Issue 04 — 2009

Transformative
Infrastructure

How do we leverage our existing infrastructure

to achieve a new level of quality and efficiency?
THINK Editorial Advisory Board

Harvey K. Hammond Jr., PE

Executive Chairman, HNTB Holdings Ltd

Paul A. Yarossi, PE
Executive Committee
Executive Vice President and President, HNTB Holdings Ltd

Edward McSpedon, PE
Executive Committee
Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Development, HNTB Holdings Ltd

Robert Stromsted, PE
Executive Committee
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, HNTB Corporation

Kenneth R. Graham, PE
Chief Executive Officer, HNTB Infrastructure

Terry K. Miller, AIA

Chief Executive Officer, HNTB Architecture

James Riley, PE, PTOE

Managing Director, HNTB Federal

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 Topics

4 Achieving Transformation
Leveraging existing infrastructure to enhance quality of life.

5 Transformative Infrastructure
HNTB explores how to be creative with our infrastructure.

14 Rebuilding America’s Economy Starts

with a Solid Infrastructure Platform
Janet Kavinoky, director of transportation infrastructure for
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce explains the Chamber’s
Let’s Rebuild America initiative.

16
Transformation in Texas
John Lettelleir, director of development services for the city
of Frisco, Texas, shares how growth is transforming the city.

20 What do you think?

Go to hntb.com/think and tell us your thoughts on
transformative infrastructure.

hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 3

 Achieving Transformation
In this issue of THINK, we tackle one of
the most challenging questions leaders
are facing across America: How can
we leverage our existing infrastructure
to achieve a new level of sustainability
and efficiency?
When we talk about transforming our
infrastructure, it means we look beyond the
need to restore things to status quo. It means
finding ways to fix the problem at hand —  the challenge of creating infrastructure — from
and fix another one at the same time. It also
means inventing ways to improve quality of
life and making headway on conserving the
environment through creative use of the often
limited tools and resources at hand.
In the following pages, we explore the concept
of transformative infrastructure by looking at
both the national picture and at the strategies
and successes of cities across the nation.
• Janet Kavinoky, director of transportation
infrastructure for the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce, explains why change in
regulatory focus and funding approaches
will be required to improve our national
infrastructure.
• John Lettelleir, director of development
services for Frisco, Texas, tells how a range
of policy innovations and community
partnerships are changing everyday life
in the city.
4 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think
• HNTB looks at striking examples of
transformative infrastructure in cities
across the country, and explains how
innovative planning approaches merged
with community momentum can turn major
infrastructure into true community assets.
HNTB works with leaders who are seeking
ways to get more out of their infrastructure
by converting it into a community asset. In
cities and towns, leaders are stepping up to
existing infrastructure or from the ground
up — t hat creatively integrates improvements in
quality of life directly into planning, execution
and maintenance.
Through these efforts and others, leaders are
transforming infrastructure across America.
We see it taking the form of recaptured
waterfronts, active transit systems, blooming
parks and biking paths, commercially vibrant
and green city centers and a range of other
features that build community unity, boost
economic growth and enhance life. But the
work is just beginning for many states and
municipalities. The challenge is difficult, but
the rewards are lasting and, in some cases,
inspirational. Through focus and innovation,
we can find ways to maximize the value we
get from our infrastructure.
Read about how infrastructure is
changing communities every day, then go to
hntb.com/think and post your comments. n
Transformative
Infrastructure
Getting creative with a valuable asset — 
our infrastructure
There is little doubt the 21st century contains vast
and converging challenges for U.S. policymakers
and transportation leaders. Environmental
changes and deteriorating roads, bridges and
buildings have undermined our financial
resiliency and global competitiveness.
In years past, our cities seemed to be natural
magnets for business growth and people simply
adapted to the traffic, pollution and daily
inconveniences that ineffective planning and
development created. Today, this paradigm has
changed and every city must compete against
others around the world for capital, business and
talent. Not only that, but pressure is increasing
to control pollution, improve quality of life and
enhance aesthetics — all at the same time.
The challenge is daunting: How do we
maintain what we have and build what we
need as budgets are tightening? To answer this
question, we need to take a fresh look at our
infrastructure — to view it as an asset rather
than a convergence of corridors and systems.
And to understand that it can be an instrument
for creating economic opportunity and building
stronger communities.
What this means is that today’s infrastructure
must evolve.
For most of America, transformative
infrastructure must arise from existing roads,
bridges, buildings and waterways. In seeking to
address issues facing existing infrastructure, we
can find opportunities to fix problems and step
toward a better future. In fact, in this era of tight
budgets, the time is ripe for such creativity.
hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 5
Solutions to creating transformative
infrastructure begin with revisiting and
revamping key processes. Among the most
common steps leaders take to improve
infrastructure are:
• Initiating inclusive planning processes that
bring a range of stakeholders to the table early
to gather the best ideas and diffuse polarities
• Revising plans for infrastructure repair or
construction to factor in goals for economic
growth, pollution reduction and green space
• Revamping ordinances and policies so they
provide the right incentives for reducing
energy use and environmental degradation
• Weighing options to reduce road congestion
without new construction by doing cost-
benefit analyses on transit enhancements
and intelligent transportation systems
• Harnessing the political momentum
necessary to raise the possibility of installing
user-fee systems, such as open road tolling, to
fund necessary infrastructure improvements
• Viewing infrastructure projects through the
lens of making life in the community a more
pleasant and rewarding experience
Creative examples abound, and the efforts
of America’s largest cities provide vivid
examples of what can be done to change
existing infrastructure into more valuable
community assets:
• New York City has launched cost-conscious
experiments designed to improve quality of
life and sustainability.
• San Francisco has begun modernizing an
antiquated maze of roads to achieve greater
efficiency without new construction. >>
 NEW YORK CITY Transforming Pavement into Possibilities
Every New Year’s Eve, Manhattan’s Times
Square is transformed from a chaos of cars,
taxis, buses and sidewalk-bound pedestrians to
a grand plaza filled with a million revelers who
briefly claim the streets to ring in the new year.
This annual ritual inevitably raises the question:
What if Times Square was wide open and
welcoming like this all the time?
This summer, New York City answered this
perennial question. Over Memorial Day weekend,
the city closed down Broadway between 42nd
Street and 47th Street to vehicular traffic. The city
transformed the area into a vast pedestrian plaza,
with café tables and
umbrellas, benches
and planters and
room for pedestrians
and bicyclists to enjoy
the space safely. The
Photo: Amy Dreher
experiment, if it
becomes permanent,
will represent another
major milestone in
New York City’s journey to be a more livable
and vibrant city.
This began in April 2007, when New York
Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced an
agenda for transforming the city. Called PlaNYC
2030, the long-term sustainability agenda
outlined what the city must do to increase green
space, enhance transportation, improve health,
preserve buildings and historic infrastructure
and reduce environmental impact among other
priorities. The plan represents how to balance
speed and efficiency with sustainability and
quality of life.
Among the initiatives flowing from this plan
is “Sustainable Streets,” a program involving
holistic street design that accommodates all street
users — pedestrians, cyclists and drivers — by
increasing public space and greening the streets.
Most of these ideas can be accomplished without
huge investments of capital.
Plazas — With the goal of ensuring that all New
Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of quality
open space, the city is creating neighborhood
plazas to transform underused streets and
parking lots into social public spaces. Safety
measures include placing blocks of stone
and 1000-pound planters on the periphery of
these plazas. Parking spaces, another buffer
between people and moving cars surround these
plazas. The department of transportation then
combines street design, traffic lights and signs to
calm traffic nearby.
6 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think
Open Streets — On Saturdays in August 2008,
the city created a seven-mile, car-free route
stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge to 72nd
Street on Manhattan’s east side. The city even
invested in programs to lend a fair-like air, such
as fencing and dance classes and temporary
tennis courts. People came out in droves when
the city repeated this Summer Streets program
in 2009.
Bike Routes — In July 2009, the city nearly
doubled its bike lane miles from 220 to 420 in
only three years. Its goal is to double the number
of people who bicycle in the city by 2015, and
triple it by 2020. The city installed hundreds of
new bicycle racks — artfully designed through
a competition. To protect bicyclists, the city is
experimenting with a new design where the
parking lane and bike lane are inverted, so the
order becomes sidewalk, bike lane, parking lane
and then traffic lanes.
Faster Buses — To entice people to use buses
every day, the city is developing a high-tech
bus system. The Select Bus Service combines
dedicated bus lanes and stops that are farther
apart to cut passengers’ wait times by 33 percent,
compared with regular bus service. SBS speeds
up onboarding by letting people pay fares
electronically before they get on the bus — and
they can use both the front and rear doors. A
transit signal priority system gives buses priority
treatment at traffic lights, and other intelligent
transportation systems tools provide real-time
bus arrival information at stations and next-stop
information on the buses themselves.
Congestion and Parking
Since these innovations create new pressures on
already overstressed roads, the city is seeking
to improve road efficiency, too. The city is
analyzing some of its most congested roadways
to determine how to reduce travel time to and
within these corridors. The city is exploring
how to use GPS data from taxis to track vehicle
speed conditions in much of Manhattan, and
roadway sensors to measure speeds in the other
boroughs. To ease parking issues, they are testing
the concept of peak-rate parking, in which meter
rates are raised — even doubled — during times of
maximum demand. n
SAN FRANCISCO Transforming Congestion into Opportunity
As one of America’s loveliest cities, with a Bikers and Walkers — Centralized traffic
bustling waterfront, distinct neighborhoods, management also allows the city to time
steep hills and quaint, narrow roads, San traffic signals to account for bicycle speeds,
Francisco knows its streets can be a challenge the demands of bicycle
in rush hour. It is a city of steep streets, lanes and pedestrian
punctuated by stop signs that make emergency crossings.
brakes a necessity. One-way streets abound, and
Real-Time
a sea of pedestrians and bicycle couriers add to
Information — 
the complexity and danger.
The transportation
For many, the driving situation is so daunting
management center
they prefer public transportation, for which
also can collect and
San Francisco fortunately is a national model
process a range of

