“What has Main Street accomplished?” Have you ever heard that question? People don’t know what we’re working on because they can’t see it. We toil for years on plans and permits and partnerships, but community members — not to mention funders and elected officials — question the value of Main Street organizations. Tactical urbanism can help you overcome this challenge by implementing something visible.

Getting Things Done

I have always been a DIYer, but I officially entered the construction trades by starting a handyman business with my father.

Now, I’m a weekend DIYer restoring our historic bungalow in downtown Baton Rouge. I am a ​“doer” — just like most of you.

At the Strong Towns National Gathering, I attended a session about quick-build projects. The speakers relentlessly asked, ​“What can we do in 24 hours or less, with the materials that we have on hand?” Instead of big-budget, ​“transformational” projects, this community was taking small, incremental steps to tackle their problems. Then, they iterated on the project, working toward a permanent solution.

I also learned about the Local Road Safety Program, which helps local governments install simple, low-cost safety improvements. It provides 100% funding for striping, signage, and rumble strips. Sounds quick and easy, right? But I was shocked to learn that project implementation takes FOUR years.

How do we reconcile long-term projects, which are necessary, with short-term wins? It’s easy to get stuck in a planning loop: too much planning; not enough doing. Don’t get me wrong, planning is important — we need plans — but all too often, those plans sit on a shelf. 

We need a renewed focus on implementation and action. Let’s find harmony between the short-term and long-term, balancing ​“24 hours or less” with the years-long grant project. Build a pipeline of grant applications while installing quick, iterative projects. In fact, small projects can help vet the big projects and strengthen our grant applications.

Tactical Urbanism

Tactical urbanism is defined as ​“an approach to neighborhood building that uses short-term, low-cost, and scalable interventions and policies to catalyze long-term change.” These projects can be led by the city, an organization or non-profit (such as a Main Street organization), or by citizens. In Baton Rouge, we started a volunteer group that is working on small projects.

Not sure where to start? We used this four-step model created by Strong Towns:

1. Humbly observe where people in the community struggle.
2. Ask the question: What is the next smallest thing we can do right now to address that struggle?
3. Do that thing. Do it right now.
4. Repeat.

I like this process because it gets us out of our cars and looking at our towns with fresh eyes. 

Getting Started

Here are some examples of easy projects that are simple and fast to complete.

• Organize a litter clean-up event.
• Re-plant flower beds or planters.
• Walk the neighborhood, especially if your sidewalks need to be fixed! Then invite the mayor, council members, and community leaders for a series of walks so that decision-makers experience conditions on the ground.
• Conduct a walk audit to identify problem areas and determine how to improve walkability and accessibility.
• Attend a council meeting together and go for a drink after! This activity helps educate people about the civic process and engage with solutions.

Here are some intermediate projects that take more effort and planning.

• Paint the Park: In Springhill, Louisiana, Main Street director Amie Poladian wanted to upgrade the city park but lacked funds for new equipment. She mobilized community volunteers to refurbish the park, with businesses providing employee-volunteers and materials.
• Plywood murals: They are painting murals on vacant buildings with boarded windows in Ville Platte, Louisiana! These murals put a new twist on vacant window activation. The local arts council provided funding, an artist designed the mural, and school kids painted it.
• Guerilla crosswalk: Many of our communities have faded crosswalks. Some tactical urbanists are installing DIY crosswalks that meet state DOT standards.
• Sidewalk pressure-washing: We want downtown to look clean and inviting! Check out Erin Barnes’ blog, Washing the sidewalks as community care in Delaware, Ohio.
• Bench: Build a DIY bench and place where it’s needed.

Advanced projects require partnerships with the municipality. Doing smaller projects builds both your capacity and relationship with the city. Try these ideas:

• A DIY sidewalk ramp can help with accessibility.
• Pop-up bike lanes can be a demonstration project to test the concept and get community feedback.
• Underpass art can add vibrancy and safety, especially for pedestrian connectivity.
• Curb extensions can help with traffic calming.

Balancing Quality and Speed

Did you know that Main Street has eight guiding principles? The principle of Quality states: ​“Historically, Main Streets were built with high-quality materials and design, reflecting community pride. The district’s revitalization initiative should emphasize high quality in all aspects of its work.” So, how can we ensure quality in our DIY projects?

At the Strong Towns National Gathering, I learned about a project where the community salvaged wood out of dumpsters to build bus stop benches. I liked this idea, but thought we could improve the design. I found the plans for a bench on the internet for $5, purchased $28 of 2x6s, and built the bench one Saturday morning. With a little bit more investment, I was able to create a higher-quality result.

Building Your Team

In Springhill, their new farmers market quickly became a big success, but the old pavilion needed upgrades. As Amie started refurbishing the pavilion on her own, people noticed and wanted to help!

Tactical urbanism can be a volunteer recruitment tool. Small projects can generate interest in your program. People want to make a difference and be part of something that’s successful. These projects show them that. 

Tactical urbanism is walking a line — do you ask permission, or just do it? We need to be mindful of the Main Street organization’s reputation in the community. Here are some considerations:

• Each of us has different local contexts, local politics, and unique circumstances. You and your board need to determine the balance and the right approach for your context.
• No rogue committees. If you’re a board member or committee member, bring ideas to the board for discussion and approval.
• Look for ​“small bets” that you can implement. Things like picking up litter and planting flowers probably won’t get you in trouble.
• Foster a community of support. In Springhill, the city always told Amie, ​“No.” However, when the community saw visible progress and vocally supported Main Street, City Hall listened.

Get Tactical

Tactical urbanism builds your reputation as a resourceful ​“go-getter.” It connects you with new people — and importantly, demographics that may be underrepresented on your board, volunteers, or downtown business owners. People need to ​“see it to believe it.” Implementing something visible will help grow the impact and reach of Main Street.

Good things happen when we walk around, humbly observe where people struggle, and then do something about it.

Learn more about Louisiana Main Street >

Downtown Decorations, a Main Street America Allied Member, is this quarter’s Main Spotlight advertiser. For more information about what they do to support Main Street organizations, click here.