Summer SAVY, Session 6 Day 1, Urban Transportation and Data Analytics (7th – 8th)
Today, we covered the topic of Urban Transportation, which is divided into three main sections: Transportation Timeline, Organizations, Modes, Demands, & Demographics; Understanding Urban Transportation; and The Future of Urban Mobility.
The first section provides an insight into the evolution of transportation, starting from the construction of the first toll road in 1795 in Lancaster, PA, and the development of macadam road building techniques in 1815. It highlights significant milestones such as the authorization of the Interstate System in 1956 and the advancements in space travel and autonomous vehicles in the 21st century. The section also outlines the various transportation organizations, both governmental and professional, that play a crucial role in the industry.
The second section delves into the different modes of transportation, including the classification of highways, airports, and railroads. It discusses the demands and demographics of transportation, noting the growth of the US population and the spatial effects on urban landscapes, such as the growth of major metros and the increasing complexity of urban areas.
Throughout our discussion on the topic, we shared a wealth of statistics and historical context, offering a detailed analysis of the past, present, and future of urban transportation. It emphasizes the importance of efficient urban mobility for economic growth, access to services, and quality of life, while also considering the social dimensions of transport and the need for equal access for all citizens.
This afternoon, we guided students through the process of logging into their Google accounts and downloading the folder containing traffic crash data and the Colab code. We then explored the functionalities of Colab and its capacity to simplify data analysis tasks. We emphasized the importance of establishing a link to Google Drive (mounting), installing necessary packages for data visualization, and importing Python libraries. We also delved into understanding the metadata used for the analysis of traffic crash data and discussed the potential benefits of analyzing such a dataset.
Students are asked to complete an asynchronous assignment/task, where they must read the graphic novel “Moving from Cars to People,” provided to them. They were asked to evaluate its content, express their preferences, and explain what they learned from it. The novel discusses the development of transportation planning in the United States and how the emphasis on cars has influenced urban development, posing challenges for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users.
After reading the graphic novel, students will be able to analyze and discuss the impact of car culture on urban development and transportation planning in the United States. They will be equipped to evaluate the consequences of prioritizing personal vehicles over other modes of transportation, and they will gain an understanding of how transportation planning can be shifted to focus on accommodating all modes of transportation and the needs of the community. Additionally, they will be encouraged to explore the potential disconnect between planned visions for alternative transportation and the current infrastructure and to consider ways to adapt transportation planning to better serve the community’s needs and desires.
They should be able to answer questions such as:
- What are the main goals of transportation planning?
- How can you address the issue of car dependency in urban planning?
- What are the limitations of traditional transportation impact studies?
- What specific data should cities collect to better understand transportation needs beyond just car trips?
Tomorrow’s session will delve deeper into the topic of urban transportation. We will explore the intriguing relationship between land use and transportation, discussing the distinction between transportation and mobility, the significance of urban mobility, and its wide-ranging societal impact. We’ll also touch upon different forms of transportation revenue, as well as the allocation of funds to various transportation modes. Furthermore, we will delve into the complex world of highway trust funds and analyze how funds are apportioned in Tennessee, California, and New York. The session will also include a brief discussion on the future of urban mobility, speculating on future trends in urban transportation, including a potential shift towards less driving, increased use of bicycles, shared mobility solutions, and the emerging prominence of autonomous and electric vehicles.
In the afternoon session, we will be uploading the Metro Nashville Traffic Crash Data and continuing our exploration of the steps in data analysis, focusing on data cleaning and data visualization techniques, including the use of graphs and heatmaps.