The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) is excited to introduce Amped Up, a deep dive into the world of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and their crucial role in shaping transportation networks for communities across the country. We'll connect with experts that align with our mission of helping communities thrive by strengthening the MPOs that plan for safe, reliable, and equitable multi-modal transportation networks that are accessible to all.
Publisher
Ellen Zavisca - AMPO Transportation Planning Manager
Theory & Practice: Wes Marshall on Why We Design Streets the Way We Do
Join Ellen Zavisca, AMPO’s transportation planning manager, for a conversation with Wes Marshall, professor of civil engineering at the University of Colorado in Denver, where he holds a joint appointment in urban planning and directs the CU Denver Human-Centered Transportation program and the Transportation Research Center at CU Denver. Wes is a licensed Professional Engineer with a PhD in Civil Engineering, and he is the author of the 2024 book “Killed by a Traffic Engineer (https://islandpress.org/books/killed-traffic-engineer#desc).”
You can check out Wes’s new podcast here: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/look-both-ways-with-david-wes/id1827364420)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/look-both-ways-with-david-wes/id1827364420 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/look-both-ways-with-david-wes/id1827364420)
6 May 2025
Paved Paradise: How Parking Shapes Transportation
Season two episode four of Amped Up is now available!
In this episode, AMPO Transportation Planning Manager, Ellen Zavisca, chats with Tony Jordan of the Parking Reform Network about what led him to the fairly niche field of parking reform and how parking policies effect walkability, transit access, and transportation planning in general.
A few helpful links related to the conversation:
The Parking Reform Network (https://www.mwcog.org/transportation/data-and-tools/modeling/data-requests/)
The High Cost of Free Parking (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235359727_The_High_Cost_of_Free_Parking) by Donald Shoup
Smart Growth American on how parking influences travel behavior (https://smartgrowthamerica.org/how-parking-influences-travel-behavior/)
PSRC’s strategies for parking reduction (https://www.psrc.org/asset/parking-reductions-71)
Portland’s Transportation Wallet (https://www.portland.gov/transportation/wallet)
Austin’s Residential Permit Parking program (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/residential-permit-parking)
19 Mar 2025
Paving a Low-Carbon Future: Transportation & Climate Policy in Minnesota
Ellen chats with the friendly folks of Minnesota about the state’s greenhouse gas regulations (https://www.dot.state.mn.us/sustainability/ghg-legislation.html)that are just starting to have an effect on transportation projects across the state. Her guests are: Jonathan Ehrlich, Senior Manager of Transportation Research with the Metropolitan Council, the MPO for the Twin Cities region; Stephanie Halford, Executive Director of the MPO in Grand Forks, ND, which is a bi-state MPO in both MN and North Dakota; and Chris Berrens, GHG Impact Assessment Director with Minnesota DOT.
The podcast mentions Colorado’s GHG law (https://www.codot.gov/programs/environmental/greenhousegas), which predates Minnesota’s by a couple of years.
Learn more about ActivitySim (https://research.ampo.org/activitysim), the open-source, activity-based model that the Met Council is moving toward. For even more about travel demand modeling, register for AMPO’s June 5 webinar on the topic (https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApdeyrqj4qGNRr8ygPfiODdPR9McX-oUw9#/registration).
13 Feb 2025
The Road Ahead: Scenario Planning in Oregon
AMPO Transportation Planning Manager, Ellen Zavisca, chats with Adam Argo from the Oregon DOT about how the state uses scenario planning to face an uncertain future, and how it engages MPOs along the way.
Helpful links:
Oregon Transportation Plan: (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/planning/pages/plans.aspx)https://www.oregon.gov/odot/planning/pages/plans.aspx (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/planning/pages/plans.aspx); and State of the System dashboard: (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/state-of-the-system/Pages/default.aspx)https://www.oregon.gov/odot/state-of-the-system/Pages/default.aspx (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/state-of-the-system/Pages/default.aspx)
Adam references the book Scenario Planning for Cities and Regions:
(https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/books/scenario-planning-cities-regions/)https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/books/scenario-planning-cities-regions/ (https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/books/scenario-planning-cities-regions/)
He also mentions the VisionEval scenario planning tool:VisionEval · VisionEval (https://visioneval.github.io/)
22 Jan 2025
Ballots & Budgets: A Review of 2024 Transportation Referenda with Yonah Freemark
AMPO Transportation Planning Manager, Ellen Zavisca, talks with Yonah Freemark from the Urban Institute to get his take on why some transportation ballot measures succeeded and other failed.
