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Title: TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Course number: UrbDP 498A (SLN 18002)
Number of Credits: 3
Class: Thursdays 1:30-4:20 pm
Gould Hall 440
Quarter: Spring 2008
Instructor: Chang-Hee Christine
Bae, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Office: Gould Hall Faculty
Hours: Tuesdays 11:00am -noon, or by
appointment
e-mail: cbae@u.washington.edu
The negative environmental externalities of transportation are among the most important issues in planning for the next century. What are the main sources of these externalities? What policies have been implemented to address them? Were the measures successful? If not, why not? What options are available? What should be done in the future?
In addition, the automobile impact on global warming has received more attention recently. There has been a much more aggressive effort in the European Union to reduce CO2 emissions. In this regard, what attempts have been made in the US? Is the Seattle Mayor’s climate action plan leading the rest of the US? Or, perhaps California’s attempt to control CO2 emissions.
In this course, Transportation and the Environment (UrbDP 498A), we will try to analyze these and related issues, and we will discuss the major challenges facing us.
The course deals with the interface between transportation planning and environmental planning. Much of the course will focus on the air quality problem, recognizing that mobile sources are the major contributor to several key pollutants, but other transport-related environmental problems (e.g. oil spills and other water quality issues, global warming, airport noise) will also be considered.
Key issues include: the relative cost-effectiveness of emissions technology vs. non-technological strategies; the potential for changing travel behavior to promote environmental quality; parking, road congestion pricing, and transit options; the congestion-air quality nexus; energy consumption implications; and what we mean by sustainable transportation.
Although traditional transportation planning issues have been focused on the local, regional, and national realms, the related environmental problems go beyond these boundaries. In fact, the issue is now more frequently dealt with in the global context, and much of the research originates from the United Kingdom and Europe.
Students are encouraged to conduct comparative research between the US and other countries, or among metropolitan areas in the US, to identify successful policies and their transferability.
1.
To recognize the importance of transportation-related environmental
problems in the global, national, regional and local context.
2. To understand and identify transportation policies attempted
or considered in the
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of these policies with respect
to mobility and environmental quality.
4.
To search for and propose potential policies to solve identified
problems, especially at the regional level.
The assignments in the class are:
1. Weekly summary of an issue or issues relating to the class topic by every Saturday noon except the first week, 2-3 pages (30%)
2. Project proposal: Identify your project topic (your choice: local, regional, international comparative research project preferred, but other approaches acceptable after consultation with me) and submit a report with a tentative title, outline, background, and key literature review by Thursday, April 24.
Submission of final project paper, approximately 12-15 pages (40%), by Thursday, June 5 (On-line submission to <gmforum@u.washington.edu>).
3. Project presentation (15%)
4. Class participation (15%)
Required Textbook
Transportation Research Board (1997), Toward a Sustainable Future: Addressing the Long Term Effects of Motor Vehicle Transportation on Climate and Ecology. Special Report 251, prepared by Committee for a Study on Transportation and a Sustainable Environment, TRB & National Research Council. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. [HE 203 T748 1997]
Available online: http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=2672
Optional Textbook
Jaccard, Mark (2005) Sustainable Fossil Fuels. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Beatley, Timothy (2000) Green Urbanism. Washington, DC: Island Press.
CLASS
TOPICS AND RELATED
Please visit class website http://courses.washington.edu/gmforum
(go to “T & E Students”) for update.
Course readings may be obtained here.
4/3 Introduction
Transportation and urban form in the US
Muller, Peter, 2004, “Transportation and urban form: Stages in the spatial revolution of the American metropolis” Ch. 3, pp. 59-85 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation. New York, The Guilford Press.
4/10
Sustainable transportation
TRB, 1997, Toward a Sustainable Future “Sustainability and transportation,” Ch. 1, pp. 15-36
Newman, Peter and Kenworthy, Jeffrey, 1999, “The concept of sustainability and its relationship to cities,” Ch. 1, pp. 1-26; “The problem of automobile dependence at the end of the twentieth century,” Ch. 2, pp. 27-67 in Sustinability and Cities. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Socioeconomics of Urban Travel
Pucher, John and John L. Renne, 2003, “Socioeconomics of Urban Travel: Evidence from the 2001 NHTS,” Transportation Quarterly, 57(3)
Mobile source air pollution: Clean Air Act Criteria Pollutants
Bae, Chang-Hee Christine, 2004, “Transportation and environment” Ch, 13, pp. 356-381 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation. New York, The Guilford Press.
Sprin, Anne Whiston, 1984, “Dirt and Discomfort” Ch. 2, pp. 41-61; “Improving air quality, enhancing comfort, and conserving energy,” Ch. 3, pp. 62-90 in The Granite Garden. New York: Basic Books.
Mobile source air pollution: Micoroscale air pollution
Bae, Sandlin, Bassok & Kim, 2007, “The exposure of disadvantaged populations in freeway air-pollution sheds: a case study of the Seattle and Portland regions,” Environment and Planning B, 34, pp. 154-170
4/17
CO2 & Motor vehicles
TRB, 1997, Toward a Sustainable Future “Carbon dioxide buildup and motor vehicle transportation,” Ch. 3, pp. 73-163
Transportation and Energy
Greene, David, 2004, “Transportation and energy” Ch, 10, pp. 274-293 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation. New York, The Guilford Press.
