Aligning with City and Regional Agendas

Sustainable streets and mobility projects must demonstrate how local actions can support and enhance city and regional goals.

Cities and regions may have documents that set large-scale priorities and agendas, directing and guiding how they want to grow, develop, or change over time. These documents may be prescriptive, or play a role of guidance, identifying long-term goals.

Streets constitute the largest percentage of public space in the city, space which must be organized to best serve the city’s population. Ensure local and regional governments integrate sustainable street design beyond their transportation policies and into their broader development goals.

Work with Multiple Constituents

Politicians
Politicians can be strong advocates for sustainable streets in their communities. Work with elected officials who play a strategic role in defining priorities and directing investment toward streets and transportation infrastructure.

Local Government Agencies
Coordinate with departments for transportation, urban planning, public health, development, construction, and sustainability to embed sustainable streets principles into their practices and decision making.

Regional and National Authorities
Engage with officials who set goals and priorities based on large-scale interests. They are able to keep the bigger picture in mind and see past political boundaries to set priorities at different scales; from regional and national transportation to environmental sustainability and social justice.

Private Practitioners and Researchers
Partner with private practitioners such as urban and transportation planners, urban designers, architects, and engineers, who can share their expertise and practical knowledge of innovative sustainable streets. Collaborate with academics and researchers to bring global best practices and processes to the table.

Advocacy Groups
Identify organized groups of citizens, nonprofit organizations, or associations focused on specific interests to provide important expertise and support for specific causes or users.

Local Communities
Engage citizens to learn about their expectations and concerns and gain crucial local knowledge about specific streets. Residents and informal groups should participate in the effort toward achieving sustainable streets.

Prioritize Areas in Need

City and regional agendas may identify the areas of most pressing need. These agendas can direct investment in sustainable streets and mobility options to areas where it can have the largest impact, and where particular strategies can help address specific challenges. These may be based on the following considerations:

Demographic Factors

Areas with high population densities, large numbers of residents or proportions of seniors, children, families, and people with disabilities.

Socioeconomic Factors
Communities with large proportions of disadvantaged populations such as those with low incomes, high unemployment rates, and low education levels.

Road Safety
Locations with the highest numbers of traffic fatalities and crashes.

Public Health
Areas with a high incidence of specific illnesses such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and other chronic diseases. Areas that are particularly polluted or close to heavy industrial sites.

Access and Mobility
Areas with poor transit access and gaps in pedestrian and cycle infrastructure. Areas with long commute times and high car-ownership rates, with lower demand for walking, cycling, or transit options.

Destinations
Areas with key destinations such as schools, hospitals, markets, open spaces, commercial corridors, and transit hubs.

Environmental Vulnerability
In some cases, investment is targeted toward areas that are particularly vulnerable to natural hazards and disasters such as coastal flooding, inundation, liquefaction, and mudslides.