From litman at vtpi.org Fri Sep 2 22:36:48 2016 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Litman) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2016 06:36:48 -0700 Subject: [sustran] VTPI News - Summer 2016 Message-ID: <106101d2051f$1f98d340$5eca79c0$@vtpi.org> ----------- VTPI NEWS ----------- Victoria Transport Policy Institute "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity" ------------------------------------- Summer 2016 Vol. 16, No. 2 ----------------------------------- 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 REPORTS =================== "Urban Sanity: Understanding Urban Mental Health Impacts and How to Create Saner, Happier Cities" (http://www.vtpi.org/urban-sanity.pdf ) This report examines how urban living affects residents' mental health and happiness, and ways to use this information to create saner, happier cities. Some often-cited studies suggest that urban living increases mental illness and unhappiness, but a critical review indicates that much of this research is incomplete and biased, and the issues are complex, involving trade-offs between risk factors. This report examines specific mechanisms by which urban living can affect mental health and happiness, and identities practical strategies that communities and individuals can use to increase their urban mental health and happiness. This analysis suggests that it is possible to create sane and happy cities. * * * * * PUBLISHED & PRESENTED ELSEWHERE =================== "Is Taking a Bus Safer Than Driving A Car?" (http://bit.ly/2cjfzld ). This newspaper article, which analyzes public transit passenger injury risks in Vancouver, quotes Todd Litman. Unfortunately, the quotes are inaccurate and the analysis is unclear. For more information concerning this issue see, "Safer Than You Think: A New Transit Safety Narrative" (http://www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf ). "Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures" (http://wcr.unhabitat.org ). This comprehensive analysis of urban development provides compelling evidence that current urbanization patterns are in many ways unsustainable, but new forms of collaboration, planning, governance, finance and learning can help create more efficient, equitable and healthy communities. It cites, "Analysis of Public Policies that Unintentionally Encourage and Subsidize Sprawl" (http://bit.ly/1EvGtIN ). "Sacramento Transit 101" (http://www.350sacramento.org/the-climate-report.html ). This workshop by Todd Litman discussed why and how to improve public transit services and create more affordable housing in transit-oriented neighborhoods. Recent Planetizen Blogs (http://www.planetizen.com/blog/2394 ): * Funding Multi-Modalism (http://www.planetizen.com/node/87739 ) * Arbitrating Fairness: Potty Parity (http://www.planetizen.com/node/87362 ) * Smarter Taxi and Ride-Hailing Policies (http://www.planetizen.com/node/87067 ) * An Accurate Answer to an Interesting Question: Are Compact Neighborhoods Really Most Affordable? (http://www.planetizen.com/node/86539 ) Let's be friends. Todd Litman regularly posts on his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/todd.litman ). Befriend him now! * * * * * BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ======================= "Selling Transit Oriented Development Communicating the Direct Benefits to Households, Businesses and Governments" (http://vtpi.org/Selling_TOD_3May2016.pdf ) presented at 2016 TOD and Real Estate Development Conference in Los Angeles (http://www.tod.org/events/la2016.html ). This presentation described the direct benefits that TOD can provide to residents, businesses and local governments, based on analysis in the recent report, "Selling Smart Growth" (http://www.vtpi.org/ssg.pdf ). * * * * * USEFUL RESOURCES ================= "World Cities Report 2016" (http://wcr.unhabitat.org ). This United Nations HABITAT program report indicates that the current urbanization model is in many ways unsustainable; new approaches are needed to better respond to challenges such as inequality, climate change, insecurity, and inefficient urban expansion. "America's Walking Renaissance" (http://americawalks.org/americas-walking-renaissance ). This report by America Walks describes the many benefits of walking and how local organizations and governments in diverse communities have improved walking conditions and encouraged walking activity. "Cities Alive: Towards a Walking World" (http://www.arup.com/walking ). This beautiful report by Arup, one of the world's largest engineering firms, highlights the significant social, economic, environmental and political benefits of walking; lists 40 actions that cities can apply to improve walking conditions and encourage walking activity; and