Livability Resources
This page provides links to Federal Highway Administration and other U.S. DOT programs, resources, and reports that promote livability in transportation planning. The links are intended to assist decision makers and stakeholders interested in integrating livability principles into their communities' transportation systems. Visit the Livability Tools and Livability Webinars pages for resources produced by the FHWA Livability Initiative.
Accessibility
- FHWA Accessibility Resource Library - This page supports FHWA's effort to organize and make available information that relates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other accessibility resources that may affect research, planning, design, construction, civil rights, or operations of any Federal Highway Administration project.
- FHWA Headquarters Office of Civil Rights - Contains resources pertaining to the rights of those employed in, benefitting from, or affected by FHWA and its partners' activities. The responsibilities of this office include ensuring that FHWA recipients and subrecipients are informed of and acting in compliance with federal accessibility laws and rules.
Acquisitions and Right-of-Way
Program
- Right-of-Way Program - The information on these Real Estate pages is a resource for property owners and occupants, transportation improvement program professionals, and highway right-of-way and other public acquisition program professionals.
Resources and Reports
- Acquisition Brochure - A booklet that describe the process for acquiring private property for Federal and Federal-aid Programs and Projects.
- Relocation Brochure - A booklet that describe your right and benefits as a displaced person under the Federal Relocation Assistance Program.
- Right-of-Way and Relocation FAQs - A series of questions and answers to guide those who administer lands and property rights on transportation projects.
- Local Public Agency Guide - Contains guidance for local agencies on matters pertaining to right-of-way in addition to general Federal aid project development information.
Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)
- Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) in Practice - The Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) in Practice brochure defines CSS, its benefits and includes highlights of how CSS was used to engage the public on projects and how to transform communities through transportation. This brochure links CSS to several processes and activities such as NEPA, Environmental Justice, Sustainability, Livability, Design Flexibility and Performance Based Practical Design.
Federal and Tribal Lands
Programs
- Federal Lands Access Program Guidance - The Federal Land Access Program supplements State and local resources for public roads, transit systems, and other transportation facilities that provide access to Federal lands. This guidance outlines eligibility, funding, and Q&A information on the program.
- Federal Lands Transportation Program Guidance - The Federal Land Transportation Program focuses on the transportation infrastructure owned and maintained by Federal lands management agencies. This guidance outlines eligibility, funding, and Q&A information for the program.
- Tribal Transportation Program (replaces the Indian Reservation Roads Program) - This site shares funding guidelines and other information on the Tribal Transportation Program, which addresses the transportation needs of tribes by providing funds for planning, designing, construction, and maintenance activities. Funds can be used to address livability issues for tribal communities, including the need for school routes that are accessible year round and transportation to hospitals and emergency medical services.
Freight
- Freight Resources - This site provides information on technical assistance, publications, and other resources for promoting efficient and environmentally sensitive freight movement.
General Livability
- Creating Livable Communities: How the transportation decision making process can support more livable community outcomes - Published in October 2011, this booklet examines how the transportation decision making process can support livable community outcomes.
- Livability & Smart Growth Assessment Tools Database - Hosted by the Safe States Alliance with the support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),this database provides centralized access to basic assessment tools and checklists that can assist users with evaluating their communities degree of livability and provide essential information needed to create safer and healthier neighborhoods.
- Livability in Transportation Guidebook - This report illustrates how livability principles are incorporated into transportation planning, programming, and project design, using examples from practice.
- Livability in Transportation Guidebook Appendix - This stand-alone document provides detailed information about each of the 15 primary case studies referenced in the Livability in Transportation Guidebook. Case study details include agencies involved, when the project was initiated and completed, costs, contact information, interviewees, and other related resources.
- Livability in the U.S. and Sweden Summary Report - This report summarizes the findings of two webinars exploring livability in the US and Sweden. The webinars included participants from both countries in government and academia.
- Regional Livability Workshops Summaries - In 2011, FHWA sponsored five one day Regional Livability Workshops to raise awareness of transportation linkages to livability and help stakeholders more effectively consider livability issues within the Federal transportation planning process. An Executive Summary Report and Meeting Summaries are provided.
- The Road that Rebuilt a Neighborhood - The Newtown Pike Extension Project. Enhancing Quality of Life for the Davis Park Community in Lexington, Kentucky
- The Role of FHWA Programs in Livability Research Paper - This report highlights the current state of the practice relative to the implementation of livability principles within the context of the Federal-aid highway program.
GIS and Technical Analysis
Health
- Health in Transportation webpage - This FHWA webpage is designed to be a comprehensive resource on the linkages between transportation and health.
- Safe, Healthy, and Active Transportation Toolkit - Hosted by the Safe States Alliance with the support of NHTSA, this toolkitis comprised of a host of resources provides public health professionals, planners, and others with presentations, seminal articles, case studies, fact sheets, and other sources of information that can be used to support and advance Smart Growth, livability, and improved built environment efforts.
Human Environment
- Context Sensitive Solutions - This site provides an overview of Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS), which is a collaborative, interdisciplinary, holistic approach to the development of transportation projects. State and local transportation agencies and community stakeholders will find this site's information, resources, and case studies helpful in applying CSS to transportation projects in their communities.
- Environmental Justice - This site provides an overview of how FHWA integrates the principles of Environmental Justice and civil rights into its activities and partnerships, and how environmental justice applies to every stage of transportation decisionmaking.
