ABSTRACT
Transportation programs consciously aimed at connecting inner-city residents with lower skilled suburban jobs have remained marginal and funded at levels in the millions, not billions of dollars. Transportation policies of the last 60 years did much to bring about this "spadal mismatch". This chapter outlines traditional transportation policies and practices, explores innovations that may help improve transportation and social equity, and recommends actions planners can take to use transportation as a tool for enhancing social equity. As a profession dedicated to promoting equity, it will likely fall to planners to help promote voluntary employment and training agreements that ensure a fair share of employment and training for minorities and center-city residents in transportation construction and maintenance. Economic development and financial planners can refine financial incentives for better transit. Capital improvement planners can help generate transportation construction and spin-off jobs aiding inner-city residents.
