New York City shares many of the same goals as state and local transportation agencies: cutting traffic, improving travel times, making roads safer, and improving quality of life. Yet decades of investment in highway capacity have failed to deliver on those goals. Commute times have increased 7.5% since 2010, congestion has reached an all-time high, and U.S. roadways have become more dangerous than those of any other wealthy nation.
Culture
New research shows where low stress streets make the biggest difference
Making streets less stressful for walkers and bikers is strongly associated with more walking and biking, and new research from Maryland helps clarify where those effects are most pronounced. Building on prior research showing that lower-stress street environments are linked to more walking and biking, this study found that reducing traffic stress has the biggest impact for shorter trips and in places where alternatives to driving already exist.
More transit means safer streets
To reduce traffic deaths, public transit should be seen as a core part of safety infrastructure, not just an alternative mode of travel. Every day, thousands of car crashes occur in the U.S., resulting in injury or death, yet they receive far less attention than the much rarer crashes involving public transit. For city planners working to reduce roadway fatalities, understanding how these perceptions influence travel choices is critical.
Driving trips are dropping, especially among young people
For years, people wondered whether travel would bounce back after the pandemic. The latest FHWA data, along with other new research, gives a clearer answer. Growth has slowed. In 2024, total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) finally inched past its 2019 peak, but by only 0.5%. On a per capita basis, Americans are still driving less, down 2.3% since 2019.
Emotional perceptions can be a tool for predicting street safety
How a street feels can matter just as much as how it’s physically built. A new study shows that emotional perceptions about whether a street seems inviting, secure, or rundown can help explain safety for people walking or biking—a reminder that planners should think beyond conventional design standards. Road designers should also consider the character and aesthetics of the spaces they create.
For better mental health, researchers recommend walking and biking
Staying grounded and mentally fit can be challenging these days. While some people turn to meditation or self-medication, a large and growing body of research points to a simpler solution: walkable neighborhoods and bike-friendly streets. Not only can they improve physical health, but they also offer meaningful benefits to our social and emotional well-being. As we’ve noted, extended periods driving can have the opposite effect.
State DOTs can remove barriers to attract top talent
Hiring and retaining talented staff remains a top concern for state DOT officials and a recurring topic at SSTI’s annual meetings. Whether shifting federal policies disrupt local recruitment or send a flurry of former federal employees into state government, as reported by The New York Times, staffing challenges are likely to persist for years. To address this, more state agencies are working to eliminate barriers, strengthen workplace culture, and encourage innovation—strategies outlined in our newly released Innovative DOT framework.
Advanced models can’t replace sound judgment
The investments made by transportation agencies are often guided by increasingly sophisticated models and forecasts, which strive to account for more factors and become more accurate in predicting travel patterns. These improvements, while promising for the future, also highlight the many ways that most agencies’ existing models miss the mark. Values-based decision-making can help agencies achieve the outcomes they have set out in their long-range plans more effectively than relying on models alone.
SSTI Annual Meeting Highlights: Transportation leaders tackle cultural change and sustainability
Top officials from 14 state DOTs gathered in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month for SSTI’s annual meeting, where they shared innovative ideas through roundtable discussions, tours, and informal networking. These connections help officials bring solutions back to their home states.
DOTs face new challenges as rural areas evolve
The transportation needs of urban and rural places are not as binary or opposed as they’re made out to be, and the distinctions will continue to blur over time. Agencies can work to understand the full context of each place and its interconnections to meet the unique needs of every community.