From yanivbin at gmail.com Thu Jul 6 12:56:29 2017 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2017 09:26:29 +0530 Subject: [sustran] TRAFFIC REFUSES TO DIE DOWN DESPITE BANGALORE METRO Message-ID: http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/traffic-refuses-to-die-down-despite-metro/articleshow/59464349.cms TRAFFIC REFUSES TO DIE DOWN DESPITE METRO By Suchith Kidiyoor, Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Jul 6, 2017, 04.00 AM IST [image: Traffic refuses to die down despite Metro] When the entire 42-km stretch of Phase 1 of Namma Metro became operational last month, it was expected to ease traffic congestion on Bengaluru?s roads. However, contrary to popular belief, vehicle population in the city is increasing at an alarming rate, and as a result, degrading ambient air quality. More than 70 lakh vehicles will be plying on the city?s roads by the end of this month, say statistics. In May, the vehicle population was 69.31 lakh -- this includes 48 lakh two-wheelers and 13.40 lakh cars. The first stretch of Phase 1 of the Metro -- MG Road to Baiyappanahalli -- became operational in October 2011. And the last 12-km stretch of this phase -- from Sampige Road to Yelachenahalli -- became operational in June this year. Strangely, during these six years, vehicle population in the city also increased. For instance, in 2012, the vehicle population was 41.56 lakh; now it has touched 69.31 lakh -- an increase of 27.75 lakh vehicles. Transport department officials expect that number to go up further as buying cars and two-wheelers has now become a much cheaper affair, thanks to many automakers announcing reduction of prices after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). An official of a Regional Transport Office (RTO) confirmed this belief. There will be a surge in vehicle-registration in the coming days after announcements of reduction of car prices, the official said. Transport commissioner B Dayananda said there has been an annual rise of 12 per cent in vehicle registrations in the city. ?Registration of vehicles is likely to increase in the coming days and GST could be one of the main factors. We will assess the impact of GST on registration of vehicles by the end of this month,? Dayananda said. But the authorities are clearly not doing enough to curb traffic emissions. When asked about the measures that the department is taking to counter the adverse environmental impact from the rising number of vehicles, the transport commissioner did not have much to say. From yanivbin at gmail.com Thu Jul 6 15:46:13 2017 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2017 12:16:13 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Commuters demand better infrastructure, more feeder services from BMTC at first Janaspandana Message-ID: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/commuters-demand-better-infrastructure-more-feeder-services-from-bmtc-at-first-janaspandana/article19214581.ece Commuters demand better infrastructure, more feeder services from BMTC at first Janaspandana STAFF REPORTER BENGALURU,JULY 05, 2017 13:23 IST UPDATED: JULY 05, 2017 13:23 IST Commuters got to interact directly with officials from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation on Bus day on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: File Photo Requests for mini buses on congested or narrow roads, suggestions for how the bus windows should be and the need for metro feeder services, the Janaspandana programme in Banashankari on Tuesday, the first on a ?Bus Day,? saw commuters interact directly with officials from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). Parijatha.G.P, a regular commuter since 2008, said, ?Buses should avoid putting up ads on the window glasses as we are unable to recognise bus stops when the buses are crowded.? Another commuter said travel inside BMTC buses were difficult during rains as water leaks into the bus in many cases. Prabhudevan, a resident of JP Nagar, suggested that mini buses could be launched for routes where the roads are narrow to avoid traffic congestion. Sudhamani, a frequent user of BMTC buses, said there are no Metro feeder services from Banashankari to Kengeri, due to which travel was difficult. To this, BMTC officials said there are 165 metro feeder services at present making more than 2,000 trips per days, which the transport corporation is planning to increase. Though calling the interaction a ?welcome move,? those from Bus Beku Bhagya questioned the timing of the event. ?Keeping the meeting at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday is not going to work. It is a public company that has to go to the people,? said Srinivas Alavilli from the campaign. From yanivbin at gmail.com Sun Jul 9 01:42:10 2017 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2017 22:12:10 +0530 Subject: [sustran] No incentive to cycle, walk Message-ID: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/no-incentive-to-cycle-walk/article19236635.ece No incentive to cycle, walk K.V. Aditya Bharadwaj JULY 08, 2017 01:06 IST Household survey of seven gated communities