Academic Research

Metropolitan Detention Center

White House Ends Talks with California Over Fuel Efficiency Standards

Ending the talks means litigation will have to settle the conflict over the two standards: California and 12 other states continue to use the Obama-era standard of 36 mpg by 2025, while the administration's rule freezes standards at 2020, or 29 mpg.

February 25, 2019 - The Washington Post

BABS bikes in a socking station

Study Examines Bike Share Programs' Effect on Transit Ridership

Some good news, and some bad, on the effect of bike-share programs on transit ridership.

February 21, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Twin Peaks Drive

Economic Independence or Auto Dependency?

A new study calls for "universal auto access" to combat poverty. It recommends subsidizing auto ownership or access for those who are economically unable to afford the high cost of owning, maintaining, and operating a personal motor vehicle.

February 11, 2019 - CityLab

Cupertino

Cupertino Mayor's 'Wall Joke' Gets Lots of Negative Feedback

Cupertino Mayor Steven Scharf, a fervent opponent of a new Bay Area housing initiative, opened his Jan. 29 state-of-the-city address with a short joke about "building a wall around Cupertino and making San Jose pay for it" that didn't go over well.

February 8, 2019 - East Bay Times

Electric Car

Mileage Fee or Annual Fee for Electric Vehicles?

What's the best way to ensure that electric vehicle drivers pay to maintain the roads they drive on, considering they don't pay fuel taxes? A new report from the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies was sent to the California legislature.

January 11, 2019 - UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

Hill District

Inequality Found in the 'Unstudied Neighborhoods' Too

A new journal article calls out the academic community of planning and urbanism for relying too much on the usual suspects when researching marginalization and inequality, and assuming too much about what makes a neighborhood "normal."

December 4, 2018 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Hurricane Katrina

Measuring the Effect of Blight Remediation Programs

Tulane researchers received major funding support from the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of blight remediation on youth and family violence.

November 2, 2018 - Tulane University

Goods Movement

When Academic Research Goes Bad

A 'misconduct investigation' decided that an industry-funded study, used by the EPA as the basis to roll back a regulation limiting the number of old engines that could be used in new truck chassis (i.e., "glider trucks"), was inaccurate.

October 26, 2018 - Transport Topics

Uber App

Study: When Ride-Hailing Companies Enter the Market, Traffic Fatalities Increase

These aren't the ride-hailing outcomes we were promised.

October 24, 2018 - ProMarket

Affluent neighborhood

Effects of the Foreclosure Crisis Still Felt in Parts of Cleveland

Call it a tale of two housing markets.

September 5, 2018 - The Plain Dealer

AAA Study: Auto Ownership More Cost-Effective Than Ride-Hailing

Even after factoring in insurance, parking, depreciation, fuel, repair, maintenance and licensing, urban dwellers would pay half the costs to travel, on average, nearly 11,000 miles annually in their own new car rather than relying on ride-hailing.

August 25, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Maximum Toll on Utah's Interstate 15 Express Lanes Just Doubled

But is it high enough? Everything is relative, and with the prior toll being only a buck per zone, the hope is that $2, which took effect Saturday, will cause some motorists to carpool to keep speeds at 55 mph during peak hours.

July 16, 2018 - The Salt Lake Tribune

CEQA and the California Dream: No Marriage, Except for Attorneys

A Habitat for Humanity Project in Silicon Valley is stymied by an effective, CEQA-wielding attorney who doesn't want his home office views obstructed and more traffic in his neighborhood.

July 10, 2018 - CALmatters

Logging

A Surprising Source of Carbon Emissions in Oregon

The ecosystems of Oregon’s Coast Range are some of the most adept ecosystems for absorbing carbon in the entire country. The same trees that absorb that carbon can be turned into a major source of emissions in the hands of humans.

May 25, 2018 - High Country News

Chicago Lake Michigan Trees

Trees Are Worth the Investment

Trees improve cities by controlling temperature, absorbing water and carbon dioxide, and adding beauty.

May 12, 2018 - The Conversation

Lyft

Multiple Studies Find Ride-Hailing Contributes to Congestion and Transit Losses

Surveys on ride-hailing conducted by regional planning agencies, academic institutions, and public transit agencies throughout the U.S. reviewed by the Associated Press largely led to the same conclusion: more traffic and reduced use of transit.

March 9, 2018 - Associated Press

Sutro Tower

Reevaluating Rent Control

Cities and researchers are reconsidering the effects of the controversial housing policy known as rent control.

February 20, 2018 - Governing

Chevy Bolt

Where's the Interest in Electric Vehicles?

Policymakers, auto manufacturers, and especially advocates are very engaged in transitioning from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. The problem is that interest isn't shared by the general public, according to research by UC Davis.

February 17, 2018 - UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

For Rent

Has the Rental Market Peaked? If So, That's Good News for Low-Income Renters

A new Harvard study reports that the rental market began to decline this year, and may continue to drop as higher income renters become homeowners. However, the report was released a week before the GOP tax cuts bill was signed.

December 26, 2017 - Business Insider

Fire Escape

On to a New Era of Rental Housing

A decade after an epochal shift in the housing market, the country is changing again.

December 15, 2017 - Joint Center for Housing Studies

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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