ASC's Intersections Newsletter — October 18th, 2024
Nora’s Note
Progress to the people. This week the ASC team was out talking with leaders in planning and engineering. Underscoring every session was a repeated call for more and better public engagement. Speakers at the Society of American Military Engineers Annual Resilience Summit and the American Planning Association’s New York Metro Chapter Annual Conference recapped the wind down of 2024 and looked ahead to 2025 to come with a renewed focus, energy, and expansion of outreach, communication, and engagement in projects related to climate change, resilience, and infrastructure. Every panel, every speaker, every conversation hit hard the need for targeted public involvement that puts communities first to address the challenges ahead. Working at the intersection of people and policy for 30+ years, the ASC team knows that engagement and equity, plain language communication, and public involvement underpin the most successful outcomes in planning. We’re proud to heed the call from industry for public engagement for sustainable change.
Transportation
NYC considering capping parts of BQE using fed funds to reconnect divided communities. New York City is taking a bold step to transform the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) into a greener, more connected urban space. By capping parts of the elevated highway, the city aims to reconnect neighborhoods that have been divided for decades. Read more an envisioned future where the BQE is covered with lush greenery, new parks, and public spaces for residents to enjoy. (Source: AMNY)
Gothamist: NYC’s lower speed limits take effect in some areas after passage of Sammy’s Law
The City: New Train Cars Finally Come to Staten Island After Three-Year Wait
Mass Transit Mag: CTDOT launches new tap and ride pilot program
Climate
Black women are leading the fight against polluters in Louisiana — and they’re winning. For years, Louisiana’s industrial pollution has disproportionately affected a predominantly Black community along the Mississippi River known as Cancer Alley. Black women play a crucial role in fighting against Cancer Alley’s oil, gas, and petrochemical pollution, and their nonprofit and grassroots work has begun to receive major funding from philanthropists and government agencies. Read more for Cancer Alley’s grassroots and nonprofit organizations' community reach, increased funds for hurricane preparation and cleanup, food distribution, and public health issues. (Source: Floodlight News)
Associated Press: Biden sets 10-year deadline for US cities to replace lead pipes nationwide
PV Magazine: Three agrivoltaic community solar projects planned for New York
The Cool Down: Group of scientists aims to revolutionize industries with breakthrough in 100% compostable plastic: 'We are focused'
Economic Development
Community Groups Celebrate New Economic Hub in the South Bronx. Bronx-based community groups, united by the Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice (YMPJ), have transformed Bronx River Avenue underneath the Bruckner Expressway into an art-studded public plaza and daily market for small businesses. The Soundview Economic Hub represents a growing global strategy of neighborhood advocates to reclaim unused public space beneath elevated expressways. Read more for YMPJ's future plans for the space. (Source: The City)
Smart Cities Dive: Bill aims to help disaster-struck communities excluded from federal relief
Sacramento Bee: California launches $80 million home clean energy rebate program.
Axios: Manufacturing jobs now exceed pre-pandemic levels
Digital
Microsoft announces new AI tools to help ease workload for doctors and nurses. A new suite of AI tools aimed at healthcare is designed to streamline administrative tasks and improve patient care. Key offerings include AI-powered systems that assist doctors and nurses with documentation, saving time and reducing burnout. Open-source AI models allow healthcare providers to analyze a wide range of data, including medical images and genomic information, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses. Read more for AI integrated into healthcare systems, enhancing both clinical workflows and patient experiences. (Source: CNBC)
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