Alan M. Voorhees, 1922-2005
Credit: Nancy Voorhees
The Legacy Project
Alan M. Voorhees
Alan M. Voorhees was one of this nation’s pivotal figures in city planning and transportation concerns. From Atlanta to Zurich, Alan M. Voorhees set the pace in initiating a myriad of ventures related to planning and transportation.
A list of the many projects piloted by Mr. Voorhees reflects the visionary role he took in creating blueprints for change, including development of planned cities such as Columbia, Maryland, and Canberra, Australia, and metropolitan transit systems such as the Washington Metro.
In 1961, he founded the transportation consulting firm of Alan M. Voorhees & Associates, Inc., which grew to include ten offices in the United States, as well as offices in Caracas, London, Melbourne, Sao Paulo, Toronto, and Zurich.
With Mr. Voorhees steering the course, the firm planned many of the metropolitan transit systems built in the free world in the 1960s and 1970s, including those in Washington, DC, and Atlanta, Georgia. In 1967, his firm merged with Planning Research Corporation, where he continued to work in transportation planning.
In the late 1970s, Mr. Voorhees moved his career into a new area to become dean of the College of Architecture, Art, and Urban Sciences at the University of Illinois-Chicago. In 1980, Mr. Voorhees’ multifaceted interests took him in new directions. He founded Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), which has become one of the most successful commuter airlines in the country. ASA, now a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc., is part of the Delta Connection with hubs in Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Throughout his prolific career, Mr. Voorhees contributed extensively to the field of planning, serving as president of the American Institute of Planners and chairman of the Transportation Research Board, the largest unit of the National Academy of Sciences. He was the recipient of numerous awards and received honorary doctoral degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Voorhees College.
Mr. Voorhees was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and was a veteran of World War II. He received both a silver and bronze star for his distinguished service in the Pacific as a Navy Frogman, the precursor of today’s U.S. Navy SEAL.
Alan M. Voorhees Exhibit
Alan M. Voorhees Archive
The Alan M. Voorhees Exhibit draws upon materials from an archival collection assembled by former staff of Alan M. Voorhees & Associates, Inc. Plans call for the materials to be housed at Rutgers Special Collections and University Archives.
Transportation Library & Oral History Initiative
The Alan M Voorhees Transportation Library and Oral History Initiative is an effort to preserve the contributions and stories of renowned transportation professionals from New Jersey and throughout the United States. This project has three significant parts.
First, with the help of the Rutgers University Libraries, we collect, index, and archive documents, reports, and other materials that may be of historical significance to transportation planning and engineering that are not readily available through other sources. These resources are available through the Rutgers University Libraries.
Transportation Center Archives
With the help of the Rutgers University Libraries, we collect, index, and archive documents, reports, and other materials that may be of historical significance to transportation planning and engineering that are not readily available through other sources. These resources are available through the Rutgers University Libraries.
Oral History Initiative
We record, edit, and distribute oral history interviews with significant contributors to New Jersey and United States transportation planning. The goal of the project is to make these materials available in perpetuity for the research community and interested public.
Resources from Alan M. Voorhees & Associates
Friends and Alumni of Alan M. Voorhees & Associates has shared a collection of its reports, most of which date from the 1970s.
Funds for the collection of materials were made available through generous donations by the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center Advisory board members and the University Transportation Research Center grant program.
Alan M. Voorhees Oral History Initiative
The Alan M Voorhees Transportation Library and Oral History Initiative is an effort to preserve the contributions and stories of renowned transportation professionals from New Jersey and throughout the United States. This project has three significant parts.
As part of this effort, we record, edit, and distribute oral history interviews with significant contributors to New Jersey and United States transportation planning. The goal of the project is to make these materials available in perpetuity for the research community and interested public.
To date, we have interviewed and documented the careers of several prominent transportation professionals. Links to videos and transcripts are available below.
Resources from Alan M. Voorhees & Associates
Founded in 1961 by Alan M. Voorhees, the eponymous consulting firm, Alan M. Voorhees & Associates, specialized in transportation engineering and urban planning. The firm advanced projects worldwide, contributing to the development of subway systems in São Paulo, Hong Kong, Caracas, and Washington, D.C.
Below is a collection of reports authored by Alan M. Voorhees & Associates. Most of these documents date from the 1970s.
We thank the Friends and Alumni of AMV for sharing this list.
