Pretty Sweet Press release from the feds.

Marianne Saglam
Communications Senior Director
202-289-0222 ext. 123


NEWS



June 17, 2009

U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Announce
Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities
Partnership sets forth six "livability principles" to coordinate policy



WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today announced an interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities to help improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide.


Testifying together at a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing chaired by U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), Secretary LaHood, Secretary Donovan and Administrator Jackson outlined the six guiding "livability principles" they will use to coordinate federal transportation, environmental protection and housing investments at their respective agencies. The six "livability principles" are as follows:

1. Provide more transportation choices.
2. Promote equitable, affordable housing.
3. Enhance economic competitiveness.
4. Support existing communities.
5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment.
6. Value communities and neighborhoods.

Earlier this year, HUD and DOT announced an unprecedented agreement to implement joint housing and transportation initiatives. With EPA joining the partnership, the three agencies will work together to ensure that these housing and transportation goals are met while simultaneously protecting the environment, promoting equitable development and helping to address the challenges of climate change.



The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) applauds the efforts of these agencies and is working to promote similar goals. ITE currently is involved in several ongoing projects focused on livability and sustainability, including the upcoming publications Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach, Smart Growth Transportation Guidelines and School Site Planning, Design and Transportation, as well as Accessible Pathways to Bus Stops and Transit Facilities: A Process Guide, prepared for Easter Seals Project Action. ITE's 2010 Technical Conference and Exhibit: Meeting Transportation's 21st Century Challenges will further the connection between land use, housing and transportation in order to promote more sustainable communities.



ITE is an international educational and scientific association of transportation professionals who are responsible for meeting mobility and safety needs. ITE facilitates the application of technology and scientific principles to research, planning, functional design, implementation, operation, policy development and management for any mode of transportation. Through its products and services, ITE promotes professional development of its members, supports and encourages education, stimulates research, develops public awareness programs and serves as a conduit for the exchange of professional information.



Founded in 1930, ITE is a community of transportation professionals, 17,000 strong, working in more than 92 countries. For more information, visit www.ite.org.



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