Multi-modal emphasis for road-performance rules

Photo credit: League of American Bicyclists Action Center

For an inspiring example of positive change through people’s actions productively directed: In mid-January, the U.S. Department of Transportation released system-performance rules for major U.S. roads. The rules set “multi-modal” performance measures for for air quality and ease of congestion, and require states to establish targets to increase bicycling, walking and public transit.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, the earlier draft was a very different document, which, instead of considering multi-modal factors, focused exclusively on cars.

The League credits “roughly 6,000” comments by League advocates and member groups, for the final document’s emphasis on active transportation as a way to improve air quality. It cites a statistic by the U.S. Department of Transportation that more than 95 percent of total comments received, called for multi-modal transportation measures and/or greenhouse gas emissions measures.