Foundations of Public Transport Planning

Todd LitmanVictoria Transport Policy Institute

Presented IETT Professional Development Workshop

Istanbul14 June 2015

Help Create Paradise in Help Create Paradise in IstanbulIstanbul

Paradise is not a distant destination - it is something we create in our own communities.

Sustainable PlanningSustainable Planning

Sustainability emphasizes the integrated nature of human activities and therefore the need to coordinate planning among different sectors, jurisdictions and groups.

Sustainabile Transportation?Sustainabile Transportation?

Is a transport system sustainable if all vehicles are electric powered?

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Electric Power Does Not:Electric Power Does Not:

• Reduce traffic congestion• Reduce accidents• Reduce roadway costs• Reduce parking facility costs • Reduce vehicle purchase costs• Improve mobility for non-drivers• Improve social equity• Improve public fitness and health• Reduce sprawl• Protect threatened habitat

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Past Visions of Future TransportPast Visions of Future Transport

1949 ConvAIRCAR Flying CarSegways

Supersonic ConcordJet Pack Audi Self-Driving Car 6

2001 A Space Odyssey2001 A Space Odyssey

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Wheeled LuggageWheeled Luggage

We Have Solutions!We Have Solutions!

• Public transit improvements can make Istanbul a better city.

• It is up to IETT planners to identify practical transit improvement strategies.

• If you don’t do it, nobody else will.

Transportation Affects Our LivesTransportation Affects Our Lives

• People tend to spend a major portion of their money and time budgets on travel. More affordable and efficient transport leaves more money and time for other goods and activities.

• Travel is the main way that people interact with their city. A good city requires a good transportation system.

• Stressful and uncomfortable travel makes people unhappy and a city unattractive, improving travel conditions improves livability.

• Improving public transit service can improve residents’ quality of life – it makes people happy, makes cities more livable, and reduces the need to own a car.

• Public transit planners are responsible for making this happen – it’s up to you!

Mode Share By CountryMode Share By Country

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Switzer

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Spain

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Norway UK

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liaUSA

Bicycle

Walk

Public Transit

Many affluent countries have high walking, cycling and public transit mode due to policies and planning practices that support multi-modalism.

Efficient TransportationEfficient Transportation

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An efficient urban transport system encourages people to use the most efficient mode for each trip:

• Walking and cycling for local travel.

• Public transit for travel on busy corridors.

• Driving only when necessary.

Principles of Good PlanningPrinciples of Good Planning

Comprehensive – all significant options and impacts are considered.

Efficient – the process should not waste time or money.

Inclusive – people affected by the plan have opportunities to be involved.

Informative – results are understood by stakeholders (people affected by a decision).

Integrated – individual, short-term decisions should support strategic, long-term goals.

Logical – each step leads to the next.

Transparent – everybody involved understands how the process operates.

Good Planning Starts With Clear Good Planning Starts With Clear DefinitionsDefinitions

Planners are professional problem solvers. Good planning starts with clear definitions:

•Problems – undesirable conditions, the things people don’t want. Example, crowded transit.

•Goals – want we ultimately want. Example: reduced transit crowding.

•Objectives – ways to achieve goals. Example: increase peak-period transit service.

•Targets – specific, measurable outcomes that you plan to achieve within a specified time period. Example: within two years service frequency will increase by 50% during peak periods, resulting in a 40% reduction in crowding.

What are Istanbul’ s Transport What are Istanbul’ s Transport Problems?Problems?

• Traffic congestion among the world’s worst, which is bad for people and industry.

• Parking congestion. Many streets are crowded with parked cars.

• Unaffordable. Many households spend more than they can afford on transportation.

• Walking and pubic transit travel is often inconvenient and uncomfortable.

• Traffic accidents

• Air and noise pollution.

• Many Turks are overweight partly due to inadequate physical activity.

• Others?

TomTom 2015

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Traffic Problems Traffic Problems

Traffic problems tend to be severe in cities that:

• Are large (more than 1 million population).

• Growing rapidly.

• Sprawled (automobile-oriented land use).

• Have rising incomes (leading to growing per capita vehicle ownership rates).

