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Kevin Fang

Assistant Professor and Director, Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC)

Dr. Fang
Kevin Fang

Contact

707-664-3144
fangk@sonoma.edu

Office

Stevenson Hall, Room 3504

Office Hours

Fri: 3:00 pm-4:00 pm, 4:00 pm-5:00 pmZoom only, In person or via Zoom

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My teaching and research interests center around the geography of cities. About 80% of the US population lives in urban (vs. rural) areas, and a majority of the US population has been urban for a century. The UN estimates that a majority of the world’s population lives in cities as of 2014. I look at cities through the lens of “community planning” – the process by which cities consider their future physical form and the provision for the needs of residents. In many of my classes we discuss the inexorable challenges cities around the world are facing such as contributions to – and impact from –climate change, air and water pollution, social equity, housing unaffordability, and fiscal and economic constraints.

In terms of research, my work centers on issues of sustainable transportation in cities. In particular, I am interested in the characteristics of sustainable alternative modes of travel and their users. Additionally, I am interested in how our land use patterns (what cities put where) can either facilitate or (frequently) inhibit the use of sustainable travel modes.

Some of my current work looks at emerging “micromobility” transportation, such as scooters, “Segway”-type devices, and hoverboards. I have spent several years investigating skateboarding as a real mode of transportation. A summary of that work can be found here from Transfers magazine: https://transfersmagazine.org/faster-than-walking-more-flexible-than-biking-skateboarding-as-a-real-mobility-mode/

Education

Ph.D. Transportation Technology and Policy. University of California, Davis. 2016.

Graduate Certificate. Atmospheric Aerosols and Health. University of California, Davis. 2011.

M. City and Regional Planning, M.S. Engineering (specialization in Transportation Planning). California Polytechnic State University. 2009.

B.A. Integrative Biology. University of California. 2006.

Academic Interests

Transportation

Land use planning

Urban development patterns

Environmental impact analysis

Housing

Selected Publications & Presentations

Kevin Fang, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, and Ashley Hooper (2019). How and Where Should I Ride This Thing? “Rules Of The Road” for Personal Transportation Devices. Mineta Transportation Institute Research Report. https://transweb.sjsu.edu/research/1713-Rules-Personal-Transportation-Devices

Kevin Fang and Calvin Thigpen (2017). Transportation Policy at the Ballot Box. 
Transportation Research Record. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2605-09

Kevin Fang and Susan Handy (2017) Skateboarding for transportation: Factors influencing an unconventional mode choice. Transportation. http://dx.doi.org/s11116-017-9796-9

Kevin Fang and Susan Handy (2017). Skate or Die? The Safety Performance of Skateboard Travel: A Look at Injury Data, Fatality Data, and Rider Behavior. Journal of Transport and Health. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2017.08.010

Eric Gudz, Kevin Fang, and Susan Handy (2016). When a Diet Prompts a Gain: The Impact of a Road Diet on Bicycling in Davis, CA. Transportation Research Record. http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2587-08

Kevin Fang, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Jeremy Steele, John Hunter, and Ashley Hooper (2019). Where Do Riders Park Dockless, Shared Electric Scooters? Findings from San Jose, California. Mineta Transportation Institute perspective.https://transweb.sjsu.edu/research/1713-WP-Parking-Scooters

Frank Arellano and Kevin Fang (2019). Sunday Drivers or Fast and Furious: Speed and Rider Behaviour of Electric Scooter Share Users in Downtown San Jose, California. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Kevin Fang (2018). Faster than walking, more flexible than biking: Skateboarding as a real mobility mode. Transfers Magazine. https://transfersmagazine.org/faster-than-walking-more-flexible-than-biking-skateboarding-as-a-real-mobility-mode/

Kevin Fang and Jamey Volker (2017). Cutting GHG Emissions Is Only the Beginning: A Literature Review of the Co-Benefits of Reducing VMT. White paper, National Sustainable Transportation Center. https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/white-paper/cutting-greenhouse-gas-emissions-is-only-the-beginning-a-literature-review-of-the-co-benefits-of-reducing-vehicle-miles-traveled/

Amy Lee, Kevin Fang, and Susan Handy (2017). Sketch-Level Methods for Quantifying Vehicle Miles Traveled. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Kevin Fang. (2015). Switching from LOS-based to VMT-based traffic impact analysis: What should the threshold of significance be?  A challenging upcoming question in California environmental review. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Kevin Fang. (2015). Skateboarding for transportation by the numbers: Quantitative indications of use of skateboards as a means of active travel. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Kevin Fang. (2013). Skateboarding as a legal travel mode: Review of regulations in California cities and college campuses. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Kevin Fang, Jon Cook, Jeremy Smith, and Keisha Williams. (2012). Potential Ozone Reductions through Urban Heat Island Mitigations Including Rehabbing Land Occupied for Transportation Related Uses - Case Study of Fresno, CA. Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.