Springfield Gets Started on Fixing State Street

City leaders in Springfield, MA, recently started a project to calm traffic on State Street, one of the city’s deadliest places for walkers and bikers.

City Wants To Transform 14-Mile-Long Stroad

This vital corridor in El Paso is getting a makeover!

Champion of People-Centered Streets Brings Strong Towns Approach to Congress

Strong Towns advocates are pushing for safe and productive streets…including in Congress!

Federal Government, Stange, Success Story, Video, Top StoryJay StangeJuly 7, 2022Congress, federal government, politics, Jake Auchincloss, success, success stories

Seven Stroads That Have Been Converted to Streets

There are thousands of stroad sections in the US. Transforming a good number of them is important to to the goal of improving quality of life and mobility in cities and towns.

Road Diet Seven Years in the Making—Was It Worth Every Minute?

This would-be simple road diet project faced an unexpected amount of pushback, and ended up taking seven years and a lot of money to complete. Was it worth the hassle?

#SlowtheCars, Engagement, Roads and Streets, Top StoryJay StangeJune 22, 2022road diet, Road Diet, STROADS, Street Design, streets, #SlowTheCars, Connecticut, success, success stories, public engagement, community engagement

Oregon Nears Green Light for Big Parking Reform

Oregon’s statewide land use board declared its support Thursday for rules that, among other things, reduce or remove parking mandates in 53 jurisdictions in the state’s eight largest metro areas.

Local Government, Parking, Top StoryMichael AndersenJune 21, 2022success, success stories, Oregon, Parking, parking minimums, parking landing page, parking maximums, minimum parking requirements, Land Use, local government, state government, End Parking Mandates and Subsidies

Freeway-Fighting Tide Has Turned

The halting of three in-city freeway expansions highlights a new momentum on reversing the damage of highways through urban areas.

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Community Design for Stronger Towns

Ann Zadeh is a Strong Towns member, former city councilwoman, and community design leader in Fort Worth, TX.

This “Homegrown Project” Offers a Place To Thrive for Small Business Owners

These pop-up shops in Berwyn, IL, are a great example of how communities can provide low-cost, low-risk spaces for local business owners to get their foot in the door.

Incrementalism, Sheppard, Success Story, Top StorySeairra SheppardJune 14, 2022pop-up, small business, local business, incremental, incrementalism, Illinois, business, localism, small bets, success, success stories

Stanwood Mulls Strong Towns-Style Main Street Makeover

This small town is considering overhauling its main street to embrace walkability and good old-fashioned main street urbanism.

Success Story, Urban Design, Top StoryDoug TrummJune 13, 2022Washington, Small Towns, downtown, main street, Traditional Main Street, revitalization, walkability, urbanism, success, success stories, rural

Pedal Power Needs People Power

Here’s two stories about powerful local action that Strong Towns members are taking to make their places more bike friendly.

Bikeability, Membership, Herriges, Success Story, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 9, 2022bikeability, bike share, bikes, biking, bike infrastructure, member drive, member testimonials, membership, success, success stories, colorado, Pennsylvania

CDOT Cancels Highway Expansion Plans

In a moment to be celebrated, CDOT cancels highway expansion plans, stating they "have no money" to add vehicle capacity to I-25.

#NoNewRoads, Sheppard, Success Story, Transportation, Top StorySeairra SheppardMay 24, 2022transportation, transportation spending, highways, highway spending, freeway widening, freeways, colorado, success, success stories, #NoNewRoads

Cracking the Code on Fighting Highway Expansion Projects

When a highway expansion threatened to destroy a historic Black neighborhood in New Orleans, this advocate spoke out against it. Here’s how she made herself heard.

#NoNewRoads, Infrastructure, Success Story, Top StoryAmy StellyMay 18, 2022highways, freeway widening, freeway removal, freeways, urban freeways, Louisiana, New Orleans, success, success stories, #NoNewRoads, Infrastructure, infrastructure

The Magic of Legacy Shops Comes Back to Life in Buffalo

If you live in a city or town with old, abandoned storefronts, this one’s for you!

Neighborhoods, Small Scale Developers, Success Story, Top StoryBernice RadleMay 17, 2022business, small business, local business, coffee shops, New York, small-scale developers, traditional development pattern, mixed use, success, success stories

The Village of Providence and Its Supposedly Impossible Stuff

You might not guess by looking, but this traditional neighborhood development is an employment powerhouse.

Economic Development, Neighborhoods, Success Story, Top StorySteve MouzonApril 11, 2022Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, mixed use, traditional development pattern, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, alabama, success, success stories, business, local business

Vernacular Is Beautiful—If We Would Just Allow It

The work of this small-scale developer shows why cities shouldn’t be so restrictive about building in their own vernacular.

Architecture, Neighborhoods, Small Scale Developers, Top StoryMatthew RobareMarch 21, 2022zoning, South Carolina, small-scale developers, architecture, aesthetics, small scale development, success, success stories, Neighborhoods, neighborhood, developers, Development, development

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Designing Homes that Work for Everyone

Rosemarie Rossetti is an author, speaker, and leader in the field of universal design.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Taking Action, Top StoryStrong TownsMarch 17, 2022taking action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, incrementalism, success, success stories, Podcast, podcast, disability, Disability, aging in place

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is... A Special Update Episode

Wondering what our past podcast guests are up to? We checked in with four of them to hear about their progress.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Taking Action, Top StoryStrong TownsMarch 10, 2022taking action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, incrementalism, success, success stories, Podcast, podcast

"We Require WAY Too Much Parking"

This Strong Towns member saw a huge problem with the parking minimums in his city—and decided to do something about it.

Native American New Urbanism: How America's Poorest County Created a Vision for the Future of Cities

This nonprofit has created a template for what a 21st-century, regenerative community could look like; one that asks us what we really want for our future—and means it.

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