Addressing Traffic Congestion with Passenger Rail to Inland Maine
Efforts to expand passenger rail to Lewiston, Waterville, Augusta, Bangor, and other inland communities have faced resistance, pointing to Maine’s small population as the reason. As more people move to Maine to escape climate issues in other states, suburban development and related traffic impacts continue to erode our regional road system. Maine has an opportunity to think bigger about the future of transit, recognizing the greater return on investment associated with transit-oriented investment in existing community centers, the benefits of locating housing near jobs, and the potential for inter-city rail to support regional and local micro-mobility. Join a conversation with voices from rural Maine to explore how strategic investment in rail can fuel our communities.
George O’Keefe | Town of Rumford
Rhiannon Hampson | Maine State Director, USDA Rural Development
Efforts to expand passenger rail to Lewiston, Waterville, Augusta, Bangor, and other inland communities have faced resistance, pointing to Maine’s small population as the reason. As more people move to Maine to escape climate issues in other states, suburban development and related traffic impacts continue to erode our regional road system. Maine has an opportunity to think bigger about the future of transit, recognizing the greater return on investment associated with transit-oriented investment in existing community centers, the benefits of locating housing near jobs, and the potential for inter-city rail to support regional and local micro-mobility. Join a conversation with voices from rural Maine to explore how strategic investment in rail can fuel our communities.
Matt Wagner
Local businesses are the heart and soul of Main Street, serving as hubs for social connection and economic growth. Learn about the innovative ways that Main Street businesses can overcome the adversity of the on-line economy, whether it’s starting a new enterprise or keeping a multi-generation business alive. This session will also explore how high growth businesses and changemakers can be empowered to start businesses, creating wealth for their families and improving outcomes for their communities. This session will highlight work being done in communities across the U.S. to refocus on quality of place and break down barriers to entrepreneurial opportunity in communities that have been left behind by the global economy.
Chief Program Officer | Main Street America | Washington DC
Local businesses are the heart and soul of Main Street, serving as hubs for social connection and economic growth. Learn about the innovative ways that Main Street businesses can overcome the adversity of the on-line economy, whether it’s starting a new enterprise or keeping a multi-generation business alive. This session will also explore how high growth businesses and changemakers can be empowered to start businesses, creating wealth for their families and improving outcomes for their communities. This session will highlight work being done in communities across the U.S. to refocus on quality of place and break down barriers to entrepreneurial opportunity in communities that have been left behind by the global economy.
Breaking From the Suburban Era to Unlock Housing: Strategies From Maine, New Hampshire + Vermont
Northern New England states are making big moves to shift to a place-based approach to investment by strengthening state and regional support for local planning and coordinating state funding in service of local housing and development projects. Learn about new programs to provide a state-level path to project approvals in New Hampshire, tools to help enable small-scale building types in Vermont, realignment of programs to support planning by Maine communities, and more.Building Small presents an insightful view at what is possible along with the tools needed to make it happen.
Moderator: Representative Traci Gere; Sarah Curran | Deputy Director, Climate Planning and Community Partnerships, Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future; Jacob Hemmerick | Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development; George Reagan | Director, Community Engagement, New Hampshire Housing
Northern New England states are making big moves to shift to a place-based approach to investment by strengthening state and regional support for local planning and coordinating state funding in service of local housing and development projects. Learn about new programs to provide a state-level path to project approvals in New Hampshire, tools to help enable small-scale building types in Vermont, realignment of programs to support planning by Maine communities, and more.Building Small presents an insightful view at what is possible along with the tools needed to make it happen.