Opening Plenary – Design Matters: Shaping a Better Future for Our Cities
Liberty Ballroom
Welcome – Leslie S. Richards, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Called to Impact, Poem by Emmanuella R. Myrthil, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Keynote – Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC, NCARB, SEED, LEED AP BD+C, 2024 President, American Institute of Architects, Director of Strategic Relationships, HOK, Chicago, IL
This is a vital moment to focus on life in cities, to dream, design, and build a welcoming future for the estimated 2.5 billion additional people coming to urban centers over the next 25 years. In this Mpact Keynote, Kimberly Dowdell, architect and advocate for equitable development and design excellence, highlights the essential role of design in preserving and creating vibrant, healthy, resilient and equitable urban spaces. Drawing on insight from her work on revitalization in Detroit and in leading global initiatives at HOK, Dowdell explores how Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) and the AIA’s Chief Architect Initiative can optimize urbanization around the globe. Learn about innovative design strategies that can bridge gaps in accessibility and sustainability, ultimately fostering resilient and interconnected communities that will thrive for generations to come. Kick off Mpact Transit + Community 2024 with this foundational idea: community engagement, planning and design can shape a better future for our cities in 2050 and beyond.
Closing – Dorval R. Carter, Jr., President, Chicago Transit Authority / Mpact Board Member, Chicago, IL
2024 Conference, Architecture, Design, Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities, ETOD, Sustainability.
Mobile Workshop
MW06-South by Southwest
$45
Southwest Philadelphia, a rich, varied and somewhat undefined region of the city, showcases both local vibrancy and underinvestment. It’s home to neighborhoods like Kingsessing, unique business sectors, such as Little Africa along Chester and Woodland Avenues, and educational and municipal centers. Three of SEPTA’s 8 trolley lines travel through the area, making the Trolley Modernization initiative an opportunity to tackle persistent issues with access to jobs and food. Hear how local organizations are working to empower community members to take the lead and benefit from neighborhood planning and development, without gentrification taking hold.
Photo credit: 2023 Studio1 Students at Stuart Weitzman School of Design
Businesses, 2024 Conference, Workforce Development, Community Development, Community Engagement, Planning, Transit.
Mobile Workshop
MW07-William H. Gray 30th Street Station and Schuylkill Yards
$65 includes lunch
A world-class redevelopment is underway on the banks of the Schuylkill River in West Philadelphia. It’s been called one of the most exceptional transit-oriented developments in the nation and an opportunity for architects, engineers, planners and designers to lay the foundation for Philadelphia’s bright future. See the elements already built and hear directly from project partners about: the redevelopment of Amtrak’s William H. Gray 30th Street Station for a new era of rail transportation and local connectivity; the redevelopment of Schuylkill Yards by Brandywine Realty Trust as a transportation-centric district of parks, life sciences workspaces and residences; and the renovation of SEPTA’s Drexel Station into a modern transit gateway, the first to display the new SEPTA Metro wayfinding – and the first to involve station naming rights. Learn about this model of collaborative master planning and joint development, involving partnerships between public, private and academic institutions. Also learn about funding – including from the IIJA and PennDOT – and efforts to provide community benefits to the surrounding West Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Photo credit: Christina Arlt
2024 Conference, Economic Development, Station Design, Community Benefit Agreements, Public Space, Funding, Planning, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Mobile Workshop
MW08-100 Years in the Making: The Vision for Roosevelt Boulevard
$65 includes lunch
Update: This Mobile Workshop ends at 2pm, not 12:45 as originally published. The lunch is an authentic Chinese dim sum buffet.
Roosevelt Boulevard, 12 lanes wide, runs through northeast Philadelphia, carrying 90,000 vehicles and 20,000 people via bus per day. It is one of the deadliest roads in the country, with a crash every 4.5 hours by some estimates. Roughly a half a million people live along the route. While immediate work focuses on improving traffic signals and adding curb extensions and other pedestrian safety features, there’s a bigger conversation about alternatives for transforming the boulevard for the long term. One of the options is to revive a 100-year-old plan for a subway under Roosevelt Boulevard, transforming the street environment while reducing traffic and emissions, improving safety and spurring new housing and business development. Is this a moment for the big vision for what transit investments could be? Challenges include securing funding, obtaining regulatory approvals, and addressing community concerns. It’s a discussion that involves government agencies, transportation authorities and community groups. Get all the details and see the Boulevard.
