The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) today kicked off a new series of high-energy films documenting innovative transportation projects in big cities across the nation.
The series of seven films showcases projects in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Los Angeles, Phoenix and other U.S. cities that make streets safer and more welcoming to wide variety of uses. A collaboration between NACTO and Streetfilms, the project highlights cities’ strong leadership in transportation innovation and suggests best practices that can be implemented in other urban areas. Each film is under five minutes in length.
“Every city has a story to tell,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, New York City Transportation Commissioner and NACTO president. “In today’s busy multimedia world, we feel these films are a great way to let Congress and the wider world know about the incredible laboratories of transportation innovation that cities are today.”In one of our favorite films, viewers get a tour of the McDonald’s Cycle Center in Chicago’s Millennium Park. The cameras take us inside the popular facility, where we get to see everything from the solar panels that provide power to the double-tier bike racks to the showers.
Another film documents the transformation of New York City’s Madison Square from a car-centric area with the longest pedestrian crossing in the city to an attractive 45,000-square-foot public plaza complete with seating, outdoor furniture, greenery and new bike lanes. Even famed urban designer Jan Gehl is interviewed praising the space.
NACTO is comprised of transportation officials from Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. The organization encourages the exchange of transportation ideas, insights and practices among large central cities and works with federal policymakers to promote a transportation system that supports efficient modes of travel including public transit, walking and bicycling.
