Parking Utilization in Neighborhood Shopping Centers on Transit Routes in San Jose, California

Author(s):  
Adam Smith

This paper examines the minimum parking requirements for shopping centers located near Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail stations in San Jose, California. VTA, the primary transit provider in Santa Clara County, California, has supported reduced parking requirements for proposed transit-oriented developments along its transit lines, but parking reductions have often been opposed by local decision makers, city council members, and the public. Until recently, VTA has been unable to provide locally based research to support the claim that current parking minimums have led to excessive parking. This paper seeks to provide evidence to decision makers that supports the argument that parking requirements can be reduced along light rail transit lines. Two parking utilization surveys found that the utilization of free surface parking was far lower than the capacity during both the holiday shopping season and the off-season for 13 neighborhood shopping centers located near VTA light rail stations. Furthermore, the surveys found that increases in seasonal parking demand did not occur for most of the surveyed shopping centers. The results suggested that the minimum parking requirements for these neighborhood-oriented shopping centers located near VTA light rail stations are too high.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 212
Author(s):  
Hakimeh Mostafavi ◽  
Arash Rashidian ◽  
Mohammad Arab ◽  
Mohammad R. V. Mahdavi ◽  
Kioomars Ashtarian

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Health systems, as part of the social system, consider public values. This study was conducted to examine the role of social values in the health priority setting in the Iranian health system.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> In this qualitative case study, three main data sources were used: literature, national documents, and key informants who were purposefully selected from health care organizations and other related institutions. Data was analyzed and interpreted using the Clark-Weale Framework.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> According to our results, the public indirectly participates in decision-making. The public representatives participate in the meetings of the health priority setting as parliament members, representatives of some unions, members of the city council, and donors. The transparency of the decisions and the accountability of the decision makers are low. Decision makers only respond to complaints of the Audit Court and the Inspection Organization. Individual choice, although respected in hospitals and clinics, is limited in health care networks because of the referral system. Clinical effectiveness is considered in insurance companies and some hospitals. There are no technical abilities to determine the cost-effectiveness of health technologies; however, some international experiences are employed. Equity and solidarity are considered in different levels of the health system.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Social values are considered in the health priority decisions in limited ways. It seems that the lack of an appropriate value-based framework for priority setting and also the lack of public participation are the major defects of the health system. It is recommended that health policymakers invite different groups of people and stakeholders for active involvement in health priority decisions. </p>


Author(s):  
Patrick DeCorla-Souza

Analysis tools in current use in transportation decision-making processes are not well suited for evaluating toll highway alternatives against more traditional free highway alternatives. How existing analysis tools might be used in evaluating toll options was examined. A case study demonstrates that relatively simple analytical procedures may be used to estimate the impact of pricing alternatives and to generate information for use by local decision makers. The case study also demonstrates that pricing alternatives often can accomplish the purpose of a major highway project more efficiently and more effectively than conventional alternatives that exclude pricing, while generating revenue to support bonds for project construction or to fund improved transit and paratransit services. With toll revenue to back bonds, project delays due to constrained funding can be avoided, and the public can be provided with superior mobility earlier and at lower public cost.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Hsueh ◽  
David Czerwinski ◽  
Cristian Poliziani ◽  
Terris Becker ◽  
Alexandre Hughes ◽  
...  

Despite growing interest in low-speed automated shuttles, pilot deployments have only just begun in a few places in the U.S., and there is a lack of studies that estimate the impacts of a widespread deployment of automated shuttles designed to supplement existing transit networks. This project estimated the potential impacts of automated shuttles based on a deployment scenario generated for a sample geographic area: Santa Clara County, California. The project identified sample deployment markets within Santa Clara County using a GIS screening exercise; tested the mode share changes of an automated shuttle deployment scenario using BEAM, an open-source beta software developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to run traffic simulations with MATSim; elaborated the model outputs within the R environment; and then estimated the related impacts. The main findings have been that the BEAM software, despite still being in its beta version, was able to model a scenario with the automated shuttle service: this report illustrates the potential of the software and the lessons learned. Regarding transportation aspects, the model estimated automated shuttle use throughout the county, with a higher rate of use in the downtown San José area. The shuttles would be preferred mainly by people who had been using gasoline-powered ride hail vehicles for A-to-B trips or going to the bus stop, as well as walking trips and a few car trips directed to public transport stops. As a result, the shuttles contributed to a small decrease in emissions of air pollutants, provided a competitive solution for short trips, and increased the overall use of the public transport system. The shuttles also presented a solution for short night trips—mainly between midnight and 2 am—when there are not many options for moving between points A and B. The conclusion is that the automated shuttle service is a good solution in certain contexts and can increase public transit ridership overall.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Idrees Ahmad

