MURP student Jennifer Rosenberg’s Planning Project leads to a publication in the Journal of Urban Planning and Development

Planning projects present an untapped opportunity for extended scholarship and publication that can reach millions of professionals and academic scholars beyond your academic advisors and Florida Atlantic University. Jennifer Rosenberg’s (MURP 2007) planning project “Site Suitability Analysis and Site Design for the South Florida East Coast Corridor Downtown Fort Lauderdale Train Station” is one successful example. Together with her Planning Project advisor, Dr. Ann-Margaret Esnard, they have transformed a planning project idea and a mixed method approach to transit site selection, to a journal article of broader relevance and applicability beyond South Florida. See the abstract below.

Abstract [Rosenberg, J.L. and A-M Esnard. Applying a Hybrid Scoring Methodology to Transit Site Selection. Journal of Urban Planning and Development  (Forthcoming)]

The greater South Florida region, well-known for its diverse population, its pleasant climate, and its beaches, is no exception to traffic congestion problems.  Using downtown Fort Lauderdale as a case study, this paper presents the results of a practical and transparent hybrid scoring approach for evaluating six potential train station sites.  Site selection criteria and sub-criteria were derived from a mix of qualitative, observational, GIS and other quantitative data inputs, and include: proximity (to individual destinations versus to destination type categories of transit, live, work, and play), developability (cost, availability, ownership, size, and land use), and visual quality (accessibility, connectivity, perceived safety, and general aesthetics).  Normalized scores based on the three umbrella criteria were tabulated and combined into four variant additive models. The clarity of the model inputs and scores, and ease of interpretation of the results facilitate practical planning and site design applications, and also allow for easy transferability to other study areas.