Transportation seems like an afterthought on the campaign trail, but Transportation for America is shining light on the issue by providing an evaluation of each campaign's transportation plan.
Transportation for American recently published an evaluation of the campaign platforms of President Donald Trump as well as the remaining Democratic field for the nomination, using three guiding principles: prioritizing maintenance, safety over speed, and access to jobs and services.
More specifically for each of those guiding principles, does each candidate's transportation plan cut the maintenance backlog in half, does it address speed as the major cause of roadway crashes, and is the plan organized around connecting people to jobs and services.
The president fails all three principles of the organization's evaluations: "Both President Trump’s proposed infrastructure package and the Senate bill that POTUS endorsed during the most recent State of the Union—America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act—fails to achieve our three principles." Moreover, according to the article, "Our 45th president is under the false impression that the private sector will “gift” government money to fix our infrastructure. But it will never happen."
As for the Democratic candidates, the current frontrunner, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont), fails all three principles. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) also fail on all three principles, as does former Vice President Joe Biden. Former mayors Pete Buttigieg and Michael Bloomberg, however, pass all three principles.
FULL STORY: What’s inside presidential candidates’ transportation plans?
Potential Presidential Election Outcomes for U.S. Transportation Policy
Experts opine on the consequences of the presidential election for U.S. transportation policy.
The Star-Studded Discussion of the National Housing Debate
Residential zoning has long been considered a local issue, but some presidential candidates have started weighing in on zoning and housing. Journalists, pundits, and researchers have plenty of complexity to examine as the debate changes venue.
Good Trump, Bad Trump
The Trump Administration is sending out mixed signals on public transit issues. Why?
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Seattle Safe Parking Site to Close, Relocate
A nonprofit leases lots during permitting stages to erect tiny homes and RV safe parking sites for unhoused residents. But the model means constant uncertainty and displacement.
LA ‘Mobility Wallet’ Increased Quality of Life for Participants
The city distributed a monthly $150 transportation subsidy to 1,000 low-income Angelenos. It dramatically improved their lives.
Texas, California Rail Projects Seek Out Private Funding
In the wake of Trump’s cuts to high-speed rail projects, rail authorities are looking to private-public partnerships to supplement their budgets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions