I have now.... a tumblr ! Where I have been posting pictures, movies and all the like.
Be sure to check it out and stay updated just in case you can add any information I might be missing or new contacts that you think I should make!
I updated my concept map entitled "Mapping Where I Have So Far" with bubbl so that I can keep all the people I have met and information I have gathered organized. Haha it may not look very organized as first, but this very scientific mapping process helps to see where connections have been made and what gaps are still missing. I will soon add a color coded key so that we all know what each bubble means in relation to the other bubbles. I was able to show this to the ATP class today and some of my photo mapping that I have been working on for MCC. Now that I have a pretty good comprehensive overview of MCC, I am able to move forward with more solidarity. Now it is time to push forward in the last three weeks to achieve some sort of quantitative goal. This week I will also be working on writing the abstract that is needed to participate in the the Innovation Symposium, which will be held on November 12th, 2010.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Relationship Building
I have just returned to MCC from the Monroe County Office located on Main Street in Downtown Rochester. I had been asked by Jon if I could attend a meeting taking place between Rochelle B. Bell, an Environmental Planner, and Reinhard Gsellmeier, Assistant Engineering Operations Manager PE, LEED AP.
The email of this transaction is as follows:
"I contacted Reinhard Gsellmeier (PE, LEED-AP, Project Manager, MC Dept. of
Environmental Services - Facilities) (and I should add: avid mountaineer
and bicyclist) about the conversation you and I had about connecting RIT,
UR and MCC with each other and with the surrounding municipalities. I
asked Reinhard if we (MC) might have an interest in being part of the
effort to develop alternative transportation between MCC and the community.
Reinhard wrote back saying that he knows Valarie Avalone quite well and
agreed to meet to discuss how best to proceed. We are meeting on Monday
(10/18) at 11:00 here in my office. You are welcome to join us if you are
free. If you cannot make it I'll do my best to introduce the concept and
we'll see where it goes from there. I now have maps to illustrate your
ideas."
Rochelle and I worked together to explain the overall idea of GRATS to Reinhard in order to see what, if any, were the next steps in developing MCC's portion of GRATS. Reinhard enthusiastic about the idea explained that he has some connections due to his current LEED work on MCC's campus though he is more of the do/build it guy once all the details fall into place. AKA- He is the Go Man when he gets the OK to GO.
Reinhard also brought up NYC's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan
Reinhard hooked me up with this movement via this email:
"Catelyn, I don't have a specific contact for you. The NYC plan to improve
bike ridership is part of an overall sustainability initiative being
undertaken by the City. My notes say it's called PLANYC (not sure about
spelling). In the interest of promoting bike ridership and reducing
vehicle use, NYC's program will basically reallocate space (asphalt) from
vehicles to bicycles.
Sorry I don't have more to add. It was good to meet you. Good luck with
this very worthwhile effort. "
Our meeting ended with some new contacts and Rochelle doing some homework. It turns out that Rochelle and I will be working together with the goal of getting people at MCC organized.
On a personal thought level:
The main issue at this meeting, which I captured in the first five minutes, is that yes we are all dealing with years and years of disconnect. In people, positions, processes, groups, medias, levels, standards, ways of life...just simple living. I was sitting down with two people trying to figure out how the Monroe County office is truly connected to Monroe Community College...basically who is who is the grand scheme of things...How does the office of Monroe County communicate with the Monroe Community College...when do they need to communicate and on what projects, etc, etc.
http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/Sustainability/newsandevents.htm
http://www.gflawma.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/MC.pdf
50 West Main Street, Suite 8100, Rochester, NY 14614
http://www.greenmonroe.org/
The email of this transaction is as follows:
"I contacted Reinhard Gsellmeier (PE, LEED-AP, Project Manager, MC Dept. of
Environmental Services - Facilities) (and I should add: avid mountaineer
and bicyclist) about the conversation you and I had about connecting RIT,
UR and MCC with each other and with the surrounding municipalities. I
asked Reinhard if we (MC) might have an interest in being part of the
effort to develop alternative transportation between MCC and the community.
