Improving Lives by Improving Communities
(21)
Operating as usual
"'We need to stop victim-blaming communities of color for these types of diseases...Where you live determines your health in the United States…and we need to take immediate action to make sure we reduce these disparities in communities of color.'"
The study examines why counties with predominantly White populations have a lower number of cases than more diverse areas.
Converting urban highways into multimodal boulevards can bring enormous benefits to a community and help undo some of the harm caused by their construction.
Mandela Parkway, Oakland, formerly the route of I-880. Credit: Scott Humphrey Policy A federal Highways to Boulevards program is the infrastructure project a healthy and equitable America needs BEN CROWTHER AUG. 17, 2020 Want to support a federal highways to boulevards program? Si...
"There are significant barriers to replacing even a slim minority of car trips on our roads with e-bike trips—but average travel distance isn’t one of them."
A new study shows that just a 15-percent shift to electric bicycles in Portland would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 12 percent.
"Your city's zoning code is like the DNA of your community....If your city is like most North American cities, its DNA is broken."
Your city's zoning code is like the DNA of your community. For most North American cities, that DNA is broken. Here are six reasons form-based code can help put our towns and cities back together again.
"The reform sets a new standard: up to four homes on almost any lot, or up to six homes for price-regulated projects."
"It turns out that reckless driving presents more of a political challenge than a technical one. After spending more than a century successfully linking their products to the American ideals of individualism and freedom, automakers have created a formidable obstacle to interventions that stand between drivers’ desires and their machines’ capabilities."
Safety features that would make vehicles far less lethal to pedestrians exist right now. Why aren’t they required?
"I’ve seen a study that refers to density as a 'risk factor' or 'enemy' of people. Another described sprawl as a 'secret weapon' against COVID-19. None of these studies are based on any real evidence."
A new, landmark study challenges assumptions about urban design and pandemics.
Policies and plans are good, but without the political will to make change happen, even the best laid plans will falter. That's why we'll be working with the next generation of Complete Streets leaders as part of the Champions Institute.
Smart Growth America (SGA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity are now accepting applications for the Champions Institute, a new initiative for elected officials focused on safe streets and healthy communities. The Champions In...
"The careful reshaping of the sidewalk allowed more kinds of bodies on the street but also into public life. 'When disabled people enact politics,' writes disability historian Aimi Hamraie, 'they also design and build new worlds.'"
Curb cuts may seem like an obvious civic good now. But the protracted battle to enact them exposes a design history that focused on a normative “user” of streets.
This report “shows how we can convert our immense loss from COVID-19 and other crises into renewal.”
A new report—Thriving Together—takes a comprehensive look at how "we can convert our immense loss from COVID-19 and other crises into renewal." This report represents the combined efforts of more than 100 people and organizations, including Transportation for America, to create a thoughtful guid...
Streets that have been designed first and foremost for cars can and should be redesigned for people—people walking, rolling, scooting, biking, driving, or taking transit.
A new report from CityHealth finds that 90 percent of the nation's 40 most populous cities have medal-worthy Complete Streets policies on the books. The report makes a case for building safer streets to improve the overall health of cities, especially in the era of COVID-19.
"The real opportunity today is creating new connections by public transportation and passenger rail that federal funding has long neglected."
by JOHN ROBERT SMITH An infrastructure plan with a strict focus on repair could help put people back to work while fixing a perpetual source of frustration.
"Cities will not instantly transform, but they are already evolving."
The core idea is simple: Everyone should be able to meet their daily needs within 15 minutes of home, on foot or bike
"Maryland’s congressional delegation is asking for an additional $32 billion in coronavirus relief funding for U.S. public transit systems—and for a larger share to go to transit systems serving mid-sized cities, such as Baltimore..."
Maryland’s congressional delegation is asking for an additional $32 billion in coronavirus relief funding for U.S. public transit systems — and for a larger share to go to transit systems serving mid-sized cities, such as Baltimore, where people depend heavily on the regional buses and trains.
In a first of its kind study, researchers found that ride-hailing trips tend to replace public transit trips "in more developed areas covered by subway lines, while peripheral and suburban areas were dominated by complementary trips. However, they also note that house prices were positively correlated with the substitution rate, highlighting the importance of public transit to less-wealthy populations."
In the Chinese city of Chengdu, one-third of ride-sharing might replace public transit trips.
