Transcript Document

Transportation Impacts of
Development Projects:
Updating VTA’s TIA Guidelines
SVLG Transportation Policy Committee
October 2, 2013
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Development Review Program
Presentation Outline
1. Congestion Management Agency (CMA) Role
2. Importance of Reducing Automobile Trips
3. VTA’s TIA Guidelines Update
4. Benefits
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VTA Congestion Management Program
What is a Congestion Management Agency?
• CMAs are county-level agencies charged with helping
coordinate land use & transportation and improve air quality
• CMAs maintain a Congestion Management Program (CMP)
to monitor congestion and analyze the impacts of
development on the transportation system.
• VTA is the CMA for Santa Clara County
(C/CAG for San Mateo County)
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Legislative Basis for the CMP
• Proposition 111, the Traffic Congestion Relief and
Spending Limit Act, approved in June 1990
• CMA Legislation - 1991
• Incentive-based approach
• Increased transportation funding through gas tax
• With funding, counties required to maintain a CMP
• Cities need to follow CMP to receive these funds
• Other benefits to local agencies
• Consistent guidelines for transportation impact analysis
• More flexibility & decision-making at local and regional level
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VTA Congestion Management Program
CMA Role in Analysis of Development Projects
• One responsibility of the CMA is to monitor the impacts of
land use decisions on the transportation system.
• Done through Transportation
Impact Analysis (TIA) reports,
collaboration with cities, and
CMP monitoring.
• CMAs establish the guidelines
that local agencies use to
prepare TIAs.
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Relevance to Local Planning Efforts
• Current planning/development projects – analysis may
affect project mitigation measures, or impact fees
• Long-range planning – analysis may influence how
growth is allocated, or how a local agency approaches
transportation improvements.
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Importance of Reducing Auto Trips
•
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Reducing the auto trip generation of developments is
important for a number of reasons:
1. To meet CMP and local Level of Service (LOS)
standards
2. To reduce emissions of Greenhouse Gases and other
pollutants
3. To reduce the amount of space devoted to parking
and roadways
4. To minimize other negative impacts (e.g., noise, water
quality issues)
VTA Congestion Management Program
Problem Statement
•
•
•
Autos get most attention in CMP Monitoring & TIAs
Outcome: Wider roads, more turn lanes at intersections,
faster-moving traffic.
(“What gets measured, gets done”)
Unintended consequences:
• Often worse for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders
• Discourage desired development
• Induce more driving
So how do we address this?
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VTA Congestion Management Program
VTA TIA Guidelines Update
• VTA is updating its Transportation Impact Analysis
Guidelines
• Some trends leading to the update:
• SB 375 and efforts to reduce
Greenhouse Gases
• Revisions in CEQA guidelines
• Release of Highway Capacity
Manual (HCM) 2010
• Greater emphasis on
Complete Streets policies
• One proposed change –
emphasize reduction of auto trips
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Development and Congestion Management:
Conventional Approach
 Mitigation
Auto Trip
Generation
Measures
Road widening
Connections to Transit
Shuttle programs
Bike/Pedestrian improvements
Evaluate
Impacts on
Roadways
 Impact
Congestion
More
People
Drive
Fees
 Significant &
Unavoidable Impacts
Widen
Roadways
Faster
Driving
Source: Jeffrey Tumlin, Nelson/Nygaard
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Development and Congestion Management:
Comprehensive Approach
 Auto
Trip Generation
 Consider Auto Trip
Reductions
 Sensible
- Transit/walk/bike friendly locations
- TDM (Shuttles, carpool, bike,
transit incentives)
- Parking pricing & management
Mitigation
Measures
 Reduced Fees
 Fewer Significant
Impacts
Evaluate
All Modes
More Trip Reduction Efforts,
Less Driving
TOD in Sunnyvale, CA with Access to VTA’s
Fair Oaks Light Rail Station and Bus Route 26
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Proposal: Auto Trip Reduction Statement
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Other Areas to Update
• Improve TIA process
• Clarify process for larger auto trip reductions
(tie-in to monitoring and enforcement)
• Improve pedestrian & bicycle analysis requirements
• Re-orient parking analysis to focus on management
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Stakeholder Involvement
• VTA and local agency staff
• Committees of the VTA Board
• Advocacy groups and non-profits
• Transportation & environmental consultants and
development community
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Schedule
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Benefits of a Comprehensive Approach
• Fewer Automobile Trips Generated
• Sensible Mitigation Measures
• Better Employee Benefits and
Morale
• Earning ‘Green Points’
• Being a ‘Good Neighbor’
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VTA Congestion Management Program
Questions or Comments?
Rob Swierk, AICP
[email protected]
www.vta.org/cmp
Thank you!
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