About:
This blog site will be dedicated to my progress in the COPLAC Digital: Digital Arts at a Distance course entitled “Conflict in America: Case Studies in Peace Making” and will cover topics regarding the creation of my project website. The intended audience will be my fellow colleagues, individuals interested in conflict resolution, urban development, the African American community, or The Springfield Rail Improvements Project. I will be adding posts every week about planning, research, challenges, as well as successes.
Mission/Goal of My Project:
The Springfield Railroad Improvements Project is essentially a $314 million dollar railroad consolidation project in the city of Springfield, Illinois. Construction began September 2014 and it is expected to be completed in the year 2020. The sponsors include The City of Springfield, Sangamon County, and IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation). The City of Springfield has hired Hanson Professional Services to design and manage the project. The reason for this rail consolidation is two-fold: to promote public safety and to reduce vehicular travel times and congestion. This project requires 42 acres of land to be completed in accordance with the approve design, which will require land acquisition of 117 residential displacements, and 50 commercial displacements. My research will explore the land acquisition process and its effects on the African American community. I will explore, analyze, and present aspects of the displacement process from both the perspectives of property owners and the SRIP sponsors as well as several key stakeholders involved. The main objective of my website is not only to provide a resource for conflict resolution, but also to give the parties involved a voice. I would also like to explore and present similar historical projects that may have presented a conflict for further comparison.
Relevance:
As we continue to progress as a society urban improvements are inevitable – whether the purpose is public safety, urban vitality, or simply basic land development, there will always be an impact on the community. It is important to explore the SRIP as a conflict because it involves major reconstruction and land acquisition. Although the SRIP will make an environmental, social, and economic impact, I will focus on the impact it will make on the African American community – particularly displacement. I expect to report several approaches to resolving this conflict and others similar to this one. With the development of my project website I hope to provide a resource for those who may be interested in civic welfare, peaceful land development, conflict negotiation, and conflict resolution. This project will focus on conflict that affects minority groups, and highlight conflict resolution that promotes diversity and equality.