SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY
URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING DEPARTMENT
URBP 256, TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, LOCAL ISSUES
URBP 178 / ENVS 178, INTRODUCTION TO
TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN PLANNING
SPRING 2012
Instructor:
Office location:
Email:
Egon Terplan
SH 411
egonterplan@gmail.com
Office hours:
3:30 to 4:00 pm and 6:45 to 7:15 pm Mondays or by appointment
Class days/time:
Classroom:
Prerequisites:
Units:
Mondays, 4:00 pm to 6:45 pm
SH 411
None
3
Course Catalog Description:
URBP 256: Examination of transportation planning issues addressed at the neighborhood and
municipal level. Not to substitute for transportation engineering. Course may be repeated for credit
when topic changes.
URBP/ENVS 178: Overview of urban transportation as a social essential. Technical, operational,
social, environmental, land use, economic and fiscal aspects of urban transportation systems of all
modes. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Prerequisite: Upper division standing
or instructor consent.
Course Description and Course Learning Objectives:
“How to accommodate city transportation without destroying the related intricate and concentrated
land use? – this is the question. Or, going at it another way, how to accommodate intricate and
concentrated land use without destroying the related transportation.” – Jane Jacobs
“Transportation and cities are co dependent, mutually influencing each other in often complex and
dynamic ways. It is less the hardware characteristics of roads and transit lines and more the software
characteristics – notably the accessibility benefits provided – that shape urban environments.”
– Robert Cervero
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 1 of 18
Transportation is rarely something we do for its own sake – unless it’s a Sunday bike ride or a stroll
on a pretty street. Usually, we use transportation to get somewhere. Our demand for transportation
is derived from the need to get to a job or school or for other daily needs.
But how far we have go for each trip or what mode of transportation we select (such as cars, buses,
bikes or trains) is based on the interplay between land use and urban form of our cities and the types
of transportation planning decisions we make. For example, if we make it easier to drive a car in a
city, will that result in the further spreading out of destinations, and thus in turn require greater use
of a car to get around?
This course is about why and how we travel in cities, how we plan for the various transportation
modes, as well as what we can do to change people’s travel patterns in urban areas. By
transportation, we mean cars, bikes, pedestrians, and transit vehicles as they travel on streets, roads
and sidewalks.1 By urban areas we mean cities and towns as opposed to rural areas. Our focus will be
primarily on local issues – such as the tradeoffs involved in changing a street configuration to bring
a bus rapid transit systems through a downtown – but always within the context of the broader
region, the surrounding land uses and the variety of destinations travelers seek.
We will ground our analysis and discussions in the contrasting transportation planning challenges of
the cities of San Francisco and San Jose as well as the Bay Area overall. We will learn about and
apply lessons from the region’s implementation of SB 375, the planning for new transit lines, the
shift towards greater sustainable transportation solutions in local governments and the attempt to
better link transportation and land use planning. Our approach will also be grounded in the
economic and spatial impact of various decisions. For example, how might BART to San Jose affect
the potential location of more dense employment in downtown San Jose? How might setting a price
on driving into downtown San Francisco affect that area’s relative competitive advantage as a place
to shop or work?
This course is organized into three parts. The first sets the foundation for the course by looking at
both how transportation investments and modes shape urban development as well as how a city’s
underlying urban form and land uses shape travel patterns. In other words, when we build a new
road or extend a transit line, how does that shape where we live and work. In addition, how do our
travel patterns vary based on the type of street we live on, the surrounding density, and our
proximity to important destinations.
The second part is focused on the various transportation modes and systems – from streets to cars
to walking and bicycling to transit. We will look at each mode independently but recognize that
planning for transportation is inherently multi-modal.
The third part synthesizes the learning from the first two parts. We will read and discuss about road
tolling and parking pricing, transportation demand management programs at corporate campuses,
transit-oriented development, downtowns, and retrofitting suburbia for reduced automobility.
Students are expected to contribute their own ideas during our weekly class discussions as well as in
a semester long paper focused on a specific local transportation policy, plan or project. Given that
1
Though important, this course will not focus on freight movement and commercial delivery within urban areas.
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Urban and Regional Planning Department
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planners have a public-facing role, students will be asked to give several presentations and help take
a lead role in discussions at various times throughout the semester.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Explain the difference between accessibility and mobility as goals of transportation planning.
2. Explain connections between travel behavior and urban form as defined by density,
diversity, and design (and including the impact of factors such as job location, parking,
transit speeds and more).
3. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of local transportation planning tools and policies by
applying five key evaluation metrics:
a.
Do they improve accessibility for all modes (e.g., private vehicles, transit vehicles,
pedestrians, and bicyclists)?
b.
Do they improve accessibility for all population groups?
c.
Do they improve local quality of life (beyond providing accessibility benefits)?
d.
Do they reduce impacts of the transportation system on the natural environment?
e.
Do they equitably distribute the costs and/or benefits of the transportation system?
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of transportation plans and policy tools by finding reliable
research and data and using the information to assess the likely outcomes of those plans or
policy tools.
5. Make cogent arguments for or against a transportation policy or investment and describe the
extent to which it will promote mobility and/or accessibility.
6. Gather and explain basic data on travel behavior and mode share.
7. Deliver a presentation about an important local transportation planning issue.
8. Understand the geometry of transit systems and evaluate the trade-offs in transit service
design and delivery and how those will affect ridership.
Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) Knowledge Components
This course partially covers the following PAB Knowledge Components: 4.2.2. (c), 4.2.2. (g), 4.2.3.
(c), 4.2.4. (a), and 4.2.5. A complete list of the PAB Knowledge Components can be found at
http://www.sjsu.edu/urbanplanning/courses/pabknowledge.htm.
Required Course Readings:
There are two required book for the course:
 Tumlin, Jeffery. Sustainable Transportation Planning: Tools for Creating Vibrant, Healthy,
and Resilient Communities. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2012. This book can be
purchased through Amazon or directly in the class (with the author’s discount).
 Walker, Jarrett. Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our
Communities and Our Lives. Washington D.C.: Island Press, 2012.
Because both of these books were just published, neither is available at the San Jose State bookstore
or the library. They are both available on Amazon.
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
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Additional course readings as well as all other relevant materials are available at the course Dropbox.
Students will be given permission to the Dropbox folder after the first class meeting. Students need
to print their e-mail address in the Student Questionnaire distributed during the first class meeting.
The course will also have a Google group for posting questions and other discussions throughout
the week. Please email me if you do not get access to the Dropbox or the class folder within 24
hours from the end of the first class meeting.
Some readings are selections of classic urban planning books, which may be assigned in other
courses. These are good books to own and can be found used.


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
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Alexander, Christopher. A Pattern Language. New York City: Oxford University Press,
1977.
Appleyard, Donald. Livable Streets. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1982.
Downs, Anthony. Still Stuck in Traffic: Coping with Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion.
Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2004.
Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House,
1961.
Lynch, Kevin. Good City Form. Boston: MIT Press, 1984.
Susan Hanson and Genevieve Giuliano, Eds. The Geography of Urban Transportation. New
York: Guilford Publications, Third Edition, 2004.
Course Assignments and Grading Policy:
Your grade for the course will be based on the following assignments and other activities:
Undergraduate students
Assignment/Course Element
Memos and assignments (7)
Final paper (1)
In-class participation
In-class presentations (1)
In class quizzes (2)
Percent of Course Grade
40%
30%
15%
5%
10%
Graduate students
Assignment/Course Element
Memos and assignments (9)
Final paper (1)
In-class participation
In-class presentations (2)
In class quizzes (2)
Percent of Course Grade
40%
30%
10%
10%
10%
Note: The final paper is due at the end of the course. Students will be drafting portions of the paper
throughout the course and submitting as assignments. Those assignments will be evaluated but not
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Urban and Regional Planning Department
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graded. For undergraduates, the final paper should be a minimum of 10 pages. For graduate students
the final paper should be a minimum of 15 pages.
Other grading/assignment issues
Students are expected to attend and participate in all class sessions, complete assigned readings and
written memo assignments, prepare a final report and deliver several presentations.
Students should attend all classes and participate fully in discussions and class and field exercises, as
these are critical to learning the course content. Students should sign in using the attendance sheet to
be distributed at each class. If you know that you will have to miss all or part of a class, please let me
know in advance.
Please also follow common rules of courtesy to keep from disrupting the class: e.g., do not arrive
late, and turn off cell phones, no texting, emailing or other non-classwork in class.
Students should not use any electronic devices in class such as cell phones, laptops or iPads, unless
required as part of an in-class assignment. We will have several in-class assignments where students
will want to bring their laptops if they have one.
