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Communities across the U.S. are facing unprecedented challenges to meet the mobility, housing, and social needs of their residents, often struggling to do so with limited funding, staffing, and government support. Local elected officials serve not only to help navigate these challenges but to champion their community’s vision of a more healthy, prosperous, and resilient future. Smart Growth America works with these champions to find solutions to communities’ most pressing needs.

Smart Growth America recently wrapped up its 2025 Champions Institute. For over three months, I had the privilege to work with 14 local elected officials to develop their skills and knowledge around Complete Streets. These individuals, each busy with the responsibilities of their office—and for many, day jobs as well—showed up to actively participate in virtual sessions by sharing their experiences, cheering on their peers, and being open to learning from national experts on new strategies to implement in their communities. One thing quickly became clear to me—as communities face increasingly compounding challenges in transportation, housing, civic and social engagement, and more, these local elected officials are serving as stalwart champions for the overall future of the places they call home and the neighbors they represent.  

Now is the time to step up

Mayors, city council members, and other elected officials can leave their mark on a community in a myriad of ways. From the policies they enact to the projects they fund, these individuals bear a huge responsibility in determining their communities future. But they also have the ability to shape the places they lead in less tangible ways. They often serve as ambassadors of their community to state and federal government, provide encouragement and guidance to city staff, and act as important allies to advocates on a wide range of issues.  As chaos and uncertainty reigns over funding, policies, and priorities at the federal level, these local leaders can offer some level of continuity and provide steadfast direction for local efforts. 

Complete Streets need local leadership

Like so many issues facing communities, Complete Streets and transportation need strong, local leadership. There are a variety of ways we see elected officials standing with and standing for safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable ways to travel through their communities:

-Highlighting necessary changes and bringing swift action. Elected officials can lend their voice and their position to the lived experience of those they represent. This can look like taking part in walk audits, joining bike buses, or regularly using non-motorized transportation for their own daily lives. Armed with these firsthand experiences and community connections, they can call for and implement the changes that need to happen to make sure people walking, biking, and taking transit have the systems they need to make it safe and convenient.

-Challenging outdated norms at the state and federal level. State and federal policies can at times be in conflict with strategies a community knows are needed. Local elected officials can work with state legislative partners to push back on unnecessary preemption or find opportunities to collaborate on joint projects. Showing up in Washington, DC to share their experiences can unlock important policy or funding decisions.

-Finding opportunities for progress. It’s easy to keep doing things the way they have always been done. A local elected official can be a catalyst for doing things differently, whether it’s signing a strong Complete Streets policy or challenging existing practices around quick-build demonstrations. That momentum and energy gives a boost to advocates and city staff who might otherwise feel on their own.

Recognizing and supporting local champions

Local leaders are in a position to see the real-life consequences of outdated transportation systems—which means they can be the first to act. As pedestrian fatalities rise and communities across the country call for safer, healthier ways to get around, the role of local government in driving transportation reform has never been more critical. Smart Growth America is proud to stand with these changemakers, offering tools, training, and a national network of support. In a challenging political climate, the path forward demands courage, collaboration, and persistence—and that’s exactly what we see in communities leading the way. There’s not just an opportunity to keep advancing this work—there’s an urgent need to do so.