Context Sensitive Design Course Outline
DAY ONE
Segment 1: Introduction – a holistic method to project development (65 minutes)
TOPIC 1: CSD – the New Paradigm for Project Planning and Design (25 minutes)
Topic Objective:Introduce course, introduce instructors and participants, introduce CSD, determine participant knowledge level and establish working environment for the group
1.0Welcome:(5 minutes)
1.1.NTI sponsored course on CSD
1.2.Instructor names
1.3.Participant introductions: what they do, what they want from the course, why they are here.
2.0Introduction to CSD(15 minutes)
2.1.A far-reaching change in the way we all view, plan, assess, design, build and even operate and maintain transportation facilities.
2.2.Not an add-on or checklist approach -- A core business shift.
2.3.What have you heard about CSD or CSS or Thinking Beyond the Pavement?
2.3.1.Board ad hoc responses
2.4.Lets look at one example:
2.4.1.Rutherford, NJ Case Study
2.5 Some CSD Attributes:
Slide:
What CSD is: / What CSD is not:Sharing decision-making / Designer knowing best
Balancing travel and other needs / Improving travel performance only
Embracing community values / Sacrificing safety or good design
Innovative, carrying design to higher levels within Green Book / Just aesthetics
Multimodal, benefiting all users / Putting vehicle needs first
Sustained, iterative and participatory / Not a one-shot deal or an add-on
Creating supportive partnerships / Going it alone
“Us against them”
“THINK BEFORE YOU INK”
3.0Over the Next Three days we will cover (5 minutes)
3.1.Content
3.1.1.Context – what it is, how to understand it, who owns it, why is it important
3.1.2.Sensitivity – primary concerns, responses and tradeoffs
3.1.3.Design – innovation, flexibility, excellence
3.2.Course Approach:
3.2.1.Learning from exposure, application and sharing
3.2.1.1.Exposure - readings, presentations
3.2.1.2.Applications – hands on work together – individual, groups, teams
3.2.1.3.Sharing – your wealth of experiences; your concerns
3.2.2.Keep it lively and informal
3.3.House keeping – start and end times, breaks, rest rooms; coffee, soda. Lunch, homework, cell phones off
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Context Sensitive Design Course Outline
TOPIC 2: An Overall Framework (40 minutes)
Topic Objective:Provide historic and national background and basic framework of CSD, define how CSD works as a “tool”.
1.0We are not alone – a national institutional and professional movement (20 minutes)
1.1.National legislative/guidance foundation – a change over time;
1.1.1.NEPA – 1969 -- 1970s
1.1.2.ISTEA – 1991
1.2.AASHTO adopted the National Highway System Design Standards policy
1.3.National Highway System Designation Act – 1995
1.3.1.“(c) Design standards for NHS projects….”.
1.4.The Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration conducted Thinking Beyond the Pavement: National Workshop, co-sponsored by AASHTO and FHWA with the advice and support of the National Workshop Advisory Committee.
1.4.1.Five pilot states were selected: Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, and Utah that agreed to implement the CSD approach and to share their experiences with the States within their region
1.4.2.FHWA Federal Lands Highway joined the five Pilot States.
1.5.FHWA's Office of Program Administration (HIPA-01) and Office of Environment and Planning (HEP) published Flexibility in Highway Design (FHWA Pub. No. FHWA-PD-97-062).
1.6.The American Society of Civil Engineers held the Role of the Civil Engineer conference in June 1999. Over 140 practicing civil engineers gathered in Reston, VA, to participate.
1.7.AASHTO committees began working on four chapters to serve as a bridging document between AASHTO's A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (The "Green Book") and FHWA's Flexibility in Highway Design.
2.0What’s it all about? What’s different? How affect my role or work in transportation? (30 minutes)
2.1.Powerful integrative tool to capture challenges and opportunities and convert them into innovative solutions and design excellence of which all are proud
2.2.Convergence - three contexts
2.2.1.Community
2.2.2.Environment
2.2.3.Transportation
2.3.A set of methods and tools about both process and technical analyses to:
2.3.1.Engage stakeholders in a sustained exchange about perceptions, information, issues, choices and outcomes
2.3.2.Work through partnerships
2.3.3.Identify problems/needs/opportunities
2.3.4.Analyze dynamics of each context and the interplay of each with the other two
2.3.5.Define and evaluate options and establish trade-offs
2.3.6.Seek solutions that optimize across the issues and do not maximize any one
2.4.Working in multi-disciplinary team - responsive to issues, collaborative, complimentary
2.5.Process starts at perceptions and needs and ends with ribbon-cutting
2.6.Process works for all transportation projects, all modes, all scales, all settings – a method, not an set outcome
2.6.1.Qualities of Excellence in Transportation Design
2.6.2.Qualities of the Process to Excellent
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Context Sensitive Design Course Outline
Segment 2: Understanding Context
TOPIC 3: Community – every project has a host(4 hours)
Topic Objective:Define community context in a CSD project development process, including community characteristics and outreach techniques.
