URBP 7871Q Transportation Policy and Advocacy

Final Exam

Caitlin Chan Transportation Policy and Advocacy

1. In class we discussed how highway/auto-centric development patterns cause more congestion on roads and negatively affected neighborhoods nearby. For example the noise pollution from the high levels of car traffic as well as the increase in carbon emissions. Transportation engineers have tried to increase gas prices to influence people to live closer to amenities. Another way they try to alleviate congestion levels is to encourage ride sharing services. From the reading, What It Looks Like to Reconnect Black Communities Torn Apart by Highways by Rachael Dottle, Laura Bliss and Pablo Robles. The Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota was split in two by the newly constructed Interstate 94 in the 1960’s. The neighborhood was separated in two and many homes and businesses were taken down. Today ReConnect Rondo has proposed a land bridge to reconnect part of the neighborhood which was lost almost 63 years ago. Similar situations are found in other places around the U.S. For example, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Treme, New Orleans; Overtown, Miami; Black Bottom, Detroit; West End, Cincinnati; and Independence Heights, Houston. Even with the efforts of reconnecting these historical districts, communities will not be able to return to their original state and there is still fear of highway expansion. Marvin Anderson, co-founder and board chair of ReConnect Rondo, plans to build a community that reflects what Rondo lost. However, residents are worried whether they will be able to benefit directly from the new land bridge since most of the residents are displaced. Property values and costs are another major concern. Removing the highways could hurt the economy of cities but leaving them there will continue to hurt the lives of residents who live there currently. Another idea to build public space under the highways is in effect in order to further fix what was lost. The physical, social, and economic infrastructures must be revised in order to prevent future disconnected communities. From Not Just Bikes, Cities Aren’t Loud: Cars Are Loud, I found it interesting how Nederland was able to produce such a low amount of decibels. But it does make sense that with all the noise canceling technology today, we don’t pay attention to how much noise we are causing in public outside of our cars. Noise can cause health problems and influence the public's overall mood. Solutions for a less noisy street are limiting the amount of car traffic, producing quieter tires, or even changing the asphalt roads to be able to absorb the sounds of oncoming traffic. Another source from Not Just Bikes, titled You Don’t Need to Own a Car (If You Don’t Drive to Work), If you own a car but do not use it on a regular basis, you are not fully utilizing it therefore you do not need to own one. You could be saving money that would better help you get around the city and not have to worry about car maintenance. Car sharing services are more affordable because you pay for what you use and you can choose which vehicle you need to complete your task. Unlike rental cars, car sharing provides more freedom and easy parking. To explore in depth of freeway planning, the reading titled Evaluating Success in Urban Freeway Planning by John M. Blair and K. David Pijawka states to understand the success of freeway planning, the authors used tests to determine whether the Squaw Peak Parkway in Phoenix, Arizona was successful. By using a survey,

three goals which include whether the public had positive or negative experiences of the freeway after its construction, evaluate public perceptions of whether the mitigation measures were successful, and to develop accurate data of the public’s opinion of said impacts/measures. Roughly about 20 percent of the residents were disappointed. Two elements that were both negatively perceived were noise and vehicle pollution. The lessons learned are to consider local sitting and land use issues during the planning process, apply adaptive design in case there is a possibility of modification, and to have a clear design strategy. Always have the public involved when planning new projects that affect all ways of life. But how can cars be regulated? We have to control the gas that fuels them. In the reading, Are Gasoline Prices a Factor in Residential Relocation Decisions? By Guangqing Chi and Jamie Boydstun; the study uses 1996-2008 American Housing Survey data to determine the relationship between gasoline price changes and residential relocation choice. Evidence showed that with higher gas prices, people chose to move closer to work or school leaving their previous residence behind. Drawbacks to this study is it does not take into account individual characteristics since this data is taken nationally. Adopting a systematic examination of the individual and aggregated level characteristics will provide further insights. Gasoline prices are dependent on residential location for example demographics, whether the residents are renters or owners, if they are located in metropolitan or non metropolitan areas, and an investigation within the time geography theory.

2. In an effort to reform highway problems in class we discussed current planning methods and policies including public advocacy, focusing on compact development, removing commuter parking benefits, subsidizing congestion, and eliminating parking minimums.

