LOS Gets a Failing Grade

Transportation impact analysis performed to comply with environmental impact laws (i.e., the California Environmental Quality Act or the National Environmental Policy Act) often focuses on only one perspective about potential impacts.  That perspective reflects how automobile drivers view the world because of general traffic engineering practices and how traffic operations are measured using level of service (LOS).  With many communities more concerned about climate change, creating livable communities, and wanting to emphasize the use of transit, walking, and bicycling, the traditional traffic engineering approach to traffic operations analysis is not effective.  Worse, it can result in smart growth projects being denied due to neighborhood opposition associated with worsening LOS and not understanding the other tradeoff benefits of infill and higher density development.