Highway Expansions and Environmental Review: A Case Study Review of How Agencies are Addressing Induced Travel and Related Impacts

Research Team: Amy Lee (lead), Jamey Volker, and Susan Handy

UC Campus(es): UCLA

Additional Research Partners: Natural Resources Defense Council

Problem Statement: A substantial body of evidence shows that highway expansions induce more vehicle travel, a factor California now requires in environmental reviews. State law, passed in 2013 and implemented in 2020, mandates transportation analyses to estimate and mitigate vehicle miles traveled (VMT) impacts from land development and transportation projects, including induced travel from highway expansions.

Project Description: Through five case studies of highway expansions, this project will examine how lead agencies are implementing the new state mandate, including methods for estimating induced vehicle travel, what types of VMT (e.g., passenger, commercial, freight) are included, and how these estimates are integrated into other environmental impact analyses such as air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. It will also assess how agencies estimate and mitigate VMT impacts.

Status: In Progress

Budget: $61,115