Foreseeing the Impact of Transformational Technologies on Land Use and Transportation (2019)

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I-5 We live in exciting times. We live in challenging times. Never has the transportation sector witnessed such rapid changes in the technologies used to move people and goods. The pri- vate sector that used to be content building conventional cars and trucks now wants to invest billions of dollars in every aspect of transportation infrastructure. Planners can see a truly bright future ahead of us. They also see a truly terrible future ahead of us. The difference between these futures will be determined by how planners in the public sector work with entrepreneurs in the private sector. The research project that yielded this report was a rapid-response research effort into the implications of new technologies for local, state, and federal agencies and how best to adapt and evolve current transportation and land use planning practices and products to address the challenges of transformational technologies. This report provides advice on how state and local agencies can address transformational technologies in their policy making, planning tools, products, and processes. 1.1 Scope of Coverage For the purposes of this project, transformational technologies are defined as any of a broad range of evolving applications of science, engineering, and societal organization with the poten- tial to transform how people and institutions use land and transportation systems. This project focuses on generally land-based highway and transit vehicle and infrastructure- related technologies that will transform land use and the movement of people and goods (see Chapter 2 for details). 1.2 Organization of This Report 1.2.1 Part I: Research Overview Part I of this report provides guidance on how state and local agencies can address transfor- mational technologies in their policy making and planning tools, products, and processes. This document is targeted to transportation and land use planners. Part I is organized as follows: • Chapter 1 describes the research project and the scope of coverage of this report. • Chapter 2 provides a quick overview of the typology of technologies covered in this reference and the mechanisms by which these technologies can affect land use and transportation. More detailed information and references are provided in the Desk Reference (Part II of this report). • Chapter 3 introduces the terminology and technologies covered in this reference. The chapter is an introduction to the mechanisms by which technologies can impact travel and land use. C H A P T E R 1 Introduction

I-6 Foreseeing the Impact of Transformational Technologies on Land Use and Transportation • Chapter 4 suggests a new planning mindset that agencies might consider to improve their ability to keep up with the implications of rapidly changing technologies. This chapter promotes the concepts “be informed with data,” “get smart on technology,” and “be nimble” in regulating and planning for transformational technologies affecting land use and trans- portation (see Exhibit I-1). • Chapter 5 describes the self-assessment process that public agencies can use to evaluate its readiness for new technologies and identify potential actions. Self-assessment is a critical step in approaching planning with a new mindset (see Exhibit I-1). • Chapter 6 describes improvements to conventional planning processes and tools that can be made to address the implications of new technologies. • Chapter 7 describes how agencies can be better informed in real time about current land use, travel, and technology trends. It suggests performance measures for consideration as well as conventional and innovative sources for the data to measure performance. • Chapter 8 describes various options a public agency has for getting the expertise it needs in new data sources and technologies. • Chapter 9 describes how an agency can create more flexible regulations and plans for dealing with the implications of new technologies. • Chapter 10 highlights how some agencies have responded to the planning challenges posed by new technologies. • Chapter 11 provides a succinct overview of the conclusions and recommendations of this report. 1.2.2 Part II: Desk Reference on Transformational Technologies The Desk Reference on Transformational Technologies (Part II of this report) covers trans- formational technologies and their applications within the transportation and land use systems. The Desk Reference further describes the scope of the technologies and applications covered in this report and provides context for understanding transportation technologies and applica- tions, as follows: • Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the Desk Reference. • Chapter 2 covers transformational technologies, including personal communication devices, active transportation technologies, automobile technologies, public transit tech- nologies, freight technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), highway system technolo- gies, and parking system technologies. It describes the characteristics of the technologies, their deployment status, their potential impacts on personal travel, and their implications for land use, streetscape design, highway infrastructure, and logistics. Policy and plan- ning challenges are outlined for each technology, along with any special considerations for rural areas. • Chapter 3 covers the major transportation applications of the technologies. Personal mobility applications, government services applications, and logistics applications are discussed. Exhibit I-1. A new mindset for planning.

Introduction I-7 Chapter 3 also describes the characteristics of the applications, their deployment status, their potential impacts on personal travel, and their implications for land use, streetscape design, highway infrastructure, and logistics. Policy and planning challenges are outlined for each application along with any special considerations for rural areas. Part II is followed by back matter consisting of a list of abbreviations, a glossary with brief definitions of terms used in one or both parts of the report, and a bibliography that presents materials consulted during the research together with additional reference materials recommended by the research team.