After nearly 20 years of service, Gov. Parris Glendening begins transition from Smart Growth America, starting new role as senior advisor

Smart Growth America President & CEO Calvin Gladney and Governor Parris Glendening jointly announced that the former Maryland Governor and current President of the Smart Growth America Leadership Institute will be transitioning out of his current role at SGA, while staying on as a senior advisor for the next year.

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Request for proposals: Grant reporting for the Southern Rail Commission

Transportation for America (T4A), a program of Smart Growth America, supports the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) to promote passenger rail  connecting Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana to each other and the broader nation. As part of this work, the SRC was awarded several planning and construction grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for both passenger rail stations and capital improvements to support better intercity passenger service along the Gulf Coast.  T4A currently manages these grants for SRC and is seeking support for grant reporting.

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Creating a new space for ideas on the public realm and the role of placemaking in civic life

COVID-19 has forced community leaders, planners, and placemakers to reconsider the value of shared spaces to every aspect of public life. Our new Public Realm Learning Journeys are bringing together leaders from three cities to learn what it takes to create and maintain public spaces that are attractive, safe, accessible to everyone, and meaningfully contributing … Continued

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Smart Growth America and LOCUS veteran tapped to serve the Biden-Harris administration in the U.S. Department of Transportation

Smart Growth America is pleased to share the exciting but bittersweet news that Christopher Coes, Smart Growth America vice president of land use and development and Director of SGA’s LOCUS coalition of real estate developers and investors, has been selected by the Biden-Harris administration to serve in the U.S. Department of Transportation as Principal Deputy … Continued

LOCUS

Congress’ COVID relief is welcome, but “must simply be a downpayment, with more help on the way”

Late last night, after months of fruitless negotiations and inaction, Congress finally passed a $900-billion COVID relief package at the same time as a $1.4-trillion omnibus appropriations bill to fund the government through the end of the FY 21 fiscal year. Congress’ actions are a good start, but America needs more in order to survive and bounce back from this health and economic crisis. This bill must simply be a downpayment, with more help on the way.

Advocacy LOCUS Transportation

How the Biden administration can make immediate strides on climate and racial equity

Smart Growth America, along with some of our programs, identified immediate executive actions and long-term policy changes that the incoming Biden administration can implement to eliminate structural inequities and address catastrophic global climate change.

Advocacy Climate Change Complete Streets Economic development LOCUS Transportation

State safety targets show need for Congress to further prioritize safety

Cyclists queue at a stop sign.

For decades, state departments of transportation have treated pedestrian and cyclists fatalities like weather events: something that increases simply as people drive more, putting these deaths outside of the control of DOTs. But with COVID-19 proving this to be false, it’s past time for state DOTs to implement performance measures to reduce the number of people killed while walking or biking. Here’s our comparison of state safety targets.

Complete Streets

21 elected officials selected to champion Active People, Healthy Nation in communities across the country

Today, we are proud to announce the selection of 21 local elected officials to join the inaugural class of the Active People, Healthy Nation℠  Champions Institute. Over the course of six months, these leaders will receive comprehensive training to help them become champions in their communities to promote activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations.

Complete Streets Technical assistance Transportation

Apply today: Champions Institute

Picture of a temporary traffic circle in South Bend, IN
Smart Growth America (SGA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity are now accepting applications for the Champions Institute, a new initiative for elected officials focused on safe streets and healthy communities. The Champions Institute will serve to prepare mayors, city council people, tribal representatives, and other local elected-officials to act as champions supporting plans, policies, and funding that promote activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations.

Complete Streets Technical assistance