Framing The Gas Tax Question
May 21, 2010
More News & Resources:
Traditionally, America's transportation system has been paid for by gasoline taxes, but those taxes have not kept pace with increases in costs or the growth of vehicle miles traveled. The result the national Highway Trust Fund, which gets 90 percent of its funds from gasoline taxes, faces a deficit of as much as $2.3 trillion in the next 25 years.
Travel and the Built Environment: A Meta-Analysis
May 11, 2010|Journal of the American Planning Association
More News & Resources:
Some of today’s most vexing problems, including sprawl, congestion, oil dependence, and climate change, are prompting states and localities to turn to land planning and urban design to rein in automobile use. Many have concluded that roads cannot be built fast enough to keep up with rising travel demand induced by the road building itself and the sprawl it spawns. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to summarize empirical results on associations between the built environment and travel, especially nonwork travel.
Costs And Impacts Of TOD
March 10, 2010
More News & Resources:
A report from the Southwest Region University Transportation Center at Texas Southern University in Houston explored the costs and impacts of Transit Oriented Development and addresses the rationale for designing transit-oriented neighborhoods.
The 2009 report, "Moving Toward Implementation: An Examination Of The Organizational And Political Structures Of Transit-Oriented Development," adds to the vast body of knowledge about TOD providing case studies of several sites around the United States
"While each transit designed community reviewed was different in design and basic components, they shared the central theme to encourage transit use, reduce dependency on automobiles and create more livable communities by better designing neighborhoods," the report noted.
As the report notes, TOD communities each have distinctive characteristics, as well as commonalities. But size…
The 2009 report, "Moving Toward Implementation: An Examination Of The Organizational And Political Structures Of Transit-Oriented Development," adds to the vast body of knowledge about TOD providing case studies of several sites around the United States
"While each transit designed community reviewed was different in design and basic components, they shared the central theme to encourage transit use, reduce dependency on automobiles and create more livable communities by better designing neighborhoods," the report noted.
As the report notes, TOD communities each have distinctive characteristics, as well as commonalities. But size…
Mitigating Light Rail Construction Impact
December 18, 2009
More News & Resources:
Construction of a new light rail line can be destructive of the local economy, hurting businesses as work on the line disrupts power, blocks access to stores and eliminates parking. Several cities have developed successful mitigation programs over the years to help these businesses survive the hardship during construction and then thrive once the line opens.
Urban Form Case Studies
December 2, 2009
More News & Resources:
The Ontario Growth Secretariat's Places To Grow has released a package of Urban Form Case Studies that examine recent projects that illustrate key policies in the Canadian province's growth plan.
According to the secretariat's web site, these projects illustrate density targets established in the growth plan support nearby transit, encourage walking, and are mixed use demonstrate high quality urban design and built form are highly marketable, economically successful, and award-winning are in climate zones similar to the Ontario's Greater Golden Horseshoe The nine case studies have been divided into four categories: Residential and mixed-use projects with more than 150 residents and jobs per hectare; residential and mixed-use with 50 to 150 residents and jobs per hectare; employment lands; and intensification corridors.
According to the secretariat's web site, these projects illustrate density targets established in the growth plan support nearby transit, encourage walking, and are mixed use demonstrate high quality urban design and built form are highly marketable, economically successful, and award-winning are in climate zones similar to the Ontario's Greater Golden Horseshoe The nine case studies have been divided into four categories: Residential and mixed-use projects with more than 150 residents and jobs per hectare; residential and mixed-use with 50 to 150 residents and jobs per hectare; employment lands; and intensification corridors.
Streetcar Value Capture Maps
November 3, 2009
More News & Resources:
D.C. Surface Transit commissioned the Brookings Institution to look at funding alternatives for a proposed streetcar. Brookings then subcontracted with Reconnecting America for assistance. Out of that collaboration came “Value Capture and Tax-Increment Financing Options for Streetcar Construction.” Below are the maps and graphics that are inside of the report.
- Tampa Funding Sources (PDF, 25 KB)
- Portland/Seattle Funding Sources (PDF, 26 KB)
- H Street Possible Alignments (PDF, 796 KB)
- Tampa Streetcar Value Change (PDF, 544 KB)
- Tampa Streetcar Land Use Change (PDF, 481 KB)
- Portland Streetcar Value 1997-2003 (PDF, 480 KB)
- Portland Streetcar Value 2003-2008 (PDF, 478 KB)
- Portland Streetcar Land Use 1997 (PDF, 468 KB)
- Portland Streetcar Land Use 2008 (PDF, 476 KB)
- Seattle Streetcar Land Use 2003-2008 (PDF, 525 KB)
- Seattle Streetcar Value Change 2003-2008 (PDF, 488 KB)
Measuring mixed-use development traffic generation
September 8, 2009
More News & Resources:
Do current methods of traffic impact analysis based the Institute of Transportation Engineers' criteria understate the traffic benefits of mixed-use developments, leading to higher impact fees, exactions and negotiated payments and thus discourage desirable projects? That is the central question the Transportation Research Board report, "Traffic Generated by Mixed-Use Developments – A Six- Region Study Using Consistent Built Environmental Measures."
A Brief Look At Restoration
July 6, 2009
More News & Resources:
The new town of Restoration will create a mixed-use, transit oriented, sustainable new town near Interstate 95 on lands that were previously neglected and significantly altered from their original ecological state.
How to Ease Women’s Fear of Transportation Environments: Case Studies and Best Practices
January 1, 2009|California Department of Transportation
More News & Resources:
This study examines the issue of women’s safety on transit
Seven American TODs: Good practices for urban design in Transit-Oriented Development projects
September 1, 2008|Journal of Transport and Land Use 1:2 (Fall 2008)
More News & Resources:
Introduction
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects depend on good urban design to coordinate transportation types, mix land uses, and create an appealing public space, all in a limited area. Scholarly attention, however, has been largely focused on the public policy aspects of TOD development such as planning strategies and ënancing options. Less attention has been paid to ënding ways to overcome some of the inherent di.culties of TOD project planning, such as balancing di.erent types of transportation modes. If TOD projects are to be successful and meet the goals of policy makers, transportationengineers, planners, andthe general public, greater understanding of the successes and failures of TODs in terms of their urban design practices is needed. .is paper analyzes urban design outcomes in seven American TOD projects to draw out “good practices” in urban design, focusing on development processes, place-making, and facilities. .e seven projects o.er valuable lessons…
