Are we there yet?

Establishing a shared goal.

“Are we there yet?”

Parents around the globe have heard this question from the backseat, and heaved a sigh of irritation in response. Now imagine, instead of a minivan making its way to a known and agreed-upon destination, the “there” hasn’t been identified, conveyed, or even discussed. You’re just driving down the road, hoping that a good place to stop will present itself – and that you’ll know it when you see it. 

City Thread’s Playbook is a set of steps to help city staff, elected leaders, and community partners work productively to deliver the projects that residents want and need. The first, critical step? Establish a shared goal.

Identifying a common vision is critical for bringing in the many community partners that are instrumental in building the broad support that is needed to reach it. Imagine asking your friends or family to pack for vacation without telling them where you’re going or when. They may be open to the idea, but you will not inspire action. Setting a clear implementation goal paints the picture. It allows you to clarify what each partner is working toward and aligns their diverse skills, strengths, and connections into a singular focus. 

Establishing a shared goal is the first step in City Thread’s Playbook for a reason: It provides a north star around which people can unite, and gives partners a tangible vision for what they are working to achieve – along with a concrete definition that helps them measure progress along the way. Like the family on a roadtrip, city and community partners need to know where they’re going to have a hope of getting there. Too often, people assume that the destination is clear without ever talking about it, or they fail to add in the specificity that makes it meaningful and measurable. 

For City Thread’s mobility partners, the shared goal is often a mileage goal. Austin committed to building 100 miles of high quality bicycle infrastructure in 24 months. Providence named 40 miles of its Great Streets plan as its marker of success. For Denver, 100 miles centered on connectivity within four neighborhoods was ambitious but achievable. In each of these cities, the goal was specific and time-bound while providing latitude in what projects were included and how it would be achieved. 

In 2023, Milwaukee had many of the elements that would help it build a connected mobility network quickly: Mayor Cavalier Johnson had named active transportation and street improvements as a priority for his new administration; experienced city staff were prepared to deliver projects; a network of community-based organizations were supportive of this focus. The city had the right foundation but was missing an action plan that told partners what to build first, how to engage, and what would be the result at the end. Milwaukee needed a clear and distilled goal to unite all stakeholders. 

City Thread worked with Milwaukee as part of its Accelerated Mobility Playbook technical assistance grant, examining plans and processes, interviewing folks from across the city, and reviewing communication strategies. The shared goal that City Thread recommended – build 50 miles of bicycle infrastructure by 2026 – did not reinvent what Mayor Johnson and his team wanted to do, it crystallized it. 

The shared goal provided the foundation for the Playbook’s next steps and offered the structure to keep partners aligned. This common, stated objective doesn’t ask disparate organizations to give up or reorganize what they do. Instead it says, “while we are working together, we are focused on achieving this.” 

In Milwaukee, that clarity of vision allowed the mayor and his administration to approach partners in a new way. In addition to saying “we want our streets to be safer,” he could argue “we are improving 50 miles of roadway in two years to get there.” 

Our cities and city leaders are tasked with many things, from housing to mobility to picking up the trash. Establishing a shared goal centers everyone on what we are working to achieve together. 

You may not be there yet, but do you know where you’re going? Regardless of your starting point, we want to learn more about what is happening in the place you call home. Let's talk. Reach out at hello@citythread.org.