Search

Search Results

• 1. [Article] Data-Driven Illustrations for Climate Smart Communities Scenarios

  Public investment in transit and streetscape improvements can encourage private development, and subsequently increase transit ridership and reduce pollution. Portland, OR’s Metro regional government has ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Data-Driven Illustrations for Climate Smart Communities Scenarios Author: Cheng, Nancy Yen-wen, Ellis, Kim, Vogt, Molly, Chiavarini, Clint, Houk, Justin, Lockyear, Brian, Postma, Boyce, Morell, Peggy Year: 2013 Public investment in transit and streetscape improvements can encourage private development, and subsequently increase transit ridership and reduce pollution. Portland, OR’s Metro regional government has developed investment scenarios designed to reduce light vehicle carbon emissions. Adopting a regional scenario requires public review and consultation with local governments who will implement the comprehensive plans and land-use regulations. Decision makers and residents need to understand potential benefits: ways in which targeted investment could generate more livable urban spaces while reducing greenhouse gases. Illustrations can show how the investments could shape the pedestrian experience through trees, street furniture, buildings, open spaces, etc. This report explains a new workflow to illustrate urban development possibilities that can be adjusted according to evolving forecasts. Developing accessible scenario illustrations from city and regional planning forecasts requires sound analysis and thoughtful graphics to effectively communicate the analysis results. Our workflow connects planning forecasts (incorporating economic, transportation and land development data) to a parametric urban modeler to generate development massing, with views refined with 3D and 2D graphic procedures. Our objective has been to streamline the creation of visuals that communicate community development patterns and amenities provided with different levels of investment. A streamlined procedure allows different designers to generate illustrations with a consistent graphic style. The report documents the workflow, and identifies challenges, opportunities and questions for further work. Title: Data-Driven Illustrations for Climate Smart Communities Scenarios Author: Cheng, Nancy Yen-wen, Ellis, Kim, Vogt, Molly, Chiavarini, Clint, Houk, Justin, Lockyear, Brian, Postma, Boyce, Morell, Peggy Year: 2013 Public investment in transit and streetscape improvements can encourage private development, and subsequently increase transit ridership and reduce pollution. Portland, OR’s Metro regional government has developed investment scenarios designed to reduce light vehicle carbon emissions. Adopting a regional scenario requires public review and consultation with local governments who will implement the comprehensive plans and land-use regulations. Decision makers and residents need to understand potential benefits: ways in which targeted investment could generate more livable urban spaces while reducing greenhouse gases. Illustrations can show how the investments could shape the pedestrian experience through trees, street furniture, buildings, open spaces, etc. This report explains a new workflow to illustrate urban development possibilities that can be adjusted according to evolving forecasts. Developing accessible scenario illustrations from city and regional planning forecasts requires sound analysis and thoughtful graphics to effectively communicate the analysis results. Our workflow connects planning forecasts (incorporating economic, transportation and land development data) to a parametric urban modeler to generate development massing, with views refined with 3D and 2D graphic procedures. Our objective has been to streamline the creation of visuals that communicate community development patterns and amenities provided with different levels of investment. A streamlined procedure allows different designers to generate illustrations with a consistent graphic style. The report documents the workflow, and identifies challenges, opportunities and questions for further work. Close

• 2. [Article] Transit Planning Practice in the Age of Transit-Oriented Development

