Webinar Summary

Recent updates to federal terminology and guidance have changed how certain aspects of transportation planning are described, but the underlying goal remains the same: ensuring that limited infrastructure resources provide the greatest possible benefit to communities.

Analyses focused on directing investment where it can have the strongest impact continue to be a priority. Across all levels of government, there is still an emphasis on making efficient use of public funds. Regardless of the terminology used, this requires understanding where transportation resources can be applied most effectively.

This 60‑minute webinar provides practical guidance for maintaining a community-centered approach to transportation planning and engineering within the context of evolving federal language and requirements. Speakers from the United States will discuss strategies for working within the updated policy environment, while speakers from Canada will present straightforward metrics that align with current U.S. expectations and remain broadly useful across jurisdictions.

This session is intended for practitioners engaged in community-oriented transportation analysis, as well as those seeking to ensure that project resources deliver maximum value to clients and communities.

Registration Includes

• Live webinar access
• 30-day on-demand recording
• PDH/CM credit available for an additional fee.

Instructions provided on the corresponding pages for this webinar on the ITE Learning Hub.

This webinar is led by the ITE Transit Committee.

Webinar Overview

Recent updates to federal terminology and guidance have changed how certain aspects of transportation planning are described, but the underlying goal remains the same: ensuring that limited infrastructure resources provide the greatest possible benefit to communities.

Analyses focused on directing investment where it can have the strongest impact continue to be a priority. Across all levels of government, there is still an emphasis on making efficient use of public funds. Regardless of the terminology used, this requires understanding where transportation resources can be applied most effectively.

This 60‑minute webinar provides practical guidance for maintaining a community-centered approach to transportation planning and engineering within the context of evolving federal language and requirements. Speakers from the United States will discuss strategies for working within the updated policy environment, while speakers from Canada will present straightforward metrics that align with current U.S. expectations and remain broadly useful across jurisdictions.

This session is intended for practitioners engaged in community-oriented transportation analysis, as well as those seeking to ensure that project resources deliver maximum value to clients and communities.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify ways to continue the mission of efficient and just allocation of limited transit dollars while meeting current funding constraints.

• Understand analytical methods that successfully justify directing transit resources to the communities most in need.

• Recognize how these methods have been successfully employed for the benefit of actual communities across the US and Canada.

• Explore practical lessons for anyone aiming to provide the most effective transit service they can for their communities.

Moderator

Dan Ross, P.Eng, Senior Project Manager | HDR Inc. | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Dan Ross is a Transportation Engineer, Planner, and Project Manager who brings diverse technical and personal expertise to projects and clients. He has over 20 years of experience for a wide range of public and private clients in North America, New Zealand, and Australia. In addition to his own career development, Dan helps mentor junior professionals. He has served as a part-time Adjunct Instructor at the University of British Columbia's School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) and is a recurring guest lecturer in Simon Fraser University’s City Program.

Presenters

Fernanda Soares, Active Transportation Project Manager | City of Brampton, Ontario | Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Fernanda Soares is the Active Transportation Project Manager with the City of Brampton, where she leads initiatives that expand walking, cycling, and micromobility options across the city. She holds a PhD in Transportation Planning from the University of Toronto, where her research explored accessibility and equity in urban transportation systems. With an interdisciplinary background in architecture, urbanism, and transportation engineering, Fernanda works to advance transportation solutions that improve mobility and access for diverse communities. She oversees programs supporting Brampton’s Active Transportation Master Plan and is currently leading the City’s e-scooter pilot program, focused on improving transit access through micromobility.

Lee Caragiale, Transportation Equity Lead | HDR Inc | Ontario, Canada

As HDR's Transportation Equity Lead for Canada, Lee is spearheading a fundamental shift in planning and engineering practices to enable our teams to improve project outcomes for all, steadily expanding her focus beyond transportation infrastructure. Lee specializes in the development of evaluation and prioritization tools and frameworks, which intentionally leverage both quantitative data and lived experience input from communities. Prior to joining HDR, Lee spent six years leading transit infrastructure projects at Metrolinx, with a focus on business case analysis and equity. Combining her business, communications, and capital planning backgrounds, her strength is her ability to read what drives decision-makers, identify process gaps, and develop tailored frameworks and recommendations to achieve policy goals.

Mike Washington, Community Transportation Strategy Consultant | HDR Inc. | Denver, Colorado, USA

As a seasoned equity practitioner, Mike is skilled in developing equitable public policy and implementing equitable practices, with an emphasis on transportation policy and supplier diversity. He is adept at coaching executive-level management seeking socially equitable outcomes, recognized as a civil rights expert, and experienced in engaging elected officials and CEOs. He is also regarded as an expert in developing and executing public engagement and communications strategies.

Laura Qualey, Regional Transportation Planner | Greater Portland Council of Governments | Portland, Oregon, USA

Laura is a Regional Transportation Planner at the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG). Her work spans transit, mobility, and sustainability. She facilitates the Transit Task Force, a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) subcommittee convening 6 transit providers, MaineDOT, and MPO officers, coordinating the performance-based allocation of $30 million in federal transit funding annually. She has led a disparate impact analysis of regional transportation investments resulting in 8 recommendations to address identified impacts, managed an update of the Public Participation Plan, and co-authored a roadmap targeting 70% regional transportation emissions reduction by 2050. Laura coordinates across transit providers, municipalities, MaineDOT, and the public to ensure regional transportation programs are transparent, inclusive, and grounded in federal and state requirements. She brings a data-driven perspective rooted in her engineering background and is currently pursuing an M.P.S. in Analytics from The Roux Institute at Northeastern University.

Registration Fees

ITE Members: Free

Non-Members: $79

Registration includes access to the live webinar and the on-demand recording for 30 days.

Non-members must create an ITE account to register.

Log-On Instructions

On the day of the webinar, login to your ITE Learning Hub account, navigate to your Learning Center, then find the webinar and click 'Attend.'

PDH / CM Credit Certificate

Participants may earn 1.0 PDH/CM credit for this webinar for a $20 processing fee, regardless of membership status.

Instructions and the purchase link will be provided at the conclusion of the live event

For the on-demand recording, instructions will be provided at the end of the recording

PDH Credit Certificates may be purchased and downloaded while access to the recording is active

Once on-demand webinar access expires, the certificate opportunity is forfeited

Recording Access

All registrants will receive access to the recording for 30 days after it is posted

Additional attendees viewing a recording at one location are not eligible to earn PDH credit

Additional Attendees (Live Viewing Only)

Additional attendees watching the live webinar at one location may earn credit.
The primary registrant must share the PDH evaluation purchase link with additional attendees so they can purchase their own certificate in their own ITE account.

Presentation Materials

Presenters typically provide PDF copies of their slides. If available, materials will be uploaded to the Resources tab within 24 hours after the live event.

Policies

The on-demand webinar is available for registration for 60 days for anyone who wishes to register. After 60 days, this on-demand webinar will be removed and archived.

PDH credit certificates must be purchased and retrieved before individual webinar access expires

No refunds

Last Day to Register On-Demand: We will post that date here after the live webinar concludes.

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