Session
Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities: Let’s Share Best Practices
Independence B
More transit agencies are taking up the framework of Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities (ETOC) as an approach to centering equity in their practices, meeting the needs of a diversity of residents and integrating economic, climate and relationship-building goals. What best practices are emerging from agencies and community-based organizations? Let’s workshop both the processes and the tools, focusing on specific elements such as community engagement, funding mechanisms, anti-displacement efforts, zoning, affordable housing, small business retention, and mode shift, among others. The goal: share actionable insights to lead future equitable development initiatives.
Anna Lan, Transit-Oriented Development Manager, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro), Austin, TX
Clayton Lane, Senior Principal, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc., New York, NY
Affordable Housing, Businesses, Zoning, Funding, Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities, 2024 Conference, Community Engagement, Climate Resilience.
Session
What Could We Do with this Land? Agency Assets and Community Needs
Independence A
When you look at land, how far does your imagination stretch? Expand your perspective about the ways public sector entities can leverage land assets to impact a broad array of social infrastructure. We’ll cover a lot of ground, including the shifting perspective of transit agencies, from strictly mobility providers to foundational cornerstones of urban and social well-being. Whether it’s mitigating urban heat and food deserts, expanding cultural identity with art or supporting community cohesion, the possibilities for creating community assets are endless. Let’s learn how cities and transit agencies can work together to maximize their land in ways that extend far beyond traditional TOD and station area amenities. It’s part of expanding the focus from “customer experience” to “community experience,” and making a broader case for the important role of transit agencies in cities.
Moderator: Steven Duong, AICP, Vice President, AECOM, Dallas, TX
Brandie Lockett, Urban Design Division Lead, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), Houston, TX
Tanya Brooks, Assistant Vice President, Capital Planning, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Dallas, Texas
Michael Matthys, Senior Associate, Planning, SvN Architects + Planners, Toronto, ON
Local Food, Climate Mitigation, Land Use, Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities, 2024 Conference, Transit, Community.
Session
Old Downtowns, New Life: Revitalizing Legacy City Centers with TOD
Freedom E-F
How can transit-oriented development around bus and rail assist the revitalization of older, legacy city downtowns? Let’s look at multiple cities across the Northeast and Midwest — examples of “Frostbelt” or “Rustbelt” communities seeking to rebound from decades of disinvestment and de-industrialization. Many of these downtowns have central transit hubs or are involved in establishing or restarting regional rail service. Transit is not a “magic bullet” or a substitute for market forces, but it can play a role. How big of a role? How can that role be optimized? And how can transportation agencies and local governments partner for success? Join us to hear the answers, and leave feeling as revitalized as the cities you’ll hear about.
Moderator: Al Raine, PhD, National TOD Practice Leader, AECOM, Boston, MA
Clarence Hulse, Executive Director, Economic Development Corporation, Michigan City, IN
Pankaj Jobanputra, AICP, Planner/Project Manager, Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, Norristown, PA
Christof Spieler, PE, AICP, LEED AP, Director of Planning, Huitt-Zollars, Houston, TX
Economic Development, Legacy cities, 2024 Conference, Regional Rail, Mixed-Use Development, Downtowns, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
New Roles at Transit Agencies: Chief Equity and Strategy Officers Taking the Industry By Storm
Philadelphia South
New C-Suite roles are arriving at transit agencies and changing the way we think about engagement, transit agency operations and future development. Hear from two of these leaders in a talk show style discussion. What is their day to day like? What new innovations are they bringing to the board room and business practices? What relationships are key to success? Let’s get real about the why, how and “so what” of these new roles as well as what to expect with uncharted roles in the next five years.
Moderator: Monica Carney-Holmes, Executive Manager, Corridors of Opportunity, City of Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Emmanuella Myrthil, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Alisha Garrett, Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UT
2024 Conference, Community Development, Equity, Building Leadership.
Session
Legacy City Greenways: Inclusive from the Roots Up!
Salon 5-6
In older, legacy cities around the country, new greenways are blooming in underserved communities of color. Each involves nonprofits and cities working with community members to re-envision underutilized infrastructure and create safe, comfortable and beautiful places for active transportation. Let’s review best practices and lessons learned. The case studies feature prototypes of on-street, off-street and rails-to-trails greenways at varying stages, from planning to implementation. Learn tactics to bring communities together, how to embed equity and inclusion from concept through implementation, and what it takes to drive transformational urban greenways without displacement. Come away with models of community-based infrastructure to seed change where you live.
