The Happy Urbanist in Buffalo: Recap!

Gosh, there is so much to say about Jon Jon giving a few hours of his time to enlighten and inspire us to “micro dose change”!

Thank you for coming to Buffalo and for hanging out in Buffalo for a few days. We really had such a good time. There was a lot to take in but overall: make small positive changes…as many as you can, as often as you can.

We really were impressed by the Chattanooga Urbanist Society who has built hundreds of benches now for critical areas in need along bus stops. You can follow their bench making guide here: https://urbanistsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Chattanooga-Bench-Guide.pdf

We are going to be doing some bench making in September… cannot wait. If you want to be involved, reach out to get on our discord and help organize / build them with us!

Here are some photos from the event! We had approx. 70 + people show up! What a beautiful summer night.

Thank you to everyone who put cash in our Jane Jacobs hat to make sure Jon Jon could at least make the drive home. Thanks to Partners for a Livable WNY for donating $350 towards pizza and event needs. Thank you to Luke Tarquin who filmed the event (video coming soon) and to Debs Hall for letting us use the space and poured beers all night! It was a summer highlight, for sure.

The Happy Urbanist is Coming to Buffalo!

Mark your calendars—Jon Jon aka “The Happy Urbanist” is coming to Buffalo on Monday, July 28th for an evening of great ideas, great vibes, and great community.

We’ll kick things off at 6pm with a Happy Hour—grab a beer (or a non-alcoholic beverage) and a slice of pizza, connect with fellow urbanists, and settle in for a fun and thought-provoking night.

At 7pm, Jon Jon will take the mic for a presentation that’s sure to leave you feeling inspired about how joyful, people-centered design can reshape our cities for the better. His infectious energy and practical insights make this a must-attend event for anyone who cares about the future of Buffalo.

Location: Eugene V. Debs Hall, 483 Peckham St., Buffalo, NY

Suggested donation: $10–$20 to support our speaker

Food & drink: Pizza, beer, and NA options available for purchase

Let’s give The Happy Urbanist a big Buffalo welcome—see you there!

Follow him here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDz1a_hxAfx/?hl=en

Learning from Jersey City: Barkha Patel’s Vision Zero Leadership

At the Strong Towns National Gathering in Providence this June, we had the incredible opportunity to hear from Barkha Patel, the Director of Infrastructure for Jersey City—and we left deeply inspired.

Barkha has led transformative work over the last several years to bring Jersey City closer to its Vision Zero goals, aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Under her leadership, Jersey City became one of the first cities in the country to achieve zero traffic deaths for an entire year—a remarkable milestone that proves safe streets are not just aspirational, but achievable. Read more about vision zero here: https://visionzeronetwork.org

What makes Barkha’s work especially powerful is her commitment to people-first design. From curb extensions and protected bike lanes to comprehensive traffic-calming strategies in historically underserved neighborhoods, her approach prioritizes safety, equity, and long-term resilience. She’s not just building infrastructure—she’s building trust, momentum, and healthier communities. Read more about their success here: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/6/9/jersey-city-achieved-zero-traffic-deaths-on-its-streets-heres-how-they-did-it

At Strong Towns Buffalo, we’re energized by leaders like Barkha who demonstrate what’s possible when local governments take bold, thoughtful action. Jersey City’s success shows that a safer, stronger city is within reach when we put people—especially the most vulnerable users—at the center of our transportation systems.

Let’s bring this energy to Buffalo.

Blog Post Title Two

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Blog Post Title Three

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.