American Cities Climate Challenge

debug msg: this block is Large Text Block, Left Aligned

The Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge is an initiative to reduce emissions in 25 of America’s largest cities.

Recognizing that cities account for more than 70% of global carbon emissions–and that mayors have significant authority over high-emitting sectors: transportation and buildings–the Climate Challenge provides support to cities working to realize their aggressive carbon reduction goals.

With transportation as the largest single sector of carbon emissions in the US, implementing projects that reduce reliance on personal vehicles is critical to addressing climate change.

NACTO’s Role

Since 2019, NACTO has supported the 25 ACCC cities by providing broader technical and policy guidance to all 25 cities participating in the challenge, targeted in-person workshop-style trainings in three cities, and in-depth “Accelerator” support in six transportation-focused cities.

In 2021, NACTO will work with a new set of cities, providing focused implementation guidance to address specific challenges to building equitable bike and transit projects and fostering a network of peer experts to address project barriers and bolster internal project champions.

NACTO support will take the form of targeted office hours, design working sessions, convenings, and in-depth workshops to address acute challenges and institute new processes and structures for success intended to benefit the city beyond the Climate Challenge program.

NACTO Climate Challenge Fact Sheet >>

debug msg: this block is Large Text Block, Left Aligned

Climate Challenge Updates

Digital Design Charrettes

San Diego (7/8/2019)
Honolulu (8/14/2019)
Saint Paul (11/1/2019)
San José (12/11/2019)
Philadelphia (2/28/2020)
Washington, DC (3/11/2020)
Charlotte (7/29/2020)
Minneapolis (8/10/2020)

Digital Policy Charrettes

Philadelphia (8/24/2020)

Design Trainings

Honolulu (11/15/2019)
St. Petersburg (12/13/2019)
Cincinnati (3/3/2020)

Press Releases / Public Statements

NACTO Announces Partnership with Five Cities to Rapidly Design and Build Low-Carbon Transportation Projects by 2020 (5/15/2019)
San Antonio and VIA Announce Partnership with NACTO, NRDC, and Bloomberg Philanthropies to Redesign Streets for Faster Transit and Improved Safety for People Walking and Biking (10/22/2019)

Press

NACTO partners with 5 cities on low-carbon transport projects (Smart Cities Dive, 5/16/2019)
Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia are about to jump-start their bike infrastructure (Fast Company, 5/17/2019)
California Cities Rolling Toward a More Sustainable Future (NRDC, 5/20/2019)
Every bus in this country deserves its own lane (Curbed, 10/14/2019)
Atlanta Is Taking Action for Safer Streets (NRDC, 10/28/2019)
City of San Antonio to redesign roads to make them safer, public transportation faster (KSAT, 10/31/2019)
Zarzamora Street to Become Testing Ground for Transit, Safety Projects (Rivard Report, 11/3/2019)

debug msg: this block is Large Text Block, Left Aligned

NACTO's City Accelerator Program

The City Accelerator program helps cities rapidly implement high-quality transit or bike corridors, from design to build out. The program was started in 2014 as way to provide in-depth, on-the-ground support to member cities implementing new street design projects that may depart from existing practice.

Whether a red bus lane or protected bike lane, undertaking new projects requires changing business as usual. Under Accelerators, NACTO helps cities develop the new partnerships and pathways needed to implement these projects, bringing together the rich peer network to help cities move projects from idea to implementation through lasting programmatic change.