Parking and Demand Management Resources

mhalle · December 11, 2023, 6:26pm

(Parking and) Transportation Demand Management

This document includes information about Parking and Transportation Demand Management to help inform discussions about possible future Newton PTDM programs and policies, including zoning.

Introduction

Parking and Transportation Demand Management, known as TDM or PTDM, are policies and programs created to move people more effectively where they need to go. TDM programs were originally created to avoid rush hour bottlenecks in cities. Over time, TDM has become a way for cities to do approach a variety of goals:

reduce congestion,
make limited roadway and parking capacity useful for more people,
improve transportation convenience,
maximize travel options while building a more robust transportation system that can tolerate failures,
encourage the use of more efficient forms of transportation,
help make different kinds of transportation systems to work together,
improve air quality and reduce climate impact,
improve accountability by shifting the burden of transportation and parking impacts to their source,
improve transportation equity, availability, and cost for everyone who needs it.

Resources

Here are links to a variety of TDM resources (click on the headers for links):

Boston MAPC TDM report (2017)

This report is intended to serve as a guide for municipalities looking to amend existing or adopt new bylaws or zoning ordinances that advance Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures as part of the review and approval of development projects.Case studies highlighting TDM measures already implemented by municipalities, both in Massachusetts and nationwide, are identified in this report. The examples include a variety of approaches ranging from setting specific trip reduction targets, providing a menu of TDM alternatives to consider for implementation, and to applying various parking measures. The bylaw or zoning ordinance language of each identified case study and measure is available in the appendices for further reference.

TDM policies and programs taking place at the state level both in Massachusetts and nationwide are summarized and a model bylaw outlining a range of TDM measures is provided. While the TDM policies, programs, measures included in this report provide a strong framework, it is critical that municipalities looking to establish TDM programs develop bylaw or zoning ordinance language that meets their particular goals. This report is intended to provide a variety of examples that can help municipalities craft language to meet these goals.

Cambridge’s TDM program web page

The City of Cambridge has one of the oldest and most robust PTDM program, codified by their Vehicle Trip Reduction Ordinance. Their website details the city’s implementation of PTDM and also includes some links to TDM research.

"Cambridge in transition: regulating parking in a growing city”

Analysis of the history, implementation, and effects of Cambridge’s parking policies yields several key conclusions. First, the City developed its parking policies in response to a series of external federal, state and local mandates in the form of regulations, lawsuits, and petitions.

These events precipitated debates over the role that parking policies should play between groups that in this thesis are called the local “growth coalition,” or development interests, neighborhood “limited growth” activists, and govemment “planned density” bureaucrats. Debates between these three groups dramatically shaped the form that Cambridge’s policies now take. Second, past and current parking policies have facilitated the existence of many underused parking spaces in the city, which undermine the effectiveness of City policies that target commuter driving. Finally, although concerns about the impacts of parking policies on economic development still exist in Cambridge, anticipated growth presents an opportunity for the City to revisit its parking policies.

Revised policies could more effectively enable the shared use of existing parking spaces, increase employee awareness of commuter benefits, and make the costs of parking more transparent and representative of their physical, social, and environmental impacts.

Boston’s Transportation Development Review website

The City of Boston conducts transportation reviews of major development projects and establishes Transportation Access Plan Agreements, or TAPAs, with the developers. TDM is part of that process. Boston uses a point system (Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Point System | Boston.gov) to set development standards for TDM.

Washington DC: Incorporation of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) into the Development Review Process Final Report and Recommendations (2013)

Washington DC did an extensive report of existing TDM programs when establishing its program.

Nelson Nygaard TDM guide (2022)

ACCC TDM Implementation Guide (PDF) (1.5 MB)

“Transportation demand management,” or TDM, is a wonky yet useful phrase that encompasses a suite of transportation policies and programs that are a critical component of a systematic and equitable transportation strategy. Early TDM programs were designed to influence peak-direction travel away from the peak-congestion times or toward non-driving modes that could ease roadway congestion. Over time, TDM has expanded to apply more broadly to policies and programs designed to support and incentivize healthier, more environmentally sustainable transportation behaviors. This broader focus now includes improving access for more than just typically white, suburban, white-collar commuters. By expanding its goals, TDM can and must expand who benefits by engaging often-marginalized communities, tailoring programs to serve them, and reinforcing that improving access for all benefits all.

Through the support of the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge, Nelson\Nygaard and the Natural Resources Defense Council developed The New Transportation Demand Management: An Implementation Guide for City Officials. This Implementation Guide is intended to help local leaders understand the state of TDM practice, work with their communities and local stakeholders to identify the TDM measures that might help advance shared goals, and then implement those measures effectively.

Newton Special Permit TDM Requirements

Newton has implemented parking and transportation requirements as part of Special Permits for major construction. This section (to be edited), will include information about past special permits.