Mitigating Climate Change Through Urban Planning

Climate change is one of the most important problems our generation faces. On a global scale, addressing climate change is necessary for the long-term survival and advancement of human beings as well as the survival of wildlife and biodiversity on Earth. It is imperative to act, as scientists predict that it may be impossible to hold a global temperature increase to 1.5 - 2.0 °C (Predictions of Future Global Climate). Areas closer to the poles are expected to see the largest increase in temperature, while tropical and mid-latitude areas are going to see smaller yet still detrimental temperature increases. 

As a result, one way in addressing and implementing climate change measures would be through local levels of legislation such as urban planning to plan for a sustainable, healthier, more vibrant urban environment. This project will focus on identifying potential cost-effective strategies to mitigate the short term effects of climate change in the City of Binghamton.

In a broader scope, climate change has and is predicted to continue to impact various regions and climates differently. Historically, Binghamton has experienced frequent floods; moreover, there were heavy floods that occurred within the past two decades. The 2006 flood displaced 20,000 individuals and caused widespread property damage (SRBC, 2023). River and stream banks were susceptible to erosion, causing properties to cave in, and destroying small structures in the process. Furthermore, the 2011 flood caused 1 billion dollars in damages to the surrounding upper Susquehanna River Basin (SRBC, 2023). Figure 1 shows the influencing areas damaged at some level by the flood of 2011. Part of the downtown regions and southside properties were heavily damaged, which include most commercial and residential areas.

The researcher suggests that as the climate warms, rainstorms will become more frequent and intense, causing greater flash floods that are exacerbated by the large amounts of impervious surfaces in urban areas like Binghamton thus causing greater destruction (Kahraman et al., 2021).

Due to the increase in built environments and carbon emissions, the consequences of the urban heat island effects are more obvious and potent. As a result of the large percentage of asphalt used in urban centers, the temperature of urban centers is, on average, much higher than in rural regions since asphalt absorbs and retains more heat. Without some sort of change within Binghamton’s urban environment, there will be more serious consequences on human life, biodiversity, and ecosystems.

Since 2000, Binghamton has been subjected to a 100-year flood event as well as a 500-year flood event. The damages resulting from these flood events are in the billions of dollars. While many places around the world have experienced droughts and reduced precipitation patterns, Binghamton's precipitation has remained relatively steady throughout this time. While the United States receives an average of roughly 30 inches of precipitation annually (NOAA), Binghamton receives slightly over 40 inches of precipitation annually. As such, it is important to recognize precipitation and flood management as areas of concern (NOAA, 2021).

With the increase of the urban environment, the resilience of the natural environment decreases. A study conducted by Rahman et al suggests that flood occurrences have a strong relationship with land use change as factors such as fewer impervious surfaces directly contribute to flood occurrences (Rahman et al., 2021). Land use problems should be addressed through Binghamton’s local zoning laws and subdivision regulations. 

Moreover, to increase the resilience level of the urban region to floods, a focus on decreasing impervious surfaces through urban forestry and community rain gardens is crucial. As a whole, trees can sequester water which is imperative for flood mitigation in an urban landscape like Binghamton.

Furthermore, an urban forestry program can be incorporated into a complete street methods approach to urban climate change mitigation. Walking plays a key role in creating a healthier and more vibrant community on top of environmental benefits like reducing carbon emissions. To define, complete streets are the streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. This includes people of all ages and abilities, regardless of their form of transportation such as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders. By implementing this, the streets of Binghamton would be more readily accessible to the public (U.S. Department of Transportation, n.d.). Not only that but by implementing urban forestry into our complete streets plan, we can utilize trees as the barrier to separate the bike lanes and vehicle lanes which makes the streets safer while simultaneously absorbing the carbon emitted by cars. Overall, combining the complete street and urban forestry program would create even larger benefits than implementing each separately.

The City of Binghamton has an action plan in place called Blueprint Binghamton: Forward Together. It aims at guiding decision-making in Binghamton within the next decade. A major component of this plan is community and stakeholder involvement, which is the driving force behind the implementation of this plan. There are seven areas of interest that this action plan intends to address, namely: economic development, housing, transportation, infrastructure, environment, open space, land use and zoning, and community building. Goal 2 of the environment and open space initiative intends on increasing tree cover to improve air quality and improve outdoor ambiance. Here, our plan works in tandem with the already proposed plan of increasing tree cover. Moreover, increasing tree coverage provides flood mitigation and decreases stormwater runoff. The plan emphasizes implementing more trees in under-planted neighborhoods, however, the plan does not include under-planted abandoned lots. That is where our proposed plan can fill the gap; for example, the old Kmart Plaza south of Otsiningo Park would be a potential spot to increase tree coverage. Blueprint Binghamton: Forward Together initiative of land use and zoning does not outline a specific method in which to increase tree coverage.

