Arefeh Nasri - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Arefeh Nasri

Research paper thumbnail of Towards a health-conscious transportation planning: A framework for estimating health impacts of active transportation at local level

Journal of Transport & Health

Research paper thumbnail of Toward sustainable travel: An analysis of campus bikeshare use

Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Research paper thumbnail of A multi-dimensional multi-level approach to measuring the spatial structure of U.S. metropolitan areas

Journal of Transport and Land Use

For many years, attempts to measure the urban structure and physical form of metropolitan areas h... more For many years, attempts to measure the urban structure and physical form of metropolitan areas have been focused on a limited set of attributes, mostly density and density gradients. However, the complex nature of the urban form requires the consideration of many other dimensions to provide a comprehensive measure that includes all aspects of the urban structure and growth pattern at different hierarchical levels. In this paper, a multi-dimensional method of measuring urban form and development patterns in urban areas of the United States is presented. The methodology presented here develops several variables and indices that contribute to the characterization and quantification of the overall physical form of urban areas at various hierarchical levels. Cluster analysis is performed to group metropolitan areas based on their urban form and land-use pattern. This allows for a better utilization of land-use transportation planning and policy analyses used by planners and researchers....

Research paper thumbnail of How Urban Form Characteristics at Both Trip Ends Influence Mode Choice: Evidence from TOD vs. Non-TOD Zones of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

Sustainability

Understanding travel behavior and its relationship with built environment is crucial for sustaina... more Understanding travel behavior and its relationship with built environment is crucial for sustainable transportation and land-use policy-making. This study provides additional insights into the linkage between the built environment and travel mode choice by looking at the built environment characteristics at both the trip origin and destination in the context of transit-oriented development (TOD). The objective of this research is to provide a better understanding of how travel mode choice is influenced by the built environment surrounding both trip end locations. Specifically, it investigates the effect of transit-oriented development policy and the way it affects people’s mode choice decisions. This is accomplished by developing discrete choice models and consideration of urban form characteristics at both trip ends. Our findings not only confirmed the important role the built environment plays in influencing mode choice, but also highlighted the influence of policies, such as TOD,...

Research paper thumbnail of Advanced Vehicle Miles Traveled Estimation Methods for Non-Federal Aid System Roadways Using GPS Vehicle Trajectory Data and Statistical Power Analysis

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

It is of interest to federal and state agencies to develop an advanced uniform method for estimat... more It is of interest to federal and state agencies to develop an advanced uniform method for estimation of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on local roads which can be used as a guideline for agencies nationwide. The purpose of this study is to propose advanced innovative approaches for estimating VMT on local roads and analyze the feasibility of applying these methods. The paper presents a methodology and procedure for estimating local road VMT using GPS vehicle trajectory data and an all-street road network and expands these methodologies and results to determine the minimum required GPS sample size. The Federal Highway Administration and other transportation agencies may consider using these methodologies as a future guide to update VMT estimates with minimal additional cost requirements. The key finding of the research is that it is feasible to use new GPS vehicle trajectory data to estimate VMT on non-Federal Aid System roadways. The sample size of this data allows the application of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Multi-level urban form and commuting mode share in rail station areas across the United States; a seemingly unrelated regression approach

Research paper thumbnail of Using propensity score matching technique to address self-selection in transit-oriented development (TOD) areas

Research paper thumbnail of How transit service closures influence bikesharing demand; lessons learned from SafeTrack project in Washington, D.C. metropolitan area

Journal of Transport Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Hidden Markov Approach to Dynamically Modeling Car Ownership Behavior

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of Washington, DC taxi demand using GPS and land-use data

Journal of Transport Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a Framework for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

Research paper thumbnail of Comparative Analysis of the Effect of Transit-Oriented Development on Trip Generation, Distribution, and Mode Share in the Washington, DC and Baltimore Metropolitan Areas

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the Impact of Metropolitan-Level, County-Level, and Local-Level Built Environment on Travel Behavior: Evidence from 19 U.S. Urban Areas

Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 2014

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Prize-Collecting Steiner Networks via Iterative Rounding

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Metropolitan-Level Built Environment on Travel Behavior

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2012

There has been a growing recognition about the significant impact of land use pattern on travel b... more There has been a growing recognition about the significant impact of land use pattern on travel behavior and changes in built environment pattern could potentially be considered as a long-term solution to change people's travel behavior and especially vehicle miles traveled (VMT). However, the existing literature has been mainly focused on local and neighborhood characteristics of the built environment and little is known about the unique or relative influence of the metropolitan-level built environment. In this empirical analysis we use an extensive database for six major metropolitan areas in the U.S to employ multilevel mixed effect model highlighting the impact of built environment characteristics on travel behavior at different scales. Our findings show that changes in built environment measures not only at local and neighborhood levels but also at larger metropolitan/ regional levels could be very influential in changing people's travel behavior. Specifically, promoting compact, mixed-use built environment with well-connected street network can help to reduce VMT and thus provide better solutions to transportation-related issues.