Natural Environment
Program
Resources and Reports
- Integrating Climate Change into the Transportation Planning Process - This report explores the possibilities for integrating climate change considerations into long range transportation planning at state DOTs and MPOs. The report reviews the experience of a number of DOTs and MPOs that are already incorporating climate change into their transportation planning processes and identifies their successes as well as challenges faced by these agencies.
- Sustainable Highways Tool (INVEST) - INVEST is a practical, web-based, collection of best practices that allow states to integrate sustainability into their transportation projects. The use of the tool is voluntary and can be used by states or other project sponsors to measure the sustainability of their projects.
Nonmotorized Transportation
Programs
- FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program - This site provides links to program related websites, upcoming events, and other information about the amount of federal funding spent on nonmotorized projects by state, available federal funding sources, existing legislation, and guidance about accessible design. This program also sponsors the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) which provides a wealth of information and research on a wide variety of engineering, encouragement, education, and enforcement topics.
- Transportation Alternatives Program - The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) provides funding for programs and projects, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation. TAP replaced funding from pre-MAP-21 program including Transportation Enhancement activities, the Recreational Trail Program, and the Safe Routes to School Program.
- Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program - The Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program provided $25 million dollars each to four communities: Columbia, MO; Marin County, CA; Minneapolis Area, MN; and Sheboygan County, WI, to demonstrate how improved walking and bicycling networks can increase rates of walking and bicycling. This website provides program background, highlights, and evaluation results.
Policies
- DOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations - The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is providing this Policy Statement to reflect the Department's support for the development of fully integrated active transportation networks. The establishment of well-connected walking and bicycling networks is an important component for livable communities, and their design should be a part of Federal-aid project developments.
Resources and Reports
Operations
Offices and Programs
- Office of Operations - The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Operations provides national leadership for the management and operation of the surface transportation system. The office is responsible for FHWA's efforts in the areas of congestion management, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Deployment, traffic operations, emergency management, and freight management and operations.
- The Federal ITS Program - The U.S. Department of Transportation's ITS program focuses on intelligent vehicles, intelligent infrastructure and the creation of an intelligent transportation system through integration with and between these two components. The Federal ITS program supports the overall advancement of ITS through investments in major initiatives, exploratory studies and a deployment support program.
Resources and Reports
Performance Management
- FHWA Office of Transportation Performance Management - FHWA defines Transportation Performance Management (TPM) as a strategic approach that uses system information to make investment and policy decisions to achieve national performance goals. This website provides information and resources on the FHWA's TPM program.
Planning
Program
- FHWA Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program - The Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program is designed to help decision makers, transportation officials, and staff resolve the increasingly complex issues they face when addressing transportation needs in their communities. This comprehensive program for training, technical assistance, and support targets State, local, regional, and Tribal governments, transit operators, and community leaders.
Resources and Reports
- Creating Livable Communities: An Implementation Guidebook - With the support of FHWA, the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) developed this guidebook of tools and practices to help local governments and regional planning organizations plan and create livable communities.
- FHWA Coordinated Land Use and Transportation - This site provides resources and case studies discussing the relationship between land use and transportation. It is intended to assist transportation planning stakeholders in incorporating land use considerations into their planning and project development activities.
- FHWA Tribal Transportation Planning - The FHWA Tribal Transportation Planning Program delivers products and services that provide information, training, and technical assistance to the transportation professionals responsible for planning for the capital, operating, and maintenance needs on Tribal lands.
- FHWA Visualization in Planning, FHWA GIS in Transportation - This site provides information regarding how geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to support transportation agency priorities and strategic goals. Resources include noteworthy GIS practices, relevant conferences and meetings, GIS applications for FHWA work, and training tools.
- Public Involvement Resource Guide - This guide summarizes key issues and requirements related to public involvement in the transportation planning process. It also provides a range of websites, publications, notable practices, training and other resources on public involvement.
Project Development & Environmental Review
- Context Sensitive Solutions - This site provides information about FHWA's involvement with Context Sensitive Solutions to supplement the broader information in the Context Sensitive Solutions Clearinghouse.
- Environmental Review Toolkit - The Environmental Review Toolkit is a one-stop resource for information and updates about transportation and environment. The Toolkit provides up-to-date information on transportation and environment policy, guidance, best practices, and training.
- Exemplary Ecosystem Initiative - Since 2002, this FHWA award has highlighted exemplary ecosystem conservation initiatives by States or Federal Lands Highway divisions.
Recreational Access
Rural Livability
- Supporting Sustainable Rural Communities - Produced by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this report features case studies showcasing rural accomplishments, sample funding and technical assistance opportunities, and performance measures rural communities can use to assess their progress.
- Vibrant Rural Communities Case Studies Series - With the support of FHWA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) developed these case studies to highlight rural regions and small towns leveraging tools and approaches to build on their assets, protect their resources, and make strategic long term investments.
Safety
- FHWA Safety Program - This program provides extensive data, tools, research, and other resources on preventing highway injuries and fatalities. These resources are intended to enable holistic outreach, planning, and analysis around roadway safety.
- FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety - This site includes projects, programs and materials, developed by the FHWA Office of Safety, for use in reducing pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities. These resources reflect an integrated approach, covering issues such as planning, education, engineering, and outreach
University Transportation Centers Focused on Livable Communities
The University Transportation Centers (UTCs) program was established in 1987 with the mission, "to advance U.S. technology and expertise in the many disciplines comprising transportation through the mechanisms of education, research, and technology transfer at university-based centers of excellence." UTC grants are awarded through a competitive application process. The following UTCs' research is focused on livable communities:
