ITE Journal - August 2020 - 10

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ITE NEWS
Sustainable Transportation
Technical Brief Released
ITE recently released a technical brief explaining how the transportation profession can
incorporate sustainable practices into all
aspects of transportation policy, planning,
implementation, operations, and maintenance from the Sustainability Standing
Committee. The document explores what
sustainability means to the profession as a
whole, how it affects the transportation professional, and takes a look at the current state
of the sustainability practice. To read the
entire Quick Bite on Sustainable Transportation: An ITE Technical Brief, visit www.ite.org/
sustainabletransportation. itej

Community Corner
Community Corner highlights the efforts of ITE
members to not only encourage transportation
education among our youth but to improve the
daily lives of people in their community beyond
transportation through acts of service.

No one could have anticipated the effects of
the COVID-19 virus, or how it would affect
our employees and work environment. But
once Maser's employees figured out the
important role face masks would play in the
coming months, they jumped into action!

Maser Consulting Supports
Local Food Banks through
Mask Initiative

Since most of our employees began working from home in March, the initial concern
was for our coworkers in the field who would

Sustainable Transportation: An ITE Technical Brief
Sustainable Practices in Transportation Defined

Sustainable transportation as an organizing principle considers the ability to provide for society's current
needs without compromising the interests of future generations. The ideas of sustainability are not
necessarily new but are gaining more traction in recent years due to social, economic, and political climates.
In fact, basic ideas surrounding sustainable practices had been formally expressed back in the 1980s. In
recent years, "sustainability" has become a buzzword across multiple industries. In a general sense,
sustainability refers to a system's ability to continue without failing, and in practice usually refers to the
"triple bottom line" of sustainable economies, equitable societies, and ecological systems. Sustainability
emphasizes the integrated nature of human activities and therefore the need for coordinated planning among
different sectors, groups, and jurisdictions. It expands the objectives, impacts, and options considered in a
planning process. This helps insure that individual, short-term decisions are consistent with strategic, longterm goals.
This technical brief seeks to explain how the transportation profession can incorporate sustainable practices
into all aspects of transportation policy, planning, implementation, operations, and maintenance.
Transportation is essential to sustainability and sustainability is applicable to communities of all sizes. The
only difference between large and small communities are specific areas of focus. Planning for a sustainable
society
-
including
specifically
sustainable
transportation
-
has
secondary benefits for the
quality of life for all.
Supporting
cycling
and
walking promotes healthy,
active,
and
engaged
communities
through
programs including walking
school buses and Safe Routes,
which is focused on young
students and their parents. In
the long term, this also will
reduce pressures on other
functions such as our health
care systems.
Where the
practice
of
designing
Complete Streets seeks to Figure 1: Sustainable Transportation System Goals for Delaware Valley Regional
design a safer, inclusive space Planning Commission (DVRPC) Sustainable Transportation Actions - How We Can
for all users; the practice of Apply Sustainability to our Transportation Network to include complex elements
sustainability takes it a step in a variety of areas from resiliency to safety. Source: DVRPC.

Lynn LaMunyon, P.E., PTOE, IMSA II (F) (right) with her niece modeling masks they made to
donate to the cause.

ITE Talks Transportation Podcast
New from the MaaS/MOD Series

The Impact of Innovation on MaaS/MOD with Vincent Valdes
Vincent Valdes joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to talk about the role of mobility as a service
(MaaS) and mobility on demand (MOD) in public transit and how innovation can improve travel for users and transportation
networks as a whole. The podcast was recorded while Vince was at the FTA Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation.
This summer, he transitioned roles to become president and CEO of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.
All episodes available at www.ite.org/learninghub/podcast.asp | Subscribe for free via iTunes at http://apple.co/2hOUz8t
10

Au gust 2020

ite j o u rn al

http://www.ite.org/sustainabletransportation http://www.ite.org/sustainabletransportation http://www.ite.org/learninghub/podcast.asp http://www.apple.co/2hOUz8t

ITE Journal - August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ITE Journal - August 2020