevards, it was terrible. That grandmother, Cookie, we filmed her on her walker walking across four lanes of traffic. There wasn&#8217;t a sidewalk so she&#8217;d walk into the street, then onto a grass berm, back into the street — all the way up to the light. Then she crossed at the light, and we interviewed her. That was sad.&#8221;
American Makeover is still very much in the works, with plans to visit 4-5 more cities in the coming months, but they&#8217;re looking for support from everyday folks and like-minded organizations to bring the project to fruition. Enter <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2055198976/american-makeover-an-online-series-about-new-urba">Kickstarter.com</a>.
&#8220;<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2055198976/american-makeover-an-online-series-about-new-urba">Kickstarter.com</a> is a funding platform to directly link creative people, great ideas and ambitious endeavors with the scores of potential supporters and followers who could &#8216;kickstart&#8217; such projects into reality. Kickstarter is powered by a unique all-or-nothing funding method where projects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands,&#8221; reads the description on the American Makeover press release.
American Makeover is trying to raise $15,000 to complete the project, and they&#8217;re a little more than halfway to their goal. They only have a few days (until May 8, 2010) to hit their mark and the way that Kickstarter works, they need to hit their target or they don&#8217;t get any of the money. Financial backers get a stake in the project depending on how much they give, ranging from a thank you in the credits up to an organization&#8217;s logo in each video and DVD packaging.
<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2055198976/american-makeover-an-online-series-about-new-urba">Will you consider helping them out with a donation to see this project through to the end</a>? Smart Growth America is happy to support their efforts and we&#8217;re looking forward to using the final products to help communicate our message far and wide.

Forget home and plastic surgery makeovers, new online video series promotes an "American Makeover"

Every Street Has a Story

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Calvin Gladney

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Smart Growth America cultivates vibrant, sustainable communities with diverse living and transportation options, enhancing quality of life for all.
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Even the best-planned cities have a few hidden alleys.

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From reduced opportunities to travel by bike or foot to a lack of parks and green spaces, our built environment actively contributes to the state of our physical and mental well-being, and nowhere is its negative impact felt more than in Black and Brown communities.
<figure id="attachment_86102" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86102" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-86102 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/taylor-flowe-suburban-housing-unsplash-1024x656.jpg" alt="A row of identical houses in a suburban neighborhood" width="1024" height="656" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86102" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/white-wooden-house-4zRkgmuZH-8">(Taylor Flowe, Unsplash)</a></figcaption></figure>
It has been well documented that Black and Latinx households face higher risks of developing physical ailments <a href="https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles/connection-between-housing-health-and-racial-equity">including asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, and experiencing a heart attack or stroke compared to white households</a>. These physical health outcomes are compounded by the mental health disparities seen in Black and Brown communities. Residents are experiencing <a href="https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/148477">higher rates of social isolation</a> (a key factor contributing to the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf">national loneliness epidemic</a>.) This increases the risk of experiencing dementia, heart disease, premature death, depression and/or anxiety.
Much of the blame for poor health outcomes in communities of color lies with our built environment and the policies that shape it, including zoning regulations.
Since the 1920s, zoning has not only been used as a tool to separate land uses, but also a means to <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/zoning-for-equity-raising-all-boats/">socially separate people along the lines of wealth, class, and race</a>. This can be seen through the racist practice of redlining, where the government published maps that designated neighborhoods based on their “residential security” into categories of “best” (green) to “hazardous”(red). Areas marked in red were generally places with higher populations of people of color. This land designation was an intentional tool used to spur widespread disinvestment in Black and Brown communities, further destabilizing neighborhoods and depriving residents of necessary <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/redlining">resources such as grocery stores and supermarkets</a>. Residents of redlined neighborhoods were additionally denied access to financial services including mortgages and insurance loans, causing disparities in homeownership rates, locking in patterns of residential segregation, and contributing to the racial wealth gap.
Despite efforts to disallow the inequitable practices of the past, zoning has largely continued to reinforce this reality, and it shows in the data: <a href="https://time.com/6074243/segregation-america-increasing/">American neighborhoods are more residentially segregated today than ever before</a>. In this way, zoning has not only created barriers to developing social connections but also has restricted our opportunities to build relationships with people who differ from ourselves. These relationships have strong ripple effects in communities, helping to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235746349_Social_participation_and_social_trust_in_adolescence_The_importance_of_heterogeneous_encounters">build social trust</a> and strengthen mental health outcomes by reducing loneliness and increasing an individual’s socialness and sense of empathy—all factors that lead to healthier, more socially connected communities.
Today, the most common form of zoning in the U.S., often referred to as Euclidean zoning, tends to separate uses, leading to areas where only low-density single-family housing can be built. People who live in communities that are designed this way often have to travel long distances and take solo trips by car to get to work or go to the store. As a result, they have fewer opportunities for informal social interactions that can lead to deeper relationships, as well as fewer chances to organically engage in physical activity like walking or biking to school or work.
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<h4>Public realm disparities</h4>
Residents of majority-Black and Brown neighborhoods often have a deficit of people-centered infrastructure including <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/01/15/the-inequality-of-sidewalks/">sidewalks</a> and safe crosswalks, as well as <a href="https://chicagopolicyreview.org/2020/09/23/racial-disparity-in-access-to-public-green-space/">substantially less access to green spaces</a>. Black people are <a href="https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles/connection-between-housing-health-and-racial-equity">52 percent more likely</a> to live in a census block group with heat-risk conditions compared to white people. Heat risk can include having little to no green space, and a high volume of impervious surfaces like asphalt and concrete pavements. These conditions create a higher risk for heat-related deaths and illnesses.[/alert]
These combined factors have created spaces that discourage physical activity, increase surface temperatures (leading to more extreme heat events), and expose residents to toxic air pollution levels <a href="https://itdp.org/2021/03/10/highways-and-zoning-tools-of-racist-policy/">(which has been linked with developing asthma, cognitive development delays, and premature death)</a>. And though everyone experiences these health impacts on some level, the people who are most at risk are people of color.
<h3>What can be done?</h3>
Zoning got us into this crisis, and it can get us out. Zoning is a tool that yields different built environment results depending on how it is leveraged. Enacting zoning reforms that prioritize more equitable, people-centered, smart growth development can help to reverse the inequitable trend in our built environment. For example, zoning regulations that <a href="https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles/three-ways-zoning-can-advance-housing-and-climate-justice">prioritize affordable housing production</a> can improve access to housing, and studies show that having safe, affordable housing <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/briefs/housing-and-health-overview-literature">helps to promote better health outcomes</a>. Additionally, zoning that prioritizes green spaces like parks can encourage an active lifestyle, reduce risk of heat-related deaths and illnesses, and even reduce stress, anxiety, and depression for community residents.
Land use regulations have encouraged a built environment that fails to serve everyone’s needs for far too long. But it doesn’t have to be this way. By making changes to outdated, harmful zoning regulations, community leaders can help ensure that all residents can experience stronger health outcomes, particularly for residents that are most vulnerable.
Looking to learn more about zoning reform? Check out <a href="https://knowledge.uli.org/en/Reports/Research%20Reports/2023/Reshaping%20the%20City%20Zoning%20for%20a%20More%20Equitable%20Resilient%20and%20Sustainable%20Future">our Reshaping the City report</a> (co-authored with the Urban Land Institute) and take a look at <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/how-form-based-codes-can-help-reshape-a-city/">how form-based codes (an alternative land use regulation) can shape a city’s built environment</a>.

News

Health Equity

Healthy communities

public health

Health equity and the built environment.

Mount-Hood-Express_SGA-T4A-photo

A recent backpacking trip using public transit shed light for this urban dweller on the value of rural transit service.


Last month, my partner joined me for a 4-day backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in Northern Oregon. Unlike Switzerland where trains and ski lifts carry trekkers most anywhere, most backpacking trips in the U.S. involve driving a car to the trailhead. This trip was different. We left the car at home.


