Urban transport and energy efficiency

(Susanne Böhler-Baedeker and Hanna Hüging)
Module 5h - Sustainable Transport: A sourcebook for policy-makers in developing countries
SUTP
January 2012

Considering the challenges of limited oil resources, increasing energy prices, climate change, environmental pollution and health risks, it is essential to establish an efficient transport system that meets demand, but consumes as little energy as possible. The SUTP Sourcebook Module 5h titled "Urban Transport and Energy Efficiency" serves as a navigator for decision makers and stakeholders, including local and national authorities, the private sector and non-governmental organisations. It provides a comprehensive overview of measures and policies designed to promote greater energy efficiency in transport, and assigns specific tasks and responsibilities to particular parties. Case studies illustrate international experiences in implementing measures to increase energy efficiency in transport.
Foto: Wuppertal Institute

Bajar documento (bottom of the page)

Traffic congestion: Road pricing can Help reduce congestion, but equity concerns may grow

GAO
January 2012

Why GAO Did This Study
Many Americans spend frustrating hours each year stuck in traffic. While estimates vary, the Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates that traffic congestion costs the United States $200 billion each year, and that more than one-quarter of total annual travel time in metropolitan areas occurs in congested conditions. Road pricing or congestion pricing—assessing tolls that vary with the level of congestion or time of day—aims to motivate drivers to share rides, use transit, travel at less congested times, or pay to use tolled lanes. Since the first U.S. congestion pricing project opened in 1995, 19 project sponsors have 41 pricing projects in operation or under construction. About 400 miles of priced highway lanes including nearly 150 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike are in operation today with current tolls varying from 25 cents to $14.

All U.S. projects in operation are either High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes, which charge solo drivers to use newly constructed lanes or carpool lanes, or peak-period pricing projects, which charge a lower toll on already tolled roads, bridges and tunnels during offpeak periods. GAO examined (1) the federal role in supporting congestion pricing, (2) results of U.S. congestion pricing projects, and (3) emerging issues in congestion pricing. Eight project sponsors have current and completed evaluations on at least 1 project, for a total of 14 evaluated projects, all of which GAO reviewed. GAO interviewed officials about the performance of their pricing projects and effects. DOT provided technical comments, which GAO incorporated as appropriate.

Bajar documento
Highlights

Implementing Congestion Charges

OECD
April 2010

Recent advances in the scientific understanding of urban traffic congestion have only strengthened the already solid case for congestion charges as an element of a successful urban transport policy. But examples of real-world congestion charging systems remain few and far between. What can be done to improve the chances of their more widespread adoption in practice? This report draws lessons from attempts to introduce congestion charges.

Technology is not an obstacle, and technologies should serve policy purposes instead of define them. Charging systems are not cheap and thus should only be used where congestion is severe. Public acceptance is seen to be the key to successful implementation. Although environmental benefits and careful deployment of toll revenues may improve acceptance, a charging system should never lose sight of its principal aim, which is to reduce congestion.

Bajar documento

The most of our money: Taxpayer friendly solutions for the nation's transportation challenges

Reason Foundation
Transportation for America
Taxpayers for common sense
May 2011

Photo from the publication

In the 20th Century, the United States built some of the world’s preeminent transportation systems, including a interstate highway network that’s second to none. The challenge for the 21st century is to maintain this infrastructure while expanding our ability to efficiently
move people and goods.

We face multiple challenges. Money is tight, as the gasoline tax we rely on to build and maintain our transportation network loses its earning power due to improved fuel efficiency and rising costs. Meanwhile, the nation’s transportation needs are increasing, as many of our roads, bridges, and railways fall deeper into a state of disrepair. All of this is occuring in the
context of trillion-dollar annual budget deficits and a $14 trillion national debt. There has never been a more critical time to do more with less.

This paper will introduce seven transportation tools – some big, some small – that can help improve our nation’s transportation system at taxpayer-friendly costs.

This paper offers some of the latest ideas and innovations that can inform the process as Congress writes the next six-year transportation bill. We hope members of Congress will be inspired to encourage, promote, and develop these and other cost-effective transportation measures.

