The Boston Foundation’s Post

As planners, how do you honour the past while building for the future? The dynamic tension between reflecting on, realigning and revolutionising how things are done is an ever-changing balancing act that sounds simple but is always a challenge. This year's Planning Institute of Australia Queensland State Conference, which starts today, is tackling how these factors can come together to shape the future against the stunning backdrop of K'gari (Fraser Island), the world's largest sand island. Our own Nick Veitch will be at the conference discussing the topic of 'Measuring transformative change using People Movement Data', which will dive into the power of mobile phone mobility data for analysing change over time. We can't wait to hear from all the bright minds at this year's conference! #PIAQLDconf24 #planning #peoplemovementdata #spatialanalysis #urbanplanning

🔗 Register now and join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/ebuFywKB The webinar: ’Beyond the tracks: what’s the cost of true urban regeneration?’, takes place on Tuesday, 28 January, at 13:00 (GMT).   Bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and international experts, the webinar will explore:  - How light rail projects can unlock urban regeneration and socio-economic growth.  - Lessons from global best practices, including Lyon, on delivering integrated and impactful transit systems.  - The critical role of appraisal frameworks in capturing these benefits, enabling stronger business cases and secure investment for future projects  The event will set the stage for an urgent conversation on how the UK can align its transport strategy with its long-term social and environmental goals. By reframing how we evaluate and deliver infrastructure projects, we can transform our cities and ensure they thrive for generations to come. 

[Insights] When cities embrace technological advancements to improve urban mobility, they often confront a delicate equilibrium—enhancing road safety while sustaining the financial viability of enforcement systems. ✨ Mazen Houry dissects this interplay in his latest thought-provoking piece, offering an analysis of how automated traffic enforcement programs shape urban ecosystems. From their role in reducing accidents to their ripple effects on economic sustainability, the article interrogates the core tension between public compliance and revenue generation. Can both coexist harmoniously, or are they destined to conflict? ⚖️ With examples spanning global practices—from Europe’s public funding frameworks to the U.S. concession model—the article also dives into the operational, ethical, and strategic considerations underpinning these initiatives. 🌍 This is an invitation to rethink how we design, deploy, and sustain said systems. Click below to read Mazen’s full article and join the conversation about what the future holds for urban safety and economic resilience. 👇 https://lnkd.in/ePJKMQDx

A week ago, we released the 2023 Urban Mobility Report detailing roadway congestion in American cities and how experts are solving these problems. Here's a look at how Texas cities ranked.⬇️ #UMR2023 Dig into the report: mobility.tamu.edu/umr

Transit is an essential, base of the pyramid Vision Zero strategy to reduce exposure and shift more people to a safer mode (with first/last mile safety a required combo). Great new blog from my transit colleagues at F&P.

We were joined by Paul Wilson from the Connected Places Catapult yesterday to discuss the importance of connected cities. Three key points were covered: Rapid urbanisation, data, and resilience in infrastructure. Every week, one million new people are living in cities. They will increasingly shape the future and we must consider how to manage and make the most of their expansion. Central to this is data and resilience - unless we have strong protocols for data sharing in a national crisis, our cities will likely struggle to operate effectively. See our full Briefing Programme here: https://lnkd.in/g5P9g2Zt

We’re excited to share a Part 2 of transformative transportation projects in NYMTC’s draft UPWP that will improve transportation across the region: 1️⃣ Coney Island Alternative Access – Congestion Study: Tackling congestion and enhancing safety with a multimodal approach to support the area’s revitalization. 2️⃣ Morris Park East Bronx Transportation Study: Addressing congestion, safety, and mobility near key Bronx roadways and institutions to enhance transit, freight, and multi-modal access. 3️⃣ Queens & Staten Island sites of the NYC Freight Hub and Flow Analysis: Focusing on optimizing routes, reducing bottlenecks, and improving freight efficiency across key hubs in all five boroughs. 4️⃣Queens Boulevard Great Streets Transformation Implementation: Enhancing safety, improving access, and piloting speed-limiting tech on fleet vehicles to reimagine this key corridor. 5️⃣ York Avenue Transportation Study: Developing strategies to reduce congestion, improve safety, and enhance mobility near York Avenue and the FDR Drive. Discover how these efforts will enhance mobility, sustainability, and connectivity in our communities and share your input by 2/3 by submitting to Seitu.Allen@dot.ny.gov. Join one of two webinars on 1/30 (3 or 6 PM) for more info ➡️ https://bit.ly/4jku1Yq #TransportationPlanning

There is more than transit that is needed to improve transit equity and equality. To learn more, see Measuring Transit Equity of an On-Demand Multimodal Transit System in JAPA (open access) by GT's own Uijeong Hwang, Seung Jae Lieu, Hongzhao Guan, Kevin Dalmeijer, Pascal Van Hentenryck and Subhro Guhathakurta. #transportation #affordablehousing #landuse #urbanplanning

🚍 NEW ANALYSIS: How can cities build financially resilient public transit systems? Our latest working paper examines how transit agencies worldwide are adapting their funding models to ensure long-term sustainability. Key insights: • Traditional fare-dependent models are increasingly vulnerable • Successful agencies tap into multiple revenue streams • Emerging funding mechanisms like land value capture and congestion pricing present untapped funding opportunities • Policy frameworks need updating to enable funding diversification This research provides actionable recommendations for transit agencies, city leaders and policymakers. Read the full paper to learn how Copenhagen, Paris and others diversify transit revenue: https://bit.ly/4g5fEVC #PublicTransport #PublicTransit #UrbanResilience #UrbanDevelopment #SustainableTransport

What are the likely policies of a Harris-Walz administration on walkability, public transit, public space and livable cities? A discussion topic for our 61st International Making Cities Livable, with featured speaker Professor Vikas Mehta. He met with Vice President Harris to discuss this issue, and will share his insights. https://lnkd.in/g4vsnZyB