One of the most vital transportation links in the New York metropolitan region, the Tappan Zee Bridge is due for a major upgrade to satisfy growing travel demands. New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), New York State Thruway Authority and MTA Metro-North Railroad are working together to plan a new bridge that includes exciting possibilities for transit that will better meet the needs of Rockland and Westchester County communities along the I-287/I-87 corridor.  Five design alternatives currently being evaluated by NYSDOT range from adding a bus-rapid transit (BRT) link across the bridge (both with and without a designated travel lane) to building a heavy rail link from Suffern to New York City.

A longtime proponent of “Building Communities through Transportation” and “Thinking Beyond the Station,” PPS was hired by NYSDOT, along with the Regional Plan Association and Reconnecting America, to conduct workshops with communities along the corridor to leverage the state’s transit investment and explore opportunities for transit oriented development. The Tappan Zee Bridge project is a terrific opportunity for communities to plan responsibly for future growth around transit and maximize the economic benefits of increased housing and transportation choices, as well as create jobs and improve overall quality of life. Proactive land use planning will also help preserve the state’s investment in new highway capacity.

PPS and its partners will hold two county-wide workshops around these issues this fall, with an open invitation to all interested communities. Specific topics may include creating great places around transit, smart parking, mixed-income housing, regulations and financing for transit-oriented community design, changing roadway design to support livable communities and optimizing transit service. Two-day workshops will then be held in the subsequent year in eight communities (four per county) consisting of in-depth discussion of local issues and local solutions, development of conceptual plans, and presentation of implementation tools. Communities interested in receiving this technical planning assistance must submit an application by July 17^th. This pilot project is also intended for eventual deployment to communities across the state.

For more information, please contact Craig Raphael at craphael@pps.org.

What are the dynamics behind the incredible resurgence of public markets and farmers markets in North America? Through PPS’s innovative research, grant-making and technical assistance programs, we have gained an unparalleled perspective on how markets work.

To be truly successful, markets need four crucial elements: the right mix of vendors and products; a strong sense of place; solid economic and operational underpinnings; and a firm commitment to the surrounding community.

Through How to Create Successful Markets, a 2-day interactive training course, learn about each of these elements and more through work sessions and on-site tours of New York City’s thriving open-air farmers markets and indoor public markets.

Click here for more information.

“If we can develop and design streets so that they are wonderful, fulfilling places to be – community-building places, attractive for all people – then we will have successfully designed about one-third of the city directly and will have had an immense impact on the rest.“
–Alan Jacobs

With this idea in mind, PPS offers “Streets as Places,” a two-day transportation & Placemaking training seminar intended to introduce participants to new ways of thinking about streets and how Placemaking can be used to build great streets and great communities.

Click here for more information.

“Placemaking” is an overarching idea and a hands-on tool for improving a neighborhood, city, or region. It has the potential to be one of the most transformative ideas of this century.
-Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago, IL

A two-day PPS training course, How to Turn a Place Around introduces new ways of thinking about public spaces and how Placemaking can be used to bring communities together and revitalize underperforming spaces.

Click here for more information.

The 3^rd Nordic Urban Design Association (NUDA) Summer School is set for June 15-16, 2009 in Bergen, Norway, and June 18-19, 2009 in Sandefjord, Norway. Fred Kent and Kathy Madden, experts in the field of public space and Placemaking, will facilitate the two trainings, introducing issues never before discussed within the Nordic countries. This is the first time that Project for Public Spaces will give a two day intensive training in Norway.

For more information, check out NUDA’s website at www.nuda.no.

Hosted by Greenspace Scotland

As more people digest the importance of sustainable living, conversations have mainly revolved around how to transform office buildings and homes, transportation habits and the choices that individuals make on the everyday basis. But, what about public space? Great Places, Great Cities 2009, a two-day conference, turns the question of sustainability towards public spaces this June 4-5 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Hosted by Greenspace Scotland, the conference will engage attendees from around the world in a discussion on “the role of public space and green networks in creating truly sustainable cities – cities which have a reduced impact on the environment, which cope better with the consequences of global climate change and where people want to live and work.”

Greenspace Scotland is an independent charitable company working with a wide range of national and local partners to improve the quality of life of people living and working in urban Scotland through the planning, development and sustainable management of urban spaces.  Greenspace has been a strong partner in advancing the principles of Placemaking throughout Scotland. In 2007, the organization became a PPS licensee and now has a group of Placemaking Associates trained to implement projects throughout the country under the initiative Placemaking Scotland. Pilot projects have included Clyde Square in Greenock, Prince’s Street Gardens in Edinburgh, and Waterfront Park and Promenade in Girvan.

Great Places, Great Cities 2009 will feature a robust program of themed presentations, study tours, workshops and a range of keynote speakers. The wide range of topics will include discussions on green infrastructure, transforming cities through people-focused spaces, the role of civic leaders and communities in delivering sustainable cities and more. Keynote speakers include David Sim of Gehl Architects, Howard Frumkin MD and Miquela Craytor from Sustainable South Bronx.

The conference will take place in and around Glasgow City Chambers. Sign up before March 23rd for the Early Bird Rate of £295 or approximately US $414.

More information:

• Placemaking in Scotland
• Great Places, Great Cities website.