A broader context for transportation planning

Americans are not necessarily in love with their cars. They are responding to a set of signals society gives them by building ring roads and beltways, subsidizing free parking and suburban development through utility infrastructure, and providing tax incentives that favor car use and suburban home o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Planning Association 1995-01, Vol.61 (1), p.7
Main Author: Dittmar, Hank
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automobiles
Behavior modification
Built environment
Construction
Decision making
Engineers
Funding
Intermodal transportation
Legislation
Policy making
Roads & highways
Social life & customs
Society
Transportation planning
Transportation services
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Summary:Americans are not necessarily in love with their cars. They are responding to a set of signals society gives them by building ring roads and beltways, subsidizing free parking and suburban development through utility infrastructure, and providing tax incentives that favor car use and suburban home ownership. These signals favor continued sprawl and reliance on cars. Changing these endemic signals by creating incentives to live in the city, eliminating tax biases toward cars, and enhancing livability can send the public new signals. The key to solving Americans' conflict about the automobile and their reliance upon it is restoring travel choices, invigorating transportation decisions with a sense of good design and of context, and starting to focus on accessibility rather than mobility.
ISSN:0194-4363
1939-0130