Land Use Impacts on Travel Summary Factor Definition Travel Impacts
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www.vtpi.org [email protected] 250-508-5150 Land Use Impacts on Transport How Land Use Factors Affect Travel Behavior 1 July 2021 Todd Litman Victoria Transport Policy Institute With Rowan Steele Land use factors such as density, mix, connectivity and walkability affect how people travel in a community. This information can be used to help achieve transport planning objectives. Abstract This paper examines how various land use factors such as density, regional accessibility, mix and roadway connectivity affect travel behavior, including per capita vehicle travel, mode split and nonmotorized travel. This information is useful for evaluating the ability of Smart Growth, new urbanism and access management land use policies to achieve planning objectives such as consumer savings, energy conservation and emission reductions. Todd Alexander Litman © 2004-2021 You are welcome and encouraged to copy, distribute, share and excerpt this document and its ideas, provided the author is given attribution. Please send your corrections, comments and suggestions for improvement. Land Use Impacts On Transportation Victoria Transport Policy Institute Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5 Evaluating Land Use Impacts ...................................................................................... 8 Planning Objectives ................................................................................................... 10 Land Use Management Strategies ............................................................................ 11 Individual Land Use Factors .......................................................................................... 12 Regional Accessibility ................................................................................................ 12 Density ...................................................................................................................... 13 Centricity ................................................................................................................... 19 Land Use Mix ............................................................................................................ 20 Connectivity ............................................................................................................... 22 Roadway Design ....................................................................................................... 24 Active Transport (Walking and Cycling) Conditions ................................................... 25 Transit Accessibility ................................................................................................... 29 Parking Management ................................................................................................ 36 Local Activity Self-Sufficiency – Urban Villages ......................................................... 38 Site Design and Building Orientation ......................................................................... 38 Mobility Management ................................................................................................ 38 Community Cohesion ................................................................................................ 39 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................... 39 Nonmotorized Travel ..................................................................................................... 53 Modeling Land Use Impacts on Travel Behavior and Emissions.................................... 56 Feasibility, Costs and Criticism ...................................................................................... 61 Feasibility .................................................................................................................. 61 Costs ......................................................................................................................... 62 Criticisms ................................................................................................................... 62 Impact Summary ........................................................................................................... 63 Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 65 References And Information Resources ........................................................................ 66 2 Land Use Impacts On Transportation Victoria Transport Policy Institute Executive Summary This paper investigates how various land use factors affect transport impacts, and therefore the ability of Smart Growth (also called new urbanism or compact development) policies to achieve various planning objectives, as summarized below. Land Use Factors Transport Impacts Planning Objectives Regional accessibility Density Land use mix Centeredness Congestion reduction Road and path connectivity Road and parking cost savings Roadway design Vehicle ownership Consumer savings and affordability Active transport (walking and cycling Vehicle trips and travel (mileage) Improved mobility for non-drivers conditions) Walking Traffic safety Public transit service quality Cycling Energy conservation Parking supply and management Public transit travel Pollution emission reduction Site design Ridesharing Improved public fitness and health Mobility management Telecommuting Habitat protection Integrated Smart Growth programs Shorter trips Improved community livability This report considers various land use factors, transport impacts and planning objectives. Although most land use factors have modest individual impacts, typically affecting just a few percent of total travel, they are cumulative and synergistic. Integrated Smart Growth programs that result in community design similar to what developed prior to 1950 can reduce vehicle ownership and travel 20-40%, and significantly increase walking, cycling and public transit, with even larger impacts if integrated with other policy changes such as public transit service improvements and more efficient transport pricing. Care is needed when evaluating the impacts of specific land use factors. Impacts vary depending on definitions, geographic and time scale of analysis, perspectives and specific conditions, such as area demographics. Most factors only apply to subset of total travel, such as local errands or commute travel. Density tends to receive the greatest attention, although alone its travel impacts are modest. Density is usually associated with other factors (regional accessibility, mix, transport system diversity, parking management) that together have large travel impacts. It is therefore important to make a distinction between the narrow definition of density as an isolated attribute, and the broader definition (often called compact development) that includes other associated attributes. A key question is the degree of consumer demand for more accessible, multi-modal development. Demographic and economic trends (aging population, rising fuel prices, increasing health and environmental concerns, changing consumer location preferences, etc.) tend to increase demand for more accessible, multi-modal locations. This suggests that Smart Growth policies are likely to have greater impacts and benefits in the future. Table ES-1 summarizes the effects of land use factors on travel behavior. Actual impacts will vary depending on specific conditions and the combination of factors applied. 3 Land Use Impacts On Transportation Victoria Transport Policy Institute Table ES-1 Land Use Impacts on Travel Summary Factor Definition Travel Impacts Regional Location of development relative to Reduces per capita vehicle mileage. More central area residents accessibility regional urban center. typically drive 10-40% less than at the urban fringe Reduces vehicle ownership and travel, and increases use of alternative modes. A 10% increase typically reduces VMT 0.5-1% as an People or jobs per unit of land area isolated factor, and 1-4% including associated factors (regional Density (acre or hectare). accessibility, mix, etc.). Proximity between different land Tends to reduce vehicle travel and increase use of alternative modes, uses (housing, commercial, particularly walking. Mixed-use areas typically have 5-15% less vehicle Mix institutional) travel. Portion of jobs and other activities Increases use of alternative modes. Typically 30-60% of commuters to Centeredness in central activity centers (e.g., major commercial centers use alternative modes compared with 5- (centricity) downtowns) 15% at dispersed locations Network Degree that walkways and roads Increased roadway connectivity can reduce vehicle travel and Connectivity are connected improved walkway connectivity increases non-motorized travel Scale, design and management of Multi-modal streets increase use of alternative modes. Traffic calming Roadway design streets reduces VMT and increases non-motorized travel Active transport Improved walking and cycling conditions tends to increase (walking and Quantity, quality and security of nonmotorized travel and reduce automobile travel. Residents of more cycling) sidewalks, crosswalks, paths, and walkable communities typically walk 2-4 times more and drive 5-15% conditions bike lanes. less than in more automobile-dependent areas. Increases ridership and reduces automobile trips. Residents of transit oriented neighborhoods tend to own 10-30% fewer