Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 10hWeek Without Driving starts tomorrow, Oct 1–8. About 1 in 3 people already live this way. Try a day, a few trips, or the week on foot, by bike, or by bus—and notice what works in your neighborhood and what doesn’t. Even one trip helps us see what our neighbors experience every day in Des Moines. 001
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 17/09/2026What if parking lots prioritized people over empty cars? 🚙❌ This Friday, Strong Des Moines is turning 3-4 stalls into a pop-up parklet. Come say hello! 📍 Drake Lot 24 (2920 University Ave) ⏰ 11 AM - 4 PM #ParkingDay2026 #StrongTowns 023
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Tune in to this week's Strong Towns podcast where Chuck sits down with Jarrett Walker, whose firm helped reimagine DART, as they discuss the process of transit planning in Des Moines! open.spotify.com/episode/1usJ...open.spotify.comThe Transit Tradeoff No City Can EscapeThe Strong Towns Podcast · Episode 011
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 27/06/2026Celebrating the new DART system rollout by taking the bus to the Des Moines Farmer's Market and the Des Moines Arts Festival today! Commaraderie and no parking stress? Sign me up! Thanks also to @momentumdsm.bsky.social! 011
Reposted by Strong Des MoinesBrent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 18/06/2026If someone chooses to live in a smaller home in the inner city in part to avoid a long commute, they generally don’t pressure society to build them a bigger house with more stuff. So if you choose a bigger stuff-filled house in the suburbs, don’t expect society to build you a fast car commute. 22806211
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 19/05/2026Des Moines contingent at the Strong Towns National Gathering in Fayetteville! 011
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 04/05/2026Des Moines Area Cyclists! A proposed Waukee ordinance would ban bikes on most city streets. 3 ways to take action: 1) Voice your opposition to City Council at the May 4 meeting at 5:30. 2) Write the mayor and City Council Members. 3) Sign this letter of opposition: forms.gle/3g175biCo8Br... 001
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 30/04/2026Chuck Marohn in Des Moines today speaking at the Polk County Housting Trust Fund Symposium! 010
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 29/04/2026Great morning to be back at it with the Moore Elementary Bike Bus! Big couple of days ahead with the Polk County Housing Trust Fund Symposium tomorrow featuring keynote speaker Chuck Marohn! 011
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 18/04/2026Today's clean-up at Good Park was a success! Thanks to everyone who came out! 011
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 10/03/2026Strong Des Moines members are starting an urbanist book club! Join us at Smokey Row 1910 Cottage Grove Ave on Tuesday, March 31st at 6:30pm as we discuss Escaping the Housing Trap! Hope to see you there! 020
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 30/01/2026Thanks to everyone who came out to the first Strong Des Moines meeting of 2026! 020
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 22/01/2026Please join us for out January meeting a week from today! Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 6pm. Let's kick off the year with a bood vision for 2026! 000
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 19/01/2026Flashback to #urban3 report on the tax revenue v land use study in metro Des Moines (data from 2014). It's incredible how much downtown stands out in the 3D views of the area. We need to encourage policy and development that will cause additional nodes to sprout. www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJour...arcgis.comStory Map JournalThis story map was created with the Story Map Journal application in ArcGIS Online. 020
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 19/01/2026Can verify that Not Just Bikes does a great job introducing the work of Urban3 in explaining how sprawl is subsidized by dense, mature neighborhoods all over the country. #strongtowns #urban3 #notjustbikes 021
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 04/12/2025This issue becomes particularly pronounced in school drop-off zones. With the cold weather arriving in Des Moines, fewer and fewer children are walking and biking to school resulting in increased car drop-off rates. Being seen by motorists matters now as much as ever for those walking to school. 010
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 15/11/2025Had a terrific walking tour/audit of Highland Park with Breann from the City of Des Moines! Another tomorrow at 10am! Meet on the west side of Park Fair Mall! 040
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 21/10/2025Have you heard? Strong Des Moines' monthly meeting will be next week October 30th at the Forest Avenue Library at 6pm! Join us and our guest speakers, the Des Moines MPO, for dialog about informed development processes in our community. Social hour to follow! 010
