Urban Design at the Intersection of Transportation, Climate Change, Ecology, and Social Justice

Status

In Progress

Project Timeline

August 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020

Principal Investigator

Project Summary

In February 2019, the U.S. Congress announced a resolution for the Green New Deal (GND), a set of policies to drive renewable energy and the low-carbon economy and eradicate poverty while protecting against climate change. Transportation infrastructure was a prominent part of the original 1930s New Deal, including projects such as highways and bridges. Transportation is now a critical part of any broad effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To what extent is the potential of the GND to remake the way people move through cities and regions understood? This project takes on transportation and urban climate futures by focusing on social and ecological questions of transportation infrastructure prompted by the GND and how to design for them. Questions about what to do with infrastructure are caught between rubrics of efficiency, environmental sustainability, and social impact. Given the climate change and social justice imperatives of the GND, how do planners, city managers, and community groups understand and make decisions about long-term, large-cost transportation infrastructure in ways that are environmentally and socially transformative? This research addresses this question by focusing on the intersection of urban design, environmental ethnography, and transportation planning, furthering understanding of contested social and environmental conditions of the present, investigating the possible bounds of desired outcomes of the future.

From Traffic Impact Analysis to Accessibility Impact Analysis: Developing and Testing a Next Generation Development Impact Analysis Tool

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020

Principal Investigator

Project Team

Fariba Siddiq

Campus(es)

UCLA

Project Summary

For decades evaluation of the benefits and costs of new development or redevelopment in urban areas has centered on the effects of development on nearby traffic flows. To address the traffic flow focus of traffic impact analyses, SB 743 directed the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop alternative criteria for measuring the impact of projects. In response, OPR proposed using vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as the most appropriate metric to evaluate a project’s transportation impacts. While most observers agree that a new focus on VMT offers a more holistic picture of transportation impact than focusing on automobile delay as measured by Level of Service (LOS), the new analytical model still centers on adjacent road networks largely distinct from how the proposed development might be expected to benefit cities generally, and agglomerations of activities specifically. A large and growing body of research argues against focusing on mobility (whether to improve the driving experience traditionally or to discourage driving more recently) in favor of focusing on access to destinations when evaluating the role of transportation systems in urban systems. These works by eminent transportation scholars suggest that the move in California from LOS to VMT is a step in the right direction, but not the last step. A more complete and practical accessibility impact analysis tool is needed to better understand the effects of development on urban systems. This research project builds on a series of recent projects and papers by the author and his current and former students on shifting from mobility-focused to access-focused in evaluating the causes and (especially) consequences of traffic congestion on the functioning of cities and their economic agglomerations. This work has turned traffic impact analysis on its head by considering how the spatial arrangement of destinations makes it easier or harder to access them — regardless of the traffic speeds on adjacent roadways.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mobility Needs of an Aging Population in Contra Costa County

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020

Principal Investigator

David Ragland

Project Summary

Meeting the mobility needs of an aging population is a critical challenge facing California. The number of residents age 60 and above will grow to 13.9 million by 2050, representing over 25% of the state’s population, and the number of residents age 85 and above is expected to increase by over 70% between 2010 and 2030. Many older adults, who have been auto dependent, will reduce or stop driving for medical and non-medical reasons, substantially reducing mobility and activity. These limitations increase among low-income older adults and in neighborhoods where mobility options are limited. Transportation agencies are developing plans to expand mobility options beyond driving to address the needs of disabled and older adults. The Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan (2018), adopted by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), prioritizes cost efficient mobility options for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and people with low incomes. Contra Costa County (CCC) is implementing an Accessible Transportation Strategic (ATS) Plan, which supports a similar strategy. The problem and challenge with these plans are to provide information for appropriate and efficient implementation. The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is embarking on several major programs to enhance mobility for all residents, including older adults and disabled persons. Travel options and quality of life for older adults can be greatly enhanced if efforts are made to develop innovative mobility solutions beyond use of private vehicles, including (a), making transit improvements based on need, (b) encouraging rideshare services to accommodate those with disabilities, (c) offering resources for people at risk for missing important activities due to lack of transportation or mobility loss, (d) identifying and focusing on mobility challenged geographic areas and demographic groups, and (e) helping older adults to age in place. A previous study conducted by SafeTREC in 2017/18 on older adult mobility in CCC addressed these topics. The research team will work with the CCTA to use research findings from this previous work, in conjunction with a follow-up survey, to inform implementation of the ATS plan and other plans with similar goals. Major steps in the project are: (i) convene a work group of CCTA, MTC, and community stakeholders and others doing research and practice in this area that will provide input on the deliverables; (ii) synthesize the results of the CCC Older Adult Mobility Survey and ATS plan to help design the proposed follow-up survey (80% of 500 participants in the 2017-18 survey age 55+ agreed to follow-up); (iii)develop a toolkit that translates methods and findings from the 2017/18 project and the current 2019/20 project; and (iv) communicate findings to stakeholders.

