Multi-Modal Transportation

Supporting Sustainable and Equitable Transportation

Vehicle emissions account for a substantial amount of Houston’s air pollution and the lack of transportation options exacerbates air quality and environmental injustice. We advocate for a transportation system that supports sustainability, increases access to opportunity, and facilitates equity for all communities, over expanding capacity for single-occupancy vehicles.

The issue

The majority of air pollution in the Houston region is generated from traffic-related emissions. Air toxics from vehicles, such as benzene and formaldehyde, can cause damage to the immune system, reproductive and neurological disorders, and respiratory problems. Vehicle emissions are also an important contributor to the formation of ground-level ozone, a key ingredient of smog that irritates lungs and can trigger asthma, as well as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

What we’re doing

We focus on building broad public support for a transition to an equitable multi-modal transportation system. We advocate for policies that promote alternative transportation modes that can reduce vehicle miles traveled, increase fleet electrification, and ensure everyone can get where they need to go.

Houston Climate Action Plan

We’ve been serving as the co-lead of the transportation working group for the City of Houston’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP). We are advocating that the goals, metrics, and policy proposals of the CAP be codified as a city ordinance to ensure proper implementation.

City-wide and regional multi-modal transportation plans

We support several plans and initiatives aimed at improving multimodal transportation options both within the city and in the wider Houston region. These include the Houston Bike Plan, Houston’s METRO bus and light rail system, H-GAC’s High Capacity Transit Task Force, and Houston BCycle.

Advocating for a Houston Department of Transportation

We advocate for the consolidation of the Houston Planning and Houston Public Works departments into a central Houston Department of Transportation. Having two different departments creates overlap and confusion, and hinders the implementation of strategies such as the Climate Action Plan and the city’s resiliency plans. Additionally, we encourage closer collaboration between the city and county transportation planning officials.

Dismantling barriers to a multimodal transportation system

We advocate for the dismantling of structural barriers related to state and federal transportation funding that hinder the transition to a multimodal transportation system.

Fleet electrification

We conduct research and advocate for electrification projects to encourage the transition of our region’s transportation system from relying on fossil fuels to renewable electric power. We participated in the drafting of the City’s EVolve Houston electrification roadmap and partner with the participating organizations to advance the goals and strategies outlined to extensively electrify fleets in the region.

Pop-up urbanism

We use local, pop-up interventions, such as organizing bike/walk-to-school events, to demonstrate the health benefits of active mobility infrastructure for school children. With these short-term projects, we aim to raise residents’ awareness about the impacts of traffic-related air pollution on children’s health and build community capacity to advocate for transportation policies that reduce personal vehicle use and support child well-being.