[sustran] VTPI Newsletter - Summer 2014

Todd Litman litman at vtpi.org
Thu Sep 11 14:20:56 JST 2014


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                 VTPI NEWS

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              Victoria Transport Policy Institute

              "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"

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              Late Summer 2014    Vol. 14, No. 3

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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 (http://www.vtpi.org ) has many resources
addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also
provides consulting services.

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NEW VTPI DOCUMENTS

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

"Evaluating Household Chauffeuring Burdens: Understanding Direct and
Indirect Costs of Transporting Non-Drivers"
(http://www.vtpi.org/chauffeuring.pdf )

Household chauffeuring refers to personal motor vehicle travel specifically
made to transport independent non-drivers (people who could travel on their
own if they had suitable travel options). This additional vehicle travel
imposes various direct and indirect costs. This paper identifies factors
that affect the amount of chauffeuring that occurs in a community. It
develops a Chauffeuring Burden Index which can be used to quantify
chauffeuring costs and therefore the savings and benefits of transport
improvements that reduce chauffeuring burdens. This analysis indicates that
in automobile dependent communities, chauffeuring costs often exceed
congestion costs. Motorists often benefit from improved transport options
which reduce their chauffeuring burdens, even if they do not use those
options themselves.

 

PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE

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

"Evaluating Public Transportation Local Funding Options"
(http://tinyurl.com/okj4fn9 ). 

This article, published in the Journal of Public Transportation, evaluates
18 potential local public transportation funding options according to eight
criteria. This is a somewhat larger set of options and more detailed and
systematic evaluation than most previous studies. This study dis­covered no
new options that are particularly cost-effective and easy to implement; each
has disadvantages and constraints. As a result, its overall conclusion is
that a variety of funding options should be used to help finance the local
share of public transit improvements to ensure stability and distribute
costs broadly.

 

"How Transport Pricing Reforms Can Increase Road Safety"
(http://www.vtpi.org/TIT-pricesafety.pdf ), TrafficInfraTech
(www.trafficinfratech.com ), April-May 2014, pp. 68-71.

This article investigates the traffic safety impacts of transportation
pricing reforms, including higher fuel taxes, efficient road tolls and
parking fees, distance-based pricing, and reduced transit fares. Research
described in this report indicates that these reforms tend to reduce
accident rates, but this benefit is often overlooked: pricing reform
advocates seldom highlight traffic safety benefits and traffic safety
experts seldom advocate pricing reforms. More comprehensive analysis of
safety benefits can increase support for transport pricing reforms.

 

"Multi-Modal School Transportation Planning: Part 1 and Part 2"
(http://www.acefacilities.org/interactivelessons ), American Clearinghouse
on Educational Facilities, by Todd Litman. These interactive lesson plans
explore why and how to improve school walking and cycling access, and how to
evaluate these benefits and communicate them to school decision-makers. 

 

"Testing The Housing And Transportation Affordability Index In A Developing
World Context: A Sustainability Comparison Of Central And Suburban Districts
In Qom, Iran" (http://tinyurl.com/lf84oy9 ), by Ali A. Isalou, Todd Litman
and Behzad Shahmoradi.

Housing affordability is an important policy goal. However, housing is not
truly affordable if located in an inaccessible area with high transportation
costs. In recent years researchers have developed analysis methods for
measuring total housing and transportation costs for different locations
within cities, called a Housing and Transportation (H+T) Affordability
Index. This article, published in 'Transport Policy,' applies this analysis
in Qom City, Iran. The results indicate that suburban-area households spend
more than 57% of their income on housing and transport, significantly more
than the 45% spent by central district households. This illustrates the
feasibility of applying housing and transportation affordability analysis in
developing country cities to help identify truly affordable and sustainable
development.

 

“Evaluation of the Affordability Level of State-Sector Housing Built in
Iran: Case Study of the Maskan-e-Mehr Project in Zanjan City,” Journal of
Urban Planning and Development, Vol. 140
(http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000235 ), by Ali A Isalou,
Todd Litman, Kayoumars Irandoost and Behzad Shahmoradi.

This research uses a Housing and Transportation Affordability Index to
evaluate overall affordability for lower-income households in Zanjan City,
Iran. The study found that in automobile-dependent urban fringe locations,
71% of the families’ income is spent on housing and transportation combined,
much higher than the 45% considered affordable.