Photo: Lee A. Cazahous

for excellence. The city’s transportation agency
information from
operates a sophisticated rail and bus network.
transit vehicles, traffic
Perhaps its best-known feature is the historic
cameras and vehicle
streetcar network.
detection devices. This
The city is committed to making roads better
information — including
for driving while preserving a reputation for
traffic congestion, accident, road closure, detour
being a pedestrian-friendly city. There is no room
and other messages — will be shared with the
to build new roads, of course, so San Francisco
public through the DOT’s Web site, variable
is investing in a new integrated transportation
message signs and other media. This allows
management system. The system, dubbed SFgo,
travelers to avoid frustrating jams and evens out
uses a range of technologies and strategies to
traffic flow for the city overall.
make roadways more effective and safe. With
the system, which is being built in phases, On-the-Spot Interventions — W hile breaking
travelers will benefit from signals that respond news is being shared with travelers, TMC
to traffic volume, swifter clearing of accidents staff also will be responding to changing
and real-time information about road conditions. road conditions to address the sources of the
Key facets of SFgo are: problems. For example, in the case of a crashed
or disabled vehicle, the staff might pinpoint
Traffic Signals — The city’s 1,200 traffic
the area for emergency teams, monitor their
signals are old, hard to maintain, not centrally
progress via camera or radio, then share
connected and “timed” to historic traffic
resolution information with the public.
volumes rather than current conditions. To
transform this set of problems into a more Parking — As in many major cities, the ritual
efficient traffic management tool, the city is of “hunting for a parking space” is a major
installing a fiber optic communications network cause of roadway congestion. To help reduce
and advanced traffic signal controllers. A new this problem, the city is deploying variable
transportation management center also is being message signs to help drivers find the nearest
created so staff can monitor and adjust traffic city-owned parking facilities. Several of these
signals to current conditions. signs are already at work, providing additional
information to drivers such as the number of
Transit Priority — The advanced traffic signal
remaining parking spaces available. n
system can be used to extend or shorten green
lights in ways that minimize delays caused
by traffic competing for the same roadway as
transit vehicles, such as buses. This tool can
be used to create contra-flow bus lanes to help
these vehicles serve customers more efficiently.
Additionally, this control of lights offers
significant opportunities to help the city deal
with emergencies in real time by speeding the
travel of emergency vehicles and staff.

hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 7

 Transformative Infrastructure Concepts and Strategies

T
Technology
Use current and emerging technologies to increase efficiency
and improve people’s experience with infrastructure

