Brookings: Topics - Traffic

An Analysis of Air Travel Trends in the Great Lakes Region

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The economic recession and contraction in the auto and manufacturing industries have had a significant impact on air travel trends in the Great Lakes region’s metropolitan areas, according to Robert Puentes, Adie Tomer and John Austin. The fall-off in air travel in the last ten years has been precipitous in the region, but a return to economic growth will challenge the most connected metropolitan areas.

Expect Delays: An Analysis of Air Travel Trends in the United States

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer assess metropolitan air travel trends over the past two decades. They find that most travel is consolidated within a select group of 26 metropolitan areas, which contribute to the country’s highest volume corridors and produce the worst on-time performance. Their findings reveal serious implications for the country’s aviation infrastructure as passenger volumes are predicted to grow in the coming years.

Air Travel Congestion in the United States

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:16:15 GMT

While air travel has made the globe and the nation more accessible, simply flying from one state to the next is often fraught with delayed flights, runway congestion and a host of other problems. Robert Puentes, an author of a new report on air travel trends, says that their report findings can help policymakers address critical issues affecting the nation’s transportation infrastructure.

Road-use Pricing: How Would You Like to Spend Less Time in Traffic?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In new analysis from the Greater Washington Research at Brookings, Alice Rivlin and Benjamin Orr review traffic congestion and transportation financing in the Washington, D.C. region and nationwide; suggesting that the national capital region should serve as an example of what sustainable transportation policy looks like.

Roundtable Discussion: Road-use Pricing

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

June 25, 2009, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Severe congestion and underfunded public transportation systems in the Washington, D.C. region and nationwide call for a more sustainable way of pricing transportation. To help inform the policy debate on transportation financing and traffic management, Greater Washington Research at Brookings hosted a roundtable bringing together experts from the policy, planning, advocacy, and development community.

Road-use Fees Could Solve Our Transit Woes

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Alice Rivlin and Benjamin Orr urge the Washington region to implement an innovative road-use pricing program of charging by vehicle type, miles traveled, and traffic conditions. This will, in turn, lead the nation toward less congestion and a more sustainable method of financing transportation infrastructure.

The Nation's Driving Footprint

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:50:23 GMT

Metropolitan Policy Program Fellow Robert Puentes explains the historic trends that have reduced the nation’s “driving footprint” and urges a new vision that reflects the realities of Americans staying out of their cars.

The Road…Less Traveled: An Analysis of Vehicle Miles Traveled Trends in the U.S.

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nevada, Idaho and Colorado lead the way in ending car dependence, according to a first-ever ranking, as do the metro areas around Austin, Indianapolis and Atlanta. A new Brookings report by Robert Puentes and Adie Tomer shows that other modes of transit grow in popularity, even as gas prices drop, suggesting a need for dramatic shifts in the way we fund transportation, build our communities and address greenhouse gas emissions.

Leveraging Infrastructure Investment Now and for the Future

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Today’s fiscally-constrained environment demands a new approach to infrastructure policy both for short-term stimulus and long-term prosperity. In this backgrounder, Robert Puentes outlines a strategic infrastructure investment path to upgrade our existing system, expand choices in moving people and goods and move us closer to energy independence.

Toward a Comprehensive Assessment of Road Pricing Accounting for Land Use

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Highway congestion increases motorists’ travel times and contributes to urban sprawl by raising the price of homes that are close to employment centers. Clifford Winston and Ashley Langer analyze the costs and benefits of congestion pricing accounting for its effects on highway travel conditions and on land use.

Assessing America’s Infrastructure Challenges

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In this presentation Robert Puentes provides a deeper understanding of the range of demographic and market forces which effect American infrastructure and investment opportunities and possibilities therein.

Options for Metropolitan Transit Funding

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In this testimony, Robert Puentes argues that congestion pricing holds the most promise for securing the financial future of New York City and its transit agency over the next several years. A recent proposal to charge drivers that enter a "congestion zone" in Manhattan was slated to raise more than a half million dollars annually for transit. The current funding challenges are bolstering the case for revisiting that proposal.

Demographic Trends Affecting Transportation in the U.S.

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In this presentation Robert Puentes provides a deeper understanding of trends that are impacting metropolitan America and how those trends may impact the transportation demand and service in the coming decades. The presentation stresses several key points including dramatic changes in household formation, the increasing diversity reflected in both cities and suburban areas, and the key spatial effects on the American landscape.

Public Transit's Role in Reducing Dependence on Foreign Oil

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In Senate testimony, Robert Puentes argues that America's transportation system is "no longer aligned with the way we live or work, nor with the major economic, energy and environmental challenges facing the country." He outlines how federal policies for public transit can reduce dependence on foreign oil, encourage energy sustainability and promote economic efficiency.

Candidate Issue Index: Transportation

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Puentes presents the presidential candidates' positions on transportation issues, including federal transportation financing, telecommuting and public transit. This chart is part of a series of issue indices to be published during the 2008 presidential election cycle.

Insurance Pricing Can Cut Gas Use

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There is little lawmakers can do in the short run to reduce prices at the pump, argue Jason Bordoff and Pascal Noel. What if there were a way to lower the cost of driving while still encouraging people to drive less and use less oil? The authors examine how pay-as-you-drive auto insurance supports this goal.