"Congestion May Signify Better Productivity, Not Worse. Paradox: Planners
Concentrate On Mobility, But Access To Places You Need To Be Is The Real
Test" (http://tinyurl.com/qevvs8x )

This newspaper article by reporter Don Cayo summarizes research in "The
Mobility-Productivity Paradox: Exploring The Negative Relationships Between
Mobility and Economic Productivity" on surprising relationships between
mobility and economic development ((http://t.co/yBHc7ClUte ). 

 

"Paradox: Congestion May Signify Better Accessibility and Economic
Productivity" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/69933 ). Although transport
planners consider traffic congestion economically harmful, economic
productivity tends to increase with congestion and decline with increased
road supply. This paradox can be explained by more nuanced analysis of
accessibility.

 

“Can a city ever be traffic jam-free?”
(http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140611-can-we-ever-end-traffic-jams ).

This BBC article investigates various ways to reduce traffic congestion.
Although it focuses primarily on technical solutions, it quotes Todd Litman
concerning planning reforms that improve space-efficient modes and encourage
their use.

 

Recent Planetizen Blogs (http://www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ):

"Introducing the Litman 'Chauffeuring Burden Index'"
(http://www.planetizen.com/node/71030 )

"What is a 'House'? Critiquing the Demographia International Housing
Affordability Survey" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/70829 )

"More Great Research Quantifying Smart Growth Benefits"
(http://www.planetizen.com/node/70261 )

"Is Traffic Speed Compliance A Congestion Cost?"
(http://www.planetizen.com/node/69378 )

"Responding to Transit Funding Criticism"
(http://www.planetizen.com/node/69020 )

 

Let’s be friends. Todd Litman regularly posts on his Facebook page
(http://www.facebook.com/todd.litman ). Befriend him now!

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BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

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

"How and Why To Encourage More Efficient Transportation In Brazilian Cities"
presented 3 September, São Paulo, Brazil, by the Instituto de Energia e Meio
Ambiente (http://www.energiaeambiente.org.br ). 

Here is a local newspaper article: "Comfort Driver to Take Public
Transportation: For Canadian expert, the user must have ‘sense of dignity’
on a bus." (http://tinyurl.com/l7t7tnm ). For more information on their
innovative policies see, "New São Paulo Master Plan Promotes Sustainable
Growth, Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide" (http://tinyurl.com/pzunaq6 )

 

"Implementing Transit Oriented Development in Indian Cities - Learnings and
Challenges" (http://tinyurl.com/mqc74y2 ), 7 August, Embarq India
(www.embarqindia.org ).

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) results in the creation of compact,
walkable and liveable communities with access to amenities built around high
quality mass transit stations. This webinar discussed how to implement TOD
in Indian cities. 

 

"Moving to the Future: Envisioning Better Public Transit for Central Oregon"
(http://tinyurl.com/mykz2ay ). This presentation for the Central Oregon
Intergovernmental Council (http://coic2.org ) is part of a program to create
a strategic vision for public transit development in that region. 

 

The following two papers were presented at the North American Travel
Monitoring Exposition and Conference (http://tinyurl.com/n93xnz6 ), held
July 2014 in Chicago, Illinois:

 

"Toward More Comprehensive and Multimodal Transportation Performance
Evaluation" (http://www.vtpi.org/comp_evaluation.pdf ). This presentation
described ways to make transportation planning evaluation more comprehensive
and multi-modal. Conventional transport planning is mobility-based, it
assumes that the planning objective is to maximize travel speed, and
evaluates transport system performance based primarily on motor vehicle
travel conditions. A new paradigm recognizes that the ultimate goal of most
transport activity is accessibility, which refers to people’s overall
ability to reach desired services and activities. This new paradigm applies
more comprehensive and multi-modal evaluation which expands the range of
modes, objectives, impacts and options considered in the planning process. 

 

"Valuing and Improving Transportation-Related Data Programs: Report from
2013 TRB Sessions" (http://www.vtpi.org/TRB_data.pdf ). This presentation
summarized the findings of 2013 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting
sessions on valuing and improving transportation-related data programs
(programs that collect basic data used for transport policy, planning and
research). It discusses the business case for expanding and improving data
programs, puts data program costs into perspective with transport
expenditures and economic impacts, describes examples of the data needed to
address various transport planning issues, gives examples of existing
transport data programs, describes problems and threats, discusses who
should lead in data program strategic development, summarizes best
practices, and provides conclusions and recommendations.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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

2014 Integrated Conference of Better Air Quality and Environmentally
Sustainable Transport in Asia, 19-21 November, Colombo, Sri Lanka
(http://baq2014est.org ).