Photo: Roosevelt Boulevard today and rendering of a subway station entrance. Credit: Thom Carroll (top); Jay Arzu (bottom)
Walking, Housing, Safety, Economic Development, Funding, 2024 Conference, Community Development, Transit, Climate Resilience, Corridor Planning, Street Design.
Session
Land Use as a Solution for Equitable Mobility and Access
Philadelphia North
The push to rethink land use policies always needs to be able to meet communities where they are. Also, the perfect cannot be the enemy of the good, or the enemy of the better. Sometimes progress requires a fundamental rethinking of the problem that is trying to being solved. It also can involve more fundamental conversations about shared goals and shared values. Victories for better land use policy are not necessarily won in the legal text of a zoning code, but in the outcomes of thousands of broader community and statewide conversations about the kinds of places we want our metropolitan areas and other smaller communities to be. In the context of the Biden Administration’s renewed focus on equity, housing and sustainability, we will discuss how all levels of government can work together — to improve land use policy, design safer streets, promote more sustainable transportation options and provide abundant housing for all. With reference to on-the-ground examples, we’ll hear how communities are leveraging federal funding to achieve these goals.
Moderator: Harriet Tregoning, AICP, Senior Advisor for Land Use, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Jordan Riesenberg, Economist, US Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, Washington, DC
Kevin Vonck, Director of the Department of Planning and Development Review, City of Richmond, Richmond, VA
Thatcher Imboden, Director, Community Development, Sound Transit, Seattle, WA
Housing, Zoning, Land Use, 2024 Conference, Community Engagement, Equity, Federal Funding, Policy, Sustainability.
Session
Being a Public Transportation CEO: Leadership and Lessons Learned
Freedom EF
The role of a transportation agency CEO is multidisciplinary, requiring focus on multiple fronts and long term vision for the future. Responsibilities cover operations, funding and revenue challenges, stakeholder interactions, communications, marketing and board interactions and management. Being a CEO also requires handling human resource challenges, including staffing shortages, employee retention and career path mapping. Are you a junior, mid or executive leader in the public or private sector? Join this discussion about ways to work effectively at all levels of a transit agency, with everything that involves. Our speakers bring high-level leadership experience and different perspectives based on the structure at their home agency. What will you bring back to better understand, influence or lead yours? What will you learn that may influence your own career choices?
Moderator: Jay Fox, JD, Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT
Leslie Richards, General Manager, Chief Executive Officer, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Katharine Kelleman, AICP, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Regional Transit, Pittsburgh, PA
Richard Farr, Executive Director, rabbittransit, Harrisburg, PA
Workforce Development, Transit Agency Board Members, Funding, 2024 Conference, Communications, Transit.
Session
Bus Network Redesign: Right-sizing Community Engagement
Freedom GH
As agencies with limited resources search for ways to better serve their communities and respond to changing travel patterns and microtransit options, bus network redesign projects, aka comprehensive operational analyses, are being planned and implemented across the country. As these projects steadily rise, so does the importance of robust community input, especially given that some bus riders know and rely on routing used for decades and look at any changes with apprehension. But how should outreach be conducted? What questions should be posed to the community versus decided by experts? Is there ever a point where there is too much outreach? Hear about bus network redesign projects in several locations and join the quest for optimal, authentic and timely community engagement.
Moderator: Melissa Lee, Principal, Public Works Partners, New York, NY
Joel Hochman, Manager, Public Works Partners, New York, NY
Dan Nemiroff, Director of Service Planning (City Transit & Metro), Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Sandip Sen, GISP, Director of Service Planning and Scheduling, VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, San Antonio, TX
2024 Conference, Community Engagement, Transit, Transit Riders.
Session
Trails, Parks, Soccer! Activating Underutilized Transit Spaces
Independence CD
A mostly abandoned railroad right-of-way. An abandoned railroad viaduct. Underutilized transit assets near a rail station. These all are examples of spaces that were brought to life through vision and ingenuity. The transformations range from a network of soccer fields to a hugely popular urban multimodal trail, from greenways that connect neighborhoods to re-envisioning transit stops. Hear about programs that have worked to activate underutilized places, reconnect communities and create more people-centric infrastructure. Get firsthand insights about what it takes to build support from the community, partner with public agencies and municipalities, and what comes after the place is activated.