!["Race usually has been a subtext in these conversations [about highway removal]. But in the current climate, advocates s...](https://external.fymy1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=AQDj4S06guvAr21s&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pewtrusts.org%2F-%2Fmedia%2Fpost-launch-images%2F2020%2F07%2Fsln_jul28_1%2F16x9_m.jpg&_nc_cb=1&_nc_hash=AQB3UZQaPDts6WgE)
"Race usually has been a subtext in these conversations [about highway removal]. But in the current climate, advocates say it’s time for cities to confront and resolve the racist planning decisions their predecessors made 60 years ago."
The interstate highway system flattened homes and businesses in Black communities.
"Bicycling cannot solve systemic racism in the United States. But systemic racism can’t be fixed without tackling it within bicycling."
Systemic racism can’t be fixed without tackling it within cycling.
"American cities’ insistence on maintaining antiquated zoning and planning policies disconnects communities from economic opportunity, worsens public health, and drives up emissions through increased automobile usage."
The coronavirus has exposed the ills of continued automobile-centric urban planning practices that adversely impact equity, health, and the climate. Those of us who are working from home, own an automobile, and can conveniently make grocery runs may overlook the... Read More
"It’s hard to blame British safety experts for wanting to keep American cars off their roadways, considering SUVs’ disturbing death toll in our own country."
American SUVs kill so many people on U.S. roads that other countries don’t want them anywhere near their own roads.
"While the report includes brief language on the need to prioritize allocating transportation funds to transit, pedestrian, and bicycle infrastructure, it says nothing about reforming the policies that prioritize car travel and congestion reduction above all else..."
Last week, Joe Biden’s presidential campaign jointly released policy recommendations across a range of issues in partnership with Bernie Sanders supporters through a Unity Task Force. Climate change takes a prominent role in the 110-page report, but the proposal fails to call for the comprehensive...
“Participation processes are broken in two different ways,” said Professor Einstein, who teaches at Boston University. “They’re weaponized by privileged white people. And then when less privileged communities do try to use them, they’re not as effective as a tool for them.”
As bike lanes and cafes sprout on streets, marginalized residents wonder when their priorities will get attention.
"We need sweeping change to national housing policy, encompassing legislative actions, administrative, management and regulatory reforms — and, of pivotal importance, a new, bipartisan political will to make these changes."
There are just 7.2 million affordable and available rental homes for the nation’s 11.2 million extremely low-income renters.
"Equating the movement of those with the wealth and privilege to instantly pack their bags [and leave in times of crisis] with the entirety of a city’s population misses the great mass of residents who endure and ensure a city bounces back."
The pandemic may have accelerated migration from urban centers, but neighborhoods are keeping city life alive.
!["[Disability] rights are made real not just by kind intentions, social change, and legal principles, important as they a...](https://external.fymy1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAryxC2eH-6ACaC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthumbor.forbes.com%2Fthumbor%2Ffit-in%2F1200x0%2Ffilters%253Aformat%2528jpg%2529%2Fhttps%253A%252F%252Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%252Fimageserve%252F1035083396%252F0x0.jpg%253FcropX1%253D0%2526cropX2%253D5314%2526cropY1%253D0%2526cropY2%253D2989&_nc_cb=1&_nc_hash=AQDLVkI0FGFuBhXO)
"[Disability] rights are made real not just by kind intentions, social change, and legal principles, important as they are, but through conscious design implemented in wood and hard concrete."
Realistically, it’s up to disabled voters, and our families, friends, and coworkers to push accessibility into the conversation. We have to ask our local candidates about these things.
"There's all kinds of studies that show that race is still the most potent variable for predicting who gets more than their fair share of the 'nasty stuff,' and who gets more than their fair share of the good stuff." – Prof. Robert Bullard
An expert in urban planning and environmental policy explains how race has played a central role in how cities across America developed — often in ways that hurt minority communities.
"Most developed countries already have effective road systems; they can be maintained, but the economic benefits of expansion are marginal and the downsides significant."
There’s a right way to do infrastructure. Why does America get it wrong?
Given the myriad ways that transit is funded around the country, the fiscal impacts of the pandemic will likely be varied and long-lasting.
When cities and states began shutting down in response to COVID-19, the financial impact to transit was swift and immense, but the immediate impacts only tell part of the story. Given the myriad ways that transit is funded around the country, the fiscal impacts of the pandemic will likely be varied....
Some interesting developments from across the Atlantic.
Building façades and pavements in Dutch and Italian cities are being turned into smart, energy-harvesting surfaces and equipped with sensors to power, heat and cool spaces and even monitor roads. E…
The suburbs have remained ill-defined despite being home to a majority of Americans.
