ASC's Intersections Newsletter — Week of August 31, 2020
Nora's Note
When we launched Intersections in January, we saw it as a forum about public engagement and the industries we work in. Sixty days later, we were fighting for our lives, businesses around the country were sinking, anger was rising and a national depression was taking hold. And Intersections quickly shifted to become a place to talk about turning the challenge of COVID-19 into an opportunity for new partnerships and growth. We did what small business does best—we pivoted, looked forward and will soon launch ascRemote—a suite of tools and ideas that brings together what we have learned about keeping meaningful dialogue open from a distance.
The Virtual Outreach Toolkit, our first tool, was developed in a new collaboration with Karp Strategies as a guide to over 70 emerging and existing technologies for public engagement. Sign up for the ascRemote mailing list to learn more.
Transportation
Mid-Atlantic, Northeast states collaborate to cut carbon emissions from transportation. After drastic declines this spring resulting from the pandemic, traffic is returning in many regions across the nation. With the transportation sector currently causing a quarter of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, a return to "traffic as usual" spells trouble for the environment. Regional collaborations across transportation systems, like those forged through the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), are valuable in addressing transportation’s impact. Read on to learn more about how the TCI plans to cut emissions while improving mobility across 13 jurisdictions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
The Verge: Revel’s electric mopeds return to NYC with new in-app safety test and mandatory helmet selfies
Transportation Today: NHTSA App to deliver safety info to drivers
FHWA Public Roads: Going-to-the-Sun-Road: Construction and Restoration
DC Velocity: Technology promotes transparency in transportation, shipping
Mass Transit: NJ – After a coronavirus-fueled crash, commuter traffic is coming back
The Trucker: U.S. DOT requests public comment on a pilot program for additional HOS flexibility
SI Live: Transportation - 10 ‘most wanted’ safety improvements
Forbes: How To Make Streets Kid-Friendly
Energy/Environment
Climate crisis upside to the pandemic? COVID-19 and climate change have more in common than one would assume at first glance. Both present a global challenge, pose a threat to public health and require that citizens place their trust in scientific expertise in the search for solutions. These similarities are among the reasons why one geophysicist argues that an unexpected upside of the pandemic is that responses to COVID-19 may be a blueprint for future action on climate change. Read on to learn more about how lessons learned in the past few months might shape the following years of environmental action.
Forbes: Get Smart – AI And The Energy Sector Revolution
The Guardian: Human consumption of the Earth's resources declined in 2020
Smart Energy International: Universities explore EV and clean energy impact on environment
Yale E360: On the Delaware, A Promising New Era in Cleanup of an Urban River
OilPrice: The U.S. Energy Storage Boom Is About To Begin
Science Alert: Breakthrough in Artificial Photosynthesis Lets Scientists Store The Sun's Energy as Fuel
Scientific American: A Proposed Storm Surge Barrier Could Protect Texas from Storms like Laura
NorthJersey.com: NJ Legislature passes landmark environmental justice bill to protect minority communities
Economic Development
Why N.Y.C.’s Future May Hinge on Businesses Outside Manhattan. From an absence of shoppers coming through the doors to difficulty making rent, New York City businesses are facing a sea of challenges even as reopening phases have rolled out. And it’s not just Manhattan—the surrounding boroughs, also booming before the pandemic, are edging toward reopening with their business districts on an unclear path to recovery. Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island housed about half the jobs created in the 5 years before the pandemic, and are going to need focused attention to get back on their feet in addition to the work the City’s 76 business improvement districts are doing. Dive in for a look what the long road of recovery ahead looks like for New York City’s economy.
Westfair Communications: Developer slices size of planned North Broadway development in Tarrytown
WorkScoop: Houston offers technical training to low-income residents, students
Bloomberg: Where U.S. Small Businesses Are Feeling the Most Pandemic Pain
Next City: ‘Digital Detroit’ Works to Bridge Digital Divide for Small and Micro Businesses
The Real Deal NY: What’s wrong with NYC housing? A lot, these folks say
Smart Cities Dive: New resource aims to help cities improve data sharing across boundaries
Government Technology: Georgia Tech’s Smart Communities Challenge Inspires City Innovation
Greater Greater Washington: This Solar For All program creates jobs and can reduce expenses for low-income households
We want to hear from you and work with you! ASC delivers communication solutions that help communities see the possibilities.
Coming Soon: ASC will soon launch ascRemote—a suite of tools and ideas to keep a meaningful dialogue open from a distance. Sign up for updates at asc-remote.com.
Get in touch to learn how our signature approach can work for you.
Subscribe to Arch Street Communications' Newsletter Intersections