By Marsha D. Anderson Bomar, Ph.D., AICP, ENV SP, F.ITE, NAE, F.ASCE
The world is experiencing change at an accelerating pace. Cities are growing denser, climate risks are intensifying, and communities are demanding infrastructure that is both efficient and future focused. The civil engineering profession has evolved to address these changing needs by increasingly focusing on sustainability, resilience, and long-term stewardship.
While disciplines like water resources and environmental engineering have more easily integrated sustainability into their work, transportation continues to navigate the intersection of mobility, safety, and urgent climate goals. As the systems that move people and goods, transportation sits at one of the most complex frontiers of sustainable civil engineering today.
Early in my career, transportation focused largely on building and widening roads to serve a growing number of single-occupant vehicles, connecting suburban residents with jobs in city centers. Then the field slowly began to shift. High-occupancy vehicle lanes offered limited congestion relief and later evolved into high-occupancy toll lanes as travel patterns changed. Land-use patterns changed as well.
Only in the past decade did sustainability begin to take hold in mainstream transportation planning. Electric and hybrid vehicles gained momentum, interest grew in alternative fuels like hydrogen, and transit agencies sought to expand their reach and ridership. The COVID-19 pandemic drove changes in transportation behavior, restructuring demand across systems.
As the profession moves forward, we face several challenges. Embedding sustainability into longstanding planning and design practices requires cultural change. Streets must accommodate an expanding variety of users, including pedestrians, cyclists, e-bikers, scooters, transit vehicles, autonomous cars, and freight — all with differing needs. New materials and rising material costs further complicate innovation.
On the other hand, challenges such as these create opportunities. A new generation of engineers brings fresh thinking and a willingness to counter established norms. Competitions like Venture-Z, from the 3rd International Conference on Sustainability: Developments and Innovations, give students a platform to advance bold ideas, while growing data and computing capabilities enable more responsive, efficient traffic management.
Emerging technologies and innovative practices will also reshape transportation over the next decade. Smart systems that rely on real-time data are beginning to adjust and manage traffic more dynamically. Advances in materials and construction techniques are increasing opportunities to recycle, repurpose, and extend the life of existing infrastructure.
ASCE plays a vital role in advancing sustainable transportation by expanding the tools and guidance available to practitioners. Its leadership in founding the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, supporting the Envision rating system, and developing ASCE/COS 73-23 Standard Practice for Sustainable Infrastructure reflect our long-standing commitment to sustainability. Our events, like the INSPIRE conference and our upcoming ASCE2027: The Infrastructure and Engineering Experience, foster innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The new Center for Technical Advancement, as well as increased coordination among ASCE’s technical institutes, strengthen efforts to embed sustainability across practice areas. The Society’s growing dedication to support sustainable transportation is further demonstrated by committees such as the Sustainable Transportation Committee of ASCE’s Transportation & Development Institute, upcoming events like the ASCE Transportation Conferences, and the ASCE Library’s collection of publications.
Transportation engineers — and all civil engineers for that matter — have the power to shape a more sustainable future. That begins with curiosity, courage, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. I encourage you to seek out alternative solutions, imagine new possibilities, and bring bold ideas into the conversation, even when they push the boundaries of traditional practice.
Meaningful progress often requires changes to rules, policies, and priorities. So, learn how to advocate and engage in public processes. Go a step further by serving in leadership roles or even running for office. The future of sustainable transportation will be driven by engineers who not only design infrastructure but who also influence the decisions that make it possible.
Marsha D. Anderson Bomar, Ph.D., AICP, ENV SP, F.ITE, NAE, F.ASCE, is the commissioner emeritus for the City of Atlanta Department of Transportation. She is the 2025-26 ASCE president.
This article first appeared in the May/June 2026 issue of Civil Engineering.
