Introducing Smart Growth to Texas: Research Report

This project examines smart growth principles, concepts, and sample results. There are five primary documents produced in this project: research report, primer on smart growth, workshop participants workbook, workshop presenter's guide, and a PowerPointTM presentation to support the workshop. The research report reviews the origins and background of smart growth development in the United States, and describes smart growth programs, practices, and applications at various levels (state, region, municipality, neighborhood, site, etc.). Case studies included in this report explore the involvement of state departments of transportation in California and Oregon, and examine a local application of smart growth in The Kentlands subdivision in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The primer provides a basic background on smart growth and is intended to be an introduction to smart growth for transportation professionals. The primer contains much of the general material in the research report, but is intended to be a stand-alone document. A workshop presentation on smart growth was also developed and is available as a separate resource in PowerPoint form as well as in hardcopy in a participant's workbook. A presenter's guide has also been prepared to facilitate presentation of the workshop. The workshop is intended to assist TxDOT in teaching smart growth principles, practices, and applications to state, regional, and local planners; engineers; transportation professionals; and other interested parties. To reinforce the principles of smart growth, and to introduce the smart growth design process, the workshop includes a hands-on case study to teach the practical application of smart growth in a simulated situation. Included in the workshop materials are workbooks for the instructor and workshop participants.