jim thorne fhwa - resource center. the sustainable communities partnership and livability principles...
TRANSCRIPT
Livability and Sustainability
Arkansas Transportation Planning ConferenceMay 18, 2011 Jim Thorne
FHWA - Resource Center
Agenda
• The Sustainable Communities Partnership and Livability Principles
• Livability and the Planning Process
• Livability Examples and Resources
• Sustainability
Places that balance their economic and natural assets so that the diverse needs of local residents can be met now and in the future.
Typically, these communities have lower costs for consumers and more value for taxpayers because they are more connected and efficient.
Accelerate job growth for this and future generations, with:◦ expanded housing and transportation choices, ◦ greater energy independence, and ◦ better protection for our clean air and water.
Sustainable Communities
DOT, EPA, HUD Improve access to affordable housing, provide
more transportation options and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment
Encourages livability principles to be incorporated into federal programs and funding.
Achieve our economic, social, and environmental goals most effectively when we work on them together.
Sustainable Communities Partnership
DOT/HUD/EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities
Six Livability Principles of the Sustainability Partnership
Provide More Transportation
Choices
Coordinate Policies and Leverage Investment
Promote Equitable, Affordable Housing
Enhance Economic Competitiveness
Support Existing Communities
Value Communities and Neighborhoods
Targeting resources through grants and other programs to help states and communities create jobs and stronger economies by developing more sustainably.
Removing regulatory and policy barriers at the federal level to make it easier for state and local governments to access federal services and resources.
Aligning agency priorities and embedding the Livability Principles in each agency’s actions so that transportation, housing, and environmental protection efforts are coordinated.
Partnership Goals:
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grants
Joint DOT TIGER II-HUD Community Challenge Grants HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning
Grants Funds for Urban Circulator and Bus & Bus Livability
Projects State Revolving Funds for Water Infrastructure Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Greening America’s Capitals HUD Adoption of Sustainability Criteria in Scoring
Grant Applications
TARGETING RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES
Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
Brownfields Policy Change Brownfields Pilot Communities Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Initiative
Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations
Reducing Contracting Conflicts Change to Federal Transit Administration’s New
Starts Program
REMOVING FEDERAL BARRIERS
Coordinating Policies and Funding Programs
HUD Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
EPA Office of Sustainable Communities
Regional Partnerships
ALIGNING POLICIES AND BUDGETS
Broaden Partnership
Continue examining and, if necessary, modifying federal policies and actions on transportation, housing, and environmental protection to complement each other and to better reflect the Livability Principles.
Next?
Livability in Transportation
Using the quality, location and type of transportation facilities and services to help achieve broader community goals such as access to good jobs, affordable housing, quality schools, and safe streets
Livability, sustainability, smart growth, walkable communities, new urbanism, healthy neighborhoods, active living, transit oriented development, complete streets, . . .
Livable CommunitiesMore efficient use of resources
Increase accessibility
Improve connections and options
Reduce energy use
Environmental benefits
Health and Social benefitsLivable Communities are where people have access to many different forms of transportation and affordable housing…..” U.S. DOT Secretary, Ray LaHood
Transportation Planning Factors
Support economic vitality Increase safety Increase security Increase accessibility and mobility Protect and enhance the environment Enhance connectivity across and between
modes Promote efficient system management and
operation Preserve the existing transportation
system.
(E) protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns;
Transportation Planning Factors
Goals, performance measures, policies related to livability, quality of life, . . .
Help region develop vision related to community growth and development.
Reach beyond usual groups to housing, public health, water resources, . . .
Land use and transportation integration. Multi-modal planning. Interdisciplinary efforts. CSS in regional, corridor, project planning. Options and approaches vary.
Livability in the Planning Process
Opportunities to Address Livability
Planning for:◦Grid street patterns, short
blocks, streetscapes◦Transit and transit supportive
land use◦Planning for bike and
pedestrian travel◦Land use (as it supports
transportation and vice versa)
◦System efficiencies◦Travel Demand Management
Opportunities to Address Climate Change
Connected streets Complete streets Pedestrian facilities Bicycle planning Scenario planning Land Use/Transportation integration Safe Routes to School Transit supportive land use Multi-modal planning Context Sensitive Solutions Management and Operations
Issues that may come into play when talking about livability in transportation planning:
Safety Accessibility Integrated planning Public Engagement Freight Corridor planning GHG emission reduction Public health ?
More issues that may come into play when talking about livability in transportation planning:
Goal Driven Community engagement and outreach Place Based Context Sensitive Recognizes existing values and assets Interdisciplinary Comprehensive Explores inter-relationships of key elements Collaborative
Livability aligns with good planning practices
Atlanta, GA—Livable Centers Initiative (LCI)◦ LCI program initiated in 1999 to better link transportation and
land use planning with long-term goals of VMT and congestion reduction and improved air quality.
◦ Awards grants to prepare plans to enhance existing centers and corridors.
