Research Projects
THEME 1: Models of Integrated Urban Passenger Transport Systems Under Resource and Environmental Constraints:
1D. Improving Transport and Land Use Technical Assessment Practice (formerly: Developing a Modular Urban Land Use and Transport Tool - MULUTT)
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Out of Petrol, The Age Newspaper |
Chief Investigators
Brendan Gleeson, Matthew Burke, Jago Dodson, and Neil Sipe (Urban Research Program, Griffith University)
Project Description
This project will investigate barriers to the integration of new methods for transport technical assessment that incorporate sustainability criteria into transport models. Conventional spatial transport and land-use models have to date relied on two technical methodologies: transport models which assess demand for travel between origins and destinations, and accessibility models which assess the spatial access of populations to transport services and activities. Social and environmental factors have been largely ignored, while economic assumptions implicit in the models contain many biases. For example 'travel time savings' are typically the principal assessment criterion within transport models but this metric favors the private motor car over other modes. This project will establish a benchmark of world’s best practice regarding the inclusion of sustainability concerns into transport technical assessment and evaluate current Australian practice relative to these standards.
This project involves four main tasks. First the project will review the international literature on best practice inclusion of sustainability criteria in transport technical assessment focusing on transport models. This task has been completed. Second, the project will undertake a survey audit of current transport modeling practice in Australia’s major cities to determine current Australian practice relative to international advances. Research ethical approval has been received for this task. Third the project will assess institutional barriers to improvements in the inclusion of greater sustainability criteria in transport modeling. Finally, the project will test opportunities for improving transport technical assessment through appraisal of the Brisbane Strategic Transportation Model (BSTM) which is an open-source transport model used by transport agencies and evaluators in Brisbane.
NB: In 2007 the MULUTT project received a further $105,000 in support from Griffith University's Infrastructure Grant Scheme to purchase a three-year license for the EM/ME transport modeling package, plus computing and research assistance. This funding will strongly augment the project’s capacity to assess current transport planning practice.
Timeline
2006-2010
Publications for Download
| 1. | Powerpoint Presentation 2007: Report on the modular urban land use and transport tool project (44kb pdf) | Jago Dodson and Neil Sipe |
Other Publications
- Evans, R., Burke, M., and Dodson, J. (2008) Clothing the Emperor?: Transport modeling and decision-making in Australian cities; Proceedings of 3rd Conference on the State of Australian Cities, University of Adelaide and University of South Australia, Adelaide, 28-30 November.