November 06, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #STRR, #transportation, #reauthorization, #T4America, #streetsblog, #transit finance, #Congress, #CFTE

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Recapping the House Transportation Authorization Bill

This week the US House of Representatives did the once unthinkable and passed a six-year transportation bill. At best, the bill isn't as horrible as feared given the over 200 amendments filed to do things like eliminate transit and bike funding. In reality though, it's a missed opportunity on many levels and some of its small changes could have big impacts. On the flip side, in the same week local voters proved once more they want better transportation options and investments that prioritize people and communities.

October 23, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #transportation, #STRRAct, #USDOT, #transit, #transportationsafety, #APTA, #streamlining, #uscm, #nrdc

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STiRRing things up in transportation … for the worse

My take on the House of Representatives transportation authorization bill: The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act (STRR) is not good for the environment, does not genuinely address safety and maintenance needs, is not good for social equity, does not adequately fund our transportation system and is not great for the economy. I’ll just say it …. I’d rather have yet another continuing resolution of the current bill than go down the STRR path for the next 6 years. America needs and deserves better. Congress needs to keep stirring until they get it right.

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September 29, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #movetogether, #sharedmoility, #sumc, #transportation, #richmond, #divvy

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Bringing the Shared Economy Revolution to America's Medium Size Cities

Shared Mobility is revolutionizing transportation but it still is not clear that America’s medium-size cities will share in this revolution. Lower densities, smaller market size, and a lack of traffic may impede their adoption. Or perhaps we’ll see more experimentation as entrepreneurs work to adapt technologies to meet these different types of markets.

June 12, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: urbanism, #saint paul, millenials, walkable urbanism, #planning

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The Amazing Resiliency of America's Cities

While we are witnessing the rise of urban bike paths, shared use mobility options, and a renaissance of housing and retail in our cities. These factors came into play through changes in policy, land use, and markets that have taken decades to develop and implement. Setting the table for change takes time. But once the ingredients are in place, change can happen quickly leading to gentrification pressures not previously imagined.

April 16, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #regional planning, #APA, #APA2015, #livablecommunities, #urban design, #innovativeMPO, #T4America

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Regional Planning Through Local Action

An emerging trend unfolding in many regions is the decision to more strongly support local implementation of regional plans and policies through targeted technical assistance, sub-granting of federal, state and regional funds to undertake neighborhood, corridor or station area planning and more effective strategies to fund and bundle local capital improvements. It is through local action that good regional plans become reality.

March 09, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #FTA, #transit, #USDOT, #new starts, #affordable housinig, #equitableTOD

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Transit as an Affordable Housing Tool? The Feds Think So!

Transit can be a powerful catalyst. Transit advocates like to argue about the positive economic development impacts that a new rail line can have on adjacent property. Community advocates argue against transit as a gentrification tool. In reality, both may be right and the latest "Annual New Starts Recommendations" issued in February by the Federal Transit Administration at USDOT asks communities wanting federal funding for their transit project to consider these trade-offs. Public funds are simply too scarce to not ensure that we are getting multiple benefits and maximum efficiency from every dollar invested. The latest MZ Strategies policy brief, Creating and Preserving Affordable Housing Through the Federal Transit Capital Investment Program, offers examples of how some communities are threading this needle.

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February 18, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman Source

Tags: #streetsblog, #directtransfer, #overheadwire, #talkingheadways, #transportationplanning, #transportation, #reform

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Talking Headways Podcast features Zimmerman on Transportation Transformation

Jeff asked Mariia to be a guest on his regular Streetsblog podcast "Talking Headways" to discuss the recently completed "Transportation Transformation" project which MZ Strategies, LLC undertook for a group of national funders at the Ford, Rockefeller and Surdna Foundation and TransitCenter. The project looks at key trends affecting transportation reform particularly at the local level, and offers a set of recommendations for philanthropy and advocates to further innovation and opportunities for transit to better serve community goals.

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January 20, 2015 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #transportation, #transportationplanning, #philanthropy, #planning, #community development

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Mapping America's Transportation Transformation

Throughout 2014, MZ Strategies conducted a national study to assess and map the key trends influencing transportation reform, particularly those occurring at the community level in which changing market factors played a key role. What we found is that in communities large and small, public leaders, community advocates, business leaders and entrepreneurs and philanthropy are working to transform how transportation serves their community. We've created a new webpage to share key documents from the Transportation Transformation project, including the recent Final Report providing key recommendations to funders and advocates seeking to reform transportation in their community.

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December 10, 2014 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #transportation, #transportationplanning, #innovativeMPO, #planning, #MPO, #transportation4America

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How Innovative MPOs are Changing the Face of Transportation Planning

Earlier today, Transportation for America launched The Innovative MPO -- a new report written by MZ Strategies, LLC that spotlights the variety of ways that metropolitan planning organizations are working to make transportation work better for the communities they serve.

November 25, 2014 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #T4America, #MPO, #metropolitan planning, #regional planning, #transportation

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Transportation For America's Release of the Innovative MPO

MZ Strategies, LLC is excited to spread word about the upcoming webinar by Transportation for America (T4America) to celebrate the December 10th launch of their new report, "The Innovative MPO". T4America contracted with MZ Strategies to research and write the publication which features best practices and cutting edge planning by regions across the country.

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November 17, 2014 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #philanthropy, #coalitionforsmartergrowth, #betterdcregion, #giving, #planning

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Acting Locally Requires Care and Feeding

Local transportation advocacy is a long-term commitment. Financially, that can be a challenge to sustain. Community organizing is a tough but vital job. Equally important is the ability to build technical capacity so they can be effective and informed. While it’s never easy for non-profits to raise sufficient funds, those organizations working on transportation or planning issues have an especially tough time. Let’s be honest, when asked to choose between an environmental cause like saving the polar bears, or a social cause like feeding the homeless, most people go with their heart. Streetcars, bike lanes, and mixed-use communities are also lovable, but to a much more limited subset of the population. (Photo credit: Twin Cities LISC)

October 23, 2014 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #climate resiliency, #regional planning, #APA, #ISC, #sustainable communities, #climate adaptation, #regional collaboratives

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Reaching for Regionalism

If you haven’t noticed, we are in a time of “renewed regionalism” and the common theme across these efforts is better integration across issues to better respond to the complexity of the challenges that no single jurisdiction alone can address. Climate adaptation and resiliency clearly fits right in this wheelhouse, whether working together to recover from a major weather event or to find strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Here are a few thoughts from involvement last week by Mariia Zimmerman of MZ Strategies at the Institute for Sustainable Communities: "Think Resiliently, Act Regionally" Leadership Academy.

September 03, 2014 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #transit oriented development, #community oriented transit, #connected communities, #transit choices, #KaidBenfield, #PeopleHabitat, #urban planning, #urban design, #barrylevinson, #Railvolution

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Starting Anew with Community-Oriented Transit

The challenge before us now is how we will shape the future of our cities. Will growing demand for urban living and walkable neighborhoods help reduce greenhouse gas emissions but lead to gentrification and greater suburbanization of poverty, or will we find a better balance to great place making, equitable access to opportunity, and greener cities? I had an opportunity last week to think about this in my presentation to Baltimore's Transit Choices Coalition.