Graphic Design Project: The Cost of a Roadtrip

As a pre-teen, I watched many of my peers experience the ocean for the first time in their lives — an experience I had already had the blessing of having countless times over in my first decade of life. The memory of the awe on their faces has not left my memory, even now, 12 years later. You can read about it’s impact on my life and my outlook on environmental education in my first post for this blog: https://environmentalequityproject.com/2026/05/30/the-environmental-equity-project-exploring-education-access-and-stewardship/.

As I reflected on that field trip many years ago, it got me thinking about the experiences I had that shaped my love for nature and desire to become an environmental journalist. Beyond reading headlines about the mounting threat of climate change, it was my roadtrips in high school, college, and post-grad that really strengthened my connection to the natural world. I have driven from California up through the Pacific Northwest. I’ve driven my little Toyota Prius through Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons, across the rolling plains of the Dakotas, and north along the shores of Lake Superior up to the Minnesota-Canadian Border. Seeing so much of the country and its many natural wonders rooted the headlines about the threats to our public lands in real places and personal experiences. I think everyone should take a roadtrip across the country.

But, not everyone can.

It is not as simple as hopping in your car and driving to your desired destination. The average road trip in the United States costs between $1,200 and $4,000. It takes planning, access to a reliable vehicle, accommodations, food, and paid time off. These all pose serious barriers to low-income individuals and families.

In 2022, Rachel Lerman of the Washington Post published an interactive story for people to understand how much it would cost to drive across the country, chronicling her trip from San Francisco to Washington D.C. This story was the inspiration for this design. I wanted to show, using a collage and the photoshop skills we have learned, all of the considerations before someone can take a roadtrip and how each consideration can act as a barrier to entry for millions of working Americans. You can read that story here: https://wapo.st/454aZQ8.

Note: Her total just in gas alone, came out to $655 in 2022. With inflation and rising oil prices, that number in 2026, would likely come out to be much higher.