Recent Reconnecting America News Articles

Reconnecting America To Provide Free Place-Based Sustainability Technical Assistance In Seattle And Phoenix

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:00:00 -0400

Reconnecting America, as a partner in Livability Solutions, has been selected to provide technical assistance to the Seattle Department of Planning & Development and Valley Metro in Phoenix as part of a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program.

In Seattle, Reconnecting America and its Center for Transit-Oriented Development partner, the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), will train Planning & Development Department staff in transit-oriented development (TOD) data and implementation tools in order to help promote walkable, vibrant, and affordable neighborhoods around major public transportation hubs in the region.

In Phoenix, Reconnecting America and CNT will train Valley Metro staff in the use of TOD data and implementation tools to track indicators and build capacity in the region for more efficient, vibrant neighborhoods around the region's expanding light rail network.

The Building Blocks Technical Assistance Program allows communities to receive quick, targeted help on specific issues related to creating sustainable communities. Reconnecting America was selected to help these communities because of its expertise in transit-oriented sustainable development and its success in building local capacity.

"Both Seattle and Phoenix are undergoing major expansions of their public transportation systems and have strong momentum and local support for transit-oriented development," said Reconnecting America Program Director Catherine Cox Blair. "This technical assistance will allow us to work will local practitioners to identify tools and strategies that can help them implement and achieve the goals of sustainability laid in their transit and TOD plans."

Livability Solutions is a coalition of professionals from 10 leading nonprofit organizations with deep experience in sustainable development. Their common purpose is to work with communities on transportation, land use, placemaking, environmental issues, and public involvement, with the goal of achieving livability, smart growth, and sustainability.

New Reconnecting America Report Explores Economic and Workforce Development Impacts of Denver’s Southeast Light Rail Line

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:50:35 -0400

Reconnecting America has completed an analysis of the economic and workforce development impacts of Denver's Southeast Rail Line and concluded that the 6-year-old light rail line has only supplemented what is already there, instead of acting as a driver of economic opportunity for residents of the region. This is the first in a series of reports by the Mile High Connects examining the opportunities and challenges of connecting middle-skill workers to economic opportunities through improved transit service and is meant to inform the planning of current and future transit corridors in the Denver region.

Reconnecting America and its partner, Mile High Connects, examined changes in the number and type of jobs along the rail line as well as within station areas since the line opened on Nov. 17, 2006. The authors also looked at residential changes, last mile connections, and the presence of work-supporting businesses such as childcare. Reconnecting America Project Manager Elizabeth Wampler and Program Associate Bill Sadler were authors of the final report, "Enhancing Economic Opportunity through Transit: Lessons Learned from Denver’s Southeast Light Rail Line."

Maps from the report are available in the Map Room.

"There are many lessons learned that can be applied to other transit corridors,” said Reconnecting America Program Director Catherine Cox Blair. “The shortcomings of this line underscore the need to do more – more study, more outreach, more planning – in order to get the most of the public’s investment.”

The report is part of a larger research project to analyze the current landscape and understand what has been done to date to improve social equity in the Denver region through increased transit accessibility.

“To date nationally, little research has been done on the impact of light rail investments on new business attraction and job creation, especially for those workers with less than a bachelors’ degree. This report and related efforts of the Mile High Connects seek to fill those gaps and inform and influence decision-makers on the importance of connecting transit, jobs and workforce development,” said co-author Sadler. “While many communities are being more proactive with their land use planning around transit stations, most of these plans still lack an emphasis on economic and workforce development, and the agencies and community-based groups leading these efforts are often not a part of transportation planning decision-making processes.”

The report was created with support from the Surdna Foundation. “Surdna’s interest in FasTracks and transit oriented development more broadly stems from our commitment to fostering just and sustainable communities – where there is equitable access to transit and good jobs,” stated Surdna's Shawn Escoffery, Program Director of Strong Local Economies. “Studying the impacts on real estate, job creation, and access and workforce development of the completed Southeast line allows a deeper understanding of successes and unintended consequences/challenges of a major transit improvement.”

Key Recommendations for Improving Economic Opportunity in Future Transportation Planning Decisions Include:

Understanding each corridor’s economic strengths and weaknesses.
Incorporating economic development into station area and neighborhood plans.
Conducting outreach to employers, workforce training providers and other supportive service providers about the benefit of transit.
Improving last-mile connections.
Engaging community members in the planning discussion.
Finding local champions to sell the benefits of transit to other employers, developers and influential decision makers.
Thinking comprehensively about services—jobs, housing and work supportive services should be planned and strategically placed in proximity to each other to fully serve workers & residents.

Reconnecting America Comments on Administration's FY14 Budget

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:26:49 -0400

Statement of John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America, on the Administration's Proposed FY14 Budget:

"In the Administration's recently released budget for Fiscal Year 2014, we were pleased to see a call for continued investment in the infrastructure we need to provide all Americans with transportation choices. Taken together, the $50 billion investment upfront and longer-term initiatives like the National Infrastructure Bank are designed to improve transit systems, rail lines, roadways and bridges, and other transportation modes nationwide. Encouraging innovation is at the root of America's values, therefore the amounts set aside within the Department of Transportation's budget for competitive multimodal programs and initiatives to attract private investment are particularly noteworthy.

"These initiatives will build on the core programs that keep our transportation systems safe and productive. We are pleased that the President has requested full funding for MAP-21's programs as well as $40 billion over five years from a new Rail Account in the Transportation Trust Fund to improve speeds and service on America's passenger rail network. The proposed Integrated Planning and Investment Grants at the Department of Housing and Urban Development will complement the programs at DOT by helping communities make the most of these infrastructure investments.

"While we appreciate the President's reservation of funds to support transportation programs after MAP-21 expires, we urge the Administration and Congress to adopt long-term, dedicated revenues to pay for on-going transportation infrastructure needs. Our leaders have wrestled with this issue for too long, while demand for transportation choices has only increased.

"Americans need choices in travel, no matter where they live. Our country must develop a true multimodal system to connect people to the places that matter. America's future economic growth depends on this. We urge Congress to pay careful attention to the infrastructure and community investment proposals in this budget and act accordingly, to benefit all Americans. We look forward to working with the President and Congress as the budget process moves forward."

Enhancing Food Access and Creating a Healthy Lifestyle for Residents in Spartanburg, SC

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:00:00 -0400

Spartanburg, South Carolina, has a classic American history like many cities in the south. The region is naturally rich in resources and fertile farmland, and they profited heavily from the many cotton mills dotting the riverbanks of Spartanburg during the post-civil war era. Spartanburg’s position as a transportation hub earned it the nickname “Hub City” and brought even more profitability to the region as goods were delivered across the country. In the midst of the conflicts and movements of the 20^th century, the city suffered the loss of its textile industry and has been working ever since to reinvent itself. In the 1990s, Spartanburg won large international contracts that laid the framework for a new type of economic prosperity; it is now the headquarters for BMW and other multinational companies.

Since then, a lot of investment has gone into creating a vibrant, sustainable community for Spartanburg residents. But while the community was starting to thrive, there was a major challenge it had yet to face – unhealthy lifestyles were leading to major health issues among residents, especially obesity and diabetes.

In 1999, Spartanburg created task forces focused on significant public health issues sponsored by a local foundation. Of these, the diabetes task force led to the formation of a non-profit, the Spartanburg Nutrition Council, that worked to educate children about healthy eating habits, particularly those in food deserts and low-income neighborhoods. However, they ran into a problem. Ana Parra, Executive Director of the Hub City Farmers Market (the new name of the Spartanburg Nutrition Council), and a local food justice advocate noted, “education was only getting us so far. We realized that without proper access to fresh food, children would not have the opportunity to actually eat healthier.” Thus began the creation of the community garden program.

Since the inception of the program, Hub City Farmers’ Market has started more than 40 community gardens, and currently helps maintain 12 gardens in local schools and throughout the community. Hub City Farmers’ Market works with residents to start their own gardens. The non-profit also worked to make sure that there were locations for farmers to sell their produce and developed a weekly farmers market, which is now open every Wednesday and Saturday. The farmers market started with 12 vendors and has grown to more than 50 rotating vendors throughout the season, who are required to sell only their locally grown produce.

Hub City Farmers' Market created a Mobile Market food truck that travels to food deserts and sells locally produced fruits and vegetables at affordable prices

The progress that is occurring in Hub City is getting noticed. Foundations, including The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, awarded Spartanburg a Healthy Kids Healthy Communities grant in 2009 to help organizations combat childhood obesity. In 2009, the Hub City Farmers’ Market partnered with the Metropolitan Studies Institute to conduct a food inventory to locate the food deserts throughout the community. When they realized that there were areas that couldn’t access the local products, Hub City Farmers’ Market decided to create a Mobile Market -– a food truck that goes into food deserts and sells locally produced fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. The mobile market and brick-and-mortar markets accept food stamps and EBT cards to guarantee that everyone can afford fresh produce.

In 2011, a Spartanburg partnership received a Healthy Food Financing Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services allowing them to create a space called the Healthy Food Hub. This space will serve as a central location for the Farmers’ Market, an Urban Farm, a cafe, a learning space for the community and local farmers, and a retail space to sell fresh fruits and groceries. The Healthy Food Hub will be located in the Northside community of Spartanburg, which is a low-income neighborhood that the city hopes to revitalize under a larger community development effort. The Hub is creating local jobs and will be completed in December 2013.

Parra believes that “everyone deserves healthy food,” and the city of Spartanburg is making this vision a reality. The city and local nonprofits are literally sowing a healthier lifestyle into the community, directly challenging the diabetes and obesity epidemic menacing so many cities in the south. Spartanburg is tackling its issues head on and working to create a healthier, more vibrant community for all its citizens.

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith Responds To President Obama's State Of The Union address

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:30:02 -0500

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith issued the following response to President Obama's State of the Union address:

“We appreciate the President's continued recognition that we must invest in our aging transportation infrastructure. The ‘Fix It First’ program he proposed will create jobs which are important to the success of our American families as well as creating safer rails, roads and bridges that are important to the success of our nation’s economy.

“Recent figures show that China spends 9% of its GDP on infrastructure, Europe spends 5%, but the United States spends only 2%. How do we remain competitive in a global economy without devoting the necessary resources to maintain and strengthen our infrastructure? President Obama recognized this tonight and addressed it head on. Reconnecting America stands ready to support him in this effort and is pleased that he is reaching out to the private sector for capital investment in a ‘Partnership to Rebuild America.’

“Reconnecting America works on behalf of families and communities, striving to achieve equitable transit-oriented development that benefits all Americans. We believe that giving people choices in how they travel through investing in our transportation infrastructure, including transit, is an important step to help ‘free our families…from the painful spikes in gas prices,’ as the President urged tonight.

“With the election behind us and the 113th Congress sworn in, it is time for our national leaders to act. No need to wait for the next natural disaster, the next hike in oil prices or the next bridge to collapse. Our rail, transit and roads must be safe and reliable. Restoring our commitment to a national transportation network is a necessity for America to prosper.”

Peter J. 'Jack' Basso Joins Reconnecting America Board

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:34:47 -0500

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith today announced the appointment of Peter J. "Jack" Basso to the organization's Board of Directors.

Basso, a nationally recognized expert on transportation finance and investment, has more than 45 years of experience providing advice and analysis to federal, state, and local governments.

"We are extremely pleased to have Jack join our board," Smith said. "His financial expertise in the structure of public-private partnerships and other creative investment methods used to finance transportation projects will be a valuable addition to our board."

Basso is the former Chief Operating Officer and Business Development Director for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Prior to joining AASHTO, he served as assistant secretary for Budget and Programs and as chief financial officer of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Basso also served in the Office of Management and Budget, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Federal Highway Administration.

Basso earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, at College Park, and continued graduate studies in General Administration at the university. He is the recipient of many awards including, the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive, and is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

2013 Edition Of Jumpstarting The Transit Space Race Interactive Map Released

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:26:45 -0500

Reconnecting America today released an updated version of its Jumpstarting the Transit Space Race interactive map, which documents the national interest in fixed-guideway transit. The fresh data show demand for transit development is even greater than when the first Space Race report was released in October 2008.

The 2013 edition of the map identifies 721 projects in 109 regions, up from 643 projects found in 109 regions in 2011. Of the current projects, 497 have a cost estimate. The total required to build just those 497 projects would be $250 billion. At the current rate of federal transit investment, it would require more than 78 years to construct those projects.

“This interest in transit opens a window of opportunity to make a federal investment that would create jobs, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, and enhance national and economic security,” said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith.

The 2013 edition of the Space Race map includes all of the fixed-guideway transit projects currently under construction and planned in the United States. This list was gathered in 2012 from local sources including -- but not limited to -- long range plans, discussions with local officials, and newspaper coverage.

"We understand that these projects are fluid and the estimates of cost as well as the projects themselves are subject to change frequently," said Jeff Wood, Reconnecting America's chief cartographer and lead author of the Space Race reports. "This list should be seen as a snapshot in time, which gives us a window into the magnitude of the need for greater funding and cooperation locally, regionally, and at the federal level."

Fixed-guideway projects on the map include heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, various technologies such as cog railways, and those bus rapid transit lines that have more than 50 percent of their right-of-way dedicated to bus-only lanes. The map does not include statewide projects such as the California high-speed rail effort.

View the map and explore the data

Frequently Asked Questions About Are We There Yet?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:38:25 -0500

What is a Complete Community? What is an Opportunity Area? Reconnecting America has added a Frequently Asked Questions summary to the Are We There Yet? website. Topics covered include:

What is a Complete Community?

What are the difference between “complete” & “incomplete” communities?

What is an Opportunity Area?
Is there a map of Opportunity Areas?
Why the focus on fixed-guideway transit?
What is a walkable block?
What are complete streets?
What is a food desert?
What was measured and why
What were the indicators we measured?
Why measure at regional scale?
How is transit access measured?
How are regions graded?

In addition, visitors are invited to ask additional questions.

Visit the Frequenty Asked Questions page.

Reconnecting America At New Partners For Smart Growth Conference

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:40:23 -0500

Reconnecting America Policy Director Sarah Kline and Program Associate Bill Sadler will be participating in the 12th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference Feb. 6-10 in Kansas City, MO.

Kline will be presenting Reconnecting America's report, "Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America," at a session entitled “Born in a Small Town: Transportation Success Stories from Rural America” on Feb. 7. Small city and rural America has public transportation needs that are just as compelling as those in big cities. Aging populations, young people, disabled citizens, working families and other people who want transportation choices are working together as never before to make public transportation happen. Federal and state government resources have become available for small-town and rural transit, and communities are leveraging this investment to great success. Kline will be among panelists discussing small city and rural transit success stories from around the country, with an emphasis on why and how success happened so that the lessons learned can be applied in other communities.

Sadler will be participating ina pre-conference session on Sustainable Neighborhoods, Thriving Residents: Strategies for Building Equitable Communities on Feb. 6. This workshop will explore how low-income, minority, tribal, and other overburdened communities are integrating land use and economic development strategies to renew their neighborhoods and build residents’ skills and wealth. Representatives from community-based organizations, local and regional planners, economic developers, and businesses will share how they’re working together to address health and environmental concerns, provide more housing and transportation options, promote wellness, increase access to opportunities, train workers, support local businesses, build on community assets, and develop strategies for growth that uplifts all residents. Interactive training sessions will teach participants about tools and approaches that integrate land use and economic and workforce development to revitalize underserved communities. The event will conclude with reflections by federal and other leaders on how their organizations will support equitable development in the year ahead.

The three-day conference includes nearly 100 sessions, tours, networking activities, special events and specialized trainings and workshops. It will also include continuing education credits for several disciplines (including landscape architects, architects, AICP planners, and attorneys).

An interactive online engagement platform has also been created in conjunction with the conference, created and sponsored by MindMixer. EnvisionSustainableCommunities.com is powered by the ideas of engaged people from across the nation, and will provide forum for communities to share their success stories of overcoming challenges, implementing smart growth practices and creating more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous communities, now and into the future. While this tool is connected to the New Partners Conference, anyone interested in sustainable communities can participate, share and be part of this online conversation.

The registration deadline is Jan. 18. Visit the conference web site at www.NewPartners.org to register, get more program and event details, and information on making hotel reservations.

Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund Earns EPA Recognition

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:40:13 -0500

Reconnecting America was honored to learn that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund (TOAH) as an honorable mention recipient of the 2012 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in the category of Programs and Policies for TOAH’s work to provide financing for affordable housing development and community services throughout the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

The Great Communities Collaborative (GCC) in the San Francisco Bay Area, of which Reconnecting America is a member, has worked for years to maximize equitable TOD opportunities. GCC commissioned the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) and the Bay Area Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to conduct an initial feasibility study for a fund that would be targeted to acquiring properties near quality transit for the purposes of building and preserving affordable housing, mixed-use development and other community amenities. CTOD later created a final feasibility report.

That work helped convince the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the MPO, to dedicate $10 million as top-loss funding as long as the fund managers could raise an additional $50 million from private sources.

“Without MTC's initial investment, it is unlikely this would have been possible at all, let alone so quickly,” said Reconnecting America’s Chief of Staff Allison Brooks at the time of MTC's decision. Brooks sits on the advisory board of the fund, which helped select the fund manager and set the policy parameters and goals for the fund.

Thus far, the fund has provided loans for a 153-unit high-rise for low-income families located two blocks from a major transit station and for a 64-unit building for seniors close to a light rail station that will provide free transit passes for all residents.

“This fund demonstrates how the economic resources of multiple organizations can be leveraged to affect positive change in communities,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Using transportation funds to support affordable housing near public transportation is a smart, innovative strategy that can bring environmental benefits and serve as a model across the country.”

For more information on the 2012 Smart Growth winners, visit the EPA website.

Reconnecting America Releases Report On Transit In Midsize Cities

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:55:05 -0500

Reconnecting America today released a report that explores transit in midsize cities with a focus on best practices in transit planning, funding strategies, and outcomes.

“Midsize Cities on the Move: A Look at the Next Generation of Rapid Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, and Streetcar Projects in the United States” provides examples of innovative transit in midsize cities that local leaders can draw upon to improve transportation options in their communities. The report was funded by a generous grant from The Rockefeller Foundation.

"As our report shows, when a city establishes an aggressive set of goals and develops the partnerships to advance them, transit projects can help revitalize communities," said Sarah Kline, Reconnecting America's policy director and co-author with Reconnecting America’s Sasha Forbes. "The examples in the report show that projects approached from the most collaborative perspective yield the maximum benefits."

“We know that providing citizens with more transportation options helps households to reduce their transportation costs, and new modes, particularly high-quality Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), can help cities roll out efficient transportation quickly and affordably,” said Benjamin de la Pena, Associate Director, The Rockefeller Foundation. “The Rockefeller Foundation is thrilled to support Reconnecting America, and hopes this report inspires other midsize cities to find the path to successfully implementing transit projects.”

For purposes of this report, midsize cities are defined as those with a population between 50,000 and 250,000. More than 250 transit systems serve midsize cities, providing more than 1.5 billion trips each year.

The report focuses on midsize cities that either have implemented or are actively constructing or planning a new transit project that is different in character – either through branding, vehicle type, guideway, or service characteristics – from the base transit system in that city.

Cities studied:

Albany, NY
Boise, ID
Des Moines, IA
Eugene, OR
Flagstaff , AZ
Fort Collins, CO
Grand Rapids, MI
Hartford, CT
Kenosha, WI
Little Rock, AR
Orlando, FL
Sarasota, FL
Savannah, GA
Tacoma, WA

"Across the country, midsize cities are investing in transit improvements to better connect suburbs with city centers, to move people between employment centers, and to improve overall connectivity among key destinations," Kline said. "These new transit investments promise to bring not only improved mobility for local residents, but can also be the catalyst for community revitalization, economic development, and improved connectivity."

The Midsize Cities report complements Reconnecting America’s May 2012 report, “Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America: How Smaller Cities and Rural Places Are Using Transit and Mobility Investments to Strengthen Their Economies and Communities,” also funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, which explored how smaller communities and rural regions are using transit to revitalize their economies and connect residents to local and regional opportunities.

Read the introduction and download the report

Deadline Extended For Livability Solutions Free Technical Support Applications

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:06:50 -0400

The deadline to apply for free technical assistance under the Livability Solutions program has been extended to 5pm EST, Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Livability Solutions is a partnership that includes Reconnecting America. The partnership is supported by a grant to the Project for Public Spaces from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems.

Livability Solutions will be offering workshops to 6 to 12 communities around the country, enabling local governments and communities to implement changes that will move them along the road toward smart growth and sustainability. This technical assistance will take the form of one- to two-day workshops, led by one or more of our experienced coalition members, focused on one or more of our unique suite of livability tools.

The tools Reconnecting America will bring to the workshops include:

National Transit-Oriented Development Database provides users free web-based access to data on every existing and proposed fixed-guideway transit station area in the U.S. (as of December 2010). Users can create database reports to conduct peer transit agency research in other regions to benchmark performance. Reports can be used for systems analysis, to evaluate development location alternatives, or to consider policy options.
Transit-Oriented District Implementation Decision-Making Tool helps guide cities, transit agencies, and MPOs in prioritizing different neighborhoods for pedestrian, bicycle, development, and affordable housing investments. The data-driven tool takes the politics out of these decisions by measuring the ability of different neighborhoods to benefit from these investments. The tool looks at urban form, market strength, and demographic conditions to help make these decisions. Based on neighborhood characteristics, the tool makes recommendations about policies and strategies that are grounded in real life best practices.
The Mixed-Income/Equitable TOD Action Guide is an online tool for local jurisdictions working to foster mixed-income transit-oriented development (MITOD) around planned transit stations. The guide helps practitioners identify the most appropriate and effective planning tools for achieving MITOD in their station area, and to facilitate the development of mixed-income communities across the system. The training will evaluate the affordable housing and community development strategies to leverage the revitalizing potential of transportation investments, without displacing low-income workers.

Workshops are intended to provide communities with strategies to enhance livability, to create lasting economic and environmental improvements, and to effect positive change for their residents. Focus will be on helping communities reach a tipping point or overcome a significant hurdle to reaching a particular livability or sustainability goal. Coalition members will work with selected communities to identify the tool or palette of tools that will best help them achieve their livability and sustainability goals, building off of each community's unique character, culture, creativity, and effort. A short report will be prepared for each community following the technical assistance, and communities receiving technical assistance will be asked to follow up one month and nine months after receiving technical assistance to report on their progress toward objectives set during the assistance.

This technical assistance is designed to serve local and/or tribal governments. Any local, regional, state, or tribal government, or agency or subdivision thereof, or community-based organization working in close conjunction with any such division of government may apply.

The intention of this technical assistance is to work directly with local and/or tribal governments to increase their capacity to successfully implement smart growth and sustainable communities approaches that protect the environment, improve public health, facilitate job creation and economic opportunity, and improve overall quality of life. If the primary applicant is not a local government, then the applicant must indicate, through a signed letter from a local elected official or head of a local government agency, that the local government is committed to efforts described in the application and will be substantively involved in the technical assistance.

For Price Of Shipping, You Can Get Printed Copy Of Are We There Yet? Report

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:39:31 -0400

Reconnecting America has a limited number of printed copies of Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America. The books are free, thanks to the generous contribution of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the Ford Foundation and the Surdna Foundation, who funded Reconnecting America's work. However, we must charge for shipping. To order your copy now, click here.

Discussing Regional Implications Of Complete Communities

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:13:38 -0400

Reconnecting America Chief of Staff Allison Brooks discusses "Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America" and what it means to regional efforts to improve the Chicago metropolitan area.

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Applications Open For Livability Solutions Free Technical Support

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:12:34 -0400

Livability Solutions, a partnership that includes Reconnecting America, is now taking applications for free technical assistance. Applications for the second year of the program are due by Nov. 2.

To help communities learn more about this program, Livability Solutions will host a webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 3-4pm EST to further discuss this technical assistance opportunity, the available tools, and the process. Register for the webinar.

The Livability Solutions partnership is supported by a grant to the Project for Public Spaces from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems.

The tools Reconnecting America will bring to the workshops include:

National Transit-Oriented Development Database provides users free web-based access to data on every existing and proposed fixed-guideway transit station area in the U.S. (as of December 2010). Users can create database reports to conduct peer transit agency research in other regions to benchmark performance. Reports can be used for systems analysis, to evaluate development location alternatives, or to consider policy options.

