Rural communities in America vary across many dimensions including population and demographic trends, economic and health indicators, and others. Some communities have continued to thrive with improving quality of life and stable or growing economies, while others have experienced a long and slow decline. What is clear is that there are many strategies, including improving … Continued
Why should we invest in multimodal transportation for American rural communities and small towns? Click here to download the full report pdf. This report was developed with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802). The views presented in this product do not … Continued
When we set out to conduct this field scan of best practices in rural mobility from across the country, we didn’t have to start from scratch. The Smart Growth America team was able to reach out to many communities, old friends, and partners we have worked with in the past. In fact, thanks to our … Continued
CREATING CONNECTIONS IN MONTPELIER, VT Location: Montpelier, VT Population: 7,434 (2020) Typologies: Traditional main street Key takeaway: In small cities and rural areas, the effects of emergency situations like a global pandemic can hit especially hard. Finding ways to connect the community during crisis can be essential for resiliency in rural areas Vermont’s capital city, … Continued
QUALITY OF LIFE IS KEY IN RUSTON, LA Location: Ruston, LA Population: 21,987 (2020) Typologies: Retirement, second-home; Traditional main street; College Key takeaway: Ruston is implementing changes to their built environment to encourage walking and to connect their communities. These changes have enabled them, in spite of their distance from a large metropolitan area, to … Continued
OXFORD’S COMPLETE STREETS ADD ECONOMIC BENEFITS Location: Oxford, MS Population: 27,662 (2020) Typologies: Traditional main street community; College community. Key takeaway: Improving safety and comfort for people walking, biking, and rolling can improve not only the safety and enjoyment of people in a rural community but also the economy of the community. Oxford, MS, is … Continued
ERWIN’S THRIVING DOWNTOWN ACTIVITY CENTER Location: Erwin, TN Population: 5,910 (2020) Typologies: Retirement, second-home; Traditional main street; Edge Key takeaway: By focusing on attracting investment to its historic downtown, expanding broadband, and improving access to local amenities and commercial areas, Erwin has created a thriving downtown activity center, where residents can safely walk to the … Continued
EXCELSIOR SPRING RESILIENCY CAPABILITIES Location: Excelsior Springs, MO Population: 11,688 Typologies: Traditional main street; Edge Key takeaway: By applying a combination of strategies to support local businesses during a global health crisis, Excelsior Springs was able to minimize negative effects to their local economy, continue to attract visitors, and maintain the healthy, stable community that … Continued
PARIS TAILORS FIXED-ROUTE SERVICE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS Location: Paris, Texas Population: 24,814 (2020) Typology: Traditional Main Street community Key takeaway: Through community partnerships, Paris’s fixed-route service was kept affordable for residents, and was tailored to the needs of the sponsoring partners. Paris is a town of 25,000 people located in northeastern Texas along the border … Continued
CHILLICOTHE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Location: Chillicothe, OH Population: 21,668 (2020) Typologies: Traditional main street; Edge Key takeaway: Chillicothe’s process was successful because the decisions the city made were driven by and through the extensive community engagement that was conducted. This led the city to pursue a hybrid option of preserving the fixed-route service while also adding … Continued