Learn more about Yonah here: (https://www.urban.org/author/yonah-freemark)https://www.urban.org/author/yonah-freemark (https://www.urban.org/author/yonah-freemark)
Check out his Bluesky threads on 2024 ballot measures:
(https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laeg52565z2n)https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laeg52565z2n (https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laeg52565z2n)
(https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laeg52565z2n)https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laeg52565z2n (https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laeg52565z2n)
(https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laer73onwc2r)https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laer73onwc2r (https://bsky.app/profile/yfreemark.bsky.social/post/3laer73onwc2r)
Streetsblog also has a summary of local transportation initiatives: (https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/11/at-least-local-transit-initiatives-won-big-in-tuesdays-election)https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/11/at-least-local-transit-initiatives-won-big-in-tuesdays-election (https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/11/at-least-local-transit-initiatives-won-big-in-tuesdays-election)
Yonah mentions a couple groups studying high infrastructure costs, including the Transit Costs Project ( (https://transitcosts.com/)https://transitcosts.com/ (https://transitcosts.com/) ) and Eno's Project Delivery Resources Hub ( (https://projectdelivery.enotrans.org/)https://projectdelivery.enotrans.org/ (https://projectdelivery.enotrans.org/) ).
16 Dec 2024
Working Together: Rethinking Arterials in the St. Louis Region
We are excited to announce the release of the fourth and final episode of Amped Up for 2024!
This episode is the result of a collaboration between AMPO and AASHTO. It explores the novel Blueprint for Arterials that is a partnership between Missouri DOT and East-West Gateway MPO and is a collaborative vision on how to design ideal roadways – especially arterials – that meet the needs of an ever growing urban and suburban landscape in Missouri. Covering topics such as improved access, safety, and mobility, the Blueprint will ensure that MoDOT builds roads to satisfy all users. In this episode, AASHTO’s Bernie Wagenblast interviews: – Paul Hubbman, Senior Manager of Corridor and Long-Range Planning, East-West Gateway COG (the MPO for the St. Louis region); Tom Blair, Missouri DOT, District Engineer for the St. Louis District; and Amanda Brauer, Managing Director of Roads and Traffic, St. Charles County (MO)
16 Dec 2024
Data on the Delaware: Geospatial Mapping at DVRPC
In this episode, our Transportation Planning Manager, Ellen Zavisca, sits down with Chris Pollard, Manager of the Office of GIS at DVRPC in Philadelphia. Together, they dive into the fascinating world of geospatial mapping and data—unwrapping the tools and techniques that shape the region's transportation landscape.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
18 Nov 2024
Maui’s Path Forward: MPOs and the Road to Resilience
AMPO's podcast Amped Up returns, with an episode focused on the role of MPOs in disaster response and recovery. More than a year after wildfires ravaged Maui, you'll hear from the Maui MPO about how they are getting back on track, and their director's advice for other MPOs preparing for or recovering from natural disasters. You can listen via Spotify (https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/association-of-metropolit/), Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amped-up/id1721233707), or wherever you find your podcasts.
Helpful links: Maui's Long-Term Recover Plan (https://www.mauirecovers.org/lahaina) and other recovery information; FEMA's Natural Disaster Recovery Framework (https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/frameworks/recovery)
13 Dec 2023
Traffic Safety Data with Seth LaJeunesse
In the episode, Ellen Zavisca (AMPO Transportation Planning Manager) talks with Seth LaJeunesse from UNC’s Highway Safety Research Center about the role of data in roadway safety, including the Safe System, FHWA’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, and the design of vehicles.
Helpful Links:
Seth’s bio, including links to publications: https://www.hsrc.unc.edu/team/lajeunesse/ (https://www.hsrc.unc.edu/team/lajeunesse/)
David J. Ederer’s publication on the Safe System Pyramid, where he identifies speed as the “pathologic agent” in traffic fatalities and serious injuries: (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198223001525)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198223001525 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198223001525)
An introduction to “self-explaining roads” and the work of Jan Theeuwes:
LaJeunesse - HSRC (https://www.hsrc.unc.edu/team/lajeunesse/)Self-explaining roads: What does visual cognition tell us about designing safer roads? - Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications (https://cognitiveresearchjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41235-021-00281-6)
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