Transit-oriented residential development generates far fewer automobile trips

Transit-oriented residential development generates far fewer automobile trips than conventional development, according to recent research conducted by PB PlaceMaking, Robert Cervero, the Urban Land Institute, and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development. A study for the Transit Cooperative Research Program counted vehicles leaving and entering 17 transit-oriented housing developments in four regions across the US. Researchers found that on a typical weekday, the TOD projects produced 44 percent fewer vehicle trips than would be suggested by the standard ratios of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). During the morning and evening peak traffic hours, the reductions were 49 and 48 percent.

The researchers found that ITE’s calculations of auto trips and parking needs fail to reflect the sharp reduction in driving that occurs when people live close to transit. Governments often base their parking and traffic standards on ITE figures. Consequently, TOD developers are probably being charged more in fees for impact mitigation and roadway improvements than is justifiable. Says PB PlaceMaking Vice President G.B. Arrington: “Policy makers and planners can ‘afford’ to give TODs as much as 50 percent lower fees than traditional developments….” The hope is that ITE will update its trip generation and parking generation rates so that they reflect the actual performance of TOD projects.