Multiple advocacy groups for example the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Congress for New Urbanism, Transit Center and Strong Towns focus on improving street design, limiting automobile dominance on roadways, and supporting the public to feel safe and be encouraged to welcome a “multimodal transportation world.” Currently with the raised awareness, plans have been underway and more projects are being developed. Strong Towns, a nonprofit media advocacy organization that provides content about the failures of the post war North American development pattern and informs citizens on how to make our shared spaces better. There is a strategic plan that is provided and is what makes Strong Towns who they are. They advocate six ways, through media, education, resources, events, neighborhood groups, and the community action lab. There are multiple campaigns they focus on, they are listed as end highway expansion, transparent local accounting, incremental housing, safe and productive streets, and end parking mandates and subsidies. To further support you can sign up for membership or find job opportunities. Congress for New Urbanism, the CNU focuses on transportation reform and working to improve streets in all communities. By advocating for better safety and established networks this would benefit pedestrians and improve what it means to be in a public area. They strive for new street design standards, research and promote the latest

designs in order to reach a multimodal transportation world in planning. There are five interactive boxes where you can learn more about CNU and their progress or completed works. The categories provided are highways to boulevards, emergency response, the manual, street networks, and automated vehicles. There are even more interactive boxes within each page of information from the website, essentially this connects you to more articles about a specific topic you are interested in about cities. Transport policies, U.S. vs Germany, compared to the USA, people in Germany who live more than 400 meters away from a transit stop are more willing to not drive in a car. This is due to the fact that Germany has higher levels of transit service, larger networks, and better quality.

Americans are more car-dependent, given gas prices are traditionally lower. If prices were to increase it may convince drivers to drive less and have a steeper reduction in car travel compared to Germany. Americans have access to other modes of transport but one thing they should learn from Germany is being able to attract riders to use other modes of transit. “If the USA wants to achieve a more sustainable transport system, implementing car restrictive policies while increasing the attractiveness of transit, bicycling, and walking might be the key.” In “What kind of compact development makes people drive less?,” The further the amenities are, the more people are willing to drive long distances.

More dense areas are found with large populations but also with many amenities.

However even with a few amenities, it can cause a reduction in driving trips. Sweden is able to control where certain facilities and schools can be built in terms of local policy and planning. The author states “For new developments, it is important that planners amend zoning plans, land allocation agreements, and subdivision ordinances to enable the establishment of local amenities.” Not only safer streets but e-commerce can influence less driving. By focusing on destination accessibility, the author suggests it would provide more clearer answers on what type of compact development can greatly decrease the urge to drive. In “Analysis: End Parking Minimums Now!” First parking minimums were written in the mid 20th century where officials believed it would limit the congestion on the street. Today we know that is not the case, this actually leads to “more congestion, more pollution, less affordable housing and higher construction costs that are passed along to tenants.” There is a 13-story tower with affordable housing at 62-04 Roosevelt in Woodside, Queens that does not need a parking minimum. There are two major transit lines very close to the building and are more convenient for its residents.

Once this rule is implemented in more cities, it will benefit development in the long run.

3. In class we mentioned that one of the main reasons why public transit once worked so well in the U.S. was due to sufficient funding, less car-centric roads, and less cars overall.

This past century, instead of repairing transportation infrastructure, officials chose to build more and more roads but instead of fixing congestion it worsened. Poor transit in suburbs and cities today means more congestion, increases in noise and air pollution, lack of proper maintenance and funding, as well as poor service and low ridership. In Access Denied: Making the MTA Subway System Accessible to All New Yorkers -

TransitCenter, The MTA Subway system has been lacking in its effort to be accessible to all, people with disabilities, baby-strollers, people with luggages, and those who are injured sadly do not have the most convenience even though the MTA is public transportation. The main goal is to improve elevator services in order for the groups listed before to feel included and not have to struggle with the stairs. There is a need for more elevators in more stations, as well as quicker maintenance if ever there is a problem with the elevators. The longest recorded outage was almost four months. Other cities have already taken the initiative, for example Boston and Chicago. It is vital to ensure anyone who takes the MTA can be able to get from point a to point b. In America Always Gets This Wrong (when building transit) - Not Just Bikes, to have a good transit plan you must also be able to incorporate efficient land use. America is focused on making roads for cars instead of public which is why transit is not at its best. A solution suggested would be to create mixed use walkable neighborhoods within 15 min walking distance of transit stations. A good example would be Portland, Oregon, while it is not completely at the level of harmony with land use and transit, it is a good model to learn from. In the social impact of transit investment these readings explain how outside factors also play a role in transit. The Legacy of Racism in Transit - How We Got Here and What to Do About It from TransitCenter discusses at the beginning of the creation of transit systems, people were building for white comfort. There wasn’t a focus on whether everyone could use public transit but factors like income and location prevented certain ethnicities from having unlimited access. Specifically black and brown communities were not able to take public transit in the most convenient way. Suburban residents were the prime target instead of people in lower income and crowded residential areas. The metro electric line is now becoming more affordable. Transit police are another major factor in the race discrimination for again black and brown communities. Transit ambassadors were dispatched to reduce the amount of police and to still keep train service in order and in a less violent approach. In order to change for a better future, there needs to be more investments and more awareness for all residents in all cities. In Planning the Barrio, the study is on three latino barrios in Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The author focuses on how their ethnic identity supported these barrios to become more than just a space and instead utilized the TODs to create community driven projects and opportunities for community benefits. In Fruitvale, they have a strong community development corporation due to their long history of activism. They have the trust of their community and connections to foundations and politicians. In Boyle Heights, due to the residential displacement they experienced, the grassroot activism from the Hope VI project led to anti-gentrification, neighborhood based social movement with political support for affordable housing investments and cultural public displays. In Barrio Logan, they were able to gather political support through three organizations, Barrio Station, the Environmental Health Coalition, and the Chicago Park Steering Committee. They were able to work closely with planners to gain community support and urge developers to

build a Latino supermarket and make affordable housing. In “How Does LRT Impact Gentrification?,” the authors focus on finding the relationship between light rail transit stations and changes in neighborhood characteristics associated with gentrification. The data collected spans from 14 US urbanized areas. In conclusion there were no signs of prevalent gentrification in LRT station areas. Different local and regional planning efforts can lead to different changes in TODs. San Francisco and Denver reveal that light rail station areas have been occupied with white, rich and better-educated residents. But areas like Portland, Los Angeles, and Buffalo are the opposite, which indicates that these areas are declining or increasing in ridership of residents who need improved transit access.

While some neighborhoods are focusing on providing incentives, other neighborhoods are also working towards creating transit oriented housing that is affordable.

4. The major solutions to upgrade mass transit as discussed in class includes providing separate lanes for big buses, redesigning transit networks to include more stops that residents use more often, allowing discounts for low income riders whether it be seniors, students, etc. Advocacy groups have been fighting to gain funding from the federal or local governments especially after the pandemic, people are scared to travel in public transit. With more awareness this is possible to achieve, it also depends on if proper funding is available in cities with millions of residents in different income levels.

Streetfilms - BRT Transmilenio, In Bogota, Colombia, their bus rapid transit gave a separate lane for big buses. Another name for it is bus subways, there are about 1.3 million people taking these buses. It is wheelchair accessible and there is a pathway for passengers to enter these buses away from ongoing car traffic. There are 1,000 buses and they go from 17-24 mph which is way faster than the ones in NY. There are free buses that will take you to the actual Transmilenio bus. In each station there are parking spaces for bikes and it works like a ticket system, as long as you have your ticket your bike will be safe. The money saved from these buses can be catered to somewhere else where it is needed more. In “Can Americans Learn to Love - and Ride - Bus Transit?,” bus ridership has been falling but there are many reasons why, from cheaper gas prices to increase in delivery services, slowed bus travel, lack of accessibility, and increased fares. For a start it would be beneficial to implement bus shelters at every stop or redesigning the bus network to be accessible for all. There is a need for a coalition to push for a change in order to improve bus transit. While there is an effort in receiving funding for transit operations it does not guarantee there will be enough money to maintain all or those in development. Ultimately through awareness and continuous support from everyone there will be a better transit system for the future. In Turnaround: Fixing New York City’s Buses, from 2002 to 2015, the rate of ridership has decreased in buses but increased in subways. Buses have not been reliable in NYC and travel times are too long. Major keys points addressed are to redesign the bus network and routes for more frequent & efficient service; to transform how we get on & off the bus; adopt better methods to keep buses on schedule; design streets to prioritize buses; to make using the bus easy and intuitive; and

lastly increase transparency about bus performance. The NYC Bus Coalition involved are TransitCenter, Riders Alliance, Straphangers Campaign, and Tri-State Transportation Campaign. From sorry to superb: everything you need to know about great bus stops, by simply creating great bus stops it can encourage ridership and improve the ride experience. There should be more investment in bus stops and it does not take much effort to upgrade them. To achieve balanced stop spacing it is important to keep in mind the points of interest, intersecting bus routes, highly utilized stops and avoid stops with low utilization spaced one block apart, and stops with accessibility and pedestrian safety issues. A case study was done in NYC, while there are many stops their placement was not efficient and the maintenance for bus stops is shared between 4 groups which would be a hassle to coordinate in keeping bus stops in top shape. There is an issue of inequitable access for lower income and people of color. Recommendations include focusing on the people in order to invest in transit service and identifying where transit is needed most. Reduce financial burdens on low income by implementing investments targeting low income communities and communities of color. Have clear communication between the government and the people. Transit planning should be the ones to decide where there should be affordable housing and efficient access. Instead of letting the police handle fare evasions, it would be better to let transit staff handle those situations. If successful, a balanced fare policy would include discounts for low income riders, seniors, young people, or other groups, decriminalization of fare evasion, the elimination of transfer fees, a more legible pricing system, and a stronger case for generating revenue from non fare sources. The SFMTA aimed to incentivize transit ridership, incentivize prepayment, enhance customer convenience, and promote equity. The TRIMET aimed to achieve financial sustainability and pricing strategy, create fare structures that are clear, mitigate fare cost for low income, transit-dependent riders, engage communities, consider impacts on customers, support efficient fare enforcement, and find balance between service quality and cost. Kings county metro also wishes to establish fare structure and fare levels that are easy to understand, align with other services, meet revenue targets, reflect cost of service, promote operational efficiency, ensure regional coordination, reduce cost of fare collection, and minimize impacts of fares on those least able to pay.