<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-86093 size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mount-Hood-Express_SGA-T4A-photo-1024x768.png" alt="A bus waits to transport passengers to the mountain rising up in the background" class="wp-image-86093"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Mount Hood Express delivers skiers, hikers, mountain bikers and workers to Timberline Lodge high up on Mount Hood.</figcaption></figure>


After a phenomenal four days and 50 miles, passing through semi-alpine environs and then down into spectacular Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, we arrived in Cascade Locks where the PCT crosses the Columbia River into Washington.


<div style="height:12px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>


<div class="wp-block-group">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Chris-Rall-photo-2-1024x768.png" alt="An orange mountain peak in front of a clear blue sky" class="wp-image-86095"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sunset on Mount Hood on our first night in the wilderness.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Chris-Rall-photo-3-1024x768.png" alt="A sign post atop a mound of earth in the middle of the wilderness" class="wp-image-86096"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A cairn marks the trail above Eagle Creek &amp; the Columbia River Gorge.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


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We had time to grab a meal in Cascade Locks before riding the Gorge Express back to Gateway Transit Center in Portland and taking a Trimet Light Rail and bus from there to home-sweet-home.


Had we tried to do this trip by car, we would have had to use two cars and spend hours “running shuttle” to position vehicles where we needed them at the start and end, plus pick a car back up after the hike. Public transit made it possible to hike from point-to-point instead of a loop, so that we could progress through the landscape as beautiful scenery unfolded before us.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Chris-Rall-4-1024x768.png" alt="A purple bus picks up passengers in a rural area" class="wp-image-86097"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Catching the Gorge Express after lunch in Cascade Locks.</figcaption></figure>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Rural transit doing quadruple duty</h3>


There are other reasons to give transit access to outdoor recreation another look. As we explained in <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/rural-roadmap/">An Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility</a>, the more than one million rural residents without access to a car might find access to public parks and recreation areas challenging, even when they live relatively close to these areas. 


Public transit can be useful for enhancing access to outdoor recreation. I’ve seen many teenagers from Sandy riding the Mount Hood Express—the bus we used to get to Timberline Lodge—so they could go skiing without getting a ride from their parents. That same bus helps mountain bikers in the summer to get up higher on the mountain so they can enjoy more downhilling and less climbing. In central Oregon, <a href="https://cascadeseasttransit.com/ride/ride-the-river/">Cascade East Transit’s Ride the River shuttle</a> serves various tubers and stand-up paddle boarders enjoying the Deschutes River, carrying folks upstream so they can float down through the City of Bend, Oregon.


For some really popular outdoor destinations, public transit can help address parking and traffic problems and help transit riders avoid hassles. I’ve been on the Mount Hood Express on a bluebird winter powder day passing a line of cars blocked from proceeding because the Timberline parking lot was full. During our ride on the Gorge Express headed home from our backpacking trip, a couple got off the bus at Multnomah Falls with stickers from the bus driver allowing them to bypass the permitting system that regulates visitor parking, allowing them to quickly jump into their activities.


And not everyone using these transit services is there to play. Transit services that urban dwellers use to access outdoor recreation are also often really useful rural public transportation. Our bus to Timberline lodge carried restaurant workers to Government Camp and Timberline employees to the lodge. When we got off the Gorge Express at Gateway Transit Center in Portland, a few fellow passengers from Hood River were headed to the Portland airport.


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other examples of public transit enhancing access to outdoor recreation</h3>


Compared to developed European and Asian countries, folks traveling in the U.S. have to drive to outdoor recreation much more often. This can limit access to these public spaces and increase harmful transportation emissions caused by private vehicle use. However, there are some bright spots. The state of Colorado runs <a href="https://ridebustang.com/snowstang-mountain-service/">Snowstang</a> (an outgrowth of its <a href="https://ridebustang.com/">Bustang</a> intercity bus program) that focuses on delivering skiers to the many ski resorts in the Centennial State. Ski resorts are in fact a big public transit opportunity, since so many people are all traveling to one place. Perhaps that’s why we see strong transit service to ski resorts in places like Oregon, <a href="https://getskitickets.com/blog/the-top-3-ski-towns-with-public-transportation-to-the-slopes/">Colorado, Utah and Wyoming</a>.


Many national parks in every corner of North America have also <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/national-parks/national-parks-without-car/">invested in public transit access</a>. In many places, this service is by bus, but it can also be a ferry or even, in the case of Yellowstone, a <a href="https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/adventure/winter-adventures/snowcoach-transportation/">snowcoach</a>. While a lot of transit service in national parks is aimed at visitors who park their cars near the entrance and use transit within the park, some national parks have transit service that can get you there from nearby cities. For example, you can take Amtrak to Merced, California to access Yosemite, and the <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/glacier-national-park-by-train">Amtrak Empire Builder train trip to Glacier National Park in Montana</a> is well-renowned.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Amtrak-Empire-Builder-Loco-Steve-Flickr-1024x659.png" alt="A train crosses a valley between mountains" class="wp-image-86098"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Amtrak’s Empire Builder to Glacier National Park <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/">(Loco Steve, Flickr)</a></figcaption></figure>


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We have a long way to go to be like Switzerland where trains serve almost every valley, and cog railways and ski lifts transport trekkers up the mountains. However, we can certainly do more to provide more transit to outdoor recreational opportunities, which would reap benefits for outdoor enthusiasts and rural communities alike.

Green space

Parks

Rural

Rural transit and access to nature

Now Hiring

Smart Growth America (SGA) and its Land Use and Development team are looking to recruit a Fall 2024 intern to support its economic development portfolio and technical assistance work.
<h3>Organizational Overview</h3>
<h4>About Smart Growth America</h4>
Smart Growth America is a national nonprofit organization that envisions a country where no matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. We empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize this vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.
<h4>About the Land Use and Development (LUD) team</h4>
The Land Use and Development (LUD) team at Smart Growth America is focused on how land use, development, and real estate can advance SGA’s mission and vision for equitable, sustainable development. LUD’s topic areas include real estate development, planning, zoning, development finance, climate adaptation, and brownfield redevelopment.
<h3>Position Overview</h3>
The intern will be a member of SGA’s Land Use &amp; Development Department, reporting to Michael Rodriguez, Director of Research, and is expected to contribute to a collaborative team environment.
This position will assist in delivering Smart Growth America’s work in zoning, land use, and economic development. Specifically, this internship will focus on a project regarding zoning, permitting and processing, and economic development currently underway for a small Midwestern city.
Other projects may include, but are not limited to, assisting with innovative analytical work, developing new methods of analysis, assisting technical assistance engagements, and supporting projects across the LUD team and organization. The position is also likely to support SGA’s research efforts and signature reports.
<h3>Knowledge and Skills</h3>
Interns seeking to work with SGA should strive to have the following skills:
<ul>
<li>Commitment to SGA’s mission, including diversity, equity, and inclusion</li>
<li>Working knowledge of and passion for zoning, land use, economic development, and urban planning topics, including interest in or exposure to zoning</li>
<li>Specific knowledge of zoning codes, zoning language, land-use regulations, and permitting processes through some combination of coursework or experience</li>
<li>Strong research and writing skills</li>
<li>Strong oral and written communication skills</li>
<li>Ability to display data, research, and policy concepts in a clear and relevant manner</li>
<li>Organized and able to fulfill tasks per instructions</li>
<li>Knowledge or ability to learn ArcGIS or other GIS platforms</li>
<li>Proficiency in G-Suite and Microsoft Office suite of tools, or similar, for document preparation (memos, presentations, etc.)</li>
<li>Local knowledge of Tulsa urban development policies are a plus</li>
</ul>
SGA also strongly encourages interns to apply with the following skills:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Knowledge or familiarity in visual graphic design editors (i.e. Adobe Suite with a strong preference for InDesign or similar) </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Experience with policy analysis and literature reviews, as well as distilling academic analysis into more accessible language  </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Familiarity with key data sets, including the U.S. Census and how to use state and local zoning data.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Knowledge or familiarity with descriptive and inferential statistics and statistical packages (SPSS, State, R)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Educational Background</h3>
Graduate students in Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, Public Policy, Sociology, or related disciplines are encouraged to apply. Key among intern applicants is an interest in land use and zoning.
<h3>Compensation, Schedule, and COVID-19 Protocols</h3>
The prospective intern will need to supply their own computer and access to wifi. The intern will also be expected to commit 20-30 hours per week for a minimum of 12 weeks in Fall 2024 for up to a total of 340 hours during the course of the internship. The internship may last up to 15 weeks until the end of December.
The intern will be paid a semi-monthly stipend throughout their tenure in the program at the hourly rate of $22 for graduate students for a stipend not to exceed $7,779 during the entirety of the internship. All interns are expected to be insured by their school’s or personal health and/or liability insurance, as this internship program does not provide health or liability insurance coverage for interns.
SGA is based in Washington, DC, and operates on a hybrid work schedule. SGA staff work in the office three days a week (Tuesday-Thursday), while generally working remotely the rest of the week. Interns are expected to report to the office at least two days per week if located in the Washington, DC area. Fully remote candidates may be considered on a case-by-case basis; interns not located in Washington, DC are still encouraged to apply.
If an intern works in the office, they will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a booster.
<h3>How to apply</h3>
Please send a resume and cover letter where you specifically address the below three questions to <a href="mailto:jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org">jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org</a> with “LUD Intern” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted immediately on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What interests you about working for Smart Growth America / the LUD team?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What key issue(s) in zoning and land use will have the biggest impact on Americans, particularly low-income Americans and people of color, and why?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How did you hear of this internship opportunity?</li>
</ul>
<h3>Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion</h3>
Smart Growth America is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. SGA and the Economic Development team are committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourage applications from candidates of color.
Employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