Todd Litman will present an overview presentation and report at this
Conference which bring together a thousand policymakers, technical experts,
practitioners and industry leaders from around the region to identify
policies and strategies to improve transport, economic development and
environmental quality. Mr. Litman will be available for additional events in
the region before or after this Conference – contact him below if you have
suggestions.

 

Transportation for Sustainability –International Conference
(http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/169154.aspx ), 7-8 May 2015, Washington,
D.C. 

This conference will explore transportation and sustainability issues. The
program will include technical discussions on sustainable practices and
interactive sustainability problem-solving, and feature a plenary session
that will likely include senior level policy makers, corporate executives,
and leading subject matter experts. Submit presentation and poster abstracts
by October 15, 2014.

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USEFUL RESOURCES

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

"Family-Friendly Cities"
(http://daily.sightline.org/blog_series/family-friendly-cities ). This
Sightline series explores ways to create more child-friendly cities,
including affordable housing sized for families, supportive zoning laws,
central city public schools, streets that are safe for unsteady toddlers,
buses that accommodate strollers, and communal spaces for parents and their
kids.

 

"Istanbul: An Accessable City – A City For People"
(http://tinyurl.com/kycj5n2 ). Istanbul’s Historic district is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site with unique cultural features and extraordinary beauty,
a major tourist destination and home to tens of thousands of residents.
However, it currently suffers from poor walking, cycling and public transit
infrastructure, excessive automobile traffic and parked cars filling its
ancient streets. This study by Gehl Architects for EMBARQ Turkey provides
detailed analysis of current conditions and specific recommendations for
creating a more livable, sustainable, and economically successful city. It
is a beautiful document which could serve as a model for community planning
in other cities.

 

"Multimodal System Design Guidelines" (http://tinyurl.com/np85v86 ). This
new resource by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
provides guidance on Multimodal System Planning and identifies various
design practices that help create corridors, neighborhoods and regions with
diverse transport options. 

 

"Suburban Sprawl And Bad Transit Can Crush Opportunity For The Poor"
(http://tinyurl.com/nzn48ty ). This article by Danielle Kurtzleben
summarizes research indicating that improving public transit and more
accessible community design tends to improve economic opportunities for
disadvantaged residents.

 

"URBNAFUL" (http://urbanful.org ). Part magazine, part marketplace, this
website highlights great things happening in cities, and various design,
technology and culture innovations that are changing how we live. 
 
"Next Stop Health: Transit Access and Health Inequities in Toronto"
(http://tinyurl.com/kyzq3xc ). This report examines the health impacts of
inadequate mobility options for physically and economically disadvantaged
populations, disparities in public transit availability and affordability,
and strategies to improve public transit access for lower-income residents
in Toronto. 

 

"The Happy Commuter: A Comparison Of Commuter Satisfaction Across Modes"
(http://tinyurl.com/otzkrvl ). This study investigates factors that affect
commuter satisfaction. It finds that pedestrians, train commuters and
cyclists are significantly more satisfied than drivers, metro and bus users.


 

"Mayor of London’s Roads Task Force" (http://tinyurl.com/kkwnh8z ). This
Task Force produced technical resources for designing and managing London’s
streets to balance various economic, social and environmental goals, and an
evaluation process to measure progress.

 

"Cost-Benefit Analysis of Rural and Small Urban Transit"
(http://tinyurl.com/mkgxpvo ). This study by the Upper Great Plains
Transportation Institute provides a framework for evaluating the benefits of
small urban and rural public transit systems. It uses sensitivity analysis
to identify how these benefits vary if key variables are changed. The
results indicate that, considering all impacts, rural and small town transit
services often provide benefits that significantly exceed their costs.

 

"Effect of Light-Rail Transit on Traffic in a Travel Corridor"
(http://otrec.us/project/611 ). This study investigated the impacts Salt
Lake City's University TRAX light-rail system. It found that after the LRT
service began, traffic volumes on parallel roads declined significantly,
providing reductions in traffic congestion, fuel consumption and pollution,
and saved the University of Utah $23.6 million in avoided parking facility
costs. 

 

"Trends in Transit-Oriented Development 2000–2010"
(http://tinyurl.com/kwycc4p ) This study quantifies the growth in TODs in
the U.S., analyzes the types of households residing there, and the impacts
that TOD location has on household's travel activity.

 

"Why Creating And Preserving Affordable Homes Near Transit Is A Highly
Effective Climate Protection Strategy (http://tinyurl.com/pnf7u86 ). This
study used detailed travel survey data to measure how demographic,
geographic and economic factors affect household travel activity. It
indicates that all households, particularly those with lower-incomes, tend
to reduce vehicle ownership, travel and fuel consumption if located in
transit-oriented neighborhoods.  

 

The Australian Bicycle Council (http://bicyclecouncil.com.au/research ) many
excellent technical publications on bicycle planning and evaluation methods.

 

"Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program: Continued Progress in Developing
Walking and Bicycling Networks – May 2014 Report"
(http://tinyurl.com/qyxcpb7 ). This report summarizes the impacts of the
Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP). The four pilot communities
experienced a 23% increase in walking trips and a 48% increase in bicycling
trips, which reduced 85 million vehicle-miles traveled.

 

"Practical Guidebook: Parking and Travel Demand Management Policies in Latin
America" (http://tinyurl.com/jwuxelm ). This guidebook, produced by the
Inter-American Development Bank evaluates numerous examples of parking and
transportation demand management policies throughout the world, and their
feasibility for implementation in Latin American cities.

 

"SFpark Program Evaluation"
(http://sfpark.org/about-the-project/pilot-evaluation ). San Francisco is
testing more efficient on-street parking pricing, with higher rates at times
and locations with congested parking. This evaluation indicates that these
reforms reduced average parking rates, improved parking availability and
motorists convenience, and reduced vehicle miles travelled and pollution
emissions.

 

"Performance Data for Comparing the World's Cities"
(http://tinyurl.com/mhu9sn9 ). International standard “ISO 37120” defines 46
indicators for evaluating urban performance, including several related to
urban transport and land use planning.

 

"The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate"
(http://newclimateeconomy.net ) is a major new international initiative to
provide independent and authoritative evidence on actions which can
strengthen economic performance and reduce climate change risks. It will
report in September 2014.

 

"Fuel Price Policies Readling List, 2001-2014" (http://tinyurl.com/nd5h7sd
). This publication provides annotated references to various publications
concerning fuel price policy analysis and reforms.

 

"Climate-Smart Development: Adding Up The Benefits Of Actions That Help
Build Prosperity, End Poverty And Combat Climate Change" (
<http://tinyurl.com/lgr75hl> http://tinyurl.com/lgr75hl ). This World Bank
study evaluates the economic and social benefits of various climate change
emission reduction strategies, and estimates their potential benefits if
they were scaled up and applied worldwide. It concludes that these policies
could reduce approximately 10% of the energy-related emission reductions
necessary to achieve global emission reduction targets with a net savings of
$169 per tonne. 

 

Metromile (https://www.metromile.com ) now offers pay-as-you-drive vehicle
insurance, which bases insurance premiums directly on the amount a vehicle
is driven each year, and so provides a substantial new incentive to reduce
mileage. 

"The Future of Driving in Developing Countries" (http://tinyurl.com/pwulza2
) and "Grow, Peak Or Plateau - The Outlook For Car Travel"
(http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/23277 ). These studies investigate various
demographic and economic factors that affect future motor vehicle ownership
and use. The analysis indicates that vehicle travel demand is reaching
natural saturation levels in many countries.

 

"Walk the Walk Literally" (http://youtu.be/24NvQKnfNfI ). This TEDxCairo
Talk by Tarek Rakha, PhD Candidate, Department of Architecture,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology discusses the importance of efficient
and multi-modal transportation planning, particularly designing complete
streets in developing country cities. He also emphasizes the need for
geographically- and culturally-responsive planning. (Turn on the "Caption"
button if you don’t speak Arabic). Well done, Tarek!

                 *    *    *    *    *

 

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 email list.
And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful.

 

 

Sincerely,

Todd Litman (litman at vtpi.org)

Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org)

Office: 250-360-1560 | Mobile: 250-508-5150

1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA

     Efficiency - Equity - Clarity 

 



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