Transportation

Transit’s Impact on Our Daily Lives and Climate

Transportation infrastructure impacts every aspect of our lives, including our ability to care for ourselves, provide for our families, and achieve our goals. It also impacts our climate.

Vehicle emissions, one of the primary sources of carbon emissions in our community and Virginia, are worsening the impacts of climate change and the health of our communities. Improving our transit system is essential to reducing our emissions and extending opportunity and access to all, breaking the cycle of poverty that burdens many underserved households.

Transportation planning can impact community density, housing affordability, and green space. C3 believes that creating a community design that prioritizes mobility in community transit, sidewalk, bike infrastructure, and other transit infrastructure development can build a better connected, just, and sustainable community. Virginia cities have historically been designed with cars instead of people as a focus. That must change to reach carbon neutrality.

Centering Community in Transportation Design

An image of a man standing between two bicycles.

C3 also advocates for Zero-Emission Electric Transportation that offers a tangible stride toward building a healthier environment and addressing societal imbalances. This includes support and education for personal and commercial vehicle conversion. Vehicles powered by diesel or compressed natural gas can lead to respiratory, impacting racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods the most. To address these issues, C3 believes in improving electric infrastructure like charging stations and enhancing accessibility to public transit, safety at bus stops, route frequency, waiting times, route efficiency, and service diversity.

Advancing Zero-Emission Electric Transportation

an image of a bus that reads Battery Electric Zero emissions

Transforming the Transit System

Local boards and commissions still hold authority over much of our energy infrastructure development. Things like solar installations and charging infrastructure can only proceed with local approval. Fossil fuel infrastructure like municipal gas utilities, energy efficiency incentives and programs, electrification, and more are all connected to our local government. 

Electrification & Energy Infrastructure

An image of a man standing infront of a electric car charger and to the right a white Tesla.

Constructing a robust transit system is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Many cities are already leading the way. It’s time for communities across the Commonwealth to step up and join this leadership, advocating for sustainable transportation!

A Call for Sustainable Transit Leadership

An image of a group of people standing infront of a bus that reads Battery electric zero emission

Review C3’s resources and tools to learn more about how transportation impacts our communities and potential solutions for improvements.

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Join our campaign to improve transit equity across Central Virginia.

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