5. Pedestrians face many challenges in the U.S. including lack of safety, lock of access to amenities, poor walkability, and deteriorating health. Without the ability to walk on a street this results in lower levels of physical activity and leisure time. This reduces social interactions in a community where eventually it can decline over time. The Planning Profession and Pedestrian Safety: Lessons from Orlando, in Orange County, Florida, a case analysis is presented to analyze pedestrian-auto crashes. A major factor is the geographic distribution of pedestrian/auto crashes to different types of streetscapes and the alcohol impairment status of pedestrians. Especially areas where arterial roadways are lined up with strip commercial activities. The long range solution would be to reevaluate the planning practice of designating urban arterials as only traffic moving facilities. The

FDOT plans to implement raised medians, signs warning drivers of heavy pedestrian activity, and street lighting. Educational outreach is emphasized to create as much awareness as possible especially towards high risk groups such as 24-35-year-old males.

“Do Neighborhood Walkability, Transit and Parks Relate to Residents’ Life Satisfaction?,” The authors wish to address how planners “lack clarity about how they can promote the subjective wellbeing of the communities they serve. The study site is located in metropolitan Phoenix where there are single family subdivisions, dendritic street patterns and commercial strip malls. Results show that neighborhoods with more compact design and access to parks might promote life satisfaction. Not only did respondents report higher life satisfaction but also admitted other factors that led to high SWB which includes social connectedness, opportunities for engagement with nature and exercise, and personal security. In Active Living and Social Justice, the author aims to focus on how to use planning for active living to help counter obesity and related health risks in low income, Black, and Latino communities. Taking into account that it may be due to genetics and society values of certain cultures that have different views of what is considered “healthy.” A major reason for people to decide to engage in physical activity depends on travel and for work. Safety also influences people to decide how to get from one place to another. Whether it be worth walking or driving depends on the level of comfortability. Allowing easy access to nearby amenities will encourage the future generations of citizens to not have high levels of obesity and related health risks. In Active Community Environments and Health, two main elements addressed are walkability and safety. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, along with using a multilevel analysis allowed the authors to discover that individuals in counties that are more walkable and have lower crime rates lead to lower BMIs and have active lifestyles. Women specifically would greatly benefit from increased safety compared to men. Within NYC, the Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens counties have a high walkability rate compared to the suburbs for example Westchester and Nassau counties. In this study What Shapes Uneven Access to Urban Amenities?, of park planning in Denver, the authors determined that the discriminatory policies and social mechanisms that shape residential geographies have had major impacts on access to parks as urban amenities. One factor is the exclusionary land use regulations at both local and state levels. In addition the racist housing and lending policies that segregated low income people of color into highly dense and little green space neighborhoods. Wealthy white residents continue to take up valuable land near or close to parks.

Recommendations include working towards equity for all, being able to resolve the historical problems still seen today, partner up with other city departments to access more funding and acquire more agency in the way of policies and initiatives that shape residential location. Park planners should reach out to nonprofits to work together with communities and gain support from elected officials who can push to prioritize parks over other projects for developers. A case study titled Designing Healthy Neighborhoods in

Northwest Detroit examines what factors lead to low physical activity which is seen to be common in low to moderate income urban communities. Neighborhoods that are more connected to the surrounding city have high levels of physical activity and more often people choose to travel locally. Residents of higher density neighborhoods reported lower levels of physical activity and lower levels of leisure time activity compared to those in low dense neighborhoods. People in mixed use neighborhoods showed lower levels of localized physical activity and localized leisure time and transportation physical activity.

It is important to mention that physical characteristics of the environment and social characteristics of the neighborhood leads to different levels of physical activity.

6. The solutions proposed to make walkable cities include introducing new programs to watch out for pedestrians that mention reduced speed limits, removing parking spaces by crosswalks, implementing pocket plazas or transforming underused spaces for public uses, receiving more funding from the government for more projects, and introducing the 15 minute city where all amenities are within a 15 minute walk. These solutions are likely to succeed but will take time to implement, currently cars are still the major mode of transportation in most cities. Outside of the U.S. we see success stories where pedestrians are able to walk with ease in even the busiest city centers. To better protect the public, Vision Zero was created in 2014 to improve the safety of all streets in every neighborhood and every borough. This initiative implemented expanded enforcement against speeding and failing to yield to pedestrians.New street designs, public outreach, and help from the city government has increased penalties for dangerous drivers. Results indicate the City’s speed camera program reduced speeding by over 60 percent in locations near schools. Traffic fatalities had been reduced from 701 in 1990 to 202 in 2018. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Gordon Mar decided to cater to parents who drive their kids to school on the Great Walkway; however evidence shows how this decision was a failure. Members of the surrounding community want to “Save the Great Walkway” by turning it into a public space that would create a healthy and sustainable future for the community. An alternative for people who usually drive on the Great Walkway, they can use Sunset Boulevard. By turning this space into a park it helps to reduce vehicle emissions and allows accessible recreation for everyone. Hoboken has been able to create safe streets by restricting vehicle parking near pedestrian crosswalks. Planners use a technique called “daylighting” to be able to see everyone and to create safer and more efficient cities. They installed bike lanes, curb extensions, bus lanes, high visibility crosswalks, and raised intersections. Traffic fatalities in New York are up 44 percent in the first quarter of 2022. Over the first three quarters of 2021, Hoboken had zero deaths and 20 pedestrians, 18 cyclists, and 51 motorists injured. One zip code in Brooklyn is 384 percent more than Hoboken. You can’t compare Hoboken to NYC because of scale but Hoboken proves valuable insight on how New York can improve its streets. According to NYC DOT, they are more than halfway done with Mayor Adams’s promise to improve pedestrian safety at 1,000 intersections across the