Research paper thumbnail of The analysis of transit-oriented development (TOD) in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas

Transport Policy, 2014

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is mainly focused on providing transit service along with high... more Transit-oriented development (TOD) is mainly focused on providing transit service along with high density and mixed-use development to encourage transit ridership. The Maryland Department of Transportation defines TOD as "a place of relatively higher density that includes a mixture of residential, employment, shopping and civic uses and types located within an easy walk of a bus or rail transit center"(Transit-Oriented Development Task Force, Maryland Department of Transportation, 2000). TOD is a fast-growing development strategy and is becoming more popular among city planners, land developers, and government officials for its potential to increase transit ridership and reduce VMT by shortening trips. However, there has not been enough research done on how successful TODs are in providing sustainable transportation modes, which will eventually result in less energy consumption, environmental pollution, and traffic congestion in urban areas. The present study tries to understand how travel behavior is different for TOD residents in the two metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. This is done specifically by examining the changes in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in order to analyze the effectiveness of TODs on encouraging driving less and switching to transit, walking, biking, and other sustainable modes of transportation. The question of "can transit-oriented development (TOD) reduce vehicle miles of travel?" has been asked frequently, since TODswerefirst proposed and implemented in urban areas. This paper tries to find a viable answer to this question by analyzing the VMT of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore residents. Our results indicate that people living in TOD areas tend to drive less, reducing theirVMT by around 38% in Washington, D.C. and 21% in Baltimore, compared to the residents of the non-TOD areas even with similar land use patterns.

Research paper thumbnail of How built environment affects travel behavior: A comparative analysis of the connections between land use and vehicle miles traveled in US cities

Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2012

Mixed findings have been reported in previous research regarding the impact of built environment ... more Mixed findings have been reported in previous research regarding the impact of built environment on travel behavior-i.e., statistically and practically significant effects found in a number of empirical studies and insignificant correlations shown in many other studies. It is not clear why the estimated impact is stronger or weaker in certain urban areas and how effective a proposed land use change/policy will be in changing certain travel behavior. This knowledge gap has made it difficult for decision makers to evaluate land use plans and policies according to their impact on vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and consequently, their impact on congestion mitigation, energy conservation, and pollution and greenhouse gas emission reduction. This research has several objectives: (1) reexamine the effects of built-environment factors on travel behavior, in particular, VMT in five US metropolitan areas grouped into four case study areas; (2) develop consistent models in all case study areas with the same model specification and datasets to enable direct comparisons; (3) identify factors such as existing land use characteristics and land use policy decision-making processes that may explain the different impacts of built environment on VMT in different urban areas; and (4) provide a prototype tool for government agencies and decision makers to estimate the impact of proposed land use changes on VMT. The four case study areas include

Research paper thumbnail of State Highway Administration Research Report

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts an... more The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Maryland State Highway Administration. This document is ...

Research paper thumbnail of Simulation-Based Approach for Analyzing the Regional and Local Impact of Transit-Oriented Development on Congestion and Emissions

The effects of transit-oriented development (TOD) on congestion reduction and its environmental b... more The effects of transit-oriented development (TOD) on congestion reduction and its environmental benefits have not been extensively tested in the current literature. This paper proposes a mathematically rigorous definition for TOD and develops advanced tools to investigate the various benefits of TOD. A large-scale microscopic traffic simulation model and the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) MOVES (Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator) model have been employed to evaluate TOD performance in the transportation system and investigate its environmental benefits. Results suggest that TOD reduces total delay in the whole simulated network by 4 percent and by 35 percent for the trips originating from TOD zones. By converting the amount of travel time and fuel consumption savings into equivalent monetary values, the TOD scenario provides a total of 20,586,800fromtraveltimesavings(20,586,800 from travel time savings (20,586,800fromtraveltimesavings(20 value of time) and $604,074 savings in fuel consumption annually for the PM peak period. However, t...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Transit-Oriented Development on Trip Generation, Distribution, and Mode Share in Washington, D. C., and Baltimore, Maryland