Investigating Transportation and Housing Linkages for the State of California

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2019 - December 31, 2020

Principal Investigator

Project Team

Tamara Kerzhner

Campus(es)

UC Berkeley

Project Summary

This project will, in coordination with the State of California’s Housing and Transportation Coordination Workgroup (HTCW), address the following research questions. First, what research-based evidence exists about the linkages between transportation and housing to help inform policy making at the state and local levels? Second, what policies and programs have regional transportation agencies, other states, and other countries implemented to influence local jurisdictions to entitle housing units in ways that best leverage transportation infrastructure and lead to efficient, equitable, and environmentally sustainable travel patterns? Third, given the answers to these questions, how best can housing development and permitting decisions in California be influenced to produce better transportation outcomes; and conversely, how can decisions about transportation investment and service provision be influenced to produce better housing and travel outcomes? Researchers will carry out a comprehensive literature review, a review of policies and plans, and an interview- and/or survey-based exploration of best practices inside and outside California to address the first two questions, and in so doing, provide information to inform the third. Work will focus particularly on equity issues in transportation and housing, including housing affordability, gentrification and displacement, and the travel patterns of lower income households. The project will be conducted in coordination with the HTCW with the intention to advance the understanding of how the existing state level regulatory framework to promote transportation-housing linkages could be improved.

Synergies of Combining Demand- and Supply-Side Measures to Manage Congested Streets

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2019 - December 31, 2020

Principal Investigator

Project Summary

Congestion pricing has been used in cities to limit flows into congested neighborhoods. Pricing does not necessarily reorganize how flows are served, however. Since organizational inefficiencies tend to arise naturally in congested traffic, combatting this type of congestion by means of pricing alone may require high tolls. This can be quite regressive. Complementary strategies to reorganize flows could help reduce the tolls required to alleviate congestion. The challenge lies in choosing organizing strategies that both diminish workload on a network by diminishing vehicle miles traveled (VMT); and enhance network productivity by reducing vehicle hours traveled (VHT). The research will explore the optimal banning of vehicular left‐turn maneuvers at certain signalized intersections in a city as a traffic reorganization strategy. The prohibitions would be imposed only on those intersections that reside inside select zones within the larger city, and only at select times of day. Preliminary research indicates that imposing left‐turn restrictions in this strategic manner can alone reduce a city’s VMT and VHT by substantial amounts; and be far more effective than banning left turns over an entire city in wholesale fashion. Guidelines will be crafted to assist decision‐makers in restricting left turns in their own cities.

Who Has Access to E-Commerce During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Sacramento Region? Implications for Future E-Commerce and Shopping Tripmaking

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2019 - December 31, 2020

Principal Investigator

Project Summary

In the last decade, retail online shopping or e-commerce has increased remarkably. Such a precipitous change in global consumer habits can have a dramatic effect on the way cities operate, particularly with respect to the demand for goods delivery or on-demand services. As e-commerce has matured, consumers have begun demanding faster delivery speeds. Globally, private companies in the parcel, grocery, and hot food delivery sectors have developed last-mile supply chain innovations (e.g., mobile inventory/warehousing, pickup lockers, neighbor-to- neighbor delivery, etc.) to meet this new and growing demand. Little is known about the impacts of such on-demand service models on city functions such as: traffic curb management, congestion, and traffic-related emissions. These innovations have diversified the delivery fleet beyond commercial vehicles, blurring the lines between private and commercial vehicles. Information regarding these fleets is particularly hard to come by due to lack of data collection standards or mandates at the local, regional, or state level. Additionally, there is little reliable understanding of consumer motivations regarding online purchasing and delivery speeds, yielding a situation in which planners neither understand the supply nor the demand. This research project is intended to help cities better understand the factors influencing the dramatic increase in on-demand deliveries on city streets and the demand-management strategies that cities might apply to mitigate congestion and emission impacts. Researchers will: (1) evaluate a variety of options for monitoring and managing curbside on-demand delivery in congested cities through literature review, data inventory, and expert interviews; (2) develop policy strategies for managing consumer demand (that will be modeled as part of this study) drawing from the literature review and expert interviews; (3) document insights into how consumers approach online shopping based upon demographics, urban context, and other variables through a multi-city revealed-/stated-preference consumer survey; and (4) test policy proposals for managing demand through a consumer choice model developed based upon the results of the survey and expert interviews.

