Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Thursday, August 5, 2004

Contact:  Phyllis Miller   916-340-6224

BLUEPRINT PROJECT GARNERS
NATIONAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration in July awarded a coveted 2004 national Transportation Planning Excellence Award to the SACOG/Valley Vision Sacramento Region Blueprint: Transportation/Land Use Study.

The Blueprint Project was recognized in the public information and outreach category for its “focus on reaching a wide range of stakeholders, both at the neighborhood and regional levels, including low-income residents, business representatives, and government officials to help develop a plan,” federal officials said.

“(Blueprint) demonstrates a way to use technology to make it easier for residents to think about their community and the way they live and work and integrates land use planning and transportation planning, using stakeholder and public participation to reach the final outcome,” officials said. The award selection process was highly competitive, with over 200 submissions nationwide, according to federal officials. Only 11 projects were selected for recognition.

Through an aggressive outreach strategy the Blueprint Project has involved thousands of residents region wide in developing a preferred regional land use scenario for cities and counties to use as a basis for future land use planning and for SACOG’s transportation planning. The strategy was implemented through extensive community workshops held in partnership with civic organization Valley Vision. The SACOG Board is scheduled to review the draft scenario in September and vote on it in December.

“We're blazing a new trail for regional planning that is economically, environmentally, and democratically sustainable,” SACOG Board Chair Christopher Cabaldon said of the award. “Our unique blend of hard work in the neighborhoods and the latest technology is setting a new national standard for outreach and public involvement. This award recognizes that more than in any other place in the country, we are succeeding."

The Blueprint Project has also been honored with the Governor’s Award for Environmental and Economic Leadership and the Presidential Citation from the American Institute of Architects California Chapter.

The Sacramento Area Council of Governments is the transportation planning and funding agency for the six-county Sacramento region, which includes El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties. For further information, please contact Phyllis Miller, Communication Manager, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, at 916-340-6224 or pmiller@sacog.org. More information about Blueprint can be found at www.sacregionblueprint.org.

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