Mobility In and Beyond Communities

What is the role of transportation in accessing opportunity? 

Transportation regularly comes up as a key factor for accessing employment and other needs such as food, shopping, recreation and community services. Transportation can be an even more significant challenge for people living in economically disconnected areas. The issues are multifaceted and complex. Affordable housing is often located far from employment centers. In some cases, the transit system is not designed to overcome that spatial barrier.  Many communities do not have all the amenities people need for a high quality of life, requiring more effort spent on travel to meet those needs. To better understand transportation’s role in access to opportunity and community livability for many of Chicago’s residents, especially communities of color, MPC partnered with Equiticity and the University of Illinois at Chicago to conduct a series of focus groups with people who have faced these challenges. The resulting qualitative research provides critical insights that can help inform better policy.

This work is supported by The Chicago Community Trust.