Transportation Planning

Lecture-1
By
Dr. Pritikana Das
Assistant Professor

Civil Engineering Department

MANIT Bhopal
 Chapter 1: Introduction
Transportation engineering and transportation planning are
two sides of the same coin aiming at the design of an efficient
infrastructure and service to meet our needs for accessibility
and mobility. Many well-designed transport systems that
meet these needs are based on good understanding of human
behavior.
Since transportation systems are the backbone connecting the
vital parts of a city, in-depth understanding of human nature is
essential to the planning, design, and operational analysis of
transportation systems.
Contd…
• The adequacy of transportation system depends on the
prosperity of a nation supported by it’s economic and social
development.
• Analytical methods that help us understand and predict
human (travel) behavior have only partially been developed
in the past few decades.
• In this area, basic and applied research has been very active
in quantitative methods since the 1970s, with one notable
development: the disaggregate demand models.
 Aim

Provide a comprehensive and in-depth guide to new theories, methods,

and tools for transportation planners.
 Transportation Problems in Indian Cities
The rapid growth of large cities due to growth in the
population coupled with increase in urbanization has posed
serious challenges to the development of adequate
infrastructure facilities.
1. Haphazard and unplanned development at the suburban
fringe with little or no provision of infrastructure.
2. Heterogeneity of traffic characterized by motorized & non-
motorized traffic.
3. Poor traffic Management and enforcement measures.
Contd…
4. High rate of accidents especially among the pedestrians &
motorized vehicles.
5. High degree of transport related noise and air pollution.
6. High degree of vehicle ownership due to inadequate mass
transport facility.
Non-Motorized Transportation (NMT), also known as Active
Transportation, includes walking, bicycling, other variants such
as small-wheeled transport (push scooters, skates and hand
carts), and wheelchair travel.
Contd….
• As cities sprawl, the share of NMT reduces drastically creating
increased reliance on private modes of transport. Urban design that
fosters walking and cycling is under threat as sprawl based urban
design is becoming the norm in big cities.
• Indian cities have neither invested in infrastructure for NMT nor have a
formal public transport alternative to prevent shift to personal
transport modes. Sidewalks and cycle tracks are the most neglected in
infrastructure planning.
• The city’s poor are captive users of walking and cycling, but most
neighborhoods have either poorly constructed footpaths or they have
been badly maintained, while some have no footpaths at all. The city’s
poor are the most affected.
 Issues in Indian Cities
Various number of issues emerging after identifying the major problems and
constraints in the transport sector. Following issues need to be addressed in
the preparation of transportation plan:
• The goal of urban transportation planning in Indian cities must address the
efficiency as well as the equity.
• As the urban poor generally walk and use bicycle to work in order to save
money, the provision for facilities for NMT is mostly absent in the most of
the cities.
• Transportation plan prepared so far lacks the component of transport
integration w. r. t. land uses.
• The concept of developing a sustainable transport system with the least
negative impact on society is hardly address in the preparation of
transportation plan. (STS include bicycle, cycle-rikshaw, battery operated
car)
 Policies for Urban Transport Planning

NUTP (2014)

