Democratizing Transit Planning: The Role of Democratic Planning in Overcoming Obstacles to Equitable Transit Policy
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2024
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Haverford College. Department of Political Science
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Thesis
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Award
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eng
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Open access
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Abstract
Americans rely on transportation in almost every aspect of their daily lives, whether it be working, shopping, visiting friends, attending church or going to the doctor. Yet, for more than a century, many have struggled to overcome the effects of inequitable transportation policy. There is great concern among scholars and policymakers that some Americans lack the basic necessity of transportation. However, local transportation policies often create inequities instead of improving them. This thesis investigates how to overcome obstacles to equitable transportation policy. Significant attention in transit equity is focused on determining guidelines for achieving equitable transit outcomes, yet there is less attention on how equity best-practices succeed within the politics of public transit planning. While the Biden administration has taken important steps to remedy inequitable transit policy, the efforts of local government officials to realize and act upon these efforts indicates the most important aspect for overcoming obstacles and establishing equitable public transit. Thus, I decided to focus specifically on the role of democracy within the planning process. I performed a comparative case study of recent transit policy in Gwinnett County, one of Atlanta’s core metropolitan counties, and the second most populous county in the State of Georgia. As metropolitan areas experience increasing inversion, my research sheds light on the importance of local politics in shaping local transit policy. My case analysis suggests that a focus on democratic planning can yield equitable policy. Further, government officials play the most important role in advancing a democratic planning process. Despite limitations, my research reveals the extent to which the election of local politicians can impact the desired transit outcomes of the public, and the integral role of local elections for advancing transit equity. I provide important insights into who wields power in the public transit planning process, and how to advance equitable public transit through the complex political landscape of American metropolitan areas.