This introductory breakfast gathering is targeted toward advocates and first-time Rail~Volution attendees. The National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates (NAPTA) will meet to discuss communications and advocacy strategies related to the new federal transportation bill to be considered by the new Congress and President in 2009.

Facilitators: Thomas R. Shrout, Jr., Executive Director, Citizens for Modern Transit, St. Louis, Missouri
Rich Weaver, Senior Project Manager, Planning and Programs, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, D.C.

Conference attendees will hear from a host of regional and national leaders and experts during this year’s opening plenary session. All of the speakers provide a unique, thought-provoking and dynamic perspective about global and local challenges facing every livable community. They will weave together ground-breaking national, state and local initiatives linking climate change and energy policy with transportation, land use and livable communities. Our speakers will provide insight and information about dynamic issues such as: (1) California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (2006) and the just-passed SB 375, which directly ties greenhouse gas emissions to regional transportation and land use planning; (2) Critical upcoming federal initiatives including the new transportation bill, national legislation on climate change and energy policy, and recommendations of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission; (3) The American Public Transportation Association’s TransitVision 2050 program that seeks to create an energy efficient, multi-modal, environmentally sustainable transportation system that is the envy of the world; and (4) The Great Communities Collaborative, which brings together residents and local organizations to participate in community planning processes across the San Francisco Bay Area — creating a region of vibrant neighborhoods with affordable housing, shops, jobs, and services within convenient walking distance to transit.

Emcee: Judith Bell, President, PolicyLink, Oakland, California
Gail Murray, President, Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority Board of Directors, Oakland, California

Video Welcome: United States Senator Barbara Boxer, California
William W. Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Steve Heminger, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco Bay Area, California
Stuart Cohen, Executive Director, TransForm (formerly TALC, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition), Oakland, California

View Heminger presentation (15 pages / 0.8mb)


State of the Rail~Volution

This year, Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s (D-OR) annual “State of the Rail~Volution“ focuses on the challenges of crumbling infrastructure and global climate change in times of mounting economic uncertainties. A new administration and Congress will provide an unprecedented opportunity to craft a transportation authorization bill that rebuilds and renews America as it provides jobs, creates transportation options, stimulates local economies, and reduces our carbon footprint. Are we up to the challenge? Learn how your knowledge and experience can play a key role in taking the Rail~Volution movement to new heights.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer, 3rd District, Oregon, United States Congress

Read text of Blumenauer speech (8 pages / 0.1mb)

In keeping with this year’s conference theme of “reshaping communities in an energy-challenged future,” the presenters at this session will focus on how transit-oriented and “green” design can help communities respond to the energy and environmental challenges of the future. Key elements of this year’s workshops include (1) An introduction to the basics of transit-oriented development and design; (2) A guide to key principles of “placemaking” to help promote the development of healthy and vibrant communities; (3) The benefits of transit to local communities and our society; and (4) TOD results and lessons learned from the perspective of: private sector developers and the business community, public transit agencies and their staff, and local governments that ultimately are responsible for planning and zoning around stations.

Moderators: Shelley Poticha, President and CEO, Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit Oriented Development, Oakland, California
Tim Baldwin, Senior Associate, URS, Denver, Colorado

Speakers: GB Arrington, Vice President, PB PlaceMaking, Portland, Oregon
Ann Cheng, Senior Planner, TransForm (formerly TALC, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition), Oakland, California
Theresa O’Donnell, Planning Director, City of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
Grace Crunican, Director, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle, Washington
James Richards, Principal, Townscape, Inc., Arlington, Texas
Will Fleissig, President, Communitas Development Inc., San Francisco, California
Art Guzzetti, Vice President, Policy, American Public Transportation Association, Washington DC
Jack Wierzenski, Director, Economic Development and Planning, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, Texas
Bill Sirois, TOD Manager, Regional Transportation District — FasTracks Team, Denver, Colorado

View Event Introduction presentation (7 pages / 0.6mb)
View Cheng presentation (19 pages / 2.1mb)
View O’Donnell presentation (48 pages / 3.0mb)
View Richards presentation (51 pages / 2.9mb)
View Guzzetti presentation (9 pages / 0.1mb)
View Wierzenski presentation (18 pages / 0.3mb)

In Transportation needs are changing in the face of climate change, the energy crisis, changing travel needs and lifestyle expectations. Now more than ever, multi-modal projects that promote connectivity and accessibility are of increasing priority to build healthy, sustainable communities. This session will explore what it takes to make multi-modal investments successful so that return on our investments can be fully realized. Panelists will illustrate how the planning and implementation of multi-modal projects can be met through coordination, governance, design and financing solutions for both individual projects as well as regional systems. Implications for regional partnerships, facilities design, community development and environmental quality will be explored.

Moderator: Sharon Pugh, Senior Policy Analyst, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. DOT, Washington, DC
Gregory Walker, Policy and Planning Officer, Sound Transit, Seattle, Washington
Robert Beck, Senior Program Manager, TransBay Joint Powers Authority, San Francisco, California
Al Raine, Vice President / Practice Leader, AECOM, Boston, Massachusetts
Liz Telford, Manager of Corridor Planning, Environment, Regional Transportation District — FasTracks Team, Denver, Colorado

View Pugh presentation (5 pages / 0.5mb)
View Walker presentation (13 pages / 0.5mb)
View Beck presentation (36 pages / 2.3mb)
View Raine presentation (24 pages / 1.2mb)
View Telford presentation (14 pages / 0.4mb)

In this workshop, you’ll hear the many benefits of complete streets policies. Too many streets are designed only for speeding cars and no one else. Communities across the country are asking their planners, engineers and designers to build road networks that welcome all users. The presentation will focus on partnerships needed to advance complete street policies; also provided will be good site examples at the state, regional and neighborhood level. Attendees will also hear about the National Complete Streets Coalition and learn more about the diverse groups working together to enact complete streets policies across the country.

Moderator: Ron Kilcoyne, General Manager / CEO, Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Martha Roskowski, Program Manager, GO Boulder, City of Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
Mukul Malhotra, Urban Designer/Project Manager, MIG, Inc., Berkeley, California
Ron Stewart, Principal, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership, Portland, Oregon

View Roskowski presentation (47 pages / 2.8mb)
View Stewart presentation (48 pages / 4.0mb)

This workshop provides an overview of various opportunities for agencies, government entities and community stakeholder advocates to get involved in the process of federal funding. Representatives of the American Public Transportation Association, Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, National Association of City Transportation Officials and Transportation For America will discuss advocacy initiatives that are under way. This session incorporates relevant issues influencing the debate, including energy, global competition, climate change, freight, gas prices and energy independence.

Moderator: Jeffrey Boothe, Partner/Chair, Holland & Knight/New Starts Working Group, Washington, DC
Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation, New York, New York
Rex Burkholder, Councilor, Metro, Portland, Oregon
Shelley Poticha, President and CEO, Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit Oriented Development, Oakland, California
Stephanie Negriff, Director, Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, Santa Monica, California

View Boothe presentation (9 pages / 0.5mb)

In this session, two national communications experts will outline how to create a powerful communications strategy and build critical support for your livable, sustainable community. We will look at the latest polling and research on what the public really thinks about climate and sustainability and then spotlight successful campaigns to create green projects, policies and funding. This lively dialogue will focus on broadening your support to the wide range of stakeholders needed in these tough economic times.

Moderator: Bruce Riordan, Executive Director, Bay Area Climate Solutions, Berkeley, California
Susanne Moser, Director, Susanne Moser Research and Consulting, Santa Cruz, California
Morrow Cater, President and Founding Principal, Cater Communications, San Francisco, California

The Great Communities Collaborative is working with communities in the San Francisco Bay Area to increase support for higher-density development in neighborhoods that have been targeted for growth. This nonprofit collaborative has an ambitious goal: half of all new homes built in the Bay Area in the next 25 years will be in pedestrian-friendly, affordable, mixed-use, transit-oriented neighborhoods. GCC is helping residents understand the potential of transit-oriented development and that they should be deeply involved in the planning process.

Moderator: Allison Brooks, Managing Director, Reconnecting America, Oakland, California
Jessica Diaz, Director, Accountable Development Coalition, Santa Rosa, California
Jeff Hobson, Policy Director, TransForm (formerly the Transportation and Land Use Coalition), Oakland, California
Daisy Pistey-Lyhne, Sonoma-Marin Field Representative, Greenbelt Alliance Field Office, Santa Rosa, California
Heather Hood, Program Coordinator, San Francisco Environment Foundation, San Francisco, California

View Brooks presentation (32 pages / 3.0mb)

Retail often is thought of as a necessity for mixed-use TOD projects. This session assesses what role retail actually plays in most TODs. Topics include: how much and what kind of retail is optimal at most TODs, whether concessions/ vending can be a good first step in establishing a vibrant station area, and whether grocery stores in station areas are feasible given the advent of small format stores.

Moderator: Robert Apodaca, Director of Business Development, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Oakland, California Glenn Isaacson, Principal, Conversion Management Associates, Inc., San Francisco, California
Randol Mackley, Partner, Retail Real Estate Group, Santa Clara, California
Keith Ray, Principal, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Irvine, California

View Mackley presentation (15 pages / 1.0mb)

Public/private and public/public partnerships can provide successful opportunities for developing or redeveloping communities around transit while providing shared risks and costs. However, too often private developers underestimate the timeline involved in getting approvals from public agencies in negotiating the decision-making process. On the flip side, the public sector is sometimes unaware of the time factor, costs, and other constraints imposed by the developer’s financing structure and outside investors. This workshop will discuss the realities of PPPs — and how all parties can work creatively together to avoid costly surprises and manage development risks.

Moderator: Jay Levin, Partner, Powell Goldstein LLP, Atlanta, Georgia Omari Patterson, Assistant Development Director, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland
Christopher Patusky, Director, Office of Real Estate, Maryland Department of Transportation, Hanover, Maryland
Eric Heffner, Senior Vice President, Windstar Communities, La Jolla, California
John Rennels, Principal Property Development Officer, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, California

View Levin presentation (40 pages / 9.5mb)

Today’s transit station is very busy and needs to serve a range of current and future needs. On one hand, it’s an interchange point between park-n-ride, buses and rail. On the other, it’s being asked to serve as anchor for a transit-focused community. These dual roles bring a host of questions. If you remove the parking will you have more riders? What is the right balance in retrofitting existing transit stations to meet basic transit functions (transfers and park-n-ride) and stations that help create livable communities? Join this discussion of how transit stations can effectively play multiple roles.

Moderator: Gary Thomas, President/Executive Director, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, Texas
Rosalyn Doggett, Senior Development Staff, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Washington, DC
Eric Anderson, Senior Project Manager, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Denver, Colorado
Kenya Wheeler, Senior Planner, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, California

View Doggett presentation (17 pages / 0.8mb)
View Anderson presentation (44 pages / 3.5mb)

This session has been designed to bridge the gap that sometimes exists between university research and the practice of planning. The speakers will highlight how innovative university research contributes to creating tangible livable communities around transit. The research presented will focus on examining key considerations for pedestrian access to stations, travel behavior of transit users across a variety of development types, and types of useful and accessible methods of conducting TOD planning for policymakers, the public and planning staff.

Moderator: Karen Frick, Assistant Director, University of California Transportation Center, Policy Research Leader, PATH, University of California, Berkeley, California
Elizabeth Deakin, Director, Transportation Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
Asha Agrawal, Director, MTI National Transportation Finance Center, Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, San Jose State University, San Jose, California
Jennifer Dill, Associate Professor, Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning; Director, Center for Transportation Studies, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon

The New Starts Working Group — a coalition of nearly 60 transit authorities, local government entities, architectural and engineering firms, and rail car manufacturers — invites you to learn more about the coalition, and its work on issues that are shaping federal policy. The group has been active on climate change legislation to ensure that the important relationship between transit investments and land use are addressed in bills considered by Congress, as well as in the upcoming authorization of the federal surface transportation bill.

Facilitator: Jeffrey Boothe, Partner/Chair, Holland & Knight/New Starts Working Group, Washington, DC

While New Urbanism has provided a strong foundation for the physical design of our cities, this workshop aims to go beyond New Urbanism and embrace a more inclusive approach. This includes social and economic equity and community development, with full accessibility and participation by all residents. Drawing on the newly published book, The Inclusive City, this session will provide a brief overview of a recommended policy framework and then will move into an interactive discussion about the challenges and opportunities involved in this type of approach. The session will wrap up by identifying case examples of inclusive city design.

