Matthew Coolidge
My coworker just pointed me to the website http://change.gov. This is the new website of the President-Elect. Here, Obama lays out all of the proposed plans and changes. Personally, I find this all very exciting.
Particularly relevant to GC:PVD is the “Agenda” section on Urban Policy.
From the site:
The Problem
Failing Commitment to America’s Economic Centers: Today, government programs aimed at strengthening metropolitan areas are spread across the federal government with insufficient coordination or strategy. Worse, many federal programs inadvertently undermine cities and regions by encouraging inefficient and costly patterns of development and local competition.
I think there is a good point here. Cities are a vital part of our economy, and good urban design and development is essential to well functioning cities.
He mentions some topics that seem to point in the right direction, such as:
- Convert our Manufacturing Centers into Clean Technology Leaders
- Strengthen Core Infrastructure
- Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities
- Use Innovative Measures to Dramatically Improve Efficiency of Buildings
Much like our Providence Tomorrow Charrettes are forming the guidelines of the future of Providence, perhaps development guidelines for American cities nation-wide might help ease some of the burden on the individual cities and help us share discoveries and ideas among a broader network.
What policies do you think should be considered in Providence? Is there anything missing from the list?
Jef Nickerson
Greater City Providence
Transit, for the whole northeast.
Put people to work rebuilding our transit infrastructure and building new infrastructure. Take commuters off the road lessening our dependence on foreign oil and reducing our carbon footprint.
From DC to Portland we are too dense to be driving ourselves around in cars. We should have European style intercity and intracity transit in the Northeast.
Of course there are many more issues, too many, but this is something we had, and could have again with not too too much effort. And I think people want it.