Internship

Now hiring: Land Use and Development Intern

Smart Growth America is seeking an enthusiastic and dynamic Senior Manager of Events and Development to join our team. If you are passionate about creating vibrant, equitable communities and have a knack for organizing impactful events and driving successful fundraising campaigns, this role is for you. As the manager of our premier annual event, the Equity Summit, you will play a crucial role in shaping and executing an event that reaches hundreds of practitioners, advocates, and policymakers dedicated to advancing racial equity through smart growth. You&#8217;ll also be a key player in our fundraising efforts, helping to advance our mission to create healthy, prosperous, and resilient places for everyone. The Senior Manager, Events and Development reports to the Director of Communications, with oversight by and direct support to the President and CEO on the role’s fundraising support and coordination responsibilities. 
Instructions to apply can be found below. 
<h4>About Smart Growth America</h4>
Smart Growth America is a leading national non-profit organization advocating for equitable, sustainable land use, development, and transportation. We empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize this vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity. Programmatic priorities for SGA include advancing racial equity, addressing the climate crisis, and improving the health of communities.
<h4>About the Equity Summit</h4>
The Equity Summit is SGA’s premier annual event, reaching over 300 practitioners, advocates, and policymakers seeking to advance racial equity through smart growth. Speakers and participants come from around the country to engage in meaningful conversation about advancing equity in our transportation, housing, climate and land use decisions. Launched in 2021 as a virtual event, SGA hosted the Equity Summit in person in Washington, DC for the first time in 2024. SGA’s equity event programming also features virtual Equity Forums on specialized topics.
<h3>Responsibilities:</h3>
<h4>Events &amp; the Equity Summit</h4>
<ul>
<li>Oversee all aspects of the Equity Summit, including managing staff, the Summit Host Committee, an advisory committee, and outside consultants, and vendors.</li>
<li>Coordinate with Communications and Finance teams on Equity Summit-related work.</li>
<li>Lead the program development for the annual Equity Summit and Forums in partnership with SGA programmatic staff, a Host Committee, and other partners.</li>
<li>Manage the Summit budget and strategize on the ongoing evolution of the Summit.</li>
<li>As time and capacity is available, support other external SGA events, including webinars, Equity Forums, and other convenings.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Fundraising</h4>
<ul>
<li>Provide direct support to the President and CEO for all fundraising-related activities.</li>
<li>Support the organization in creating and implementing fundraising strategies.</li>
<li>Support the creation of fundraising marketing materials and sponsorship decks.</li>
<li>Manage correspondence, communications, and meetings related to the development activities of the CEO, and vis-a-vis the Equity Summit and Equity Forums.</li>
<li>Manage the end-of-year fundraising campaign, in coordination with the Communications team.</li>
<li>Work with the CEO to research potential funders, donors, and funding opportunities.</li>
<li>Work with the CEO to create and maintain systems for tracking funder and donor interactions and engagement.</li>
<li>Serve as a key liaison with outside consultants working on organization-wide and Equity Summit fundraising.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Knowledge and Skills</h3>
<h4>Required:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Commitment to SGA’s North Star.</li>
<li>4-7+ years of progressively responsible experience in events management and/or fundraising.</li>
<li>Proven experience in planning, organizing, and executing large-scale events, including virtual and in-person formats.</li>
<li>Experience managing outside vendors and consultants on events.</li>
<li>Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of work, including experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders.</li>
<li>Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.</li>
<li>Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.</li>
<li>Some experience in building and maintaining relationships with funders, donors, sponsors, and stakeholders.</li>
<li>Excellent written and verbal communication skills.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Preferred:</h4>
<ul>
<li>A Master&#8217;s degree in public administration, communications, marketing, nonprofit management, public policy, or a related field.</li>
<li>Experience in developing and managing budgets.</li>
<li>Ability to think creatively and innovatively to develop new fundraising ideas and event formats.</li>
<li>Familiarity with issues related to land use, housing, transportation, equity, climate, and community development.</li>
<li>Significant experience in building and maintaining relationships with funders, donors, sponsors, and stakeholders.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Compensation</h3>
The salary range for this position is $70,000-$85,000, depending on the level of applicable experience.
SGA has an entrepreneurial and innovative workplace culture where employees work collaboratively to achieve the mission with a focus on equity. SGA offers a generous employee benefits package featuring a fully paid medical plan, optional dental and vision coverage, 401k with a strong company contribution, company-paid life and disability insurance, three weeks’ vacation in the first year, and 11 paid holidays.
<h3>Office Schedule &amp; COVID Protocols</h3>
This position is based in Washington, DC, and operates on a hybrid work schedule. SGA staff work in the office at 1350 Eye Street NW, Tuesday through Thursday, while generally working remotely in the DC area the rest of the week.
SGA requires employees to be vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.
<h3>Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility</h3>
SGA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Smart Growth America is committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourages applications from candidates of color. Employment and promotional opportunities are based on individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.
<h3>How to Apply</h3>
Please send a cover letter and resume to <a href="mailto:jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org">jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org</a> with “ATTN: Events and Development Senior Manager Application” in the subject line. In your cover letter, please indicate how you’ve learned of this opportunity. We look forward to hearing from candidates soon.

