YPT 2014 ANNUAL REPORT

OVERVIEW Now in its 3rd year, YPT Atlanta is dedicated to providing opportunities to young professionals in transportation to foster professional development, promote fellowship, and provide networking opportunities for young professionals in the transportation field in Atlanta, across the country, and now, throughout the world. We seek to foster relationships across the transportation spectrum, including planning, engineering, freight/logistics, aviation, environmental, and more and we look to connect with everyone from the private sector, public agencies, and local graduate students. We accomplish this via social, professional, and educational events, which you are all welcome to attend! GET INVOLVED! Do you want to become more approval by the Board of Direc- involved in transportation in the tors, after attending a board Atlanta area and meet more meeting. If you are interested, young professionals like your- please contact us at: self? If so, please consider be- [email protected]. coming part of YPT Atlanta Chapter leadership. As part of Another way for organization to the leadership you will be able to get involved with YPT is by plan and organize Chapter sponsoring our chapter or in- events, work to increase kind donations for one of our membership, and coordinate with events. Our past sponsors have YPT National about the state of included AirSage, AECOM, the organization. Parsons Brinckerhoff, and soon The board of directors for the to be the Metro Atlanta 2014-2015 year was recently Chamber. We would be happy elected, but there are still leader- to partner with you or your com- YPT Atlanta Buttons ship positions available, with pany in the future.

DEPUTY CHAIR’S COLUMN Looking back over the 2013-2014 over the first year-and-a-half, we As Deputy Chair for the upcoming year, I am happy to say that YPT continue to see new faces come to year, I plan to increase collabora- Atlanta is as strong as ever. This our events. With Clayton County tion between the YPT chapters year we have hosted 2 technical recently passing a referendum to across the country, sharing ideas tours, 1 office tour, 2 distinguished add a one-cent sales tax and join and resources so members around speakers events, a reception at the MARTA, public transportation in the the country have a superior experi- APA conference, our annual holi- Atlanta metro region takes a huge ence. day party, and 8 happy hours that step forward. It will be interesting to spanned the city and included a follow and hopefully participate in We hope to see you at our Holiday diverse array of functions, profes- the implementation in the coming Party on December 16th! As al- sions, and specializations relating years. ways, we welcome your feedback to transportation. We hope our and suggestions. You can contact events have provided you opportu- After elections this year, our Board me personally at nities to meet fellow professionals of Directors has grown to a record- [email protected] and connect with them on a mean- high 10 members, with one spot ingful level. still available. With our increased Sincerely, human capital, expect to see more We have grown last years total of innovative and better events over 60 members and 200 friends to the next year, and please, as al- over 70 members and 325 friends ways, let us know if you have a Chris Rome this year. While that is not nearly as killer idea and want help executing Deputy Chair, YPT Atlanta much growth as we experienced it. Page 2

YPT ATLANTA 2014 ANN UAL REPORT

TRANSIT ORIENTED DRINKS

YPT Atlanta continued its  Taco Mac at Lindbergh locations allows us to cater to monthly TOD, or Transit Center Station to kick off different members with each Oriented Drinks, happy hour the college football season event and appeal to new series that was launched last  Oz Pizza near East Point members, while promoting year. These happy hours Station transit and avoiding Atlanta’s occur at local bars or notorious stop and start traffic. restaurants near various MAR- We will continue our TOD TA Stations throughout Atlan- series in the 2014-2015 year ta. This year’s events took us as we continue to promote to destinations including:  Wrecking Bar Brewpub near Candler Park Station  Mellow Mushroom near These 7 events were spaced Civic Center Station in-between our other tours and  Meehan’s Irish Pub near speakers to maintain a con- Arts Center Station sistent social interaction with  Empire State South near our members and continue to Midtown Station promote our organization. Our  Raging Burrito near continued diverse, transit ac- cessible array of happy hour 2013-2014 YPT ATLANTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (OUTGOING) Deputy Chair Vice Chair for Programs Chris Rome Carly Queen Parsons Brinckerhoff Georgia Institute of Technology [email protected] [email protected]

Vice Chair for Administration Vice Chair for Communications Lindsey Dunnahoo Nila Jackson AECOM Engineering Systems, Inc. [email protected] [email protected]

Vice Chair for Finance France Campbell Director At-Large AECOM Landon Reed [email protected] Atlanta Regional Commission [email protected]

Vice Chair for Membership Phillip Cherry Parsons Brinckerhoff [email protected] Page 3

