Transit Alliance Citizens Academy

On October 6th, Jacob Riger and Jennifer Valentine served as guest instructors for the Transit Alliance’s Fall 2010 Citizens Academy in Denver.  Jacob and Jennifer led approximately 40 participants through a mini-charrette planning exercise for transit-oriented development (TOD) around a future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station in El Paso, Texas.  This interactive exercise illustrated the complex transportation, land use, and urban design relationships in TOD station-area planning being taught by the Citizens Academy.

The Academy is devoted to educating and advocating for transit’s role in creating sustainable mobility and livable communities in metro Denver, particularly through FasTracks, the region’s long-term high-capacity transit network.  A cornerstone of the Citizens Academy’s unique program is that each participant creates and implements an action plan in their specific community.

The mini-charrette exercise was based on CAI’s ongoing work as a subconsultant to Dover, Kohl & Partners in preparing SmartCode-based TOD and redevelopment plans in El Paso as part of a citywide Comprehensive Plan.  CAI is providing multimodal transportation planning, design, and implementation expertise as well as strategic technical and policy advice to Dover Kohl and the City.  El Paso is using these planning initiatives to help aggressively implement a BRT network and to consider re-starting streetcar service downtown.  Both efforts are part of the City’s goal to become the least car-dependent city in the country.

For More Information:

Transit Alliance and Citizens Academy:  www.transitalliance.org

El Paso planning initiatives:  www.planelpaso.org

Dover, Kohl & Partners:  www.doverkohl.com