Now hiring

Now Hiring: Senior Manager, Events &#038; Development

IMG_2607-scaled

Smart Growth America (SGA), through its Complete Streets Leadership Academy, worked with Maryland’s Department of Transportation (MDOT) and State Highway Administration (SHA) to pilot quick-build demonstration projects on state-owned routes in Bel Air, Hagerstown, and Howard County. These three communities were asked to plan, design, and install quick-build projects at specific locations to improve safety and accessibility for people walking and biking.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-86049 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IMG_2607-1024x768.jpg" alt=" width="1024" height="768" />
After a successful <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/complete-streets-leadership-academies-report/">2023 Complete Streets Leadership Academy</a> featuring Alaska, California, Connecticut, and Tennessee, Smart Growth America has brought similar safety demonstration programming to the state of Maryland. The Maryland Complete Streets Leadership Academy builds on SGA’s experience working with state DOTs and local jurisdictions to install quick-build demonstration projects on state-owned routes. Howard County&#8217;s Complete Streets policy was ranked number one in our <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/best-complete-streets/">2023 Best Complete Streets Policy Report</a>, and the Academy was a great opportunity to build the momentum for continued safety improvements for all road users on Maryland&#8217;s streets. SGA, MDOT, SHA, and Stantec came together this summer to support a team of engineers, planners, and safety experts to create and implement safety projects in Bel Air, Hagerstown, and Howard County.
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] Quick-build demonstration projects are temporary installations to test roadway configurations that can improve safety and access for everyone, particularly people walking, biking, and rolling. These short-term measures can provide immediate improvements while also testing design strategies to determine the most effective long-term improvements. They are also a great opportunity to engage community members in the process of making streets safer for everyone by collaborating on design and incorporating feedback into future permanent installations. <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/program/national-complete-streets-coalition/quick-build-demonstration-projects/">Learn more about quick builds! &gt;&gt;</a>[/alert]
A common barrier to quick-build projects is being able to get permission to install safety projects on a road not owned by the local jurisdiction. But state-owned routes are among the <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/dangerous-by-design/">most dangerous roadways</a> for people walking, biking, and rolling, making them ideal candidates for quick-build projects. Close collaboration between state DOTs and local jurisdictions from the beginning provides an opportunity to identify and then develop strategies to mitigate barriers to collaboration. SGA has seen much success with projects from former its Complete Streets Leadership Academy, such as with this <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/dot/documents/dpolicy/quick-build---complete-streets-june-2024.pdf">new guidance from CTDOT.</a>
Recently, SGA led a walk audit at the quick-build demonstration project that was recently installed in North Laurel, Howard County. The project replaced the rightmost lane on US 1 with a multi-use path for people to walk and bike, marked by flex posts and paint to delineate the new use of the space. People walking this route previously had to use the grass or the shoulder, as there is no sidewalk, and people biking had to hug the curb or brave the speeding vehicular traffic. Despite the unsafe conditions, people depend on this route to get to and from their work. With this project in place, there is room for people outside of cars to get where they need along US 1. At the walk audit, CSLA participants all felt the tangible improvements made by this project, shared the lessons learned in installation, and discussed how future long-term changes could improve upon this demonstration project.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-86050 alignnone" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Aerial_2-300x214.jpg" alt=" width="848" height="605" />
In addition to the immediate safety benefits to people in these three communities, the Maryland CSLA program is being conducted with long-term change in mind. Bel Air, Hagerstown, and Howard County were chosen in part because they are each located in a different SHA District. By running this pilot in three different districts, MDOT can take lessons learned from the Academy to develop a permanent program for quick-build projects in all Districts across the state. This work is part of Maryland’s larger state-wide <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.mdot.maryland.gov/tso/pages/Index.aspx?PageId=207">Model Complete Streets Initiative</a>. Learn more from the <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://mdot-csla-resources-maryland.hub.arcgis.com/">Maryland Complete Streets Leadership Academy Hub</a> and stay tuned for a larger report from SGA once the communities have installed the quick-build demonstrations and engage the community about the proposed changes
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-86053 alignnone" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DSC06386-214x300.jpg" alt=" width="289" height="405" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-86051 alignnone" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DSC06432-300x214.jpg" alt=" width="566" height="403" />
&nbsp;

quick-build projects

Making Maryland Safer: Protecting all road users with Complete Streets

Press-Release

On Sunday, August 18, and Saturday, August 31, Atlanta artists Emma Chammah and Eddie Farr will host interactive workshops exploring the need for an improved public transportation network in Atlanta. During the free workshops, all are invited to engage with the artists’ project, Traffic Cams, which creates a real-time augmented reality experience to show what Atlanta could look like with expanded transportation options. The project is supported by Smart Growth America’s <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/call-for-ideas-healing-our-highways-through-creativity-community-and-culture-applications-open/">Healing Our Highways grant program</a>.
Traffic Cams uses OpenCV, Georgia DOT traffic camera footage, and custom software written by artist Eddie Farr to visualize the amount of space wasted by the status quo approach to transportation, which emphasizes driving at the expense of other modes of travel.
What: Traffic Cams public workshop, a project aiming to envision a healthier and safer transportation environment in Atlanta.* 
Who: Led by Atlanta artists Emma Chammah and Eddie Farr; 
When and where: Sunday, August 18 at Atlanta Streets Alive (btwn 12th and 13th Street); and Saturday, August 31 at the Hapeville Depot Museum
*These workshops are free and open to the public.
“Dude,” said artist Eddie Farr, “what if we took street cams and made them show us the future we want?”
“We are inspired by this opportunity to use our minds and skills as artists to bring people together to talk about the future,” said artist Emma Chammah. “In both my practice and Eddie’s, you will see work that talks about issues we need to address as a society, or imaginations of a future where we are more inclusive and caring.”
“Smart Growth America is proud to support Traffic Cams, yet another strong example of how artists and cultural workers can inspire communities to rethink our greatest challenges,” said Marian Liou, Director of Arts &amp; Culture at Smart Growth America and local Atlantan. “Emma and Eddie’s project reframes our assumptions about our harmful transportation system and sparks collective change toward a better one.&#8221;

Media alert: Local artists invite Atlantans to envision more ways to travel at free, public workshops

