Time: 10:45am to 12:00pm
Location: Concourse level – Conference Rooms
Advancing Accessible Infrastructure for All
How can we create transportation systems that work for everyone? This panel explores how moving towards a broader understanding of needs can bring benefits for all. Whether the challenge lies in retrofitting older infrastructure or in undertaking efforts to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain more inclusive infrastructure from the beginning, opportunities for advancing accessibility abound. Come hear about ways big and small to move beyond minimum compliance and create a sense of belonging in our transportation spaces.
Moderator: Emily Gallo, Director of Infrastructure and Mobility Equity, HNTB
Panelists:
- Quemuel Arroyo, Chief Accessibility Officer, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- Edmund Asiedu, ADA Coordinator, NYC Department of Transportation
- Sarah Kaufman, Director, NYU Rudin Center for Transportation
- Kimberly Lesay, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Policy and Planning, Connecticut Department of Transportation
Room: C201-202
Reimagining Public Spaces to Create Belonging
Over the last 100 years, cars have become dominant in our society and our cities have been transformed to accommodate them. Neighborhoods have been torn down to build highways, streets that used to welcome children playing now serve only to move cars quickly, and public transportation has taken a back seat, sometimes being completely eliminated. While some cities have begun to reclaim this space for people, the transition can be difficult. This panel will examine best practices for reimagining and reclaiming space, how to ensure that public space is equitably distributed and maintained – and how it can be activated to best serve the needs of local communities.
Moderator: Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director, Open Plans
Panelists:
- Emily Weidenhof, Assistant Commissioner for Public Realm, NYC Department of Transportation
- Tom Harris, President, Times Square Alliance
- Kane Jacob, Complete Streets & Built Environment Coordinator, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Candice Ji, Urban Planner and Designer, Gehl People
- Jacob Wessel, Public Realm Director, Boston Transportation Department
Room: C204-205
Navigating Space: Designing Cities for Diverse Populations
This interactive workshop will explore how factors such as race, gender, ability, and age shape how people may navigate and access a city. Practitioners will share innovative concepts that have helped overcome streetscape challenges and insights into design choices that serve a variety of communities. Then, participants will have the opportunity to share your city story and participate in an activity that challenges our perspectives on how people move through urban spaces. Leave this session empowered to influence how to create cities that work for everyone.
Moderator: Denise Ramirez, Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, NYC Department of Youth & Community Development
- Adana Wright, Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Learning and Capacity Building, NYC Commission on Gender Equity
- Emily May, President and Co-Founder, Right to Be
- Kevin Jones, Associate State Director for Advocacy, AARP NY
- Anthony Ng, Deputy Chief of Staff, NYC Department of Youth & Community Development
- Christina Curry, Commissioner, NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
Room: C198
Time: 10:45am to 12:00pm