Transit-Oriented District Implementation Decision-Making Tool helps guide cities, transit agencies, and MPOs in prioritizing different neighborhoods for pedestrian, bicycle, development, and affordable housing investments. The data-driven tool takes the politics out of these decisions by measuring the ability of different neighborhoods to benefit from these investments. The tool looks at urban form, market strength, and demographic conditions to help make these decisions. Based on neighborhood characteristics, the tool makes recommendations about policies and strategies that are grounded in real life best practices.

The Mixed-Income/Equitable TOD Action Guide is an online tool for local jurisdictions working to foster mixed-income transit-oriented development (MITOD) around planned transit stations. The guide helps practitioners identify the most appropriate and effective planning tools for achieving MITOD in their station area, and to facilitate the development of mixed-income communities across the system. The training will evaluate the affordable housing and community development strategies to leverage the revitalizing potential of transportation investments, without displacing low-income workers.

Reconnecting America Releases “Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America”

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:45:35 -0400

Reconnecting America today released Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America, an ambitious report that tracks progress in America’s regions toward a vision of complete communities.

The report highlights the benefits that complete communities offer all Americans, tells stories about the work being done across the country to create complete communities, and measures progress in every region with a population above 55,000.

“Reconnecting America is all about people, places and possibility,” said President and CEO John Robert Smith. “Are We There Yet? clearly illustrates that no matter where you live — big city, small town, Northeast, Southwest — it is possible to live in what we call a complete community. It is a vision that should be a reality for all Americans.”

The report introduces the concept of “Opportunity Areas” to help regions track their progress. Characterized by smaller blocks or moderate density housing or jobs, Opportunity Areas have some of the infrastructure in place to help get us “there” by offering greater opportunities to walk, bike or take transit. Reconnecting America examined all 366 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the United States and found 317 have at least one Opportunity Area. In all, one in six Americans lives in an Opportunity Area. Using Opportunity Areas and other regional indicators, Reconnecting America graded each region on its performance in categories we have called Living, Working, Moving and Thriving.

But offering transportation choices is only one element of complete communities. “Are We There Yet?” offers stories and data-driven observations about the role that complete communities play in enhancing the way all Americans Live, Work, Move and Thrive and how they contribute to the health of overall regional economies.

“Leaders across the country are working to move America in the right direction, but there is still much to be done to ensure opportunity for all,” said Allison Brooks, Reconnecting America’s Chief of Staff. “In issuing this report, Reconnecting America is making a call for a robust national effort to create complete communities for all –communities that are affordable, healthy and well-connected to economic opportunity. This report shows what works and what doesn't work, and offers constructive ideas for how every region can improve their grade, something everyone wants to see on their report card.”

Reconnecting America is thankful for the generous support received from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the Ford Foundation and the Surdna Foundation to complete “Are We There Yet? Creating Complete Communities for 21st Century America.”

Are We There Yet? home page

Reconnecting America Contributes To New Book Exploring Entrepreneurial Approach To Building Sustainable Communities

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:02:38 -0400

Reconnecting America President & CEO John Robert Smith and Chief of Staff Allison Brooks have co-authored “Transit-Oriented Development Is Good Community Development,” which explores how, in this new era, we have the opportunity to redefine and build communities that are well supported by quality transportation systems and that will serve the life needs of today’s grandparents and tomorrow’s grandchildren.

"Foresight in transportation planning is critical for a community’s success,” Smith said. “It can serve as a catalyst for economic development, providing connections and opportunities for all who live and work there, regardless of income level. Having transportation choices gives people access to jobs, education and healthcare, in addition to drawing new employers."

The article by Smith and Brooks is part of a book published today by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF). Investing in What Works for America’s Communities, which is available at www.whatworksforamerica.org, features dozens of innovative ideas that can improve economic prosperity, from new policies, to technology, to integrated community efforts.

“We realize there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution to poverty,” said David Erickson, director of the Center for Community Development Investments at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. “Our hope is that the ideas in this book will spur new ways of thinking and collaboration that will empower everyday people and lift up their neighborhoods. Just as the nature of poverty has changed, those of us working to address poverty need to continue evolve to help transform both people’s lives and the places where they live.”

Read Transit-Oriented Development Is Good Community Development

Reconnecting America's Chris Yake Named To Mass Transit Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 List

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 01:15:53 -0400

Reconnecting America Project Director Chris Yake has been named to Mass Transit magazine's 2012 Top 40 Under 40 List of young professionals who have made significant contributions to the public transit industry.

Yake was nominated by his peers.

"I am delighted that Chris' peers have acknowledged what we already knew: Chris' background and successful track record in communicating with various stakeholders and implementing strategies to support equitable TOD clearly merit inclusion in any list of Top 40 Under 40 people involved in transit ," said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith.

Nominees are judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement in his position and innovation in his field.

"I worked closely with Chris when he was a program manager at METRO, the metropolitan planning organization for Portland, Oregon," one of Yake's peers said in nominating him for the honor. "He was a true visionary, but well-grounded in the policies and regulations that guide urban development. He's passionate and committed to helping citizens envision their neighborhoods as walkable, connected, and sustainable. He's now bringing his considerable talents and experience, developed in Portland and Denver, Colorado, to the national level with Reconnecting America."

Yake is the third Reconnecting America staffer to be honored by Mass Transit magazine. Last year, Reconnecting America Chief Cartographer and New Media Director Jeff Wood was named to the list, and the year before, Policy Director Sarah Kline made the Top 40 Under 40 for her work as director of policy and government relations for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

“Millions of people utilize public transportation every year, relying on it to transport them to work, school, social and sporting activities,” said Publisher John Hollenhorst in announcing this year's honorees. “The individuals chosen for this year’s list have been stand outs in their respective areas and show a strong passion and commitment that exemplifies the best of the best.”

Reconnecting America & CTOD Lineup At Rail~Volution In LA

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 14:16:08 -0400

Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development will be participating in a number of sessions at Rail~Volution 2012 in Los Angeles during Oct. 14-17. Find out more about the conference at the Rail~Volution website.

Allison Brooks

Indicators of Success: How Do You Measure a Livable Community?

Tuesday, 10/16/2012 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Terms like livable and sustainable are often used to describe the overall qualities of a community or region, yet the terms themselves provide little in the way of detail. Hear from three different regions -- Denver, the Twin Cities and Boston -- as well as from the national think tank, Reconnecting America. Learn how they are tackling the challenges of measuring sustainability and livability at the corridor, local and regional scale, particularly as they relate to improving equitable outcomes among people of diverse incomes and ethnicities. Questions to be considered: What classifies a neighborhood, city or region as livable or sustainable? What are the measurable indicators that help us understand if we are moving in the right direction in terms of mobility and access, health, jobs, air quality and economic opportunity? How do transit and the role of transportation fit into that equation?

Elizabeth Wampler

The BRT Attraction: How Do They Do It?

Tuesday, 10/16/2012 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

In many areas across the country, bus rapid transit (BRT) is getting regions online faster than fixed rail. How does this shift change the rules of the TOD game? How does it affect development opportunities along major transit routes? Can BRT corridors be developed as successfully as rail? How can closer bus stops reinforce the corridor's continuity, benefitting the community as well as transit? Finally, what are the critical elements needed to support TOD in BRT corridors? And the challenges? Learn how the game is changing with BRT as a major player!

Chris Yake

ETOD: Focusing Employment Near Transit

Tuesday, 10/16/2012 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

In today's economy, employment-focused TOD -- or ETOD -- is gaining prominence. Creating employment opportunities near transit is taking on new significance. In addition, recent research suggests that employment clustered near transit has a greater impact on ridership than residential density. How does the traditional model of higher-density apartments and condos with ground-floor retail and services support this new focus? How can ETOD attract, retain or expand employment opportunities near transit and support the drive to create jobs? Hear how regions around the country are targeting economic growth and better optimizing their systems by creating more transit destinations and bi-directional trips.

Jeff Wood

The Blogosphere: Transforming the Information Landscape

Tuesday, 10/16/2012 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Join the blogosphere! From California's high-speed rail to neighborhood bike lanes, blogs are popping up around every topic. Bloggers are moving livability discussions forward with background data and information. What kind of impact are the blogs having? What does it take to be accepted as an opinion leader in this growing space? Hear how agencies and citizens in Los Angeles and Washington, DC are changing the local narrative by providing a wealth of knowledge.

Abby Thorne-Lyman

Site Selection and Preservation of Affordable Housing Near Transit

Wednesday, 10/17/2012 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Implementing affordable housing near transit can be a monumental task and preserving existing affordable housing near transit can be even more challenging. In this session, you’ll hear about criteria to select sites that have the greatest opportunity for success. Also, experts will identify strategies and tools to help preserve existing affordable housing, incorporate public transit connectivity and help identify areas vulnerable to displacement. This session will give participants a full background of the complexities of building and preserving affordable housing around transit.

Abby Thorne-Lyman

Orange Line Sustainability Tour

Tuesday, 10/162012 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

How is bus rapid transit technology greening LA in a historically auto-oriented area? Hop on bike and bus to experience the nation’s latest BRT innovation. The Orange Line is a dedicated-lane BRT system with a parallel, multi-use pathway connecting the San Fernando Valley. Learn about inter-agency efforts to implement transit-oriented development along the corridor. Hear about planning, design, construction and operational elements that are making the corridor a model for livable communities.

Sujata Srivastava, Strategic Economics (CTOD)

ETOD: Focusing Employment Near Transit

Tuesday, 10/16/2012 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Nadine Fogarty, Strategic Economics (CTOD)

Carless by Choice: New Demographics for Tomorrow’s TOD Marketplace

Tuesday 10/16/2012 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

How will the growing population of people who are making conscious decisions to become transit-dependent influence tomorrow's TOD? The expansion of transit systems throughout the US provides opportunities to serve this growing ridership population. Join this panel of experts in a roundtable discussion of the new TOD demographics that are in the news: millennials and empty nesters. How will they impact tomorrow's TOD marketplace?

Scott Bernstein, Center for Neighborhood Technology (CTOD)

New Tools to Build Your Funding Case

Tuesday 10/16/2012 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Smaller federal and state budgets mean competition for dollars is fierce. Funders demand more metrics to measure project feasibility and benefits. How do you convince stakeholders that a transit project is worthy of support? Or that dollars invested will actually produce the expected results? How do you demonstrate the value of new and existing transit lines? Does combining housing and transit costs help funders understand the value of transit? Hear from the innovative creators of new tools that illuminate the benefits of transit: the Transit Competitiveness Index, Return on Investment, the H+TA™ Affordability Index, the Location Affordability Index and others.

Scott Bernstein, Center for Neighborhood Technology (CTOD)

RAIL~VOLUTION 101

Monday 10/15/2012 10:00 am–12:00 pm

Rev up your knowledge of the critical tenets and fundamental principles of livable communities. Learn the secrets of creating mixed-use, higher-density inclusive communities. See how transit-oriented design can be a catalyst to positive solutions for energy and environmental challenges. Engage in topics such as creating green design, reducing trip and energy usage (and carbon footprints), and promoting long-term sustainable economic growth in our neighborhoods.

FACILITATOR: Dan Bartholomay, Chief Executive Officer, Rail~Volution, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Michael Menaniphy, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Congressman Earl Blumenauer, 3rd District, Oregon, Washington, DC
Christopher Leinberger, President of LOCUS, Smart Growth America; Senior Fellow at Brookings, Brookings Institution, Washington, DC
Scott Bernstein, President, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago, Illinois
Scot Spencer, Associate Director for Advocacy and Influence, Annie E Casey Foundation, Baltimore, Maryland
GB Arrington, Vice President, PB's PlaceMaking Group, Portland, Oregon
Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake City, Utah

Policy Brief Explores Economic Benefits Of Locating Affordable Housing Near Transit

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:37:10 -0400

Reconnecting America today released an eight-page policy brief that makes the economic case for locating affordable housing near transit.

The brief, entitled "Locating Affordable Housing Near Transit: A Strategic Economic Decision," explores the economic benefits of affordable housing and transit, the benefits of living near transit, and the efficiencies that come from bringing the two together.

“Affordable housing and transportation choices are essential to creating thriving communities,” said Sarah Kline, Reconnecting America’s policy director. “Not only do they benefit households, but they help to create successful economies by linking workers to jobs and consumers to businesses, resulting in fiscal benefits for local, state, and federal governments.”

The policy brief compiles recent research to demonstrate that one of the most economically efficient strategies for providing public services is to ensure that housing near public transportation is affordable to people with a range of incomes. The brief will help city and county leaders, transit agencies, housing advocates, and land use planners make better economic decisions about how to meet their communities’ needs and includes seven recommendations for policymakers at all levels of government on ways to promote preservation and creation of affordable housing near transit.

“In today’s tough fiscal times, bringing affordable housing and transit together is a win-win situation for transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations and local governments,” Kline said.

Discussing How Local Agencies Put Transit to Work in Main Street America

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:30:00 -0400

Reconnecting America Policy Associate Sasha Forbes attended the Community Transportation Association Expo in Baltimore in May in order to discuss Reconnecting America's report, "Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America: How Smaller Cities and Rural Places Are Using Transit and Mobility Investments to Strengthen Their Economies and Communities." While Forbes was at the conference, she interviewed people active in providing transportation in smaller cities and rural areas.

The individuals interviewed represent the cities profiled in the "Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America" report. Each interview complements the case study in the report, offering more insight on the transit agency and/or city and its approach to providing transportation options for residents and increasing overall economic benefits.

Mobility Choices: Connecting People To Places

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:22:32 -0400

On May 29, Reconnecting America President & CEO John Robert Smith gave the morning keynote address at the Tennessee Obesity Task Force gathering in Nashville. Later, he was interviewed and that interview was recorded. Click on the links below to watch the video on each topic.

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Webinar: Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:11:55 -0400

Small and rural communities across the country are implementing transit projects that are making an impact on their economy and quality of life for their citizens. Communities are implementing projects that catalyze private and public investment, developing partnerships to improve transit service, and enhancing connections between people and jobs and essential services. Using transit investments, rural America is creating stronger and healthier communities. Our webinar will give an overview of our recent report "Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America" and offer two case studies of transit investments in Vermont and Maine.

On Aug. 29, Reconnecting America hosted a webinar to discuss the findings of the report.

Speakers

Sarah Kline, Reconnecting America
Connie Garber, York County Community Action Corporation, Maine
Jim Moulton, Addison County Transit Resources, Vermont

Moderator: Scott Bogren, Community Transportation Association of America

Note: The first five minutes of the recording have no slides. The slides start at around 5:23.

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Reconnecting America Policy Associate Sasha Forbes, who was one of the principal authors of Reconnecting America's report, "Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America: How Smaller Cities and Rural Places Are Using Transit and Mobility Investments to Strengthen Their Economies and Communities," has interviewed four people whose organizations were profiled in the report. Videos from those interviews are online here.

Mixed-Income TOD site boasts updated case studies

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:58:49 -0400

The online Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development Action Guide at MITOD.org has been updated to include a number of additional case studies in the site's extensive Tools section.

Updated case studies include:

TOOL: COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS

Laconia, New Hampshire.
The Laconia Area Community Land Trust (CLT) has a number of initiatives geared to provide access to land, housing and economic opportunities for low to moderate-income families.

Seattle, Washington
Homestead Community Land Trust, incorporated in 1992, creates permanently affordable homes and offers households ongoing support to homeowners to avoid foreclosure.

TOOL: CONDOMINIUM CONVERSION CONTROLS

Brookline, Massachusetts
In 2006, Brookline, MA revised its bylaws on condominium conversion to give more protection to tenants.

TOOL: FAST TRACK PERMITTING

Massachusetts
About 15 years ago, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) instituted a program called Fast Track Permitting.

TOOL: FEE WAIVERS, REDUCTIONS, DEFERRALS

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM, has created an overall affordable housing program that includes development incentives, inclusionary zoning, and the use of a general obligation.

TOOL: FIRST-RIGHT-OF-REFUSAL LAWS FOR TENANTS AND NONPROFITS

Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, MD, and its' public housing/housing finance agency, the Housing Opportunity Commission (HOC), have the right to match contracts on rental facilities built before 1981 or on rental buildings sold for condominium conversions.

TOOL: IMPROVE TRANSIT KNOWLEDGE

Burbank, California
Burbank Transportation Management Organization (BTMO) combines land use, transportation, air quality and energy planning and programming to create solutions that address transportation problems and congestion during peak hours.

TOOL: INCENTIVE-BASED ZONING

Massachusetts
In 2004, Massachusetts passed Chapter 40R, the Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District Act in order to create incentives for the production of higher density housing in existing city centers and towns, near transit, or where infrastructure or location makes mixed use or residential development suitable.

Denver, Colorado
Owner occupied residential development sites of 30 or more units must provide 10 percent affordable housing.

Chicago, Illinois
In Chicago, a downtown density bonus program offers bonus square footage to residential developers in exchange for providing affordable housing on-site or making a contribution to an affordable housing fund.

TOOL: INCLUSIONARY ZONING

Jamaica Plain, Boston
In 2004, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) unanimously passed a proposal creating inclusionary zoning in which housing developers of 10 units or more were required to make 13 percent of the units affordable to households earning between 80 percent to 120 percent of the Boston Area Median Income.

Napa County, California
Napa County, CA, requires that all affordable units developed as a result of its inclusionary zoning ordinance be built with quality materials and with appropriate unit size and design comparable to market rate units.

TOOL: LAND BANKING

Genesee County, Michigan
Genesee County, MI, has had a successful land-banking program and have acquired the title to more than 3,400 land parcels in Genesee County.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio
In 2009, the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (CCLRC) formed in order to restore real estate markets and protect the county's tax base while transforming the abandoned and vacant homes into assets for the people who lived in the community.

TOOL: LIMITED EQUITY HOUSING CO-OPS

Davis, California
In 1985-1986, the Dos Pinos Housing Cooperative Inc. was developed as a 60-unit non-subsidized limited-equity housing cooperative (LEHC), the first unsubsidized LEHC of its kind in California.

New York City, New York
New York City devised a plan to create affordable housing options for buyers who earn a certain percentage of the area median income.

TOOL: PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR RENOVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Oregon
The Oregon Single Family New Construction Limited Tax Abatement (LTA) program allows cities to abate property taxes on the improvement value of newly constructed homes in targeted neighborhoods purchased by income-eligible homebuyers.

Illinois
In 2002, Illinois created a special real estate tax classification in order to preserve the availability of rental homes made affordable through Section 8 contracts.

TOOL: PUBLIC LAND DEDICATION OR WRITE-DOWNS

Chester, Pennsylvania
In recent years, the City has began to develop its' waterfront area and is looking to locate more businesses and attractions in the area. As this development takes places, the City must deal with retaining the integrity of the community and combat the issue of rising costs of living and displacement of long-time residents.

TOOL: REGULATORY ACCOMODATIONS FOR SMALL SITES

Phoenix, Arizona
A housing program established in 1995, encourages infill development in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma encourages multi-family infill housing development through a property tax incentive.

TOOL: TAX FORGIVENESS FOR BACK TAXES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY SITES

Georgia
Georgia is one of the few states that has adopted legislation expediting the tax foreclosure process and enabling the formation of public land bank authorities.

New York City, New York
In 1996, New York City adopted Local Law 37, which allows the Commissioner of Finance to sell tax liens on tax-delinquent residential buildings and the City to convey distressed properties directly to responsible third parties without taking the title.

TOOL: TOD-TARGETED HOMEOWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE

Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland places a 30-year restriction on homeownership units that are a part of the County's inclusionary housing program.

Austin, Texas
In Austin, the HOME program funds down payment assistance loans above $10,000, which have an extended affordability period of 30 years.

MITOD.org is designed to help local jurisdictions, planners and other stakeholders develop strategies to encourage mixed-income transit-oriented development (TOD) around planned transit stations. Jointly developed by the Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through a cooperative agreement with the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, the guide was created in response to a request from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations issued with the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008." The guide is a major product of federal efforts to better coordinate transportation and housing programs to promote affordable housing near transit.

Reconnecting America's Bill Sadler Joins The 2012 Next American Vanguard Class

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 19:08:24 -0400

Reconnecting America Program Associate Bill Sadler has been named to the 2012 Next American Vanguard Class. Sadler is one of 43 people selected from nearly 200 applications by Next American City for this year’s class. According to the announcement at Americancity.org, Next American Vanguard Class members were chosen for their bright ideas for cities, experience in the field and ambition for the future.

Sadler is based in Denver, and is actively engaged in transit planning and TOD initiatives at the corridor and regional scales around the country, providing education, research, capacity building and technical assistance support on these projects.

In his application for the 2012 Next American Vanguard Class, Sadler wrote:

"Most of my place-based work is focused on the Denver region’s multibillion dollar transit expansion and the TOD opportunities it will create. I recently completed a TOD implementation strategy for the West Corridor light rail line in Denver, which lifted up the recommendations from 14 station area plans and provided strategies for moving all these plans forward in a realistic, holistic and coordinated fashion. I am now working with the regional MPO, the Denver Regional Council of Governments, to do a similar analysis on three other transit corridors. I have also been working with several nonprofits and foundations to launch Mile High Connects, an equity collaborative seeking to ensure that TOD benefits all populations. As part of this effort, I served as project manager and primary author of the Denver Regional Equity Atlas, a spatial analysis of how transit provides access to opportunity for residents of the Denver region with respect to housing, jobs, education and health. It has received local and national attention for its innovative, spatially-based approach to documenting the opportunities and challenges transit will create for the Denver region’s most disadvantaged residents. Other communities across the country are taking notice of these projects and undertaking similar efforts."

Asked what difference he hopes to make in his community in the next five years, Sadler wrote in part:

"I expect to see the fruits of my current planning efforts develop into bricks-and-mortar development that includes affordable housing choices, space for small businesses, educational opportunities, healthy food and other amenities that are essential to a complete community. My vision is that equity becomes institutionalized into the planning process and just a common part of community and economic development decision-making."

Sadler and the other members of the class will be assembling in St. Louis in October, along with past members of the Vanguard, for workshops, tours and panel discussions about how to improve American cities. A host committee, led by the Partnership for Downtown St. Louis, and including members from HOK, STLStyle, Preservation Research Office, McCormick Baron Salazar and others, has lent time and support to the event.

Video: Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Optimism

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:21:36 -0400

Reconnecting America President & CEO John Robert Smith was in Mobile, AL, this week to address the Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Summit. At the summit Smith was interviewed by Ron Reams of NüzzApp, a Gulf Coast regional news website.

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Smith is the former Mayor of Meridian, Mississippi, and a long‐time leader on behalf of passenger rail. He is co‐chairman of Transportation for America, a former Chairman of Amtrak’s board, and a former member of the transportation committees of the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, as well as former co‐chairman of the National Forum on the Future of Passenger Rail.

Los Angeles Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Sustainable Corridor Implementation Plan Released

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:59:07 -0400

Shortly after the opening of the Orange Line corridor extension to Chatsworth, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“Metro”) released the Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Sustainable Corridor Implementation Plan (CIP).

This was a project for Metro with funding provided by the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) Compass Blueprint Program and the State of California Strategic Growth Council. Raimi + Associates led the team that put the plan together, in partnership with Reconnecting America and Nelson\Nygaard. City of Los Angeles Planning, Transportation, and Housing staff also participated in plan coordination.

As an implementation plan, no changes to regulations have been made. Instead the focus on the plan was to:

Identify strategies to better integrate transportation and land use decisions.
Identify transportation measures that support station‐area and community plans.
Prioritize staff time and resources to implement TOD‐related projects by determining where improvements will have the most positive impact.
Support implementation of Metro’s Sustainability Principles and SCAG’s Sustainable Communities Strategy.

In addition to other recommendations, the final plan identifies connectivity improvements that could be made at each of 14 stations on the corridor in order to facilitate safer conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists, and bus riders. The corridor plan provides information that could support combining these improvements into one infrastructure grant application, rather than a slower and potentially more costly, station-by-station approach.

“Despite the suburban nature of the San Fernando Valley generally, the plan identifies stations that have the opportunity for significant transformation, and that could be the focus of future station area planning or infrastructure investments,” said Reconnecting America’s Abigail Thorne-Lyman, who is director of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development. “This plan helps sort through a daunting number of stations to identify improvements that will help the Orange Line achieve the region’s sustainability goals.”

In addition to recommendations for corridor-wide improvements, the plan offers an in-depth profile of each of the 14 station areas and is designed to be a handy reference guide for planners seeking future TOD opportunities across the city's 113 existing and planned transit stations.

Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Sustainable Corridor Implementation Plan

Transportation Reauthorization Conference Report

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 23:44:04 -0400

With this bill Congress had the opportunity to establish a transportation program that would support communities' efforts to become more sustainable and economically resilient. Unfortunately, the conference report missed this opportunity and is in many ways a retreat from these goals. While I am pleased to see that funding for public transit was preserved at current levels, rather than being cut by 30% as was proposed last year, and that some transit-oriented development (TOD) language was included, the bill could have done so much more to provide transportation choices for people in rural, suburban, and urban areas to connect them with jobs, education, healthcare, and opportunity.

Items that would have supported these goals include credit assistance for TOD projects, authority for transit agencies to use federal funds for operations during economic crises, dedicated funding for repair of existing roads and bridges, and a requirement that the safety of all users be taken into account when designing roads. I am deeply disappointed that these provisions were not included in the conference report.

However, I am pleased that the conference report supports proactive planning for TOD around new transit stations. The conferees also recognized the benefits that transit can bring to a community by simplifying the application process for new transit projects. In addition, the conferees acknowledged the importance of giving local officials control over funding for smaller-scale, community-oriented projects, though the report unfortunately allows states to usurp much of the local control that the Senate bill had provided.

I note that this is a short-term bill that will not even last as long as the time it took to develop. It's been nearly three years since the last transportation bill expired, and over that period thousands of people across America have become involved in the transportation debate. They are not industry experts, but rather health care professionals, business leaders, mayors, community leaders, and ordinary citizens who recognize that good, affordable transportation choices are key to a healthy, productive life and strong, sustainable communities. Over the past several years, I have traveled widely around this country, hearing from people in both big cities and small towns who want to see more investment in transit, in rail, in walking and biking, so that they don't have to depend on their cars for every daily trip. Reconnecting America will continue to carry this message forward, from the cities and towns in which we work to the halls of Congress, so that the next transportation bill will not be a missed opportunity. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to invest in the integrated, multimodal network they will need for the future.

Reconnecting America Welcomes Announcement of TIGER 2012 Grant Awards

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:40:22 -0400

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith welcomed the Department of Transportation's announcement of $500 million in funding for TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) 2012 grants across the country, especially in small towns and rural areas.

“These are the kinds of projects that will create jobs, spur local economic development, revive our city centers, and create regional integrated transportation solutions," Smith said. “This $500 million will fund critical projects in cities and regions large and small such as intermodal rail improvements at the Port of Oakland, rural bus service in Muskegon, MI, an intercity passenger rail service in Raleigh, NC, and a transit facility in Marty, SD serving the Yankton Sioux Tribe.”

As LaHood explained in the grant announcement, TIGER is a highly competitive program that funds projects which are difficult or impossible to fund through other federal programs. These federal funds are leveraged with money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies. In all, LaHood’s department received 703 applications from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia seeking funding for projects totaling more than $10.2 billion.

“The new round of TIGER grants continues to demonstrate the need for federal transportation revenues that can leverage innovative financing tools and promote collaboration among states, regions and the private sector,” Smith said. “The selected projects demonstrate that innovative strategies are being developed by cities and counties, regardless of their size.”

According to LaHood’s announcement roughly 35 percent of the TIGER 2012 funding will go to road and bridge projects, including more than $30 million for the replacement of rural roads and bridges that need improvements to address safety and state of good repair deficiencies.

TOD 205 Guidebook Explains Value Of Incorporating Families Into TOD Planning

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 01:08:41 -0400

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) and the Center for Cities & Schools (CC&S) at the University of California, Berkeley, today released "TOD 205 - Families and Transit-Oriented Development: Creating Complete Communities for All," the seventh in the Federal Transit Administration-sponsored series of reports explaining the best practices of transit-oriented development. This guidebook illustrates why planning for transit-oriented development that serves families is important for creating truly "complete" communities and how such planning can be achieved in conjunction with school stakeholders.

"There's a real change in how communities and developers are thinking about who lives near transit," said Abby Thorne-Lyman, CTOD Director. "TOD projects often cater to young professionals and empty-nesters without young children. But households with children also have an interest in living near transit. However, these families tend to look for a different set of amenities, and access to high-quality education is one of the most important factors they consider - which means that TOD planning has to consider how to align with education."

CTOD and CC&S worked collaboratively to produce this guidebook, which is based on a series of reports CC&S has published over the past two years. The Center for Cities & Schools is an action-oriented policy think tank whose mission is to promote high-quality education as an essential component of urban and metropolitan vitality to create equitable, healthy, and sustainable communities for all (see: citiesandschools.berkeley.edu).

"Our research has found that creating family-friendly communities around transit requires new approaches and partnerships for investment and implementation," said Jeff Vincent, Deputy Director of the Center for Cities & Schools. "Done in tandem with school sites and school districts, TOD planning can support high-quality educational opportunities and the other amenities that matter to families, like parks and libraries, safe streets for walking and biking, and access to grocery stores and daycares."

The first half of the guidebook describes how TOD can support families and why families are an important market segment in developing TOD. The second half of the guidebook delves into seven action-oriented steps that detail how TOD can be planned to attract families and support high-quality education.

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development is the only national nonprofit effort dedicated to providing best practices, research and tools to support equitable market-based transit-oriented development. Other guidebooks in the TOD series can be found on our What Is TOD? page.

Read an introduction and download the full booklet

Reconnecting America and Community Transportation Association of America release Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:40:05 -0400

Reconnecting America and the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) today released a report that examines how smaller communities and rural regions are using transit and other mobility investments to revitalize their economies and connect residents to local and regional opportunities.

"Putting Transit to Work in Main Street America," which was funded by a generous grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, offers nine case studies looking into how improved bus networks, downtown circulators, intermodal transit centers and intercity transit improvements have helped communities address the unique mobility challenges that stem from large geographic distances, an aging population, and limited financial resources.

John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America, said, "As the former Mayor of a small city who saw the positive impact of a multimodal transit facility, this report will be valuable to all who want to see examples of thriving rural communities."

CTAA Executive Director Dale J. Marsico, CCTM, said, "Smaller cities and rural communities and towns have made significant strides in public transportation provision and innovation in recent years and we are pleased to partner with Reconnecting America on this important report that highlights this progress."

Researchers found smaller communities are making a wide variety of transit investments, and these investments have had a positive impact on both the economy and the quality of life of residents. As shown in the case studies, improved transit service can be integrated into a community without adversely affecting the small-town or rural character. Investments don't need to be overwhelming. Researchers found incremental or small-scale improvements in transit service can yield significant benefits. Success, however, requires coordination among multiple partners on the local and state level, with the federal government also an essential partner.

"The case studies included in the report prove that there are different solutions out there for every need - and the size or geography of where you live should not be a hindrance to achieving qualify of life for your citizens," said G. Sasha Forbes, Policy Associate for Reconnecting America.

While more data is needed to better quantify the impacts of transit on rural economies and residents, the cross-section of examples included in this study should help to inform the ongoing federal transportation discussion as well as provide guidance for other communities dealing with the same challenges.

Read the introduction and download the report

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Los Angeles Affordable Housing Preservation Study released by the Los Angeles Housing Department and Reconnecting America

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:48:52 -0400

Los Angeles' massive transit infrastructure investment promises benefits across the city and the region over the next decade and beyond, but it could also have unfortunate side effects if efforts aren't made to preserve affordable housing in transit-rich neighborhoods, according to a report commissioned by the City of Los Angeles Housing Department and written by Reconnecting America. The report was funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, through the Awards for State & Local Housing Preservation Leaders of the Foundation's Window of Opportunity Initiative (WOI).

The report "Preservation in Transit-Oriented Districts: A Study on the Need, Priorities, and Tools in Protecting Assisted and Unassisted Housing in the City of Los Angeles," was unveiled at the Second Annual Affordable Housing Preservation Summit in Los Angeles on May 16, 2012.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told conference attendees: "The employees of the future will need housing options, and they will need transit options. If our housing market is to work, it has to work for everyone. From housekeepers to hedge-fund managers, we need housing linked to transit for all Angelenos."

Los Angeles has been working to match its transit expansion in recent years with transit-oriented district planning. At the Los Angeles Housing Department, the goal of ensuring that all families and workers are able to continue to live and work in the city's transit-rich neighborhoods is a key priority. The report provides a framework for prioritizing areas for preservation of existing affordable housing based on the anticipated change in market and demographic characteristics resulting from transit investments.

"We're continuing to deal with challenges to the preservation and creation of affordable housing units," said LAHD Interim General Manager Rushmore Cervantes. "Preservation strategies protect past federal and local investments. With new resources increasingly threatened, preservation is key to addressing the affordable housing needs of all Angelenos."

In the report, Reconnecting America provides empirical evidence showing the need for affordable housing preservation near transit. The report authors then use a data-driven analysis reflected in 16 maps to create a framework for preservation of different types of income restricted housing near transit.

Abigail Thorne-Lyman, the Director of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development at Reconnecting America, notes that "preservation of affordable housing is the best way to accommodate the economic growth and revitalization that comes with the major transit investment being built in Los Angeles, while ensuring that low and moderate income workers are able to continue to rely on transit and support ridership on the system."

Read the executive summary and download the full report

Maps from this report are available in the Maproom

John Robert Smith Conversation With Steve Anderson, Managing Director, InfrastructureUSA

Thu, 03 May 2012 16:46:22 -0400

Recordings of the interview with John Robert Smith are available on The Infra Blog at InfrastructureUSA.org

Guest on THE INFRA BLOG

Conversation with Steve Anderson, Managing Director, InfrastructureUSA

Transcript

The Current Transportation Bill: Slow, but Some Progress

Well, certainly, this is not a seismic shift in how we see transportation. It is notthe visionary, interconnected series of transportation investments and choices that I want to see play out during the life of my grandson. But I do think we have to recognize the gains that have been made, and especially within the political context and the economic environment that we operate in. I do think there have been important wins in this bill, and even though it's short term, I think it sets the stage for a much more robust visionary discussion, debate, authorization, and appropriation for what will hopefully be a truly long-term bill. And, honestly that debate should start the morning after this bill is signed.

The Shah of Iran, Gas Prices and Lessons Not Learned

When the Shah fell you could not buy gasoline in this country after dark. There were lines wrapped around the block to buy gas. You literally didn't travel on the interstate at night because if you pulled off to get gas after 6:00pm it wasn't going to be available. I saw it remarkably change how people traveled that summer and fall, and I thought the country is going to understand how important not only transportation infrastructure is, but the resources that are needed, whether that's fossil fuels or other forms of energy to move citizens about. We're not a truly independent nation until we get that solved for ourselves. We saw what one nation's collapse could do to us, but we didn't learn from that, and we have not learned in other points of crisis. As soon as a crisis abates and the gas prices go down we go back to business and life as usual, and we have failed to tackle this issue that will continue to weigh on the economy and the productiveness of this country until we do. Certainly, when the bridge collapsed outside of Minneapolis, I thought we were going to now understand that we have not invested in just maintaining that which my parents' generation built for us. But I have seen signs that we are coming to grips with that.

Who Gets It?

Mayors across this country--red state, blue state, doesn't matter whether the mayor's republican or democrat--they understand the importance of investment in infrastructure, and the fact that they need a strong federal partner and a strong state partner, and that it is about being connected to the regional economy to be globally competitive. So I know mayors get it; I know it is a number one priority in most cities in this country. Some state DOTs get it, but I am seeing some movement in federally elected officials, probably more so in the Senate. We haven't come to terms with our energy dependence, and that's not going to happen in a presidential election year. I remain disappointed in our inability to face those challenges without blinders, but very directly. But I have seen some positive movements, and I've seen some senators, especially whose eyes are open to it now and who are stating--perhaps not publicly--but who are stating this is a new issue that has got to be addressed, and it's got to be addressed in the next congress. We cannot possibly work and grow ourselves out of this financial climate without investing in our infrastructure.

The Mission of Reconnecting America

Our work is, principally and very simply, how we grow and invest in our neighborhoods, our communities, cities and regions, at the connection of transportation choices and affordable communities that promote the good health of our citizens. We're about transforming those neighborhoods or regions into really thriving places that our people choose to live and to work and to play. And transportation's at the very center of that; it looks different in different states and cities and regions, but it's also about riding something you can afford to a place where you can actually afford to live. Think about the connectivity of this country: we are connected states, connected through transportation systems. The public has to think--and, therefore, the federal level and state and local level must think-from the time the citizen leaves their front door until they get to where they're destination is, whether that's to the hospital or to the community college, or to the place where they work or to a city that requires their business, or their choice to travel, and back. That's what Reconstructing America is really about: it's that seamless transportation experience that is both cost-effective to the citizen and also to the government entities that help provide that connectivity.

The original blog post is available here.

How Transit Can Create Opportunity At A Regional Level

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:54:01 -0400

Reconnecting America and its partners in Mile High Connects recently released the Denver Regional Equity Atlas, which maps how current and future transit service can connect people to opportunities throughout the region.

Innovative models of cross-sector collaboration in equity-focused efforts around the country have been applied to this effort in Denver. Reconnecting America has been active in this arena in the Great Communities Collaborative in the San Francisco Bay Area, the One Region Funders Group in New York City, and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative in the Twin Cities in Minnesota.

The intent of the Equity Atlas, which was co-written by Reconnecting America and the Piton Foundation, is to help raise awareness among a wide range of stakeholders in the Metro Denver region about the benefits and opportunities that a robust transit system can create, including how issues such as housing, jobs, education and health are integrally linked to transportation access.

"The multibillion dollar FasTracks project, one of the largest transit expansions in the country, provides the region with an unparalleled opportunity to capitalize on this substantial infrastructure investment and leverage it into sustainable communities that provide all residents with better quality of life," said Reconnecting America Program Director Catherine Cox Blair. "Yet there are still many challenges to ensuring that those who most use and need access to public transportation, including low income individuals and people of color, have equal access to opportunities. The Atlas makes the case for why providing access to opportunity for all residents is critically important."

The Atlas is broken down into five chapters and 31 maps that cover demographics, housing, health, jobs and education. Data was collected from a variety of sources for seven counties in the Metro Denver region: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson. Each map contains the current and future transit network, including high frequency bus routes and rail lines, as the base map.

Reconnecting America is a member of Mile High Connects (MHC), a Denver-based coalition of more than 20 local and national nonprofits, foundations and community lenders with significant experience in affordable housing, economic and workforce development, educational opportunities, community engagement, access to transit alternatives and healthy living. MHC's mission is to ensure the metro Denver regional transit system fosters communities that offer all residents the opportunity for a high quality of life. MHC is engaging in collective and targeted efforts to shape programs and policies that promote affordable housing and access to job, education and healthcare opportunities. MHC's work is made possible by the generous contributions of its members and by a contribution from the Ford Foundation's Metropolitan Opportunity initiative.

The full Denver Regional Equity Atlas is available here and at MileHighConnects.org. Individual maps are also available in the Reconnecting America Map Room.

For more information about Mile High Connects, visit MileHighConnects.org.

House Passage of Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:21:07 -0400

I am pleased there is now bipartisan action on transportation reauthorization by the House that can be conferenced with the Senate. While this six-month extension does not provide the certainty of a multi-year reauthorization, it will keep our transportation network functioning at current funding levels and allow for a conference to begin with the Senate on a longer-term transportation bill.

I look forward to working with the conference committee to ensure that the final version of the bill includes language to keep our existing transit systems operating and provides support for local communities to invest in new transit services, bicycle and pedestrian projects, and transit-oriented development. These items combined will offer more options for Americans in how they travel to meet their daily needs, reducing costs for families struggling with today’s high gas prices.

Senate Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee Vote

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:40:39 -0400

I commend the action taken today by the Senate Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee to pass a bipartisan bill that will fund critical housing and transportation programs. The investments called for in this bill in our transit, rail, and road networks and in neighborhoods and communities across the country will strengthen America’s economic outlook and improve the daily lives of millions of families.

Of particular importance is the funding provided for the HUD Sustainable Communities grants. This funding will support integrated regional and local planning for housing, transportation, and other infrastructure in urban and rural areas around the country. In fiscal years 2010 and 2011, 152 communities and regions in 48 states received grants from this program, and are now hard at work developing strategies, implementing plans, and leveraging funds to create strong local economies. The need for these programs is significant; in those two fiscal years HUD received applications totaling $2.2 billion for regional planning and community challenge grants (jointly funded by DOT), which far exceeded available program funds. The $50 million provided in this bill will not meet every need, but will help to continue the progress that HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities has made. I look forward to working with Congress to ensure that this funding is maintained in the final Transportation-HUD appropriations legislation.

I am also extremely pleased to see continued focus on improving and expanding America’s transit and rail systems, particularly through the New Starts and TIGER programs and the High-Performance Rail funds. This will provide Americans choices in how they travel.

The Denver Regional Equity Atlas: Mapping Access to Opportunity at a Regional Scale

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:26:40 -0400

Calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the region,” an unprecedented local partnership of private, philanthropic and nonprofit leaders was joined by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock to outline how a smart expansion of Denver’s transit system can greatly increase access to opportunity and strengthen quality of life for all local residents, including low-income communities.

The partnership, known as Mile High Connects, also used the event to formally release its Regional Equity Atlas, a comprehensive study that visually conveys where critical points of opportunity—like schools, jobs, health care, and housing—lie in relation to the current transit system in the Denver Metro region. The report, co-written by Reconnecting America and the Piton Foundation, will serve as the basis of the partnership’s work to ensure that low-income residents can use Metro Denver’s expanded mass transit system to connect to these areas.

The event included a panel of jobs, health, education and housing experts including Kelly Brough, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; Anne Warhover, president and CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation; Susana Cordova, chief academic officer of Denver Public Schools; and Gene Myers, CEO of New Town Builders.

Keynote Speaker Manuel Pastor, nationally renowned author, professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC) and director of the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, discussed the vital role that equity plays in regional growth and prosperity.

The event was attended by more than 250 community members. Mayor Michael Hancock talked about the need to connect low-income families with affordable housing and transportation options, which in turn connect them to educational and career opportunities, increasing the overall economic success of our region as a whole.

The research done to develop the Regional Equity Atlas revealed that low-income populations in many parts of the region cannot currently take advantage of affordable transit choices to access career, education and health opportunities.

“The build-out of our transit system represents an enormous public investment,” says Patrick Horvath, director of The Denver Foundation’s Strengthening Neighborhoods Program, and co-chair of Mile High Connects. “It’s our goal to ensure that investment pays dividends for all residents— especially those in low-income communities.”

By increasing resources, influencing policy, working with residents and leveraging the current and expanding Metro Denver transit system, Mile High Connects will work to alleviate some of the challenges faced by low- income families in Denver.

“We are supporting this effort because we believe that the people of the Denver region are setting a very promising example for the rest of the nation,” said Lisa Davis, program officer of the Ford Foundation. “Guided by the work of Mile High Connects, they are showing not only how to build a world class transportation system, but how to do so in a way that lifts all people and connects many more families with the opportunity to build a stronger future and get ahead.”

Top line key findings of the Equity Atlas follow and a full copy of the Equity Atlas report can be found online at www.milehighconnects.org.

The Denver region has a tremendous opportunity to increase transportation options through the current transit expansion. The enhanced transit connections will increase the number of walking and bicycling trips, as more and more people can walk or bike to their nearest transit station, which will in turn connect them to even more destinations.
Last-mile connections are essential to make transit a viable transportation alternative. Communities need to invest in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure that will connect people to the places they need to go within the station area and further afield. Employers need to look at ways to promote transit usage and how they might be able to provide those last mile connections themselves through shuttle services to and from stations.
The region is interdependent. Opportunities and resources in the Denver region are dispersed throughout many communities, new rail and bus service will not connect everyone to every place they need to go, but they will improve access to many important destinations.
Low income and other economically disadvantaged populations in many parts of the region cannot currently take advantage of affordable transit choices to access opportunities. Pockets of poverty exist throughout the Denver region without good access to jobs, schools, and essential services. Living near transit, specifically in walk and bike friendly neighborhoods, can help low income families keep costs down by not owning a car or driving less often, leading to improved health outcomes.
The full build out of the regional transit network will improve access to opportunities for low income and other economically disadvantaged populations compared to what is available now. Many economically disadvantaged groups will be better connected to jobs and other places of importance as the transit network is built out.
Many of the region’s affordable housing units are located near current or future transit stations, but increased demand for living near transit may cause gentrification and displacement pressures. The demand for housing near transit across the country is expected to grow exponentially in the coming decades and the cost to live in these neighborhoods is expected to rise. To ensure that current residents can continue to afford to live near transit, policies and strategies should be in place to preserve and create affordable housing near transit.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the region, and we must get it right. Unlike many other cities with long-established transit systems, Denver’s system is still in its infancy. Now is the time to plan and leverage this massive investment in transportation infrastructure. Land use decisions should align with the transportation plans to co-locate the elements of a prosperous, equitable, and sustainable region: affordable housing, job centers, educational institutions, quality of life amenities and community resources such as day care, markets, health centers, and commercial districts. Local transportation planning must also integrate and facilitate connections between different modes of transportation to make it safe and convenient for people to reach destinations by a means other than a personal automobile.

Download The Denver Regional Equity Atlas: Mapping Access to Opportunity at a Regional Scale

Federal Funding Matrix Lists Sustainable Communities Grant Opportunities

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:42:29 -0400

Reconnecting America has compiled a Federal Funding Matrix, which provides a listing of possible funding sources for creating sustainable communities. The Funding Matrix displays funding opportunities for states, cities, local governments and organizations, among others, for planning, implementation, site acquisition, business development, development financing, and other eligible uses.

In working with our partners around the country, Reconnecting America noticed a lack of a comprehensive list of funding opportunities centered on sustainable communities. We compiled a matrix that would give organizations an easily accessible, extensive, and descriptive tool to find funding opportunities to suit their communities. The matrix provides funding opportunities both inside and outside of the Sustainable Communities Inter-Agency Partnership of HUD, EPA, and DOT, and lists opportunities from agencies such as the USDA, US Small Business Administration, and the Treasury Department.

This matrix shows that funding opportunities for sustainable communities are not limited to only a few agencies, but that funding stretches beyond traditional sources. Ultimately, Reconnecting America sought to categorize existing federal funding opportunities for communities to continue efforts to create complete and equitable communities.

In this fiscally constrained environment, communities have limited resources. We hope this funding matrix helps communities to create innovative funding models that will combine funds from various federal, state, regional, local, private and philanthropic sources. The funding matrix is meant to be a working document and will be updated as information becomes available.

Federal Funding Matrix

Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development Action Guide Videos

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:48:52 -0400

Reconnecting America has introduced a video section on their MITOD Action Guide website. The new section will feature video interviews of experts in the housing, transportation and community development fields. The videos will be linked to the various strategies andtools listed throughout the MITOD Action Guide. The videos will offer additional insight on tools and strategies used to create affordable housing near transit from people who work with these issues daily.

The first video features Michael Bodaken from the National Housing Trust who discusses the importance of preserving affordable housing near transit.

Future videos will highlight the importance of creating more equitable communities near transit.

Center for Transit-Oriented Developments Comments On Proposed Changes To New Starts, Small Starts Rules

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:13:09 -0400

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development today released detailed comments on the Federal Transit Administration's proposed changes in the New Starts and Small Starts programs.

The New Starts and Small Starts programs support the engineering, design, and construction of rail and bus rapid transit projects around the country. Projects seeking funding from these programs must be evaluated according to a number of criteria specified in law. FTA’s changes seek to both streamline the process and to capture in the evaluation a broader set of the benefits that transit projects provide. FTA's proposed changes are detailed in an earlier Reconnecting America policy team analysis here.

March 26, 2012

Peter M. Rogoff
Administrator
Federal Transit Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

RE: Docket Number FTA-2010-0009

Dear Administrator Rogoff,

On behalf of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD), we write to provide comments on the Federal Transit Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and proposed Policy Guidance for the New Starts and Small Starts programs. CTOD appreciates the opportunity to submit comments to FTA regarding the evaluation process and criteria for these important programs.

CTOD is the only national effort dedicated to providing best practices, research, and tools to support equitable market-based transit-oriented development (TOD). CTOD partners work with both the public and private sectors to strategize about ways to encourage the development of high-performing communities around transit stations and to build transit systems that maximize development potential. CTOD is a partnership of Reconnecting America, the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), and Strategic Economics. Reconnecting America is a national nonprofit that helps transform promising ideas into thriving communities, where transportation choices make it easy to get from place to place, where businesses flourish, and where people from all walks of life can afford to live, work, and visit. CNT is a creative think-and-do tank that advances urban sustainability by researching, inventing, and testing strategies that use resources more efficiently and equitably. Strategic Economics is an urban and regional economics and research firm.

