Richard Willson

Richard Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Dr. Willson's research addresses parking policy, climate change planning, land/use transportation relationships, travel demand management, and transit-oriented development. His book Parking Reform Made Easy was published by Island Press in June 2013 and will be followed by Parking Management for Smart Growth in 2015, also by Island Press. Dr. Willson consults with regional and local agencies, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, local cities, and developers of urban infill projects. Prior to his academic career, he was a transportation planner for the City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.  Dr. Willson holds a Ph.D. in urban planning from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Masters of Planning from the University of Southern California, a Bachelor’s of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo, and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners.  

Courses taught by Richard Willson

Early Career Strategies for Successful Planning Practice

This course is for planners with a few years of practice under their belts and looking to become more effective in their careers and derive greater satisfaction from their work.

60 Mins
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

Launching (and Relaunching) Your Planning Career

The planning profession offers many types of work in support of important public objectives, so planners face many choices about launching and re-launching their careers. This course is based on the idea that planners are most effective when their jobs are well-matched with their characteristics and goals. We will discuss everything that a prospective or junior planner needs to know to chart a fulfilling career.

62 Mins
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

Parking Reform Made Easy

Reforming minimum parking requirements is one of the most effective ways to support Smart Growth. This course explains the many problems created by the parking regulation status quo before presenting a process for reform, providing examples of parking management tools, and discussing strategies for dealing with political and stakeholder issues.

72 Mins
AICP CM

Transportation Planning: Effects on the Environment, Health, and Social Justice

This course discusses the local and global impacts of transportation systems and the mitigation of those impacts. The course also identifies prospects for change, as achieved by technology, transportation management, and pricing.

57 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: Land Use and Transportation Systems

This course includes a brief history of how land use and transportation have co-evolved over the last 150 years and reviews the roles of transportation systems and technology in influencing land value and locational decision.

62 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: Making Transportation Plans—Rationality and Politics

This course explains the major forms of planning applicable to transportation, including rational comprehensive planning, strategic planning, policy analysis, incremental planning, advocacy planning, and communicative planning.

60 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: Principles and Practices of Transportation Finance

This course explains principles of transportation finance and reviews the general structure for funding transportation projects. Learn about the history of U.S. funding, from strong local funding to state and federal involvement to regional funding sources.

62 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: Strategies for Working with Roadway Capacity

This course explains the menu of contemporary approaches to modifying or adding to transportation capacity. It provides examples of capacity responses to regional mobility for commuters and local accessibility for communities.

63 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: The Role of Transportation Systems in Social and Economic Life

By the end of this course, you will have a strong understanding of the way in which transportation systems interact with society and the economy.

47 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: Travel Behavior Principles and Modelling Approaches

This course provides an overview and critique of the four-step model used in transportation planning. By the end of this course, viewers will be able to conceptualize how transportation models can address contemporary problems in transportation planning, such as transit-oriented development.

55 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD

Transportation Planning: Travel Behavior Regulations, Pricing, and Programs

This course reviews the efficacy of regulatory strategies (such as prohibitions and mandates), pricing strategies (such as peak period pricing), and education and information strategies (such as real-time ride-hailing apps).

65 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD