Last year, we produced an urbanism issue, arguing that Dallas must embrace its tenets—density, walkability, neighborhoods with a mix of uses and incomes, a diversity of transit options—in order to meet the needs of a growing population. We held a sold-out symposium about these things, talking about the history of the city, urban design, segregation, and income inequality. These things are still relevant. And there’s plenty more to talk about.
On March 19 at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Coalition for a New Dallas will host an “Agenda for a New Dallas” summit, this time focusing on transit. We’ll talk about the destructive impact freeways had on neighborhoods. We’ll discuss public transit and how changing bus routes can change efficiency. (Rice University professor Christof Spieler, whom we interviewed about his public transit almanac late last year, will give a keynote speech about this topic.) We’ll also discuss rethinking the design of our streets, to make them safer for pedestrian use.
D Magazine is the media partner. We hope we’ll see you there. Head here to register, and see below for the full itinerary.
Event Schedule
8 AM
Registration and Breakfast
8:30 AM
Welcome remarks by Wick Allison, Co-founder of the Coalition for a New Dallas and Chairman of D Magazine Partners, and Patrick Kennedy, Planner and Urban Designer
8:45 AM
Tearing Down the Barriers: Our Neighborhoods vs. Our Highways
Keynote presentation by Peter Park, City Planner and Former Manager of the Community Planning and Development Department for the City and County of Denver and City Planning Director in Milwaukee
Panel discussion featuring:
- Lee Kleinman, Dallas City Council Member and Head of Transportation Committee
- Cary Moon, former Seattle Mayoral Candidate and Co-Founder of the People’s Waterfront Coalition (PWC)
- Peter Park, City Planner and Former Manager of the Community Planning and Development Department for the City and County of Denver and City Planning Director in Milwaukee
- Matt Tranchin, former Executive Director of Coalition for a New Dallas
- Victor Vandergriff, outgoing Texas Transportation Commissioner – Moderator
10 AM
Getting People to Jobs: A New Approach to Public Transit
Keynote presentation by Christof Spieler, Vice President and Director of Planning at Huitt-Zollars and author of “Trains, Buses, and People: An Opinionated Atlas of US Transit”
Panel discussion featuring:
- Sue Bauman, Chair of the DART Board of Directors
- Aaron Gougis, Citizen Transit Advocate and Chief of Staff for City Year Dallas
- Dr. Shima Hamidi, Director of the UTA Institute for Urban Studies and Assistant Professor of Urban Planning
- Peter Simek, Editor at D Magazine – Moderator
- Christof Spieler, Vice President and Director of Planning at Huitt-Zollars and author of “Trains, Buses, and People”: An Opinionated Atlas of US Transit”
11:15 AM
Dallas Hates Pedestrians: How to Rethink our Streets
Keynote presentation by Lilly O’Brien-Kovari, LADOT Spr. Transportation Planner, Office of the Chief of Staff.
Panel discussion featuring:
- George Battle III, Community Director for Coalition for a New Dallas
- Nick Dean, Local Architect and 12th Street Connector Neighborhood Group Member
- Krista Nightengale, Managing Director of Better Block – Moderator
- Lilly O’Brien-Kovari, LADOT Spr. Transportation Planner, Office of the Chief of Staff.
- Jared White, City of Dallas Bicycle Transportation Manager