city; 100 of them will be daylighted. In Shared Streets, Times square, Madison square, and Herald square were able to block off car traffic and create space for pedestrians to relax and sit. Over time decorations were improved in terms of shade, foliage, and design.

These places specifically were transformed to look entirely different but overall a great public space. One location I felt needed to be fixed more would be Allen street, it combines pedestrian walkways and bike lanes which in some ways can be advantageous but also dangerous especially during night time. Stores and restaurants are happy with the street changes because it encourages customers to visit more often and shipments would not have to be delayed or disrupt traffic. The islands between wide lanes are a savior for people to not worry about cars and especially people who cannot cross fast enough.

Prospect park west was able to reduce car speeds and cater towards non motorized vehicles and pedestrians. People are moving more on their own two feet which promotes a healthy environment and comfortability for anyone who interacts with the street. In a 15 Minute City, indicates that within a 15 minute radius of the city reduces the need for long travels and non motorized vehicles would be more effective compared to automobiles.

This indicates convenience for people to nearby amenities, helps to reduce emissions and improves quality of life. Zoning changes and parking lot redevelopment would avoid border vacuums. The Walk Appeal would be more beneficial for pedestrians to not have to struggle to go from their homes to their desired destinations. The Regional Response to Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects, The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) gave metropolitan planning organizations federal funding for pedestrian and bicycle facilities; however not all regions were able to have the same improved quality as others. The authors want to identify factors that explain differences in how the funds are distributed across MPOs. Elements listed that influence bike and pedestrian spending are spending programs, required federal funding match, long range state and regional transportation plans, “planning factors” and transportation improvement programs. (TIPs) California provides insight for the federal government to be able to have funding control over regional and local governments but also to establish a clear statewide plan for non motorized travel. It has been decades where state DOTs primarily worried about high speed highways, it will take time and effort to fully utilize the funding from the ISTEA. 7. Biking in the U.S. is better compared to the last century however there is room for improvement. Due to the pandemic there was a sudden influx in the number of bicyclists since people were afraid to take mass transit. Less people driving led to reduction in car congestion and reduction in negative environmental impacts. Many cities adopted bike lanes however not many have protected bike lanes. Biking in the U.S. is not only a cheap way to travel but it promotes health and a more sustainable future. Groningen: The World’s Cycling City, by living in such a compact city, this allows for a more controlled environment and with a smaller population it can assess needs in an easier and quicker manner. The traffic circulation plan doesn’t allow cars to cross different quarters of the

city which limits its dominance on the road; they can only go around the city center.

Cycling is now a more viable method of transport, 50% of trips are on bikes. Businesses didn’t have to worry about anything and people were able to easily adapt to the new proposed plan. People of all ages are using bikes, there are free parking garages that are available, roughly 10,000 parking facilities are built. Shared bike programs are available as well as public transit if people do not own bikes. Residents agree bikes are cheaper and more efficient, there is less of a need for a car in Groningen. Car parking spaces are scarce and there are many opportunities for drivers to get fined. With they money they save from driving less cars, it can be put to improve bike lanes and create a more attractive and eco-friendly city. In Cycling Copenhagen, Through North American Eyes, the counter for bicycle trips in one day is roughly 36,000 in Copenhagen. Planners and officials from the U.S. were surprised to see how relaxed and comfortable people were on bikes. Over 40-50 years of proposed plans, Copenhagen is one of the cities with an extensive network and with a high rate of non-motorized usage. You can go from anywhere around the city on your own bike, children can comfortably ride or ride with their families. American Cities can adapt practices in Copenhagen in cities but it is even more urgent today in light of environmental and street safety issues. From the Netherlands to America, roughly 27% of all trips taken in the Netherlands are by bike.

