Context Sensitive Solutions Context Sensitive Solutions for Freightfor Freight

By Allison L. C. de Cerreño, Ph.D.By Allison L. C. de Cerreño, Ph.D.

Co-Director, NYU Wagner Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Co-Director, NYU Wagner Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management and Executive Director, National Association of City Management and Executive Director, National Association of City

Transportation Officials (NACTO), Inc.Transportation Officials (NACTO), Inc.

FHWA Talking Freight SeminarFHWA Talking Freight Seminar

May 18, 2005May 18, 2005

CSS DefinitionsCSS Definitions

CSS is a “philosophy wherein safe CSS is a “philosophy wherein safe transportation solutions are designed in transportation solutions are designed in harmony with the community.”harmony with the community.”

CSS includes public participation, but…CSS includes public participation, but…CSS CSS ≠ public participation alone≠ public participation alone

CSS is about making a “place”CSS is about making a “place”

Difficulties in ImplementationDifficulties in Implementation

Competing interestsCompeting interests

Fiscal constraintsFiscal constraints

Institutional inertia and organizational cultureInstitutional inertia and organizational culture

Lack of contextual definitionLack of contextual definition

Legal concernsLegal concerns

CSS for FreightCSS for Freight

Community concernsCommunity concerns– Traffic flow/congestionTraffic flow/congestion– Safety/securitySafety/security– Air quality/environmental degradationAir quality/environmental degradation– Economic developmentEconomic development– NoiseNoise– Excessive light/vibrationsExcessive light/vibrations– Land use/valueLand use/value

CSS and Freight - ExamplesCSS and Freight - Examples

Pennsylvania and NJ – Integration of CSS Pennsylvania and NJ – Integration of CSS into All Projectsinto All Projects

Seattle, WA – Port of Seattle’s Parks and Seattle, WA – Port of Seattle’s Parks and PiersPiers

Toledo, OH – Maumee River CrossingToledo, OH – Maumee River Crossing

Courtesy: PennDOT

NJNJ

SeattleSeattle

FAST (Freight Action Strategy for Everett-FAST (Freight Action Strategy for Everett-Seattle-Tacoma)Seattle-Tacoma)

Central Waterfront ProjectCentral Waterfront Project

Port Parks and Public AccessPort Parks and Public Access

Seattle’s Central WaterfrontSeattle’s Central Waterfront

Courtesy: Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce

Reclaiming the WaterfrontReclaiming the Waterfront

VisionVision– A belief that the Port’s landholdings on the A belief that the Port’s landholdings on the

central waterfront could be a catalyst for central waterfront could be a catalyst for economic development and a civic asset for economic development and a civic asset for the city.the city.

ProcessProcess– Studies for public commentStudies for public comment– A concept to allow both civic and commercial A concept to allow both civic and commercial

usesuses

Goals of the Team Goals of the Team

Create a new, urban neighborhood, “rewoven” Create a new, urban neighborhood, “rewoven” into the fabric of the city.into the fabric of the city.Develop linkages to reconnect the waterfront to Develop linkages to reconnect the waterfront to establish and rekindle communities.establish and rekindle communities.Respond to the historic and contextual forces of Respond to the historic and contextual forces of the site.the site.Create a Create a placeplace of use, where people could of use, where people could convene, work, play, liveconvene, work, play, liveCreate a framework for economic success for the Create a framework for economic success for the Port, its industries, and the city.Port, its industries, and the city.

The VisionThe Vision

WTC

Cruise TerminalParking

Conference Center

Restaurants

Hotel Site

Marina

Condos

Office Building

Courtesy: Port of Seattle

Bell Street Pier TodayBell Street Pier Today

Courtesy: Port of Seattle

Lenora Street FootbridgeLenora Street Footbridge

Courtesy: Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce

Port of Seattle’s ParksPort of Seattle’s Parks

Courtesy: Port of Seattle

Parks and Public Access SitesParks and Public Access Sites

60 acres of parks and 60 acres of parks and public access sitespublic access sites– Bike trailsBike trails– Pedestrian trailsPedestrian trails– Fishing piersFishing piers– Habitat restoration areaHabitat restoration area– Shoreline accessShoreline access– Viewpoints of the portViewpoints of the port

Courtesy: Port of Seattle

Courtesy: Port of Seattle

Maumee River CrossingMaumee River Crossing

Courtesy: Lookup ToledoCourtesy: Lookup Toledo

CSS in Practice at MaumeeCSS in Practice at Maumee

Primary Criteria for Determining Bridge TypePrimary Criteria for Determining Bridge Type– Public preferencePublic preference– Use of local labor and materialsUse of local labor and materials– Overall themeOverall theme– AppearanceAppearance

Secondary CriteriaSecondary Criteria– Construction costsConstruction costs– Maintenance costs and frequencyMaintenance costs and frequency– Compatibility with approach materialsCompatibility with approach materials– Traffic maintenanceTraffic maintenance– Amount of disruption caused by constructionAmount of disruption caused by construction

Public Involvement DecisionsPublic Involvement Decisions

Type of BridgeType of Bridge– 4 Choices presented for the overall design – public 4 Choices presented for the overall design – public

favorite was the cable-stayed bridgefavorite was the cable-stayed bridge

Design ElementsDesign Elements– Single pylon, fan-like arrangement of the cable stays, Single pylon, fan-like arrangement of the cable stays,

glass incorporated into pylon with the top as a focal glass incorporated into pylon with the top as a focal point, low maintenance and neutral colorpoint, low maintenance and neutral color

Land Reuse DecisionsLand Reuse Decisions– Fill trench left and reconnect local roads and Fill trench left and reconnect local roads and

communities, also allow access to the rivercommunities, also allow access to the river

The Result for MaumeeThe Result for Maumee

Courtesy: Figg Bridge Engineers

Courtesy of ODOT

Maumee River CrossingMaumee River Crossing

Courtesy: DSI America

Contact Points and InformationContact Points and Information

Me: Me: allison.decerreno@nyu.eduallison.decerreno@nyu.edu

Port of Seattle: The Port & the CommunityPort of Seattle: The Port & the Community– http://www.portofseattle.orghttp://www.portofseattle.org

City of Seattle: Department of Planning & DevelopmentCity of Seattle: Department of Planning & Development– http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/dpd/Planning/Central_Waterfront/index.asphttp://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/dpd/Planning/Central_Waterfront/index.asp

ODOT: Planning, Urban & Corridor PlanningODOT: Planning, Urban & Corridor Planning– http://www.dot.state.oh.us/planning/File%20Directory/ODOTstandards.http://www.dot.state.oh.us/planning/File%20Directory/ODOTstandards.

htmhtm

Maumee River Crossing – Look Up ToledoMaumee River Crossing – Look Up Toledo– http://www.lookuptoledo.orghttp://www.lookuptoledo.org

TRB, TRB, Integrating Freight Facilities and Operations with Community Integrating Freight Facilities and Operations with Community GoalsGoals, NCHRCP Synthesis 320 (Washington DC: TRB, 2003) , NCHRCP Synthesis 320 (Washington DC: TRB, 2003)