CTOD receives federal funding to evaluate best practices in TOD, to research economic development impacts of transit investments, and to help develop standards and guidelines for TOD. However, we did not use federal funds to develop these comments. Our recommendations reflect many years of discussion with developers, local economic development directors, the transit industry, community development practitioners, land planners, academics, residents, and employers, as well as our own experience working with communities that are trying to build transit networks and promote mixed-income, transit-oriented development.

CTOD supports FTA’s stated goals of measuring a wider range of the benefits that transit projects provide, and establishing measures and procedures to streamline the New Starts and Small Starts project development process. We believe that FTA’s proposed changes are a significant step toward achieving those dual goals. Under the proposed structure, we believe that the timeframe for project development will be reduced, allowing project sponsors to bring their projects to completion sooner, and the projects’ benefits to be realized earlier. In addition, we believe that the changes proposed would help to elevate those projects which will provide the maximum benefits to the communities they serve as well as to the federal government.

Within the context of our overall support, we offer suggestions to improve or refine some of the elements of the NPRM and the Policy Guidance. The following comments are organized by issue area, and cover both the NPRM and the Guidance. In keeping with CTOD’s mission, our primary focus is on the evaluation of projects in terms of their impact on their corridors and regions, rather than on the specific stages of project development, local financial commitment, or operational issues. CTOD expresses neither support nor opposition on any issue in the NPRM or Guidance which is not specifically addressed below.

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION CRITERIA

1. Mobility Improvements

a. CTOD supports the proposed change in the metric from transportation system user benefits to trips (i.e. boardings) on the project.

CTOD supports FTA’s proposed change from transportation system user benefits (TSUB) to trips taken on the project as the measure for mobility improvements. While the original intent of the TSUB measure was to capture a broad range of mobility benefits, in practice it has proven difficult to measure elements such as time saved for highway commuters in the project corridor. On the other hand, ridership is an easily understood, quantifiable outcome of transit projects that can be used as an indicator of a project’s success in a community.

While we understand FTA to mean “boardings” by its use of the term “trips”, we recommend that FTA clarify this in the final rule to ensure a consistent understanding of the metric being proposed.

b. CTOD recommends that FTA evaluate both current year and future year ridership, over a 20-year horizon, compared to the no-build alternative.

While CTOD appreciates FTA’s desire to simplify the application process for project sponsors, we believe it is important for sponsors to present information not only regarding current year ridership, but also ridership in future years. This approach will enable FTA to ensure that projects are built to handle not only existing conditions, but also future conditions. If future ridership is not incorporated into project planning, we are concerned that project sponsors will be discouraged from building systems with sufficient capacity to handle future ridership growth. When projects are scaled back to handle only near-term ridership, project sponsors, local communities, and taxpayers will ultimately have to pay to expand capacity at some point in the future, often at greater cost than would have been incurred had the necessary capacity been included originally. The 20-year horizon is appropriate because it is consistent with the timeframe covered by regions’ long-range transportation plans and with federal requirements for highway investments.

Even under this proposed approach, project sponsors will likely save time and money compared to the current application process due to FTA’s proposed changes in the baseline alternative, which CTOD supports. Rather than the artificially constructed “Transportation System Management” alternative (which generally includes a set of smaller-scale projects that are unlikely ever to be built), FTA proposes to allow project sponsors to compare their projects to a “no-build” alternative, including the existing transportation network and those projects which have been committed to in the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). This is a sensible change which will help to better demonstrate the benefits of a proposed project while reducing time and cost for project sponsors.

c. FTA should incorporate job accessibility into its national ridership model.

CTOD appreciates FTA’s intent to establish a national model for estimating project trips. CTOD strongly encourages FTA to include within that model a calculation of how many existing jobs will be made accessible to fixed-guideway transit stops by proposed projects.

Such a measure of job accessibility is highly predictive of transit ridership.¹ The commute trip makes up 59 percent of transit trips,² and only 18 percent of auto trips.³ Transit projects that do a good job linking workers to employment centers will generate higher ridership than those that do not, even if the number of residents living near the projects are the same. In fact, research has shown that employment densities at trip destinations exert greater influence on ridership than residential densities near trip origins.⁴ In regions with strong suburban employment centers, they also serve to optimize the transit investment by promoting bidirectional flows throughout the course of the day.

For example, in “The Importance of Trip Destination in Determining Transit Share,” Gary Barnes highlights the importance of employment density in increasing transit ridership in the Twin Cities.⁵ His work finds that increases in employment density can result in increased transit share from origins with residential density held constant, a similar finding of earlier work by Zupan and Pushkarev.⁶ Barnes emphasizes the relationship between residential origins and destinations, noting that “Residential neighborhood characteristics matter, but the extent to which they matter is very strongly influenced by where people are going.”

Job accessibility can be incorporated into the FTA’s model through the use of the Employment Accessibility Index, which is part of the Housing +Transportation Affordability Index (H+T Index).⁷ The index uses the US Census Bureau’s Local Employment Dynamics data at the Census block level. The accessibility index is a sum of all jobs weighted by the inverse square of the distance within a 63 mile radius of a given block group. The Center for Neighborhood Technology recently updated the H+T Index to include the latest Census data – American Community Survey data through 2009.

Additionally, the H+T Index includes two measures of transit access, the Transit Connectivity Index and the Transit Access Shed. Data used in the construction of these indices are a compilation of publicly available General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data as well as GTFS data provided to CNT by transit agencies and GTFS data created by CNT from publicly available sources. Where GTFS data was not available, CNT created data in this format using public information from transit agency websites including maps, schedules, and stop locations. When more detailed information was needed than what was available on the websites, CNT contacted agencies directly. Transit stops and stations in more than 50 percent of metropolitan and micropolitan areas with scheduled transit service are currently included in the database, or 445 transit systems.

The use of these measures provides a sound basis for evaluating local jobs access, including a detailed understanding of the relationship of transit service to employment locations. The H+T Index can be found at http://htaindex.cnt.org/ and the methodology is explained at http://htaindex.cnt.org/downloads/HTMethods.2011.pdf .

Given the importance of employment accessibility in determining transit ridership, CTOD believes FTA should include a calculation of existing jobs within ½ mile of the proposed stations in the national model for ridership.

d. FTA should establish breakpoints for ridership to ensure that only the strongest projects advance.

As stated above, CTOD supports FTA’s proposed shift to project trips as the measure of mobility improvements. CTOD notes, however, that the effectiveness of this change in helping FTA to evaluate projects depends in large measure on how FTA establishes the breakpoints that will determine the ratings under this criterion. Recognizing that different modes are likely to generate different ridership, and that regions and corridors have different characteristics, we look forward to reviewing FTA’s proposed breakpoints to assess their effectiveness in advancing those projects that will achieve the strongest ridership. We encourage FTA to consider establishing a minimum ridership threshold which all proposed projects must meet, and then providing breakpoints for higher ratings which would be normalized for different project types. Breakpoints should be established in a way that will incentivize project sponsors to select alignments, station locations, and other project features that will maximize ridership.

e. FTA should clearly define “transit-dependent” so that all project sponsors use a consistent definition.

CTOD notes that the inclusion of additional weight for trips taken by transit dependent individuals in the calculation of mobility improvements serves multiple goals, by increasing the likelihood that a project will provide connectivity to jobs and services for those who cannot or choose not to own a car. CTOD notes, however, that this metric must be applied consistently across the country in order to achieve a meaningful comparison of projects nationwide. CTOD recommends that FTA specifically define “transit-dependent,” which as FTA noted can be determined in terms of income level (percentage of area median income) or car ownership (which could vary by household size, as a two-worker household with only one car can be considered transit-dependent), in order to ensure consistent evaluation under this criterion.

2. Environmental Benefits

a. CTOD supports FTA’s goal of measuring a wider range of environmental benefits.

CTOD supports FTA’s efforts to develop a more meaningful approach to evaluating the environmental benefits of New Starts projects. Although CTOD recommended in its comments to the ANPRM that FTA not attempt to monetize environmental benefits due to the wide range of environmental benefits that transit projects provide and the difficulty of measuring those benefits, CTOD understands the potential value of the approach that FTA has laid out in the NPRM. CTOD stands ready to work with FTA to develop improved methods of modeling VMT change to ensure that the most accurate evaluation tools possible are available to support FTA’s goal of monetizing environmental benefits.

b. CTOD supports the inclusion of public health under environmental benefits.

CTOD strongly supports the inclusion of public health impacts under the environmental benefits criterion, and looks forward to working with FTA and other stakeholders to develop the tools that will allow this factor to be fully considered in the evaluation process. The health benefits of using public transportation are well-documented. Using public transportation has been shown to promote physical activity in a number of research studies. Transit users on average take 21% to 30% more steps per day than people who drive to work and are more likely to be physically active and maintain a healthy weight.⁸ Transit riders tend to walk more because they have to travel on foot to get to and from the transit stop, as well as their origins and destinations. Using U.S. National Household Travel Survey data, researchers found that 29% of public transit users walked over 30 minutes per day just getting to and from the station, thereby meeting the government’s recommended levels of daily physical activity.⁹ A recent study also found that people can lose weight by switching from driving to transit. Charlotte light rail riders lost an average of 6.45 pounds after switching from driving to transit for a year.¹⁰ In addition, overall increased use of transit can help reduce adverse health outcomes associated with asthma and other chronic diseases by reducing driving and greenhouse gas emissions. Improved public health has a benefit not only for individuals, but also for the public sector, which realizes a fiscal benefit through reduced health care costs. Therefore, those transit projects which maximize public health benefits should receive credit for those positive impacts in the New Starts evaluation process.

c. CTOD recommends that FTA not include the cost of betterments in the environmental benefits evaluation.

CTOD understands that FTA is proposing to compare the environmental benefits of proposed projects with the projects’ annualized capital and operating cost. In order to avoid creating a disincentive for project sponsors to invest in project features that will create long-term benefits, but are not directly related to mobility improvements in the short-term, CTOD recommends that FTA subtract the cost of “betterments” from the costs included in the environmental benefits evaluation. This concept is discussed more fully in the cost-effectiveness section, below.

3. Economic Development Effects

a. CTOD supports the inclusion of affordable housing in the evaluation of economic development effects.

As CTOD’s ANPRM comments indicate, we believe that all U.S. DOT capital funding programs should maximize the location efficiency benefits of transportation investments by elevating projects that demonstrate local commitment to preserve and create permanently-affordable housing. In particular, because transit investments may lead to rising property values near federally funded stations, the FTA should prioritize New Starts and Small Starts projects that (1) maintain housing affordability for existing station area residents to prevent displacement and (2) create new affordable housing near stations so that low-income households may also benefit from federal investment in transit infrastructure. For this reason, CTOD strongly supports FTA’s inclusion under economic development of plans and policies in place to maintain or increase affordable housing in the corridor. At the same time, in order to promote balanced mixed-income housing in those areas with significant concentrations of affordable housing, plans should include policies for attracting workforce and market-rate housing.

b. CTOD recommends consideration of employment centers in the required analysis of economic development effects.

As highlighted above in the section on mobility improvements, the strong relationship between job accessibility and transit ridership justifies inclusion of policies related to job growth and employment centers as part of the economic development evaluation. In addition to the ridership benefits discussed above, transit-oriented employment is space efficient (200-250 sq ft/employee, compared to residential development at 500-1,000 sq ft/resident) and often more economically feasible than increasing residential densities, given the agglomeration benefits that business districts and commercial corridors provide.¹¹ FTA should review policies indicative of local commitment to job growth near the proposed project, such as economic development strategies related to attracting targeted clusters, flexible zoning, minimum floor area ratios, minimum employment densities, and maximum parking ratios, as well as the presence of local funding mechanisms and incentives including TIF, BID/LIDs, etc. Given current economic conditions and the continuing decentralization of employment, greater emphasis should be placed on the job creation and retention potential of the transit investment.

To that end, project sponsors should be required to map all of the region’s major employment concentrations, and then to demonstrate how the proposed project would connect to one or more those concentrations, or create a critical link between two other transit lines, allowing transit riders to have greater job accessibility with only one transfer. This information is readily available through U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment Dynamics data. The project sponsor should also be required to demonstrate how plans and policies related to future employment growth would reinforce the employment centers connected by the project. This will enable FTA to determine which project sponsors will most effectively leverage the new transit investment to create economic benefits for the region.

c. CTOD recommends using a market analysis as the best predictor of future development outcomes.

CTOD understands that FTA is proposing to give project sponsors the option to develop a projection of future economic development effects in order to conduct a quantitative analysis based on the resulting VMT changes. FTA indicates in the proposed Policy Guidance that the projection would be based on “the economic conditions in the project corridor; the mechanisms by which the project would improve those conditions; the availability of land in station areas for development and redevelopment; and a pro forma assessment of the feasibility of specific development scenarios.”

CTOD believes that a quantitative analysis of future economic development effects is essential to determining which projects should advance through the New Starts and Small Starts process. We look forward to working with FTA to help develop the tools that will allow the quantitative analysis to become a required component of the evaluation process.

In the meantime, CTOD does not believe that the set of factors proposed by FTA would produce the best projections for future development around the project. CTOD’s recent report, “Rails to Real Estate: Development Patterns along Three New Transit Lines”, shows that land supply and zoning policy are poor predictors of future development in transit corridors. Therefore, we think other market factors should be used to measure potential economic development activity along a proposed transit corridor. Such factors could include the number and value of any real estate investments made in the corridor over the past five years, the number of major job and/or major cultural/entertainment/educational institutions along the corridor, and the proximity of transit stations with development potential to these major activity centers. Other market factors could include average rents/sales prices per square foot in the corridor by land use type as compared to the larger surrounding area, vacancy rates in the corridor also compared to a larger geography, and recent project absorption. If weak market areas are being considered for transit investments, then ridership numbers should be high enough to address a lack of near-term market activity.

4. Cost-effectiveness.

CTOD supports exclusion of “betterments” from project cost and recommends a broad definition of “betterments”.

In its response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CTOD recommended that FTA consider only the federal contribution when evaluating cost-effectiveness, so that project sponsors would not be penalized for using non-federal funds to finance project features that would provide locally-preferred transit types, service levels, route alignments, transit vehicles, station amenities, or expansion capacity. Many of these features have long-term benefits for communities, but add to the up-front costs of projects, hindering their ability to achieve the necessary rating on the cost-effectiveness measure.

CTOD recognizes that FTA did not adopt that recommendation, but appreciates FTA’s willingness to exclude the cost of “betterments” from project cost for purposes of the cost-effectiveness calculation. This change will help to move FTA’s evaluation process toward the goal that CTOD advanced, allowing project sponsors to invest in certain project features that will have long-term benefits, but which are not directly related to improved mobility in the short-term.

In order to ensure that project sponsors have an incentive to invest in those project features that will ultimately yield the maximum benefits for the community, CTOD recommends that FTA adopt a broad definition of “betterments,” including all of the examples listed in the preamble to the proposed rule, and in addition capacity and access improvements which will save costs down the road. Too often, project sponsors who have had to scale back projects to achieve a satisfactory cost-effectiveness rating find themselves in a few short years having to make additional capital investments, at greater cost, to accommodate their growing ridership. For example, the light rail line in Charlotte, NC was originally planned as a 3-car system, but was scaled back to 2-cars in order to score well on cost-effectiveness. Due to the success of the line, the city is now retrofitting stations to accommodate 3-car trains, as a cost of $67 million.¹² Also, many alignments run adjacent to freeways such as the Southeast Corridor in Denver and the Green Line in Portland, allowing for lower project costs but also minimizing the long-term potential of that transit system to reshape the adjacent land uses in a way that supports multimodal accessibility and transit-oriented development.

To avoid future examples such as those cited above, FTA should include in the definition of “betterments” project features that provide project sponsors with the ability to conduct station area planning or other activities that support future transit-oriented development, expand capacity, and provide improved access to surrounding neighborhoods. The incremental cost of these project betterments should be excluded from the cost side of the cost-effectiveness evaluation. In the long run, this approach will promote more efficient use of federal funds and will achieve the maximum benefits from transit investments.

CTOD also recommends that the exclusion of betterments from cost under the cost-effectiveness criterion be included in the regulation itself, not only in the policy guidance as is currently proposed. This will ensure a level of consistency in application of the regulation which will allow project sponsors to plan their projects with more certainty.

5. Land Use

a. CTOD supports the inclusion of affordable housing in the land use evaluation.

As stated above, CTOD believes that all U.S. DOT capital funding programs should maximize location efficiency benefits of transportation investments by elevating projects that demonstrate local commitment to balanced mixed-income housing with policies for preserving and creating permanently-affordable housing in at-risk corridors. In addition, residents of affordable housing are more likely to use transit if it is available. For this reason, we strongly support FTA’s proposal to include the number of publicly-supported housing units in the transit corridor in the evaluation of transit-supportive land use.

b. CTOD recommends including current job connectivity in the land use evaluation.

As discussed above, job connectivity is one of the best predictors of transit ridership. Therefore, the number of existing jobs within the transit corridor is one of the strongest indicators of transit-supportive land use. For this reason, CTOD recommends that existing jobs be included in the same manner that existing publicly-supporting housing units are proposed to be included.

EVALUATION PROCESS CHANGES

CTOD supports the increased use of warrants proposed in the NPRM and Guidance.

One of the major themes running through CTOD’s comments to the ANPRM was the importance of streamlining the evaluation process. Doing so would shorten the time it takes to bring projects to completion and save money for both local communities and the federal government. Although CTOD had proposed the use of warrants only in the environmental benefits evaluation, we believe that the use of warrants for other criteria as well would be an effective means of streamlining the evaluation process. CTOD looks forward to reviewing the forthcoming Policy Guidance in which FTA will identify project and corridor characteristics that will allow project sponsors to make use of warrants. In addition, CTOD encourages FTA to establish the warrants with a goal of further streamlining the process, particularly for Small Starts applicants.

CONCLUSION

CTOD greatly appreciates the opportunity to provide this input into FTA’s NPRM and Policy Guidance for the New Starts and Small Starts programs. As stated at the outset, we support FTA’s goals of both streamlining the evaluation process and capturing a broader range of transit projects’ benefits, and we believe that the NPRM and Guidance significantly advance both goals. We look forward to reviewing and commenting on the forthcoming Policy Guidance which we understand will include additional details regarding weights and breakpoints for the factors within the evaluation criteria. In the meantime, please contact Sarah Kline at (202) 429-6990 x202 or skline@reconnectingamerica.org with any questions about these comments.

Sincerely,

John Robert Smith, President and CEO, Reconnecting America

Dena Belzer, President, Strategic Economics

Scott Bernstein, President, Center for Neighborhood Technology

Notes:

Wood, Jeffrey, Mariia Zimmerman, and Shelley Poticha. Destinations Matter: Building Transit Success. Center for Transit-Oriented Development, May 2009.
A Profile of Public Transportation Passenger Demographics and Travel Characteristics Reported in On-Board Surveys. American Public Transportation Association, 2007.
Pisarski, Allan E., Commuting in America III: the Third National Report on Commuting Patterns and Trends. Transportation Research Board (TCRP Report 110), 2006.
TCRP Report 128 – Effects of TOD on Housing, Parking, and Travel, Arrington & Cervero, 2008
Barnes, Gary. The Importance of Trip Destination in Determining Transit Share. Journal of Public Transportation, Vol. 8, 2005.
Zupan, Jeffrey and Pushkarev, Boris. Public Transportation and Land Use Policy. Regional Plan Association, 1977.
For further information regarding the Affordability Index, see Susan Wachter, Richard Voith et. al. “A Review of the Center for Neighborhood Technology’s Housing and Transportation Affordability Index,” University of Pennsylvania Institute for Urban Policy Research & E-Consult Corporation, submitted to the Manhattan Strategy Group, February 2012 at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HTA-index.pdf; Carrie Makarewicz, Peter Haas, Albert Benedict, Scott Bernstein “Estimating Transportation Costs for Households by Characteristics of the Neighborhood & Household,” Transportation Research Record—Journal of the Transportation Research Board Number 2077, National Academy of Sciences, December 2008; John Holtzclaw, Robert Clear, Hank Dittmar, David Goldstein & Peter Haas; “Location Efficiency: Neighborhoods and Socioeconomic Characteristics Determine Automobile Use;” Transportation Planning and Technology, 2002, V. 25, 1-27; and Center for Neighborhood Technology & Center for Transit Oriented Development, The Affordability Index: A New Tool for Measuring the True Affordability of a Housing Choice, Brookings Institution, 2006 at http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2006/01_affordability_index.aspx
Wener R and Evans G. “A Morning Stroll-Levels of Physical Activity in Car and Mass Transit Commuting.” Environment and Behavior, 39(1): 62–74, January 2007; Edwards R. “Public Transit, Obesity, and Medical Costs: Assessing the Magnitudes.” Preventive Medicine, 46(1): 14–21, January 2008; and Lachappelle, U., & Frank, L.D. (2009), Transit and health: Mode of transport, employer-sponsored public transit pass programs. Journal of Public Health Policy, 30: S73-S94.
Besser, L.M. & Dannenberg, A.L. (2005). Walking to public transit steps to help meet physical activity recommendations. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29(4): 273-280.
“Public Transit Systems Contribute to Weight Loss and Improved Health, Study Finds.” Science Daily, June 29, 2010. Available at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628203756.htm (last accessed October 2, 2011).
Barnes, Gary. 2005. “The Importance of Trip Destination in Determining Transit Share.” Journal of Public Transportation 8 (2): 1–16.
Voorhees, Josh. A Southern Success Story Offers a Lesson on Livability. Greenwire, 04/05/2010.

Reconnecting America Comments On Senate Passage of Transportation Bill

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:13:50 -0400

In response to the Senate's passage of its transportation bill, Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith issued the following statement:

"Reconnecting America is extremely pleased with today's Senate passage of a two year transportation reauthorization bill. S. 1813 passed today with a vote of 74-22, which shows there is bipartisan support for maintaining and strengthening our nation's infrastructure. It is gratifying to see that items on which we worked to educate members of the Senate were included. For example, the bill maintains local control over funding of various transportation projects which would make communities safer for walkers and bikers and provides grants for station-area planning to support transit-oriented development. This bill will help us to fix our existing transportation infrastructure, while also providing more options for people in how they travel to meet their daily needs.

"The $109 billion dollar bill will continue current funding levels for transportation programs through FY2013. The Senate now waits for a House bill to be passed so that differences between the two may be worked out. The House is currently in recess, slated to return March 19th. The current transportation reauthorization extension expires March 31, 2012. I hope that the House will quickly pass a bipartisan reauthorization so that the process can move forward ahead of the upcoming deadline. As I know from my 16 years as Mayor of Meridian, MS, when legislators work together across the aisle, our country benefits."

FTA New Starts Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:17:38 -0400

Reconnecting America's policy team has prepared a table summarizing the major changes to the evaluation criteria that the Federal Transit Administration is proposing for its project justification criteria for New Starts and Small Starts projects.

FTA’s New Starts and Small Starts programs support the engineering, design, and construction of rail and bus rapid transit projects around the country. Projects seeking funding from these programs must be evaluated according to a number of criteria specified in law. Over the years, applicants for funding as well as other stakeholders have expressed concern with the onerous nature of the current evaluation process. In response, FTA recently issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to make a number of changes in the evaluation process for New Starts and Small Starts projects. FTA’s stated goal is to both streamline the process and to capture in the evaluation a broader set of the benefits which transit projects provide.

The NPRM is open for public comment until March 26, 2012.

Summary Chart of FTA New Starts Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking

Welcoming Chris Yake

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:49:11 -0500

Reconnecting America today welcomed Chris Yake to its Washington, DC, staff. As project director, Yake will lead Reconnecting America's place-based work on the East Coast, working with diverse stakeholders in cities and regions to support transit-oriented development (TOD) planning and implementation. He will also lend his expertise to guide quantitative and qualitative research projects, managing multi-disciplinary teams working on subjects related to transit-oriented development, transit performance, urban form and travel behavior.

“I am delighted to welcome Chris Yake as part of the Reconnecting America family,” said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith. “His background in transit-oriented development and successful track record in communicating with various stakeholders will be of great benefit to our team as we continue to fulfill our mission of transforming promising ideas into thriving communities.”

Yake comes to Reconnecting America from Portland Metro's TOD program, where he served as senior development project manager, leading its TOD Strategic Plan and working directly with the private sector to leverage development near transit. Prior to Metro, Chris worked across the country on TOD at all scales as an urban economist in Annapolis, MD, with Basile, Baumann and Prost Associates and a senior planner with the City & County of Denver. Committed to fostering transit and livable communities from inception to actual construction, his work has ranged from long-range regional and corridor visioning, alternatives analysis, and station area planning down to on-the-ground capital transit projects and vertical mixed-use development.

