Transportation, automation, and societal structure

Only when we learn to understand much better the dynamic interaction between new transportation systems and the structure of our communities can we take full advantage of transportation's potential as a really effective tool in our quest for a finer quality of life for our citizens. The opportunity to do so is much enhanced by the recent rapid evolution in transportation from its centuries-old pattern of unconstrained growth paced by key advances in propulsion and new rights of way to a new age of finesse in which automation will bring, from existing rights of way, higher capacity, greater safety, and far better service at lower cost through automated system and total-trip management. In parallel, the discipline that has helped us predict well the dynamic behavior of such mostly physical systems as air-traffic control may add some helpful insight into such critical questions as the long-range effects of transportation on urban structure, where nontechnological factors dominate. Leadership belongs to the communities; the federal role is to provide support in generic ways. It is hoped that new Department of Transportation programs in technology-and-planning-tool sharing and in university support will be helpful.