1,992 words in this newsletter - about 8 minutes and 22 seconds to read.

Cityfi keeps on getting stronger! As you will read in this edition of the newsletter, we have added another Affiliate to our network - bringing on a highly respected leader with experience in cities, infrastructure, supply chain, climate, roadway safety, the regulatory environment, and the systems to drive positive impact for people. Our Affiliate Network is a group of subject matter experts and respected persons in their fields who complement our internal team of professionals when needed on projects.

We are also gaining strength from the knowledge we obtain from the places that we have been and the people we are working with. Partner Story Bellows attended Smart City Expo USA this week as part of a panel discussing spatial reality in our cities, but also had a number of discussions with experts in their respective fields ranging from the most technical of topics to the big picture policies that are needed to address equity. If you have been reading this newsletter the last couple of months, you will have seen that our team has been all over the country at conferences and expos learning, teaching, and strengthening our relationships with doers and thinkers who want to better the world.

Let’s not forget our bodies in this strengthening discussion. We are wrapping up our internal Cityfi Bike Month Bingo challenge next week, so we have been pedaling hard around our towns trying to fill our bingo cards. Since we have been so focused on our personal biking this month, we felt that we needed to discuss an often overlooked part of the biking world, Trail Towns, and a major tool that can be used to enhance the trail systems that connect these towns and communities.

As you roll out into the long Memorial Day weekend, we’ll leave you with something to put a smile on your face. Enjoy this amazing video!

Smart City Expo Intelligence

By Story Bellows

Large language models, generative AI, workforce development, and trust in digital infrastructure were the topics du jour at Smart City Expo in New York City this week. The conference brought together an incredible group of leaders from the tech equity and policy communities. While climate remains king in terms of problems to be solved, the workforce seems to be having its day in the sun - with both the public and private sector leaning into the critical issues around the human capital needed to actually deliver on the outcomes that so many of these solutions promise.

I had the privilege of joining Dana Chermesh and Jackie Lu on a panel about spatial reality, moderated by the best in the business, Cityfi Affiliate Greg Lindsay. We talked about the opportunities and challenges that AR presents to communities looking to understand their physical and digital environments now and in the future. Like that conversation, many at Smart City Expo lauded the potential of AI to meet critical human needs, like providing more equitable access to the legal system, while questioning the policies needed to ensure that our digital infrastructure and online communities protect our residents, especially the most vulnerable.

An expo floor is never where I feel most at home, but I can genuinely say that I truly enjoyed the conversations I had with startup leaders and folks from established companies. The dialogue has evolved significantly, and as tech forward as this conference is, it’s refreshing to hear so many sales teams leading conversations with the problems they’re solving, rather than the technology solution they offer. It’s far from universal, but feels like we’re moving in the right direction. Lastly, walking around an expo floor provides so many opportunities to run into old friends, collaborators, and colleagues and bring those Zoom relationships into three dimensions. Connecting with Lilian Coral, Laura Chace, Hubert Riley, Andrew Stober, David Gilford, Karen Lightman, and John Paul Farmer in person was a treat! A huge thanks to Cityfi affiliate Aarti Tandon for bringing so many good people together.

Meet Our Newest Affiliate, Robin Hutcheson!

By Karina Ricks

Cityfi Partner Karina Ricks recently interviewed the newest member of our Affiliate Network, Robin Hutcheson, an all-star in the world of transportation. In the conversation, they touched on Robin’s unique, and very effective, perspective on how she has approached her work, lessons learned along the way in her expansive and successful career, and also what makes Robin who she is. Below is an excerpt from their conversation, which can be read in full on the Cityfi blog. We are super excited to have Robin join Cityfi as an Affiliate and cannot wait to work with her more!

Karina: Robin, you have had a remarkable career having led transportation in two different cities, chaired NACTO, served as Deputy Assistant Secretary at US DOT and Administrator of the FMCSA, and advised cities and communities domestically and internationally. So … what's the throughline?

Robin: The throughline? Well, there are a few. One throughline is that I always boil it down to the person. [At] the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration I came at it from the perspective of the driver: How can we make the drivers safer and their employment conditions better? Before that, when I was Deputy Assistant Secretary, I [focused on] how can we make it less likely that people (pedestrians) will die in a crash? As Director of Public Works in Minneapolis, it was about the experience of the person who visits or lives in the city and how they interact with our infrastructure. All the way back in my experience, I have always oriented around the individual and how they relate with a policy or a piece of infrastructure.

Another throughline is that I am driven by my values, my commitment to climate, safety, and equity. Every job I take must impact at least two of these values, ideally all three.

Karina: You and I both led city transportation departments through the pandemic. But you had the added challenge of leading Minneapolis DPW when George Floyd was killed. What did you take away from that circumstance?

Robin: That was incredibly complex. I was leading a group of 1200 people. My job was to make sure that they took care of the city and I took care of them. It was so complicated. My first responsibility was to the people who worked in Public Works - to ensure they had a safe place and knew I was listening to them. Deep humility. My next responsibility was to the people of Minneapolis, and that was tricky because passions were high. It was tough. You said I’m tough as nails, and that might be true because I just kept listening. I knew these people were hurting.

Honestly, I'm still processing it, and I actually think that's a good thing. When you're talking about racial justice and equity, you don't just learn a little and move on. It is a deeper journey.

Karina: You're a leading transportation thinker and innovator, and also an extreme (in comparison to me!) athlete. Tell us about that side of you.

Robin: I am not an extreme athlete! But that's the side that makes me how I am. In my core there is drive and the desire for achievement and competitiveness - and adventure! I fulfill those needs through skiing and open water swimming. I love to be outside in nature. It calms me. I'm not a super laid back person. It's important to know oneself!

