Master of Regional Planning (MRP) Theses and Exit Projects
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This is a collection of Master in Regional Planning (MRP) Theses and Exit Projects for the Department of City and Regional Planning.
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Item From Rail to Community: Evaluating Urban Mobility and Inclusivity along India's first High-Speed Rail CorridorArpita Nirvan (2024-05-16)India is balancing rapid infrastructure growth with sustainability, particularly in its capital city, New Delhi, which spearheads the sustainable high-speed rail corridor initiative. Ghaziabad, an old satellite district to the capital, is a result of an unmanaged urban sprawl crawling out from the metropolitan core of India’s National Capital Region of Delhi. This report delves into the implications of the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) for the National Capital Region of Delhi, with a focus on assessing the Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL) and the integration of transit-oriented development (TOD) within local socio-economic contexts. It also discusses the pedestrian infrastructure conditions, particularly around the four station areas: Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai. Recommendations for the Sahibabad to Duhai stretch include point-to-point drop-offs, permeable footpaths and bike lanes interspersed with bioswales, and can be implemented for future corridor development.Item Beyond Data, Stories Behind the Veil of Indicators — Case Studies of Chinese Cities’ Voluntary Local Reviews of Sustainable DevelopmentLang Jiang (2024-05-16)The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN in 2015 calls for regional and local governments to conduct regular and inclusive Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) on seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the main contents of VLRs, quantitative indicators are central to SDG localization and hide subjectivity behind the cold data. To navigate the stories behind it, this paper will focus on seven VLRs submitted to the UN DESA from Chinese cities written in English with the 2023 refinement version of the global indicator framework for SDGs by the UN as the reference. This paper will conduct: 1) the qualitative comparison of VLR indicators between cities; 2) the quantitative comparison of VLR indicators and UN SDG indicators with semantic similarity comparison; 3) a critical review of VLR indicators’ lifecycles; 4) a reasoned explanation behind the indicator differences; and 5) policy suggestions for future VLR indicators. In conclusion, I found that the diverse producing mechanisms, the different directions and degrees of SDG localization, and varied progresses and understandings of SDGs are the three reasons for different VLR indicators. I suggest more inclusive VLR cooperation mechanisms, appropriate SDG localization, and persistent calls and guidance for VLR indicators and urban indicators.Item VULNERABLE ROAD USER SAFETY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS IN SUBURBAN AND RURAL NEW YORK STATECastelo Rebeil, Andres (2024)Vulnerable road user fatalities have been increasing in the United States. To address this problem, transportation agencies at multiple levels of government often recommend the installation of traffic safety infrastructure. However, these measures not only represent a financial burden for municipalities in rural and suburban areas but also overlook the limited authority that these jurisdictions have over certain highways. This study identifies such limitations in New York State by drawing from a policy review, as well as interviews with county representatives and transportation professionals. It finds that state transportation laws, outdated road design standards, and poorly coordinated governmental agencies are some of the most common obstacles to the installation of safety infrastructure in the state’s suburban and rural areas. To overcome these barriers, governments should give more importance to qualitative data, be more flexible with the use of alternative road design standards, and promote collaboration across agencies and jurisdictions.Item Vacant Land Assessment And Ground-truthing In Cleveland: A New Framework For Green Infrastructure On Unbuildable Vacant Lots In Buckeye-WoodhillRenee Eddy Harvey (2024)Cleveland, Ohio is home to roughly 360,000 people and 30,000 vacant lots. Population loss and economic decline, due to deindustrialization and the 2008 housing crisis, led to the city’s rise in foreclosed properties, with thousands of them demolished by local land banks. These now vacant lots hold potential for housing development and green infrastructure. Their viability for green infrastructure is particularly important as Cleveland and its residents look to increase green spaces, notably in disinvested communities with excessive vacancies. However, the land bank’s current structure limits green infrastructure projects, as housing remains a major objective. By establishing which vacant lots are unbuildable for housing, more green infrastructure projects can be implemented. Using the Cleveland property survey, with organizational and local knowledge, this framework can guide vacant lot redevelopment which will provide Cleveland the opportunity to improve neighborhoods and health outcomes by establishing environmental amenities that create lasting community value.Item Connecting Intercity Rail With Intracity Transit: The Promise of Through-TicketingBanks, Xiomar (2024-05-14)This paper explores through-ticketing along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) of Amtrak to facilitate intercity rail services and intracity transit systems. The NEC, a vital transportation artery serving the densely populated region from Washington, DC to Boston, Massachusetts, presents a prime opportunity for enhancing passenger experience and increasing ridership through integrations of transportation modes. Through-ticketing, a worldwide transit strategy, allows passenger to purchase a single ticket throughout their entire journey, regardless of transfers between different modes of transportation. By implementing through-ticketing on the NEC, travelers would benefit from cheaper fare structures, reduced transfer times, and enhanced convenience. This paper examines the potential challenges and benefits of through-ticketing including coordination among multiple transit agencies, fare integration, and technological infrastructure. Overall, through-ticketing along the NEC holds promise for fostering