[sustran] VTPI Newsletter - Summer 2010

[Todd Alexander Litman]

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              VTPI NEWS
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         Victoria Transport Policy Institute
            "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
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             Summer 2010    Vol. 13, 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
====================

"Changing Vehicle Travel Price Sensitivities: The 
Rebounding Rebound Effect" (http://www.vtpi.org/VMT_Elasticities.pdf )
This paper, submitted for presentation at the 
Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 
summarizes recent findings concerning 
transportation price sensitivities. Some studies 
found that fuel and vehicle travel price 
elasticities declined significantly between 1960 
and 2000, but recent research suggests that price 
sensitivities have returned to more normal 
levels, indicating that the rebound effect is 
rebounding. This suggests that mobility 
management strategies provide greater benefits 
than many current energy conservation evaluation models indicate.


"Sustainability and Livability: Summary of 
Definitions, Goals, Objectives and Performance 
Indicators" (http://www.vtpi.org/sus_liv.pdf )
This short report summarizes basic definitions 
and concepts for sustainable and livable transportation planning.
             *     *     *     *     *


UPDATED DOCUMENTS
=================

"Evaluating Rail Transit Criticism" (http://www.vtpi.org/railcrit.pdf )
This report evaluates criticism of rail transit 
systems, including a recent paper by Wendell Cox, 
'Washington’s War on Cars and the Suburbs.' It 
examines claims that rail transit is ineffective 
at increasing public transit ridership,that rail 
transit investments are not cost effective, and 
that transit is an outdated mode of 
transportation. It finds that critics often 
misrepresent issues and use biased and inaccurate analysis.

             *     *     *     *     *


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

"Evaluating Public Transportation Health 
Benefits" 
(http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2010/Pages/100811_Public%20Health%20Benefits.aspx 
), written by VTPI for the American Public Transportation Association.
This report investigates ways that public 
transportation affects human health, and 
practical methods for considering these impacts 
in policy and planning decisions. This research 
indicates that public transit improvements and 
more transit oriented development can provide 
large but often overlooked health benefits. 
People who live or work in communities with high 
quality transit tend to drive significantly less 
and rely more on alternative modes (walking, 
cycling and public transit) than they otherwise 
would, which reduces per capita traffic crash and 
pollution emission rates, increases physical 
fitness, and improves access to medical care and 
healthy food. These impacts are significant in 
magnitude compared with other planning objectives 
but are often overlooked or undervalued in conventional planning.

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


BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
====================

"Benefit/Cost Analysis for Transportation 
Infrastructure: A Practitioner’s Workshop," 
sponsored by the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, held 17 May 2010 in Washington 
DC. Presentation slides are available at 
http://tti.tamu.edu/conferences/benefit_cost10/program


"Changing Course for the Transport Sector" ADB 
Transport Forum, Manila, 25-27 May 2010 
(http://www.adb.org/documents/events/2010/transport-forum/default.asp 
). Ministers, industry decision-makers, 
researchers and representatives of civil society 
from more than 30 countries participated in this event.


"Environment and Energy Research Conference" 
(http://cte.ncsu.edu/CTE/EEConference/index.asp ) 
Transportation Research Board Conference, 6-10 
June 2010, Raleigh, North Carolina.
             *     *     *     *     *


UPCOMING EVENTS
=================

"Indicators for Sustainable Transport Policy 
Making and Performance Evaluation," keynote 
presentation at 'A New Decade in Sustainable 
Transport: Fifth Regional EST Forum in Asia' 
United Nations Center for Regional Development 
(http://www.uncrd.or.jp/env/5th-regional-est-forum/doc/programme.pdf 
), 24 August 2010, Bangkok.


"Economic Impacts of Transportation 
Enhancements," at the  National Transportation 
Enhancements Clearinghouse Workshop 
(http://www.enhancements.org/seminar/seminarfy10.asp 
), 16-17 September 2010, Chattanooga, held in 
conjunction with ProBike/ProWalk 
(http://www.bikewalk.org/2010conference/index.php )


"Win-Win Emission Reductions" at the Vancouver 
Island Air & Waste Management Association 
(http://www.pnwis.org/Ch_VI/monthlyluncheon.htm )
Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 11:30 - 13:10, 
<http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Cedar+Hill+Golf+Course,+Victoria,+BC&sll=48.456758,-123.357153&sspn=0.025501,0.054846&ie=UTF8&hq=Cedar+Hill+Golf+Course,&hnear=Victoria,+BC,+Canada&ll=48.45431,-123.359385&spn=0.025502,0.054846&z=14>Cedar 
Hill Golf Course Victoria, B.C.


