Tools for Transportation Projects: Best Practices from Thriving Communities
Learn how you can use transportation infrastructure as a tool for community transformation.
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To and Through
In the 1960s and 1970s transportation officials’ primary goal was to reduce congestion, which often led to automobile traffic moving faster though commercial districts. Now, it is widely understood that congestion in a commercial district is not only a symptom of social and economic vitality, but also a factor that can create a safer experience for drivers and pedestrians alike.
This section provides an overview of infrastructure design, policy, and programming strategies that can be employed to effectively manage all modes of vehicular traffic and equips you with the knowledge to make sure people can get to and through your commercial district safely, support the local economy, and engage with others, all while having minimal negative impact on the environment.
Resource Library
Physical Planning and Design:
- Federal Highway Administration
- Federal Transit Administration — Transit-Oriented Development
- Global Designing Cities Initiative — Traffic Calming Strategies
- Headwaters Economics — Trails Benefits Library
- Institute of Transportation Engineers — Technical Resources: Traffic Calming Measures
- National Association of City Transportation Officials
- Norquist, John (CityLab) — The Case for Congestion
- Project for Public Spaces
- Smart Growth America — Complete Streets Policy Inventory
- U.S. Department of Transportation — Traffic Calming to Slow Vehicle Speeds
- Wasatch Front Regional Council — Plan Spotlight: Engaging Communities in Active Transportation Planning
Programming:
- Active Transportation Alliance -Safe Routes to School
- Car Free Metro DC — About Car Free Day
- The League of American Bicyclists
- Main Street America — Building Community Through Street Fairs: Planning Outline
- National Association of City Transportation Officials — Case Study: Los Angeles’ CicLAvia Initiative
- National Center for Safe Routes to School
- National Safety Council
- The Open Streets Project
- Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center — Bike Share
- People for Bikes — Model Bike-Friendly Business Programs For Any City
- Ride Illinois
- Safe Routes Partnership
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