When it comes to race and power, US transportation and land use decisions are not neutral. Throughout American history, government power has been used to control Black people and exclude Black communities from opportunity. #BlackHistoryMonth 
The legacy of racist decisions made by transportation planners and policymakers in the 20th century is still with us today. #BlackHistoryMonth
Throughout the 20th century, racist lending & housing practices—redlining—limited where Black families could live. Now, Black neighborhoods are disproportionately disconnected from centers of opportunity, perpetuating systems of exclusion & oppression.
washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2…
washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2…
In many cities, these practices forced Black communities into areas that today are more prone to flooding and other early impacts of climate change. theroot.com/extreme-heat-f…
In the 1950s, Black neighborhoods were disproportionately seized & razed to build Interstate Highways. This racist practice created freeways that led through—not to—neighborhoods, benefiting White suburban commuters at the expense of Black communities
theguardian.com/cities/2018/fe…
theguardian.com/cities/2018/fe…
Highways didn’t just cut through neighborhoods, they generate small-particulate pollution from cars and trucks. Today, many Black communities have elevated rates of asthma as compared to white areas. huffpost.com/entry/florida-…
Inequitable resource allocations and decision-making processes persist; often Black neighborhoods lack basic safety features like sidewalk, street lights, crosswalks, and bike lanes.
smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-d…
smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-d…
Today, it is much more dangerous to walk while Black than almost any other race or ethnicity.
@SmartGrowthUSA @completestreets An overreliance on enforcement to manage transportation systems often places Black people in danger. Research shows that helmet laws, e-bike bans, jaywalking and fare evasion are often disproportionately enforced against Black people.
tampabay.com/news/publicsaf…
tampabay.com/news/publicsaf…
@SmartGrowthUSA @completestreets For example, Black people are 9% of passengers on Sounder trains, but 22% of riders caught up in the fare-enforcement system. This disparity is a trend reflected across the US. seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…
@SmartGrowthUSA @completestreets To move forward, the transportation industry and, we, the people in it, will need to grapple with and reconcile our interconnected and complex social/political movements: #BlackLivesMatter #VisionZero #ClimateJustice #BlackHistoryMonth
