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• 1. [Article] Faulty Measurements and Shaky Tools: An Exploration into Hazus and the Seismic Vulnerabilities of Portland, OR

  Events or forces of nature with catastrophic consequences, or "natural disasters," have increased in both frequency and force due to climate change and increased urbanization in climate-sensitive areas. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Faulty Measurements and Shaky Tools: An Exploration into Hazus and the Seismic Vulnerabilities of Portland, OR Author: Brannon, Brittany Ann Year: 2013 Events or forces of nature with catastrophic consequences, or "natural disasters," have increased in both frequency and force due to climate change and increased urbanization in climate-sensitive areas. To create capacity to face these dangers, an entity must first quantify the threat and translate scientific knowledge on nature into comprehensible estimates of cost and loss. These estimates equip those at risk with knowledge to enact policy, formulate mitigation plans, raise awareness, and promote preparedness in light of potential destruction. Hazards-United States, or Hazus, is one such tool created by the federal government to estimate loss from a variety of threats, including earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. Private and governmental agencies use Hazus to provide information and support to enact mitigation measures, craft plans, and create insurance assessments; hence the results of Hazus can have lasting and irreversible effects once the hazard in question occurs. This thesis addresses this problem and sheds light on the obvious and deterministic failings of Hazus in the context of the probable earthquake in Portland, OR; stripping away the tool's black box and exposing the grim vulnerabilities it fails to account for. The purpose of this thesis is twofold. First, this thesis aims to examine the critical flaws within Hazus and the omitted vulnerabilities particular to the Portland region and likely relevant in other areas of study. Second and more nationally applicable, this thesis intends to examine the influence Hazus outputs can have in the framing of seismic risk by the non-expert public. Combining the problem of inadequate understanding of risk in Portland with the questionable faith in Hazus alludes to a larger, socio-technical situation in need of attention by the academic and hazard mitigation community. This thesis addresses those issues in scope and adds to the growing body of literature on defining risk, hazard mitigation, and the consequences of natural disasters to urban environments. Title: Faulty Measurements and Shaky Tools: An Exploration into Hazus and the Seismic Vulnerabilities of Portland, OR Author: Brannon, Brittany Ann Year: 2013 Events or forces of nature with catastrophic consequences, or "natural disasters," have increased in both frequency and force due to climate change and increased urbanization in climate-sensitive areas. To create capacity to face these dangers, an entity must first quantify the threat and translate scientific knowledge on nature into comprehensible estimates of cost and loss. These estimates equip those at risk with knowledge to enact policy, formulate mitigation plans, raise awareness, and promote preparedness in light of potential destruction. Hazards-United States, or Hazus, is one such tool created by the federal government to estimate loss from a variety of threats, including earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. Private and governmental agencies use Hazus to provide information and support to enact mitigation measures, craft plans, and create insurance assessments; hence the results of Hazus can have lasting and irreversible effects once the hazard in question occurs. This thesis addresses this problem and sheds light on the obvious and deterministic failings of Hazus in the context of the probable earthquake in Portland, OR; stripping away the tool's black box and exposing the grim vulnerabilities it fails to account for. The purpose of this thesis is twofold. First, this thesis aims to examine the critical flaws within Hazus and the omitted vulnerabilities particular to the Portland region and likely relevant in other areas of study. Second and more nationally applicable, this thesis intends to examine the influence Hazus outputs can have in the framing of seismic risk by the non-expert public. Combining the problem of inadequate understanding of risk in Portland with the questionable faith in Hazus alludes to a larger, socio-technical situation in need of attention by the academic and hazard mitigation community. This thesis addresses those issues in scope and adds to the growing body of literature on defining risk, hazard mitigation, and the consequences of natural disasters to urban environments. Close

• 2. [Article] Towards Systematic Prediction of Urban Heat Islands: Grounding Measurements, Assessing Modeling Techniques