Karina: Last question. You’re now an Affiliate at Cityfi and have your own consulting entity. What do you want to do with this accumulated wealth of knowledge?

Robin: I have had a really diverse set of experiences in transportation, infrastructure, policy and on the ground implementation. I focused on moving people for so long then switched to focus on moving goods.

I want a portfolio of activities [to match] this tapestry of experience. I want a diversity of work where I can be engaged in a whole array of transportation and infrastructure efforts from policy development, financing technology for safety, climate and equity benefits to advising on-the-ground implementation. I would like to engage in leadership development and organizational development - and mentoring women!

I have a really diverse set of skills and areas where I can have an impact. With a portfolio of work, I can continue to do a little bit of all of these things and continue to weave this tapestry. I hope to do some advisory consulting, where I can have impact.

I am really excited to be an affiliate with Cityfi. I think Cityfi is doing some of the most groundbreaking and interesting work. And I really look forward to partnering and supporting you and being a part of this really interesting work.

Karina: We are super excited about having you as an Affiliate too. You have a knack of being the right person in the right place at the right time. And I think right now is a time when there is a need for people that can bring together the human element, the commerce element, the safety element, technology and policy leadership elements. So there's still a lot of work that we, as a country and a nation and world, have to do and you are going to be a big contributor to that. I know.

Trail Towns

*Photos source:* *http://www.tammanytrace.org*

By Ryan Parzick

We love our bikes here at Cityfi! To show that love, we put our money where our mouth is by having an amazing employee benefit for each employee to purchase a bike or e-bike. As we continue to pedal along during Bike Month, we here at Cityfi were thinking that our two-wheeled (and sometimes more-wheeled!) friends get a lot of attention as an URBAN option, but we often forget how vital (and joyful!) they are as small towns and as rural connectors. Time and again, research has quantified how high quality bicycle facilities increase roadway safety, support climate goals, and add economic value. That is no less true - and possibly even MORE true - in small town and rural places.

Many readers of this newsletter likely have heard about Transit Oriented Development (TOD), but have you all heard of Trail Oriented Development (TrOD)? TrOD is an urban planning and development strategy that focuses on integrating trails and greenways into the community to enhance livability, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability. It is similar to TOD, but centers around trails instead of transit hubs. Makes sense, right?

Communities that are located along or adjacent to long-distance trails that support trail users with services and amenities, promote the trail, and embrace it as an asset to be celebrated and protected are commonly referred to as Trail Towns. The trail town concept aims to revitalize rural communities by leveraging the economic benefits of trail-based tourism and outdoor recreation. Not only can trail users, such as hikers and cyclists, venture off the trail into these towns and generate revenue for local businesses and the overall economy, but local residents are even bigger users of the trails. Recreational trails provide a safe, low stress, and highly pleasant way to connect to friends, neighbors, community destinations and village centers. We need more of these marvelous assets.

So what does TrOD typically look like? How does implementing tenets of TrOD benefit Trail Towns? Why should we care? We break all of this down further in our newest blog post. As we approach a long holiday weekend here in the U.S., we here at Cityfi think it is the perfect time to go for a trail ride, walk, or run. Before heading out for your adventure, read this post - giving you some depth and insight to think about when taking advantage of a long trail near you. Take in some nature, support local communities, and get some exercise!

We would love to help with planning, expanding, and improving TrOD near you. Cityfi has experience working with public and private entities aiding in identifying and applying for grants/financing options, building regional cohorts to help improve coordination and ideation, and facilitating strategy and policy creation. Contact us to get a conversation started.

Join Us at NY Tech Week ... On Your Bike!

By Sarah Saltz

Will you be in NYC for NY Tech Week in June? Join Cityfi and our friends at it’s electric and CLIP for coffee, networking, and a relaxed pace bike tour to see some of the coolest mobility tech projects and demonstrations in Brooklyn.

Apply to join us here.

Where in the World is Cityfi?

Check out where Cityfi will be in the upcoming weeks. We may be speaking at conferences, leading workshops, hosting events, and/or actively engaging in collaborative learning within the community. We would love to see you.

IPMI 2024 Parking & Mobility Conference and Expo - Columbus, OH - June 9 - 12

Managing a Revolution: Can Disruptive Technology Bring Order and Purpose to Downtown Curbs? - Sunday, June 9th (2:00 - 3:00 PM)

In 2022, the City of Dublin developed a Curb Management Toolkit to help balance and prioritize curb uses and functions, by place, time, and purpose. In 2023, it completed a year-long set of technology pilots to secure data streams to track curb activity and conditions, guide application of the management toolkit, and inform downtown’s curb users about their options in real-time. Hear from the City’s project manager and her consultant leads (including Cityfi Senior Associate Sarah Saltz) about what they learned. See our February 10, 2023 archived newsletter post to read more about this project

While at IPMI, also be sure to say hello to Senior Associate Erin Clark who will be making the rounds talking the curb, mobility, and possibly even rules and regulations! Let Sarah and Erin know you will be there.

What We’re Reading

Curated by Ryan Parzick

Articles handpicked by the Cityfi team we have found interesting:

CleanTech: Oslo uses public procurement to reach zero emissions by 2030
Reimagined Streets: NYC Traffic and Parking: Is Congestion Pricing The Answer?
Transit: Transit Agencies Must Replace Most Maintenance Workers This Decade
Civic Innovation: Not Your Childhood Library
Equity: A Unique Community Land Trust Making Homeownership Affordable in Richmond

Job Openings

Are you exploring opportunities for your next role? Check out these positions, and contact us at info@cityfi.co to learn more!

New York City Economic Development Corporation