Weisbrod Speaks At UMD on Transport Investments & Economic Development

Published

The University of Maryland Urban Studies and Planning Program and

the National Center for Smart Growth’s 2015 Brown Bag Webinar Series continues with
  

Transportation Investments and

Economic Development:

What Works, When and Why?

Presentation by:  
Glen Weisbrod Economic Development Research Group

Monday, October 12
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Preinkert Field House - Conference Room 1112V
University of Maryland College Park
 
From the Red Line to the ICC, Maryland has been roiled over the last decade by heated debates over major transportation projects. Oftentimes, the justification for these projects is economic development. Direct and indirect impacts are quantified and qualified, and cost-effectiveness measures and cost-benefit ratios are invoked. Proponents and opponents line up on both sides of the project, citing studies, models and data to bolster their case. Glen Weisbrod, one of the country's leading guides through such minefields, will provide wayfinding advice for those who seek the best pathways through such debates. Participants will take away a clear idea of the key questions to ask, the key factors involved and the right (and wrong) approaches.

GLEN WEISBROD is the President of the Boston-based Economic Development Research Group. For the last 32 years, he has worked around the world on the relationship of economic development to transportation, energy and technology development. In the US this includes extensive work for the FHWA and APTA and many regional and city agencies on program and project impact studies for highways, airports, seaports, high speed intercity rail, freight and urban public transport. This has been accompanied by the development of several analytical tools including TREDIS (transportation impacts and benefit-cost), LEAP (economic development) and REEM (economic impact and benefit-cost for renewable energy). Mr. Weisbrod served as Chair of the TRB Committee on Transportation and Economic Development and on the Board of Directors of the Council for Urban Economic Development. He has authored over 30 published articles and numerous national guidebooks and reports.