Across the Main Street Network, we know that Main Streets are more than just roads. They’re Civic Infrastructure: the home to our downtown districts, historic buildings, public institutions, social hubs for traditions and events, and the platforms that drive successful locally owned small businesses.

Yet we understand that transportation projects — often planned and implemented at the regional or state level — can seem inaccessible. Transportation planning can be seen as a complex, top-down system better left to planners, engineers, and other specialists. But the reality is that local leaders can make the difference between a transportation project that simply gets you from point A to point B, versus an impactful project that can also advance quality of life, economic growth, a sense of community and place, and tourism opportunities.

That’s why we developed this Thriving Communities Transportation Toolkit for Main Street leaders and stakeholders across government levels who want to be more effective transportation partners to deliver transformative investments. The Toolkit is based on two years of work by Main Street America as a Lead Capacity Builder in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Thriving Communities Program. 

The Toolkit is divided into five parts, each focused on a core activity to plan and shape your community’s transportation investments. Within each section you’ll find real-world success stories, practical guidance, and links to tools and templates. 

Main Street America’s team throughout the Thriving Communities Program and the development of this Toolkit include Equiticity, National Association of Development Organizations, Project for Public Spaces, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, and CTL Engineering (contributing CTL Engineering team members are now with the firm Benesch).

Special thanks to the dozens of local leaders from Thriving Communities Program cities and tribes, who paved the way for this toolkit by shaping insights and putting these practices into action.

This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by Federal award number 69A6212350001 awarded to National Main Street Center, Inc. by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. Neither the United States Government nor any of its employees make any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately-owned rights. Reference herein to any individuals, agencies, companies, products, process, services, service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the author(s), contributor(s), the U.S. Government, or any agency thereof. Opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of, or a position that is endorsed by, USDOT or any Federal agency.