Transportation Bonanza is an annual event bringing together professionals from planning, transportation, engineering, health, and allied fields. Organized by the Michigan Association of Planning in partnership with Michigan Safe Routes to School, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the event provided a valuable platform for knowledge sharing and networking.
This year, Transportation Bonanza 16 was held virtually over two half-days on February 12 and 13. There were 330 registered attendees with a large contingent of staff from Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and over 160 public health professionals and leaders from communities across the state representing education, civics, and non-profit organizations, and staff from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
Key themes, discussions, and innovative ideas from the sessions focused on challenging conventional wisdom with fresh perspectives, pursuing integrated planning, and identifying innovative solutions while highlighting examples from across Michigan.
Challenging Conventional Wisdom: Keynote Highlights
- Killed by at Traffic Engineer: Wes Marshall’s keynote presentation explored the history of road design and its often-unintended consequences. He emphasized, “The history of data matters because sometimes what we think it means isn’t having the impact it should have.” And succinctly reasoned that traffic engineering’s history as a field has prioritized vehicle movement over safety, leading to preventable deaths and injuries.
- Right to Thrive: Nina Idemundia’s keynote presentation highlighted the potential of active transportation to promote equity and sustainability. She emphasized the importance of creativity in using data to justify programs and ensure their statewide impact. She shared her personal motto, “If you stay ready, you’ll always be ready”, as an approach and reminder to have ideas in the wings ready to be implemented when the timing is right.
Funding and Program Updates
Several sessions focused on funding opportunities and program updates.
- Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP): Caithlin Yost and Tao Moss discussed recent lean process improvements to TAP which has resulted in separate application processes for MDOT and Transportation Management Areas (TMAs)/ Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). They noted that TAP application links are not readily available for most TMAs/MPOs, requiring direct inquiries. The Health Fund is a potential partner for TAP applications that focus on the impact of the built environment on health. Funds may be used for planning, community engagement, and pre-application activities; however, they are not available for construction engineering.
- Michigan Rural Readiness Program: Lisa Miller and Henry Wolf of the Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity presented on the state-funded grant program and how it is intended to fund activities in rural communities that increase their capacity to implement economic development, transportation, housing, and recreation projects. While the funds cannot be used for construction, they can pay for a wide range of activities in support, such as planning, engineering, surveying, and more.
Rethinking Traffic Operations and Safety
Several sessions challenged long-held assumptions about traffic operations and safety:
- Right Turns on Red (RTOR): Bill Schultheiss and Mariel Colman of Toole Design presentation “Right on Red – is it time to reconsider this blanket approach to traffic operations?” offered attendees a compelling case for reconsidering the blanket approach to RTOR. Their analysis suggests that RTOR fails to deliver intended benefits like fuel savings and reduced trip times and, more importantly, poses significant safety risks to pedestrians and cyclists.
- Safe Routes to School in Charlotte: A panel of local stakeholders and Office of Rail experts showcased Charlotte’s city-wide and multi-district approach to Safe Routes to School. They highlighted the benefits of stakeholder collaboration in securing funding and the importance of sustainable partnerships. The project’s success in navigating MDOT right-of-way issues and securing support from the Office of Rail demonstrated the power of cooperation of stakeholders across numerous fields.
- Safe Approach Pyramid: Rachel Thompson Panik presented the Safe Approach Pyramid as a framework for prioritizing safety countermeasures. This public health-informed approach emphasizes addressing the root cause of roadway fatalities – kinetic energy – by focusing on latent safety measures and built environment modifications, such as traffic calming and separated travel ways.
The Future of Transit and Land Use
Discussions about the future of transit and land use highlighted the need for integrated planning and innovative solutions.
- The Future of Transit: Caffray, Julia Roberts, and Khalil Davis discussed the RTA’s mission to “move and connect to create greater prosperity for all” in their session. They emphasized updating Real-Time Messaging Protocol, improving service frequency and reliability, and addressing accessibility to improve the experience for users and transit workers. They highlighted the Oakland County millage supporting the Woodward corridor project as an example of integrated land use and transportation planning.
- Land Use and Transportation Policy: Jeromie Winsor, Brad Strade, and Amy Lipset led an interactive discussion on updating MAP’s Transportation and Land Use Policy Platform. Safety and walkability were identified as key transportation needs, and the role of planners in influencing these needs through ordinances, master planning, and community engagement was emphasized. The discussion highlighted the importance of aligning land use and transportation, prioritizing pedestrian access, and creating people-centered networks.
Conclusion
Transportation Bonanza 16 provided a valuable forum for exploring the complex challenges and opportunities in transportation. The conference underscored the need for data-driven decision-making, innovative approaches to safety and transit, and collaborative partnerships to create a safer transportation future.
Next year, Transportation Bonanza 17 will be held in person. We look forward to seeing everyone to expand our collective learning and engage in impromptu discussion.