Challenge

Evolving technologies are rapidly transforming transportation and land use in rural and urban settings, posing a dilemma for public agencies that make decisions about transportation and land use. Telecommuting, ridesharing, shared-use vehicles, last-mile transit connectivity, and on-demand delivery and transportation services are changing where and how people live, work, and shop, and are making car ownership less necessary. Cities are rethinking how to use valuable curb space and changing how we park. 3-D printing, e-commerce, and drones are poised to shift industrial supply chains and warehouse space use, leading to changes in freight transportation patterns and demand for investment in intermodal transfer facilities.

Solution

Kittelson led a national research effort to develop a guidebook to help transportation decision-makers better plan for likely impacts of transformational technologies on activity centers, land use patterns, and travel demand. Our work included a literature review of what is known about these impacts and a workshop with leading transportation decision-makers and industry experts to identify appropriate planning and policy actions that public agencies can take to promote the beneficial effects of transformational technologies and reduce potential adverse effects.