Angie Schmitt looks at how America's institutions of higher learning are embracing progressive transportation demand management strategies to cut costs, expand their footprints, and encourage healthier lifestyles.
"Colleges and universities — by nature of their fixed locations and limited resources — are excellent laboratories for transportation innovation, says [Jeffrey] Tumlin, who now works for the firm Nelson\Nygaard." And as a series of articles on the TDM approaches of Stanford, MIT, and the University of Colorado-Boulder illustrate, "[m]any schools are now well ahead of even the most progressive cities and state DOTs when it comes to saving money and improving public health by reducing car trips."
"Right now, as schools struggle with declining public funding, more colleges and universities than ever are embracing the cost-saving approach of TDM. The times simply demand innovation, says Tumlin."
Check out each of the articles in the series to see some of the innovative strategies being utilized to get students and staff to leave their cars behind.
FULL STORY: Transport U: Colleges Save Millions By Embracing Policies to Reduce Driving
Reducing Car Trips in L.A.: Transportation Demand Management Ordinance Could Be Expanded
The proposed expansion would affect smaller multi-family developments and include incentives for reducing travel during peak hours and encouraging transit, walking, and biking.
Improving Mobility Requires a Multimodal Consideration of Congestion
As urban populations increase and drivers seek to escape crowded commutes, America's urban transit systems are becoming increasingly congested. For TDM professionals to improve mobility for all, they must first change how they conceive of congestion.
USDOT Releases Climate Strategies Playbook
The USDOT's new Climate Strategies that Work Playbook provides detailed information concerning benefits and implementation requirements for 27 transportation-related emission reduction strategies.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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