Abstract

Improving mobility is a major issue in sparsely populated areas. The low population density in these localities often means that longer journeys are required to access services, carry out everyday activities or maintain social links. Whole sections of the population – in particular older people, young people, stay-at-home parents in single-car households, and seasonal workers – are effectively handicapped in mobility terms by inadequate public transport provision and an overdependence on people who have cars.

Abstract

This report looks at the status quo of policies, legislation and discourse relating to urban road transport and environmental justice in the US. It presents the findings from literature study and a series of interviews conducted during a trip to the US in the summer of 2011. Interview partners came from research, regional and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and from various levels of administration. Interviews were conducted in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Sacramento and Davis (all California) as well as Washington, D.C. and Boston, MA. The report gives an overview over the current research activities in the US relating to urban transport and environmental justice (EJ), it presents the legal framework for EJ related campaigning and decision making and relates some examples of current issues and campaigns in this area in the regions visited. The text also conveys the evaluations and opinions of those who were interviewed (in anonymous form). The trip was funded by the American Council on Germany through the 2011 McCloy Fellowship in Environmental Policy.