Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Implementing effective travel demand reduction strategies requires strong
stakeholder and political support through:
Strong political leadership;
a comprehensive planning and public information process that addresses the
social, economic, environmental, and equity concerns of the stakeholders
community; and
addressing the short-term costs to those who are forced to change their travel
behavior (by making alternative modes of travel available) against the long term
bene
ts that will accrue to society in the form of sustainable mobility and
environmental health.
14.4.2 Cause: Concentration of Activities
Concentrations of activities tend to generate peak vehicle traf
c demands that
exceed the capacities of roads serving these areas.
Megacenters in suburban areas are primarily accessible by private vehicles that
cause severe traf
c congestion in the peak hours on expressways and arterial roads
leading to the megacenters.
Megacenters located in centers of large cities (e.g., Manhattan, Chicago, Boston,
Philadelphia central business districts) consist of high-density commercial and
residential developments where transit access predominates, with a high volume of
pedestrian trips, and a low per capita share of private vehicle use. These locations
typically face excessive traf
c congestion as well.
14.4.2.1 Possible Strategies
Congestion relief strategies on the roadways serving suburban megacenters involve
proactive strategies aimed at increasing transportation capacities and/or reducing
peak hour traf
c loads by limiting the growth of these centers to the capacity of
their access roads, better access management, and coordinating the center
s land use
development/design to facilitate customer access by transit or as pedestrians.
Coordinating land use decisions (under local control), land developers decisions
(under private control) and transportation decisions (under State control) is a
challenging task that
'
financial
interests of private developers and the importance of tax revenues to the local
towns
is not always achievable since it
involves the
'
operating budgets.
Congestion relief strategies for large city centers typically require a
combination
of strategies involving operational and physical improvements to increase multi-
modal transportation capacity, as well as travel demand management and parking
management policies.
