| ABOUT RITA | CONTACT US | PRESS ROOM | CAREERS | SITE MAP |
|
|
|
Volpe Center Highlights - September/October 2000Human and Natural EnvironmentDirector's Notes |
Focus |
Safety |
Mobility |
Human and Natural Environment |
Comprehensive Transportation Planning Projects Begin at Two National Parks Recently, staff members from the Volpe Center met with federal, state, and local officials on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to discuss development of comprehensive transportation management plans for these popular tourist destinations. The increasing popularity of the Cape Cod National Seashore and Gettysburg National Military Park, in combination with growing local populations, has resulted in serious traffic problems that affect local residents, damage park resources, and degrade park visitors' experiences.The meetings attended by the Volpe Center represent a major collaborative effort to address the transportation problems of these two popular sites in a regional planning context.
In Massachusetts, Mr. David Spiewak of the Advanced Vehicle Technologies Division and Mr. Michael Jacobs, Mr. Terrence Sheehan, and Mr. David Spiller of the Service Assessment Division met with representatives of the Cape Cod National Seashore, the Cape Cod Commission, the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, and other members of the Cape Cod Transportation Task Force. During these meetings, Volpe staff presented a proposal outlining current transportation issues at the National Seashore and made preliminary recommendations for project prioritization. As part of the project, the Volpe Center is studying options for an improved shuttle service. The current service uses two electric trams to take visitors to Coast Guard Beach, but the trams have been beset with many operational problems. During discussions, representatives of the Cape Cod Commission and Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority also requested a proposal that would include a lead role for the Center in the development of a comprehensive Regional Transportation Program Plan. The potential role of the Center in development of such a regional transportation plan was discussed at a previous meeting with the Cape Cod Transportation Task Force. At that meeting, Volpe staff presented a proposal to prepare a short-range (5-year) and long-range (25-year) comprehensive public transportation plan for Cape Cod. This effort, which will involve the participation of the public and local municipalities, will be the first regionwide, multimodal transportation planning project on Cape Cod. Staff members currently are preparing a revised proposal with a budget of approximately $200,000. Additional funding from the National Park Service of approximately $300,000 also is anticipated for this effort. At Gettysburg, Mr. Spiewak and Mr. Daniel Krechmer and Mr. Frank Goetzke both of Cambridge Systematics, Inc., (a Volpe Center contractor) met with staff from the Gettysburg National Military Park, the Gettysburg/Adams County Chamber of Commerce, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and others. The 6,000-acre park attracts more than 2 million visitors annually, of whom more than 80 percent arrive by car, resulting in serious transportation problems within the park and throughout the region. The recently completed General Management Plan for the park cites damage attributed to automobile use as a serious resource concern. Park management has identified the need for a shuttle bus and Intelligent Transportation Systems. Development of transportation improvements is complicated by two factors: 1) most of the roads in the park are registered as historical landmarks; and 2) many roads also serve as critical routes for local residents. During the June meetings, staff members discussed the successes and failures of prior transportation management programs, as well as the expectations and requirements of a shuttle service. While on site, Volpe staff collected pictures of the area and information on point-to-point distances and traveling times, and discussed potential route options with park representatives. A follow-up meeting was held at the Volpe Center.
Volpe Volunteers Recognized at Awards Ceremony Community service is a cornerstone of the Volpe Center's mission. Volpe staff, resident agencies, and on-site contractors all participate in a variety of literacy, education, and community-building activities in nearby neighborhoods and schools. At the conclusion of the school year, some of the Center's community service activities were recognized in a ceremony at the Harvard University Faculty Club. Mr. Anthony D. Galluccio, Mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Ms. Bobbie D'Alessandro, Superintendent of the Cambridge Schools, applauded the outstanding contributions of Volpe staff to the Cambridge Public Schools. Numerous Volpe volunteers work in the public school system through the Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV), a nonprofit organization that serves as a liaison between the business community and the Cambridge Public Schools. CSV supports businesses that wish to set up volunteer educational outreach programs by helping them develop programs, train volunteers, and coordinate with teachers and school officials. The awards ceremony specifically recognized the Volpe Center's Lunch Buddies Program, which matched more than 100 volunteers from the Volpe Center with second and third graders in the Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School in Cambridge. Volpe buddies went to the school every other week throughout the year to read aloud one-on-one with their reading partners. The Program was one of 12 recipients of a Corporate Team Award as well as the sole recipient of the Margret Rey Literacy Award 2000. This award was established two years ago in honor of the late Margret E. Rey, author of the Curious George books and one of CSV's major contributors. The award highlights exemplary volunteer programs that address the early literacy priorities of the Cambridge Public Schools. The Volpe Lunch Buddies Program, now in its third year, is the largest CSV corporate team project ever and, through the efforts of Ms. Lynn Murray, Chief of the Communications and Technology Outreach Division, has generated other lunch buddies programs, notably the new Genzyme Corporation Reading Buddies program at the Maynard School in Cambridge. The awards ceremony also recognized Mr. Dick Chutter formerly of the Environmental Engineering Division for "extraordinary service to the Cambridge Public Schools." Mr. Chutter, who has since retired, was given the Mack I. Davis award for his extraordinary contributions as a volunteer, first for two years at the Kennedy School and then for the last three years at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. At the Kennedy School, Mr. Chutter and Volpe staff such as Ms. Nancy Cooney of the Intermodal Logistics Systems Planning and Integration Division and Dr. Art Flores of the Safety and Environmental Technology Division disassembled all the components of a personal computer, demonstrating how a computer works and the intricacies of the components. Last year, Mr. Chutter developed an intensive transportation, design, and problem-solving project for a Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School pre-engineering class, which challenged students to develop solutions for real transportation problems. In addition, Mr. Chutter also actively recruited Volpe staff to advise the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School Science Olympiad team. Under the coaching of Mr. Chutter, Mr. Dave Crawford of the Technology Applications and Deployment Division, Dr. John Hopkins of the Transportation Strategic Planning and Analysis Office, and Mr. Peter Osgood of the Aviation Safety Division, the Olympiad team recently won first place in the state. Mr. Chutter also made a video chronicling the experiences of the 2000 Olympiad team, a copy of which was given to each team member. Mr. Chutter has compiled a notebook of transportation projects for high school students and teachers to use as part of their curriculum. A week after the awards ceremony, Mr. Chutter retired from his 12 years of service at the Volpe Center. The event also highlighted the impact of these activities on the youth in public schools. Ms. Audrey Melick, Executive Director of CSV, told attendees that Larry Gregory, an eighth grade student from the Kennedy Elementary School, was spending the day in Washington, D.C., at the invitation of DOT Secretary Rodney E. Slater. Ms. Melick noted that this trip, organized through the Volpe Center, surely would have a long-lasting impact on this young man. |
|
