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| Jackson Heights Source: Google Images |
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| Jackson Heights Source: Google Images |
One of the first sessions I attended was a presentation on the New York DOT's approach to neighborhood-based transportation plans in Jackson Heights and Chinatown. The best thing about this case study is that they were able to complete the planning process, from start to finish, in about two years time.
The Approach
The most important aspect of the plan is that the process is guided by the community. The community identifies the issues that they want to see addressed. Short term, non-capital improvements help combat the community perception that planners always do studies and research and nothing ever happens.
Recommendations
- Avoid technical rigor
- Utilize scalable techniques
- Be flexible - if it's not working change it immediately!
- Ex. No one is at your meeting. Bring the meeting to the people. Go to a neighborhood park, community or senior centers
- Community meetings
- Day and evening
- Provide child care
- Have meetings in increments
- Provide translators
- Provide food
- Games make planning issues fun
- Hold in different locations to get a wide range of perspectives from the same neighborhood
- Neighborhood walks/tours
- Engage the whole community
- Bring out the family
In Jackson Heights and Chinatown
Issues
Chinatown
Source: Google Images
- No loading area - double parking
- Bike lane becomes a de facto delivery dock
- Buses and cars have to maneuver around trucks into oncoming traffic
- Congested sidewalks so pedestrians are always in the street
Solutions
Chinatown
Source: Google Images
- Make a street a one way - traffic runs smoother during run hours
- Wider sidewalks
- Community validates solutions:
- Street surveys on the proposed solution for implementation
- Web portal for post implementation comments and concerns - provides information in real time
Challenges
- New model - may have to work out kinks/problems
- Time - spending time nurturing relationships in the neighborhoods
- Cost
Lessened Learned
- Give yourself time
- Remember it's impossible to reach everyone
- Nurture project and community champions
- Develop a press strategy
- Demonstrate how the publics comments were incorporated into the plan
- The community will participate if they believe input will be taken seriously and they can see tangible changes
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