◦ More than 100 studies had been completed, representing nearly $9 million in planning assistance funding.
One Illustration of Livability -
Chattanooga, TNRiverfront Parkway Transportation and Urban
Design Plan
Converted the Riverfront Parkway from a four-lane, limited-access expressway to an urban surface street.
Three primary objectives guided the design: ◦ Better vehicular and pedestrian connections to downtown,◦ Improving riverfront area◦ Capacity that better matched expected traffic volumes.
The project has improved access, commuting patterns, and renewed economic viability for the eastern portion of downtown.
Chattanooga, TN Riverfront Parkway Transportation and Urban
Design Plan
Maine Gateway 1 Corridor
Identify issues in corridor and reach agreement on roles and responsibilities of Partners.
21 Communities involved in corridor plan
Develop Corridor Plan.Three Scenarios: Full Wind, Riding the Current, Perfect Storm
Implement and monitor Plan.Move people and goods safety and smoothlyPreserve scenic, rural qualities along the corridorExpand ability to grow jobs in the corridor
AASHTO and Livability
Every transportation project is an opportunity to improve the quality of life in a community.
1) Support the rural landscape
2) Help existing places thrive
3) Create great new places
Rural Communities
icma.org
Update strategic and policy documents to accommodate new growth through compact and contiguous development
Visioning Places worth preserving Designated growth areas
Infrastructure grid and transportation options Distinctive local character
Reform policies to make it easy for developers to build compact, walkable, mixed-use places
Policy alignment Walkability Parks and open space
Form Based Codes Traditional neighborhood development
Context-sensitive design Green street design Low Impact Development
Recognize and reward developers that build great places using smart growth and green building approaches
Smart growth recognition programs Green building
Create Great New Places
ICMA: Putting Smart Growth to Work
NCHRP 582Best Practices to Enhance the Transportation - Land Use Connection in the Rural United States
www.trb.org
Strategies to Improve Access and LivabilitySet Regional Framework- for where and how develop Growth management, preservation Regional access management promote
designated areas
Improve Local Accessibility – jobs, shopping, services, healthcare
Development standards and plans –mixed use Transportation investments – street
connectivity, ped and bike, transit service to focal points
Enhance Community Design – CSS complement natural and built
environment Local access management and design –
commercial areas
NCHRP 582
Factors for Success
Collaborative partnershipsFocusing on quality of life and sustainability
Public involvement and educationStrong local leadership
NCHRP 582
“Smart Transportation is a collaborative approach to supporting great communities for future generations of Pennsylvanians.”
PennDOT’s Smart Transportation Guidebook
www.smart-transportation.com
Land Use Contexts
Traditionally – it’s been either urban or ruralLand use context – land area comprising unique combination of land uses, density, building formCommon place types found in every PennDOT district
RURAL
SUBURBAN CORRIDOR
TOWN / VILLAGE CENTER
TOWN / VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD
URBAN CORE
SUBURBAN CENTER
SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD
The “Linkage”
ProgramCapital District Transportation
Committee – Albany, NY MPO
www.cdtcmpo.org/linkage.htm
CDTC Linkages
Context Sensitive Solutions
Collaborative Interdisciplinary Involves all stakeholders
Results in facility that complements;Physical setting, and Preserves scenic, aesthetic, and historic
and environmental resources, whileMaintaining safety and mobility
www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/csd.htm
Elements of Effective CSS
Purpose and NeedStakeholder involvement Interdisciplinary TeamCommunity values and qualitiesObjective Evaluation of full range of
alternatives
http://www.contextsensitivesolutions.org/
• Bike Lanes
• Recreational multi-use trails
• Pedestrian refuge islands, sidewalks, countdown signals
Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancements
Executive Summary
Introduction
Project Highlights
Visioning
Planning and Process
Policy
Partnership
Design
Implementation and Funding
Conclusion
• Illustrates how livability principles have been incorporated into transportation
• Explores how transportation planning and programs can improve community quality of life, enhance the environment and improve transportation and housing choice
• Encourages transportation practitioners to think more broadly about project goals
• Enlist more partners and develop more integrated solutions to support community livability
Livability Guidebook
Livability Guidebook
Series of urban and rural case studies and strategies that facilitate:
• Revitalizing rural small towns• Better connecting downtowns with neighborhoods• Completing street networks• Supporting compact, mixed use development• Maximize efficiency of existing transportation
infrastructure• Mitigate impacts of climate change• Preserve natural and cultural resources
Scenario PlanningHow will the residents live? • In what types of communities do we want to live and
work 50 years from now? Where will the jobs be and how do we get there?
Where will residents live? • What areas in the region are suitable for urban and
village-scaled development, and what areas are off-limits?
How will the community get there? • What steps are needed to move the region from where it
is now to the desired types of communities and growth patterns?
