 |
AIA Communities by Design in collaboration with the Center for Transportation Studies at the
University of Minnesota has developed a study authorized by US
Congress to explore the role of design in transportation.
Well-designed transportation projects can shape a community in ways
that go far beyond the project’s original purposes. Anecdotal
evidence and advocacy efforts suggest that well-designed
transportation projects positively impact communities. There is
neither substantial organized quantifiable or qualitative data, nor
is there a comprehensive guide for communities to maximize or
integrate the diverse benefits of such projects.
The study’s two main goals are to measure the multiple
enhancements well-designed transportation projects can bring to
communities, and to provide principles and practices for
communities, transportation professionals, designers, and
policymakers to adapt to their needs. With funding from the Federal
Highway Administration, the American Institute of Architects
contracted with the Center For Transportation Studies to carry out
the research for this study.
An interdisciplinary team analyzed nearly 30
transportation projects in communities of different sizes and in a
variety of locations across the nation. They examined the benefits
of well-designed transportation projects to communities in three
overall categories:
- Promoting economic development
- Protecting public health, safety, and the environment
- Enhancing aesthetic, architectural, and cultural qualities and
improving community planning
These case studies, which formed the basis for the study,
covered a broad range of transportation projects, including:
- Community transportation facilities and transit facilities
- Structures and spaces that serve transportation purposes
- Multimodal and intermodal projects, including highways and
transit corridors
Report to Congress
Using the research reports available below, Andrew Goldberg
prepared an overview summary report for Congress.
Research Reports
Research reports for this study include individual reports for each
research project and a synthesis that includes the study's key
findings and highlights major themes and recommendations of all the
research projects.
Research Team
To address the interdisciplinary issues raised by this study, CTS
assembled and led a research team drawn from multiple fields
including geography, urban design, public policy, architecture,
landscape architecture, and civil engineering.
Robert Johns, CTS director, provided overall study leadership
with assistance from Lance Neckar.
-
John Adams
Professor, Department of Geography
-
John Carmody
Director, Center for Sustainable Building Research
-
Gary Davis
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
-
Ann Forsyth
Former Director, Metropolitan Design Center
Former Professor and Dayton Hudson Chair of Urban Design (now
Professor, Department of City & Regional Planning, Cornell
University)
-
Lance Neckar
Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture
-
Carissa Schively Slotterback
Assistant Professor, Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public
Affairs
-
Virajita Singh
Research Fellow, Center for Sustainable Building Research
-
Barbara VanDrasek
Research Associate, Department of Geography
For additional information and updates, please visit www.movingcommunitiesforward.org
|
