A Taller D.C. Would Mean More Transportation Demand

As some voices in Washington D.C. call for increasing the city's building height limit, The Transport Politic looks at what that might mean for transportation demands in the city.

1 minute read

March 4, 2011, 7:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg

'When we discuss the demand in downtowns like Washington's for more office space, we sometimes make an assumption that the transport network will be able to handle whatever is thrown at it. In fact, there is a direct relationship between a downtown's growth and the transportation provided to it. In general, businesses want to locate their offices in places that are accessible and that provide the benefits of agglomeration, and this sometimes means downtown, but not always. If the trip to and from the center - by whatever mode - becomes too arduous, there are significant reasons to locate outside of it. How does this fact apply to a place like Washington?"

This piece argues that as central business districts grow, too often cities focus on land use issues and ignore the impact of increased transportation demand.

FULL STORY: Expanding Downtown

Friday, February 25, 2011 in the transport politic

Government / Politics Land Use Transportation District of Columbia Density Washington D.C. Building Heights Transportation Demand View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.