1.0Definition – what is community? (20 minutes)
1.1.Conduct brainstorming: what is community? (10 minutes)
1.1.1.Board responses without screening or comment
1.2.List and discuss aspects of community: Values, geographic area, place, social structure, government/leadership, culture, economy, and issues (10 minutes)
1.2.1.Scale of community = scale of problem
NOTE: facts paint a picture, leaders tell a story, publics (there are more than one public) hold a view, officials set and work an agenda, and power is held and used in different ways
2.0Measuring attributes and qualities – community-wide and neighborhood techniques (50 minutes)
2.1.Data and information techniques (5 minutes)
2.1.1.Data sources – census, plans, local records, Chamber of Commerce, etc.
3.0Exercise Part I: Data set exercise – teams of six: Route 18, New Bedford (35 minutes)
- Task 1: Data analysis
- For Route 18, the data that are available include:
- Census Data on Demographics, Housing Characteristics, Education, Workforce Profile; Mapping including aerial orthophotography, low angle oblique photos, natural resources, land use, zoning, cultural and recreational assets, working waterfront districts, harbor access points; New Bedford National Park Visitor Study; TEA-21 Grant Application for Route 18 Enhancement; other reports as necessary.
- Teams create a map of community characteristics and differences/similarities along any lines the data suggest – (10 minutes).
- Task 2: Reading from the data analysis
- Instructor provides a definition of the problem or “Problem Statement”
- From the map and this problem as described, the team answers three questions – (10 minutes):
- What do these characteristics suggest that may be important for the project?
- What do I know and what do I not know?
- How can I learn more?
- Group report-outs – (15 minutes).
- Discussion/ Assessment – commonalities, disparities, trends, issues – also a foundation for environmental justice
- Use all data sources possible – plans, school data, business/labor data
- Frame outreach from the story told by the data
- Consider change over time – the dynamics - past, present and future
4.0Outreach – moving beyond the numbers alone(45 minutes)
4.1.Establish a community outreach program for the work at hand, tailored to this context and “problem”
4.2.Work through the following questions:
4.2.1.Consider results from data analysis - what are the elements/issues that can relate to the mission, the problem, or the project?
4.2.2.Conduct focused research: Informal observation - local newspapers, field observation, supermarket and library bulletin boards, local TV news, local cable television, etc.
4.2.3.What are the possible impacts (positive or negative) of the proposed transportation action
4.2.4.Define the likely scope of influence of the proposed action? What parts of the corridor, town, city or neighborhood have the highest potential for influence from the action? In what way?
4.2.5.Who might able to tell you about those elements? Who might care about the outcomes of the action?
4.2.6.Where might you find the stakeholders who can represent the diverse views and interests at play?
4.2.7.What communications will be important? Think about putting information out and getting information back
4.3.Protocol (10 minutes)
4.3.1.Start outreach with the formal leadership of elected and public officials to informal leadership – Ask participants to list: elected officials to powerbrokers to neighborhood leaders (non-profits, churches, schools, sport associations, clubs, businesses,
4.4.Methods – a wide array of options – “Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision-Making” (30 minutes)
4.4.1.Slide: “Ladder of participation”
4.4.2.Core participation groups = sustained partnerships
4.4.2.1.Advisory, steering, working groups, decision-making
4.4.2.2.Membership on decision/policy boards
4.4.2.3.Ground rules, level of empowerment, who’s in charge?
4.4.3.Interviews, briefings – consider formal and informal, let one person lead you to others
4.4.4.Public meetings, open-houses,
4.4.5.Information to public(s): newsletters, press releases, news coverage, website, speakers’ bureau, etc.
4.4.6.Events – at groups, create new, use gathering places
4.4.7.Interactive events – charrettes, workshops– sustained, empowered, engaged, problem-solving focus, intense but short or periodic
4.4.7.1.Pre-event orientation or information
4.4.7.2.Clear expectations – process, members, equal standing, products, next steps
4.4.7.3.Sufficient staff support
4.4.8.Tools/techniques: visioning, brainstorming, facilitation, consensus building, role playing, negotiation/mediation, computer simulations (traffic, urban design improvement)
4.4.9.Discuss participant experiences with each/any method (5-7 minutes)
4.4.8.4.4.10.Helpful Hints in Outreach – to be introduced, not discussed in detail, a reference in course manual to be read and used in Topic 6
4.4.8.1.4.4.10.1.The Public
4.4.8.1.1.4.4.10.1.1.Maintain a constructive tone
4.4.8.1.2.4.4.10.1.2.Dialogue needs to include responsible representation of stakeholder groups as well as representation of the broader community interests
4.4.8.1.3.4.4.10.1.3.Avoid hidden agendas and give honest answers
4.4.8.1.4.4.4.10.1.4.Be sure to follow up when promises have been made for information or answers to questions.
