NYC is often regarded as one of the best American cities for public transportation due to its extensive and complex network of subways, buses, and ferries that move over 5 million people per day. But there is an enormous need to increase the safety, energy efficiency, and resiliency of this system. In order to meet the city’s growth and mobility needs for the coming decades, the MTA and other transit bodies of the city must undergo a green transformation to meet low-carbon transit goals while also expanding the ridership capacity to accommodate millions of new passengers. Policy makers must simultaneously legislate proactively and rapidly in order to take on these challenges. Come to the July forum to learn about the impacts from congestion pricing regulations, MTA initiatives, and more.
Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Place: Fujitsu Airstage – 1450 Broadway, 42nd Fl, New York, NY 10018
Click here to register!
We highly encourage attendees to register in advance, as fees increase at the door. If registering at the door, credit/debit card is strongly preferred.
Speakers for the event will include:
Thomas Abdallah, P.E., LEED AP, ENV SP, Deputy Vice President and Chief Environmental Engineer, MTA New York City Transit
Jeffrey Dugan, AIA, Principal, Dattner Architects and Co-Chair AIANY Transportation + Infrastructure Committee
Maulin Mehta, AICP, Senior Associate, State Programs & Advocacy, Regional Plan Association
Thomas Abdallah, P.E., LEED AP, ENV SP is the Deputy Vice President and Chief Environmental Engineer for the MTA New York City Transit. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University. Thomas has been with MTA since 1987, and has extensive experience including sustainable design, energy efficiency, noise and vibration, pollution prevention, waste management, and is directly responsible for New York City Transit’s certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. He is also in charge of several LEED projects including the Corona Maintenance Shop, the first U.S. transportation facility to gain certification, and the Gold Certified Mother Clara Hale Bus Depot.
Thomas Abdallah is also an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University in the Sustainability Management graduate program, and is the author of Sustainable Mass Transit: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Public Transportation which discusses the sustainable attributes of mass transportation, and the ways it can become more energy efficient, less reliant on fossil fuels, and reduce carbon footprint.
Jeffrey Dugan is motivated by a deep-seated interest in the development and improvement of quotidian urban spaces. From large projects that involve major components of a city’s infrastructure, such as rail and air transportation, to educational spaces, community facilities and supportive housing, Jeff is committed to creating positive experiences for the everyday person. He finds inspiration in spaces that engage users and that offer opportunities for socialization, reflection and enlightenment. As a musician, he has developed an acuteness for improvisation and collaboration, which he brings to his role as a designer, mentor, and an orchestrator of multifarious projects.
Maulin Mehta, AICP is a Senior Associate at RPA and is responsible for building support for the organization’s work to address the region’s challenges. He has been working to improve communities through policy and place-based strategies since 2010. Previously, he managed affordable housing and mixed-use development projects, and collaborated with grassroots partners to address economic development, resiliency, and real estate challenges in New York and New Jersey. He also worked in the Interagency Coordination Unit at NYC Parks, where he partnered with other public agencies to assess infrastructure projects impacting parkland throughout the City. He holds a Master of Urban Planning from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rutgers University.