Urban Design and Planning Archives

Road User Fees in the USA: Theory, Research, and Practice

Chen, P., Shen, Q., & Boardman, S. (2025). Road User Fees in the USA: Theory, Research, and Practice. Journal of Planning Literature. https://doi.org/10.1177/08854122251385953

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Abstract

This paper examines the theory, research, and practice of road user charge (RUC) in the USA. It explores neoclassical, behavioral, and institutional economic perspectives to assess RUC's environmental benefits, data privacy, public acceptance, and equity implications. A synthesis of recent studies highlights RUC's financial, environmental, social, and urban transportation system impacts. The examination of state and regional initiatives presents several critical challenges associated with the implementation of RUC systems. This study provides a nuanced understanding of RUC's potential and barriers as a sustainable transportation funding mechanism and offers insights into future research and policy development.

An outlook on ride-sourcing price changes: Implications for future transit agency-TNC partnerships

Ashour, L., & Shen, Q. (2025). An outlook on ride-sourcing price changes: Implications for future transit agency-TNC partnerships. Transport Policy, 173, Article 103790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.103790

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Abstract

Ride-sourcing trip prices charged by transportation network companies (TNCs) have increased significantly compared to before the pandemic, causing concerns about the effectiveness of existing and planned transit agency-TNC partnerships. This paper explores three scenarios of future TNC price changes: (1) price trend extension using forecasting models, (2) price increase in response to local policy changes, and (3) TNC/taxi price convergence due to increased competition. We then investigate the impact of TNC price change on the prospect of transit agency-TNC partnerships, using a case study in the Seattle region. For the first scenario, we employ two time-series models, namely ARIMA and PROPHET, to forecast price changes within the next three years (Oct 2022–Oct 2025) using publicly available Chicago TNC trip data. The results show that TNC's daily average price would reach $3.23 per mile, increasing by 40 % from 2019 average rates. For the second scenario, we track significant policies that directly impacted TNC prices in Seattle and incorporate reported price increases. The resulting estimations indicate that TNC prices would increase by an extra 25 % in response to changes in the minimum wage law. For the third scenario, we use publicly available taxi trip data of the city of Chicago and forecast future taxi prices by estimating time-series models comparable to those for TNC prices. The analysis suggests that due to increased competition, TNC and taxi prices are converging and that the average TNC fare per mile could add another 50 % to the forecasted price if TNC and taxi prices become similar in the upcoming three years. These price changes are shown to have a considerable negative impact on the expected cost-effectiveness of transit agency-TNC partnerships. Although such partnerships could still provide many benefits, transportation planners and policymakers should carefully examine the implications of TNC price increases resulting from changing market and policy environments.

Incorporating equity into the cost-effectiveness evaluation of new mobility: A comparative analysis

Ashour, L., & Shen, Q. (2025). Incorporating equity into the cost-effectiveness evaluation of new mobility: A comparative analysis. Transportation Research. Part D, Transport and Environment, 147, Article 104959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2025.104959

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Abstract

Public transportation in suburban areas faces challenges in providing efficient mobility. Transit Incorporating Mobility on Demand (TIMOD) services have emerged as a potential solution, yet equity considerations remain underexplored. This study incorporates equity into the cost-effectiveness evaluation of TIMOD services, analyzing two suburban areas in the Seattle metropolitan region where a TIMOD service is implemented. Using distributional cost-effectiveness analysis (DCEA), we assess the comparative costs of TIMOD, fixed-route transit, and drive-alone across different income groups and built environments. The study shows that although TIMOD services offer equity benefits for lower-income travelers, they are more equitable in high-density, low-income suburbs. In contrast, their cost-effectiveness is more limited in affluent, low-density areas. These insights highlight the importance of context-specific planning for TIMOD interventions and employ tools such as DCEA for transit agencies to prioritize the deployment of such services in areas where they can maximize social welfare and reduce transportation inequities.