  While there exists extensive assessment of urban heat, we observe myriad methods for describing thermal distribution, factors that mediate temperatures, and potential impacts on urban populations. In addition, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Towards Systematic Prediction of Urban Heat Islands: Grounding Measurements, Assessing Modeling Techniques Author: Voelkel, Jackson, Shandas, Vivek Year: 2017 While there exists extensive assessment of urban heat, we observe myriad methods for describing thermal distribution, factors that mediate temperatures, and potential impacts on urban populations. In addition, the limited spatial and temporal resolution of satellite-derived heat measurements may limit the capacity of decision makers to take effective actions for reducing mortalities in vulnerable populations whose locations require highly-refined measurements. Needed are high resolution spatial and temporal information for urban heat. In this study, we ask three questions: (1) how do urban heat islands vary throughout the day? (2) what statistical methods best explain the presence of temperatures at sub-meter spatial scales; and (3) what landscape features help to explain variation in urban heat islands? Using vehicle-based temperature measurements at three periods of the day in the Pacific Northwest city of Portland, Oregon (USA), we incorporate LiDAR-derived datasets, and evaluate three statistical techniques for modeling and predicting variation in temperatures during a heat wave. Our results indicate that the random forest technique best predicts temperatures, and that the evening model best explains the variation in temperature. The results suggest that ground-based measurements provide high levels of accuracy for describing the distribution of urban heat, its temporal variation, and specific locations where targeted interventions with communities can reduce mortalities from heat events. Title: Towards Systematic Prediction of Urban Heat Islands: Grounding Measurements, Assessing Modeling Techniques Author: Voelkel, Jackson, Shandas, Vivek Year: 2017 While there exists extensive assessment of urban heat, we observe myriad methods for describing thermal distribution, factors that mediate temperatures, and potential impacts on urban populations. In addition, the limited spatial and temporal resolution of satellite-derived heat measurements may limit the capacity of decision makers to take effective actions for reducing mortalities in vulnerable populations whose locations require highly-refined measurements. Needed are high resolution spatial and temporal information for urban heat. In this study, we ask three questions: (1) how do urban heat islands vary throughout the day? (2) what statistical methods best explain the presence of temperatures at sub-meter spatial scales; and (3) what landscape features help to explain variation in urban heat islands? Using vehicle-based temperature measurements at three periods of the day in the Pacific Northwest city of Portland, Oregon (USA), we incorporate LiDAR-derived datasets, and evaluate three statistical techniques for modeling and predicting variation in temperatures during a heat wave. Our results indicate that the random forest technique best predicts temperatures, and that the evening model best explains the variation in temperature. The results suggest that ground-based measurements provide high levels of accuracy for describing the distribution of urban heat, its temporal variation, and specific locations where targeted interventions with communities can reduce mortalities from heat events. Close

• 3. [Article] Financing Mechanisms for Capacity Improvements at Interchanges

  This report examines the use of alternative local financing mechanisms for interchange and interchange area infrastructure improvements. The financing mechanisms covered include transportation impact fees, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Financing Mechanisms for Capacity Improvements at Interchanges Author: Strathman, James G., Simmons, Elizabeth Year: 2010 This report examines the use of alternative local financing mechanisms for interchange and interchange area infrastructure improvements. The financing mechanisms covered include transportation impact fees, tax increment financing, value capture financing, local improvement districts, transportation corporations, state infrastructure banks, local option transportation taxes, fair share mitigation, and transportation concurrency. The financing alternatives are assessed in the context of Interchange Area Management Plans, which are required by the Oregon Transportation Commission, as well as in the context of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s responsibilities under the state’s Transportation Planning Rule. Title: Financing Mechanisms for Capacity Improvements at Interchanges Author: Strathman, James G., Simmons, Elizabeth Year: 2010 This report examines the use of alternative local financing mechanisms for interchange and interchange area infrastructure improvements. The financing mechanisms covered include transportation impact fees, tax increment financing, value capture financing, local improvement districts, transportation corporations, state infrastructure banks, local option transportation taxes, fair share mitigation, and transportation concurrency. The financing alternatives are assessed in the context of Interchange Area Management Plans, which are required by the Oregon Transportation Commission, as well as in the context of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s responsibilities under the state’s Transportation Planning Rule. Close

• 4. [Article] A Capping Case Study: Integrating Freight Rail into a Community Setting

  This investigation seeks to explore specific design solutions that could potentially enhance the capabilities of heavy rail facilities while increasing their safety and reducing their environmental and ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Capping Case Study: Integrating Freight Rail into a Community Setting Author: Schnabel, Jeff, Brasseur, Tristan Year: 2011 This investigation seeks to explore specific design solutions that could potentially enhance the capabilities of heavy rail facilities while increasing their safety and reducing their environmental and community impacts. Using Portland's Brooklyn Rail Yard as the study site, this case study explored the potential of structural platforms (caps) built above the existing rail yards to provide development space for expanding rail capacity and rail related activities. The potential for capping to reduce /eliminate conflicts between rail and non-rail uses will also be investigated. Finally, the various designs were presented for caps at the rail yard. Capping projects (the development of air rights above an existing use) have been successfully employed over other forms of transportation. Duluth Minnesota, Barcelona Spain, and Seattle Washington have each employed capping strategies to mitigate the impact of freeways on the urban fabric. This study will explore the potential of caps to address the specific conditions of a privately held freight rail facility. Key stakeholders will be identified including Union Pacific Railroad, TriMet, Portland Development Commission, Brooklyn Neighborhood Association, Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood Association and Reed Neighborhood Association. The stakeholders will be interviewed to identify the needs and impacts of freight rail on this particular site. Consultants with expertise on the mitigation of the identified impacts will be interviewed and their input documented. Precedents for potential solutions will be identified and documented. Sites in the Brooklyn Rail Yard will be selected as areas for additional study based upon their potential to illustrate the impact of the proposed solutions. Once the sites are selected a master plan will be generated that reflects input from the stakeholders, consultants, and precedent investigations. The master plan will be presented to stakeholders and consultants for their response to the proposed solutions. Title: A Capping Case Study: Integrating Freight Rail into a Community Setting Author: Schnabel, Jeff, Brasseur, Tristan Year: 2011 This investigation seeks to explore specific design solutions that could potentially enhance the capabilities of heavy rail facilities while increasing their safety and reducing their environmental and community impacts. Using Portland's Brooklyn Rail Yard as the study site, this case study explored the potential of structural platforms (caps) built above the existing rail yards to provide development space for expanding rail capacity and rail related activities. The potential for capping to reduce /eliminate conflicts between rail and non-rail uses will also be investigated. Finally, the various designs were presented for caps at the rail yard. Capping projects (the development of air rights above an existing use) have been successfully employed over other forms of transportation. Duluth Minnesota, Barcelona Spain, and Seattle Washington have each employed capping strategies to mitigate the impact of freeways on the urban fabric. This study will explore the potential of caps to address the specific conditions of a privately held freight rail facility. Key stakeholders will be identified including Union Pacific Railroad, TriMet, Portland Development Commission, Brooklyn Neighborhood Association, Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood Association and Reed Neighborhood Association. The stakeholders will be interviewed to identify the needs and impacts of freight rail on this particular site. Consultants with expertise on the mitigation of the identified impacts will be interviewed and their input documented. Precedents for potential solutions will be identified and documented. Sites in the Brooklyn Rail Yard will be selected as areas for additional study based upon their potential to illustrate the impact of the proposed solutions. Once the sites are selected a master plan will be generated that reflects input from the stakeholders, consultants, and precedent investigations. The master plan will be presented to stakeholders and consultants for their response to the proposed solutions. Close

• 5. [Article] Transferring Community-based, Active Transportation GIS Assessment Tools Nationwide

  “Livability” has recently been declared one of four top priorities by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and the USDOT, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Transferring Community-based, Active Transportation GIS Assessment Tools Nationwide Author: Schlossberg, Marc, Larco, Nico Year: 2009 “Livability” has recently been declared one of four top priorities by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and the USDOT, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have entered into an historic partnership to address the issue. Ultimately, this term refers to the quality of life within one’s community and the ease, comfort, and joy with which one can access places he or she want to go. For most Americans, their neighborhoods have been designed to predominantly accommodate the automobile, and more active forms of transportation such as walking and biking have been neglected. Previous and current OTREC work has developed a suite of GIS tools focused on assessing these environments in a fine-scaled, field-based, geo-referenced format so that local communities can better identify gaps in their networks and work to make appropriate improvements. This work explicitly focuses on the role and capacity of a general citizenry to conduct built environment active transportation audits and engage in facilitated discussions about the data and maps resulting from their community data collection. Title: Transferring Community-based, Active Transportation GIS Assessment Tools Nationwide Author: Schlossberg, Marc, Larco, Nico Year: 2009 “Livability” has recently been declared one of four top priorities by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and the USDOT, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have entered into an historic partnership to address the issue. Ultimately, this term refers to the quality of life within one’s community and the ease, comfort, and joy with which one can access places he or she want to go. For most Americans, their neighborhoods have been designed to predominantly accommodate the automobile, and more active forms of transportation such as walking and biking have been neglected. Previous and current OTREC work has developed a suite of GIS tools focused on assessing these environments in a fine-scaled, field-based, geo-referenced format so that local communities can better identify gaps in their networks and work to make appropriate improvements. This work explicitly focuses on the role and capacity of a general citizenry to conduct built environment active transportation audits and engage in facilitated discussions about the data and maps resulting from their community data collection. Close