Moderator: Shaun Green, Principal Engineer, Atlanta Beltline, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Sanjay Patel, Director of Strategic Projects, Soccer in the Streets, Atlanta, GA
Rebecca Cordes Chan, Executive Director, The Rail Park, Philadelphia, PA
Max Musicant, Principal: Placemaker, The Musicant Group, Minneapolis, MN
Bicycling, Walking, Bus Stops, 2024 Conference, Community Development, Placemaking.
Session
Around the World (in 90 Minutes) by Gondola: Making Jules Verne Proud
Liberty Ballroom, Ballroom Level
Let the recent developments around Aerial Transportation (AT) take you on a mesmerizing journey around the globe. This commonly overlooked model is defying historic misconceptions by providing a reliable and sustainable response to last-mile connections in urban areas. Embark with experienced guides on an imaginary trip through the U.S., Canada, and France on gondola systems at different stages of realization: in planning, planned and procurement, recently constructed and operating long-term. New to AT? No problem! We’ll start with a level-setting explanation of the different types of aerial transportation, along with definitions and technologies, before navigating through more in-depth topics as we traverse the world in 90 minutes. Jules Verne would be proud!
Moderator: Daniel Leal, Manager, Strategic Planning, VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, San Antonio, TX
Richard Eisenhauer, Program Manager, Portland Bureau of Transportation, City of Portland, Portland, OR
Holly Foxcroft, Lead Planner, TransLink, New Westminster, BC
Francis Grass, Mayor, City of Toulouse, Toulouse, France
Project Management, 2024 Conference, First-Last Mile, Planning, Transit.
Session
Using Human Behavior to Inform Transit Decisions
Independence B
In the design process, we’ve all certainly used input from staff, stakeholders and the public. But what important insights are people leaving out? How are users actually navigating spaces and systems? And what information can we glean from their conscious and unconscious choices? Learn about some uncommon ways that your colleagues are answering these questions. Become more familiar with the elements of a human-centered design approach and how it interfaces with engineering and community engagement. This approach seeks to overcome typical obstacles to realize the full potential of the transit system, whether bus, BRT or rail: to connect people to each other, enhance local natural ecosystems and restore an increasingly disconnected public realm.
Moderator: Christine Mondor, Principal, evolveEA, Pittsburgh, PA
Anna Muessig, Cities Team Director, Gehl Architects, New York, NY
Ren Yee, Head of Innovation Strategy & Forecast, UNStudio, Amsterdam, NE
David Thomson, Vice President, Strategy, BEworks, Toronto, ON
Session
Workforce Equity: Coordinating Across Projects and Sectors
Philadelphia South
Even as large-scale, multimodal projects advance in communities around the country, local residents do not always see people like themselves involved on site, as workers. Workforce equity programs tend to operate on a project-by-project basis. Not all programs reach the communities they are meant to serve, resulting in barriers for local populations who could benefit from the opportunities. In one area of the country, a network is starting to emerge: community organizations, private businesses, nonprofits and public agencies, actively working to build capacity around infrastructure projects. Come learn about a unique, systems-level approach that unites communities under a shared vision and strategy that will result in a more inclusive workforce and economy.
Moderator: Johnell Bell, Chief Executive Officer, Espousal Strategies, Portland, OR
Elisa Young, JD, CDE, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Parametrix, Seattle, WA
Lauren McGowan, Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) – Puget Sound, Seattle, WA
Amira Beasley, Capital Project Manager, King County, Seattle, WA
Workforce Development, 2024 Conference, Community Development, Capacity Building.
Networking
Mpact Innovators Presents – Walking Tour: Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Meet in Lobby
This walk will be historic! First, stop for lunch at the food court at the Shops at Liberty Place, packed with a dozen affordable food options. Then, head to 1300 Locust Street to see a specially-curated display of historical artifacts at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP): pieces that focus on the history of transit and mass transportation, as well as several documents that have incredible significance to the city, state and country. Hear from HSP volunteers the stories of people often left out of history books. You’ll be glad to discover HSP, one of the country’s largest collections of archives, historical documents, manuscripts, books, and graphic images.
Meet in the Lobby. Limited to the first 25.