EPA-and-SGN-scaled

This July, SGA hosted the Smart Growth Network (SGN), a national coalition of smart growth-oriented organizations,  in its offices for the coalition’s Summer 2024 Quarterly Discussion. The discussion focused on extreme heat, which has been especially prevalent globally in recent years, and the role that smart growth, urban forests, and community organizing can play in addressing inequities in how extreme heat is felt by communities. The convening was closed with a discussion and sharing of resources regarding ongoing heat-related resilience efforts by SGN partners.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-86028 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/EPA-and-SGN-1024x683.jpg" alt=" width="1024" height="683" />
The Smart Growth Network, formed in 1996, brings together public, non-profit, and private organizations working to advance smart growth to support healthy, prosperous, and resilient communities across the U.S. The Network provides opportunities for partners to share resources and information with other like-minded organizations and for collaboration in supporting and leading the smart growth movement.
The Network’s Quarterly Discussions provide one such space. This most recent Quarterly Discussion, hosted by SGA and organized together with the EPA Office of Community Revitalization, was centered on resilience to extreme heat and how smart growth can contribute to these efforts.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Extreme Heat &amp; Smart Growth with the Smart Growth Network" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1SSGKENwzfk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h3>Discussion Themes, Highlights, &amp; Takeaways</h3>
The discussion was kicked off with remarks from Joel Scheraga, Senior Advisor for Climate Adaptation from the EPA, and Danielle Arigoni, and SGA Board Member and Managing Director for Policy &amp; Solutions at the National Housing Trust. Both highlighted the dangers that extreme heat poses, especially to specific communities, like the elderly. They also discussed many of the recent steps that have been taken to address extreme heat at the federal level, including, for example, the establishment of <a href="https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-policy-op">EPA’s Office of Climate Adaptation and Sustainability</a>, which provides technical assistance to communities to boost climate resilience.
These remarks were followed by a panel of experts on extreme heat: Dexter Locke, from the USDA Forest Service; Joshua Simon, from American Forests; and Shana Udvardy, from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Moderated by Katharine Burgess, SGA’s Vice President of Land Use &amp; Development, the panel began with a discussion clearly linking the extreme heat we’re seeing more often to the effects of climate change. More importantly, much of the panel focused on the role urban forests, green spaces, and tree canopy can play in alleviating the effects of extreme heat, as well as how the inequities in how these resources are distributed make already underserved communities feel the heat even more. Formerly redlined areas, where many communities of color are still concentrated today, tend to have a greatly reduced tree canopy and much higher temperatures. However, because most trees are located on private property, it’s difficult to organize a cohesive, community-wide tree canopy policy or program. Although support for urban trees exists from federal sources like the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and other Inflation Reduction Act programs, much more funding is necessary to address extreme heat.
<h3>Extreme Heat Resources</h3>
The Quarterly Discussion concluded with breakout groups that allowed SGN partners to discuss their extreme heat-related work and to share resources and opportunities for collaboration. These resources are listed below:
<ul>
<li>NOAA provides a <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heatrisk/">HeatRisk forecast</a> through the National Weather Service; leads the <a href="https://www.heat.gov/">National Integrated Heat Health Information System</a>, which developed a <a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Heat-Governance-Maturity-Model.pdf">Maturity Model for Heat Governance;</a> and manages the Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program which has a portfolio of <a href="https://cpo.noaa.gov/divisions-programs/climate-and-societal-interactions/cap-risa/co-creating-community-solutions-to-compound-and-complex-extreme-heat-impacts-across-the-u-s/">extreme heat work</a> including a <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.ncdps.gov/news/press-releases/2024/04/22/new-state-heat-resilience-toolkit-offers-solutions-reduce-heat-related-health-problems">heat resilience toolkit</a> in North Carolina.</li>
<li>Skalen, an organization using geospatial data analysis to support climate resilience, will soon be releasing a report on the social and community impacts of extreme heat in New York City.</li>
<li>The Urban Land Institute has <a href="https://developingresilience.uli.org/">a clearinghouse</a> for urban climate resilience strategies and has released <a href="https://developingresilience.uli.org/themes/extreme-heat/">a report on extreme heat and land use</a>. 
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy participates in the <a href="https://smartsurfacescoalition.org/smart-surfaces">Smart Surfaces Coalition</a> and has published <a href="https://www.aceee.org/blog-post/2024/07/smart-surfaces-are-reducing-heat-many-disadvantaged-communities-are-being-left">an article</a> highlighting how smart surfaces can boost urban climate resilience.</li>
<li>The American Public Health Association’s <a href="https://apha.org/topics-and-issues/climate-health-and-equity/smart-surfaces">Cities for Smart Surfaces Project</a>, developed with the Smart Surfaces Coalition, works to explore how smart surfaces can help mitigate the health effects of climate change on communities. They also have an <a href="https://apha.org/topics-and-issues/climate-health-and-equity/extreme-heat">Extreme Heat Resource Hub</a>.</li>
<li>The EPA’s <a href="https://www.epa.gov/arc-x">Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center</a> provides resources to local governments to help them prepare for the impacts of climate change in their communities.</li>
<li>The EPA also manages the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers">Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program</a> to help communities navigate grant applications, create and maintain communication channels, and boost community engagement. <a href="https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places">The Local Foods, Local Places</a> also supports urban green spaces and community gardens.</li>
<li>USDOT’s <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/rural/grant-toolkit/promoting-resilient-operations-transformative-efficient-and-cost-saving">PROTECT Grant</a>, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which supports efforts to make surface transportation infrastructure more resilient to the effects of climate change.</li>
<li>The Maryland Department of Planning is hosting the Sustainable Growth Webinar Series, which will include a webinar on August 20 focusing on extreme heat.</li>
<li>The federal government’s <a href="https://planning.maryland.gov/Pages/OurEngagement/Webinars/planning-webinars.aspx">Subcommittee on Climate Services</a>, which focuses on topics relevant to the Network.</li>
</ul>

Extreme Heat &#038; Smart Growth with the Smart Growth Network

A_downtown_view_of_Richmond_VA

Innovative research from Smart Growth America and the Lincoln Institute reveals the potential for public lands to transform the financial health of urban municipalities. Using Richmond, Virginia, as a case study, the findings outline a clear plan for developing public lands to harness their potential for the greater good.
<figure id="attachment_86014" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86014" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-86014 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/A_downtown_view_of_Richmond_VA-1024x658.jpg" alt=" width="1024" height="658" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86014" class="wp-caption-text">Photo Courtesy of Bruce Emmerling via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_downtown_view_of_Richmond,_VA.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></figcaption></figure>
<div style="background-color: #f7f3f3; width: 250px; padding: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; float: right; text-align: left;"><a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lincoln-Munincipal-Finance-Summary_8.7.24.pdf"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-78038 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lincoln-Institute-Cover.png" alt="click here on report cover to read the report PDF" width="1258" height="838" /></a> 
<a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lincoln-Munincipal-Finance-Summary_8.7.24.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read our two-page summary</a></div>
Public lands in urban areas can make up substantial parts of a city and hold significant economic value. In a new paper, SGA Director of Research Michael Rodriguez demonstrates how developing these public parcels could greatly benefit municipalities. By using a variety of methods, including an inventory of public assets, statistical analysis, and advanced machine learning techniques, the analysis of Richmond, Virginia, reveals that a surprising portion of land is undeveloped and underutilized.
The research demonstrates the untapped fiscal potential of urban public lands. In Richmond, the analysis finds that developing these lands could raise property values by approximately $530 million, increase tax revenue by $6 million annually, and have additional positive effects on nearby private properties.
Overall, the report highlights the importance of public lands in city planning and provides valuable insights for policymakers on how public assets can be leveraged to harness the potential of public assets for the greater good, revitalize cities, and improve fiscal stability. It suggests that careful and strategic development of these lands can bring in much-needed revenue while ensuring sustainable and fair use of urban spaces.
This study is especially useful for cities facing financial challenges and demonstrates how public lands can be a key resource for urban renewal and economic growth.
[button type=&#8221;info&#8221; block=&#8221;true&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/working-papers/advancing-connection-between-public-lands-and-municipal-finance/&#8221;]You can read the full working paper here [/button]

Lincoln Institute

SGA research

Urban Development

New paper: Unlocking the potential of public lands in Richmond, Virginia

Orlando1

In this year’s <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/dangerous-by-design/">Dangerous by Design</a> report, Florida was ranked as the second most deadly state for people walking. From 2018-2022, Florida saw an average of 3,705 deaths on their roadways, with a fatality rate of 3.43 (well above the national average of 2.26). Additionally, we found that eight of the twenty most deadliest metro areas for pedestrians are in Florida.
The state of Florida continues to see an increase in pedestrian fatalities year after year. Our new video, “Walking in one of the deadliest states in America,” features residents, advocates, and experts who speak to how cities like Orlando are trending in the wrong direction when it comes to prioritizing pedestrian safety. The people in this video are just some of the countless individuals who have been impacted by traffic violence. State and local leaders need to do more to create and implement policies that protect all road users.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Walking in one of the deadliest states in America" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4tJotk_oHu0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] Florida streets are dangerous by design, but there are interventions that state leaders can implement to change that. Staff at the city of Orlando are working to address the ongoing issue of traffic violence in their area. Learn more about the steps they&#8217;ve taken and how they hope to continue to make progress in Orlando<a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/champion-spotlight-orlando-florida/"> in this case study &gt;&gt;</a> [/alert]

