Transportation Geography Final Exam, Transportation geography midterm, (Geography) Transport
Reduced productivity
Productivity refers to the rate at which goods and services are produced involves engaging in activities that bring about economic benefit When people spend more time commuting, this wastes time that could be used to do productive work Productivity goes down when transport system is inefficient This leads to an economic loss in our country as a whole
Transportation
the movement of goods or people from one location to another location
observation on transit trends over time
transit use has grown more than population or highway travel
4 historical eras of transportation
walking horse car Electric street car Recreation automobile Freeway
Telecommuting
work arrangement where employees work from home or at a location near their homes made possible due to technology benefit - do not have to travel out of homes, reducing number of drivers and public transport passengers, especially during peak hours
Minimally connected network
-"tree" -each node is connected to the network and is not isolated -emin
CAA 1990
--federal money can be withheld if region adopts plan but cannot show attainment by deadlines -must collect and analyse relvant dates such as the distribution and effects of the transportation investments in the region on different socio-economic groups -public participation process must ensure that the minority, disabled and low income population groups are engaged in the transportation decision making process in a meaningful way
N.E. Corridor (main-street of megalopolis)
-Boston to DC -Amtrak's only profitable line -NJ turnpike, dense traffic -I-95
ADA 1990
-Commercial; private settings must make reasonable accommodation
Piedmont Trunkline
-DC to Atlanta and New Orleans - I-95, I-85, I-20, I-59
Atlantic Coast Trunline
-DC via Jacksonville to Miami -I-95
ISTEA 1991
-Intermodal surface equity act -to develop a national intermodal transportation system economically efficient and environmentally sound , provides foundation of the nation to compete in the global economy and to move people out and goods in an energy - efficient manner
MPO
-Metropolitan planning organization -regional agencies responsible for transportation planning -divides the urban region into 100-2000 zones, generally composed of census blocks, groups, and census tracts -has to integrate travel model -has to maintain a long term plan- with a 20 year planning horizon
NEPA 1969
-National Environmental Policy Act -environmental movements modified planning ---detail environmental assessment of all funded projects
Congestion in the City
Can occur due to accidents, road works and peak hours therefore, cities tend to have traffic congestion -demand is greater than the road supply
Indicators of Transport Infrastructures
Capacity, Efficiency, Reliability, Comfort level and Safety
Capacity
Carry a larger number of people at once
Modes of Transport
Cater to needs of people
Integrated public transport system
Connects various modes of transport such that it functions as a whole Benefit - Convenient, Accessible and Efficient Challenge - Requires extensive planning and is epensive
indirect derived demand
Considers movements created by the requirements of others movements. -warhousing, energy
Nodes
-physical (Paddington Station, ports) -abstract (highway intersections as nodes) -any place capable of generating and or/attracting flow
Physical linkages
-planar (pipelines, railways) -nonplanar (shipping lanes)
Accessibility
-potential opportunity is there -how easy is it to get to a place
High speed rail (HSR)
-refers to passenger rail systems running at operational speeds between 200 and 300 km/h, and above -originated in Japan -cuts travel time in half
Reciprocity in location
-relationship within the transport system itself -nodes, links, routes, and flows --> organizing space
Federal Highway Act of 1963
-required all urban areas to have a continuing, comprehensive and cooperative transport planning process (3c process) in order to receive federal funding for why and transit -
HSR drawbacks
-requires massive government subsidies -difficult to achieve profitability -high fares, not affordable for the majority of the population who use mass transit services)
Spatial interaction model (SIM)
-seeks to explain spatial flows -flow is a function of the attributes of the origin, attributes of the destination, and the distance between the two
Degree of a node
-simplest measure to see the importance of a node -the number of its attached links -does not include indirect connections
urban transport policy
-some level of government postion on a particular transport issue -legislation -rules of regulation
Circuit
-start point = end point
Network as a graph
-study of connections between nodes and links -simplify reality into a set of nodes and linkages -nodes = vertices (a terminal point or an intersection point of a graph -linkages = edges (a connection or link between two nodes)
Abstract linkages
-telecommunications flows -flows of crude oil
CAA 1977
-to show attainment of the vehicle emissions reductions specified in SIP ----have to use EPA emission modeling software to to the modeling ----a region could lose federal money if did not adopt transport planning ----state and MPOs to prepare air quality plans indication how they will meet or maintain the standard
Network structure
-topology (arrangement of nodes and links in a network) -connectivity (measures the effort needed to reach all nodes from other nodes, aka minimum number of links) -accessibility -shortest path
TDM
-transportation demand management -"black hole theory" to balanced planning
tea - 21 1998
-transportation equity act . 21st century -broadened ISTEA, legislation continued to support planning and funding for istea. provided transportation for everybody.