(Embarq Turkey 2013)

Paradigm ShiftParadigm ShiftOld Paradigm New Paradigm

Definition of Transportation Mobility (physical travel)

Accessibility (people’s overall ability to reach services and activities)

Transport planning goals

Maximize travel speeds and minimize user costs

Optimize transport system efficiency and equity

Modes considered Mainly automobileMulti-modal: Walking, cycling, public transport, and automobile

Performance indicators

Vehicle traffic speeds, roadway Level-of-Service (LOS), distance-based crash and emission rates

Quality of transport options. Multi-modal LOS. Land use accessibility. Quality of accessibility for disadvantaged groups. Various costs to users and society.

Favored transport improvement strategies

Road and parking facility expansion.

Improve transport options. TDM. More accessible land development.

Health impacts considered

Per-kilometer traffic crash and pollution emission rates

Per capita crash, emission and physical activity rates, and basic access 17

Mobility Versus AccessibilityMobility Versus Accessibility

Accessibility (ability to reach desired services and activities)

• How close are destinations (shops, schools, work)?

• How many ways can we get there?

• What does it cost to travel?

Mobility (physical movement)• How fast can we travel?

• Are destinations close to highways?

• What does it cost to drive a car?

Multi-modal Accessibility Models

Istanbul Accessibility Map

Istanbul Walk Score now provides maps that indicate the area that people can reach within a defined time period by various travel modes.

It currently lacks information on public transit.

www.walkscore.com/score/20.dash.44-sadri-alışık-sokak-istanbul-istanbul-turkey.

Mobility Vs. Accessibility Mobility Vs. Accessibility Trade-OffsTrade-Offs

• Should Istanbul develop into a city for cars or for people?

• Should streets be designed to increase automobile traffic speeds, or to improve walking and public transit conditions?

• Should common destinations (employment centers, shops, medical clinics, etc.) be located for convenient access by car or by public transit?

• Should parking be abundant and free, or limited and priced?

• Should transportation funding focus on expanding urban highways or improving walking and public transit services?

• Should urban arterials have bus lanes?

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Conventional Transport Conventional Transport IndicatorsIndicators

• Roadway Level-of-Service (LOS)

• Average traffic speeds.

• Per capita congestion delay.

• Parking occupancy rates.

• Traffic fatalities per billion vehicle-miles.

• Traffic fatalities per 100,000 population.

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Multi-Modal LOSMulti-Modal LOS

New indicators can be used to evaluate multiple modes.

This is critical for creating more efficient and diverse transportation systems.

Integrated PlanningIntegrated Planning

The most fundamental principle of good planning is that individual, short-term decisions should support strategic, long-term goals.

Does Istanbul have well-defined strategic planning goals? How well does IETT support these larger goals?

Integrated planning helps identify win-win strategies, that is, the solutions to one problem that also help achieve other planning objectives.

For example, cities should choose congestion reduction strategies that also help reduce parking problems, improve safety and reduce pollution.

What is What is ““TheThe”” Transportation Problem? Transportation Problem?

• Traffic congestion?

• Road construction costs?

• Parking congestion or costs?

• Excessive costs to consumers?

• Traffic crashes?

• Lack of mobility for non-drivers?

• Poor freight services?

• Environmental impacts?

• Inadequate physical activity?

• Others?25

Current Transport PlanningCurrent Transport Planning

Current planning tends to be reductionist: each problem is assigned to a single agency with narrowly defined responsibilities. For example:

• Transport agencies deal with congestion.

• Environmental agencies deal with pollution.

• Welfare agencies deal with the needs of disadvantaged people.

• Public health agencies are concerned with community fitness.

• Etc.

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Reductionist Decision-MakingReductionist Decision-Making

Reductionist planning can result in public agencies implementing solutions to one problem that exacerbate other problems facing society, and tends to undervalue strategies that provide multiple but modest benefits.

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Win-Win SolutionsWin-Win Solutions

Put another way, more comprehensive planning helps identify “Win-Win” strategies: solutions to one problem that also help solve other problems facing society.

Ask:

“Which congestion-reduction strategy also reduces parking costs, saves consumers money, and improves mobility options for non-drivers.”

