Transportation agencies in California and Minnesota made major advancements, planning for VMT reductions and mitigations as a part of their sustainability and climate change plans.
TDM
Buffalo has reshaped mixed-use development by eliminating parking requirements
After eliminating its minimum parking requirements in 2017, the city of Buffalo, New York, has seen a notable drop in the growth of new parking, driven mostly by changes in mixed-use developments.
Traffic congestion vanished and more people died on the roads
Another deadly impact of COVID: even with fewer cars on the road, traffic deaths increased by 8% to more than 42,000 in total and deaths per mile driven increased by a staggering 24%. The solution is not more congestion, but instead safer streets.
Road pricing reduces induced demand
A new study confirms that adding capacity to roads generates an exactly proportional increase in vehicle travel. Road pricing curbs this effect.
Urban Interstates saw the largest drop in traffic during COVID-19
Traffic dropped 13.2% in 2020, according to preliminary data from FHWA, which marks the lowest number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for any year since 2001.
Hotels have too much parking
New research suggests that hotels require much less parking than the outdated standard of one stall per room.
Built environment affects travel, controlling for self-selection
Greater transit and active transportation accessibility reduces the propensity for owning and driving a car, and increases the likelihood of taking transit, walking, and biking.
Seattle’s reduced parking minimums cut 18,000 stalls and saved over $500 million
Based on costs of providing parking in Seattle, the authors estimate the reduction in parking capacity saved some $537 million.
COVID-19 helped drive down emissions
Amid talk of electric and fuel efficient vehicles, one change proved fast and effective at cutting emissions: traveling less.
DOTs Can Rein in VMT
SSTI’s final 2020 Community of Practice meeting covered how DOTs can be leaders in reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to reduce emissions.