"Livable Communities, Housing and Health - 
Toolbox Session" at 'Railvolution 2010' (http://www.railvolution.com ).
This workshop will identify ways that transit 
oriented development and more 
affordable-accessible housing can help achieve 
public health and social equity objectives.
              *     *     *     *     *


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


"Transit Score" 
(http://www.walkscore.com/transit-score.php ) 
measures how well a location is served by public 
transit based on the distance to the nearest 
transit stop and the quality of transit service. 
This is used to calculate a score between 0 – 
100, similar to Walk Score (http://www.walkscore.com )


"Framework for Measuring Sustainable Regional 
Development for the Twin Cities 
Region"(www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1328 ).
This major study by the University of Minnesota 
developed a framework for evaluating sustainable 
development in the Twin Cities metropolitan 
region. The proposed framework includes a set of 
six sustainability principles, and 38 indicators, 
each with specific definitions of how it can be 
measured and suitable data sources. This is one 
of the best framework of its kind.


"Time Lost by Driving Fast in the United States" 
(http://mdm.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/03/29/0272989X09357476 )
This study by Professors Donald A. Redelmeier and 
Ahmed M. Bayoumi indicates that that in the U.S., 
one hour spent driving was associated with 
approximately 20 minutes reduction in life 
expectancy due to crash risk. For the average 
driver, each one kilometer per hour (0.6-mph) 
increase in driving speed yielded a 26-second 
increase in total expected lost time because the 
savings from reduced travel time were more than 
offset by time lost to increased crashes.


"P-A-Y-D: As easy to support as 1 - 2 - 3" 
(http://www.paydpilot.ca ) . This website and 
video by Cliff Caprani of Sha-na-key films 
introduces the concept of Pay-As-You-Drive 
vehicle insurance and advocates its implementation in British Columbia.


"Relative Costs And Benefits Of Modal Transport 
Solutions" 
(http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/research/reports/393/docs/393.pdf )
This report provides guidance to local 
authorities about the costs and benefits of 
transport modes. It provides estimates of vehicle 
costs, infrastructure, travel time, accidents, 
health impacts, and pollution costs. It also 
discusses related urban transport planning 
issues, including travel demand, relationships 
between land use and transport, and road space 
and traffic management. A selection of case 
studies provides specific illustrations of these issues.


"Shared Path Widths" 
(http://viastrada.co.nz/pub/shared-path-widths ). 
This poster provides practical guidance on the 
design and management of non-motorized facilities.


A wonderful 1906 film of a trolley trip along 
Market Street in San Francisco 
(<http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k>www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k) 
and a 1908 film of a trolley trip through 
Barcelona, Spain 
(<http://www.flixxy.com/barcelona-spain-1908.htm>www.flixxy.com/barcelona-spain-1908.htm) 
show the use of urban streets a century ago.


"Data & Capacity Needs for Transportation NAMAs: 
Report 1, Data Availability" 
(http://www.ccap.org/docs/resources/925/CCAP_Transport_NAMA_Data_Availability.pdf 
).
This is the first in a series of research reports 
by Cambridge Systematics and the Center for Clean 
Air Policy, assessing data and capacity needs for 
developing, implementing and evaluating 
successful transportation Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs).


"Reducing Carbon Emissions from Transport 
Projects" 
(http://www.adb.org/evaluation/reports/ekb-carbon-emissions-transport.asp )
This report identifies ways the Asian Development 
Bank can assistance developing member countries 
in creating more sustainable transport systems. 
It describes models for evaluating how specific 
transport policy decisions affect energy 
consumption and pollution emissions. This 
analysis considers the generated traffic impacts, 
the cobenefits of demand management and other indirect impacts.


