Facilitators and barriers to municipal officials' participation in local transportation policies

Municipal officials play an important role in transportation policy and planning decisions; more evidence is needed, however, about the facilitators and barriers that impact their involvement. The objective of this study was to examine individual- and job-related factors that facilitate or hinder municipal officials’ participation in local transportation policies supportive of walking and bicycling.

Guided by principles of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, a survey was developed and administered online in Summer 2012 to elected and appointed officials in urban areas with 50,000 or more residents. We examined the association between individual and job related factors with involvement in a local transportation policy using multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Higher perceived importance of economic development and traffic congestion were positively associated with local transportation policy involvement. Higher perceived resident support of local government to address economic development was associated with an increased likelihood of participation in a transportation policy. Lack of collaboration was a barrier to involvement in a local transportation policy. Among the individual factors assessed, males were more likely than females to participate in a transportation policy and participants that lived in the city or town in which they worked were more likely to be involved in a transportation policy compared to those that did not. 

Leverage points for advocacy of local transportation policies may be promoting economic development and reducing traffic congestion. Municipal leaders should also encourage collaboration across agencies and sectors to increase opportunities for municipal officials to participate in transportation policies supportive of walking and bicycling.