Nora's Note
Nora Madonick | CEO & Founder
Rail Planning Goes Trick-or-Treating
We go where they go. It’s in every public engagement pro’s pitch: meet people where they already gather instead of waiting for them to show up at a formal meeting. So this Halloween, we took that promise door-to-door. We packed up the New-Haven-to-Providence Capacity Planning Study tent, participation boards, and a stack of kids’ activity books and headed to Old Lyme, Connecticut, for the town’s beloved Lyme Street trick-or-treating tradition.
Alongside First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker, the Lions Club, and dozens of neighbors, ASC Associate Director Caroline Ibarra and I joined Amtrak reps for several hours of handing out treats and trading candy for conversation. Between greeting ghosts, goblins, and the occasional superhero, we gathered resident feedback on Amtrak’s study, which is taking a fresh look at rail planning goals for the corridor.
The best part? Many of the folks we met in costume, we hope to see again (no masks required) at this week’s open houses in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Transportation
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is undertaking an $11 billion project to replace Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal, one of the world's busiest bus terminals. With about 200,000 daily passengers, keeping buses and commuters moving throughout the nine-year construction process will be a major logistical challenge. The first phase, expected to be completed in 2030, includes a temporary terminal and new bus ramps, while construction of the main terminal is scheduled to finish in 2035. The redesigned facility will feature light-filled atriums, expanded bus capacity, modern amenities, retail and dining, with plans to turn a temporary bus storage area into public green space.
Read more about the massive effort to rebuild the Port Authority Bus Terminal. (Source: CBS News)
ABC News: New York City Install Red Light Cameras at 600 Intersections
Streetsblog USA: Fight to End Car Crash Deaths is Fewer cars
amNewYork: Public Input on Outerborough Greeenway Projects
Climate
The National Hurricane Center began using Google’s DeepMind AI model for its official forecasts last year, and it has quickly established itself as the “gold standard” of computer models for predicting hurricanes. This year, it beat traditional models by better predicting the strength and pathway of Hurricane Isaias. However, because AI models are “black boxes,” it’s hard to understand why they get predictions right or why they get them wrong, leaving some experts unsettled by the prospect of relying on systems they don’t completely understand, instead opting for a strategy using a blend of models.
Read more about AI in weather forecasting here. (Source: NPR)
Inside Climate News: Production Agriculture is Driving Grasslands Loss Across North America
Waste Dive: Moving Past ‘Hard to Recycle’ Hurdles Takes Accountability, Creativity
Route fifty: How Tech is Helping Communities Ease Their Water Worries
Economic Development
At last month’s International City/County Management Association annual conference, leaders from several U.S. cities discussed rethinking how new technologies and innovative approaches can address public infrastructure needs. Cities should carefully consider how the new services will be maintained if the pilot is successful. Some cities are also finding that involving their residents in pilots helps boost trust in government.
Read more to learn about the Long Beach, CA pilot program that brought the percentage of residents who say they trust their government with their feedback from 47% to 95%.
Planetizen: “One Code to Rule Them All:’ this Ohio county is streamlining all 59 of its zoning codes
AP News: Strong Growth and Inflation Paints Mixed picture of economy days before midterm elections
Planetizen: Dallas Suburbs Are Turning Their Downtowns Mall Towns
Digital
New York is investing $10 million in a workforce training and job placement initiative to prepare residents for careers that use artificial intelligence. More than $3 million will support the development of the AI Jobs Institute, a Queens-based hub where residents can build AI skills through training and apprenticeship opportunities. Led by nonprofit Pursuit, the institute aims to train up to 40,000 residents by 2032, focusing on low-income adult learners and expanding access to careers in the growing AI economy. The initiative will also help small businesses and nonprofits adopt AI tools and bring together employers, educators, and industry leaders to address workforce needs.
Read more about New York's AI Workforce Training. (Source: Route Fifty)
TechCrunch: US Gov Says hackers are now Exploiting Critical PHP web bugs
Social Media Today: Instagram Rolls Out Limited Features Test in the US
Social MediaToday: YouTube shares data on how creators are using AI
About Arch Street Communications
At ASC, we help government agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations across the globe communicate issues that affect people’s lives. We’re the bold, nimble, women-owned small business (WBE) that has supported strategic communications programs to build stronger communities for 30 years.
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