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T&DI July Technical Seminars

Transportation & Development Institute (T&DI) Technical Seminar Topics & Speakers for the Dallas / Fort Worth Joint Meeting

Time: 9:00am - 9:50am

Topic: Ft. Worth to Dallas High Speed Rail - This seminar covers the current efforts to advance high speed rail development in Texas and specifically the efforts by the metropolitan planning organization of the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Speaker: Rob Franke, P.E., Mayor of Cedar Hill, Texas, Chair of the Regional Transportation Council Multimodal/ Intermodal/High Speed Rail/Freight Subcommittee and Director (Co-Owner) at H&F Consulting, Inc.

Mr. Franke will provide the latest updates on the current planning and governmental efforts on the Fort Worth to Dallas High Speed Rail.

Time: 10:00am - 10:50am 

Topic: Thomasson Square Redevelopment – a Sustainable Redevelopment with “Green Streets” – This seminar combines transportation and development objectives of the T&DI Dallas Chapter to show how effective transportation planning, complete streets, governmental agencies’ redevelopment strategies, enterprising private development firms and professional consultants can influence revitalization of urban zones needing injections of ideas and funding to be transformed. The (Gus) Thomasson Square Redevelopment in Mesquite is planned to provide new pedestrian friendly streets, property transition initiatives and building face-lift strategies to accelerate private redevelopment in a rather depressed zone in the City. Funding by the North Central Council of Governments’ Sustainable Development Grant Program and major investments by the City has shaped bold plans for the area. 

Speakers: Richard Gertson, AICP, ICMA-CM, Director of Community Development and Danielle Wonkovich, AICP, Principal Planner, Planning & Zoning Division of the City of Mesquite

Richard and Danielle will provide a presentation on the planning of this exciting undertaking. 

Time: 11:00am – 11:50am 

Topic: Status of TxDOT Environmental Compliance for TxDOT Projects - This seminar intends to present an overview of typical issues that are covered in a typical TxDOT project requiring the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation before final design can be commenced.

Speaker: Aiza José, P.E., PhD, Transportation NEPA Planning, Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.

Aiza will present the highlights for current TxDOT environmental compliance.

The cost to attend one of the concurrent technical seminars OR the ethics seminar is $10 in addition to the cost of the main luncheon.  The cost to attend the technical seminars AND the ethics seminar is $15 in addition to the cost of the main luncheon.

For additional information on the Institute or the seminars, contact Roger Behgam, P.E., Dallas T&DI Chapter President at: 214.215.8321 or [email protected].