New York State also has a Climate Smart Communities Program, which began in 2009. This program supports local governments in leading their communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the effects of climate change, and thrive in a green economy. Section 7, its goal is to enhance community resilience to climate change, which involves conserving natural areas, Watershed-based flood mitigation plans, and designing flood elevation & flood maps (NYS, 2023). These parts can be achieved through our proposed plan by implementing the urban forestry program. 

Overall, the proposed plan has potential to see implementation success at both the state and local levels. Although current policy at both levels outline a variety of differing approaches to climate change mitigation, they share some similar ideas.Both of them suggest that climate change mitigation or flood mitigation has a close relationship with land use and the conservation of natural areas, which corresponds to our plan proposal.

The lead agency is the City of Binghamton, along with the many departments within the City. Increasing tree coverage would need Parks & Recreation of Binghamton, PHCD of Binghamton, and the Shade Tree Commission. Since the Parks and Recreation department of Binghamton is in charge of maintaining every tree in the City of Binghamton, the internal funds may directly come from the city’s budgets. Some other external funds may potentially come from the NYS DEC Community Forestry Program, Community Development Block Grant funds, and the NYS CFA - Green Innovation Grant Program. 

Other potentially involved agencies include The Agency and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The Agency is a prominent real estate company in Broome County that seeks to revitalize and promote economic development which makes them a potential contributor to the vision of this project as we seek to implement complete streets which would revitalize the sites and thus promote economic development. Another potential contributor would be Dick’s Sporting Goods as the original Dick’s Sporting Goods’ location is on Court Street in Binghamton which is one of the sites of our project. As a result, Dick’s Sporting Goods could be a potential contributor as well as the revitalization of Court Street would directly benefit the company as well.

The Southern Tier Land Conservancy is another potential agency to consider for our plan. Their goals include “conserving forests to increase flood resilience”  and  “aiding regional climate resilience for our communities through the protection of local resources, open green space, and natural areas” (SouthernTLC, n.d.). The land trust can cooperate with the City of Binghamton Planning Department to acquire valuable land and provide financial support to the urban forestry program. They can also provide professional service after our plan is implemented, using their research experiences in land stewardship. Other goals and visions of the Southern Tier Land Trust, such as creating a wildlife corridor and restoring wildlife habitat, would be achieved through our plan as well. As a result, providing support to our plan would only help achieve the Southern tier land trust's goals and mitigate climate change through planning at the same time.

Evaluating our options will boil down to two main criteria. Those being cost and impact level. The cost factor is important when evaluating the impacts. A smaller city like Binghamton is sometimes limited in its ability to take on projects as extensive as NYC. It is difficult to convince the City and its people that money is better spent on addressing climate change rather than poverty which affects 33% of the Binghamton population (census, 2022). To keep our plans realistic, the cost must be evaluated. The most common mitigation flood strategies involved creating a wetland, building floor walls, and so on. However, most of them are expensive to implement. According to a report prepared by the Maryland International Institute for ecological economics, the variation between project costs for wetland mitigation ranges between $77,900 per acre to $18,000 per acre (Mean $38,275; S.D.$13,465) (Baca et al., 2010). These strategies may not prove to be financially realistic for the city of Binghamton. Fortunately, the cost of restoring forests to mitigate floods ranges between less than $100 (seedlings and planting costs) per acre to more than $400 per acre (Parajuli et al., 2019). This is more likely to be accepted by City of Binghamton residents and government officials.

The impact or effectiveness of the plan is also crucial as we want to implement changes that will produce substantial results. The main purpose of the plan is to address the City of Binghamton's frequent flooding issues. In this way, the first factor to examine is whether the flooding at Binghamton becomes less frequent after we implement our plan. This can be visualized by FEMA flood zone classification data and even with geographic surveys after the flood occurs. The second factor is the effectiveness of the complete street patterns. After we implement the plan, from the traffic insurance company data and Binghamton police department data, we will know whether the accident cases decreased and what percentage of accidents has been avoided. At the same time, we can gather the residents' suggestions and satisfaction rates through surveys. If the satisfaction rates get approved substantially and more people would like to walk or use alternative transportation instead of automobiles, then the plan will be helpful. 

To be more cost-effective, the planned item should have multiple uses or create multiple benefits to the community instead of just addressing flooding issues. For example, we will implement the urban forestry program to integrate with the complete street. It will ensure pedestrian safety, mitigate flood issues, promote biodiversity, improve air quality, and even solve the urban heat island effects simultaneously.

Last but not least, our plan should also engage as many residents as possible, especially minorities and people with lower incomes. In other words, the projects should be accessible to the majority of people within Broome County. During the implementation process, like other plans, the lead agency will host several public meetings or public hearings to gather residents' opinions and information. Public participation is one of the key factors in our plan's success.