Facilitator: Daniel Iacofano, Principle in Charge, MIG Inc., Berkeley, California

While most people support the idea of increased transit service, how much would they be willing to pay to get it? As part of a long-term planning study in Sacramento, the Sacramento Regional Transit Authority established a wide-ranging community engagement plan that includes all the customary public outreach tools. But given the nature and complexity of the challenges to be addressed — in particular how to prioritize and pay for the projects — the transit authority developed a unique tool to test the public’s willingness to pay for transit investment. This computer-based outreach tool is being used by the public to “buy” transit services and investment (and their related benefits) using finite pots of money. Participants can, however, choose to “pay more to get more.”

Facilitator: Ian Druce, Principal Consultant, Steer Davies Gleave, London, UK

In this networking opportunity, participants can engage in a casual exchange with other TOD managers about recent accomplishments, challenges and strategies. Representatives from cities, transit agencies and the private sector around the country will gather to discuss recent projects, innovative approaches, government funding sources, development agreements, public entitlement processes, and the “art of the deal.”

Facilitator: Jeff Ordway, Manager of Property Development, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, California

If you’re the head of a multi-million-dollar transit agency that provides critical customer service every day, how often do you have the luxury of focusing on the relationship between land use development and transit investment? Come listen to the general managers of some of the Bay Area’s major transit systems as they address this issue — and hear how they balance their day-to-day responsibilities with the strategic thinking necessary to prepare for the future. General Managers on the panel will represent: BART, Muni, VTA, Samtrans/Caltrain, ACTransit and Golden Gate Transit.

Facilitator: William Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Dorothy Dugger, General Manager, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, California
John Ristow, Deputy Director Programming and Highway Administration, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, California
Michael Scanlon, General Manager / Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo County Transit District, San Carlos, California
Carter Rohan, Senior Director of Transportation Planning and Development, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, San Francisco, California

FOCUS is about working together: regional agencies, local governments, and communities collaborating to protect and improve the quality of life in the Bay Area. In the FOCUS process, local governments are partnering with regional agencies to create a development and conservation strategy for the San Francisco Bay Area. FOCUS unites the efforts of four regional agencies into a single program that encourages future growth in areas near transit and within the communities that surround the San Francisco Bay. Concentrating housing in these areas offers housing and transportation choices for all residents, while helping to reduce traffic, protect the environment, and enhance existing neighborhoods. Come join several members of this organization to discuss its efforts and how you can do the same in your communities.

Facilitator: Kenneth Kirkey, Planning Director, Association of Bay Area Governments, Oakland, California
James Corless, Senior Planner, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Oakland, California
Kathleen Livermore, Interim Planning Manager, Community Development Department, Planning Services Division, City of San Leandro, California

Climate change is receiving significant attention in the United States as states and regional organizations are taking action now through voluntary and mandatory programs, while myriad federal activities are being explored. Companies and organizations recognize that they will be affected but are looking for guidance and direction in this uncertain and rapidly evolving carbon management landscape. This session will focus on the topic of greenhouse gas/carbon footprint management and provide discussion options for attendees.

Facilitator: Zach Baumer, Sustainability Consultant, Sustainable Solutions Group, URS Corporation, Oakland, California

Join us for a quick lunchtime exercise to test drive a new way to conduct public conversations about shaping livable communities and transit-oriented development. Called “open space technology,” this innovative approach takes us beyond the customary public meetings with speakers, passive audience members, PowerPoints, flip charts and colored markers. Proponents of open space technology describe it as a natural communication process that recognizes people want to get engaged, take responsibility for what they’re passionate about, and include everyone in the room or the group. Learn how to use this approach effectively in your community.

Facilitator: Evelyn Baker, Consultant, Denver, Colorado

View Baker presentation (20 pages / 1.3mb)

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works will be hosting Rail~Volution in Boston in 2009. If you’re networked with or from the New England area, we invite you to come brainstorm about how we can make the 2009 conference the best possible. We would like to showcase our region’s great history of transit- oriented development — before it was even called TOD! We’ll discuss how the region is building on America’s transit and community development traditions with new innovations that build on our heritage. Come share your ideas about mobile tours, speakers, sessions, and other innovative aspects of the program!

