We’ve always said that “you measure what you treasure” and the limited, incomplete data about the deaths of people walking suggest that it’s simply not a crisis that our nation cares about. But that doesn’t need to be the end of the story. Here are some specific recommendations to bring things out of the dark ages and into the modern age, while making it clear that reducing these deaths is a top priority for transportation agencies at all levels.
On July 9th, 2024, Smart Growth America and partners engaged the Future of Transportation Caucus and the Office of Senator John Fetterman on the importance of creating a transportation system that is safe for all users.
In urban planning and development, transit station areas are the unsung heroes shaping our cities. By examining the period from the Great Recession of 2007-2009 through the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2023, a recent report offers invaluable insights on how transit-oriented development can transform our urban landscapes.
Recently, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an SGA partner, released their Blueprint for a Better Region for the Washington, DC metropolitan area—a stellar example of the important work being done on the ground, one that can be replicated in communities across the country.
LOCUS, SGA’s coalition of triple-bottom-line real estate developers and investors, is proud to announce three new priorities. Created in partnership with the LOCUS steering committee, these new priorities will guide the future of LOCUS’s advocacy efforts. LOCUS is a long-time leader in advocacy efforts to advance transit-oriented development and leveraging infrastructure investment to support housing … Continued
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 … Continued
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. … Continued
Co-authored by Joseph Mendonca Millions of people across the U.S. now experience extreme heat every year—facing threats to their health, well-being, and financial security. As climate change is only making extreme heat even worse, inaction cannot be an option and communities must work together to mitigate its effects. Through strategic land use and by using … Continued
Co-authored by Joseph Mendonca Together with the Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE), Smart Growth America has been raising awareness about the compounding effects of climate change, including the interactions between extreme heat, the built environment, pre-existing health conditions, and social inequalities in Atlanta, Georgia. In southwest Atlanta, PSE and SGA interviewed residents, activists, and climate … Continued
The state DOTs in California and North Carolina have found innovative ways to manage and maintain Complete Streets projects.