Session
TOD Practitioners Forum
Horizons Rooftop Ballroom (via Elevator - R for rooftop)
Are you a transit-oriented development (TOD) manager at a transit agency? Or a city or regional staffer tasked with making TOD happen? Maybe you work for a redevelopment authority or other financing entity or in affordable housing. Whatever the case, get together with people like yourself and dive into discussion. Your voice will be heard, including what you care about, what you’re struggling with and where you’ve found creative solutions. A couple of questions to get you thinking: What is effective continuing control in a lease document? What are the rules for a transit agency confronted by a developer that would like to avail themselves of credit programs like TIFIA or RRIF? In this peer exchange, we’ll decode terminology and get real about the work.
Facilitator: Chessy Brady, AICP, Transit-Oriented Development Manager, Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver, CO
Facilitator: Kenny Starr, AICP, Manager, Joint Real Estate Development, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Housing, Economic Development, Funding, 2024 Conference, Community Development, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Lunchtime Opportunity
AARP Lunchtime Conversation – Designing Transit for All Ages
Salon 5/6
AARP Livable Communities supports efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and rural areas to be great places for people of all ages. We believe all communities should be safe and secure, with supportive community features and services, including adequate transit and mobility options. How is your community working to build thriving and resilient transit systems, including reliable access for all ages? Are you familiar with the full suite of tools and resources AARP Livable Communities offers?
MW10-Tacony: An Evolving Industrial Waterfront Neighborhood
$85
The story of the Tacony neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia revolves around continuously changing industry along the Delaware River. Arrive by train and grab a bicycle for a 5-mile ride. Learn about this immigrant neighborhood’s development, including its past as a factory town, mid-19th Century architectural styles, modern day warehouses and the vibrant commercial strip of boutiques, delis and community services that supports Tacony today. Hear how transportation projects, including highway construction, have challenged the neighborhood. And see how a trail and parks along the waterfront reconnect the neighborhood to the Delaware River, long blocked by industry and the highway. You’ll come away with a greater appreciation of one of the city’s most unique neighborhoods and the factors involved in keeping it vital.
Note: This workshop is not ADA accessible.
Photo: Kensington and Tacony Trail in Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Architecture, Health, 2024 Conference, Bicycling, Businesses, Community Development, Sustainability.
Mobile Workshop
MW11-SEPTA Metro: Multiple Modes, Unified
$45
Boost your familiarity with a variety of types of transit service – and find out how SEPTA is improving to meet the needs of today’s riders. The SEPTA system combines bus, trolley, subway/el and regional rail inherited from five different private companies. Experience city and suburban transit offerings including: an electrified regional rail line with a Center City tunnel; a quirky suburban line running little trains on a high speed right of way; a busy elevated in West Philadelphia; and street-running trolleys that dive into a subway. See busy hubs where these lines connect to local buses and each other. Hear about SEPTA’s ambitious plans for the future, including a bus network redesign, transformation of regional rail to frequent all day service, and a complete modernization of trolley lines. SEPTA Metro unifies these disparate rail lines into one connected system more intelligible and friendly to new and all-day riders. No matter what type of transit runs in your community, you’ll come away with examples of how to modernize, coordinate and market the system and better serve riders.
Note: This workshop is not ADA accessible.
Photo: Drexel Station at 30th Street and Schuylkill Yards. Credit: Drexel University
Station Design, Design, 2024 Conference, Place Branding, Regional Rail, Transit, Mobility Hub.
Mobile Workshop
MW12-Blossom at Bartram: Growing the Future in Southwest Philadelphia
$45
Learn about the vision – and growing reality – for revitalizing Kingsessing, a neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia that suffers from unsafe streets, obsolete public housing and lack of access to nearby amenities such as Bartram’s Garden (the nation’s first botanical garden, started in 1728!) and the Schuylkill River Trail. Hear from SEPTA about improvements that will transform a corridor on Philadelphia’s High Injury Network, by bringing accessible trolley stations, separated bike lanes, new sidewalks and a state-of-the-art maintenance facility. Hear about the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation’s Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus, fostering diverse and inclusive economic growth in Philadelphia’s industry-leading life sciences sector. And hear how the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Bartram Village Choice Neighborhoods project will replace distressed public and assisted housing with high-quality mixed-income housing that helps residents and the broader community thrive. Learn how these cross-sector players are working together and with neighborhood residents to create a vibrant, safe, inclusive, connected, active and green community for the future.
Photo credit: Christina Arlt
Economic Development, 2024 Conference, Bicycling, Affordable Housing, Community Development, Corridor Planning, Sustainability.
Session
A Song for Chicken Hill: ETOD in Large and Small Cities
Liberty Ballroom, Ballroom Level (Note: *not* Independence B; the Guide is incorrect.)
