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SYLLABUS
URP 535: Regional Transportation Planning and Policy

 

 

COURSE

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Spring 2005 

 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

 

Understanding factors in land use, travel behavior, politics and finance that shape regional transportation planning policy choices.  Examination of policy issues in regional transportation planning.  Planning and evaluation methods in regional transportation policy.  4 lecture discussions.  Prerequisite: URP 505.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

The course is designed to provide:

 

1.  Knowledge of the dynamics of travel behavior, the interaction of travel demand, supply and urban activity patterns, the capabilities and limitations of alternative transportation modes, strategies for solving regional transportation problems, and planning and implementation techniques.

 

2. Capability to analyze policy issues and develop recommendations on regional transportation issues such as highway capacity, transit, transportation/land use coordination, transportation pricing and finance, and transportation demand management.

 

The course addresses transportation planning and policy issues in a regional context.  It focuses on plans and policies at the county, regional, state and federal level.  The course may consider regional plans such as the Southern California Association of Government’s CommunityLink 21 plan and subregional plans and projects, such as LACMTA's Mid-City/Westside Transit Corridor Study, the LAX Master Plan, light rail proposals for Orange County, the Playa Vista development, or the Route 91 peak period pricing project.  Students interested in local transportation issues should also consider URP 488--Introduction to Transportation and URP 499—Transportation Methods as complements to this course.

 

OFFICE HOURS AND LOCATION

 

Office, phone and email: 7-223, x2701, rwwillson@csupomona.edu

Office Hours: Monday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Tuesday 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Wednesday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Thursday 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM                                                     

Web Page: http://www.csupomona.edu/~rwwillson

 

ORGANIZATION, REQUIREMENTS AND READINGS

 

The course is structured as a lecture/seminar that is responsive to student interest in particular topics. Course requirements include attendance and participation in class, a midterm, three short paper assignments, and completion of a final exam.

 

Week 1-Understanding Urban Travel

 

Hanson, Chapter 1 and 2.

Downs, Chapter 1, 2, 3

 

Week 2-Transportation in a Land Use and Environmental Context

 

Hanson, Chapter 3, 4, 10, 13

Downs 4 and 5.

Wachs, "Autos, Transit and the Sprawl of Los Angeles."

 

Week 3-Planning Process and Economic Theory for Transportation Planning

 

Hanson, Chapters 5 and 6.

Downs, Chapter 6.

 

Week 4--Transportation Behavior

 

Hanson, Chapters 7.

Pickrell,  "A Desire Named Streetcar."

Willson,   "Estimating the Travel and Parking Demand Effects of Employer-Paid Parking."

 

Weeks 5- Supply Responses to Transportation Problems

 

Hanson, Chapter 8 and 9.

Downs, Chapter 7, 8, 9.

 

Week 6-Transportation Control/Demand Management

 

Hanson, Chapter 14

Downs, Chapter 11, 12, and 13

Budiansky, "The Physics of Gridlock."

Willson, “Suburban Parking Requirements”

 

Week 7- Pricing/Regulation

 

Downs, Chapters 10, 14, 15, 16

Rosenbloom, “Older Drivers: Should We Test Them off the Road?

 

Week 8-Transportation Economics, Finance and Politics

 

Hanson, Chapter 11 and 12

 

Week 9-Transportation Planning Process

 

Willson, "Assessing Communictive Rationality as a Transportation Planning Paradigm” 

Innes and Gruber "Planning Strategies in Conflict: The Case of Regional Transportation Planning in the Bay Area"

 

Week 10- Transportation and Urban Form Debates and Student Presentations

 

Downs, Chapter 17 and 18

 


READING MATERIALS

 

The required text is Susan Hanson's (2004) The Geography of Urban Transportation (Third Edition), Anthony Down’s (2004) Still Stuck in Traffic which are available in the bookstore.  A compilation of additional readings is available at Ask Copy and Printing, 3530 Temple Avenue, Suite D.  It is essential to keep current in the readings.

 

GRADING

 

Your grade will be based on a midterm, three short papers, a final examination, and class participation (including seminar presentations).  All late submissions will be penalized in grading.

 

The grade will be determined as follows:

 

       Midterm                                                20%

       Short papers                                          40%

       Final Examination                                  25%

       Class Participation                                 15%

                                                                  100%

 

If you fail to fulfill any one of the course requirements, a passing grade cannot be granted. Incompletes cannot be granted unless consultation between the student and faculty member has occurred, and an agreed upon set of conditions is established.  See University Catalog for details.

 

OTHER COURSE POLICIES

 

Missed classes and late arrival at class will affect the attendance and class participation grade.  All late submissions will be penalized in grading.  Missed midterms or final examinations for medical reasons require written certification from a qualified professional.

 

PLAGIARISM

 

The University considers plagiarism a serious academic offense that subjects those engaging in the practice to severe disciplinary measures.  Plagiarism is not just buying a paper for a class or copying work.  It is also failing to properly cite another person's idea and presenting it as your own.  Be very careful with citations in your work.  If you are confused on a particular issue, ask me.

 

 

 

 

 


INSTRUCTOR: RICHARD WILLSON PH.D. AICP
Department of Urban and Regional Planning, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona