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About the Study

Study examines economic, environmental, and public health benefits of well-designed transportation projects

In 2006, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) selected the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota to conduct a pioneering research study to explore how well-designed transportation projects can enhance communities. Results of this research are now available in a series of reports.

Funding for the study was derived from a grant to the AIA from the Federal Highway Administration, authorized by Congress in SAFETEA-LU.

An interdisciplinary research team employed a case study-based approach, analyzing nearly 30 transportation projects across the nation that represent a broad spectrum of regions, demographics, and project types. Using the case studies, the team identified key principles and practices that communities, transportation officials, designers, and policymakers can use—in the context of their unique situations and environments—to realize multiple enhancements to their communities.

Key findings

The study recommends six “keys” to ensuring a successful project that benefits communities economically, environmentally, and other ways:

  1. Employing an integrated design process where planners, designers, transportation officials, and builders develop a unified plan
  2. Including all community stakeholders from the outset
  3. Using three- and four-dimensional images and graphics to increase citizen involvement, understanding, and buy-in
  4. Creating human-scaled structures and spaces that make busy transportation hubs more manageable
  5. Utilizing easily legible signs and directions that make complicated multimodal systems easier and safer to navigate
  6. Designing projects to be both durable and adaptable to new transportation modes and community needs

One-page overview of the study