Facilitators: Kristina Egan, South Coast Rail Manager, Executive Office of Transportation, Boston, Massachusetts
David Dixon, Principal-in-Charge of Planning and Urban Design, Goody, Clancy and Associates, Boston, Massachusetts
Todd Fontanella, Manager of Alternative Transportation, Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works, Boston, Massachusetts

This mobile workshop focuses on how peninsula towns that were established because of access to rail are being redeveloped. Begin by boarding BART and heading south to Millbrae Intermodal Station, where a proposed TOD would serve as a prime hub for transit connection among multiple agencies. Next, the tour will proceed on Caltrain to the Hillsdale Station where participants will walk/ride through the pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use redevelopment of the Bay Meadows racetrack, and then on to Redwood City. Ride Caltrain’s highly successful Baby Bullet back to San Francisco.

This session provides a focus on how communities can proactively integrate transit and TOD design so that more people will use alternatives to the car, creating healthier and more livable communities. The major theme is focusing on “the trip not taken” to help promote healthier communities while helping meet our energy and environmental challenges.

Moderator: Carli Paine, Transportation Program Director, TransForm (formerly TALC, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition), Oakland, California
Victoria Eisen, Principal, Eisen & Letunic, Berkeley, California
Rochelle Wheeler, Countrywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Alameda County Transportation Implementation Authority, Oakland, California
John Knox White, Program Director-TravelChoice, TransForm (formerly TALC, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, Oakland, California

View Eisen presentation (15 pages / 0.7mb)
View Wheeler presentation (14 pages / 0.8mb)

This session provides an overview of SAFETEA-LU and its specific programs that focus on planning, new starts and small starts. The workshop will identify and highlight what provisions work and what provisions require improvement, as well as introducing the challenges and opportunities being faced by various entities in meeting SAFETEA-LU provisions and requirements.

Moderator: David Vozzolo, Senior Vice President, HDR, Alexandria, Virginia
Elizabeth Day, Director, Office of Project Planning in the Office of Planning and Environment, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
Richard Steinmann, Senior Advisor to the Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
Michael Allegra, Chief Capital Development Officer, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, Utah
Gregory Walker, Policy and Planning Officer, Sound Transit, Seattle, Washington

How are agencies and government entities developing polices and strategies to establish their local and regional goals for climate change, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reductions? How are state and regional goals driving transportation and land use decisions in plans, programs and projects? Hear how regions are looking at new performance and accountability measures to help reach their goals.

Moderator: Bruce Riordan, Executive Director, Bay Area Climate Solutions, Berkeley, California
Rex Burkholder, Councilor, Metro, Portland, Oregon
Projjal Dutta, Director, Sustainability Initiatives, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York, New York
Ann Notthoff, California Advocacy Director, National Resources Defense Council, San Francisco, California

View Burkholder presentation (30 pages / 2.2mb)
View Dutta presentation (46 pages / 3.3mb)
View Notthoff presentation (20 pages / 0.9mb)

Learn how to walk the talk of sustainability from public agencies and firms that share first-hand experience and examples. See how they are achieving their goals by using sustainability management systems, certification programs and other applicable sustainability practices as they relate to specific programs, procedures and monitoring requirements.

Moderator: Joni Earl, General Manager, Sound Transit, Seattle, Washington
Carolyn Young, Executive Director, Communications and Technology, TriMet, Portland, Oregon
Jerry Benson, Chief Operating Officer, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, Utah
Diana Mendes, Senior Vice President, National Director of Transit Planning, AECOM, Arlington, Virginia

View Earl presentation (6 pages / 0.2mb)
View Young presentation (27 pages / 1.1mb)
View Benson presentation (17 pages / 0.7mb)
View Mendes presentation (11 pages / 0.3mb)

Attendees will be exposed to a multi-faceted discussion about how the sustainability message — which is critically important to our environment, climate, health, well-being and productivity — is getting communicated at different levels and in different regions. Speakers will address issues such as: framing the message, creating public buy-in, understanding regional differences in sustainability, and focusing on the big picture vs. local sustainability issues.

Moderator: Petra Mollet, Vice President — Strategy, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Fred Hansen, General Manager, TriMet, Portland, Oregon
Trip Pollard, Director, Land and Community Program; Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center, Charlottesville, Virginia

View Hansen presentation (14 pages / 0.6mb)

Bus rapid transit (BRT) often gets left behind in the transit-oriented development discussion. Yet, for many communities, bus rapid transit is a growing and viable transportation option. This session will focus on developing BRT to help meet communities’ economic and development goals. In addition, the session focuses on how to implement BRT improvements that go beyond moving people to their destinations. Find out how BRT can serve as a catalyst to building quality neighborhoods and enhancing development.