Content:

1. Transportation Scenario Planning: Finding Ways to Get the Biggest Bang for the Buck
2. High Occupancy Toll Lanes (HOT Lanes): Increasing Capacity with Roadway Pricing
3. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): A Cost-Effective Rapid Transit Option
4. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): Using Technology to Increase Capacity
5. Intercity Buses: Connecting Communities with Taxpayer-Friendly Transportation
6. Teleworking: Reducing Commuter Impacts on Congested Transportation Systems
7. Local Street Connectivity: Protecting Investments in Major Corridors with Increased Local Connectivity

Press release

Bajar documento

Reducing congestion and funding transportation using road pricing in Europe and Singapore

Federal Highway Administration International Programs
December 2010

Congestion pricing use has been limited in the United States because of political, institutional, and public acceptance concerns. The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program sponsored a scanning study of Europe and Singapore to identify ideas and models for integrating road pricing approaches into U.S. practices.

The scan team found that countries with clearly defined and well-understood policy goals were able to achieve targeted outcomes most effectively. The team also learned that a large-scale demonstration project is a good tool to build public acceptance of road pricing.

Team recommendations for U.S. implementation include enhanced outreach and communication on road pricing use and research on public perception issues and implementation barriers. The team also recommended development of a road pricing toolkit to provide transportation professionals with a comprehensive decision analysis tool to assess the merits of road pricing options.

Bajar documento

Executive summary

The Review - America Latina

Steer Davies Gleave
Nº 1 Julio 2009

• San Juan "Waterfront"
• Construyendo ciudades amables
• El futuro del cobro por congestión
• Diagnósticos logísticos: su contribución a procesos eficientes

Bajar documento

Tarificación vial por congestión para la ciudad de Santiago

Preparado por Steer Davies Gleave
Estudios y Estadísticas
Ministerio de Tranportes y Telecomunicaciones de Chile
Setiembre 2009

El objetivo principal de este estudio es evaluar desde un punto de vista social la factibilidad técnica y económica de un Proyecto de Tarificación Vial por Congestión para la ciudad de Santiago. Dicho objetivo se enmarca dentro del propósito general de incentivar el uso racional del transporte privado y mitigar las externalidades negativas asociadas a su operación.

Resumen ejecutivo

Bajar documento final

International Journal of Sustainable Transportation - Most cited articles 2007-2009

International Journal of Sustainable Transportation has a 2009 Impact Factor of .750!
Now you can read the most-cited articles from 2007-2009 for free:

D. A. Hensher, Some Insights into the Key Influences on Trip-Chaining Activity and Public Transport Use of Seniors and the Elderly
Volume 1, Issue 1, pp. 53-68.

B.P.Y. Loo, A.S.Y. Chow, Changing Urban Form in Hong Kong: What Are the Challenges on Sustainable Transportation?
Volume 2, Issue 3, pp. 177-193.

R. Cervero, O.L. Sarmiento, E. Jacoby, et al., Influences of Built Environments on Walking and Cycling: Lessons from Bogota
Volume 3, Issue 4, pp. 203-226.

M.G.H. Bell, Mixed Routing Strategies for Hazardous Materials: Decision-Making Under Complete Uncertainty
Volume 1, Issue 2, pp. 133-142.

E.T. Verhoef, H. Mohring, Self-Financing Roads Volume 3, Issue 5-6, pp.293-311.

J. Zacharias, The Nonmotorized Core of Tianjin Volume 1, Issue 4, pp. 231-248.

E. E. Boschmann, M. P. Kwan, Toward Socially Sustainable Urban Transportation: Progress and Potentials
Volume 2, Issue 3, pp. 138-157.

X.L. Guo, H. Yang, Analysis of a Build-Operate-Transfer Scheme for Road Franchising
Volume 3, Issue 5-6, pp. 312-338.

S. Brathen, J. Odeck, Road Funding in Norway: Experiences and Perspectives
Volume 3, Issue 5-6, pp. 373-388.

M. C. Coelho, T.L. Farias, N.M. Rouphail, A Numerical Tool for Estimating Pollutant Emissions and Vehicles Performance in Traffic Interruptions on Urban Corridors
Volume 3, Issue 4, pp. 246-262.

Bajar la lista de enlaces

Dynamic optimal toll design problem – travel behavior analysis including departure time choice and heterogeneous users

Dusica Joksimovic & Michiel Bliemer
Transport and planning department,
Delft University of Technology


Next Generation Infrastructures Foundation

In this paper we consider a network design problem in which the aim is to analyze the travel behavior of heterogeneous road users. By introducing different tolling schemes the network performance may be optimized.

Acceder al documento