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GIS Mapping and Analysis of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in California
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., contributing approximately 28% of the nation’s total emissions. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a critical metric used to measure road usage and assess its environmental, economic, and societal impacts. In California, despite legislative efforts such as the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) and Senate Bill 375 aimed at reducing VMT and emissions, annual VMT remains significantly high. Understanding the geographic variations in VMT and its interaction with socioeconomic factors is crucial for effective policy-making and resource allocation. The study seeks to:
- Identify spatial patterns of annual average daily and per capita VMT across county and city levels in California.
- Examine the relationship between VMT, socioeconomic factors, and environmental conditions.
Methods
- GIS Database Development: A GIS database will be created using data from various sources, including Caltrans, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The database will visualize VMT trends and their connections to socioeconomic and environmental factors.
- Spatial Analysis: Using techniques such as K-Means clustering, the project will analyze how travel behavior (commuting and recreation-generated VMT) varies across regions and interacts with population density, land use, income levels, and other factors.
Key Research Questions
- What are the geographic patterns of annual average daily and per capita VMT in California at different geographical scales?
- How do socioeconomic, environmental, and policy factors influence VMT patterns across the state?
Principal Investigator:
Yong Lao, Bo Yang
PI Contact Information:
Dates:
January 2025 to December 2025
Implementation of Research Outcomes:
The project integrates GIS mapping with advanced spatial statistical methods to provide a comprehensive analysis of VMT dynamics, linking transportation patterns with broader environmental and socioeconomic trends. Here are the key outputs of the project:
- GIS Database: A primary output of this project will be a GIS database for annual average daily VMT, per capita VMT, and relevant socioeconomic factors. This database will use data from Caltrans, the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, EPA, and Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
- Mapping and Visualization: The project will generate a series of maps visualizing VMT patterns and their relationships to social, economic, and environmental factors across California. These maps will cover metropolitan areas, counties, and selected cities.
- Spatial Analysis Methods: The project will use multivariate cluster analysis, employing the K-Means algorithm, to group similar regions based on shared characteristics related to travel behavior and socioeconomic factors. This analysis will provide insights into how commuting and recreation-generated VMT varies geographically, and how these variations relate to the surrounding environment and socioeconomic conditions.
- Comprehensive Project Report: The project will produce a final report that will summarize findings, identify gaps and limitations of the analysis, and offer recommendations for future research and policy implementation.
- Integrated Framework: By integrating GIS mapping with advanced spatial analysis techniques, this project will produce a framework for assessing VMT variations across California.
Impacts/Benefits of Implementation:
This research will provide a baseline for assessing VMT variations that can be used for future research and policy implementation. The framework for analyzing VMT variations will empower policymakers and planners to more effectively address the environmental, economic, and social impacts of transportation and support a more sustainable transportation system that is safer, more reliable, and more cost-effective.
- Informed Policy Decisions: The research will provide a better understanding of the geographic patterns of VMT and the factors that influence it. The project will analyze commuting and recreation-generated VMT in relation to the surrounding environment and socioeconomic conditions. This will allow policymakers to make more informed decisions about transportation planning, land use, and infrastructure investments. The project's findings will be summarized in a final report that includes recommendations for future policy implementation.
- Targeted Emission Reduction Strategies: By identifying areas with high VMT and understanding the socioeconomic factors that contribute to it, policymakers can develop more targeted strategies to reduce emissions, such as promoting public transit, encouraging active transportation (walking and biking), or implementing land-use policies that reduce the need for driving.
- Improved Resource Allocation: VMT data is crucial for allocating federal and state transportation funds. The project's detailed analysis of VMT variations across California can help ensure that resources are allocated more effectively to address the areas that need it most.
- Enhanced Understanding of Socioeconomic Factors: The research will use spatial analysis techniques to examine how travel behavior connects with social and economic factors. This will help policymakers understand the complex relationships between transportation, environmental factors, and socioeconomic conditions.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: The GIS database created by the project will provide a valuable resource for transportation planners and researchers. The project's mapping and visualization outputs can be used to monitor VMT trends and track the effectiveness of various policy interventions.
Project Number:
2475
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Contact Us
SJSU Research Foundation 210 N. 4th Street, 4th Floor, San Jose, CA 95112 Phone: 408-924-7560 Email: mineta-institute@sjsu.edu