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Towards a health-conscious transportation planning: A framework for estimating health impacts of active transportation at local level

Journal of Transport & Health

Research paper thumbnail of Toward sustainable travel: An analysis of campus bikeshare use

Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Research paper thumbnail of A multi-dimensional multi-level approach to measuring the spatial structure of U.S. metropolitan areas

Journal of Transport and Land Use

For many years, attempts to measure the urban structure and physical form of metropolitan areas h... more For many years, attempts to measure the urban structure and physical form of metropolitan areas have been focused on a limited set of attributes, mostly density and density gradients. However, the complex nature of the urban form requires the consideration of many other dimensions to provide a comprehensive measure that includes all aspects of the urban structure and growth pattern at different hierarchical levels. In this paper, a multi-dimensional method of measuring urban form and development patterns in urban areas of the United States is presented. The methodology presented here develops several variables and indices that contribute to the characterization and quantification of the overall physical form of urban areas at various hierarchical levels. Cluster analysis is performed to group metropolitan areas based on their urban form and land-use pattern. This allows for a better utilization of land-use transportation planning and policy analyses used by planners and researchers....

Research paper thumbnail of How Urban Form Characteristics at Both Trip Ends Influence Mode Choice: Evidence from TOD vs. Non-TOD Zones of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

Sustainability

Understanding travel behavior and its relationship with built environment is crucial for sustaina... more Understanding travel behavior and its relationship with built environment is crucial for sustainable transportation and land-use policy-making. This study provides additional insights into the linkage between the built environment and travel mode choice by looking at the built environment characteristics at both the trip origin and destination in the context of transit-oriented development (TOD). The objective of this research is to provide a better understanding of how travel mode choice is influenced by the built environment surrounding both trip end locations. Specifically, it investigates the effect of transit-oriented development policy and the way it affects people’s mode choice decisions. This is accomplished by developing discrete choice models and consideration of urban form characteristics at both trip ends. Our findings not only confirmed the important role the built environment plays in influencing mode choice, but also highlighted the influence of policies, such as TOD,...

Research paper thumbnail of Advanced Vehicle Miles Traveled Estimation Methods for Non-Federal Aid System Roadways Using GPS Vehicle Trajectory Data and Statistical Power Analysis

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

It is of interest to federal and state agencies to develop an advanced uniform method for estimat... more It is of interest to federal and state agencies to develop an advanced uniform method for estimation of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on local roads which can be used as a guideline for agencies nationwide. The purpose of this study is to propose advanced innovative approaches for estimating VMT on local roads and analyze the feasibility of applying these methods. The paper presents a methodology and procedure for estimating local road VMT using GPS vehicle trajectory data and an all-street road network and expands these methodologies and results to determine the minimum required GPS sample size. The Federal Highway Administration and other transportation agencies may consider using these methodologies as a future guide to update VMT estimates with minimal additional cost requirements. The key finding of the research is that it is feasible to use new GPS vehicle trajectory data to estimate VMT on non-Federal Aid System roadways. The sample size of this data allows the application of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Multi-level urban form and commuting mode share in rail station areas across the United States; a seemingly unrelated regression approach

Research paper thumbnail of Using propensity score matching technique to address self-selection in transit-oriented development (TOD) areas

Research paper thumbnail of How transit service closures influence bikesharing demand; lessons learned from SafeTrack project in Washington, D.C. metropolitan area

Journal of Transport Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Hidden Markov Approach to Dynamically Modeling Car Ownership Behavior

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of Washington, DC taxi demand using GPS and land-use data

Journal of Transport Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Development of a Framework for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

Research paper thumbnail of Comparative Analysis of the Effect of Transit-Oriented Development on Trip Generation, Distribution, and Mode Share in the Washington, DC and Baltimore Metropolitan Areas

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the Impact of Metropolitan-Level, County-Level, and Local-Level Built Environment on Travel Behavior: Evidence from 19 U.S. Urban Areas

Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 2014

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Prize-Collecting Steiner Networks via Iterative Rounding

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Metropolitan-Level Built Environment on Travel Behavior

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2012

There has been a growing recognition about the significant impact of land use pattern on travel b... more There has been a growing recognition about the significant impact of land use pattern on travel behavior and changes in built environment pattern could potentially be considered as a long-term solution to change people's travel behavior and especially vehicle miles traveled (VMT). However, the existing literature has been mainly focused on local and neighborhood characteristics of the built environment and little is known about the unique or relative influence of the metropolitan-level built environment. In this empirical analysis we use an extensive database for six major metropolitan areas in the U.S to employ multilevel mixed effect model highlighting the impact of built environment characteristics on travel behavior at different scales. Our findings show that changes in built environment measures not only at local and neighborhood levels but also at larger metropolitan/ regional levels could be very influential in changing people's travel behavior. Specifically, promoting compact, mixed-use built environment with well-connected street network can help to reduce VMT and thus provide better solutions to transportation-related issues.

