PBAF 565A
Transportation Theory, Policy and Politics

Professors Paul Waddell and Dan Carlson

Mondays and Wednesdays 3-4:20
Place: 310 Parrington

Office Hours:

Waddell: Room 209A Parrington/Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 and by appointment. Pwaddell@u/221-4161
Carlson: Room 408 Parrington/Wednesdays 11am-1pm and by appointment Kareli@u 616-8785

Course Overview and Objectives

This course integrates theory, policy and politics in an exploration of transportation in this metropolitan region and others. We begin the course with an examination of Initiative 745, which is on the statewide ballot in November, and calls for diverting 90% of state transportation funds to road construction and maintenance. The underlying assumptions and motivations of this initiative, related to the relative effectiveness of transit and auto travel, and on road supply as a principal solution to growing congestion, are examined in detail. Effectiveness of road and transit supply, interactions between transportation and land use, and regulatory and pricing strategies are also examined. The policy context, and the underlying values and political conflicts that influence the feasibility of different strategies are then brought to bear on these issues. Our objectives for the course are for students to gain an understanding of:

· The history and context of transportation policy,
· The factors which influence mobility and congestion
· The alternatives available to decision makers
· The impacts of alternatives on transportation and quality of life
· The values and choices entailed in transportation options

Assignments

Reading Assignments: Readings are contained in a reader compiled for the class available at RAMS copy center on University Ave, and in a paperback text, Stuck In Traffic by Anthony Downs available at University Bookstore.

Written Assignments: The purpose of the written assignments is to evidence learning and critical thinking in each of the course segments, related to the course objectives.

Assignment 1 due in class Nov 6: a five to 10 page paper assessing what effects I-745 will likely have on metropolitan congestion, land uses and the environment. The paper will draw on the class readings and discussion for citations and analysis. (25% of course grade)

Assignment 2 due December 11: a five to 10 page memo to the Governor in light of the election results (25% of course grade):

1. If I-745 passes, what should the governor propose to provide transportation choices to localities and residents?
2. If I-745 is defeated, what should the governor propose to improve congestion and transportation choices?

Class Participation

Students will be active participants in the class sessions presenting information from the readings, assuming roles as advocates for or against I-745, representing the views of various authors, and developing and posing questions to guest presenters. Participation in class discussions and being prepared for class sessions will account for half the course grade. Students are expected to turn in at the beginning of each class session a very brief synopsis of the readings, highlighting a few key questions and conclusions. These will be used to inform class discussion.

SYLLABUS

I. Focus on I-745


Sept 25: Introductory Session

Review of syllabus
Initial discussion introducing core issues motivating I-745
Handout in class: Text of I-745
Assignment: review arguments for and against I-745, discussion questions. Prepare 1-2 page memo (see below)

Sept 27: I-745

Discussion of I-745: arguments for and against; prospects; questions it raises

Campaign literature from proponents and opponents

In-class exercise: the 'fishbowl' a debate on 745

II. History and Context of Transportation Policy

Oct 2: Federal and State Policy

Hanson, Susan, "Urban Transportation in Context," in Geography of Urban Transportaiton, pp3-24.

Weiner, Ed. 1997. Urban Transportation Planning in the United States, Chapters 11-14, p 9 and 18, pp30-33(Highway Act of 1956), pp69-74(NEPA), pp81-83, 93-97 (Mass Transit)

At Road's End, pp5-9

CTED Discussion Paper #2 on Smart Growth: Transportation and Land Use

Oct 4: Local and Regional Transportation Policy

PSRC: Vision 2020 (http://www.psrc.org/projects/vision/vision2020.htm)

PSRC: 2001 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Chapters 1-2 (http://www.psrc.org/projects/mtp/index.htm)

Recommended: City of Seattle Transportation Plan (http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/td/tsp.asp)

III. Factors That Influence Mobility

Oct 9: Reducing Congestion Through Capacity Expansion

Stuck in Traffic, Chapters 1-3

Chapter 2 pp.9-15 in Traffic Calming

Oct 11: Reducing Peak-hour Travel Through Pricing and Incentives

Stuck in Traffic, Chapters 4-5

Litman, Komanoff, Howell, "Road Relief".

Recommended: PSRC Paper 2: "The Effects of the Current Transportation Finance Structure," 1999

Gómez-Ibáñez, José, 1999. Pricing, Essays in Transportation Economics and Policy.

Oct 16: Reducing Auto Travel Through Urban/Suburban Land Use Choices

Stuck in Traffic, Chapters 6-9

Young, Dwight. 1995. Alternatives to Sprawl, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Cervero, Chapter 2, Transit Metropolis.

Oct 18: Reducing Auto Travel Through Urban Design

Cervero, Robert and Kara Kockelman, 1997. Travel Demand and the 3D's: Density, Diversity and Design,

Transportation Research D, 2(3): 199-219.