The Road to Iraq is an empirical investigation that explains the causes of the Iraq War, identifies its main agents, and demonstrates how the war was sold to decision makers and by decision makers to the public. It shows how a small but ideologically coherent and socially cohesive group of determined political agents used the contingency of 9/11 to outflank a sceptical foreign policy establishment, military brass and intelligence apparatus and provoked a war that has had disastrous consequences.


Universe ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Cristina Lazzeroni ◽  
Sandra Malvezzi ◽  
Andrea Quadri

The rapid changes in science and technology witnessed in recent decades have significantly contributed to the arousal of the awareness by decision-makers and the public as a whole of the need to strengthen the connection between outreach activities of universities and research institutes and the activities of educational institutions, with a central role played by schools. While the relevance of the problem is nowadays unquestioned, no unique and fully satisfactory solution has been identified. In the present paper we would like to contribute to the discussion on the subject by reporting on an ongoing project aimed to teach Particle Physics in primary schools. We will start from the past and currently planned activities in this project in order to establish a broader framework to describe the conditions for the fruitful interplay between researchers and teachers. We will also emphasize some aspects related to the dissemination of outreach materials by research institutions, in order to promote the access and distribution of scientific information in a way suited to the different age of the target students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Bartelink ◽  
D Yacaman Mendez ◽  
A Lager

Abstract Issue Public health problems and interventions are often addressed in sub-optimal ways by not prioritizing them based on the best available evidence. Description of the Problem The public health report 2019 for the Stockholm region aims to inform decision makers, politicians, and public health workers about the risk factors and diseases that account for the biggest part of the burden of disease with a clear focus on high quality evidence and communication of main messages. How did the public health report 2019 affect public health policy in the Stockholm region? Results The public health report 2019 influenced agenda setting, resource allocation and priority setting in the Stockholm region. Lessons We identified the following facilitating factors in the process, of which most also are supported in scientific literature, in chronological order: 1) understanding the policymaking context to be aware of windows of opportunity, 2) establishing relationships with relevant policymakers, engage with them routinely in the decision-making process, and being accessible for questions, 3) doing high-quality research by considering the latest scientific literature, multiple data sources and involving academic experts in the field, 4) communicating clear and relevant messages for generalists by translating research into easy-understandable texts and attractive figures, and 5) active dissemination of the report through multiple channels. In addition, the following barriers were identified: 1) the timeframe of the policymaking process was not in line with the research process, and 2) involving politicians in an early stage can potentially harm the objectivity of research in media messages. Key messages By focussing on major problems, high quality evidence and clear messages a public health report can contribute to more evidence-informed policy making. Engaging decision makers in the process of public health reporting is critical for the impact on agenda setting, resource allocation, and priority setting.


Challenges ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
George Xydis ◽  
Luca Pagliaricci ◽  
Živilė Paužaitė ◽  
Vygintas Grinis ◽  
Gyula Sallai ◽  
...  

In an aim to contribute to already existing knowledge upon the subject of smart cities and the public sector’s wider knowledge in Europe, this study investigates the perception by the municipalities and the wider public sector, responsible for implementing smart solutions in the environment. The understanding of the concept of smart cities/villages by municipalities is on a low level due to the fact that the problem is too wide, not well described, solutions even wider, accompanied by the lack of experts able to offer comprehensive solutions to municipalities. The study presents factors according to the current municipalities’ knowledge (environmental awareness, knowledge and prior experience) and the existing market, of whether these factors can be said that affect the acceptance of smart cities. The public is already aware of the smart cities as a general concept, however, the study sheds light upon the established knowledge that the decision makers have in five countries, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Lithuania, and Denmark.


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