While transportation agencies gamely battle to reduce congestion with diminishing resources, a new report suggests that traffic jams may have a good side. They are linked to strong economies.
research
AZ DOT report finds compact development reduces VMT without increasing localized congestion
A first-ever analysis of land-use and transportation demand in Arizona contradicts fears that compact, “smart growth” development, while beneficial in moderating demand, will increase localized congestion. The report, produced for Arizona DOT in March, also suggests that traditional travel demand modeling is outmoded, unable to reflect land use effects on demand, and it disputes notions that compact development is inequitable and costly.
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 …
Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety (Mineta Transportation Institute, 2012)
This report examines the “five Es” for increasing bicycle commuter safety, but focuses on education and engineering. Case studies from California and Portland, OR give first hand information about bicycle safety. Download the full report.
Neither roads nor public transit will help?
In the October 2011 issue of the American Economic Review, authors Gilles Duranton and Matthew A. Turner review traffic data from the years 1983 to 2003. Their article, “The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence …
WSDOT quantifies the GHG reduction impact of sidewalk coverage.
“If you build it, they will come” seems to hold for building sidewalks. A recent report for the Washington State Department of Transportation found that increasing sidewalk coverage from 30 percent to 70 percent of …
GAO: Trucking the least efficient mode of freight shipping
Would roads be better used with fewer trucks? D.C. Streets Blog reports: “The Government Accountability Office published a study finding that the costs of freight trucking that are not passed on to the consumer are …