A Growing City with a Great Vision

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Scottsdale, Arizona, population ~230,000, is a rapidly growing city. And with their new Transportation Master Plan, it looks Scottsdale will grow into a very easy city to navigate on foot, on bike, in wheelchair, on public transit, or in a car.

According to Reed Kempton, Senior Transportation Planner for the City of Scottsdale:
"After two years of work, the Scottsdale City Council last night unanimously adopted our first comprehensive Transportation Master Plan. This document combines all transportation planning elements into one single document and eliminates separate plans for streets, bicycles, pedestrians, transit, and so on. It includes complete streets, increased funding for non SOV (single occupancy vehicle) modes, and a host of policies that truly institutionalize bicycling in our community."

Check it out here: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/traffic/transmasterplan/drafts.asp
and then click on the "Summaries of Transportation Master Plan Components."

This is excellent transportation policy, and we're thrilled to see a growing city planning so well for its future. Transportation systems that accommodate lots of different means of getting around, like the one outlined in Scottsdale's plan, move far more people with far less pollution, and typically result in highly livable cities. In an age of 3, 4, and 5-car households, it's easy to forget that many people don't own cars or cannot drive because they are too young, too old, or have a disability that makes driving unsafe. In certain neighborhoods in St. Louis City, as much as 40% of the population not only doesn't drive, but doesn't have access to a car. Well designed transportation systems look out for the vulnerable members of society to ensure they have the freedom to get around on their own, safely, and with dignity.