reveals mobility patterns Residents of large integrated townships and gated communities are increasingly dependent on private transport, not just to commute to work but even for shorter trips within the township. This was revealed in a household survey and study on mobility patterns in seven gated communities ? five in Bengaluru and one each in Ahmedabad and Naya Raipur, conducted by World Resources Institute, India. The report ?Encouraging Design Practices For Sustainable Mobility in Indian Townships: A Guide Book? reveals that though residents are inclined to use sustainable modes of transport ? walking, cycling and public transit ? they don?t get this option in townships. The reasons are two-fold: poor connectivity to public transit in the city and lack of sustainable mobility design within the township itself. The location of the townships ? most are on the peripheries of the city centre ? puts them at a disadvantage in terms of access to public transit. ?These townships often lack external infrastructure, such as access to good road networks, public transport, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure,? says the report. More often than not, peripheral areas develop slowly and public infrastructure support is provided only after the townships are occupied, as is the case around the international airport in Bengaluru. ?This lag in the pace of public infrastructure development has led to accessibility issues and increased dependency on private transport within and outside the townships,? say the authors, adding that township developers, too, have rarely designed intra-township commute for sustainable mobility. ?Our study has revealed that often cars at the centre of designing intra community infrastructure as well,? said Madhav Pai, Director, Sustainable Cities, WRI India, one of the authors of the report. Residents use cars even for short trips The household survey in seven gated townships revealed interesting information on mobility patterns. Cars seem to be the preferred mode of transport of all trips (63%) for both long and short trips. The survey reveals that 46% of the trips were of less than 5km, for which a majority used cars. Even for trips shorter than 1.5 km within the township, residents did not opt for walking or cycling. One of the townships in Bengaluru saw congestion at its gates in the morning as parents dropped children to the school bus in cars. The distance to the gates from the farthest point of the township was 535 metres. Lack of shuttle services to the nearest public transit point has deterred over 35% of residents from using this option, the study revealed. The good news may be that a sizeable majority of the residents are open to using sustainable mobility modes, like walking, cycling and public transport, if offered facilities like continuous, weather-proof pedestrian and cycling lanes and shuttle services from within the townships to the nearest public mobility hub. The report includes several recommendations of design interventions to improve sustainable mobility within the townships. ?Gated communities provide an opportunity to experiment and work towards behavioural change of residents towards sustainable mobility. This also makes economical sense as it saves fuel and reduces carbon emissions,? he said. Household survey* of gated townships Bengaluru 5 Ahmedabad 1 Naya Raipur 1 Intended population of townships: 30,000 Sample size: 445 * Conducted by World Resources Institute, Bengaluru Vehicle ownership pattern Households that own at least one vehicle: 93% Largest proportion was cars (88%) Commuting mode (household-related trips) Cars: 63% Two-wheelers: 15% Walk: 4% Public transport: 4% 46% of the trips were for less than 5 km 64% of the trips for 30 minutes one-way Purpose of trip (% of people used cars) Work commute (63%) Business commute (80%) Local shopping (63%) Visiting friends (65%) I would walk more if... we had continuous and safe pedestrian network (61% ) I would cycle more if... we had safe cycle lanes (23%) I would commute more by public transport if... we had a to-and-fro shuttle between the community and the nearest public transit stop (35%) Commonly cited concerns Recommended design interventions Travel Time and Distance Site Selection Compact and Mixed-use development Building Placement Weather Weather-protected walkways Enclosed transit shelters and waiting areas Convenience and Comfort Continuous pedestrian and cycling network Universal accessible design Lack of amenities Continuous cycling and pedestrian lanes Supportive street furniture Cycle parking Shuttle and feeder services to nearby transit stops Safety and security Location of building entrance Supportive street design Proper lighting and landscape From nikola.medimorec at slocatpartnership.org Tue Jul 11 09:14:19 2017 From: nikola.medimorec at slocatpartnership.org (Nikola Medimorec) Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2017 09:14:19 +0900 Subject: [sustran] SLoCaT: Mobilizing Effort to Promote Sustainable Transport at HLPF 2017 Message-ID: Dear Sustran-discuss subscribers, The Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) would like to share with you a SLoCaT special newsletter prepared for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development which is taking place from 10 to 19 July 2017 in New York. HLPF is the United Nations central platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda . Under the theme ?Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world?, HLPF will this year specifically review SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 14 (Life below Water). Transport is directly included in two of the targets (Target 3.6 on road safety and Target 9.1 on sustainable infrastructure) under review in HLPF. In addition, there are three indirect targets (Target 1.2 on poverty alleviation, Target 2.3 on agricultural productivity, and Target 3.9 on air pollution) being reviewed in HLPF 2017 that have a transport relevance. SLoCaT?s involvement in the HLPF is directly linked to SLoCaT?s mission: ?to promote the integration of sustainable transport in global policies on sustainable development and climate change?. In this newsletter, SLoCaT presents: 1-Reflection on the integration of Transport in the High Level Political Forum Process, focusing on Voluntary National Reviews, Second SDG Progress Report and draft HLPF Ministerial Declaration 2- Other SLoCaT Inputs to HLPF Process 3- Overview of Sustainable Transport Events during HLPF 4- SLoCaT Outreach Campaign during HLPF *1- Reflection of Transport in High Level Political Forum Process* In order to understand how transport is reflected in the HLPF Process SLoCaT reviewed the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) submitted by countries, the second SDG Progress Report and the HLPF Ministerial Declaration. The treatment of transport in VNRs, the SDG progress report and the draft ministerial declaration shows that, while there is progress on transport?s inclusion in VNRs and SDG Progress Report compared to last year, there is still much work which needs to be done in order to establish a structured framework that effectively measures the progress made in the transport sector towards sustainable development. *- Gaps remain in reporting on transport and its contribution to sustainable development in VNRs* As part of its follow-up and review mechanisms, the 2030 Agenda encourages member states to submit voluntary, state-led, national reports known as Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to report on the implementation of the SDGs. Following an initial analysis on the treatment of transport in the 22 VNRs submitted in 2016 , SLoCaT continues to track the references to transport in the 44 VNRs submitted to HLPF 2017 . Only 64% of the 22 VNRs submitted in 2016 contain references to transport, with not all references sustainability-specific. In 2017, 97% of the submitted VNRs, all but one, have certain degree of references to the transport sector. The SLoCaT VNR Analysis shows that despite the slight progress made in 2017 compared to 2016, there is still much greater potential to raise the profile of sustainable transport within the VNR process. Only around 36% of the VNRs give specific examples and references to link transport with sustainable development impacts. *- SDG Progress Report 2017 falls short in measuring progress in sustainable transport* The second SDG Progress Report was released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) Statistics Division in June 2017. Information on the global status on air pollution from traffic, road safety, energy consumption, employment opportunities and economic development driven by the transport sector are presented in the progress report. Compared to the first SDG progress report 2016 , the second progress report has expanded its references to transport and built somewhat stronger linkages between transport and several SDG targets, such as SDG 3.6 (road safety), SDG 3.9 (public health), SDG 7.3 (sustainable energy consumption), and SDG 9.1 (economic development). However, it has not included any information on several key transport-related SDG indicators, such as SDG 9.1.1 (rural access), SDG 11.2.1 (access to public transport), and SDG 12.c.1 (fossil fuel subsidies). *- Draft HLPF Ministerial Declaration has yet to include meaningful references to scale up actions on sustainable transport* In conjunction to the HLPF 2017, a three-day ministerial meeting will be held from 17 to 19 July, 2017. A ministerial declaration outlining the commitments of the ministers and high-level representatives from UN member states to implement the 2030 Agenda is expected to be adopted towards the end of the meeting. The revised draft of the ministerial declaration (as of June 27, 2017) gives only brief and short references to transport?s role in providing access and importance of maritime transport and trade. These brief references to transport make no clear connection to the critical role of transport in addressing the overarching themes of the 2030 Agenda on poverty alleviation, food security, and leaving no one behind. *2- Other SLoCaT?s inputs to HLPF 2017* *- Country Reporting to Global Processes: A Case Study on Countries