Developing a Framework for the Sustainability Assessment of Urban Transportation and Its Implementation

A sustainability appraisal framework helps to ensure the smooth sailing of various activities in transportation departments. A well-developed and flexible framework can serve as a primary tool for the evaluation of tasks in transportation departments. In this study, a framework for the sustainability appraisal of urban transportation is developed and its implementation is presented as a case study. As the transportation sector is placed within a wider context of sustainable development, the framework is based on a holistic approach considering transportation from a sustainable development perspective. The approach adopted for the implementation of the framework involves all stakeholders, including transportation departments and the community, in planning, decision-making, and bringing opportunities to guide the community and shape collective behaviors. By defining context-specific goals, objectives, inputs, and outcome variables, which inclusively represent sustainable development, the framework will be effectively utilized. The framework will also be useful to guide transportation departments to polish their vision, in addition to making policies, designing methodologies, and implementing measurement and monitoring systems for attaining the desired state of sustainability.