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• 1. [Article] Regional Transportation and Land Use Decision Making in Metropolitan Regions: Findings from Four Case Studies

  Throughout the United States, metropolitan regions face increasingly complex issues related to transportation and land use. The diffuse nature of decision making creates a need to better coordinate land ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional Transportation and Land Use Decision Making in Metropolitan Regions: Findings from Four Case Studies Author: Margerum, Richard D., Brody, Susan, Parker, Robert, McEwen, Gail, Moore, Terry Year: 2012 Throughout the United States, metropolitan regions face increasingly complex issues related to transportation and land use. The diffuse nature of decision making creates a need to better coordinate land use and transportation to address issues such as: congestion, infrastructure costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Key players in this decision making are regional metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) with transportation planning authority, regional planning responsibilities, and in some cases regional land use planning authority. The goal of this study was to describe and assess efforts by regional agencies to coordinate land use and transportation. Policies and processes in four key topic areas were examined: 1) Governance: formal and informal decision making approaches; 2) Coordination: strategies used to coordinate land use and transportation; 3) Growth Centers: policies to encourage development in higher density centers; and 4) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): policies to incorporate smart growth criteria in TIP funding decisions. Title: Regional Transportation and Land Use Decision Making in Metropolitan Regions: Findings from Four Case Studies Author: Margerum, Richard D., Brody, Susan, Parker, Robert, McEwen, Gail, Moore, Terry Year: 2012 Throughout the United States, metropolitan regions face increasingly complex issues related to transportation and land use. The diffuse nature of decision making creates a need to better coordinate land use and transportation to address issues such as: congestion, infrastructure costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Key players in this decision making are regional metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) with transportation planning authority, regional planning responsibilities, and in some cases regional land use planning authority. The goal of this study was to describe and assess efforts by regional agencies to coordinate land use and transportation. Policies and processes in four key topic areas were examined: 1) Governance: formal and informal decision making approaches; 2) Coordination: strategies used to coordinate land use and transportation; 3) Growth Centers: policies to encourage development in higher density centers; and 4) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): policies to incorporate smart growth criteria in TIP funding decisions. Close

• 2. [Article] Understanding School Travel: How Residential Location Choice and the Built Environment Affect Trips to School

  This project investigates issues related to parents’ decisions about children’s school transportation. This has become an important area of research due to the growing concerns that increased reliance ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Understanding School Travel: How Residential Location Choice and the Built Environment Affect Trips to School Author: Yang, Yizhao, Schlossberg, Marc, Parker, Robert, Johnson, Bethany Year: 2010 This project investigates issues related to parents’ decisions about children’s school transportation. This has become an important area of research due to the growing concerns that increased reliance on private automobile in school travel has led to adverse health impacts on children and negative impacts on environment. This study examines school transportation in the context of where families live and how families make decisions about school travel in the process of choosing their residence. Using a middle-sized school district in Oregon State, we conducted a 5500-household survey and a number of interviews and focus groups. The study shows that parents considered school transportation in their residential location process; their intention to allow their children to walk or bike to school at this stage had significant impacts on later school travel behavior. While acknowledging school travel was not a priority when choosing a residential location, parents with strong preference for children walking or biking to school used residential location process consciously to live closer to school and in more walkable neighborhoods; but parents were also limited by housing opportunities around schools and in the community. This research suggests the needs for stronger coordination between community land us planning and school planning, and stronger emphasis on changing parents’ attitudes toward children walking or biking to school in programs around safe routes to schools. Title: Understanding School Travel: How Residential Location Choice and the Built Environment Affect Trips to School Author: Yang, Yizhao, Schlossberg, Marc, Parker, Robert, Johnson, Bethany Year: 2010 This project investigates issues related to parents’ decisions about children’s school transportation. This has become an important area of research due to the growing concerns that increased reliance on private automobile in school travel has led to adverse health impacts on children and negative impacts on environment. This study examines school transportation in the context of where families live and how families make decisions about school travel in the process of choosing their residence. Using a middle-sized school district in Oregon State, we conducted a 5500-household survey and a number of interviews and focus groups. The study shows that parents considered school transportation in their residential location process; their intention to allow their children to walk or bike to school at this stage had significant impacts on later school travel behavior. While acknowledging school travel was not a priority when choosing a residential location, parents with strong preference for children walking or biking to school used residential location process consciously to live closer to school and in more walkable neighborhoods; but parents were also limited by housing opportunities around schools and in the community. This research suggests the needs for stronger coordination between community land us planning and school planning, and stronger emphasis on changing parents’ attitudes toward children walking or biking to school in programs around safe routes to schools. Close

• 3. [Article] Metropolitan Centers: Evaluating Local Implementation of Regional Plans and Policies

  The Denver and Salt Lake City Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have embarked upon regional visioning strategies that promote development around higher density, mixed use centers with current ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Metropolitan Centers: Evaluating Local Implementation of Regional Plans and Policies Author: Margerum, Richard D., Bartholomew, Keith, Lewis, Rebecca, Parker, Robert, Dobrinich, Stephen Year: 2017 The Denver and Salt Lake City Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have embarked upon regional visioning strategies that promote development around higher density, mixed use centers with current or future access to transit. This study examines the programs and policies in the Salt Lake City and Denver regions to examine regional vision influence on local planning and the opportunities and constraints facing centers. The research team analyzed local plans over the past several decades, interviewed planners, and examined demographic, land use and transportation characteristics in select centers across the region. We found that the regional vision had a moderate influence on local planning, due to vague definitions and criteria. However, light rail investment and market forces have had a more substantial influence—resulting in cities developing supportive transit oriented development policies. While over 100 centers have been designated, many face significant challenges to support regional goals, particularly because many light rail lines were located along rail and freeway alignments. A limited number of “tipping point centers” already contain the necessary elements to be successful with city and private investment. Many “greenfield centers” offer significant future opportunity for development, but their suburban location and infrastructure needs present significant costs and challenges. Many other “redevelopment centers” are dominated by industrial, commercial or office development, and the land use and transportation patterns within these centers present substantial hurdles that may limit their potential to achieve regional goals. Title: Metropolitan Centers: Evaluating Local Implementation of Regional Plans and Policies Author: Margerum, Richard D., Bartholomew, Keith, Lewis, Rebecca, Parker, Robert, Dobrinich, Stephen Year: 2017 The Denver and Salt Lake City Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have embarked upon regional visioning strategies that promote development around higher density, mixed use centers with current or future access to transit. This study examines the programs and policies in the Salt Lake City and Denver regions to examine regional vision influence on local planning and the opportunities and constraints facing centers. The research team analyzed local plans over the past several decades, interviewed planners, and examined demographic, land use and transportation characteristics in select centers across the region. We found that the regional vision had a moderate influence on local planning, due to vague definitions and criteria. However, light rail investment and market forces have had a more substantial influence—resulting in cities developing supportive transit oriented development policies. While over 100 centers have been designated, many face significant challenges to support regional goals, particularly because many light rail lines were located along rail and freeway alignments. A limited number of “tipping point centers” already contain the necessary elements to be successful with city and private investment. Many “greenfield centers” offer significant future opportunity for development, but their suburban location and infrastructure needs present significant costs and challenges. Many other “redevelopment centers” are dominated by industrial, commercial or office development, and the land use and transportation patterns within these centers present substantial hurdles that may limit their potential to achieve regional goals. Close