“Blocks and Ribbons: A Public Involvement Tool for Transportation Planning ” Franco Saraceno/Mary Ross, P.E.

2 Topics History/Development of Blocks and Ribbons History/Development of Blocks and Ribbons Blocks and Ribbons for Transportation Planning Blocks and Ribbons for Transportation Planning Purpose of Blocks and Ribbons Purpose of Blocks and Ribbons Application of Application of Blocks and Ribbons Blocks and Ribbons Assessment of Assessment of Blocks and Ribbons Blocks and Ribbons

3 History/Development of Blocks and Ribbons Development of the tool by the Urban Land Institute Development of the tool by the Urban Land Institute  Reality Check  Land use and transportation planning tool  Facilitation of stakeholder and decision maker input Modification of the tool for Miami-Dade LRTP Update Modification of the tool for Miami-Dade LRTP Update  Used only for transportation planning  Redesigned for use by the general public

4 Blocks and Ribbons for LRTP Development – Public Involvement Series of 6 workshops held in designated Transportation Planning Areas Series of 6 workshops held in designated Transportation Planning Areas Employed at the initial phase Employed at the initial phase of the plan development process Attended by transportation Attended by transportation professionals professionals

5 Blocks and Ribbons for LRTP Development – The Tool Workshop setting with groups of 5 to 10 participants Workshop setting with groups of 5 to 10 participants Use of Lego ® blocks and ribbon to visualize growth and transportation solutions Use of Lego ® blocks and ribbon to visualize growth and transportation solutions Facilitated and recorded by Facilitated and recorded by transportation planners transportation planners Utilized as input into the long Utilized as input into the long range transportation planning range transportation planning process process

6 Purpose of Blocks and Ribbons Hands-on educational experience Hands-on educational experience Raise awareness and stimulate dialogue about projected growth Raise awareness and stimulate dialogue about projected growth Fulfill SAFETEA-LU’s visualization requirement Fulfill SAFETEA-LU’s visualization requirement Incorporate public opinion and priorities in the planning process Incorporate public opinion and priorities in the planning process

7 Hands-on Educational Experience Engage the public with a fun hands-on process Engage the public with a fun hands-on process Two-way dialogue with the public Two-way dialogue with the public  Educate the public about planning challenges  Allow participants to “wear the planner’s hat” and provide planner’s hat” and provide meaningful input meaningful input

8 Raise Awareness about Projected Growth 39% Population growth expected in Miami-Dade County by % Population growth expected in Miami-Dade County by % Employment growth expected in Miami-Dade County by % Employment growth expected in Miami-Dade County by 2035 How best to address this growth with transportation solutions How best to address this growth with transportation solutions

9 Visualization SAFETEA-LU requires MPO’s to employ visualization techniques to describe metropolitan transportation plans SAFETEA-LU requires MPO’s to employ visualization techniques to describe metropolitan transportation plans FHWA examples of visualization techniques include: FHWA examples of visualization techniques include:  Sketches  Drawings  Artist renderings  Physical models and maps  Simulated photos  Videos  Computer modeled images  Interactive GIS systems  GIS based scenario planning tools  Photo manipulation  Computer simulation

10 Application of Blocks and Ribbons Elements of the tool Elements of the tool  Blocks allocation  Ribbon allocation  Prioritization of ribbon  Discussion of implications

11 Blocks Allocation Pre-defined land use allocation labels square mile grid map Pre-defined land use allocation labels square mile grid map Facilitates a 3-dimensional understanding of projected growth in magnitudes and patterns Facilitates a 3-dimensional understanding of projected growth in magnitudes and patterns Provides basis to identify/justify Provides basis to identify/justify transportation improvements 1,280 Households/2 households per acre 3,840 Jobs/6 jobs per acre

12 Blocks Allocation Defining blocks in accessible terms Defining blocks in accessible terms More visualization More visualization

13 Blocks Allocation

14 Ribbon Allocation Unlimited ribbon available to recommend transportation improvements Unlimited ribbon available to recommend transportation improvements Ribbon provided in two colors to distinguish improvement types Ribbon provided in two colors to distinguish improvement types  Purple ribbon – highway improvements  Orange ribbon – transit improvements  Purple and orange combined – multimodal corridors

15 Prioritization of Ribbon Tape measure provided to measure used ribbon Tape measure provided to measure used ribbon Allowable lengths of ribbon provided Allowable lengths of ribbon provided  Purple (Highways/Roadways) = 80 inches  Orange (Transit) = 40 inches Allocated ribbon scaled back to allowable lengths Allocated ribbon scaled back to allowable lengths Resulting prioritized ribbon recorded on plots Resulting prioritized ribbon recorded on plots Prioritization process facilitates understanding of limitations Prioritization process facilitates understanding of limitations

16 Implications Final step of exercise to discuss implications of recommended scenarios Final step of exercise to discuss implications of recommended scenarios Consensus building Consensus building required required Opposing view points Opposing view points contribute to contribute to educational quality educational quality of Blocks and Ribbons of Blocks and Ribbons

17 Results of Blocks and Ribbons Transportation improvement scenarios generalized across 6 workshops Transportation improvement scenarios generalized across 6 workshops Recommended improvements provided to LRTP Steering Committee for their consideration Recommended improvements provided to LRTP Steering Committee for their consideration

18 Results Results summarized by number of improvements in corridors Results summarized by number of improvements in corridors Results summarized by highway and transit Results summarized by highway and transit Another visualization tool to communicate public input Another visualization tool to communicate public input

19 Assessment of Blocks and Ribbons Well attended workshops Well attended workshops Positive public response Positive public response High engagement of participants High engagement of participants Meaningful input from the process Meaningful input from the process

20 Other Media Animated adaptation of Blocks on web Animated adaptation of Blocks on web Number of Households in 2005 Household Growth

21 Blocks and Ribbons Franco Saraceno