Research using the results of a 2003 Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority strike shows that transit does indeed relieve congestion, but only along corridors that parallel heavily used lines. At the same time, research in the Netherlands indicates that park-and-ride lots in cities may actually increase vehicle miles traveled in a metro area.
parking
Parking management – an unlikely economic development tool
During the era of interstate highway construction, and the resulting demographic shift from city to suburb, municipalities worked to provide auto access to their downtowns, hoping this access would support economic growth. However, mounting evidence shows that this came at the expense of the very economic vibrancy cities sought and does not help reduce roadway congestion. Costs associated with accommodating cars, particularly for parking, are outweighed by the long-term economic costs.
Contemporary Approaches to Parking Pricing: A Primer (FHWA, 2012)
Today, technological advances offer the opportunity to effectively manage and price parking. This primer discusses advances covering a broad array of parking pricing applications, available technology, preferred user accommodations, and strategies for gaining public acceptance for policy changes.
Finding the middle – balancing public and private interests with P3s
Many agencies have been slow to adopt a public private partnership model for transportation financing, which offers both funding opportunities and shortened timelines. One problem is that municipalities and states may not have the capacity to match the right private partner to the appropriate project and assess taxpayer impacts. Is it time to consider dedicated offices to handle P3s?
Mexico City tackles congestion head-on
As recently as 2011, Mexico City ranked among the world’s worst for traffic congestion. But now, Mexico City’s improvements to their transportation system can serve as a model for other municipalities to learn from. The city shines as an international example of a rapidly growing city successfully lowering carbon emissions, reducing the severity of traffic jams, increasing public space, and improving overall quality of life.
Pre-tax transit benefits return to parity with parking in 2013
Included in the fiscal cliff deal was a provision to return employee pre-tax transit benefits to parity with parking.
Land Use Impacts on Transport: How Land Use Factors Affect Travel Behavior (Victoria Transportation Policy Institute, 2012)
This paper examines how various land use factors such as density, regional accessibility, mix and roadway connectivity affect travel behavior, including per capita vehicle travel, mode split and nonmotorized travel. This information is useful for …
Faulty suburban parking assumptions not holding up at new East Harlem mall
A wild overestimation of parking demand at a mall in Manhattan has led to wasted space, reduced pedestrian accessibility, and undermining long term planning goals. Because no big box stores had been built in such a dense urban area, developers relied on data from similar developments in more suburban locations. Assuming 67 to 68 percent of shoppers would arrive by car, the mall built vastly more parking than was needed to accommodate customers.
Off-street parking access linked to higher VMT
When it comes to parking in new residential developments, planners often face stakeholders with two opposing positions. Some want land-use authorities to require lots of off-street parking in order to avoid over-demand for street spots. Others complain that all that off-street parking will just induce more traffic; if authorities require anything, they should set parking maximums, not minimums. A new study by Rachel Weinberger of the University of Pennsylvania provides evidence for the latter view.
San Francisco drivers still park on congested blocks despite variable pricing
Even though parking can be significantly cheaper on adjacent blocks, people keep parking in the same spots, regardless of cost. That’s the conclusion after the most recent adjustment in an innovative program to even out parking …