As a whole, the City of Binghamton is one of the larger cities within Broome County, NY. It consists of 11.14 square miles of land, lying in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. Binghamton is the principal City and cultural center of the Binghamton metropolitan area (Greater Binghamton areas).

According to the 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) report, Binghamton has a total population of 47,528 residents and a median household income of $35,776. Another statistic, as seen above in Figure 2, is that 88% of the residents in Binghamton have graduated high school while 28% have graduated college with at least a Bachelor’s degree.

A decent proportion of Binghamton’s population is considered low-income, a demographic group that is oftentimes more vulnerable to destruction from natural disasters and events like floods.As a result, the City would benefit from implementing environmental planning techniques such as urban forestry and complete streets. For one, urban forestry is crucial since trees are the most effective ways to mitigate flood damage as they sequester water and help slow the velocity of water flow. Not only that but in the broad scope, complete streets are also beneficial to Binghamton as it helps contribute to a sustainable urban environment, a walkable city, and help mitigate climate change in the long term by promoting sustainable methods of travel.

Figure 3 above shows the tree density (tree/square kilometers) within each census block in the City of Binghamton. The data is acquired from the TreeKeeper Dashboard, a widely accepted website created by an environmental consultant company. Overall, several census blocks in the east side and north side are extremely low than the average tree density of Binghamton. Due to the different counting methods, tree density calculated by the Department of Agriculture of the United States shows that the average tree density in urban areas is roughly 19,000 trees per square kilometer. Even though some trees near the Susquehanna River and Chenango River were not taken into account by the surveyor from the TreeKeeper Website, Binghamton still weighed behind the national average. The Urban Forestry program must be implemented, especially in the census block far behind the Binghamon average. At the same time, trees help mitigate the urban heat island effects and create huge economic benefits as well.

American Forests, a non-profit conservation organization, was established in 1875 in Chicago and is dedicated to improving tree equity in the United States. They created tree equity scores based on demographic information. Then, they used an algorithm to create a best practice canopy percent. If a city meets the canopy requirements, their tree quality scores will be higher.

The walking score reflects a score based on the site's accessibility to a variety of services and people’s willingness to walk in particular regions. 

The City of Binghamton's east and north have pretty low walking scores which indicate that people are unlikely to walk in those regions. The research conducted by Binghamton University Geography Department faculty and students also suggests that the local synthetic walkability index generated by reasonable variables corresponds with the walking score in triple city regions (Deng et al., 2020)

In summary, the potential sites to implement our plan, as Figure 5 shows above, include the two census blocks at the east side of the Chenango River and the other two at the east side of court street and the north side of the Susquehanna River. 

The City of Binghamton’s Blueprint Binghamton: Forward Together has taken steps towards climate change mitigation through urban planning. In particular, Broome County has launched a composting program that allows people to take part in composting to reduce food waste. Furthermore, Binghamton created a Shade Tree Commission that works in tandem with the Parks and Recreation Department to determine where and what types of trees will be planted. These departments together promote tree planting for the community through education and volunteering. 

Most of the data is collected by the local government and planning agencies. From the Broome County GIS dashboard and New York State GIS clearinghouse, we gathered information such as flooding zoning data, road map, and most recent aerial images. From the census website, we got the data on the demographics and socioeconomic status of Binghamton. Tree-covering data is acquired through TreeKeeper Websites. 

Currently, we need data regarding the network analysis data which would be used to measure the site's accessibility, particularly to the eastside Binghamton. Flood damage data from the government or property insurance companies would help us have an insight look about what specific property was damaged during the flood and make precise decisions to focus on the vulnerable population. Public opinion qualitative data is also crucial. If the public supports the plan proposal, the follow-up procedure will be implemented smoothly. If not, the plan needs to be revised, and more information must be gathered through public hearings or community meetings to protect most of the residents' interests.

The cost of implementing the urban forestry program will depend on site feasibility, meaning data on soil and structural quality is needed. This information directly influences how much budget will be needed to implement the whole project. Additionally, knowing the cost of workers and all construction materials is essential to implementing the project. 

At the same time, the cost of maintenance of the trees also needs to be calculated. If there is not enough budget to protect the trees after they were planted, their value and their effectiveness to prevent the flood will be reduced heavily. 

If no action is taken to address the flood issues within the City of Binghamton, there will be detrimental consequences environmentally and economically. As climate change issues intensify, worsening the conditions of large storms, Binghamton will only become more susceptible to large flood events shortly since the City lies on top of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers, making the City highly vulnerable to flood events.

