Access to Census Demographic Data, both in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) format and standard tabular format can be very useful for planning agencies. In an effort to provide easy access to Census data to our member agencies the following links are listed.
The US Census Bureau is of course the likely starting point. At the US Census Bureau web site, located in the Geography / Maps & Data section, is access to a variety of maps and map data products.
The State of Michigan GIS Open Data portal provides access to prior and current Census data contained in ESRI shape file format. These Census Block Group and Census Tract shape file base maps can then be utilized to link other demographic data elements obtained from the US Census Bureau’s site.
The Sustainable Highways Initiative (SHI) supports programs and activities conducted across the Federal Highway Administration to facilitate balanced decision making among environmentl economic and social values - the triple bottom line of sustainability. SHI efforts help transportation agencies expedite project delivery, advance economic growth, enhance accessibility, and build projects to last, while also addressing the impacts of transportation to the human and natural environments.
FHWA's Invest identifies characteristics of sustainable highways and provides information and techniques to help agencies and organizations integrate sustainability best practices into highway and other roadway projects.
Additional governmental and non-governmental agencies focused on Livable, Sustainable, and Affordable communities also provide statistics and data that can be used to compare communities for planning purposes.