Principal Planner Phillip Worth
on Sustainability at Kittelson
At KAI, we begin to reveal our attitude about sustainability by the way we describe ourselves in our firm biography, which states, “We recognize that the goals of efficient, economic, and safe transportation depend on more effectively managing, operating, and enhancing transportation facilities. Thus, at KAI, our goal is to systematically develop and apply methods that improve the performance of pedestrian, bicycle, highway, signal, and transit systems.” Much can and should be read into the meaning of these few words, such as:
- “efficient, economic, and safe transportation” – These are defining characteristics of a sustainable transportation system and, expressed as goals, reflect the type of system we aspire to create. We seek out and collaboratively work with clients who actively pursue these goals. Thus, sustainability is inherent in our transportation planning and engineering philosophy.
- “effectively managing, operating, and enhancing” – These represent the stewardship actions of our clients, as they work to provide transportation and alter its qualities, over time. We see our role as developers of new tools and technical approaches to aid this stewardship effort, with sustainability as a primary outcome.
- “develop and apply methods that improve the performance” – Through our involvement in applied research we place an emphasis on developing more effective methods of providing and managing a robust, multi-modal transportation system that is safe, resource-efficient, healthy, and seamlessly woven into the landscape of the community.
Although we don’t use the words “sustainable practice” to describe ourselves, the intent of our work is to produce a more sustainable place. We use terms like multi-modal, seamless, redundant, and robust to describe a sustainable system for a community, with safety, efficiency, and economy as the inherent characteristics. Our plans provide the flexibility to readily integrate new practices in sustainability, as they are developed and proven. Finally, we enjoy the rewards of working with clients and citizens who seek to improve the quality of their communities and provide a legacy for the future.
What do you consider as the defining characteristics of a sustainable transportation system? How can we better integrate land use and transportation to create more sustainable communities?
