[sustran] Smarter Solutions To Traffic Congestion - Media Release

[Todd Alexander Litman]

Media Release

30 December 2013

For More Information contact Todd Litman 

Phone: 250-360-1560

Email: litman at vtpi.org

 

 

Smarter Solutions To Traffic Congestion in 2014

 

Most people can agree that traffic congestion is wasteful and frustrating,
but that is where the consensus ends. There are often contentious debates
concerning which solution is best: whether to expand roads, improve public
transit services, price road use, or implement transportation demand
management strategies. These debates are often simplistic, based on
incomplete and biased analysis.

 

A new article, "Smarter Congestion Relief In Asian Cities: Win-Win Solutions
To Urban Transport Problems"
(http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/Publications/TPTS_pubs/bulletin82/b82_Chapter1.
pdf ) published December 2013 in the United Nation's "Transport and
Communications Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific," describes better ways to
evaluate traffic congestion problems and select congestion reduction
strategies. These principles apply to any urban area, not just Asian cities.

 

==============================================

"Smarter Congestion Relief In Asian Cities: Win-Win Solutions To Urban
Transport Problems"

By Todd Litman

 

ABSTRACT

This article describes new and better ways to solve urban traffic congestion
problems. It emphasizes win-win strategies that help achieve multiple
planning objectives and therefore maximize overall benefits. This reflects a
new planning paradigm which expands the range of impacts and options
considered in the planning process. Win-win strategies include improvements
to resource efficient modes such as walking, cycling and public transport;
incentives for urban-peak travelers to use the most efficient option for
each trip; and smart growth development policies that reduce travel
distances and therefore total congestion costs. This article discusses the
importance of comprehensive and multi-modal transport planning, describes
omissions and biases in current planning, identifies various win-win
congestion reduction strategies, and provides examples of successful urban
transportation improvement programs. The win-win approach can be applied to
many types of transportation problems, and is particularly appropriate in
rapidly-developing Asian cities.

==============================================

 

This article summarizes a more detailed study, "Smart Congestion Relief:
Comprehensive Evaluation Of Traffic Congestion Costs and Congestion
Reduction Strategies" (http://www.vtpi.org/cong_relief.pdf ) by the Victoria
Transport Policy Institute, which identifies the best practices recommended
by international experts for measuring traffic congestion costs and
evaluating potential congestion reduction strategies. 

 

According to study author, Todd Litman, "many congestion evaluation studies
use outdated analysis methods and assumptions which exaggerate congestion
costs and inaccurately evaluate the benefits of potential congestion
reduction strategies. This can bias planning decisions in ways that can
increase total transportation costs."

 

This is important because congestion evaluation affects many planning
decisions, from how transportation funds are spent and roads are designed,
to where development occurs. Despite this importance, many people involved
in these decisions have little understanding of how best to evaluate
congestion. Most communities continue to use biased and incomplete analysis
methods that exaggerate congestion costs and roadway expansion benefits, and
undervalue other solutions which are often best overall.

 

Litman explains, "Conventional congestion indicators, such as roadway
level-of-service, the travel time index, and the Gridlock Index, reflect
congestion intensity, the amount that traffic speeds decline during peak
periods. Such information is useful for making short-term decisions, such as
how to travel across town during rush hour, but is unsuited for strategic
planning decisions that affect transport options (the quality of travel
modes) or development patterns. More comprehensive evaluation measures total
congestion costs, taking into account exposure (the amount that people must
drive under urban-peak conditions)." 

 

More comprehensive and multi-modal analysis can help identify truly optimal
congestion reduction strategies. Many of these are win-win solutions:
congestion reduction strategies that help achieve other important planning
objectives. They are not necessarily the most cost effective strategy
considering congestion reductions alone, but are best overall when all
impacts are considered. 

 

Most cities are implementing some innovative congestion reduction
strategies, but few are implementing all that are economically justified.
The most effective congestion reduction programs usually include an
integrated combination of improvements to alternative modes, pricing
reforms, smart growth policies, and TDM programs.

 

The Victoria Transport Policy Institute has published several reports and
articles concerning better ways to evaluate congestion:

 

Todd Litman (2001), "Generated Traffic; Implications for Transport
Planning," ITE Journal, Vol. 71, No. 4, April, pp. 38-47
(http://www.vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf).  

 

Todd Litman (2012), Smart Congestion Relief: Comprehensive Analysis Of
Traffic Congestion Costs and Congestion Reduction Benefits, paper P12-5310,
Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting
(http://www.vtpi.org/cong_relief.pdf ). 

 

Todd Litman (2013), "Toward More Comprehensive and Multi-modal Transport
Evaluation," JOURNEYS, September, pp. 50-58
(http://www.vtpi.org/comp_evaluation.pdf ).

 

Todd Litman (2013), Congestion Costing Critique: Critical Evaluation of the
'Urban Mobility Report,' Victoria Transport Policy Institute
(http://www.vtpi.org/UMR_critique.pdf ).

 

Todd Litman, (2013), "Smarter Congestion Relief In Asian Cities: Win-Win
Solutions To Urban Transport Problems," Transport and Communications
Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific, United Nation's Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific, No. 82, pp. 1-18
(http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/Publications/TPTS_pubs/bulletin82/b82_Chapter1.
pdf ) 

 

Todd Litman (2013), Factors to Consider When Estimating Congestion Costs and
Evaluating Potential Congestion Reduction Strategies, submitted for
publication in the ITE Journal (http://www.vtpi.org/ITE_congestion.pdf ).

 

Todd Litman (2013), "Smarter Congestion Solutions in 2014," Planetizen
(http://www.planetizen.com/node/66677 )

 

 

Sincerely,
Todd Litman
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org)
litman at vtpi.org

facebook.com/todd.litman
Office: 250-360-1560; Mobile: 250-508-5150
1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"