a more seamless, efficient, and user-friendly transportation network, ultimately contributing to the region’s economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and social equity.Item Examining Neighborhood Change through the Lens of Place-keeping: A Parallel Case Study of Three Inner City Communities in Los AngelesVasquez, Maritza (2024)This research paper contributes to the field of place-keeping literature, offering insights for understanding the preservation of physical settings and culture within marginalized communities amidst the prevailing focus on place-making in planning. Through a case study of three neighborhoods - Echo Park, Chinatown, and Westlake in Los Angeles - this research delves into the dynamics of gentrification, particularly focusing on Westlake. As new development plans coincide with mega-event planning and other city planning initiatives, predominantly minority communities face increased vulnerability. While gentrification in Westlake has received less attention, it appears to mirror patterns observed in similar minority neighborhoods like Echo Park and Chinatown. Across these communities, historic struggles for place-keeping highlight the importance of resistance and resilience against the pace of change through community engagement and space (re)activation by adding utility to ordinary, neglected, or underutilized spaces. These strategies offer valuable lessons for urban planners and other local government officials seeking to provide support and a safety net for vulnerable communities to create models for sustainable and equitable development.Item The Impact of The Built Environment On Pedestrian Safety in New York City: A Spatial Regression AnalysisYourong Tang (2024-05-07)Pedestrian safety is always a public health concern, but in recent years there have been more pedestrian casualties in New York City. This study analyzes pedestrian crashes with the objective of determining how the built environment affects the frequency of pedestrian crashes using census tracts level data. This paper uses a series of regression models to define which type of built environments improve pedestrian safety. The result shows high-rise residential buildings and open spaces greatly reduce the frequency of pedestrian crashes, commercial or office buildings and parking facilities increase the risk of pedestrian crashes regardless of regression model choice. In addition to road infrastructure, this study shows pedestrian crashes occur more frequently in a census tract with more bus stops, subway stations and traffic intersections. The study indicates the importance of land use where pedestrian exposure is highly recorded.Item NAVIGATING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UAV AND WEB-BASED 3D MODELING TECHNOLOGIESHu, Dingkun (2024)Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have emerged as a transformative technology within urban management as an aerial photography tool that presents novel avenues for refining digital twin creation, fostering public engagement, and deepening comprehension of the built environment. This study examines the accuracy of 3D models produced through UAV photogrammetry in contrast to web-based 3D models. By doing so, it interprets the consequential impact of such variances on their adaptability across diverse urban and regional planning tasks. Discerning each approach's distinct merits and demerits, the research identifies optimal contexts for their respective deployment. In addition, the paper addresses the limitations intrinsic to UAV deployment in urban and regional planning. These insights pave the way for innovative avenues in 3D model construction that amplify public engagement and involvement, thereby cultivating a more inclusive and informed planning paradigm.Item ASSESSING DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN TOMPKINS COUNTYYidi Xu (2024)This project scrutinizes the accessibility of delivery services in Tompkins County, with particular focus on access by older adults and senior housing communities. Attention is given to pharmacies and grocery stores as a means of address access, especially in communities which lack grocery stores or pharmacies. Investigating the spatial dimensions of service accessibility, the research delves into how the geographic location of senior housing is related to access to grocery and pharmacy delivery options. The study's intent is twofold: to examine the alignment of grocery and pharmacy delivery services with senior needs and to uncover gaps where older adults may be marginalized. Employing a combination of geospatial analysis and connecting stakeholders, the project maps out the current delivery service landscape. The practical implications of this research are direct and manifold. By pinpointing the delivery service shortcomings for older adults, the study will provide actionable insights for local governments, urban planners, and businesses to implement targeted improvements. The project's findings aim to not only foster enhanced service delivery but also contribute to the discourse on age-friendly communities. This project contributes a foundational piece in the strategic planning that aspires to an inclusive future, where the quality of life for older adults is augmented through accessible and equitable service provision.Item LIVING ON A PRAYER: FAITH-BASED HOUSING AS A POLICY TOOLMatthew Goldenberg (2024)The housing shortage is a pressing issue in the United States, with the situation showing little signs of improvement. The distribution of missing units as a percentage of available supply trends is not evenly distributed by state. Most heartland states east of the Mississippi River see rates of less than 10%. Conversely, California stands at 31%, with Washington, Oregon, Florida, and New York trailing at 26%, 22%, 20%, and 18% respectively (Corinth & Dante, 2022, p. 11). This paper presents faith-based housing as an underutilized resource that, if tapped, would serve to lessen the negative effects of the housing shortage. Core to this position is a quantitative argument that churches and other houses of worship can operate housing more efficiently due to their general exemptions from property taxes, and their ability to realize below market basis for land acquisition costs. This paper does not posit that faith-based housing could in of itself alleviate the housing shortage. As such, this paper is directed towards readers, notably built environment professionals, who are seeking an additional tool which can complement an existing portfolio of housing gap closure measures.