Question

How to make your community's transportation needs safe and sustainable? Please provide examples to support idea of how to provide safe and sustainable transportation to improve the community's livability.

Please explain and with the examples for about one page long. Thank you

Answer 1

Transportation Impacts on Livability

Transportation decisions can have major impacts on community livability. Streetscapesthat are attractive, safe and suitable for a variety of transportation modes (particularly walking) are a key factor in community livability. Commute travel time and congestion tend to reduce life satisfaction . Traffic safety, traffic noise and local air pollution, Affordability, impervious surface coverage (i.e., the portion of land devoted to roads and parking), preservation of environmental and cultural structures, and opportunities for recreation are all livability factors often affected by transportation policies and practices.

Transportation decisions can also affect social interactions and community cohesion .Pedestrian-friendly streets create opportunities for people to meet and interact, helping to create community networks. A classic study by Appleyard (1981) and Hart (2008) found that residents of higher traffic volume streets are less likely to know their neighbors, and show less concern over their local environment than residents of streets with lower traffic volumes and speeds.

Traditional transportation planning tends to emphasize vehicle mobility improvements over other community livability objectives. Streets were designed primarily to maximize traffic flow, and buildings were designed to maximize parking convenience. Far greater resources were devoted to automobile facilities (road and parking) than for nonmotorized modes. Funding was available to landscape freeways, but not neighborhood streets. Important environmental and social features, and sometimes whole communities, were destroyed during highway construction. There is now increasing appreciation of the importance of community livability objectives. Planners realize that roads often play multiple roles as both travel corridors and places for community interaction. Many communities now favor roadway improvements that reduce traffic speeds and limit traffic volumes for the sake of livability.

Transportation Demand Management can help achieve many community Livability objectives, including improved Walking and Cyclingconditions; Basic Access, improved Accessibility and transportation affordability; increased Security, Health and Safety; Emission Reductions; improved opportunities for community interaction and recreation; and preservation of greenspace and cultural artifacts.

Strategies For Improving Community Livability

The following TDM strategies tend to be particularly effective at achieving Livability objectives.

Land Use Management Strategies

Land use management strategies such as New Urbanism and Smart Growth are the basis for creating more Accessibilitycommunities with attractive, walkable neighborhoods and a variety of Transportation Choices. Location-Efficient Mortgages can make urban infill development more affordable and financially attractive, leading to mixed-use and mixed-income communities. Land use planning is often an opportunity for communities to establish livability objectives and implement programs to achieve these objectives (Land Use Evaluation).

Nonmotorized Transportation Improvements

Pedestrian Improvements and Bicycle Improvements can help create attractive, safe and vibrant streets and improve transportation choice. Nonmotorized Transportation Encouragement programs can help overcome specific barriers to cycling and walking and increase the number of people using these modes.

Complete Streets Policies

Complete Streets refers to roadway design and operating practices intended to safely accommodate diverse users and activities including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, public transport users, people with disabilities, plus adjacent businesses and residents. Complete Streets policies are a practical ways to improve Transportation Options and Safety.

Traffic Calming

Traffic Calming includes a variety of roadway design features that reduce vehicle traffic speeds and volumes. This can reduce traffic Speed, noise and air pollution, and improve safety, particularly for residents. It is often implemented in conjunction with other roadway environmental improvements such as landscaping and Road Space Reallocation.

Car-Free Planning and Vehicle Restrictions

Comprehensive Car-free Planning and Vehicle Restrictions that support other TDM strategies (nonmotorized transport, transit, efficient land use, etc.) can significantly improve livability by reducing vehicle traffic and improving nonmotorized accessibility. Campus Transportation Management can be a way to create and improve Car-Free areas in campus areas.

Parking Management

Parking Management can be an important way to support community livability. It can create more attractive landscapes, improve accessibility and walkability, preserve greenspace and increase housing affordability.

Universal Design

Universal Design refers to facility designs that accommodate the widest range of potential users, including people with disabilities and other special needs. Universal Design supports accessibility, community cohesion and equity objectives.

Tourist Transportation Management

Livability factors, such as local environmental quality, walkability and preservation of important artifacts, can be particularly important in resort communities. Tourist Transportation Management can help preserve the attributes that attract visitors to a recreational area, improve visitors’ transportation choices, and mitigate problems for residents and employees, such as seasonal traffic congestion and parking problems.

Special Event Transportation Management

Special Event Transportation Management involves encouraging the use of alternative modes to events such as fairs, concerts and games. This can make such events more enjoyable and affordable, and mitigate problems such as traffic congestion.

School Trip Management

School Trip Management encourages parents, students and staff to reduce automobile trips and use alternative modes for travel to and from schools. This can support community livability objectives including transportation choice, accessibility, walkability, affordability, community interaction and reduced traffic on local streets. It can be a catalyst for more efficient land use, Nonmotorized Transportation Planning, and other strategies that support livability objectives.

Address Security Concerns

Efforts to Address Security Concerns can improve personal safety, which directly increases community livability and supports other objectives such as transportation choice, community interaction and reduced automobile traffic. Increasing Transportation System Resilience can improve security for individuals and communities.

Transit Improvements

Transit service quality and affordability are important for many livability objectives, including transportation choice, affordability and reduced automobile traffic. Transit Oriented Development can be a catalyst for more livable community development, such as urban neighborhood redevelopment. On the other hand, heavy diesel bus traffic can reduce streetscape environmental quality.