National Institute for Transportation and Communities

Public transit systems are often promoted as offering a plethora of social, economic and environmental benefits to urban populations by transforming urban forms from auto-centric designs into more sustainable ones. The “next big thing” in public transit is bus rapid transit (BRT) systems. From virtually no systems a generation ago, there are now nearly 20 lines operating with at least seven under construction and more than 20 in the planning stages. Part of this recent popularity in BRT stems... Read More

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides specific guidelines and requirements that must be met in terms of accessibility. However, in the case of unpaved trails, the requirements are less defined. An ADA trail must be firm, stable and slip resistant. Some compacted aggregate material may meet this definition, but degrade over time and can no longer be ADA compliant. The benefits of using unpaved surfaces for ADA trails include fit to the natural environment, cost, sustainability... Read More