[sustran] VTPI News, Fall 2003

Todd Alexander Litman litman at vtpi.org
Thu Dec 11 14:56:50 JST 2003


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                                   VTPI NEWS
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                       Victoria Transport Policy Institute
                          "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
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                             Fall 2003    Vol. 6, No. 4
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The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research 
organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation 
problems. The VTPI website (www.vtpi.org) has many resources addressing a 
wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also provides 
consulting services.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


VTPI ONLINE TDM ENCYCLOPEDIA - UPDATES
======================================
The VTPI "Online TDM Encyclopedia" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm) is the most 
comprehensive resource available anywhere to help identify and evaluate 
innovative management solutions to transport problems. We have been busy 
expanding and updating the Encyclopedia. Below are new chapters. Many other 
chapters have been updated and expanded.

* "Asset Management" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm109.htm)
Asset Management refers to policies and programs designed to preserve the 
value of assets such as vehicles, roads, parking facilities and buildings, 
which often support TDM.

* "Multi-Modal Access Guides" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm113.htm)
This chapter describes how to develop a Transportation Access Guide (TAG), 
which provides concise, customized directions to a particular destination 
by walking, cycling, driving and public transit.

* "Change Management" (http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm114.htm)
Change Management involves various attitudes, techniques and resources that 
support innovation and reform. Change Management recognizes that there 
tends to be inertia in existing institutions which must be overcome in 
order to implement innovative solutions and create more efficient, 
responsive and resilient systems.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


OTHER NEW DOCUMENTS
===================
We have posted several important new documents on our website.


William Vickrey, "Automobile Accidents, Tort Law, Externalities, and 
Insurance: An Economist’s Critique," originally published in Law and 
Contemporary Problems, 33, 1968 (http://www.vtpi.org/vic_acc.pdf).
This is a seminal article concerning traffic accident costs and vehicle 
insurance pricing reform by Professor William Vickrey, winner of the 1996 
Nobel Prize for economics. It describes how to determine the marginal 
accident costs of vehicle travel, identifies several problems associated 
with current insurance pricing and compensation practices, and proposes 
innovative solutions. It recommends distance-based pricing, that is, basing 
premiums directly on annual vehicle mileage.


"Financing Transit Systems Through Value Capture: An Annotated 
Bibliography" (Previously titled: "Does Public Transit Service Raise Nearby 
Property Values Enough To Pay For Itself Were The Value Captured?") Jeffery 
J. Smith and Thomas A. Gihring (http://www.vtpi.org/smith.htm).
This paper examines research on the land value impacts of public transit 
service, and particularly whether the value increases can repay some or all 
of public transit service costs. It summarizes the results of more than 70 
studies. Many studies indicate significant increases in property values 
near transit stations, often representing enough incremental value and 
potential tax revenue to fund a significant portion of transit investment 
funding requirements.


"Induced Travel Bibliography," By Robert Noland 
(http://www.vtpi.org/induced_bib.htm)
This bibliography provides several dozen references concerning induced 
vehicle travel and its implications.


Todd Litman, "Evaluating Criticism of Smart Growth" 
(www.vtpi.org/sgcritics.pdf), 2003.
This paper evaluates criticisms of Smart Growth land use policies. It 
defines the concept of Smart Growth and the benefits it can provide. It 
examines various criticisms of Smart Growth. This analysis indicates that 
many claims by critics reflect an incomplete understanding of Smart Growth, 
and inaccurate analysis.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE
===================

"Economic Value of Walkability," Transportation Research Record 1828, 
Transportation Research Board (www.trb.org), 2003, pp. 3-11; also available 
at the VTPI website (www.vtpi.org/walkability.pdf).
This paper describes ways to quantify the value of walking (the activity) 
and walkability (the quality of walking conditions, including safety, 
comfort and convenience). Current transport planning practices tend to 
undervalue walking. More comprehensive analysis can increase public support 
for walking and other nonmotorized modes of travel.


"Measuring Transportation: Traffic, Mobility and Accessibility," ITE 
Journal (www.ite.org),  Vol. 73, No. 10, October 2003, pp. 28-32; available 
at the VTPI website (www.vtpi.org/measure.pdf).
This article compares three approaches to measuring transportation system 
performance and discusses their effects on planning decisions.


