Informed Investment: Enhancing Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor with a Comprehensive Economic Impact Analysis

New Acela Fleet Testing on the Northeast Corridor. © Amtrak Media.

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is a vital transportation artery, connecting major cities from Boston to Washington, DC, over its expansive 450-mile span. Recognizing the need for collaborative regional planning and strategic development, the Northeast Corridor Commission (the Commission) is at the forefront of efforts to stabilize the corridor, increase accessibility to underserved communities, and lay the foundation for future growth.

In pursuing sustainable and high-performing rail transit, especially in the face of climate change, the Commission has undertaken extensive planning for over 300 service improvements and maintenance construction projects over the next 15 years. The challenge lies in quantifying and spatially locating the impacts of these projects to inform investment prioritization and workforce development decisions. Furthermore, the Commission needs to concisely communicate this complex data to municipalities and the public.

The Northeast Corridor. Image courtesy of the Northeast Corridor Commission.

Achieving the CONNECT NEC 2037 Plan

Building on the ambitious CONNECT NEC 2035 plan released in July 2021, the Commission engaged Karp Strategies in collaboration with project lead Arup to support the first update, CONNECT NEC 2037. This update will guide capital investment decisions through rigorous research and analysis of travel demand and economic impacts.

Karp Strategies, taking the lead on the economic impact analysis, was tasked with quantifying the estimated value and earnings of construction jobs generated by these rail infrastructure projects. In addition, Karp Strategies brings a holistic planning lens to ground these economic impacts in social analysis, emphasizing how the planned investments support long-term resiliency, economic development, and job creation, particularly in traditionally underserved communities.

Economic Impact Assessment and Lightcast Analysis in Action

Karp Strategies utilized Lightcast, an advanced input-output model, for this complex economic analysis. Lightcast's multiregional impact analysis capacity is able to capture intricate relationships between industries and regions. This tool is useful, as Karp Strategies’ approach goes beyond merely quantifying direct, indirect, and induced jobs and spending, resulting in a more comprehensive understanding of the broader economic consequences of investment projects.

Along with the direct improvements to rail operations and terminal connectivity, the ongoing investments in the NEC will trigger substantial regional and local benefits. Karp Strategies followed a multi-level approach to gather data and quantify the economic ripple effects of NEC investments. While understanding job and spending data is critical to evaluating NEC projects, the public also wants to understand how these investments will impact communities and respond to long-term climate conditions. Our analysis went beyond the conventional job and economic impact projections in order to emphasize how communities across the corridor will benefit from improved transit times, increased accessibility for disadvantaged communities, resilient infrastructure, and environmental justice considerations. 

The final CONNECT NEC 2037 represents the collective effort of the Arup Team, NEC staff, and corridor partners. Using Karp Strategies’ economic data, the report effectively communicates the operational, economic, and social benefits of the C37 plan to policymakers, elected leaders, and the public. The report also incorporates a comprehensive analysis conducted by the Arup team, presented visually through illustrative infographics and diagrams. 

You can read the full CONNECT NEC 2037 plan here.

Want to learn more? Connect with our team.

Envisioning a Clean Energy Future: Insights from the City and State’s Clean Energy Summit

Recently, Karp Strategies had the privilege of participating in the City and State’s Clean Energy Summit, which shed light on New York's path towards a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040 and the ambitious goal of achieving 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030. The summit featured comprehensive discussions on New York's multifaceted approach to combating climate change across diverse industries, spanning strategies from enhancing building energy efficiency to fortifying coastal resilience against climate impacts.

The dialogues revolved around pivotal themes, encapsulating New York's holistic approach to climate action. Let's delve into these central themes, mirroring the prevalent discussions throughout the conference.

Achieving Climate Smart Communities

The discussions during the summit delved into the idea of creating climate-smart communities driven by a persistent pursuit of efficiency. New York's dedication to utilizing alternative and efficient energy sources is crucial in nurturing these environmentally friendly, more sustainable, fair, and resilient communities. The envisioned zero-emission electricity system aims to fuel homes, offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and transportation with renewable energy sources, strengthening urban areas and communities against environmental adversity caused by climate change. The summit focused on policy frameworks like CAP and Invest, highlighting the critical role of private investments alongside government support in achieving New York State’s ambitious energy objectives.

Navigating the Offshore Wind Landscape

A significant highlight of the summit was the spotlight on the offshore wind industry—a linchpin in New York's pursuit of cleaner energy sources. The burgeoning industry in New York promises to distribute economic advantages equitably among workers, utility customers, and local communities. 

However, the discussions highlighted significant hurdles: workforce shortages and limited supplier availability. Gregory Lampman from NYSERDA outlined a response strategy focusing on recent Requests for Information (RFIs) to source supply chain investments and expedite Requests for Proposals (RFPs). This approach emphasizes the necessity for cost-effective planning under the Offshore Wind (OSW) Master Plan to navigate the industry's current landscape characterized by inflationary pressures and developers renegotiating contracts.