The roads in the Netherlands are not meant to carry heavy traffic of cars therefore it allows bicyclists to instead be able to travel without congestion or having to fight for parking. Compared to Chicago there are still necessary changes to the network and for the purpose of being able to protect bicyclists from cars. Signals and colored lanes are helpful to guide and separate bicyclists from automobiles. Bike parking spaces have a trigger mechanism to indicate whether there is an available space. A railway line is connected adjacent with a high speed bike lane and this is called a super highway to allow for fast bicyclists to go where they need to go. Ultimately bicycling supports the effort to have a happier, healthier, and sustainable future for cities. In “Separated Bike Lanes Means Safer Streets, Study Says,” to create user-friendly bike lanes it is helpful to have barriers or completely separate lanes. This is more efficient compared to shared lanes or just painted lanes since bicyclists are still exposed to car traffic and this indicates there is still a possibility for fatalities. New York was not included in this study because there is a high number of cyclists and lanes that results would have been too complicated.

The roads have already been heavily influenced by cars from many years ago therefore it will be harder to fully convert New York to a bike friendly city in a short period of time.

In Portland, there was an increase in bike commuters from 1990 to 2015 and fatality rates decreased drastically, results indicate a 75 percent drop in the same period. Riding a bike other than for recreational purposes is not seen often in the U.S. cities. Reasons range from lack of bike lanes to lack of safety. A survey was given to 406 residents of Charlotte, NC and it predicted how often they would ride for recreational or utility purposes each week. If the resident increases the amount of trips for recreation, this

would persuade them to also use a bike for utility purposes like school or work. Results indicate that an increase in utility cycling in Charlotte means that there should be more awareness and investment for recreational cycling in order for the city to consider fully implementing bicycling into the entire city transit system. In Proximity to Trails and Retail, whether adults in urban environments can easily access bicycle paths and neighborhood retail influences the users and how they choose to travel. People are drawn to convenience and safety so this also can change behavior overtime. Results show how walking and bicycling are not often seen. The built environment does matter, for longer distances it will influence car usage as well as what types of amenities and services are in close range. Planners need to be aware of how to create bicycle facilities and design mixed land use ordinances to hopefully increase the percentage of people who walk or bike.

8. To make more bikeable cities, solutions include reaching out to audiences and telling what benefits come from bicycling, for students this would help them learn a useful skill and their trip to and from school would be convenient. By replacing on street parking with bike lanes, this also encourages more foot traffic and allows for example small businesses to engage with more customers. There must be separation between pedestrians and bicyclists, both require space and both operate at different speeds. If both are able to access the street equally, it opens up new modes of transportation that people can choose from and most importantly reduces the amount of cars on the roads. League of American Bicyclists was founded in 1880 with the purpose of creating a bike friendly America for everyone. They want to promote healthier lifestyles and build a stronger community.

They are part of the National Leadership Circle which is a coalition of other bicycle advocacy groups. Bike New York started out as a challenge for students to ride throughout the five boroughs in 1977. Today it is now a full bike tour and anyone is able to participate. They hope by empowering the youth this can remove barriers and benefit more New Yorkers. They offer classes throughout NYC and have thousands of members.

Rails to Trails was founded in 1986 and their mission is to connect the nation through trails. Creating public spaces that are safe and user friendly to all. Reported in 2021, 17 states received over a billion in state funding and more than double of federal funding.

New York Bicycling Coalition started in 1990 and their mission is to facilitate cycling by creating awareness through resources in New York State. They are part of multiple campaigns and have participated in tourism and infrastructure projects. Transportation Alternatives founded in 1972 want to reclaim NYC streets for better walking, biking, and public transit. So far they constructed over a thousand bike lanes and over 70 public plazas. NYMTC issued Plan 2045 in order to address the pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities. There are ongoing projects all around New York State. NYMTC hopes to improve the economy, transportation access, safety and security, and quality of life. By receiving more investments they will also be able to improve the resiliency of the transportation system and preserve the existing system. In “Impact of the Safe Routes to

School Program on Walking and Bicycling,” before implementing the safe routes to school program, data shows there weren't many students willing to walk or bike to school. By comparing control schools with ones that implemented these programs there was an increase but not a drastic change. There’s also a huge funding disparity between the District of Columbia and the other three states. While funding is a major reason why some schools are more involved in the Safe Routes to School Program than others, this overall allowed students to be able to safely travel to and from school. For parents this tells them that if they allow their children to go on their own, they would be less likely to be involved in an accident. This also saves time and energy as well as keeps the children active. In “Measuring the Local Economic Impacts of Replacing On-Street Parking with Bike Lanes,” by reducing on street parking this allowed customers to become more engaged with stores and street life. Owners from surveys conclude that they saw more customers in a regular business day compared to before. Not only is there more activity but this allows for a good flow for the economy and the overall condition of the street.

Bicyclists are no longer shunned from the street and can engage in their errands.

