Transit System Proposed for Coast

Plan calls for trolleys or local rail lines to connect communities

By Scott Waller
swaller@clarionledger.com

Rogelio Solis/The Associated Press Participants of the Mississippi Renewal Forum in Biloxi review final sketches, plans and suggestions posted by the teams that developed them for 11 Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast communities. Proposals Mass transit system to connect coastal cities Relocation of CSX rail line to above I-10 Creation of railroad boulevard for trains and traffic that would stop in town centers on the Coast

BILOXI — Ocean Springs Mayor Connie Moran said she felt a lot like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz when she walked into the Isle of Capri Hotel.

"Everything just seemed to be in black and white," Moran said. "You walk up the stairs, and the carpet has been pulled up from the floor. It is just concrete, and the smell wasn't very pleasant.

"Then you opened the door and everything was in color."

Moran was one of the more than 200 architects, planners and city officials on hand Monday as plans for rebuilding the Mississippi Gulf Coast were unveiled during the final day of the Mississippi Renewal Forum.

Ideas to change transportation, improve the environment and ensure the availability of affordable housing were among proposals made for rebuilding the Hurricane Katrina-battered Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Among the highlights was the use of a mass transit system, such as trolleys or local railroads, to connect Coast cities. Plans also called for relocating the CSX rail line north of Interstate 10 and creating a railroad boulevard that would include a road for automobiles and rail lines that would stop in town centers along the Coast.

The forum, which began on Wednesday, has looked at not only what to build but also how to make sure building codes are adopted so the construction can withstand a natural disaster along the lines of Hurricane Katrina. The forum is part of Gov. Haley Barbour's Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal.

Having a plan is key to making sure the Coast is rebuilt stronger and quickly, said Harriet Tregoning, executive director of Smart Growth America in Washington, D.C.

"To build a stronger, more resilient and prosperous Gulf Coast, you have to know what to build, where to build and how to build," Tregoning said. "A couple of years of not knowing where and what to build will be very devastating."

Coast residents will get to see the proposals developed during the six-day process at a series of 40 town meetings, Tregoning said. The first meeting is set for 1-3 p.m. Wednesday at Orange Grove Community Center, U.S. 49 in Gulfport.

The meetings with members of the community are vital, Barbour said.

"Local people will have to make the decision. This is not intended to impose ideas," he said. "It is to illuminate the choices, so they can better understand what they can be."

Small groups of architects worked together on plans for each city, while other regional planning groups looked at ways to tie the communities together.

Andres Duany, a principal at Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., said Monday's unveiling is more like a movie preview and ultimately it will be up to local officials and residents to determine the final script for the rebuilding process.

However, he said bringing the groups together to create one large comprehensive plan is more likely to garner results than if each city or group worked independently.

"When you have a random bunch of people working, like is happening in New Orleans, it isn't going to get anywhere," Duany said.

When Duany first saw the damage on the Coast he wondered if the task was too large.

Just two blocks from the hotel where the planning process is taking place, homes that lined the streets are nothing more than concrete steps leading to rubble. But as he toured the area he said the spirit of the people convinced him the planning would not be in vain.

Moran agreed.

She said the needs of Ocean Springs' residents come first, but she believes the ideas that come out of the forum will go a long way in helping the city get back on its feet.

"It will take public and private investment," said Moran, who has a background in economic development. "By adopting and implementing codes it will expedite this type of development. We already were looking at putting a four-year plan in place before Katrina. Now we are looking at what could be a 50-year plan."

While cities must determine what ideas they want to take away from the forum, the commission wants an immediate buy-in from the private sector.

Local and regional developers will get an overview of the proposals today.

Private investment will be an important part of the plan, said Leland Speed, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. However, it isn't just the large developers that will have a role.

"We hope to have it so there are bite-sized parts for local developers," Speed said. "It's very important that small and minority contractors have a shot in the recovery process."

This will be the first time developers will take an active role.

While plans call for large-scale commercial development, easier access to the beach and reworking zoning, building and architectural codes, Duany said one segment is extremely important — affordable housing.

"We want first-rate design for regular folks," he said. "I can't promise it will be less costly, but it will be affordable and within reach."