Road to Livability: How State Departments of Transportation Are Using Road Investments to Improve Community Livability

摘要

Soon, members of Congress will be asked to decide 'What makes a livable community.' Since the U.S. Department of Transportation is making livability a top priority for future transportation funding, this is an important concept to define. While some would suggest livability means a life without cars, this definition really doesnt work for the millions of Americans who have chosen the lifestyle that an automobile affords. A public policy that addresses true livability must include not only urban but rural communities, not only the environment but also the economy, not only transit riders and bicyclists, but soccer moms and family vacationers at the Grand Canyon. The Washington State Department of Transportation suggests that a livable future requires a balance of three key societal goals: vibrant communities, vital economy and sustainable environmental goals for which good transportation is essential. In providing good transportation networks for their citizens, state DOTs have long been the incubator of such livable policies as community-sensitive design, historic preservation, asphalt recycling, and practical engineering. They support the expansion of choices for transportation users to include transit, walking and biking. Daily they are working with communities and demonstrating that livability can be accomplished through road-related improvements.