Designing for “all ages and abilities,” – meaning accessible curb ramps, bus stops, and safe bike paths – is not new to most transportation professionals. But meeting the needs of aging Baby Boomers will take a more systemic approach to building for all ages and abilities. Living in places with more developed and reliable transit and sidewalk networks where goods and services are close by is good for seniors, and for everyone else.
Multimodal
Addressing the rise in drunk driving requires a systemic approach
Human behavior is one of the biggest wildcards in preventing traffic deaths and serious injuries. That is why many transportation professionals now focus on designing systems that stay safe even when people inevitably make mistakes. Alcohol impaired driving is once again on the rise in the United States, and decades of awareness, education, and enforcement have not solved this problem. New research shows that alcohol is involved in nearly one-third of all traffic deaths, even as public concern about the issue remains very high. In other words, people know drunk driving is dangerous, but some do it anyway. This is not about excusing impaired driving but about acknowledging reality and designing transportation systems that reduce harm when risky behavior persists.
Bus lanes make busy roads work better
In almost every urban area, congestion has been rising for years despite expensive efforts to widen roads and add lanes for private vehicles. But a new study shows that when demand is high, repurposing the road space already available can boost system performance without any expansion. Creating dedicated lanes for buses and bikes can optimize space – and failing to do so can start a vicious cycle of congestion.
One year into congestion pricing, every DOT can learn from New York City
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.
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. for shorter trips and in places where alternatives to driving already exist.
Advocates tout financial benefits of green transportation policies
A new network of advocates across seven states is highlighting how transportation policies that are good for the environment offer many other benefits too. The Clean RIDES Network, launched last week, is using recent policy successes in places like Colorado as models that other states can take inspiration from. SSTI is among those advising the group, hoping to steer advocacy toward innovative, achievable policies drawing on years of experience.
The benefits of transit extend well beyond transit riders
Public transit is often viewed by planners and transportation officials as a key strategy for reducing car dependency, easing traffic congestion, and lowering emissions. Every person who opts for transit over driving helps reduce the total miles driven in private vehicles. According to a large national study, however, good transit has a ripple effect on land use and travel behavior. For every mile not driven by transit riders, transit accounts for another six to nine miles not driven among the larger population.
Mobility hubs can increase access for disadvantaged groups
For DOTs looking to create a more connected and multimodal transportation network, mobility hubs are an emerging piece of infrastructure that can make changing modes and traveling across a region more convenient and environmentally friendly. But not everyone has the same ability to access and use these hubs. State DOTs looking to build mobility hubs can incorporate the needs, ideas, and feedback of disadvantaged groups to better plan, design, and build these spaces for everyone who might use them.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy to reduce car usage
Reducing the amount we drive is critical for cutting emissions while also improving health, safety, and transportation system performance. This effort requires both changes in the built environment and individual travel behaviors. The strategies for doing so typically fall into two categories: soft strategies, which focus on incentives and changing attitudes, and hard strategies, which involve infrastructure improvements and new regulations.
Smaller infrastructure investments help pave the way to safer communities
Road safety is an urgent issue at all levels of government, especially for people walking and biking. Cyclist and pedestrian deaths have increased by. This infrastructure week, we are encouraging more states, cities, and other local governments to help reverse this trend by prioritizing critical safety investments on streets and highways across the country.