  Transit serves as backbone infrastructure for many regional and local visions for sustainable urban development. Also, many modern policies predicate transit funding on the potential for transit-oriented ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Transit Planning Practice in the Age of Transit-Oriented Development Author: Carlton, Ian Year: 2014 Transit serves as backbone infrastructure for many regional and local visions for sustainable urban development. Also, many modern policies predicate transit funding on the potential for transit-oriented development (TOD) near proposed infrastructure investments. However, little research has examined how TOD considerations have informed transit planning. This presentation discusses the results of recent dissertation research that fills this gap. Through multiple transit project case studies and interviews with nearly 100 transit planning professionals, this research categorized how transit projects across 19 U.S. regions were designed to foster TOD and how transit planning professionals identified TOD opportunities as projects were planned. During interviews, many professionals lamented the amount of real estate development that had occurred around the transit projects they helped plan. Analysis revealed that the ways in which professionals identified TOD opportunities helped to explain disconnects between their expectations and actual outcomes. The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness and efficiency of transit planning practice in the age of transit-oriented development and point to potential policy and practice changes that could address the issues. Title: Transit Planning Practice in the Age of Transit-Oriented Development Author: Carlton, Ian Year: 2014 Transit serves as backbone infrastructure for many regional and local visions for sustainable urban development. Also, many modern policies predicate transit funding on the potential for transit-oriented development (TOD) near proposed infrastructure investments. However, little research has examined how TOD considerations have informed transit planning. This presentation discusses the results of recent dissertation research that fills this gap. Through multiple transit project case studies and interviews with nearly 100 transit planning professionals, this research categorized how transit projects across 19 U.S. regions were designed to foster TOD and how transit planning professionals identified TOD opportunities as projects were planned. During interviews, many professionals lamented the amount of real estate development that had occurred around the transit projects they helped plan. Analysis revealed that the ways in which professionals identified TOD opportunities helped to explain disconnects between their expectations and actual outcomes. The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness and efficiency of transit planning practice in the age of transit-oriented development and point to potential policy and practice changes that could address the issues. Close

• 3. [Article] TOD Beats TAD in Affordability Showdown

  A research project compares transportation affordability between transitoriented development (TOD) and transit-adjacent development (TAD).

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: TOD Beats TAD in Affordability Showdown Author: Scheer, Brenda Year: 2017 A research project compares transportation affordability between transitoriented development (TOD) and transit-adjacent development (TAD). Title: TOD Beats TAD in Affordability Showdown Author: Scheer, Brenda Year: 2017 A research project compares transportation affordability between transitoriented development (TOD) and transit-adjacent development (TAD). Close

• 4. [Article] Transit Can Inspire Neighborhood Revitalization

  In-depth case studies explore how transit-oriented development can revitalize neighborhoods without displacing low-income residents.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Transit Can Inspire Neighborhood Revitalization Author: Sandoval, Gerardo Francisco, Herrera, Roanel Year: 2015 In-depth case studies explore how transit-oriented development can revitalize neighborhoods without displacing low-income residents. Title: Transit Can Inspire Neighborhood Revitalization Author: Sandoval, Gerardo Francisco, Herrera, Roanel Year: 2015 In-depth case studies explore how transit-oriented development can revitalize neighborhoods without displacing low-income residents. Close

• 5. [Article] Assessing Travel Plans for Residential Developments

  A ‘travel plan’ is a travel demand management strategy that contains a package of site-specific measures designed to manage car use and encourage the use of more sustainable transport modes. Much of the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing Travel Plans for Residential Developments Author: Rose, Geoff Year: 2016 A ‘travel plan’ is a travel demand management strategy that contains a package of site-specific measures designed to manage car use and encourage the use of more sustainable transport modes. Much of the existing literature on travel plans focuses on their application in workplaces and schools. Travel plans can be required for new residential developments as part of the land use planning and approvals process. However, there is limited understanding of the extent to which they have influenced travel behaviour. This presentation focuses on the assessment of travel plans developed for new residential apartment developments in Melbourne, Australia. Consideration is given to both the quality of travel plans for new residential developments and their effectiveness in terms of their impact on travel behaviour. Title: Assessing Travel Plans for Residential Developments Author: Rose, Geoff Year: 2016 A ‘travel plan’ is a travel demand management strategy that contains a package of site-specific measures designed to manage car use and encourage the use of more sustainable transport modes. Much of the existing literature on travel plans focuses on their application in workplaces and schools. Travel plans can be required for new residential developments as part of the land use planning and approvals process. However, there is limited understanding of the extent to which they have influenced travel behaviour. This presentation focuses on the assessment of travel plans developed for new residential apartment developments in Melbourne, Australia. Consideration is given to both the quality of travel plans for new residential developments and their effectiveness in terms of their impact on travel behaviour. Close

• 6. [Article] Realistic or Utopian? Coordinating Transit and Land Use to Achieve Equitable Transit-Oriented Development