includes a catalogue of 80 international case studies to inspire action. "Pursuing Equity in Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning" (http://bit.ly/2agJcha ). This new report examines the travel demands of traditionally underserved populations (low income, minority, older adults, people with disabilities, etc.), and how pedestrian and bicycle planning can better serve those groups. "Portland's Drop in Car Use Frees Up $138 Million in our Local Economy Every Year" (http://bit.ly/2cdckIH ). This Bike Portland report describes an important but often-overlooked benefit of more affordable transportation: more money circulating in the local economy. For more information see "The Mobility-Productivity Paradox" (http://www.vtpi.org/ITED_paradox.pdf ) "State of the Region's Health: How the New York Metropolitan Region's Urban Systems Influence Health" (http://bit.ly/29J1qKr ). This new report emphasizes the safety and health benefits provided by compact, transit-oriented development. It has regional maps showing the much lower traffic fatality rates in central, transit-oriented areas compared with sprawled, automobile-dependent areas. "Opportunity Score" Shows Best Places to Find a Job Without Owning a Car" (http://bit.ly/2c8zz7P ). This column describes the latest mapping tool to help identify the housing locations for accessing jobs by public transit and walking. Consider the alternative: low-income households spending more than they can afford on cheap, old and unreliable cars, as discussed in John Oliver's "Auto Lending" (http://bit.ly/2aVV380 ). "The Fourth Virtue of Public Transit" (http://bit.ly/2bXkad9 ) emphasizes the importance of space-efficient urban transport, and therefore the critical role that public transit plays in cities. "Moving to Access Initiative" (http://brook.gs/2bNHjvv ). This Brookings Institute program aims to inform and promote a more socially focused, access-first approach to urban transportation policy and planning. This initiative will support adoption of innovative tools, techniques, and performance measures around the world. "A New Way Forward: Envisioning a Transportation System Without Carbon Pollution" (http://frontiergroup.org/reports/fg/new-way-forward ). This new report by the Frontier Group shows how smart strategies can reduce light-duty vehicle energy demand by as much as 90% below anticipated levels by 2050. "TPICS (Transportation Project Impact Case Studies) System" (http://transit.tpics.us ) is a searchable database of past projects and their observed impacts on economic development, and a predictive tool that estimates the range of likely impacts of proposed new projects, based on results from already-built projects. "Achieving Multimodal Networks: Applying Design Flexibility and Reducing Conflicts" (http://bit.ly/2cj27h7 ). This Federal Highway Administration report provides practical guidance for creating multimodal transportation networks. It highlights ways that planners can apply the design flexibility to make walking and bicycling safer and more attractive to people of all ages and abilities. "Sprawl Tax: How the US Stacks Up Internationally" (http://bit.ly/2curBcD ). This new study by economist Joe Cortright finds that, compared with peers, U.S. residents spend about 50% more money, and Canadians spend about 50% more time, on commuting due to dispersed urban development. "Considering Changes to Streamline Local Housing Approvals" (http://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3470 ). This report by the California Legislative Analysis Office identifies specific policy reforms to help create more affordable housing development in California and other jurisdictions. For more information see, "Affordable-Accessible Housing in a Dynamic City" (http://www.vtpi.org/aff_acc_hou.pdf ). "Transit Supportive Parking Policies and Programs" (http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/174287.aspx ). This new Transit Cooperative Research Program report describes parking policies and management programs that support transit ridership and transit-oriented development. "Spatial and Skills Mismatch of Unemployment and Job Vacancies" (http://www.cts.umn.edu/Research/Featured/TransitandWorkforce ). This study developed a new method to identify transit improvements that can significantly improve disadvantaged residents' access to appropriate jobs. "Shared Mobility: Innovation for Liveable Cities" (http://bit.ly/29i2ebD ) and "Shared Mobility: Current Practices and Guiding Principles" (http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/174651.aspx ). These two new reports discuss how innovative mobility services can benefit users and society, and what is needed to implement them. "Design Perth: A Joint Vision for a