Moderator: Andrew Brennan, Director of Environmental Affairs, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Boston, Massachusetts
Maribeth Feke, Director of Programming & Planning, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Cleveland, Ohio
Joel Ramos, Community Planning Associate, TransForm (formerly TALC, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition), Oakland, California
David Mepham, Coordinator Transport Futures, Gold Coast City Council, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Nathan Landau, Senior Transportation Planner, AC Transit, Oakland, California

Parking, parking, parking! Haven’t we heard enough? Unfortunately, no. Given the huge impact that parking has on building anything these days, what can we do to reduce the amount, the cost and the implications of so much parking? This session will highlight innovative solutions that are working at a district and project level from around the country. Hear about innovative techniques related to shared parking, parking management and new technologies.

Moderator: Susan Keil, Director, Office of Transportation, City of Portland, Oregon
Charles Perkins, Director of Planning and Community Development, Village of Arlington Heights, Illinois
Dan Zack, Downtown Development Coordinator, Community Development Services Department, City of Redwood City, California
Sarah Stott, Arlington County Parking Manager, Arlington County Transportation Division, Arlington, Virginia

Rising gas prices, the unending problem of traffic congestion, and changing demographics are boosting demand for transit and TOD. But financial constraints make it impossible to build new lines, stations and TOD projects fast enough. Find out about some successful public-private partnerships that have formed to raise private investment for public infrastructure — including new stations, new light rail lines and streetcar systems that create opportunities for more TOD projects.

Moderator: Nadine Fogarty, Principal, Strategic Economics, Berkeley, California
Jason Tundermann, Associate, Cherokee Investment Partners, Raleigh, North Carolina
Jeff Ordway, Manager of Property Development, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, California
Rick Rybeck, Deputy Associate Director, Transportation Policy & Planning Administration, District Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Lori Mason Curran, Market Research Manager and Real Estate Spokesperson, Vulcan, Inc., Seattle, Washington
Christopher Patusky, Director, Office of Real Estate, Maryland Department of Transportation, Hanover, Maryland

View Fogarty presentation (11 pages / 0.2mb)

To date most TOD research and discussion has been about housing, retail and mixed use, with little focus on employment. We know, for example, that people who live near transit are much more likely to use it, but where do TOD residents work and how do they get there? To be able to deliver the most riders for transit, it’s very important to understand TOD residents’ work trips, point of origin and destinations. Panelists in this session will discuss what is known about this particular type of commute trip and the strategies being employed to increase transit’s share.

Moderator: Gloria Ohland, Vice President for Communications, Reconnecting America, Los Angeles, California
Ellen Greenberg, AICP, Piedmont, California
Dena Belzer, Principal, Strategic Economics, Berkeley, California
Trent Lethco, Associate Principal, ARUP, New York, New York
GB Arrington, Vice President, PB PlaceMaking, Portland, Oregon

This dynamic workshop provides a focus on the policies and collaborative, visionary thinking that make livable communities a reality throughout North America. Learn about how you and your community can take steps to help reshape policies that respond to our energy and environmental challenges.

Moderator: Daniel Meyers, Senior Transportation Planner, URS Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Scott Bernstein, President, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago, Illinois
Clarence Eng, Principal, Renaissance Planning Group, Tampa, Florida
Elana Horowitz, Senior Associate, Partnerships and Consultation, Ontario Growth Secretariat, Ontario Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Toronto, Ontario
Stephanie Reyes, Senior Policy Advocate, Greenbelt Alliance, San Francisco, California

View Meyers presentation (34 pages / 3.0mb)
View Bernstein presentation (85 pages / 6.4mb)
View Eng presentation (41 pages / 3.9mb)
View Horowitz presentation (23 pages / 1.0mb)

Attend this workshop and learn about community benefits agreements — what they are, how they help communities increase their livability, and how they’ve been used in several communities to resolve issues and incorporate sustainable design elements into new developments.

