ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of November 30, 2020
Nora's Note
The future of public engagement in a word: "and."
Looking toward the likely Groundhog Day of 2021 and the need to move infrastructure and planning projects to add jobs and economic recovery, we’re building a hybrid model for public engagement. It combines face-to-face and virtual formats to keep projects moving, leverage the hunger for connectivity, enable equitable participation and keep attendees safe, even in post-pandemic outreach. We’ve seen projects try to replicate face-to-face in virtual environments, falling short by not adjusting for differences in onsite and remote participation. There's a better way to leverage the best of both, with faster, shorter, more interactive bursts of engagement on the remote side and no-contact replacements for sign-in and comment submission nametags for when we’re face-to-face once again. The next phase in outreach is an “and” rather than an “or” when it comes to engagement.
Transportation
Driving badly in DC? You might get a warning text. Is there a correlation between racking up traffic tickets and being involved in serious car crashes? Some researchers say yes, with those who have numerous tickets also appearing to be at higher risk for potentially serious crashes. A new pilot program in the Washington, DC, area will warn drivers with multiple violations through a text message. Using predictive modeling and existing traffic data, the program will test the correlation while alerting high-risk drivers to the potential for future crashes. The pilot is still in its initial stages, but the District hopes to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities, which have increased by 46% from this time last year. Read on to learn more about how the program will account for data privacy concerns.
FHWA Public Roads: Collaboration and Visualization in Hydraulic Engineering
Transport Topics: 2021 Expected to Be Pivotal Year for Commercialization of Electric Vehicles
The Wave: Bird Lands In Rockaway
San Diego Union-Tribute: Robotaxi companies can now win approval to operate in California
Reading Eagle: PennDOT plans to finalize study regarding Reading-to-Philadelphia rail passenger service
NJ.com: Plan outlines how to make N.J. bus service better
Transportation Today: USDOT announces first-ever plan targeting pedestrian injuries, fatalities
Mass Transit: AVs Pave the Way for Future Mobility
Energy/Environment
LA pilots Google tree canopy tech. Planting trees is one popular way for cities to reduce the heat island effect in their communities. Last month, the City of Los Angeles announced it will begin using Google’s Tree Canopy technology to better track tree coverage density across the city. The technology will use machine learning to plot where the city currently has the most and least tree coverage density. This information will then be paired with socioeconomic and health-related data, allowing Los Angeles to plan for future efforts with equity in mind. Read on to see how the new technology connects to other activities across the country that are working to reduce the impact of the heat island effect.
Smart Cities World: Initiative aims to track use of renewable energy in real-time
GreenTechMedia: How Europe Can Build 100GW of Offshore Wind by 2030
Scientific American: Otters Show How Predators Can Blunt Climate Damage
Recycling Today: National Recycling Goal aims to boost recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030
NPR: Farmers Are Warming Up To The Fight Against Climate Change
PV Magazine: Best ways to close the income equity gap in solar adoption
CNBC: In New York’s East River, a tidal power project takes shape
Washington Post: An unusual snack for cows, a powerful fix for climate
Economic Development
An inside look at the Hudson Heritage project. As the medical and education sectors in Dutchess County see significant growth, abandoned buildings and land plots present an opportunity for continued economic advancement. One site for future economic development is the 156-acre Hudson Heritage project, which will transform the former Hudson River State Hospital into an “intergenerational live-work-play community.” Plans for Hudson Heritage include 350,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, a hotel, 750 residential units, medical facilities, a performing arts center and more. While the project will take several years to complete, the development’s first building—a ShopRite that will employ about 200 workers—will open in early 2021. Read on to learn more about the planned economic benefits of the new development.
Government Technology: Philadelphia Leaders Work to ‘Future Proof’ the Workforce
Newsday: New York joins with Coursera to offer free online job skill training
ITS International: Ford unveils Detroit 'walkable mobility' district
City & State NY: How the new normal could narrow New York’s digital divide
Governing: Norfolk to Build a More Tech, Climate Resilient Waterfront
CNBC: Main Street pins hopes on Small Business Saturday sales to help stay afloat
NY Times: Despite Challenges, Opportunity Zones Provide Much-Needed Capital
ABC 7 NY: NYC launches small business support for low-income communities
New at ASC
Our recent webinar “How to Maximize Your Virtual Engagement" with CEOs Nora Madonick (ASC) and Rebecca Karp (Karp Strategies) is now available on-demand.
Learn to use new technology to reach and engage audiences
Find out what works and what doesn’t
Take away guidance from real-world scenarios
The webinar showcased the teams' collaboration—Toolkit for Virtual Engagement—and you can download it today at ascRemote to build a strategy to meet your audiences where they are to advance the civic planning projects and initiatives that will speed recovery.
Get in touch to learn how our signature approach can work for you.
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