Expression of Interest: 2026 Sandbox Competition-Sustainability

Transportation professionals are increasingly being asked to address mobility needs while also advancing broader economic, social, and environmental goals. This year, the ITE Sustainability Committee is bringing that lens to the Sandbox Competition, challenging participants to explore how last-mile freight can become more sustainable.

The Sustainability Committee, under the Planning Council, advances transportation solutions that integrate economic, social, and environmental sustainability across ITE member interests. Its volunteers pursue two priorities:

1. Integrate sustainability into ITE policies, reports, and programs; and
2. Lead projects that foster sustainable transportation practices.

The Committee’s mission is to: “Facilitate transportation solutions that incorporate economic, social, and environmental sustainability across the range of ITE member interests.”

Sustainable transportation meets current needs without compromising future generations’ economic, social, or environmental interests.

Please Note: There will again be separate professional and student categories. Additionally, Professional teams and student teams will have different submission requirements and challenge parameters.

• Cities/agencies/firms wishing to enter would do so under theprofessional category.
• Each member of your team must be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student to submit in the student category.

Timeline

• November 23: Expressions of Interest due, but competition is still open
• March 1: Professional entries due and judging.
• March 31: Notification to professional team finalists
• April 1: Student Entries due
• May 1-July 1:
  • Teams prepare final presentations for the Annual Meeting.
  • Annual Meeting July 25-28

Challenge Parameters: Professional Teams

Problem Statement

The City of Calgary has proposed and implemented an overall Goods Movement Strategy to help address increasing demands of freight traffic. The 2027 competition will focus on residential neighborhoods of Hillhurst and Sunnyside within the City of Calgary.

The 2027 Competition will ask professional teams to develop a future-ready Last Mile Goods Movement Strategy that enables efficient and reliable goods movement while balancing the needs of businesses, visitors, transit, pedestrians, cyclists, and major event operations.

Goals of Calgary’s Last Mile Goods Movement Strategy:

• Keeps goods moving reliably and efficiently to their last mile destinations
• Supports the district's economic activity and businesses
• Reduces conflicts between freight, transit, pedestrians, and cyclists
• Advances Calgary's sustainable transportation objectives
• Makes better use of limited street and curb space
• Can realistically be implemented, funded, and scaled

Key issues as expressed as part of the public feedback (see Page 132 in the link below).

• Trucks moving through residential neighborhoods or other sensitive areas,
• Inconsistent truck route regulations / designations,
• Inadequate space for truck loading / parking, on-street or off-street,
• Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions / air pollutants

The Calgary’s Goods Movement Strategy can be reviewed here:

https://www.calgary.ca/planning/transportation/goods-movement.html

Professional teams should develop a Preliminary Submission (3 Pages and 1 Graphic) with a detailed planning approach for how to incorporate the goals of a Last Mile Goods Movement Strategy into this area of Calgary. As part of this ITE Sandbox Competition, teams are not required to preserve the existing freight operating model in their planning approach.

Professional Finalists

Two (2) finalists will advance the plan to the design phase for the ITE Sandbox Competition Presentation. Each finalist will prepare, and present design improvements outlined in their plan at the Joint ITE International and ITE Canada District Annual Meeting and Exhibition between July 25—28, 2027 at the BMO Convention Center, Calgary, AB, Canada. The winning teams will be recognized at the ITE Annual Awards Luncheon in Calgary. Announcements will be issued highlighting the finalists and winners. The entries from the two winning teams (professional and student) will be featured in an issue of ITE Journal.

Challenge Parameters: Student Teams

Problem Statement

The goal of the Sandbox Student Competition is to Develop a Campus Specific Zero Emission Zone while also keeping goods moving reliably and efficiently to their last mile destinations. The Plan and Improvements should address a proposed Zero Emission Zone and Truck Restriction Zone within the University of Calgary, while maintaining the existing truck traffic and parking demands of the University. The existing Main campus of University of Calgary is estimated to support approximately 500 truck trips ends daily (500 entering, 500 exiting).

The final plan submitted should be consistent with Calgary’s Goods Movement Strategy and sustainable transportation objectives, specifically:

• Keeps goods moving reliably and efficiently to their last mile destinations
• Reduces conflicts between freight, transit, pedestrians, and cyclists
• Makes better use of limited street and curb space

The Calgary’s Goods Movement Strategy can be reviewed here:

https://www.calgary.ca/planning/transportation/goods-movement.html

Student Finalists

Two (2) Student Teams will present at the Joint ITE International and ITE Canada District Annual Meeting and Exhibition between July 25—28, 2027 at the BMO Convention Center, Calgary, AB, Canada.

The winning teams will be recognized at the ITE Annual Awards Luncheon in Calgary. Announcements will be issued highlighting the finalists and winners. The entries from the two winning teams (professional and student) will be featured in an issue of ITE Journal.

Student & Professional Teams

Informational Webinar (Optional)

An optional informational webinar for both Professional Teams as well as Student Teams to more fully explain the 2027 Sandbox Competition will be held on December 10th. If you are interested in participating, please put this on your calendar and log on using the following information.

Professional Teams

1:00–2:00 p.m. ET
Microsoft Teams meeting
Meeting ID: 275 383 414 409 842

Student Teams

2:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Microsoft Teams meeting
Meeting ID: 227 897 347 231 956
Passcode: cB97Qz2Y