Connected, Liveable and Sustainable Perth" (http://bit.ly/2bYSCSn ). This study finds that government infrastructure costs range from $55,828 per lot for urban infill sites up to $150,389 per lot for urban-fringe greenfield sites. The study is based on the previous study, "Assessing the Costs of Alternative Development Paths in Australian Cities" (http://bit.ly/2bGbSaf ). "YIMBY Conference Brings Activists from Around the Nation to Boulder" (http://bit.ly/1rvcgtR ). "Yes In My Backyard" (YIMBY) is a popular movement to support more affordable infill urban development. "The Rise and Fall of Great World Cities: 5,700 Years Of Urbanisation - Mapped (http://bit.ly/28Y8dO4 ). This wonderful video shows the development of cities over the last six millennia: wow! * * * * * 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 From litman at vtpi.org Thu Sep 15 13:46:35 2016 From: litman at vtpi.org (Todd Litman) Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:46:35 -0700 Subject: [sustran] Press Release - The Hidden Traffic Safety Solution: Public Transportation Message-ID: <0b9b01d20f0c$2bd50290$837f07b0$@vtpi.org> Press Release - The Hidden Traffic Safety Solution: Public Transportation 14 September 2016 For more information: Todd Litman (litman@vtpi.org) Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org) Office: 250-360-1560 | Mobile: 250-508-5150 Mantill Williams (mwilliams@apta.com) American Public Transportation Association Office: 202-496-4869 "The Hidden Traffic Safety Solution: Public Transportation" (http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2016/Pages/Hidden-Traffic-Saf ety-Solution.aspx ), a new study by Todd Litman, published by the American Public Transportation Association, shows how high quality public transit services and more transit-oriented development can increase safety for users and communities. Public transportation is overall a very safe travel mode. Transit passengers have about one-tenth the traffic casualty (death and injury) rate as automobile passengers, and transit-oriented communities have about one-fifth the per capita traffic casualty rate as automobile-oriented communities. This occurs because high-quality public transit helps create more compact and multi-modal communities where residents drive less and at lower speeds, and where higher-risk groups have viable alternative to driving. These benefits are large but often overlooked in conventional planning. More comprehensive safety analysis can justify significantly more support for public transit and transit-oriented development. This study shows that vehicle death and injury rates tend to decline significantly in a community as public transit ridership increases. Cities that average more than 50 annual transit trips per capita have about half the average traffic fatality rates as cities where residents average fewer than 20 annual trips. Since Americans average about 1,350 annual trips on all modes, this increase from less than 20 to more than 50 annual transit trips represents a small increase in transit mode share, from about 1.5% up to about 4%, equal to an average increase of just three transit trips per month per person. Pro-transit policies increase traffic safety in several ways, including reduced risks to travelers who shift from automobile to transit, community-wide crash reductions due to less total vehicle travel and safer traffic speeds, and reductions in high-risk driving. High quality public transit tends to increase the effectiveness of other traffic safety strategies. Efforts to reduce higher risk driving, such as graduated licenses for teens, senior driving testing, and impaired and distracted driving campaigns, become more effective if implemented in conjunction with transit service improvements which provide more viable alternatives to driving. Traffic fatalities involving high-risk groups, such as youths, are much lower in transit-oriented communities. Since most casualty crashes involve multiple vehicles, even responsible drivers who always observe traffic laws and do not use transit themselves benefit from pro-transit policies that help reduce higher-risk driving and therefore their risk of being injured by another drivers' mistakes. Despite these large benefits, conventional planning tends to overlook and undervalue these benefits. The economic evaluation of transportation policies and projects seldom considers the full safety gains provided by transit service improvements and transit-oriented development, and traffic safety programs seldom advocate transit improvements as crash reduction strategies. The report critiques current traffic safety programs: of eleven major programs reviewed, only two (the "Global Road Safety Partnership" and the "Transportation Planner's Safety Desk