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES: PAUL MORRIS On May 22, Paul Morris, Atlanta Belt- Georgia Tech in 1999, the BeltLine for North Carolina DOT, and then Line, Inc. (ABI) President & CEO, has now progressed from an idea joining the BeltLine. Morris’ chro- spoke to a to reality, connecting many of the nology of his career was beneficial crowd of over city’s parks, spurring hundreds of for all in attendance and we were 40 attendees millions of dollars of development, impressed by his dedication to stay about his and converting many long- career and overlooked areas within the city to his current vibrant mixed-use destinations. role with ABI. During the event, Mr. Morris The Atlanta shared some of his career suc- BeltLine is a cesses, including designs for the 22-mile loop rail Paul Morris Oklahoma City Bombing and World to trail conversion Trade Center Memorials, creating project that will include a streetcar run- and then selling his own company, ning within its corridor. Inspired by starting Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Ryan Gravel’s Master’s thesis for the place-making group, serving as City and Regional Planning Program at Deputy Director of Transportation Attendees TOUR

On May 1, YPT organized a street- the public in December of nector and a tourist route to destina- car tour with Keith Hillsman, of the 2014. Mr. Hillsman discussed tions in Downtown Atlanta, including City of Atlanta. Mr. Hillsman led us many aspects of the streetcar, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, on a tour of the 2.7 mile route, which such as the public involvement , and the is now slated to begin operations to process with the many stake- Tabernacle concert venue. At- holders, some of the technical tendees were also able to see the issues, including complex sig- Atlanta Streetcar for the first time at nal phasing and timing at the Vehicle Maintenance Facility, and the contra-flow lane on Ellis Street. The Atlanta Streetcar will re-connect the Sweet Au- burn neighborhood, which was bisected by the construction of the I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector decades ago. The goal is for the Streetcar to serve as both a last-mile con- Keith Hillsman Atlanta Streetcar

Questions about YPT? Suggestions for future events? We’d love to hear from you—please contact us at [email protected]

Website: http://yptransportation.org/chapters/atlanta/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YPTAtlanta Twitter: @YPTAtlanta Page 4

YPT ATLANTA 2014 ANN UAL REPORT

ROUTEMATCH OFFICE VISIT On March 7, YPT visited the when their vehicle is running tion and answer session for the ap- Atlanta Headquarters of late. During the office visit, proximately 15 YPT Atlanta at- Routematch, a transit planning YPT received a tour from Hill tendees. software firm located in Mid- Hardman, Director of Corpo- town. Routematch specializes rate Strategy and Develop- in providing software to opti- ment. During the tour we saw mize paratransit trips for transit their different collaborative agencies, but has also pro- spaces which were arranged vides fixed-route planning differently for each depart- software. Routematch software ment, and learned about the helps optimize trips for different agencies they serve, agencies while providing op- including Denver RTD, one of tions and feedback for custom- Routematch’ biggest clients. ers to help ensure they do not Finally, Routematch provided miss trips and are notified lunch and held an open ques-

CLAYTON COUNTY MARTA REFERENDUM PANEL On October 9, the Atlanta Chairman Jeffrey Turner, ating MARTA's first expansion Chapter of YPT hosted a panel MARTA Board Chair Robert into a new jurisdiction in over discussion on the potential Ashe, the President of Citizens 35 years. The panel also dis- impact of the November 4th for Progressive Transit David cussed regional implications of MARTA referendum on the Emory, and the President of a passage or failure, expected ballot in Clayton County. Pan- Metro Planning and Engineer- MARTA services and funding elists included Clayton County ing Grady Smith. Maria appropriations, and the con- Saporta of SaportaReport, nection to Hartsfield-Jackson served as Atlanta International Airport. moderator. The panel More than 40 young profes- discussed sionals attended the event the signifi- along with representatives of cance of a the press from WABE, the referendum AJC, and Creative Loafing. passage cre- One resulting article can be found here: “Clayton’s MAR- TA expansion ballot measure could determine future of met- ro Atlanta transit.”

Panelists and Guests at the MARTA Referendum Panel Page 5

TRANSPORTATIONCAMP SOUTH & GOVATHON 2014 On Saturday April 12, trends emerge and natural political changes that over to the Barrelhouse to 2014, the second ever networking occurs based would be needed to im- relax and discuss the ses- TransportationCamp South on the topics each at- prove transit funding in sions they attended. The en- was held at Georgia Tech. tendee is drawn to. Ses- Georgia. Following the tire unconference can be This year the event was sions this year covered completion of Transpor- followed on Twitter with the combined with a Govathon topics ranging from creat- tationCamp on Saturday, hashtag #Transpo or at in order to generate more ing a “MARTA Army” to members of YPT headed @TranspoCampSo. interest in creating apps generate a stronger culture using open transit data. of ownership among rid- The purpose of holding ers, the upcoming Atlanta transportation camps bikeshare program around the country is to (including a preview of a give attendees the chance bike), to How to Create a to use the open format to Transit App. There was guide conversations/ also a session called “A sessions towards the are- Political Strategy for as that interest them the Transit Expansion in Atlan- most. Without a pre-set ta, where a small group conference schedule, new discussed legislative and TransportationCamp South Sessions Schedule

AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION WESTSIDE TOUR AND RECEPTION On April 29, YPT Atlanta part- of the lesser-known transit- able development in west At- nered with the Atlanta BeltLine oriented development areas in lanta, as well as the potential and the Westside Communi- west Atlanta. Starting from the for redevelopment that transit ties Alliance (WCA) to host a Ashby MARTA Station, which is bringing to the area. The tour and reception on Atlanta’s sits on a corridor that formerly tour concluded with a recep- west side for local community divided white and black com- tion at Johnny M’s Pizza Bis- members and attendees at the munities in Atlanta, the tour tro, where the group enjoyed national APA Conference in went through Washington delicious pizza, appetizers, Atlanta. This event sought to Park, the first African American and drinks, along with skyline draw participants out of the planned community in Atlanta views of the city at sunset. downtown area to explore one to the BeltLine. Walking along the BeltLine to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, participants were able to witness many of the challenges to sustain-

Reception

Tour Participants on the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Corridor Page 6

YPT ATLANTA 2014 ANN UAL REPORT

2014-2015 ELECTION RESULTS The board of directors for the For those still interested in be- ings are open to all members 2014-2015 year was recently coming part of YPT Atlanta for and are regularly scheduled for elected - congratulations to all the coming year, the position the last Monday of the month of the new Directors! of Vice Chair for Sponsorship at 6:30 PM at the AECOM Mid- is currently vacant and open to town office. Our next meeting Most of our leadership from members of YPT Atlanta; is Monday, January 5th, 2014. 2013-2014 remains for the please contact us it yptatlan- Please contact the Vice Chair coming year. We look forward [email protected] f you would like for Administration, Lindsey to leveraging this consistency to get involved. The easiest Dunnahoo, if you would like to to organize more successful way to do this is to attend a attend, and we will send you a events in the coming year. board meeting. Board meet- calendar invitation.

2014-2015 YPT ATLANTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Vice Chair for Membership Phillip Cherry Danielle Elkins Parsons Brinckerhoff CH2M HILL [email protected] [email protected]

Deputy Chair Vice Chair for Communications Chris Rome Rosa Jupiter Parsons Brinckerhoff Georgia Power [email protected] [email protected]

Vice Chair for Administration Director At-Large Lindsey Dunnahoo Nila Abubakar (Jackson) AECOM Engineering Systems, Inc. [email protected] [email protected]

Vice Chair for Finance Director At-Large France Campbell Saba Long AECOM MARTA [email protected] [email protected]

Vice Chair for Programs Director At-Large Carly Queen Forrest Rose Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Department of Transportation [email protected] [email protected]

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GOALS FOR THE 2014-2015 YEAR

Phillip Cherry, Chair: “Organize and put on events that are can’t miss events in the trans- portation industry in Atlanta for news, networking, and those new to the area and improve the Board’s internal communication, organization, and efficiency when putting on events.”

Chris Rome, Deputy Chair: “Improve each Board position by incorporating ideas and pro- cesses from other YPT Chapters or organizations. Improve the website and keep it updated.”

Lindsey Dunnahoo, Vice Chair for Administration: “Encourage board member attend- ance at board meetings and events. Have a successful election process by filling the majority of available positions.”

France Campbell, Vice Chair for Finance: “Efficiently and accurately manage the YPT At- lanta finances so we can leverage our finances to promote growth and development of our valuable members.”

Danielle Elkins, Vice Chair for Membership: “Increase membership from the tech com- munity and from advocacy organizations to develop YPT Atlanta into a true network of young professional in transportation that represents the voice of millennials.”

Carly Queen, Vice Chair for Programs: “Deliver more high-profile events to attract at least 100 different individuals to participate in YPT events and activities in 2015. Collaborate and partner with local businesses and organizations to expand and strengthen our network.”

Forrest Rose, Director-at-Large: “Organize more events that focus on local transportation initiatives like the City of Atlanta’s upcoming Bond Referendum. Also, continuing to increase and promote YPT to new members will be paramount.”

Nila Abubakar, Director-at-Large: “In my second year serving on the YPT board, my pri- mary goal will be to improve overall quality and quantity of our events while providing support to our board and mem- bers.” Page 8

PHOTO ALBUM - A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR EVENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR