This report explains the Complete Streets movement and assesses ways to make urban thoroughfares more pedestrian and bike friendly without compromising existing automobile travel. Download the full report here.
Environment
Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2012 Benchmarking Report (Alliance for Biking and Walking, 2012)
This 3rd biennial benchmarking report looks at data and policies in all 50 states and the 51 largest US cities to examine how they stack up for walking and biking. This is a useful tool for local and state officials that would like to improve conditions and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, or to promote non-motorized transportation.
NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies (2011)
This guidebook provides state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies with a practical and easy-to-use approach to identify and apply sustainability-related performance measures, some number of which may already be integrated into agency business practices, to produce a new lens through which decision makers can view their agency’s performance. It describes the underlying principles of sustainability as it relates to transportation, possible goals that can be used to address those principles, and performance measures that can be used to address those goals. Aspects of sustainability-related performance measures, including data sources and examples of use, are discussed. A reference compendium of performance measures has also been provided.
SSTI Review of PennDOT’s Smart Transportation (SSTI, 2011)
Smart Transportation is Pennsylvania DOT’s integrated response to the crisis of crumbling infrastructure, limited revenues to address it, and the need to better align transportation with community revitalization and sound land use policy. PennDOT was the first state program reviewed in detail by SSTI, and remains one of our prime examples of a thoughtful DOT wrestling with the challenges of fiscal austerity, sustainability, and system preservation. The review was done at the request of PennDOT to assess the effectiveness of its Smart Transportation program in integrating land use and transportation in its decision-making and to identify areas of opportunity to advance the Smart Transportation agenda.
SSTI Review of Washington State DOT’s Sustainability Efforts (SSTI, 2011)
This review was performed at the request of Washington State DOT (WSDOT) to assess its sustainability efforts. SSTI convened a panel of experts that included people who have led transformative initiatives as heads of state DOTs. The panel combined practical and academic thinking. The expert panel reviewed background materials on WSDOT’s efforts and then interviewed stakeholders with varying perspectives on WSDOT’s work, including WSDOT staff; personnel from other state, federal, and local entities; and representatives from the not-for-profit sector. Intended as a peer review rather than an audit, the expert panel members brought their knowledge of transportation policy and trends to bear in assessing where WSDOT has succeeded and how its sustainability efforts could be strengthened.
Moving Cooler (Urban Land Institute, 2009)
Third of the three studies, and the most expansive, as it looks at both built environment policies and pricing. Read more here.
Growing Cooler (Urban Land Institute, 2007)
Second of the three reports, more optimistic about potential policies. Read more here.
Driving and the Built Environment (TRB, 2009)
One of three recent reports (see two from ULI below) to look at land-use and other policy levers to reduce carbon emissions and other economic and social costs of driving. Read more here.
Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (U.S. DOT, 2010)
Read the study here.
California S.B. 375 (CARB, n.d.)
CA’s S.B. 375 is the strongest state statute on reducing carbon from transportation by requiring local governments to rein in sprawl. Read more here.