TIP
-transportation improvement plans -immediate concern -low cost solutions that can be implemented quickly to improve existing transportation system and deal with specific problems that arise -5 year plans
Trunklines
-type of linkage -primary linkage (corridors, main streets, etc.)
VMT
-vehicle miles traveled -increase because of shifts from walking to transit , Average vehicle occupancy fell for trips
Access
-yes or no can you get to a place
Causes of traffic congestion in cities
-Separation of work and residential areas -Movement from one part of the city to another to provide or obtain goods and services -Inadequate Transport infrastructure and poor provision of trasnport services -Poor weather condition, accidents and road construction -bottlenecks -traffic accidents -work zones -poor signal timing -special events
Cycle
-a closed path
Loop
-a link with one endpoint
Spatial interaction
-a realized movement in terms of transport demand and supply relationship expressed over a geographical space -economic activities are generating (supply) and attracting (demand) flow -a movement occurs between an origin and a destination
Path
-a sequence of edges but no repeated edges and vertices
HSR benefits
-capacity and reliability -energy and environment -complementarity (between HSR and air transportation, a true balance between competition and complementarity)
space-time convergence
-challenge over the time how much space(distance) can e overcome with in a given amount of time -improvements in transport technology, cities converge over time.
Feeder lines
-direct service -line haul
Economic benefits of transportation
-direct transport supply (income from transport operations, access to wider markets) -direct transport demand (improved accessibility, time and cost savings) -indirect microeconomic (rent income, lower price of commodities) -indirect macroeconomic (formation of distribution networks, increased competitiveness)
Maximally connected network
-each node is connected to all other nodes -emax
history of urban transportation planning
-emerges tin the 1950s -formalized in the 1960s with the DOT --during the time of rapid urban growth and sub-urbanization --need for better prediction of future traffic patterns -----traveling behavior modeling with computer software
SIP 1970
-emission inventory for each region in the state and attain all federal air quality standards
Why is it still important to be close to each other?
-formal (explicit) vs. tacit knowledge (explicit can be written down, tacit cannot be codified) -instruction vs. personal knowledge through experience
The death of distance
-frances cairncross (the death of distance) -richard o'brien (the end of geography) -thomas friedman (is the world flat?) -all three of these authors believe space and place no longer matter (distance or proximity are not important in locational decisions) -cheaper and faster transport makes distance irrelevant -can locate anywhere (footloose) -dispersal of activites
Gateway vs. hub
-hub = a central location in a transport system with many inbound and outbound connections of the same mode -gateway = implies a shift from one mode to another (ex: maritime to land travel)
HSR: two means of development
-improvement of conventional rail (not considered true HSR networks, reach speeds of 200 km/hr, must share lines with existing services is its drawback) -exclusive HSR networks (have their own tracks) -initial infrastructure cost is high, but by use of maglev, it can pay off
trunklines
-linkages that are more important than others- -important corridors along with US transportation has developed
Transport Distance
-loading, unloading, transshipment -cost and time -ex: air travel
Transport corridors
-meant to boost economic development -accumulation of flows and infrastructures of various modes and their development is linked with economic, infrastructural, and technological processes
Alpha index
-measure of network connectivity considering cycles -the number of loops to the max possible number of loops in a planar network a= loops/2n-5
Gamma index
-measure the level of connectivity with actual/potential links -ratio of the number of actual links to the number of possible lins -can onlhy have a max of 1, if more, redudndat G= links/3(n-2)
Main Street NY to Chicago
-norhtern route via Hudson river, Erie canal, along lakes to Chicago, NY state thruway, OH/IN turnpikes -southern route via NY-Philly-Pittsburgh_Fort Wayne-Chicago (National Rd., PN RR, PN turnpikme
Black hole theory
1. supply vs demand -if congestion existed, because theer was not enough transportation facilities to go around(demand exceeded supply) -so build more lanes, roads, and more bus routes -add capacity - travel becomes easier, so more people use the new road -congestion occurs -more capacity added, cycle repeats itself
Inadequate Transport infrastructure and poor provision of trasnport services
Facilities are incapable of handing the amount of traffic it receives Insufficient lanes, roads and badly-connected transport network Roads may congested due to lack of alternative roads, especially during accidents, peak hours or floods
Transport Infrastructure
Facilities such as Roads, Railway tracks and Bus terminals
Efficiency
Frequent services to move people quickly
Complementarity
Locations exchange goods, people, and info. Some locations have a surplus, while others have a deficit. Equilibrium can only be reached by movements between the two locations.
