The Bottom-Up Revolution How Strategic Boldness Transformed Santa Fe’s Transportation Plan
Sep 30, 2025
Erick Aune, Director of the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization, shares insights on transforming transportation in his region. He discusses the radical shift from outdated speed and safety assumptions to policies that prioritize community needs. Erick emphasizes engaging residents in decision-making and the importance of rethinking traditional planning criteria. He also connects transportation reforms to housing affordability, illustrating how small changes can have big impacts. His strategic boldness aims to foster safer streets and revitalized communities.
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Question The Default Technical Assumptions
- Traditional transportation assumptions like design speed and level of service shape outcomes more than we realize.
- Santa Fe shifted those assumptions to change safety and street design outcomes.
Tactically Challenge Speed Standards
- Challenge specific standards like the 85th percentile design speed rather than arguing in generalities.
- Engage respectfully with engineers and agencies to reframe what design speed and posted speed should be.
Make Slow Turns A Safety Feature
- Designing for free-flow turns for the largest vehicle increases speeds and danger.
- Santa Fe chooses smaller turning radii so large vehicles must negotiate turns slowly as a safety feature.