Bridging Gaps and Pioneering Equitable Development

Amidst the dialogue about New York's energy landscape, the spotlight fell on the impact on small businesses and the average consumer. Ensuring an inclusive transition, mitigating cost impacts, and addressing affordable housing in policy decisions took center stage. Rebecca Karp, our CEO and Founding Principal, emphasized the significance of comprehensive workforce development programs, ranging from early career exposure in schools to advanced training initiatives to bridge skill gaps and ensure equitable career progression.

She stressed the transformative potential for New York to become a national model for clean energy workforce development. She discussed various initiatives, including the Green Economy Fund, which allocated funds from a transmission project to support inclusive green workforce development. Karp also highlighted the Growing Green Initiative, a market analysis that connects BIPOC businesses to green economy opportunities, addressing barriers small and minority-owned businesses face. Additionally, she presented case studies such as NYSERDA's Offshore Wind Youth Action Program and the CUNY Bridges to Offshorewind program, illustrating the importance of awareness, education, and fostering transferable skills in the clean energy sector.

The summit made clear that clean energy development is a long-term endeavor, requiring a focus on strategic, lasting gains over short-term challenges. Solutions proposed by Karp Strategies involve developing workforce and minority- and women-owned business enterprise capacity, emphasizing transferable skills, and understanding the long timelines associated with transformative projects. Despite setbacks, such as Ørsted's recent cancellation of New Jersey OSW projects, Karp Strategies remains optimistic about the industry's future, emphasizing the need for ongoing preparation and commitment to equity. The critical takeaway is to maintain a relentless focus on equity and invest deeply in people to ensure success as the clean energy economy grows.

Healthier Natural Waterfronts Reflect Community Well-Being

Proposed wetland restoration for Middletown, CT. Rendering courtesy of Cooper Robertson.

Waterfront ecosystems serve many essential environmental functions and benefit people and communities. For example, wetlands can help filter pollution from stormwater runoff, improve water quality, reduce erosion, and provide habitat and food for diverse species. As climate change makes some regions wetter and warmer, wetlands can also help mitigate tidal and rain-based flooding. Many studies show that increasing public access to water bodies and healthy waterfront ecosystems can provide mental and physical health benefits, such as reduced stress and improved concentration and memory. However, there are many societal barriers limiting equitable access to healthy waterfronts, such as zoning, structural racism, and misconceptions about designing for flood risk mitigation. Here are a few ways urban planners can help drive more equitable access and protect and restore healthy waterfront ecosystems.

Waterfront Access for Community Well-Being

Public waterfront access directly correlates to public health and well-being, especially in urban areas, including decreasing climate risks. Recent case studies in Amsterdam and Barcelona revealed that climate resilience and promoting social equity were the most valued aspects of public water spaces (by those attending the public workshops hosted for the study). These benefits depend on public awareness of waterfront access and increase as more people utilize them. Similarly, as more people access the waterfront and recognize its value, there is potential for public programming aimed at ecological remediation and education efforts.

Waterfront Alliance's WEDG Standard for Resilient, Sustainable, and Accessible Waterfront Development

The Waterfront Alliance’s Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) certification provide guidance for equitable and environmentally friendly design along waterfronts, including public waterfront access and a unique category for natural resources. The goal for WEDG is to help reduce citywide flood and environmental risks, as well as drive economic value. It grants credit to redevelopment projects that plan to minimize impacts and improve biodiversity, with an emphasis on avoiding impacts to existing natural resources (i.e. preservation), as well as habitat restoration.

Community-Driven Solutions

Green engineering along the waterfront and public waterfront access are examples of mechanisms that foster the positive correlation between ecological health and communal well-being. This relationship is self-sustaining in that as an ecosystem grows and becomes more vibrant, it attracts engineering mechanisms and public efforts that will help it grow more so, thus attracting even more buy-in.

Especially in urban areas, waterfront access has not always been available to historically marginalized communities. Environmental racism negatively impacted community health and hampered preservation. Increased access to waterfronts is especially beneficial to marginalized communities through mitigating urban heat effects and flooding from extreme rainfall. It's important to make every effort to restore waterfront habitat, no matter how polluted the surrounding area is, because realistically, most urban waterfronts are highly contaminated.

Both the mechanisms of public waterfront access and green engineering should serve the natural and built ecosystems surrounding a site so ecological and human communities can flourish alongside each other. To this end, incorporating green engineering in waterfront designs should also lean on equitable community engagement. This approach is meant to ensure stakeholder input into a project’s vision, design, and implementation to create a welcoming and equitable waterfront for all.

Register for the Waterfront Conference on May 8 in New York City to learn more about equitable access at our waterfronts and creating a healthier environment.