PUP 301 Exam 2 Questions and
Answers
Describe the types and characteristics of new towns, urban precincts, and
infrastructure as urban design products - ANSWER-Think of the word projects
instead of products:
Build from scratch and have all necessary urban amenities VERSUS new or
renewed and lack some amenities VERSUS particular infrastructure development
Identify the two types for urban precincts as mid-scale urban design products, and
how they differ from new towns - ANSWER-New and renewed precincts; but they
lack some urban amenities
Explain the role infrastructure (as well as its removal) plays as a micro-scale urban
design product - ANSWER-Catalyst for development; like the freeway -> river project
in Seoul, South Korea
Differentiate between and describe all-of-a-piece, piece-by-piece, plug-in, and total
urban design procedural types - ANSWER--Project initiation; master plan design;
various individual developers; uses city center design guidelines; lots of developers
use design guidelines (a vision)
-Applied to a precinct to steer development; set general object, then use controls or
incentives to achieve that goal (theater district example in New York)
-Create infrastructure for developers to plug into or plug infrastructure into a city
-Entire projects (from planning to implementation) under 1 designer(s) and patron(s);
this is more common in a dictatorship (1 vision); infrastructure, buildings, public
realm all identical
Identify the various characteristics of "good" urban design discussed in class -
ANSWER-Mixed use space (compatible land use); ground-floor orientation/walk-
ability; public space and amenities (movable seating, ambiance, etc.); comfort +
pleasantries like all-season design and greenery; safety + security like an island in
the middle of an intersection crosswalk
Describe the all-of-a-piece new town of Seaside, Florida, and how it's design and
guidelines illustrate New Urbanism - ANSWER-Neo-traditionalism: vision was good
connectivity. Design guidelines: corrugated metal roofing, front porches, indigenous
plants, white picket fences (diverse styles), etc.
Describe the plug-in urban design and all-of-a-piece development of the La Défense
precinct near Paris - ANSWER-The 1960 plan envisioned an edge city of Paris that
integrated the hideous tower landmark of Tour Montparnasse. Pedestrian esplanade
and multi-layered transportation plugged into the plan.
, Describe how the total urban design of the new town of Brasília illustrates modernist
design and planning principles - ANSWER-Considered residential and monumental
axis. Only took 3 and a half years to completely build. Exemplifies modernism:
monumental buildings, open space, large-scale super-blocks (groups/building blocks
of city), and traffic flow and separation (car-centric).
Discuss the four eras of US transportation, and resulting impacts on urban form,
commuting patterns and mode share - ANSWER--1800-1890: Walking/horse-car
era. Omnibus (horse-drawn cart) on rail
-1890-1920: Electric streetcar era. No horses., power lines instead; privately funded
-1920-1956: Recreational automobile era. Assembly line/Model-T Ford
-1956-present: Freeway era. Limited access and increased suburban growth
Results: automobile dependence
Discuss the poor accessibility and high cost of mobility in contemporary US cities, as
well as resulting external costs - ANSWER-Much less options for walking. External
costs of transportation system that society pays for: air pollution, noise pollution,
resource consumption, & infrastructure impacts. Transportation investments require
funding through fees like taxes and bonds.
Describe federal, state, metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and local
government roles in transport planning - ANSWER--Funding (federal gas tax, etc.) &
Regulation (fuel economy, safety, EPA, etc.)
-State highway system- rural, interstate, + freeway (ADOT)
-Regional transportation planning; required for federal funding; lack power to
implement
-Parking requirements (plan for busiest day of the year- Saturday before Christmas),
zoning, & infrastructure upkeep
Differentiate the purpose of traffic impact analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and
National Environmental Impact Act (NEPA) review - ANSWER--Used to understand
impacts of a situation on traffic flow and determine required mitigation and who pays
-Used to compare multiple hypothetical scenarios or future build conditions versus
no-build conditions. Also considers public agencies, users, & society at large
-Used to asses environmental impact. If federal funds are required, this is required.
Discuss the purpose of the 4-step Urban Transportation Modeling system, and the
role of traffic analysis zones (TAZs) - ANSWER-Both are used to forecast future
travel demands.
-4 steps: trip generation, trip distribution, mode choice, & route assignment
-Made up/aggregated by zones
Explain the traditional focus of transportation planning, and the associated problem
of induced demand - ANSWER-Supply-side planning is traditional (focus on
infrastructure and systems management) but not sustainable because adding
roadways uncorks latent demand.
