ITE Webinar: Sticking to the Mission: Still Funding Transit in Our Communities

When: April 21, 2026 | 2:00 -- 3:00 PM ET

This webinar is led by the ITE Transit Committee.

Webinar Description:

Recent updates to federal terminology and guidance have changed how certain aspects of transportation planning are described, but the underlying goal remains the same: ensuring that limited infrastructure resources provide the greatest possible benefit to communities.

Analyses focused on directing investment where it can have the strongest impact continue to be a priority. Across all levels of government, there is still an emphasis on making efficient use of public funds. Regardless of the terminology used, this requires understanding where transportation resources can be applied most effectively.

This 60?minute webinar provides practical guidance for maintaining a community-centered approach to transportation planning and engineering within the context of evolving federal language and requirements. Speakers from the United States will discuss strategies for working within the updated policy environment, while speakers from Canada will present straightforward metrics that align with current U.S. expectations and remain broadly useful across jurisdictions.

This session is intended for practitioners engaged in community-oriented transportation analysis, as well as those seeking to ensure that project resources deliver maximum value to clients and communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify ways to continue the mission of efficient and just allocation of limited transit dollars while meeting current funding constraints.

• Understand analytical methods that successfully justify directing transit resources to the communities most in need.

• Recognize how these methods have been successfully employed for the benefit of actual communities across the US and Canada.

• Explore practical lessons for anyone aiming to provide the most effective transit service they can for their communities.

Moderator: Dan Ross, P.Eng, Senior Project Manager | HDR Inc. | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Presenters:

• Fernanda Soares, Active Transportation Project Manager | City of Brampton, Ontario | Brampton, Ontario, Canada

• Lee Caragiale, Transportation Equity Lead | HDR Inc | Ontario, Canada

• Mike Washington, Community Transportation Strategy Consultant | HDR Inc. | Denver, Colorado, USA

• Laura Qualey, Regional Transportation Planner | Greater Portland Council of Governments | Portland, Oregon, USA