What do a small borough in Pennsylvania, a small city in Florida and a city near Phoenix share in common? All have prioritized equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) in conjunction with expanding regional rail and light rail service. Hear about what makes each place unique as well as the challenges they face, from funding sources to intentional use of data, while advocating for historically underserved populations. Two of these communities are recipients of assistance through the USDOT’s Thriving Communities Program.
The title of this session draws on James McBride’s novel The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, which is set in Pottstown and focuses on the African-American and Jewish communities of Chicken Hill. The creativity doesn’t end there! We’ll end with a song composed from the discussion and performed by youth from the STRIVE Initiative, a community-based organization that supports Pottstown youth to realize their academic and individual aspirations.
Program note: Learn more about ETOD and Pottstown on Sunday’s Mobile Workshop 02, A Journey to Chicken Hill (separate fees required).
Moderator: David Charles, Co-Founder/CEO, The Strive Institute, Pottstown, PA
Howard Brown, Senior Program Officer, Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, Pottstown, PA
Twila Fisher, MPA, Director of Community Economic Development, Executive Director, The Hill School, Pottstown, PA
Zackery Good, Assistant City Manager, Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Homestead, FL
Augie Gastelum, Founder, Patchwork Community Inclusion, Phoenix, AZ
Economic Development, Land Use, Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities, 2024 Conference, Regional Rail, Community Development, Federal Funding, Capacity Building, Corridor Planning, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Measure Twice, Cut Once: TOD Corridor Planning at the Front End
Philadelphia North
Planning for transit-oriented development (TOD) alongside new transit investments is hardly a novel idea. But as the North American TOD and transit-oriented communities capability continues to mature, the benefits of planning early and effectively can’t be overstated. This is especially true when the planning area is not simply a station but a whole corridor or multi-corridor system – and when success involves not only the TOD project but also regional goals for equitable or sustainable growth. So, let’s dig in, focusing on collaboration between transit and land use authorities at different geographical scales. We’ll talk about a Skytrain extension in Vancouver, an entire light rail corridor in Edmonton, and Sydney, Australia’s approach to a four-line metro system. These collaborations showcase sophisticated community engagement, innovative policy agreements and recognition that places connected by transit can be very different. Take home lessons for your community.
Moderator: Jennifer Dougherty, AICP, Manager, Long-Range Planning, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Charis Loong, Senior Planner, Transit-Oriented Communities Planning, Transportation Planning and Policy, TransLink, Vancouver, BC
Sandra Renihan, P.Eng, M.Eng, Associate – Transit Design Practice, DIALOG, Edmonton, AB
Mike Logan, Urban Planning & Mobility Lead, Canada, Mott MacDonald, Toronto, ON
Autonomous Vehicles, 2024 Conference, Light Rail, Community Engagement, Equity, Corridor Planning, Policy, Sustainability, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Mobility Denied: Addressing State Legislation Prohibiting and Limiting Transit Options
Philadelphia South
Due to public misunderstanding, culture wars and other factors, some local and state governments have proposed — or enacted — measures to slow or stop progress of transit lines or prohibit rail-based transit and other tools in the mobility toolbox, such as bus-only lanes or road diets. So, how can localities and transit agencies address such challenges, reframe the conversation and control the narrative? How can transit be positioned as part of community and in a land-use context, rather than according to political binaries? These questions beg to be asked. We’ll discuss potential solutions with perspectives from around the country.
Moderator: Mehr Mukhtar, Policy Associate, Transportation for America, Washington, DC
Austin Gibble, Transit Planner/Project Manager, Stantec Consulting, Indianapolis, IN
Connor Descheemaker, Coalition Manager, Transit Forward Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Blake Johnson, Representative, Indiana General Assembly, Indianapolis, IN
Communications, Land Use, 2024 Conference, Transit, Street Design.
Session
Syracuse and Portland: Models for Reconnecting Communities
Freedom GH
For the first time in U.S. history, the federal government, via the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program, is making significant investments to address the historical injustices wrought by past transportation policy. Let’s dig into projects underway in Syracuse and Portland that are addressing legacies of inequity and the historic harm of highway building. In Portland, the Albina Vision Trust is pioneering a new model of restorative development. Syracuse is just beginning a transformation of transportation and housing, removing the I-81 viaduct that divided a once-thriving primarily Black community. Learn about different approaches and tools. While fears of further displacement with redevelopment remain, new pathways are being built toward restorative justice and community development, pathways built on community trust and the promise of economic opportunity, housing, and mobility and transit access.
Moderator: Cadence Petros, Project Director, ECONorthwest, Portland, OR
Mike Wilkerson, Policy Fellow, Up for Growth, Portland, OR
Winta Yohannes, Executive Director, Albina Vision Trust, Portland, OR
Joe Driscoll, Interstate 81 City Project Director, City of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY
Sarah Walton, Director of Neighborhood Redevelopment, Department of Neighborhood and Business Development, Syracuse Housing Authority, Syracuse, NY
Housing, 2024 Conference, Highway Capping, Community Development, Federal Funding, Transit.
Session
Gender-Inclusive Transit through Design and Policy
Independence CD (Note: *not* in Liberty Ballroom; the Guide is incorrect)
In North America, the majority of public transit users are women. But they don’t always have an easy ride. Women often feel unsafe or experience harassment. They frequently travel with strollers or packages and often are assisting family or community members. The absence of gender-sensitive design and infrastructure exacerbates their mobility challenges. Learn about new approaches to gender-based safety and comfort that combines social-science disciplines, such as sociology and anthropology, with architecture and design. Find out where this is happening and what’s involved, from the complexities of policy implementation to design guidelines that mainstream gender perspectives into institutional frameworks.
Moderator: Luigi Barraza, Urban Planner, Arcadis, Mexico City, MX
Ana-Francisca de la Mora, Principal, Practice Group Manager Transit Architecture, Arcadis, Toronto, ON
Mariajose Zacarias, Gender Programme Manager (Secretaria de Movilidad, SEMOVI), Ministry of Mobility, Mexico City, Mexico City, MX
Haleema Bharoocha-Jobe, MPP, Senior Engagement Manager, Winter Consulting, Oakland, CA
Design, 2024 Conference, Women, Architecture, Transit, Policy, Transit Riders.
Session
Building the Capital Stack: Leveraging Dollars for Complete Communities
Independence A
Circle up and let’s explore how developers and community groups develop a “capital stack,” the layers of the financial structure of a real estate deal, to achieve their transit-oriented and community development objectives. With specific projects as examples, we’ll cover the nitty-gritty of preparing a financial plan along with the challenges of convincing stakeholders and funders to come to the table to help build up the stack. The format is a listening circle, with speakers in the middle. Listen and learn before being given the opportunity to join the circle and contribute to a discussion focused on both insights about the process as well as different ways to achieve similar goals.
Moderator: Sasha Page, Principal, Rebel, Washington, DC
Erin Clark, Chief Real Estate Investment Officer, Denver Housing Authority, Denver, CO
Kim Washington, Executive Director, Frankford CDC, Philadelphia, PA
Maria Sourbeer, Senior Vice President of Development, Mosaic, Philadelphia, PA
Stacey Mosley, Director of Research, Life Science & University Partnerships, Brandywine Realty Trust, Philadelphia, PA
Funding, 2024 Conference, Community Development, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Reauthorization of the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Freedom EF
You’ve likely heard about and (if you’re in the US) even benefitted from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. But do you understand where it’s going? Continuation of the hard-earned gains and transformational elements of the law is not a given. In this interactive and high-energy conversation, hear from insiders about the key issues the US Congress will consider as part of reauthorization. Learn how local communities and stakeholders are forging a concerted and unified effort toward reauthorization. It’s all about the future of policies designed to foster vibrant and equitable communities, facilitate transition to clean-energy technologies and spark mobility innovation.
Moderator: Arthur Guzzetti, Vice President – Policy and Mobility, American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Washington, DC
Eileen Higgins, Commissioner, District 5, Miami-Dade County, Miami, FL
Charles Small, West Region Government Affairs Officer and Vice President, HNTB Corporation, Silver Spring, MD
Shruti Vaidyanathan, Director of Federal and State Transportation, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Washington, DC
Communications, 2024 Conference, Equity, Federal Funding, Policy, Sustainability.