R
Revival
Generate interest and investment in communities that are seeking
to restore their attractiveness to businesses and residents

A
Aesthetics
Step beyond building purely utilitarian structures to creating
iconic community assets

N
Nature
Accentuate and leverage natural features to improve utility,
beauty and efficiency

S
Sustainability
Reduce environmental impact by relieving highway congestion,
lowering energy consumption and increasing green space

F
Funding
Undertake novel approaches to paying for infrastructure creation
and long-term maintenance

O
Orchestration
Align expectations of stakeholders by clearly determining goals
and priorities

R
Reunification
Revisit existing divisive infrastructure to unite neighborhoods and
connect people to natural features

M
Mobility
Create a multimodal system that meets our current and future
mobility needs

8 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think

 Successful Models and Tools

• Intelligent transportation systems that combine computers and sensors to predict and
ease roadway jams
• Digital readouts at bus and train stations to inform commuters of wait times
• Sophisticated tolling and parking systems that link pricing to demand at various times
of the day and week

• Interactive meetings that let stakeholders register opinions in real time, informing planners
and defusing resistance
• Comprehensive and quantitative demonstrations of how commercial enterprises can gain
in the revival of the community
• Programs that encourage businesses to place and maintain tables, chairs, umbrellas and
other equipment with the expectation of greater foot traffic and revenues

• Elegantly designed pedestrian bridges that project iconic power at a fraction of the cost
of vehicle bridges
• Transit stations and airports that reinforce the community’s distinct character and attract
commercial development
• Downtown plazas and pedestrian malls that incorporate trees and plants, locally developed
sculpture and places to visit and relax

• Create rain gardens to filter and redeploy rainwater, enhancing beauty and saving on
long-term maintenance costs
• Recapture a section of riverfront, an ocean pier or other waterfront property to create
a place for gathering, fishing and picnicking
• Leverage unusual terrain features to create a terraced public garden, hillside picnic area,
or scenic viewpoint in the midst of a city

• Use of rooftop greenery, trees and shrubs  to reduce energy usage and carbon dioxide levels
• Variable highway message signs to inform drivers of upcoming traffic issues and suggest
alternate routes that will cut their idling time
• Promote public transit, bicycling, walking and other alternatives to commuting by auto

• Public-private partnerships that ease tax burden on companies and citizens

• Congestion pricing, which generates money while providing incentives for more community-
friendly commuter behavior
• Open road tolling and other approaches that more closely align usage with financial responsibility

• Gather a range of businesses, institutions, non-profits and government entities to identify

overlapping interests and synergies
• 3-D before-and-after renderings to clarify desired outcomes and illuminate specific benefits
• Engage public interest groups immediately to tackle issues head-on and avoid potential
disruption and litigation later

• Close down sections of streets to create new pedestrian malls that make it easier to congregate
and patronize businesses
• Pedestrian bridges that connect neighborhoods across highways, rivers and rail lines
• Re-route roads or create tunnels to keep neighborhoods intact and create new open spaces
for recreation

• Invest in rail systems and better bus systems to make commuting safer, more predictable
and more efficient
• Networks of bicycling routes and trails allow for safe commuting as well as ready recreation
• Use of roundabouts (traffic circles) and traffic-calming techniques to maintain traffic movement
and preserve safety of pedestrians and cyclists

hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 9

10 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think
10 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think
 Rebuilding America’s
Economy Starts with a Solid
Infrastructure Platform
By Janet Kavinoky, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The nation’s infrastructure is the central
nervous system of our $13 trillion economy.
This physical platform enables us to move
around by air, road, rail and waterway; supplies
us with the energy and water needed for our
homes, businesses and farms; and provides
the vehicle by which we transmit information
at ever faster speeds. Once one of America’s
proudest achievements and biggest challenge,
our infrastructure now has enormous potential
to boost the U.S. economy.
We are all aware of the challenges and now the
demands on our critical infrastructure, which
will continue to grow as the U.S. population soars
from 300 million to an expected 420 million
by 2050 — that’s the equivalent of adding 11 Los
Angeles-size metropolitan areas. This means we
need to determine how we transform our current
infrastructure to accommodate more people and
goods, while also explore multiple modes
of transportation.
For the longest time, other nations looked to
the United States as a model for infrastructure.
Now, we are looking to see how other countries
are managing growth and transforming their
infrastructure. For example, high-speed rail in
parts of Asia are light years ahead of the United
States. We allocate 2 percent of our GDP to
infrastructure; European governments, about
5 percent; and China, between 9 percent and
12 percent.
So, what needs to be done to transform our
infrastructure to become more competitive,
spur economic growth and establish effective
policies that sustain America’s infrastructure
for the long term?
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched
the Let’s Rebuild America initiative in August
2007 to help answer this question. The initiative
focuses on driving public awareness, expanding
research and building strong political action
toward four long-term goals:
• Establish infrastructure as a core economic
issue and a high priority for all levels of
government
• Engage the public to support sound policies
and greater public and private infrastructure
investment
• Remove obstacles to private investment in
infrastructure capacity and promote policies
that streamline project delivery
• Ensure adequate public-sector investment is
guided by effective policies and programs
Spur Private Investment
in Infrastructure
First, we need to increase investment. The
economic stimulus is a short-term investment
boost, but we need to put in place a financing
system that will meet our needs. We must
find additional revenue streams and tap both
public and private sources. In some states
and localities, public-private partnerships are
gaining popularity. Still, the private sector is
holding back billions of additional infrastructure
dollars because of burdensome regulations.
The Chamber’s Let’s Rebuild America initiative
will identify and seek to reform those rules

Janet Kavinoky is director of transportation infrastructure in the Congressional and

Public Affairs Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, she serves as
the Chamber’s senior lobbyist and policy expert on all transportation infrastructure issues.
In addition, she is the executive director of the Americans for Transportation Mobility — 
a national business-labor-construction industry coalition that unifies transportation
stakeholders to support increased federal investment in an interconnected, multimodal
transportation system.