Jaccard, Mark, 2005, “Is current energy path sustainable?” Ch. 2, pp. 31-55; “Sustainable energy policy: how do we get there?” Ch. 8 pp. 259-314 Sustainable Fossil Fuels. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
4/24
Fieldtrip to PSCAA Monitoring Site
5/1
Noise
Harris, David, 1997, Noise Control Manual for Residential Buildings. “Noise control principles,” Ch. 1, pp.1-36 Boston: McGraw-Hill.
*Guest Speakers: WS DOT (Mia Waters) & Port of Seattle (TBA)
5/8
Cumulative ecological effects
TRB (Ch. 4) "Cumulative ecological effects of vehicle emissions and infrastructure," Ch. 4, pp. 164-206
Center for Transportation and the Environment, 1998, Wildlife Ecology & Transportation, National Teleconference Series Program, #TC-14 (Video)
Salmon ESA & Transportation
Guest Speaker: WS DOT
5/15
Policy Options
a. Clean Air Policy
b. Transport Policies
c. Land Use Policies
d. Congestion Pricing
e. Parking
Public Transportation
Pucher, John, 2004 “Public transportation” Ch, 8, pp. 199-236 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation. New York, The Guilford Press.
Bicycling & Walking
Beatley, Timothy, 2000, “Bicycles: Low-Tech Ecological Mobility,” Ch 6, pp.166-193, in Green Urbanism. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Technological solutions (TBA)
5/22
Transportation, environment and equity
Deka, Devajyoti, 2004, “Social and environmental justice issues in urban transportation,” Ch, 12, pp. 332-355 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation. New York, The Guilford Press.
Bae, Chang-Hee Christine and Inge Mayeres, 2005, “Transportation and Equity,” pp. 164-194, in K. Donaghy, S. Poppelreuter and G. Rudinger eds. (2005), Social Dimensions of Sustainable Transport: Trans Atlantic Perspective. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.
Transportation and public health
TBA
5/29 & 6/5
Presentations
Course readings may be obtained here.
Bae, Chang-Hee Christine, 2004, “Transportation and
environment” Ch, 13, pp. 356-381 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.)
The Geography of UrbanTransportation.
Bae, Chang-Hee Christine and Inge Mayeres, 2005, “Transportation and Equity,” pp. 164-194, in K.
Donaghy, S. Poppelreuter and G. Rudinger eds. (2005), Social
Dimensions of Sustainable Transport: Trans Atlantic Perspective.
Beatley, Timothy, 2000,
“Bicycles: Low-Tech Ecological Mobility,” Ch 6, pp.166-193, in Green Urbanism.
Bertaud, Alain and Harry W. Richardson, 200 “Transit and Density:
Deka, Devajyoti, 2004, “Social and environmental
justice issues in urban transportation,” Ch, 12, pp. 332-355 in Susan Hanson
and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation.
Greene, David, 2004, “Transportation and energy” Ch,
10, pp. 274-293 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano (ed.) The Geography
of UrbanTransportation.
Jaccard, Mark, 2005, “Is current energy path sustainable?”
Muller, Peter, 2004, “Transportation and urban
form: Stages in the spatial revolution
of the American metropolis” Ch. 3, pp. 59-85 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve
Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation.
Newman, Peter and Kenworthy, Jeffrey, 1999, “The concept of sustainability and its relationship to cities,” Ch. 1, pp. 1-26; “The problem of automobile dependence at the end of the twentieth century,” Ch. 2, pp. 27-67; “The Pattern of Automobile Dependence and Global Cities Washington , D.C. : Island Press.
Pucher, John, 2004
“Public transportation” Ch, 8, pp. 199-236 in Susan Hanson and Genevieve
Giuliano (ed.) The Geography of UrbanTransportation.
Pucher, John and John L. Renne, 2003,
“Socioeconomics of Urban Travel:
Evidence from the 2001 NHTS,” Transportation
Quarterly, 57(3)
TRB (Transportation Research Board), 1997, “Sustainability and transportation,” Ch. 1,
pp. 15-36; "Trends
and outlook in motor vehicle transportation," Ch. 2, pp. 37- 71; “Carbon
dioxide buildup and motor vehicle transportation,” Ch. 3, pp. 73-163;
"Cumulative ecological effects of vehicle emissions and
infrastructure," Ch. 4, pp. 164-206; “Summary assessment and implications
for research and policy making” Ch. 5, pp. 207-220 in Toward A Sustainable Future.
Class Website:
http://www.gmforum.washington.edu/
US Federal:
US Environmental Protection
Agency:
http://www.epa.gov
National Personal Transportation
Survey:
http://www-cta.ornl.gov/npts/1995
NOAA, Office of Response
and Restoration:
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/
Washington State:
Washington State Department
of Transportation:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov
WSDOT Environmental Affairs
Office
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/environmental/default.htm
Washington State Department
of Ecology:
http://www.wa.gov/ecology
Washington State Community,
Trade and Economic Development:
http://www.wa.gov/cted
Central Puget Sound:
Puget Sound Regional Council:
http://www.psrc.org
Puget Sound Clean Air
Agency:
http://www.psapca.org/theregs.htm