Kevin Kokes, AICP
Allie Blazosky
Chip Place, AIA
Wednesday, March 9, 1:30 pm.
Conference Room 1
Regional trail and bikeway corridors in urban areas are typically characterized by continuous linear corridors that provide long distance connections through communities and across counties, and provide connections to major destinations such as employment and education centers, transit stations, and/or other major activity venues with high volumes of users. Regional trail and bikeway corridors differ from local trails which are generally shorter in length and may terminate within a neighborhood, or may provide short connections between neighborhoods and local destinations.
Planning and implementing a complete regional trail and bikeway network in urban areas typically involves many local jurisdictions, agencies, and stakeholders. These efforts require looking beyond individual city boundaries and considering suitable alignments that overcome physical barriers and connect the entire region together.
The purpose of this session is to identify regional planning and implementation strategies and resources that facilitate a complete active transportation network across the region. The panel will provide presentations of case studies including the 150-mile network planned by Houston’s Bayou Greenways 2020, the Alamo Regional Bike/Pedestrian Study (Alamo Area MPO), and the 64-mile Fort Worth to Dallas Regional Veloweb Trail through five cities and two counties.
Panelists will describe examples of multi-jurisdictional and stakeholder coordination, trail alignment issues and opportunities, funding sources, and related implementation efforts.
Principal Transportation Planner,
North Central Texas Council of Governments
Kevin Kokes is a Senior Transportation Planner within the Sustainable Development Program of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Transportation Department. The Sustainable Development Program is responsible for preparing and implementing programs and projects that integrate land use, transportation, and air quality policy of Mobility 2040, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the 12-county North Central Texas region. These activities include transit-oriented development (TOD) initiatives, and increasing accommodations and planning for active transportation throughout in the region. Active transportation efforts include planning for regional bicycle and pedestrian facilities, safety and education programs.
Prior to joining NCTCOG, Kevin worked in both the public and private sectors. His responsibilities included management and preparation of community comprehensive plans, transportation corridor studies, land use and transit-oriented development studies, urban design guidelines, complete streets and context sensitive solutions, sustainability plans, LEED project facilitation, community meeting facilitation, and design charrettes.
His professional involvements include American Planning Association (APA, )Midwest Section Texas APA,North Central Section Texas APA, AICP, LEED AP BD+C
Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Planner,
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO)
Allison “Allie” Blazosky joined the Alamo Area MPO in June 2013. As the bicycle/pedestrian transportation planner, she works to increase awareness of and participation in active transportation modes through outreach, community education and facility planning. She coordinates the Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Advisory Committees (BMAC and PMAC) and leads the MPO’s Walkable Community program.
Allie is a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners and is Secretary for the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) San Antonio Region. She holds a Masters of Urban Planning from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Trinity University.
Managing Director of Capital Program,
Houston Parks Board
Charles (Chip) Place’s extensive experience launched after graduating from Rice University School of Architecture and the University of Houston Law Center. Prior to his current role as the Managing Director of Capital Programs, Chip implemented New York State capital parks project including the planning and design for Brooklyn Bridge Park and the development of Brooklyn’s East River State Park. At Houston Parks Board, Chip manages land acquisition, design and construction of all parks and trails, including the greenway system comprising Bayou Greenways 2020 Project.
