Research suggests that the Trip Generation Manual—a familiar tool for planners calculating the vehicle trips expected to be generated by developments of various sizes and uses—produces "phantom trips" and unneeded automobile infrastructure.
Eric Jaffe suggests that it might time to add the Trip Generation Manual from the Institute for Transportation Engineers to the list of questionable planning tools. Jaffe cites research by Adam Millard-Bell of the University of California, Santa Cruz, "who challenges the merits of the Trip Generation Manual in an upcoming research paper [pdf] (nicely summarized in ACCESS magazine)." See the video below of Millard-Bell describing his research.
In the study, "Millard-Ball reports that the ITE manual may overestimate the number of trips generated from a new development by as much as 55 percent," according to Jaffe. The result of these "phantom trips": "cities may build way more roads than necessary, perpetuating sprawl and leaving less street space for non-drivers in the process."
FULL STORY: A Widely Used Planning Manual Tends to Recommend Building Far More Roads Than Necessary
Cities Have Doubled in Size Globally in the Last 20 Years, Study Says
New research from China finds an incredible rate of urban expansion in North America and China.
An Academic Debate With Very Real Consequences: Land Use Regulations and the Cost of Housing
An article from the journal Urban Studies is inspiring debate and controversy over a year after publication, presenting opposing opinions on fundamental questions about how land use regulation affects the housing market.
How Houston Achieved Lot Size Reform
Nolan Gray of George Mason University and Adam A. Millsap of the Charles Koch Institute write about a recent article they authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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