Transportation is responsible for 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. This equates to 1839.47 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents and is the largest contributor to emissions in the U.S. Among the various methods to tackle the emission reduction challenge of transportation, sustainable urban planning stands as an effective long-term solution.
What exactly is sustainable urban planning?
Well, why do we need it in the first place? Urban cities contribute 70% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions and are expected to only increase in size and number as populations grow. In fact, the percentage of the population living in urban areas is expected to increase from 55% to 68% by 2050, and the UN predicts that current growth and movement rates could add another 2.5 billion people to urban cities. It’s clear that if we should be prioritizing the largest contributors to climate change, our eyes should be on urban areas.
Within these cities, urban sprawl is one of the biggest issues tied to emissions, with low-density, car-dependent development that increases commute distances and energy use. Additionally, the plethora of solutions and technologies developed to reduce transportation emissions include electric vehicles, shared and public transit, and opting to walk or bike instead of riding a car. Yet, for all this to happen, we need the proper supporting infrastructure. And that’s where urban planning comes in.
Sustainable urban planning is simply the practice of designing cities to minimize environmental impacts while addressing social and economic needs. The scope of this smart city design practice is quite broad, so let’s focus on a few specific areas that can help reduce transportation emissions.
The first approach to urban development is transit-oriented development, or TOD. In essence, TOD aims to develop cities around public transportation to reduce the emissions from individual commuters. Mixed-used development and high density are necessary for TOD to work effectively so that commuting on public transportation is convenient and efficient. Effectively planned TOD can allow residents to walk or bike to work, to groceries, and other necessary locations all from home conveniently, reducing emissions of up to 85%, according to the Transit-Oriented Development Institute. TOD also provides economic and social benefits in addition to environmental ones. TOD program investments in Oregon have yielded $1.75 billion from $44 million in investments since 1998. It’s a great example of how sustainable design can help with city livability, boosting local economies and social activity.
To accommodate pedestrian and bike-friendly cities, we also need Complete Streets Design. Complete Streets Design essentially revolves around planning streets to be friendly for all users. This is especially important for sustainable city planning, as safety will be a priority at the intersection of a growing number of bikers and pedestrians.
While Complete Streets Design is generally targeted at all users, Car-Free Zones, intended to restrict certain vehicles, also provide an interesting way of reducing emissions. The Madrid Central, a low-emissions zone that is not entirely car-free but places restrictions on all entering vehicles, witnessed a 38% reduction in Nitrogen Dioxide emissions in its first year.
Despite its promise, transitioning to sustainable urban planning comes with challenges. The U.S. remains deeply car-centric, making the shift toward Car-Free Zones and Complete Streets costly and time-intensive. Additionally, public resistance to new urban designs is a major hurdle. Changing infrastructure is one thing—changing mindsets and habits is another.
Yet, as populations continue to grow and transportation emissions escalate, cities will inevitably need to adapt. The choice isn’t whether we should change but how quickly we can make it happen.
Works Cited
Arlington County Government. Rosslyn-Ballston Alternative Use Study. Arlington County,
https://www.arlingtonva.us/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/projects/documents/rb-alt-use1.pdf.
Arlington County Government. Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor Smart Growth Initiative. Arlington County,
https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Planning/Smart-Growth/Rosslyn-Ballston-Corridor.
Carbon Brief. How 120 of the World’s Major Cities Could Cut Transport CO₂ by 22%.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-120-of-the-worlds-major-cities-could-cut-transport-co2-by-22/.
Center for Transit-Oriented Development. Sustainability and TOD. TOD,
http://www.tod.org/sustainability.html.
Center for Transit-Oriented Development. Transit-Oriented Development Resource Center. TOD,
http://www.tod.org/.
Design Division. Shaping Cities: The Role of Public Transportation in Urban Planning. Design Division,
https://www.designdivision.org/shaping-cities-the-role-of-public-transportation-in-urban-planning/#:~:text=Sustainable%20Transportation%20Planning,-Sustainable%20transportation%20planning&text=Public%20transportation%20is%20a%20cornerstone,to%20enhance%20public%20transportation’s%20sustainability.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Modernizing Bus Rapid Transit in Curitiba, Brazil. EBRD Green Cities,
https://www.ebrdgreencities.com/policy-tool/modernizing-bus-rapid-transit-curitiba-brazil/.
Madrid City Council. Driving in Madrid. esmadrid.com,
https://www.esmadrid.com/en/driving-madrid.
Metro. 2023 Transit-Oriented Development Program Annual Report. Oregon Metro, 31 May 2024,
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2024/05/31/2023-transit-oriented-development-program-annual-report-20240530.pdf.
Metro. Transit-Oriented Development Program. Oregon Metro,
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-partners/grants-and-resources/transit-oriented-development-program?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Streetsblog USA. Curitiba: 50 Years of Lessons from the World’s First Bus Rapid Transit. 17 Oct. 2024,
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/10/17/curitiba-50-years-of-lessons-from-the-worlds-first-bus-rapid-transit.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 68% of the World Population Projected to Live in Urban Areas by 2050, Says UN. UN,
https://www.un.org/uk/desa/68-world-population-projected-live-urban-areas-2050-says-un.
U.S. Department of Transportation. Transit-Oriented Development Program. Federal Transit Administration,
https://www.transit.dot.gov/TOD.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect nor represent the Earth Chronicles and its editorial board.
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