The Road Less Driven

Abstract

Americans gain tremendous benefits from their driving in the form of access to opportunities. But the benefits do not come without burdens, for individuals and for society. To manage those burdens, transportation planners should focus on strategies that selectively reduce driving in two ways: by making it possible to drive less through land use policies and investments in non-auto infrastructure, and by discouraging less important driving with pricing policies. But merely layering a “drive less” approach on top of traditional efforts to make driving easier doesn't make sense. A more effective blend of strategies is needed.