On Wednesday, February 25, at 6:30 pm, Regional Plan Association and CNU New York partner with the Museum of the City of New York for a timely discussion about urban design theories and their effects on climate change, quality of life and the economy. Download the event Flyer (1.2 MB PDF) for details.
President of RPA will discuss the effects of new urbanism, transit-oriented development, LEED-ND and smart growth in the New York metropolitan region and offer his suggestions for moving forward in this tough economic time. CNU President will comment with his own thoughts about how New York’s urbanism positions it for future success and how the nation as a whole can benefit from the techniques of new urbanism. The evening will begin with an introduction of the region’s New Urbanist precedents, including Jersey City, Forest Hills, Queens, Battery Park City and more.
After the event, join us for a 30-minute informal discussion and networking opportunity. Refreshments will be served.
Reservations are required. Please call 212.534.1672 x3395 or visit to reserve a spot today!
$9 for non-members, $5 for CNU, RPA, APA, ICA and MCNY members.
Museum of the City of New York is located at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd St.
This event is presented by CNU New York in partnership with:
Regional Plan Association
American Planning Association - NY, CT and NJ Chapters
With input from the incoming Obama Administration, Congress is now building a stimulus bill that will likely result in the largest investment in U.S. infrastructure since the creation of the interstate highway system.
For this hundred billion or more in spending to leave our country strategically stronger, not weaker, this moment must be used to chart a new direction for our nation’s transportation systems. The stimulus package must fund major investments in public transportation and high-speed rail, one of the causes the T4 America Campaign is leading with CNU’s full support. The bill must fix structurally deficient bridges, rather than target “functionally deficient” highways for expansion-minded rebuilding.
But perhaps most of all, the stimulus must distinguish between the right kind and wrong kind of pavement — those investments that make communities more livable and sustainable versus those that weaken our strategic position and make families frighteningly vulnerable to volatile energy prices.
Recognizing that networks of highly connected walkable streets are at the heart of great urbanism and of emerging standards for green neighborhood development, CNU sent a key proposal to House Transportation Committee Chair James Oberstar the Friday before Christmas, before the door closed on forwarding items for consideration as part of the stimulus bill.
Developed in consultation with transportation engineers Rick Chellman and Brian Bochner, CNU’s Connected Networks Proposal gives Congress and the Obama Administration a simple and direct means for identifying and funding walkable, high-value networks. In contrast to most federal funding programs, which target sections of individual state highways and other major roads in isolation, CNU’s proposal would apply a new “network” designation to entire areas meeting specific connectivity standards. All streets within qualifying network areas, including the local roads that are generally overlooked by the Feds, could receive federal funding to maintain or improve connectivity through projects that address street conditions, traffic distribution, circulation, or multi-modal movement. Cities and towns have lots and lots of these projects ready to go and ready to create green-collar construction jobs.
Image: A Civic Vision for Turnpike Air Rights, Boston, MA, by Goody Clancy and Associates
The eligibility criteria are straightforward, the same connectivity standards we at CNU helped develop for LEED for Neighborhood Development, as part of its innovative partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Portions of cities and towns with intersection densities of 150 per square mile would qualify, as would projects that improve connectivity in a non-networked area so that it meets the 150-intersection-per-mile threshold upon completion.
The measure could be called the green street network proposal because without well-connected networks of walkable urban streets served by transit, there simply can be neither energy-efficient green development nor reliable relief from energy price instability. (See how the combination of walkable street networks and mixed-use city and suburban neighborhoods results in driving levels and driving-related carbon emissions that can be of regional averages.) Or it could be called the livable (and valuable) street networks initiative because connected streets are the necessary framework for enduring neighborhoods where shops, schools, offices and other places that serve our daily needs can be found within convenient walking or biking distance. In a time of turmoil in the real estate markets, there are that these walkable locations are retaining more value and are positioned to take advantage of .
If you want to make sure the stimulus bill funds the pavement that supports green neighborhoods — not just the highways and driving-only locations that worsen our oil addition — ask your Congressperson to support CNU’s Connected Street Network proposal.
Image: Site map of Mixson, North Charleston, SC, developed by I’On Group, rendering by Peter Musty.