More specifically, in the past 20 years, Binghamton has experienced 100 and 500-year flood events. These flood events occurred in 2006 and 2011, despite the rarity of the massive flood event. The 2006 flood displaced over 20,000 people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to Broome and Tioga County. The 2011 flood not only killed one person but also resulted in roughly $1 billion in damages throughout Broome and Tioga Counties. Not only that, but the Susquehanna River Basin is one of the most flood-prone river basins in the country. On Average, the River Basin causes $150 million in damages every year (SRBC). As such, it is imperative that action be taken to mitigate these damages in the Binghamton area.

Figure 7 shows the FEMA 100-year and 500-year floodplain. If no form of action is taken, whether it’s with improved planning techniques or mitigating Binghamton’s carbon footprint, Binghamton would inevitably experience unrelenting flood events and large-scale damage.

Hence, this project is focused on taking another step towards sustainability by implementing urban forestry and complete streets on the proposed sites. As seen in the flood map, Figure 7, the majority of the City of Binghamton would experience floods in the event of a 100-year flood, let alone a 500-year flood. The unprecedented magnitudes of the 2006 and 2011 floods only adds to the need for solutions that value mitigation, prevention, and preparedness. The majority of the downtown commercial sector of Binghamton City is flood-prone, making it crucial for implementing urban forestry and complete streets in the downtown area.

Toronto would be a great example to follow in implementing the urban forestry program. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, “Toronto has about 10.2 million trees with a tree and shrub canopy that covers approximately 26.6 percent of the City.” This amount of trees store more than 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which equals roughly 25 million Canadian dollars. These trees remove about 46,700 metric tons of carbon per year (CAD$1.1 million per year) and about 1,905 metric tons of air pollution per year. Additionally, Toronto is estimated to reduce annual residential energy costs by CAD$9.7 million per year. Overall, these trees not only improve the environmental quality and quality of life for residents of Toronto but also create more than 7.1 billion Canadian dollars compensatory to the residents (Nowak et al., 2013).

In contrast to Toronto, which is not a flood-prone city, the urban forestry plan in New Orleans, LA provides an example of how Binghamton can address its flood issues. New Orleans has a subtropical climate and its location renders it vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes, causing damages and flood issues. Recently, on January 20th of 2023, the New Orleans Reforestation Plan was released to address the City's deforestation and flood issues despite previously unsuccessful efforts in restoring the City’s tree coverage (Brown, 2022). Currently, the City has less than 20% of tree canopy coverage, far below tree coverage rates of other major cities like Austin (38%) and Atlanta (47%) (Brown, 2022). With this, the City proposed this urban forestry plan with 3 main goals 1, having a no-net-loss of trees; 2, creating a unified tree policy throughout the City; 3, building an equitable urban forest (Brown, 2022). These goals are to ultimately help New Orleans restore 10% of its canopy coverage to all neighborhoods within the City by 2040 (Brown, 2022).

Flooding is an issue that urban forestry remedies in flood-prone cities and cities with high rainfall. According to a study conducted by Greg McPherson and colleagues, stormwater mitigation accounted for a large portion of the total economic benefit of urban trees (McPherson et al., 2005). Bismarck, ND in particular received large benefits from the use of urban trees. Since Bismark has high annual rainfall, the urban forests accounted for 51% ($496,227 or $28/tree) of annual benefits (McPherson et al., 2005). In other cities where rainfall and flooding are not major problems, stormwater mitigation accounted for 8-19% of annual benefits (McPherson et al., 2005). Urban forests are associated with other benefits that are not solely flood mitigation. The study found a wide range of annual benefits across different cities, ranging from $665,856 in Glendale to $3.25 million in Berkeley (McPherson et al., 2005). To maximize the energy benefits of urban trees, they must be planted near buildings to provide not only air temperature reduction but also substantial shading for the buildings. In cold areas, trees accentuate tree windbreak effects, which effectively warm the area. Trees also act as an air purification system, saving cities money and energy. Net benefits ranged from $350,000 in Cheyenne, WY to $1.17 million in Fort Collins (McPherson et al., 2005). However, Bismarck displayed the highest benefit-to-cost ratio, meaning the city benefited the most per dollar spent on the trees (McPherson et al., 2005). Bismarck has a similar climate to Binghamton and has a similar socioeconomic standing to Binghamton, meaning a comparison between the two cities is appropriate. 

The New York State Department of Transportation has put plenty of examples with best practices of complete streets. The Canton Village Reconstruction Project, which revitalized a one-mile stretch of Route 11 in Canton, NY, was completed in 2013 by NYSDOT. The project objectives were to improve pavement conditions and storm drainage, correct existing safety issues, and provide improved access for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project was successful and significantly improved traffic flows and better bicycle and pedestrian access to attract new residents and college students. Local stakeholders see the redesign of the Main Street section of Route 11 through downtown Canton as providing a foundation for long-term economic growth and stability in the region.

