Equitably Reconnecting Communities

in Small and Midsize Cities

City Snapshots: Looking Back to Move Forward

about the initiative

The Equitably Reconnecting Communities in Small and Midsize Cities Initiative provided capacity-building support and technical assistance to 14 “Community Connectors” teams. These teams are working in cities across the country to reconnect their communities and repair harms caused by transportation infrastructure.

CITY SNAPSHOTS introduce the Community Connectors projects that are underway in each city and offer glimpses into the historical legacies that have led to the current realities.

MOBILITY UNBOUND

Imagine a society where everyone is free to move safely and with self-determination; where everyone flourishes socially, culturally and economically, unrestricted by structural barriers within transportation systems.

Achieving this vision of mobility unbound requires a collaborative approach that is grounded in principles of mobility justice. This framework begins with an understanding of the ways that transportation infrastructure and practices have historically excluded or harmed groups of people, particularly communities of color, in order to heal the harms of the past and build transportation systems that work for all.

Building systems that work for everyone requires that we acknowledge the unjust histories of mobility and economic prosperity in American cities.

A mobility justice approach to transportation planning includes facilitating dialogue, funding the participation of people and community organizations who are directly affected, and establishing partnerships that lead to the shared decision-making that is necessary for meaningful repair.

By taking a mobility justice approach, government agencies and elected officials can advance transportation policies, programs, and projects that bring community-driven visions to life.

Mobility Legacies

Each City Snapshot offers local historical context related to mobility justice. The MOBILITY LEGACIES are organized according to five themes.

These MOBILITY LEGACIES do not provide exhaustive histories of the cities. Rather, they point to harmful policies and decisions and, subsequently, opportunities for repair and reconnection.

forced migrations

Industrialization and Uneven Economic Mobility

Urban Renewal & Disruption

Ecological & Environmental Impacts

Public Safety

city snapshots

The CITY SNAPSHOTS are offered as a tool to help cities, advocates, and decision-makers find connections between existing mobility conditions and historic harms. Reconnecting Communities project teams can use this information to identify impacted communities for partnership in co-creating community-based solutions that reflect the needs and visions of those most affected by transportation inequities.

The snapshots include MOBILITY LEGACIES for each city. They outline past policy decisions–like forced migration, segregation, and highway siting — that have shaped today’s transportation challenges, socioeconomic outcomes, and population shifts. These throughlines reveal structural harms embedded in city infrastructure and highlight opportunities for cities and project teams to successfully engage in reparative work.