[sustran] VTPI NEWS - Spring 2010

Todd Alexander Litman litman at vtpi.org
Tue May 11 00:26:10 JST 2010


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              VTPI NEWS
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         Victoria Transport Policy Institute
            "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
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             Spring 2010    Vol. 13, No. 2
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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.
                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


NEW VTPI DOCUMENTS
====================

"Affordable-Accessible Housing In A Dynamic City: Why and How To 
Increase Affordable Housing Development In Accessible Locations" 
(http://www.vtpi.org/aff_acc_hou.pdf )
This report describes how to create more affordable-accessible 
housing, which refers to lower priced homes located in areas where 
common services and activities are easy to access without requiring 
an automobile. This helps achieve numerous economic, social and 
environmental objectives. Demand for affordable-accessible housing is 
growing, but many current policies discourage such development, 
leading to a growing shortage in many communities, particularly in 
growing cities. More than two dozen policy and planning reforms 
described in this report can increase affordable-accessible housing 
development.
             *     *     *     *     *


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

"Are Vehicle Travel Reduction Targets Justified? Evaluating Mobility 
Management Policy Objectives Such As Targets To Reduce VMT And 
Increase Use Of Alternative Modes" (http://www.vtpi.org/vmt_red.pdf )
This report investigates whether transportation policies should 
include mobility management objectives, such as targets to reduce 
vehicle travel and encourage use of alternative modes. It evaluates 
the justificatons and criticisms of such targets. Mobility management 
can provide many benefits, and specific policy objectives provide 
guidance for strategic planning.
             *     *     *     *     *


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

"The Role of Integrated Planning in Developing Sustainable 
Transportation Strategies" 
(http://cte.ncsu.edu/CTE/Education/TRB-Workshop-Lane-2010.asp), TRB 
Annual Meeting, Workshop, 14 January 2010
This workshop presented information on best practices for developing 
more integrated transportation planning.


Recent Planetizen Blogs (http://www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ):
"New USDOT Report Identifies Win-Win Transportation Emission 
Reduction Strategies"
"Healthy Community Planning - What's It Worth?"
"Way-To-Go Vancouver Olympics - Lessons For Transport Planners"
"Parking Policy Reform More Important Than LEED Certification"
             *     *     *     *     *


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

Todd Litman participated in a two-day conference sponsored by the 
U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA to help guide 
development of a North American version of the HEAT Model 
(http://euro.who.int/transport/policy/20081219_1 ). This will provide 
science-based estimates of the lives saved and monetized benefits of 
increased walking and cycling activity. Several leading researchers 
on this subject from around the world attended.

VTPI Executive Director Todd Litman was appointed to the US Green 
Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org ) Location & Planning 
Technical Advisory Group (LP TAG) which develops specific 
requirements for LEED requirements and credits related to location, 
accessibility, walkability, parking and transport management.


CONSULTING
===========
The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is financially supported by 
consulting and speaking engagements 
(http://www.vtpi.org/documents/consulting.php ). Please consider us 
is you ever need assistance with innovative transportation policy 
research, analysis, program development or public presentations.


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

"Benefit/Cost Analysis for Transportation Infrastructure: A 
Practitioners Workshop" (http://tti.tamu.edu/conferences/benefit_cost10 ).
Monday 17 May 2010, US DOT, Washington, DC. The workshop will be 
broadcast live via the internet and presentations will be available 
after the workshop.
This workshop provides an overview of benefit/cost analysis and 
explores ways to incorporate a broader range of impacts and 
objectives, including economic development, safety, livable 
communities, and environmental sustainability. Todd Litman will 
present information on evaluating social objectives.

