UTA Today
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he global COVID-19 pandemic street economy. We resulted in at least one positive want to help support change: a marked increase in future sustainable walking and cycling in many development in a cities around the world, according to the sprawled metropolitan United Nations. area – context that That’s true here at home, too, as a could serve as a model 2020 North Central Texas Council of for other car-centric Governments study reported a 70% cities.” increase in walking and bicycling on Jeong said U.N. and Dallas-Fort Worth trails. North Central Texas The University of Texas at Arlington’s Council of Hyesun Jeong is working on a plan to Governments statistics map future “green” infrastructure in offer insight and an the Dallas-Fort Worth area to support opportunity to tailor Hyesun Jeong is working on this growth in walking and cycling. plans that can promote a plan to map future “green” Funded by the American Institute of walking and biking infrastructure in the Dallas-Fort Architects’ Upjohn Research Initiative, across the region. Worth area to support recent the project is titled “The Future of Green “We will also take growth in walking and cycling. Infrastructure: Measuring and Designing criteria like density, the Built Environment for Pedestrian and building features, land Bicycle Activities in Dallas-Fort Worth.” use, street connectivity Jeong, assistant professor of architecture in and access to transit to study the College of Architecture, Planning and Public how they are associated with Affairs (CAPPA), specializes in bridging walking and biking architecture and social science and in developing activities,” she says. sustainable, pedestrian-oriented options that Collaborators include engage a variety of disciplinary approaches to Meghna Tare, UTA chief promote the economic and cultural growth of sustainability officer; cities. Matthew Ables, a planner “We will use this project to help lessen with the Arup Group; Brian climate change through changes in Hammersley of Hammersley infrastructure,” she says. “We’ll analyze existing Architecture; and Lawrence A UTA researcher is walking and cycling activities in the trails of Agu, a planner with the city trying to turn healthy Dallas-Fort Worth and initiate design strategies of Dallas. choices made during the for green infrastructure that improve mobility CAPPA interim dean Maria and stormwater management by reusing vacant Martinez-Cosio says Jeong’s pandemic even healthier lots and empty strip malls.” work could serve the DFW •By Herb Booth Green infrastructure aims to solve urban and region well. climatic challenges within an existing ecological “This award from one of system. This could mean establishing or using the most prestigious existing creeks, soils and ponds instead of stormwater and architectural organizations in the U.S. will help Dr. Jeong sewer runoff systems, so-called grey infrastructure. and her collaborators continue to make an impact in helping “We hope to help people understand the importance of to create healthy, sustainable and livable communities that green infrastructure,” Jeong says. “About 35% of land in improve DFW residents’ quality of life,” Martinez-Cosio says. Dallas is covered by impervious surfaces like parking lots “What the project envisions is a healthier, more walkable, and highways. This makes streets unwalkable and too hot in better ecological region. North Texas and other metropolitan the summer and has impacts on both public health and the areas could certainly use that.”
HEEDING A CALL
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ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2022 • arlingtontoday.com
