Livability 101: State and Local

Models for Livability

NCSL Legislative Summit: Sunday, July 25, 2010

Running time: 00:50:35

Speakers
Representative Greg Hughes, Utah (Play audio in MP3 player above)
Bruce Jones, general counsel, UTA ((Play audio in MP3 player above)
Jed Johnson, , Easter Seals Project ACTION (Click here to play audio)
Barry Barker, vice chair for government affairs, American Public Transportation Association (Click here to play audio) 
Jonathon Sage-Martinson, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative and Learning Network  (Click here to play audio)

Audio of Q and A

Overview

The Utah Transit Authority has overseen one of the largest transit system expansions in the nation, including light-rail and bus rapid transit. UTA and the state legislature have worked successfully to expand transit-oriented development as well. Representative Greg Hughes and Bruce Jones, general counsel, discuss the system.

Jed Johnson with Easter Seals Project ACTION and the National Center on Senior Transportation discusses demographic trends of those over 65, and persons with disabilities. He highlighted different policies needed to ensure mobility and accessibility to services needed by these groups.

Barry Barker, The Transit Authority of River City (TARC - Louisville, Ky.'s transit agency) is vice-chair of government affairs for the American Public Transportation Association, and discusses TARC's initiatives to integrate transit with other modes, the challenges of planning across state lines, Louisville's projects for a multi-modal transit center, and how state legislatures and transit agencies can complement each other.

Jonathon Sage-Martinson will discuss the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative and Learning Network which is envisioned as a 10-year initiative and is comprised of local and national foundations dedicated to working to create transformation along the Central Corridor's new light rail transit line. 
 

Livability 101 Seminar

NCSL convened a Livability 101 Seminar because interest in creating sustainable, livable communities is on the rise. At the federal level, an interagency partnership made up of DOT, HUD, and EPA is working to coordinate funding and planning to help create communities that offer a strong mix of housing, transportation, and service choices within a walkable area. Livable community principles will likely heavily influence the federal transportation re-authorization, so it is key legislators learn how to position their states. States, intrigued by the economic and environmental benefits of building sustainable communities, have pursued a wide range of policies that work towards livability principles. such as transportation choice and location efficiency. Visit the resources from NCSL's Livability 101 multi-media pages to learn more about the growing role of livability, and its potential to help solve problems such as traffic congestion, mobility, sustainable use of natural resources and goverment dollars, and economic competiveness.