Reinhard wrote back saying that he knows Valarie Avalone quite well and
agreed to meet to discuss how best to proceed. We are meeting on Monday
(10/18) at 11:00 here in my office. You are welcome to join us if you are
free. If you cannot make it I'll do my best to introduce the concept and
we'll see where it goes from there. I now have maps to illustrate your
ideas."
Rochelle and I worked together to explain the overall idea of GRATS to Reinhard in order to see what, if any, were the next steps in developing MCC's portion of GRATS. Reinhard enthusiastic about the idea explained that he has some connections due to his current LEED work on MCC's campus though he is more of the do/build it guy once all the details fall into place. AKA- He is the Go Man when he gets the OK to GO.
Reinhard also brought up NYC's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan
Reinhard hooked me up with this movement via this email:
"Catelyn, I don't have a specific contact for you. The NYC plan to improve
bike ridership is part of an overall sustainability initiative being
undertaken by the City. My notes say it's called PLANYC (not sure about
spelling). In the interest of promoting bike ridership and reducing
vehicle use, NYC's program will basically reallocate space (asphalt) from
vehicles to bicycles.
Sorry I don't have more to add. It was good to meet you. Good luck with
this very worthwhile effort. "
Our meeting ended with some new contacts and Rochelle doing some homework. It turns out that Rochelle and I will be working together with the goal of getting people at MCC organized.
On a personal thought level:
The main issue at this meeting, which I captured in the first five minutes, is that yes we are all dealing with years and years of disconnect. In people, positions, processes, groups, medias, levels, standards, ways of life...just simple living. I was sitting down with two people trying to figure out how the Monroe County office is truly connected to Monroe Community College...basically who is who is the grand scheme of things...How does the office of Monroe County communicate with the Monroe Community College...when do they need to communicate and on what projects, etc, etc.
http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/Sustainability/newsandevents.htm
http://www.gflawma.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/MC.pdf
50 West Main Street, Suite 8100, Rochester, NY 14614
http://www.greenmonroe.org/
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Building while Biking
As this class in Active Transportation has moved forward, it has become increasingly noticeable as to how much actual finagling and muddling in conversations one must do to get any sort of grip on the task at hand. To have excellent communication skills is a requirement of any planner. Attending the Lynch Woods meeting at the Brighton Town Hall is a case in point. Though what really made this an understanding for me is what Jon noted in his GRATS presentation today-- that the major realization is in order to induce any sort of social change ie) to do something this radical with bikes, we must first have a biking community...basically people...to flesh out and encourage the change.
Therefore my focus has made a shift. And this is perfectly OK. I've started this project with multiple ideas in my head in regards to MCC... that I must find the most desirable bike/pedestrian pathway from MCC to RIT while keeping the ultimate goal of GRATS in the background. Or collecting data on how many students, who like myself, are actually traveling from MCC to RIT. Though Jon explains today that the idea generation is much easier than actually building the community first. And really the community must be built before the ideas fall into their respected spaces. So I am tweaking my primary objective, I am now focusing on people, the who is who at MCC. Maybe becoming a sort of "liaison" between what I am learning in ATP class at RIT and actually finding the people who are in the community who have the power to accelerate these many ideas. This actually seems like a more achievable goal considering the time given in a quarter and is laying the foundation for my other objectives.