Evaluation of Benefits and Costs of a Connected Eco-Driving Program for Trucks

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

September 1, 2019 - December 31, 2021

Principal Investigator

Kanok Boriboonsomsin

Project Team

Dylan Brown, Peng Hao, George Scora, Matt Barth

Project Summary

One operational strategy to improve the efficiency of freight movement while also reducing environmental and health impacts is to provide advanced traveler information to truck drivers. Research shows that using real-time traffic information to determine and provide driving speed recommendation to truck drivers can help reduce fuel consumption and truck emissions. On signalized corridors, traffic signal status is a critical piece of real-time traffic information that can enable innovative applications such as connected eco-driving where drivers are provided with driving speed recommendation that will allow them to pass through signalized intersections in an efficient manner. All traffic signals are owned and operated by public agencies. Therefore, public agencies who manage the state’s roadway infrastructure would benefit from a better understanding of the costs and benefits associated with providing traffic signal status information to the traveling public.This project will evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing a connected eco-driving program for trucks on urban freight corridors. The cost items will include capital investment in infrastructure upgrades such as upgrading traffic controller to enable exporting of traffic signal phase and timing (SPaT) data, installing communication line or device to send SPaT data to a central server, and setting up the central server. The cost items will also include operating costs such as wireless data plan and maintenance of the central server. The research team will use their experience in working with various vendors and agency partners to instrument traffic signals in the City of Carson and in setting up the Traffic Signal Information System server in an ongoing project to gather and determine cost information. This project will also conduct real-world emissions evaluation of a connected eco-driving application for trucks using an innovative approach that couples traffic microsimulation with chassis dynamometer testing. The results from the emissions evaluation with be compiled along with travel time and fuel saving results from other studies to present a complete picture of the benefits of a connected eco-driving program for trucks.

Where Ridehail Drivers Go Between Trips: Trading off Congestion and Curb Availability?

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

September 1, 2019 - May 1, 2021

Principal Investigator

Project Summary

Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) have the potential to improve mobility and reduce parking demand. However, recent research has highlighted the additional vehicle travel and congestion generated by TNCs. The behavior of TNC drivers when out of service (i.e. between paid trips) has received little attention. Out-of-service TNC trips, however, generate vehicle travel through repositioning and cruising when in motion, and occupy curb and parking spaces. While cruising for parking and cruising by taxis have been extensively researched, there is little data to assess the extent of cruising by TNCs. This project will provide one of the first analyses of the impacts of out-of-service TNC trips on vehicle miles traveled and congestion. Investigators will use the City of San Francisco as a case study; focusing on how drivers’ choices affect congestion, vehicle miles traveled, and curb space availability. The project will apportion out-of-service TNC travel in San Francisco into these three categories, using a sample of millions of GPS traces of out-of-service TNCs. Many GPS traces will encompass more than one of these categories, but the working assumption is that each trace can be divided into segments that are characteristic of a single behavior. For example, a driver might reposition and then cruise. The second part of the project examines the factors that predict driver behavior. For example, how does the driver choice between repositioning, cruising and parking vary by driver hours worked, times of day, neighborhood demographics, urban form, and curb space regulation?

How Dock-less Electric Bike Share Influences Travel Behavior, Attitudes, Health, and Equity: Phase II

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020

Principal Investigator

Project Team

Project Summary

The recent emergence of dock-less electric bike (e-bike) and scooter (e-scooter) shares have a growing number of California cities exploring the use of bike/scooter share systems to improve environmental, social, and health outcomes of the transportation system. Increasing bike/scooter share usage is likely to improve users’ physical activity and reduce their vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and related greenhouse emissions. However, these benefits fall under the assumption that users is replacing a car trip with a bike / scooter trip. If the major mode shift comes from public transit, owned bike, or walking, then the expected benefits of bike / scooter share may be more limited. Many existing studies of bike share systems focus on system dynamics, but less is known about how bike/scooter share influences individual level travel behavior, including substituting for car travel. Considering VMT reduction is a statewide goal for meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets, understanding how bike/scooter share can reduce car travel is important. Additionally, understanding how planning and regulation of bike/scooter share systems influences car substitution rates can help cities craft local plans and regulations to maximize VMT reductions from their bike/scooter shares. One of the largest dock-less e-bike shares in the United States opened last summer across Sacramento, West Sacramento, and Davis. The current study of users of this system and nearby residents focuses on measuring the effect of the e-bike (and now e-scooter) share on other travel modes (specifically car travel), attitudes, and public health, along with measuring the equity of the system. This project continues the current project with the addition of further survey data collection and summary of individual level behavior, attitudes, and health. The researchers will add two strategic goals to the second year of the project. First, researchers will build statistical models from the survey data to predict existing system-wide travel mode shift to better estimate system-wide vehicle miles reduced by the system. Second, they propose to model JUMP demand and examine regulation/ planning scenarios (e.g. service area boundaries and vehicle caps).

The​ ​Opportunity​ ​Cost​ ​of​ ​Parking Requirements:​ The Case of Silicon Valley

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2018 - September 30, 2019

Principal Investigator

Project Team

Taner Osman

Project Summary

A growing consensus among economists and economic geographers suggests that America’s most constrained housing markets, and in particular the constrained housing markets on California’s coast, impose high costs not just on people in those markets but on the nation as a whole, by inhibiting migration and placing a drag on productivity. Strict zoning regulations prevent people from moving to areas where they would be most productive, imposing costs that are quiet and atomized but that collectively are large. Despite gaining increasing attention in the last ten years, parking requirements remain relatively overlooked in the literature on land use restrictions. Existing attempts to quantify land use restrictiveness do not measure the stringency of minimum parking requirements, even though parking requirements are often the binding constraint on dense development. The research team proposes examining the relationship between minimum parking requirements, urban land markets, and travel behavior, using Silicon Valley as a case study. The team will specifically examine how minimum parking requirements:
Shape the locations and characteristics of new development,
Distort the location of firms and weaken agglomeration economies, and
Make driving less expensive.
The research team will conclude the assessing the political possibility for parking reform in Silicon Valley.