Opening Plenary Session, Part 2 -- The Best Laid Plans: Moving plans from concept to reality

Moderator: Ms. Ysela Llort, Assistant County Manager, Miami-Dade County
Mr. George Schoener, Executive Director, I-95 Corridor Coalition
Mr. Stan Cann, District One Secretary, Florida Department of Transportation
Mr. Javier Rodriguez, Executive Director, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority

• Video Presentation (wmv file, 51.8 Mb)

Ysela Llort opened the session by outlining what would occur: responses from each discussant to a series of questions; and then questions and comments from the audience.

How do you move from Plans to Implementation?

• Stan Cann: flexibility and partnerships are important. There are so many opportunities for change – politicians, finances, growth trends, statutes – that we can’t do it alone anymore; we need stronger partnerships.
• George Schoener: sees example in 1995 Dade Plan – commitment of politicians, doing visioning, broader less detailed view.
• Javier Rodriguez: also need patience, perseverance and luck. ISTEA with its allowing flexing of highway dollars came at a time when Metrorail needed to be implemented. We need to remove transportation from the bull’s eye, and make it more a part of the solution – people blame the [transportation] project rather than the causes.

When something goes wrong with implementing your plan, what is the single most important thing that caused that?

• George Schoener: funding
• Stan Cann: change in the direction of the community
• Javier Rodriguez: you lose the purpose
• Audience: consensus; the public sense of purpose
• George Schoener: if you have a champion, you can find the funding

Audience discussion:

• Education of the public of what is to be done, why, how long will it take.
• Keep reselling it over time – why it’s important, etc.
• Take advantage of opportunities when they occur, rather than planning and programming at the end of the work program.
• Internet can be used to fight or support implementation – need public education and support; local elected officials; legislature; institutions (contractors, etc.)
• You need to keep focus on long range plan, but you need to also focus on near-term interim, or final, solutions.

Ysela Llort then summarized the main points she heard:

• Develop relevant plans
• Keep a sense of purpose
• Break down into small parts
• Build collations
• Use media and other techniques and resources
• Have patience
• Create a passion for implementing

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