Janet Attarian, AIA, LEED AP BD + C, Principal, Senior Mobility Strategist, SmithGroup, Detroit, MI
Shaughnessy Daniels, Director of Civic Engagement, Great Rivers Greenway, St. Louis, MO
John Adams, Founder and Executive Director, Bronzeville Trail Task Force, Chicago, IL
Bicycling, Walking, Trail-Oriented Development, Legacy cities, 2024 Conference, Community Engagement, Planning.
Session
Creative Placekeeping: How Art Supercharges Community Engagement
Independence C-D
The phrase “Creative Placemaking” was coined fourteen years ago in a report commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts. Since then, the term has evolved to be “placekeeping” and the endeavor part of best practices for capital projects. But creative placekeeping is not just a tool for beautification. It also provides opportunities for effective public engagement and holds untapped potential to create an informed, empowered and connected community that ultimately benefits the agency as well. Explore the remarkable and often unexpected effects of arts- and culture-focused community engagement projects. Take home real world methods of application.
Moderator: Katherine Dirga, Director of Art in Transit, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Atlanta, GA
Ashley Bella, Chief Executive Officer, ArtzyBella, absATL, Atlanta, GA
Jane Golden, Executive Director, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Dorian McDuffie, Public Art Program Manager, Atlanta City Design Studio, Atlanta, GA
2024 Conference, Community Engagement, Transit, Placemaking.
Session
Yay! Microtransit! (… but what if they hate it?)
Philadelphia North
How do agencies with limited funding connect people with low incomes – and limited access to a car – to jobs and services when operating in areas with topographic challenges and low densities? Let’s explore a few places making it happen! Hear about workforce transportation in a rural community, on-demand service to outlying employment centers and ways to maximize a limited system for maximum rides. Key take-aways: developing service that meets needs without cannibalizing the current transit system, providing a service with decent wait times without breaking the bank, growing ridership with a limited budget and – perhaps most notably – what to do when people don’t want it.
Moderator: Mary Kate Morookian, Transit Planner, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Raleigh, NC
Sean Hill, Executive Director, Kanawha Valley Regional Transit Authority (KRT), Charleston, WV
Don Strickland, Executive Director, Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, Florence, SC
Dave Steele, Executive Director, MobiliSE, Milwaukee, WI
Session
Public Engagement for Thriving Communities: One Size Does Not Fit All
Interested in how communities participating in the Build America Bureau’s Thriving Communities Program (TCP) leverage technical assistance to engage in effective public engagement practices? Start with an overview of the technical assistance and innovative finance programs currently offered through the Build America Bureau, along with highlights from the USDOT’s Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making guidance. Find out how these programs are working on the ground. Hear stories from different communities about efforts to rethink community partner coalitions, public engagement, funding plans and development without displacement.
Moderator: Meredith Davis, Community Planner, Build America Bureau, US Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Greg Stuart, Executive Director, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Jessica Lance, AICP, Director of Special Projects, City of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, RI
Heather Martin, AICP, Senior Lead Equity Consultant, WSP USA, Philadelphia, PA
2024 Conference, Community Development, Community Engagement, Federal Funding.
Session
Bike + Transit: Upgrading to Safer Streets in Philadelphia
Philadelphia South
Bike riders and transit riders deserve to feel safe, but many street environments make it feel the opposite. In Philadelphia the regional planning agency, city and transit agency are finding routes to safer streets by leveraging repaving projects and the long-awaiting trolley modernization project. Explore past and future projects. Hear about methodology for traffic analysis and the design of street upgrades for both bus and bicycle facilities. Find out how future transit capital projects are changing their operations in order to make it safer to walk, ride and roll.
Jeannette Brugger, Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator, City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Thom Stead, Assistant Manager, Office of Mobility, Analysis and Planning, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), Philadelphia, PA
Logan Axelson, Deputy Program Director, Trolley Modernization, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Safety, Bus, Bicycling, Walking, 2024 Conference, Transit, Corridor Planning.
Session
Game Day: Transit to Sports and Entertainment
Freedom E-F
Fan-filled sports and entertainment venues bring big juice to cities, generating tourism dollars and civic pride. They also generate a lot of traffic. Recent big events – Beyonce to Taylor Swift to Super Bowls – have put a spotlight on transit access in unique ways. And some venues, hoping to reduce their environmental footprint, are focusing on transit, too. For transit agencies, serving the surge is challenging without compromising regular riders. Also challenging: designing stations that can handle both periodic deluges of riders and the droughts between big events. Let’s hear from different agencies and get the view from the facility managers – about emerging trends and cooperative ideas for making big events work better for the communities that host them.