Another city that has greatly benefited from implementing complete streets is Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Before the implementation of the plan, the City reported numerous accidents per year. In 2018, the year the City approved the plan, there were 11 pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes and 11 bicycle-motor vehicle crashes (Eddings 2019). The City noticed that busy commercial streets were hotspots of the crash sites. As a result, the City implemented an extension of curbs at crosswalks to reduce the time it takes for pedestrians to cross the street. Overall, Cleveland Heights made minimal but effective changes in its implementation of complete streets. They made minimal changes to the sub-base, curbs, and sidewalks but focused on paint restriping, sharrows (indicating the sharing of the road with bikes), and signage for cyclists and pedestrians (Eddings 2019). With this, the City received a 91 out of 100 on the National Complete Streets Coalition as a merit to the success of their complete streets policy (Eddings 2019).

Both complete streets and urban forestry programs aim to revitalize certain areas of the City and mitigate climate change. Complete streets allow for a better flow of traffic, which reduces the time cars are idling. This reduction may seem insignificant; however, one hour of idling results in nearly four pounds of CO2 (US DOE, 2015). Moreover, increasing walkability provides individuals with other options for travel that are not vehicles. Complete streets provide better bike paths as well, decreasing the total number of cars that would normally be on the road. These benefits attract businesses and investors that see an opportunity to set up in this revitalized area, which is beneficial for the local economy. 

Urban forestry not only provides ecological services in the form of air filtration but also adds an aesthetic value to the area. Trees and other greenery help to absorb pollutants from the air and reduce heat island effects in cities. Urban forests also provide habitat for wildlife, increase property values, and improve the overall aesthetic quality of neighborhoods. Additionally, they offer recreational opportunities and can provide food and other resources to nearby residents. If these initiatives are well received by the community, they can grow into more than just trees and gardens. They can act as a community learning center, promoting children and families to think more sustainably. If both complete streets and urban forestry programs are implemented and maintained over time, they can prove to be major means of combating climate change. 

Since mitigation of floods is our first objective, the first baseline information is the FEMA flood zone classification map to find which of the two proposed sites has a greater risk of flooding. More specifically, the East side of Binghamton has a greater chance of being flooded with 500-year floods. As a result, Court Street became the main target to implement our plan in phase one. Court Street starts at Court Street-Chenango river bridges connecting the Binghamton Main Street, all the way to the east boundary of Binghamton, extending to Kirkwood and Conklin. It is also part of U.S. Route 11, which is one of the important national corridors to Canada. In this way, improving road quality and road safety not only can mitigate floods but also can help attract investment and financial benefits to the City of Binghamton. 

The planned starting point is the intersection of Alice Street and Court Street, and the planned endpoint is the intersection of Century Drive and Court Street. The highlighted line in the map illustrates the desired road section to implement the plan, which is roughly 1.7 kilometers long.

From the satellite image above, the current road is in poor condition. Its asphalt surface faded and cracked from years of wear and tear. The lack of trees or greenery on the sidewalk makes the road feel bleak and barren. As people walk down the street, the absence of any shade becomes more and more apparent, especially in the summer. Dust and debris kicked up from passing vehicles, further adding to the sense of neglect and disrepair.

As people approach, they will notice that there are no designated bike lanes, forcing cyclists to share the road with motor vehicles. The lack of clear signage makes it difficult to discern where one lane ends and another begins, adding to the sense of chaos, which heavily increases the risk of transportation accidents.

From our site visits, few people walked on the street even in the morning and evening peak hours. The lack of green spaces makes people feel a sense of unease, although there are not many crimes happening in that district.

Planting the trees along Court St would be considered as building a “tree wall” to separate the river and high vulnerability flood zone in the east side of Binghamton.  These trees serve as a type of barrier or "wall" that helps to slow down and absorb the flow of water during heavy rainfall or flooding events. This tree wall can be an effective and sustainable way to prevent flooding and provide numerous other benefits to the surrounding environment. 

The revitalized street will look like Figure 11 below. After implementing a complete street, the street will have a design that prioritizes the safety and accessibility of all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. The street will typically have wider sidewalks, separated bike lanes, and traffic calming measures such as raised crosswalks, speed humps, or roundabouts. These features will make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to move around the street, reducing the risk of accidents and encouraging more people to walk or cycle instead of driving. In addition, the street may have improved public transportation facilities, such as dedicated bus lanes or sheltered bus stops, to encourage more people to use public transit. 

By combining the urban forestry program into the complete streets, the most noticeable change will be the presence of more trees and greenery along the street.  The street will appear significantly different. The tree canopy will be increased dramatically. Trees may be planted along sidewalks or at the center of streets. The types of trees selected will depend on factors such as the climate and soil conditions, as well as the desired aesthetic and environmental benefits. Some tree species are extremely helpful to reducing the water runoff and surviving in flooding, including Red Maple, Weeping Willow, Hackberry, and so on (Othman, 2019). These tree species may be prioritized when selecting the trees to implement the plan.

