Concerned citizens across the country are speaking up about the role of land use and transportation planning. They’re asking government officials how proposed new highways and alternatives to highways, such as transit and road pricing, will affect their communities, the air their children will breathe, and the amount of time they will spend in traffic commuting to work.

As a result, over the past ten years, regional “visioning” analyses have become increasingly important. Visioning refers to scenarios that allow stakeholders to explore how their community goals can be achieved through alternative futures, rather than just one point-estimate of the future. A visioning exercise may include a no-build scenario, a highway-oriented scenario, a transit-oriented scenario, a pricing scenario, or some combination of elements of alternative scenarios.

IMR researchers are exploring alternative futures using a range of advanced land use, transportation, and emissions models. Researchers are currently studying the environmental justice implications of “smart growth” versus urban sprawl, and the uncertainty in models used in transportation, land use, and air quality planning.  Past research has included: smart growth, investment, and travel pricing; carsharing and carfree housing; advanced transit and highways; and the Smart Mobility Model project.

Growing consciousness about global warming is prompting increased action at the local and state levels. Transportation technologies and strategies are emerging that can help to meet the climate challenge, including automotive and fuels technologies, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and mobility and land use management strategies that can reduce the demand for private vehicles. While the climate change benefits of innovative engine and vehicle technologies are relatively well understood, there are fewer studies available on the energy and emission impacts of ITS and mobility and land use management strategies. In the future, ITS, mobility management, and smart growth will likely play a greater role in reducing fuel consumption.

Environmental Justice (EJ) seeks to ensure that there is a fair distribution of the benefits and the burdens of environmental protection among everyone, regardless of race or income level.  EJ issues come into play with land use planning because historically minority and low income populations have had to bear the burden of transportation growth; these communities have had to contend with highways being built through their neighborhood and valuable open space being taken for transit purposes. Residents have suffered increased health problems because of air pollution from added traffic traveling through their communities.

In recent years, there has been increased recognition of the potentially harmful social, economic, and health effects of highway-induced urban sprawl on low income and minority groups in the United States. In response, many have advocated smart growth policy strategies to reverse these  effects and improve access for disadvantaged groups.

Urban models used to evaluate land use, transportation, and air quality systems can provide powerful insights into alternatives futures. However, like most large-scale models, they are known to be highly uncertain. As a result, it is important for analysts to make the uncertainty in modeling analysis transparent to the public and decision makers.

SMART GROWTH, TRANSIT INVESTMENT, AND TRAVEL PRICING

IMR has conducted extensive research into issues surrounding alternative land use and transport futures.  Past research has included: smart growth, investment, and travel pricing; carsharing and carfree housing; advanced transit and highways; and the Smart Mobility Model project.