Browsing by Author "Wilson, Ryan"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program Evaluation Study, Phase 1
    (Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2007-06) Krizek, Kevin J.; Barnes, Gary; Wilson, Ryan; Johns, Robert; McGinnis, Laurie
    The Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP), which is part of the 2005 federal transportation bill known as SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users), specifically included $100 million for pilot programs in four communities (Columbia, Missouri; Marin County, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Sheboygan County, Wisconsin) to increase levels of walking and cycling. The NTPP requires FHWA to evaluate the efficacy of these programs. This report describes the efforts to establish baseline before data on the amount of travel by bicycling and walking in the four pilot communities (and in a control site) that will be used for comparison purposes with after data in 2010. The objective of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) is to demonstrate the extent to which bicycling and walking can carry a significant part of the transportation load and represent a major portion of the transportation solution within selected communities. To this end, the baseline survey centers around two primary goals: 1) To measure changes in motor vehicle, nonmotorized transportation, and public transportation use in communities participating in the program and assess how such changes decrease congestion and energy usage, increase the frequency of bicycling and walking, and promote better health and a cleaner environment. 2) To develop a profile of behavior and attitudes in the individual communities that can aid in planning for various walking and cycling infrastructure. This report describes the key features of walking and bicycling behavior as they relate to the stated program objectives. It also provides additional information on walking and bicycling behavior that can serve as further reference points for future comparison. Finally, it furnishes information about attitudes toward nonmotorized transportation-related issues in the program communities. The research team strategically constructed a survey to glean reliable information on the following attributes of walking and cycling: frequencies, distances, purposes, attitudes, barriers, and other related information.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Places and Networks: The Changing Landscape of Transportation and Technology Final Summary Report of the STAR–TEA 21 Project
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2008-12) Berndt, Mark; Bolan, Richard S.; Burkhard, Richard; Douma, Frank; Duncan, Chandler; Handy, Susan L.; Horan, Thomas A.; Johnson, Andrew; Kaplancali, Ugur; Karamalaputi, Ramachandra; Kokotovich, Adam; Krizek, Kevin J.; Lehnhoff, James; Levinson, David; Li, Yi; Marich, Michael; McCabe, Denise; Munich, Lee W. Jr.; Parthasarathi, Pavithra; Schooley, Benjamin; Sullivan, Colbey; Wilson, Ryan; Xu, Peng; Yerra, Bhanu M.; Zhang, Lei
    Over the past six years, researchers from the University of Minnesota have studied the many ways in which transportation and technology intersect. Our work has explored these intersections from many perspectives, from ways intelligent transportation systems can help police, ambulance, and other public safety providers communicate more accurately and save lives, to the use of agent-based modeling to predict how high-technology workers will influence city form--and therefore, transportation needs--through their choices about work and home location. Two other areas of study are whether and how the Internet will replace travel demand and the potential loss of privacy related to advanced transportation technologies and the public policy issues surrounding privacy.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    School Choice and Children's School Commuting
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2009-01) Wilson, Elizabeth; Marshall, Julian; Krizek, Kevin; Wilson, Ryan
    Some school districts allow parents to choose which school their child attends, a policy known as school choice. We study the impact of school choice on school transportation behavior. To do this, we examine the extent to which children’s commute mode and parental attitudes toward school selection and school travel differ by magnet versus neighborhood schools and by race. We conducted a survey of elementary-school parents to assess how children travel to school and identify underlying parental attitudes. Compared to national data, our sample of K-6 students had fewer children walking and traveling by personal vehicle, and more riding the school bus. Magnet (i.e. school choice) schools, which draw from broader geographic regions than neighborhood schools, have fewer students walking or biking to school and more students riding the bus rather than using a private automobile. Transportation attitudes and actions differ by school type and race. For example, compared to white parents, non- white parents are more concerned about availability and safety of school buses, and also are more likely to use school buses. This paper highlights the importance of school district policy on school transportation, mode choice, and the ability of students to walk or bike to school.