NACTO has been convening and facilitating best practice workshops to proliferate and deepen the adoption of new mass transit, safety, public realm, bicycle transportation, greening and project delivery practices in cities and towns across the United States.

These workshops are geared toward reducing transportation’s direct negative impacts and increasing the livability and attractiveness of pedestrian- and transit-oriented centers, whose accessibility by most social groups is greater and whose environmental footprint is much smaller than typical American land-forms.

Six one-day sessions were held around the country, hosted two at a time in various NACTO member cities, two more are planned for D.C. this winter. Three U.S. Representatives gave keynote speeches on their take on city transportation issues at the workshops: Rep. Nadler (NY), Rep. Lipinski (IL), and Rep. Blumenauer (OR). The session on freight was addressed by the new administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Joseph Szabo. In each session, member cities presenting on their experiences and practices, and experts on policy and practice issues addressed the group. Each session’s activities were summarized in an interactive discussion at the end of the day.

NACTO Workshops to Date
San Francisco, October 27-28, 2008: Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Issues
New York City, February 9th - 10th: Improving Federal Funding and Achieving State of Good Repair
Chicago, May 11-13 2009: Freight Policy and Technology Innovations
Washington, D.C., December 8-9, 2009: Best Practices for Safety

NACTO will post best practice presentations from these workshops to this site as a resource for its members and other cities.

Best Practice Themes
Bicycling and Walking
Transit
Trucking and Freight
Technology
Urban Innovations

Bicycle and Pedestrian Issues
Bike Sharing: Boston
In 2010, Boston will launch a bike share program with 1,500 bicycles that can be borrowed and returned to subway stops and other locations throughout the city. Bike-share programs provide low-cost transportation, promote fitness and reduce crowding on roads and other forms of transit.
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Bicycle Parking for Bike to Transit: Chicago
Nearly all transit trips begin or end with either walking or bicycle riding. Chicago is encouraging public transportation users to bike to transit by installing state of the art bicycle storage facilities at bus and train stations.
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Building Regulations and Design Standards for Walking: Houston
Houston is one of the lowest density cities in the country. The city’s decentralized land use pattern has resulted in car-dependent development. Proposed building regulations and design standards will create pedestrian-friendly communities in select areas of the city.
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Transit
Bus Rapid Transit: Los Angeles
Bus Rapid Transit is a viable alternative to traditional bus systems that provides fast, punctual service through the use of designated lanes and coordinated traffic signals. In Los Angeles, Bus Rapid Transit has reduced travel times by an average of 25%, resulting in an increase in bus use of 50%.
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Trucking and Freight
Cargo Oriented Development: Center for Neighborhood Technology
Freight-related jobs comprise 4% of the national work force and a much larger percentage of jobs in urban areas. Cargo Oriented Development clusters multi-modal freight transport with freight related businesses and workforce housing. The result is the creation of efficient freight systems, a reduction in fossil fuel consumption and the strengthening of local economies.
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Trucking: Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the 5th largest port in the world and the largest in the United States. The city has implemented a variety of innovative programs to increase the efficiency of freight transport. Strategies include an environmental justice grant program, upgrading truck fleets, road and rail improvements and a shift to off-peak transport.
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Investing in Freight: Phoenix
Phoenix’s road system has grown exponentially in the past several decades, mirroring a huge increase in population. Using information from a recent study of truck traffic within the city, Phoenix is investing strategically in improvements to freight travel.
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Technology
Transit and Technology: Boston
Boston uses technology to assist in managing all aspects of their transportation and road systems. Automated services such as road transponders and electronic fare payment reduce travel time for passengers. Improved surveillance and passenger counters provide transportation officials with valuable information that allows them to adjust performance to meet real-life challenges.
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Market Rate Parking for Congestion Relief: San Francisco
San Francisco is piloting an innovative program that comprehensively manages on and off-street parking. The program charges market rates for parking, resulting in decreased congestion, an improved parking experience and increased revenue to support public transit.
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Traffic Management with ITS: Seattle
Through the use of interactive technology, Seattle has greatly improved the quality of their on-road and truck transportation systems. Improvements include 25% travel time savings and a 50% increase in emergency response times.
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Urban Innovations
Sustainable Streets, Strategic Plan for Transportation: New York
New York’s Mayor Bloomberg outlined an ambitious framework for reducing CO2 emisssions by 30% by 2030 with PlaNYC which calls for a variety of actions including increased commitments to green building, reductions in energy consumption, increases in urban forestry and better transportation management. New York City’s Department of Transportation built upon the transportation components of the plan to outline specific goals to improve public transportation, walking and cycling as well as continue to reduce the agency’s energy consumption and contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.
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Transit First: San Francisco
The San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Authority uses a holistic approach in their long-term planning. Their goals include enhancing streets for cyclists and pedestrians and the promotion of an integrated public transportation system.
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Good Neighbor Rail Program: Baltimore
An innovative program at BWI airport is a model for communities struggling to deal with the burdens of freight rail infrastructure. The program charges a small fee per trip and redistributes for the money for community improvements through a competitive grant program
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Car Share: Philadelphia
Philadelphia took over 300 city-owned vehicles off the road in the last five years as part of a program to cut government spending. They replaced these vehicles with membership in Philly Car Share. The program, which has saved Philadelphia nearly $1 million per year, allows drivers to rent cars on an hourly basis from several convenient location.
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