The Boston Society of Architects is hosting a public program focusing on urban-transportation planning in Greater Boston called “Overhaul: The 2013-2014 Transportation Series.”
All of the events are free and open to the public, and are held at the BSA’s office at 290 Congress St.
The Traffic Advisory speaker series has been taking place since October and will run until June 2014. It features national and regional policymakers, architects, engineers, researchers, and planners to frame Boston’s current mobility challenges and prospects, with an average of one speaker per month.
The series comes at a time with Boston is going through a change in mayoral leadership.
“We are basically framing the challenges and prospects that Boston faces transportation-wise,” said Maria Salvatierra, the marketing manager at the Boston Society of Architects. “We want to kind of lead or tell the city what other cities are doing, what leaders in the field are saying, and are asking the city to please take it into consideration.”
The Boston Transportation Department’s planning process includes plans to ensure that every Bostonian will work and reside within a quarter mile of a transit station, bike share, and care share. It also includes the goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled by 7.5 percent in seven years, which may lead to increasing foot, transit, and bike use to two-thirds of all city trips by 2030.
The Traffic Advisory speaker series aims to discuss sustainable transportation opportunities, with topics like distance, rights of way, different types of transportation and health issues.