Internship at RPA Complete
The end of February marked my last day at the Regional Plan Association. On February 26 I presented my study on high speed rail in the Northeast Corridor to RPA staff and one of my interviewed stakeholders. I have taken comments from the presentation and used them to update my report. I still have more comments I have received from other stakeholders through email, and still must incorporate those as well. When the report is complete, I will post it here.
The site visit on the northern end of the NEC was a great experience. It was helpful to see firsthand the development near the tracks, and understand all I have viewed through satellite imagery. As well, I collected data on how long it took the train to travel between points on the NEC, and was able to compare the speeds of the Amtrak Regional and Amtrak Acela trainsets. I could not resist having my photo taken with the Acela’s engine cab.
Interning at RPA was a great experience. Firstly, I feel very priviledeged to have worked with the RPA staff whose expertise in planning and the NYC region created a vibrant work atmosphere. I also enjoyed getting the chance to work on railroads. It has been a fascination of mine since childhood, and now I can say it is a top area I want to work with professionally. Lastly, I found that I do enjoy planning work. The increased focus on policy and land use is something I want to incorporate into my education. I am quite confident now that I will pursue a dual Master’s degree wherever I go to graduate school: a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of City and Regional Planning.