Restorative Justice and Infrastructure Investment: Our Moment of Opportunity

This summer I found myself on a professional journey of self-discovery as I realized the limits of my knowledge when it comes to how race and infrastructure are intricately linked. Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD) is being led in many regions by multi-sector coalitions to ensure that TOD projects and the planning process itself create communities of opportunity where residents of all incomes, races and ethnicities participate in and benefit from living in connected, healthy, vibrant places connected by transit. Efforts in Phoenix and Richmond underscore the need & opportunity for eTOD to address generations of racial injustice from past transportation and urban planning decisions.

Read More…

Transit Is Stepping Up and Leaning In to Save the Planet and Heal Communities

Let’s be honest, there are few more divisive issues in America today than environmentalism or economic and racial inequality. And transit itself is often under ideological and fiscal attacks. To spend time discussing solutions, lessons learned and honest challenges was refreshing. Last week I spent time in Portland at the APTA Sustainability Workshop and came away inspired by what transit agencies large and small are doing to address climate change and social equity.

Read More…
Main Image

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.

Read More…
Main Image

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.

Read More…
Main Image

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.

Read More…