Participation and Equity in Municipal Transportation Decisions: A Chicago Case Study and a Politicized Capacity-Building Alternative

Abstract

Transportation systems shape the built environment of cities and the lived experiences of their residents, but equitable public participation in municipal transportation decision-making is limited. Furthermore, municipal transportation decision-making—and thus public participation within it—exists in a complicated field of transportation provision, while intersecting with a myriad of policy issues. This research article draws on Chicago as a case study and existing research in transportation and planning to argue for equity-oriented capacity building by transportation agencies. Such capacity building should more explicitly clarify official and informal decision-making processes and their politicized nature to enhance equitable, meaningful impact on transportation decisions.