Dangerous by Design 2024

New video: Walking in one of the deadliest states in America

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Smart Growth America (SGA) is pleased to announce the return of the Form-Based Codes Award, now in its 17th year. As a program of SGA, the <a href="https://formbasedcodes.org/">Form-Based Codes Institute</a> has supported the FBC Award program to recognize exemplary form-based codes that advance the practice of form-based zoning for equitable development, people-oriented communities, and predictable development results. SGA would like to acknowledge the generosity of the Amazon Housing Equity Fund and the Barr Foundation in supporting this year’s FBC Award.
<figure id="attachment_86019" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-86019" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-86019 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-07-at-2.03.36 PM-1024x684.png" alt=" width="1024" height="684" srcset="https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-07-at-2.03.36 PM-1024x684.png 1024w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-07-at-2.03.36 PM-300x200.png 300w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-07-at-2.03.36 PM-768x513.png 768w, https://sgavpbcms.3lanemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-07-at-2.03.36 PM.png 1282w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-86019" class="wp-caption-text">No. 6 Scratch Kitchen in South Bend, IN, a restaurant and apartment project reusing a former fire station that made possible by the zoning ordinance’s permitted mix of uses and lack of parking mandates.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>2024 Form-Based Code Award submission now live</h3>
Form-based codes create a predictable, high-quality public realm by using physical form, rather than separation of uses, as the primary organizing principle. Form-based codes address the relationship between building facades and the public realm, the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another, and the scale and types of streets and blocks. Form-based codes focus on predictability, the form of buildings, and creating people-scale buildings and communities, creating a regulatory tool that gives development unity, efficient organization, social vitality, and walkability to our cities, towns, and neighborhoods.
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;] <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-FBC-Award-Fillable-Entry-Form.pdf">Submit a code for an award!</a> [/alert]
Each year, the jury of experts—code writers, urban designers, code administrators, and developers—evaluate the applications against the form-based codes <a href="https://formbasedcodes.org/standards-of-practice/">Standards of Practice,</a> and this year, the jury will have the ability to recognize equitable elements of code submissions. Winning codes demonstrate the successful application of these standards across various contexts. This year’s FBC Award is particularly exciting because, while form-based codes are inherently equitable, this year&#8217;s award emphasizes a deeper exploration of equitable development and equitable FBCs by focusing on those that explicitly highlight and prioritize equity in the code documents, as well as expectations for equitable development that occurs from following the FBC.
The 2024 Form-Based Codes Award winner will be announced at the end of October, and the announcement will be followed by a webinar that will feature representatives from the winning entry who will speak about the winning codes and their impact on the communities where they were adopted.
Both newly-adopted and established codes showing positive built results are eligible. SGA encourages code applications that have been adopted for disinvested neighborhoods or communities of color, or that have been drafted by minority professionals. You can find a complete list of criteria that the jury will consider in the entry form and instructions PDF.
<a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-FBC-Award-Fillable-Entry-Form.pdf">[button type=&#8221;info&#8221; block=&#8221;true&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; link=&#8221;https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-FBC-Award-Fillable-Entry-Form.pdf&#8221;] Click here for the entry form and instructions. [/button]</a>
Submissions to SGA must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 11, 2024. If you have questions, concerns, or thoughts please contact Jamie Zouras, Senior Program Manager, SGA<a href="mailto:jzouras@smartgrowthamerica.org"> jzouras@smartgrowthamerica.org</a>, subject: FBC Award Questions.
Please note: codes that have been written, or worked on in any capacity, by members of the Form-Based Codes Award jury or their organization are ineligible for consideration during the time of that juror&#8217;s service.

Awards

The Form-Based Codes Award

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This case study was written as part of our Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program. This initiative brought together champions from across the country to advance street safety efforts through data collection and storytelling. This study was written by Laura Hardwicke, Safe Mobility Manager at the City of Orlando.
<figure id="attachment_85997" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-85997" style="width: 1023px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-85997 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/26372830082_65b55c5d51_b.jpg" alt="Pedestrians wait to cross the street in downtown Orlando" width="1023" height="661" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-85997" class="wp-caption-text">Downtown Orlando, Florida <a href="https://flic.kr/p/GbtDyW">(Flickr)</a></figcaption></figure>
Central Florida has an average of 1,500 residents moving to the region per week, that number is <a href="https://orlando.org/l/2030-report/">more than double the rate of growth in the United States</a>. There is an urgent need to create a safe, active, and accessible transportation network across all travel modes for residents and visitors alike.
<h3>Background</h3>
Orlando is home to 316,081 residents, making it the fourth-largest city in Florida, welcoming over 60 million visitors to our area every year. Located in central Florida, the City of Orlando is a vibrant and diverse city known for its enchanting theme parks, cultural richness, and thriving economy. Orlando ranks high for many great lists—<a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-to-start-a-business/2281">best largest city to start a business</a> and <a href="https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/best-places-to-live">best places to live in the US</a>. However, the city also ranks high on Smart Growth America’s <a href="http://smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design">most dangerous metro areas for people walking</a>.
Recently dropping from #1 to #8 most deadly metro for people walking, Orlando is beginning to see tangible results from its Vision Zero safety efforts, but the city wants to do more to change its direction.
Under the leadership of Mayor Buddy Dyer, the city <a href="https://www.orlando.gov/files/sharedassets/public/initiatives/vision-zero/signed-resolution-2017.pdf">adopted a resolution</a> committing to Vision Zero with a goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2040.
<h3>Taking action</h3>
The <a href="https://www.orlando.gov/Initiatives/Vision-Zero">Vision Zero Orlando Action Plan</a> identified the city’s High Injury Network (HIN) using a risk-based analysis for crashes that occurred from 2013-2017. An updated draft HIN is underway. Both HIN, using data periods ending in 2017 and 2022, feature Orange Avenue as a heightened safety risk, from State Road 50 (aka Colonial Drive) through Downtown Orlando to South Street.
Despite the low posted speed limit, frequent signalized crossings, and major pedestrian generators and transit along Orange Avenue, the corridor still presents a high risk for people walking. As part of the Downtown Orlando Master Plan 2.0, the city’s ultimate goal is to convert the street to a two-way street. This will increase friction for vehicles, creating a traffic calming effect. The added connectivity should improve business access throughout, and increase walkability. However, design and construction for such a project will take years.
In the meantime, the city launched its <a href="https://orlando.gov/quickbuild">Quick Build Guide</a> to deliver transportation safety projects today while still planning the infrastructure of tomorrow. The city selected <a href="https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/03/13/asphalt-mural-ads-art--safety-to-downtown-orlando">key intersections along Orange Avenue for asphalt art projects</a>—intersection murals, painted curb extensions, and artistic crosswalks. The goal was to increase drivers stopping for people in the crosswalk, and increase pedestrian compliance with walk signals. The city conducted a before and after study to measure the impacts of these projects on pedestrian safety, evaluating the impact of asphalt art on vehicle speeds, crashes, pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, and pedestrian behaviors.

