Introducing the Concept of Sustainable Transportation to the U.S. DOT through the Reauthorization of TEA-21

Transportation is linked to all aspects of human life. Our natural environment, economic prosperity, and social well being all depend on transportation systems that are safe, clean, efficient, and equitable. However, current predictions suggest that transportation growth is unsustainable. It threatens our environmental, economic, and social future. Altering and managing trends in transportation presents a significant challenge and will require the cooperation of all stakeholders at local, regional, national and international levels. This research identifies the core issues of the sustainable transportation debate and presents a review of major publications on the topic. Of particular interest is the relationship between the sustainability of the transportation sector itself and sustainable development in a global context. The results show that there is growing international agreement on the concept of sustainable transportation and that progress can and is being made towards a more sustainable transportation sector in the U.S.. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations that are designed to enhance the performance of the U.S. transportation planning and programming process, including recommended alterations to TEA-21 that will move the act towards a more sustainable agenda. Thesis Supervisor: Joseph M. Sussman Title: Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Systems

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