Assessing and Managing the Ecological Impacts of Paved Roads

Assessing and Managing the Ecological Impacts of Paved Roads PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-01-22

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 0309100887

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All phases of road developmentâ€"from construction and use by vehicles to maintenanceâ€"affect physical and chemical soil conditions, water flow, and air and water quality, as well as plants and animals. Roads and traffic can alter wildlife habitat, cause vehicle-related mortality, impede animal migration, and disperse nonnative pest species of plants and animals. Integrating environmental considerations into all phases of transportation is an important, evolving process. The increasing awareness of environmental issues has made road development more complex and controversial. Over the past two decades, the Federal Highway Administration and state transportation agencies have increasingly recognized the importance of the effects of transportation on the natural environment. This report provides guidance on ways to reconcile the different goals of road development and environmental conservation. It identifies the ecological effects of roads that can be evaluated in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of roads and offers several recommendations to help better understand and manage ecological impacts of paved roads.

Transportation Planning, Policy and Analysis

Transportation Planning, Policy and Analysis PDF

Author: D. N. M. Starkie

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2013-10-22

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1483156435

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Urban and Regional Planning Series, Volume 13: Transportation Planning, Policy and Analysis is a review of selected policies affecting the administration, urban transportation, and proposals regarding transport improvements. The book discusses the inter-relationship of transport policy and analysis of transportation planning. The text outlines the development of transportation planning considering the constraints placed upon studies made in the transportation system. The author describes the planning process as evolving, with the nature of the problem changing along with the passing of time. The author reviews the administrative framework and the polices affecting urban traffic and public transports. He evaluates the policy-decision mechanisms influenced by ""maximization subject to constraint."" The author then presents some mathematical simulation models of transport, and then emphasizes that actual testing and experimentation of a model are needed to overcome any cardinal weaknesses. The book also cites the SELNEC and Tyneside studies where their major component is on road expenditure, which studies regarded as not very cost-effective. The author then cites legislations and development proposals that transportation plans should be integrated with land use planning and traffic systems. The author also discusses why developments in transport planning analysis is a political decision. City administrators, officials of traffic and engineering departments and bureaus, civil engineers, and urban developers will find this book of interest.

Urban Transportation Planning in the United States

Urban Transportation Planning in the United States PDF

Author: Edward Weiner

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 1999-02-28

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0313002231

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The development of U.S. urban transportation policy over the past 50 years illustrates the changing relationship between federal, state, and local governments. This comprehensive text examines the evolution of urban transportation planning from early developments in highway planning in the 1930s to the concern for sustainable development and pollution emissions. Focusing on major national events, the book discusses the influence of legislation, regulations, conferences, federal programs, and advances in planning procedures and technology. The book offers an in-depth look at the most significant event in transportation planning—the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962. Creating a federal mandate for a comprehensive urban transportation planning process carried out cooperatively by states and local governments with federal funding, this act was crucial in the spread of urban transporation. Claiming that urban transportation planning is more sophisticated, costly, and complex than its highway and transit planning predecessors, the book demonstrates how urban transportation planning evolved in response to changes in such factors as environment, energy, development patterns, intergovernmental coordination, and federal transit programs. It further illustrates how broader concerns for global climate change and sustainable development have braided the purview of transportation planning.

Connecting Transportation Decision Making with Responsible Land Use

Connecting Transportation Decision Making with Responsible Land Use PDF

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13:

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Connecting Transportation Decision Making with Responsible Land Use: State and Regional Policies, Programs, and Incentives highlights a growing number of state and regional initiatives aimed at curbing unsustainable land use patterns through the use of targeted transportation funding. Just as a disconnect between transportation decision making and land use planning can develop and continue sprawling urban conditions, the linkage between the two processes can, in contrast, foster responsible growth. This report is intended to provide planning agencies at various levels of government with tools that can be used to strengthen the connection between transportation and land use planning. This report showcases 17 jurisdictions in the United States that have developed policies, programs, and incentives to connect transportation funding with various "smart growth" efforts. These jurisdictions are both state governments and regional planning agencies. The programs reviewed have had varying levels of success and have implemented a range of approaches in order to meet program goals. This variety of approaches shows that there is no single formula for achieving a strong linkage between transportation funding and responsible land use planning. These various approaches show that success in linking transportation planning with land use decision making most likely depends on creating context-specific strategies.

Transportation Planning Handbook

Transportation Planning Handbook PDF

Author: ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers)

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2016-08-01

Total Pages: 1204

ISBN-13: 1118762355

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A multi-disciplinary approach to transportation planning fundamentals The Transportation Planning Handbook is a comprehensive, practice-oriented reference that presents the fundamental concepts of transportation planning alongside proven techniques. This new fourth edition is more strongly focused on serving the needs of all users, the role of safety in the planning process, and transportation planning in the context of societal concerns, including the development of more sustainable transportation solutions. The content structure has been redesigned with a new format that promotes a more functionally driven multimodal approach to planning, design, and implementation, including guidance toward the latest tools and technology. The material has been updated to reflect the latest changes to major transportation resources such as the HCM, MUTCD, HSM, and more, including the most current ADA accessibility regulations. Transportation planning has historically followed the rational planning model of defining objectives, identifying problems, generating and evaluating alternatives, and developing plans. Planners are increasingly expected to adopt a more multi-disciplinary approach, especially in light of the rising importance of sustainability and environmental concerns. This book presents the fundamentals of transportation planning in a multidisciplinary context, giving readers a practical reference for day-to-day answers. Serve the needs of all users Incorporate safety into the planning process Examine the latest transportation planning software packages Get up to date on the latest standards, recommendations, and codes Developed by The Institute of Transportation Engineers, this book is the culmination of over seventy years of transportation planning solutions, fully updated to reflect the needs of a changing society. For a comprehensive guide with practical answers, The Transportation Planning Handbook is an essential reference.