We’re doing a special blog series this month highlighting some of Smart Growth America’s favorite accomplishments from 2012. This is the last in our series of twelve. Check out the full list.
Perhaps our most important achievement from 2012 has been working with you! Our advocates, supporters, donors, fans and followers are what make our work possible. We are grateful for your support and excited to work alongside you. Thank you!
You are invited to join the National Complete Streets Coalition for our Third Annual Complete Streets Dinner on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at Petits Plats in the Woodley Park neighborhood of Washington, DC. We’ll nosh on some of the District’s best French cuisine while networking with top minds in the field.
We are excited to have Commissioner Gabe Klein of the Chicago Department of Transportation as our featured guest this year. Klein views his position as an opportunity to continue public service in the fifth-largest urban economy in the world for a reform-minded and results-oriented leader; to make Chicago an example nationally for innovation in transportation and public space; and most importantly, to positively impact quality of life for the 2.6 million residents of Chicago. Klein was previously the Director of the Washington D.C. Department of Transportation and has held a number of leadership roles in transportation, technology, consumer services, and consulting.
Your dining companions will be some of the biggest names in Complete Streets, including several of our Complete Streets Steering Committee members, workshop instructors, and staff from our Complete Streets Partner consulting firms.
Seats are available at $150 or, for $200, you will be seated at the head table. Click here to reserve your tickets online. Current Complete Streets Partners receive a significant discount, and Partners at the Silver level and up receive complimentary tickets.
The popularity of infill development and walkable neighborhoods continues to grow, according to a new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Residential Construction Trends in America’s Metropolitan Regions focuses on 209 metropolitan regions between 2000 and 2009 and offers a look at trends in residential infill development, i.e. new homes built in previously developed areas. The main findings during that period:
Nearly three out of four large metropolitan regions saw an increased share of infill housing development during 2005-2009 compared to 2000-2004. Among the 51 large metropolitan regions (population one million or greater) examined in this study, 36 saw an increased share of infill housing development during 2005-2009 compared to 2000-2004. In many regions, this increase was substantial. Miami increased from 40 percent infill to 49 percent infill. Providence, Rhode Island, increased from 20 percent to 29 percent. Several medium-sized metropolitan regions (population 200,000 – one million) saw even greater shifts towards infill housing.
The Local Leaders Council’s Advisory Board convened in Washington, D.C. in October.
We’re doing a special blog series this month highlighting some of Smart Growth America’s favorite accomplishments from 2012. This is the eleventh of twelve installments.
In October we proudly launched Smart Growth America’s Local Leaders Council, a nonpartisan group of local elected officals who share a passion for building great towns, cities and communities.
The Cabinet Mountains in northern Montana. Photo by Daniel Liu via Flickr.
We’re doing a special blog series this month highlighting some of Smart Growth America’s favorite accomplishments from 2012. This is the tenth of twelve installments.
In 2012, we spoke with people across the country who are using better development strategies to create great places. We highlighted towns and cities that are seeing new residents and businesses after years of decline. And we shared plans about new projects yet to be built. Here are a few of these Smart Growth Stories from 2012.
A Complete Streets workshop in Fairbanks, Alaska, in October.
We’re doing a special blog series highlighting some of Smart Growth America’s favorite accomplishments from 2012. This is the ninth of twelve installments.
In 2012, we helped communities across the country learn how to grow smarter through technical assistance workshops on a range of smart growth strategies.
In Eastport, ME, we provided a two day “Cool Planning” workshop in September that focused on helping the community find strategies for reducing its fossil fuel dependency to help Eastport create long-term strategies and bring down heating costs. Eastport’s City Council supports trying out new ideas, and new public-private partnerships are working to help make future development more sustainable. One of the newest partnerships has been with Thermal Efficiency: Eastport, a project focused on wintertime heating issues. Project staff worked with Smart Growth America during the workshop and is in the process of creating a report outlining recommendations for local development that will be submitted to the City.
We’re doing a special blog series highlighting some of Smart Growth America’s favorite accomplishments from 2012. This is the eighth of twelve installments.
In 2012, we joined together with colleagues and allies to learn from one another and work together on our common goals.
At the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, we talked about area-wide planning, the transportation debate in Congress, infill development in small cities, implementing Complete Streets, progressive trends in state transportation policy, how to turn transit-oriented development in to economic prosperity, and how to create political support for smart growth projects.
An architect’s rendering of the future Spectrum Health Services building. Image via Spectrum Health Services.
Cleaning up contaminated land – known to environmental regulators as “brownfields” – has a long list of health benefits as a result of cleaner air, water and soil. Now, a cleaned up brownfield site might fix your sprained ankle, too.
We’re doing a special blog series highlighting some of Smart Growth America’s favorite accomplishments from 2012. This is the seventh of twelve installments.
In 2012 Smart Growth America went to, worked with and spoke in dozens of towns across the country. It was great to meet the people in those places, and to learn how they’re using smart growth strategies to make their hometown better.
Downtown Lancaster, California. Photo courtesy of the City of Lancaster.
A Complete Streets approach helped Lancaster, California revitalize its commercial core and win the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2012 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement for Overall Excellence.
After decades of decline, the city’s downtown, centered on Lancaster Boulevard, had become home to rising crime and unemployment rates. Automobiles regularly travelled at speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour, and many of the intersections were controlled by traffic signals. Residents believed that the street was dangerous to cross and unpleasant to walk and shop along.