Moderator: Kathy Albert, Deputy Director, Executive Administration, Sound Transit, Seattle, Washington
Larissa Brown, Chief Planner, Goody, Clancy and Associates, Boston, Massachusetts
Jennifer Lin, Research Director, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, Oakland, California
Beverly Conerton, Community Member, Longfellow Community Council, Minneapolis, Minnesota

View Brown presentation (12 pages / 0.3mb)
View Lin presentation (14 pages / 0.4mb)
View Conerton presentation (10 pages / 0.5mb)

Blogs, YouTube, Web 2.0 ... What are these new technologies and what do they have to do with building livable communities? Find out how new communications techniques that go beyond traditional media can help communicate and educate the public and stakeholders about transit and TOD. Learn how to provide more avenues for public involvement and debate, and see how these communication tools can make the public and stakeholder conversation more interactive and inclusive.

Moderator: Carolyn Young, Executive Director, Communications and Technology, TriMet, Portland, Oregon
Julie Gertler, Founder and CEO of Consensus Planning Group, Inc., Los Angeles, California
Jeff Wood, Program Associate And GIS Specialist, Reconnecting America, Oakland, California
Evelyn Baker, Consultant, Denver, Colorado

Discuss at a program and policy level how fundamental changes in the New Starts program could be implemented to improve opportunities for transit funding. Potential changes include increasing efficiency, streamlining project delivery, and enabling agencies to better meet program requirements.

Moderator: Jeffrey Boothe, Partner/Chair, Holland & Knight/New Starts Working Group, Washington, DC
Richard Brandman, Columbia River Crossing Project Manager, Metro, Portland, Oregon
Wulf Grote, Director of Project Development, Valley Metro, Phoenix, Arizona

This session explores how local, regional and state projects are all contributing to a more sustainable future, regardless of their size or project scope. A sharing of lessons learned will explain how commitments made during all phases of project planning and implementation can combine to make a meaningful difference. Participants will share experiences and advice about how to decide among green choices to achieve the best results from a project, community and regional perspective.

Moderator: Diana Mendes, Senior Vice President, National Director of Transit Planning, AECOM, Arlington, Virginia
Sally Barros, Senior Planner, City of San Leandro, California
Richard Coffin, Associate, ARUP, San Francisco, California
Kevin Gardiner, Principal, Kevin Gardiner & Associates, San Francisco, California
Sophie Lambert, Director, LEED for Neighborhood Development, U.S. Green Building Council, Washington, DC

View Event Introduction presentation (5 pages / 0.1mb)
View Barros presentation (27 pages / 1.4mb)
View Coffin presentation (25 pages / 5.6mb)
View Gardiner presentation (32 pages / 2.3mb)
View Lambert presentation (49 pages / 7.5mb)

As demand for housing near transit continues to grow, so does the threat of gentrification and displacement for current residents. Panelists will discuss new approaches to creating long-term neighborhood stability, including: a community/labor coalition that’s negotiating community benefit agreements, a community corporation that’s assessing where new housing should be built and existing affordable housing should be preserved, and a non- profit agency working to implement a vision for regional equity that links smart growth with affordable housing and mobility.

Moderator: Sam Zimbabwe, Technical Assistance Director, Reconnecting America, Washington, DC
Robin Kniech, Program Director and Staff Attorney, Front Range Executive Service Corps, Denver, Colorado
Mary Regan, Community Organizer, Somerville Community Corporation, Somerville, Massachusetts
Lindsay Imai, Transportation Program Associate, Urban Habitat, Oakland, California
Dan Martinez, Local Organizing Committee Member, Congregations Organizing for Renewal, San Leandro, California

View Kniech presentation (12 pages / 0.3mb)
View Regan presentation (10 pages / 0.3mb)
View Imai/Martinez presentation (16 pages / 0.8mb)

You drank the Kool-Aid and know if you link transit and land use to create TODs, the result is fewer car trips. Yet most bankers, developers and regulators are drinking from a different cup. As a result, the majority of new development at transit stops has been built in a manner oblivious to the fact that a rail stop is nearby. This session will take a look at the latest research documenting that TODs really do produce fewer trips and will explore what can be done to get new national guidance for building TODs with less parking.