America's Traffic Congestion Problem: Toward a Framework for National Reform

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A large and growing burden on the nation’s economy, traffic congestion arises for various reasons, and more than one mechanism is needed to combat it. In a discussion paper for The Hamilton Project, David Lewis proposes a nationwide congestion pricing system to combat the financial and social costs of congestion.

Investing in America’s Infrastructure

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:45:00 GMT

Event Information:

July 25, 2008, 8:45 AM to 12:30 PM

The state of the nation’s infrastructure is generating rising public attention, prompted by daily travel frustrations, high-profile catastrophes, urgent calls to address climate change and energy security, and concerns about productivity and economic growth. The Hamilton Project released six new policy papers and hosted a public forum on the need for a national strategy that promotes infrastructure as a central component of long-term, broadly shared growth.

A Bridge to Somewhere: Rethinking American Transportation for the 21st Century

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Puentes calls on the federal government to empower major metropolitan areas by giving them direct transportation funding and the flexibility to make unbiased decisions between different modes of transportation. The federal government can then maximize performance by committing itself (and the recipients of federal funds) to an evidence-based, outcome driven, and benchmarked way of doing business.

Transportation and the Economy

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 28, 2008, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Opportunity 08 hosted U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters for a discussion of America's transportation infrastructure. Secretary Peters focused on the challenges facing the nation’s transportation network, and how local, state and national leaders can take advantage of new technology and approaches to unleash a new wave of transportation investments in this country.

Beginning Again: A Metropolitan Transportation Vision for the 21st Century

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

During this time of economic uncertainty, environmental anxiety and household stress the nation must get the most out of its largest discretionary domestic program—transportation. In recent testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Robert Puentes recommends the federal government adopt a three-pronged strategy to lead in certain areas, empower states and metropolitan areas in others and maximize performance across the nation.

New Interactive Mapping Website Determines Housing & Transportation Affordability for Americans

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 09, 2008, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Brookings Urban Markets Initiative joined with the Center for Neighborhood Technology in a demonstration of their new interactive web tool that calculates the cost of housing and transportation by neighborhood in 52 metropolitan areas across the United States.

Easing the Traffic Jam through Congestion Pricing

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 01, 2008, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Brookings’ Hamilton Project and Metropolitan Policy Program hosted a roundtable discussion on the merits and potential barriers to congestion pricing as a tool for combating urban gridlock. Brookings Fellow Robert Puentes provided an overview of the national transportation landscape and David Lewis, senior vice president with HDR Decision Economics, discussed his newly proposal for a coordinated federal-state policy framework for congestion pricing. A panel of experts discussed the proposal in the context of the current national debate.

The Effect of FAA Expenditures on Air Travel Delays

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seeks to prevent the nation’s aviation system from becoming congested. To reduce delays, the FAA makes investments in air traffic control. Clifford Winston and Steven A. Morrison assess the efficacy of these investments by developing an empirical model of delays that is motivated by air traffic control operations.

Pay-As-You-Drive Car Insurance

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Jason Bordoff presents a plan for "pay-as-you-drive" car insurance, a win-win policy—good for society and good for most drivers—that makes significant progress on climate change, congestion and other driving-related harms and is more equitable at the same time, all while reducing insurance costs for the majority of drivers.

Another Look at Airport Congestion Pricing

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In this paper, Steven A. Morrison and Clifford Winston develop a model of the net benefits to air travelers from flights to and from US airports and calibrate it with data that account for a large share of the nation’s passenger air travel in 2005.

Transportation for a Metropolitan Nation

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Debate on the nation’s transportation policy focuses narrowly on new revenues needed to bolster the federal program. In recent testimony before the House Budget Committee, Fellow Robert Puentes argues that we should start with a clearer articulation of the goals, objectives and desired outcomes.

Differentiated Road Pricing, Express Lanes and Carpools: Exploiting Heterogeneous Preferences in Policy Design

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Kenneth A. Small, Clifford Winston and Jia Yan design a differentiated road pricing scheme that fills in the gap between optimal but socially unpopular first-best pricing and pragmatic but less efficient policies like carpool or HOT lanes.

Traffic Is Here to Stay

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Anthony Downs

Uncovering the Distribution of Motorists’ Preferences for Travel Time and Reliability

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Kenneth A. Small, Clifford Winston and Jia Yan suggest that road pricing policies designed to cater to varying preferences can improve efficiency and reduce the disparity of welfare impacts compared with recent pricing experiments.

Some Like It HOT: High-occupancy toll lanes work best on high-traffic roads.

Wed, 01 May 2002 00:00:00 GMT

An oped by Anthony Downs, Senior Fellow, in Governing Magazine, May 2002

Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion

Tue, 19 Mar 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Testimony by Anthony Downs, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, before the Presented before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, March 19, 2002

Traffic Congestion: Might as Well Enjoy It

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 00:00:00 GMT

An Oped by Anthony Downs, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, in the Washington Post, January 1, 2001

Transportation Reform: What the UK can Teach America

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 GMT

Amidst a series of local infrastructure failures and shortcomings in federal transportation budgeting, policymakers are beginning to view the upcoming expiration of the federal transportation bill (SAFETEA-LU) as an opportunity to consider significant national transportation reform. A vital element of such reform is to consider policy best practices, from the local to the international level, that will facilitate such future reform.