careers in transportation planning

• What is the role of the transportation planner?

• An overview of transportation opportunities for all planners

• Employment outlook for urban and regional planners

Careers in Transportation Planning

What is the Role of a Transportation Planner?

Transportation planners work to improve the quality of life of the communities they serve by developing sustainable solutions to issues such as urban sprawl, traffic congestion, air pollution, access to jobs, and the mobility needs of an aging population

2

Long Range Transportation Models

Local Future Land Use Plans

Employment & Household Projections Projected

Deficiencies (congestion) and Alternatives Analysis

Recommended Changes – typically to add capacity

•Assumes future land use is valid

•Assumes community will develop per its plan

Source: Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS), LSL Planning, Inc.

Comparison of the Planning Processes

Land Use TransportationGoals Qualitative and competing Quantitative (Performance

Measures)

Scope Short term (5-15 years) Long term (30 years)

Data Mild influence Data driven

Public Input Big influence May or may not influence

Priorities and Implementation

Often not specified Specific with costs and funding

Practicality Bold ideas / “just a plan” Engineering feasibility

Major Difference:• Transportation based on planned Land

Use• Land Use has limited consideration of

transportation

A New Paradigm

Link land use with transportation: Land use arrangement to reduce

peak hour auto trips Site design to support

bicycling/walking/transit Combine land-use planning with

transportation planning (regional, community, and site specific)

Increased cooperation among all parties involved in land use and transportation

Operate in limited funding environment by planning practical (and affordable) and sustainable solutions to meet our transportation system needs

Photo: LSL Planning, Inc.

Role of the Transportation Planner “Bridge the gap” Educate parties in

an understandable way

Focus on long term

Advocate for underserved groups

Environmental justice

Use transportation to improve community sustainability

ChoicesPrioritiesDecisions

Environmental

Economic Developme

nt

Land UseTransportati

on

Outside Agencies/

Stakeholders

Public

Source: LSL Planning, Inc.

Public Involvement

Facilitate, educate to gather meaningful input

Brochures Open house Public workshops Advisory

committees “Road show” Visualization/

simulation

Photos: Courtesy of LSL Planning, Inc.

A transportation planner does . . . Long range plans Corridor

simulation models Flexible

design/street widths/road diets (traffic calming/CSS)

Non-motorized plans & walkable design

Demand management

Transit oriented land use and design

Access management

Overlay zones Form-based codes Transportation to

support economic development

Corridor Planning

Identify the function and character of major streets

Traffic operations (Level of Service)

Accommodate all users

Access system Road and

streetscape design (Context Sensitive Solutions)

Bluffton, SC

Portage, MI

Source: LSL Planning, Inc.

Access Management

Cost effective traffic management methods to:

Promote the flow of traffic Improve safety of pedestrians &

vehicles Improve aesthetics of roadway

areas…by managing the location, quantity,

type & design of access to a roadway

Structures

Parking Area

Front Access Road

Thru Traffic Lanes

Rear Access Road

Shared Access Road

Consolidated Signs

Landscaping

Structures

Sources: Photo and Cover, MDOT Access Management Guidebook.

Graphic, LSL Planning, Inc.

Benefit: Safety

Access management can help reduce injuries and property damage due to crashes

Doubling of accessdensity from 10-20 access points per mile often results in about a 40% increase in expected

crash rates**according to the Michigan Department of Transportation

Source: FHWA, MDOT Access Management Guidebook

Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)Designing for:

CharacterUsersLand UsesMultiple FunctionsLinking to the past and to the future

CSS Median Cross-Section

Alternative Roadway Cross-Sections

Source: LSL Planning, Inc.

San Jose, California

Existing conditions

San Jose, California

Mixed-use development at sidewalk

San Jose, California

Street trees; medians and pedestrian refuges; crosswalks

San Jose, California

Live-work housing; mixed-use building

San Jose, California

Bus lane

San Jose, California

Rapid transit lane demarcated in red

Promote Effective SolutionsTransportation planners can promote effective solutions such as roundabouts, ITS, creative interchange design, multi-modal streets and traffic calming measures.

This includes both technical analysis and building support from other professionals, the public, and decision makers.

A multimedia demonstration from the City of Sammamish, WA official website.

Photo: LSL Planning, Inc.

Road Diets

Reducing # of traffic lanes to provide left turn, transit, or bike lane

Consider: Function & environment Traffic volumes (consider

for 8,500 – 24,000 vpd) Peak hour volumes &

Level of Service Crash types, pedestrian,

bike, & transit activity Impact on parallel roads

After

Before

Washtenaw County Access Management Plan:

One-Way 3-to-2 Road Diet ConceptSource: LSL Planning, Inc.

Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

Moderate to higher density

Within an easy walk A mix of uses Designed for the

pedestrian New construction or

redevelopment Increases transit

ridership Strong benefits

Using Transportation as a Catalyst

Rather than respond to land use, trans-portation investment can be a catalyst to sound, sustainable growth and develop-ment

Increase property value by improving access and safety

Balance land use with traveler needs

Examples:Convert one-way to two-wayAdd on-street parkingAdd transit (Bus rapid transit/ streetcar/light rail)

Images Source: City of Birmingham, MI Triangle District Master Plan, LSL Planning, Inc.

Manage Demand

Transportation planners also help manage transportation demand by taking any action or set of actions intended to influence the intensity, timing and spatial distribution of demand for the purpose of reducing the impact of traffic or enhancing mobility options by

• Offering commuters one or more alternative transportation modes and/or services

• Providing incentives to travel on these modes or at non-congested hours, or

• Providing opportunities to better link or "chain" trips together, and/or incorporating growth management or traffic impact policies into local development decisions. Photo with permission from VPSI

Employment OutlookJob OutlookEarnings

Outlook for Transportation Planners

Employment Outlook

Urban and regional planners held about 38,400 jobs in 2008.

About 66 percent were employed by local governments.

Companies: architectural,

engineering, and related services,

management, scientific, and technical consulting services

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos057.htm#outlook

Job Outlook

Faster than average employment growth

Employment of urban and regional planners is expected to grow 19 percent from 2008 to 2018

Most new jobs will be in affluent, rapidly expanding communities.

Job prospects will be best for those with a master's degree

Bachelor's degree holders with additional skills in GIS or mapping may find entry level positions, but advancement opportunities are limited.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos057.htm#outlook

Earnings

Median annual wages of urban and regional planners were $59,810 in May 2008.

The middle 50 percent earned between $47,050 and $75,630.

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,960, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $91,520.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos057.htm#outlook

Acknowledgements

ITE Transportation Planning Council thanks the following individuals for contributing material for this PowerPoint presentation

Brad Strader, AICP, PTP, LSL Planning, Inc.

Lucy Gibson, Smart Mobility UrbanAdvantage