Go to...
Course objectives
Syllabus and assignments
Schedule of topics and readings

Other resources

Course Objectives

Pick up the paper or watch the local news and you're likely to find a story about transportation problems in California’s metropolitan regions, most notably the growth in traffic that has outpaced even the growth in population and the multitude of problems that come with it – economic inefficiencies, poor air quality, other environmental impacts, social inequities, safety concerns. Although most people agree on the problems, few agree on the solutions. Proposals include investing in light rail systems, expanding the freeway system, implementing pricing strategies, promoting transit-oriented development. But which of these options or others is likely to be most effective? How do regions go about deciding what set strategies to pursue? How do these decisions and the process by which they are made fit within the current and historical context of federal transportation policy? These are the issues we'll explore in this introduction to transportation planning and policy at the regional level.

The objective of the course is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the transportation planning process at the regional level as it is shaped by federal policy. The course is divided into three sections: context, process, and strategies. In the first section, we will examine the history of urban transportation, the institutions involved in transportation planning, and federal transportation policy as it relates to planning at the regional level. In the second section, we will review the planning process as carried out by Metropolitan Planning Organizations, including long-range transportation plans, transportation improvement programs, air quality conformity, project development, travel demand modeling, financing, and public involvement. In the final section, we will examine the evidence on a variety of demand-side strategies for addressing regional transportation problems, including pricing, transit services, bicycle and pedestrian programs, and land use policies.

Transportation planning and policy IN THE NEWS

America's Crumbling Infrastructure - NPR series starting 6/1/08

Home Prices Dropping Most in Areas with Long Commutes – NPR Story, 4/21/08

Housing + Transportation Affordability Index

NPR News Blog on Gas Tax Holiday

State of New York Blocks City’s Effort to Implement Congestion Pricing – BBC story, 4/8/08

Cost of Life in the ‘Burbs – NPR Story, 3/31/08

Syllabus and Assignments

Syllabus
Paper 1 – Topics in Transportation History

Helpful writing tips for every stage of the process

Paper 2 – MPO Analysis

Directory of MPOs

Idea 1: Planning for Accessibility: In Theory and Practice

Idea 2: Taking Steps: An Assessment of MPO Support for Bicycling and Walking

Idea 3: Integrating Sustainability into the Transportation Planning Process

Idea 4: Changes in Technical Aspects in Response to Changing Goals

Paper 3 and Presentation – Strategies Assessment

Draft Schedule of Topics and Readings
Chapters refer to The Geography of Urban Transportation. Stay tuned for updates to readings...