in the Latin America and Caribbean Region* An assessment has been developed by the Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) to evaluate the status of reporting of 18 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region to the six global agreements on sustainable development and climate change. This assessment is developed under a joint project between CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the SLoCaT Partnership. The assessment found that most LAC countries are, in general, submitting the required reports to the six global agreements; however, the level of useful detail in transport sector reporting leaves room for improvement. It is also clear that countries have a tendency to report on transport development in the context of infrastructure expansion and economic development, but the emphasis on transport?s role in address major sustainability issues is insufficient and inconsistent. *- Factsheet: Key Messages on Rural Transport and SDGs* A factsheet was developed by the SLoCaT in partnership with, and support of the UK Aid-funded Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) on a set of key messages on rural transport and SDGs. The five key messages outline the critical role of rural transport in achieving the SDGs. For more information, click here . *- Special Blog Series HLPF 2017 of Together 2030* The SLoCaT Partnership was featured on the Special Blog Series HLPF 2017 of Together 2030, which is a civil society initiative promoting and tracking progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The blog post highlights a former analysis done by SLoCaT on the main messages of the VNRs released in June 2017, which shows that only few countries have included specific references to transport. Those that have included transport confirm the linkage between transport and the achievement of the SDGs, in particular on the role of transport infrastructure (e.g. all-weather road, rail, and port facilities) and they refer to the overarching theme of the 2030 Agenda to alleviate poverty, ensure social inclusion and equity, and leave no one behind. The blog post is available here and here . *3- Transport events @ HLPF2017* *Monday, 10 July* - How mobility can contribute to eradication of poverty & promotion of prosperity by the World Bank under the Sustainable Mobility for All initiative and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) @6:15pm-7:30pm, *Friday, 14 July* - The Role of Safe and Sustainable Mobility in Eradicating Poverty and Improving Health by the FIA Foundation, The Global Initiative for Child Health & Mobility and The G4 Alliance @ 1:15pm-2:30pm - Rural-Urban Connectivity in Integrated Regional Development: Implications towards Livelihood Security and Poverty Alleviation by United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) and partners @ 6:15pm - 7:30pm *Tuesday, 18 July* - The Global Climate Action Agenda, a Solution Provider to Implement the SDGs by France, Italy and Luxembourg @ 6:15pm - 7:30pm *Wednesday, 19 July * - Aviation Partnership for Sustainable Development: High-level Briefing on Aviation Contributions to Sustainable Development in Countries in Special Situations by International Civil Aviation Organization, Air Transport Action Group and co-organizers @8:15am - 9:30am *4- SLoCaT?s outreach campaign for HLPF* To engage different relevant stakeholders in the transport sector, SLoCaT outreach campaign for HLPF 2017 will run from July 6 to July 19. SLoCaT created a dedicated page on High Level Political Forum http://www.slocat.net/hlpf2017, and will use Twitter, LinkedIn channels to promote transport?s contribution to the SDGs in review at HLPF; share the findings from the VNR analysis; and highlight transport related side events on a daily basis. Key topics that will be included in outreach: - contribution of transport to SDG1 (no poverty), contribution of transport to SDG2 (zero hunger), contribution of transport to SDG 3 (road safety and good health), contribution of transport to SDG 5 (gender equality), contribution of transport to SDG 9 (urban/rural access), - the alignment with SuM4ALL four objectives, - the need to scale up attention to transport in VNRs, - gaps in Ministerial Declaration. *For more information on SLoCaT Partnership and the HLPF Outreach Campaign:* *Website: *www.slocat.net *Contact: *Cornie Huizenga at cornie.huizenga@slocatpartnership.org and Yuxin Wang at yuxin.wang@slocatpartnership.org Twitter: @SLOCATCornie and #HLPF2017 For the full newsletter, please click here . Best regards, Nikola Medimorec Nikola Medimorec Senior Researcher Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT) +82-10-8642-4453 (mobile) @ni_medi (twitter) nikolamedimorec (skype) www.slocat.net * * From litman at vtpi.org Tue Jul 25 00:26:41 2017 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Litman) Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2017 08:26:41 -0700 Subject: [sustran] VTPI News - Summer 2017 Message-ID: <081301d30491$54d4fd50$fe7ef7f0$@vtpi.org> ----------- VTPI NEWS ----------- Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" ------------------------------------- Summer 2017 Vol. 17, No. 3 ----------------------------------- 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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NEW REPORTS =================== "Evaluating Transportation Diversity: Multimodal Planning for Efficient and Equitable Communities" (http://www.vtpi.org/choice.pdf ), by Todd Litman. 