• 6. [Article] The Boulevard Study: From Arterial to Asset -- Examining the Role of the Multi-Way Boulevard in Coordinated Transportation and Land Use Planning

  Cities that were once considered the most-desired places to live or for businesses to locate are now seeking ways to unclog their increasingly congested roadways and regain their quality of life. U.S. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Boulevard Study: From Arterial to Asset -- Examining the Role of the Multi-Way Boulevard in Coordinated Transportation and Land Use Planning Author: Gillem, Mark L. Year: 2010 Cities that were once considered the most-desired places to live or for businesses to locate are now seeking ways to unclog their increasingly congested roadways and regain their quality of life. U.S. Department of Transportation Strategic Plan Background Cities across the U.S. that are struggling with congestion resort to remedies that are increasingly difficult to implement. Adding capacity is a more challenging proposition given limited land availability, greater environmental constraints, and fiscal barriers. Replacing individual trips with transit has seen limited success and can typically only be justified at greater levels of density than many communities currently support. Multiway boulevards offer one possible but little studied alternative to congested arterials in metropolitan areas. These streets, which are common in Europe, have several lanes of faster moving through traffic in the middle separated by medians from parking and access lanes on the sides. With local traffic traveling in the slow moving access lanes, these streets support a wider array of land uses than typical arterials. Ground level retail uses can take advantage of on-street parking in the access lanes. Residential uses are attracted to the park-like quality of the landscaped boulevards. This study will investigate the transportation and land use potential of replacing the ubiquitous arterial with multiway boulevards. Objective. This is an applied research project that will examine the opportunities and constraints to converting an auto-oriented five-and six-lane arterial into a multiway boulevard with transit as a way of reducing congestion, improving pedestrian and automobile safety, and supporting more unified land uses. Hence, the study is well aligned with OTREC's theme of integrating land use and transportation planning as well as U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) strategic objectives focused on improving safety, enhancing mobility, and minimizing transportation related environmental impacts. Method and Scope The project will use a case study approach and will focus on the Franklin Corridor in the Eugene-Springfield area. Through a series of public workshops, planning studios, and student research efforts, University of Oregon graduate and undergraduate students in architecture, landscape architecture, and planning, along with local professionals, and members of the general public will work together to analyze existing conditions, develop planning objectives, prepare conceptual diagrams for development of the corridor, examine alternative right-of-way sections, and calculate potential future development capacities in terms of densities and open space. The work effort will be focused on developing a conceptual analysis of existing and proposed conditions rather than on detailed traffic modeling and design. The study area will include Franklin Boulevard from the eastern edge of Glenwood to Eugene's Ferry Street Bridge. The corridor is under intense development pressure. On the west end, Eugene's new Federal Courthouse will be the anchor for a 50-acre redeveloped industrial district. In the middle are proposals for the 80-acre Walnut Station Mixed Use Area. On the east end are redevelopment concepts for a 43-acre portion of Glenwood. In this project, we will look beyond these individual projects and study the potential for the corridor as a whole. Title: The Boulevard Study: From Arterial to Asset -- Examining the Role of the Multi-Way Boulevard in Coordinated Transportation and Land Use Planning Author: Gillem, Mark L. Year: 2010 Cities that were once considered the most-desired places to live or for businesses to locate are now seeking ways to unclog their increasingly congested roadways and regain their quality of life. U.S. Department of Transportation Strategic Plan Background Cities across the U.S. that are struggling with congestion resort to remedies that are increasingly difficult to implement. Adding capacity is a more challenging proposition given limited land availability, greater environmental constraints, and fiscal barriers. Replacing individual trips with transit has seen limited success and can typically only be justified at greater levels of density than many communities currently support. Multiway boulevards offer one possible but little studied alternative to congested arterials in metropolitan areas. These streets, which are common in Europe, have several lanes of faster moving through traffic in the middle separated by medians from parking and access lanes on the sides. With local traffic traveling in the slow moving access lanes, these streets support a wider array of land uses than typical arterials. Ground level retail uses can take advantage of on-street parking in the access lanes. Residential uses are attracted to the park-like quality of the landscaped boulevards. This study will investigate the transportation and land use potential of replacing the ubiquitous arterial with multiway boulevards. Objective. This is an applied research project that will examine the opportunities and constraints to converting an auto-oriented five-and six-lane arterial into a multiway boulevard with transit as a way of reducing congestion, improving pedestrian and automobile safety, and supporting more unified land uses. Hence, the study is well aligned with OTREC's theme of integrating land use and transportation planning as well as U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) strategic objectives focused on improving safety, enhancing mobility, and minimizing transportation related environmental impacts. Method and Scope The project will use a case study approach and will focus on the Franklin Corridor in the Eugene-Springfield area. Through a series of public workshops, planning studios, and student research efforts, University of Oregon graduate and undergraduate students in architecture, landscape architecture, and planning, along with local professionals, and members of the general public will work together to analyze existing conditions, develop planning objectives, prepare conceptual diagrams for development of the corridor, examine alternative right-of-way sections, and calculate potential future development capacities in terms of densities and open space. The work effort will be focused on developing a conceptual analysis of existing and proposed conditions rather than on detailed traffic modeling and design. The study area will include Franklin Boulevard from the eastern edge of Glenwood to Eugene's Ferry Street Bridge. The corridor is under intense development pressure. On the west end, Eugene's new Federal Courthouse will be the anchor for a 50-acre redeveloped industrial district. In the middle are proposals for the 80-acre Walnut Station Mixed Use Area. On the east end are redevelopment concepts for a 43-acre portion of Glenwood. In this project, we will look beyond these individual projects and study the potential for the corridor as a whole. Close

