New research shows vehicle miles travelled better measure of environmental impact than congestion

New research from Northeastern University published in the Transportation Research Record, reports that vehicle miles traveled is a better way to measure a development's environmental impacts than congestion. Tech Xplore reports that the longstanding focus on congestion to evaluate the impacts of development has resulted in the widening of roads or reducing construction in dense environments in favor of more remote places. Both of these result in people driving more, not less. As Planetizen has reported previously, and the new research supports, replacing congestion measures with VMT supports a shift away from undesired outcomes. 

"'We replaced something that was counterproductive with something that makes a lot more sense,' said Serena Alexander, an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering and public policy and urban affairs at Northeastern. 'But it doesn't mean that it's perfect,'" Tech Xplore reports.