"Integrating Public Health Objectives in Transportation Decision-Making," 
American Journal of Health Promotion (www.healthpromotionjournal.com), Vol. 
18, No. 1, Sept./Oct. 2003, pp. 103-108; also available at the VTPI website 
(www.vtpi.org/AJHP-litman.pdf).
This editorial explores how transportation decision-making can better 
support public health objectives, including reduced crashes and pollution 
emissions, and more physical activity. Raising the priority of health 
objectives supports planning reforms that result in a more balanced 
transportation system. Integrating health objectives into transportation 
planning may be a cost-effective way to improve public health.


"Mobility Management," Sustainable Transport Sourcebook, 
(http://www.vtpi.org/gtz_module.pdf), published by the Sustainable Urban 
Transport Project in Asia (www.sutp.org) and GTZ (www.gtz.de). The 
Sourcebook is a toolkit to help policy-makers develop more sustainable 
urban transportation systems. The full set of modules are now available in 
print, and some are posted at the SUTP website 
(http://www.sutp.org/publications.aspx).


"Non-Motorized Transportation Demand Management," Sustainable Transport: 
Planning for Walking and Cycling in Urban Environments (Rodney Tolley, 
ed.), Woodhead Publishing Ltd (www.woodhead-publishing.com), 2003. This 
book includes more than four-dozen chapters by leading experts in 
nonmotorized transportation planning covering a wide range of issues.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


PARKING MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES
=================================
As mentioned in our Summer newsletter, we are currently writing a "Parking 
Management Best Practices" book, to be published by Planners Press. We 
would like to find case studies and practioners’ experience implementing 
any form of parking management strategies. Please let us know if you can 
help with this project.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


BEEN THERE - DONE THAT
======================
During the last few months we have participated in several exciting events:

* "TDM and Planning: Best Practices," Travel Smart Program, Melbourne, 
Australia, 24 November 2003. During this presentation a local planner 
described how he had used information posted on the VTPI website to 
overcome resistance to their parking management program and successfully 
implement new policies. It’s wonderful to receive such positive feedback!

* "Valuing Non-Motorized Transport," keynote presentation at the Connecting 
Cycling Conference, 20 November 2003, Canberra, Australia 
(www.bfa.asn.au/conference/index.htm). A wonderful conference covering all 
aspects of bicycle planning and program development.

* "Sustainable Mobility: Reducing Car Use through TDM and Least-Cost 
Planning," presented at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, Sydney, 
Australia, 19 November 2003. This workshop attracted a diverse range of 
transportation planning professionals from the Sydney region.

* "TOD Parking Management: Balance Between Transit and TOD Parking," 
Rail~Volution (http://www.railvolution.com), Atlanta, Georgia, 13 September 
2003. This presentation described ways to use management strategies to 
address parking problems around rail transit stations.

* "Transit Supportive Policies: Mobility Management and Smart Growth To 
Increase BRT Ridership and Efficiency," presented at the Seminario 
Internacional Sobre Las Implicaciones Del Provecto De Corredores Ecxlusivos 
Para El Transporte Publico De La Ciudad De Mexico (International Seminar 
Concerning Implications of Dedicated Busways In Mexico City), 3 September 
2003. Mexico City officials are planning to construct a Bus Rapid Transit 
system, similar to the successful TransMilenio Busway in Bogota, Columbia 
(www.transmilenio.gov.co) and Bus Rapid Transit in Curitiba, Brazil. Our 
presentation explored the benefits that such a system can provide, and 
identified transport and land use policies to help optimize these benefits.

* "The Great Debate: Smart Growth Pro and Con," with Wendell Cox at the 2nd 
Urban Streets Symposium, Anaheim, California, 30 July 2003. This was an 
opportunity to examine and respond to criticisms of Smart Growth by a 
leading advocate of urban sprawl and automobile dependency. For more 
information see our paper "Evaluating Criticism of Smart Growth," described 
above.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


PARTNERSHIPS
============
The Victoria Transport Policy Institute announces a new partnership with 
SIGEA (Sistemas Integrales de Gestión Ambiental or “Integral Systems for 
Environmental Management”) in Mexico City. SIGEA is an established 
environmental management firm directed by Dr. Leonardo Martínez Flores. It 
will provide VTPI services directly in Mexico, and will work to promote 
sustainable transportation concepts among decision makers.