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Comparing BenefitsComparing BenefitsPlanning Objectives

Expand Roadways

Efficient and Alt. Fuel Vehicles

Improve Walking and Public Transit

Reduce traffic congestion

Minimize roadway costs

Minimize parking costs

Consumer savings

Improve mobility options

Improve traffic safety

Energy conservation

Pollution reduction

Efficient development

Public fitness & health 29

Affordable-Efficient ModesAffordable-Efficient Modes

Walking, cycling and public transport are affordable and resource efficient, and so tend to be most sustainable.

Sustainability does not require eliminating automobile travel entirely, but it does require favoring affordable-efficient modes in policy and planning decisions.

Public Transit Benefit CategoriesPublic Transit Benefit Categories

Limited CapacityLimited Capacity

• How much water can a one-litre bottle hold?

• How many vehicles can a city street carry?

Road Space RequirementsRoad Space Requirements

Road and Parking Space Road and Parking Space RequirementsRequirements

Automobile travel requires far more space than other transport modes.

Generated Traffic Generated Traffic

• Traffic congestion tends to maintain equilibrium, traffic volumes increase to the point that congestion delays discourage additional peak-period vehicle trips.

• Expanding roadway capacity often generates traffic, additional peak-period vehicle trips that would not otherwise occur. As a result, urban roadway expansions fail to reduce traffic congestion over the long run.

Figure depicts AADTs on Bosporus Bridge (blue bars) opened in 1973 and Fatih Sultan Mehmet (FSM) Bridge (orange bars) opened in 1988. The patterns of traffic volumes over the years clearly support your prediction.

By Pro. Ismail Sahin, 11th Congress of Transportation, Chamber of Civil Engineers in Istanbul, 2015

Congestion ReductionCongestion Reduction

• The quality of travel options affects this point of equilibrium: If alternatives are inferior, few motorists will shift mode and congestion will be severe. If alternatives are attractive, motorists are more likely to shift modes, reducing congestion equilibrium.

• Grade-separated transit tends to reduce congestion on parallel highways. When all impacts are considered it is often the most cost effective congestion reduction strategy.

Parking CongestionParking Congestion

Finding a parking space is a constant problem for motorists, and illegal parking is common, often blocking sidewalks, bus lanes and traffic flow.

Manage Street SpaceManage Street Space

Public streets are the City’s most valuable asset. They are currently devoted primarily to automobile. To become more efficient the City must prioritize use of road space.

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Public Transit Allows GrowthPublic Transit Allows Growth

Road Capacity

Optimal Urban Mode Share Optimal Urban Mode Share

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Urban transport systems work best if traffic is managed to favor space-efficient modes.

As a city becomes larger and denser, the portion of trips that should be by automobile declines.

Vehicle Ownership Trends Vehicle Ownership Trends

As people become affluent they tend to increase their vehicle ownership and use until a point of saturation. Public policies determine the point of saturation, with much higher rates in automobile-dependent than in multi-modal areas.

Vehicle Travel Vs. Traffic Vehicle Travel Vs. Traffic DeathsDeaths

R2 = 0.6405

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Annual Vehicle Kilometers Per Capita

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Canada

Denmark

Germany

Iceland

Italy

Japan

Netherlands

Norw ay

Sw eden

Sw itzerland

United Kingdom

United States

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Traffic FatalitiesTraffic Fatalities

Traffic FatalitiesTraffic Fatalities

Traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents typically average 20-30 in developing country cities, 10-20 in affluent, automobile-dependent cities, 5-10 in affluent, compact cities, and just 1.5-3 in affluent, compact cities with strong transportation demand management (TDM) programs.

Traffic FatalitiesTraffic Fatalities

In 2010, traffic accidents killed 265 people in Istanbul, or 1.9 deaths per 100,000 residents. This gives Istanbul one of the lowest traffic fatality rates in the world.

This results, in part, from the city’s heavy reliance on walking and public transit and low rates of automobile travel.

Well done!

Istanbul

Overweight Rates, Turkey #18

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What Gets People Moving?What Gets People Moving?

