May 2013, NY MM E-news
Page 2
Ithaca Celebrates Active Transportation with Streets Alive!
By Ray Weaver,
Way2Go Program Director,
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
Contents
My 2 Cents NEMT Roundtable in Albany Help Desk Streets Alive Ithaca! 7-County Regional Transportation Study Google Public Data Quick Links Partnership for Mobility Management TDMListserv |
For the second year, over twelve blocks in downtown Ithaca were closed to cars for a few hours to celebrate Streets Alive! Pedestrians, cyclists, roller skaters and others were invited to celebrate the open streets. “The Streets Alive! event is modeled off of an open streets initiative that’s been happening across the country and across the world as well,” said Jeanne Leccese, coordinator for Creating Healthy Places project, Health Planning Council/Human Services Coalition. “It was inspired by this growing movement to create space for healthy activity in urban spaces.”
Three activity hubs outlined the Streets Alive! course and consisted of activities like a bike rodeo and live music near Ithaca High School, a food truck roundup, volleyball and a bike repair clinic at Thompson Park and dancing in the street near GIAC, a local community center. Throughout the route, adults and children alike celebrated with street art, lemonade stands, bake sales and music. “The best thing about Streets Alive! is that it’s unscripted. We provide the canvas, and the community provides the art.” Said Tim Logue, Transportation Engineer for the City of Ithaca, and a Streets Alive! steering committee member. The first Streets Alive! event took place in September 2012. Both this year and last year’s event had over 2000 participants. The next Streets Alive! is in the works for September 22, 2013. Streets Alive! has received funding from the Park Foundation and the Community Celebrations grant from the Tompkins County Strategic Planning Tourism board. The event also has a steering committee comprised of local organizations and campaigns including Way2Go, Ithaca Carshare, Get Your GreenBack Tompkins, Finger Lakes Cycling Club, Recycle Ithaca Bicycles, and the City of Ithaca. For more information about the event, visit http://streetsaliveithaca.com. |
Seven-County Regional Transportation Study Concludes in Central NY

click map to enlarge
From Nov 2011 to May 2013, seven NY counties - Cayuga, Cortland, Tioga, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca and Tompkins worked on a Regional Transportation Study (RTS) with lead consultants: Wendel Companies, in association with Arch Street Communications, the Bronner Group & Jack Reilly. The study is wrapping up. The final report and executive summary are found below.
Marlene Conner, Director of Public Transportation Planning, Wendel Companies, is the Project Manager. Ferando deAragon, Executive Director, ITCTC, is the Project Manager for Tompkins County and the RTS Client Committee. The project website is http://www.tompkins-co.org/itctc/RTS/indexRTS_projectsite.html
The full RTS Client Committee met on May 3, 2013 at TC3. Here is the presentation from the meeting.
Below is a meeting summary:
Regional Transportation Planning Coalition
May 2013
Subject: Brief Summary/Next Steps – Regional Transportation Initiative
At our meeting on Friday, May 3, at 9:30 a.m. at TC3, Marlene Connor, Director of Public Transportation Planning with the Wendel Companies, and her colleagues, Jim McLaughlin and Jack Reilly, presented the overview of the study that they had completed including their recommendations for enhancements for regional mobility services. An Executive Summary of the study was forwarded to all of you prior to our meeting. Following the presentation, there were a number of clarifying questions from those in attendance and questions that were raised about how we can move this initiative forward.
There were both short-term and long-term recommendations that were presented for the creation of a Virtual Regional Transportation Consortium. The consensus of the group was that this initiative, to achieve its potential, needs a strong advocate. Given tight budgets, limited staff, and multiple commitments of key staff, there was frustration as to how the resources could be found to do so. After additional conversation and debate, the following major outcomes or discussion were agreed upon:
1. There was a strong consensus among all members of the Coalition to accept and endorse the study and its recommendations presented by the Wendel Companies.
