Planning for Density in a Driverless World

Automobile-centered, low-density development was the defining feature of population growth in the United States for decades. This development pattern displaced wildlife, destroyed habitat, and contributed to a national loss of biodiversity. It also meant, eventually, that commutes and air quality worsened, a sense of local character was lost in many places, and the negative consequences of sprawl impacted an increasing percentage of the population. Those impacts led to something of a shift in the national attitude toward sprawl. More people than ever are fluent in concepts of “smart growth,” “new urbanism,” and “green building,” and with these tools and others, municipalities across the country are working to redevelop a central core, rethink failing transit systems, and promote pockets of density. Changing technology may disrupt this trend. Self-driving vehicles are expected to be widespread within the next several decades. Those vehicles will likely reduce congestion, air pollution, and deaths, and free up huge amounts of productive time in the car. These benefits may also eliminate much of the conventional motivation and rationale behind sprawl reduction. As the time-cost of driving falls, driverless cars have the potential to incentivize human development of land that, by virtue of its distance from settled metropolitan areas, had been previously untouched. From the broader ecological perspective, each human surge into undeveloped land results in habitat destruction and fragmentation, and additional loss of biological diversity. New automobile technology may therefore usher in better air quality, increased safety, and a significant threat to ecosystem health. Our urban and suburban environments have been molded for centuries to the needs of various forms of transportation. The same result appears likely to occur in response to autonomous vehicles, if proactive steps are not taken to address their likely impacts. Currently, little planning is being done to prepare for driverless technology. Actors at multiple levels, however, have tools at their disposal to help ensure that new technology does not come at the expense of the nation’s remaining natural habitats. This Article advocates for a shift in paradigm from policies that are merely anti-car to those that are pro-density, and provides suggestions for both cities and suburban areas for how harness the positive aspects of driverless cars while trying to stem the negative. Planning for density regardless of technology will help to ensure that, for the world of the future, there is actually a world

The Highway to Hell in the City of Angels: The Automobile and its Role in Influencing the Transportation Infrastructure of Post-World War II Los Angeles

In this paper I am analyzing the automobile as the driving force behind the development of the freeway system in Los Angeles during the Post-World War II period. My research was driven by the following questions. To what extent did the popularity and accessibility of the automobile in the United States govern the way cities such as Los Angeles grow and develop? To what extent did the car’s presence as a status symbol impact this trend? In this paper I argue that Los Angeles exists as it does today primarily as a result of its development during the automotive age in the United States while cities that developed during or after a period of industrialization such rely far less heavily on infrastructure that supports the automobile. I also argue that Los Angeles’ infrastructure continues to develop favoring the automobile because its culture is heavily dependent on image. For residents of LA, the automobile promises to provide a means of attaining independence, freedom, and convenience, but ultimately fails to deliver. This is especially true for people of color and those belonging to the working classes. My evidence comes from periodicals such as the Los Angeles Times, freeway maps, advertising, and secondary scholarly sources. My findings are significant because they explore the reasons why Los Angeles continues to not have an easily accessible public transportation system in the twenty-first century and argues for the continued development of a subway that will provide affordable, efficient, and accessible commuting for all living in the Greater L.A. area

High-Speed Projects in the United States: Identifying the Elements for Success-Part 1, MTI Report 05-01

For almost half a century, high-speed ground transportation (HSGT) has held the promise of fast, convenient, and environmentally sound travel for distances between 40 and 600 miles. While a number of HSGT systems have been developed and deployed in Asia and Europe, none has come close to being implemented in the United States. Yet this is not for lack of trying. There have been several efforts around the country, most of which have failed, some of which are still in the early stages, and a few of which might come to pass. The goal of this study was to identify lessons learned for successfully developing and implementing high-speed rail (HSR) in the United States. Through a broad literature review, interviews, and three specific case studies—Florida, California, and the Pacific Northwest—this study articulates those lessons and presents themes for future consideration

Taking the High Road: Protecting Open Space Along America's Highways

Examines the environmental impacts of road construction and the spiraling of land prices along new roads, and promotes best practices for linking land use and road construction. Includes success stories and recommendations for policymakers

Fast Tracks in the Golden State: on California High-Speed Rail, MTI Report S-02-02

Two educational symposia on the future of high-speed rail in California were co-sponsored by the Mineta Transportation Institute, The Commonwealth Club of California, Town Hall-Los Angeles, and the California State Automobile Association. The events were held on July 17, 2003, in San Francisco and on July 18, 2003, in Los Angeles, California, USA. The primary goal of the symposia was to introduce the general public to the California High-Speed Rail Project. A presentation on the project alternatives, costs, and revenues was followed by a panel discussion on the issues and questions from the audience. The Secretary of the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency delivered the concluding keynote speech, which also was followed by questions from the audience. This publication is an abridged summary of those events

Spartan Daily, December 3, 1948

Volume 37, Issue 45https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/11158/thumbnail.jp

Revisiting Factors Associated with the Success of Ballot Initiatives with a Substantial Rail Transit Component, Research Report 10-13

This report presents the replication of an MTI study conducted in 2001 by Peter Haas and Richard Werbel. That research, itself a continuation of an earlier project completed in 2000, included an analysis of transportation tax elections in 11 urban areas across the nation and culminated in the identification of 17 community-level factors with potential impact on the success of ballot measures for sales tax increases to fund transportation packages with substantial rail components. Trends observed in these more recent case studies were generally highly consistent with the following findings from the 2001 study. Thus this analysis reaffirms the importance for community consensus amongst the business, elected and environmental communities, and accompanying depth of financial support. Once again, the difficulty of passing an initiative without well-funded, effective use of multimedia was validated, as was the importance of utilizing experienced campaign consultants. Some factors seemed less important in the current study than in 2001, including the effectiveness of presenting a multimodal package, the perception of benefits of a package being distributed throughout the voting district, the experience gained in recent transit elections, and the credibility of the transit agency. Finally, this compilation includes an exploration of “rebound” elections – those instances in which a failed measure is quickly followed by a successful one – and the factors that seem linked to achieving success in such instances

Special Libraries, March 1968

Volume 59, Issue 3https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1968/1002/thumbnail.jp

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation - 2000 Annual Report

Contains mission statement, president's message, project summaries, program information, grants list, financial statements, and list of board members and staff