Solving Our Real Problem: A Strategic Approach to Regional Planning
November 21, 2015
Few people, if any, have spent more time and effort studying transit, parking, and urban redevelopment in the greater San Diego area than Alan Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman holds Master’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Urban Studies and Planning) and Harvard University (Administration, Planning, and Social Policy), and a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University (Social Sciences). He has taught courses in transportation-related issues through the University of Queensland, UC Davis, and NewSchool of Architecture & Design. He is currently an Advisor on Transportation and Long-Range Planning and a Lecturer in City Planning in the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University.
Transportation is a concern for all of us, whether we are driving, walking, biking, or taking public transit. We want to get where we are headed quickly with the least amount of inconvenience and arrive there safely. We want to park cars or secure bikes close to our destination. If we have used public transportation, we want to be taken close to shops, schools, or offices, and not have to worry about traversing the last mile. We also want affordability.
Solutions have been offered and many professionals are working on mobility issues now, but there seems to be a lot of resistance to change, too much negativity, and a sense of denial about what the future holds. But we know there will be many more people living in San Diego 20 years from now. We will need more affordable housing located within walking distance from work, school, and shops. We will need more public transportation strategically placed to service more passengers and eliminate the need to drive everywhere. We will need to improve traffic flow and re-purpose parking lots to be used 24 hours a day.
Basically, we need an overall strategic plan for our region that can assess what we have today, predict what we will need for the future, and then act upon it. Hoffman had a visionary approach to the Uptown 2025 Plan and has now come up with a plan called the Quickway Proposal for a new regional plan that would vastly improve transit and traffic flows, create world-class bicycle facilities, help strengthen the pedestrian environment, and solve parking issues in commercial districts.
Come early for coffee. No reservations necessary. Students are free.