Transportation and Land Use Strategies to Achieve Healthier Air Quality

Chris Sturm, Senior Director of State Policy, New Jersey FutureClean Air Council 2012 Hearing

April 11, 2012

Smart Growth research, policy and advocacy organization

Development that fuels prosperity, protects open lands, revitalizes communities, keeps housing affordable, and provides transportation choices

Why are greenhouse gases a

transportation issue??

Transportation Sector is Dominant Source of Carbon Emissions

Total NJ Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2009

Note that carbon sequestration offsets 7.6% of the total

How are greenhouse-gas

emissions from transportation a

land-use issue??

Three Factors Affecting Transportation Emissions

TransportationCO 2

Total emissions =

emissions per gallon

x gallons per mile (i.e. the inverse of average

MPG)

x total miles (VMT)

low-emissions vehicles,

alternate fuels

fuel efficiency

amount of travel

Or: total emissions = [emissions per mile] x [miles]

We are driving more in New Jersey

Shrinking VMT: The Five “D”sDensity * Diversity * Design

Distance to Transit * Distance to Destinations

Density: Put destinations closer together

Population Density Makes a Difference

Density also makes transit more viable

50 cars = 1 bus: sharing the ride cuts down on emissions per capita

Photo: Flygbussarna Airport Coaches

Diversity (or “mixed use”): Put home, work, shopping

and school near each other

Design (i.e. “connectivity”) of the street network:

More of this: And less of this:

Distance to transit:

NJ rail networkwith population density

Destination accessibility :

the distance to the central business district, or the number of jobs/attractions reachable within a

given travel time

Tends to be highest at central locations and lowest at peripheral ones.

Shrinking VMT: The Five D’sDensity * Diversity * Design

Distance to Transit * Distance to Destinations

State Strategic Plan

Global Warming Response Act Reports

2020 & 2050

DEP DOT DCA, HMFA, etc….EDABPU

Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI)

Recommendation #2Implement GWRA 2020 Recommendations

for Transportation & Land Use

For example… Double transit ridership by 2050 Incorporate GHG targets into transportation spending Assess infrastructure needs in transit hubs Help municipalities:

• Offer incentives & standards for better zoning• Support Sustainable Jersey program• Improve planning tools: noncontiguous cluster,

TDR, etc. Implement State Plan

• DEP: prioritize permits for “green” projects

Recommendation #3Shape GWRA 2050 Report

Release is expected this spring…

The Clean Air Council should seek: An action-oriented approach Recommendations that build on the 2020 report Incorporating work of Transportation Climate Initiative:

Using indicators to measure progress Focusing infrastructure spending in sustainable

communities

Recommendation #3Shape State Strategic Plan “Agency Strategic Plans”

To be developed this summer; public comment in the fall…

The Clean Air Council should seek: Actions from the 2020 GWRA Report DEP: Fund land preservation DEP: Prioritize infrastructure upgrades, clean-ups,

permitting in Priority Growth Areas DOT: fund “Complete Streets” EDA: Focus incentives near transit and downtowns

Reauthorize and expand the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit program

Reward towns that do good planning with best funding

www.njfuture.org

Chris Sturm, csturm@njfuture.org