Kenneth Birkel, Environmental Science and Regional Planning and Hong Wan and Tan Geng, Architecture.

        Transportation affects every part of our lives. The air we breathe, the non-renewable energy resources we consume, our health and safety, the livability of our communities, and our impact on ecosystems are all directly linked to the transportation systems we use. The direct relationship between motorized modes of transportation, air pollution and the consumption of non-renewable energy resources are the most obvious impacts of our decisions. Sustainability involves designing transportation systems that improve environmental quality, protect ecosystems, minimize the consumption of non-renewable resources, provide for our commuting needs, and improve the quality of life in our communities.

Indicators, Strategies, and Benefits

        The indicators (I’s in bold and underlined) can measure our progress towards achieving sustainable transportation systems. The strategies (S’s in bold) are recommended actions to improve each indicator. The I’s and S’s are followed by a brief statement of societal, economic and environmental benefits. For footnotes, reference individual reports.

I.1. Increase the per capita use of public transit.
S.1. Increase the use of public transit by improving the convenience of linkages, increasing frequency, areas of service, and funding.^{1, 2}
        The benefits include improved air quality, more efficient use of non-renewable energy resources, reduced reliance on oil imports, and a reduction in the consumption of land for road purposes (DeBell, 1970).

I.2. Expand the use of non-motorized modes of transportation.
S.2.a. Increase the use of bicycling and walking as methods of commuting to work, schools, commerical areas and recreational facilities.
S.2.b. Complete the Bill Chipman/Palouse Trail and improve the trail by planting vegetation for shade canopy and windbreak purposes.³
S.2.c. Provide pedestrian access to commercial developments. 
        The benefits are improved air quality, conservation of energy resources, and healthier people.

I.3. Increase the percentage of streets with safe bike lanes and sidewalks to promote bicycle and pedestrian modes of commuting.
S.3. Increase funding and implement the City of Pullman’s Pedestrian/Bicycle Circulation Plan.
        The benefits are the improvement and expansion of Pullman’s non-motorized transportation system (City of Pullman, 1986).

I.4. Raise the percentage of the WSU Campus devoted to pedestrian and bicycle use.
S.4. Integrate more sidewalks and bicycle paths into the design of the WSU campus, minimize parking in the center of campus, and increase the use of pedestrian areas.³
        The benefits include the shaping of landscapes that favor pedestrians and bicyclists, increased opportunities for landscaping, a more favorable carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange, and elimination of the convenience of access to the campus core as an incentive to drive.³

I.5. increase the number of commercial services and places of employment located within or near residential areas will improve the ease with which residents can commute between home, work, stores, and services.
S.5.a. Include service centers within residential neighborhoods that offer grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and laundromats.⁴
S.5.b. Mix homes, offices, shops, and places of employment in the same neighborhood (Durning, 1996).
S.5.c. Promote land use patterns that offer employment near residential areas (UN, 1993).
        Benefits are shorter trips, reduced transportation linkages, and a reduced dependence on automobiles.⁴ Benefits also include the alleviation of urban sprawl and the creation of a more diverse and stable community (Durning, 1996).

I. 6. Increase the density of Pullman and discourage auto driven sprawl and strip development.
S.6.a. Promote a compact community.⁴
S.6.b. Encourage dense development and discourage sprawl.
        Benefits include shortened transportation linkages and a reduced dependence on automobiles.⁴ Benefits also include increased cost effectiveness and efficiency of public transit (SCR, 1995).

* For further explanation of the above go to the report: IMPORTANCE of TRANSPORTATION to a SUCCESSFUL and SUSTAINABLE WSU and PULLMAN by Kenneth Birkel

I.7. Increase the number of people sharing a car in your family.
S.7.a. Control the size of Pullman and develop high-density residential areas.
S.7.b. Encourage car sharing in the comprehensive plan by clustering and concentrating places of employment so that people can car share.
        Benefits are reductions in the number of automobiles and other associated benefits.

I.8. Decrease the frequency of car use.
S.8.a. Encourage a balanced coexistence of diverse circulation systems including public transportation, bicycle riding, and walking.
S.8.b. Mix offices, shops and homes in the same neighborhood locations.
S.8.c. Raise the price of gasoline to decrease the number of times people use their cars.
        Benefits include the enhancement of energy efficiency, the reduction of pollution in the city, and a decrease in the number of automobiles that convey people on their daily migrations.

I.9. Decrease the number of car accidents and the monetary loss to society per year.
S.9.a. Publicize transportation rules so that everyone will obey them.
S.9.b. Decrease the speed limits in order to encourage a safer pedestrian/bike community and to lessen the chance of car accidents.
S.9.c. Encourage the use of small and energy efficient automobiles to create more space on the roads and parking areas.
S.9.d. Lessen the width of the road because narrow roads slow traffic.
        Benefits are improving the safety of people, lessening the possibility of car accidents, and curtailing unnecessary property losses.

* For further explanation of the above go to the report: TRANSPORTATION INVESTIGATION  on CAR SHARING, FREQUENCY of USE, and ACCIDENTS  by Hong Wan.

I.10. Decrease per capita gasoline consumption.
S.10. Encourage people to car pool, improve public transportation, and make people’s lives more convenient without cars.
        Benefits are decreased gasoline consumption and related costs to the community, reduced air pollution, and conservation of fossil fuels.

I.11. Increase the percentage of students using public transportation.
S.11. Add more routes and weekend transportation and encourage students to take the bus to school every day instead of using their cars.
        Benefits are the enhancement of energy efficiency, lessen traffic and air pollution in the city.

I.12. Increase the percentage of people carpooling.
S.12.a. Encourage students to carpool to school with their classmates or neighbors.
S.12.b. Set up a network (computerized or a bulletin board) program to provide information for people who need to carpool or travel and match the people who can give rides with those who need rides to make community scale carpooling possible.
        Benefits include conserving gasoline and fossil fuels, reducing air pollution, enhancing the feeling of community, and better communication between the people of the whole area.

I.13. Expand the per capita use of bikes throughout the community and region.
S.13. Add more bicycle lanes along the road system, parks, rail corridors and greenways.
        Benefits include conserving gasoline, reducing air pollution, and providing people with a chance to include exercise in their daily lives.

* For further explanation of the above go to the report: METHODS of TRANSPORTATION by Tan Geng.

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