Joshua O’Neill has been the Supervising Planner for the Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning since 2019, when he attended the Freight Academy. Prior to his time in the Freight Academy, his agency had begun a complex planning initiative for a program called the Community Port Collaboration Pilot Program involving port businesses, environmental interests, nonprofit organizations, community agencies and Departments of Transportation. The program’s goal was to bring these myriad entities together and discuss ways to act in collaboration to achieve a shared vision for the future of the port.
The pilot program, initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency, included three other U.S. port cities and Providence. Engaging so many stakeholders is a challenge, but Joshua said that his time in the Freight Academy helped him be more confident in his role in participating in the process on behalf of the state of Rhode Island.
“The Freight Academy really helped me step into that role and enunciate clearly what the state and federal transportation goals were, as well as communicate an understanding of environmental justice history, issues with port adjacent communities, how to navigate state priorities, and listening to neighborhood organizations about their deep concerns,” Joshua said. “Everyone had to find a way to talk and be heard. I learned more about my role in planning efforts, and about state and federal requirements so I could be more effective.”
His horizons broadened beyond just the ports. Until his Freight Academy experience, he had no experience with airports, but a tour of Newark International Airport and a presentation about air cargo planning changed that. Behind the scenes at the airport, he saw how freight was moved and learned more about the needs and concerns of an airport. He brought that knowledge back to his agency and was able to better understand the process of updating the state’s master plan for the airport.
“Traveling to Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley for tours of facilities that were millions of square feet was incredible,” he said. “It’s really something to see firsthand how logistics work, see the massive conveyor belt and learn how trucking works with all of this. The discussions and presentations helped us see how it all impacts communities, transportation planning, and even congestion in their county.”
He applied his new knowledge to finding ways to improve his own agency’s planning in Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning is the only MPO in the state. Through his experience at the Freight Academy, he was able to see the connections between the work done by all the teams within his agency and how it all came together.
“It brought back a world view,” he said. “Freight planning isn’t just what we think it is. It’s all these issues tied together. Land use and environmental regulations have a lot to do with freight planning.”
When he began in his role as Supervising Planner, he didn’t have a complete grasp on all that it entailed. “We have a freight plan that needs updating every four years, but now I see all the issues a lot better,” he said. “I see the things we should be doing with our freight plan, and how it can be integrated with other projects. I’m able to do that, thanks to all I learned at the Freight Academy.”
