ECONOMICS AND URBAN-TRANSPORTATION POLICY IN THE UNITED-STATES

This article examines the role that economics can play in analysing pr oblems with urban transportation in the United States. The specific pr oblems addressed are failing infrastructure, financially weak public t ransit, environmental impacts of motor vehicles, motor-vehicle acciden ts, and traffic congestion. Simple quantitative analyses, even though approximate, can help to focus attention on the most promising classes of policies. Those classes involve some technological measures and so me narrowly targeted behavioral changes, but not the widespread curtai lment of motor vehicle use. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.