Alumni Feature Profile: Jane Wilberding
Alumni Feature Profile: Jane Wilberding, AICP, MUPP, Focus on Parking
Finding solutions to parking challenges in metro markets has been the focus of work completed recently by Jane Wilberding, AICP, MUPP, a former UTC graduate research assistant now working as a Transportation Planner in the Chicago office of Sam Schwartz Consulting, a national engineering and transportation consulting firm with six offices nationwide.
Her accomplishments in the transportation field garnered the attention of the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), which included Jane in its 2017 40 Under 40 Awards, an annual recognition for young professionals “who are committed to developing programs that shift behavior and create long-lasting change within their communities.”
Congratulations to Jane on being included in the 2017 ACT award, and for her contributions to advancing transportation. Below are some recent projects Jane has finalized or has underway:
West Palm Beach Parking Study
The City of West Palm Beach, Florida contracted Sam Schwartz to complete a parking study that includes: Creating a demand-based pricing schedule for the city’s parking system; developing parking maximums to right size the overall parking supply; and, creating zoning strategies to fund the city’s free downtown trolley system, including establishment of a parking benefits district, impact fees, and parking taxes.
Illinois Medical District Parking Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Study
Jane worked with the Illinois Medical District’s (IMD) primary medical facilities staff to complete a parking and transportation demand management plan to evenly distribute parking demand and minimize the IMD’s parking footprint. This program lead to the advent of several programs, including a parking cash out at Rush University, an initial partnership with ride-share company Lyft, and rate changes that more accurately reflect demand.
Fargo Comprehensive Plan Parking Study
In this project, Jane lead the parking portion of a new comprehensive plan for Fargo, North Dakota. The project focused on identifying existing utilization and projecting demand for both short- and long-term parking to determine if and when additional supply is needed while avoiding dominating land use. This analysis, along with extensive public outreach, lead to development of a parking user group hierarchy to guide parking management/zoning strategies. This process will assist drivers in locating preferred facilities and ultimately create a “park-once” downtown.
MUPP, Planner and Analyst at DESMAN Associates Heading link
Responsibilities. “I am a Planner and Analyst at DESMAN Associates. I am involved in all aspects of the planning and management of parking and traffic studies for clients across the country. Day to day tasks include: conducting data collection and data collection supervision; developing demand and financial projection models; creating maps, infographics and other visual aids; and composing financial, organizational and policy recommendations. These recommendations are presented in reports, presentations and memorandums.”
How UTC Prepared Me for a Career in Transportation. “The UTC provided me with a platform to voice, collaborate, and develop my ideas with students, researchers, and professors. This unique environment allowed me to absorb a great deal of knowledge and experience in a variety of fields and topics I was not exposed to from other classes or internships. Not only did the resources at UTC guide me in finding my current position, they prepared me in working on a wide range of skills and ideas while doing so.”