The Required Model for Land Use and Transportation Planning Integration

Although the theory has been that transportation planning and land use planning should be integrated, this has not been realized in practice. This review study is an investigation of the reasons behind the lack of coordination and how this might be remedied. The major reason was determined to be that representatives of both disciplines have their own plans implemented through separate procedures, even though they share similar parameters of concern. In general, the (a) ideal situation of a single, integrated plan was not found to be feasible, (b) it was not practical to create or implement plans separately yet simultaneously in a collaborative, coordinated fashion, and so (c) isolated processes for transportation planning and land use planning persist. A familiar cycle is perpetuated and integrated planning continues to be little more than an idea and a principle. Thus, there is a need for a prerequisite that the two disparate yet related planning processes control each other to ensure that steps are taken to achieve more than words and indications of good intention and provide for real integration. In such a relationship, the policy goals of one area (e.g., transport planning) would be considered alongside the defined outputs (performance criteria) of the other (e.g., land use development planning), and specific measures should be evaluated against expected values. Concrete criteria should be created and performance should be tested in modeling studies, particularly in simulations with observable results.