Does a Complete Streets policy really make a difference?

After decades of planning and development, Sacramento’s R Street corridor went from an area full of abandoned warehouses to a flourishing, walkable neighborhood. The city planners’ prioritization of building high-density housing, bringing in new businesses, ensuring access to a light rail transit line, and safe, pedestrian-friendly streets helped this project succeed.

Medellín is a hub of growth and innovation, re-born after years of devastating violence. Building a metro system was an early step in the city’s transformation. “It was the first positive thing that had happened in this city for decades,” says Julian, a local guide. “With this metro, we suddenly realized things could be different, that progress and change were possible.”

Barcelona is combating its rampant CO2 emissions from cars, by creating super-blocks. Super-blocks are an area within the city dedicated to pedestrians where cars can only travel at a very low speed. This model has decreased CO2 emissions and reduced noise levels while increasing economic activity and revitalizing the urban space. This model could be applied in the U.S. to make cities more pedestrian friendly.

To address issues with the city’s old, slow subway system, Boston's MBTA implemented an aggressive repair and staffing strategy that included replacing 250,000 feet of aging track and expanding the workforce from 5,700 to 8,000 employees through increased wages and sign-on bonuses. As a result, on-time performance soared from 25% to 92%, rider satisfaction nearly doubled, and the system now runs 278 more trains daily.

The capital city of San José in Costa Rica is taking steps to become greener and less dependent on cars. By focusing on public transportation initiatives like city bikes and bike lanes, a green esplanade, and an electric passenger train, the city is hoping to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and help the country reach net zero-carbon by 2050. While the cost of these projects can be pricey, many residents are strong advocates for making the city more sustainable.

Electric scooter companies across the United States brainstorm and pilot creative ideas to get their riders to focus more intently on scoot safety. One e-scooter company, Bird, has launched a pilot that asks riders to take a selfie with their helmet and parked scooter in exchange for future discounts and even free rides. To address the lack of hemet-wearing among riders, companies have also hosted helmet giveaways, online "safety marketplaces," and more.

Officials who want to improve Washington D.C.'s unreliable metro system look to the Chicago Transportation Authority to find examples of success in rebuilding a subway system. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel prioritized upgrading tracks and stations and has seen a large increase in daily riders and overall satisfaction with the system since the renewal took place. Now, Washington officials invite advice and collaboration in their quest to revamp the region's metro system.

Cities across the world have implemented “congestion pricing” – meaning that cars in high-traffic areas will have to pay a fee to drive within those limits. New York City is one of the most recent cities to potentially implement this approach in its attempt to reduce congestion and encourage walking, biking, and public transportation.

Japan is taking major steps to putting autonomous buses on the roads in rural areas because there is a need for reliable transportation and not enough funding as more young people move to the cities. It has the potential to save labor costs and provide more reliable transportation options while delivering necessary data to companies looking to expand driverless technology. However, this also requires more detailed mapping, which is often not available for smaller and more rural roads.

Radar, lidar, and sensors guide the world’s first autonomous tram across Potsdam. While not yet commercially viable, the tram is an advancement in driverless technology. It can respond to road hazards faster than a human and runs on energy from wind and solar.