The policy aims at increasing the use of green energy sources,

energy efficiency and environmental protection.
 Vision
• To recognize that people occupy center-stage in our cities and all plans
would be for their common benefit and well-being.
• To make our cities the most livable in the world and enable them to
become the “engines of economic growth” that power India’s
development in the 21st century.
• To allow our cities to evolve into an urban form that is best suited for the
unique geography of their locations and is best placed to support the
main social and economic activities that take place in the city.
• To encourage growth of urban transport along low carbon path. (Transport
related CO2 emissions are expected to increase by 57% worldwide in the period 2005
– 2030, Avoid/Reduce – Shift – Improve approach)
 Sustainable Transport: Avoid/Reduce -
Shift - Improve
Infrastructure is
provided in such a
way that:
•Future travel
demand is reduced
or avoided;
•Travel is shifted to
more economic and
environmentally-
friendly modes;
•Technological
measures improve
the vehicle fleet and
fuels.
 Objectives
The objectives of this policy would be achieved through
comprehensive approach include Urban Transport Planning,
Infrastructure Design, Public Transport, Non-Motorized Transport,
Traffic Management, Financing, Governance and Capacity Building.
1. Incorporating urban transportation as an important parameter at
the urban planning stage rather than being a consequential
requirement.
2. Bringing about a more equitable allocation of road space with
people, rather than vehicles, as its main focus.
3. PT should be citywide, safe, seamless, user friendly, reliable and
should provide good ambience with well-behaved drivers and
conductors.
Contd…
4. Walk and cycle should become safe modes of UT.
5. Introducing Intelligent Transport Systems for traffic management
6. Addressing concerns of road safety and trauma response
7. Raising finances, through innovative mechanisms
8. Establishing institutional mechanisms for enhanced coordination in
the planning and management of transport systems.
9. Building capacity (institutional and manpower) to plan for
sustainable urban transport and establishing knowledge
management system that would service the needs of all urban
transport professionals, such as planners, researchers, teachers,
students, etc.
 Transportation Planning
Definition(s):
Transportation planning is the process of defining future
policies, goals, investments, and designs to prepare for future needs
to move people and goods to destinations.
Transport planning is defined as planning required in the operation,
provision and management of facilities and services for the modes of
transport to achieve safer, faster, comfortable, convenient,
economical and environment-friendly movement of people and
goods.
The most comprehensive definition of Urban Transportation planning
is ‘Accessibility’, the ability to reach desired goods, services and
activities. It recognizes the value of more accessible land use patterns
and mobility substitutes such as tele-commuting and delivery services
Contd…
• It is a prediction of usage demand in future travel and to ensure
all the necessary facilities and services to cater to that demand.
• Transport planning is highly essential in shaping cities, enabling
economic activities, promoting community interaction, and
enhancing quality of life.
• It is also essential for sustainable development and ensuring safe
accessibility at various levels for all individuals.
• Under transportation planning, different practices such as urban
development, urban transport policies, legislative activities,
funding bodies and project management come together.
Contd…
• Transportation planning must cover all aspects of city life such as
economic development, quality of life, health of public and
environment and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.
For this transportation planners and engineers always focus on the
efficient movement of people and goods across the country.
• Environmental and social impact assessment of a urban transport
project should be carried out while planning to ensure that no
harm will come to the environment and the habitat on a short or
long-term basis.
Transportation and land use are part
of a retroactive feedback system.
Accessibility is shaped by the
structure, capacity and
connectivity of transportation
infrastructure, which is not
uniform. Since accessibility
differs, this attribute has an impact
on land use, such as the location of
new activities, their expansion or
densification.
These changes will influence
activity patterns in terms of their
distribution and level of transport
demand.
This change in the demand will
shape the planning, maintenance
and upgrade of transportation
infrastructure and services such as
roads and public transit.
Source: adapted from. Giuliano, G. (1995) “Land Use Impacts of Transportation Investments: Highway and Transit”, in S. Hanson
(ed) The Geography of Urban Transportation, New York: The Guilford Press, p. 307.
 Transportation-Land Use Interactions
The interactions between transportation and land use are also part of a complex
framework that includes economic, political, demographic and technological changes.
Several characteristics and processes have an influence on the dynamics between
transportation and land use. 
Changes in transportation technology, investment and service characteristics can alter
overall accessibility levels as well as the relative accessibility of different locations.
The recent trend towards digitalization is providing a new impetus to urban mobility
such as on-demand services and the availability of large amounts of information
about the characteristics of urban travel.
E-commerce by itself is generating an entirely new set of patterns in urban freight
distribution, particularly with home deliveries.
Contd….
• Land use characteristics also affect activity patterns, such as zoning
patterns and regulations, the availability of land, public utilities and
telecommunication infrastructure. Of special importance are the changes
in trip generation, both for passenger and freight, which are influenced by
economic and demographic changes.
• Obviously, population growth is a vector for additional transportation
demand, but rising incomes as well. Trip patterns may change in a number
of ways, such in terms of the number of trips, the timing of trips, their
origin or destination, the mode, and trip chaining.
• These changes in travel demand exert considerable influence on the
development of new transportation infrastructure or services. As such, the
interactions between transportation and land use are often referred as a
challenge since it is empirically difficult to demonstrate if transportation
changes precede land use changes, or vice-versa.
Integrated Land Use and Transport Strategy
Objectives development strategy are to:
• Promote balanced spatial growth
• Minimize land requirements for transport • Promote transit oriented
growth
• Reduce the need to travel
• Encourage walkable/cyclable neighbourhoods
 Transportation Planning and Travel
Behavior
• Travel behavior research aims at understanding how traveler values, norms,
attitudes, and constraints lead to observed behavior.
• Traveler values and attitudes refer to motivational, cognitive, situational, and
disposition factors determining human behavior.
• Travel behavior refers primarily to the modeling and analysis of travel demand,
based on theories and analytical methods from a variety of scientific fields.
• These include, but are not limited to, the use of time and its allocation to travel
and activities, methods to study this in a variety of time contexts and stages in
the life of people, and the organization and use of space at any level of social
organization, such as the individual, the household, the community, and other
formal or informal groups.
• The movement of goods is included in all this because it is motivated by
human needs and because it has very strong interfaces and relationships with
the movement of persons.
 Land Use Relate to Transportation
Planning
Land use typically refers to the changes we make to the natural environment to
create homes, subdivisions, offices, urban areas, etc.
How we use our land, whether for residential, commercial or industrial
development, affects our transportation needs, such as roads, modes of travel (i.e.,
cars, buses, bicycles or walking) and services.
Land use has a direct impact on the number of trips and the type of mode used for
each trip.
For example, when a neighbourhood includes a shopping area within easy walking
distance of residences, people can replace some or all of their car trips with
walking.
Commercial development located next to highways or arterial streets strongly
encourages car trips, often restricts opportunities for walking, biking or taking
public transportation, and can lead to longer trips to shopping areas.
 The Land Use/Transportation Cycle
• Roads are often built or improved to allow
greater access to new development.
• The road improvements make other land along
the road more accessible and attractive for
further development.
• With more housing and services along the road,
traffic volumes increase, resulting in more
congestion and decreased road capacity.
• Eventually the reduced efficiency of the road
necessitates more roadway improvements
which can lead to additional development along
the road and restart the land use transportation
cycle.
• When the land use-transportation cycle occurs
over and over in a high-growth region, the
pressure on commuters, road capacity and
jurisdiction finances can be intense.
 Comprehensive Mobility Planning (CMP)

