Integrated Corridor Management, Transit, and Mobility on Demand
Conclusion
Integrated corridor management (ICM) is a practical and logical evolutionary step in transportation operations. As congestion continues to grow, and agencies' ability to expand the roadway network is limited by both space and resources, ICM provides operators with a tool to maximize the capacity of existing roadway infrastructure through active management of all assets along a corridor.
ICM is about moving transportation system users along and around a corridor as efficiently as possible, and public transportation plays a critical role in accomplishing that objective. Trends show that travelers increasingly look to public transit to make all or part of their trips. From their perspective, it does not matter who operates transit, but that they can anticipate a reliable ride. ICM can help agencies meet customer expectations through multimodal strategies that seek to maximize person throughput and enhance personal mobility not just vehicular throughput.
Although current ICM efforts do incorporate transit, sites could take into consideration strategies that are more transit-oriented strategies rather than strategies that consider transit solely as an alternative mode to which travelers should be shifted during congested periods. This primer has explored some of these strategies, such as transit priority treatments, transit incentives, and information sharing and communication between transit and roadway agencies, among transit agencies, and between transit agencies and travelers. These approaches could reap direct benefits for transit agencies and encourage them to participate in an ICM effort.
Perhaps the ICM approach with the greatest potential benefit for transit is the development of transit- centric response plans, in which operational strategies are implemented in response to incidents that disrupt transit service. The rise of mobility on demand (MOD) services such as car and bike sharing, dynamic carpooling, transportation network companies, and others can assist with these response plans by providing increasing options for travelers when they cannot use public transit, or need another option. These services can also help move travelers through the corridor on a day-to-day basis, providing a new type of situational mobility for travelers who choose not to own or regularly commute using a personal vehicle.
While this primer has presented examples of transit- and MOD-related strategies that ICM sites could consider, it does not represent a "one size fits all" model; what works for one region may not work for another. In addition, ICM implementers should be aware of and prepared to address the institutional, operational, and technical barriers associated with these strategies.
Despite these hurdles, the benefits of integrating ICM, public transportation, and MOD services promises a payoff that minimizes the impact of the challenges. As more regions begin to explore an ICM concept for their region, they should think of how to engage these critical stakeholder groups. Ultimately, further collaboration and integration can help further the shared goal of roadway and transit agencies, as well as MOD companies, to provide customers with an efficient and reliable travel experience.
