UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Lanute, D. Brad
Dept./Program:
Natural Resources
Year:
2013
Degree:
MS
Abstract:
Chittenden County, Vermont has witnessed rapid population growth between 1930 and 2010 with an average decadal population growth rate of 16 percent. This growth has transformed the urban form of the county raising concerns from community stakeholders over the proliferation of urban sprawl. However, quantifying and assessing the extent of urban sprawl via characteristics of urban form have been stymied by a lack of consensus among academics, planning professionals and the public on the definition of urban sprawl as well as the best methods of measuring it. This has made it difficult for communities to effectively plan for and monitor the effects of growth on the overall urban form of the region in order to mitigate the undesirable outcomes associated with urban sprawl.
The objective of this master's thesis research is to investigate the literature for previously developed urban form metrics, indicators, and indices, as well as associated methodologies, and, through the implementation of an existing integrated land use and transportation simulation model, determine a selection of metrics that would be appropriate for quantifying urban form in the context of the small metropolitan region of Chittenden County, Vermont.
A synthesis of the literature on the application of landscape metrics in the assessment of urban form was carried out through the review of 33 peer-review journal articles published since 2002. The objective of the review is to provide a synthesis of the methods used in the application of landscape metrics to the study of urban form in order to provide insights into methodological gaps. The review found a wide variety of methodological approaches. It concludes with recommendations for further research with an emphasis on the utilization of integrated land use and transporation modeling that would help bolster the methodological gaps cited.
A selection ofurban form metrics were then evaluated, including residential density gradients, measures ofurban centrality, and landscape metrics, to test their conformance with theories of urban form and sprawl when applied to simulated data that models a small metropolitan region. In particular, the selected metrics are applied to a set of simulated landscapes of Chittenden County, Vermont and the validity of each metric is evaluated via regression analysis using the modeled outcome variable vehicle miles traveled as the dependent variable. The methodological framework illustrated by this investigation highlights the ability of integrated land use and transportation simulation models to test the appropriateness of urban form metrics using modeled outcome variables. Multiple metrics were found to have significant relationships with countywide levels of vehicle miles traveled, an associated outcome of urban spraw. For this given geographical context, the results confirm a common theoretical proposition from the urban planning literature that higher degrees of decentralization are related to higher regional levels of vehicle miles traveled.
The objective of this master's thesis research is to investigate the literature for previously developed urban form metrics, indicators, and indices, as well as associated methodologies, and, through the implementation of an existing integrated land use and transportation simulation model, determine a selection of metrics that would be appropriate for quantifying urban form in the context of the small metropolitan region of Chittenden County, Vermont.
A synthesis of the literature on the application of landscape metrics in the assessment of urban form was carried out through the review of 33 peer-review journal articles published since 2002. The objective of the review is to provide a synthesis of the methods used in the application of landscape metrics to the study of urban form in order to provide insights into methodological gaps. The review found a wide variety of methodological approaches. It concludes with recommendations for further research with an emphasis on the utilization of integrated land use and transporation modeling that would help bolster the methodological gaps cited.
A selection ofurban form metrics were then evaluated, including residential density gradients, measures ofurban centrality, and landscape metrics, to test their conformance with theories of urban form and sprawl when applied to simulated data that models a small metropolitan region. In particular, the selected metrics are applied to a set of simulated landscapes of Chittenden County, Vermont and the validity of each metric is evaluated via regression analysis using the modeled outcome variable vehicle miles traveled as the dependent variable. The methodological framework illustrated by this investigation highlights the ability of integrated land use and transportation simulation models to test the appropriateness of urban form metrics using modeled outcome variables. Multiple metrics were found to have significant relationships with countywide levels of vehicle miles traveled, an associated outcome of urban spraw. For this given geographical context, the results confirm a common theoretical proposition from the urban planning literature that higher degrees of decentralization are related to higher regional levels of vehicle miles traveled.