Congestion Relief: The Land Use Alternative

Abstract

Fundamental changes in traffic patterns in recent years suggest that a different arsenal will be needed in battling America's future congestion problems. This paper argues that in the absence of congestion pricing, coordinated land use planning can provide the most lasting mobility dividends over the long run. Land use planning needs to be resurrected as a bonafide approach to managing traffic. Shifts in the location of workplaces from downtowns served by transit to suburban settings where individuals are compelled to use their own cars are at the heart of today's congestion dilemma. Four land use initiatives are proposed that could make the suburban workplace of tomorrow more consonant with high levels of mobility: densification, mixed-use development, jobs-housing balance, and pedestrian-friendly site designs. Many of the institutional roadblocks to implementing such programs are discussed, including the difficulty of forging any regional consensus on land use matters and the institutional separation of land use and transportation planning functions among states and localities.