Citizens are fixing potholes themselves. The UK wants most kids walking or cycling to school. And could a tiny sales tax solve municipal funding challenges? Welcome to the Good Roads Podcast, where we break down the biggest municipal infrastructure, transportation, and road safety stories shaping Ontario communities.
This week’s episode explores citizen engagement in road maintenance, ambitious active transportation targets, and an innovative approach to long-term infrastructure funding.
From crowdsourced pothole mapping in Sault Ste. Marie to volunteers filling highway craters in Alberta, residents are becoming increasingly involved in road maintenance. While one initiative focuses on data collection and public awareness, the other has frustrated motorists literally fixing provincial highways themselves. What does this say about infrastructure maintenance expectations and public trust?
The UK has unveiled a sweeping active travel strategy aimed at dramatically increasing walking and cycling rates over the next decade. The plan includes billions in infrastructure investments, thousands of new crossings and pathways, and ambitious school travel targets. Beyond health benefits, could strategies like this help municipalities tackle congestion and improve mobility?
Voters in California's Sonoma and Marin counties have approved a dedicated sales tax to fund regional transit for another 30 years. The measure highlights a growing question facing municipalities everywhere: are residents willing to pay more when the funding is clearly tied to specific infrastructure improvements? As municipalities search for sustainable revenue sources, dedicated funding models are becoming harder to ignore.