This course prepares students to be effective practitioners and informed citizens at a time when rapid advances in technology are quickly changing the transport field.
We will focus on three aspects of urban transportation planning:
- Understanding the Transport System: How does transportation work? How do people and goods travel? What are new mobility options, and how might they reshape transportation planning?
- Challenges: What are the key issues in the transport field? This section focuses on understanding current travel patterns (and their links to demographics and land use), as well as identifying key challenges and opportunities for the transport field (congestion, freight, air quality, shared mobility, and autonomous vehicles).
- Planning: This section provides a broad introduction to the institutional structure and technical tools of transportation planning in the US. We look at the federal, state, and local levels. This section will also introduce you to the common analysis techniques used in transportation and consider their effectiveness. This section provides a strong skill basis for any students interested in pursuing careers in transportation consulting firms or municipalities (or anyone who plans to be involved with the development process).