Charles Marohn

Charles Marohn is an American civil engineer, urban planner, and author, and the founder of the nonprofit organization Strong Towns, which advocates for cities that are more resilient, human-centered, and financially sustainable. After studying civil engineering and urban planning at the University of Minnesota, he began his career as a municipal engineer before questioning the prevailing suburban development patterns, which he views as costly and inefficient. A prominent critic of contemporary urban planning, he coined the term "stroad" (a blend of "street" and "road") to highlight the shortcomings of conventional infrastructure design. The author of several influential books, including Strong Towns (2019) and Confessions of a Recovering Engineer (2021), he promotes an incremental, local, and pragmatic approach to urban development.