These cities have great, but sometimes strange, ideas on transit. Which ones can Toronto steal?

In an effort to reach Vision Zero, the Swedish safety strategy that aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, Warsaw has implemented measures that have dropped the number of road deaths by 55% over the last 10 years. Strategies like upgraded crosswalks, increased fines for lawbreaking drivers and the creation of roundabouts are just some of the methods that have helped make the roads safer, and the city plans to double its investment over the next four years.

The extensive, all-electric tram system in Strasbourg has emerged as a solution to address air pollution and street congestion caused by cars as well as a critical medium of transport as the city expands its low-emission zones. The tramway's ridership has been resilient, even during the pandemic, and its inspiring a revival of the system across France.

A plan to redesign Market Street in San Francisco uses a controversial approach used by cities around the world: eliminating personal cars entirely. This bicycle, pedestrian and bus-oriented layout approach reduces traffic accidents and fatalities; San Francisco plans to move forward with their plan in 2020.

In Zurich, Switzerland, urban planners designed streets that put pedestrians and streetcar riders first as an effort to cut back on car usage and promote sustainable transportation. While cars are limited to one lane and often wait in lines to get through the city, the tram carries nearly seven as many passengers as cars in a given hour, making the layout sustainable and efficient for urban travel.

Eastern North Carolina -- an area increasingly affected by flooding from hurricanes -- looks to Tulsa for long-term, financially sustainable solutions to routine flooding. Tulsa's comprehensive approach includes regulating building in floodplains as well as building vast drainage systems in all high-risk flood areas. The city implemented a storm water mitigation fee to residents' water bills in order to make flood insurance among the cheapest in the country.

Boston needs more parking spaces, especially in a neighborhood surrounded by water. It is looking to build an underwater parking garage, like the ones being built in Amsterdam, in order to free up street level space and add more parking to decrease car pollution from driving around searching for a parking spot.

Los Angeles has faced deepening issues of severe traffic and extreme smog pollution in the past several decades, but for years intentions and promises to broadly improve transportation have fallen flat. At long last, the most congested city in the world - once home to the most extensive urban rail network on the planet - is reviving rail lines and trains as a solution to both issues. Robust public transport has proven to have multi-layered economic, cultural, environmental, and social benefits to communities.

In the heart of one of Europe’s fastest growing capitals, cars are rapidly disappearing. To reduce pollution and build a people-first city center, Oslo has promised to ban all cars in downtown by 2019. The multi-pronged effort includes making public transportation services more efficient, building 60 kilometers of new bike lanes, and transforming parking spaces into pedestrian-friendly areas.

In Pennsylvania, many cities face challenges in implementing Complete Street policies to improve street and transportation safety in urban cores. The cities and organizations that have done this successfully offer ideas to others about how they can use creative financing and piloting to overcome barriers and enforce the policy.

As cities are flooded with new residents, parking becomes a bigger issue. Some cities, such as Denver and Cleveland, are opting against a parking lot that takes up a lot of place, and are investing in more creative ideas such as new public transport options and parking prices that vary according to a variety of factors.