Smart Growth America

🌟 Calling All Strategic Thinkers! 🌟 We're looking for a consultant to help us craft a strategic plan to guide and inspire our work over the next three years! More details about the opportunity and how to apply ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gpaxwMRq We hope to create a plan that unifies our organization’s goals and provides a roadmap to continue to advocate for change happen. If you're passionate about creating strategic plans that foster organizational impact, reach out and help us shape a bold and flexible path forward!

High-speed designs deprioritize those walking, biking, or rolling, making our roads #dangerousbydesign for everyone but drivers. In order to better protect those outside of cars on our streets, road designs must prioritize #safetyoverspeed. Learn more in this blog post by Jaibin M. ⤵ https://lnkd.in/ekucyPha Current federal spending often leads to road expansion, which increases congestion and emissions. Federal dollars should fund road designs that save lives, not ones that encourage speeding. It’s not enough to lower speed limits—roadways must be redesigned to encourage slower, safer driving. Federal and local policies must focus on creating roads that serve everyone safely, not just vehicle efficiency.

Last year, we helped advance equitable zoning reform and affordable housing development in the Westside community of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Check out this report that outlines how the city can continue to create a brighter future for its residents ⤵ https://lnkd.in/dMkJZ5qY

In order to meet our emissions reduction targets, we need to rethink our transportation and land use system. Check out this resource from Transportation For America that shares strategies for zero-emission fleet transition that work in concert with smart growth: https://lnkd.in/dhznfwMu

Our friends at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) worked with StoryCorps to capture stories of community members across the U.S. who have been impacted by divisive infrastructure. Check out the collection of stories from people working to transform the places they call home ➡ https://lnkd.in/gwB_nfVY Stories like these help remind us that community-led change, with support from federal and local governments, can reconnect communities harmed by transit or other development projects, so that residents can thrive on their own terms. 

We worked with CityHealth to create a Policy Action Guide that helps local agencies measure the impacts of #Complete Streets projects once they are implemented. Learn more about the guide in this explainer video created by See In Colors ⤵ https://lnkd.in/duhTC7R5

📢 Last call for applications to do contract work that supports our Climate and Land Use work at SGA! We're looking for someone with an understanding of the connections between land use, housing, climate adaptation, and transportation! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eKWnGHhq

Join us for the final session of the #CompleteStreets Webinar Series with Nashville Department of Transportation! Our Senior Program Manager of Thriving Communities, DUSTIN ROBERTSON, is hosting! Register here ⤵ https://lnkd.in/erk5RrNi We've been energized by these conversations about how Complete Streets can prioritize safety, mobility, and community needs—regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. Hope to see you there! 📅 Date: October 29, 2024 ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (EST) 💻 Location: Virtual

As our country faces a growing backlog of infrastructure repairs, it’s time to prioritize fixing what we have before building new. It’s crucial to shift our focus from expansion to maintenance. Check out this blog from London Weier, that shares practical examples of how states are applying #FixitFirst policies, saving money, and ensuring more equitable outcomes: https://lnkd.in/eb7-cf5S

It's more important than ever for local governments to make wise, sustainable investments in their communities. Our guide "Using Smart Growth to Make Fiscally Healthy Places" shows how adopting smart growth principles can not only enhance quality of life but also build long-term fiscal resilience. 👉 Check out the guide here: https://lnkd.in/ef4CSVM7 At Smart Growth America, we believe that prioritizing compact development, investing in existing infrastructure, and focusing on walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods can reduce the financial burden on taxpayers while fostering vibrant, economically thriving places.