'Transportation diversity' refers to the variety of mobility and accessibility options available in a particular situation, including various modes, services and destinations. A transport system must be diverse in order to serve diverse demands, including the needs of people who cannot, should not or prefer not to drive. Multimodal planning that increases transport system diversity tends to increase efficiency, equity and resilience, and achieves specific planning goals. Conventional planning undervalues many of these benefits, resulting in less diverse, more automobile-dependent transport systems than optimal to serve user needs and achieve planning goals. This report examines consumer demands for various travel options, transport diversity benefits, and methods for evaluating optimal transport system diversity. "Comparing Greenhouse Gas Reductions and Legal Implementation Possibilities for Pay-to-Save Transportation Price-shifting Strategies and EPA?s Clean Power Plan" (http://www.vtpi.org/G&E_GHG.pdf ), by Allen Greenberg and John (Jay) Evans. This report investigates the potential greenhouse gas emissions reduction impacts and benefits of a set of innovative, revenue-neutral transportation pricing reforms including pay-as-you-drive-and-you-save vehicle insurance, parking cash out, and the conversion of fixed state and local vehicle sales taxes into mileage-based taxes. These would give travelers significant financial incentives to reduce their annual mileage and provide various benefits including reduced congestion, crashes and local pollution emissions. These strategies would reduce an estimated 140-257 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, which is significant compared with other emission reduction strategies. This report identifies practical ways to implement these strategies. * * * * * PUBLISHED & PRESENTED ELSEWHERE ================================ "Transforming Transportation" (http://bit.ly/2uBjq5P ), Climate Action Network Canada webinar with Todd Litman (Victoria Transport Policy Institute), Steve Winkelman (Green Resilience Strategies) and Annie B?rub? (?quiterre). This June 15 webinar described various climate change emission reduction strategies. Todd Litman's presentation focused on Win-Win strategies, which are various policy reforms which increase overall transportation system efficiency by improving resource-efficient travel modes (walking, cycling, ridesharing, public transit and telework), incentives for travellers to use the most efficient mode for each trip, and Smart Growth policies that create more compact and multimodal communities. "Economic Value of Walking" (http://bit.ly/2tOiN4r ), chapter in "Walking: Connecting Sustainable Transport with Health" (http://bit.ly/2eCGASN ). This chapter develops a comprehensive framework for evaluating planning decisions that affect walking conditions and walking activity. Walking plays a unique and important role in an efficient and equitable transport system, including affordable basic mobility, exercise and recreation, and access to other modes including public transit and parked cars. Improving walkability, increasing walking activity, and creating more walkable communities provides various economic, social, and environmental benefits. Conventional planning tends to undervalue many of these benefits, resulting in less support for walking than is optimal. More comprehensive benefit analysis tends to justify more support for walking, and could lead to better planning decisions. "CNU25.Seattle: Victoria, BC Tour ? The Movie!" (https://vimeo.com/220791348 ). This entertaining video by John D. Simmerman of the Active Towns Initiative shows the day-long tour of Victoria, Canada led by Todd Litman of the Victoria Transportation Policy Institute, Dan Burden and Samantha Tomas of Blue Zones. "Can Victoria Be Canada's Most Bikeable City?" (http://bit.ly/2tgRAI0 ). The controversial #Biketoria cycle track network is moving forward through the Capital. Levi Hildebrand and Riley examine the complexities of the situation, with interviews of bicycle network opponents and supporters, including Todd Litman. "Streets are for Everyone, Not Just Motorists: Complete Streets for a Complete Community" (https://t.co/GfC3QvX58D ). This Times Colonist newspaper column describes the importance of creating a diverse transport system in order to serve diverse mobility needs: walking and cycling for local errands, public transit on busy travel corridors and automobile transport when it is truly the best option, considering all impacts. "Privil?gier l?automobile co?te tr?s cher ? la soci?t?" (http://bit.ly/2pBcjHx ) and (http://bit.ly/2pnYADu ). These two articles in the French Canadian Quebec Journal newspaper quotes Todd Litman