When U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced he would not serve a second term, it was not a huge shock. I’d heard rumors last summer that he had only planned on serving one term.
I think, however, that many were still disappointed when it became official because LaHood has been a huge proponent of all types of transportation, not just highways.
When I first started my job at Arlington Transportation Partners, LaHood’s Fast Lane blog was one of the recommended industry sources, and I also had the opportunity to hear him speak. He struck me as genuine, which seems rare, and was very refreshing.
As noted in a recent Atlantic Cities article, LaHood’s legacy will be that he has initiated “seismic transitions” that transportation is more than highways; that “smart” transportation makes places “livable;” that it takes a village of housing, education, environment, and more to create the aforementioned “livable” areas; and that local leaders often know best. Oh, and technology is dramatically changing how we get around (but no distracted driving, people!).
This new way of thinking is my way of thinking, so I am sad to see LaHood go. But I am about to embark on a new adventure that could see me becoming more active in promoting multi-modal, livable, healthier communities. My job is generously sending me to the Association of Commuter Transportation’s Leadership Academy. ACT is an international association for transportation demand management (TDM) professionals. Some people like to call it mobility management, like my friends at Mobility Lab. (Check out their video explaining what it is.)
Part of what we are doing at the Leadership Academy is learning about transportation policy, and the ins and outs of government and lobbying. We’re also being assigned group projects.
I want to find a way to promote the need for communities to be inclusive, so that everyone can get around safely and comfortably. I think it is most important to start thinking about how the elderly, the disabled, and mothers with small children get around. What is safest for them?
On a bus the other day, I watched two different mothers struggle on and off with baby strollers, and it just made me angry. These populations are our ignored, less vocal, less affluent neighbors, and they deserve better. Not everyone has the luxury of driving everywhere – so we punish them by giving 25-second crosswalk times across major intersections, call buttons nowhere near sidewalks (if there are sidewalks), and blame them if they get hurt trying to go about their business!
I hope to find a way to get national and local associations that advocate for the elderly and the disabled and the poor to work with transportation agencies, to come up with plans for the future that prioritize safe walking, bike lanes, convenient buses, bus routes, and stops, and subways and streetcars. And although I am a huge proponent for biking-as-transportation (not just for sport), I firmly believe that it is only one piece of the puzzle – there can be no single focus, to the neglect of the other pieces. It must be holistic.
It seems like a daunting task, but I know that for three days at the Leadership Academy, I will be with similarly passionate individuals who will surely create exciting ideas and plans that would make LaHood proud.
Photo by Washington State DOT
This was originally published at tin lizzie rides again