Land Use and Built Environment

Freeways and other high-performance roadway investments have long been considered vital to the economic well-being of metropolitan areas. Empirical research shows that limited-access, grade-separated freeway systems increase a region’s economic productivity by lowering transportation costs, a factor input to economic production (Aschauer, 1990; Boarnet, 1997). Past studies also reveal that urban land markets capitalize the benefit of proximity to freeway interchanges, especially for non-residential uses and in areas experiencing worsening traffic conditions (Gillen, 1996; Boarnet, 1997;...

More and more cities are turning to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a way of cost-effectively expanding public transit services to help relieve traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and increase mobility options for the poor. Because of the inherent flexibility advantages of rubber-tire buses – e.g., unlike rail systems, the same vehicle that functions as a line-haul carrier can also morph into a neighborhood feeder -- BRT is especially suited for many lower density and non- CBD settings.Some of the most advanced and widely heralded BRT services today are found in Latin America, such as...

The only way to absolutely prevent all drivers from going around lowered gates at level rail-highway crossings is to make it physically impossible, or at least very difficult, for them to do so. While there are various options to accomplish this (constructing a separation of grade, closing the crossing, or deploying an impenetrable concrete barrier), most have high monetary or social costs. Alternative approaches—such as channelization devices and long-arm gates—while not 100 percent effective, can be used to prevent deaths and injuries while remaining economically feasible. Research has...

This paper presents findings from a recent study on roadway design preferences among pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and public transit users along a major urban corridor in the East San Francisco Bay Area. Sponsored by the California DOT, the research focused on exploring design preferences that could increase perceived traffic safety, walkability, bikability, and economic vitality along urban arterials. Results from an intercept survey showed that all user groups desire similar roadway design features along the test corridor, which carries 25,000-30,000 motorists bi-directionally and...