Walking is a natural and essential activity. If you ask sedentary people what physical activity they will most likely to stick with, walking usually ranks first.

AffordabilityAffordability

Households can save thousands of dollars annually by reducing their vehicle ownership.

This requires:•Good walking and cycling conditions and convenient public transit and taxi services.

•Compact, mixed neighborhoods with services and activities near homes.

•Convenient vehicle rental services (such as carsharing)

Cost-Efficiency ExampleCost-Efficiency Example

Cars Special Buses Existing Public Transit

Vehicles6,300 cars (1.1

pass.)140 buses (50

pass.) 35 trains (200 pass.)

Fuel ~21,000 l/day ~5,000 l/day ~500 l/day

Parking6,300 (25 hc) 140 (1 hc) None

Roads4 highway

9 streets1/8 highway

1/4 streets None

Inputs required to transport 5,000 attendees and 2,000 employees a downtown conference

Total Costs Per CommuterTotal Costs Per Commuter

When all costs are considered, automobile commuting costs far more than public transport.

However, many of the costs are external – motorists do not pay the full costs of roads and parking, resulting in economically excessive car travel.

Return on InvestmentReturn on Investment

High quality public transit typically requires about $268 in additional subsidies and $104 in additional fares annually per capita, but provides vehicle, parking and road cost savings averaging $1,040 per capita, plus other savings and benefits:• Parking cost savings.

• Congestion reductions

• Accident reductions

• Pollution reductions Improved mobility for non-drivers,

• Improved fitness and health

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

Public transit supports economic development in several ways:•Transport savings and efficiencies (congestion, parking, taxes) increases productivity and competitiveness.

•Helps employees reach jobs and students attend school, allowing businesses to attract the employees they need.

•Reducing vehicle expenditures and expanding transit service increases regional employment and business activity.

•Supports compact development, which provides agglomeration efficiencies.

•Supports real estate development.

R2 = 0.3363

$0

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Per Capita Annual Transit Passenger-Miles

Per C

apita

Ann

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DP

Social Equity ObjectivesSocial Equity Objectives

Public transit helps achieve social equity objectives:

•It provides basic mobility for people who are unable to drive an automobile due to low incomes and disabilities.

•It supports economic opportunities (access to jobs and housing) for economically disadvantaged people.

•It ensures that people who don’t drive receive a fair share of public resources such as road space and parking facilities.

Motorist BenefitsMotorist Benefits A more diverse transport system is

no more “anti-car” than a healthy diet is anti-food. Motorists have every reason to support alternative modes because they can:

• Reduce traffic and parking congestion.

• Improve safety.

• Improve travel options.

• Reduce chauffeuring burden.

• Provide mobility if needed due to disability, vehicle failures or other problems.

• Improve driving conditions more quickly than roadway expansion.

Performance IndicatorsPerformance Indicators

Performance indicators are like the score in a game. They define what must be accomplished to succeed.

Old New• Roadway level-of-service (LOS)

• Traffic speeds and delay

• Accidents and emissions measured per mile

• Cost to government of facilities and services

• Quality of access options (ability to reach desired services and activities) by user type

• Total costs to users, businesses and users (for vehicles, fuel, insurance, parking, roads, transit services, etc.)

• Affordability (costs to lower-income people)

• Quality of mobility for non-drivers

• Portion of household budget devoted to transport

• Accidents and emissions measured per capita

• Average daily minutes engaged in active transport

• Land use impacts

• Portion of residents exposed to excessive pollution.

• User satisfaction

Improve Transport DataImprove Transport Data

Good planning requires good data in order to identify problems, evaluate potential solutions, track trends and set performance targets.

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

• What are the Istanbul’s transport problems and goals?

• Does everybody agree? What goals face debate.• How can public transit help achieve the Istanbul’s

overall goals?• What other organizations and professions should

IETT work with to promote public transit improvements.

• How good is the data needed for planning and performance evaluation? What more is needed?

“Evaluating Public Transit Benefits and Costs”

“Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis”

“Parking Management Best Practices”

“Evaluating Smart Growth Benefits”

“Online TDM Encyclopedia”

and more...

www.vtpi.org