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Economics and Urban Transportation Policy in the United States

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  • Small, Kenneth A.

Abstract

This article examines the role that economics can play in analysing problems with urban transportation in the United States. The specific problems addressed are failing infrastructure, financially weak public transit, environmental impacts of motor vehicles, motor-vehicle accidents, and traffic congestion. Simple quantitative analyses, even though approximate, can help to focus attention on the most promising classes of policies. Those classes involve some technological measures and some narrowly targeted behavioral changes, but not the widespread curtailment of of motor vehicles use.

Suggested Citation

  • Small, Kenneth A., 1997. "Economics and Urban Transportation Policy in the United States," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt7mz1326k, University of California Transportation Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt7mz1326k
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Fullerton, Thomas M. Jr & Walke, Adam G., 2012. "Border Zone Mass Transit Demand in Brownsville and Laredo," Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, Transportation Research Forum, vol. 51(2).
    3. Konishi, Hideo & Mun, Se-il, 2010. "Carpooling and congestion pricing: HOV and HOT lanes," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 173-186, July.
    4. Hsu, Wen-Tai & Zhang, Hongliang, 2014. "The fundamental law of highway congestion revisited: Evidence from national expressways in Japan," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 65-76.
    5. Mingardo, Giuliano & van Wee, Bert & Rye, Tom, 2015. "Urban parking policy in Europe: A conceptualization of past and possible future trends," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 268-281.
    6. Kahn, Matthew E. & Schwartz, Joel, 2008. "Urban air pollution progress despite sprawl: The "greening" of the vehicle fleet," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 775-787, May.
    7. Julie Bulteau & Thierry Feuillet & Sophie Dantan & Souhir Abbes, 2023. "Encouraging carpooling for commuting in the Paris area (France): which incentives and for whom?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 43-62, February.
    8. T. M. Fullerton & A. G. Walke, 2013. "Public transportation demand in a border metropolitan economy," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(27), pages 3922-3931, September.
    9. Sipes, Kristin N. & Mendelsohn, Robert, 2001. "The effectiveness of gasoline taxation to manage air pollution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 299-309, February.
    10. Jeremy Webb & Max Briggs & Clevo Wilson, 2018. "Breaking automotive modal lock-in: a choice modelling study of Jakarta commuters," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 20(1), pages 47-68, January.
    11. Javier Asensio, 2002. "Transport Mode Choice by Commuters to Barcelona's CBD," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 39(10), pages 1881-1895, September.
    12. Daniel Albalate & Xavier Fageda, 2019. "Congestion, Road Safety, and the Effectiveness of Public Policies in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-21, September.
    13. van Ommeren, Jos & de Groote, Jesper & Mingardo, Giuliano, 2014. "Residential parking permits and parking supply," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 33-44.
    14. Julie Bulteau & Thierry Feuillet & Sophie Dantan, 2019. "Carpooling and carsharing for commuting in the Paris region: A comprehensive exploration of the individual and contextual correlates of their uses," Post-Print hal-02113257, HAL.

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