Can Urban Greenways Connect this Metropolis?

For more than forty years, a regionally connected greenway vision has been slowly taking shape, driven by the need for improvements in our mobility, reducing traffic-related air pollution and roadway congestion, and fostering increased options for more active, healthier lifestyles. Join our discussion of the mobility opportunities leveraged by our abundant Trinity River greenways, and hear how investments in the adjacent public realm are benefitting our entire North Central Texas metropolitan region.

Participants will come away from this session prepared to:

• Describe reasons why different people may have unique needs for accommodation of walking, bicycling and other forms of micromobility.
• Discuss the history of national-level transportation infrastructure funding, and ways in recent decades that these public investments continue benefitting our region’s mobility, environment, and general health and wellness.
• Explain three or four different forms of micromobility, or types of modal optionality accommodation.
• Summarize ways in which investments of public funds, such as bond programs or federal transportation grants or partnerships, can result in even much greater private investments adjacent to the public realm.

PRESENTER:  W. J. "Bud" Melton III, Special Projects, Halff, Inc.

W.J. “Bud” Melton joined Halff Associates as manager of Special Projects in 2016. From his bike industry training in Fort Worth during mid-1960’s, he grew a small Dallas bike shop into a ‘Top 100’-ranked dealership. He began leading bikeway planning – from a bike proponent’s perspective in 1982 – focusing on nuances of bike/ped accommodation to transit, and bike safety education. His increased familiarity with then-current, but weak, engineering standards led him to more frequent participation and presentations – and eventually an organizer of local, state and national conferences, workshops and training courses on these subjects.

Among his early sub-consulting projects was assisting with alignment, plans and specifications for 13 miles of Fort Worth’s Trinity River Trails, which are now prominent segments of the overall Fort Worth to Dallas Regional Veloweb. With Halff since 2016, he continues assisting and cultivating the art and science of micromobility planning and design. He’s had key roles in alignment feasibility studies, agency coordination, major trail design assistance, interjurisdictional and interagency partnerships for a variety of other urban bikeways comprising the growing Regional Veloweb network.

Bud is a member of Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals; American Planning Association; Urban Land Institute’s TOD/Placemaking Product Council; a former board director of Greater Dallas Planning Council; and continues serving advisory councils for University of Texas at Arlington’s Masters in Landscape Architecture Program; and the Dallas Independent School District’s CityLab High School Foundation.

Lunch, Drinks and Parking Validation provided to all who register by noon on May 1st to attend in person.  Still welcome to come and bring your own lunch after this cutoff.  A virtual option is offered on the registration page.