Out of Quarantine and into Equitable, Sustainable Improvements

During the Corona-19 Virus quarantine fuel prices and vehicle-miles-traveled have remained low. Both, however, are beginning to increase (fuel costs are related to increases in oil prices, refinery capacity, and the transition to summer gasoline). While these trends represent a slow return to pre-pandemic norms and signal a revival of economic and social livelihood, increased travel also means greater exposure to transportation challenges.

Safety and crashes, congestion and emissions, equity and access are all likely to be accentuated with increasing auto/non-motorized travel and fuel prices. While a natural increase in these metrics can be anticipated, WATS’ goals are to reduce their impacts from baseline levels (WATS data dashboard) through comprehensive improvements to the transportation network.

Local agencies in Washtenaw County are setting high standards for improving the use of and impacts from the transportation system with the following:

• Ann Arbor has developed a new comprehensive transportation plan, Ann Arbor Moving Together, Towards Vision Zero. 

• Washtenaw County has set an ambitious climate focused goal, carbon-neutrality by 2030

• Agencies and communities across the county are working toward toward equity and opportunity using the One Community Opportunity Index 

National leadership is anticipated to make strides toward these goals with the President’s Build it Back Better plan which eyes rebuilding ageing infrastructure while updating it for sustainable growth.  “Administration officials essentially see those two goals — building out 21st century infrastructure and transitioning to a low-carbon future — as inseparable.” - Jim Tankersley, NY Times, March 23, 2021

As WATS and local agencies make progress toward improving infrastructure in an equitable and sustainable way, we often look to targeted funding programs such as the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to fund non-motorized connections, or Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) to fund sustainability focused projects.  

The single biggest tool, however, in making progress toward these goals come from our locally established policy directives.  WATS Policy Committee, comprised of local elected officials, have provided guidance that has added an equity representative to Technical discussions, directed funds to regional priorities, and insured consideration of non-motorized improvements. 

An excellent opportunity to work with your local elected officials and gradually improve travel in Washtenaw County comes with WATS development of the 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (T.I.P.) current T.I.P. can be found here. The four-year suite of projects will apply transportation funds to the goals outlined above and with opportunities to participate now more accessible than ever via virtual meetings, staying connected with WATS and with community leaders is a great time to help shape upcoming improvements