Chapter 7 Transportation

“Choosing” the Automobile… How do we (society, government, taxpayers) incentivize “choosing” the car over other modes of transportation?

The car’s impact on public, community, and environmental health? Social capital Community severance Habitat fragmentation Obesity Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)

Fundamental Law of Highway Congestion New roads met with a proportional increase in driving ~ The American Road and Transportation Builders Association : adding highway capacity is key to helping to reduce traffic congestion. ~ The American Public Transit Association: without new investment in public transit, highways will become so congested that they will no longer work. “Our results do not support either of these claims” (Duranton and Turner, 2009)

Peak Car Car use has either flattened out or declined in high-income countries. Generation Y (aka Millennials)

Street Hierarchy Cul-de-sac > secondary “collector” streets > arterial streets > intercity highways Speeding up versus shrinking down –The Home Depot example