A Broader Context for Transportation Planning: Not Just An End In Itself

The end of the Interstate era, marked by the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), signaled a move toward healthy and sustainable transportation systems. This article explains the philosophy that led planners to vast, but separate, transportation systems and the proposed changes in direction that will create a multi-modal system that is flexible and encompasses environmental and social concerns. Transportation goals that support a sustainable society as well as goals of a sustainable transportation system are listed. New investment strategies will begin with planning and end with the incorporation of economic, social, and environmental factors. Governments will seek out and involve interest groups to set priorities, shifting attention from mobility to accessibility.