UW Sustainable Transportation - Planning & Livable Communities

The MST program is marking an important transition, as Prof. Edward McCormack passes the baton to Prof. Don MacKenzie after more than eight years leading the program.

Throughout his time as Director, Ed has focused on supporting students, helping them build professional connections in the transportation field and bring classroom learning into practice. We are grateful for everything he has contributed over the years, and we are glad that he will continue with the program as Director Emeritus.

We are also excited to welcome Don MacKenzie as our new Director. Don is a familiar face in the community as an instructor of several courses, and he leads the Sustainable Transportation Lab. His research has helped shape conversations around transportation systems, electrification, and sustainability. He brings deep expertise in these areas, along with a strong commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders in sustainable transportation.

Please join us in thanking Ed and congratulating Don on this transition.

Drive the transition to cleaner, more equitable transit systems.

Our Master’s degree in Sustainable Transportation and Livable Communities Certificate program combine engineering, policy, and urban planning to help you tackle today’s mobility challenges. Join us for an info session on May 27th to learn more.

Events | UW Online - Sustainable Transportation Master’s Degree Attend info sessions and other events for the UW Master of Sustainable Transportation degree. Find out about the requirements and deadlines.

Ready to shape the future of mobility? Our Master of Sustainable Transportation and Certificate in Livable Communities prepare you to work across engineering, policy, urban planning, and environmental science. Learn how you can lead the transition to cleaner, more equitable transit systems at our May 27th info session:

Events | UW Online - Sustainable Transportation Master’s Degree Attend info sessions and other events for the UW Master of Sustainable Transportation degree. Find out about the requirements and deadlines.

Build real-world skills in sustainable transportation. Join us for an online info session to explore the Master of Sustainable Transportation, capstone project, Certificate program, and how the curriculum connects theory to practice.

Register for our April 28 info session.

Events | UW Online - Sustainable Transportation Master’s Degree Attend info sessions and other events for the UW Master of Sustainable Transportation degree. Find out about the requirements and deadlines.

Apply for admission to the UW Master of Sustainable Transportation and we'll pay your application fees. Start your journey in sustainable transportation, urban planning, policy, and engineering this September.

UW Online - Sustainable Transportation Master’s Degree University of Washington's online Master of Sustainable Transportation degree prepares you to help shape the future of transportation.

While ecommerce has transformed how we shop, new research co-authored by our instructor Travis Fried (teaches CET 566: Environmental Analysis & Assessment) shows that the environmental cost of "next-day delivery" is not shared equally.

Analyzing data from more than 3,000 U.S. counties over a decade (2011-2020), this study identifies a widening gap driven by two key factors:

1. Demand-oriented inequity: Cities near freight hubs or transit corridors experience emissions far higher than their local freight demand would justify.
2. Socioeconomic status-oriented inequity: Minority communities located near freight networks see higher emissions alongside declining household incomes.

These findings reveal deep spatial disparities in urban freight systems and highlight the need for environmental justice-focused transportation planning at national, regional, and city levels.

The full paper, “Increasing nationwide disparities in road freight emissions across cities,” is published in Nature Cities by Springer Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-025-00368-x

Congratulations to our students for completing their capstone projects and officially graduating from the Master of Sustainable Transportation program.

Throughout the program, they demonstrated leadership and problem-solving, applied their knowledge and skills to complex challenges, and developed solutions with meaningful impact.

As they move into the next chapter of their careers, we’re proud of all they’ve accomplished and can't wait to see how they’ll contribute to a more sustainable and innovative future.

Graduates, welcome to our alumni family! Please keep in touch.

Some exciting news from the University of Washington: We’ve been ranked eighth in the world (second among U.S. public universities) on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Global Universities list.

This ranking looks at , , and global impact across more than 2,200 universities in 100+ countries, reflecting the work happening here on campus every day. We’re proud to be part of a university that’s making a real difference.

If you're thinking about leveling up with a Master's degree or a 9-month certificate, now is a great time to join us. We're still recruiting for our incoming cohort.

https://www.washington.edu/news/2025/06/18/uw-is-the-no-8-university-in-the-world-according-to-new-us-news-world-report-rankings/

UW is the No. 8 university in the world, according to new US News & World Report rankings The University of Washington is No. 8 on the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings, released on Tuesday. The UW maintained its No. 2 ranking among U.S. public...

Urban freight and the rise of ecommerce present new challenges, including the need to integrate in . Our Travis Fried (teaches CET 566: Environmental Analysis & Assessment) presented at Center for Transportation Studies - University of Minnesota Transportation Research Conference about Urban Freight Lab research to better understand these issues and develop solutions.

https://mntransportationresearch.org/2025/02/03/mobile-lockers-equitable-freight-planning-and-cargo-e-bikes-will-play-roles-in-urban-freight/

Mobile lockers, equitable freight planning, and cargo e-bikes will play roles in urban freight Reprinted from CTS News, January 14, 2025 Freight transportation is evolving rapidly, and its future success will require managing increased residential demand, planning for equity, and incorporati…

A new U.S. Department of Transportation-funded study by our Don MacKenzie (instructor for Research Methods and CET 565: Climate Change & Energy) explores how AI-based feedback and speed limits can reduce sidewalk riding in Santa Monica, CA. In partnership with , researchers equipped 100 with computer vision feedback systems, activating feedback features like auditory alerts and speed reduction on half. The findings suggest that while feedback helped reduce sidewalk usage, it didn't fundamentally change riding behavior.

Explore the full study: AI-Driven Feedback Systems Reduce Sidewalk Riding on Shared E-Scooters, published in Transport Findings:
https://findingspress.org/article/125892-ai-driven-feedback-systems-reduce-sidewalk-riding-on-shared-e-scooters

AI-Driven Feedback Systems Reduce Sidewalk Riding on Shared E-Scooters | Published in Findings By Mohammad Mehdi Oshanreh, Daniel Malarkey & 1 more. This research explores how AI-based interventions may limit e-scooter sidewalk riding and increase compliance with traffic laws. Feedback-equipped scooters spent 22% less time and 20% less distance on sidewalks.