No Luck Needed
1,730 words in this newsletter - about 7 minutes and 17 seconds to read.
By Ryan Parzick
Hopefully, we don’t have any Cityfi newsletter readers suffering from paraskavedekatriaphobi! For those feeling a bit jittery today, don’t let this superstitious day cause stress. This edition of the Cityfi newsletter will focus on planning and problem-solving as a way to avoid the supposed pitfalls that come with Friday the 13th.
Sometimes, an unlucky (or fortuitous!) event sparks a question or concern that requires deeper thought, research, and reflection. The good news? Every challenge presents an opportunity for a solution. As an engineering student, I was taught that my job was to find solutions, no matter how difficult or novel the problem. There’s always a remedy - or several - to make things better. That’s why I love working at Cityfi. We’re problem-solvers at heart. We thrive on helping clients tackle their toughest projects while also staying ahead of issues that may not have even surfaced yet.
Partner Karina Ricks makes a compelling case for prioritizing roadway safety strategies - something that’s surprisingly overlooked in many towns and cities, even though the U.S. has one of the highest per capita rates of road user fatalities in the world. The federal government agrees! Karina shares how thoughtful policy and design can take the luck out of the equation when it comes to preventing injuries or deaths on our roads.
Senior Associate Karla Peralta and Associate Carolina de Urquijo are excited to announce a new trilogy of Cityfi blog posts, exploring transportation solutions from our neighbors in Latin America. Sometimes, all it takes to solve a problem is to look around and see what others are doing. No luck required!
Finally, we are thrilled to announce that Senior Associate Monique Ho needed no luck at all in her successful application to a prestigious group of rising urban leaders working to improve cities across sectors. We are very excited about this opportunity and couldn’t be prouder of her!
Read on to learn more about these topics and other Cityfi-related news.
Stay Tuned! For Cityfi’s Three-Part Series on Lessons from Latin America in Transportation
By Karla Peralta and Carolina de Urquijo
While transportation systems in the United States and Latin America face different foundational challenges - there are also many parallels - both regions have valuable lessons to share with each other. In this three-part series, we’ll explore key themes that highlight the potential for learning and collaboration across borders, focusing on how the United States can draw inspiration from Latin America’s transportation solutions.
Part 1. Leveraging Informal Transportation to Improve Transportation Systems
In many Latin American cities, informal transportation networks - such as colectivos, peseros, combis, bicitaxis - play an essential role in connecting people, especially in areas underserved by formal transit systems. Despite operating outside formal frameworks, these systems provide adaptable solutions to meet growing mobility demands. This first part of the series will explore how studying and analyzing the existing informal routes can contribute to better planning of formal transportation networks. We’ll touch on topics like human-centered design, data-driven insights, and pilot programs.
Part 2. Designing Transportation Systems with Gender in Mind
Latin America has been making strides in addressing gender-specific transportation needs, creating networks to ensure mobility systems cater to all users. In this article, we’ll look at how U.S. cities can incorporate gender-responsive planning into their transit systems by drawing on Latin American initiatives. We’ll explore how gathering and applying gender-disaggregated data can lead to more inclusive systems and highlight Latin America’s leadership in this area.
Part 3. Public-Private Partnerships
The final article will focus on the vital role public-private partnerships (PPPs) play in improving transportation infrastructure. Latin America has a strong track report of using PPPs to drive innovation, modernize transit networks, and achieve financial sustainability. This article will highlight best practices in fostering partnerships that enhance transportation systems, ensure financial sustainability, and improve overall service delivery.
Mark your calendars for our first article (available in both English and Spanish) coming on September 27! If you would like to learn more about the series or have any questions in advance, feel free to reach out to us at karla@cityfi.co or carolina@cityfi.co.
Take the Money (please!)
By Karina Ricks
Last week, US DOT announced the second of three rounds of awards for FY2024 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) funding. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law leaned into safety in a big way with the $1 billion program, but it did something else critical and unique - it set aside 40% of the funds to tackle safety at its root - the system, policy, and human level. This was really a first-of-its-kind move for the federal government to give resources to strategic safety action planning and demonstrations - and the move has had its detractors.
While the implementation funds of the SS4A program have been oversubscribed tenfold, large quantities of the planning and demonstration funds remain unclaimed. In the first round, DOT seemingly awarded all credible planning applications and were able to distribute only $64 million of the over $461 million available. Communities started to get the hang of things in Round 2 with USDOT able to award nearly $200 million more. Just under $200 million remains available for the recently submitted Round 3 applicants.