"ADB Transport Forum: Changing Course - Pathways to Sustainable 
Transport" 
(http://www.adb.org/documents/events/2010/transport-forum/default.asp )
Manila, Philippines, 25-27 May 2010
The three day Asia Development Bank (ADB) Transport Forum, featuring 
the world's leading transport experts, will provide a unique forum 
for discussing and debating some of the most crucial issues facing 
transport in Asia. Todd Litman will give a presentation, 'New 
Integrated Approach to Evaluation of Transport Projects' based on his 
report, "Comprehensive Transport Planning Framework" 
(http://www.vtpi.org/comprehensive.pdf )

"TRB Environment and Energy Research Conference: Better Delivery of 
Better Transportation Solutions" 
(http://cte.ncsu.edu/CTE/EEConference/index.asp )
6-10 June 2010, Raleigh, North Carolina
This conference will discuss ways to improve transportation planning 
through better integration of environmental (human and natural) 
impacts and objectives. It brings together more than a dozen 
Transportation Research Board (TRB) Energy and Environmental 
committees and the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Todd 
Litman will give presentations on 'Livability: What Is It and How Do 
You Measure It?' and 'Comprehensive Transportation Planning: 
Practical Tools for Considering All Impacts'
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USEFUL RESOURCES
=================

"Mobility and Transport For Our Tomorrow Roads" by Pasquale Colonna, 
Europeanroads Review 14, Spring, pp. 44-53; at www.vtpi.org/colonna.pdf.


"Google Maps Adding Bike Directions" 
(http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10466313-265.html )
Google Maps is starting to provide biking directions. Google Maps 
users looking for directions between two points will have the option 
of selecting "bicycling" in addition to walking, driving, and public 
transportation options when customizing their trip guidance.


"Updating the 'Granny Cart'" 
(http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2010/04/16/updating-the-granny-cart 
), by Alan Durning
This charming blog discusses the growing utility of handcarts and 
wheeled luggage for urban transportation, and features to consider 
when selecting a cart for personal use.


"GreenTRIP" (www.transformca.org/GreenTRIP )
GreenTRIP is a Traffic Reduction + Innovative Parking certification 
program for new residential and mixed use developments. It expands 
the definition of green building to include accessibility impacts 
(how people travel to and from the building, and park their vehicles 
there) and rewards projects that reduce traffic and greenhouse gas 
emissions. This typically includes features such as an accessible and 
multi-modal location (near shops and other services, good 
neighborhood walkability, near public transit), unbundled parking 
(parking spaces rented separately from building space), carshare 
services, discounted public transit passes, and affordable housing. 
Certified projects receive a Project Evaluation Report which 
describes the project location, details and inventories how the 
project meets GreenTRIP standards.


"Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context-Sensitive 
Approach, An ITE Recommended Practice " 
(http://www.ite.org/bookstore/RP036.pdf )
This report by the Institute of Transportation Engineers and Congress 
for New Urbanism provides detailed guidance for applying Context 
Sensitive Design principles to create more walkable urban roadways. 
It includes discussion of context oriented design, walkability and 
multi-modalism, and specific information on pedestrian and bicycle 
facility design, optimal lane width and geometry, bicycle lanes, 
accommodating transit, stormwater management, traffic calming, crosswalks,


"Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development Action Guide" 
(http://www.mitod.org ), by the Center for Transit-Oriented 
Development, is a comprehensive website providing information on ways 
to create mixed-income housing in transit-oriented development, in 
order to create more affordable-accessible housing.


"U.S. Parking Policies: An Overview of Management Strategies, 
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy" 
(http://www.itdp.org/documents/ITDP_US_Parking_Report.pdf )
This report by Rachel Weinberger, John Kaehny and Matthew Rufo 
identifies core sustainable parking principles and illustrates how 
smarter parking management can benefit consumers and businesses in 
time and money savings, while also leading to more livable, 
attractive communities.


"New York Sustainable Streets Index" 
(www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/ssi.shtml )
The New York City Department of Transportation's Sustainable Streets 
Index allows the agency to implement more performance-driven 
transportation policy, geared toward achieving the sustainability, 
mobility, infrastructure and quality of life goals. It includes a 
section on "project indicators", which evaluates various types of 
impacts. The 2009 report includes case studies of street redesigns 
and bus improvements across the city:


"Active Design Guidelines: Promoting Physical Activity and Health 
Through Design" (http://ddcftp.nyc.gov/adg/downloads/adguidelines.pdf ).
This publication by the New York City Department of Design + 
Construction provides information for planners and designers about 
opportunities to increase daily physical activity. Implemented over a 
broad range of urban and architectural projects these measures can 
contribute significantly toward bringing about healthier lifestyles 
in our communities. A number of the strategies in these guidelines 
can also reduce energy use in buildings and transportation, thereby 
benefiting the environment.


