Assessing the role of transportation planning in advancing sustainable development goals: Insights from a meta-analysis

This article explores the intricate relationship between transportation planning and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a comprehensive meta-analysis approach. Grounded in Systems Theory (ST), the study conceptualizes transportation planning as a complex system where various components, including infrastructure, policies, and socioeconomic factors, interact dynamically to influence sustainability outcomes. By integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study examines how stakeholders’ intentions, attitudes, and perceived control over transportation-related decisions impact the effectiveness of planning processes in advancing SDGs. Furthermore, Resilience Theory (RT) is employed to assess the capacity of transportation systems to adapt, recover, and sustain their functions amidst challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and resource constraints. The meta-analysis using the Hunter-Schmidt method synthesizes findings from numerous 31 studies, offering a nuanced understanding of how transportation planning contributes to significant SDGs, including climate action, sustainable cities, and economic growth. The results highlight the pivotal role of proactive planning in fostering resilient and adaptive transportation systems that support long-term sustainability goals. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach that aligns transportation planning with broader sustainability objectives while accounting for behavioral influences and the inherent complexity of transportation systems. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable development, offering a theoretical and empirical foundation for enhancing the role of transportation planning in achieving global sustainability targets.