“Chris brings with him a wealth of experience having worked in different communities across the country helping to implement strategies to support equitable TOD,” said Allison Brooks, Reconnecting America chief of staff. “His passion for this work and in ensuring people of all incomes benefit from better access to opportunity makes him a great addition to our team”

Yake received his Master’s in City & Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a concentration in land use and transportation planning. He has a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Gonzaga University.

John Robert Smith Applauds Senate Inclusion Of Local Funding Control Language In Senate Transportation Bill

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:33:14 -0500

In response to the Senate's inclusion of local funding control language in its transportation bill, Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith issued the following statement:

"I was extremely pleased to learn that a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and my home state Senator, the senior Senator from Mississippi, Thad Cochran (R-MS), was included in the manager's mark of S. 1813. (The term "manager's mark" means there was agreement to include the amendment as part of S.1813, the surface transportation bill, commonly referred to as MAP-21.) The Cardin-Cochran amendment gives local governments a voice in the state's disbursal of funds that can be used to create safe options for pedestrians, bicyclists, children walking to school and main street preservation, among other things. Under the amendment, metropolitan planning organizations with populations of more than 200,000 would be sub-allocated a portion of the funds, and remaining funds would be awarded to local governments through a competitive grant process. As a former 16 year Mayor of Meridian, Mississippi, I know how critical these funds are to providing safe travel options and a sense of community, to small towns as well as larger cities. When I served, we used these funds to assist in building our multi-modal Union Station, which became a critical factor in the successful economic redevelopment of downtown Meridian, MS. I am delighted that other Mayors will have the opportunity to do the same, once this bill passes. I thank the many Mayors who reached out to their Senators from towns ranging in size such as Charleston, SC, to Gulfport, MS to Macon, GA. This is an issue that directly affects people on the local level, and now the voices of their elected officials have been heard."

Reconnecting America Comment On Obama Administration Proposed FY13 Budget

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:20:43 -0500

"In the Administration's recently released budget for Fiscal Year 2013, which calls for increased investment in our nation's communities and infrastructure, there is good news for all Americans, whether they live in urban or rural areas and whether they travel by automobile, bus or rail. In particular, President Obama continued the Administration's support for alternatives to highway transportation, such as increased funding for transit systems, and new investment into expanding inter-city and high-speed passenger rail. This affords all citizens choices in how they will travel and is at the heart of the work that Reconnecting America does, connecting people to the places that matter," said John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America. "In addition, the Administration's proposed funding for the Sustainable Communities Partnership would allow even more places around the country to benefit from that highly successful initiative. For our country to remain competitive in a global economy, we must provide all Americans with options on where they live, work and play and provide more opportunities for businesses to move their goods. We look forward to working with the President and Congress as the budget process moves forward."

Reconnecting America's full analysis of the transportation, housing and sustainable communities programs in the FY 2013 budget is available here.

Federal Policy Update

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:34:19 -0500

Reconnecting America's Policy Director Sarah Kline released the following update, which covers the president's upcoming budget, TOD and Livable Communities legislation, the Sustainable Communities Partnership and the New Starts changes.

There has been a significant amount of federal activity related to transportation and TOD in the last several weeks. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are expected to vote on surface transportation reauthorization bills the week of February 13, and the President’s FY2013 budget request will be released that week as well. Major bills have been introduced in the Senate on TOD and Livable Communities. The Federal Transit Administration has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to change the way that New Starts projects are evaluated. All of this is occurring against the backdrop of the 2012 elections, which can heighten partisanship in an already contentious Congress.

Surface Transportation Reauthorization

The previous surface transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU, expired on September 30, 2009, and the federal transportation programs are continuing to function due to a series of short-term extensions passed by Congress. The most recent extension will expire on March 31, 2012. Both chambers of Congress are moving forward on passing a new multi-year reauthorization bill, but given the short window between now and March 31, it is unlikely that a final bill will be passed, so another extension will likely be needed. The key unanswered question is whether that extension will be of just a few months duration, or whether it will extend past the November elections.

The major issue that has held up passage of a new reauthorization bill is funding. The Highway Trust Fund, which funds almost all of the federal highway and transit programs except for the New Starts program, is not taking in enough revenues from the federal gas tax to support the current level of spending. The House of Representatives last summer put forward a proposal that would have cut spending on transportation programs by about 35%, to the level that the current gas tax would support. That proposal set off a firestorm of opposition so strong that by September, the House had vowed to find a way to fund the bill at current levels. Both the House and the Senate have spent the last several months working to identify a source of revenue to make up the gap between what the gas tax can support and the desired level of spending. (Of course, Congress would not have to find a new source of revenue if they simply raised the gas tax, but neither side of the aisle has come out in favor of raising that tax.)

U.S. House of Representatives

Funding (House Ways and Means Committee)

In the House, Republican leadership has identified expanded oil drilling on public lands as one source of funding for transportation, which is likely to be strongly opposed by Democrats. Even some conservatives oppose it, because the amount of money it is projected to bring in is minimal compared to what is needed. In addition, the House Ways and Means Committee last week passed a bill that would deposit all gas tax revenues into the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund, rather than sharing those revenues with transit as has been done since 1982. Transit would instead be funded from general funds. This is of significant concern for transit because general funds are not subject to the same protections as gas tax revenues and transit funding could be cut on an annual basis.

Policy (House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)

The policy proposals in the House bill are focused on streamlining project delivery, increasing private-sector participation in transportation programs, and consolidating or eliminating federal programs. Overall, the bill maintains the historic share of the programs for highways (80%) and transit (20%), although as discussed above the Ways and Means Committee pays for the highway programs with gas tax revenues, and the transit programs with general funds. The bill also streamlines environmental reviews and repeals the Transportation Enhancements program and other bicycle/pedestrian-focused programs.

The New Starts process is streamlined as well, by eliminating the alternatives analysis requirement and consolidating preliminary engineering and final design into a single “project development” phase. “Land use” is no longer an evaluation factor, though “economic development” is retained, and a new factor is added related to private-sector participation in the project. Bus rapid transit projects retain their current eligibility, except that under this bill “a majority of the project” – not just a “substantial portion” -- must operate in a separate right-of-way.

Regarding TOD, the bill allows the TIFIA program, which provides federal loans and loan guarantees to major transportation projects, to support projects that improve mobility and are located within the station area of a transit, passenger rail, or intercity bus station.

U.S. Senate

Funding (Senate Finance Committee)

The Senate Finance Committee is poised to pass a bill on Tuesday, February 7, 2012, that will provide enough revenues for the Highway Trust Fund to support a two-year transportation reauthorization at current levels. Approximately $10 billion will be transferred into the Highway Trust Fund from various taxes and fees that are currently deposited into the general fund. The vote is expected to be bipartisan.

Policy (Senate Environment & Public Works Committee; Commerce Committee, and Banking Committee)

Last November, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the federal highway programs for two years. In December, the Senate Commerce Committee voted on a party-line vote to reauthorize federal transportation safety and research programs. The source of the partisan disagreement was language added to the Commerce Committee’s bill that would create national goals and objectives for the federal transportation programs, and a new national freight program.

On February 2, 2012, the Senate Banking Committee passed a bipartisan bill to authorize the federal transit program for the next two years. In general, the bill retains the basic program structure of SAFETEA-LU, and also provides flexibility for transit agencies to use federal funds to support operations during times of economic crisis.

Like the House bill, the Banking Committee bill streamlines the New Starts program by removing the requirement for alternatives analysis, and requires that BRT projects must operate “a majority” of their route in a separate right-of-way. The bill also elevates the consideration of land use and economic development in the evaluation process. In addition, 100% locally funded projects can serve as local match for a federally funded project within the same “program of interrelated projects.”

For TOD, the bill includes economic development and mixed-income TOD in the new national goals for the federal transit program. In addition, the bill includes a TOD planning pilot program, funded at $20 million per year, for planning around New Starts projects, and authorizes FTA to fund TOD technical assistance.

Next Steps for Reauthorization

The week of February 13, both the House and the Senate are expected to vote on their respective reauthorization bills. Given the bipartisan process so far in the Senate, the Senate’s two-year bill will likely pass by a large bipartisan margin. The House is less certain, however. Democrats are likely to oppose the bill because it diverts gas taxes away from transit and because it opens up new oil drilling. Some conservative Republicans may oppose the bill as well because it will spend more on transportation than the gas tax really supports. That said, most Republicans will likely follow their leadership and pass the bill on a party-line vote.

At that point, the Senate and House will appoint a conference committee to reconcile the differences between their two bills. While there are some differences in policy, the main differences are duration (2 years vs. 5 years) and funding sources. It remains to be seen whether the two chambers will be able to come to agreement. An indication of the outcome may become apparent by March 31, when the current SAFETEA-LU extension ends. If the two chambers expect to be able to come to agreement, they may pass a short-term extension, to provide just a few extra weeks to finalize the conference agreement. However, if agreement appears elusive, a longer extension may be needed.

President’s FY2013 Budget

On February 13, 2012, the President is expected to release his budget request for fiscal year 2013, which begins October 1, 2012. The budget request lays out the President’s spending priorities for the year, but it is not binding; it is simply a request to Congress to fund programs at specific levels. Congress will make the final decisions, in consultation with the President, through the appropriations process that will begin in the spring.

Key issues to watch for in the President’s budget include whether the President will stand by the record high levels he requested last year for transportation programs, or reduce his request to be closer to the funding levels that Congress is now considering; and whether he will request funding for the HUD/DOT/EPA Sustainable Communities programs. These will be important signals of the President’s priorities for the coming year.

TOD and Livable Communities Legislation

Two bills related to TOD and livable communities have been introduced in the Senate. S. 2053, the “Jumpstarting Transit-Oriented Development Act,” was introduced by Senator Bennet (D-CO) and Senator Warner (D-VA). This bill would create a TOD planning grant program and a TOD infrastructure credit facility to provide federal loans or loan guarantees to support the public infrastructure associated with TOD: lighting, utility relocation, land acquisition, etc. A portion of the planning grant program was included in the Senate Banking Committee’s transit bill, as discussed above, and Senators Warner and Bennet will continue working to try to include the credit facility in the reauthorization bill, possibly through an amendment on the Senate floor.

S. 1621, the Livable Communities Act of 2011, was introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ) with 18 Democratic co-sponsors. Like the Livable Communities Act introduced in the previous Congress, the bill would formally authorize the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities at HUD, and would fund grant programs for integrated regional planning and implementation activities. Senator Menendez is looking for opportunities to move the bill forward.

Sustainable Communities Partnership

The FY2012 appropriations act did not fund the HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program or the Community Challenge Grant Program, but it did fund the continuing operations of HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, allowing that Office to continue providing technical assistance to its grantees and to continue its coordination efforts with DOT and EPA.

When the FY2013 appropriations process begins, advocates will again urge appropriators to fund the HUD Sustainable Communities grant programs. The chief opposition to these programs appears to come from the Republicans in the House, who are disinclined to fund programs such as these which are priorities of the Obama Administration.

New Starts Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)

The Federal Transit Administration is currently taking comments on a proposed rule which would change the way that New Starts projects are evaluated. FTA’s goals for the proposed changes are to to measure a broader range of benefits from New Starts projects, and to streamline the process.

One of the key ways in which FTA is proposing to streamline the process is by measuring cost-effectiveness in a new way. The current measure of cost-effectiveness is travel-time savings from the project, which must be measured against a baseline. The proposed new measure is cost per trip taken on the project, which does not require comparison to a baseline. This is intended to reduce project development time as often a great deal of time is spent determining what the appropriate baseline for comparison is.

FTA would also exclude the cost of “betterments” from the new cost-per-trip calculation. Betterments are additional items beyond the basic transit infrastructure, such as features that make the facilities “greener” or that enhance pedestrian access. By not counting these items in the cost-effectiveness calculation, FTA would remove a disincentive to making these sorts of investments.

FTA is also exploring the use of a warrants approach, under which a project can pre-qualify for New Starts funding based on the characteristics of the project or the corridor in which it is located. A warrants approach would allow certain projects to advance much more quickly through the process.

FTA is also proposing broader measures of environmental benefits and economic development effects. For economic development, FTA would continue to look at transit-supportive plans and policies, but would add a consideration of the degree to which policies maintaining or increasing affordable housing are in place.

Comments are due on the NPRM, and the accompanying guidance document which lays out the proposed measures in more detail, on March 26, 2012.

Making Joint Development Work: the Federal, Transit Agency and Business Perspective

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:17:54 -0500

The Center For Transit-Oriented Development held a webinar on "Making Joint Development Work: Perspectives from the Federal, Transit Agency and Business Roles." The webinar was co-sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration and the American Public Transportation Association.

Transit agencies such as Portland TriMet, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and Miami-Dade Transit have successfully completed joint development projects that have served to create revenue, provide affordable housing, increase ridership, and/or foster public and private partnerships in the community. Getting there however, was not easy. Numerous transit agencies across the country find it challenging to decode federal language, work with local developers and partners, comply with various state and local regulations, and secure funding for joint development projects. Webinar participants heard different perspectives on how to make joint development work, including the federal role in facilitating joint development, successful initiatives adapted by Portland Tri-Met, and insight from a business and legal standpoint on making a project viable. The webinar also highlighted research around joint development and recommendations submitted to the FTA for clarifying existing rules on joint development.

For more information on TriMet's Patton Park project and other livability initiatives in Portland, please see Livable Portland: Land Use and Transportation Initiatives.
View APTA's report on Forming Partnerships to Promote Transit-Oriented Development and Joint Development
For those interested in value capture strategies, please view CTOD's report on Capturing the Value of Transit
View FTA's resources on Joint Development.

Better! Cities & Towns published an article on this webinar: How to team up to build around transit stations

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Webinar Schedule

Reconnecting America Joins Transit And Elected Officials To Oppose House Transit Financing Changes

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:31:42 -0500

February 2, 2012

Dear Chairman Camp and Ranking Member Levin:

On behalf of the nation’s local elected officials and public transportation leaders, we are writing to express our strong opposition to H.R. 3864, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Financing Act of 2012, which includes a provision that would jeopardize the future of public transportation. Specifically, the proposal to redirect federal gas tax revenues away from public transportation would undermine years of investment in our nation’s transportation infrastructure and could prevent local governments and transportation providers from entering into multi-year construction contracts, jeopardizing jobs that are urgently needed.

America is home to 7,700 public transportation systems, which range from three-van systems serving isolated seniors in rural communities to large urban systems serving millions of passengers each day. Taken together, these systems provide 400,000 direct jobs for American workers. Public transportation takes people from all walks of life to work, to health care, to shops, and to school. In fact, Americans take more than 10 billion trips on transit every year.

Since Ronald Reagan signed the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, the federal government has followed a balanced approach to surface transportation funding, providing multi-year dedicated funding from the gasoline tax to both highway and transit projects. This funding stream allows local units of government to enter into long-term construction contracts that employ thousands of people to build critical infrastructure projects. If the gas tax is redirected away from public transportation, these jobs will be put in jeopardy.

Collectively, we represent the interests of almost every municipality or county government in the United States. For the economic health of our communities, we strongly urge you not to divert gas tax revenues away from public transportation.

Reconnecting America Comments On Senate and House Transportation Legislation

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:23:51 -0500

“This week the U.S. Congress has taken major steps toward building stronger communities through investment in public transportation and transit-oriented development,” said John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America. “We thank the leaders of the Senate Banking Committee and the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for their tireless efforts to move legislation forward that will continue the federal government’s strong partnership with local transit providers.”

In the Senate, Reconnecting America was pleased that the proposed Federal Public Transportation Act of 2012 has continued to fully fund the nation’s public transportation program for the next two years. In the Senate Banking Committee’s mark-up today, bipartisan support under the strong leadership of Chairman Tim Johnson and Ranking Member Richard Shelby moved forward a bill that will help transit agencies continue to provide the safe, reliable, and affordable public transportation service that millions of Americans use every day.

Of particular importance to the work in which Reconnecting America is engaged, the Banking Committee recognized that an important goal of the federal transit program is to encourage economic development by connecting workers to jobs and supporting mixed-use development around transit stations. The Committee’s bill will provide local governments with funding to support planning around new transit lines, what we refer to as transit-oriented development or TOD. These plans will help stimulate economic development and community revitalization by creating mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods around high-quality transit. In this vein, the Committee also recognized the need for FTA to support communities’ efforts to implement TOD. The Center for Transit-Oriented Development, in which Reconnecting America is a partner, has been providing technical assistance on this issue for many years in regions around the country and through targeted research and practical guidebooks, and has seen first-hand the benefits that these resources provide to communities.

Across the Capitol in the House of Representatives, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica’s bill keeps transit programs funded at current levels for the next five years, demonstrating that the Committee’s leadership also recognized the importance of transit for our country in both providing jobs and economic development, as well as providing choices in transportation for all Americans.

The Committee’s bill, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, exhibits strong leadership on the issue of TOD by allowing TOD-related infrastructure projects to be eligible for federal loans and loan guarantees. It also makes great strides in improving rural transit service, so that residents of rural areas including the elderly, our nation’s veterans, and people with disabilities, can experience the benefits that quality transit service provides. Additionally, allowing intercity bus and vanpool providers to use some of their own resources to provide a local match for federal transit funds will improve connectivity in rural areas.

There are certain aspects of the House bill that are cause for considerable concern, such as reduced funding for intercity passenger rail and bicycle and pedestrian access to transit stations. While we plan to continue working with the Committee on these and other issues, we appreciate their recognition that transit is an integral part of our nation’s multimodal transportation network in both urban and rural areas.

Unfortunately, while the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is moving in the right direction on transit, the House Ways and Means Committee is poised to undermine this effort by diverting gas taxes that currently fund the transit program to other purposes. Tomorrow they will mark up the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Financing Act, which deals strictly with the funding provisions of the House bill. Proposed language in that bill diverts gas tax revenues away from public transportation, eliminating sustained funding provisions that have been in place since the Reagan Administration. This not only takes away jobs from long-term construction contracts that can no longer be put in place, but threatens the safety and ongoing operation of our nation’s public transportation systems.

“We encourage the leadership of the Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Dave Camp and Ranking Member Sander Levin, to work together in a bipartisan fashion on this critical issue so that the transportation needs of all Americans can be addressed,” Smith said

Kim Burnett Joins Reconnecting America Board of Directors

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:56:24 -0500

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith today announced the appointment of Kim Burnett to the organization's Board of Directors.

"We are extremely pleased to have Kim join our board," said Smith. "Her background in the not-for-profit foundation world and the private sector, in addition to her expertise in transit-oriented development (TOD), will benefit Reconnecting America as we continue to work to create better communities."

Burnett has worked in the field of community and economic development for more than 15 years as a practitioner and independent consultant. She is a recognized expert on regional and urban policy and currently is a non-resident fellow for the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. Burnett has extensive knowledge related to Sustainable Communities and transit-oriented development. She is a former Program Director for the Surdna Foundation's Strong Local Economies program. Burnett has a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University, a Bachelor's in Politics from the University of California at Santa Cruz and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Reconnecting America's Board of Directors works with Reconnecting America's staff to set the vision and goals of the organization. The Board provides valuable, strategic advice in the constantly changing environment of housing and transportation issues.

Federal Transportation Infrastructure Investment Critically Important

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:45:06 -0500

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith issued the following response to President Obama's State of the Union address January 24:

"I appreciate the President's recognition that repairing our transportation infrastructure must be a part of any plan to make an America 'built to last.' As the President pointed out, both Republican and Democratic administrations invested in great highway projects after World War II. Those major infrastructure investments benefited everybody, as the President noted, 'from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.' And now, many of those roads and bridges are in disrepair.

"Today, as the nation begins to rise out of a deep recession, an investment in transportation infrastructure is critically important, including not only roads and bridges, but other modes such as trains and buses. Transportation choices for Americans are essential for reducing our dependence on foreign oil, increasing access to opportunity, and improving our quality of life. Indeed, transportation is a key component in making many of the President's other proposals work. We need transit options and intermodal links to take students to college, to transport unemployed workers to job training, and to bring employees and customers to small businesses. Quality, reliable public transportation systems are the anchors that help many communities thrive, whether they are in rural, suburban, or urban areas.

“A world class transportation system can be made in America with Americans working to ensure that Americans have a way to get to work. That is a solution we can all support. As a former Republican mayor, I was pleased to hear the president's strong call not to politicize transportation construction. I encourage members of both parties to work towards a solution that will benefit all Americans."

Reconnecting America to assist the Gulf Regional Planning Commission as part of Livability Solutions work

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:31:14 -0500

Reconnecting America, as a partner in Livability Solutions, has been selected to provide technical assistance to the Gulf Regional Planning Commission in Gulfport, Mississippi. Reconnecting America will be working with the Gulf Regional Planning Commission to develop a typology for transit-oriented development (TOD) and to explore mixed-income TOD strategies to lower housing and transportation costs for residents of the region.

“I’m encouraged that the Livability Solutions team has selected Gulfport, Miss.,” said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith, a former mayor of Meridian, Miss. “This region, like many others on the Gulf Coast, has seen its share of issues and challenges over the past several years. This opportunity will help lay the groundwork for future thoughtful investments in community building that will support all people in the Gulf region and make it more resilient in the future.”

Ten communities were selected to receive free technical assistance this year from among 64 applications. The 10 governments and organizations selected represent a diverse group of communities from across the United States, from large cities to rural counties. All have a strong commitment to sustainability and smart growth and are poised to implement positive change by making use of the assistance offered by Livability Solutions partners.

In addition to the Gulf Regional Planning Commission, the other nine recipients are:

University City District, Philadelphia, Penn.
West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Eau Claire, Wis.
Lower Eastside Action Plan, Detroit, Mich.
Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission, Maumee, Ohio
Colfax on the Hill, Inc., Denver, Colo.
City of Blue Springs, Mo.
Charlotte County, Fla.
Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention, Little Rock, Ark.
Anthithesis Research, Wellpoint, Wash.

Each community will receive a one- or two-day training session with a livability expert from Project for Public Spaces or one of the Livability Solutions partners on the issue of their choice. In addition to Reconnecting America, the partners who will be delivering technical assistance this year are:

Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)
Congress for the New Urbanism
Local Government Commission
National Charrette Institute
Walkable Livable Communities Institute

This technical assistance is made possible by a grant to Project for Public Spaces from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Sustainable Communities under the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems. Three other nonprofit organizations — Forterra (formerly Cascade Land Conservancy), Global Green USA, and Smart Growth America — also received competitively awarded grants under this program this year to help communities achieve their sustainable development goals.

Interested communities are encouraged to check the Livability Solutions website at livabilitysolutions.org periodically for additional opportunities for technical assistance. Interested foundations, organizations, and individuals who want to support assistance to one of the 53 other qualified applications are encouraged to contact Livability Solutions at livabilitysolutions@pps.org

TOD and Climate Change Webinar

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:05:09 -0500

This webinar presented research from the Center for Transit-Oriented Development analyzing the potential of TOD to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Planning scenarios for four regions were examined to contrast the GHG reduction potential of compact urban development near transit stations vs. business as usual development. Also, Mike McKeever of Sacramento Area Council of Governments and Tina Hodges at the Federal Transit Administration shared their experience on GHG reduction through transportation and land use planning.

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Webinar Schedule

Senate Committee Delivers Bipartisan Agreement On Behalf Of All Americans

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:19:30 -0500

On Dec. 15, 2011, John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America, released the following statement regarding on the Senate Commerce Committee Transportation Reauthorization:

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee marked up the Surface Transportation and Freight Policy Act of 2011. In the process of reviewing this legislation, which reauthorizes elements of our federal transportation program, they adopted an amendment with bipartisan support to ensure that all streets provide safe travel for not only motorists, but also bikers and walkers. This amendment provides all of our citizens, including those who cannot drive such as the elderly, the young and the disabled, quality access to our transportation network. The intent of the amendment is for any new federally funded road projects to be designed to accommodate and take into account the safety of all users.

I applaud Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) for sponsoring this amendment. Senator Begich and I both served as Mayors of our hometowns. We understand the varied transportation needs at the local level and that for many in a community driving is not an option. Senator John Thune (R-SD) also spoke about the importance of moving this amendment forward. Senator Thune and I have visited and discussed how small towns and rural areas have specific transportation needs, and alternatives to driving must be available.

This bipartisan agreement on behalf of all Americans, young, old, disabled, urban, rural and small town, should be applauded. Building a modern transportation system that provides choices and options is something all Americans can support.