"Choosing Where We Live: Attracting Residents to 
Transit-Oriented Neighborhoods; A Briefing Book 
for City Planners and Managers" 
(http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/smart_growth/tod/5-10/Briefing_Book-Choosing_Where_We_Live.pdf 
)
This report identifies various housing market 
segments and describes ways to make transit 
oriented development more attractive in response 
to their specific needs and preferences. It 
includes recommendations for improving walking 
and cycling condition, transit service quality, 
neighborhood livability (quiet, cleanliness and 
safety), school quality and accessibility, 
parking management, and urban housing affordability.


"Promoting Livable Communities: Examining The 
Internal Revenue Code And Reforming Its Influence 
On The Built Environment" 
(http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab083048.pdf ).
This report by Smart Growth America and the 
American Institute of Architects reviews federal 
tax code features that affect community 
development patterns. It recommends specific 
policy reforms to better support livable 
community development, including clearer 
definitions regarding livable community features, 
changes to federal tax codes, legal provisions to 
develop livable community tax districts, and 
federal policies that encourage development of more affordable housing.


"The Hidden Health Costs of Transportation: 
Backgrounder" 
(http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/B96B32A2-FA00-4D79-99AB-F0446C63B254/0/TheHiddenHealthCostsofTransportationBackgrounder.pdf 
)
This report by the American Public Health 
Association identifies various ways that 
transportation systems affect public health, 
including physical activity, safety, air quality, 
affordability and equity. It describes methods 
for quantifying and monetizing these impacts and 
recommends specific policy and planning reforms 
to create more balanced transportation systems that support health objectives.


"Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A 
Context Sensitive Approach, Recommended Practice" (http://www.ite.org/css )
This free new report by the Institute of 
Transportation Engineers provides practical 
guidance on the application of Context Sensitive 
Solutions to create roadways that better 
integrate diverse planning objectives and meet community needs.


"Growing GreenLITES" (http://www.nysdot.gov/programs/greenlites )
Greenlites (Green Leadership In Transportation 
Environmental Sustainability) by the New York 
State Department of Transportation promotes more 
sustainable and livable transport planning. It 
uses a detailed spreadsheet that rates individual 
projects according to various objectives and impacts.


"Vision California - Charting Our Future" (http://www.visioncalifornia.org )
Vision California uses the new 'Rapid Fire Model' 
spreadsheet tool to evaluate regional and 
statewide land use and transportation scenario 
impacts on vehicle travel, pollution emissions, 
water use, building energy use, transportation 
fuel use, land consumption, and public infrastructure costs.


"Canadian Guidelines for the Measurement of 
Transportation Demand Management Initiatives" 
(http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-urban-guidelines-practitioners-tdmguide2009-menu-1657.htm 
).
This guidebook is designed to help organizations 
implementing TDM strategies to evaluate progress 
toward established objectives.


"TDM Supportive Guidelines For Development 
Approvals: A Handbook For Practitioners" 
(http://www.actcanada.com/actcanada/en/tdmsupportiveguidlines1.aspx )
This report provides recommendations for planners 
to better incorporate Transportation Demand 
Management strategies into land development.


"ITDP in South Africa" (http://vimeo.com/13170113 ).
This video by Brian McAllister describes the 
success of the Institute for Transportation and 
Development Policy (ITDP) in Africa, particularly 
the new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. Also see http://vimeo.com/tag:itdp


"Equity Analysis of Land Use and Transport Plans 
Using an Integrated Spatial Model" 
(http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/Equity%20Analysis%20of%20Land%20Use%20(with%20Covers).pdf 
)
This study used the PECAS Activity Allocation 
Module to evaluate the equity effects of land use 
and transport policies intended to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions. The results show that a 
more compact urban form designed around transit 
stations can reduce travel costs, labor costs, 
and housing costs by increasing accessibility, 
which can lead to substantial net benefits for 
various industries and lower income households.


"The Role of Land Use in Reducing VMT and GHG 
Emissions: A Critique of TRB Special Report 298" 
(http://www.calthorpe.com/files/TRB-NAS%20Report%20298%20Critique.pdf ).
This short report provides additional information 
on the effects that smart growth land use polices 
can have in achieving VMT and GHG reduction 
targets. It critiques the assumptions and 
modeling methods used in the TRB report, and 
investigates consumer demand for more accessible, 
multi-modal residential locations.



Sincerely,
Todd Alexander Litman
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org)
litman at vtpi.org
Phone & Fax 250-360-1560
1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA
“Efficiency - Equity - Clarity”