VMT
Changing Travel Demands: Implications for Planning
The graph below shows the most recent USDOT vehicle-travel data covering the last 25 years. Although vehicle-miles of travel (VMT) grew steadily during most of the Twentieth Century, in recent years the growth rate stopped and even declined a little. It is now about 10% below where it would have been had past trends continued.
Reversing California's Sprawl with SB 375 and TOD
A new report from the Urban Land Institute finds that California's VMT-focused Senate Bill 375 can potentially reverse the state's sprawl. Transit-oriented development is seen as a strong strategy.
Remaking Southern California Cities
A video created for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) presents a serious look at what infill development would look like in Ventura and Fullerton.
Recession Caused VMT To Drop But Back On the Rise
Kenneth Small of UC Irvine shows that higher prices do reduce driving, as do recessions when workers lose their jobs, which is one of the main factors in the recent drop in VMT.
Sustainable Transport Saves New Yorkers $19 Billion Per Year
A new report from CEOs for Cities shows that New Yorkers save a lot of moola on their transportation costs because of their city's walkability and transit options.
Improving Cities By Degrees
Carol Coletta explains how improving education, lowering VMT and alleviating poverty by as little as 1% each could mean billions of dollars for cities.
Big Dip in Traffic Fatalities
A preliminary count of all road fatalities in 2009 shows a record low figure of 33,963; almost 9% lower than 2008. The final count is due this summer. While the declining VMT due to a depressed economy was a major factor, the rate declined as well.
Exurbs Will Rise - Again
Grist writer Lisa Selin Davis argues that now is the time to make public transit a priority in serving outer suburbs, because the rebounding economy will inevitably lead to increased demand.
Improving on LEED
Bay Area non-profit TransForm has launched a new program called GreenTRIP that aims to supplement LEED requirements with a VMT calculation on each project.
New Study on the Benefits of Density
A new report from the National Research Council seeks to establish the scientific basis for the relationships among development patterns, VMT, and energy consumption. So what did they find?
Guiding the Next Federal Transportation Spending Bill
Legislation is being introduced in Congress to guide the course of the next five years of federal transportation spending, focusing on reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled and decreasing truck freight shipping.
Americans Driving Less- Temporary, or Permanent?
Nate Silver, the baseball stats guy turned election predictor, takes a look at the statistics showing that Americans are driving less.
VMT Fees: The Answer to Traffic Congestion?
Pricing road use by vehicle miles traveled (VMT) with higher fees for using congested roads could reduce travel time, claim researchers at Brookings.
Traveling beyond LOS (By foot? On a bike?)
Let me start with a disclaimer: I am not a transportation planner. At the points where transportation planning shares borders with engineering, I tend to zone out and start doodling in the margins. I do, however, have a lifelong interest in transportation, which is why I share the excitement of some of my more transportation-focused colleagues about potential changes in how California measures transportation impacts of projects.
Traffic Down 30% in Cities: How?
New data show that in 2008 traffic congestion in the nation's cities declined by 30 percent, the result not of new roads or transit, but of modest declines in VMT.
As Gas Prices Drop, VMT Rises
Sightline's Clark Williams-Derry looks at low gas prices, a down economy, and vehicle-miles-traveled, noting that the precipitous declines in VMT have halted, and suspects it may plateau.
1/3 Fewer Auto Deaths, Thanks to Rising Gas Prices
Escalating gas prices are depressing, but look on the bright side: a new study shows that they may reduce annual traffic deaths by as much as one-third.
Gas Prices Surge, Transit Ridership Jumps, VMT Drops
As gas prices inch beyond $4 a gallon, transit trips increase by 3.3% for the first quarter of the year and vehicle miles traveled drop 4.3% in March.
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EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