Mapping Sustainable Communities Awards

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The past two years have been an exciting time as large and small communities, representing all corners of the country, have worked on developing collaborative planning processes that will address the unique conditions in their region and which will improve the quality of life for the diverse people that live, work and play there.

The impetus for this has been competition for grants springing from the unprecedented partnership announced between the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency in 2009.

In November, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced nearly $96 million in Sustainable Communities grants that will help 29 regions and 27 communities plan for better coordination of housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, infrastructure and other elements that create strong, healthy and economically competitive places.

This followed last year's HUD awards under the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning grant program (SCRPG), and the Community Challenge grant program, and the Department of Transportation’s TIGER II awards.

Reconnecting America staff has been keeping track of where projects are taking place and created a map that displays all of the grants awarded by HUD under the Sustainable Communities in both 2010 and 2011. A separate map shows DOT TIGER programs during FY2010. The TIGER map will be updated when the FY2011 TIGER awards are announced.

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CTOD Webinar Schedule Revised

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:04:18 -0500

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development's webinar schedule has been updated, moving this month's webinar into next year and shifting everything else. Webinars with an * are sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration.

Webinar on Climate and TOD* – January 17
Webinar on Joint Development* – February 14
Webinar on TOD 101 – TBA
Webinar on Regional Planning – March 13
Webinar on Cargo-Oriented TOD – April 10
Webinar on TOD and Families – May 8
Webinar on TOD 101 – June 12

Registration details will be sent out a couple weeks before each webinar. Please also check periodically for updated information on session description and panelists information.

The webinar sessions are sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and are valuable to planners, practitioners, housing advocates, MPOs, local, state and federal DOT's, transit agencies, sustainable communities grantees, advocates, as well as elected officials and other decision-makers.

Webinar Home Page

Reconnecting America releases two interactive maps

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:00:42 -0500

Reconnecting America has added map navigation to two projects and incorporated feedback forms in both that will allow visitors to help maintain and update the information.

The 2011 edition of Jumpstarting the Transit Space Race and the 2010 Inventory of Transit Oriented Development Programs now sport large interactive locator maps that give a national overview of the data and provide the ability to click and learn more about a particular map point. The material is also sorted into sections for easier browsing.

"These maps allow people to delve into the information in a way that you just can't do with a spreadsheet," said Jeff Wood, Reconnecting America's new media director and chief cartographer.

Feedback forms will be especially useful for these projects since both were, when published, snapshots of that time. Much has changed since then. Now, with visitor input, Reconnecting America will be able to update these resources on a continuing basis.

New Partners for Smart Growth Conference

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:50:41 -0500

Reconnecting America is co-sponsoring the 2012 New Partners for Smart Growth conference to be held in San Diego on Feb. 2-4.

The 11th annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference is a national, multi-disciplinary smart growth gathering presented by the Local Government Commission. Appealing to many different disciplines, the conference will draw an audience of local elected officials, city and county staff, landscape architects, developers and builders, planners, transportation professionals, public health professionals, architects, bankers, realtors, urban designers, parks and recreation professionals, advocates for social and environmental equity, school superintendents, board members and facilities staff, advocates for older adults and youth, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, labor representatives, environmentalists, crime prevention professionals, and all others committed to building safer, healthier, and more livable communities everywhere.

Today, more than ever, the nation is faced with environmental and economic challenges that will define this generation, shape the future, and test the resilience of cities, regions, states and the nation. This conference will identify innovative ways to finance smart growth, explore creative techniques for reducing infrastructure and service costs, and provide concrete ideas for employing smart growth as a tool for community economic vitality.

San Diego is an ideal setting for the 2012 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference. The second largest city in California and eighth largest in the nation, San Diego is one of the most livable and sustainable major metropolitan areas in the nation. An innovative pioneer in the smart growth movement, the San Diego region provides inspiring models for creating transit-oriented, compact development; transforming downtowns and ethnically diverse, older neighborhoods; designing walkable, mixed-use urban villages; and fostering the emergence of leading high-tech, telecommunications, and clean-tech businesses.

Preceding the conference will be a three-day tour of San Diego's regional smart growth from Jan. 30, 2012, to Feb. 1. The tour will combine travel by walking, trolley and coach bus to explore downtown San Diego, old classic neighborhoods, new neighborhoods and suburban downtowns. Each stop will be a great opportunity to learn how a wide range of smart growth strategies are being implemented in communities of all sizes and shapes.

The conference program will kick off on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 2, and continue through the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 4 and will feature a dynamic mix of nearly 95 sessions — plenaries, breakouts, specialized trainings, implementation workshops, and coordinated networking activities. Exciting tours of local model projects from San Diego and surrounding cities will be featured.

Plan to join Reconnecting America and others from across the United States next February for the smart growth event of the year.

Reconnecting America commends HUD's announcement of sustainable communities grants

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:18:26 -0500

Reconnecting America commends the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) announcement of nearly $96 million in Sustainable Communities grants that will help 29 regions and 27 communities plan for better coordination of housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, infrastructure and other elements that that create strong, healthy and economically competitive places.

Reconnecting America especially applauds the number of HUD awards going to regions and communities supporting equitable transit-oriented development and multimodal transportation planning. The diversity of the selected regions and communities shows that places large and small have a stated desire to improve access to opportunity and quality of life for residents of all walks of life.

"The increased focus on economic development this year will provide these places with the support needed to study how to create better connections to jobs, educational institutions and other essential destinations while also reducing housing and transportation costs," said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith.

HUD's Regional Planning Grant program supports collaborative regional planning activities that foster greater integration of housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation and infrastructure development. Grants were available to support new efforts to create regional plans and also for more advance planning activities in regions that have already established regional plans. The Community Challenge Grant program provides individual communities with the resources needed to reform and reduce barriers to implementing housing and transportation plans, including reforming zoning codes, updating master plans, developing affordable housing strategies and increasing transportation options.

Reconnecting America worked with several regions to put applications together and was excited to learn that two of these regions, Denver and the San Francisco Bay Area, were selected to receive $4.5 million and $4.99 million, respectively, from the Regional Planning Grant program. The Denver region's proposal will build off of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development's (CTOD) work on the West Corridor and support similar corridor studies on three future transit lines currently under construction. The San Francisco Bay Area region's proposal will focus on increasing access to middle-income jobs and preserving affordable housing in transit-oriented communities.

HUD reported that it would have needed $500 million to fund all proposals received this year. Shelley Poticha, Director of HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing Communities (OSHC), stated that this demand demonstrates the need of many regions and communities to better integrate their investments in infrastructure and community development.

An interactive map of grant recipients is available here.

HUD's official press release is available here.

Webinar on Employment, Transit and Transit-Oriented Development

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:35:22 -0500

On Nov. 15, the Center for Transit-Oriented Development held a webinar “Employment, Transit and Transit-Oriented Development.” The webinar focused on the importance of concentrating jobs near transit to fostering economically sustainable regions and healthy transit systems. Speakers discussed new research on spatial employment patterns in our metropolitan areas, and the types of economic activity that are most likely to benefit from being near transit. Participants also discussed the ways in which national research has been applied to inform regional economic development, transportation, and land use planning in the San Francisco Bay Area and Phoenix regions. Last, the webinar discussed the best practices across the nation in economic development incentives that support job growth and concentration in sustainable locations.

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Webinar Schedule

Discussing Jobs Bill and Transportation Infrastructure

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:45:39 -0400

Photo by John Robert Smith

Earlier this week, Reconnecting America's President and CEO John Robert Smith, who also serves as Co-Chairman of Transportation for America, and James Corless, the Director of Transportation for America, were invited to the White House to participate in a discussion with the executive committee of Transportation for America and White House staff. Accompanying them were Transportation for America partners Arnold Weinfeld, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Federal Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League and Scott Wolf, Executive Director, Grow Smart Rhode Island.

The conference call discussion focused on the jobs bill and, in particular, the transportation infrastructure element.

During the visit, Smith was interviewed by the White House film crew along with several others about the transportation bill. (Video is embedded below.)

Later, Smith, Corless and the Transportation for America partners joined other groups in the East Room, where they heard from Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama. In one-on-one conversations with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Shaun Donovan, Transportation for America was praised as an example of how nonpartisan groups can impact federal policy.

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Link to White House blog post

Abigail Thorne-Lyman Named Director Of Center For Transit-Oriented Development

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:41:14 -0400

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development today announced the appointment of Abigail Thorne-Lyman to be the director of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, replacing Sam Zimbabwe.

“Given her long track record of leadership in CTOD over the last seven years, Abby is the obvious choice to be the next CTOD Director,” said Reconnecting America Chief of Staff Allison Brooks. “Abby is an innovator and a wonderful collaborator, and will continue to help CTOD break new ground in supporting TOD implementation across the country.”

Zimbabwe is leaving to take a position as Associate Director for the Planning, Policy and Sustainability Administration with the District of Columbia Department of Transportation.

“While we will all miss Sam terribly, both his incredible expertise and warm and witty personality, we are so proud of him and his new opportunity with DDOT,” said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith. “Sam will still be engaged in the type of work he led so well at Reconnecting America and I am sure we will cross his path often.”

Prior to Thorne-Lyman’s appointment, she was Project Director in Reconnecting America’s Oakland office, where she led a range of technical assistance and research projects in regions around the country, including Los Angeles, Portland, and Pittsburgh. As part of her work in regions around the country, she has helped public, private and nonprofit stakeholders develop new tools and methods for understanding and implementing TOD and for communicating the benefits and opportunities of TOD to a wide audience.

CTOD is a partnership among Reconnecting America, the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), and Strategic Economics. As director, Thorne-Lyman will manage CTOD’s efforts to provide technical resources and best practices to transit agencies, cities, and local communities working to implement transit-oriented development plans at scales that range from the neighborhood to the region.

2011 Rail~Volution Presentations

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:34:51 -0400

Reconnecting America (@reconnecting) and its partners in the Center for Transit-Oriented Development were out at Rail~Volution in Washington, DC, Oct. 16-19. A full list of their workshops and seminars appears at the bottom.

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Monday, October 17, 10:30 am
Linear Thinking as Creative Thinking: Planning at the Corridor Scale (Elizabeth Wampler)
Value Capture: An Overview (Nadine Fogarty)
Monday, October 17, 2:30 pm
Empowering Practitioners: Recent Analysis and Research Findings in TOD (Sam Zimbabwe and Matt Sussman)
Equitable Sustainable Community Development - Lessons From Around the US (Allison Brooks)
Monday, October 17, 4:00 pm
The Politics of Community Change: Race, Class and Displacement in America (Darnell Grisby)
Affordable Housing Basics (G. Sasha Forbes)
Finance: An Overview (Shanti Breznau)
Tuesday, October 18, 10:00 am
ETOD: Focusing Employment Near Transit (Dena Belzer)
Aligning Transportation, Land Use and Housing Planning (Sarah Kline)
The Shifting Paradigm of the City (Peter Haas)
Tuesday, October 18, 12:00 pm (Box Lunch)
Advancing Equitable TOD in Your Region (Sam Zimbabwe)
Tuesday, October 18, 2:00 pm
Changing the Conversation: Using Blogs to Influence Policy and Start Urbanist and Transit Movements (Jeff Wood)
California High-Speed: Next Steps (Darnell Grisby)
Tuesday, October 18, 4:00 pm
Linking People to Opportunity in Small Towns and Rural Regions (John Robert Smith)
Wednesday, October 19, 10:00 am
Regionalism: Case Studies of Planning and Practice (Alia Anderson)
Wednesday, October 19, 2:00 pm
Creating Solutions through Effective Partnership: A Forum with Federal Grantees (Catherine Cox Blair, Sam Zimbabwe, Allison Brooks, Maria Choca Urban)

Apply for Free Technical Assistance

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:57:02 -0400

Livability Solutions, a partnership that includes Reconnecting America, is now taking applications for free technical assistance.

The Livability Solutions partnership is supported by a grant to the Project for Public Spaces from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems.

Livability Solutions will be offering workshops in six to 12 communities around the country, enabling local governments and stakeholders to implement changes that will advance them onthe road toward long term smart growth and sustainability.

The technical assistance will take the form of one- to two-day workshops in one or more of Livability Solutions' unique suite of livability tools. Each will be led by one or more of our experienced coalition members.

The application will be open until 8pm Eastern Nov. 22.

Applicants can be governments, government agencies, or non-profits, but a local government (elected officials or agency) must be involved in the technical assistance; the application instructions describe this eligibility.

Questions may be answered by going to the Livability Solutions website: www.livabilitysolutions.org.

Anyone interested in Livability Solutions preparing a workshop or series of workshops for their community, can contact livabilitysolutions@pps.org to explore the possibility on a fee-for-service basis or if they have another funder in mind.

Value Capture and Transit

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:21:31 -0400

On Oct. 25, the Center for Transit-Oriented Development presented the latest in its series of webinars, “Value Capture and Transit..”

A multitude of studies show that transit generates a host of economic benefits, including higher property values and enhanced development opportunities. Public sector “value capture” strategies attempt to harness all or part of this value to help pay for transit or other needed community investments. This webinar introduces participants to the range of value capture strategies that can be employed near transit, and provides real-world examples of innovative value capture strategies currently underway in the US.

Below is a video of the entire 90 minute webinar plus links to a slideshow created from the presentation and a downloadable PDF copy of the presentation.

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Webinar Schedule

Reconnecting America to help provide technical assistance to communities

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:19:30 -0400

Reconnecting America and its partners in the newly formed Livability Solutions partnership will be providing technical assistance to communities seeking to implement sustainable and smart growth development programs under a new federal grant.

“Reconnecting America is proud to be part of this coalition. The grant will make it possible for us and our partners in the Livability Solutions coalition to help communities around the nation enhance livability,” said Allison Brooks, Reconnecting America’s chief of staff. “Our goal is to help them create lasting economic and environmental improvements, and to effect positive change in the public and social health of their residents.”

With this funding, coalition partners will bring a number of time-honored approaches and innovative strategies for transportation and land use planning to help communities.

Citing the Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development Action Guide (MITOD.org) and the national TOD Database (toddata.cnt.org), Reconnecting America Program Director Catherine Cox Blair said, “With these tools, we can guide communities through the myriad details involved in creating better places to live that are also more sustainable. The combined expertise of our partners will be of great benefit to all involved.”

Partners in Livability Solutions include:

Project for Public Spaces
Reconnecting America
The Center for Neighborhood Technology
The Walkable and Livable Communities Institute
National Center for Biking & Walking
The Local Government Commission
The National Charrette Institute
The Congress for New Urbanism
Paul Dreher of the Newport City Renaissance Corporation
Leigh Lane of the Center for Transportation and Environment (CTE) at NC State University
The Surface Transportation Policy Project

More information on the Livability Solutions team is available at www.livabilitysolutions.org.

Creating and Maintaining Sustainable Communities

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Reconnecting America today released four training modules created for and funded by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) that illustrate various principles of creating and maintaining sustainable communities. The modules created by Reconnecting America’s LINK (Leadership¸ Innovation, Networks, Knowledge) Team were presented at three APTA conferences with the goal of educating practitioners, public transit agencies, elected officials and other decision-makers.

“The modules are applicable to a diversity of regions. We developed these modules to be flexible and adaptable to a variety of transit modes” said Catherine Cox Blair, Program Director of LINK.

According to Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith, “These modules are a significant step in educating a broader audience about the importance of transit-oriented development in building sustainable communities.”

“APTA is pleased to have worked with Reconnecting America to develop useful and informative modules for our members,” said APTA President William Millar. “These will help advance understanding in this important area.

These modules are also available on the APTA website.

Below are slideshows with speaker notes from each module:

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TOD Database: One Stop Shop for Station Area Data

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:42:38 -0400

Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development held the third in its series of webinars on Sept. 20, 2011. "TOD Database: One Stop Shop for Station Area Data" introduced users to the functionality and potential applications of the TOD Database, a map-based website that provides comprehensive information on 4,610 transit stations across the country.

The TOD Database is a first-of-its-kind tool for planners, developers, academics and government officials. It is designed to help stakeholders understand and take advantage of development opportunities around transit nodes. Webinar presenters provided detailed instructions for accessing and downloading the data, assembling custom reports, and comparing station areas and regions.

The webinar series is sponsored by The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is valuable to planners, practitioners, housing advocates, MPOs, local, state and federal DOT's, transit agencies, sustainable communities grantees, advocates, as well as elected officials and other decision makers.

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Webinar Schedule

John Robert Smith Praises Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Action

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:34:17 -0400

John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America and Co-Chair of Transportation for America, issued the following statement in response to today’s vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD):

"I would like to praise the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) for their foresight in retaining $90 million in the HUD Sustainable Communities Planning Grants program. This program is a valuable tool in building sustainable, affordable communities that connect people with their jobs, doctors, and schools.

"Though Reconnecting America is disappointed to see that no funding was provided for the high speed and intercity passenger rail program, we are pleased that funding for public transportation and Amtrak have been retained at current levels, and that funds have been included to continue the TIGER discretionary grants so that communities can continue to invest in the infrastructure that our nation needs."

Jeff Wood Named To Mass Transit Top 40 Under 40

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:17:23 -0400

Reconnecting America’s Jeff Wood has been named one of Mass Transit magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 list. Wood, who is the chief cartographer and new media director for Reconnecting America, was nominated by his peers as a professional who has made significant contributions to the public transit industry. Wood’s work was judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement in his position and innovation in his field.

“Millions of people utilize public transportation every year, relying on it to transport them to work, school, social and sporting activities,” said Publisher John Hollenhorst in announcing the honorees this year. “The individuals chosen for this year’s list have been standouts in their respective areas and show a strong passion and commitment that exemplifies the best of the best.”

A 6-year veteran of Reconnecting America, Wood does mapping analysis for Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development and conducts research on transit mode funding, technology, and the relationship of transit to development. Much of his mapping analysis which focuses on land use and transit can be found in Reconnecting America’s Map Room. (http://ractod.org/pO7YEl) His new media outreach and communications work includes a popular daily email newsletter, The Other Side of the Tracks, which is distributed weekdays to more than 1,200 subscribers. Previous to his work at Reconnecting America, Jeff co-founded Connect Austin, an umbrella organization for nonprofits in Austin that promoted streetcars. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin.

“I really enjoy meeting all the people around the country that are doing the hard work of organizing on the ground, getting transit lines and development around them through the political quicksand that pops up in every city,” said Wood. “In the blogosphere, planning departments, and transit agencies around the country there are a lot of unrecognized heroes out there that have a story to tell. Learning what they have done is inspiring and hopefully I can help them with their work in some way or another and tell their stories.”

Last year, Reconnecting America Policy Director Sarah Kline, then the director of policy and government relations for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, was a Mass Transit 40 Under 40 honoree.

John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America, praised Wood’s selection, saying, “We are extremely proud that the caliber of Jeff’s talent has earned him this ‘Top 40 Under 40’ selection. He is an indispensable part of our team. Reconnecting America prides itself on the skills of its staff and having Jeff and Sarah receive this honor in back-to-back years proves that we indeed have a strong team.”

Mass Transit Magazine Article

Transportation Triage: Rebuilding A 20th Century System While Preparing for the 21st

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:16:49 -0400

Building the System We Want

Montana’s communities face diverse transportation challenges. Some areas are growing rapidly without the resources to properly plan for and serve new residents. Others are losing people and have high aging and low-income populations that need a variety of reliable transportation options. Many are simply reeling from decades of under investment in infrastructure and are in need of a lifeline.¹

Every six years or so, Congress writes the rules for spending federal transportation dollars. In the current drafting of the bill, transportation for America is calling on Congress to reorient our policy toward repairing and maintaining our 20th century transportation systems while building for the 21st century. The current federal transportation program provides scant assurance that our hard-earned tax dollars will be spent wisely and effectively and fails to adequately invest in a variety of travel options. We need federal transportation legislation that addresses and meets the needs of Montanans and all Americans.

Americans everywhere are eager for an update to our transportation programs that will expand our options. A 2010 poll conducted by a bipartisan team of pollsters found that 79 percent of rural Americans believe the United States would benefit from an expanded and improved transportation system, such as rail and buses.² A majority of voters would like to see existing roads and bridge infrastructure maintained and rehabilitated before adding new capacity. Rural transportation stakeholders deserve improved rural accessibility, safety and a well-functioning transportation system that promotes health and economic vitality of communities.

Maintaining What We Have — Saving Money and Improving Safety

Over the last 50 years, America has built a national highway system that connects regions and states across the country, but now much of that system is showing its age. A recent report on road conditions by taxpayers for Common Sense and Smart Growth America found that over 7,300 miles, or 25 percent of Montana’s state roads have fallen out of good condition and 7.5 percent of Montana’s bridges are structurally deficient.³ This state of affairs affects the longevity of our transportation system, costs money, and reduces the safety of our existing infrastructure.

According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, every dollar spent on repair of a highway can save up to $14 down the road. Poor road conditions cost U.S. motorists $67 billion a year in repairs and operating costs-an average of $335 per motorist.⁴ The repair Priorities report concluded that investing too little on road repair significantly increases the state’s future financial liabilities and recommends prioritizing maintenance and rehabilitation to reduce these future liabilities, benefit taxpayers and create a better transportation system.

Negative safety impacts of poor road conditions are particularly disproportionate for rural communities. Residents of small towns are more likely to be hurt or killed on the transportation system than those in urban areas. Nearly 60 percent of traffic fatalities occur on rural roads, while they carry 40 percent of the traffic and only 20 percent of the population.⁵

Ensuring we take care of the infrastructure in which we have already invested will result in more money down the road for Montana’s transportation infrastructure, cost-savings for Montanan motorists, and help improve the safety of Montana’s roads.

The Needs of Older Montanans — and All Americans

Improving public transportation and expanding options helps older Montanans, particularly those in rural and frontier communities. In 2000, 23 percent of older adults in America lived in rural areas. As they age, they risk being isolated in their homes in the absence of adequate transportation infrastructure. They would have no way to get to the services they frequent, such as healthcare and grocery stores.

Transportation for America’s recent report, Aging in Place, Stuck without Options, addresses these challenges in detail.⁶ The report ranked metro areas according to the percentage of seniors projected to face poor transit access, and asked: How do we address the shrinking mobility options of baby boomers who wish to stay in their homes and “age in place?”

Montana will face especially steep challenges, with a projected 104.8 percent increase in its population of residents 65 and older between 2000 and 2030, compared to 99.8 percent nationwide. The projected increase rises to 220.5 percent in Flathead County, 224.9 percent in Ravalli County, 227.7 percent in Lewis and Clark County and 328 percent in Jefferson County.⁷

Accommodating seniors who want to age in place — and most of them do — will be a challenge for our nation’s transportation system. But there is a lot that we can do. T4 America Director James Corless recently testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, transportation and Community Development about policies that could be included in the next transportation authorization to specifically address needs of individuals with disabilities and older Americans. We can increase funding for bus routes, vanpools and ridesharing. We can provide incentives for community non-profits to operate their own systems. We can encourage states to involve seniors more intimately in the planning process and ensure officials are still able to “flex” federal dollars for transit projects. We can also prioritize “complete streets” that meet the needs of all users, including older Americans on foot, in wheelchairs or on their way to a transit stop.

The Link Between Transportation and Health

The impact of transportation investments and decisions on Montanans’ health cannot be overstated.

Montanans benefited from the massive infrastructure investment brought on by the interstate Highway Act in the 1950s. Unfortunately, by building neighborhoods and towns that require an automobile trip for nearly everything, we have literally engineered physical activity out of our daily lives.

As our travel habits have changed, obesity and diabetes have been on the rise. In 1995, Americans took 42 percent fewer trips on foot than in 1975, and the number has continued to drop.⁸ Only one in ten American children now walks or bikes to school. At the same time, the percentage of individuals who are obese has doubled in the last two decades, along with rates of diabetes. The percentage of overweight children nearly tripled, and more children today are being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, a disease that used to be limited to adults.

According to a report from the Robert wood Johnson foundation and trust for America’s Health, Montana has an adult obesity rate of about 23 percent.⁹ The report also notes that the State of Montana has failed to enact complete streets legislation, which would ensure that all users – pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, wheelchair users and transit riders – have safe access on Montana’s streets. Some progress toward “complete streets” has occurred in Bozeman, Helena and Missoula, but local, state and federal policy change is an important next step.

