October 15, 2019
The first national guidebook about the impacts of transformational technologies on land use and transportation hit the streets October 1, 2019, authored by Kittelson’s Richard Dowling and Abby Morgan.
Agencies are looking to understand what big-picture decisions need to be made to account for rapidly changing technologies and services that are transforming the way our transportation networks function.
Encompassing both rural and urban settings, “Foreseeing the Impact of Transformational Technologies on Land Use and Transportation” examines everything from connected and automated vehicles, to mobility as a service (MaaS), to micromobility, to the curbside disruptions of e-commerce and explores how agencies can respond despite the lack of definitive predictions.
"There is much we don't know at this time, but the greatest uncertainty is the sustainable price point of new technologies. New technologies and applications will affect traditional funding streams like fuel tax and parking revenue, but they also present opportunities for new ones, such as dynamic tolling and monetizing mobility data."
- Rick Dowling, Senior Principal Engineer, Kittelson & Associates
Designed to help public agency decision-makers manage the uncertainty transformational technologies bring, the guide provides detailed information supporting a straightforward recipe for readiness:
- Self-assess. Develop a Technology Transition Plan for the agency. Understand what training or outside support may be needed to keep up with changing patterns.
- Get data. Acquire more data on the day-to-day impacts of new technologies. Monitor, monitor, monitor!
- Get smart. Provide education for staff on new technologies.
- Be nimble. Adopt a more agile planning and policy response to the challenges of new technologies.
NCHRP Report 924 examines everything from connected and automated vehicles, to mobility as a service (MaaS), to micromobility, to the curbside disruptions of e-commerce.
Leading transportation decision-makers and industry experts contributed to the guide by sharing their views through a one-day workshop to identify planning and policy actions that could promote the beneficial effects of new technologies and reduce adverse effects.
Kittelson has already begun using these principles to help agencies develop technology transition plans to prepare their staff resources, infrastructure, and policies to adapt to new technologies. By identifying the early indicators of land use impacts that may occur due to transformational technologies, we can help agencies monitor for signs of change.
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 924: Foreseeing the Impact of Transformational Technologies on Land Use and Transportation is published by the Transportation Research Board. It can be downloaded free of charge from their website.