Rail~Volution is Coming!


The annual Rail~Volution conference, founded in Portland, is coming back home this year from October 18-21.

Would you like to contribute to a conference presentation? The call for proposals is out:

Rail~Volution is a conference for passionate practitioners – people from all perspectives who believe in the role of land use and transit as equal partners in the quest for greater livability and greater communities.

Never before has Rail~Volution’s mission of building livable communities with transit aligned so perfectly with the federal agenda. Thanks to President Obama’s commitment to creating sustainable communities, we truly have the opportunity to work in partnership with policy makers at all levels to grow more livable places — regardless of their size, shape, demographics, locations, or economies. These ground-breaking partnerships are setting the stage for the next decade at all levels, with commitments to transit resources, renewable energy, climate change, and sustainable housing and communities.

The success of the conference depends on the quality and diversity of presentations. Help enliven the discussion! Give us your ideas now!

Proposal Deadline: March 31, 2010.

This year’s program includes three conference tracks, each with suggested topics for discussion. We are asking that you identify the track that best fits your proposal ideas.
The 2010 Conference tracks are:

  • Core Sessions: An in-depth introduction to the principles that are the foundation for creating livable communities that respond to our economic, energy and environmental challenges.
  • Livable Communities: Strategies for planning and financing livable communities in the next real estate cycle, with the goal of enhancing transit ridership and creating neighborhoods that meet the needs of today’s changing society.
  • Partnering for Sustainable Communities: A discussion of the power of partnerships to create and sustain economically vibrant, environmentally responsible, and socially diverse communities for future generations.

Please visit www.railvolution.com/CallForProposals.asp to submit a proposal.

For information on sponsorships or the conference’s trade show, please call 800.788.7077 or email convene@aol.com.


4 responses to “Rail~Volution is Coming!”

  1. * Core Sessions: An in-depth introduction to the principles that are the foundation for creating livable communities that respond to our economic, energy and environmental challenges.
    * Livable Communities: Strategies for planning and financing livable communities in the next real estate cycle, with the goal of enhancing transit ridership and creating neighborhoods that meet the needs of today’s changing society.
    * Partnering for Sustainable Communities: A discussion of the power of partnerships to create and sustain economically vibrant, environmentally responsible, and socially diverse communities for future generations.

    Sorry, Chris, I don’t consider unlimited growth “sustainable.” A little over a year ago at a special symposium designed for Metro area civic leaders, all were advised, by an urban growth “expert,” that the US should prepare for a population level of 500 million by 2050 and one billion by 2100. Suffice it to say that, even among that crowd, this statement elicited more than a few snickers.

    It doesn’t matter how artfully this extra population could be fit into the urban areas. This growth would necessarily have an impact throughout the whole region—–or nation as it may be. In the time that Oregon’s population has doubled—-about forty years, I think,—– we have seen an even greater increase in red tape, fees and bureaucracy.

    Since the natural replacement rate in civilized countries has either leveled off or been in decline, where would the new inhabitants of these “sustainable communities” come from? I think I know the answer. If the final, essential component to building this new “sustainable” America, is a huge influx of new inhabitants…..I say “Who needs it?” I don’t see any tangible benefit to those of us already here. And there doesn’t seem to be any general economic advantage to anyone, except to certain individuals who would stand to profit from it. Economic development is far less costly, in real dollars, overseas in developing countries, than it is here in the USA. If something is going to be considered “sustainable” (which is all well and good) it should also pencil out financially.

  2. I’ve been to Rail-Volution St Louis, Dallas, Denver and San Francisco. They were all pretty great. Their vendor display hall, open to the public at specific times, is worth a visit. Rail-Volution is likely to continue its annual outreach as the light rail movement is only beginning. Portland Transit should seriously consider hosting some formal event to Rail-Volution visitors. And Psst, Let’s not leave them with the impression that Portland transit activists are either surrealist mud hut dwellers or tea baggers, tea baggists, tea baggerians, tea baggeranados….

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