An Australian study indicates that in large cities in Europe, North America and Australia, driving has 'peaked' largely due to congestion causing a limit to commuter's travel, known as the Marchetti wall.
"A study (PDF) from the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute says that many cities--including Vienna, Zurich, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Houston--have already seen a decline in car usage between 1995 and 2005."
The study points to 'Marchetti's Constant',"a term for the average amount of time spent traveling each day, which is approximately one and a half hours."
The study notes that increasing VMT in the developing world may overwhelm the decline in vehicle usage in urban areas of developed nations.
From DC Streetsblog: Has America Passed Peak Car Use, or Is It Just a Cyclical Decline?: "Meanwhile, new data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics adds to the body of research about the decline in driving - but whether that amounts to "peak car use" is worth further consideration. The report shows a leveling off in vehicle miles traveled, beginning at the end of 2007."
Thanks to Streetsblog New York City
FULL STORY: We Are Approaching Peak Car Use
California Poised to Lose Up to $4 Billion in Gas Tax Revenue
States must find other ways to fund transportation projects as the transportation sector moves toward decarbonization.
Opinion: Stop Trusting Elon Musk—on Tunnels, on Teslas, on Everything
Musk has leveraged social media intrigue and a hot streak on the market to become the standard bearer for autonomous vehicle technology. Trust Tesla at public peril, argues James Brasuell in this opinion piece.
Density and Driving: A Second Look
A common argument against more compact housing is that increased population density will only reduce vehicle miles traveled at moderate levels of density, as opposed to very low-density and very high-density areas. But this might not be so.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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