Racial negligence, transit, and placemaking: An examination of planning practices

Abstract

Transportation infrastructure is a core component of the built environment that significantly impacts how residents access services, amenities, jobs, education, and recreation. While other facets of urban studies have begun to reckon with the wicked legacy of racialized infrastructure as it pertains to schools, suburbs, and housing, the relationship between public transportation planning and race is less explored. This paper examines planning processes and neighborhood impacts of transit to develop the idea of racial negligence as a framework to problematize and improve existing practices. We find that neighborhoods with new transit saw a decrease in percent Black residents, and an increase in percent White residents, compared to regional trends. Using content analysis of planning documents, we also identify a lack of engagement with issues of race and displacement. In the conclusion, we discuss the applicability of racial negligence as a guide to reform planning practice.