Furthermore, the trees will help to improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air. They will also provide shade, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the pavement and buildings in the area, which can help to lower temperatures and reduce the urban heat island effects.

The plan also may involve other enhancements to the street outlook. For example, new seating areas or other amenities may be installed, such as water features or public art. These enhancements can help to make the street more attractive and welcoming for residents and visitors.

Phase two can be considered the extension of phase one, which will mainly focus on the rest of Court St connected to Broome County Main St. Only building a road section on the east side of Binghamton can not make it convenient and comfortable for people to walk in Binghamton. In this way, phase two dedicated connected downtown Binghamton with the newly revitalized eastside, enabling residents to commute using multimodal transportation and maximizing phase one’s benefits to more people within Broome County. It will indirectly mitigate climate change. If people use bike lanes to commute or walk, it will heavily reduce greenhouse gas emissions in greater Binghamton areas.

The proposed phase two plan will start right after the Chenango bridges and connect to the phase one start point. The highlighted line in the map illustrates the desired road section to implement the phase two plan, which is roughly 2  kilometers long. The revitalized visual model will look similar to phase one.

Washington Street is a 475-foot-long street in the heart of downtown Binghamton. The block has numerous small businesses along it as well as a couple of residential units and a parking garage. In many downtown areas, pedestrian-only zones have been implemented. These areas provide increased foot traffic and walkability, small business activity, space for leisure, and improved air quality. This proposed plan would convert 325 feet of Washington St into such a zone, while the Southern 150 feet of Washington St will remain active to account for the parking garage located at 7 Hawley St. North of the parking garage, the street would be converted into a multi-use pedestrian-only area with benches and increased greenery, thus eliminating all car traffic traveling North to Court St. This space can also be used for public events. It will benefit the small businesses located in this area as there will be increased foot traffic throughout the street. Furthermore, small businesses can expand their outdoor seating when weather permits. Increased greenery will also aid in our goal of flood mitigation. Carbon emissions will be reduced as a result of increased walkability and decreased reliance on automobiles.

Closing the northern side of Washington St would not make substantial contributions to traffic. For traffic heading northbound towards Court Street, both Hawley Street and State Street will remain open. Although State Street closes on Friday and Saturday nights, this occurs late at night after traffic has already substantially subsided. By removing car traffic from the Northern section of Washington Street, the traffic light on Court Street can be extended such that there is a longer window for car traffic moving East and West. The light will have to remain in place to allow for pedestrian crossings. However, the timing mechanism can be adapted to encompass the decreased demand in movement from Washington Street onto Court Street.

If the city cannot acquire enough permits and funds to implement the proposed plan,  constructed wetlands can serve as an alternative for flood mitigation.  Wetlands are also effective in flood mitigation. They intake massive amounts of water. There are numerous layers of different soils which intake water. Numerous water-intensive plants are effective in flood prevention. Constructed wetlands would have the additional benefit of water purification at the same time. Wetlands are incredibly effective in the purifying runoff. There are many nutrient-intensive plants and soils which filter and intake many of the harmful pollutants found in stormwater. A proposed alternative would place constructed wetlands in the area between Binghamton Plaza and the Chenango River to mitigate flooding and aid in water purification. In this way, the wetlands will also serve as a buffer zone. 

Complete street costs (Federal Highway Administration, n.d.)

Tree planting cost (Smart et al., 2020), (Nita, 2023)

Planting trees costs are based on two main factors: tree species which determine the cost per tree and the tree density in trees per meter. The total estimated price is based on the method of low density with lower costs tree species and higher density with higher costs tree species to give the public a range of how much budgets are needed. The actual costs can be adjusted flexibly. The agency in charge of tree planting can use these proposed budgets to make a detailed plan. For example, they can determine which road section utilizes which tree species based on soil conditions and other factors and with reasonable tree density.

Street maintenance  (State of NY, 2014)

Regular maintenance of streets and roads occurs regardless of the implementation of our plan. However, for the sake of consistency, we will include possible costs for maintaining the streets with the bike lanes. 

Tree maintenance

It is important to note that these estimates are based solely on competitive rates in the US. Rates and costs can vary greatly depending on what part of the country the trees are being trimmed. It is also important to note that these costs will only be incurred every 3-5 years, as tree trimming does not need to take place every year. (Lovely & Auer, 2023)

The most obvious benefit is the increase in the property value. According to the research conducted in Athens, Georgia, “housing in the vicinity of landscaping with trees was associated with 3.5%–4.5% increase in sales prices” (Anderson & Cordell, 1987). The increase in property values would directly benefit the residents and economy. 