Some would say this money for planning and demonstration is neither needed nor wanted and more resources should go to implementation. I would argue that is not at all the case. We cannot build our way out of over 42,000 roadway deaths (over 100 traffic fatalities every day!). We can only tackle this with systemic, behavioral and data driven approaches - and that means action planning!
So, why aren’t places taking the money if it is available? Well, among the communities we work with there are many reasons. First and foremost is the local match obligation. SS4A requires a 20% match for both planning and implementation components. Many places believe that local match needs to be uniquely set aside for this program making intangible planning efforts compete with bricks and sticks physical improvement projects. One makes a great photo opp for local elected officials, the other….well…not so much. In fact, there are a number of creative ways to make the local match by leveraging planned locally funded improvements and applying a safety lens.
Capacity is also an issue at the local level. Especially for smaller communities, they feel they do not have the bandwidth to procure, let alone manage, a full action planning process (and many still fail to see what will result from mere planning). For these places, we recommend starting with a data platform as a foundational step to really understanding, at a system level, where safety concerns are and how relatively minor interventions can make a big difference in safety outcomes. Good analytic tools are not static, but are constantly refreshed using the abundance of data feeds available today. They give near real-time insights and provide a clear and compelling case for safety improvements that is legible and accessible to local stakeholders. Further, with intuitive interfaces and supportive technology partners, they require minimal staff capacity to begin down the path to community safety.
The resources are there, and hopefully will remain so as communities learn how to leverage them. The investment in systemic planning is critical to long-term success and we look forward to helping more communities seize and deploy these resources and, ultimately, save lives. If you think your community could benefit from better safety planning, please let us know. Not only do we have a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping cities and towns develop these plans, but we can also help with the process of applying for the types of funding mentioned above.
Next Up, Next City!
By Team Cityfi
Next City has selected Senior Associate, Monique Ho, as one of their 44 Vanguards who will convene in Lexington, Kentucky later this month. The Vanguard conference is an experiential leadership gathering of rising national and international urban leaders working to cultivate equity and sustainability in cities for the next generation. The conference brings together professionals working across disciplines, including urban planning, community development, transportation, entrepreneurship, design, art, and media.
A central theme for this year’s convening will be breaking down rural-urban binaries and deconstructing perceptions about how cities relate to rural communities and places (and vice versa), with Lexington as the backdrop. Vanguards will also delve into the city’s commitment to promoting civic innovation and democracy, its significant housing and affordability challenges, its complicated histories with race, and its efforts to build climate resilience.
As a multi-disciplinary planner with deep experience bridging divides across stakeholder groups and promoting cross-sector collaboration to solve some of our cities’ most pressing challenges, Monique is excited to share and learn from a network of peers who bring bold and big ideas in helping to shape equitable and inclusive communities. We couldn’t be more excited for Monique! Congratulations!
Climate Migration Webinar!
By Chrissy Anecito, Nicole Davessar, and Sahar Shirazi
Last year, more than 300,000 Americans moved into flood- or fire-prone counties, with an expected tens of millions more being displaced over the next three decades. Between rising insurance and home rates, and extreme weather events, migration shifts have been unpredictable, leaving local governments unprepared for population changes in their communities.
With these unpredictable changes in population, cities and local governments must begin to consider the effects that these shifts will have in their communities, especially those most impacted. Our upcoming Preparing Cities and Communities for Climate-Related Displacement webinar series will launch the conversation to help local governments highlight programs, policies and pilots that can address the specific needs and challenges of communities facing population change. Conversations in this webinar series will highlight some lessons learned from cities experiencing this population change while simultaneously dealing with extreme weather, and discuss specific actions to take to mitigate the impacts of climate migration.
Our first conversation, Navigating Population Change from Climate Displacement will be in October, where we will meet with local leaders who have dealt with both extreme weather events and population fluctuations. The conversation will focus on methods for cities to employ to prepare for these changes, and will focus on actionable steps for local governments to employ to prepare for what comes next. Be sure to check future newsletters for more details of our upcoming webinars (you can also read more about climate migration in our April 21st, 2023, February 16th, 2024, and June 7th, 2024 newsletters)!
MetroLab Summit
Cityfi would like to remind our readers of MetroLab Network’s Annual Summit this Fall in Washington, DC! MetroLab Network and Cityfi share the ethos of improving local governments through innovation and transformative change. We wholeheartedly believe that civic innovation can improve the lives of citizens and that research is paramount to practical applications of new policies and programs. In fact, Partner Story Bellows will be part of a conversation around the new and exciting work libraries are doing to benefit our communities beyond their perceived traditional roles.
