Remaking Buffalo for the 21st Century by leveraging mobility innovations

The Future of Mobility in Buffalo

With the widespread introduction of emerging transportation technology—like autonomous vehicles, e-scooters, and dynamic parking pricing—our cities are seeing rapid change in how we design, operate, and move about them. The City of Buffalo asked, “how can we and similar communities across North America start today to put these transformational mobility innovations to work unlocking a new era of opportunity, access, and equity?”

In collaboration with the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and the City of Buffalo, our team participated in a week-long charrette to explore how the advent of mobility innovations could unlock a new generation of mixed-use, mixed-income development. Particularly developments that nurture equity, inclusion, and an innovation economy. Over the course of the charrette, industry experts, community leaders, elected and appointed officials, and diverse advocates participated in lively conversations, presented ideas, and outlined various scenarios on how to implement financially feasible ideas for Buffalo.

Key concepts stemming from the charrette and further developed in our report included a mobility equity and innovation zone, the creation of an economic development fund, an equity and inclusion initiative, a placemaking/urban design framework that prioritizes accessibility, and parking and curbside management. With this research, the City of Buffalo can implement a smart mobility plan that fits their needs, serves their community, and leaves no-one behind.