State of Transportation Planning

State of Transportation Planning

The 2025 State of Transportation Planning Report (SOTP) began in mid-2024. The Transportation Planning Division (TPD) selected two co-editors, who identified “operationalizing equity” as the theme of the 2025 report. This process began in late 2024, with a survey of TPD membership on what they would like addressed in the report.

The feedback was clear – make it relevant to practitioners. The Report deviated from previous formats by being online only. The TPD held four webinars, attended by nearly 900 planners, between August 2025 and January 2026, focusing on the following topics:

  • Transportation Safety
  • Community Engagement
  • Transit and Active Transportation
  • Community and Economic Opportunity

All four webinars emphasized different aspects of the following definition of equity in transportation planning: Equity in planning starts with a broad perspective of equity as fair and just inclusion in a society where everyone can participate and thrive. Equity in transportation planning is a value-driven approach that recognizes the inequities that past discriminatory practices may have caused. These inequities need to be considered and ideally rectified in current transportation planning activities. The transportation planning community strives to provide transportation improvements through a holistic approach, recognizing that communities have unique needs and challenges. The goal of these efforts is a society where everyone shares the benefits and burdens of the overall transportation system.

The Division wants to thank the several dozen planners who volunteered their time and expertise to share with the transportation planning community on such an important topic.

Explore the 2025 State of Transportation Planning Webinars

Past Reports

"Intersections + Identities: A Radical Rethinking of Our Transportation Experiences."

The pandemic took a toll on our existing transportation systems and was tough on our communities. In the 2022 edition, you’ll hear from writers, scholars, and planners across the US as they share their research and observations for a post-pandemic world. 

From seasoned practitioners to recent graduates, advocates to academics, formally trained planners to those whose careers took a bit of a detour, we have learned that the contributors to this report share one thing in common: a desire to continually advance this field and a commitment to creating communities that thrive and prosper. 

You’ll also hear from former US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who discusses the tremendous challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for our country.

Read the 2022 Report

State of Transportation Planning 2020: Moving People Over Cars: Mobility for Healthy Communities
State of Transportation Planning 2018
State of Transportation Planning 2016
State of Transportation Planning 2013