Planning Guide
Transportation and Community Access: Why Reliability Matters as Much as Speed
How transportation reliability, safety, travel time and network design influence access to jobs, education and services.
Access is more useful than raw speed
A fast road does not help if it does not connect people to the destinations they need.
Reliability changes behavior
Unpredictable travel time can be more disruptive than consistently moderate travel time.
Safety affects participation
People are less likely to walk, cycle or use transit when routes feel unsafe.
Transfers and waiting matter
A trip that requires several uncertain transfers may be difficult even if each segment is technically available.
Transportation and land use should be planned together
Mobility works better when destinations are located where networks can serve them effectively.