Driving in America: Emerging Trends and Policies

February 27, 2015


The recent decline in automobile use has left many transportation agencies facing revenue shortfalls and speculating as to whether an economic recovery will trigger a return to “normal.” Meanwhile, demographic trends, cultural shifts and new technologies suggest lower automobile use may be the “new normal.” This would have major implications for transportation investment decisions, land development, greenhouse gas and other air emissions, energy use and other issues.

In this Webinar, SSTI’s Chris McCahill and University of Connecticut Professor Norman Garrick explain newly released data from FHWA, recent trends in travel behavior and the potential influence of an economic recovery. Steven Cliff, Assistant Director of Sustainability for the California Department of Transportation, talks about how those trends and the state’s goal of reducing vehicle-miles traveled affect decision-making in California.

Presenters:
Chris McCahill, State Smart Transportation Initiative
Norman Garrick, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Connecticut
Steven Cliff, Assistant Director of Sustainability, Caltrans

The slides from the webinar are available here.

A recording of the webinar can be viewed below.