Transportation has a major impact on our natural environment.  Pollutants from roads impact rivers and streams, tailpipe exhaust degrades air quality, and the facilitation of sprawling development contributes to the erosion of critical natural habitats. Developing a transportation system that minimizes its impact on the environment should be a top priority for California policymakers and is one of the central goals of STPP.

California energy consumption and the need for conservation and efficiency is a regular news topic in California in terms of electricity and gas. But what about transportation? How much energy does the transportation sector consume and how do different modes rank against one another? Take a look at the numbers.

Road kill is often taken for granted as a necessary byproduct of roads and highways, especially in rural areas. But death tolls for wildlife continue to climb as they lose critical ground to development and highways continue to encroach on their remaining habitat. Yet new engineering techniques like underground tunnels are beginning to help and could provide a tremendous benefit to wildlife.