People & the Environment

Issues & Modes / People & the Environment

For decades, transportation policies focused on the efficient movement of vehicles and goods without always considering the underlying economic, environmental, and social impacts. Just as important is the accessibility the system provides for people; whether it’s getting to a job, or school, shopping, entertainment, or recreation. At the same time, transportation remains the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and while automobiles have become more efficient over time, these improvements are offset by an overall increase in driving, trucking, and air travel. Proposals for reducing emissions include electrification, increased investment in active and shared transportation, and improved land use.

Virginia’s Commitment to Transit Funding Creates a Wealth of New Projects Benefiting the Commonwealth

Virginia has a long history of commitment to mass transit. The Washington, D.C. region's Metro system, the result of a 1967 interstate...

1977 President Carter Handwritten Note to Sec. Adams Opposing New Subway Systems

March 24, 2015 This week’s ETW Document of the Week first came to light this week in 1977, when President Carter sent a...

1978 President Carter Meeting on Airline Deregulation Bill

March 3, 2015 This week’s ETW Document of the Week is a Carter Administration memo preparing the President for a meeting with the...

Houston has a shiny, new bus network

Over the past decade, Houston has invested a significant amount of resources in public transit. Most notably a new 12.8-mile light rail...

Time for Autonomous Vehicles to Disrupt Transportation Planning

BY MARK McDOWELL Transportation Consultant Over the coming decades autonomous vehicles (AVs) will insinuate themselves into our...

Could Building a Canal In Nicaragua Be the Answer?

BY AARON J. GELLMAN Professor of Management and Strategy, Northwestern University In 2013, Chinese interests revealed their...

Myths Surrounding Devolution of Federal Transportation Programs

As the lame-duck session of Congress approaches, there is nascent optimism within the transportation community that perhaps this could...

The Case of the Neglected Transit Bus

Tomorrow Eno will release a new study looking at regional transit governance (Getting to the Route of It: The Role of Governance In...

A Lesson From Stockholm’s Sustainable Development: Identifying Crucial Tensions, Conflicts or Tradeoffs in Urban Sustainability Policies

BY AMY RADER OLSSON Director, KTH Center for a Sustainable Built Environment Urban challenges are indisputably complex—even...

Crude Oil by Rail: The Industry is Changing

BY STEVEN R. DITMEYER Adjunct Professor of Railway Management, Michigan State University An old adage says the railroad industry is...

Superstorm Sandy: Adaptation and Resilience in the Tolling Industry

BY PATRICK D. JONES Executive Director & CEO, International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association The International Bridge,...

Countdown to Mainstreaming of Self-Driving Vehicles

BY EVA LERNER-LAM President, Palisades Consulting Group, Inc. There is a lot of excitement today about the concept of so-called...

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