First/Last Mile Connections: Co-creating Solutions via Community Partnerships

Sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks aren’t just infrastructure but symbols of a community’s identity. This recognition is part of a paradigm shift in the way transportation projects engage with communities, especially when there is a history of disparities and neglect. Let’s dig into an example of first/last mile planning that puts community and community-based partnerships first. Find out about project charters and participatory activities, such as walk and wheel (bike) audits, walking interviews and storytelling. These practices nurture trust and open pathways for those directly impacted by a project to co-create solutions. Guidelines are now in place – an a model to follow – about how to foster safe, accessible and dignified pathways to transit.

Moderator: Monica Villalobos, PhD, AICP, Senior Practice Leader, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc, Los Angeles, CA
Allison Mannos, Senior Manager, Office of Equity and Race, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO), Los Angeles, CA
Gemma Jiminez Gonzalez, ACT (Art, Civic Engagement and Transportation) Coordinator, Public Matters, LLC, Los Angeles, CA
Neha Chawla, Senior Manager, First/Last Mile, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO), Los Angeles, CA