Rural Transportation Access, Options, and Economic Vitality

The connection between economic vitality and transportation access and services in small towns and rural communities was the subject of a recent report from the rural Policy research institute (RUPRI).¹⁰ The report found that increased accessibility and mobility options improve quality of life, which in turn attracts both individuals and new businesses to rural areas, increasing economic development.

RUPRI found that a variety of transportation investments — including transit, vanpools, walking and biking paths, intercity bus, and roads and highways — are critical to the economic development and overall health of smaller communities and rural areas. The most beneficial investments are those that improve access to job centers and essential services, reduce cost of living, and fuel local private-sector growth by fostering communities where people want to live and work. To facilitate this, RUPRI’s recommendations include: encouraging innovation and multimodal investments such as rail; coordination, cost-effectiveness and efficiency (in local street connectivity, access management, and intercity bus, for instance); and flexibility for rural areas to focus resources on investments that meet specific needs and characteristics of the community.

Transportation investments that are not driven by locally identified priorities or collaborative approaches will lessen the potential to achieve key outcomes. Misdirected investments are more likely to diminish rural economic development potential and may lead to unintended negative consequences such as a reduced ability to pay for existing transportation improvements and services. Thus, some core policy recommendations included local rural stakeholder engagement in transportation planning and decision-making, integrated coordinated regional planning and implementation, encouraging innovation and integration for cost effective outcomes.

Addressing Rural Transportation Challenges: Policy Proposal

Over the past two years, transportation for America worked with an array of organizations around the country, including the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), the National Center for Frontier Communities and the National Rural Assembly, as well as a number of Montana based groups to develop a proposal to enhance rural transportation systems. We traveled to Montana to talk to people personally about their transportation needs and have specifically worked to address the transportation access, mobility, health, quality of life, and economic vitality issues that are primary concerns of rural transportation stakeholders.

The recommendations include:

Incorporating local stakeholders in the planning process;
Improving efficiency and effectiveness of rural transit services through development of a coordinated rural transit plan;
Designation of a “mobility manager”—an individual who would provide capacity to adequately develop and enhance implementation of these plans;
Increasing flexibility for specialized transit operators to serve all individuals dependent on transit, including seniors and people with disabilities;
Implementing a rural transit Cost Savings program to mitigate the disproportionate impact volatile gas prices have on rural transit providers through grants to increase fuel and energy efficiency of rural transit fleets and operators;
Providing increased flexibility to invest in additional transportation improvements — rail, local street networks, intercity bus, access management — to meet the unique needs of rural communities. The funding silos in Washington often “predetermine” the best solutions for rural communities. Increased flexibility will allow for outcome based investment decisions directed from the ground up;
Improving rural safety by prioritizing the most high risk roads, aiding rural areas in meeting new federal signage requirements and maximizing funding benefits by prioritizing low-cost, high-yield safety improvements;
Spurring innovation and revitalization of Main Street through a competitive grant program to allow small cities and towns — in non-metropolitan areas and on tribal reservations — to revitalize their existing town centers, promote economic development, leverage private dollars with public investments and provide a variety of transportation options, including car sharing, accessible walking and biking paths, intercity buses and public transportation;
Additionally leveraging private investment in public transportation through incentives to encourage private intercity bus and commuter vanpool providers to enhance service in rural areas; and
Helping tribes meet increased transit demand and increasing funding for the Indian reservation road program

Montanans Have Key Champions in Washington

Montana’s transportation challenges have far-reaching impacts on the health, quality of life, and economic vitality of Montana’s communities. Luckily, Montanans have a powerful champion in Senator Max Baucus, who in addition to being one of the “big four” on the environment and Public works Committee is also the chairman of the Senate finance Committee, which will lead the way in determining the size and revenue source of an eventual bill. With numerous details still in the works, Montanans who want increased options and real accountability in the bill should make their preferences known to Senator Baucus and his staff.

Montana’s junior Senator Jon Tester holds a position on the Senate banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee that oversees the transit element of the bill. The Committee’s Chairman, Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota, has also taken a particular concern in the diverse transportation needs of rural Americans and tribes. In this environment, Senator Tester’s position provides him unique capacity to be an advocate for rural transit and transportation in Montana. For example, in a May 19, 2011 committee hearing around priorities and challenges of the surface transportation authorization, he spoke up on the need for rural transit services and flexibility to help ensure all Montanans have access to education, jobs and health services.

Conclusion

This is indeed a crucial time for the nation’s transportation policy, as key players from the Obama administration down to the relevant Congressional committees are preparing to move forward with a reauthorization of current surface transportation law. Many advocates were disappointed by House transportation and infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica’s proposal to cut the transportation budget by 35 percent, eliminate dedicated funding for biking and walking and potentially reduce the number of roads and highways eligible for federal support.

The prospects for real investment and new options are more promising in the Senate. The environment and Public works committee is planning on moving forward with their transportation authorization proposal addressing the highway portion of surface transportation, and the Senate banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, where Senator Tester sits, is currently crafting the public transportation policy.

How we get to work, the quality and safety of where we call home and the opportunity to live actively are all dependent on the investments and policy directives of the next transportation bill. Montanans can surely reap the benefits of this legislation for years to come, but only if we communicate our priorities to our leaders in Washington so we can build a transportation system that will meet our needs well into the 21st Century.

John Robert Smith is the current cochairman of transportation for America, and current President and CEO of reconnecting America.

Gene Townsend is a lifelong resident of Three Forks, MT, and is currently serving his 26th year as mayor.

Footnotes:

TOD Database: One Stop Shop for Station Area Data

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:30:50 -0400

Please join us on Sept. 20, 2011, from 2:00-3:30pm EDT for the Center for Transit-Oriented Development webinar "TOD Database: One Stop Shop for Station Area Data." This webinar session is sponsored by The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is valuable to planners, practitioners, housing advocates, MPOs, local, state and federal DOT's, transit agencies, sustainable communities grantees, advocates, as well as elected officials and other decision makers.

Hear from:

Linda Young, Research Director at the Center for Neighborhood Technology and CTOD
Peter Haas, Chief Research Scientist at the Center for Neighborhood Technology and CTOD
Sofia Becker, Research Assistant at the Center for Neighborhood Technology and CTOD
Jeff Price, Community Planner, Office of Systems Planning, Federal Transit Administration
Craig Sklenar, Planner in the Community & Economic Development Department at the City of Evanston, IL

Description:

This webinar focuses on introducing users to the functionality and potential applications of the TOD Database, a map-based website that provides comprehensive information on 4,610 transit stations across the country. The TOD Database is a first-of-its-kind tool for planners, developers, academics and government officials. It is designed to help stakeholders understand and take advantage of development opportunities around transit nodes. Participants in the webinar will receive detailed instructions for accessing and downloading the data, assembling custom reports, and comparing station areas and regions. CTOD staff and practitioners will give an overview of how the TOD Database has been utilized in various contexts.

Reconnecting America Responds To President Obama’s “American Jobs Act”

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:36:14 -0400

The President and CEO of Reconnecting America, John Robert Smith, tonight praised President Obama's jobs initiative, the American Jobs Act, as a "bold initiative to create jobs for Americans and at the same time strengthen our nation's infrastructure."

Smith released the following statement:

"Reconnecting America is pleased to see the President recognize that investing in our nation's infrastructure will result in putting more Americans back to work. As a former Republican Mayor, I was pleased that the President acknowledged that two Republican Presidents led major improvements in our nation's infrastructure with Lincoln building the Transcontinental Railroad during the Civil War and Eisenhower the Interstate Highway System on the heels of World War II. In the contentious climate that currently exists on Capitol Hill, it is refreshing to know that the American Jobs Act is based on ideas from both sides of the aisle. Just as our economy has weakened in recent years, so has our nation's infrastructure. What better solution than to have workers focus on our nation's transit systems, railroads, bridges and highways, all of which are in dire need of repair and improvement. A 'world class transportation system' should be 'made in America' with Americans working to ensure that Americans have a way to get to work. That is a solution we can all support."

Text of President Obama's speech

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TIGER and Rural America Part 2

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:20:45 -0400

The second in a series of webinars designed to assist rural communities in submitting strong applications for the latest round of Department of Transportation TIGER grants was held Aug. 31. Below are slideshows from the presentations.

USDOT announced on July 1, 2011, that it would offer a third round of the popular TIGER grants, which fund innovative, job-creating transportation projects. The $141 million set aside for rural communities represents nearly 27 percent of the total $526.944 million DOT is authorized to distribute through the program.

The webinar series is part of an outreach effort to support rural communities in submitting strong applications for this funding and is supported by a number of organizations, including Reconnecting America, the American Public Transportation Association, the National Association of Development Organizations, the National League of Cities, PolicyLink, Rural Assembly, Smart Growth America, and Transportation for America.

The first webinar provided an overview of TIGER, discussed innovative rural transportation projects, and showcased successful rural projects from earlier TIGER grant cycles. This second webinar will focus on forming interdisciplinary, regional partnerships and on successful grant writing.

A recording of the webinar is available here.

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John Robert Smith Agrees With President: “Place Country Above Party”

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:04:41 -0400

John Robert Smith, President and CEO of Reconnecting America and Co-Chair of Transportation for America, was a guest at today's (Aug. 31, 2011) remarks by President Obama in the Rose Garden. President Obama urged Congress to pass an extension of the Surface Transportation Extension Act, which is set to expire Sept. 30. In particular, the president said Congress needs to save American jobs by passing a clean extension, at current funding levels, with no cuts or riders attached. The president called on Congress to "place country before party." In response, Smith released the following statement:

"As an American and a former Republican mayor, I was pleased to hear the president's strong push to provide certainty to working families by not politicizing transportation construction. Nearly half a million jobs are at stake, and our nation's economy and infrastructure are a critical juncture. Another disruption similar to the aviation shutdown would lead to lost jobs in the middle of a difficult economy. I urge our nation's leaders to put gimmicks and politics aside. Country before party."

Evaluating Transit Revitalization Investment Districts In Pennsylvania

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:52:37 -0400

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development has released, "Transit Revitalization Investment Districts (TRID): Opportunities and Challenges for Implementation," which assesses the effectiveness of TRID as a financing tool for revitalization of core communities across Pennsylvania.

In 2004, the state of Pennsylvania passed the Transit Revitalization Investment District Act. This innovative law was designed to encourage transit-oriented development by providing resources for station area planning, and by enabling use of a district-based tax increment financing mechanism to capture increases in property values near transit. It is distinct from tax-increment financing because unlike TIF, it does not require a finding of "blight" in the area where it is used, and focuses on encouraging comprehensive community-based planning. While many jurisdictions have taken advantage of the planning aspects of TRID, thus far no TRID financing district as been created.

The Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group commissioned CTOD to complete this report, which assesses TRID's strengths and seeks to understand why the financing mechanism has not yet been utilized. The report includes case studies in four communities: Marcus Hook, Bryn Mawr, Dormont/Mt. Lebanon, and Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood.

The report concludes that while TRID has been successful in promoting district-based planning efforts that reflect the spirit of the legislation, there are many complicated and intertwined economic, political, and financing challenges to utilizing the financing mechanism. The report ultimately makes recommendations for changes and clarifications in the legislation as well as activities such as education and outreach, and a demonstration project to increase familiarity and comfort with the financing mechanism.

Read the introduction and download the full report

August 31 Webinar on USDOT's TIGER Grants and Rural America

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:46:40 -0400

The second in a series of webinars designed to assist rural communities in submitting strong applications for the latest round of Department of Transportation TIGER grants will be held Aug. 31 at 2pm EDT. The webinar will build on the overview provided by the first webinar in this series, by exploring in-depth the various aspects of the TIGER application process.Among the participants will be Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith, the former mayor of Meridian, Miss. Click here to register.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced on July 1, 2011, that it would offer a third round of the popular TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant program, which funds innovative, job-creating transportation projects. DOT is authorized to award $526.944 million through the program. At least $141 million of the program funds will be reserved for projects in rural areas. (See Reconnecting America’s blog post for general information on TIGER.)

What: “TIGER Grants and Rural America”

When: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 2:00 PM EDT

Where: Webinar information will be sent to registrants

RSVP: Click here to register.

The required set aside for rural communities represents nearly 27% of total TIGER funds, which is an increase from the portion directed toward rural places in the prior two rounds of funding. Especially given the municipal money woes faced in many rural communities, TIGER creates a particular opportunity to implement transportation projects that create jobs, support community and economic development and promote quality-of-life. In the first two rounds of funding, multimodal transit stations were a common type of project among successful rural applicants. For example, in 2010 Kent, Ohio (population 28,904) received a $20 million TIGER grant to build a new bus transfer center that will serve as a catalyst for the revitalization and redevelopment of the city’s downtown. The new station will serve as a transfer point for bus passengers traveling between Akron, Cleveland and other destinations in Portage County and will include retail space, bicycle storage and parking. With a green roof and geothermal heating, the building will serve as the city’s signature green building project. The City of Kent has estimated that the project will generate $105 million in total public and private development, create 266 construction jobs and 703 permanent jobs, and bring in $5.8 million in annual tax revenue for the city. Complete Streets projects have been another common type of transportation project funded in rural communities through the TIGER program.

Complete Streets provide safe and inviting travel options for all people, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit users, people with disabilities and drivers. In one example, TIGER II awarded $3.5 million to Hailey, Idaho (population 6,200) to rebuild a 2.44 mile street in order to add sidewalks, bike lanes, bus shelters, bike parking, landscaping and traffic calming elements. A similar project in Fort Valley, Georgia (population 8,200) received roughly $1.5 million from TIGER II to rebuild State University Drive to include a median, streetlights and improved sidewalks and crosswalks. Other innovative TIGER-funded projects that benefit rural communities have included a commuter rail extension and station in West Fitchburg, Massachusetts, short-line freight rail improvements in Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee, and an electric vehicle corridor project in Oregon.

See a full list of TIGER II projects, with rural recipients highlighted, here.
See a list of TIGER I projects here.

Here are some additional resources for those interested in more information about funding opportunities:

The Partnership for Sustainable Communities
Smart Growth America’s Sustainable Communities Network
US DOT’s TIGER grants program

If you have questions about this event, please contact Garett Ballard-Rosa at or 202-207-3355 x142.

Webinar To Discuss Transit Corridors for Sustainable Communities

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:04:28 -0400

The demand for transit across the US is growing, and more and more transit corridors are being built every year. In 2010, 106 regions had proposed over 600 transit projects, with estimated costs for two-thirds of those projects totaling $233 billion. This growing demand for transit has increased the need to understand how planning a transit corridor can result in not only successful transportation outcomes but also successful land use and equity outcomes.

Join us Tuesday, August 23rd at 3:30 PM ET for the next Sustainable Communities Network webinar: "Transit Corridors for Sustainable Communities: Planning Transit to Connect the Dots."

This event is hosted by Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, Reconnecting America and the National Housing Conference.

The session will begin with a discussion of the different types of transit corridors and how what they connect can have significant implications for land uses, ridership, and the potential for development after the transit is built, including a description of examples of these different corridor types and how transit and land use have interacted in a few regions. Following that, participants will learn how planners in a small town in Colorado are making the transition from thinking about making a successful transit system to ensuring that the system is integrated into community life and is making inter-agency connections. The session will conclude with an overview of the innovative tools being used in a joint planning process between city staff in Tigard, OR, a suburb of Portland, and the regional planning agency to direct growth alongside a high capacity transit planning project in the city.

Speakers include Dena Belzer, President of Strategic Economics and partner in the Center for Transit-Oriented Development; Crista M. Gardner, Senior Planner at Portland Metro; and David Johnson AICP, Director of Planning, Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. This webinar will be moderated by Elizabeth Wampler, Program Associate at Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development.

What: "Transit Corridors for Sustainable Communities: Planning Transit to Connect the Dots"

When: Tuesday, August 23rd at 3:30 PM ET.

Where: Webinar information will be sent to registrants.

RSVP: This webinar is free but registration is required. Click here to register.

Please RSVP by Monday, August 22nd at 5:00 PM ET.

Smart Growth America's Sustainable Communities Network is an opportunity for state and local government officials, business leaders and nonprofit professionals to ask questions, trade ideas, learn best practices, and share project ideas with others from around the country. The network also shares updates about federal initiatives, upcoming events, webinars and conferences to support vibrant, sustainable communities.

Do you have a colleague or know an organization that recently applied for, was awarded or is considering applying for the next round of grants through the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities? They can join Smart Growth America's Sustainable Communities Network by clicking here.

For questions or comments, please contact Jeri Mintzer at jmintzer@smartgrowthamerica.org or Melissa Schreiber-Stahl at mschreiberstahl@smartgrowthamerica.org.

Reconnecting America Team Selected to Help Build Capacity of Sustainable Communities Grantees

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:52:32 -0400

A team led by Reconnecting America has won a competitive grant to assist communities that have received Sustainable Communities Grants. The Reconnecting America team was one of eight chosen by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help existing federal grantees work together to solve common problems.

“These organizations will form capacity-building networks among the grantees to exchange ideas on successful strategies, lessons learned, emerging tools, and public engagement plans,” the notice from HUD explained. “This work will strengthen the capacity grantee communities to create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, make more efficient investments in water and wastewater infrastructure, and build vibrant, healthy and economically prosperous neighborhoods for American families.”

Reconnecting America’s team will develop effective implementation strategies for economic development and local and regional plans.

“All of the team members look forward to working with HUD, EPA and communities around the country in laying the foundation for a 21st century economy and helping to create more financially, environmentally, and socially sustainable communities,” said Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith.

Catherine Cox Blair, Program Director for Reconnecting America’s Leadership, Innovation, Networks, and Knowledge (LINK) program, will be project lead for the team.

“Team members each have direct experience in building capacity through provision of national resources, best practices and education programs, as well as direct, hand on technical assistance in regions across the country,” said Cox Blair.

In addition to Reconnecting America, the team includes:

Strategic Economics, a consulting and research firm specializing in urban and regional economics and planning, with offices in Berkeley, CA and Seattle, WA.
Center for Neighborhood Technology, a “think-and-do” tank that researches, promotes, and implements innovative and equitable solutions to strengthen economies and benefit the environment with offices in Chicago, IL, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC;
Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit organization providing financing and solutions for housing and communities based in Columbia, MD and with offices across the country.
National Charrette Institute, a national nonprofit research and education organization located in Portland, Oregon with faculty on the East and West coasts.
Center for Creative Land Recycling, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that provides program and project level technical assistance and training for sustainable infill and brownfields redevelopment.
Kim Burnett Consulting, a consulting firm specializing in the revitalization of older industrial regions and integrating strategies to promote economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and equitable outcomes for communities.

Reconnecting America, Strategic Economics and the Center for Neighborhood Technology are also partners in the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD). Reconnecting America has worked with the other team members in various capacities in the past.

In Pursuit Of Improved Transit And TOD In New Orleans-Baton Rouge "Super Region'

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:39:12 -0400

Reconnecting America today released a series of reports that explore the opportunity for New Orleans and Baton Rouge to develop an integrated, regional transportation network that supports strong communities and improves opportunity for the residents and businesses of southern Louisiana. In the briefs, Reconnecting America makes the case for regional and "super regional" coordination on transportation and land use issues, arguing that when neighboring jurisdictions compete for jobs and new development or plan transportation systems that aren't complimentary, they perpetuate a cycle of regional congestion and wasteful spending. According to the reports, three key ingredients are needed to build a sustainable super region in greater Baton Rouge and New Orleans: new commuter rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans; improved local and regional transit within each of those regions, and; coordinated local investments and policies that support affordable, walkable transit-oriented communities.

The briefs were written for CONNECT, a coalition of public and private sector organizations that work across the New Orleans and Baton Rouge regions to advocate for expanded mobility choices that offer improved access to affordable homes, job centers and equitable economic opportunity. The CONNECT Coalition is a project of the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX), a Louisiana nonprofit that helped lead the 2007 recovery planning effort, Louisiana Speaks. Based on input from over 27,000 residents, Louisiana Speaks outlines a long-term vision for growth and recovery following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. CPEX and Reconnecting America developed this series of briefs in order to help the New Orleans and Baton Rouge regions implement the long-term vision outlined in Louisiana Speaks.

Rachel DiResto, Executive Vice President of CPEX, said, "The New Orleans and Baton Rouge regions are at a crossroads. Too few people live near quality public t

ransit and congestion between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is threatening to limit our economic potential. We have a real opportunity to address these issues - by working together to get commuter rail off the ground and by making sure that people of all incomes and ages have access to transit and quality housing. These briefs really give us the roadmap for our work moving forward."

Alia Anderson, Reconnecting America Policy Associate and the lead author for the series, said the briefs "drew heavily from case studies in other U.S. regions that have launched new transit lines or are working to elevate transit-oriented development in the regional dialogue. New Orleans and Baton Rouge are really unique places, especially with the challenges they still face related to hurricane recovery. That said, there are still a lot of lessons that can be drawn from places like Atlanta, Charlotte and Denver."

Brief one provides the background for coordinated transportation and land use planning in the super region, while brief two looks specifically at the potential economic benefits that the businesses and governments of Baton Rouge and New Orleans could realize from launching commuter rail, improving transit and supporting transit-oriented development. The third brief in the series outlined specific guiding principles and next steps that the super region can take, including "developing a commuter rail implementation strategy," and "prioritizing bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the near-term."

"I know that New Orleans and Baton Rouge have the leadership and momentum to pull this off," said John Robert Smith, Reconnecting America President and CEO and former Mayor of Meridian, Mississippi. "What is important now is creating a space for a broader set of stakeholders to play a role - something I know the CONNECT Coalition is dedicated to - and staying focused on those key initiatives that will really move the needle."

Download the Reports

Learn more about the CONNECT Coalition

Webinar Helps Rural Areas Apply for Federal TIGER Grants

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:32:59 -0400

The first of two webinars designed to help rural communities take advantage of the Department of Transportation's TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grants was held Aug. 3. The outreach effort to support rural communities in submitting strong applications for this funding is supported by a number of organizations, including Reconnecting America, the American Public Transportation Association, the National Association of Development Organizations, the National League of Cities, PolicyLink, Rural Assembly, Smart Growth America, and Transportation for America.

The outreach effort to support rural communities in submitting strong applications for this funding is supported by a number of organizations, including Reconnecting America, the American Public Transportation Association, the National Association of Development Organizations, the National League of Cities, PolicyLink, Rural Assembly, Smart Growth America, and Transportation for America.

An Implementation Strategy for TOD along the Denver Region’s West Corridor

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 02:05:17 -0400

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) has released a report creating a strategy for implementing successful transit-oriented development along the West Corridor light rail line operated by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and scheduled to open in 2013.

"Connecting the West Corridor Communities: An Implementation Strategy for TOD along the Denver Region’s West Corridor" was produced as part of a collaboration between the city and county of Denver, the city of Lakewood, the Denver Housing Authority and Metro West Housing Solutions.

August 3 Webinar on USDOT's TIGER Grants and Rural America

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:07:19 -0400

Reconnecting America is partnering with a number of organizations, including the American Public Transportation Association, the National Association of Development Organizations, the National League of Cities, PolicyLink, Rural Assembly, Smart Growth America, and Transportation for America, to support rural communities in submitting strong applications for this funding. To this end, our organizations are offering a webinar for rural transportation and planning practitioners on August 3 at 2:00 pm EDT. The webinar will provide an overview of TIGER, discuss innovative rural transportation projects, and showcase successful rural projects from earlier TIGER grant cycles. This webinar is the first in a two-part series that target prospective TIGER applicants from rural communities. The second webinar will take place in August and will focus on forming interdisciplinary, regional partnerships and on successful grant writing.

What: “TIGER Grants and Rural America”

When: Wednesday, August 3, 2011, 2:00 PM EDT

Where: Webinar information will be sent to registrants

RSVP: Click here to register.

Complete Streets projects have been another common type of transportation project funded in rural communities through the TIGER program. Complete Streets provide safe and inviting travel options for all people, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit users, people with disabilities and drivers. In one example, TIGER II awarded $3.5 million to Hailey, Idaho (population 6,200) to rebuild a 2.44 mile street in order to add sidewalks, bike lanes, bus shelters, bike parking, landscaping and traffic calming elements. A similar project in Fort Valley, Georgia (population 8,200) received roughly $1.5 million from TIGER II to rebuild State University Drive to include a median, streetlights and improved sidewalks and crosswalks. Other innovative TIGER-funded projects that benefit rural communities have included a commuter rail extension and station in West Fitchburg, Massachusetts, short-line freight rail improvements in Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee, and an electric vehicle corridor project in Oregon.

See a full list of TIGER II projects, with rural recipients highlighted, here.

See a list of TIGER I projects here.

