Traditional approaches to transportation have contributed to the creation of suburban developments where greenhouse gas emissions per household are two to three times that of the city. Incidents of respiratory disease in suburban areas are rising, as are non-compliance rates with federal clean air laws, which threatens the very funding, needed to fund solutions.
Thinking differently about issues such as auto dependence, fuel sources, transportation infrastructure, and land use planning is critical to finding strategic solutions. Understanding that access and mobility are distinctly different is a first step toward creating municipal transportation systems that work for citizens and the environment. Leaders need to explore how to manage demand, calm existing traffic, and provide opportunities for transit oriented developments that citizens from both the city and the suburbs will use and enjoy.
Sustainable local transportation systems require rethinking how communities integrate and use several key elements: pedestrian walkways, streets & roadways, public transit, and bicycle and non-motorized vehicles.
- Sidewalks
- Streets (Arterials, Collectors, and Local Streets)
- Transit
- Bicycle Routes
- Private Fleets
- Public Fleets
The section on
Environmental Challenges briefly describes the impacts of greenhouse gases and emissions, reliance on fossil fuels, poor linkages between land use and transportation systems, and the high proportion of impervious surfaces in our communities.
- Prioritize Transportation Modes
- Advocate Alternative Forms of Transportation
- Integrate Transportation Modes
- Ensure Accessibility for All
- Sustainable urbanism
- Integrating land use and transportation decisions
- Proper regional planning
Transportation is an arena where good local policy can achieve multiple goals simultaneously including lower household cost of living, lower traffic congestion, improved air quality, lower greenhouse gas emissions, compliance with federal clean air laws, and lower municipal service costs.
From an economic development perspective, the increased population density that can be directly associated with good transportation options promotes a more vital economy and interesting downtown serves existing residents, new jobs and the younger, educated workers to fill them.
From a community development perspective, transportation options can both improve the quality life of residents and lower their cost of living. From a city budget perspective, innovative fleet management, public transit that reduces the number of vehicles on local roads, and other similar measures, can cut expenses while improving environmental performance.
The automobile and other forms of motorized vehicles define the modern urban landscape globally. The environmental effects of our reliance on vehicular mobility, and more importantly on the fossil fuels that power them, are clear. In 2005, transportation energy use was responsible for 22% of the total carbon dioxide emissions globally for that year.
During the latter half of the 20th century, the automobile industry dominated the economic growth of the United States. As a result, car routes were favored as city planners built transportation systems to service communities. Despite the variety of options available today — sidewalks, bike lanes, bus, and rail lines — cars remain the primary mode of transport in most U.S. cities. Figure 1 shows the dramatic rise in total vehicle miles travelled (VMT) over the past 25 years.
Transportation related greenhouse gas emissions grew as well. In 1990, GHG from transportation totaled 1,543.6 Million Metric tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent and, by 2007, had grown to 1,995.2 Million Metric tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent, a 29% increase over that time period In 2007 transportation emissions were 28% of the total U.S. Emissions of 7150.1 Million Metric tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent.
Motor-vehicle transportation accounts for more than 27 percent of oil consumption in the USA, and produces one-third of all carbon dioxide emissions. The negative effects of this automobile-dependent transportation system are now well known:
- Increased traffic congestion and commute times
- Increased air pollution resulting in lung related problems like asthma
- Increased fuel consumption and greater reliance on foreign oil
- Increased stormwater runoff from streets, bridges and parking areas.
