Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Smart Growth America

Report Offers Better Ways to Cut Traffic from New Development

By Angie Schmitt | Oct 17, 2018 | 4 Comments

What if instead of requiring developers to add parking or widen roads, we asked them to do things that discouraged driving and car ownership? That's what Smart Growth America recommends.

Here’s How 45 Firms Explained Why They’re Moving Downtown

By Katie Pearce | Jun 18, 2015 | 6 Comments

Two or three decades ago, the standard criteria for choosing an office location was often, “Where does the boss live?” says land use strategist Christopher Leinberger. And the boss inevitably lived in a car-oriented suburb. But the tide’s been shifting for a while now, with more American companies ditching suburban office parks for downtown locations. In 2013, Zappo’s […]

Calculating the Big Impact of Sprawl on Cities’ Bottom Line

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 8, 2015 | 5 Comments

When someone builds a new home, does it make the city stronger and more fiscally sound? Or does it drain public resources? The answer depends a lot on where it’s sited and, more specifically, where it lies in relation to other homes and businesses. Smart Growth America has developed a fiscal impact model that helps predict how developments […]

Making the Case for Complete Streets

By Angie Schmitt | Mar 25, 2015 | 3 Comments

Redesigning streets to make room for people is a no brainer. “Complete streets” projects that calm traffic and provide safe space for walking and biking save money, reduce crashes and injuries, and improve economic outcomes. Need further convincing? Smart Growth America has done some number crunching, looking at the impact of 37 complete streets projects from communities across the […]

The Most Dangerous Places to Walk in America

By Angie Schmitt | May 20, 2014 | 2 Comments

Walking should be the healthiest, most natural activity in the world. It is, after all, one of the first things humans learn to do. But in far too many places, walking can be fatal, thanks to roads designed for speeding cars. In 2012, 4,743 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic collisions in the U.S., and […]

Smart Growth America: Sprawl Shaves Years Off Your Life

By Tanya Snyder | Apr 2, 2014 | 18 Comments

Want to live a long, healthy, prosperous life? Don’t live in sprawlsville. Atlanta, I’m looking at you. Nashville, you too. Southern California’s Inland Empire: ouch. Meanwhile, break out the bubbly if you live in Atlantic City, Urbana/Champaign, or Santa Cruz — which all rank close to giants like New York and San Francisco as some of […]

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