Handy, Susan. Regional vs. Local Accessibility: Implications for Non-work Travel, Transportation ResearchRecord 1400.

Crane, Randall. 1996. On Form versus Function: Will the New Urbanism Reduce Traffic, of Increase It? Journal of Planning Education and Research, 15: 117-126.

Boarnet, Marlon and Sharon Sarmiento. 1998. Can Land-use Policy Really Affect Travel Behavior? A Study of the Link Between Non-work Travel and Land Use Characteristics, Urban Studies, Vol. 35(7): 1155-1169.

Recommended: Krizek, Kevin, Residential relocation and changes in urban travel: does neighborhood-scale urban form make a difference? (working paper)

Oct 23: Highways, Induced Demand and Urban Form

Boarnet/Brookings, "Do Highways Matter?"

TRB, Expanding Metropolitan Highways, Chapters 4-6

Oct 25: Transit and Urban Form

PBDQ, 1996. Transit and Urban Form, Chapters 1-3

Kain, John F. 1999. The Urban Transportation Problem, Pricing, Essays in Transportation Economics and Policy.

Oct 30: Urban Sprawl and Auto Dependence

Gordon, Peter and Harry Richardson, 1997. Are Compact Cities a Desirable Planning Goal? Journal of the American Planning Association, 63(1), p. 95-106.

Ewing, Reid, 1997. Is Los Angeles-Style Sprawl Desirable? Journal of the American Planning Association, 63(1), p. 107-126

Newman, Peter and Jeffrey Kenworthy. 1999. Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence, Chapter 2.

Nov 1: Household Lifestyle Choices: Balancing Housing, Work and Travel

Waddell, Paul. 2000. Towards a Behavioral Integration of Land Use and Transportation Modeling, paper presented at the 9th International Association of Travel Behavior Research.

Brun, Jaques and Jeanne Fagnani, 1994. Lifestyles and Locational Choices - Tradeoffs and Compromises: A Case Study of Middle Class Couples Living in the Ile-de-France Region, Urban Studies, 31(6): 921-934.

IV. The Politics (Values and Choices) Of Mobility Alternatives

Nov 6: The Politics of Transportation and Land Use

Burrington, Stephen, "Restoring the Rule of Law"

Bullard, Sprawl City, Chap 2 pp39-63.

Frey, "The New Ruban Demographics," in Brookings Review 2000.

Nov 8: Discussion of I-745 Election Results

Nov 13: The Politics of Taxes and Incentives

Orfield, Myron, 1998. Seattle Metropolitics: A Central Puget Sound Agenda for Community and Stability.

PSRC: Effect of I-695 on Regional Transportation Revenues in the Central Puget Sound

Nov 15: Politics of Pricing

Carlson, Daniel and Mathew Kitchen, The Transportation Pricing Working Group Summary Report, NorthwestForum and Puget Sound Regional Council.

Small, Kenneth. 1999. Congestion Pricing: New Life for an Old Idea? Access.

Wachs, Martin. Will Congestion Pricing Ever Be Adopted? Access.

Ulberg, Cy and Gordon MacFarland, 1994, An Evaluation of Public Opinion About Toll Roads and Congestion Pricing

Nov 20: The Politics of Land Use and Growth Management

Cy Ulberg, 1992. Transportation and Growth Management

Liberty, Robert. 1999. Is The American Dream Endless Sprawl?: Smart Growth and Its Meaning for People and Places

Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse. 2000. Research on Pro-Sprawl Players and Messages (www.sprawlwatch.org/communications.html)

Staley, Samuel. 1999. The Sprawling of America: In Defense of the Dynamic City, Reason Public Policy Institute.

Nov 22: No Class

Nov 27: The Politics of Highways

Giuliano, Genevieve. 1995. The Weakening Transportation-Land Use Connection. Access, 6.
Cervero, Robert and John Landis, 1995. The Transportation-Land Use Connection Still Matters, Access, 7.

Samuel, Peter. 1999. How to "Build Our Way Out of Congestion": Innovative Approaches to Expanding Urban Highway Capacity. Reason Public Policy Institute.

Case Studies:
Carlson and Billen, Dulles Toll Road and Paris Pike pp 29-37 in "Transportation Corridor Management."

Nov 29: The Politics of Transit

Cervero, Transit Metropolis, Chaps 4 and 5

Weyrich and Lind, "Conservatives and Mass Transit: Is It Time for a New Look?"

Gordon, Peter. 2000. Does Transit Really Work? Thoughts on the Weyrich/Lind "Conservative Reappraisal", Reason Public Policy Institute.

Dec 4: Regional Strategies

Stuck in Traffic, Chapters 10-11

Dec 6: Implementing Regional Strategies

Bollier, David. 1998. "How Smart Growth Can Stop Sprawl," Part II

1000 Friends of Oregon: 1997. A Summary of the LUTRAQ Project