By Chris McCahill Amid drastically rising pedestrian deaths, more states are considering how changes in pedestrian laws can help tip the balance in favor of those on foot and inspire a cultural shift to make …
Equity
PennDOT works to dismantle systemic racism
By Michael Brenneis The Pennsylvania DOT recently unveiled a report from its Dismantling Systemic Racism and Inequities Working Group that details recommendations to establish anti-racist principles at the core of the work done by the DOT. …
Traffic studies drive housing development to the fringe
By Chris McCahill Traffic impact assessments (TIAs) are commonly used by local governments to ensure that new developments do not cause excessive delay on nearby roads. There is growing cause for concern, however, that these tools have …
Bike facilities often follow income gains, not the other way around
By Saumya Jain A new study found little evidence that new bike infrastructure leads to displacement of low-income households or people of color, despite the two sometimes being linked in public discourse. The data reveal some bias toward mostly white neighborhoods in terms of where new facilities are installed, but sharrows, or markings …
Small investments can go a long way towards safer, inclusive streets
By Benito Perez There is a growing public clamor for better access by people to the places where they live, work, and spend their recreational time. However, a majority of transportation investments are spent on moving people through places, typically by driving. There is a change in …
Improved transit access boosts employment rates
By Saumya Jain A recent study from Britain finds a strong correlation between public transit job accessibility and employment outcomes, especially for low-income people and those who do not have access to personal cars. Although there has been a lot of research around the issue …
Addressing women’s needs could be key to increasing biking
By Rayla Bellis A significant increase in the cycling mode share (currently just 1.1 percent of trips in the U.S.) would offer a number of benefits—reduced emissions, positive health outcomes, and potential reduction in congestion—but …
Reforming fees and fines could help chip away at transportation inequities
A recent report by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) highlights transportation inequities in the greater Chicago area. Big-picture findings support the region’s comprehensive plan, but the near-term recommendations focus on changes in transportation-related fees, fines, and fares—a small but important share of overall transportation costs.
Room for improvement in assessing equity in regional TIPs
Many Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have placed a greater emphasis on equity in their regional planning over the past few years, but that emphasis doesn’t always translate to direct changes at the project level. Transportation Research Record examined how well MPOs serving the 40 largest metro areas in the U.S. incorporate equity criteria in project prioritization decisions for their Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) and recommend a broader shift in how MPOs approach equity in project prioritization to reframe transportation inequities in terms of injustices.
Providing transit passes to high school students boosts attendance rates, transit ridership
When Minneapolis offered free public transit passes to eligible students, schools saw a reduction in absences. Students who saw the largest impact on their attendance records? Those within a 2 mile walk of the school who were eligible because of their free or reduced lunch status.