concerning highway expansions congestion reduction impacts (modest and temporary), and alternative solutions to urban traffic problems. For more information on this research see my report, "Smart Congestion Relief" ( http://www.vtpi.org/cong_relief.pdf ). "Forget Flying Cars: We Need Floating Ones. As Traffic on Land Stalls, the Sea Beckons" (http://bit.ly/2pLFpFw ). This CityLab column discusses the role that ferries - maritime public transit - can play in providing efficient and enjoyable urban transport. It quotes Todd Litman concerning their costs and benefits: ?Some ferry services, such as ferry services to islands, provide basic mobility and experience scale economies. Some services compete with congested bridges and so reduce congestion costs". "Perceived Link Between Transit, Crime Tough to Dispel" (http://bit.ly/2uskUNd). This 'Houston Chronical' article cites Todd Litman's research concerning public transit crime risks. "Crimes involving vehicles - car thefts, vandalism, road-rage violence - are far more common than those associated with public transportation," Litman said. Recent Planetizen Blogs ( www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ): "Transportation for Everyone" (https://www.planetizen.com/node/93534 ). An efficient and fair transportation system must serve diverse users. The "Transportation for Everyone" rating system evaluates transport system diversity and, therefore, its ability to serve all community members. "Gentrification, for Better and Worse" (https://www.planetizen.com/node/92831 ). Gentrification?more wealthy people moving into lower-income communities?often faces opposition, sometimes for the wrong reasons. It is important to consider all benefits and costs when formulating urban development policies. Let?s be friends. Todd Litman regularly posts on his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/todd.litman ). Befriend him now! * * * * * NEW PARTNERSHIPS ==================== The Urban Development and Mobility Institute (www.udminstitute.org ) is a new international organization that offers evidence-based, multi-disciplinary global services to evaluate and improve urban transportation and development. Cities for Everyone (http://citiesforeveryone.org ) is a community organization that supports more affordable housing and transportation in order to provide security, freedom and opportunity for people with all incomes and abilities. See our recent analysis, "Stop Blaming Foreigners: We Cause Housing Inaffordability Problems and We Can Solve Them" (http://bit.ly/2vzpM33 ) and "Retrofit or Replace Aging Rental Housing ? That Is the Question" (http://bit.ly/2vzpM33) * * * * * UPCOMING EVENTS ======================= Committee for Sydney (http://www.sydney.org.au ), Sydney, Australia, September 19-21. Todd Litman will speak at various events, including workshops for the State Departments of Transport and Planning on integrated land-use and transport, affordable housing and demand management. The Committee for Sydney is an independent research and advocacy organization that includes major companies, universities, not-for-profits, local and state government departments, and key cultural, sporting and marketing bodies. Their work focuses on getting density right, demand management, value capture on transport infrastructure, and improving the cultural and livability of greater Sydney. 8th International Symposium on Travel Demand Management (http://2017tdm.ntu.edu.tw ), Taipei, Taiwan, September 26 ? 29, 2017. This conference links researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers concerned with TDM theory and implementation. Within the intensive two-day discussion and opinion exchange, we are looking forward to the spark of innovative and visionary ideas that inspire the present and future direction of TDM, on both academic and industrial tracks. Todd Litman will give a keynote presentation. EcoMobility World Congress 2017 (http://www.ecomobilityfestival.org ), 1 - 4 October, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The fourth EcoMobility World Congress will be held from 2 to 4 October 2017 in conjunction with the EcoMobility World Festival. This year?s theme: Livable, Shared, and Intelligent. It is expected to attract approximately 500 local and international participants including city officials, high-level government representatives and policy makers, transportation experts, representatives from development banks, representatives from international and local non-governmental organizations, researchers, and businesses involved in sustainable urban mobility. The Congress aims to bring the sustainable urban mobility debate to the global level, coupled with local context of implementation. * * * * * BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ======================= Manitoba Planning Conference (www.mbplanningconference.com ). Todd Litman gave a presentation concerning rural multi-modal transportation planning, and led a workshop concerning affordability as a planning issue (http://bit.ly/2eCE1A1). Congress for New Urbanism (www.cnu.org ) in Seattle, May 2-5. Presentations by Peter Katz and Todd Litman summarized research on 'Selling Smart Growth' (www.vtpi.org/ssg ), which points out that compact, multi-modal development provides many often-overlooked direct benefits to residents, businesses and local governments. Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communication, May 2 Hearing Concerning Connected and Self-driving Vehicles (http://bit.ly/2pYvJXS ). Todd Litman summarized his research published in the report, "Autonomous Vehicle Implementation Projection: Implications for Transport Planning" (www.vtpi.org/avip ). * * * * * USEFUL RESOURCES ================= "Costs of Sprawl" (http://amzn.to/2gVCBSa ). This new book by Reid Ewing and Shima Hamidi summarizes the authors? extensive research on the relationship between land use development patterns and quality-of-life outcomes such as affordability, safety, health and economic opportunity. It is an invaluable resource for researchers, planners, urban designers, policy makers and public health advocates. H2H2H Foundation (https://h2h2h.org ) is a nonprofit, private foundation which promotes the delivery of quality Mobility Management services by government agencies, institutions, businesses and other community stakeholders. It aims to improve transportation options for consumers, create mutual respect between transportation users and providers, and advocates and promotes best practices in transportation management. "Commute Mode Diversity and Public Health: A Multivariate Analysis of 148 US Cities? (http://bit.ly/2uOMne9 ). This study by Chad Frederick, William Riggs and John Hans Gilderbloom published in the 'International Journal of Sustainable Transportation.' The researchers analyzed the relationships between travel patterns and public health indicators for various mid-size U.S. cities and counties. They found a significant positive relationship between more multimodal commuting and positive health outcomes including healthier behaviors reported in the Gallup/Healthway?s Well-Being Index, more leisure quality reported by Sperling?s Cities Ranked and Rated, more access to exercise reported by the Environmental Systems Research Institute, less sedentary living and obesity reported in the Center for Disease Control?s Diabetes Interactive Atlas, more Years of Potential Life Lost (an indicator of longevity and overall health), and higher birth weights (an indicator of infant health) reported by the National Center for Health Statistics. These relationships are stronger than many other sociological, geographical, and economic factors, suggesting that living in a multimodal community provides significant health benefits. These findings underscore the positive impact of sustainable transportation policies. ?Neighborhood Density and Travel Mode: New Survey Findings for High Densities? (http://bit.ly/2ty0gOn ). This study by Professor Sherman Lewis published in the International Journal of Sustainable Development uses census and travel survey data to measure vehicle ownership and use by urban neighborhood type in the San Francisco Bay region. Lewis found that although total per capita trips vary little, automobile mode shares and per capita vehicle travel decline, walking and transit mode shares and mileage increase, and total daily minutes of travel decline, with increased density. Excellent graphs illustrate these impacts. "Housing Constraints and Spatial Misallocation" (http://bit.ly/2r0SgUo ). This study by Chang-Tai Hsieh and Enrico Moretti use data from 220 metropolitan areas to evaluate how geographic factors affect productivity. They find that restrictions on infill development significantly reduce the number of workers who can work in high productivity cities, which they estimate reduced total economic growth by more than 50% from 1964 to 2009. The authors recommend allowing increased densities and expanding high quality public transit services in high productivity cities to increase economic development and opportunity. "Analyzing the Impact of Public Transit Usage on Obesity" (http://bit.ly/2tsl1XP ). This article by Zhaowei She, Douglas M. King and Sheldon H. Jacobson in Preventive Medicine used comprehensive demographic, travel and health survey data to evaluate factors that affect obesity. Their results indicate that each 1% increase in public transit use is associated with a 0.221% percent decrease in county?s obesity rates. "Powered Two- and Three-Wheeler Safety: A Road Safety Manual for Decision-Makers and Practitioners" (http://bit.ly/2tstMRp ). This World Health Organization manual describes the magnitude of powered two wheelers (PTW) death and injury, key risk factors, ways of assessing the PTW safety situation in a given setting and preparing an action plan, and how to select, design, implement and evaluate effective interventions. This manual stresses the importance of a comprehensive, holistic approach that includes engineering, legislation and enforcement measures, as well as behavioral change. "Global Street Design Guide" (http://bit.ly/2ruygcw ). This guide by the National Association of City Transportation Officials offers practical guidance for designing