"Cycling in New York: Innovative Policies at the Urban Frontier," 
World Transport Policy and Practice, Vol. 16, summer 2010, forthcoming.
(http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/CyclingNY.pdf )
This paper by John Pucher, Lewis Thorwaldson, Ralph Buehler, and Nick 
Klein evaluates recent improvements in cycling conditions, increases 
in cycling activity, and reductions in cycling crash rates; and 
discusses additional actions cities can take to better support urban cycling.


"New York City's Green Dividend" 
(http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/nyc_greendividend_april2010.pdf ).
This study by economist Joe Cortright evaluates New York City's Green 
Dividend, the economic benefits that result from more efficient 
transportation. It estimates that City residents save $19 billion 
annually in auto-related expenses. These savings leave residents with 
more purchasing power, which stimulates the city's economy.


"New York City's Congestion Pricing Experience and Implications for 
Road Pricing Acceptance in the United States" 
(www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/schaller_paper_2010trb.pdf )
This paper by Bruce Schaller analyzes how the 2007 congestion pricing 
proposal gained widespread public support but was ultimately blocked 
in the State Legislature. It assesses the implications of New York's 
experience for pursuing congestion pricing and mileage-based taxes in 
the United States.


"Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions" 
(http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32700/32779/DOT_Climate_Change_Report_-_April_2010_-_Volume_1_and_2.pdf 
)
This USDOT study, mandated by the Energy Independence and Security 
Act, evaluates potentially viable strategies to reduce transportation 
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It examines strategies' potential 
impacts on air quality, petroleum savings, transportation goals, 
costs, and various co-benefits. Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) vehicle 
insurance fares particularly well in both total emission reductions 
and cost effectiveness. Also see the Secretary of Transportation's 
blog: 
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/04/on-earth-day-reminders-of-dots-role-in-reducing-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html#more 
and Todd Litman's Planetizen blog, "New USDOT Report Identifies 
Win-Win Transportation Emission Reduction Strategies" 
(http://www.planetizen.com/node/44048 )


"Road Work Ahead: Holding Government Accountable for Fixing America's 
Crumbling Roads and Bridges" 
(http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/transportation/transportation2/road-work-ahead-holding-government-accountable-for-fixing-americas-crumbling-roads-and-bridges 
)
This report by Travis Madsen, Benjamin Davis and Phineas Baxandall, 
investigates current and future roadway maintenance and repair 
conditions based on various statistics. It investigates planning 
biases that favor highway capacity expansion at the expense of repair 
and maintenance. It recommends 'fix-it first' policy reforms.


"Effects of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform" 
(http://www.globalsubsidies.org/en/research/economic-social-and-environmental-effects 
), by Jennifer Ellis.
This paper summarizes modeling studies that analyzed economic and 
environmental impacts of fuel subsidies. It describes research needs 
but concludes there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate significant 
environmental and economic benefits of phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies.


"EIA Energy Subsidy Estimates: A Review of Assumptions and Omissions" 
(http://earthtrack.net/files/uploaded_files/EIA%20subsidy%20review%20final_17Mar10.pdf 
)
This study investigates U.S. federal tracking of energy subsidies. In 
addition to evaluating the research approach used by the US Energy 
Information Administration (EIA), it assesses how key assumptions and 
omissions in EIA's work resulted in a substantial undercounting of 
federal energy subsidies and an inaccurate portrayal of subsidy 
distribution across fuels.


"IMF Note - Petroleum Product Subsidies: Costly, Inequitable, and 
Rising" (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/spn/2010/spn1005.pdf )
Petroleum product subsidies have again started to rise with the 
rebound in international prices. This note reviews recent 
developments in subsidy levels and argues that it is necessary to 
reform the policy framework for setting petroleum product prices in 
order to reduce the fiscal burden of these subsidies and to address 
climate change. In 2003, global consumer subsidies for petroleum 
products totaled nearly $60 billion.


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"


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