How to redesign your city’s most dangerous streets to save the most lives 

Far too many people walking, biking, and waiting for the bus die on North America’s streets. They don’t have to. Proven tools—from safer speed limit setting to safer street designs—have proven to save lives, and can quickly stem America’s traffic safety crisis. Here’s how.

Complete Streets Transportation

Using smart growth to make fiscally healthy places

Leaders of every community—big metropolis and small town alike—strive to foster economic growth and prosperity. Regardless of party or ideology, every elected official prefers the choice of lowering taxes or increasing services compared to the reverse. A growing economy and tax base make that easier to achieve, and so most local policies are intended to … Continued

Economic development

Seeking state DOTs and local communities for Complete Streets Leadership Academies 

Applications are now open for up to three state Complete Streets Leadership Academies. These free technical assistance programs are designed to help state DOTs and local communities work together to put Complete Streets into practice…

Complete Streets DOT Innovation Transportation

We want to see what your streets look like

Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. So we’re asking you to show us your dangerous streets (or ones that have been designed safely!) With the latest report of Dangerous by Design coming out this summer, we want to see what the roads look like outside of your home — are they stroads? Have safe crossings? Bike lanes non-existent? What about it makes you feel safe or unsafe? Take a video or photo of the place you live or work and share it with us. 

Complete Streets

Smart Growth America’s Equity Forum: Upending Cultural Displacement

Smart Growth America’s Equity Forum: Upending Cultural Displacement on July 13, 2022 is a continuation of our year-round equity programming—anchored by the Equity Summit programming focused on advancing racial equity through smart growth. Our speakers will share their unique stories and key strategies to assist advocates, planners, developers, and elected officials in better understanding and mitigating the various forms of cultural displacement affecting communities across the country.

Events

Host a class on form-based codes in your community!

Drum roll please…We are delighted to announce that the Form-Based Codes Institute’s (FBCI) highly popular classes are once again available to be hosted in-person! FBCI, a program of Smart Growth America, invites state and municipal government agencies, regional councils, and other land use and development organizations to host a class this summer or fall. Classes are designed to bring planning professionals and community leaders up to speed on the principles, key elements, adoption, and administration of form-based zoning codes.

Form-Based Codes

LOCUS Member Spotlight: Cathy Sloss Jones

Latin for “place,” LOCUS is a national network of real estate developers, investors, and professionals, united to advance equitable, walkable urban development in communities across the country. Together LOCUS members work to increase funding and financing for smart growth development; improve regulations at all levels of government to support smart growth; and change federal programs … Continued

LOCUS

Smart Growth Fiscal Impact Analysis (short paper)

Introduction Leaders of every community, big city, or small municipality, whether they’re in a major metropolitan area or a rural area, strive to foster economic growth and prosperity. They want good jobs, successful local businesses, and ideally, for municipal resources to grow faster than the costs of existing programs. Regardless of party or ideology, every … Continued

Economic development

Six systemic barriers that led to inequitable COVID-19 responses

While the intent of the COVID-19 emergency-response projects across the country was to retrofit our built and living environments to serve the changing needs and “new normals” generated by the pandemic, people’s experiences navigating their community varied widely. This is the second post in our series profiling findings from our recently released field scan, Shared … Continued

Complete Streets Resilience Transportation