19: Sustainable Transportation and Smart Growth Flashcards
Environmental issues from high VMTs
Ambient air quality
High energy use= high GHG emissions
Land consumption
Noise pollution
Social Issues from high VMTs
- Time lost to traffic
- Less exercise=more health risks
- safety issues
- isolation of poor, young, and old
- High car costs
Characteristics of Urban Sprawl
Development on urban fringe Low density and leapfrog development Comercial strips Lak of public space Poor accessibility/car dominance A "geography of nowhere"
Drivers of Urban Sprawl
Land ownership and the growth machine
Affordability
Marketed as ideal to consumers
HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED ROAD NETWORK
free paking
telecommunication
single use zoning (one trip per task)
Insurance standards
1.Accessibility vs. 2.Automobility:
transportation infrastructure
- Multi-modal
2. freeways, influenced demand
1.Accessibility vs. 2.Automobility:
Market incentives
- Density bonuses
2. Free parking, car subsidies
1.Accessibility vs. 2.Automobility:
land use
- high density, mixed use, transit oriented development
2. low density, single use, land solely devoted to car
1.Accessibility vs. 2.Automobility:
transportation modes
- walk, bike, bus rapid transit, rail, etc.
2. car
4 principles of Smart Growth solution
- mixed land uses, compact bldg design, infill development
- create walkable, bikeable neighborhoods with strong sense of place
- provide variety of transit choices
- encourage community participation and transparency in development decisions
Smart Growth Tools: Direct Growth
Urban service areas Urban growth boundaries Brownfield clean up initiatives Conservation easements on ex-urban land
SMART GROWTH TOOLS: WALKING & BIKING
Ø Bike activism, bike
plans, bike sharing
Ø Neighborhood
Walkability Indexes
versus Network
Analysis
SMART GROWTH TOOLS: IMPROVE URBAN CORE
Historical
districts
Ø Community
gardens and
parks
Ø Emphasize urban
amenities
Ø Improve Public
Schools
SMART GROWTH TOOLS: MASS TRANSIT
Ø Bus Rapid Transit, many advantages but
slow uptake in the U.S.
Ø Car Sharing, Carpool Infrastructure
Ø Light and Commuter Rail
MARKET-BASED TOOLS
Ø Congestion Pricing
Ø VMT Fees
Ø Gas Taxes
SMART GROWTH OR SMART GROWTH MACHINE?
not researched: Ahmanson Ranch
misleading ideal born out of the heavy branding of true smart growth, themachine is useed by developers to falsely advertise their own projects as sustainably conscious. They exploit smart growth by inserting sustainable-friendly buzzwords into proposals that tell a different story.
the ballona wetlands restoration project plans to demolish 2/3 of the existing wetlands for condos, hotels, and retail spaces. The remaining wetlands to be “restored” are predicted to suffer due to polluted water runoff from the new development.