9. The American Intercity Rail failed because officials prioritized the expansion of roads for automobiles instead of rails. Currently there are insufficient funds to improve these systems therefore it is not appealing to the public when there are other methods of transport that are both faster and cost around the same price. Most if not all Americans have grown accustomed to driving a car to go places regardless of how far their destinations might be. In “Why the US Has No High Speed Rail,” Highways and even airports are having enormous amounts of congestion. There is no longer any space to expand highways so this is where rail lines would be more beneficial. Rail lines like Amtrak, can reduce congestion and bring people out of their cars. In California, for the first time there is a project to implement high speed rail but it is over $77 billion.

Compared to China's high speed rail, we speed money even before the construction starts since we have to deal with outside factors like private property and labor and environmental laws. The U.S. is not able to build things cheaply. It would be useful if the private sector would choose to invest in the high speed rail systems. In the last decade, Amtrak has been able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 414,054 metric tons of CO2e which is the same amount emitted from 90,048 passenger vehicles driven in one year. They hope to reach net-zero emissions across the entire Amtrak Network by 2045. Amtrak introduced Acela which is a new high speed train that is operating in the Northeast. Stations are packed with amenities and with improved access as well as lounge space. They are working to increase track capacity and improve overall ride quality and reliability. Currently Amtrak stretches across 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. They operate over 300 trains a day with speeds up to 150 mph to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak was created in 1970, it has been operating for over 50 years. In 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law which provides Amtrak with a $22 billion investment

for repairs and fleet acquisitions. The act also provided $44 billion to the Federal Railroad Administration for grants to states, Amtrak and others for rail projects.

Brightline in South Florida is a high speed rail service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Service from Miami to Orlando begins in 2023 with new stations in Aventura and Boca Raton. They provide food and drinks, they connect to events in SoFlo and they provide parking passes for vehicles. It is encouraged to travel in groups since there are discounts available. Brightline has a 100% carbon neutral footprint, provided service to over 3 million passengers since it first opened, and grants access to metrorail, metromover and tri-rail. Brightline contributed $6.4 billion to the economy, $2.4 billion in labor income, created thousands of jobs, added $3.5 billion to Florida’s GDP, and $653 million in Federal, State and Local tax revenue. The California High Speed Rail Authority wants to create a high speed train system that can sustain speeds of 200 miles per hour or greater. Better connectivity, creation of thousands of jobs, reduction of greenhouse gasses as well as increased community benefits. The 2022 Business plan recommends $4.2 billion in bond funds be appropriated to complete delivery of the 119 mile Central Valley Segment. The last four cap-and-trade auctions have yielded more than $1 billion in cap-and-trade total revenues for the Authority. So far they completed a two part maturity assessment focusing on cost, schedule and budget risk management.

They also conducted workshops across the Authority to identify and assess risks to each office and evaluated available risk registers for completeness and process alignment. By 2040 the system could carry 50 million riders per year and generate nearly $3.4 billion in farebox revenue each year. In terms of reducing greenhouse emissions it will be equivalent to removing 400,000 vehicles off the road and avoiding consumption of 213 million gallons of gasoline. The Baltimore-Washington Superconducting Maglev project was developed by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) under the name Chuo Shinkansen. In 2015, the Maryland Authority approved the Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail (BWRR) to acquire a passenger railroad franchise to deploy a SCMAGLEV system. In 2016, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded a $27.8 million SCMAGLEV grant to MDOT MTA for the proposed action. This includes reaching the maximum speed of 311 mph. There must be multiple maintenance facilities and this would cut even the fastest current travel speeds in half. It would stretch across from Washington DC to Cherry Hill station. BWRR wants to achieve shorter construction, ability to avoid and mitigate impacts, lower construction and operating costs, and lastly achieve the earliest start to revenue service. Construction for this project will take 7-8 years. The target completion date for a combined final EIS and Record of Decision is January 2022. While the $66 billion seems like a huge sum of money, rail advocates say it won’t be enough. Trains will still rely on diesel fuel instead of switching over to electric intercity rail. A proposal by the US High Speed Rail Association calls for 15 high speed rail projects in the U.S. at an estimated total cost of $360.5 billion. High speed rail will take people out of cars and planes and it will do more than funding electric cars. It is

important to take into account that train fares play a huge role in the amount of ridership.

If it takes $70 for someone to ride one way it would just influence the rider to take a plane since it is faster. Beginning in the 19th century, due to the over construction and the incompatible network this influenced Switzerland to nationalize private railway companies. SBB was officially created in 1902. However cars were becoming popular which put railways in danger. The Swiss railways reform was conducted in three phases.

The first phase introduced the ordering principle, more power delegated to the cantonal authorities, and the end of the SBB monopoly for regional passenger transport. In the second phase it separated trains from railroads and allowed access to all railway companies. In the third phase the principle of competition has been formally accepted for both international freight and passenger rail traffic. The Swiss network is integrated by the rail network in Japan. The total length of the network is 2025 miles long, it is 100% electrified and is the densest railway in the world. They have thousands of workers in different levels of occupation from track maintenance to train operators. 1.32 million passengers take the train per day and 488 million passengers were recorded per year.

