Newest Resources

Rethinking Malahat Solutions: Or, Why Spend A Billion Dollars If A Five-Million Dollar Solution Is Better Overall?
This report evaluates various options for reducing traffic problems on the Malahat highway north of Victoria, British Columbia. This analysis indicates that a combination of bus service improvements, Transportation Demand Management strategies and incremental roadway improvements is the most cost effective and beneficial option. In addition to financial savings it provides additional benefits including reduced driver stress, consumer savings and affordability, reduced downstream traffic problems, energy conservation, emission reduction and improved mobility for non-drivers. Current planning tends to undervalue this approach by ignoring many highway expansion costs and traffic reduction benefits.

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.

PAYD: The Best Transportation Policy Reform You've Probably Never Heard Of
Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD, also known as distance-based and usage-based) vehicle insurance means that premiums are based directly on the amount a vehicle is driven during the policy term, so the more you drive the more you pay and the less you drive the more you save. This can significantly increase fairness, affordability and traffic safety, and reduces traffic congestion and pollution emissions. This new website describes why and how to implement PAYD insurance in British Columbia.

True Affordability: Critiquing the International Housing Affordability Survey
This report critiques the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey (IHAS). It identifies several problems with IHAS methods and recommendations. The Survey only considers a limited set of housing types, geographic areas and impacts, which biases its results to exaggerate the affordability of detached, urban-fringe housing and underestimate urban infill benefits. This indicates that the IHAS is propaganda, intended to support a political agenda rather than provide objective guidance. It is important that users understand its omissions and biases.

Evaluating Public Transit Criticism: Systematic Analysis of Political Attacks on High Quality Transit and How Transportation Professionals Can Effectively Respond
High quality public transit can provide many benefits, including direct benefits to users and indirect benefits to other members of society. A small but vocal group of critics attack these efforts. Critics argue that transit service improvements attract few riders, provide few benefits, are not cost effective, and are unfair to low-income residents and motorists. This report systematically evaluates these claims and describes appropriate responses.

A New Traffic Safety Paradigm
A new traffic safety paradigm is changing how planning professionals measure traffic risks and evaluate potential safety strategies. It expands the range of potential traffic safety strategies to include multi-modal planning, transportation demand management, and Smart Growth policies.