In an effort to reduce pedestrian fatalities, Virginia lawmakers passed a bill that would allow municipalities to drop speed limits in business districts as low as 15 mph. In most states, cities and counties can’t impose speed limits lower than 25 mph. But as pedestrian fatalities remain a stubborn problem, lower speed limits are gaining…To read more — login/subscribe
New York’s Central Park and Chicago’s Grant Park are just two examples of large-scale green spaces that meet the needs of a wide-range of community members. But what to do if you have limited public space downtown, or limited funds? Small-scale pocket parks are one answer. These small parks provide a welcome respite and often…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtowns have long struggled with crime and homelessness, but those problems have intensified in recent years. Homeless populations have soared, drug overdoses have spiked, and organized shoplifting has mushroomed. Now, downtown leaders are coalescing around the idea that lenient laws, indifferent enforcement, and drug decriminalization bear much of the blame for a crime wave in…To read more — login/subscribe
Home to the Mayo Clinic and a global destination for health and wellness, the City of Rochester, MN, is offering business development grants to help local companies adapt to the pandemic. The city and the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency have announced $100,000 in grant funds to help small businesses and organizations that are…To read more — login/subscribe
In an effort to remove chronic troublemakers from its resurgent downtown entertainment district, the city of Las Vegas, NV (est. pop. 646,790), approved an “order-out corridor” in November. The policy seeks to cut crime by banning offenders who commit misdemeanors downtown from returning to the area to wreak more havoc. The Las Vegas City Council…To read more — login/subscribe
Bike share, e-scooters, and other micromobility vehicles are growing in popularity across North America — fully 157 million trips were recorded in the U.S. and Canada in 2023, according to a new analysis by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). NACTO’s Shared Micromobility in the U.S. and Canada: 2023 report finds record-breaking ridership…To read more — login/subscribe
Paducah, KY (est. pop. 24,894), is offering incentives to lure remote workers to town. Paducah, a folk arts hub and a UNESCO Creative City, joins other small and mid-sized cities in wooing white-collar workers by offering cash stipends and other bounties. Paducah’s program includes cash reimbursements for relocation costs and Internet services, as well as…To read more — login/subscribe
T-Mobile continues to provide grants to small and midsized cities as part of its Hometown Grants program. The mobile carrier recently released details about its latest round of 25 grant winners. The awards of up to $50,000 went to recipients around the country with a wide variety of ideas. One theme: All the winners are…Continue reading
A series of public art projects — including an innovative lighting installation in a formerly dreary underpasses — has helped Lynn, MA (est. pop. 94,300), shake off its malaise. The initiative, known as Lynn Lights, garnered media attention and won praise from groups such as the Center for Community Progress. Lynn was once known as…To read more — login/subscribe
Little Estes Park, CO (est. pop. 6,248), sees far more vehicle traffic than most towns its size. As a gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park gets 4.5 million visitors a year, most of them crammed into a tourist season from mid-May through October. “We have such intense traffic congestion,” says Vanessa Solesbee, parking…To read more — login/subscribe
