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Shengxiao (Alex) Li

Research overview

P1

Planning for Accessibility Capability in an Aging Society

Car-dependent communities are often not designed to support older adults in aging healthily and independently in the places they call home. As populations age, cities need transportation planning and governance that accommodate the diverse needs, preferences, and aspirations of older adults.

Building on the Accessibility Capability framework that I developed, my research examines how older adults make travel and residential decisions in increasingly car-dependent societies, and how planning institutions, governance arrangements, and public policies shape these choices. Through this line of research, I seek to generate evidence that helps governments and communities create transportation and housing systems that expand older adults' opportunities to age in the communities they choose. Ultimately, I aim to support local policies and planning practices that enable older adults to live healthier and more independent lives in their preferred communities.

Charts showing the transportation mismatch experienced by zero-vehicle older people in the United States
Figure from “Characteristics of Zero-Vehicle Households among Older Americans” (Journal of the American Planning Association, 2025)

Selected publications

* student co-author