14 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think

and policies that threaten the efficiency of
our logistics system and obstruct positive
investments in our nation’s future. In addition,
we must explore every public financing option
available. For instance, an increase in the federal
gasoline tax, the revenues of which are injected
into the Highway Trust Fund, is long overdue. It’s
been stagnant for 14 years. We can create good
American jobs, clean the air, succeed in a global
economy, preserve a good quality of life and save
innocent lives by investing in our infrastructure.
Serve National Interest
Second, we need to look at infrastructure
through a wide lens, investing in projects that
serve the national interest. The last federal
surface transportation reauthorization bill
contained earmarks totaling nearly $15
billion for some 5,000 pet projects. Earmarks
undermine the integrity of federal programs,
particularly when they do not address national
needs or objectives. Congress should set a strict
limit on earmarks and projects should be subject
to a rigorous cost-benefit analysis that puts the
public good above political expediency. For
example, this may mean more road construction
in some communities and more investment in
mass transit in others.
Transforming Infrastructure as a Nation
Restrictions
Restriction regulations cause the private
sector to hold back billions of infrastructure
dollars due, and the federal highway fund is
woefully underfunded.
National transportation needs go unmet
because federal funding bills are saddled
with expensive earmarks for some 5,000
local projects.
Projects can take decades to go from
planning to completion because they must
endure a gauntlet of environmental and
other regulations.
hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 15
Expedite Project Delivery
Finally, we need a top-to-bottom review of
regulations that explain why the construction
of electricity transmission facilities has declined
30 percent since 1990 and why road project
delivery times have stretched to 13 years on
average. We can implement environmental
safeguards without bringing infrastructure
development to a near halt. We need to determine
a comprehensive way to assess the totality of
America’s infrastructure needs — not just what is
required to patch things up, but what we must do
to move our country and economy forward.
Through its Let’s Rebuild America initiative,
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is building
greater support for infrastructure through
education, grassroots action, lobbying and
communications. Building a 21st century
infrastructure network is more than just a good
idea — it’s an imperative for our mobility, the
economy and jobs, our competitiveness, our
health and safety. This is the time for another
American moment, similar to when President
Eisenhower launched the interstate highway
program more than 50 years ago. Let’s Rebuild
America is encouraging the American people and
businesses to seize the opportunity before us.
For more information, visit
www.letsrebuildamerica.com. n
Resolutions
Reform rules that obstruct use of new
investment strategies, such as public-private
partnerships and raise federal gasoline tax
to bolster Highway Trust Fund.
Set strict limits on earmarks in federal
funding bills and demand a rigorous
cost-benefit analysis that puts the national
good first.
Review regulations to define ways to move
forward on projects more rapidly while
still addressing key issues, such as
environmental preservation.
 Transformation in Texas
By John Lettelleir, AICP
In the past eight years the population of Frisco,
Texas, has grown from fewer than 34,000
to more than 102,000, making us one of the
fastest-growing cities in America. This growth
has created a range of challenges as our leaders
have sought to reshape our community and
infrastructure to meet escalating needs, while
preserving the city’s beauty and character.
While you may not be familiar with Frisco,
there’s a good chance that you or one of your
associates is grappling with some of the same
growth issues we are. We don’t claim to have all
the answers, but some of our experiments and
approaches might provide ideas for solutions
that will work in your community. Here are just
a few for your consideration.
Green Homes — A Mandate for
the Future
In May 2001, Frisco became the first city in the
U.S. to launch a mandatory Residential Green
Building Program. The program began as an
outgrowth of a larger effort to clarify the city’s
building standards. One of our staff members
formulated the idea of making Frisco homes
more energy efficient by mandate. The idea
became a proposal, which was unanimously
approved by the City Council. The belief is that
by making green building standards mandatory
for all single-family residences we are saving
energy and money in the short term and giving
future generations a cleaner environment as well.
Frisco’s green standards for single-family
residences include a minimum standard for
John Lettelleir, AICP, is the director of development services for Frisco, Texas. He formerly
was the city’s director of planning, and also has served in the cities of Plano, Texas, and
Grand Prairie, Texas.
16 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think
energy efficiency based on the Environmental
Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR®
designation, and homes must be inspected and
rated individually by trained experts. Homes
also have to meet certain thresholds for indoor
air quality and water conservation. The builders
even have to follow guidelines for how they
dispose of construction waste.
We were very inclusive as we turned our
green homes proposal into actionable building
standards. We formed a task force of builders to
ensure that the standards made sense on paper