4.4.8.1.5.4.4.10.1.5.Do not make promises that cannot be kept and do not soft-pedal the difficulties
4.4.8.1.6.4.4.10.1.6.Do not downplay uncertainties nor make more of them than necessary
4.4.8.1.7.4.4.10.1.7.Maintain a balance between adequate time for input while moving the process forward.
4.4.8.1.8.4.4.10.1.8.It’s better to have the dissenting parties at the table, rather than exclude them from the process.
4.4.8.1.9.4.4.10.1.9.Document all significant decisions.
4.4.8.1.10.4.4.10.1.10.Manage expectations by establishing public involvement goals and measures of achievement.
4.4.8.1.11.4.4.10.1.11.Provide access to data and information.
4.4.8.1.12.4.4.10.1.12.Establish the scope and scale of the public involvement process based on the size and importance of the study/project.
4.4.8.1.13.4.4.10.1.13.Coordinate public involvement activities and events so that the public can actually influence the decisions.
4.4.8.2.4.4.10.2.Elected Officials
4.4.8.2.1.4.4.10.2.1.They do not like to be surprised
4.4.8.2.2.4.4.10.2.2.Help them through the decision-making process by keeping options open.
4.4.8.2.3.4.4.10.2.3.Help them with intermediate decisions
4.4.8.2.4.4.4.10.2.4.Be sensitive to election cycles
4.4.8.2.5.4.4.10.2.5.Be sensitive to budgeting cycles
4.4.8.2.6.4.4.10.2.6.Bring newcomers up to speed.
4.4.8.2.7.4.4.10.2.7.Elected officials need information that takes only a short time to absorb and is simple to understand.
4.4.8.2.8.4.4.10.2.8.Develop good communication links with elected officials aids.
4.4.8.2.9.4.4.10.2.9.Work with the town, city, or county clerks to understand their basic procedures for notification, and when information needs to be submitted for placement on their agendas.
4.4.8.3.4.4.10.3.The Media
4.4.8.3.1.4.4.10.3.1.Help them understand the process.
4.4.8.3.2.4.4.10.3.2.Be as open and honest with them as you are with other groups.
4.4.8.3.3.4.4.10.3.3.Be proactive in giving them information to shape their story.
4.4.8.3.4.4.4.10.3.4.Be constructive, not critical, in helping them correct information.
4.4.8.3.5.4.4.10.3.5.Convey technical issues in simple, straightforward language.
4.4.8.3.6.4.4.10.3.6.Provide one point of contact or spokesperson on the team to interface with the media, and sure the person is consistently available.
4.4.8.3.7.4.4.10.3.7.Just as the project has a budget, establish a budget for media outreach.
4.4.8.4.4.4.10.4.Resource Agencies
4.4.8.4.1.4.4.10.4.1.Protecting resources is their job.
4.4.8.4.2.4.4.10.4.2.Resource agencies have limited time to deal with all issues.
4.4.8.4.3.4.4.10.4.3.A viewpoint expressed by a resource agency is not a commitment.
4.4.8.4.4.4.4.10.4.4.Understand “who calls the shots”.
4.4.8.5.4.4.10.5.If leadership at the resource agency changes, bring the new staff up to speed
4.4.9.4.4.11.Discuss participant experiences with each/any method (5-7 minutes)
5.0Documenting “places” - the next level of investigation (45 minutes)
5.1.Refer to: “How Transportation and Community Partnerships Are Shaping America”
5.2.What is a “place”?
5.2.1.Community focal point
5.2.2.Center of livability
5.2.3.Pedestrian activity nodes – transit stations, walking, shopping, dining, sidewalk cafes, sitting, “hanging out”
5.2.4.Multiple uses and multiple users of the street or public space
5.3.Definition and inventory - Identify locations, areas or spaces in the neighborhood or town that are successful as economic, social, physical focal points to the town, community, neighborhood.
5.3.1.Careful observations – especially walking or biking around the community; check different times of day, days of week; special events
5.3.2.The Place Audit – what makes the space tick, what makes the space a place
5.3.2.1.Uses and activities
5.3.2.2.Comfort and image
5.3.2.3.Access and linkages
5.3.2.4.Sociability
5.4.What do these places need to improve or be sustained?
5.4.1.Talk with local leadership, advocacy groups and place stakeholders – business owners, patrons, place users, and responsible agents (jurisdiction owner and/or operator)
5.5.What additional locations have the potential to be successful “places”? As what uses? For whom? What are the barriers to their success? Cross-cut of all of the above
5.6.How do the various transportation modes relate to these places? Support or threaten them? How can the modes be made more supportive or create opportunities?