Over 91% of trains are on time with less than 3 minutes in delay.

10. Airports have been able to succeed in the U.S. because by the 1930s Atlanta had the best road network and the downtown was built for automobile dominance. The beginning of their relationship is when Delta Air Lines inaugurated a service to Fort Worth via Birmingham, Jackson and Dallas. Works Progress Administration projects allowed government assistance as well as military expansion during the war named Atlanta to become the nation’s busiest airport. In 1961 the first airport terminal in the country was built specifically for jet airliners. The discovery that jets would cut down on travel time was essential to success. Representing the nation became influential and sparked the interest of citizens. The new midfield terminal was the largest and allowed the largest number of interconnecting flights. In the late 1990s Atlanta and Delta were able to engage in a symbiotic partnership which allowed Delta to expand and remain protected in its hometown, meanwhile Atlanta was able to use Delta’s growth to become an important international metropolis. Given the size of Atlanta, timing, and access to good aviation facilities it ultimately transformed the once national airline market to expand to the world outside of the U.S. Unlike International Airports, there are limited amenities for customers while they wait for their time to board their flights. International Airports have some form of private ownership. US Airports are publicly owned and operated, they depend on aeronautical operating revenue, non-aeronautical operating revenue and non-operating revenue. Airports try to minimize cost for airlines. Parking is a big way for airports to get huge amounts of money. They rely heavily on government funding in order to maintain its daily operations. There are now public private partnerships to gain enough funding for airports. In terms of design there are more stores and restaurants for passengers in airports, some have more natural light and even green spaces. DUe to events like 9/11 and economic crashes some airlines had to merge and smaller airports

were faced with possible closures. U.S. Airports are getting older and with growing numbers of passengers, low budgets and growing competition will lead to new sources of funding if they are to reach the level of International Airports. In the USA there was no single body making aviation policy, it consisted of a minimum of the airlines, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and the State Department. Reaching agreements were difficult, especially with different agendas. The USA had to rely on bilateral agreements but were wary of allowing access and grantling landing rights for International airlines. In 1947 a study influenced the USA to implement a policy to halt air travel to and from the Soviet Bloc. Eventually other countries agreed to “counter iron curtain” and the alliance was a strong defense against the Soviet Bloc. “The changes occurring during the mid-1950s in international aviation and within the air transport industry not only encouraged the Eisenhower administration to reshape its aviation policy toward the Soviet Bloc, but to institute reexaminations of general American aviation policy both domestic and international.” Both domestic and foreign competition for international routes had increased. The CAB emphasized the “economic quid pro quo” in terms of expanding and improving routes. The Interagency Steering Committee and CAB had to divide flights into three categories to know how to develop agreements with benefits on both sides. President Roosevelt urged all nations to work together in order to allow humanity to have access to air travel. The dependability of public investments fall short when it comes to funding airport infrastructure. There’s a need to find suitable private financial capital in order to ensure the success of an airport. Specifically it must offer “an attractive infrastructure project with low risks and reasonable returns in order to be successful in finding investors…” The final construction plan should be able to address the needs of the airport and the community it serves. Investors will most likely come from insurance companies and they will have access to funding that would be hard to find if they were public. The EU was able to negotiate a single aviation market, it has remained consistent in other economic areas as well. Between the U.E and US it involved traditional bilateral ASAs which resulted in the coexistence of protectionist agreements and open skies. In 2007 an agreement provided the US and EU with equal opportunities which included access to airports and airport services. The expansion of low cost carriers is important in terms of addressing capacity issues and providing different services based on different products. There must be improved access to markets and increased investment opportunities. Oslo was able to produce zero emissions by using electric vehicles and using hydrogen vehicles. This reduced the need for gas dependent vehicles.

As more people travel to airports it is essential to reduce their carbon footprint. Not only is it environmentally friendly but it is also low in cost to implement and manage. The hydrogen powered vehicles range from cars to buses and even light cargo transport. Until 2025 most of the HRS will produce their own hydrogen fuel by electrolysis. Oslo Airport hopes to have thousands of cars ready for use and even though it is in its early stages, they hope the hydrogen market will be able to stimulate the economy and have region

wide support. HACAN ClearSkies challenged Britain aviation policy by focusing on its environmental impact. The organization has been around for 35 years and continues to fight against further expansion of Heathrow Airport. They were able to gather the local residents attention, the airport caused noise pollution and disrupted people’s livelihoods.

While they were not able to stop the construction entirely they did raise awareness of the airport not accounting for its local residents. This influenced the creation of AirportWatch which advocates a policy of demand management in aviation that states the airport growth across the U.K. is unnecessary. HACAN influenced other advocacy groups to address airports in other countries. Airports have the potential to become better neighbors and become more sustainable but there is necessary research to be made and public funding and support is needed to push towards a better future.