and in practice. One of the first things we did as
a group was to perform “blower door and duct
blaster tests” on existing new homes, a process
that tells how well a home and ductwork are
sealed. Sealing is a huge factor in keeping the heat
outside in the summer and inside in the winter.
Before taking the ordinance to the City
Council, we met with council members one-on-
one to review the proposed draft, answer their
questions and incorporate their suggestions. To
strengthen the proposal, our office developed
a relationship with Environmental Protection
Agency officials who shared a wealth of
information and ideas with us.
As a result, Frisco not only revamped
its building codes, but it established an
environmentally focused theme that would
permeate all of our efforts to transform our
development standards for the future.
It is important to note that these standards
are for single-family homes. We have yet
to apply these standards to commercial or
multifamily buildings because we cannot create partnership among the Hunt Sports Group,
too much disparity between our ordinances and which owns FC Dallas, the Frisco Independent
those of other cities without increasing the cost School District, the City of Frisco and Collin
of development to the point that Frisco is unable County. The juxtaposition of the stadium with
to compete for new development. Frisco Square provides natural synergies, and
Similarly, commercial tenants are more already there has been an increase in tourism
likely to ask about the green factors of a and growth in the lodging sector. It is a vibrant
building — something unheard of a few years new city center that, due to its mixed-revenue
ago. Energy efficiency demands aside, these sources, is positioned for long-term success.
tenants are aware of a range of studies that In building Frisco Square and Pizza Hut
show employees who work in green buildings Park, we were cognizant of the stress that huge
are more productive, less likely to get sick and numbers of vehicles would put on our roads. As
more likely to remain with the company. These such, we are exploring the use of rail service to
benefits are coming into clearer focus just as allow visitors travel into the vicinity of Frisco
developers are seeing the cost of “building Square for events without the need to drive in.
green” getting closer to parity with traditional We calculated that if 20,000 people attend an
building approaches. event at the Park, and if only 15 percent of them
come by rail, that’s approximately 1,000 fewer
Right Development, Right Places cars using our roads that day.
With a rapid influx of people, one challenge In 1998, we created a downtown master plan
is creating a special community that not only to preserve the past and create standards for
attracts people but also encourages them to new development that would blend with older
stay and be part of the city. For example, many buildings. This was accomplished by creating
suburbs in Texas and elsewhere have developed new zoning districts that recognized the
vast collections of “strip centers” or “strip smaller lots; reducing the parking standards
malls.” These often include an anchor store, and providing for shared parking to encourage
typically a supermarket or chain department multiple uses; retaining the factors that
store, with a number of smaller stores that encourage pedestrian activity; and protecting
serve a nearby community. The issue with these the residential component in the downtown.
centers is they lose their luster after a decade or Since we have residents living in the downtown,
so. They become less attractive, rents decline we wanted to make sure that downtown zoning
and maintenance declines.
The result is a negative image
of the neighborhood, which
By combining commercial, retail, entertainment
in turn impacts property and residential elements in closer proximity, we
values. are driving investment and a more sustainable
Frisco has its share of
these centers, but in recent model for urban growth.
years we have focused
on increasing the number of mixed-used standards were not detrimental to residents. We
developments in the city. By combining also created a pattern book for both commercial
commercial, retail, entertainment and and residential properties to preserve the early
residential elements in closer proximity, we 20th Century architecture of the downtown.
are driving investment and a more sustainable
model for urban growth. Transforming the Old While
A prime example of our focus on mixed-use Building the New
development is our Frisco Square and Pizza We believe that, even as we move into the future
Hut Park developments. Frisco Square offers with these outstanding developments and
commercial, residential, retail and public energy-efficient homes, we have to be equally as
buildings, including the new Frisco City Hall/ focused on helping existing neighborhoods make
Library and the George A. Purefoy Municipal the journey and share in the prosperity we create.
Center. Across the street from Frisco Square is We can look at the first-ring suburbs of many
Pizza Hut Park, a multi-purpose stadium that is urban areas to see they are in dire straits. These
home to the FC Dallas soccer team and a venue cities have aging homes, retail buildings and
for outdoor concerts, high school football games infrastructure. The results are declining property
and large community events. The 17 soccer fields values and a lack of support for bond packages
built with the stadium are used for league play directed toward replacing old infrastructure. All
and to host the annual Dallas World Cup and of this makes it difficult for these communities to
other soccer tournaments. This stadium and reinvent themselves for economic development. >>
soccer fields were made possible by a unique

hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 17

 Frisco POPULATION PROJECTIONS
250
200
THOUSANDS 150
100
50
0
2000 2005 2010
Frisco’s projected growth between 2000–2030 using data from the North Central Texas Council of
Government’s Traffic Survey Zones
These suburbs also are often marked by
a monoculture of development that lacks a
sense of place. This makes it hard for people
to connect with the neighborhood, so they
move out. In fact, most people start to look at
these neighborhoods as short-term residences
because they feel no sense of belonging. We are
addressing the concept of place-making as we
update our ordinances and focus on our older
neighborhoods.
Working with our City Council, we have
looked for ways to build commitment in our
older neighborhoods. One of our efforts is to try
to understand what’s happening in a particular
neighborhood by analyzing a range of factors.
Two years ago, we began tracking things like
the number of rental properties, age of homes,
number of fire/police responses and number
and severity of public works issues. When
viewed together, these factors tell us that a
particular neighborhood may require special
focus to create resident commitment and action
to resolve issues. We schedule a meeting with the
neighborhood and include representatives from
other departments to discuss their questions,
concerns and develop an action plan.
In some cases, we connect with citizen
action groups to help them with a specific
issue. For example, some groups might help
to mow lawns of vacant properties to make
them code compliant. We also meet with
landlords of rental properties to gain their
commitment in improving upkeep. We
have coordinated with non-profits to assist
homeowners with improvements they could
not afford. In a similar vein, we have dialogues
with homeowner associations and created a
Congress of Neighborhoods to bring issues
forward so we can deal with them proactively
and comprehensively.
18 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think
Population
2015 2020 2025 2030
YEAR
A key factor in improving the success of
these communities is linking residential and
commercial developments more seamlessly.
Our goal is to break down barriers, to make
it easier for people to walk or bicycle in and
around their neighborhoods, to access retail
stores and natural resources, such as creeks. As
future development occurs, we need to focus on
place-making that creates value by celebrating
our natural features and open spaces, which
will directly impact property values.
Sharing Water and
Preserving Beauty
Although we envision having enough water
in the coming decades to meet population
growth in Frisco and in the region as a whole,
water management has become an important
priority. One major problem is runoff. Due
to the prevalence of impervious surfaces,
precipitation takes only minutes to reach our
creeks, causing erosion, transport of pollutants
and sediment loading.
This run-off problem is complemented by
massive amounts of irrigation both by businesses
and homeowners. They use more water than
necessary, and the situation is compounded
when the irrigation is occurring during windy
days — wasting water as it is blown away.
To address this, we amended the landscape
ordinance so evapotransportation (ET)
controllers are required for new construction.
These devices monitor soil moisture, wind speed
and freezing temperature to help people irrigate
when it’s necessary and when conditions will
maximize water absorption into the ground. The
Public Works Department, which we partnered
with to amend the landscape ordinance, has
created a public outreach program on water
efficiency. Part of this program provides a free
checkup on irrigation programming to boost Taking the Right Steps
efficiency and check for leaks. For older homes Frisco’s success is a direct result of our city
and businesses without the ET controller, Public leaders’ consistent commitment to a vision and
Works provides information electronically about to their openness to new ideas. As dramatic as
when watering is necessary.
The updated landscape
ordinance also establishes We have revised our ordinances to encourage
three landscaping zones for developers to preserve attractive natural features
commercial projects: Oasis,
Rainwater Harvesting and and share access to water and open space.
Natural Landscape. We
recognized from our task force that developers the past few years have been in Frisco, we know
generally wanted lush landscaping at building the coming decade will challenge us even more.
entrances, so the Oasis zone was created. The There will be waves of new residents, increasing
other two zones use native landscaping, and demand for energy and water conservation and
after they are established the irrigation is turned new pressures on our roads and other public
off. These two zones also allow the rainwater infrastructure. We need to meet these demands
to percolate. We were able to demonstrate two while creating a community where, once people
important facts to task force members. One was move here, they do not want to leave. n
that more water was being used than necessary
on traditional landscaping. The second was that
the three-zone concept would reduce their water
demands and thus their operational budgets.
In addition to dealing with water conservation,
we have revised our ordinances to encourage
developers to preserve attractive natural features
and share access to water and open space. On
one front, we’ve given builders incentives for
factoring sustainability and attractiveness
into lot designs. Normally, if there is a small
hill or significant tree or other nice feature,
builders are likely to bulldoze it away because
of restrictions on lot sizes and the process for
getting waivers to preserve that natural feature
would stall the construction process. So what
we’ve done is amend our ordinance to allow for
smaller lot sizes that maintain the same density,
either to preserve natural features or provide
open space. This is accomplished during plan
review without requiring additional steps in the
development process.
In a similar way, we have taken steps to
encourage a better approach to managing
development near the various creeks that run
through Frisco. Typically, developers want
to build certain homes right near a body of
water so the buyer will pay a premium for
that proximity. However, urban development
studies have found that when you open the
creek to the neighborhood so everyone has
access, this raises the value of more homes in
the neighborhood. So 10 years ago we launched
a major creek ordinance that requires these
waterways to be opened up as an amenity to
entire neighborhoods.

hntb.com/think THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 19

 Share your opinion online
Tell us what you think

Transformative Infrastructure: Key Questions Are there ways to integrate our natural
assets — a river, lake, forest or hill — in ways
What is needed to attract businesses
that accentuate them and make them a
and talented workers for a new century?
community asset?
 How do we reduce carbon emissions,
 How can we build a financial support
preserve natural land and sustain our
system for infrastructure improvement so
clean water supply?
we both can build it properly and ensure
What are some ways to improve mobility? that it can be sustained?
What methods should be used to connect
neighborhoods, magnetize city centers and Go to hntb.com/think to post a comment. Share
make it more attractive to live in denser, with other industry leaders what you think. n
more efficient environments?

20 THINK  Issue 04 — 2009 hntb.com/think

The HNTB Companies
Engineers  Architects  Planners

Tell us what you think.

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