From Madison’s Complete Streets breakthroughs to new research on rising transportation emissions, plus top resources for Pedestrian Safety Month, this month’s newsletter shows how cities are shaping safer, smarter streets.

Paving the high road toward success. 'High Road Highlights' is our monthly roundup of project wins, news, and more!

October 28, 2025

Inside Madison WI’s Complete Streets approach to road safety with Mayor Rhodes-Conway

Complete Streets is an approach to planning and operating streets that enables safe access for everyone. This Pedestrian Safety Month, the Mayors Innovation Project spoke with Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway about Madison’s efforts to make its streets safer. Our latest Member City Spotlight highlights the city’s success with Complete Streets and how it has overcome challenges to implementation. Madison’s lessons can serve as a model for other cities working to create connected, resilient, and safe streets for all.

Despite efficiency gains, rising travel demand pushes emissions higher

Advances in technology have made transportation more energy efficient in recent decades, lowering emissions per mile. But according to a new study, those efficiency gains haven’t been enough to offset the rise in emissions from new transportation demand. A new blog from SSTI explores what this means for the future and why keeping emissions steady will require either limiting demand growth or making a more dramatic shift toward electrification than currently imagined.

More resources for Pedestrian Safety Month

October is Pedestrian Safety Month, a reminder that safe, walkable streets are key to thriving communities. Cities nationwide are taking action to protect pedestrians and build more people-centered streets. Explore some of our highlights:

Interview with Mayor Pangallo (Salem, MA) on the city's Traffic Calming Prioritization Tool — Learn about Salem’s Vision Zero commitment, which includes a data-driven tool to target traffic calming projects and protect vulnerable road users equitably. Learn more
SSTI Blog: Washington State’s new shared streets law could set an example for pedestrian-friendly design nationwide — Washington is the first state to authorize shared streets, prioritizing people over cars and modeling safer street design. See how this new law empowers cities to design safer streets. Learn more
SSTI Blog: Pedestrian deaths aren’t accidents, they’re policy failures — A 50% rise in pedestrian deaths over the past decade shows the need for stronger safety policies and infrastructure. Explore what it will take to reverse this deadly trend. Learn more
Mayors Innovation Project cohort: Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety — Mayors from last year's cohort share their experiences with pedestrian safety and how they are improving walkability in their communities. Hear how they are turning lessons into action. Learn more

Point Taken w/ Kristin Brey – October 14th, 2025

620 WTMJ | Point Taken host Kristin Brey chats with Laura Dresser about tariffs, immigration, and the shifting landscape of Wisconsin’s economy.

Wisconsin’s Economic Rollercoaster and the D.C. Shutdown Showdown

Civic Media | Maggie, host of The Maggie Daun Show, dives into Wisconsin’s economic landscape with labor economist Laura Dresser, revealing a post-pandemic recovery paired with worrying disparities.

Tuesday 9/23/25: State of Working Wisconsin report, Buc-ee’s proposal, MMSD project, local sign painter

WUWM 89.7 | Laura Dresser, Associate Director and author of the State of Working Wisconsin 2025, sits down with WUWM 89.7’s Lake Effect to talk about the findings from the newest report.

About High Road Strategy Center

Based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the High Road Strategy Center is a national think-and-do tank that promotes “high road” solutions to social problems. Learn more here, or click below to learn about our projects housed at the High Road Strategy Center:

High Road Strategy Center

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON
7122 Social Science Building, 1180 Observatory Drive | Madison, WI 53706
[email protected] | highroad.wisc.edu

Inside Madison WI’s Complete Streets approach to road safety with Mayor Rhodes-Conway

Project Updates

Despite efficiency gains, rising travel demand pushes emissions higher

In The News

About High Road Strategy Center