Moderator: Ronnie Hakim, Senior Vice President, National Transit and Rail Market Sector Leader, HNTB Corporation, Parsippany, NJ
Shakirah Smith, Program Manager for Special Events, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
LJ Nassivera, Vice President, Transportation Strategies, New York Mets, New York, NY
Ken Cartwright, Vice President for Capital Construction, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro), Austin, TX
Session
Regenerative Design in Transit Oriented Communities
There are many sustainable infrastructure frameworks and certifications in existence – from LEED to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to the Living Building Challenge. But no single framework captures the importance of going beyond net zero results and focusing on the coevolution of human and natural systems, especially with attention to local communities and improving their quality of life. Transit infrastructure projects offer an opportunity to for a long-term thinking and a multiprong approach. Learn about regenerative approaches to infrastructure and development. Find out how your project could not only consider impacts on climate change and social inequities but also enable communities to co-evolve within natural systems.
Moderator: Darlene Gonzales-Szabo, AICP, ENV SP, Senior Project Planner, Transportation, Mott MacDonald, Los Angeles, CA
Aaron Budd, Principal, Regenerative Practice, SvN Architects + Planners, Toronto, ON
Scott Bishop, Founding Principal, Bishop Land Design, Boston, MA
Design, Health, 2024 Conference, Equity, Transit, Climate Resilience, Community, Sustainability.
Session
Lowercase t-o-d: Lessons Learned for Suburban Corridors with Limited Transit
Independence C-D
Not surprisingly, much of the focus for transit-oriented development goes to places with high frequency transit, whether that’s central areas with abundant service or station areas for rail or BRT. But what about car-oriented corridors in outlying suburbs, where transit is planned but not there yet? Find out about a t-o-d approach to “second-tier” locations, with examples from Canada and the US. The elements? A context-sensitive strategy built on looking at transportation, open space and development. Talking with local residents about the possibilities for stations areas and how they might integrate with nearby streets. Transit may not have arrived, but lessons learned for t-o-d planning are right on time!
Moderator: Sofia Rosemberg, Transit and Infrastructure Practice Lead – Eastern Canada, DIALOG, Toronto, ON
Oliver Hartleben, Principal, Placemaking, Arcadis, Vancouver, BC
Stephen Mikicich, Manager, Community Planning and Major Projects, Township of Langley, Langley, BC
2024 Conference, Corridor Planning, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Session
Trails in the Mix: Come Build Consensus with Us!
Salon 5-6
Ready to turn chaos into harmony? Achieving consensus is key to successful collaboration, especially in today’s fast-paced, polarized world. So let’s dive into the art and science of consensus building, providing you with practical tools and strategies to foster agreement and promote cooperative decision-making, at lots of different levels. We’ll start with insights from two urban greenways projects then work together to build consensus around a case study. Learn how to engage with diverse stakeholders and create inclusive dialogue that respects every viewpoint. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting out, you’ll enhance your ability to lead collaborative processes and drive positive outcomes. Don’t miss out on becoming a consensus-building superstar!
Moderator: Daniel Leal, Manager, Strategic Planning, VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, San Antonio, TX
Mitali Gupta, Senior Transportation Manager, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO), Los Angeles, CA
Maha Aslam, Project Manager:Transit + Streets, LivableStreets Alliance, Jamaica Plain, MA
Session
Creative Fare Policies
Philadelphia North
Transit agencies, bolstered by federal funding during the pandemic, are facing drastic fiscal shortfalls as special allocations go away and ridership lags. Without substantial and sustained funding, agencies risk service cuts, fare increases and deferred maintenance. To help avert the worst of these scenarios, agencies are tapping into their creative side, developing initiatives to increase ridership. Through innovative programs, they’re engaging with employers, institutions, schools and residents. New pass programs and partnerships are opening conduits for getting transit passes into the community in new ways, opening doors for new cohorts of riders. Find out how these programs are being managed. Take home some of this inventive energy and practical ideas for transit ridership recovery.
Moderator: Gabrielle Pristera, Senior Sales Development Specialist, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia, PA
Ryan Reeves, Principal Planner, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), San Francisco, CA
Lilly Shoup, AICP, Managing Director, Transportation Policy and Partnerships, Rebel, Los Angeles, CA
Ruth Miller, MCP, Director of Product Partnerships, jawnt, Boston, MA
Terence Lee, Associate Program Coordinator, Funding Policy and Programs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), San Francisco, CA
Transportation Demand Management, Funding, Fare Policy, 2024 Conference, Transit, Transit Riders.