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 30/09/2025Some additional photos from Park(ing) Day! @parkingreform.org #strongtowns 010
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 20/09/2025Strong Des Moines took part in our first Park(ing) Day in the East Village! Check out our setup here! Thanks to everyone who came out and paid us a visit! 240
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 17/09/2025It's always a good morning to wake up with the Moore Elementary Bike Bus! 091
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 14/09/2025Yesterday, we joined the North of Grand architectural tour led by resident historian Tom Wollan. We offered some history, context behind, and impacts of the construction of I-235, which forms the north border of the neighborhood, as well as some insights on the famous pedestrian bridges over it! 050
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 11/09/2025Last week's tactical cleanup was hugely productive and impactful at the Lower Beaver Trestle Trailhead! A little can go a long way, and taking action now is easy with a team! That's the Strong Towns approach. 031
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 28/08/2025Hopped on the 60 DART bus to head to the August meeting! 040
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 27/08/2025Joined the Moore Elementary Bike Bus this morning! Start one for your school now! 030
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 25/08/2025Had a great time at Ingersoll Live with @momentumdsm.bsky.social and the Street Collective! Be sure to stop by our next Strong Des Moines meeting this Thursday at 6pm at the Central Library. The parking garage will be closed, but that should be something we can overcome! 040
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 23/08/2025Stumbled upon this article about Newport, VT in preparation for a trip NE. It talks about how the town leveled an historic block hoping to attract a tech company to develop. The block is still empty nine years later. Big bets have big price tags. Like stadiums. www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016...strongtowns.orgA Big, Sad Hole in the Cold Vermont GroundIt was going to be great, but it didn't turn out like the planners said it would. (Published 2016) 030
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 14/08/2025Chris Arnade was the keynote speaker at the ST National Gathering in Providence this year. His thoughts in this article address how mistrust and overregulation in the US sometimes conspire against the greater good. Where do you see this happen locally? walkingtheworld.substack.com/p/why-the-us...walkingtheworld.substack.comWhy the US can't have nice thingsA rant on bus stops 041
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 01/08/2025Meeting #1 is in the books! Thanks to everyone who came out! 030
Reposted by Strong Des MoinesMAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 30/07/2025👍 WOW… Ukrainian soldier stuck in the grey zone was delivered a electric bicycle by drone to help him evacuate. 281175214
Reposted by Strong Des MoinesStrong Towns @strongtowns.org · 30/07/2025We’ve seen this before. But what if it didn’t have to be this way? The buttonhook is a highway engineer’s fever dream: six roundabouts engineered to keep traffic flowing to and from strip malls, fast food franchises, and big box stores. It’s absurd. 2182
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 28/07/2025Be sure to join us for the Strong Des Moines relaunch on Thursday, July 31st at 6pm at the Heritage Center at 120 E 5th St! We will be biking over to the Des Moines Biergarten afterwards to continue the conversation with our friends from @momentumdsm.bsky.social. www.facebook.com/events/50313...facebook.comStrong Des Moines Monthly Meeting - Group Relaunch!Event in Des Moines, IA by Strong Des Moines on Thursday, July 31 2025 020
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 19/07/2025Rethinking our spaces is easy and not terribly expensive! Cities across the continent are expanding freedom of movement, restoring neighborhood vitality, and capitalizing on the benefits of multi-modal investment. 020
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 16/07/2025Two-wheeling around the new Fleur/Locust/Grand area! 011
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 14/07/2025What does it say about our priorities when a place stations six crossing cops at an unsignaled zebra crossing over a 7-lane arterial near a large entertainment venue? The Strong Towns approach seeks to scrutinize and offer alternatives to this arrangement. This example imported from KC. 000
Strong Des Moines @strongdesmoines.bsky.social · 12/07/2025Strong Des Moines community project #1 complete! Members helped clear unsightly weeds on Merle Hay Road south of Urbandale Ave! 010
Reposted by Strong Des MoinesFietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 10/07/2025Most complaints about “cyclists behaving badly” ignore the built environment those riders are navigating. People generally respond to the conditions they’re given. If the design is flawed, behavior will reflect that. More people need to learn to recognize this. 724135