The U.S. hasn’t had a formal definition for what constitutes a suburb. A new data analysis comes closer to defining America’s most popular neighborhood type.
"The suburbs run on federal subsidies. Without them, America’s suburbs would have to become more financially productive." Strong Towns' Charles Marohn makes the conservative case for repealing exclusionary single-family zoning regulations.
Suburbia is built on federal subsidies. Is that conservative?
After five years as the director of the National Complete Streets Coalition, Emiko Atherton is departing Smart Growth America, leaving behind an indelible impact on the push for implementing safer streets that everyone can enjoy.
After five years as the director of the National Complete Streets Coalition, Emiko Atherton is departing Smart Growth America in July after making an indelible impact on the national, state, and local push for implementing safer streets that everyone can enjoy.
Local leaders & organizations are pulling their support for widening a major highway through a Black community in Portland, OR. This is the latest—and perhaps greatest—wound to this expensive, boondoggle of a highway project.
It’s a significant development for the potentially billion dollar project.
"I fear that the COVID-19 pandemic is convenient reasoning to do that which Amtrak, over the past several years, has determined to do...and that is to dismantle the national system." – John Robert Smith, Transportation for America Chairman
Members of Congress are angry that the rail agency is asking for more money while planning to lay off staff and reduce services. Smaller communities that rely on rail service could be badly hurt.
The U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released a new legislative blueprint that incorporates many of our recommendations, demonstrating how smart growth is at the core of any potential plan to reduce emissions.
The House Select Committee on Climate Change released a new legislative blueprint this week for tackling the climate crisis that incorporates many of SGA’s recommendations across our programs, demonstrating how smart growth is at the very core of any potential plan to reduce emissions.
Over the next few months, these five jurisdictions will implement artist-led projects to address COVID-19 transportation challenges.
Smart Growth America is excited to announce the selection of five jurisdictions to participate in the Arts & Transportation Rapid Response initiative. Over the next few months, these jurisdictions will implement artist-led projects to address COVID-19 transportation challenges.
1152 15th Street NW Suite 450
Washington D.C., DC
20005
Closest metro stations: McPherson Square (Blue/Orange/Silver lines – 6 min walk), Farragut North (Red line – 8 min walk), Mt Vernon Sq/Convention Center (Green/Yellow lines – 15 min walk). Accessible via multiple bus routes
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As part of the Cultural Corridor Consortium (3C for short) Indianapolis used arts to engage residents about the city's future bus rapid transit routes. "Partnering with arts organizations and being involved in 3C Indy give us this excellent opportunity to really meet people where they are..." - Lauren Day, IndyGo
Intersections was a groundbreaking conference, but there's more work to do. We're brining the energy & momentum from Nashville to the first-ever "Intersections Meet-Up" in Denver, CO on June 14. Register here: bit.ly/2s4cqvG
We're proud to introduce our new Local Leaders Council. Watch the video to meet the Council members.
Mayor John Engen is working to make Missoula, Montana, a great place to live and visit. He's the latest featured speaker in our Smart Growth Stories series.
DC Councilmember Tommy Wells on creating great neighborhoods and "five minute living" in Washington, DC. The latest in our series of Smart Growth Stories.
Watch the latest in our series of Smart Growth Stories, with New York City Councilmember Brad Lander.
Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory is on a mission to support economic development in his city, and he’s using smart growth and downtown development strategies to accomplish that goal.
Center for a New American Security - CNAS
1152 15th St NW, Suite 950District of Columbia Hospital Association
1152 15th St NW, Ste 900Daniel A. Payne Community Development Corpora
1518 M St NWUSBC School of Chamber Management
1156 15th St NW, Ste 1100D.C. Office of the People's Counsel
1133 15th St NW, Ste 500National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Asso
1133 15th Street NWIntellectual Property Owners Association
1501 M St NW, Ste 1150
Foundation for Financial Planning
1425 K Street, Suite 750
DC Department of Small and Local Business Dev
441 4th St NW
S.T.I.G.M.A. Peer Team of Metro TeenAIDS
651 Pennsylvania Ave SE
DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management
2720 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
American University Financial Management Asso
4400 Massachusetts Ave NW
Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezue
1099 30th St NW
The Art of Living Health and Education Trust
2401 15th St NW
Estonian Embassy in Washington
1990 K Street NW, Suite 430
