Why Is Rhode Island Building New Roads When Its Current Roads Are Falling Apart?

Rhode Island has built far more highways than it can afford to maintain. So why on earth is it building another one?

#NoNewRoads, Infrastructure, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnAugust 15, 2022End Highway Expansion, highways, highway spending, maintenance, Maintenance, Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure cult, Nero Project, Rhode Island, DOT, #NoNewRoads, roads

“Bias Writ Large” in the Property Tax Assessment System

There are some obvious anomalies that are being overlooked in the property tax assessment system. Joe Minicozzi of Urban3 pulls back the curtain in this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast.

One of the Most Dangerous Assumptions We Have Made

Car crashes aren’t the result of mere human error or recklessness, they’re the result of design. Beth Osborne of Transportation for America digs into this in our latest podcast episode.

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, #SlowtheCars, Top StoryStrong TownsAugust 1, 2022Podcast, podcast, car crash, Safe and Productive Streets, cars, car culture, traffic engineering, safety, #SlowTheCars

The Drip, Drip, Drip of Traffic Deaths

40,000 people die in automobile accidents every year in the United States. So why aren’t we responding to this obvious problem with more urgency?

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, Top Story, #SlowtheCarsStrong TownsJuly 18, 2022Podcast, podcast, car crash, Safe and Productive Streets, cars, car culture, traffic engineering, safety, #SlowTheCars

For Those Who Wish We’d Talk About Climate Change More

Progress on climate change can and will come if we use a bottom-up approach to changing our development pattern.

Environment, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnJuly 13, 2022bottom-up, top-down, climate, Climate Change, environment, strong towns approach, development pattern

My Letter to the Minnesota Board of Engineering Licensure

Tomorrow, the Minnesota board of engineering licensure will hold a hearing to determine what final action, if any, they will take against the Strong Towns movement.

Engineering Reform, Engineering Profession, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnJuly 11, 2022engineering ethics, engineering profession

Here’s Why We Respond in Force to One Amtrak Crash While Ignoring Thousands of Daily Car Crashes

A top-down approach to addressing accidents fails to make streets safer. A local approach could change that.

Majora Carter: Reclaiming Your Community

In this interview with author Majora Carter, she explains an empowering truth: that you don’t have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one.

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, Top Story, NeighborhoodsStrong TownsJune 20, 2022Podcast, podcast, books, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, neighborhood change, neighborhood revitalization, New York, community, Community

Streets Are for Building Community Wealth. Here’s Why That’s So Important.

Streets can be about many things, but unless they are building wealth for the community, they won’t survive. Period.

Economic Development, Marohn, Roads and Streets, Top StoryCharles MarohnJune 20, 2022finance, local finance, public finance, municipal finance, economic growth, economics, Economy, streets

Nolan Gray: Exposing the Arbitrariness of Zoning Codes

This week on the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck Marohn talks with Nolan Gray about his new book, in which he shows why zoning reform is necessary for building stronger towns and cities.

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, Zoning, Top StoryStrong TownsJune 13, 2022Podcast, zoning, podcast, books

We're Advocating for Safe and Productive Streets

It’s high time that we start building streets that prioritize safety and community over throughput of traffic.

#SlowtheCars, Marohn, Membership, Roads and Streets, Top StoryCharles MarohnJune 6, 2022Safe and Productive Streets, #SlowTheCars, streets, Street Design, member drive, design, Safety, safety, memweek strategic plan series

Mike McGinn: Making America More Walkable

This week on the Strong Towns Podcast, host Chuck Marohn gets to talk with Mike McGinn, executive director of America Walks.

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, Top Story, WalkabilityStrong TownsMay 23, 2022Podcast, walkability, America Walks, Mike McGinn

I'm Retiring From the Engineering Profession

To protect our advocacy work against future harassment from the Minnesota licensing board, Strong Towns President Charles Marohn is retiring as a professional engineer.

Engineering Reform, Engineering Profession, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnMay 23, 2022engineering profession, engineering ethics

When Libertarians Support Highway Expansions

A recent Reason Foundation newsletter thinks that Strong Towns is against all highways. We’re not. We’re against all highway expansion—and you should be, too.

#NoNewRoads, Infrastructure, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnMay 16, 2022Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure maintenance, highways, freeway widening, freeways, politics, #NoNewRoads

This Vancouver-Based Artist Is Writing Music…About Building Strong Towns!

We’ve seen a lot of fascinating takes on the Strong Towns approach, but this none quite like this musical take.

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsMay 9, 2022Podcast, strong towns approach, Economic Gardening, arts, localism

A Minnesota Judge Throws the Book at Immoral Tax Assessments

This case shows why local governments need to do a better job accounting for maintenance costs.

Finance, Infrastructure, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnMay 9, 2022maintenance, finance, local finance, municipal finance, Assessments, local government, infrastructure maintenance, Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure cost, Minnesota, Law

Chuck Marohn Answers Your Questions

It’s time once again to sit down and answer some of the great questions we’ve gotten over at the Strong Towns Action Lab.

Podcast, Action Lab, Marohn, ST Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsMay 2, 2022Podcast, Strong Towns Community, Action Lab, strong towns approach

Why Transportation Nudges Are Stupid

Marketing campaigns to shame or shock don't change driver behavior. Changing the environment they drive in will.

#SlowtheCars, Marohn, Transportation, Top StoryCharles MarohnMay 2, 2022Safety, safety, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, car culture, car crash, transportation, #SlowTheCars, pedestrians

Ryan Crane: Malpractice and Accountability in Engineering—A Surgeon's Take

When a patient dies, doctors review if and how their own actions led to that patient’s death. Shouldn’t engineers be doing the same, when people die in car crashes?