Incorporating mobility-on-demand into public transit in suburban areas: A comparative cost-effectiveness evaluation

Cai, M., Ashour, L. A., Shen, Q., & Chen, C. (2025). Incorporating mobility-on-demand into public transit in suburban areas: A comparative cost-effectiveness evaluation. Transportation Research. Part D, Transport and Environment, 144, Article 104775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2025.104775

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Abstract

Transit Incorporating Mobility-on-Demand (TIMOD) represents the public–private partnerships in which transit agencies incorporate MOD services to supplement fixed-route transit. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of TIMOD compared to buses, driving, and ride-hailing in suburban settings. For each alternative, it estimates the marginal costs for travelers, service providers, and transportation externalities, which constitute the marginal social cost. In the study cases, TIMOD is the least cost-effective option, with marginal social cost approximately 20% higher than TNCs and over three times higher than driving. For travelers, TIMOD costs more than driving but less than buses and ride-hailing when considering time value and fare. The cost of TIMOD declines as population density increases. Suburbs with less bus services and higher income residents benefit more from TIMOD, realizing greater reductions in time costs compared to buses. Transit agencies should explore alternative ways to improve mobility for disadvantaged suburban residents by offsetting driving costs and subsidizing TNCs fares.

Keywords

Transit Incorporating Mobility-On-Demand (TIMOD); Public transit; Transportation simulation; Suburban areas; Marginal social cost of travel

Disparities in resilience and recovery of ridesourcing usage during COVID-19

Wang, S., Huang, X., & Shen, Q. (2024). Disparities in resilience and recovery of ridesourcing usage during COVID-19. Journal of Transport Geography, 114, Article 103745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2023.103745

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ridesourcing services dramatically, but empirical research on disparities in the resilience and recovery of ridesourcing has been scarce. To address this literature gap, we used ridesourcing trip data in Chicago to create two time series: one for Census tract-level ridesourcing usage (including pickups and dropoffs) and the other for linkages between origin and destination (OD) pairs. We performed time-series clustering analyses that integrated manifold learning and Gaussian Mixture Modeling to optimize the number of clusters for high-dimensional time-series data. The tract-level usage can be grouped into three clusters, and the OD-pair linkages can be grouped into six clusters. We examined the spatial patterns of the tract-level usage clusters and the OD-pair linkage clusters. Furthermore, we estimated a multinomial logit regression model to examine the relationships between clusters and land use, built environment, and sociodemographic factors. Our results suggested that the share of residential land use had a positive association with high resilience and fast recovery of ridesourcing usage. Limited transportation accessibility and a lack of alternative transportation modes were also associated with high resilience and fast recovery of ridesourcing usage. Trips that linked dense employment centers were less likely to be made during the pandemic. Census tracts with a greater share of minorities or a higher poverty rate tended to generate more ridesourcing trips during the pandemic.

The effects of urbanization on species interactions

Moreno-García, P., Savage, A., Salgado, A. L., Tartaglia, E. S., Cocciardi, J. M., Aronson, M. F. J., Jarzyna, M. A., Alberti, M., & Li, D. (2025). The effects of urbanization on species interactions. Nature Cities, 2(8), 693–702. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00288-w.

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Abstract

Cities are renowned for catalyzing human interactions, but their distinctive environments also affect the interactions of other species. We discuss how urbanization affects species interactions and identify key knowledge gaps. With this context and using an eco-evolutionary lens, we frame urban environments as providing three consecutive filters: the presence of species, their co-occurrence and their relationships. Our framework offers a structured model for studying and managing urban species and environments to facilitate conservation and ecosystem services, benefiting urbanites of all stripes.

Legacy effects of religion, politics and war on urban evolutionary biology

Carlen, E. J., Caizergues, A. E., Jagiello, Z., Kuzyo, H., Munshi-South, J., Alberti, M., Angeoletto, F., Bonilla-Bedoya, S., Booth, W., Charmantier, A., Cocciardi, J. M., Cook, E. M., Gotanda, K. M., Govaert, L., Johnson, L. E., Li, D., Malesis, A. N., Martin, E., Marzluff, J. M., … Szulkin, M. (2025). Legacy effects of religion, politics and war on urban evolutionary biology. Nature Cities, 2(7), 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00249-3.

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Abstract

Urbanization has been a defining feature of the past four centuries, with most of the global population now living in highly modified environments shared with wildlife. Traditionally, biological urban evolutionary research has focused on physical factors such as habitat fragmentation, pollution and resource availability, often overlooking the social and political forces shaping urban environments. This Review explores how religion, politics and war drive urban wildlife evolution by shaping environmental conditions and selective pressures. We synthesize existing knowledge on these influences and propose testable hypotheses to advance the field. Understanding these dynamics is essential for explaining the variability in urban evolutionary processes and predicting the future development of urban systems. By integrating social and political dimensions, we can gain deeper insights into how cities shape the evolution of organisms that inhabit them.

Urban landscape heterogeneity disaggregates the legacy of redlining on land surface temperature

Meen Chel Jung, Karen Dyson, Marina Alberti, Urban landscape heterogeneity disaggregates the legacy of redlining on land surface temperature, Landscape and Urban Planning, Volume 261, 2025, 105406, ISSN 0169-2046, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105406.

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Abstract

The lingering effects of redlining are linked to contemporary heat inequities observed across US cities. Residential security maps created by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) have been widely used to analyze neighborhood-level disparities in land surface temperatures. However, the use of aggregated spatial units often fails to capture internal landscape heterogeneity and the heat vulnerabilities associated with redlining. In this study, we introduced urban landscape heterogeneity by incorporating granular development levels captured at different resolutions within HOLC-graded neighborhoods. This approach combined Landsat-based National Land Cover Database (NLCD) data, Sentinel-based WorldCover land cover data, and HOLC map layers. We examined the role of urban landscape heterogeneity in revealing additional patterns of heat inequities beyond those explained by redlining-based macro spatial units, using grouped boxplots and mixed-effects models across three major cities in the Northeastern US: Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By accounting for urban landscape heterogeneity, our findings revealed that: (1) the well-documented trend of higher land surface temperatures in lower HOLC grades becomes systematically fragmented, (2) statistical models show improved performance in estimating land surface temperature, and (3) the cooling effect of tree canopy exhibits a varying, non-linear threshold pattern. These results highlight the need to consider micro-scale landscape dimensions to better understand the persistent, unequal distribution of temperatures associated with redlining. Municipal and community-led tree planting initiatives should consider comprehensive landscape characteristics to develop spatially targeted heat mitigation strategies and promote equitable climate outcomes.

Keywords

Redlining; Land cover; Spatial resolution; Land surface temperature; Tree canopy cooling; Heat inequity

Optimizing Urban Greenspace Landscapes to Mitigate Population Exposure to Extreme Heat in 21st Century Chinese Cities

Feng, R., Li, G., Alberti, M., Wang, F., Liu, S., & Yu, G. (2025). Optimizing Urban Greenspace Landscapes to Mitigate Population Exposure to Extreme Heat in 21st Century Chinese Cities. Environmental Science & Technology, 59(11), 5510–5520. doi:10.1021/acs.est.4c11345

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Abstract

Urban greenspace (UGS) is a crucial nature-based solution for mitigating increasing human exposure to extreme heat, but its long-term potential has been poorly quantified. We used high spatial-temporal resolution data sets of urban land cover and population grid in combination with an urban climate model, machine learning, and land use simulation model to assess the impact of UGS on population exposure to extreme (high-heat exposure, HHE) and its potential spatial optimization strategies. Results showed that the UGS and HHE have a strong spatiotemporal dynamic coupling in 21st century Chinese cities. Moreover, UGS shrinkage increased the HHE by 0.58–1.15 °C, while UGS expansion mitigated it by 0.72–1.26 °C, both stronger in the SSP3–7.0 and SSP5–8.5 scenarios. Different from common impressions, spatial relationships, rather than quantities of UGS, are more influential (1.3–1.8 times) on HHE. Our solutions suggest that simply enhancing the spatial dynamic connectivity between patches can mitigate HHE by 9.1–21.1%, especially for the eastern and central cities. Our results provide an example of how to improve climate adaptation in urban ecological space designs and strongly promote research on optimal spatial patterns for future robust urban heat mitigation.

Keywords

Urban greenspace; extreme heat exposure; mitigation effects; optimization solution; future projection

‘Best practice’ for healthy urban development: learning from others while maintaining local responsiveness in an emerging planning specialism

Pineo, H., Moore, G., Barrantes Chaves, K., Cooper, E., Dianati, V., & Braithwaite, I. (2025). ‘Best practice’ for healthy urban development: learning from others while maintaining local responsiveness in an emerging planning specialism. Planning, Practice & Research, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2025.2475628

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Abstract

Lack of clarity about what ‘healthy’ urban development means, alongside financial and technical challenges, has slowed progress on health-promoting development. Case studies could support learning, however, scholars have been critical of their risks when they are applied without adequate consideration of required adaptations or alternatives. We explored how health is promoted through new development via a narrative synthesis of published cases and critically evaluated their value. Cases more frequently achieved sustainability goals than equity and inclusion goals. We conclude that case studies have particular value when shared in a manner that encourages critical examination and discussion, such as through storytelling.

Keywords

Health; wellbeing; planning; best practice; urban development