Reference") mention transit as a possible safety strategy, and even they provide little guidance on how to predict the safety impacts and evaluate the full benefits (including co-benefits) of transit service improvements and transit-oriented development. These programs assume that transit can only provide modest safety benefits, reflecting little understanding of the ways that pro-transit policies leverage additional crash reductions. This is an important and timely issue. A recent report by the U.S. Center for Disease Control, "Vital Signs: Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention - United States and 19 Comparison Countries In 2013" (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6526e1.htm ) indicates that, despite huge investments in safer roads and vehicles, and traffic safety programs, the United States has by far the highest traffic fatality rate of among 20 peer countries: 10.3 death per 100,000 population in 2013, more than twice the median of the other 19 industrialized countries. Reducing this high traffic death rate will require new traffic safety strategies, including public transit service improvements and more transit-oriented development. Additional Information: Study Fact Sheet: http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/Documents/Fact%20Sheet%20The%2 0Hidden%20Traffic%20Safety%20Solution.pdf "America Has a Terrible Traffic Safety Record Because We Drive Too Much" (http://usa.streetsblog.org/2016/09/08/america-has-a-terrible-traffic-safety -record-because-we-drive-too-much ), StreetsBlog. "Investing in Transit Is an Investment in Saving Lives" (http://blog.tstc.org/2016/09/09/investing-transit-investment-saving-lives ), Mobilizing the Region. "A New Traffic Safety Paradigm" (http://bit.ly/2ciSV8P ), Institute of Transportation Engineers All Members Forum. "High Quality Public Transportation Can Provide Huge Traffic Safety Benefits" (http://www.planetizen.com/node/88491/high-quality-public-transportation-can -provide-huge-traffic-safety-benefits ), Planetizen. From yanivbin at gmail.com Fri Sep 23 23:05:38 2016 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2016 19:35:38 +0530 Subject: [sustran] Why was the BRTS plan for Bengaluru Outer Ring Road killed? Message-ID: http://m.bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/why-was-the-brts-plan-for-outer-ring-road-killed Governance ? Urban Planning ? Metro ? Infrastructure ? Roads and Transport METRO ON ORR Why was the BRTS plan for Outer Ring Road killed? A recent meeting of various stakeholder groups arrived at a decision in favour of the Metro project on ORR. Akshatha M looks at the various deliberations that went on behind the scenes. By Akshatha M , 23 Sep 2016 , Citizen Matters During the cabinet meeting last week, the State government decided to give a green signal to the metro rail project on Outer Ring Road (ORR), pushing aside the long pending ambitious Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) project; hopes of citizens who were rooting for BRTS or multimodal transport options were dashed. Though the proposal to introduce BRTS on the Outer Ring Road was hanging in balance for quite sometime, the plan to lay a metro line on the busy stretch has eliminated the possibility of BRTS. So why did BRTS, which was first conceptualised in 2012 and had a Detailed Project Report (DPR) seeing a lot of effort going into it, fail to hold its ground against the metro plan? Here is a quick look into how the decision unfolded. The government on its part has cited inadequate road width as the reason for dropping the BRTS. But surprisingly the decision came in less than 24 hours of organising a meeting of various stakeholders to discuss the pros and cons of BRTS and Metro on ORR. The meeting held on September 12th was jointly organised by the Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC) and World Research Institute (WRI) and was supported by the state government. Viaduct of the Namma Metro in Rajaji Nagar. Pic: Ramnath Bhat (Wikimedia Commons) Those who were present at the meeting say that it was just a formality to hear out both points of view. The government had decided to go ahead with the Metro even before the meeting was held. In fact, in his opening remarks at the meeting, Mahendra Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to the Urban Development Department (UDD) had made it quite clear that the ORR needs metro and not BRTS. While Jain, BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola and R K Mishra from the Bengaluru Blue Print Action Group batted for the metro line, DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport) Commissioner (now transferred) V Manjula and a representative from WRI, India spoke in support of BRTS. Public transport expert