Closing the Gender Gap in Transportation Planning

Despite making up over half the population, women and gender minorities are often overlooked in the design of our mobility systems. Historically, transportation planning has prioritized a "default male user," resulting in networks that fail to account for the distinct needs, behaviors, and safety concerns of women and gender minorities.

This presentation explores how to shift away from that default and focus on pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Gain an understanding of the gender data gap in transportation planning and how everyday infrastructure can advance gender equity in mobility systems. Through international and local case studies, learn how practical interventions like pedestrian-scale lighting, improved bike facilities, and off-peak transit service can make streets and systems safer and more accessible for all.

Leave with concrete strategies for collecting more representative data, centering the voices of women and gender minorities in community engagement, and applying design interventions that support gender equity. Planning and implementing changes that serve women's travel needs have trickle-down benefits for children, teens, people with disabilities, and older adults.

Inclusive planning isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s context-driven, responsive, and necessary for building transportation networks that truly work for everyone.