1. What is Sustainable Transportation? CEE 8207 Project Presentation 9 July 2015 Mark Guida, Drew Britten, Marcus Snyder, and Nick Monsu

2. Overview  Introduction  Livable Communities  Economics  Environment  Conclusions

3. Livable Communities  Keys to a livable community  Mixed land use design practices  Context sensitive roadway design solutions  Providing a place to live and work

4. Mixed Land Use – Places to Meet Your Neighbors Palmer Square, Princeton, NJ  Break away from the suburban office park  Mixed-use “arenas” can satisfy economic and social needs – residences, commercial office and retail  Increases in social capital, economic and commercial growth  Helps to break down psychological barriers

5. Roadways for the Community 165 th Street – The Bronx: proposal to “organize” the cross section of the roadway so to help eliminate pedestrian and bicycle accidents. Accident occurrences here outnumber almost all other roadways in The Bronx.  Allowance for all modes of transportation that helps support a safe atmosphere  Should promote a pedestrian friendly environment  Sense of a communal shared space and not a thruway  Reverting back to traditionalist ideals over modernist ones

6. Alternative Transportation  Light rail/subway  Commuter rail  Bicycle  Walking  Car/Vanpool  Bus  Streetcar  Water taxi Seattle Link, Light Rail System

7. Safe Place to Live and Work  U.S. - 32,000 traffic related deaths (2013)  Re-prioritize the street by including spaces for all users  Shorten crosswalks and include medians  Slow down traffic – half as likely to die if hit by 25 mph car than by 30 mph New York City — pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers have designated roadway spaces reducing traffic accidents. (sustainablecitiescollective.com)

8. Economics: the case for sustainable transportation  Current funding mechanism is unsustainable  Consider the real costs of our current transportation system - time in traffic, environmental impact, and public health  Sustainable approach looks to diversify transportation options, increase efficiencies, and reduce maintenance costs

9. We can’t pave our way out of congestion…  More lanes = more congestion, emissions  DC and Baltimore (urban sprawl)  Funding cannot keep up with demand ...or maintenance costs Historically, expanding highways changes people’s travel behaviors, creating more trips and more congestion. (Photo: FHWA)

10. Reduce Roadway Maintenance  Regular roadway maintenance is required  Harsh winters can pose a problem  Salt alternatives can be examined  Wisconsin is starting to use cheese brine

11. Adding Value to Main St.  Convert 4 lanes to 2 and add street parking  Add raised or colored crosswalks  Wide sidewalks with zero setback buildings  Curb plantings and rain gardens to catch run-off  Bus and bicycle friendly  Additional parking behind storefronts  Upper floor residential space

12. Bringing Customers to Businesses Penn Station—New York City  Downtown trips are often cumbersome and unappealing by car  MTA – Nearly 400 million people road NYC mass transit during the weekends in 2014  Effective mass transit to a commercial center can break America’s car obsession Market East Station - Philadelphia

13. Environment: Enhance, Preserve, and Protect  Leave a better place for future generations  Reduce air pollution for healthier cities  Improved fitness from biking and walking  More urban green space  Vibrant, livable cities Bike to Work Day

14. Reduce Emissions  Responsible for >25% of Carbon Emissions  One bus can remove 40 cars from city streets  Commuter rail emits 25% less CO 2 than a typical car per passenger mile  Chicago CTA removes the equivalent of 400,000 cars from regional roads each week  4,800 pounds of emissions per person per year by switching to transit

15. Green Space and You  Playgrounds, gardens, playing fields, green courtyards  Sense of place for community  Squares in Savannah, GA  GreenPlan Philadelphia is working to promote green space in the City

16. Runoff and Water Quality  Pavements prevent rainfall from infiltration and evapotranspiration  Higher speeds causes erosion  Stormwater carries pollutants from roadway  Traditional mitigation method: Retention ponds  Sustainable Solutions – maximize infiltration. Ex. Rain Gardens A rain garden reduces stormwater runoff and pollutants along a roadway. (statecollegepa.us)

17. Conclusions  Implement sustainable transportation practices through:  Creating livable communities  Making economically sustainable decisions  Being environmentally conscious  Reward the short and transit trips  Properly designed transportation systems and appropriate land-use design are complimentary

18. Thank you!