In the standard economic models of traffic congestion, traffic flow does not fall under heavily congested conditions. But this is counter to experience, especially in thedowntown areas of most major cities during rush hour. This paper presents a bathtub model of traffic congestion. The height of...

This paper investigates the economics of curbside parking time limits. It argues that curbside parking time limits provide a way to subsidize short-term parking without generating cruising for parking. The paper develops the argument in the context of the integrated model of downtown parking and...

This paper investigates first-best downtown transportation systems in the medium run for a broad range of demand densities. A downtown transportation system is assumed to include a subway system that operates on its own network and a congestible street system that accommodates both buses and...

In the urban planning literature, it is frequently explicitly asserted or strongly implied that ongoing urban sprawl and decentralization can lead to development patterns that are unsustainable in the long run. One manifestation of such an outcome is that if extensive road investments occur,...

Using a nested multinomial logit model of car ownership and personal travel in Beijing circa 2005, this paper compares the effectiveness of different policy instruments to reduce traffic congestion and CO2 emissions. The study shows that a congestion toll is more efficient than a fuel tax in...

This study examines impacts on net social benefits or economic welfare of alternative policy instruments for reducing traffic congestion and atmospheric emissions in São Paulo, Brazil. The study shows that expanding road networks, subsidizing public transit, and improving automobile fuel...

Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, faces huge traffic congestion, the cost of which is estimated to be more than 2 percent of the city's gross regional product. Effective policies are needed, based on weighing their overall economic cost and benefit to society. This study developed an...

A Companion to Urban Economics provides a state-of-the-art overview of this field, communicating its intellectual richness through a diverse portfolio of authors and topics. Unique in both its rigor and international treatment. An ideal supplementary textbook in upper-level undergraduate urban...