On May 23, the NADO Research Foundation held a virtual peer exchange on collaborative transportation and economic development planning. Bringing together transportation and economic development practitioners from RDOs and state agencies, the peer exchange provided hands-on training on using economic analysis to sharpen transportation decision making and ensure that infrastructure investments are supportive of regional economic prosperity. Using innovative virtual learning techniques, the event engaged and connected participants through an exciting new format that broke from traditional webinar styles.
The peer exchange featured presentations on data tools that can be used to uncover economic trends and sharpen transportation planning and project selection; a case study highlighting how economic development data helped forge new relationships with businesses and expand transportation options in north central Idaho; a spotlight on the analysis completed as part of the CEDS in Southeast Alaska; and lively discussions on participants’ understanding of their regional and state economies and how they can infuse economic development information into their work.
The agenda and slides from the peer exchange are available here. The “K-W-L” (know, want to know, learned) exercise participants completed in preparation for the event is available here, and a Federal Highway Administration handout on online data sources to support economic development analysis is here.
This training was the first installment of ‘On the Road to Prosperity: Fostering Collaborative Transportation and Economic Development Planning,’ a series of five virtual peer exchanges exploring how transportation and economic development planning practitioners can work together to maximize the economic impact of infrastructure investments, grow businesses and jobs, and strengthen the livability and vitality of communities and regions. These peer exchanges are conducted with support from FHWA.
