Strategies and Policies
Transportation policy and planning in Cambridge emphasizes sustainable modes of transportation such as walking, biking and using transit and low emission vehicles, which promote livability and help to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The City's transportation policy is based on a number of ordinances and plans, including the Vehicle Trip Reduction ordinance of 1992, the Parking and Transportation Demand Management ordinance of 1998 and the Cambridge Growth Policy Document, most recently updated in 2007.
The efforts made since the early 90s to lower vehicle miles traveled and transportation emissions have been paying off. Cambridge leads the nation in walkability and the percentage of residents who get to work without using a car. Bicycling is now seen as a viable mode of transportation and the growth in bicycling has been explosive. Public transit is the backbone of sustainable transportation efforts and the City has implemented bus priority signals and lanes. Importantly, the city has been able to grow significantly without a corresponding growth in traffic.
Strategy and Policy Documents
For more information
For more information on Strategies and Planning, please contact the Environmental and Transportation Planning Division, 617/349-4600.