Citizens, often through advocacy and involvement in civic organizations, expect planning and design professionals to provide or preserve safe neighborhoods where people of all ages can safely walk, bike and play; green spaces and recreational opportunities; and meaningful, accessible jobs. These goals and expectations are at the heart of the Intermodal Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), which provides a planning framework for developing transportation systems that serve community livability. Because ISTEA and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) have changed the way in which transportation plans and programs are developed, federal regulations are crucial guides to state and local transportation planning. The papers here clarify some of the most important, and sometimes controversial, issues that federal legislation and subsequent regulations raise.