Session
Mpact Innovators Presents – Red Line Internship Program: Advancing Youth, Community and Light Rail
Independence CD
The Red Line High School Internship program demonstrates that transit projects that invest in youth workforce development bring immense benefits to the community. The program seeks to engage students residing and studying within the Red Line corridor, providing them with insights into the Red Line Transit Project and exposing them to careers within the transportation industry. The Red Line light rail project in Baltimore was canceled in 2015 (after over a decade of planning and design) and restarted in 2023. Learn about the blueprint for the internship project, conducted for six years and recently relaunched. Hear from internship alumni who successfully entered the transportation industry as a result of the program. Understand best practices and lessons learned for initiating a similar program. Transit and transit-adjacent agencies can incorporate such programs into their own projects to help build both workforce and community buy-in throughout the planning, design and construction of long-term transit projects.
Moderator: Yolanda Takesian, AICP, Principal Planner, Kittelson & Associates, Inc, Baltimore, MD
Allison Scott, Red Line Senior Project Director, Maryland Transit Administration, Baltimore, MD
Tranell Guthrie, Senior Consultant, Kittelson & Associates, Inc, Raleigh, NC
Anton Christian, Police Officer, Maryland Transit Administration, Baltimore, MD
Lyneisha Jackson, AICP, Military Community Planner, HDR, New Orleans, LA
Light Rail, Workforce Development, Project Management, 2024 Conference, Community Development.
Session
What is… TOD? Test Your Knowledge!
Independence B
The terminology around transportation and development can be a real head-scratcher. Get ready for some fun as we put your knowledge of acronyms and terms to the test! Break into teams for a gameshow-style introduction to the lexicon of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Transit Oriented Communities. Flex your jargon muscles, discover your inner wonk and dig into the (often conflicting) definitions of keywords common to transportation and development. You’ll walk away with a better grasp of the wide range of topics available throughout the conference… and some sweet treats!
Moderator: Tya Winn, Executive Director, Community Design Collaborative, Philadelphia, PA
Amy Yoder, Planner, Transit-Oriented Development, Metro Transit, Minneapolis, MN
Communications, 2024 Conference, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Affordable Housing Policy Update: TOD at Different Scales
Philadelphia South
ICYMI: Housing supply and affordability challenges aren’t confined to expensive coastal transit markets. They are a core focus for transit-oriented development (TOD) efforts across the country. Delve into case studies from the heartland that showcase cutting-edge TOD strategies at different scales, from a parking lot conversion to affordable housing (involving discounted land sales) to use of bonding capacity and tax relief to increase both supply and affordability of housing along along transit corridors. Get the back story on YIMBY bills through which state legislatures are compelling action on housing. Hear directly from practitioners and policymakers in the thick of these big moves. Let their lessons become yours as you work to advance transit-oriented affordable housing in your community.
Moderator: Ian Carlton, Senior Policy Advisor, ECONorthwest, Portland, OR
Alicia Leitgeb, Transportation Planner, Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver, CO
Michael Riley, Director of TOD/TOC, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, Kansas City, MO
Affordable Housing, Funding, 2024 Conference, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Curbing Climate Change with EVs: A Debate
Freedom EF
Large-scale efforts are underway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. Like anything, effective policy and action requires input from different fields. But to no one’s surprise, not everyone agrees on the correct approaches to take. Should the solutions be all-EV? Or does monomania about EVs perpetuate harmful land use patterns? Is the goal to install EV chargers in every zip code, for equitable access? Or does that just lead to even more driving? These are just some of the positions our speakers will debate. Broaden and deepen your understanding of the role EVs do and don’t play in mobility, sustainability and equity.
Moderator: Breen Masciotra, AICP, EcoDistricts AP, Senior Project Manager, evolveEA, Pittsburgh, PA
Muhammed Patel, Midwest Transportation Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Chicago, IL
Nick Sifuentes, Program Director, Sustainable Cities, The Summit Foundation, Washington, DC
Jeff Peel, AICP, Deployment Manager, Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Anna Kelly, Senior Policy Advisor for EV and Parking, Office of Transportation and Infrastructure, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
2024 Conference, Electric Vehicles, Land Use, Equity, Climate Resilience, Sustainability, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
The “You” in Universal Design
Freedom GH
Adopted over 30 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was a major step forward in opening up public spaces and transit to people with disabilities. Mission accomplished? Not quite. Chances are everyone will face mobility challenges at some point in their lives. Access barriers also affect people with children in strollers, luggage bags, bicycles or groceries. Yet, access solutions often look and feel awkward and unpleasant. Are switchback ramps and motorized lifts really our best solution? Universal Design says we can do better. Learn what Universal Design is and isn’t, why it’s important, and emerging guidelines and standards. Hear how one transit agency is incorporating Universal Design into their sustainability mission and the challenges of putting Universal Design in practice in a “legacy” city. You’ll come away with a better appreciation for how the design of public space and transportation facilities affects you and your mobility experience.
