4.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Urban transport is often considered an indicator of the heath of a city. If it functions well, people and goods move about easily with positive implications for the local economy, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are held in check, transportation systems are safe, and the poor have ready access to mobility. On the other hand, if it functions poorly, the transportation system is in gridlock with the poor often having very limited access, the local economy is held in check by the congestion, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are rampant, and safety concerns abound. This class will address the key components of what is needed in a well-functioning urban transportation system; these include: public transportation, increased vehicle fuel efficiency and pollution control, good land-use management, non-motorized transportation options, discouragement of the use of private vehicles, and management of freight movement. As part of this process, students will write a mid-term paper on the characteristics of a city of their choice that incorporates many of these components. Based upon those papers, student groups will then be assembled and the groups will prepare and present a proposal at the end of the class for recommended changes for a city of their choice that presently does not have a well-functioning urban transportation system. <a href="http://bit.ly/2hWGjb4" target="_blank">Click here to see a video introduction for the course.</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/1bebp5s" target="_blank">Click here to see evaluations, syllabi, and faculty bios</a>