Research also suggests that increasing tree coverage would decrease crime rates in those regions. “For every 1% increase in total green space there is a 1.2% (0.7 to 1.7%; 95% confidence interval) decrease in violent crime and 1.3% (0.8 to 1.8%) decrease in property crime” (Venter et.al, 2022). With better walkability and lower crime rates, more commercial places are going to be opened. This would benefit the local government tax base and pay off the investments as well.

Most importantly, the overall plan is at a relatively lower cost compared to other existing methods. It achieved many goals such as reasonable traffic flows, lowering the crime rates, and mitigating climate change simultaneously, which saved much money rather than achieving those goals separately.

Since the proposed wetland sites are owned by the City of Binghamton government, there are no or little additional costs used to acquire the lands or compensate the nearby landowner. Only cost is to create the wetlands.

Figure 14 shows the timeline and schedule for the proposed plan. It may take two to three months to set up the public meeting, get approved by the associated government officials, and gather all necessary required permits to construct the roads. To help trees to grow, phase one of the plan will be initiated in spring. After phase one is finished, there will be a one-year gap to gather public opinions and make reasonable adjustments to phase two. Phase two is still going to start in spring. Washington St Revitalization could insert any periods between phase one and phase two, or after the two phases are finished. 

This project will cost a considerable amount, and that money will need to come from somewhere. Most of the money will be required to come from the City of Binghamton and New York State. The State has many programs in place to aid cities like Binghamton to implement environmentally beneficial projects. New York has the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Community Forestry Program, which grants funds to areas that are implementing forestry programs. These community forests are to provide, “wildlife habitat, flood mitigation, recreational opportunities, mental health, air quality, water quality, and the obligations outlined in New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act” (NYSDEC). The State also has the NYS CFA - Green Innovation Grant Program, which provides grants to projects that utilize unique solutions to climate issues faced by an area (NYS). We believe that the complete streets program can qualify for this grant, as it not only decreases carbon emissions from cars but also decreases the need for gasoline. NYS has many programs in place to fund a project like this, but the residents of the City and the government would also have to play a role in the funding.

We imagine that NYS could not fund the entire project. If so, Binghamton residents and the City would have to pitch in to cover the costs. This part is tricky, as increasing tax rates for a set period would cause backlash from the community. Since many people in Binghamton are at or below the poverty line, increasing taxes is likely not going to work. Perhaps the City could hire local community members for planting and maintaining trees. The local nonprofits organization, volunteers, and students could be great partner to planting trees, maintaining trees, and learning gardening strategies. We imagine that the City would have to pay for the remaining costs from the money it has from taxes and other means of money collection. However, if the City goes through with this plan, it could cause an increase in business interests within the City. Increasing businesses would aid the economy and in the long run, could cover the expenses of the project. Also, perhaps the City can attract potential investors by telling them about the project. This could attract people to invest in Binghamton. 

Additionally, the city could incentivize small businesses at Washington St to finish our phase three downtown revitalization plan. The government could provide local tax breaks or other economic incentives to encourage them to implement climate change mitigation techniques, such as green roofs, reduced impervious surfaces on their properties, and help the city build public benches on the walking-only zones on Washington St. This is a win-win cooperation, the city can save additional money, the small businesses would attract more people to consume their products, and mitigating the climate changes at the same time.

For the complete street part, the plan needs to be approved by the city council and planning commission first. Overall, The road design needs to comply with local, state, and federal regulations, such as the City of Binghamton City Charter and Code of Ordinances, Chapter 355 Streets and Sidewalks.  Land use permits are also required for complete streets from the City of Binghamton Planning Commission, which involves adding street lanes, and potential street widening. Environmental permits may be required if the proposed sites involve environmentally sensitive lands, which will be determined based on the detailed land survey. After all three permits are approved, the implementation agencies or companies need to acquire the construction permits– “Street works permits” given by the office of the City Engineer, which ensures the construction procedures are according to the design plans and follows the safety working standards. Last but not least, there are always utility lines such as gas, electricity, and water under the current road. The construction agencies need to coordinate with local utility companies to discuss the potential procedure to protect utility lines. It may involve necessary relocating or modification of existing utility infrastructure to accommodate the plan.

For the urban forestry program, the plan should follow the City of Binghamton City Charter and Code of Ordinances, Chapter 391 Trees and Shrubs guidelines.  Depending on the different sites, infrastructure such as irrigation systems, soil amendments, and mulch may be required to support tree growth and health.  Before planting trees, it is essential to coordinate with utility companies to avoid damaging underground utility lines. This may involve contacting local utility companies to mark the location of gas, electric, and water lines.

Public engagement is crucial to the plan's success. Court Street is one of the most important transportation corridors within Broome County. Visitors and residents use this street to commute between downtown and the Eastside.  Getting public approval of our proposed improvements to the area is crucial. Newly revitalized streets would encourage more people to pursue a healthier lifestyle by increasing air quality, walkability, and bicycle usage rather than automobiles travel. All studies conducted on the impact that trees and increased greenery have on an area have concluded that public health and perception of an area improve. 

