In Defense of Dumb Cities

Investing in a supposedly “smart” future won’t overcome the failure to get the “dumb” stuff right. The former mayor of Seattle explains.

Off-duty police officer, mother of 2, killed helping elderly woman cross the street. Just another pedestrian killed.

We’ve long accepted a base level of carnage on our streets. But we should stop describing these as random “accidents.” They are the inevitable outcome of our chosen approach to building cities.

#SlowtheCars, #NoNewRoads, Walkability, Top StoryCharles MarohnJanuary 16, 2020pedestrian safety, STROADS, safety, auto-oriented, walkability

Can Removing Lanes From a Busy Street Actually Make Traffic Better?

A deep, dredged ship canal is a recipe for catastrophic flooding in a hurricane, whereas a coastal marsh absorbs the surge of water in a way that lets life continue to flourish. This analogy has something important to teach us about urban streets.

Roads and Streets, #SlowtheCars, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesApril 18, 2019road diet, congestion, grid, STROADS, traffic engineering

Residential Moats: Greater Rochester's Elmwood Avenue

Wide, fast avenues through residential areas act as moats. They divide residents from jobs, resources, and each other, and harm cities’ prosperity and quality of life. Here’s one example of such a “moat.”

Horbovetz, Top Story, #SlowtheCarsArian HorbovetzJanuary 4, 2019#PedestrianUnfriendly, pedestrian crossing, STROADS, Rochester

The Inertia of Lines on Paper

Decades ago, we decided where roads will go. Whether it makes sense or not today, that is where they must go.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 8, 2018STROADS, transportation spending, #OrderlyButDumb

It’s Legal to Run Lights... and Other Things You Might Not Know About Cycling

Myth busting time: that infuriating thing you saw a bicyclist do the other day? They were probably doing it for a reason, that reason probably had to do with safety, and it might not have been against the law after all.

Byron, Bikeability, Top StoryAubrey ByronSeptember 11, 2018STROADS, bicycling, Safety, bike lanes, page highlight

How Zoning Codes Reinforce Car Dependency

A look at how regulations shape land use in Marietta, Georgia illustrates a vicious cycle: when your zoning code is premised on car-dependency, car-dependency becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Zoning, Top Story, Transportation, ParkingAntonio GrañaAugust 23, 2018Cobb County, Georgia, STROADS, parking minimums, auto-oriented

Safety For Whom?

A Strong Towns member’s original research on where pedestrians are and are not hit by vehicles in his city of Rockford, Illinois, makes clear that street design matters. A lot.

4 Reasons We Must Build Our Streets for People (Not Just Cars)

If we want a city that’s financially healthy, we need to cultivate human disorder, rather than do whatever we can to minimize it.

#SlowtheCars, WIlson, Transportation, Urban DesignKea WilsonMarch 21, 2018pedestrian safety, STROADS

Building for cars or building for people? 2 streets illustrate this distinct difference.

Once nearly identical, today two streets in this town have become radically different.

Success Story, Roads and StreetsJen KinneyMarch 12, 2018STROADS, stc elected

What's a STROAD and Why Does It Matter?

Show this video to anyone who needs a crash course in what makes our streets dangerous and how to make them safer and more financially productive.

#SlowtheCars, Top Story, Roads and Streets, VideoStrong TownsMarch 2, 2018STROADS

Strong Towns Concepts Used to Shine a Light on Dangerous Streets

By providing the language to explain why fast-moving "stroads" are so treacherous, we hope to empower cities to make them safer.

#SlowtheCars, Top StoryRachel QuednauFebruary 28, 2018STROADS, impact, pedestrian safety, page highlight

Time to get rid of the "Complete Streets or bust" mindset

You don't need a Complete Street in order to have a safe street.

#SlowtheCars, Top Story, Member Post, WalkabilityAlex BacaFebruary 23, 2018Complete Streets, STROADS

How to Turn a Stroad into a Street (or a Road)

Stroads are neither fast-moving roads nor productive, safe streets. But if you take these steps, you can turn them into something much better.

Marohn, Top Story, #SlowtheCars, Roads and StreetsCharles MarohnFebruary 15, 2018STROADS, stc ape

The True Cost of a Stroad

Here are 5 reasons to stop building stroads (street/road hybrids) and start building real community wealth.

Roads and Streets, #SlowtheCarsRachel QuednauFebruary 7, 2018STROADS, stc elected

Gross Negligence

In this hard-hitting four-part series, we examine the root cause of America's dangerously designed roads, which take tens of thousands of lives every year.