California Air Resources Board

Principal Investigator/Author: Dillon Fitch-Polse

Contractor: University of California, Davis

Sub-contractors: University of Southern California

Contract Number: 21STC014

Project Status: Completed May 2025 

Relevant CARB Programs: Sustainable Communities & Climate Protection Program

Topic Areas: Research on Effects of Transportation and Land Use-Related Policies, Research on Land Use and Transportation Planning, Sustainable Communities Strategies

Research Summary:

CARB staff collaborated with researchers to create policy briefs to support public agencies involved in the creation of sustainable communities and implementing SB 375. The policy briefs examine the latest academic studies about transportation and land use strategies that are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled. Twenty-three policy briefs about different strategies were originally produced in 2014. This 2022-2024 research project updated some of the original policy briefs and also created additional policy briefs on new and emerging topics and strategies. Policy briefs resulting from the current project have an enhanced emphasis on social equity.

Materials from this project, including new and revised policy briefs and the final seminar recording, are on the CARB website here - Policy Briefs: Effects of Transportation- and Land Use-Related Strategies.

Keywords: vehicle miles traveled, VMT, driving, light duty vehicles, LDV, induced travel, highway construction, bicycling, bicycle, walking, pedestrian, climate actions, equitable climate policy, sustainable communities, equity, greenhouse gas emissions, low carbon transportation, social equity, climate change, sustainable communities strategies, SCS, transportation, land use, transportation and land use, urban planning, city planning, freeways, greenhouse gas reduction strategies, sustainable neighborhoods, Scoping Plan

Research Seminar