This article examines the role that economics can play in analysing problems with urban transportation in the United States. The specific problems addressed are failing infrastructure, financially weak public transit, environmental impacts of motor vehicles, motor-vehicle accidents, and traffic...

An interview with Chicago's current mayor, Richard M. Daley: 'New York is too big this way,' the mayor says, raising a thick hand over his head. Stretching both arms out at his sides, he adds, 'Los Angeles is too big this way. All the other cities are too small. We're just right.' (Bailey and...

We investigate employment subcenters in the Los Angeles region using 1980 Census journey-to-work data. A simple subcenter definition is used, based solely on gross employment density and total employment. We find a surprising dominance of downtown Los Angeles and three large subcenters with...

We measure values of time and reliability from 1998 data on actual behavior of commuters on State Route 91 in Orange County, California, where they choose between a free and a variably tolled route. For each route at each time of day and for each day of the week, the distribution of travel times...

We examine spatial patterns and their changes during the 1970s for the Los Angeles region, by estimating monocentric and polycentric density functions for employment and population. Downtown Los Angeles is clearly identified as the statistical monocentric center of the region, and it is the most...

Air pollution is frequently the stated reason for special measures aimed at controlling motor vehicles. In the United States, motor vehicle emission standards are set explicitly in clean air legislation, while policies at several levels of government are designed to reduce the use of cars for...

Rising demand for parking at suburban transit stations, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District in California, necessitates strategies to manage traveler demand. To better manage parking supply, researchers implemented a smart parking field test at the Rockridge BART station from 2004...