CP 4310: Urban Transportation and Planning
Course description
This course is designed to introduce the fundamentals of urban transportation planning and policy and is applicable to students in a variety of concentrations of study. The purpose of the course will be to acquaint students with transportation planning as a profession and the types of projects that transportation planners are required to conduct. The course will also provide an overview of the profession of transportation planning and help the student understand how transportation planners interface with other professions including architects, engineers, political science majors, management majors, etc. Therefore the class will be useful to students who intend to pursue degrees in topics whether or not the topic is directly or indirectly related with transportation planning.
Urban Transportation planning is a very dynamic field of study and practice and by nature ever changing. It affects everyone's life and is of at least some interest to all people regardless of age, gender, income, and race. Transportation investment decisions have been held accountable for both increased economic prosperity or spiraling economic decline. Transportation infrastructure (roads, rail lines, etc.) is extremely costly even when compared with other services which are capital intensive (sewers, stormwater drainage, etc.).
Transportation is about the provision of access between locations. History shows that the places which are the easiest to get to and from are those places which grew the most (Atlanta is case and point -- see chapter 6 of the text book). In this sense the location of transportation facilities, no matter how simple or sophisticated, from wagon trails to modern highway corridors, have attracted development and spawned communities. Often the nature of the transportation network is the single most distinct feature that characterizes a place or gives it a sense of uniqueness (or not). For example, the type of a roadway network used in a new subdivision will affect not only the number of buildable lots or the amount of money required to complete the project but will also affect the ability for the future inhabitants to walk to nearby shopping, recreational opportunities, or employment. In addition, this transportation decision will affect the ability to use public transportation.
Transportation decisions when coupled with land use or development decisions have arguably the single greatest impact on the quality of life of the inhabitants of a community. This point is best conveyed when comparing Virginia Highlands with more suburban parts of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. What is unique about Virginia Highlands? Walking and biking are viable options to driving. It is possible to walk to a restaurant rather that having to drive or to live, work, eat, and play without a car. The street network in Virginia Highlands (grid) reduces the tendency for high speed vehicular travel thus reducing the frequency of conflicts between modes (pedestrian, bike, cars, etc.) known as accidents.
Course structure and rules
Students are expected to work independently in completing course readings and assignments and to participate enthusiastically in class discussions. In general each class session will consist of a presentation and be followed by a discussion based on the given topic. Guest lecturers may be invited to present an area of transportation planning in which they are focused in their work.
Grading will be based on the following:
class participation - 10%
(3) homework assignments (1&2 based on selected readings, 3rd based on assigned readings - 21%
midterm exam - 20%
term project outline - 9%
term project - 30%
term project presentation - 10%
Class participation
Points for class participation will be based on contributions made during class discussions which will be based on the readings from the textbook and occasional handouts. To succeed in the class you must read the homework assignments and prepare your thoughts prior to class.
Homework
Homework will be due at the beginning of class on dates designated in the schedule. No late assignments will be accepted. The homeworks will consist of two to three type written pages in report format summarizing your interpretation of readings which you choose on an urban transportation topic. The first two homeworks must be based on and include references to a minimum of at least 3 articles, reports, etc. which you can find in the Architecture/City Planning library, the main library, or other sources (Georgia Dept. of Transportation, Atlanta Regional Commission, Federal Highway or Transit Administrations, City, County, or State Governments). The third homework will be based on your summary of the readings which follow the midterm exam.
You may think about certain projects that are of interest to you and use this assignment as a opportunity to obtain project documentation. You will be required to turn in a bibliography of the articles with each assignment. You will be required to turn in a list of the homework topics 1 and 2 to me on April 4th for my approval. The homework is to take the form of a professional memorandum which consists of a summary of the subject matter, and your comments, critiques, evaluations, questions, and insights. Furthermore, you should attempt to relate the homework to other aspects of transportation planning and urban planning in general.
Midterm exam
The midterm exam will be based on the assigned readings and class discussions.
Final project
The final project will be the based on a particular transportation issue which you select. It may be a more in-depth analysis of a topic you pick up for a homework assignment. The final project will be submitted in the form of a report from your personal consulting firm (be creative) on a study that you were commissioned to conduct for a public agency or private interest (developer, financial institution, etc.). This report is to be approximately 25 pages in length but no more than 30 pages including text, tables, figures, and references.
The final project must be type written, double spaced, with appx. 1" margins. A title page and abstract must be included. All references must be cited in the body of the paper using the following format (Newman and Kenworthy, 1988). All final projects are due the last day of classes May 30th. The final project is to be conducted in groups of two or three (based on total numbers of students). The final project will be presented to the class at the end of the quarter. Each member of the group is to have an equal part in the final presentation.
Potential topics for final projects or homework assignments
Commuter rail development in Georgia
Relationships between land use and transportation
The Outer Perimeter
Airport locations and conflicts
Transportation impacts of the Olympics
Private / public finance and development of transportation facilities
Financing transportation improvements through user fees
Transportation demand management
Transportation systems management
Intelligent Transportation Systems
The location of multi-modal transportation facility
Costs and benefits of high occupancy vehicle lanes
Benefits of rural public transportation
Effects of by-passes on urban centers in small communities
Transportation effects on the environment (air quality)
Non-motorized transportation
Telecommuting or telesubstitution
Gender issues in transportation
Site planning relationships with transit accessibility
Urban parking requirements