Professional Practice
Transportation
Transportation infrastructure is a significant part of the landscape. The original social network, it connects us to families and friends, jobs and businesses, education and recreation, and is a vital part of the public realm. However, conventional, car-centric approaches to transportation have contributed to negative outcomes both for people and the environment:
- The transportation sector is responsible for as much as , the primary cause of climate change.
- Nearly ; those who are of becoming obese.
- Traffic collisions are a global public health epidemic, .
- Highways and interstates have been built through the middle of cities and neighborhoods, dividing communities and creating corridors of air, noise, and visual pollution. Poor, minority, and otherwise-disadvantaged communities often .
- In too many communities, access to jobs, services, and social networks is , limiting opportunities. Many residents of sprawling suburban and rural areas are trapped in ¡°transit deserts¡± without viable alternatives to car ownership, limiting their access to jobs, food, and even medical care.
- Infrastructure has been built in vulnerable areas using design approaches that do not take the effects of climate change into account, and stranding evacuees in increasingly-frequent extreme weather events.
- Transportation infrastructure can be a that crowd out native plant communities and damage sensitive ecosystems.
- Highways often divide wildlife territories and contribute to , leading to dwindling wildlife populations and reduced biodiversity.
- Stormwater runoff from streets and other paved surfaces is , leading to downstream pollution and degraded water quality in streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries.
These outcomes are not inevitable, however. Sustainable transportation is:
Low-emission: Sustainable transportation systems don¡¯t contribute to climate change; instead, they encourage low-emission modes of transportation such as mass transit, biking, or walking. Sustainable land use practices such as transit oriented development (TOD) facilitate multi-modal systems where . Landscape architects plan regions, cities, and neighborhoods, and design streets that support widespread adoption of low-emission transportation options.
Active: A lifestyle organized around human-powered transportation choices such as walking and biking is healthy. found that walkable, transit-oriented communities increased physical fitness and boosted mental health. Residents of such communities were also more likely to meet or exceed daily physical activity recommendations. Landscape architects encourage active transportation by designing safe, pleasant routes for walking and biking.
Safe: The World Resources Institute (WRI) estimates such as lower speed limits, reduced lane widths, and protected medians. Landscape architects design for safety and help cities eliminate serious injuries and fatalities on roadways.
Equitable: Access to such healthy, sustainable transportation options should be viewed as a right. All residents¡ªregardless of their income, race, age, disability, religion or national origin¡ªshould have access to affordable, safe, accessible, multi-modal transportation options that allow them to fully participate in their community. Landscape architects facilitate community-driven planning, policy making, and design that include everyone, particularly those most affected by poverty, communities of color, and historically-marginalized communities.
Resilient: Extreme weather events can easily shut down transportation systems. Multi-modal transportation networks are more resilient to the uncertainties posed by climate change, such as rising temperatures, more frequent and intense storms, and sea level rise. Landscape architects design systems with multiple, interconnected transportation options that create redundancy and flexibility, qualities that .
Ecological: A sustainable transportation network is ecological, working with natural systems to capture and filter stormwater, reduce flooding, support pollinator species, strengthen biodiversity, and protect wildlife populations. With green infrastructure, wildlife crossings, pollinator highways, and environmentally-sensitive roadway alignment, design, and construction, landscape architects integrate nature into our transportation networks, reaping the while minimizing conflict between humans and wildlife.
Beautiful: As a major component of our landscape and public realm, transportation infrastructure should be beautiful, inviting, and livable. Thoughtful design creates durable, lasting spaces that forge community identity, equity, and ownership. Landscape architects ensure that transportation infrastructure contributes to the aesthetic value of the built environment.
A special thanks to our expert advisory panel for their guidance: associate professor and program director of landscape architecture, University of Texas, Arlington, and principal, DesignJones LLC; Jean Senechal Biggs, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, senior project manager, DKS Associates; and associate landscape architect, MRWM Landscape Architects.
This guide was written by Andrew Wright and Jared Green.
This guide is a living resource, so we invite you to submit research, studies, articles, and projects you'd like to see included. Please email them to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ at info@asla.org