This past Saturday, Transportation for America co-chair John Robert Smith took to the op-ed pages of the Albuquerque Journal to make the case for reorienting our nation’s transportation policy in ways that would lift up smaller and more rural communities in both the Mountain West and rest of the country. He also reflected upon his recent participation in a Bernalillo, New Mexico transportation forum that drew dozens of attendees.

This collection of 12 case studies puts to rest the idea that livability is an exclusively “urban” idea — small cities, towns and rural regions across the country are transforming themselves into more livable communities. The EPA helped Taos officials improve access for bicyclists and pedestrians, make streets safer and pursue commercial and residential growth that fit with the town’s character.

Residents in the mountain region hoping for clean, efficient transportation could be looking at a brighter future — the Colorado Department of Transportation is paying for a study to look at the feasibility of building high-speed rail across Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. (Denver Post — Tom McGhee)