Transit agencies have met the communities' needs with better services and impoved promotion of those services. These winning examples demonstrate that communities of many sizes are seeking to improve the quality of life, and succeeding. They offer us inspiration and the hope that one neighborhood, one program, one initiative at a time, we can all move toward a better way to go. Awards are co-sponsored by Renew America and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Policy. In addition, many localities are finding that a lack of transportation alternatives carries an economic price.
Traffic congestion can strangle both older downtowns and suburban areas.
Economic development projects combined with convenient transit and pedestrian and bicycle amenities can relieve congestion and create prosperous places to do business. Economics Economic incentives are a powerful tool for preserving individual choice while offering opportunities to modify those choices in ways that make sense for the traveler, the environment, and the efficiency of the transportation system. Lower tolls during nonpeak hours, economic development opportunities around transit stops and other financial tools encourage people to find new ways of commuting, without punishing those who currently have no choice but to drive alone. Information technologies provide promising opportunities to reduce the need for travel and to make transit and public and private transportation services more consumer friendly. Going the Extra Mile Across the country, some communities are addressing transportation challenges with integrated solutions that involve citizens in making choices for transit, pedestrian facilities, and other modes.