2. There were some monies remaining in the original grant that funded this study and it was agreed that those monies would be available for the Wendel Companies to develop a Phase I Pilot Proposal for funding consideration. This proposal would provide funding for a mobility manager, technical and software support for the regional initiative, and other related expenses. In an effort to attract funding, this proposal will include a focus on the economic impact of our regional initiative, as well as clear metrics for what would be achieved as a result of this Phase I implementation.
3. Dwight Mengel brought to our attention that there may possibly be some FTA Appalachan Region Public Transportation funding available. He will make contact to learn more about their level of interest in supporting our seven-county regional initiative.
4. Fernando De Aragón and Marlene Connor will follow up with their respective contacts at both the New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Department of Transportation for possible funding support for the Phase I Pilot implementation.
5. Carl Haynes will explore what aspects of the Study recommendations would be within the guidelines of our Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) for potential funding.
It was agreed that we should meet again in late June to review progress on these next steps, as well as explore any other ideas that may develop in the meantime and how we can continue to keep momentum going for this vital initiative of mobility services in this seven-county region.
Marlene Conner, Director of Public Transportation Planning, Wendel Companies, is the Project Manager. Ferando deAragon, Executive Director, ITCTC, is the Project Manager for Tompkins County and the RTS Client Committee. The project website is http://www.tompkins-co.org/itctc/RTS/indexRTS_projectsite.html
The full RTS Client Committee met on May 3, 2013 at TC3. Here is the presentation from the meeting.
Below is a meeting summary:
Regional Transportation Planning Coalition
May 2013
Subject: Brief Summary/Next Steps – Regional Transportation Initiative
At our meeting on Friday, May 3, at 9:30 a.m. at TC3, Marlene Connor, Director of Public Transportation Planning with the Wendel Companies, and her colleagues, Jim McLaughlin and Jack Reilly, presented the overview of the study that they had completed including their recommendations for enhancements for regional mobility services. An Executive Summary of the study was forwarded to all of you prior to our meeting. Following the presentation, there were a number of clarifying questions from those in attendance and questions that were raised about how we can move this initiative forward.
There were both short-term and long-term recommendations that were presented for the creation of a Virtual Regional Transportation Consortium. The consensus of the group was that this initiative, to achieve its potential, needs a strong advocate. Given tight budgets, limited staff, and multiple commitments of key staff, there was frustration as to how the resources could be found to do so. After additional conversation and debate, the following major outcomes or discussion were agreed upon:
1. There was a strong consensus among all members of the Coalition to accept and endorse the study and its recommendations presented by the Wendel Companies.
2. There were some monies remaining in the original grant that funded this study and it was agreed that those monies would be available for the Wendel Companies to develop a Phase I Pilot Proposal for funding consideration. This proposal would provide funding for a mobility manager, technical and software support for the regional initiative, and other related expenses. In an effort to attract funding, this proposal will include a focus on the economic impact of our regional initiative, as well as clear metrics for what would be achieved as a result of this Phase I implementation.
3. Dwight Mengel brought to our attention that there may possibly be some FTA Appalachan Region Public Transportation funding available. He will make contact to learn more about their level of interest in supporting our seven-county regional initiative.
4. Fernando De Aragón and Marlene Connor will follow up with their respective contacts at both the New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Department of Transportation for possible funding support for the Phase I Pilot implementation.
5. Carl Haynes will explore what aspects of the Study recommendations would be within the guidelines of our Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) for potential funding.
It was agreed that we should meet again in late June to review progress on these next steps, as well as explore any other ideas that may develop in the meantime and how we can continue to keep momentum going for this vital initiative of mobility services in this seven-county region.
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Google Public Data enables the user to easily graph and animate data trends over time. There are a number of U.S. Census Bureau data sets including population, economic indicators, state government finances and income inequality. I looked at Population data 1970-2010, at the county level, for the 7-County RTS region.(discussed above).
Population in the U.S. Data from U.S. Census Bureau Population estimates for US States, counties, cities and other places, by sex and gender. This dataset was prepared by Google based on data downloaded from U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. More info » Click on Play arrow (above, left) to see population changes since 1970. Labels can be moved around.
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