Streets as places: Using streets to build healthy communities

As the baby boomer generation approaches retirement age, both citizens and professional planners alike are being challenged to advocate for and create safe and walkable communities that enhance livability for the country's aging population. In order to do this, citizens must learn the fundamentals of how to engage their transportation agency and understand the technical and regulatory process that shape transportation decision-making. Once citizens are able to interact collaboratively with their local or state transportation department, they will be able to effectively advocate for better streets that focus on place and provide pleasant and enriching pedestrian experiences. This partnership can benefit location-specific transportation projects, as well as corridor planning efforts that also consider land use, valued community resources, street networks, and multiple modes of travel. Such a holistic corridor approach can benefit both transportation and community outcomes.