Livability Tools
This page provides links to tools sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 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 U.S. DOT Livability Resources page for other livability-related material.
- Connectivity Evaluation Resources - The resources in this collection are provided to highlight the concept of connectivity and provide some examples of how various researchers and agencies are using connectivity to communicate concerns within their communities and focus strategies to address them. We invite you to share additional data, methods, and examples via the comment form.
- Community Vision Metrics Web Tool - This tool enables practitioners to search for performance measures relevant to their specific circumstances, communities, and quality of life goals. Community Vision Metrics has the greatest impact when employed from the start of the planning and project development process, during visioning and goal setting.
- FHWA Livable Communities Discussion Board - This is online public forum for users to participate in discussion threads and engage in questions and ideas on livability and livability-related topics.
- Location Affordability Portal - This tool helps individuals, real estate professionals, planners, policymakers, developers, and researchers understand transportation costs in the context of housing location.
- PlaceFit Community Characteristics Database - The PlaceFit Tool provides access to a variety of existing websites based on livability characteristics that may appeal to your lifestyle choices.
- Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) - SHRP2 was authorized by Congress to address some of the most pressing issues facing the nation's highway system: safety, infrastructure renewal, reliability, and capacity. SHRP2 is administered by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies under a Memorandum of Understanding with the FHWA and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
- Sustainable Communities Indicator Catalog - This online catalog, created by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, compiles useful information for communities to measure progress toward their sustainability objectives.
- Sustainable Highways Tool (INVEST) - INVEST (Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool) is a practical, web-based, collection of best practices criteria that allow states to evaluate and improve sustainable practices in 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.
- Tools for Sustainable Communities - The Partnership for Sustainable Communities (PSC) has compiled the following list of tools to help communities assess, plan, and design sustainable communities. These tools cover a broad range of topics, including community design and planning, transportation and housing, and the environment. The list includes tools developed by the PSC partner agencies - the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - as well as other Federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
