Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization’s “Route to 2050: A Journey of Innovation, Community and Mobility” Summit

The Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will present “Route to 2050: A Journey of Innovation, Community and Mobility,” an educational summit, on September 12, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) (401 SW 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale). This pivotal event, with special host Tom Hudson, senior economics editor and special correspondent at WLRN, will bring together transportation professionals, city planners and community leaders to discuss topics derived from the Route to 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which addresses key issues such as transportation, resiliency, public health, affordable housing, safety and technology. The event will feature guest speaker Jamie Christian, P.E., division administrator, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Florida, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands and keynote speaker Laura Chace, president and CEO of ITS America.

The program will include breakfast and networking opportunities, followed by a variety of speakers including Greg Stuart, Steve Braun, District 4 secretary, FDOT; Monica Cepero, county administrator, Broward County; Yvette Colbourne, MPO chair, city commissioner, City of Miramar and Joseph P. Cox, president and CEO, Museum of Discovery and Science.

A panel discussion, moderated by Gail Bulfin, senior vice president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, will include Beam Furr, vice mayor of Broward County, Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO/general manager of Broward County Transit and Michelle Gomez, mayor of the City of Tamarac. The panel will focus on the realistic application of EV technology, signal technology, and simulation/modeling platforms to propel Broward’s transportation system into the 21st century and the partnerships needed to make this happen. Panelists will discuss how they see this technology impacting local and county levels and how they can work together to implement and leverage funding.

Keynote speaker Jamie Christian, P.E., division administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Florida, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands will address the administration’s perspective on regional long-range planning and discuss some of FHWA’s initiatives surrounding technology in transportation.

Jamie Christian possesses 32 years of experience in the transportation industry. Appointed as the FHWA division administrator for Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2013, Christian oversees a $2.6 billion federal aid program. He leads a multidisciplinary professional staff and works with state and local partners to maximize the use of federal aid dollars in providing transportation solutions. Christian has held numerous leadership positions across the country including serving as the FHWA division administrator in Utah prior to coming to Florida. He is a member of the U.S. DOT team supporting the White House Working Group on Puerto Rico that focuses federal resources for Puerto Rico’s economic development. In 2017, he served in Washington, D.C. on the U.S. DOT team developing the president’s infrastructure plan.

Following Christian, Laura Chace will offer insight into future technologies and growth management.

Appointed to her role in August 2021, Chace is a leading advocate of advancing intelligent transportation technologies across the U.S. to save lives and reduce crashes on roadways, reduce congestion, minimize transportation’s carbon footprint, and provide seamless mobility and choices Previously, she served as the association’s chief operating officer. Chace serves on the U.S. DOT’s Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee offering advice on how to plan for a transportation future that leverages technology and innovation to solve complex mobility challenges. She also serves as a member of the Electric Vehicle Working Group, formed by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, to provide recommendations regarding the development, adoption, and integration of EVs into the transportation and energy systems.

There is no cost to attend the Broward MPO’s “Route to 2050: A Journey of Innovation, Community and Mobility” Summit. To register and learn more, visit http://www.routeto2050.org.