Transportation‐Demand Management for Quality Development

In recent years, widespread traffic congestion has provided a new impetus to initiate transportation‐demand management (TDM) actions. Across the nation, dozens of grass‐roots transportation management associations (TMAs) have been formed as private‐public partnerships to address mobility problems in localized areas. Many of the successful transportation‐demand management programs have been created by private development organizations, interested in promoting their marketability by assuring high levels of mobility. Results have been impressive, with peak‐period traffic reductions ranging between 10% and 20%, and higher for specific developments. The potential savings in new construction can be sizable and well worth the modest costs associated with optimizing the efficiency of existing transportation investments. Successful application of TDM can save developers money, when contrasted to exactions typically associated with traffic mitigation through capacity additions. TDM can also provide positive marketing opportunities. As we plan for new projects, the development community should aggressively pursue TDM as an important element of traffic mitigation programs. In addition, local governments should be receptive to TDM, as it offers major benefits to the general public.