streets and public spaces. It broadens how to measure the success of urban streets to include access, safety and mobility for all users, environmental quality, economic benefit, public health and overall quality of life. "Physical Activity: Built Environment Approaches Combining Transportation System Interventions with Land Use and Environmental Design" (http://bit.ly/2oYW1UT ). This guide by the U.S. Center for Disease Control?s Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends built environment strategies that combine one or more interventions to improve pedestrian or bicycle transportation systems with one or more land use and environmental design interventions to increase physical activity. "Transport Justice: Designing Fair Transportation Systems" (http://bit.ly/2fYu3EX ) by Karel Martens provides guidance for developing more equitable transportation systems based on the concepts of ?sustainability? and ?accessibility?. "Equitable Bike Share Means Building Better Places for People to Ride" (http://bit.ly/2vODz57 ). This report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials found that when cities expand their bike networks, more people bicycle, that increased cycling tends to increase safety overall, and gains in bike safety are especially important for low-income riders and riders of color. "Linking People and Places: New Ways of Understanding Spatial Access in Cities" (http://bit.ly/2tYwxtP ). This study by the International Transport Forum found that urban planners and transportation modellers are developing increasingly sophisticated measures of accessibility. These help planners and decision-makers understand how travel and land use factors affect overall accessibility. The study recommends strategic development of data sets and analysis tools that measure accessibility rather than mobility for urban planning purposes. "Cycling Towards a More Sustainable Transport Future" (http://bit.ly/2vOrWLy ). This editorial by John Pucher and Ralph Buehler in 'Transport Reviews' provides evidence of growing support for bicycle transportation in many countries, and discusses the benefits that result. ?Evaluating the Safety in Numbers Effect for Pedestrians at Urban Intersections? (http://bit.ly/2uO2mta ), by Brendan Murphy, David M. Levinson, and Andrew Owen, published in 'Accident Analysis & Prevention' found that in 448 Minneapolis city intersections, pedestrians had a lower risk of being hit by a car at intersections with higher pedestrian traffic, and motorists had lower risk of hitting pedestrians at intersections with more car traffic, demonstrating safety in numbers effects. "Bridging the Gap: Your Role in Transporting Children With Disabilities to School in Developing Countries" (http://www.globalride-sf.org ) by Access Exchange International provides practical guidance for improving school access. Shared Use Mobility Center ( www.sharedusemobilitycenter.org) supports shared mobility including bikesharing, carsharing, ridesharing and more, and integrate these services with transit agencies, cities and communities across the nation. "How to Create a Shared Mobility Market Report for Your Neighborhood" (http://bit.ly/2eGkE9r ) by the Shared Use Mobility Center provides guidance and tools to help users (transit agencies, planners, advocates, developers, TDM professionals and more) assess the potential for establishing or expanding shared mobility in specific neighborhoods. "Stop Blaming Foreign Home Buyers. Untangling the Role of Foreign Investment in the Vancouver and Seattle Housing Markets" (http://bit.ly/2v3kATV ). This report by Dan Bertolet at the Sightline Institute provides solid information on factors that increase housing prices in attractive and economically successful cities. The analysis suggests that, contrary to popular claims, foreign investments make only modest contributions, and empty units make no measurable contribution, to housing price inflation. This analysis provides further evidence that the best solution to housing unaffordability is to support development of more moderate-priced housing units, particularly rental apartments and condominiums. "The Hidden Cost of Bundled Parking" (http://bit.ly/2vzo6qt ). Researchers C.J. Gabbe and Gregory Pierce estimate that off-street parking required by zoning codes costs renter households approximately $1,700 annually or 17% of rents. They argue that this is particularly burdensome to carless renters, who tend to have low incomes, who are forced to pay for parking that they do not need or want. "The Criminalization of Walking" (https://works.bepress.com/lewyn/125 ). This article by Michael Lewyn in the 'University of Illinois Law Review' examines how walking is criminalized in the United States. Lewyn concludes that such policies reduce pedestrian liberty, increase automobile traffic and pollution, and create a disincentive for physical activity. In addition, the purported safety benefits of criminalizing walking pale in comparison to those of decriminalization. * * * * * 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@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