Earlier this summer the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed during the evening rush hour traffic. In an instant, thirteen people lost their lives, and more than one hundred were injured. The stories of loss and heroism and the dramatic pictures of the crumpled bridge riveted us as a nation.

What transfixed and shocked us, in a very real and human way, may have been the contrast between what is familiar—the bridge, the rush hour commute—and the extraordinary event of the bridge’s collapse, as much as the sheer magnitude of the loss itself. Perhaps it was this stark contrast, more than anything, that focused our attention on transportation issues—what it takes to get from here to there—which is the theme of this edition of Human Rights.

Dismantling Transportation Apartheid in the United States Before and After Disasters Strike
Transportation serves as a key component in addressing poverty, unemployment, and equal opportunity goals. Local transportation providers need to increase efforts to provide alternative transportation services in areas with high concentrations of transit dependent persons and nondrivers.
By Robert D. Bullard, Glenn S. Johnson, and Angel O. Torres

Transportation Inequity in the United States: A Historical Overview
Historically, transportation has not been available to all, or it has been available only in a way that has channeled some people to specific places and inequitable opportunities, sometimes involuntarily.
By Marc Brenman

From the Back of the Bus to the End of the Line: The Discriminatory Funding of Public Transit in California
Because of the discriminatory underfunding of urban bus service in California, advocates for transportation equity argue that reliable bus service in low-income communities is essential for equal access to every kind of opportunity.
By Richard A. Marcantonio and Angelica K. Jongco

Lessons Learned on the Paratransit Litigation Front: Equal Rights Center v. WMATA
The ability to leave one’s home to go to work, to visit friends, or to access critical services is fundamental to one’s quality of life. Especially crucial to people with disabilities, public transportation provides a lifeline to active participation in their communities.
By Todd Bromberg

On the Move: Increasing Wheelchair Accessible Taxis Around the Country
For thousands of people who use wheelchairs, taxis are simply not available. The group, Taxis for All, has advocated with state, city, and taxi officials within New York and the nation to increase the number and availability of accessible taxis.
By Jan Garrett

On the Road Again—Wait, Not You! Driver Discrimination in America
To countless older persons, driving is a point of pride. Every state has its own regime for licensing drivers, but for elderly Americans the challenges can be many.
By Daniel B. Kohrman

Watching the Watch Lists: Maintaining Security and Liberty in America
The stories would be laughable if the underlying concern weren’t so serious. Legions of Americans encounter delays, questioning, and searches because they have names that show up on a government watch list.
By Sharon Bradford Franklin and Sarah Holcomb

Comparing British and American Approaches to the Human Right to Transportation
In the highly mobile, car dependent societies that are common to most of North America and Europe, the lack of personal transportation in low-income households is often a major factor in their economic and social exclusion.
By Karen Lucas

A Short Line on Rail Lines
Transportation by rail has been an important feature of the public landscape. Trains move both passengers and freight and continue to be a critical element of political controversies ranging from regional growth to free trade.
By Susan Ann Silverstein

Human Rights Heroes: ADAPT
Out of the successful Denver action that resulted in the city retrofitting 250 buses, ADAPT was born. In one short generation, people with disabilities transformed themselves from a community perceived as passive victims needing charity to an active social movement fighting for civil rights, equal justice, and opportunity.
By Susan Ann Silverstein