Research paper thumbnail of The analysis of transit-oriented development (TOD) in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas

Transport Policy, 2014

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is mainly focused on providing transit service along with high... more Transit-oriented development (TOD) is mainly focused on providing transit service along with high density and mixed-use development to encourage transit ridership. The Maryland Department of Transportation defines TOD as "a place of relatively higher density that includes a mixture of residential, employment, shopping and civic uses and types located within an easy walk of a bus or rail transit center"(Transit-Oriented Development Task Force, Maryland Department of Transportation, 2000). TOD is a fast-growing development strategy and is becoming more popular among city planners, land developers, and government officials for its potential to increase transit ridership and reduce VMT by shortening trips. However, there has not been enough research done on how successful TODs are in providing sustainable transportation modes, which will eventually result in less energy consumption, environmental pollution, and traffic congestion in urban areas. The present study tries to understand how travel behavior is different for TOD residents in the two metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. This is done specifically by examining the changes in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in order to analyze the effectiveness of TODs on encouraging driving less and switching to transit, walking, biking, and other sustainable modes of transportation. The question of "can transit-oriented development (TOD) reduce vehicle miles of travel?" has been asked frequently, since TODswerefirst proposed and implemented in urban areas. This paper tries to find a viable answer to this question by analyzing the VMT of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore residents. Our results indicate that people living in TOD areas tend to drive less, reducing theirVMT by around 38% in Washington, D.C. and 21% in Baltimore, compared to the residents of the non-TOD areas even with similar land use patterns.

Research paper thumbnail of How built environment affects travel behavior: A comparative analysis of the connections between land use and vehicle miles traveled in US cities

Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2012

Mixed findings have been reported in previous research regarding the impact of built environment ... more Mixed findings have been reported in previous research regarding the impact of built environment on travel behavior-i.e., statistically and practically significant effects found in a number of empirical studies and insignificant correlations shown in many other studies. It is not clear why the estimated impact is stronger or weaker in certain urban areas and how effective a proposed land use change/policy will be in changing certain travel behavior. This knowledge gap has made it difficult for decision makers to evaluate land use plans and policies according to their impact on vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and consequently, their impact on congestion mitigation, energy conservation, and pollution and greenhouse gas emission reduction. This research has several objectives: (1) reexamine the effects of built-environment factors on travel behavior, in particular, VMT in five US metropolitan areas grouped into four case study areas; (2) develop consistent models in all case study areas with the same model specification and datasets to enable direct comparisons; (3) identify factors such as existing land use characteristics and land use policy decision-making processes that may explain the different impacts of built environment on VMT in different urban areas; and (4) provide a prototype tool for government agencies and decision makers to estimate the impact of proposed land use changes on VMT. The four case study areas include

Research paper thumbnail of State Highway Administration Research Report

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts an... more The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Maryland State Highway Administration. This document is ...

Research paper thumbnail of Simulation-Based Approach for Analyzing the Regional and Local Impact of Transit-Oriented Development on Congestion and Emissions

The effects of transit-oriented development (TOD) on congestion reduction and its environmental b... more The effects of transit-oriented development (TOD) on congestion reduction and its environmental benefits have not been extensively tested in the current literature. This paper proposes a mathematically rigorous definition for TOD and develops advanced tools to investigate the various benefits of TOD. A large-scale microscopic traffic simulation model and the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) MOVES (Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator) model have been employed to evaluate TOD performance in the transportation system and investigate its environmental benefits. Results suggest that TOD reduces total delay in the whole simulated network by 4 percent and by 35 percent for the trips originating from TOD zones. By converting the amount of travel time and fuel consumption savings into equivalent monetary values, the TOD scenario provides a total of 20,586,800fromtraveltimesavings(20,586,800 from travel time savings (20,586,800fromtraveltimesavings(20 value of time) and $604,074 savings in fuel consumption annually for the PM peak period. However, t...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Transit-Oriented Development on Trip Generation, Distribution, and Mode Share in Washington, D. C., and Baltimore, Maryland

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2014