This project, conducted by a 2025 Graham Sustainability Scholars team in partnership with Washtenaw 2030, sought to advance regional climate solutions by providing data-driven insights into employee transportation behaviors. Washtenaw 2030 is a public–private–nonprofit partnership focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions while supporting local business competitiveness.

The team updated and administered the District’s bi-yearly transportation survey, refining questions to reflect current commuting trends and adding items on e-bikes, e-scooters, and electric vehicle interest. Students developed a communications toolkit, offered incentives, and engaged building contacts, reaching 32 buildings and collecting 465 responses—a 46 percent increase over the previous survey.

Using Python-based analysis, students produced building-level reports and visualizations, highlighting commute patterns, emissions, and policy priorities. In the short term, these tools guide actionable interventions. Long term, they support benchmarking, policy evaluation, and strategic planning, strengthening the District’s capacity to reduce emissions and promote sustainable commuting.