Self-driving cars are coming our way, and they’re prompting a lot of questions. If a self-driving car is involved in a crash, who’s responsible: the person in the car, the manufacturer, or someone else? Will these cars make our streets and highways safer? Will they help to relieve traffic congestion? As important as these questions […]
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Austin, TX and the Smart Cities Challenge: Improving transportation, creating ladders of opportunity
Research is about more than just studying a problem in search of a solution. Sometimes, research is about realizing a vision. Imagine, for instance, a city with a robust downtown, vibrant neighborhoods, and bustling suburbs. It’s a city of the future, in which people circulate freely, but not by routinely using their own cars. Oh, […]
Why Invest Public Funds in Private Freight Railroad Projects?
Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Policy Research Center has published a paper, “Considerations for Public Freight Rail Projects in Texas,” that addresses that question and more. So, why would the public consider participating in projects with private companies that own and operate freight railroads? Federal, state or local governments may do so to advance clearly defined […]
TTI’s Policy Research Center staying active during Legislative Interim
The 84th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature is behind us, with many new bills having passed and many more not. This puts us squarely in the period known as The Interim, the time between regular sessions when Legislators identify important policy issues and study them in depth. As illustrated by the sheer number of bills […]
To ensure a healthy building industry, our state needs a viable transportation system
The state demographer recently released new projections that predict Texas’ population will double to 54.4 million by 2050. As population centers and economies in Texas continue to grow, the role of the building industry is pretty straightforward: Create and/or expand business and residential spaces to meet the demand for those spaces. In short, build more. […]
Looking at transportation through a supply-and-demand lens
Real estate professionals are familiar with the supply-and-demand patterns that drive so much of what they do. If housing demand exceeds supply, prices increase; if supply exceeds demand, prices decline. But a new kind of supply-and-demand puzzle is emerging in Texas – one that directly impacts the real estate industry – the demand for, and […]