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Title:

Reducing Transportation Emissions Through Land Use Intervention--Potentials and Challenges

Accession Number:

01340149

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

This study explores the potential of and challenges facing land use intervention as an emission reduction tool. It is generally understood that vehicle miles of travel (VMT) and transportation emissions correlate with such built environmental characteristics as development density, land use mix, and environmental design. However, the distributional effects of modifying the built environment on emissions have not been adequately understood. Intuitively, denser and more mixed-use developments likely lead to more concentrated and mixed traffic flows, resulting in slower and more frequent stop-and-go movement and consequently more emissions. This paper reports a case study of the Austin, TX region on the topic. The study first identifies mixed-use developments (MXDs) that display desired built-environmental features. Next, the study geocodes trip origins and destinations of the sampled individuals from the 2005 Austin Activity-Travel Survey. It then estimates travel mode choice and trip frequency, daily miles of driving, the number of cold-starts, and vehicle emissions for those living inside verse outside MXDs. The study shows a rather complex picture on the relationship among built environment, VMT, and emissions. Region-wide, densification strategy potentially helps reduce regional VMT and consequently decrease regional emissions. Locally, higher population density is associated with higher emission density. This poses a challenge to the land use-based strategies for emission reduction--densification and mixed-use development function like a double-edged sword in terms of their effects on VMT and emissions. Supplemental policies are essential for land use intervention to succeed in achieving emission reduction goals.

Monograph Accession #:

01329018

Report/Paper Numbers:

11-1729

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Zhang, Ming

Pagination:

18p

Publication Date:

2011

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2011-1-23 to 2011-1-27
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

DVD

Features:

Figures; Maps; References; Tables (8)

Uncontrolled Terms:

Emissions reduction

Geographic Terms:

Austin (Texas)

Subject Areas:

Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-1729

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 17 2011 5:54PM