Lower Manhattan (LM) is America's fourth-largest central business district and one of the oldest and densest areas in New York City. It is also New York City's fastest-growing residential neighborhood and contains some of the highest levels of pedestrian, transit, and vehicular activity in America. Since September 11, 2001, redevelopment has dramatically transformed the area into a vibrant 24/7 live–work–visit community. The changes present an unprecedented opportunity to create a more livable and environmentally sustainable neighborhood by reducing traffic and managing parking while giving residents and employees better, greener mobility options. Consequently, the city is focused on finding new ways to manage competing demands for different uses of limited street space. Improving street management is paramount to improving the quality of public space and speeding LM's revitalization. In 2004, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation funded the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the New York City Department of Transportation to contract Arup to undertake a multi-year comprehensive planning study to consider ways to reduce traffic congestion, manage placard parking, and create complete streets and engaging public spaces in LM. This paper discusses the necessity for and development of a proposed street management framework to help guide the city in meeting the transportation and public realm needs of LM's residents, employees, tourists, and businesses. As of October 2008, the project is ongoing; the proposed framework is still conceptual and has not yet been implemented.

Over the past 20 years, federal transportation policy and funding initiatives—such as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991; the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users; Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grants; and the Partnership for Sustainable Communities—have opened doors to establishing sustainable transportation policy in the United States. However, these initiatives have not always resulted in transformative change. A clear path to actionable, sustainable transportation policy requires a change within the local and regional agencies tasked with establishing and implementing the policy. This paper documents the incremental changes in departments of transportation and planning in seven American cities (Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; New York; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C.) that have enabled a shift toward sustainable transportation policy. Interviews with key transportation leaders in each city revealed the methods used to implement more sustainable transport. These methods serve as a blueprint for other leaders who wish to create similar changes in their own cities.