The main part of our public engagement plan revolves around the Washington Street redevelopment plan. The newly developed Washington Street will provide a space in the heart of downtown Binghamton where community events and gatherings can take place. As such, events in the area will be proposed by the public. In doing so, we hope that the public will form a connection with this space that will lead to increased use and enjoyment of the area. Additionally, the City of Binghamton has a long history of sports, such as the annual marathon hosted by Binghamton Bridge Run. Newly revitalized Court Street with great tree shade and a designated runway and bike lane would be a great place to hold several sports events like running races or bike races. 

Furthermore, education and the interactive pop-up stand that explains the importance of flood mitigation and climate change will be a good way to get public approval as well as engagement. To do so, we plan on partnering with This Is Zero Hour Binghamton, an environmental activist club at Binghamton University. By partnering with their club, we will have passionate students out in the community to try and garner engagement from the public. 

Throughout the implementation of our plan, we expect little resistance from the public. Binghamton residents have lived through two major flooding events in the last 16 years. These events led to immense damage. Many lost their homes, others had to be evacuated, and one citizen, unfortunately, passed away. 

The plan, along with its various iterations and alternatives, should be re-evaluated yearly. The most important part of the plan that requires follow-up is the tree planting. While the strong and intensive root systems of trees are good at retaining water and mitigating flooding, these root systems can also have negative impacts on the pre-existing infrastructure. If root systems get out of control they can crack sidewalks and streets. Trees can impact water and sewage lines as well. Because so many trees will be added throughout this plan, we must monitor their development and prevent possible damage. Furthermore, we want to evaluate the efficacy of trees in flood mitigation. This can be done through the evaluation of the water treatment plant in Binghamton. We will compare precipitation levels before and after the implementation of the trees and wetland, and then look at the amount of wastewater that made its way to the treatment plant. By looking at the ratio of precipitation to wastewater before and after the trees and wetlands were implemented, we can get an idea of whether or not the plan is effective.

We want to follow up on our Washington St plan as well. This space is more important for recreation and its added walkability rather than its flood mitigation. As such, our follow-up here will be conducted in a manner that evaluates any aesthetic or functional changes. Were any benches damaged? Is the new greenery overgrown or dying out? We want to make sure that the street stays in good quality such that people still want to enjoy recreational activities in this space. It still attracts pedestrians and can be an effective space for communal events and public gatherings. 

A public meeting at the end of the year will allow citizens to voice any issues they might have with the plan and its implementation. This is a crucial step in the follow-up process. It is a place where the public as well as the leaders of the plan can exchange ideas. The public can voice their concerns or highlight parts of the plan that they enjoy and want more of. It is important to have a form of discourse because as people who designed the plan, we can give the public information on how flooding might have been mitigated. We will have information regarding the efficacy of the plan which the public might not be aware of. Similarly, the public will have opinions and qualitative information regarding how our plans have impacted their lives which we do not know or understand. All of these ideas need to meet so that any changes or updates can be made to the plan should they be desirable.

As a whole, maintaining the complete street and urban forestry program measures will be relatively cost-effective in regards to the payoff that comes as a result of implementing complete streets and urban forests.

For one, the monitoring and maintenance of urban forestry mostly require initiatives and investments from the city and its residents. Before and during the time of implementation of urban forests, the City of Binghamton must offer educational programs and events to educate the community on the importance of urban forestry. This will help community members realize the role that urban forests play in their personal and city’s wellbeing which further incentivizes them to volunteer to help maintain the trees. Volunteer efforts can include weeding and watering trees, which is especially important during the first 3-5 years of growth. The engagement of community members will help maintain the urban forests in the long term as well since the community members will feel more inclined to advocate for the protection of urban forests against future demolition projects. Over time, the urban forests of Binghamton can be improved through greater investment from the local government and community engagement once city residents see the benefits that urban forests yield for the city which further incentivizes the city to invest in planting more trees.

Similarly, it is also essential to educate the public to ensure the proper monitoring and maintenance of complete streets. Public education of community members is vital to maintaining and sustaining complete streets as it informs drivers of the reasons for the altering of streets as well as allows them to consider switching to other methods of transportation like bicycles or public transportation. Along with that, community education also helps inform people, who live or work along the complete streets, about the changes made to the streets and the benefits they can experience. To do this, the city planners of Binghamton need to interview and invite the residents and business owners of the proposed complete streets to input meetings, before, during, and after the implementation of complete streets to gather insight on the project and potential issues that may arise. Not only that but monetary support from the City of Binghamton and Broome County is necessary to ensure the complete streets are well paved and outlined to maintain safety of all forms of transportation.