Implementation: State and Regional Strategies
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Implementation: State and Regional Strategies
Linking cities and suburban corridors, growing rural counties, and small towns with a complete street network and targeted transit improvements
Re-engineering existing roadways to improve vehicle capacity; pedestrian, bike, and transit service
Identifying operational and access management improvements
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Livability Guidebook Livability Implementation Research Paper 5 Regional workshops with key stakeholders to
identify opportunities and obstacles.◦ Locations—Sacramento, CA; Denver, CO; Kansas
City, MO; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA National Association of Development
Organizations Peer Exchanges that focused on Rural Livability.◦ GA, NC and CA Divisions participated
Livability Performance Measures
Current FHWA’s Efforts to Advance Livability
SustainabilitySustainability - A set of environmental, economic and social conditions in which all of society has the capacity and opportunity to maintain and improve its quality of life indefinitely without degrading the quantity, quality or the availability of natural, economic and social resources (from American Society of Civil Engineers)
Sustainable development - Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (from World Commission on Environment and Development)
Sustainable transportation - Transportation that promotes sustainable development.
Source: Transportation Planning and Sustainability GuidebookFHWA, 2011
Sustainability: The Triple Bottom Line
Livability and Sustainability• Livability and sustainability promote environmentally sustainable travel
options, consideration of human health issues, and economic development.
• Sustainability includes long term, multi-generational focus.
• Livability initiatives as a subset of sustainability; focused more on near term planning, funding and implementation at the community level.
• Sustainability addresses larger environmental goals such as improving air and water quality, reducing climate impacts, increasing energy efficiency, and decreasing dependence on foreign oil.
• Livability may be less specific about larger environmental goals.
• Transportation solutions that support both are likely similar.
About Sustainability - FHWA encourages sustainable highway
practices throughout the project lifecycle:◦ Planning ◦ Project Development◦ Operations and Management
FHWA is developing a Sustainable Highways Tool in order to:◦ Help agencies measure sustainability and
quantify tradeoffs◦ Provide a framework for communicating with
stakeholders about sustainability◦ Establish a method for evaluating sustainable
highways
Transportation Planning for Sustainability Guidebook
Examines how sustainability considerations could be better incorporated into transportation planning through case studies identified from a review of sustainability planning practices at State DOTs and from a literature review of U.S. and international practices.
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/sustainability/index.cfm
Sustainable Highways Tool
◦ Self-evaluation tool to measure sustainability over the life cycle of a transportation project
◦ Collection of best practices◦ Web-based◦ Based on triple bottom line
Environmental Economic Social
◦ Pilot Test Version
www.sustainablehighways.org
Project Development CriteriaPD-1 Cost Benefit Analysis
PD-2 Highway and Traffic Safety
PD-3 Context Sensitive Project
Development (or equivalent)
PD-4 Lifecycle Cost Analysis
PD-5 Freight Mobility
PD-6 Educational Outreach
PD-7 Tracking Environmental
Commitments
PD-8 Habitat Restoration
PD-9 Stormwater
PD-10 Ecological Connectivity
PD-11 Recycle & Reuse Materials
PD-12 Create Renewable Energy
PD-13 Site Vegetation
PD-14 Pedestrian Access
PD-15 Bicycle Access
PD-16 Transit & HOV Access
Project Development CriteriaPD-17 Historical,
Archaeological, and Cultural Preservation
PD-18 Scenic, Natural, or Recreational Qualities
PD-19 Low-Emitting Materials
PD-20 Energy Efficient Lighting
PD-21 ITS for System Operations
PD-22 Long-Life Pavement Design
PD-23 Reduced Energy and Emissions in
Pavement Materials
PD-24 Contractor Warranty
PD-25 Earthwork Balance
PD-26 Construction Environmental Training
PD-27 Construction Equipment Emission Reduction
PD-28 Construction Noise Mitigation
PD-29 Construction Quality Plan
PD-30 Construction Waste Management
Next Steps Revise additional criteria
◦ Revise System Planning criteria – July 31◦ Revise O&M criteria – September 1
Pilot Testing◦ Develop Panel to Assist in Pilot testing - May◦ Call for Pilot Projects (PD criteria)– June 1◦ Call for Pilots: (Planning, O&M) – Sept-Oct
Weighting & Scoring Review - ongoing Updates to Website - ongoing Version 1.0 Release – December 31, 2011
Livability in Arkansas
• Where do we have examples of livability in the transportation planning process?
• What do you think are reasonable things to do to address livability as part of the planning process?
• What do you need to move forward with livability initiatives?
Livability Planning Strategies• Broaden Community Engagement• Livability Goals and Performance Measures• Integrate Land Use and Transportation Planning• Pursue Connected Street Networks• Improve Access Management Programs• Support Projects that Reconnect Communities • Develop Multimodal Projects• Advance Travel Demand Management and
Operational Strategies• Consider Freight Movement and Needs• Use CSS Approach: Planning, Project
Development• Address Transportation Safety • Conduct Multimodal Corridor Planning
“Trend Is Not Destiny”Lewis Mumford