Sustainable Cities Lecture Series 2009-2010

There is a pressing need to provide broadly accessible education on the benefits of integrating transportation and land use planning. In response to this need, the University of Oregon and a variety of co-sponsors plan to host a Sustainable Cities lecture series in Eugene. The co-sponsors include the City of Eugene, the American Institute of Architects Southwestern Oregon Chapter, the American Society of Landscape Architects Willamette Valley Section, the University of Oregon, Lane County Farm Bureau, Lane Transit District, and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. This lecture series meets a key OTREC mission of “educating a…

There is a pressing need to provide broadly accessible education on the benefits of integrating transportation and land use planning. In response to this need, the University of Oregon and a variety of co-sponsors plan to host a Sustainable Cities lecture series in Eugene. The co-sponsors include the City of Eugene, the American Institute of Architects Southwestern Oregon Chapter, the American Society of Landscape Architects Willamette Valley Section, the University of Oregon, Lane County Farm Bureau, Lane Transit District, and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. This lecture series meets a key OTREC mission of “educating a diverse array of current practitioners and future leaders in the transportation field.” This lecture series also aligns with USDOT’s Strategic Plan and its call to “Foster dialogue, education and communication about transportation alternatives and choices that improve compatibility between transportation and communities and encourage consideration of the full range of transportation options, including non-motorized transportation such as pedestrian and bicycle travel, to address mobility and environmental challenges.” Given the nature of the lectures, this is also an opportunity for interdisciplinary education and cross-campus participation. Scope The intent is to host lectures by a variety of nationally-known experts in the fields of transportation planning, urban design, and transit-oriented development. These lectures will be free and open to the public. Attendance is required for University of Oregon students enrolled in urban design courses. Methodology For the 2009-2010 series, we plan to host Michael Southworth (Professor of City and Regional Planning and author of Streets and the Shaping of Towns Cities), Jane Holtz Kay (author of Asphalt Nation), and John Jakle (Professor of Geography at the University of Illinois and co-author of Lots of Parking: Land Use in a Car Culture). Results In addition to providing education to attendees and land use and transportation connections, all lectures will be video-recorded, transcribed, and posted on the University of Oregon’s video web service.