How does transportation impact a city’s economic development?  Issues such as affordability, availability, safety, and design are all factors.  For example, businesses can suffer economic  losses if they are not easily accessible to customers via multiple transportation methods. The potential ease or difficulty of transportation for its workforce will also play into business decisions about relocation.  Transportation systems must also be flexible enough to support future population growth, often a result of economic growth.  And an efficient, integrated transportation system means more lifestyle/housing choices for citizens, as they can choose a suburban or an urban lifestyle that fits their personal budgets. 

“Are pedestrian malls the future or the relic of antiquated thinking?” Next American City, 5/3/2010.

 Litman, Todd.  “Evaluating Transportation Economic Development Impacts:  Understanding How Transport Policy and Planning Decisions Affect Employment,  Incomes, Productivity, Competitiveness, Property Values and Tax Revenues,” Victoria Transport Policy Institute (Australia), 3/17/2010.

 “The Cost of Congestion to the Economy of the Portland Region,” Oregon  Metro Regional Government, 2005. 

“Time is Money: The Economic Benefits of Transit Investment,” Chicago Metropolis 2020, 2008.   

“Transportation Reboot:  Restarting America’s Most Essential Operating System--The Case for Capacity: To Unlock Gridlock, Generate Jobs, Deliver Freight, and Connect Communities.”  American  Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

• Part I: Unlocking Gridlock. April 2010
   http://expandingcapacity.transportation.org/unlocking_gridlock/gridlock.html

“Transportation Implications Of Emerging Economic Development Trends,” Research Results Digest 327, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board. August 2008. 

“The Road to Livability: How State Departments of Transportation Are Using Road Investments To Improve Community Livability,” American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, April 21, 2010.  

Adams,  John  S. and Barbara  J. Van Drasek.  “Transportation as Catalyst for Community Economic Development,” Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2007. 

Virginia Beach  Economic Development  

“The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is charged with expanding and diversifying the tax base and employment opportunities for the city through business development.”