Therefore my focus has made a shift. And this is perfectly OK. I've started this project with multiple ideas in my head in regards to MCC... that I must find the most desirable bike/pedestrian pathway from MCC to RIT while keeping the ultimate goal of GRATS in the background. Or collecting data on how many students, who like myself, are actually traveling from MCC to RIT. Though Jon explains today that the idea generation is much easier than actually building the community first. And really the community must be built before the ideas fall into their respected spaces. So I am tweaking my primary objective, I am now focusing on people, the who is who at MCC. Maybe becoming a sort of "liaison" between what I am learning in ATP class at RIT and actually finding the people who are in the community who have the power to accelerate these many ideas. This actually seems like a more achievable goal considering the time given in a quarter and is laying the foundation for my other objectives.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Lynch Woods--Town of Brighton
I had the chance to attend the Brighton Town Hall meeting October 12th, 2010 7-9pm. Lynch Woods was up for discussion amongst a small group of people. Tom Robinson had made his project presentation for the development of Lynch Woods to the group and I entered as the people were offering up their comments, concerns, corrections and questions. I introduced myself as a student from MCC and RIT who was particularly interested in Lynch Woods because of it's location relative to both campuses and it's ultimate role in the Greater Rochester Active Transportation System.
The development of bikes paths within this wooded area would make for a very scenic and enjoyable ride as well as become a connection point from MCC to the Lehigh Valley Trail, which would eventually bring a biker to RIT(southwest direction) or to UofR/Downtown Rochester(north direction).
The people that made up the meeting seemed to be interested in the Lynch Woods project as well as GRATS. Though there was much concern for the environment and the natural habitats Lynch Woods provides vs the use of added bikes and ATVs within the environment. One particular lady was concerned with the deer population moving and other man stressed the likely disruption of natural breeding pools for amphibians, etc. The project is in it's early stages and despite the environmental concerns the overall consensus wanted to move forward with the Lynch Woods project.
This is just another example of how many people are actually involved within the planning process of an idea.
Idea--> People--> Communication--> Planning--> Movement
The development of bikes paths within this wooded area would make for a very scenic and enjoyable ride as well as become a connection point from MCC to the Lehigh Valley Trail, which would eventually bring a biker to RIT(southwest direction) or to UofR/Downtown Rochester(north direction).
The people that made up the meeting seemed to be interested in the Lynch Woods project as well as GRATS. Though there was much concern for the environment and the natural habitats Lynch Woods provides vs the use of added bikes and ATVs within the environment. One particular lady was concerned with the deer population moving and other man stressed the likely disruption of natural breeding pools for amphibians, etc. The project is in it's early stages and despite the environmental concerns the overall consensus wanted to move forward with the Lynch Woods project.
This is just another example of how many people are actually involved within the planning process of an idea.
Idea--> People--> Communication--> Planning--> Movement
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Beginning of Active Transportation Planning
RIT Innovation Center-
Tom has requested that each person in the Active Transportation Planning class to identify a project of interest that deals with the class concept, yes you've got it ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION!
After thinking about what I can bring to the class, I decided to use my unique situation of being a student at both the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Monroe Community College as a jump off point for idea generation.
Interest:
By spending a day collecting data for the NBPD project hosted by Joshua Carlsen, I see the value in continuing data collection for the city of Rochester. The NBPD project identifies that there is a lack of documentation of usage and demand for bike/pedestrian pathways. This makes it difficult to measure the benefits of potential investments for such pathways. Also, bike/pedestrian pathway data is critical in supporting the movement to/for alternate modes of transportation. This data collection for Rochester may expand in any of the following ways;
1. Continuing the NBPD project within the city of (downtown)Rochester.
2. Collecting data along the Canal way.
3. Collecting data in regards to the Universities, particularly these routes:
MCC to RIT
RIT to MCC
RIT to UoR
UoR to RIT
MCC to UoR
UoR to MCC
These three universities are in particular interest due to the involvement of each campus within the proposed Greater Rochester Active Transportation System. The data collection between these three universities can provide information that will further develop each campus’ effort in the Going Green movement and can help alleviate parking issues. The data collection can also offer future ideas of merging the three universities resources in a fashion similar to the 5 College Consortium located in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts of Amherst. Obviously… why not share the resources we have in Rochester? And what a great way to do so via the glorious GRATS!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
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