Stress on physical and mental health
Long travelling times can cause fatigue Drivers may lose concentration or fall asleep, causing accidents and even deaths Prolonged exposure to Exhaust fumes from vehicles can affect health and may even link to several health problems (Asthma and lung diseases) Due to spending more time on the road, drivers may become prone to stress and frustration while stuck in traffic, increasing chances of getting into arguments or fights with other drivers
Strategies to Manage Traffic Congestion
Making public transport a choice made Managing road usage
Traffic Congestion
More vehicles than the road can handle
Mobility
Movement of People and Goods from one place to another at a reasonable time and acceptable cost
Scale
Movements generated by complementarity are occurring at different scales (local, regional, global)
direct derived demand
Movements that are directly the outcome of economic activities. -transportation for working-commuting; vacationing-taxi, air travel, bus; manufacturing-trucks, containership
Reliability
Moves people constantly, on time, and with few interruptions
Movement from one part of the city to another to provide or obtain goods and services
People may need to move about within the city to obtain goods and services There is a wider variety of goods and services provided in the city compared to rural areas People also travel to the city to provide goods and services
Impacts on People and Environment
Reduced productivity Stress on mental and physical health Air pollution Noise pollution
Managing road usage
Road Pricing Increased parking fees Enhanced traffic monitoring
Transport Networks
Routes + Set of Nodes
Transport Services
Services provided to move people and goods from one place to another
Separation of work and residential areas
Since residential areas are usually located far away from work areas, people have to commute some distance between home and workplace at a regular basis Many people prefer driving private vehicles because of the flexibility and convenience provided
Characteristics of Traffic Congestion
Slow travelling speeds (may be as slow as 10km/h) Vehicular queues Reduces mobility, time-consuming Noise pollution (due to honking)
Poor Provision of Transport Services
Small fleet of public buses or rail that is insufficient to carry commuters may result in overcrowding This may cause late buses that do not arrive frequently, and people may tend to avoid public transport and choose to drive instead, contributing traffic congestion
Density of Transport Networks
The greater the number of Routes and Nodes, the higher the density of Transport Networks
Characteristics of Urban Trasnport
Wider Variety of Transport Modes Higher Density of Transport Networks Higher-quality Transport Infrastructure
Transportation networks
spatial structure and organization of transport infrastructures and terminals
mobility
ability to move between different activity sites
Transportation nodes
access points to a distribution system transshipment points
freeway era
auto became a necessity 1956 highway act metro turned inside out beginning of suburbs and edge cities
4 federal regulations associated with transportation
clean air act ISTEA tea-21 map-21
geographic variations of public transit
concentrated in north east concentrated in large metropolitan areas difference in terms of central cities - suburbs
role of public transit
congestion relief energy savings environment damages mobility disadvantage
key characteristics of public transportation
fixed route available to public multitude of modes
comments on travel patterns and trends
increase of transit vehicle accessibility , rail ridership shows long term growth
Beta index
measure of the level of connectivity - ratio of the number of links to the number of nodes B= link/nodes
accessibility
number of opportunities \ activity sites available within a certain distance or travel time.
PMT
persons mile of travel
steps of traveling demand modeling
pre analysis technical analysis post analysis
urban transport planning
preparation and implementation of actions designed to address specific problems -must adhere to the transport policy
Transportation rate
price of transportation services paid by users (unit cost per transportation use)