RPA pushes transportation projects.Regional Plan Association declared the region's need to invest in long-term infrastructure despite the current fiscal crisis, calling for new revenue sources to fund the projects that will provide the region with the continued potential for growth. The declaration was part of RPA's 13th Regional Assembly, called "Shaping the Region for the 21st Century," held in Times Square. "Given our fiscal crises, there's a temptation to look back and wonder just how we got ourselves into this mess, and of course there is a desperate need to find a solution that will keep our cities and towns running in the short term," said Robert Yaro, president of RPA RPA Remote Patron Authentication RPA Rural Payments Agency (UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) RPA Replication Protein A RPA RNAse Protection Assay RPA Regional Plan Association RPA Random-Phase Approximation . "But we're gathered here today to focus on the future. Even in dire fiscal times, we must reaffirm the need to invest in infrastructure for growth." This year's assembly featured inspirational addresses from Pasqual Maragall, the former Mayor of Barcelona, and Derek Turner Derek Turner (born 1964 in Dublin, Ireland) is a freelance journalist. He was the editor of the right wing British conservative magazine Right Now!, until its demise in December 2006. He is now editor of The Quarterly Review. , recently departed from Transport for London Not to be confused with Transport in London. Transport For London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system throughout Greater London in England. . Maragall spoke of his unprecedented success in remaking Barcelona's public realm in preparation for the 1992 Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. . His strategy has lessons both for the revitalization re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. of Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York. Lower Manhattan is generally defined as the area delineated on the north by Chambers Street, on the west by the Hudson River (North and for the city's pursuit of the 2012 Olympic bid. Turner shared his experiences devising and implementing London's renowned congestion The condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load. congestion - When the offered load of a data communication path exceeds the capacity. pricing scheme, which has revolutionized that city's street management. "London and Barcelona provide the region with great examples of how to solve problems even in times of fiscal crisis," Yaro said. "Barcelona's public realm was literally transformed on the back of the Olympics, and London's success in curbing congestion will have ramifications ramifications npl → Auswirkungen pl around the world. We should be thinking about similar strategies for revitalizing the public spaces in Lower Manhattan and potentially introducing tolls to the East River crossings as part of a regional congestion pricing strategy." Turner also spoke about London's plans to use the revenue raised from the pricing scheme to fund growth in the city's transportation system. The Metropolitan Region's transportation system has not grown in capacity in 60 years. In fact, it has actually lost some capacity in that time. For the region to continue to grow when the current recession inevitably ends, it must build the infrastructure for growth." "The region's transportation priorities -- The Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access for the Long Island Railroad, and a new . commuter rail tunnel under the Hudson -- are vital to our quality of life and economic development," said Jeffrey Zupan, RPA's senior fellow for transportation. |
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