Redesigning Slow Streets to reflect community & culture in East Oakland

The City of Oakland worked with artist Jonathan Brumfield to pilot a solution for more aesthetically pleasing, sturdy Oakland Slow Streets barricades that better reflect East Oakland culture and still support safe distancing while traveling and exercising during the pandemic.

Creative Placemaking Uncategorized

Five stories about artists helping to solve COVID-19 transportation challenges

Facing incredible challenges during the pandemic, the creative practices of artists have helped five transportation agencies better respond to the rapidly changing demands related to public space, getting around safely, mask wearing, social distancing, and communicating about rules and regulations changing daily.

Creative Placemaking Uncategorized

Meet the artists taking on COVID-19 transportation challenges

Graphic including map of US with photos of five artist.
Smart Growth America is excited to announce the selection of five artists for our Arts & Transportation Rapid Response initiative. These five artists will be working in tandem with five local transportation agencies to design and implement projects that address pandemic-related transportation challenges and systemic inequities.

Creative Placemaking Transportation Uncategorized

Arts & Transportation Rapid Response FAQ

Smart Growth America is now accepting applications for the Arts & Transportation Rapid Response, a new opportunity for cities looking to creatively and quickly address pandemic-related transportation challenges. Interested jurisdictions may apply using the form below. We’ll be hosting a webinar about the opportunity and the application on Thursday, May 14 from 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

Creative Placemaking

Cities have been opening streets to people, and artists could help make them better

Select cities are responding to COVID-19 and stay-at-home restrictions by opening up streets to people, providing vital room for people to safely exercise as well as walk, bike, and roll to essential destinations while maintaining physical distancing. Smart Growth America is eager to help cities tap the expertise of artists and designers for this work, which can help produce better, more beloved projects that could remain after the pandemic, and foster helpful relationships between artists, city leaders, and transportation departments.

Complete Streets Creative Placemaking Transportation

ACT Fellows learn from local leaders in the Twin Cities


Transportation for America believes in hands-on learning from experienced practitioners. And we put that belief into practice through programs like our Arts, Culture and Transportation (ACT) Fellowship, supported by the Kresge Foundation, where we have been able to take our fellows to different communities to experience first-hand the power of arts and culture to produce better transportation systems.

Creative Placemaking Transportation

Bringing art and culture to the street


Ames, Iowa made national headlines this fall for painting rainbow crosswalks and then ignoring a request from USDOT to remove them. The incident highlights one way outdated federal guidelines prevent communities from making their streets safer and more pleasant with art and culture. But there are other ways for communities to add some color to streets while improving safety without running afoul of the feds.

Complete Streets Creative Placemaking Transportation