Differentiate the three approaches for solving gridlock, and how they illustrate
automobility vs. accessibility planning - ANSWER-These are all accessibility
(demand-side) strategies that are more sustainable than traditional planning:
Answers
Describe the types and characteristics of new towns, urban precincts, and
infrastructure as urban design products - ANSWER-Think of the word projects
instead of products:
Build from scratch and have all necessary urban amenities VERSUS new or
renewed and lack some amenities VERSUS particular infrastructure development
Identify the two types for urban precincts as mid-scale urban design products, and
how they differ from new towns - ANSWER-New and renewed precincts; but they
lack some urban amenities
Explain the role infrastructure (as well as its removal) plays as a micro-scale urban
design product - ANSWER-Catalyst for development; like the freeway -> river project
in Seoul, South Korea
Differentiate between and describe all-of-a-piece, piece-by-piece, plug-in, and total
urban design procedural types - ANSWER--Project initiation; master plan design;
various individual developers; uses city center design guidelines; lots of developers
use design guidelines (a vision)
-Applied to a precinct to steer development; set general object, then use controls or
incentives to achieve that goal (theater district example in New York)
-Create infrastructure for developers to plug into or plug infrastructure into a city
-Entire projects (from planning to implementation) under 1 designer(s) and patron(s);
this is more common in a dictatorship (1 vision); infrastructure, buildings, public
realm all identical
Identify the various characteristics of "good" urban design discussed in class -
ANSWER-Mixed use space (compatible land use); ground-floor orientation/walk-
ability; public space and amenities (movable seating, ambiance, etc.); comfort +
pleasantries like all-season design and greenery; safety + security like an island in
the middle of an intersection crosswalk
Describe the all-of-a-piece new town of Seaside, Florida, and how it's design and
guidelines illustrate New Urbanism - ANSWER-Neo-traditionalism: vision was good
connectivity. Design guidelines: corrugated metal roofing, front porches, indigenous
plants, white picket fences (diverse styles), etc.
Describe the plug-in urban design and all-of-a-piece development of the La Défense
precinct near Paris - ANSWER-The 1960 plan envisioned an edge city of Paris that
integrated the hideous tower landmark of Tour Montparnasse. Pedestrian esplanade
and multi-layered transportation plugged into the plan.
, Describe how the total urban design of the new town of Brasília illustrates modernist
design and planning principles - ANSWER-Considered residential and monumental
axis. Only took 3 and a half years to completely build. Exemplifies modernism:
monumental buildings, open space, large-scale super-blocks (groups/building blocks
of city), and traffic flow and separation (car-centric).
Discuss the four eras of US transportation, and resulting impacts on urban form,
commuting patterns and mode share - ANSWER--1800-1890: Walking/horse-car
era. Omnibus (horse-drawn cart) on rail
-1890-1920: Electric streetcar era. No horses., power lines instead; privately funded
-1920-1956: Recreational automobile era. Assembly line/Model-T Ford
-1956-present: Freeway era. Limited access and increased suburban growth
Results: automobile dependence
Discuss the poor accessibility and high cost of mobility in contemporary US cities, as
well as resulting external costs - ANSWER-Much less options for walking. External
costs of transportation system that society pays for: air pollution, noise pollution,
resource consumption, & infrastructure impacts. Transportation investments require
funding through fees like taxes and bonds.
Describe federal, state, metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and local
government roles in transport planning - ANSWER--Funding (federal gas tax, etc.) &
Regulation (fuel economy, safety, EPA, etc.)
-State highway system- rural, interstate, + freeway (ADOT)
-Regional transportation planning; required for federal funding; lack power to
implement
-Parking requirements (plan for busiest day of the year- Saturday before Christmas),
zoning, & infrastructure upkeep
Differentiate the purpose of traffic impact analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and
National Environmental Impact Act (NEPA) review - ANSWER--Used to understand
impacts of a situation on traffic flow and determine required mitigation and who pays
-Used to compare multiple hypothetical scenarios or future build conditions versus
no-build conditions. Also considers public agencies, users, & society at large
-Used to asses environmental impact. If federal funds are required, this is required.
Discuss the purpose of the 4-step Urban Transportation Modeling system, and the
role of traffic analysis zones (TAZs) - ANSWER-Both are used to forecast future
travel demands.
-4 steps: trip generation, trip distribution, mode choice, & route assignment
-Made up/aggregated by zones
Explain the traditional focus of transportation planning, and the associated problem
of induced demand - ANSWER-Supply-side planning is traditional (focus on
infrastructure and systems management) but not sustainable because adding
roadways uncorks latent demand.
Differentiate the three approaches for solving gridlock, and how they illustrate
automobility vs. accessibility planning - ANSWER-These are all accessibility
(demand-side) strategies that are more sustainable than traditional planning:
