Todd Litman

Although user fees once funded most highway expenses, local roadway spending, which represent about 27% of total road costs, are primarily funded by general taxes, and during the last six decades total inflation-adjusted roadway spending increased much more than user revenues so, user fees now finance less than half of total road spending. (https://vtpi.org/rcrt.pdf)

Per vehicle roadway expenditures and user revenues declined, while annual subsidies increased from less than $400 in the 1970s to more than $500 now. (www.vtpi.org/rcrt.pdf)

Between 1960 and 2023 roadway spending per vehicle-mile declined 43% and user revenues 63%. (www.vtpi.org/rcrt.pdf)

"Road Cost Recovery Trends" (vtpi.org/rcrt.pdf)
This short study calculates the portion of US roadway expenditures paid by fuel taxes and tolls. Most local road costs and a growing portion highway costs are funded by general taxes; user fees now cover less than half of road spending.

This evening I'll be speaking at the Planning Institute of British Columbia's Networking Night on a panel, "A Healthy Built Environment Framework." I will describe ways that communities can make transportation systems healthier, safer and happier.

Join us if you are in Victoria.

Breaking: Trump Admin Seeks To Decimate Federal Transit Funding — Streetsblog USA "When you're talking about taking away money from transit, your proposal is flawed from the get-go," said one expert.

Breaking: Trump Admin Seeks To Decimate Federal Transit Funding - usa.streetsblog.org/2025/11/18/b...

It cites my column, "Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation" (lnkd.in/gjdKaCs2).

What do you think? How can be better communicate the importance of multimodal planning?

Todd Litman on Smarter, Better and Fairer Transport Todd Litman explains why car dependence reduces productivity and how Caboolture can thrive when made walkable and transport is multimodal.

Transport expert Todd Litman joined the Streets and People podcast to explore how rethinking mobility can make our communities healthier, fairer, and more productive. He explained how cities that invest in walking, cycling, and public transport tend to perform better economically and socially.

The Road to Affordability: A Streets and Transportation Agenda for the Next Mayor of NYC — Transportation Alternatives

The activist organization Transportation Alternatives offers detailed recommendations for more efficient and affordable transportation to New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

transalt.org/road-to-affo...

COP30 Engagement - SLOCAT

The UN Climate Change Conference (slocat.net/cop30) starts today in Brazil. In preparation Sustainable Mobility for All produced the "Transport, Climate and Sustainability Global Status Report" (gsr4.slocat.net). I co-wrote the North American Overview and several of my studies are cited in it.

usa.streetsblog.org/2025/09/30/m...

This article, which emphasizes the relative safety (low crash rates) and security (low crime rates)of public transit compared to driving, is based on my research (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf). What do you think.Can we overcome unjustified fears of transit travel?

This celebration of Donald Shoup's work is just about to start at UCLA. I'm sorry to miss it! I updated my reports:
"Parking Management: Comprehensive Implementation Guide (lnkd.in/gixZBybx) and "Pavement Busters Guide (www.vtpi.org/pavbust.pdf).

www.eventbrite.com/e/a-celebrat...

#transportpolicy #activetransport #publictransport #conservativevalues #governmentspending #healthsavings #sustainability #urbanplanning #infrastructure #politicalstrategy #healthandwellness… | Get Ar... 🚗 Russell King on Conservative Values & Transport In the latest Streets and People podcast, transport policy expert Russell King discusses how conservatives can support public and active transport. H...

This podcast discusses why conservatives should support active and public transport. It cites my report, "Responsive Planning in Ideologically Conservative Communities" (vtpi.org/ppcc.pdf) summarized in "Good Planning under Bad Leadership" (lnkd.in/gGgBcDsj).

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Week Without Driving Sep 29th – Oct 5th, 2025 - An experience created for everyone to learn firsthand about barriers and challenges for nondrivers. Join, support, or become a host.

Week Without Driving (weekwithoutdriving.org)

Monday, September 29 – Sunday, October 5, 2025
The Week Without Driving helps motorists learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges that nondrivers face, and help identify ways to create transportation systems that serve everybody.

Breaking News, Latest News and Videos | CNN View the latest news and breaking news today for U.S., world, weather, entertainment, politics and health at CNN.com.

I was interviewed for this article about transit security. I emphasize that transit travel is overall very safe and it becomes safer the more non-criminals use it.

"Why It’s So Hard to Keep America’s Public Transit Riders Safe," (www.cnn.com/2025/09/14/us/public-transit-safety-charlotte-stabbing)

Republicans Want to Scare You off Mass Transit. Cars Are Scarier. A fatal stabbing on Charlotte Light Rail set off a panic about the risks of public transportation. There’s just one thing: It’s worlds safer than cars.

This cites my research on public transit's relative safety and security. See "Safer Than You Think: Revising the Transit Safety Narrative" (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf).

Republicans Want to Scare You off Mass Transit. Cars Are Scarier. newrepublic.com/article/2003... via @newrepublic.com

Here is a terrific program I support that helps youths become comfortable using public transit. My research highlights the many benefits, including safety described in "Safer than You Think: The New Transit Safety Narrative" (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf).

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Comment: It’s time for smarter solutions to parking problems Our parking needs are changing. Driving has peaked and continues to decline in cities that invest in non-auto modes.

“It’s Time for Smarter Solutions to Parking Problems” (www.timescolonist.com/opinion/comment-its-time-for-smarter-solutions-to-parking-problems-11172578). My research supports more efficient parking management (www.planetizen.com/blogs/135767...). Affordability, convenience and less pavement!

US Vehicles Per Capita Trends (https://www.vtpi.org/future.pdf)

US Vehicles Per Household Trends (www.vtpi.org/future.pdf)

"Parking: The Dark Matter of the Urban Universe" (www.planetizen.com/blogs/135767...) generated debate on the ITE website.
Critics assume that vehicle ownership is growing, but it peaked and is declining. See "They Future Isn't What it Used to Be" (www.vtpi.org/future.pdf)

Less parking is needed!

A Reality Check on Crime, Safety, and Transit While Duffy and Nadler battle it out in a shouting match, the data is clear: transit is safe.

"A Reality Check on Crime, Safety and Transit" (www.planetizen.com/blogs/135871...)
It's time to correct misinformation about the dangers of transit and urban living. As transit travel increases crash casualties and crime tend to decline due to less driving and more non-criminal pedestrians.

People believe parking problems mean we need more spaces. The real issue is that we are terrible at managing parking. "Free" parking costs us millions of dollars every year. We just don&#3... People believe parking problems mean we need more spaces. The real issue is that we are terrible at managing parking. "Free" parking costs us millions of dollars every year. We just don't see the bi...

Here is Russell King's newsletter that cites my column "Parking: The Dark Matter of the Urban Universe" (lnkd.in/dhmgBrkB) and report "Parking Management" (lnkd.in/gixZBybx).

It's time to rethink parking mandates!

www.linkedin.com/posts/russel...

My concern is not responsibility or judgment, it is about impacts on passengers and transit travel. For example, the question is not whether panhandlers and drug users are good or bad, it is whether they are disruptive and therefore discourage some travellers from choosing transit.

On the contrary, I think that many people want objective and credible information, in this case, to be reassured that transit travel and city living are rational. You can ridicule anti-urban rhetoric as biased propaganda that only fools believe. See "Smart Growth Savings" (www.vtpi.org/sg_save.pdf)

What sour points?

The question is the degree that transit agencies should enforce intrusive behaviors, such as smoking, drug/alcohol use, panhandling and noise, in transit vehicles and stations. Progressives (particularly those who don't depend on transit) tend to defend rights rather than responsibilities.

Yes, high quality public transit and living in a transit-oriented community provides many economic, social and environmental benefits. See my report, "Selling Smart Growth" (www.vtpi.org/ssg.pdf).

We Need a Reality Check on Crime, Safety and Transit Despite common assumptions, traveling by bus, subway or train is far safer than driving. How can transit agencies correct misinformation about the real risks?

My latest Bloomberg CityLab column.

“We Need a Reality Check on Crime, Safety and Transit” (www.bloomberg.com/news/article... ). Despite common assumptions, traveling by bus, subway or train is far safer than driving. How can transit agencies correct misinformation about the real risks?

Parking: The Dark Matter of the Urban Universe Parking regulations affect our lives and communities in many, often mysterious ways. These impacts are often overlooked, resulting in bad policies. It's time to apply urban planning magic.

"Parking: The Dark Matter of the Urban Universe" (www.planetizen.com/blogs/135767...)
Parking regulations affect our lives and communities in many, often mysterious ways. It's time to apply urban planning magic: fewer driveways and better managed public parking.

Violent crime rates declined significantly during the last three decades, particularly in large cities, which has nearly eliminated what was previously a large disparity in crime rates between cities, suburbs and rural areas. Similar declines occurred with property crimes. Most people are unaware of these trends, resulting in excessive fear of city crime risk. (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf)

Although violent crime rates declined from 80 per 1,000 residents in 1992 down to 20 in 2014, crime perception increased between 2000 and 2014. (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf)

New York City has a very low crime rate, slightly above the national average but much lower than most other large- and medium-size cities (www.city-data.com/city/New-York-New-York.html).

US cities are safe! Urban crime rates plummeted during the last thirty years, especially in large cities, illustrated below. New York is particularly successful. Unfortunately, most people don't know this; their perceptions are outdated. See "A New Transit Safety Paradigm" (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf).

YouTube video by Transformative transport planning research group Mednarodni pregled prakse upravljanja parkiranja / An International Overview of Parking Management

Mednarodni pregled prakse upravljanja parkiranja (International Overview of Parking Management)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha02...
I helped give an overview of parking problems and better solutions for the Slovenian National Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning.

What do you think?

Parking Mandates Map - Parking Reform Network A map of cities which have reduced or eliminated costly car parking mandates (parking requirements).

This Parking Reform Network map shows jurisdictions that reduce or eliminate parking mandates. It now includes Denver, Vancouver and Washington State. These reforms increase affordability, fairness, transportation efficiency and community livability.

parkingreform.org/resources/ma...

This graph shows commute mode shares for Canadian urban regions. More than half of trips are by non-auto modes in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. (https://tram.mcgill.ca/Research/Surveys/Access/AccessCanada.html)

Non-drivers are more likely to report that commuting enhances their quality of life. (https://tram.mcgill.ca/Research/Surveys/Access/AccessCanada.html)

"Mobility Across Canada" (tram.mcgill.ca/Research/Sur...). New study finds that over half of Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria commuters use non-auto modes, much more than census indicates. Non-drivers report more quality of life. More justification for non-auto investments.

Join us for the next virtual episode of Conversations in Transportation, hosted by NCSITE, this Thursday, August 7 at 12:00 PM EST! | Christa Greene Join us for the next virtual episode of Conversations in Transportation, hosted by NCSITE, this Thursday, August 7 at 12:00 PM EST! This session will feature an engaging conversation with Todd Litman...

Join me for an interesting discussion concerning walking and bicycling benefits, transit safety and parking reform in Conversations in Transportation, this Thursday, August 7 at 9:00 am Pacific Time, noon EST! Free.
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Karner, Rowangould and Barajas' article has good suggestions for replacing TRB. Unfortunately, ITE has shown little leadership and my efforts to discuss this have been opposed by pro-Trump members and fearful executives.