View Resources
- Ann Arbor circulation study / (McLean, Va. : Voorhees, 1975), also by Economic Research Associates (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Auto restricted zone/multi-user vehicle system study / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration ; Springfield, Va. : for sale by the National Technical Information Service, 1977-), also by William S Herald, Moore-Heder Architects, Cambridge Systematics, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust)
- Auto restricted zone/multi-user vehicle system study : final report / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, 1977), also by William S. Herald and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Auto restricted zones : background and feasibility : draft report : prepared for Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration and Transportation Systems Center / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, 1976), also by United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration and Transportation Systems Center (page images at HathiTrust)
- Blue streak bus rapid transit demonstration project : final report / (Seattle, Wash. : The Associates, [1973]) (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Burlington auto restricted zone study : technical appendix / (Washington : Urban Mass Transportation Administration ; Springfield, Va. : Available through the National Technical Information Service, 1977), also by William S. Herald, William S. Auto restricted zone/multi-user vehicle system study Herald, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust)
- Carpool incentives : analysis of transportation and energy impacts / (Washington : Federal Energy Administration, Office of Energy Conservation and Environment : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976, i.e. 1977), also by Cambridge Systematics, John Suhrbier, and United States. Office of Energy Conservation and Environment (page images at HathiTrust)
- Carpool incentives : evaluation of operational experience. (Washington, D.C. : Federal Energy Administration, Office of Transportation Policy Research, [1976]), also by United States. Federal Energy Administration. Office of Transportation Policy Research and Cambridge Systematics (page images at HathiTrust)
- Commuter railroad feasibility in Virginia : reported to the Governor and General Assembly of Virginia : [prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety, in cooperation with Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation and Division of State Planning and Community Affairs / (Richmond : Commonwealth of Virginia, Dept. of Purchases and Supply, 1974), also by Virginia. Office of the Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- A guide for reducing air pollution through urban planning / ([Washington] : Office of Air Programs, Environmental Protection Agency ; Springfield, Va. : distributed by National Technical Information Service, 1971), also by United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Air Programs and Edgerley Ryckman (page images at HathiTrust)
- Guidelines for assessing the environmental impact of public mass transportation projects / (Washington : U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, Office of Environment and Safety, 1979), also by United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Environment and Safety, ed. by Andrew C Lemer (page images at HathiTrust)
- Guidelines for assessing the environmental impact of public mass transportation projects : executive summary / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, Office of Environment and Safety ; Springfield, Va. : Available through the National Technical Information Service, 1979), also by Andrew C. Lemer, United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, and United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Environment and Safety (page images at HathiTrust)
- Incentives to carpooling / ([Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Department of Transportation, [1974]), also by United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration, United States. Federal Highway Administration, and United States. Dept. of Transportation. Office of the Secretary (page images at HathiTrust)
- Jurisprudencia referente al Código civil; glosada, concordada y seguida de cuatro indices para su mas facil consulta, (Madrid, R. Rojas, 1894-), also by Spain and V. A. M. (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Lackawanna-Luzerne transportation study / ([McLean, Va.] : The Associates, 1967-), also by United States. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (page images at HathiTrust)
- Manual carpool matching methods / (Washington, D.C. : The Department, [1974]), also by United States. Federal Highway Administration (page images at HathiTrust)
- Modal split model / (Washington, D.C. : Alan M. Voorhees and Associates, [1963]), also by Pennsylvania. Dept. of Highways (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Orange County dual mode planning case study / (Washington : The Office ; Springfield, Va. : available through the National Technical Information Service, 1977), also by P. Costinett, J. O’Doherty, W. G. Hansen, Inc DAVE Systems, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration. Office of Planning Methods and Support (page images at HathiTrust)
- Orange County dual mode planning case study / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Office of Planning Methods and Support ; Springfield, Va. : available through the National Technical Information Service, 1977 [i.e. 1980]), also by P. Costinett, J. O’Doherty, W. G. Hansen, Inc DAVE Systems, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration. Office of Planning Methods and Support (page images at HathiTrust)
- Orange County dual mode planning case study / (Washington : U.S. Urban Mass Transportation Administration, 1977), also by J. O’Doherty, W. G. Hansen, P. J. Costinett, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration. Office of Planning Methods and Support (page images at HathiTrust)
- Organization for carpooling. ([Washington] : U.S. Dept. of Transportation, [1974]), also by United States. Dept. of Transportation (page images at HathiTrust)
- An overview of roadway delineation research. (Washington, D.C. : Federal Highway Administration, Offices of Research and Development ; Springfield, Va. : National Technical Information Service [distributor, 1978]), also by Donald G. Capelle and United States. Federal Highway Administration. Offices of Research and Development (page images at HathiTrust)
