Newest Resources

Universal Urban Access: Toward Sustainable Mobility
This detailed report, edited by Todd Litman, evaluates urban transport problems and identifies effective solutions. It is one of six Global Roadmap of Action reports published by Sustainable Mobility for All, a major international program to achieve four policy goals (universal access, efficiency, safety and green) for all modes of transportation around the world.

Understanding Smart Growth Savings
How communities develop can have many direct and indirect impacts. Smart Growth policies, which result in more compact, multimodal development, reduce per capita land consumption and the distances between common destinations, which reduces the costs of providing public infrastructure and services, improves accessibility and reduces per capita motor vehicle travel, which in turn provides economic, social and environmental benefits. This report examines these impacts.

Autonomous Vehicle Implementation Predictions: Implications for Transport Planning
This report explores the impacts of autonomous vehicles, and their implications for various planning issues. It investigates how quickly self-driving vehicles are likely to develop and be deployed based on experience with previous vehicle technologies; their likely benefits and costs; and how they are likely to affect travel demands and planning decisions such as optimal road, parking and public transit supply.

Urban Sanity: Understanding Urban Mental Health Impacts and How to Create Saner, Happier Cities
This report examines how urban living affects residents’ mental health and happiness, and ways to use this information to create saner and happier cities. City living may increase some forms of psychosis and mood disorders, drug addiction, and some people’s unhappiness, but tends reduce dementia, alcohol abuse and suicide rates, and many people are happier in cities than they would be in smaller communities. This analysis suggests that it is possible to create sane and happy cities.

Rural Multimodal Planning. Why and How to Improve Travel Options in Small Towns and Rural Communities
Multimodal planning creates communities where it is possible to get around by walking, bicycling and public transport. This provides various direct and indirect benefits. This report explores why and how to implement more multimodal planning in rural areas and small towns. Current demographic and economic trends are increasing non-auto travel demands in rural communities. Various strategies can help rural communities improve and connect walking, cycling, public transport, including innovative facilities and services, and Smart Growth development policies.