Aaron Naparstek, Streetsblog.org founder, on how a blog can elevate transportation and urban planning policies in the civic agenda and make real change in cities across the country. Naparstek makes the case for blogs as a extremely effective tool for elected officials who know how to engage them and do so smartly. See more interviews … Continued
National Complete Streets Coalition examines and scores Complete Streets policies each year, comparing adopted policy language to the ideal. Ideal policies refine a community’s vision for transportation, provide for many types of users, complement community needs, and establish a flexible project delivery approach necessary for an effective Complete Streets process and outcome. In 2014, more then 70 jurisdictions adopted Complete Streets policies.
In 2013, more than 80 communities adopted Complete Streets policies. These laws, resolutions and planning and design documents encourage and provide for the safe access to destinations for everyone, regardless of age, ability, income or ethnicity, and no matter how they travel. Nationwide, a total of 610 jurisdictions now have Complete Streets policies in place. Today, 27 states as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have Complete Streets policies. Fifty-one regional planning organizations, 48 counties and 482 municipalities in 48 states also have adopted such policies.
Councilmember Jan Marcason talks about turning around Kansas City, Missouri’s downtown after a period of serious decline. “We completely transformed our downtown to become a place where people are interested in working and staying after work to go to some of our entertainment centers…We know that without a vibrant downtown, the rest of the metropolitan … Continued
Councilmember Dave Richins discusses the ins and outs of form based code – – making development decisions based on how a building aesthetically interacts with the street and the other buildings in the area instead of based on what the use of the building will be – – and how Mesa, Arizona used form based … Continued
David Warm, Executive Director of the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, Missouri, talks about smart growth in the midwest and working to create healthy, vibrant places that people want to live and work in. See more interviews with issue experts here >>
Dani Simons, of Sustainable Streets Marketing, talks about starting the annual Summer Streets event in 2008 during her time with the New York City Department of Transportation. See more interviews with issue experts here >>
Jeremy Madsen, Executive Director of Greenbelt Alliance, California’s San Francisco Bay Area land conservation and urban planning organization, talks about urban growth boundaries. By adopting a line beyond municipal services cannot extend, cities and counties can protect open space and agricultural lands and promote growth where they want it to occur. See more interviews with … Continued
Second edition, January 2014 State officials across the country are facing the same challenges. Revenues are falling and budgets are shrinking. Yet state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have ambitious goals: improve safety, reduce congestion, enhance economic opportunity, improve reliability, preserve system assets, accelerate project delivery, and help to create healthier, more livable neighborhoods, just to … Continued
Missoula, Montana passed an affordable housing ordinance to build a community where residents of all income levels can live, work, and play together. Mayor John Engen talks about the importance of building affordable housing for any community. See more video interviews with Local Leaders here >>