New guidelines ensure community voices are heard in transportation planning decisions.
The article provides guidelines for identifying and analyzing social factors in transportation planning. The researchers developed criteria and procedures to measure social impacts and integrate them into decision-making. They focused on identifying social factors, conducting surveys, and involving communities in the planning process. The goal was to incorporate the values and opinions of residents and transportation users in technical studies. The interdisciplinary approach used in Washington State allowed for evaluating technical data, community input, and planning concepts to reach solutions.