  Equitable transit-oriented development (E-TOD)—the prioritization of social equity as an outcome of TOD implementation—has become a U.S. DOT policy stance, an objective of many other government bodies, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Realistic or Utopian? Coordinating Transit and Land Use to Achieve Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Author: Carlton, Ian Year: 2016 Equitable transit-oriented development (E-TOD)—the prioritization of social equity as an outcome of TOD implementation—has become a U.S. DOT policy stance, an objective of many other government bodies, and part of many NGOs' missions. But is it feasible to coordinate transit and land use in ways that allow us to achieve these goals, or is this a classic example of a wicked problem? This talk will use Portland as a case study to explore some of the internal contradictions inherent in E-TOD goals, the systemic challenges that must be considered, and glimmers of hope for delivering E-TOD. Transportation and land use planners, housing developers, social equity advocates, and others are invited to join this cross-cutting discussion. Title: Realistic or Utopian? Coordinating Transit and Land Use to Achieve Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Author: Carlton, Ian Year: 2016 Equitable transit-oriented development (E-TOD)—the prioritization of social equity as an outcome of TOD implementation—has become a U.S. DOT policy stance, an objective of many other government bodies, and part of many NGOs' missions. But is it feasible to coordinate transit and land use in ways that allow us to achieve these goals, or is this a classic example of a wicked problem? This talk will use Portland as a case study to explore some of the internal contradictions inherent in E-TOD goals, the systemic challenges that must be considered, and glimmers of hope for delivering E-TOD. Transportation and land use planners, housing developers, social equity advocates, and others are invited to join this cross-cutting discussion. Close

• 7. [Article] Continuous Data Integration for Land Use and Transportation Planning and Modeling

  There is an urgent need for improved models that address the interdependencies between land use and transportation, and considerable new work is underway to develop such models in Oregon and elsewhere. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Continuous Data Integration for Land Use and Transportation Planning and Modeling Author: Wang, Liming, Kim, Kihong Year: 2014 There is an urgent need for improved models that address the interdependencies between land use and transportation, and considerable new work is underway to develop such models in Oregon and elsewhere. These models and planning practices to integrate land use into the process, however, require the integration of massive amounts of land use data that is messy and incomplete. There have been considerable advances in the treatment of such data problems in other domains, drawing on data mining and machine-learning techniques to address issues in various domains. To date, however, little systematic effort has applied these technological advances to the problem domain of land use and transportation data. Experience suggests that as much as 70% of the total effort in developing integrated land use and transportation models is directly or indirectly associated with data development, integration and cleaning, yet there is remarkably little systematic research focused on the development of reusable methods and tools to support this problem domain. In coordination with an ongoing project of similar theme funded by University of California Transportation Center (UCTC), this project will focus on bringing interdisciplinary methods to develop land use datasets for integrated land use and transportation planning and modeling, with special attention on preserving temporal dimension of the data and monitoring data quality through indicators. Utilizing statistics and machine-learning techniques, we will develop reusable tools that will create a harmonized and coherent land use database from various public and private sources. These tools will be made available to the public and can be used by cities, counties, metropolitan planning agencies, state agencies, universities or anyone else needing to develop a usable database for use in integrated planning and modeling. All of the resulting data, with the exception of proprietary or confidential input data where there is no viable alternative, would be public and reusable for planning and research. Title: Continuous Data Integration for Land Use and Transportation Planning and Modeling Author: Wang, Liming, Kim, Kihong Year: 2014 There is an urgent need for improved models that address the interdependencies between land use and transportation, and considerable new work is underway to develop such models in Oregon and elsewhere. These models and planning practices to integrate land use into the process, however, require the integration of massive amounts of land use data that is messy and incomplete. There have been considerable advances in the treatment of such data problems in other domains, drawing on data mining and machine-learning techniques to address issues in various domains. To date, however, little systematic effort has applied these technological advances to the problem domain of land use and transportation data. Experience suggests that as much as 70% of the total effort in developing integrated land use and transportation models is directly or indirectly associated with data development, integration and cleaning, yet there is remarkably little systematic research focused on the development of reusable methods and tools to support this problem domain. In coordination with an ongoing project of similar theme funded by University of California Transportation Center (UCTC), this project will focus on bringing interdisciplinary methods to develop land use datasets for integrated land use and transportation planning and modeling, with special attention on preserving temporal dimension of the data and monitoring data quality through indicators. Utilizing statistics and machine-learning techniques, we will develop reusable tools that will create a harmonized and coherent land use database from various public and private sources. These tools will be made available to the public and can be used by cities, counties, metropolitan planning agencies, state agencies, universities or anyone else needing to develop a usable database for use in integrated planning and modeling. All of the resulting data, with the exception of proprietary or confidential input data where there is no viable alternative, would be public and reusable for planning and research. Close