Facilitator: David Goodman, AICP, RA, Active Transportation Program Manager, Jacobs, Arlington, VA
Annie Boivin, PhD Candidate, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Anne Tyska, AICP, Sustainability Initiatives Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Anna Hooven, PE, Program Manager – Bridges & Buildings, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
ADA, Design, Legacy cities, Public Space, Transit, Sustainability.
Session
A Real Seat at the Table for Equity and Environmental Justice: The Link21 Standard
Independence A
The tenets around Environmental Justice and equity are converging, and one project shows just how much. Link21 is a proposed new train crossing between Oakland and San Francisco that would transform the regional rail system and unlock better travel possibilities across the 21-county Northern California Megaregion. LINK21 sets a new standard for engaging diverse communities about equitable mobility and transit-oriented development, including concerns about displacement. The secret? Seats at the decision-making table. The program mobilized an Equity Advisory Council with 18 members who collectively represent the region’s diversity. Learn firsthand the methods Link21 has taken to engage their communities and bring them into the heart of decison-making.
Moderator: Cathy LaFata, Transportation Equity Director, HDR, Inc., Portsmouth, NH
Tim Lohrentz, Equity Programs Administrator, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), San Francisco, CA
Frank Ponciano, Director, Strategy & Technology Lead, Winter Consulting, Oakland, CA
2024 Conference, Community Development, Community Engagement, Equity, Transit, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
The Dollars and Cents of TOD: Transit and Developer Perspectives
Philadelphia North
Transit agencies, publicly funded entities that require private partners to deliver certain types of development, have historically struggled to catalyze transit-oriented development and communities. One reason? A lack of understanding about how to engage developers and encourage investment, especially given that real estate isn’t an agency’s primary mission. Why do developers invest in transit-oriented development and what are they looking for from agencies? What approaches have agencies found to be successful and how have private investments benefited transit? Get a ground floor understanding of the basics. It’s knowledge to learn from and build on.
Moderator: Jaime Harris, Chief Operating Officer & Counsel, Greystone Real Estate Advisory Group, New York, NY
Jack Wierzenski, AICP, Assistant Vice President, Economic Development, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Dallas, TX
Kristen Mitchell, Director, Transit Oriented Development, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit), Newark, NJ
Felicia Alexander, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.
Ken Gold, MBA, Vice President, Acquisitions and Development, Inspired by Somerset Development, Holmdel, NJ
Funding, 2024 Conference, Transit, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Oh, the Humanity! Achieving Safe and Compassionate Transit for All
Liberty Ballroom, Ballroom Level
Many transit agencies nationwide are still confronting a post-COVID decline in ridership. Meanwhile, many riders are experiencing unprecedented issues of safety and security onboard transit vehicles. How do we maintain service quality for our current ridership, assist those in need and attract new riders? Maximizing police and security forces isn’t enough. Explore unconventional methods for restoring compassionate humanity to transit, bringing passengers in need out of their unfortunate situations and preserving a consistent quality of life for existing and new riders.
Ken Divers, Director, Outreach Programs, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Steven Martingano, Deputy Chief, Transit Police, Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver, CO
Homelessness, 2024 Conference, Safety, Community Engagement, Transit, Transit Riders.
Networking
Monday Wind Down – Reception in the Public Square
Public Square
Close the first full day of the conference with a party. Compare notes about sessions, mobile workshops and what you’ve seen of Philadelphia so far. Meet new friends. Explore the exhibits, bookstore and SEPTA store. Light appetizers and cash bar.
Plus – 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Mentoring with WTS Philadelphia
Step from the Public Square into the Liberty Ballroom for mentoring with transportation leaders. Take a quick survey and WTS will match you up for a 7-minute conversation: advice about career development and insights about challenges facing the industry today.
Networking
Mentoring with WTS Philadelphia
Liberty Ballroom
During the Monday Wind Down reception, join WTS Philadelphia in the Liberty Ballroom for mentoring with transportation leaders. Take a quick survey and WTS will match you up for a 7-minute conversation: advice about career development and insights about challenges facing the industry today.
More info about how to sign up on this flyer (PDF).