Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Driven to change: unraveling the ecological and societal impacts of car-centric commutes and understanding variations in transportation equity strategies among major U.S. cities

Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/qf85nm12x

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Climate change poses a prolific threat to earth’s ecosystems, societies, and infrastructure, and the time for slow-moving economic solutions has passed. As such, substantial, systematic changes to heavy-polluting sectors are necessary to curb greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate further adverse climate impacts. The transportation sector is not exempt from this necessity for change as it emits nearly one-third (28%) of total emissions in the United States each year (US EPA, 2023). As such, a total revitalization of America’s transportation system must prioritize public transit and increased accessibility for alternative modes of mobility. Unfortunately, America’s current transportation system is incredibly inequitable and inaccessible for the communities who rely on it most. Segregation fueled by suburbanization, deed restrictions, and discriminatory housing policy has left low-income, disabled, and minority communities without reliable or safe access to public transportation, which has led to other consequences such as decreased access to education, jobs, healthcare, and other opportunities. This study will outline the history and pattern of inequity in American public transportation systems. It will also analyze the public transportation plans of six major U.S. cities to determine how various factors relating to environmental sustainability and equity are prioritized in city public transit systems and what factors may influence this level of priority. No city featured in this study can be called perfectly equitable, but variations among prioritization of equity initiatives exist. This qualitative research will elucidate these variations and will culminate in several policy suggestions aimed at establishing a safe, reliable, and environmentally-sound public transportation system that works for everyone, all the time.
  • KEYWORDS: Transportation Equity, Public Transportation
License
Resource Type
Date Issued
Degree Level
Degree Name
Degree Field
Degree Grantor
Commencement Year
Advisor
Committee Member
Rights Statement
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

In Collection:

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details BrownSkylerN2024.pdf 2024-05-15 Public Download