Planning Equitable Corridors and Transit-Oriented Development

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:37:58 -0400

Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development held their second in a series of webinars July 19, with attendees listening in to a discussion of “Planning Equitable Corridors and Transit-Oriented Development.” The webinar was sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Webinar attendees heard from:

Abby Thorne-Lyman, Project Director at Reconnecting America and CTOD
Catherine Cox Blair, Program Director at Reconnecting America and CTOD, Denver Region
Jonathan Sage-Martinson, Director, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, Twin Cities
Danyell Diggs, Red Line Coordinator, City of Baltimore

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Webinar Schedule

Monitoring Federal Grant Opportunities

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:22:20 -0400

Looking for funding for a new project in your community? HUD, DOT, EPA, and several other agencies have made available millions of dollars in funding to support the planning and implementation of projects that promote sustainable communities. Funding is available for a variety of uses, including community planning, affordable housing finance, technical assistance, research, and capital infrastructure investments. To help you navigate the complex maze of opportunities, Reconnecting America has compiled a list of all upcoming programs and deadlines.

Federal Grant Opportunities

Webinar on Planning Equitable Corridors and Transit-Oriented Development

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:45:37 -0400

Please join us Tuesday July 19 at 2pm EST for the Center For Transit-Oriented Development webinar “Planning Equitable Corridors and Transit-Oriented Development.” This webinar session is sponsored by The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is open to planners, practitioners, housing advocates, MPOs, local, state and federal DOT’s, transit agencies, sustainable communities grantees, advocates, as well as elected officials and other decision makers.

Hear from:

Abby Thorne-Lyman, Project Director at Reconnecting America and CTOD
Catherine Cox Blair, Program Director at Reconnecting America and CTOD, Denver Region
Jonathan Sage-Martinson, Director, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, Twin Cities
Danyell Diggs, Red Line Coordinator, City of Baltimore

Description: This webinar focuses on introducing participants to the benefits of land use and community development planning at the transit corridor scale, and offering on-the-ground examples of how to make corridor planning work. Planning at the corridor scale provides an important means for understanding how transit investments can influence the character of nearby communities. It integrates knowledge about both local and regional contexts, coordinates key stakeholders, and can support regional growth. Participants will hear from three different regions that have demonstrated successful and equitable corridor planning and the outcomes of these efforts thus far.

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Title: Planning Equitable Corridors and Transit-Oriented Development

Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Time: 2PM - 3:30 PM EDT

Webinar Agenda:

Introductions and Remarks – Jeff Price, Community Planner, FTA
Abby Thorne-Lyman – Overview and Introduction of Panel
Catherine Cox Blair – Planning for the West Corridor, Denver, CO
Jonathan Sage-Martinson – Central Corridor Planning Initiatives, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Danyell Diggs – Red Line and the Community Compact, Baltimore, MD
Discussion and Q&A
Closing Remarks

If you have any questions please contact Kelley Britt

This webinar is sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration and facilitated by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development. The Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) is the only national nonprofit effort dedicated to providing best practices, research and tools to support equitable market-based transit-oriented development. CTOD partners with both the public and private market sectors to strategize about ways to encourage the development of high performing communities around transit stations and to build transit systems that maximize development potential. CTOD works to integrate local and regional planning, generate new tools for economic development, real estate and investment issues, improve affordability and livability for all members of the community, and respond to imperatives for climate change and sustainability. The Center for TOD is a partnership of Reconnecting America, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and Strategic Economics. For more information go to CTOD’s website at CTOD.org

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Responding to Federal Transportation Funding Proposal

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:13:08 -0400

While I appreciate Chairman Mica's commitment to moving forward on this important legislation, his outline for a six-year, $230 billion surface transportation bill represents a cut of approximately one-third from current funding levels and would cost well over half a million jobs. As a former elected official myself, I certainly understand the challenges he faces in moving this legislation forward during tough financial times. But these are exactly the times in which we must invest in our infrastructure - it is the path we will travel to job creation.

A 30% cut in the federal investment in public transportation, roads, and bridges is in direct contradiction to the findings of numerous studies that our infrastructure is in dire need of repair and rehabilitation. Providing safe and reliable transportation infrastructure is an investment in our children's future - and we cannot afford to wait any longer.

Quality, reliable public transportation systems are the anchors that help many communities thrive, whether they are in rural, suburban, or urban areas. The Federal Transit Administration estimates that nearly $80 billion is needed to bring these systems into a state of good repair. Yet, under this proposal they will only fall further behind.

The proposal also cuts support to Amtrak and eliminates the intercity rail capital grant program, which by itself would cost 100,000 jobs. Communities around the nation have used these programs to promote community and economic development around their stations. Elimination of these programs pulls the rug out from under their plans and creates uncertainties that will ultimately scare away private sector partners.

Numerous other questions remain regarding the details of the proposal. The outline promises to streamline the New Starts program, which helps communities build transit projects that can serve as catalysts for significant economic development in underserved neighborhoods. Faster approval and delivery of such projects is a worthy goal, but the drastic funding cuts promised in this bill mean that fewer communities will experience the benefits that transit can provide.

I commend the Chairman's intention to do more with less, but I have serious doubts that this bill will accomplish that goal. I look forward to seeing the full legislative text of the proposal so that this question can be answered.

Reinvesting in Pittsburgh’s Neighborhoods

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:11:25 -0400

A new Center for Transit-Oriented Development report explores the merits of rethinking transit-oriented development in mature transit cities such as Pittsburg and the importance of maintaining transit services.

"Reinvesting in Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods: The Case for Transit-Oriented Development" was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group, a non-profit that advances neighborhood revitalization throughout the region.

The report identifies the potential that coordinated transit-oriented development (TOD) initiatives have to enhance Pittsburgh’s economic competitiveness; the value transit brings to the region; and the potential of leveraging both to make life more affordable and connect more people to jobs. The report also warns of the impact of transit’s current funding crisis and calls for a realistic, actionable regional vision to advance transit and TOD.

"In many ways, Pittsburgh is ahead other regions where transit connectivity and walkable neighborhoods are concerned," the report concludes. "Our existing, well-utilized transit network provides us with the transit frequency and reliability needed to maintain a good quality of life. Our historic neighborhoods offer the walkable communities other places try to replicate, as well as a rich historic building stock. But this is also a critical time of need to reinvest in these assets."

The report notes that better coordination of transportation investments with plans for housing, community infrastructure, social services, and economic development plans will enable the region to capture the latent market demand that exists for walkable, transit-oriented communities.

Reinvesting in Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods: The Case for Transit-Oriented Development

Tips for Crafting Strong, Collaborative Applications for HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:28:46 -0400

In anticipation of the release of the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 2011 round of HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants, Reconnecting America did a series of interviews with successful applicants from the 2010 round of HUD Regional Sustainable Communities Grants to understand has led to the formation of strong collaborative efforts that were successful in winning a highly competitive grant. These interviews included winners of both the Category 1 grants to support the creation of Regional Plans for Sustainable Development and Category 2 grants for Detailed Execution Plans and Programs.

Read the report: Crafting Strong, Collaborative Applications for HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants

Understanding Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:22:27 -0400

Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development held their first in a series of webinars June 21, with 200 people listening in to a discussion of “Understanding Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development.” The webinar was sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Webinar attendees heard from:

Introductions by Sharon Pugh, Senior Policy Analyst, FTA
Abby Thorne-Lyman (moderator), Project Director at Reconnecting America and CTOD
Melinda Pollack, Vice President of Solutions at Enterprise Community Partners, Denver Region
Dan Landes, Senior Planner in Housing at Puget Sound Regional Council

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Webinar Schedule

Reconnecting America issues statement on proposal to privatize Amtrak northeast corridor

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:47:58 -0400

Representative John Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced a far-reaching plan to privatize the Northeast Corridor (NEC) as well as intercity passenger and commuter rail service.

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith said, “We applaud the Chairman’s focus on creative approaches to improve the nation’s intercity rail system. We agree with the Chairman that America still needs a national rail system and that taxpayers need to be protected. But we have concerns that this approach may fall short on these goals”.

Reconnecting America’s concerns include:

Very few, if any of the long-distance lines will attract private sector funding. The focus on privatizing the Northeast Corridor will weaken the existing national system. Removing the profitable NEC from the current system of shared benefits deprives the rest of the nation’s rail system of critically needed operating assistance. This approach, as proposed, may weaken or terminate the intercity rail connections that are the lifelines in small towns from Montana to West Virginia, as well as big cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles.
Globally, rail privatization has led to costly government bailouts of private companies that have acquired too much risk. Investors have an implicit assumption that taxpayers will provide a backstop for companies that make risky choices to maximize profits.
This approach will require an unknown amount of taxpayer funds in an effort to attract private investors to upgrade, maintain and operate the NEC.

These questions of how to maintain and upgrade a national system, and how to protect the public interest if we privatize a taxpayer-funded asset are fundamentally important, but heretofore, unanswered questions. “We look forward to hearing more on these specific topics from the Chairman when he introduces his proposal next week”, says John Robert Smith.

Webinar on Understanding Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:36:23 -0400

Please join us Tuesday June 21st at 2:00pm EST for the Center For Transit-Oriented Development webinar “Understanding Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development”. This webinar session is sponsored by The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is open to planners, practitioners, housing advocates, MPOs, local, state and federal DOT’s, transit agencies, sustainable communities grantees, advocates, as well as elected officials and other decision makers.

Hear from:

Abby Thorne-Lyman, Project Director at Reconnecting America and CTOD
Melinda Pollack, Vice President of Solutions at Enterprise Community Partners, Denver Region
Helmi Hisserich, Assistant General Manager at the City of Los Angeles Housing Department

Mixed-income transit-oriented development provides an opportunity for people of all incomes to live in neighborhoods with greater access to a wider variety of jobs, community resources, and truly affordable housing. This webinar focuses on introducing participants to the benefits, strategies, and challenges of mixed-income TOD and will introduce a useful tool, the “Mixed-Income TOD Action Guide,” which helps communities develop strategies to implement mixed-income TOD.

Webinar Agenda

FTA Introductions and Remarks – Sharon Pugh, Senior Policy Analyst, FTA
Abby Thorne-Lyman – The Concept of Mixed-Income TOD: An Introduction
Melinda Pollack – Denver Initiatives around Mixed-Income TOD
Helmi Hisserich – Linking Affordable Housing and Transit in Los Angeles
Discussion and Q&A
Closing Remarks

This webinar was sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration and facilitated by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development. The Center for TOD is a partnership of Reconnecting America, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and Strategic Economics. For more information go to CTOD’s website.

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now:

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

If you have any questions please contact Kelley Britt or 202.429.6990 ext 208.

Reconnecting America at CNU19

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:38:25 -0400

Reconnecting America is attending CNU19 in Madison, Wisconsin. The annual Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) is the leading venue for new urbanist education, collaboration, and networking. CNU members come from around the world to discuss development practices and public policies, learn from recent innovative work, and advance new initiatives to transform our communities.

Reconnecting America President and CEO John Robert Smith will be participating in a June 2 panel on "Passenger Rail: Making Local Connections Maximizing Local Value."

From the program:

Passenger Rail: Making Local Connections, Maximizing Local Value
Thursday, June 2, 2011 | 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM
AIA credits approved: 1.25 Learning Unit (LU)
AICP CM Credits: 1.25

Has hype about "high-speed" trains obscured how passenger rail can best connect and reinforce great urban places? This session explores the relevance of transit-oriented development to regional and inter-city rail (high-speed or otherwise), and examines how communities and rail system planners can make the most of the value created along new routes.

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Advancing Equity in Sustainable Community Planning and Implementation

Thu, 19 May 2011 14:50:05 -0400

A recording of the webinar is available online at Smart Growth America.

Join us Tuesday, May 24, at 3:30pm ET for the Sustainable Communities Network webinar: "Advancing Equity in Sustainable Community Planning and Implementation". This event is hosted by Reconnecting America, Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, and the National Housing Conference.

Hear from:

Bob Allen, Director of Transportation and Housing Programs at Urban Habitat.
Jessie Grogan, Policy Analyst at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council of Boston, MA.
Jonathan London, Director of the Center for Regional Change and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of California, Davis.

This webinar will be moderated by:

Kalima Rose, Director of the PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity who leads the PolicyLink Sustainable Communities work.

Click here to register. Please RSVP by 5pm ET on May 23rd.

The Sustainable Communities Network is an opportunity for state and local government officials, business leaders and nonprofit professionals to ask questions, learn best practices, and share project ideas with others from around the country. The network also shares updates about federal initiatives, upcoming events, webinars and conferences to support vibrant, sustainable communities.

Reconnecting America Welcomes Ford Foundation Grant To Ensure Equitable TOD In The Denver Region

Tue, 17 May 2011 14:00:00 -0400

Reconnecting America today welcomed a new Ford Foundation grant to a dozen organizations in Denver to ensure that low-income communities "don’t miss the train" as FasTrack’s transit expansion delivers economic growth opportunities to the region.

With the help of the Ford Foundation’s grant, Reconnecting America, Enterprise Community Partners, FRESC, the Urban Land Conservancy, and eight foundations will spend the next year making the case for why equitable transit-oriented development (TOD) is important to the Denver region, emphasizing how transit increases people's access to affordable housing, employment opportunities, education and essential services.

Reconnecting America has been working in the Denver region for more than five years. Reconnecting America has a local office with longstanding ties to the region and extensive knowledge of and experience with the Denver region’s transit expansion and TOD planning efforts.

“We are already aware of many of the challenges and opportunities that the FasTracks investment will bring, and we have documented these in our work on the West Corridor TOD Implementation Strategy and the city and county of Denver’s TOD strategic plan,” explained Catherine Cox Blair, Reconnecting America’s program director. Cox Blair, who leads the Denver office of Reconnecting America, is a former TOD Program Manager for the city of Denver.

Over the years, Reconnecting America has partnered with or provided technical assistance to several other equity-focused collaborative efforts around the country, including the Great Communities Collaborative in the San Francisco Bay Area, the One Region Funders Group in New York City, and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Innovative models of cross-sector collaboration developed from that work will be applied to the efforts in Denver.

“The role of the Ford Foundation in helping to bridge relationships with local foundations in the Denver region, and in showcasing the important role that foundations can play when they work in concert with nonprofit partners, will be critical to our success,” said Allison Brooks, Reconnecting America’s chief of staff.

Activities funded through the grant and local organizations' matching resources include: the formation of the collaborative, educational events for regional stakeholders, the creation of a regional equity atlas, exploration of the expansion of the existing Denver TOD Fund to a regional acquisition finance resource for community development, and funding for local community development corporations to develop their role in the effort.

The collaborative is comprised of regional and national organizations Reconnecting America, Enterprise Community Partners, FRESC and Urban Land Conservancy; and eight foundations including The Anschutz Foundation, Colorado Health Foundation, Gates Family Foundation, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, The Piton Foundation, Rose Community Foundation and U.S. Bank’s foundation. As the collaborative picks up momentum, it is expected that other organizations will join as well.

Reconnecting America And CTOD Release Studies Of Employment And TOD

Wed, 11 May 2011 20:19:48 -0400

Over in Books and Reports you will find a pair of reports released today by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development that discuss the importance of connecting jobs to transit and which jobs, in particular, will be most responsive to locating near transit. And in Half-Mile Circles, Jeff Wood, who participated in the research for the reports, blogs about the need to make employment centers central factors in transit development decisions.

Books and Reports: Transit-Oriented Development, Jobs and Economic Development
Research: Transit-Oriented Development and Employment
Research: Transit and Regional Economic Development
Half-Mile Circles: Connecting Employment & Transit

Excitement Over High Speed Rail Grants Shows Support for Continued Funding

Tue, 10 May 2011 12:10:48 -0400

After receiving applications from half the states last month, the Obama Administration announced the winners of the High Speed and Intercity Rail grant program today. John Robert Smith, the President and CEO of Reconnecting America stated, "The vision created by these grants is one that should excite the American people. It calls for a high performance rail system that is reliable and competitive with the automobile and has the ability to reduce Americans' dependence on foreign oil."

Fifteen states received funding, from rural states such as Maine, to urban ones such as Massachusetts; from states as familiar with trains as New York, to states that would like to develop a system, such as Texas. For example, the grant program purchases new train sets for California that can reach speeds up to 220 mph, as well as an improved northeast corridor with better Acela service. The grants will provide support to Detroit, eventually creating a high-speed rail link with Chicago. Better connecting Detroit to its region will be critical for its long-term economic growth. The program also will bring California's rural Central Valley communities and small towns closer to the jobs and opportunities in Silicon Valley, by extending the section under construction to the edge of the Bay Area.

"High speed rail continues to move forward in a bipartisan way, with both Democratic and Republican governors applying for and receiving high-speed rail funds. The potential impact that the high-speed and intercity rail program will have in communities all over America is clear to people outside of the beltway. The high-speed and intercity rail program is important to secure the future for our children and grandchildren and Congress should fund it in Fiscal Year 2012," Smith says.

CTOD releases Metro TOD Strategic Plan for Portland metropolitan area

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:46:46 -0400

The Center for Transit-Oriented Development today released the Transit-Oriented Development Strategic Plan created for the Metro TOD Program in Portland, Oregon. In conjunction with the release, CTOD published a web page providing guidance on how the plan contents can be nationally applied.

Find more in Books & Report and Research Articles.

Half-Mile Circles has reprinted a related blog post.

Response To Federal Continuing Resolution

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:53:25 -0400

The recently announced compromise to fund the federal government through the remainder of FY2011 preserves several critical programs, but also raises cause for concern. Reconnecting America is pleased to see that the compromise continues to support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which is effectively coordinating federal housing and transportation programs to provide the greatest benefits at the regional and local levels. Programs such as DOT's TIGER grants and HUD's Sustainable Communities grants will save taxpayer dollars over the long-term by helping communities make better investments today.

However, the reduction in the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts/Small Starts program (see analysis of cuts here) and the complete elimination of the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program in FY 2011 is a step in the wrong direction. In this era of $4-a-gallon gas, Americans need more transportation options, not fewer. In a report to be released tomorrow, Reconnecting America has found that the pent-up capital demand for fixed guideway transit, whose major federal source of funding is New Starts/Small Starts, is at least $233 billion and at current levels it would take 73 years to fund the backlog of transit projects being planned by communities all around America. (See graphic at right.)

These programs support communities' efforts to connect people to jobs, to school, to health care. They are creating jobs today, and are helping to build a better future for our children and grandchildren. Reducing support for these programs is short-sighted and ultimately will set us back in our efforts to create stronger and more economically-resilient communities where Americans of all income ranges can afford to live, work, and play.

Reconnecting America's work across the country has demonstrated the transformative power that investing in infrastructure can have on the economy, sustainability, and quality of life in our communities. Continued investment in transportation options is essential to allow our nation to realize its full potential.

Questions and Answers about New Starts/Small Starts Program Cuts in the Final FY11 Continuing Resolution

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:35:04 -0400

Q. How much funding is cut from the New Starts/Small Starts program?
A. The final Continuing Resolution, which would fund the government through the end of FY2011, made two cuts to the federal New Starts/Small Starts program, which provides funding for fixed guideway (e.g., subway, light rail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit) projects.

The amount of funding cut from FY11 depends on what the baseline for comparison is. The CR would fund the New Starts/Small Starts program in FY11 at $1.6 billion, which is $400 million less than the FY10 level – but only about $220 million less than what the President requested for FY11. (The President’s request for FY11 was $1.822 billion, while the FY10 actual appropriation was $2 billion).

The CR also rescinds $280 million from unobligated funds that were appropriated to FTA prior to FY11.

Q. Is it true that all of the funding that is cut is attributable to New Jersey’s ARC project?
A. No. New Jersey’s ARC tunnel project, which was canceled by New Jersey’s governor, was scheduled to receive $200 million in New Starts funds in FY10 and the FTA requested an additional $200 million for that project in FY11.

Let’s look at prior years first. The $280 million rescinded from prior years was a combination of funding that had either not been directed to any project by Congress or was attributable to a project not moving forward. FTA was given the discretion by Congress to distribute the funding to other projects. In December 2010, FTA announced its intention to award the full $280 million to seven projects:

Dallas – Northwest/Southeast Light Rail
New York - Long Island East Side Access
New York Second Avenue Subway
Northern Virginia Dulles Corridor
Salt Lake City - Mid Jordan LRT
Weber County/Salt Lake City - Commuter Rail
Seattle - University Link

For FY11, of the $400 million cut (compared to FY10 levels), only $200 million was attributable to the ARC project.

Q. What projects will be directly affected as a result of these cuts?

A. The list of projects directly affected by the rescissions to prior year funding is included in the previous answer.

For FY11, the CR provides FTA with a lump sum of $1.6 billion and does not specify which projects are to receive that funding. The amount provided is enough to fully fund each of the projects with an existing or proposed Full Funding Grant Agreement or Project Construction Grant Agreement at the scheduled FY11 amount, with the exception of the New Jersey ARC tunnel project (canceled by New Jersey’s governor).

Q. How can projects be fully funded in FY11 if ARC only accounted for $200 million of the $400 million cut?

A. Of the $400 million cut in FY11 (compared to FY10 levels), $200 million is attributable to ARC. That leaves $200 million to be cut from somewhere else. But, the President requested about $180 million less for New Starts/Small Starts in FY11 than those programs received in FY10. So $180 million of the remaining $200 million in cuts was not requested by the President and therefore was never allocated to any project. The remaining $20 million in cuts will likely come out of the $44 million that was requested in FY11 for FTA to distribute to projects at its discretion

Q. What impact could these cuts have on the projects waiting in the New Starts/Small Starts pipeline?
A. By reducing the New Starts/Small Starts program to $1.6 billion in FY11, HR1 would establish a new, lower baseline for the program, against which future funding levels will be considered.

Why does the baseline matter? Given the new focus in both the House and Senate on cutting federal spending, it will be harder to achieve increases in program funding levels. The definition of what an increase is depends on where the baseline is set. In other words, once the cut to New Starts/Small Starts goes through in the CR, a proposal to fund the program in FY12 at $2 billion would be seen as an attempt to increase spending compared to the new baseline of $1.6 billion.

The bottom line is, these cuts could make it harder to grow the New Starts/Small Starts program in future years, and that could have a direct impact on those projects that are in the pipeline, advancing toward an FFGA or PCGA. The smaller the program is, the longer those projects will have to wait before funding is available for them. Such delays will raise the cost of projects due to inflation, borrowing costs, increasing land values, and other factors.

Projects currently in the New Starts/Small Starts pipeline (defined as those which have been approved by FTA to enter preliminary engineering) include:

Projects in Final Design:

Tucson, AZ - Streetcar
San Francisco, CA - Third Street LRT Phase 2
Denver, CO - Eagle Commuter Rail
Hartford, CT - New Britain-Hartford Busway
Stamford, CT - Urban Transitway Phase II
Wilmington, DE - Wilmington to Newark Commuter Rail Improvements
Orlando, FL - Central Florida Commuter Rail
Boston, MA - Assembly Square Station
St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN - Central Corridor LRT
Providence, RI - South County Commuter Rail
Houston, TX - North Corridor LRT
Houston, TX - Southeast Corridor LRT

Projects in Preliminary Engineering:

Los Angeles, CA - Regional Connector Transit Corridor
Los Angeles, CA - Westside Subway Extension
Sacramento, CA - South Sacramento Corridor Phase 2
San Jose, CA - Silicon Valley Berressa Extension Project
Honolulu, HI - High Capacity Transit Corridor Project
Charlotte, NC - LYNX Blue Line Extension - Northeast Corridor
Portland, OR - Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project
Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket/Central Falls Commuter Rail Station
Salt Lake County, UT - Draper Transit Corridor
Vancouver, WA - Columbia River Crossing Project

Projects in Project Development:

Mesa, AZ - Central Mesa LRT Extension
Fresno, CA - Fresno Area Express Blackstone/Kings Canyon BRT
Oakland, CA - East Bay BRT
Riverside, CA - Perris Valley Line
San Bernardino, CA - E Street Corridor sbX BRT
San Francisco, CA - Van Ness Avenue BRT
Fort Collins, CO - Mason Corridor BRT
Roaring Fork Valley, CO - VelociRFTA BRT
Jacksonville, FL - JTA BRT North Corridor
Grand Rapids, MI - Silver Line BRT
New York, NY - Nostrand Avenue BRT
Austin TX - MetroRapid BRT
El Paso, TX - Mesa Corrdior BRT
King County WA - RapidRide E Line BRT
King County WA - RapidRide F Line BRT
King County WA - West Seattle BRT (RapidRide)