3/31	Mon	Overview and Introduction Intro Powerpoint Issues Powerpoint	Chapter 1 TRB’s Critical Issues in Transportation Highway Blues – Nothing a Little Accessibility Couldn’t Cure For reference: Summary of Travel Trends – 2001 NHTS
4/2	Wed	Impacts and History 1 Impacts and History 1 handout Impacts Powerpoint History Powerpoint	Chapter 3 Explore this website from the Smithsonian Museum: American on the Move
4/7	Mon	History 2 “Taken for a Ride” History 2 handout Federal Legislation handout	FHWA on Designating the Urban Interstates More Highway History from FHWA New Day Films website on “Taken for a Ride” 1937 GM short “Conquering Roads” by Jam Handy (no relation) For Reference: Urban Transportation Planning In The US - A Historical Overview/Nov 1992
4/9	Wed	“Divided Highways”	Divided Highways website
4/14	Mon	Institutions Institutions handout Who does what table Institutions Powerpoint Memo on topic due	A Citizen's Guide to Transportation Decision Making Handy and Clifton Chapter – intro to land use planning and transportation planning for public health community; focus on the “How it Works” sections MPO Guidebook – focus on Chapter 1 For reference: History of Metropolitan Planning Organizations Of interest: An Inherent Bias? Geographic and Racial-Ethnic Patterns of MPO Boards – from the Brookings Institute
4/16	Wed	Federal Policy 1 ISTEA 1 handout	Congressional Research Service Report on SAFETEA-LU For Reference: FHWA’s SAFETEA-LU overview Of interest: AASHTO’s Transportation Invest in our Future – A New Vision for the 21^st Century Of interest: Center for Clean Air Policy’s Green-TEA proposal Of interest: American Road and Transportation Builder Association’s Reauthorization Proposal Of interest: Brookings Institute’s Visioning Transportation’s Future – SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization and Beyond
4/21	Mon	Federal Policy 2 ISTEA handout 2 SAFETEA-LU Planning Factors	Chapters 4, 5, and 7 of Federal Transportation Policy and the Role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations in California "Metro Power" - article on impact of ISTEA on MPOs For reference: SAFETEA-LU Planning Provisions Workshop – from March 2006, help for state DOTs For Reference: Bicycle and Pedestrian Provisions of US Code
4/23	Wed	The Long-Range Plan LRP handout LRP powerpoint Transport Policy paper Paper 1 due	Chapter 6 Chapters 3 and 6 of Federal Transportation Policy and the Role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations in California For an overview: MPO Guidebook – focus on Chapter 3 For an overview: Metropolitan Transportation Planning: Executive Summary – a Powerpoint presentation from the FHWA/FTA Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program For reference: US Code Chapter 23 Chapter 1 Subchapter I §134 Metropolitan Planning
4/28	Mon	Forecasting TDM handout TDM powerpoint	Chapter 5 "Deception in Dallas" - a classic critique of the use of models in transportation planning For reference: Manual of Regional Transportation Modeling Practice for Air Quality Analysis - read the introduction For reference: Inside the Black Box - an overview of transportation modeling, with a critique For more info: "Incorporating Urban Design Variables in MPOs' Travel Demand Models" For more info: "Incorporating Pedestrian and Bicycle Factors into Regional Transportation Planning Models" Of interest: Transims website - look at the background pages Of interest: PLACE³S website
4/30	Wed	Air Quality Conformity Conformity handout Conformity powerpoint Memo on MPO due	Transportation Conformity: A Basic Guide for State and Local Officials For reference: Transportation Conformity Reference Guide For reference: Niemeier, Zheng, Kear 2004 For reference: Modeling Mobile Source Emissions, National Academy of Sciences Of interest: SACOG Conformity Determination
5/5	Mon	Programming the TIP TIP handout TIP powerpoint	MPO Briefing Book - especially Section 1 and sections on air quality, environmental justice, and financial planning and programming Project Prioritizing Examples... For example: Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council - be sure to look at needs criteria For example: Pikes Peak Region Mobility Plan For example: Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization – see process
5/7	Wed	Financing Financing handout Financing powerpoint	Chapter 11 National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission Report California Travels: Financing our Transportation - Legislative Analyst's Office, 2004 Of interest: Local Transportation Sales Taxes: California's Experiment in Transportation Finance - Crabbe, Hiatt, Poliwka, and Wachs Of interest: The Rise of Local Option Transportation Taxes - Goldman and Wachs For reference: FHWA's Innovative Finance webpage - see the latest issue of Innovative Finance Quarterly See also Innovation Briefs for several articles on Tolling
5/12	Mon	Project Devt Process Project Devt Handout Project Devt powerpoint Select strategies topics	FHWA Project Development webpage FHWA Environmental Streamlining/Stewardship FHWA Context-Sensitive Solutions Caltrans Context-Sensitive Solutions Flexibility in Highway Design FHWA Design Guidance on Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel ITE’s new report on Context Sensitive Solutions
5/14	Wed	Public Involvement Public Involvement Handout PI Guidelines PI Strategies	Chapter 12 TR News issue on Public Involvement - read articles by Matley and by Szyliowicz, skim others White Paper on Public Involvement by TRB committee For reference: Public Involvement Techniques For reference: Citizen’s Handbook on Environmental Justice
5/19	Mon	Paper 2 due MPO summaries	Note: Class will start at 11!
5/21	Wed	Strategies Overview	Chapter 14 – Managing the Auto National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America’s Transportation Network Longer View: The Road Less Driven
5/26	Mon	Holiday
5/28	Wed	Goods movement Voluntary Trip Reduction Parking Pricing	Chapter 11 – see pp. 302-305 on pricing
6/2	Mon	LRT BRT ITS applications Paratransit	Chapter 8 – Public Transportation
6/5	Wed	Bike/Ped New Urbanism TOD Social Marketing Putting it all together!	Chapter 9 – Land Use Impact of Transportation Investments: Highways and Transit Chapter 4 – Impact of Information Technologies See also: Smart Growth and the Transportation-Land Use Connection
6/12	Thurs	Final papers due

Other Resources

TEA-21 Homepage, hosted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Surface Transportation Reauthorization Homepage, hosted by FHWA
Transportation Capacity Building Program - Resource Index, hosted by FHWA and FTA
Metropolitan Planning - Transportation Capacity Building Program, hosted by FHWA and FTA

A series on transportation reform published by the Brookings Institution.

Good sources for your strategy paper:

Victoria Transport Policy Institute – try the TDM Encyclopedia

Innovation Briefs – essays on a variety of current transportation issues.

The Reason Foundation – more essays on a variety of current transportation issues, plus their Surface Transportation Innovations newsletter

For fun:

A Houstonian’s attempt to optimize his commute.

Return to Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Return to Susan Handy's home page

Last updated 6/4/08

Go to... Course objectives Syllabus and assignments Schedule of topics and readings

Other resources

Go to...
Course objectives
Syllabus and assignments
Schedule of topics and readings