Tools for Estimating VMT Reductions from Built Environment Changes (Anne Vernez Moudon and Orion Stewart , University of Washington, 2013)

This report reviews the built environment characteristics associated with travel and the tools available that utilize these built environment characteristics to estimate travel and related outcomes such as vehicle emissions and health co-benefits. Tools ranged from simple to complex, and a number of factors should be considered when applying a tool to a planning effort.

Assessing the Extent and Determinates of Induced Growth (Montana DOT, 2013)

Transportation improvements affect the accessibility of places, which in turn can result in changes in land use in combination with factors that support or discourage development (such as land prices, market demand, local land use regulations, and environmental constraints). Transportation projects alone cannot change surrounding land use. The Montana Department of Transportation has released a report that discusses a legally defensible process for assessing the indirect land use and environmental effects of transportation projects.

Leaner and Greener: Sustainability at Work in Transportation (Center for Environmental Excellence and AASHTO, 2012)

The third in a series by AASHTO on environmental stewardship and expedited project delivery, this report showcases the efforts transportation agencies—including DOTs, MPOs, and transit providers—are undertaking to speed up project delivery and cut costs while protecting and even improving environmental resources.

Public Bikesharing in North America: Early Operator and User Understanding (Mineta Transportation Institute, 2012)

This study evaluates public bikesharing in North America, reviewing the advances in technology and major events during its rapid expansion. It looks at several angles, including current operational practices, business models, and environmental and social impacts in …

Ecodriving and Carbon Footprinting: Understanding How Public Education Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Use (Mineta Transportation Institute, 2012)

Ecodriving is a collection of changes to driving behavior and vehicle maintenance designed to impact fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in existing vehicles. Because of its promise to improve fuel economy within the …

Every Day Counts

One of the themes for the SSTI Community of Practice meeting in Seattle will be streamlining transportation projects.  FHWA has a website called “Every Day Counts,” which is “designed to identify and deploy innovation aimed …