[getsmart-l] VTPI Newsletter - Spring 2008

[Janet May]

                                 -----------
                                  VTPI NEWS
                                 -----------
                      Victoria Transport Policy Institute
                         "Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
                      -------------------------------------
                          Spring 2008  Vol. 11, No. 2
                       -----------------------------------
      
The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research
organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transportation
problems. The VTPI website (http://www.vtpi.org) has many resources
addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. VTPI also
provides consulting services.
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
NEW DOCUMENTS
==============
 
"Recommendations for Improving LEED Transportation and Parking Credits" (
<http://www.vtpi.org/leed_rec.pdf>  http://www.vtpi.org/leed_rec.pdf ), by
Todd Litman.
This paper describes ways to improve LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) transportation and parking credits. It proposes a new
approach that can significantly increase support for transportation and
parking management, greatly enhancing LEED program benefits.
 
 
"Evacuation Station: The Use of Public Transportation in Emergency
Management Planning" ( <http://www.vtpi.org/evacuation.pdf>
http://www.vtpi.org/evacuation.pdf), ITE Journal on the Web, January 2008,
pp. 69-73, by Michael Schwartz and Todd Litman. 
This paper examines emergency transportation planning practices and the role
that public transit can play. While public transportation is often used in
emergency situations, there is rarely planning or coordination, leading to
confusion, inefficiency and risk. This article provides guidance to help
transportation professionals better prepare for emergencies.
 
 
"Macrolevel Collision Prediction Models to Evaluate Road Safety Effects of
Mobility Management Strategies: New Empirical Tools to Promote Sustainable
Development" ( <http://www.vtpi.org/lovegrove_litman.pdf>
http://www.vtpi.org/lovegrove_litman.pdf), presented at the Transportation
Research Board Annual Meeting, by Gordon Lovegrove and Todd Litman.
This paper describes how community-based collision prediction models  can be
used to calculate the road safety effects of specific mobility management
strategies. It summarizes analysis of data from 479 urban neighbourhoods.
The results suggest that smart growth, congestion pricing and improved
mobility options (better walking and cycling conditions, and improved
ridesharing and public transit services) can provide significant crash
reductions.
 
 
"Intermodal Surface Public Transport Hubs: Harnessing Synergy for Success in
America's Urban and Intercity Travel" ( http://www.vtpi.org/henry_marsh.pdf
<http://www.vtpi.org/henry_marsh.pdf>  ) by Lyndon Henry and David L. Marsh.

This paper describes intermodal public transport hubs and their potential
role in creating more integrated and attractive public transportation
systems. It describes numerous examples of such hubs, often consisting of
redeveloped older rail stations.
 
 
"Identifying the Value of Long Distance Rail Services: Current Issues in
Transport Assessment and Evaluation" (
<http://www.vtpi.org/rail_evaluation.pdf>
http://www.vtpi.org/rail_evaluation.pdf ) by R. Boulter and D. Wignall.
This paper identifies international good practice in rail planning
assessment and evaluation. It argues that a sustainable and efficient
transport system requires strategic assessment and detailed evaluation. It
identifies various distortions in current rail planning practices and
reforms that can correct these problems.
 
 
"Evaluating Mobility Management Strategies for Reducing Transportation
Emissions in the Fraser River Basin" ( <http://www.vtpi.org/ec_mm.pdf>
http://www.vtpi.org/ec_mm.pdf ). Summary at
http://www.vtpi.org/ec_mm_sum.pdf .
This 122-page report prepared for Environment Canada evaluates the benefits,
costs and feasibility of 24 mobility management (MM) strategies. Each
strategy is describe and rated according to various criteria, including
energy, emission and congestion reductions, facility cost savings, consumer
impacts, safety impacts and implementation requirements. A spreadsheet
calculates the overall impacts of various strategies, taking into account
their vehicle travel and emission reduction effects, and share of total
vehicle travel.
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE
===================     
 
Todd Litman (2007), "Developing Indicators For Comprehensive And Sustainable
Transport Planning," Transportation Research Record 2017, Transportation
Research Board (www.trb.org <http://www.trb.org/> ), pp. 10-15; at
http://www.vtpi.org/sustain/sti.pdf .
 
 
Planetizen Blogs
"Economic Principles Still Apply" ( <http://www.planetizen.com/node/31111>
http://www.planetizen.com/node/31111 )
"Don't Fill-er-up With Stupidity" ( <http://www.planetizen.com/node/31269>
http://www.planetizen.com/node/31269 )
"Comprehensive Analysis of Transit Energy Conservation Benefits" (
<http://www.planetizen.com/node/31392>  http://www.planetizen.com/node/31392
)
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
UPCOMING EVENTS
================
 
Towards Carfee Cities: Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering Proximity (
http://carfreeportland.org <http://carfreeportland.org>  ), June 16-20. Todd
Litman will speak at the following sessions:
'Why Carfree Cities Are Safer,' Wednesday, June 18, 10:45 - 12:15
'Win-Win Market Solutions in Sustainable Transportation,' Thursday, June 19,
12:30 - 2:00
 
 
PAYD Insurance Workshop (
http://www20.insurance.ca.gov/epubacc/REG/112249.htm
<http://www20.insurance.ca.gov/epubacc/REG/112249.htm> )
On June 23rd the California Department of Insurance will hold a workshop
concerning Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) vehicle insurance. 
PAYD insurance can provide many significant benefits, including increased
insurance affordability and consumer savings (particularly for lower-income
motorists, who tend to drive lower-annual-mileage vehicles), increased
safety, reduced congestion, road and parking facility cost savings, energy
conservation, emission reductions, and can help reduce excessive insurance
rates in lower-income neighborhoods ( http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm79.htm
<http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm79.htm>  ). There are many possible ways to
implement PAYD, some of which provide much larger benefits than others. Our
new report, "Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance: Recommendations for Implementation"
( <http://www.vtpi.org/payd_rec.pdf>  http://www.vtpi.org/payd_rec.pdf )
evaluates these options and provides recommendations for maximizing PAYD
benefits. We recommend developing performance standards that an insurance
rate structure must meet to be considered PAYD.
 

