If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. But if a mega-project doesn’t have the characteristics—massive public debt, heavy infrastructure burdens, dubious if any benefit for the surrounding area—that usually make such projects so odious, is it still a bad deal?
Read MoreWhen a small Massachusetts town made national news as its entire police force quit, it was easy to have preconceived notions about what the moral of the story must be. Then a reader from the town reached out to give us this far more nuanced and interesting explanation.
Read MoreHere are 3 reasons why drivers should be celebrating and championing bike lanes, not lamenting them.
Read MoreIs it magical thinking to expect the transition from car-dependent to walkable places to happen organically? When, and how, do we need a catalyst to jump-start that process?
Read MoreIt’s not just ride-hailed traffic that causes congestion; its all traffic. Singling out these app-based services for regulation takes transportation policy down a dead-end route.
Read MoreBy overemphasizing vehicle Level of Service (LOS) we justify expensive, overbuilt streets that are dangerously inhospitable to people—just so drivers won’t be inconvenienced during peak travel times.
Read MoreWant to connect with other Strong Towns advocates in your region? Good news: We’re launching a series of regional gatherings around the United States! The first will be this October in Plano, Texas.
Read MorePerhaps we should spend more time trying to understand and appreciate the humble, marginally better neighborhoods that are already tucked away in our cities. Here’s one such neighborhood in Lexington, Kentucky.
Read MoreAkron, Ohio’s subsidies for redevelopment of the failed Rolling Acres mall are a textbook case of the sunk cost fallacy: the tendency to examine new opportunities not on their own merit, but in the context of past investments.
Read MoreThis week, we shone a spotlight on the finances of Cobb County, Georgia, explored when building a parking garage might actually be a prudent move, dissected the meaning of “walkability,” and a longtime contributor argued that public engagement done wrong is not just pointless but actively harmful.
Read MoreCobb County, Georgia, has long been all-in on debt-fueled, unsustainable growth, and faces a tough road ahead as poverty grows and its ability to provide services declines. What are some rational responses to this predicament?
Read More“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”
Read MoreWe have chosen a rural life—who pays for our infrastructure? The short answer is: we don't have much of it, but we take care of our own needs. Strong towns require strong citizens: people who learn to take control of their lives and do for themselves things that are doable.
Read MoreToday we've got the video and audio from a recent Ask Strong Towns webcast conversation featuring President and founder Chuck Marohn and Communications Director Kea Wilson.
Read MoreCobb County, GA is a classic case of misplaced priorities. What could $400 million for a baseball stadium have achieved had it gone toward investing in citizens’ needs and achieving real wealth?
Read MoreHomeownership is supposed to be the path to wealth and a comfortable retirement, but for millions of Americans, it never was. One central reason is that we’ve embraced a development pattern in which new places cannibalize the wealth of old places.
Read MorePolicy choices are often presented to us as simplistic binaries, or irresolvable clashes of competing values. Have the courage to step outside that box and ask more fundamental questions.
Read MoreTypically, the thought of converting an old subway tunnel into parking would send shivers down the spines of urbanists. But this project may be a surprisingly beneficial way to catalyze redevelopment in Rochester, New York’s recovering downtown.
Read MoreCommunities like Cobb County must address the problems that have plagued them from the outset by encouraging the style of development that produces true value per acre.
Read MoreA tour of 6 successful towns helped one Strong Towns member to better understand what makes a community resilient. His journey offers lessons for all of us.
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