Pedestrian safety and the effects of environmental features are important considerations in cities everywhere. But studying pedestrians via street audits and volume counts can be time consuming and costly. Researchers at Columbia University suggest a way to overcome this challenge by using readily available information from Google Street View and Walk Score.
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Researchers suggest using Google Street View and Walk Score to conduct pedestrian safety studies
Pedestrian safety and the effects of environmental features are important considerations in cities everywhere. But studying pedestrians via street audits and volume counts can be time consuming and costly. Researchers at Columbia University suggest a way to overcome this challenge by using readily available information from Google Street View and Walk Score.
Total VMT and fatalities are up
Total 2015 U.S. motor vehicle travel is expected to reach record levels, and crash-related fatalities have been climbing as well.
Parking increases citywide car use, SSTI researcher finds
Automobile use has been on the rise in cities for nearly a century and so has the supply of parking. Because driving often seems unavoidable, policymakers, developers and the public push endlessly for more parking to meet demand. That push, however, might only be making matters worse. SSTI Senior Associate Chris McCahill’s research suggests that abundant parking in cities causes people to drive more, shedding important light on the question of cause and effect.
Do HOV to HOT conversions decrease carpooling?
A study from Texas A&M asks whether carpooling decreases when lanes are converted from high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to lanes allowing solo drivers to pay a toll. The researchers studied eight roadway segments in six states and found that carpooling often declined when lanes were converted from HOV-only to high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that charge solo drivers a fee to use the supposedly faster restricted lanes.
Accommodating interregional travel: Insights and opportunities
A new study offers important insights into interregional travel. This category, defined as trips between 100 and 500 miles, makes up approximately three-quarters of long distance trips but suffers from insufficient data for making system investments.
Agencies must embrace new design standards to improve safety, according to federal report
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report addressing the recent increase in deaths and injuries among pedestrians and bicycle users. The report outlined the causes, responses from transportation agencies, and remaining challenges to address the disparity in crash trends between car drivers and those using non-motorized transportation. The report also acknowledges historical road design practices as a major contributor to current safety trends.
Uber offers slugging and fixed-route service
The distinction between transit and transportation network companies got smaller in early December, as Uber rolled out a version of “slugging” and fixed-route services.
Northeast looks at GHG reductions that boost the economy
Clean transportation investments funded by market-based user charges would reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also providing a net economic benefit, a study for five Northeastern states and the District of Columbia contends.
Northeast looks at GHG reductions that boost the economy
Clean transportation investments funded by market-based user charges would reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also providing a net economic benefit, a study for five Northeastern states and the District of Columbia contends.