Increasing car ownership and shifting demographics means planners need to rethink the car-centric equation, according to this article.
Daniel C. Vock has some good news and some bad news about car ownership among low-income Americans.
"The good news is that more low-income Americans report they have access to vehicles than they did a decade ago, before the Great Recession," according to Vock. "The bad – or at least, unsettling – news is that even a subtle shift in car usage could have big impacts on transit ridership and other transportation policies, and public officials are still trying to determine how to respond."
The contemporary connection between increased car ownership and reduced transit ridership was first elucidated by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles in a study focusing on the Los Angeles region. Vock follows the reasoning of that study to a broader conclusion about the United States reverting to the pre-Recession norm in terms of car ownership and usage.
"Urban planners who want to push for walkable neighborhoods and transit-oriented development can still make a compelling case for certain areas, particularly urban centers," writes Vock.
The article includes more details about the implications of increased car ownership, for both urban and suburban environments, as well as in other sectors of the economy, like auto loans.
FULL STORY: More Poorer Residents Are Driving Cars, Presenting New Issues for Transit Agencies
The New Normal: Less Transit, More Congestion
With transit systems still far below historic levels, and congestion not budging, the worst effects of an automobile dependent nation fall on the environment and low-income households.
Could High Gas Prices Push Riders Back to Public Transit?
The quick ascent of gas prices, at a time of economic uncertainty for many, could be just the boost public transit needs to get back to pre-pandemic levels of ridership. Or not.
Reducing Car Trips in L.A.: Transportation Demand Management Ordinance Could Be Expanded
The proposed expansion would affect smaller multi-family developments and include incentives for reducing travel during peak hours and encouraging transit, walking, and biking.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions