
Mission
A Better City represents a multi-sector group of nearly 130 business leaders united around a common goal: to enhance the Greater Boston region’s economic health, competitiveness, equitable growth, sustainability, and quality of life for all communities. By amplifying the voice of the business community through collaboration and consensus-building, A Better City develops solutions and influences policy in three critical areas: 1. transportation and infrastructure, 2. land use and development, and 3. energy and the environment. A Better City is committed to building an equitable and inclusive future for the region that benefits and uplifts residents, workers, and businesses in Greater Boston.
PRESENTATIONS

Boston Forward Together: MBTA GM Steve Poftak
On Thursday, March 11th, A Better City welcomed MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak to discuss the MBTA's efforts to provide service throughout the pandemic and to plan for the return to the workplace. Watch the program here.

Zero Net Carbon Building Zoning Initiative
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) recently launched the Zero Net Carbon Building Zoning Initiative to assess and identify strategies to strengthen Boston's existing green building zoning requirements to a zero net carbon standard for new construction. This will advance practices to meet the City of Boston’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Watch here and review the slides here.

PUBLIC REALM & COVID-19
In 2020 we saw many municipal and nonprofit leaders implement rapid response placemaking and tactical placemaking projects as a result of the global pandemic. As a result, many business districts were buzzing with people while social distancing and supporting local businesses. View the slides here & watch here.


I-90 ALLSTON PROJECT
We were joined by panelists Gautam Sundaram, Principal, Urban Design of Perkins&Will, Devanshi Purohit, Senior Urban Designer, and Kishore Varanasi, Principal, Director of Urban Design of cbt to discuss the I-90 Allston Project. To learn more, click here.

Cultural Institutions
The purposes of this discussion were to learn more about how some of the Commonwealth’s leading non-profits or cultural institutions have been navigating the ongoing pandemic, reopening strategies, and protocols. Review slides here.

Tactical Urbanism 2020
Tactical Urbanism 2020 presented by Mike Lydon, Principal, STREETPLANS Keynote Speaker on 12/3/2019

Greenway Business Improvement District (BID)
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Publications

Tactical Public Realm Case Studies
The pandemic has reinforced the necessity of open spaces to sustain the health and well-being of residents and businesses alike. This new A Better City report highlights the planning, design, and implementation process for three tactical public realm projects managed by A Better City, in addition to a fourth case study describing several pop-up plazas implemented by the City of Boston. READ HERE

FUNDING TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS: A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION FINANCE PLAN
An answer to our Feb 2019 report, An Update on Transportation Finance, which identified a projected multi-billion-dollar transportation funding gap over the next ten years just to properly maintain existing transportation infrastructure at the MassDOT Highway Division and the MBTA. READ HERE

AN UPDATE ON TRANSPORTATION FINANCE
A Better City released a new report identifying a projected $8.4 billion gap in Massachusetts transportation funding requirements between 2019 and 2028...

THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION
We are encouraged by Governor Baker’s creation of the Future of Transportation Commission to focus on long-term visioning and planning. Transportation and infrastructure investments may be 20+ years in the making and are subject to changing demographics, technologies, and aspirations, but the visioning needs to be proactive and continuous.
What People Are Saying
MIT Office of Sustainability
Honored by @ABetterCity for their work in leading the charge in sustainable campus living, learn how @MIT is leveraging its campus as a test bed for global change
Bradford Swing
Gave @CityOfBoston response to @ABetterCity and @BosGreenRibbon on #resilience and #infrastructure planning panel. Mayor @marty_walsh and @BostonPlans leadership. #BostonSmartUtilities.
Banker & Tradesman
Would you build over an MBTA bus yard? A report from @ABetterCity argues mixed-use projects could give the T the funding it needs to revamp key infrastructure. http://bit.ly/2YQPJN6
MA Smart Growth
Congrats to @MassDOT, @Steph_Pollack for creative solution on new Pike/Soldiers Field configuration in Allston--and congrats to @ABetterCity, @StreetsBoston, @MassBike, @CharlesRiverCRC, @PeoplesPike, community activists & many others for their hard work!
Andy Metzger @MetzgerBot
Gov. @CharlieBakerMA plans to confront Boston's traffic problem with a whole lotta little measures - and further study on some bigger ideas.
Adam Vaccaro
Activists who have pushed for years for the highway to come down —including @ofsevit, @ABetterCity, and @harrymattison — are happy with the Mass Pike decision, but are now looking at the big next steps (esp West Station):
CRC
We are pleased that @MassDOT has responded to community input (from @StreetsBoston @PeoplesPike @MassBike @ABetterCity & others) and selected the "hybrid" alternative design to ground the #MassPike.
Banker & Tradesman
Baker's transit commission picked the right paths forward for mass transit--including a recommendation for new funding, says Rick Dimino of @abettercity http://bit.ly/2H4D4yB