5.7.How can design of modal improvements contribute to the success of place?
6.0Results – a multidimensional picture of the community
6.1.Values/Culture – history, events, favorite places,
6.2.Geography – boundaries, land uses, segments/neighborhoods, differentiators
6.3.Economy – structure, location, health/vitality, dependencies (access, employment)
6.4.Government – officials, agendas/institutions, policies
6.5.Social/people – formal and informal leadership, groups/members, perceptions, neighborhoods, desires/needs, institutions
6.6.Who is responsible and accountable; who can deliver
7.0Presentation – from all sources, summaries, charts, maps of community assets, the value of each and needs, issues, opportunities
7.1.Natural/physical features of shared local value
7.2.Places (existing and potential)
7.3.Critical assets/resources – environment, open spaces, buildings, businesses, institutions,
7.4.Distressed areas and their dynamics
7.5.Specific examples from other projects, examples that look at the strategy of an outreach plan and who should be included (item 2 immediately below). One of the critical messages of CSD has to be the inclusion of interested parties and the dissemination of information from all disciplines about the project area: social, cultural, environmental, historical, transportation, engineering.
8.0Exercise Part II: Carry results of data assessment to design an outreach plan for the project – provide information about transportation problem/objectives and more on context (20 minutes)
8.1.Participant Task
8.1.1.Answer the seven questions(same as points 4.2.1 through 4.2.7 above, Topic 3)
8.1.2.Identify players
8.1.3.Select methods
8.1.4.Create an outreach plan
8.2.Group report- outs – describe proposed plan and the rationale for it (25 minutes)
8.3.Instructor provides an account of what actually transpired as a public process/community outreach process – Project Manager’s summary (5 minutes)
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TOPIC 4: Environment – beyond NEPA(2 hours 30 min)
Topic Objective:Identify environmental issues/legislation, how it can relates to CSD and how to work beyond NEPA toward enhancement opportunities.
1.0What Environmental Regulations Apply? (10 Minutes)
1.1.National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for federally –assisted projects
1.2.State Regulations?
1.2.1.Which ones exist?
1.2.2.Do they apply for this type of project?
1.3.Local Regulations?
1.3.1.Which ones exist?
1.3.2.Would they apply independently?
1.3.3.Would there be concurrent applicability with Federal, State, or Federal + State?
2.0Documentation Requirements(10 minutes)
2.1.Formal process? Are the following required?
2.1.1.Public notification
2.1.2.Lead agency designation
2.1.3.Interagency agreements
2.1.4.Formal report (signed or issued by agency)
2.2.Informal process? Would any of the following be useful in managing the project?
2.2.1.Follow typical procedures of an agency
2.2.2.Follow typical format for a report
3.0Moving from Current Practice (25 minutes)
3.1.The common/current practice: Single-purpose improvements (meets only 1 project need)
3.1.1.Dealing with the environment as a hurdle, an element to be managed and minimized in order toe advance the “project”
3.2.The future practice:
3.2.1.Multi-purpose improvements (meets several specific needs; provides opportunities for addressing concurrent issues; opportunities for creating a community asset)
3.2.2.The environment becomes another area for opportunity and balance forrelative to multiple objectives
3.3.Candidate Resources – types to be considered for creating community assets and/or value adding opportunities
3.3.1.Brainstorming: ask participants to list the various resources that may exist in any one location/project that might offer any opportunity for enhancement, (10 minutes)
3.3.2.Instructor presents a list with examples (use photos)
3.3.2.1.Storm water (examples: turn into a landscape feature; use for groundwater recharge)
3.3.2.2.Historic/cultural (examples: integrate with streetscape, use as economic development tool)
3.3.2.3.Noise (example: turn into an urban design element)
3.3.2.4.Wetlands (example: use as part of a park)
3.3.2.5.Habitat/endangered species (example: use as a teaching tool)
3.3.2.6.Air quality (example: add a charging station, use explanatory signs)
3.3.2.7.Visual (example: link elements with a common design theme; integrate with or define local image)
3.3.2.8.Others- to be identified by class.
4.0Examples of Multiple Use Improvements (15 minutes)
4.1.Discuss types of improvements; identify known benefits, etc. (use graphics, brief discussions). Seek participant input on issues that could be addressed in similar projects)
4.1.1.Example: Pasadena Gold Line (a). Station design reflects location in Chinatown and serves as link to multimodal transportation center. (b) Station design uses Arroyo Stone, a design element common to Craftsman-period neighborhoods along the route. Station is sited to support Farmer’s Market in one city, to integrate with historic depot and new development in another.