Moderator: Effie Stallsmith, Community Planner, Office of Planning and Environment, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
Robert Cervero, Chair, Department of City and Regional Planning; Professor of City and Regional Planning, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California
Gerard Walters, Principal, Fehr and Peers Associates, Walnut Creek, California
James Daisa, Senior Project Manager, Kimley Horn & Associates, San Ramon, California

View Stallsmith presentation (9 pages / 0.7mb)
View Walters presentation (31 pages / 1.3mb)

Eminent domain has become a hot topic across the country, especially in the world of TOD. In this session hear different perspectives on key questions related to eminent domain including: whether a transit agency can or should acquire more land than it needs to encourage TOD, what limitations are being put on urban renewal authorities and transit agencies in their use of eminent domain, and how to deal proactively with those who use eminent domain as a wedge issue for TOD.

Moderator: William Christopher, Board of Directors, District J Representative, Regional Transportation District, Westminster, Colorado
Benjamin Limmer, Planner II, METRO, Phoenix, Arizona
Bill Sirois, TOD Manager, Regional Transportation District — FasTracks Team, Denver, Colorado
John Shirey, Executive Director, California Redevelopment Association, Sacramento, California

View Limmer presentation (26 pages / 1.0mb)
View Sirois presentation (16 pages / 0.5mb)
View Shirey presentation (13 pages / 0.9mb)

Station area planning — is it real or unreal? Every transit-oriented development project begins with some form of planning exercise. The trouble is planners often shape something that can’t be built! While it looks good on paper and appeals to the community, the developer sometimes can’t afford to build it. How do we inject economic reality into the planning process? Hiring economic consultants may simply not be sufficient — they don’t put at-risk money on the line. Can developers be selected at the beginning of a process (think RFQ, not RFP) to provide a much-needed reality check? And how do we keep the developer’s costs down during the planning and shaping process?

Moderator: Chek Tang, Principal, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Oakland, California
Bill Lennertz, Director, National Charrette Institute, Portland, Oregon
Darin Smith, Principal, Economic & Planning Systems, Inc., Berkeley, California
Kim McCormick, Vice President, Trammell Crow Company, Dallas, Texas

Is it possible to create a real transit community around commuter rail? Or do the service characteristics and dependence on park-and-ride create insurmountable barriers? This session takes a look at the strategies being employed with three new proposed commuter rail projects to capture the opportunity for TOD and create future investments around the stations.

Moderator: Marsha Kaiser, Urban Policy and Public Policy Practice Leader, PB PlaceMaking, Washington, DC
Doug Allen, Executive Vice President, Capital Metro Transit, Austin, Texas
Tawny Olore, Rail Transit Project Manager, Florida DOT, Orlando, Florida
Mike Elms, Community Development Director, City of Arvada, Colorado

View Allen presentation (37 pages / 3.0mb)
View Olore presentation (41 pages / 6.6mb)
View Elms presentation (20 pages / 0.8mb)

To realize their potential, America’s suburbs need to grow better — not simply bigger. In part that means growing greener and denser, reducing parking, and increasing walking and transit use. This session drills down to probe multiple views of the forces, strategies and motivations behind the fundamental transformation of suburban centers into dense pedestrian- and transit-friendly urban places.

Moderator: Thomas Bennett, Senior Urban Designer, PB PlaceMaking, Portland, Oregon
Nancy Bragado, Principle Planner, City Planning & Community Investment, City of San Diego, California
Kimi Iboshi-Sloop, Senior Planner and Policy Analyst, PB PlaceMaking, Portland, Oregon
Clark Tyler, Chairman, Tysons Land Use Task Force, Fairfax County, Virginia
Ernesto Vasquez, Partner/Project Principal, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Irvine, California

View Bragado presentation (15 pages / 1.0mb)
View Tyler presentation (28 pages / 2.3mb)
View Vasquez presentation (31 pages / 3.4mb)

Does it sometimes seem as if you’re the only elected official in your community who understands that good urban design and transportation options are critically important in creating a healthy and economically vital community? Rest assured, there are other like-minded, forward-thinking elected officials around the country. Join your colleagues for informal discussions and a chance to talk about your successes and challenges in creating great places to live.

Facilitator/Host: Sam Adams, Mayor Elect, Portland, Oregon

Join us for this informal event — which will include appetizers, beverages and light music — and spend time talking with representatives from the country’s leading firms. Throughout the conference, visit the booths and displays from exhibiting companies.