Rural Multimodal Planning

Description/Learning Outcomes:

The National Center for Rural Road Safety (Safety Center) hosted a FREE, 1.5-hour online webinar.

Webinar Description
This webinar explored why and how rural communities and small towns should apply more multimodal planning. An efficient and equitable transportation system must be diverse in order to serve diverse travel demands, including when travelers cannot, should not, or prefer not to drive. This presentation described current demographic and economic trends that are increasing demands for walking, bicycling and public transit in rural communities. Serving these demands provides economic, social and environmental benefits, including more independent mobility for non-drivers; consumer savings and affordability (savings to lower-income households); improved economic opportunity and fairness; increased traffic safety; improved public fitness and health; reduced public infrastructure costs; environmental protection; and more local economic development. A variety of specific policies and programs can help create more diverse and efficient transport systems which allow travelers to use the most appropriate mode for each trip. This presentation was based on research described in the report, “Rural Multimodal Planning” (www.vtpi.org/rmp), and related documents.

Target Audience
This training was directed towards a very broad safety audience including, but not limited to, law enforcement, planners, engineers, first responders, elected officials, public health, tourism agencies, and safety culture experts. Participants had some basic familiarity with transportation safety.

Course Presenter 

Todd Litman, Researcher, Victoria Transport Policy Institute (https://www.vtpi.org/documents/resume.pdf)

• Todd Litman is founder and executive director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transport problems. His work helps expand the range of impacts and options considered in transportation decision-making, improve evaluation methods, and make specialized technical concepts accessible to a larger audience. His research is used worldwide in transport planning and policy analysis.