By Chris McCahill Hiring and retaining talented staff remains a top concern for state DOT officials and a recurring topic at SSTI’s annual meetings. Whether shifting federal policies disrupt local recruitment or send a flurry …
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Cutting transit wait times is key for winning back ridehail users
Nearly all trips taken in some cities by ridehail services, such as Uber or Lyft, could be taken by transit, according to new research. That means the excess traffic those trips create could be prevented, with the right incentives. To encourage people to opt for transit instead of ridehail, transit agencies can pursue strategies to shorten walk and wait times associated with transit.
Congestion pricing could be the only path to managing gridlock
Transportation agencies in the U.S. spend billions of dollars each year expanding highways to ease gridlock. Yet commute times have increased 20% over the last 50 years and traffic congestion is still worsening, according to a several reports. New research confirms congestion pricing may be the best path toward any kind of relief. New York’s program, which launched in January amid plenty of controversy, looks like a promising example.
Advanced models can’t replace sound judgment
The investments made by transportation agencies are often guided by increasingly sophisticated models and forecasts, which strive to account for more factors and become more accurate in predicting travel patterns. These improvements, while promising for the future, also highlight the many ways that most agencies’ existing models miss the mark. Values-based decision-making can help agencies achieve the outcomes they have set out in their long-range plans more effectively than relying on models alone.
Too much driving is bad for society, new studies show
It turns out trying to expand the freedom of the open road has its limits—when taken too far, it can end up driving people apart.
New transit stations don’t have to mean gentrification or displacement
Major transit investments like new light rail lines or stations can transform neighborhoods and cities — in certain respects, that’s the point. The new infrastructure can make a city more vibrant and accessible to all, while encouraging the development of more walkable neighborhoods that make it easier to get around without a car, reduce emissions, and improve safety. But planners can take steps to ensure those benefits are shared among everyone, not just younger professionals or affluent newcomers.
The benefits of transit extend well beyond transit riders
Public transit is often viewed by planners and transportation officials as a key strategy for reducing car dependency, easing traffic congestion, and lowering emissions. Every person who opts for transit over driving helps reduce the total miles driven in private vehicles. According to a large national study, however, good transit has a ripple effect on land use and travel behavior. For every mile not driven by transit riders, transit accounts for another six to nine miles not driven among the larger population.
Involving walkers and bikers in design can make streets safer
Including road users in a participatory “co-design” process can result in better safety interventions than those made by professional engineers alone, according to a new study. Participatory design incorporates the needs and views of end-users of what’s being designed—in this case, pedestrian crossings used by workers and students.
Rural town centers can provide transportation benefits similar to those of urban areas
People living in dispersed rural areas face some of the greatest transportation challenges, according to a new study. However, living in more concentrated rural villages helps alleviate those challenges. Ensuring people can get around without relying on a car—even in rural pockets—is key to meeting their needs more affordably.
Mobility hubs can increase access for disadvantaged groups
For DOTs looking to create a more connected and multimodal transportation network, mobility hubs are an emerging piece of infrastructure that can make changing modes and traveling across a region more convenient and environmentally friendly. But not everyone has the same ability to access and use these hubs. State DOTs looking to build mobility hubs can incorporate the needs, ideas, and feedback of disadvantaged groups to better plan, design, and build these spaces for everyone who might use them.