TRANSPORTATION PLANNING -- GEOG 423 (G) -- FALL 1998



Dr. David J. Keeling
Office: EST 431
Office Hours 0800-0900, 3:30-4:30 TR(F), 0800-1000 MW and by appointment.
Voice: 745-5986 Fax: 745-6410
Email: david.keeling@wku.edu Webpage: http://www2.wku.edu/~keeling/index.htm

Geog 423(G) - TR(F) 1300 - 1400 (1 pm - 2 pm) EST 338

Course Purpose: Transportation Planning examines the problems of interaction, diffusion, and information transfer as they appear in a spatial or geographical context. Current research and planning needs are emphasized in the course.

Required Textbook: Tolley and Turton, 1995. "Transport Systems, Policy and Planning: A Geographical Approach." Available at the college bookstores (about US$30).

Evaluation: There will be a midterm and a final evaluation (exam). The evaluations consist largely of identification/explanation short answers and a longer essay question, covering material from the readings and the lectures. Make-up exams are administered only in extreme circumstances and must be prearranged. The course grade is determined as follows: Midterm exam = 25%, Final Exam = 25%, Research Paper and presentation = 40%, and class participation/attendance/in-class activities = 10%. The grading scale is 90-100% = A, 80-89.9% = B, 70-79.9% = C, 60-69.9% = D, and <60% = F.

Attendance Policy: Attendance and class participation are crucial to success in this course. Unexcused absences could impact your final grade negatively (for example, more than four unexcused absences results in the loss of one letter grade, while eight or more unexcused absences results in an "F" for the course). Unexcused absences are those that do not relate to university activities. ALL excused absences must be supported by written documentation.

Basic Rules and Requirements:

** This course requires a commitment of 5 hours class time plus 10 hours of outside reading and research every two weeks.

** You must commit to regular class attendance and to participating in discussions and analyses of problems.

** Please make every effort to come to class on time. The class ends at 2:00 pm, so do not begin packing up materials until the appropriate time as it disturbs other students and is rude behavior. Those students who attend regularly generally get more from the course than students who miss class. Excused absences must be arranged beforehand if at all possible. Attendance and participation policies for scheduled Fridays are no different from other scheduled meetings. All papers, assignments, and other materials must be completed and also must be submitted ON TIME in order to pass the course.

** I have a zero tolerance for cheating of any kind. Any type of academically and ethically dishonest work (plagiarism, copying someone else's work, etc.) will result in an automatic "F" for the course and notification of the appropriate academic authority.

** NOTE: The Department of Geography & Geology strictly adheres to the course drop policy found in the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs. It is the sole responsibility of individual students to meet the cited deadlines for dropping a course. In exceptional cases the deadline for schedule changes (dropping a course) may be waived. The successful waiver will require a written descrip-tion of extenuating circumstances and relevant documentation. Poor academic performance, general malaise, or undocumented general stress factors are NOT considered legitimate extenuating circumstances. Since the granting of such waivers is rare, we urge you to follow the established guidelines.

Course Outline and Reading Assignments GEOG 423 (G) Fall 1998

Week One - 8/25, 27 - Introduction - Transport Geography.. Read pp. 1-8 textbook

Week Two - 9/1,3,4 - The Framework of Transport supply and demand.....Read pp. 9-40 textbook

Week Three - 9/8,10 - Transport Form and Structure ................................ Read pp. 41-70 textbook

Week Four - 9/15,17,18 - Transport and Spatial Structures ................................ Read pp. 71-98 textbook.

Week Five - 9/22, 24 - International Transport Theories................. Read pp. 99-133 textbook.

Week Six - 9/29 - International Transport Systems ........................................... Read pp. 99-133 textbook.

(No class October 1 or 2, work on Independent Research Projects)

Week Seven - 10/6 - MIDTERM EXAM.......

PART TWO: APPLIED TRANSPORT SYSTEMS AND PROBLEMS

Week Eight - 10/13,15 - National Transport Systems...... Read pp. 134-165 textbook

Week Nine - 10/20,22,23 - National Transport Systems ..Read pp. 134-165 textbook

Week Ten - 10/27,29 - Rural Transport problems and planning ........................ Read pp. 231-262 textbook

Week Eleven - 11/3,5,6 - Urban transport problems and planning .................... Read pp. 166 - 196 textbook.

Week Twelve - 11/10,11 - Urban transport problems and planning ................... Read pp. 197-229 textbook.

Week Thirteen - 11/17,19,20 - Environmental and social effects of transport .... Read pp. 263-331 textbook.

Week Fourteen - 11/24 - NO CLASS - Thanksgiving Week. (Students work on research papers.)

Week Fifteen - 12/1,3 - Transport policy and the future ................................... Read pp. 332-376 textbook.

** RESEARCH PAPERS DUE 12/3/98 - NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED **

Week Sixteen - 12/8,10 - Student Presentations and Paper Discussions

Week Seventeen - 12/17/98 Thursday ... Final Exam ... 1:00 - 3:00 pm ... EST 338

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This page last updated on August 7, 1998.