Centering People, Place and Policy for Buffalo's Clean Mobility Future

This project embraces the intersection of multiple problems in inclusive, equitable mobility and climate solutions by identifying strategies focused on people, place and policy. We will engage directly with residents, community-based organizations, and employers to develop vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction strategies, active mobility solutions, electric vehicle adoption and corresponding infrastructure investments that directly respond to these goals. Acknowledging how racism impacts community wealth, opportunities will be provided to participate in the clean mobility economy without displacement. By centering the voices of individuals most impacted by these inequities, and moving from asking them to inform a solution to building their capacity to deploy solutions, we will create both a neighborhood and system-based approach to address the cultural barriers associated with not owning a vehicle, as well as the larger racism and segregation challenges that, without intentional intervention, will continue to exclude black and brown communities from Western New York's (WNY) green economy and climate solutions.

This project will deploy e-bikes, electric carshare, and mobility as a service; invest in a just transition and job training; build wealth in existing communities; and reduce access barriers for participation in the new mobility future. The project will advance 2 regionally prioritized greenways that connect to the Main Street transit corridor and leverage equitable transit-oriented development (eTOD) work to identify opportunities to install climate smart transit stops and EV charging stations and work with communities to establish safe complete streets through quick build projects. The project will create an all ages, all abilities curriculum for youth and disseminate an education campaign that ties mobility choices to climate change locally.