• 7. [Article] Providing Capacity in Rural Communities: Planning for Alternative Transportation

  This technology transfer proposal linked service learning with rural multimodal transportation planning through a collaborative partnership between University of Oregon (UO) experiential learning programs ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Providing Capacity in Rural Communities: Planning for Alternative Transportation Author: Smith, Megan Year: 2011 This technology transfer proposal linked service learning with rural multimodal transportation planning through a collaborative partnership between University of Oregon (UO) experiential learning programs and three rural Oregon communities. As this planning and technical support to rural communities occurred, lessons learned were gathered and will support future servicelearning projects focused on transportation planning. The primary products for this project are the: (1) Completion of multimodal transportation planning projects that increase rural community capacity; and (2) a website with resources for communities, faculty and students. Three further outcomes were: (1) Increased capacity for transportation planning in rural communities; (2) Increased capacity in existing transportation planning professionals working in rural communities; and (3) Increased capacity in young planning professional and graduate students. This project was be led by the Community Service Center (CSC) at the UO and engaged two programs of the CSC. Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE), founded in 1994, is a field based service learning program, affiliated with the UO’s Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM). Each year RARE places 20 graduate level participants in rural Oregon communities where they live for 11 months while working for local agencies on planning and community development projects. Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is an experiential learning program also affiliated with PPPM. Established in 1977, CPW is campus-based, with teams of graduate students working on projects for public and non-profit organizations. Product One: Three community projects focused on multi-modal transportation planning were selected as RARE host sites. These projects included: a bike/pedestrian trails planning project with the City of Lebanon and Build Lebanon Trails, a local non-profit; a bike/pedestrian trails planning project with the City of Warrenton and Warrenton Trails Committee; and transportation needs assessment for the Rogue Valley Transportation District. These projects were selected from a pool of applicants based on project feasibility, community support, and host agency support of the CSC’s service learning objectives. In October 2007, three RARE participants were placed in these three communities and worked closely with local community supervisors to complete planning projects that specifically address multimodal transportation planning. The deliverables were multi-modal planning and projects, specifically addressing public, bike/pedestrian and recreation-related transportation, in three rural communities. Product Two: Through the creation of a website with lessons learned and example projects, the knowledge gained in developing the plans and projects is being disseminated. Title: Providing Capacity in Rural Communities: Planning for Alternative Transportation Author: Smith, Megan Year: 2011 This technology transfer proposal linked service learning with rural multimodal transportation planning through a collaborative partnership between University of Oregon (UO) experiential learning programs and three rural Oregon communities. As this planning and technical support to rural communities occurred, lessons learned were gathered and will support future servicelearning projects focused on transportation planning. The primary products for this project are the: (1) Completion of multimodal transportation planning projects that increase rural community capacity; and (2) a website with resources for communities, faculty and students. Three further outcomes were: (1) Increased capacity for transportation planning in rural communities; (2) Increased capacity in existing transportation planning professionals working in rural communities; and (3) Increased capacity in young planning professional and graduate students. This project was be led by the Community Service Center (CSC) at the UO and engaged two programs of the CSC. Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE), founded in 1994, is a field based service learning program, affiliated with the UO’s Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM). Each year RARE places 20 graduate level participants in rural Oregon communities where they live for 11 months while working for local agencies on planning and community development projects. Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is an experiential learning program also affiliated with PPPM. Established in 1977, CPW is campus-based, with teams of graduate students working on projects for public and non-profit organizations. Product One: Three community projects focused on multi-modal transportation planning were selected as RARE host sites. These projects included: a bike/pedestrian trails planning project with the City of Lebanon and Build Lebanon Trails, a local non-profit; a bike/pedestrian trails planning project with the City of Warrenton and Warrenton Trails Committee; and transportation needs assessment for the Rogue Valley Transportation District. These projects were selected from a pool of applicants based on project feasibility, community support, and host agency support of the CSC’s service learning objectives. In October 2007, three RARE participants were placed in these three communities and worked closely with local community supervisors to complete planning projects that specifically address multimodal transportation planning. The deliverables were multi-modal planning and projects, specifically addressing public, bike/pedestrian and recreation-related transportation, in three rural communities. Product Two: Through the creation of a website with lessons learned and example projects, the knowledge gained in developing the plans and projects is being disseminated. Close

• 8. [Article] Development and Sensitivity Testing of Alternative Mobility Metrics

  The Oregon Highway Plan’s (OHP) mobility policies guide various planning and programming activities of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Among these activities are ODOT’s land use change ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Development and Sensitivity Testing of Alternative Mobility Metrics Author: Gliebe, John, Strathman, James G. Year: 2012 The Oregon Highway Plan’s (OHP) mobility policies guide various planning and programming activities of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Among these activities are ODOT’s land use change review responsibilities under the Transportation Planning Rule, as adopted by the state’s Land Conservation and Development Commission. This report examines supplemental transportation performance metrics beyond the volume-to-capacity metric that currently supports OHP mobility policies. Selected supplemental metrics are empirically analyzed using a travel demand model calibrated for a Medford, Oregon study area. Title: Development and Sensitivity Testing of Alternative Mobility Metrics Author: Gliebe, John, Strathman, James G. Year: 2012 The Oregon Highway Plan’s (OHP) mobility policies guide various planning and programming activities of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Among these activities are ODOT’s land use change review responsibilities under the Transportation Planning Rule, as adopted by the state’s Land Conservation and Development Commission. This report examines supplemental transportation performance metrics beyond the volume-to-capacity metric that currently supports OHP mobility policies. Selected supplemental metrics are empirically analyzed using a travel demand model calibrated for a Medford, Oregon study area. Close

• 9. [Article] The Effects of Roadway Capacity on Peak Narrowing - Evidence from 1995 NPTS

  Spreading of the peak is one effect of increased peak-period congestion. Due to peak spreading, the travel-time impact of congestion is mitigated for some travelers, but the inconvenience of traveling ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Effects of Roadway Capacity on Peak Narrowing - Evidence from 1995 NPTS Author: Zhang, Jihong, Rufolo, Anthony M., Dueker, Kenneth, Strathman, James G. Year: 2000 Spreading of the peak is one effect of increased peak-period congestion. Due to peak spreading, the travel-time impact of congestion is mitigated for some travelers, but the inconvenience of traveling at a less-preferred time also has a cost. Alternatively, increases in capacity have their impacts on peak-period congestion mitigated by a narrowing of the peak. This reduces the travel-time savings, but it generates a benefit for those traveling closer to their preferred times. This benefit from capacity improvements has largely been ignored, and one reason is the difficulty of quantifying the effect. This paper reports on some crude attempts to quantify the peak-narrowing effect of increased capacity. Using 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) data, this study investigates how workers in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the US respond to roadway capacity differences in terms of changing their departure time to work. It is assumed that there is some distribution of travel times given by a mean and some measure of deviation from the mean. Peak narrowing is then measured by decreases in the deviation from the mean. The peak narrowing effects are modeled for both the morning commute and all departures from home for work at any time of the day. As expected, in urban areas with higher roadway capacity per capita, workers tend to depart from home closer to the peak time. For the morning commute, the model estimates that each one-percent increase in lane-miles per capita results in workers departing from home about 5.75 percent closer to the peak time. The effects of roadway capacity are found to be statistically significant in both models. Title: The Effects of Roadway Capacity on Peak Narrowing - Evidence from 1995 NPTS Author: Zhang, Jihong, Rufolo, Anthony M., Dueker, Kenneth, Strathman, James G. Year: 2000 Spreading of the peak is one effect of increased peak-period congestion. Due to peak spreading, the travel-time impact of congestion is mitigated for some travelers, but the inconvenience of traveling at a less-preferred time also has a cost. Alternatively, increases in capacity have their impacts on peak-period congestion mitigated by a narrowing of the peak. This reduces the travel-time savings, but it generates a benefit for those traveling closer to their preferred times. This benefit from capacity improvements has largely been ignored, and one reason is the difficulty of quantifying the effect. This paper reports on some crude attempts to quantify the peak-narrowing effect of increased capacity. Using 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) data, this study investigates how workers in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the US respond to roadway capacity differences in terms of changing their departure time to work. It is assumed that there is some distribution of travel times given by a mean and some measure of deviation from the mean. Peak narrowing is then measured by decreases in the deviation from the mean. The peak narrowing effects are modeled for both the morning commute and all departures from home for work at any time of the day. As expected, in urban areas with higher roadway capacity per capita, workers tend to depart from home closer to the peak time. For the morning commute, the model estimates that each one-percent increase in lane-miles per capita results in workers departing from home about 5.75 percent closer to the peak time. The effects of roadway capacity are found to be statistically significant in both models. Close

• 10. [Article] Land Use and Growth Impacts from Highway Capacity Increases

  This analysis examined the historical relationship between land use changes and the location of capacity increasing highway projects in the State of Oregon from 1970 to 1990. Aerial photography for 18 ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Land Use and Growth Impacts from Highway Capacity Increases Author: Sanchez, Erik J Year: 2000 This analysis examined the historical relationship between land use changes and the location of capacity increasing highway projects in the State of Oregon from 1970 to 1990. Aerial photography for 18 cities was used to delineate the extent of urban development in each time period. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to assemble the data. Using this data, a logit regression model tested the significance of geographic variables such as proximity to highway projects, land use zoning classification, city size, and other spatial characteristics. The analytical methods used in this study incorporated a set of commonly used techniques to assess highway impacts on urban development patterns. The results suggest that for the 18 selected cities, the spatial measures performed well in predicting the location of urban development from 1970 to 1990. In addition, the results of the logit regression model indicated that controlling for other location factors, urban development had not clustered along state high project corridors as was suspected. Title: Land Use and Growth Impacts from Highway Capacity Increases Author: Sanchez, Erik J Year: 2000 This analysis examined the historical relationship between land use changes and the location of capacity increasing highway projects in the State of Oregon from 1970 to 1990. Aerial photography for 18 cities was used to delineate the extent of urban development in each time period. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to assemble the data. Using this data, a logit regression model tested the significance of geographic variables such as proximity to highway projects, land use zoning classification, city size, and other spatial characteristics. The analytical methods used in this study incorporated a set of commonly used techniques to assess highway impacts on urban development patterns. The results suggest that for the 18 selected cities, the spatial measures performed well in predicting the location of urban development from 1970 to 1990. In addition, the results of the logit regression model indicated that controlling for other location factors, urban development had not clustered along state high project corridors as was suspected. Close