Strengthening Linkages between Transportation Demand Management and Traffic Management
Key Takeaways
It is becoming more of a reality and a necessity to better integrate transportation demand management (TDM) and traffic management strategies to provide the traveling public with the information and opportunities to make informed decisions throughout the trip chain. The case studies included in this compendium show some easy strategies, some unique strategies, and some strategies requiring more buy-in or support—but all implementable and supportive of both TDM and traffic management goals.
Historically, providing the traveling public with this information in the silos of traffic data and mode data has created a disconnect for the traveling public in recognizing all their options on a daily and en-route basis. Travelers feel like they must take the same mode by the same route every day and deal with any unexpected disruptions.
By providing this integration, the traveling public can make a choice, every single day, about the most efficient and effective mode, route, time, and destination for their travels and ultimately help traffic managers achieve the broader goals. This compendium provides examples and resources with the aim of helping users find ways for their agencies to pursue more integration of the supply and demand aspects of transportation.
For each of the seven contexts, agencies seem to consistently use three groups of tactics as they integrate TDM with traffic management efforts:
Establish supportive policies.
Make temporary changes to existing programs and systems.
Find new communications and partnership strategies.
For agencies that have not begun or are just starting to integrate TDM with traffic management, these tactics may be a good place to start their integration efforts. This section describes strategies for linking TDM and traffic management professionals and programs.
Establish Supportive Policies
To encourage more effective linking of TDM and traffic management efforts, policies and strategic plans must support the integration between these two sides. Having supportive polices in plans can also make it easier to implement when an event is taking place. Some opportunities include:
Support shared-use mobility, mobility on demand (MOD), and mobility as a service (MaaS) elements to provide consumer choices.
For road construction projects, develop guidelines that help choose or prioritize integrated traffic mitigation and TDM activities.
Use variable message signs (VMSs) so they can be locally tailored and provide predictive warnings and specific route guidance.
Have policies that allow agencies to post pre-event messaging.
Integrate with other agencies that can provide valuable data for predictive analyses, such as the National Weather Service.
Develop a system to consolidate freight-specific travel information, and make it available to freight managers.
Develop a multi-jurisdictional signal-timing response plan to ensure the entire roadway system is considered and appropriate agencies are notified when signal timing changes are implemented.
Having the policy support for different activities that can help better link TDM and traffic management activities makes it easier to implement those strategies in response to a specific event. Sometimes it means certain temporary changes do not need to be introduced as a new idea because the support is already written in the plans. Sometimes, it means the data are already available to help model the anticipated response. When an event is a planned or anticipated event, such as a construction project or a major sporting event, there is time before the event starts to plan for the strategies. During the planning phase for an event, agencies can consider policy, program, or system-related changes as well as communications and partnership strategies.
Make Temporary Changes to Existing Programs and Systems
Short-term changes to existing programs and systems may also help advance the linkages between the two groups. Some examples include:
Consider what temporary changes can guide travelers toward a modal decision that puts less pressure on the transportation system. In one case study, the agency temporarily removed a policy that prevented transportation network companies (TNCs) from picking up riders at transit stations to encourage use of transit and address first- and last-mile concerns.
Consider if the temporary or dynamic use of shoulder lanes is effective as a high-occupancy vehicle lane, bus lane, etc.
Encourage off-peak freight travel through different strategies, such as reducing tolls for trucks during off-peak hours.
Proactively plan for increased traffic by adjusting traffic signal timing, which can also help with active management of bus travel times.
Financial incentives (e.g., cost reductions or raffle entries for reward cards) for taking alternate modes of transportation to encourage mode shift to those alternate modes.
Make changes to mass transit services to either accommodate increased ridership on existing services or offer a service that replaces something else.
Temporarily cease construction activities to help mitigate traffic impacts for major disruptions.
Find New Communications and Partnership Strategies
Building new communications and partnership strategies by leveraging data and information available to each group can result in greater and more effective outreach to the traveling public. Examples include:
Share communications about changes to the transportation system through as many avenues as possible, including TDM professionals and the media.
Analyze data to determine which areas or commute routes will be most affected by an event, incident, construction, etc., and conduct targeted outreach.
Proactively work with any non-transportation-related organizations, agencies, or stakeholders (e.g., the media and employer partners) to find creative ways to manage impacts on the transportation system and to disseminate information about planned changes. In one case study, the transportation agencies worked with a non-profit organization to identify parking lots owned by the organization that the agency could temporarily promote as overflow park-and-ride lots.
Partner with TNCs to achieve goals related to increased occupancy vehicle travel.
As soon as any changes to the transportation system are finalized, promote those changes as early as possible. Post the information on websites and at transit stations, share it with the media and other stakeholders and partners, and offer guidance plans and trip-planning assistance. Put the word out as soon as possible and through as many avenues as possible.
Offer real-time travel updates on travel information sites like 511 and on VMSs, and consider whether the agency will provide customized, local updates.
