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The Highway Corridor Transformation Research Study - Proof of Concept report was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the US Department of Transportation. The objective was to provide proof of the concept that a holistic approach to corridor transportation planning can be a model for mixed use, multimodal transportation corridors that is replicable throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and beyond. The report includes a definition of corridors, discusses influences on future corridor planning and design, questions current planning practices that conflict with multimodal implementation, and recommends a corridor classification system that parallels PennDOT's Roadway Typologies and gives further definition to those typologies. The report includes recommendations for effective integrated corridor project delivery in a variety of situations.

Many cities are converting their existing street lighting to Light Emitting Diode (LED) source luminaires due to anticipated energy savings of 40 to 80 percent, as compared to high intensity discharge (HID) source luminaires, and maintenance savings estimated to be 50 to 75 percent due to the longer life of LED luminaires. Addressable electronic lighting controls and sensors are now available that can transform a basic streetlight into an intelligent, smart city device with public safety and other benefits. The number of variables that civic officials must consider for any street lighting conversion project has increased as a result of the rate of technological advances in LED luminaires, control systems, and optional components. The purpose of this report is to provide an understanding of recent industry and technology changes, address common concerns raised when using LED light sources, recommend model specifications for LED luminaires and lighting controls in the public right of way, make suggestions for improving industry norms and code changes, comment on add-on features that show promise, and discuss what to expect as technology advances and the LED lighting industry matures.

The object of this study is to provide proof-of-concept research for the development of a Pittsburgh Aerotropolis, focused on the Pittsburgh International Airport, including developable properties within thirty minutes driving time of the airport. An ‘”aerotropolis” is a planned and coordinated multi-modal freight and transportation complex that provides efficient, cost-effective, sustainable, and intermodal connectivity to a defined region of economic significance centered around a major airport. Speed and agility are its hallmarks. The ideal aerotropolis has close access to the four fundamental R’s of transportation: runways, roads, rail, and river. Pittsburgh is uniquely suited for the development of an aerotropolis in the eastern United States because the airport has excess landing capacity and is not landlocked. The goal of the Pittsburgh aerotropolis is to attract new development and jobs to the airport area from outside the region rather than to relocate existing development and jobs from within the region. MGB & Associates (MGB) was engaged by the Department of Economic Development (DED) of the County of Allegheny with participation of the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County and the Allegheny County Airport Authority. MGB brought on Aerotropolis Business Concepts and the Remaking Cities Institute as sub-consultants to provide market and urban design expertise.

LED Street Light Research Project Street lighting systems can account for as much as sixty percent of a municipal government’s total electricity use. New lighting and sensor technologies can reduce energy usage and save money. A major trend in street lighting is to use light emitting diode (LED) technology as a means of lowering energy use and overall maintenance costs. However, RCI's research indicates that performance issues have been neglected. The study team investigated the technological possibilities, best management practices, lessons learned from cities using LED lighting, and the place-making and aesthetic impact of LED lighting. The team also investigated the issues surrounding the replacement of existing fixtures with equivalent LED fixtures. The City of Pittsburgh engaged the Remaking Cities Institute (RCI) to investigate the full range of potential benefits of a replacement program in business districts. The research team included Carnegie Mellon University faculty and researchers from the Remaking Cities Institute, School of Architecture and the School of Drama, as well as lighting consultants from C & C Lighting, LLC in Pittsburgh and Orfield Laboratories, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN.

The Mayors’ Institute on City Design is a program that conducts a series of intimate, closed-door two-day symposia intended to offer a small group of invited mayors a better understanding of the design of American cities. Participation is limited to eighteen to twenty people: half are mayors and half are urban design experts and other resource people. The Midwest Session took place on February 10-12, 2010 in Pittsburgh. The mayors came from Charleston, WV, Racine, WI, Huntingdon, WV, Springfield, IL, Kenosha, WI, Canton, OH, and Elkhart, IN.

In February 2010, the Remaking Cities Institute hosted a two-day regional conference of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, a program sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Arts, the United States Conference of Mayors and the American Architectural Foundation. The small, closed-door symposium is intended to educate mayors about how urban design can contribute to the revitalization of cities. Seven mayors from mid-sized cities and eight design professionals from across the U.S. worked together on design-oriented solutions to selected issues facing each city. Remaking Cities Institute researchers traveled to each city in advance to meet key officials and prepare a briefing book.

Innovation Oakland In 2009, the Remaking Cities Institute developed a community-wide wayfinding infrastructure initiative that celebrates the Oakland community as an international center of new technology and research innovation. Oakland, the educational and medical heart of Pittsburgh, is the third largest business district in Pennsylvania after downtown Philadelphia and downtown Pittsburgh. Innovation Oakland combines technology, design, sustainable practices, and multi-layered community planning in a comprehensive wayfinding system. It highlights Oakland's unique assets while providing critical information such as real time public transportation schedules, parking availability and locations, ZipCar locations and availability, bike rack locations, community events, hospital facilities, museum exhibits, and business locations. The Project Sponsor was the Oakland Task Force(OTF) and the Lead Agency was the Oakland Business and Improvement District (OBID). The Research Team was led by the Remaking Cities Institute, with researchers from the Remaking Cities Institute, School of Design, School of Architecture, Heinz School for Public Policy, CyLab Mobility Research Center and the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). Funding was provided by Carlow University, Carnegie Mellon University, Oakland Business Improvement District (OBID), University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, the CMU Traffic21 Initiative, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation.