Sustainable Transportation Simply May Require a Top-Down Approach

The words "sustainable" and "transportation" don't really fit together too well here in the U.S. For the most part, the transportation scene in America is dominated by people driving cars everywhere they go, often alone. But that's all starting to shift slightly, with more places emphasizing so-called "alternative" transportation options, like public transportation, bicycling, or simply making use of ones legs and walking. And according to a new study, the places that are making this shift most effectively are doing so because of strong top-down guidance.

Of the 225 metropolitan areas in the U.S. with populations above 100,000, those that show the most progress being made toward the widespread adoption of a multi-modal transportation diet are those located in states where comprehensive transportation planning is mandated. By looking at how transportation patterns changed between 1980 and 2008 in all these areas, Ohio State University researcher Anna McCreery found the most positive change in the places with top-down planning requirements.