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Maryland: West Hyattsville Metro Transit District Development Plan
The West Hyattsville Transit Oriented Development Strategy received the 2004 AASHTO Best Project of the Year Award for Smart Growth and Sustainable Transportation Initiatives. In 2002, PB was retained by the State of Maryland to study the transit-oriented development (TOD) potential of the area surrounding the existing Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metro station in West Hyattsville, MD. The study involved the assessment of development opportunities and constraints, the creation of three alternative TOD scenarios, and the creation of a final master development plan, which envisions a transit village with 3,600 residential units, one million square feet of commercial space, and an extensive system of parks and open space.
Hydraulic modeling was performed as part of the design process to study potential flood events and ensure that floodplain storage is maintained. A comprehensive stormwater management plan was created, which incorporated numerous Low Impact Development (LID) techniques including green roofs, bioretention areas, filter strips, wetlands and micro-pools and sand filters. Other environmentally friendly features, integral to the overall stormwater management system, and providing recreational and aesthetic benefits, include:
- A centrally located stream valley park that includes trails, ball fields, and innovative flood management;
- Three neighborhood parks that serve as neighborhood activity and gathering places;
- Five pocket parks that offer recreation and open space to the elderly and small children;
- Three landscaped boulevards that define neighborhood edges and create attractive streetscapes; and
- Five “green streets” that integrate innovative stormwater management techniques into their cross sections.
The plan recommendations have been incorporated into the “Preliminary West Hyattsville Transit District Development Plan and Proposed SMA for the Transit District Overlay Zone” and have been used to assist the local transit agency (WMATA) in the selection of a master developer for the area.
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Vermont Interchange Policy and Planning Initiative
The Vermont Interchange Policy and Planning Initiative received the 2004 AASHTO Best Program Award for Smart Growth and Sustainable Transportation Initiatives. The program is a unique smart growth approach for planning and designing the state's interstate highway interchanges. The program is a joint effort of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA), the state Agency of Transportation (VTrans), regional planning commissions, and several municipalities, who worked together to implement a proactive policy and planning initiative for interchanges. The initiative focused upon strengthening local planning and regulation and encouraging communities and developers to plan for appropriate land uses in conjunction with transportation investments.
As part of the effort, the state developed a handbook, Design Guidelines for Planning and Development at Interstate Interchanges. The handbook includes:
· A land use inventory as well as a photographic catalogue and scenic analysis of each of the state's 52 interchange areas;
· Categorization of the interchanges into six “typologies”;
· A build-out of five interchanges and corresponding preferred alternative growth scenarios based on smart growth principles; and
· Implementation strategies.
The handbook is divided into two parts: planning guidelines and design guidelines. The planning guidelines, which are intended for use by local and regional planning officials, examine existing conditions at Interstate areas in Vermont and outline specific issues that must be addressed to address future growth. The design guidelines are tailored to each of the six interchange “typologies” based on existing conditions and development conditions. The design guidelines address elements such as access management, site development and layout, building design, lighting, signage, and landscaping. The guidelines also promote appropriate land uses for development of interchange areas.
DHCA and VTrans have made it a priority to support municipal and regional planning for interchange areas through grant funds as well as through education of local land-use decision makers. Innovative tools including a GIS inventory of natural and scenic resources as well as visualization tools have been used to support interchange area planning, and the state has purchased conservation easements to protect valuable resources near interchange areas.
The guidelines and other interchange planning resources are available on the DHCA’s website.
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Colorado: 28th Street South Design and Construction Project, Boulder
The 28th Street South Design and Construction Project converted an auto-oriented roadway to a multi-modal transportation corridor, representing the first such conversion within the City of Boulder. The design includes seven bus-transfer "Super-Stops" and pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly connection points. The City of Boulder developed the corridor improvement concepts in partnership with other transportation and public agencies and area stakeholders, including the Colorado Department of Transportation, the University of Colorado, the Regional Transportation District, business owners, the arts community, residents, bicycling advocacy groups, the disabled community, and the community at-large.
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District of Columbia: The Anacostia Waterfront Revitalization, South Capitol Gateway and Corridor Improvement Study
The District of Columbia Department of Transportation's South Capitol Gateway and Corridor Improvement Study will transform South Capitol Street, a southern gateway to the city, into a new boulevard lined with housing, shops, public buildings, and parks. The study is part of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, a multi-billion dollar effort to transform this area, including 2,800 acres of parkland and adjoining communities, into a world-class destination for residents and tourists. A new bridge, tunnel, street improvements, and other transportation infrastructure provide the backbone for revitalization of the area. The initiative will help restore the river’s water quality as well as promoting sustainable economic development in waterfront neighborhoods.
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North Carolina: Hillsborough Street Partnership
Hillsborough Street, separating North Carolina State University from retail shops and an historic neighborhood, is one of the most unique and historic corridors in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1999, a unique partnership was formed among the North Carolina Department of Transportation, neighborhood groups, the City of Raleigh, Triangle Transit Authority, North Carolina State University, and local business and community leaders to develop a vision for the street that would address the area’s safety and growth problems. The community collaboration began with a series of "visioning" workshops that assembled over 500 residents, university personnel, business owners, and transportation officials. The community envisioned Hillsborough Street as a destination rather than a thoroughfare. Converted from four lanes to two lanes with a median, the street will include additional pedestrian crossings, more on-street parking, roundabouts to keep traffic flowing, and new streetscape features.
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Ohio: High Street Cap
The High Street Cap in Columbus, Ohio is a $1.2 million bridge-deck that "caps" the recently expanded Interstate 670 highway below. This extraordinary bridge—in which new retail buildings were built into each side of the overpass—is bringing a new sense of life to the community. The High Street Cap was a direct result of a year-long process that involved neighborhood and community representatives in the design process for rebuilding the 40-year-old corridor. The project was built through a joint effort of the Ohio DOT, the City of Columbus, and downtown community groups.
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California: Context-Sensitive Solutions: Changing the Culture
This project was the winner in the “Best Institutional Change” category. For California's Department of Transportation (Caltrans), CSS is more than a concept; it is a new way of doing business that incorporates smart growth concepts into the agency's mission. Beginning with leadership from top state transportation officials, Caltrans is "changing the culture" through a collection of policies, directives, guidance documents, funding mechanisms, and training programs, all representing an agency-wide commitment to context-sensitive solutions as a tool in achieving smart growth.
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Idaho: Statewide Transportation Visioning Process
From 2002 to 2004, the Idaho Transportation Department engaged more than 750 people from public and private sectors in Idaho to envision their preferred future by defining a statewide transportation system for the next 30 years. The process included creation of an extensive stakeholder database, an executive round table, regional workshops with electronic keypad Town Hall polling, a scenario planning workshop, a performance measurement workshop, and development of an implementation guide.
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New Jersey: Integrated Transportation and Land Use Program
New Jersey DOT launched the Integrated Transportation and Land Use Program as a way to leverage the full value out of all infrastructure investments made in the state's corridors. The backbone of the effort was a multi-modal, context-sensitive, cooperative planning and design process for specific study areas or corridors. The program used an interactive community involvement process, first to establish the general vision and framework for guiding transportation and land use changes within the study area, followed by development of preliminary design concepts, local transportation network changes, and land use changes.
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Pennsylvania: Action Plan on Transportation and Land Use For Economic Development
The Action Plan, developed in 2003, specified some 56 tasks officials will undertake to integrate sound land use planning with infrastructure investments for the Commonwealth. Development of the plan itself was a collaborative process among four state agencies—the Departments of Transportation, Environmental Protection, Conservation and Natural Resources, and Community and Economic Development. As a result, PennDOT is now committed to target economic development funding on transportation improvements in existing communities and potential "brownfields" sites and to get communities involved earlier in major projects so that land use issues can be considered in the selection of transportation alternatives. PennDOT also is implementing its context-sensitive solutions initiative to integrate environmental and community goals into transportation projects.
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