Land for Vehicles or People?
Blogger
Automobile-oriented planning requires that cities devote signifiant amounts of space to roads and parking—under many conditions each vehicle requires more land than is devoted to housing per capita.
Climate Change Targets? No Problem! We Have Win-Win Solutions
Blogger
Ambitious new emission reduction targets can be met with strategies that also help achieve other economic, social, and environmental objectives.
How Not To Measure Traffic Congestion—Hold the Hyperbole, Please!
Blogger
The new INRIX congestion costing report is another good example of bad analysis. We just want accurate information; hold the hyperbole, please.
Reform Transport Engineering: Expand Beyond Just Roadway Level of Service (LOS) Ratings
Blogger
Transportation engineers currently evaluate urban transport system performance using roadway level of service (LOS) ratings. Here are six good reasons to change.
Introducing the Litman 'Chauffeuring Burden Index'
Blogger
A significant portion of vehicle travel consists of chauffeuring: additional travel to transport a non-driver. The new Chauffeuring Burden Index calculates its direct and indirect costs. Why do these costs receive such little attention in planning?
What is a 'House'? Critiquing the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey
Blogger
Demographia's International Housing Affordability Surveys are widely used to compare cities and evaluate urban development policies, but there are good reasons to question their analysis methods, starting with their definition of "house."
More Great Research Quantifying Smart Growth Benefits
Blogger
New research can help planners understand how specific decisions will affect transport activity (how and how much people travel), and their ultimate economic, social, and environmental impacts.
Is Traffic Speed Compliance A Congestion Cost?
Blogger
Conventional evaluation often exaggerates congestion costs by using baseline travel speeds which exceed speed limits. This assumes that traffic speed compliance is a congestion cost that justifies major infrastructure investments to alleviate.
Responding to Transit Funding Criticism
Blogger
My recent column, "Evaluating Public Transit Funding Options," described various ways to finance public transit improvements. Such funding is sometimes criticized. This column examines and responds to common criticisms.
Evaluating Public Transport Funding Options
Blogger
Many jurisdictions need additional funding to improve, or just maintain, their public transport services. A timely new study evaluates eighteen potential funding options according to eight criteria.