Mexico is struggling with various problems resulting from growing motor 
vehicle traffic. Addressing these problems will require innovative 
management solutions to encourage more efficient use of transportation 
resources. This requires more comprehensive analysis to help identify the 
solutions that are most cost-effective overall, when all economic, social 
and environmental impacts are considered.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


UPCOMING EVENTS
===============
Transportation Research Board (TRB) 83rd Annual Meeting (http://www.trb.org).
The TRB Annual Meeting is a major international event held each January in 
Washington DC. This year it is likely to attract more than eight thousand 
transportation professionals from all over the world. It is an opportunity 
for people involved in a wide range of transportation research issues to 
exchange information and collaborate on projects.

VTPI is involved in several sessions.

*  Workshop 121 "Best Practices in Value Pricing," Sunday, January 11, 
2004, 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Hilton. Litman: 'Economic Theory and Pricing 
Reforms' and 'Non-facility Transportation Pricing Reforms'

*  Session 421 "London: Pricing Sustainable Urban Transport," Hilton, 
Tuesday, 8:009:45 AM. Litman: session coordinator (For an overview see 
http://www.vtpi.org/london.pdf ).

*  Session 629 "Segway Technology and Experience," Hilton, Wednesday, 
8:009:45 AM.  Litman & Blair: 'Managing Personal Mobility Devices in 
Nonmotorized Facilities' (04-2286)

* Session 698, "Nonmotorized Transport: Asia and Africa," Wednesday, 
January 14, 2004, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM, Hilton. Litman: 'Emerging Research 
Issues in Nonmotorized Transport'(P04-1120)


3rd Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference 
(http://www.outreach.psu.edu/C&I/SmartGrowth) Portland, Oregon, January 
22-24, 2004
On-line registration is now open for the 3rd Annual New Partners for Smart 
Growth Conference. This multidisciplinary event will highlight cutting-edge 
smart-growth issues and will feature the latest research, implementation 
tools and strategies, successful case studies, new partners, new projects, 
and new policies.


Pro Walk - Pro Bike Victoria 2004, September 7  10, 2004, Victoria, British 
Columbia (http://www.bikewalk.org).
Next year, the major bi-annual international walking and cycling conference 
will be held in our home town, Victoria, BC. The National Center for 
Bicycling and Walking (NCBW) in Washington, DC is preparing the call for 
papers for the Pro Walk  Pro Bike conference, on the theme of "Creating 
Active Communities", to focus on the link between community design and 
health. Pro Walk - Pro Bike is a forum for sharing practical solutions, 
best practices and successful strategies for supporting healthy and 
sustainable lifestyles and transportation choices. It will both inspire 
participants and provide them with specific, hands-on tools for making more 
walkable and bicycle-friendly communities.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


USEFUL RESOURCES
================

European Transport Pricing Initiative Newsletter 
(http://www.mcicam.net/MCICAM-news.pdf) is produced by MC-ICAM, a pricing 
reform research project.


Dom Nozzi, "Road to Ruin: An Introduction to Sprawl and How To Cure It," 
Praeger (www.praeger.com), 2003.
This book, written by a senior planner, discusses how automobile dependency 
results in sprawled land use, and the economic, social and environmental 
costs that result. It discusses the costs of sprawl, and recommends 
specific policy and planning reforms to create more efficient land use 
patterns and more balanced transportation systems, including various 
mobility management strategies, walkable communities, improved street 
design, and development regulatory reform. Provides recommended development 
standards for urban centers, suburbs and rural areas.


Douglas Kolozsvari and Donald Shoup, "Turning Small Change Into Big 
Changes," ACCESS 23, University of California Transportation Center 
(www.uctc.net), Fall 2003, pp. 2-7.
Whether you are interested in urban redevelopment, parking management, 
transportation demand management, or transportation pricing reform, you 
should enjoy this short but sweet article describing the success of Old 
Pasadena’s downtown redevelopment financed by parking meter revenue.
                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Please let us know if you have comments or questions about any information 
in this newsletter, or if you would like to be removed from our mailing 
list. And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful.

NOTE: Please use our current email address (litman at vtpi.org or 
info at vtpi.org), rather than litman at islandnet.com, which will be 
discontinued in the future.




Sincerely,
Todd Litman, Director
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
1250 Rudlin Street
Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada
Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560
Email: litman at vtpi.org
Website: http://www.vtpi.org




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