The first installment in an educational series of how to make our transportation system work better.
September is here and we’re through the worst of the summer traffic – phew! Let’s take some time this fall to educate ourselves about a new approach to addressing our valley’s transportation challenges. In this installment, we think about the bigger picture foundation.
A sustainable transportation system is like a three-legged stool: it stands on the three legs of efficient land use, travel options, and behavior change. We need to acknowledge the role each of them plays and work towards solutions that address the dynamic between them.
Three legged stool model from Nelson/Nygaard
- Our community must embrace efficient land use that provides affordable housing near jobs and allows local workers options for their daily commute.
- We must also create travel options that allow people to walk, bike, take transit, ride-share, and telecommute. These options can take the form of services, programs, and new facilities.
- We can encourage behavior change through incentives, pricing strategies, and education that incite community members to make trips using alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles.
Simultaneous investment in each of these components is the fastest and most effective path to a healthy and balanced community mobility system.
By analyzing any proposed development or transportation project through this lens, we can take a holistic approach to minimizing single-occupancy vehicles on our crowded roads and mitigate their emissions and congestion impacts.
Let’s prioritize infrastructure that gives people opportunities to change their current transportation behavior for all future planning in Teton County.
In future installment, we’ll get into specific programs and projects that might help our challenges.