"Planning in Challenging Climates" (http://www.pnmb.org )
Todd Litman will be a keynote speaker at this Planners Network Manitoba
annual conference, July 17-20, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
USEFUL INFORMATION
===================
 
Beginning July 2008, British Columbia will become the first North American
jurisdiction to implement a revenue-neutral carbon tax (
<http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2008/backgrounders/backgrounder_carbon_tax.ht
m>
http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2008/backgrounders/backgrounder_carbon_tax.htm
). Although initially small ($10/tonne of carbon, which is about 10 cents
per gallon of gasoline), it is scheduled to increase annually. For more
information see this Sightline Institute blog:
http://sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2008/02/19/bc-s-carbon-tax-shift .
 
 
"International Fuel Prices" ( www.gtz.de/fuelprices
<http://www.gtz.de/fuelprices> )
International Fuel Prices" is a GTZ (German Technical Cooperation) program
to provide decision-makers with global fuel price data and policy guidance.
It provides a variety of information on fuel prices and tax policies. Their
bi-weekly email newsletter provides a wealth of additional information.
 
 
NextBus ( http://www.nextbus.com <http://www.nextbus.com> ) is a private
company that uses Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to provide real-time
transit vehicle arrival information to passengers and managers in various
North American cities.
 
 
Jennifer Rosales (2006), "Road Diet Handbook: Setting Trends for Livable
Streets," William Barclay Parsons Fellowship Monograph 20; at
http://www.oregonite.org/2007D6/paper_review/D4_201_Rosales_paper.pdf .
 
 
John Pucher and Ralph Buelher (2008), "At the Frontiers of Cycling: Policy
Innovations in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany," World Transport
Policy & Practice, Vol. 13, No. 3; at
http://www.eco-logica.co.uk/pdf/wtpp13.3.pdf.
 
 
Eric Bruun (2007), Better Public Transit Systems, Planners Press (
https://www.planning.org/APAStore/Search/Default.aspx?p=3674
<https://www.planning.org/APAStore/Search/Default.aspx?p=3674>  ).
This new book provides detailed guidance on public transportation
performance and investment analysis. 
 
 
"Technologies and Policies to Consider For Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In California" ( http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/etaac/ETAACFinalReport2-11-08.pdf
<http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/etaac/ETAACFinalReport2-11-08.pdf> ) by the
California Economic and Technology Advisory Committee identifies ways to
reduce greenhouse gases 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, as required by state
law. The report gives strong support for mobility management strategies such
as Pay-As-You-Drive vehicle insurance because it recognizes their
co-benefits such as congestion and accident reductions. 

 
Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt (2008), "Freakonomics: Not-So-Free
Ride" (
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-freakonomics-t.html>
www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-freakonomics-t.html). This New
York Times column by two academic economists endorses Pay-As-You-Drive
insurance as a way to help correct market distortions that result in
economically-excessive motor vehicle travel. 
 

Reconnecting America (2008), "TOD 202: Station Area Planning: How To Make
Great Transit-Oriented Places," Reconnecting America (
www.reconnectingamerica.org <http://www.reconnectingamerica.org> ); at
http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/public/download/tod202 .
 
 
HUD (2008), "Parking Regulations and Housing Affordability," Regulatory
Barriers Clearinghouse, Volume 7, Issue 2, US Department of Housing and
Urban Development (www.huduser.org); at
http://www.huduser.org/rbc/newsletter/vol7iss2more.html .
 
 
Phineas Baxandall, Tony Dutzik and Joshua Hoen (2008), "A Better Way to Go:
Meeting America's 21st Century Transportation Challenges with Modern Public
Transit," U.S. PIRG Education Fund (www.uspirg.org); at
http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/transportation/transporta
tion2/a-better-way-to-go .
 
 
CNT (2008), "Housing and Transportation Affordability Index" (
http://htaindex.cnt.org <http://htaindex.cnt.org> ), by the Center for
Neighborhood Technology, provides information on the combined cost of
housing and transportation in various U.S. regions.
 

"Traveler Response to Transportation System Changes" (
http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1034
<http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1034>  ) is a
comprehensive set of reports that provide guidance to transportation
professionals on factors that affect travel demands, and readily accessible
documentation on the results that can be expected from various
transportation improvements. Chapter 17 of this project, "Transit Oriented
Development" ( <http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1034>
http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1034 ) examines
factors that affect vehicle trip generation rates of transit oriented areas,
including increased walking for local trips, increased use of public transit
for regional trips, and reduced automobile ownership rates. It presents four
studies of prime-commute-mode shifts by residents when moving into TODs.
More than 90% of TOD passengers walk to transit stations. Together, these
factors lead to 40-60% reductions in vehicle trip generation rates in TODs. 
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Please let us know if you have comments or questions about any information
in this newsletter, or if you would like to be removed from our email list.
And please pass this newsletter on to others who may find it useful.
 



Sincerely,
Todd Alexander Litman
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org)
litman at vtpi.org
Phone & Fax 250-360-1560
1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.web.net/archives/getsmart-l/attachments/20080617/133132e1/attachment.htm