Improving Transportation Efficiency Survey of New Perspectives and Innovative Tools King Cushman, Director Transportation and Growth Planning Puget Sound Regional Council (MPO - Seattle, Washington) Land Use and Transportation in Metropolitan Planning Process Lincoln Institute Seminar - May 14, 2002. The story… - A Growing Problem? - Travel and land development connections - Old lessons and new tools' - Talking about money A Growing Problem? Transportation and growth are increasingly embedded in public consciousness The “Evil” Elements… - Traffic… lots of it! - Lost livability & loss of local character…what happened to “main street” and farmlands? - Economic “gridlock”…some corporations & industries have moved, or threaten to “move out” - Imbalanced urban infrastructure investments…lack of connection between public policies and market strategies as part of total solution Central Puget Sound’s Expanding Urban Footprint (1950 USGS map pictured) Central Puget Sound’s Expanding Urban Footprint (2000 USGS map pictured) Public Frustration with Style of Growth… (showing advertisements with sentiments like "Save It or Pave It", "Urban Sprawl", "Sprawl Hits the Wall, Confronting the realities of metropolitan Los Angeles". Public Perceptions… metropolitan USA (showing common frustrations of city dwelling such as traffic gridlock) Bottom line? Supply and Demand Out of Balance Basic (Market) Fundamentals - Peak travel demand far exceeds roadway supply… - Consumers travel benefits exceed costs - Reflects low operating prices - Expansion of supply historically limited by lagging revenues… lack political support for “tax fixes” - Present pricing system doesn’t balance supply and demand… result more commonly called congestion. Travel and land development connections Regional travel, demographic, and land-use perspectives - past and present trends Regional Travel trends… Changes in National Demographics & Personal Travel: 1969 to 1995 - Population growth (000) +31.8% (Including Persons Age 5 and Under) - Annual Person Trips (000,000) +161.1% - Annual Person Miles of Travel (000,000) +142.9% - Number of Person Trips per Person +98.0% - Annual Person Miles Traveled per Person +84.3% - Average Person Trip Length (miles) -5.6% Regional Travel trends… More travel per household -- Data highlights that: In 1969 the Average Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled per Household for All Purposes was 12,423 Regional Travel trends… Part of story behind travel growth since 1960’s Regional Travel trends… Households have more vehicles Regional Travel trends… Traveling to Work Regional Travel trends… Daily driving time by age & sex Mode of Travel to Work Central Puget Sound (by decade) Regional Travel trends… Sometimes we travel together Does the land development pattern (land use) really impact how much we travel every day? A tale of two regions… Urban Form and Travel Atlanta Region - Dynamic growth - 3+ million people - 6,100 sq. miles - Est. 10 million daily person trips - 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) daily - Air quality status: “Serious” (non-attainment of standards) - Federal Highway $ cutoff Central Puget Sound - Dynamic growth - 3.2 million people - 6,300 sq. miles - Est. 10 million daily person trips - 63 million daily vehicle miles traveled - Air quality status: “Maintenance” (conforms to standards) Comparative Demographics – Different Development Patterns News about transportation World Retail Gasoline Prices 2000-2002 International Perspective... Transportation Resource Consumption International Perspective... Transportation Resource Consumption More transportation news… A Glance at What’s Happening with a Key Travel Resource Annual Oil Production with 2% Annual Growth & Decline Scenario 12 EIA World Conventional Oil Production Scenarios Old lessons and new tools… Linking transportation investment & land use decisions yields efficient travel and livable communities Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) New Program… Context Sensitive Design (CSD) FHWA’s new emphasis – States engage more locally CSD – Leading State DOT efforts… Travel Demand Management TDM… …invisible Silver Bullet? What is TDM? - Good concept - dumb name - It’s about travel conservation - Broad menu of programs and approaches - Objective: more efficient travel & help reduce single-occupant vehicle travel - Focus on key markets for tailored products and services… working with largest employers gets most effective short-term benefits - Typical programs include at least vanpools, ridesharing, employee transit passes, encouragement and/or incentives to walk, bike or share ride to work... parking pricing & management Focused TDM Opportunities - Shifts in Peak periods - View selective examples of corridor congestion - Changes in Travel Mode - Understand and focus on market opportunities - Reality of Travel Costs - Understanding, communicating and making real costs part of solution North I-5, Northbound Know the Travel Market Smart planning tailors solutions to unique community character… one size does not fit all! Regional Travel Trends… As population density increases, auto ownership decreases Regional Travel trends… Few more facts about travel market - Work trips now less than 