Transportation Problems and Policy (2020)

In my opinion surface transportation is vital to the economic prosperity of a region. With an efficient transportation system, services and goods are easily moved throughout and individuals are able to access employment opportunities and resources to improve their social and economic status. Wach's article, The Political Context of Transportation Funding, brings up a good point to think about when considering how transportation projects come to fruition. Overall, almost all planning decisions are driven by policy and/or legislatures. And most of the time, policymakers do so in good faith, thinking of the greater good. But as the article pointed out, at times it is done so via a personal agenda. Transportation projects are immense, in terms of timeline and budget, and bring forth divisions unlike other projects might bring.  A recent example is that of Oregon Department of Transportation, who is currently engaged in a project that will bring forth congestion pricing along busy inte...

As a person fascinated with the impact technology or systems can have on society, I am deeply curious about what new technologies in transportation will harbor. The printing press helped create the nation state , the streetcar created business corridors , and the automobile enabled sprawl. If the era of new freeways are over and we enter a so-called fifth era of transportation, I would argue the technology that will guide this era is not new, not sexy, but critical to understanding the choices we make: math. Math will guide this era because, while math is at the core of the impacts of previous eras (the automobile decreases travel time, enabling sprawl), math is actually driving the choices of the fifth era. To demonstrate, I am going to look at a couple key areas in which math is changing the transportation choices we are making. Pedestrians As cities strive to create walkable communities, the layout and design of our streets and neighborhoods makes a difference in whether the city is...

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from US transportation industry has become a central topic within transportation planning and climate action planning circles. This is due to the large percentage (27%) of GHG emissions the transportation industry contributes to the overall US economy. (Greene & Plotkin, 2011) In 2011, Greene and Plotkin were charged with the task of preparing GHG reduction solutions for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Their scope was to conduct a study and propose policy efforts and developing technologies to help reduce greenhouse emissions on a global scale. One of the early considerations Greene and Plotkin identify is that the world is developing and lesser developed jurisdictions will start consuming carbon based fuels at higher rates than what the global economy currently is faced with. Due to this principle national economies including the US will start competing with increased demand for fossil fuels and unknown changes in supply. One of the...

  Congestion pricing may be an option for easing congested highways and roads in dense urban areas while simultaneously serving as a revenue stream for other transportation projects. However, if congestion pricing is implemented improperly, it runs the risk of disproportionately harming poorer individuals. The problem with making sure that congestion pricing is implemented properly is that a blanket solution does not exist. Cities have different demographics, modes of public transit, and budget restrictions, to name a few. As a result, any jurisdiction looking to implement congestion pricing may look to other jurisdictions for inspiration but will likely have to modify it to fit their region to ensure equitable outcomes. Figure 1. Proportion of Users in Each Income Group Who Opt to Use High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes     Source: Equity and Congestion Pricing, A Review of The Evidence     Figure 1 represents an example of how a congestion pricing solution (H...