As cities reimagine and reinvest in their streets to meet the mobility challenges ahead, they must also re-imagine and re-invest in their own internal agency structures and processes. All too often, doing things the way they’ve always been done limits cities’ ability to make the safety and livability changes that their residents desperately need.

Between June 2017 and June 2018, NACTO explored structural challenges transportation agencies face when improving safety and livability on their streets. Through this project, NACTO uncovered patterns and opportunities that cities often use to get more done, faster.

As a result of this project, NACTO found that there are clear markers of success within agencies that are most effective at delivering projects:

• Defined and clear processes for implementation, and well-informed staff
• Recurring or guaranteed funding sources
• Project pipelines built around standardized designs that allow cities to expedite work
• A strategic use of consultants to bolster efforts or train on unusual skills
• A clear vision, strong political will, and defined metrics for success