The Regional
Transportation Reality Check
A Service of Integrated Transport Research, Inc. |
A
metropolitan transportation plan is in place. Government agencies are at work. Taxes are
being collected and spent. But some good solutions aren't yet part of the transportation
mix. And what is being done does not seem to be enough to solve the problems you see.
Is it time for a reality check?
We help chambers of commerce, government watchdog
groups, and other civic leadership associations identify transportation solutions that fit
how people work, shop, play, and move around in metropolitan regions that are growing and
changing.
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| Features of Our Approach Transportation Quality Checklist
Existing
Factors Recognized
Consulting
Methodology
Research
Background
Biographies of Principals
Contact
Download this page in PDF format.
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Integrated
Transport Research focuses its consulting on improving the benefits from government
spending on public transportation and roads in metropolitan areas of urban North America.
We include full consideration of traffic congestion, air quality, and land use. The
Regional Transportation Reality CheckSM brings to you our
several decades of government policy making and program design experience, and a recent
track record of innovative policy research and analysis. |
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Major Research Finding
Our research has found that the consumer marketplace is a strong,
unrecognized force in determining travel and land use patterns. Governments do not often
recognize the limits on their power to reshape these patterns through investments and
public policy.
Graphical presentation
of findings to regional planners in Washington, DC. |
Features of Our Approach
We blend our research-based understanding and analytical know-how to
help your region respond to the world as it is.
We bring you clear understanding and appreciation of market forces that
influence travel.
We cover the main reasons people travel, both commuting and nonwork
trips.
We thoroughly analyze why people use cars -- not simply a "love
affair with the auto."
We help you take a flexible, incremental, no-regrets approach to the
uncertain future.
We emphasize choice based upon cost-effectiveness in government
spending.
We help you grasp the challenge of opportunity costs in making tough
choices.
We stress expanding the productivity of investments already made.
We help you to define those problems that can actually be solved.
We help you to understand and accept the conditions that can only be
tolerated, not solved.
We guide you to build your way out of local congestion, by building the
right things.
We help you challenge conventional wisdom and archaic regulation as
needed.
We provide a deep, realistic understanding of what telecommunications
technology can do.
We accent why a strong economy provides resources for protecting the
natural environment.
We respect and appropriately integrate your local transportation and
land use vision.
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Existing
Factors Recognized
At the same time we make sure that the requirements that are typically
well-covered by the present hard work of regional transportation planning agencies will
not be unduly compromised by the emphasis we bring. We take into account what existing
planning already encompasses, especially:
Needs of regular daily commuters.
Needs of downtown and suburban employment centers
Needs of sports and entertainment centers.
Equity across regional jurisdictions
Equity and justice across population groups.
Needs of special traveler populations such as handicapped, children,
carless.
Public transit technology options.
Environmental quality standards.
Motor vehicle safety and personal security of transit users.
Funding creativity.
General citizen participation.
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Research
Background
Our research for the Mineta Transportation
Institute at San Jose State University:
A New Planning Template for Transit-Oriented
Development
Check out an example from the map book we
prepared on the central Puget Sound Region.
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Transportation Quality
Checklist
We work with our own Transportation Quality Checklist that reveals
improvement opportunities we have seen to be typically missed in traditional
transportation planning. We check that the regional direction in your transportation
systems development has the high quality that comes from dealing with reality as follows:
Recognizing and measuring cost-effectiveness.
Considering an appropriate breadth of alternatives.
Staying flexible and responsive to risk and uncertainty
Responding to the complex retail consumer goods and services
environment.
Appreciating business-to-business mobility needs, like customer meetings
and field service.
Dealing with commercial vehicles, freight, logistics, and electronic
commerce.
Responding to telecom and computer technology in both trip substitution
and stimulation.
Implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), the new Dot Com
of transportation.
Recognizing improvements in automotive technology, especially new fuels
and engines.
Maintaining an understandable planning process that puts four-step
modeling in perspective.
Including participation of important, frequently unrecognized
constituencies
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Consulting Methodology
In blending The Regional Transportation Reality CheckSM with what your region already has, our consulting
methodology typically requires six months of elapsed time and includes:
We create a customized consulting plan from these elements that meets the
needs of your region. |
Biographies of principal
consultants Dick Nelson and John Niles |
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Contact
To ask questions or begin to explore what The Regional
Transportation Reality CheckSM from Integrated
Transport Research, Inc. brings to your metropolitan area, call or write:
Dick Nelson, Principal
Integrated Transport Research, Inc.
112 North 50th Street
Seattle, Washington 98107
1-206-781-0915
action@globaltelematics.com
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