Year in Review 2023
SSTI continues to work with state DOTs to prioritize efficiency, equity, and the environment. This year, our work touched 19 states through in-person meetings, technical assistance, and peer learning networks. We continue to share best practices and current research with our networks through blogs and webinars, and cohorts.
Read below for more of the year’s highlights.
Connecting transportation officials
SSTI’s Community of Practice offers state transportation officials a unique opportunity to tackle pressing issues while exploring their peers’ initiatives firsthand. In partnership with the Connecticut DOT, this year’s meeting brought agency leaders to Hartford for our first on-site gathering since the pandemic.
Fostering sustainability
Sustainability Network
SSTI supports agency staff from across the country through its sustainability network. In 2023, this included developing carbon reduction strategies, implementing the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, preparing for new tracking requirements, and working toward other internal sustainability goals. The program was recently bolstered through a partnership with the Georgetown Climate Center. Interested staff can reach out to Megan Link for more information.
Technical Assistance
In partnership with UC-Davis, SSTI is working with Caltrans and the California Air Resources Board to leverage accessibility analysis for performance tracking, project evaluation, and mitigating VMT. We also provide continued support to the Minnesota DOT as they work toward meeting ambitious VMT reduction targets.
Click here to learn more about how State DOTs are key players in cutting transportation emissions.
Sharing best practices
Rural Complete Streets
In early 2023, SSTI worked with Smart Growth America to host a four-part virtual workshop for DOT staff to overcome the challenges of delivering Complete Streets on rural highways. About 30 staff from nine states took part.
Webinar Series: Measuring Accessibility
This webinar series featured researchers and practitioners working across the country to improve how we measure transportation performance by shifting the focus from vehicle movement toward access to opportunities by all modes.
Our Five Most Popular Blogs of 2023
Looking Ahead to 2024
“Smart transportation” is in our name, but it can mean different things to different people. We wrapped up 2023 by asking over 30 of our closest partners to reflect on what it means to them. Several themes rose to the top: safety, accessibility, sustainability, systems, and people.
These concepts will guide our work in 2024, which will include ambitious plans to share innovative best practices more widely and help guide the unprecedented levels of infrastructure spending. We will continue bringing experts and agency leaders together to learn from one another, and keep supporting those in the field who are working to implement transformative and replicable transportation reform efforts across the U.S.