20% of total daily trips in metropolitan area… Shouldn’t plans deal with the other 80%? - Half of all auto trips are less than 5 miles - 16% auto trips less than 2 miles - Of all trips of less than ½ mile, one-third are by auto GIS - Graphic Tools Help Understand and Analyze Markets Where’s the action? Find concentrations of people and jobs to develop cost-effective solutions Zoom in to identify demographic market for best transportation solution… And even closer as needed… Total Daily Trips Central Puget Sound Region Ship Canal Corridor Travel AM Peak Period (screenline) Traffic Calming and System Management The future is learning from the past Managing Traffic Flow...for vehicles and people Context Sensity Design for Traffic Safety & Community Enhancement - Roundabouts - Extensive use in all countries - Safety and capacity gains - Single and multiple approaches - Flexibility to accommodate site specific conditions And they can get BIG too for large volumes Use of Color and Texture for “Self explaining” Roadways and Pedestrian Spaces Integration of all modes and users in the same space Talking About Money… Moving towards business and market approaches to pay for regional travel - Regional Transportation Expenditures by Mode - Regional Transportation Revenues by Source Another Perspective on Costs of Transportation The Real Transportation Price Tag Making Sense of Transportation Costs Better Management with Total System and Market Perspective The Case for Use-based Pricing - Finance transportation investments and recover costs - Improve performance through traffic management and congestion reduction - Achieve environmental objectives such as air quality improvement Road Financing…today Conventional road financing is a tragic death-spiral - Levy low charge on all mileage... …creating excessive congestion during peak periods - Congestion prompts road authorities to build and/or expand roads - Low charges don’t cover costs… …another fun round of popular tax debates begins! Value Pricing & Road Finance Value pricing stops the death-spiral - Charges are levied selectively on certain vehicle-miles - Prices control excessive congestion during peak periods - Value pricing generates revenue to build capacity when it’s really needed - Revenue is collected from those who use, benefit and burden capacity How Do We (should we?) Look at Value Pricing? - Economists: - “The practice of setting road user charges to reflect all of the costs imposed by the user” - Real people: - “A way for people to buy their way out of congestion” • “A way to keep traffic flowing at a reasonable speed” • “A way to reduce auto use and increase transit use” • “A method for financing road improvements and other neat stuff” • “A way to reduce the need for expensive new roads that fracture communities” Changing How We Raise and Spend Transportation Dollars w Pricing must be part of a comprehensive transportation and land use strategy w Prices and fees should achieve societal benefits and raise revenues w Variable roadway pricing produces greatest congestion reduction benefits w Implementation should be phased over time w It is essential to invest in mobility alternatives Challenge – Realigning a Juggernaut Political appetite weak, but growing • Value pricing has stronger foundation than other options… business, market & common sense • But it still continues to be easier to regulate with taxes than price with the market Public perceptions • Mistrust of policy makers to properly spend money • Important to consider “hold harmless” approaches Critical to gain public ownership of projects • Public must be aware of user benefits of value pricing • Policy makers must be aware of superior fiscal and traffic management opportunities & results In summary, grasp the big picture Transportation and land use have always been linked – now make it intentional for public benefit More signs of changing times... And a few more... Thank you… questions? References – access to topical documents and data via internet websites* w Bureau of Transportation Statistics – BTS (USDOT- wide variety of travel and demographic data – national and for metropolitan areas) • bts.gov w Context Sensitive Design - CSD (FHWA – new emphasis for integrating community interests in roadway design) • fhwa.dot.gov/csd/index.htm w Maryland State Highway Administration – Main Streets and State Highways • marylandroads.com/ohd/MainStreet.htm w Oregon State Department of Transportation – Main Streets Handbook • lcd.state.or.us/tgm/pub/mainst/MSH.pdf References* – (continued) w Traffic Calming - State of the Practice (FHWA & ITE) • ite.org/traffic/index.html w Traffic Calming – Info about one day seminar (FHWA & ITE) • ite.org/traffic/tcseminar.htm w Project for Public Spaces (PPS - their CSD site) • pps.org/CSS/cssonline.htm w US Dept. of Energy (USDOE) – Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development • sustainable.doe.gov/index.shtml w USDOE – Key Transportation Planning Principles to Maximize transportation choices (transit, bike, ped, TDM, etc.) • sustainable.doe.gov/transprt/maxchoic.shtml#TDM w Victoria Transport Policy Institute (B.C., Canada) - Online TDM Encyclopedia • vtpi.org/tdm/ w Puget Sound Regional Council – (Seattle MPO) • psrc.org