Remarks by Dr. Michael Gallis, Consultant, Michael Gallis & Associates, to the New York Chapter of the Transportation Research Forum

In 1929, New York’s planning leaders laid out a bold new framework to deliver the essential physical assets to assure the flow of people and commerce needed to unify the region into a great and growing economic whole. Several major projects, (e.g., the George Washington Bridge, new airports and seaport) sprung from this effort. The Plan helped put people to work, delivering improvements that propelled its citizenry through the Great Depression, a World War and several recessions and kept New York’s at the top rank among the world’s great cities. Where are we today? Is there a next Great Plan? What would be its essential elements? These are some of the issues to be explored by Dr. Gallis who leads a strategic planning and design firm which provide GIS planning and decision-making tools that assist metropolitan regions to successfully contend with the opportunities and threats present in our dynamic globally-driven economy. These products are often used by public–private sector economic development partnerships to craft comprehensive transportation, land use and environmental strategies that advance the quality of life and competitiveness of their communities.