Paulo Sergio Custodio, who was part of the discussion, spoke in for BRTS. ?Taking into consideration the capital cost and execution time, BRTS is a preferred solution. The government can recover the money invested in this project in less than 10 years,? Sergio had said in a panel discussion on the topic. BPAC President abd BBPAG member Kiran Mazumdar Shaw who had been supporting the BRTS with her tweets and media statements, changed her stand and voted for Metro. This change in position was after her two-hour field visit to ORR accompanied by Metro officials. The rise of the Metro The first indications about BRTS not becoming a reality came about a few months ago. Then Minister for Bengaluru Development K J George had hinted at chances of the BRTS plan being dropped. In an event organised by WRI in July 2016, the Minister had said ?BRTS was delayed as BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) may require the stretch for its expansion. We will soon take a decision on whether the stretch needs metro rail or bus lanes.? However, Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), unlike BMRCL, was ready with the DPR for the project. While BMRCL MD has said that the DPR for a metro line on ORR will be ready only by October 22nd, DULT had the proposal for BRTS ready as early as in 2014. EMBARQ India, part of WRI, had prepared a concept plan for Bangalore BRTS way back in 2012. Later, it drafted the DPR for DULT in July 2014. It had estimated the cost at Rs 1,000 crore and the project was planned to be completed in 18 months. The BRTS DPR had estimated the system?s Passengers-Per-Hour-Per-Direction (PPHPD) capacity during peak hour at 12,000. The Metro meanwhile has estimated it at 40,000 PPHPD (going by what the BMRCL MD said in the meeting), a figure which many are wary about. Though the Metro would be an expensive project compared to the BRTS, BMRCL officials have succeeded in convincing the government about the ?innovative financial approach? that they are looking at. When this reporter last spoke to BMRCL MD Pradeep Kharola, he had said , ?we are trying to do innovative methods of financing for the project,? without divulging the details. However, during the recent September meeting, the idea behind innovative financing was revealed. Those representing MNCs along the ORR who were present in the meeting assured that the companies would help to raise Rs 2,500 crore for the metro project. However one question that is being asked is, "These MNCs are tenants and not landowners. Will their headquarters be okay to spend crores of rupees from their pockets for an infrastructure project which will not bring them financial return??. To this, Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) Honorary President Poornaprajna Gudibanda says the companies and developers on ORR want to help raise Rs 2,000 crore for the project, but the modalities have not been finalised yet. ?Corporates and developers on ORR are interested to fund the proposed metro project. Who funds and how, is all in discussion stage,? he says. UDD ACS Mahendra Jain who has been keen on the Metro project told *Citizen Matters* that BRTS could be a good option if it?s built on new roads. ?But to do a retrofitting job on the existing roads to introduce BRTS is not a workable model at all,? he said. ?If BRTS has to be done, it has to be done for the entire city, not just on one stretch. And the same holds good for the Metro too. The pros and cons of each were discussed at length in various meetings and finally we decided that the Metro is a good option,? he said. ?Let there be an integrated approach? Urban expert and Bengaluru Blue Print Action Group (BBPAG) member V Ravichandar says, if money is not an issue for the government and if the IT firms along the ORR are ready to wait for another 6-7 years for the metro to be completed, then metro rail seems to be a good option considering the long term view. ?But the immediate need is to upgrade roads and footpaths and reimagine the service roads on ORR,? he says. Pawan Mulukutla, Manager (Urban Transport) at World Research Institute, India, too shares similar views. He says the concerned departments should first address the basic road infrastructure issues on ORR. ?They should redo the footpath and improve walkability. The Metro may start, but it will not fix all the issues that the ORR is facing. It is important to move from the narrow concept of infrastructure to an inclusive and integrated system,? he says. Further he asks, given that the metro will be introduced in another 7-8 years, is it possible to have a short term plan for the next 2-3 years, to address the immediate issues on the stretch? Akshatha M Akshatha M is a Staff Journalist at Citizen Matters. She tweets at @akshata1 .