10.4 Environmentally Sustainable Transportation
An environmentally sound transportation system can help to maintain health, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the quality of life. There are a variety of sustainable transportation options that can fit different needs, including walking, bicycling, public transit, and greener cars. Burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change. Higher rates of automobile ownership and residential sprawl make it increasingly difficult to attain proposed targets for reducing the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
The construction of eight radial highways and two beltways between 1950 and 1980 promoted a dramatic dispersion of houses and jobs in the Boston area. Since 1970, Metro Boston’s population grew 6%, but the amount of land developed increased 60%, with the greatest growth along Routes 128, 495 and 3.
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