Mapping mobilities: Opportunities for centering youth in mobility research, design, and planning

Research Team: Dana Cuff (lead) and Claire Nelischer

UC Campus(es): UCLA

Problem Statement: Adolescents are often the focus of transportation research and policy, yet they are rarely engaged directly in discussions that affect them. Scholars, policymakers, and community organizations have emphasized the importance of developing methodological and practical approaches to elevate youth voices in transportation research and decision-making.

Project Description: This study will analyze the current landscape of strategies for engaging youth in transportation research and policy. A systematic literature review will identify the benefits and barriers to youth participation, effective approaches used by researchers and practitioners, and future opportunities to prioritize youth in shaping their mobility futures. Building on cityLAB's ongoing collaborations with public agencies like the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and StreetsLA, as well as the community organization Heart of Los Angeles, the research will connect youth mobility and the public realm with design-based methods from urban humanities. This agenda-setting research aims to uncover the barriers that hinder meaningful youth engagement in mobility research and policy, identify necessary tools and approaches for effective research, and explore promising avenues to guide cityLAB's future community-engaged initiatives.

Status: In Progress

Budget: $40,590