Citation

Henderson J. J. Transp. Geogr. 2011; 19(6): 1138-1144.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2011.05.010

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Intersection level of service (LOS) is a traffic engineering concept which measures how streets handle automobile traffic. It is widely used in transportation planning as an indicator of delay at intersections. The use of LOS is often criticized for its bias towards automobiles at the expense of bicycling, transit, and walking, and it complicates smart growth or compact development. In San Francisco, California, there is a political movement to eliminate the use of LOS in planning. But this movement has met significant obstacles and debate. In this paper I explore how the debate in San Francisco is unfolding and suggest implications for broader efforts to reconfigure urban streets and urban space in the United States and globally.