• 8. [Article] Travel and Transit Use at Portland Area Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs)

  In recent years there has been a growing interest in using land use planning to reduce reliance on the automobile long-term, through ideas such as smart growth, New Urbanism, pedestrian pockets, and transit-oriented ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Travel and Transit Use at Portland Area Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) Author: Dill, Jennifer Year: 2006 In recent years there has been a growing interest in using land use planning to reduce reliance on the automobile long-term, through ideas such as smart growth, New Urbanism, pedestrian pockets, and transit-oriented development (TODs). Many growing regions throughout the United States, are turning to these concepts to address problems of traffic congestion and suburban sprawl. However, the effectiveness of such policies in reducing automobile travel and improving livability is largely unknown. Portland was one of the early adopters and is often pointed to as a model for other regions. The Region's 2040 Growth Concept, adopted by the Metro regional government, includes many smart growth concepts. Metro uses a number of programs and policies to implement the 2040 Growth Concept, including subsidies to transit-oriented developments. This research surveyed residents of TODs in the Portland area to help answer the following questions: Do residents of transit-oriented developments (TODs) drive vehicles less, use transit more, and/or walk and bicycle more than residents of other neighborhoods? To what extent can TODs increase transit ridership? How do the features of the TOD influence travel choices? Do the features of TODs induce people to change their travel behavior? Alternatively, are people who move to these neighborhoods already active transit users, walkers, or cyclists, i.e. they are seeking an environment in which to practice their preferred travel behaviors? These questions are key to understanding the cause-effect relationship between the built environment and travel behavior. How do people's attitudes towards travel and their neighborhood influence travel behavior? Title: Travel and Transit Use at Portland Area Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) Author: Dill, Jennifer Year: 2006 In recent years there has been a growing interest in using land use planning to reduce reliance on the automobile long-term, through ideas such as smart growth, New Urbanism, pedestrian pockets, and transit-oriented development (TODs). Many growing regions throughout the United States, are turning to these concepts to address problems of traffic congestion and suburban sprawl. However, the effectiveness of such policies in reducing automobile travel and improving livability is largely unknown. Portland was one of the early adopters and is often pointed to as a model for other regions. The Region's 2040 Growth Concept, adopted by the Metro regional government, includes many smart growth concepts. Metro uses a number of programs and policies to implement the 2040 Growth Concept, including subsidies to transit-oriented developments. This research surveyed residents of TODs in the Portland area to help answer the following questions: Do residents of transit-oriented developments (TODs) drive vehicles less, use transit more, and/or walk and bicycle more than residents of other neighborhoods? To what extent can TODs increase transit ridership? How do the features of the TOD influence travel choices? Do the features of TODs induce people to change their travel behavior? Alternatively, are people who move to these neighborhoods already active transit users, walkers, or cyclists, i.e. they are seeking an environment in which to practice their preferred travel behaviors? These questions are key to understanding the cause-effect relationship between the built environment and travel behavior. How do people's attitudes towards travel and their neighborhood influence travel behavior? Close

