Volume 36 Transportation + Accessibility (2011)

In a time of continuing fiscal constraint, all levels of government are struggling to meet the transportation needs of the public. With greater environmental and social consciousness on the negative impacts of auto-congested highways, citizens are also demanding more thoughtful infrastructure investments that unite communities rather than divide them.

Planners no longer view mobility as an end in itself in transportation investments. Instead, the profession is increasingly measuring transportation outcomes in terms of accessibility. This new approach entails more thoughtful and coordinated land use planning, engaged stakeholders, and multimodal transportation investments. Though the current national economic situation creates challenges in implementation, practitioners are capitalizing on partnerships, diverse funding sources, and innovative technologies to deliver economically efficient and environmentally sustainable transportation options.

Editors: Brika Eklund and David Daddio

A digital version of this issue is available here.

AN INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR JAMES B. HUNT JR.

Eklund, Brika; Daddio, David

On December 9, 2010, the Carolina Planning Editors sat down with former North Carolina Governor James “Jim” Baxter Hunt Jr. in his downtown Raleigh office at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. Governor Hunt, who continues to be an active voice in state politics, shared experiences from his sixteen years in office and offered his thoughts on the future of transportation in North Carolina. A condensed and edited transcript from that conversation follows.

MEASURING URBANITY ONE BLOCK AT A TIME: THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSIT READINESS SCORECARD

McDonough, Patrick; Parker, Jonathan; Reynolds, William

This paper outlines a methodology that assesses urbanity in three dimensions (density, diversity, and design) and creates a combined scorecard that weights each dimension according to its influence on transit usage and walkability. Using no proprietary methods, this approach can be repeated by any individual or local government with GIS software and basic internet access. The resulting measurements can be used by communities to assess what types of investments and regulatory changes are necessary to create more transitand pedestrian-friendly communities.

FLORIDA’S MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING RURAL MOBILITY

Goodwill, Jay A.

The State of Florida presents many challenges to public transportation providers due to its diverse development patterns and multiple population segments. While the state is commonly thought of as dense and urbanized, Florida is also significantly influenced by rural communities. Like in other states, rural mobility is especially challenging for some residents due to longer trips, limited and declining infrastructure, and lack of available options and resources. Accessible, affordable, and reliable transportation is a critical component to community inclusion. Having access to community resources is essential to fostering independence and self-sufficiency. This article provides an overview of the mobility challenges faced by rural Floridians as well as some of the programs and approaches that the state has undertaken to address this need. Many of the initiatives highlighted below are Floridian applications of existing federal programs; thus, they can be implemented in any state to address rural residents’ mobility challenges.

BUS PRIORITY AND BEYOND IN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN REGION

Bansal, Monica

On February 17, 2010, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board received a $58.8 million TIGER competitive grant for its planned regional priority bus network. This proposed network encompasses fourteen priority corridors and includes dedicated lanes, transit signal priority, queue-jump lanes, and a major regional transit center. This article describes the federal TIGER program, its application in the Washington metropolitan area, and the broader impacts of USDOT’s new mode-neutral approach to transportation funding. The TIGER grant program not only enabled implementation of a project that otherwise would have been difficult to fund via traditional channels, but it also empowered regional-level transportation planning that has had numerous benefits beyond the priority bus network grant.

TRANSPORTATION IN NORTH CAROLINA: CASE STUDIES AND COMMENTARY FROM NCAPA CONTRIBUTORS

El-Amin, Fleming A., II; Miller, Benjamin; Newsome, Tracy; Gallagher, Daniel; Walters, Adrienne; Hartell, Ann; Byfield, Brian

Carolina Planning regularly publishes a feature highlighting projects from members of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association (NCAPA). This year’s submissions focus on initiatives and trends that encapsulate larger national movements within the transportation field. From case studies highlighting complete streets in Charlotte and partnerships with the public health community in Wilmington, to broader discussions like context sensitive solutions and the renewed concern about the environmental justice implications of highway infrastructure, these writers provide valuable insight in their areas of expertise.

2010 BEST DCRP MASTER’S PAPER: TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ANNUAL INVENTORY MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS: 2005 THROUGH 2009

Callaway, Brian C.

In 2006, the Town of Chapel Hill committed to a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations by 2050. Having not conducted a baseline study prior to this commitment, the Town commissioned the author to create a 2005 baseline inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. This Master’s Project achieved that goal and added annual inventories through 2009. The Town of Chapel Hill anticipates that this information will be used to guide initial greenhouse gas emission reduction measures to help meet its 2050 goal.

DCRP STUDENT CONNECTION PIECES
BOOK REVIEWS
FINAL THOUGHTS

McDonald, Noreen C.