Memos
For most weeks during the semester, you will be required to submit a brief (one or two page) memo
that responds to a specific assignment or is a summary of the key ideas in the preceding few weeks
and current week. These memos have been designed to stimulate your thinking and prepare you for
both a productive in-class discussion and for synthesizing the learning from the various weeks.
The assignments range from a data analysis to a review of a transportation plan to a field
observation of a street or a transit trip to an observation of a public meeting. The purpose of these
assignments is to give you a mix of both practical professional skills as well as getting you out to
review real planning issues.
These memos must be typed and you must demonstrate that you understood the readings or the
topic and are able to provide a concise evaluation. You should also take a stand: when appropriate,
present an argument regarding the text’s strengths and weaknesses, or grapple with points that you
feel merit clarification.
You will find the specific questions to address in these memos in the course folder online. The
details for each assignment will also be discussed in class.
The purpose of this memos is threefold: first, to develop your analytic skills, specifically through
regular, disciplined analysis and close readings; second, to help continue our dialogue within and
beyond the classroom from week to week and facilitate your active in-class participation; and third,
to give you an opportunity to explore the issues of the class outside of the classroom and apply
concepts in a written format.
Memo and Assignment Formatting Requirements:

The memos and assignments must be typed unless the directions specify otherwise.

The memos should fully cite all quotations, statistics, or other material that you learn from
reading other sources, whether they may be course readings or materials that you identify on
your own. Use Turabian-style footnotes and a bibliography to cite your sources.
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Urban and Regional Planning Department
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Due Dates and Grading Policies:

Due dates: These memos and assignments must be printed out and turned in at the
beginning of the class session for which they are due. You may turn in a memo by email,
before the class when it is due if you are absent for a documented illness or family
emergency. I give half credit to memos turned in late for any reason whatsoever, including
malfunctioning computers, illness, or other reasons.

Grading: I will not assign the memos a letter grade, but I will read them and record whether
or not you turn them in and their general quality (check+, check, or check -). If you receive
an average grade of a check and turn in all the memos, you will receive a “B+” for your
memo grade. Each check+ will raise your memo grade by one-third of a grade (i.e., from a
B+ to an A-), and each check- will lower your memo grade by one-third of a grade.

Missed memos. You may miss one memo over the semester, in case you become ill, busy
with work or other classes, have a family emergency, or just don't feel like writing the memo
one week. For every additional memo you miss, your course memo grade will drop one letter
grade (i.e., from an A to a B).

Class Absence: If you have to miss a class for any reason, please submit your memo or
assignment via e-mail before the class session. Any memo or minor assignment submitted
after the class will receive no more than half credit.
Final report
Each student will prepare a term paper focused on a major local transportation planning issue. A list
of potential topics will be shared with the class and discussed as a group. All students must
communicate with the instructor prior to selecting a topic. The reports will entail a critical review of
a current transportation issue through a relevant literature review, political and organizational
analysis, as well as a policy analysis. The paper should evaluate the pros and cons of the
transportation project or policy while taking a position and making recommendations. This paper
will allow you to synthesize material discussed throughout the course.
Throughout the semester there will be several assignments that build up to the final report. For each
assignment you will get feedback from the instructor. The grade on the interim assignment will not
count towards your grade on the final report but is a check on your progress. For example, if you
turn in a literature review and receive a check minus – but do not make any improvements for the
literature review portion o the final report, this would likely negatively affect the grade of your final
report.
The first assignment is a brief outline of the paper. The second assignment will be a literature
review. The third assignment will be an in-class presentation whose date will depend on the topic
selected. The fourth assignment will be a detailed outline of the final report. The fifth assignment
will be a policy analysis of the proposed project or policy.
Together, these assignments will make up a good portion of the writing of the final report.
In class presentations
The presentations are directly connected to the research project. Students will have the opportunity
to present aspects of their term paper twice during the course (undergraduates are only required to
present once). The first presentation will be during a week/session most closely connected to the
topic of the paper. For example, if a student’s paper topic is on dedicated lane vs. mixed lane
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Urban and Regional Planning Department
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approaches to bus-rapid transit, the student would present during one of the weeks focused on
transit. However, if their topic is on bicycle facilities within the BRT right of way, the student could
present during one of the weeks focused on either streets or ped/bike issues.
In this first presentation, students will briefly outline the scope of the topic/project and discuss the
relevant literature. In the second and final presentation, students will present a broader overview of
the topic and focus more on the policy arguments for or against the project and some of the political
challenges it may face.
Quizzes
There will be two quizzes throughout the semester. These quizzes will be announced ahead of time
(No Pop Quizzes). The quizzes will be a mix of short answer questions and definitions of key
concepts discussed widely in class. The purpose of the quizzes is to reinforce what we are learning,
not to surprise you.
Academic integrity statement, plagiarism, and citing sources properly
SJSU’s Policy on Academic Integrity states: “Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by
your enrollment at San Jose State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy requires
you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all
infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development” (Academic Senate Policy
S07-2). The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm.
Plagiarism is the use of someone else's language, images, data, or ideas without proper attribution. It
is a very serious offense both in the university and in your professional work. In essence, plagiarism
is both theft and lying: you have stolen someone else's ideas, and then lied by implying that they are
your own.
Plagiarism will lead to grade penalties and a record filed with
the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. In
severe cases, students may also fail the course or even be
expelled from the university.
If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, it is your
responsibility to make sure you clarify the issues before you
hand in draft or final work.
Learning when to cite a source and when not to is an art, not a science. However, here are some
examples of plagiarism that you should be careful to avoid:

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If you use a sentence (or even a part of a sentence) that someone else wrote and don’t
identify the language as a quote by putting the text in quote marks and referencing the
source, you have plagiarized.
If you paraphrase somebody else's theory or idea and don't reference the source, you have
plagiarized.
If you use a picture or table from a webpage or book and don't reference the source, you
have plagiarized.
If your work incorporates data someone else has collected and you don't reference the
source, you have plagiarized.
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
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The University of Indiana has developed a very helpful website with concrete examples about
proper paraphrasing and quotation. See in particular the following pages:

Overview of plagiarism at www.indiana.edu/~istd/overview.html

Examples of plagiarism at www.indiana.edu/~istd/examples.html

Plagiarism quiz at www.indiana.edu/~istd/test.html
If you still have questions, feel free to talk to me personally. There is nothing wrong with asking for
help, whereas even unintentional plagiarism is a serious offense.
Citation style
It is important to properly cite any references you use in your assignments. The Department of
Urban and Regional Planning uses Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and
Dissertations, 7th edition (University of Chicago Press, 2007, ISBN-10: 0-226-82336-9). Copies are
available in the SJSU King Library. Additionally, the book is relatively inexpensive, and you may
wish to purchase a copy. Please note that Turabian's book describes two systems for referencing
materials: (1) “notes” (footnotes or endnotes), plus a corresponding bibliography, and (2) in-text
parenthetical references, plus a corresponding reference list. Be sure to use the first system, with
footnotes and a bibliography, for all work you turn in during the semester.
Accommodation for Disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make
special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me
as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students
with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource
Center) to establish a record of their disability.
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Urban and Regional Planning Department
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URBP 256, TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, LOCAL ISSUES
URBP 178 / ENVS 178, INTRODUCTION TO
TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN PLANNING
SPRING 2012
COURSE SCHEDULE
The tentative course schedule below is subject to change with fair notice. I will announce any
changes in class and/or via e-mail. Any changes to the course schedule will be discussed in class
with as much notice as possible. Details on the topics, lectures and the assignments are provided in
the Syllabus document in the Dropbox class folder. The Syllabus document will be updated as
needed throughout the semester to reflect the latest details of upcoming classes and activities.
Students are advised to check the Dropbox folder regularly to stay informed. For many of the
weeks, we will supplement the basic texts with current planning documents. Those will be noted on
an updated syllabus and links provided on the syllabus. Unless specifically noted below, all
assignments are due prior to the start of the class.
Week
1
Date
Jan 30
Topic
Intro / Course overview
2
Feb 6
How transportation shapes
urban development
3
Feb 13
How land use and urban form
shape travel
4
Feb 20
5
Feb 27
6
7
Mar 5
Mar 12
Modes: Pedestrians and bicycles
Modes: Understanding transit
8
Mar 19
9
Apr 2
Modes: Improving Transit (Muni,
BART)
- Spring Break Modes: Transportation finance and
transit expansions
10
Apr 9
The Street
(streets as places, livable streets,
complete streets, traffic calming)
Modes: The auto
(roads, congestion, peaking)
Synthesis: The Transportation
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
Assignments
Memo 1: Mode share
analysis
Final paper assignment:
Topic selection / initial
outline due Feb 17
Memo 2 (Weeks 1-4)
Memo 3: Street audit /
review
Memo 4 (Weeks 4-6)
Final paper assignment:
Literature review due Mar
16
Memo 5: Transit trip review
Memo 6 (Weeks 7-9)
Final report assignment:
Detailed outline due Apr 6
Memo 7: Plan analysis
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Planning Process and performance
measurement
Synthesis: Parking and Pricing
(congestion zones, open lane tolling,
HOT)
Synthesis: Transportation Demand
Management (Field trip to Google.
Note: We will meet in Mountain View)
Synthesis: Transit-Oriented
Development and Downtowns
11
Apr 16
Final paper assignment:
Policy analysis
12
Apr 23
13
Apr 30
14
May 7
Synthesis: Retrofitting suburbia
Memo 9: Public hearing and
organizational analysis
15
May 14
Student presentations
Final report due
16
May 25
Note:
This is
on a
Wed.
Student presentations / Final
discussion
None
Memo 8 (Weeks 10-13)
Below is greater explanation of each of the weeks of the course.
Week 1: Intro and course overview
January 30th
Topics
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
Introductions
Course overview
Description of assignments (weekly memos and assignments, final report)
In class travel survey and discussion of travel behavior
Week 2: How transportation shapes cities and urban development
February 6th
DUE: Memo 1
Topics
 Accessibility vs. mobility
 How transportation shapes physical and economic development
 The car’s impact on travel, cities and metropolitan structure
 Relationship between transit investments and density
 Whether or not transportation solutions are always needed to solve transportation challenges
Required
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 10 of 18

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
Hanson, Susan and Giuliano, Genevieve et al. The Geography of Urban Transportation.
New York: The Guilford Press, 2004. (Ch. 1, pp.3-27). If you have read Ch. 1 in a previous
class, please read Ch. 9, pp. 237-273. If you have read both, please select one of the first two
recommended items below.
Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. (Ch. 18. pp. 338-371) (Skim the
sections on the pedestrian plan in Fort Worth and the specific info on other cities. Focus on
the concepts about the relationship between cars and urban form). Available as an E-book
on the SJSU library.
Lynch, Kevin. Good City Form. “Access”. Boston: MIT Press, 1984. (187-204). Available in
the Dropbox.
Litman, Todd. “Evaluating Transportation Land Use Impacts: Considering the Impacts,
Benefits and Costs of Different Land Use Development Patterns.” Victoria Transport Policy
Institute. (2012). Available at: http://www.vtpi.org/landuse.pdf (pp.1-18)
Recommended
 Cervero, Robert. “Accessible Cities and Regions: A Framework for Sustainable Transport
and Urbanism in the 21st Century.” WORKING PAPER UCB-ITS-VWP-2005-3 Available
at: http://www.its.berkeley.edu/publications/UCB/2005/VWP/UCB-ITS-VWP-2005-3.pdf
(pp.1-15)
 Handy, Susan. "Smart Growth and the Transportation Land Use Connection: What Does
the Research Tell Us?" International Regional Science Review 28, no 2 (2005): 146-167.
Available at http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/670/
 Litman, Todd. “Evaluating Transportation Economic Development Impacts: Understanding
How Transport Policy and Planning Decisions Affect Employment, Incomes, Productivity,
Competitiveness, Property Values and Tax Revenues.” Victoria Transport Policy Institute.
(2010). Available at: http://www.vtpi.org/econ_dev.pdf
 Project for Public Spaces. "Going Places: 21 Great Places That Show How Transportation
Can Enliven a Community." 2008. Available at
http://www.pps.org/transportation/info/trans_articles/great_transportation_places
Week 3: How urban form shapes travel / integrating transportation and land use planning
February 13th
DUE Feb 17: Final paper assignment: Topic selection / initial outline (Note: topics will be discussed
in class on the 13th)
Topics
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Travel as derived demand
How urban form shapes travel behavior
Job sprawl and its impacts
Neotraditional design and attempts to reduce nonwork trips
Density and agglomeration economies in cities
Density, diversity, design
How to integrate land use and transportation planning
Final report: Discussion of topics for papers
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 11 of 18
Required readings
 Crane, Randall. “The Impacts of Urban Form on Travel: A Critical Review”. Lincoln
Institute of Land Policy Working Paper. (1999) Available at:
http://www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/62_The-Impacts-of-Urban-Form-on-Travel
 Cervero, Robert. “Integrations of Urban Transport and Urban Planning”. Available at:
http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/115504/toronto99/assets/t-cerveromod09.pdf (Skim sections 6-8).
 Newman, Peter and Kenworthy, Jeffery. “Urban Design to Reduce Automobile
Dependence.” Opolis (2006). Available in the Dropbox folder and at:
http://reconnectingamerica.org/resource-center/browse-research/2006/urban-design-toreduce-automobile-dependence/
 Watch: Kunstler, James. “Surburbia.” Available at:
http://www.ted.com/talks/james_howard_kunstler_dissects_suburbia.html
 Review list of potential paper topics in the Dropbox folder.
Recommended
 Terplan, Egon. “Job Sprawl in the Megaregion.” September 2009. (SPUR) Available at:
http://www.spur.org/publications/library/article/job_sprawl_megaregion
 Litman, Todd, “How Land Use Factors Affect Travel Behavior”. November 24, 2011.
(Victoria Transport Policy Institute) Available at: http://www.vtpi.org/landtravel.pdf
 Handy, Susan. “Regional Versus Local Accessibility.” Built Environment. Vol. 18, No. 4.
(1992). Available at: http://www.uctc.net/research/papers/235.pdf
Week 4: The Street (and the road) and the human scale of transportation
February 20th
DUE: Memo 2 (Review of weeks 1-4)
Topics:
 Sustainability and public health in transportation
 Streets as places
 The street design process
 Complete streets
 Street capacity
 Streets vs. roads (a place vs. a route)
Required
 Tumlin (Ch. 1-5, pp.1-50). Skim pages 7-23 but focus on all parts where transportation is
discussed.
 Alexander, Christopher. Chapter 11. In A Pattern Language. New York City: Oxford
University Press, 1977. (Pattern 11: pp. 63-68; Pattern 52: pp. 270-275 and Pattern 54: 280284).
 San Francisco Better Streets Plan. (Sections) Available at: http://www.sfplanning.org/ftp/BetterStreets/proposals.htm#Final_Plan
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 12 of 18
Recommended
 Kostof, Spiro. The City Assembled: The Elements of Urban Form Through History.
Boston: Bulfinch Press, 1992. (pp. 189-243). Pay particular attention to 189-192, 231-243.
 Appleyard, Donald. Introduction and Chapters 1-3. In Livable Streets. Berkeley: University
of California Press, 1981.
 Grammenos, Fanis, Barry Craig, Douglas Pollard, and Carla Guerrera. "Hippodamus Rides
to Radburn: A New Model for the 21st Century." Journal of Urban Design 13, no. 2 (2008):
163-76. Available at http://www.fusedgrid.ca/docs/HippodamusRidestoRadburn.pdf.
 Southworth, Michael, and Eran Ben-Joseph. Streets and the Shaping of Towns and Cities.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.
 Ted Talk: Marohn, Chuck: http://www.strongtowns.org/
Week 5: The car (in the city)
February 27th
DUE: Memo 3: Street audit / review
Topics:
 Congestion and peaking problem
 Level of Service (LOS)
 Freeway revolt
 Shared space, traffic calming, road diets
 Profession skills development: What makes a good (or bad) presentation?
Required
 Tumlin (Ch. 9, pp.139-172)
 Downs, Anthony. Still stuck in traffic: coping with peak-hour traffic congestion. (Ch. 1-2,
pp.7-39). Available as an E-book on the SJSU library.
 Moving beyond the Automobile Series, Streetfims, 2011. Available at:
http://www.streetfilms.org/moving-beyond-the-automobile/
 Watch the video "Introduction to Shared Space (2 of 2)," available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuxMuMrXUJk. (Video)
 Watch the video on taxis: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/02/taxis-parttransit-system/1133/
Recommended
 "Introduction to Shared Space (1 of 2)," available at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLfasxqhBNU&feature=related. (Video)
 Benfield, Kain, “Urbanizing the Suburban Street.” December 20, 2011. Available at:
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2011/12/urbanizing-suburbanstreet/765/
Week 6: The Pedestrian and the bicycle
March 5th
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 13 of 18
DUE: Memo 4 (Review of weeks 4-6)
Guest speakers: John Brazil, Bicycle and Pedestrian Manager, City of San Jose; Corinne Winter,
Executive Director of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Required
 Tumlin (Ch. 6-7, pp.51-103)
 William Whyte. Chapter 4, “The Skilled Pedestrian” in The City: Rediscovering the Center,
56-67. Anchor Books, 1988.
 San Francisco Bicycle Plan (sections TBD)
 San Jose Bicycle Plan (sections TBD)
 NACTO bicycle guidelines (sections TBD)
Recommended
 Go to the website at http://www.walkinginfo.org/ and read all the pages and sub-pages
under the “Walking Solutions” heading in the left-hand column. Pay particular attention to
the material under the first three sections ("Implement Solutions," "Develop Plans and
Policies," and "Engineer Pedestrian Facilities").
Week 7: Understanding transit
March 12th
DUE (March 16th): Final paper assignment: Literature review
Guest speaker: Anthony Bruzzone (Arup)
Required
 Tumlin, Jeffrey (Ch. 8, pp.105-137)
 Walker, Jarrett (Ch. 1-2, pp.1-37)
Recommended
 Bruzzone, Anthony. Transit Service & Operations Planning (A Primer: Integrating Best
Operating Practices into Design Processes). Arup. (2009). This will be uploaded to the
Dropbox.
Week 8: Improving transit operations and service
March 19th
DUE: Memo 5: Transit trip review
Guest speaker: Kevin Connolly, Transit Planning Manager, VTA
Topics
 Improving transit systems
 Coverage vs. ridership
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 14 of 18
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Connections vs. direct service
Base-first vs. peak first
Exclusive rights of way or mixed traffic
MTC’s Transit Sustainability Project
Muni’s Transit Effectiveness Project
VTA’s COA (Comprehensive Operations Analysis)
Required
 Walker (Ch. 4, 47-58, Ch. 6-8, 73-107, 117-134)
 Hughes, Aidan. “Transit in the Valley: Can Smart Land Use Boost Ridership.” SPUR. The
Urbanist, August, 2010. Available at:
http://www.spur.org/publications/library/article/transit-valley
 Metropolitan Transportation Commissions Transit Sustainability Project. (selected material).
Available at: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/tsp/
Recommended
 Primus, Jay. “Reversing Muni’s Downward Spiral: Increasing Muni’s Speed and
Productivity”. SPUR. The Urbanist, 2005. Available at:
http://www.spur.org/publications/library/report/reversingmunisdownwardspiral_090105
 Bent, Elizabeth M., Rachel E.M. Hiatt, and Krute Singa. "Full-Featured Bus Rapid Transit in
San Francisco, California: Toward a Comprehensive Planning Approach and Evaluation
Framework." Transportation Research Record 2072 (2008): 89-100.
 Currie, Graham, and Ian Wallis. "Effective Ways to Grow Urban Bus Markets: A Synthesis
of Evidence." Journal of Transport Geography 16, no. 6 (2008): 419-29.
 Taylor, Brian D., Douglas Miller, Hiroyuki Iseki, and Camille Fink. "Nature and/or Nurture?
Analyzing the Determinants of Transit Ridership across US Urbanized Areas."
Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 43, no. 1 (2009): 60-77.
 ITDP: Bus Rapid Transit Standard Available at:
http://www.itdp.org/documents/BRT_Standard_12312.pdf
--- Spring Break --- No class on March 26th
Week 9: Transit extensions, system design and institutional reform
April 2nd
DUE: Memo 6 (Review of weeks 7-9)
DUE April 6th: Final report assignment: Detailed outline
Topics
 Transit maps
 System legibility
 Clipper
Required
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 15 of 18
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Walker, Jarrett (Ch. 5, 9, 13-15)
Recommended
 Review BART travel survey data:
http://www.bart.gov/docs/StationProfileStudy/2008StationProfileReport_web.pdf and
station level maps: http://www.bart.gov/about/reports/profile.aspx
Week 10: Transportation Plans and performance measures
April 9th
Guest speaker: Manuel Pineda, City of San Jose Transportation Department
DUE: Memo
Topics
 From long-range transportation plans to funded project
 Level of Service (LOS) and LOS reform
 Local / regional funding relationship
Required
 Hansen et al (Ch. 6, pp.141-162)
 Tumlin (Ch. 14, pp. 263-285)
 Review plan for memo assignment (selection of plan done in class in prior week)
Recommended
 Highly recommended for those unfamiliar with CEQA: Fulton, William, and Paul Shigley.
"Chapter 9: The California Environmental Quality Act." Guide to California Planning, 3rd
edition, 155-179. Point Arena, CA: Solano Press Books, 2005. (Available in the SJSU library.)
 San Francisco County Transportation Authority. Automobile Trips Generated: CEQA
Impact Measure and Mitigation Program: Final Report. October 27, 2008. Available at
http://www.sfcta.org/images/stories/ATG_Report_final_lowres.pdf.
Week 11: Parking and pricing
April 16th
Topics
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Parking pricing and demand
Road or congestion pricing
HOT lanes
Cost of driving vs. other modes
Required
 Tumlin (Ch. 10, pp.173-204)
 Gardetta, Dave. “Between the Lines.” Los Angeles Magazine (December, 2011). Available
at: http://www.lamag.com/features/Story.aspx?ID=1568281
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 16 of 18
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SF Park: Putting Theory into Practice : http://sfpark.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/SFpark_Putting_Theory_Into_Practice-printable.pdf
Recommended
 Litman, Todd. "Parking Management: Strategies, Evaluation, and Planning." Victoria
Transport Policy Institute, November 5, 2008. Available at
http://www.vtpi.org/park_man.pdf.
 Shoup, Donald. "Roughly Right or Precisely Wrong." Access, no. 20 (2002): 20-25. Available
at http://www.uctc.net/access/access20.pdf.
 Shoup, Donald. The High Cost of Free Parking. Chicago: American Planning Association,
2005.
Week 12: Transportation Demand Management and the future of the corporate campus
April 23rd
Note: In lieu of regular class this week, we will have a field trip to Google for this week.
Topics
 Reducing single-occupant vehicle commuting
 Employer shuttles
 Rethinking the suburban office park
Required
 Tumlin (Ch. 13 pp.241-262)
 Terplan, Egon et al. The Urban Future of Work: How denser, more urban workplaces will
strengthen the Bay Area’s economic competitiveness. SPUR (2012). (pp. 32-39) Available at:
http://www.spur.org/publications/library/report/urban-future-work
 TDM plan (TBD)
Week 13: Transit-oriented development and downtowns
April 30th
DUE: Memo 8 (Review of weeks 10-13)
Topics
 Jobs or housing near transit?
 Station accessibility
Required
 Tumlin (Ch. 12, pp. 217-240)
 SPUR, The Future of Downtown San Francisco: Bringing Work Back to the City. (2009)
Available at: http://www.spur.org/publications/library/report/future_downtown
 Downtown and station plan (TBD)
Recommended
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
page 17 of 18
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Barnes, Gary. “Using Land Use Policy to Address Congestion: The Importance of
Destination in Determining Transit Share.” Journal of Public Transportation, Vol. 8, No. 2,
(2005). Available at: http://nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT%208-2%20Barnes.pdf
Derailing the Streetcar in Downtown: Its Rise and Fall, 1880-1950
SPUR, Beyond the Tracks. Available at:
http://www.spur.org/files/SPUR_BeyondtheTracks11211.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/pdfs/planning/Station%20Access/SSAPM.pdf
Week 14: Retrofitting suburbia and the politics of change
May 7th
DUE: Memo 9: Public hearing and organizational analysis
Topics
 Bringing transit to lower density environments
 Balancing modes in auto-oriented areas
 Pros and cons of focusing resources towards the urban core
Required
 Walker (181-227)
 Cervero, Robert. “Suburban Transformations: From Employment Centers to Mixed-Use
Activity Centers.” University of California Transportation Center Working Paper. July 2010.
Available at: http://www.uctc.net/research/papers/UCTC-FR-2010-13.pdf (pp. 16-35)
 Jones, Ellen Dunham. Ted Talk. (2010). Available at:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ellen_dunham_jones_retrofitting_suburbia.html
 Grand Boulevard Initiative (TBD)
Recommended
 Terplan, Egon et al. The Urban Future of Work: How denser, more urban workplaces will
strengthen the Bay Area’s economic competitiveness. SPUR (2012). (pp. 17-31) Available at:
http://www.spur.org/publications/library/report/urban-future-work
 Grynbaum, Michael. “For City’s Transportation Chief, Kudos and Criticism.” New York
Times, March 4, 2011. Available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/nyregion/06sadikkhan.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=janette%20sadik%20khan&st=cse
Week 15: Student presentations
May 14th
No readings
Week 16: Student presentations and final class discussion (Final Exam session)
May 25th Note: We may shift this to our regular meeting time on Monday.
No readings
San José State University
Urban and Regional Planning Department
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