Prof. Robert Cervero
Director Institute of Urban & Regional Development and Director, University of California Transportation Centre, University of California at Berkeley, USA
ABSTRACT
Fast Trains and Economic Development: Prospects for California. California high-speed rail proposal has been in political limbo for the past 20 years, a victim of paralysis by analysis. A stream of compromises have resulted in a patchwork of upgraded inter-city train ser- vices being introduced in hopes of mustering the political will to move forward with a $69 billion trunkline investment in the state’s cen- tral valley by 2022. Fares will come nowhere close to covering escalating capital and operating costs thus the investment’s future rides on its ability to convincingly demonstrate that wider economic benefits will be conferred. In this talk, some empirical insights are provid- ed in this regard. Only if HSR empowers metro Los Angeles and San Francisco to become 21st century global hubs, it is argued, will direct and wider economic benefits likely exceed the project’s continually rising price tag.
BIO
Robert Cervero is the Friesen Chair of Urban Studies and Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berke- ley, where he also directs the University of California Transportation Center (UCTC). He is currently an Overseas Fellow at Churchill Col- lege, University of Cambridge. Professor Cervero’s research examines the nexus between urban transportation and land- use systems. He has authored seven books and over 200 journal articles in these areas. Professor Cervero chairs the International Association of Urban Environments and the National Advisory Committee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Active Living Research Program and serves on the Advisory Board of the World Economic Forum‘s Future of Urban Development Initiative. He also served on the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change), contributing to the Fifth Assessment. He was recently ranked among the top 100 City Inno- vators Worldwide by UMB’s Futures Cities and 4th highest among 850 urban planning academics in Google Scholar citations .(http:// tomsanchez.wordpress.com/2013/12/07/faculty-scholarly-productivity-and- reputation-in-planning-a-preliminary-citation-analysis/)
All are welcome and participation is free with no need to book