- Parking in the Nation’s Capital. ([Washington], 1964), also by D.C.) Federal City Council (Washington (page images at HathiTrust)
- Quality of flow in urban arterials. (Washington : Federal Highway Administration, Offices of Research & Development, 1978), also by Steven Shapiro, Wayne Kittelson, David W. Schoppert, and United States. Federal Highway Administration. Offices of Research and Development (page images at HathiTrust)
- Quality of traffic flow on urban arterials, phase I / (Washington, D.C. : Federal Highway Administration, Offices of Research & Development, [1978]), also by United States. Federal Highway Administration. Offices of Research and Development (page images at HathiTrust)
- Right-turn-on-red / (Washington : Offices of Research and Development, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Dept. of Transportation ; Springfield, Va. : Available through the National Technical Information Service, 1976), also by United States. Federal Highway Administration. Offices of Research and Development and KLD Associates (page images at HathiTrust)
- Sacramento-Stockton-San Francisco Bay Area corridor study : schematic phase report / (Sacramento : California Business and Transportation Agency, 1973), also by United States. Department of Transportation and California. Business and Transportation Agency (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Short-range transit planning; final report. ([Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off.], 1973) (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Short-range transit planning; final report. (McLean, Va., 1973), also by United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Statewide travel forecasting procedures including activity allocation and weekend travel. (Washington, D.C. : Federal Highway Administration, ; Springfield, Va. : National Technical Information Service, 1974), also by Salvatore J. Bellomo, Jawaharlal J. Mehra, and United States. Office of Highway Planning. Program Management Division (page images at HathiTrust)
- Status of the Urban Corridor Demonstration Program, July 1974. ([Washington, D.C. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1974]), also by United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration, United States. Federal Highway Administration, and United States. Dept. of Transportation (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Status of the Urban Corridor Demonstration Program : Washington, New York, Dallas, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Louisville, Minneapolis / (Washington, D.C. : U.S. Department of Transportation, [1977]), also by United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration, United States. Federal Highway Administration, and United States. Dept. of Transportation. Office of the Secretary (page images at HathiTrust)
- Study of future paratransit requirements / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration ; Springfield, Va. : National Technical Information Service, [distributor, 1976-1977]), also by Battelle Memorial Institute. Columbus Laboratories and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust)
- A study of the factors influencing the number of signal timing plans required for UTCS first generation traffic control systems. (Washington : Federal Highway Administration Offices of Research & Development Traffic Systems Division, 1981), also by S. Basu and United States. Federal Highway Administration. Traffic Systems Division (page images at HathiTrust)
- A study of the feasibility of distributed multi-level traffic control systems / (Washington : Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Research, Traffic Systems Division ; Springfield, Va. : For sale by the National Technical Information Service, 1980), also by United States. Federal Highway Administration. Traffic Systems Division and S. Basu (page images at HathiTrust)
- Transit development plan and program / (San Diego, Calif. : San Diego County Comprehensive Planning Organization, 1970), also by San Diego Transit Corporation and Comprehensive Planning Organization (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- A transit development program for Richmond / (McLean, Va. : Voorhees, 1973), also by D. H. “Mike” James, Virginia. Department of Highways, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Transportation pooling / (McLean, Va. : Voorhees, [1974]), also by United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust)
- Transportation system management and parking management plan guidelines. (Sacramento, Calif. : Sacramento Regional Area Commission, [1976]), also by United States. Environmental Protection Agency, California. Dept. of Transportation. District 03, and California. Sacramento Regional Area Planning Commission (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- Transportation system management : handbook of manual analysis techniques for transit strategies : an analytical approach to the development and evaluation of transit-related TSM projects and alternatives / (Washington, DC : UMTA ; Springfield, Va. : For sale by the National Technical Information Service, 1981), also by Keith Gilbert, North Central Texas Council of Governments, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration. Office of Planning Assistance (page images at HathiTrust)
- Travel demand in 1990 : evaluating future needs / ([Boston] : Eastern Massachusetts Regional Planning Project, [1967]), also by Eastern Massachusetts Regional Planning Project (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)
- TSM : an assessment of impacts. (Washington : U.S. Urban Mass Transportation Administration, 1978), also by Keith Gilbert, Frederick A. Wagner, United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Transportation and Land Use Policy, United States. Office of Highway Planning, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration. Office of Policy and Program Development (page images at HathiTrust)
- Tucson auto restricted zone study : technical appendix / (Washington : Urban Mass Transportation Administration ; Springfield, Va. : Available through the National Technical Information Service, 1977), also by William S. Herald, William S. Auto restricted zone/multi-user vehicle system study Herald, and United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (page images at HathiTrust)
- Twin Cities metropolitan sports facilities draft environmental impact statements–Bloomington, Minneapolis / (St. Paul : Minnesota State Planning Agency, 1977), also by Sasaki Associates and Minnesota State Planning Agency (page images at HathiTrust; US access only)