Complete Streets

Champion Spotlight: Orlando, Florida

Brattleboro-Main-Street-Flickr-photo

One major misconception we encounter in our work is that smart growth principles like Complete Streets, public transit, and mixed-use development are just for big cities and don’t apply to small towns. But over the years, we’ve seen countless examples of <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/rural-roadmap/">rural places that used these strategies to great benefit</a>. I recently traveled to such a place–Brattleboro, Vermont.
<figure id="attachment_85977" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-85977" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-85977 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Brattleboro-Main-Street-Flickr-photo.jpg" alt="A cyclist travels down Brattleboro's tree-lined main street, near businesses." width="1600" height="1200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-85977" class="wp-caption-text">Brattleboro, Vermont <a href="https://flic.kr/p/9fznMU">(J. Stephen Conn, Flickr)</a></figcaption></figure>
Brattleboro is a town of around 12,000 people in southern Vermont, near the borders of Connecticut and New Hampshire. Although the town is small in terms of geography and population, during my short visit, I saw many smart growth strategies that other towns and rural areas could try. The result of these policies and features make Brattleboro a great place for residents and visitors alike. In fact, our friends at Strong Towns named Brattleboro <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/7/19/lessons-from-this-years-strongest-town-brattleboro-vermont">the ‘Strongest Town’ of the year in 2023</a>.
[alert type=&#8221;info&#8221;]Brattleboro’s success may be due in part to a unique and impactful state incentive program. Since 1999, the State of Vermont has created and grown a set of programs to revitalize Vermont’s downtowns and to protect its historic settlement pattern of compact centers and rural landscapes. Collectively, the <a href="https://accd.vermont.gov/community-development/designation-programs">Designation Programs</a> guide development and investment priorities for revitalization by offering benefits like tax credits, grant funding, and easier permitting for housing in designated areas to municipalities and property owners. In turn, those benefits fund and fuel revitalization, growth, livability, infrastructure, and other essential work. Recently, <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/designation-2050-the-case-for-updating-vermonts-designation-program/">SGA worked with the State of Vermont to evaluate and improve the programs</a>, resulting in recommendations to fuel a new wave of community-driven and place-based investment, revitalization, and smart growth.[/alert]
Often, we come across a misconception that smart growth is for urban places, not rural ones. But Brattleboro&#8217;s success shows that this is just one of many myths about small towns in America that need to be laid to rest. Here are a few other small town myths that Brattleboro defies.
<h3>Myth: Is everyone always driving in rural America?</h3>
Because of high car dependence in rural areas, there’s an assumption that cars should be prioritized and towns shouldn’t worry about pedestrians. However, Brattleboro’s Main Street and other principal streets have multiple features that make them safe and pedestrian-friendly, resulting in the town avoiding any pedestrian fatalities for over a decade.
The speed limit of 25 miles per hour on streets and relatively narrow road designs mean that cars are not zooming through at high speeds. Numerous shops, cafes, restaurants, parks, and seating areas built in close proximity to one another encourage people to stroll, window-shop, and run errands without using a car. On an average day, one sees a mix of people out walking and moving about Brattleboro in a safe and comfortable way.
<figure id="attachment_85978" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-85978" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-85978 size-large" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Brattleboro-Vermont-small-towns-and-smart-growth-intersection-1024x768.jpg" alt="Pedestrians walk across a four-way intersection that includes diagonal crosswalks" width="1024" height="768" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-85978" class="wp-caption-text">Pedestrians cross an intersection diagonally while traffic is stopped in all directions.</figcaption></figure>
Other pedestrian-friendly features include signalized <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/11/27/a-pedestrian-scramble-can-make-an-intersection-safer">pedestrian scramble intersections</a>. This means that pedestrians can cross in any direction they choose at an intersection (straight, left, right, diagonal, zig-zag). When the pedestrian sign comes on, an audible message announces “Walk sign is on for all crossings.” Cars are stopped in all directions and cannot turn right on red. Rather than having to watch for cars coming from different directions, pedestrians can cross in peace.
<h3>Myth: Can passenger rail and train stations support small towns?</h3>
<figure id="attachment_85979" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-85979" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-85979" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Amtrak-in-Brattleboro-Vermont-small-towns-and-smart-growth-300x201.png" alt="An Amtrak train pulls into the station in Brattleboro" width="300" height="201" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-85979" class="wp-caption-text">Current Brattleboro station <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26862404">(Wikimedia Commons)</a></figcaption></figure>
One of the main reasons my partner and I chose to travel to Brattleboro in the first place was that we could get there by train. From Washington D.C., we rode <a href="https://www.amtrak.com/vermonter-train">the Vermonter</a> which also serves many towns and cities along the way, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. What’s more, the Brattleboro train station is right in the center of town, just 300 feet from Main Street with the town’s food co-op, numerous restaurants, and stores within a few minutes walk.
But trains aren’t just a nice way for tourists to get around, they also connect people to jobs, family, and other important destinations. For towns, they can attract visitors, customers, and future residents seeking to reduce their car dependance.
Train travel in Brattleboro will soon get even better. Thanks to funding from the 2021 infrastructure law (the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA), the town recently began construction of <a href="https://www.commonsnews.org/issue/747/747new_train_station">a new station</a> with an ADA accessible high-level platform, waiting area, bike shelter, electric vehicle chargers, and restrooms.
<h3>Myth: Is transit feasible in rural places?</h3>
<figure id="attachment_85981" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-85981" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-85981" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/MOOver-in-Brattleboro-Vermont-small-towns-and-smart-growth-public-transit-300x225.png" alt="Passengers ride in style on this MOOver bus decked out in black and white cow print" width="300" height="225" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-85981" class="wp-caption-text">MOOver bus at the Brattleboro Transportation Center.</figcaption></figure>
Brattleboro has a public transit system called <a href="https://www.moover.com/">the MOOver</a> which offers both fixed-route service and door-to-door transportation for riders over sixty and people with disabilities. And yes, of course the buses are painted black or red and white in Holstein cow patterns. And that’s not the only cool thing about the MOOver. <a href="https://www.moover.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/SEVT-2023-Annual-Report.pdf">Through a combination of federal, state, and local funding</a>, the MOOver is also completely free to ride!
<h3>Myth: Is it possible to manage parking in small towns?</h3>
Brattleboro requires payment for all on-street parking (2 hour limit) and the handful of lots around the town. These policies mean that Brattleboro is making efficient use of its space, generating funds for other uses, and not giving away valuable (and limited) downtown real estate for empty parking spaces. Recently, Brattleboro doubled down on their parking management, with <a href="https://www.commonsnews.org/issue/771/771parking_hikes">the town’s selectboard voting to raise rates</a> for parking and to charge for parking on Sunday (which was previously free).
<h3>Myth: Can small towns help combat the housing crisis?</h3>
Though this is a smart growth area I didn’t experience firsthand, Vermont currently has a crisis of housing access and affordability. <a href="https://vtdigger.org/2024/05/31/vermont-home-prices-spiked-more-than-any-other-state-last-year-while-sales-slowed-down/">Vermont home prices spiked more than any other state in 2023</a>, and the number of houses sold in the state declined to the lowest level since 2012. This means that houses are both hard to find and increasingly expensive in Vermont.
However, Brattleboro is one place that is working to <a href="https://www.commonsnews.org/issue/723/sboard_landuse">reduce housing barriers and create more options for affordable housing</a>. This includes numerous smart growth principles like increasing density creating a &#8220;missing middle housing&#8221; district. These strategies, which build on a supportive policy context that Smart Growth America helped promote including <a href="https://www.reformer.com/news/state/a-revised-h-687-remains-on-gov-scott-s-desk-will-he-veto/article_4ad70970-16cb-11ef-b2fd-afdcff230c15.html">recent bills S100 and S687</a>, can help Brattleboro and other small towns meet housing needs of the current population and attract new residents who want to relocate there.
<h3>What does it all mean?</h3>
Misconceptions about small towns hide what&#8217;s possible and do a disservice to all the innovative rural communities that are finding new ways to improve the quality of life for their residents. Brattleboro is a great illustration of how smart growth principles can and should be applied to towns and rural areas across the country. You can find even more examples of how smart growth helps advance rural development in our past report, <a href="https://sga-vpb-frontend.vercel.app/rural-roadmap/">An Active Roadmap: Best Practices for Rural Mobility.</a>