MetroLab Network is a collaborative of cities, counties, and universities driving positive impact in communities by putting science and research into city halls. Their annual summit brings together 150+ local government leaders, innovators, and academic researchers from across the civic ecosystem that aim to intentionally bring two vital public institutions together in partnership: our local governments and universities.
On the heels of generational investment from the federal government, innovation and economic growth is a priority in regions across the country. As this moves forward, communities are also grappling with complex problems that require capacity, research, and partnership. This year, the summit will focus on “An R&D Agenda in Service of Cities” – or how local governments consider research as an asset, and how this can move forward step by step with the university community during this time of innovation and economic investment.
Don’t miss the chance to connect with peers, share insights, and contribute to the future of civic innovation. If you are a civic innovation nerd, you don’t want to miss this event!
When: October 1st - 2nd, 2024
Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC
More information about the event, including the agenda, speakers, and registration details can be found 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.
ITS World Congress - Dubai, UAE - September 16 - 20
SIS 24 Sustainable and Safe Urban Mobility for All: Reality or Illusion? - Tuesday, September 17th (11:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
According to the European Commission, globally, urban areas consume over 65% of the world's energy, accounting for more than 70% of CO2 emissions. It is therefore crucial that cities act as experimentation and innovation ecosystems to help all others in their transition to become climate-neutral by 2050. New urban mobility solutions and space interventions will contribute to this transition and help the citizens not only live but thrive within their cities. Therefore, the acceptance of novel mobility solutions and space interventions by the citizens themselves is an element of strong interest for all stakeholders involved in the related sectors. During this session, the present situation of urban mobility will be discussed and several suggestions will be presented on how to introduce safe, sustainable, and inclusive urban mobility in our lives.
Join Senior Principal Evan Costagliola as he speaks on this panel with experts across Europe. Register here!
MetroLab Summit 2024 - Washington, DC - October 1 - 2
The State of Libraries - Tuesday, October 2nd (11:45 AM - 12:30 PM)
Libraries are a pillar of our communities. And more than ever, libraries are fostering innovation and bringing digital access. This panel will explore the important role that libraries play to both our cities and to our academic institutions. Join Partner Story Bellows as she moderates this discussion about how libraries are evolving and how they continue to benefit our cities and communities. Register here!
Urbanism Next Europe Conference - Amsterdam, NL - October 9 - 11
CCAM For Society: How Can Cities Unlock The Potential Of Connected, Cooperative & Automated Mobility (CCAM)? - Thursday, October 10th (3:50 - 5:20 PM)
Come see Senior Principal Evan Costagliola speak on this panel, which is sure to be quite informative. Connected, Cooperative & Automated Mobility (CCAM) is emerging around the globe, but what benefits can it really bring to society in general and urban areas in particular? This session will bring US and EU experts together to share experiences and lessons learned from various international Connected & Automated Vehicle operations. After setting the scene with international findings and multi-stakeholder perspectives, discussions will focus on what role CCAM can have in urban areas taking into account societal perspectives such as safety, environmental impact, liveability and inclusion. Moreover, how can authorities and road operators safeguard societal standards while facilitating CCAM to unlock its potential? Register here before September 1 for the Early Bird discount.
Other Conferences/Events
Cityfiers will also be at the following conferences, so please let us know if you will be there!
ICMA Annual Conference - Pittsburgh, PA - September 21 - 25 - Partner Karina Ricks and Principal Erin Clark will be there
Next City Vanguard Conference - Lexington, KY - September 23 - 26 - as noted above, Senior Associate Monique Ho is a recently selected Next City Vanguard and will be attending the conference!
CoMotion LA - Los Angeles, CA - November 13 - 14 - Our crew of Partner Karina Ricks, Principal Erin Clark, and Senior Associate Karla Peralta will be in attendance
What We’re Reading
Curated by Ryan Parzick
🎉Cityfi was mentioned in Mass Transit for our work with Louisville Metro Government in helping them create and implement a new Department of Transportation. You can read more about our work with Louisville in our July 26th newsletter article.
Articles handpicked by the Cityfi team we have found interesting:
Regulatory Design: US seeks new pedestrian safety rules aimed at increasingly massive SUVs and pickup trucks
Digital Transformation: How Self-Driving Cars Get Help From Humans Hundreds of Miles Away
Autonomous Vehicles: Waymo's Robot Taxis Are Almost Mainstream. Can They Now Turn a Profit?
Climate: 1,500 climate policies were implemented in 41 countries. Here are the ones that worked best
Job Openings
Are you exploring opportunities for your next role? Check out these positions, and contact us at info@cityfi.co to learn more!
Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government
New York City Department of Transportation
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