A Call for a New Approach to Federal Transportation Policy

Stephen Lee Davis writes a blog post for Transportation for America that blasts a call to action for a new approach to federal transportation policy.

Davis describes the past two decades of federal transportation policy as a "ship with a jammed rudder heading off aimlessly into forever," before listing six policies embedded in current federal transportation policies "that are not a product of an intentional conversation about what we should accomplish, but rather the result of having zero direction and purpose…"

After listing those six policies, many of which will be familiar to planners in communities of all shapes and sizes, Davis calls for an overhaul of federal transportation policies on a scale not seen since the 1950s. "Today, the challenge is making sure people have access to jobs, services and amenities within easy distance of their homes," writes Davis. "To accomplish this, we will need to remove barriers, build bridges (real and metaphorical) and provide safe, affordable convenient alternatives to get around."