Small Towns

Vermont

Smart growth: Try that in a small town

Media

Equity Summit

The 2024 Equity Summit Recap Video

Smart Growth America (SGA) and its transportation program, Transportation for America (T4America), are looking to recruit an intern to support its technical assistance, research, and advocacy work.
<h3>Organizational overview</h3>
About Smart Growth America 
Smart Growth America envisions a country where no matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. We empower communities 
through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize this vision of 
livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.
About Transportation for America 
Transportation for America, the transportation program of Smart Growth America, is a national nonprofit made up of local, regional and state leaders who seek a transportation system that safely, affordably and conveniently connects people of all means and ability to jobs, services and opportunity through multiple modes of travel.
<h3>Position overview</h3>
The intern will be asked to work on a collection of transportation policy, research, and messaging projects aligned with their skills that will be fundamental to T4America’s extensive advocacy, thought leadership, and technical assistance portfolio. Specific topics of work that the intern may be involved with may include, but not limited to:
Policy Research and Development
Fundamental to T4America’s work is looking to better understand the legislative and regulatory framework underlying the design, implementation, and operation of the transportation system and how to reimagine it towards our three key principles. The intern will assist in analyzing legislative activity from the US Congress, prepare policy memos and briefs, draft legislative text, and engage in outreach and support to Congressional staff. Furthermore, as part of T4America’s technical assistance work, the intern will provide research support for clients to better understand their transportation challenges and how they can be addressed towards a sustainable, equitable outcome aligned with T4America’s three key principles.
Transportation Storytelling
Transportation is a complex system. Communicating about transportation and its importance in our everyday lives is daunting. T4America strives to demystify the federal transportation program and its intersections with implementation by state and local governments, framing it in a way that the average person can understand and discuss with their friends and neighbors. The intern will assist in crafting messaging, online tools, and visual concepts that effectively communicate the core points of T4America’s advocacy and thought leadership. The intern will also assist in the product deliverable layout and editorial process.
Policy Evaluation and Implementation
T4America regularly evaluates and makes recommendations on the drafting, adoption, and implementation of specific policies, especially in support of the National Complete Streets Coalition, CHARGE Coalition, and other federal policy roundtables. The intern will assist in the evaluation policies, such as Complete Streets policies from across the U.S. and work with staff to identify trends that would inform best practices and future advocacy efforts.
<h3>Knowledge and skills</h3>
Interns seeking to work with SGA / T4America should strive to have the following skills:
<ul>
<li>Working knowledge of and passion for transportation, land use, development, and urban planning topics</li>
<li>Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion</li>
<li>Strong research and writing skills, including experience with policy analysis and literature reviews, as well as in distilling that type of academic analysis into clear recommendations.</li>
<li>Strong oral and written communication skills</li>
<li>Ability to display data, research, and policy concepts in a clear and relevant manner</li>
<li>Organized and able to work independently after receiving instructions</li>
<li>Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office suite of tools or similar for document preparation (memos, presentations, etc)</li>
</ul>
SGA and T4America also strongly encourage interns to apply if they have the following skills:
<ul>
<li>Experience in digital storytelling tools</li>
<li>Python</li>
<li>ArcGIS</li>
<li>Proficient in visual graphic design editors (i.e. Photoshop or similar)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Educational background</h3>
Undergraduate or graduate students in urban planning, real estate development, visual communications, public policy, sociology, or related disciplines are encouraged to apply. An interest in land use and development or transportation policy and advocacy is key among intern applicants.
<h3>Compensation, schedule, and COVID protocols</h3>
Interns will be provided with a computer during their time with Smart Growth America. Interns will also be expected to commit between 15-20 hours a week for a minimum of 12 weeks (with the opportunity to have their internship extended beyond the 12 weeks). The intern will be paid a semi-monthly stipend throughout their tenure in the program at the hourly rate of $20 for undergraduate students and $22 for graduate students for a stipend not to exceed $5,280 for the 12-week period in Fall 2024 (with the potential for a Spring 2025 extension). All interns are expected to be insured by their school’s or personal health and/or liability insurance, as this internship program does not provide health or liability insurance coverage for interns.
SGA is based in Washington, DC, and operates on a hybrid work schedule. Staff are in the office Tuesday through Thursday, working in the office three days a week, while generally working remotely the rest of the week. Interns will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a booster.
<h3>How to apply</h3>
Please email <a href="mailto:jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org">jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org</a> with “T4America Intern” in the subject line, a resume, and a cover letter where you specifically address the following three questions:
<ol>
<li>What interests you about working for Transportation for America / Smart Growth America?</li>
<li>What key issues in transportation and/or land use and development will have the biggest impact on Americans, particularly low-income Americans and people of color, and why?</li>
<li>How did you hear of this internship opportunity?</li>
</ol>
<h3>Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion</h3>
SGA is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. Smart Growth America and Transportation for America are committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourage applications from candidates of color. Employment and promotional opportunities are based on individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

Jobs at SGA

Now hiring: Transportation for America intern

Flickr_Metro-Transit_Green-Line-TOD

Advancing equitable transit-oriented development requires all hands at the community level, but leadership at the state and federal level can also help propel change.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://t4america.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Flickr_Metro-Transit_Green-Line-TOD.png"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-34472" src="https://t4america.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Flickr_Metro-Transit_Green-Line-TOD-1024x682.png" alt="An eastbound Green Line train pulls into a station alongside apartment buildings." /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Development near the Raymond Avenue station in the Twin Cities. <a href="https://flic.kr/p/oJmCBG">(Source: Eric Wheeler, Metro Transit)</a></figcaption></figure>


&nbsp;
Public transportation and housing work in tandem. <a href="http://smartgrowthamerica.org/foot-traffic-ahead">People want to live in walkable areas</a> that are close to frequent transit stations to move around quickly. Equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) helps meet this desire by maximizing the amount of residential, business and leisure spaces within walking distance of public transportation.


Locating public transit near everyday destinations promotes ridership and makes it easier for people to travel without needing a private vehicle. It’s a vital component to establishing well-connected communities and promoting economic growth. However, it’s difficult to build any form of transit within one mile of residential spaces.


On June 26th, 2024 the Future of Transportation Caucus hosted a congressional briefing focused on equitable transit-oriented development. Here are a few of the barriers to ETOD that came up during the briefing.


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Local legislation can restrict development</h3>


Principal Research Associate from the Urban Institute, Yonah Freemark explained during the briefing that many localities have land use policies that restrict dense and mixed use buildings near transit.


Additionally, zoning laws in many cities have been stagnant in updating their codes. Planning Manager for the City of Columbus, Alex Saursmith, highlighted this point with his own city, where the zoning code has not been updated in 70 years. Currently, only 6,000 housing units can be constructed every 10 years, despite Columbus being one of the fastest growing cities in the country.


ETOD is also more financially effective than supporting continued road-building by prioritizing development density. It better maintains and maximizes the benefits of existing infrastructure. As LOCUS Chair Alecia Hill explained, state legislators should have an economic financial incentive to promote equitable transit-oriented development. When a lack of housing supply coupled with a lack of transportation options drives up household costs, residents are the ones who pay the price.


Transportation costs are the second largest expense category, behind housing, for most households. When households are already severely economically constrained, the costs of housing and transportation can be particularly difficult to meet. Renters that are cost-burdened or severely cost-burdened can spend greater than 30 or 50 percent, respectively, of their gross income on housing costs, according to <a href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_Housing_Americas_Older_Adults_2023_Revised_040424.pdf">the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University</a>. <a href="https://www.bts.gov/data-spotlight/household-cost-transportation-it-affordable">The Bureau of Transportation Statistics</a> found that households with income lower than $25,000 who own at least one vehicle spent 38 percent of their after-tax income on transportation in 2022.


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Community voices are key</h3>


Community input is a foundational factor to rally support for more housing and transit. It’s important for citizens to have an opportunity to provide input early and see how their concerns will be addressed.


Sometimes, residents oppose new housing development for a variety of reasons, ranging from a fear of losing a community’s identity to a fear of increased traffic or reduced property values. Practitioners and legislators should listen and respond to these concerns. For example, they could point to research like <a href="https://socialecology.uci.edu/news/affordable-housing-decreases-crime-increases-property-values">this study from Livable Cities Lab</a> which showed that some property values increased when more housing was introduced. In addition, legislators working to adopt new zoning regulations would be wise to find their local allies and enlist their help in developing community support. Explaining how new housing development relates to the community’s values and goals can further strengthen the case for change.


As Saursmith explained during the briefing, areas that have seen high population growth are a major driving force to zoning reform, especially when those areas are economically disadvantaged. These places are in desperate need of more housing, especially mixed-use residentials within walking distance to transit. He notes that with noticeable population growth, innate political pressure grows to update local amendments that have become obsolete. Generally, political pressure on leaders is the start to policy-making change.


Labor perspectives are also vital to promoting ETOD, especially within the realm of unions. Executive Director of Good Jobs First, Greg LeRoy, explained that some unions have begun to embrace urban density, arguing that promoting density is not only beneficial for the environment, public health, and economic growth, but also innately <a href="https://shelterforce.org/2015/01/13/sprawl_vs-_unions/">pro-union and pro-jobs</a>.


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">More equitable, better connected communities</h3>


Updating zoning laws requires having local city council members and state leaders actively and loudly call for reform. Calling local representatives and campaigning for leadership that will advocate for updated zoning laws is part of the solution to allow for more housing. The other side of the issue to address focuses on the grassroots level. Tackling discourse in online spaces, attending city council meetings in promotion of more housing near transit, or canvassing on referendums are all opportunities to promote ETOD.


Even federal leaders like members in the Future of Transportation Caucus make waves to address housing and transit, helping to propel the conversation forward. In 2020, <a href="https://chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-garcia-watson-coleman-and-cohen-introduce-bill-to-promote-affordable-housing-and-equitable-transit-oriented-development">Representative Jesús Chuy García introduced a bill</a> to promote housing near transit and establish an office under DOT specifically for ETOD. These avenues all provide a chance to showcase the numerous economic, public health, and environmental benefits of constructing housing near transit.