Public Health Advocates Gear Up for Renewal of Federal Transportation Bill

For many in public health and transportation, Amanda Thompson is a breath of fresh air. She just gets it. The planning director for the city of Decatur, Ga., Thompson sounds more like a tried-and-true public health worker than the typical city planner, especially when she describes the need for better public health and transportation collaboration as "do or die time." Indeed, Thompson represents what many public health advocates hope is America's transportation future: a system that actively supports more than simply cars, led by decision-makers who understand that transportation policy is also public health policy. In Decatur, that philosophy is coming to life as Thompson, her colleagues and the community at-large slowly transform the city of 18,000 into a place where biking and walking aren't merely forms of exercise, but primary modes for daily commuting. Read More