Goals > Equity and Inclusion
Photo: Pexels/ Di Lewis
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Communities do not have equal opportunity to safely access the goods and services they need to live healthy lives. The existence of these disparities can be traced in large part to decisions made by by federal, state, and local governments, including transportation and land use planners, that have resulted in inequitable access to community environments that support health (Bullard, 2003).
Integrating equity into transportation can be considered in several ways. Considering the fairness of the distribution of benefits and burdens of transportation systems is one. Another is process or procedural equity--do people have an opportunity to meaningfully engage in decisions related to how their community is planned and designed as well as how it functions? Inclusion in transportation generally refers to how welcome users are to public spaces. Are streets accessible and comfortable to people of all cultures, ages, and abilities? |
Strategies
Community Engagement is a foundational strategy for equity and inclusion that applies to planning and design decisions.
There are some strategies that specifically promote equity and inclusion, such as authentic community engagement. However, equity and inclusion can be achieved through most strategies based on how they are implemented. That is, equity and inclusion should be examined as part of every strategy. This is why Streetsmart includes an Equity and Inclusion component on each page.
For planning and community engagement guidance that is grounded in health equity, racial justice, and climate resilience, see the guiding principles from PHEAL (Planning for Health Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership). Principles of Mobility Justice can be found from the Untokening Collective. The Transportation Equity Caucus is a diverse coalition that promotes equitable transportation policy and has resources for practitioners. Additional guidance for equitable planning and design is available from BlackSpace and the Design Justice Network.
There are some strategies that specifically promote equity and inclusion, such as authentic community engagement. However, equity and inclusion can be achieved through most strategies based on how they are implemented. That is, equity and inclusion should be examined as part of every strategy. This is why Streetsmart includes an Equity and Inclusion component on each page.
For planning and community engagement guidance that is grounded in health equity, racial justice, and climate resilience, see the guiding principles from PHEAL (Planning for Health Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership). Principles of Mobility Justice can be found from the Untokening Collective. The Transportation Equity Caucus is a diverse coalition that promotes equitable transportation policy and has resources for practitioners. Additional guidance for equitable planning and design is available from BlackSpace and the Design Justice Network.
Implementation
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Toward Equitable Transportation and Land Use Policies: Strategies for Advancing Implementation Prevention Institute, 2023 |
Beyond Engagement: Equity Principles to Guide State Department of Transportation Community Collaboration The Greenlining Institute, n.d. |
Taking On Traffic Laws: A How-To Guide for Decriminalizing Mobility BikeWalkKC & Safe Routes Partnership, 2022 Changing Lanes: A Gender Equity Transportation Study Los Angeles Department of Transportation, 2021 |
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