• 9. [Article] Commuter Rail Transit and Economic Development

  Commuter rail transit (CRT) is a form of rail passenger service connecting downtowns and other major activity centers with suburban commuter towns and beyond. Between 1834 and 1973, only three public CRT ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Commuter Rail Transit and Economic Development Author: Nelson, Arthur C., Miller, Matt, Kim, Keuntae, Ganning, Joanna P., Liu, Jenny H., Ewing, Reid Year: 2015 Commuter rail transit (CRT) is a form of rail passenger service connecting downtowns and other major activity centers with suburban commuter towns and beyond. Between 1834 and 1973, only three public CRT systems were built in the U.S. serving New York, Chicago and then Boston. There are now 25 such systems. Modern CRT systems aim to expand economic development in metropolitan areas. But do they? This paper evaluates the economic development performance of five modern CRT systems. The authors find that several economic sectors perform well within 0.50 miles of CRT stations. The authors offer planning and policy implications. Title: Commuter Rail Transit and Economic Development Author: Nelson, Arthur C., Miller, Matt, Kim, Keuntae, Ganning, Joanna P., Liu, Jenny H., Ewing, Reid Year: 2015 Commuter rail transit (CRT) is a form of rail passenger service connecting downtowns and other major activity centers with suburban commuter towns and beyond. Between 1834 and 1973, only three public CRT systems were built in the U.S. serving New York, Chicago and then Boston. There are now 25 such systems. Modern CRT systems aim to expand economic development in metropolitan areas. But do they? This paper evaluates the economic development performance of five modern CRT systems. The authors find that several economic sectors perform well within 0.50 miles of CRT stations. The authors offer planning and policy implications. Close

• 10. [Article] How Does Transportation Affordability Vary Among TODs, TADs, and Other Areas?

  Transit-oriented development (TOD) has gained popularity worldwide as a sustainable form of urbanism; it concentrates development near a transit station so as to reduce auto-dependency and increase ridership. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: How Does Transportation Affordability Vary Among TODs, TADs, and Other Areas? Author: Scheer, Brenda, Ewing, Reid, Park, Keunhyun, Khan, Shabnam Sifat Ara Year: 2017 Transit-oriented development (TOD) has gained popularity worldwide as a sustainable form of urbanism; it concentrates development near a transit station so as to reduce auto-dependency and increase ridership. Existing travel behavior studies in the context of TOD, however, are limited in terms of small sample size, inconsistent TOD classification methods, and failure to control for residential self-selection. Thus, this study has three research questions. First, how can we distinguish between Transit-oriented development (TOD) and Transit-adjacent development (TAD)? Second, how do travel behaviors vary between TODs and TADs? Third, how does transportation affordability vary between TODs and TADs? This study utilizes cluster analysis to classify station area types and propensity score matching to control residential self-selection. From cluster analysis with built-environment factors—density, diversity, and walkability—in a half-mile buffer, this study classifies existing station areas as TOD, TAD or Hybrid types. After controlling for residential self-selection, it shows that a TOD motivates its residents to walk more and take transit more while using personal vehicles less. The significant difference between TOD and TAD in both VMT and the number of auto trips demonstrates that TODs make the personal vehicle trips shorter and fewer. Travel behavior in the Hybrid type demonstrates the possibility of gradual and practical change. Finally, the percentage of household income spent on transportation is lower in TOD households than TAD households. This shows that a TOD household is likely to save enough money on vehicle ownership and use that, while it likely spends more on transit, the final result is a significantly lower financial burden from transportation. Title: How Does Transportation Affordability Vary Among TODs, TADs, and Other Areas? Author: Scheer, Brenda, Ewing, Reid, Park, Keunhyun, Khan, Shabnam Sifat Ara Year: 2017 Transit-oriented development (TOD) has gained popularity worldwide as a sustainable form of urbanism; it concentrates development near a transit station so as to reduce auto-dependency and increase ridership. Existing travel behavior studies in the context of TOD, however, are limited in terms of small sample size, inconsistent TOD classification methods, and failure to control for residential self-selection. Thus, this study has three research questions. First, how can we distinguish between Transit-oriented development (TOD) and Transit-adjacent development (TAD)? Second, how do travel behaviors vary between TODs and TADs? Third, how does transportation affordability vary between TODs and TADs? This study utilizes cluster analysis to classify station area types and propensity score matching to control residential self-selection. From cluster analysis with built-environment factors—density, diversity, and walkability—in a half-mile buffer, this study classifies existing station areas as TOD, TAD or Hybrid types. After controlling for residential self-selection, it shows that a TOD motivates its residents to walk more and take transit more while using personal vehicles less. The significant difference between TOD and TAD in both VMT and the number of auto trips demonstrates that TODs make the personal vehicle trips shorter and fewer. Travel behavior in the Hybrid type demonstrates the possibility of gradual and practical change. Finally, the percentage of household income spent on transportation is lower in TOD households than TAD households. This shows that a TOD household is likely to save enough money on vehicle ownership and use that, while it likely spends more on transit, the final result is a significantly lower financial burden from transportation. Close