Mobility in the city depends on several elements that can be

broadly grouped into three categories i.e.
1. Services and modes of UT,
2. Roads and related infrastructure, and
3. Other related matters such as planning, coordination and
licensing.
Contd…
• CMP for the city is prepared to prioritize projects for
implementation.
• It is a vision statement of the direction in which UT in the city
should grow.
• It should cover all elements of UT and emphasis should be on
integrated planning and implementation.
• To ensure its implementation and compliance with the master
plan of the city, all cities should notify the CMP prepared under
the Town and Country Planning Act for their respective states.
• CMPs should also be reviewed on a five yearly basis.
Contd…
• Modal Mix Priorities
Priority in planning for modes should be as follows in descending order:
• Walk and Non- motorized transport (NMT),
• PT; road, rail and waterways,
• Personal motorized transport.
• Transit Oriented Development
• More people to live close to transit services and to use it.
• A rich mix of uses within walking distance of a PT station/stop
• Pedestrian facilities and multi-modal connectivity with focus on
moving people
• Making PT station/stop a gateway to the community.
 Transportation Demand Management
(TDM)
To control the growth in transport
demand because there is a limit to the
augmentation of UT infrastructure and
services.
TDM aims to maximize the efficiency of
UT by discouraging necessity of private
vehicle use and promoting more
effective, healthy and environment
friendly modes of transport.
Government of India, , would financially
support to implement TDM measures by
cities.
 Universal Accessibilities
• The Constitution of India ensures equality, freedom, justice and dignity
to all individuals and implicitly mandates an inclusive society for all
including people with reduced mobility.
• It includes people with different abilities, senior citizens, women, and
children, pregnant women, families with small children, people carrying
heavy luggage.
• Universal accessibility is an approach that covers everyone, so that
transport services: (1) be used fairly; (2) provide high degree of
freedom; (3) be simple; (4) be easy to understand; (5) be safe; (6) shall
not require unnecessary bodily strength, and (7) maintain an
appropriate space and size that is easy to use.
 Transport Planning Module
• Developing a transport policy – issues to be considered and options
• Set up vision, goals and strategies for cities towards achieving a livable
atmosphere
• Understand the nuances of comprehensive mobility planning studies;
criteria for planning (service level benchmarks) and TDM as a strategy
for improved mobility in cities
Transport Planning
 Transportation Planning Process
• Traditional way – model based, susceptible to manipulation, may not be
suitable for fast growing cities with resource constraints
Four Stage Model:
1. Trip generation, based on production and attraction factors
2. Trip distribution – growth factor models and synthetic (gravity) models
3. Modal split – choice of mode
4. Trip assignment – which route? (leading to future capacity analysis of
roads)
• Contemporary way – strategic planning approach based on professional
understanding and public participation