The TDM Professional

Welcome TDM Professionals

Welcome to The TDM Professional. This Blog is intended for use by ACT members and their colleagues to foster sharing of ideas and industry news. All are welcome to become authors. To become a contributing blogger please contact me.  After providing your name and email address, you'll receive an email with instructions from Typepad on how to start blogging. It's real easy.

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Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

The Carbon Emissions of Biking vs. Driving

Just in time for Bike To Work Day this Friday, May 16, the Sierra Club's Answer Guy Hey Mr. Green puts to rest the silly notion that fueling a bike (by feeding a person food that has been grown with fossil fuel inputs and transported to the consumer) is worse for the environment than fueling a car (Is Driving Better Than Cycling, April 29, 2008). Says Hey Mr. Green:

"Of course it takes some energy to make and propel a bike, but nowhere near what's required to make and propel cars that weigh 70 or 80 times as much and demand vastly greater energy for maintenance, from oil changes to tires to new fenders and grilles when they get banged up."

Now that we've cleared that up, we hope to see you out on the trails on the 16th. I'll be riding to the Rosslyn pit stop. With 26 pit stops in all, there should be one close to your home or office. Its not too late to sign up to participate. See you on Friday!

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Chicken or Egg on Auto-Oriented Land Use Planning

The good folks at the always interesting Planetizen discuss the chicken and egg nature of doing land use planning for encouraging more people to walk, bike and use public transit (People Like Cars, and There's Not Much We Can Do About It, May 7, 2008, by Christian Peralta). Says Peralta:

"Even though many planners want to think that lots of people would relinquish their cars if they just had a light rail stop nearby, I feel like most Americans remain whole-heartedly committed to private auto ownership, single-family homes, big box retail stores, and the slew of other elements that have created the modern urban landscape."

So he asks if this is a chicken and egg situation where the physical landscape has to change before people consider changing their auto-oriented lifestyle. He seems to posit that it is a combination of city design, policy that increases the costs associated with driving and education to encourage behavior change. Most planners and transportation folks would agree.

I'd say its not so much chicken or egg. Planners do indeed need to move forward with designing for density and more around people and less around cars. They also need to coordinate these efforts with building more transit, bikeways and pedestrian-friendly environments and providing information and services that encourage their use. As an example, here in Arlington we believe that creating the conditions where more people bike, walk and take public transit rest on these three things:

1. Great planning that focuses density in transit corridors,
2. Providing a robust amount of multi-modal transportation infrastructure that focuses on people not vehicles, and
3. Great educational TDM programs.

All together these three things help contribute to a more vibrant, growing, prosperous and sustainable community.

Additional related information.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Longer Commutes = Steep Drop In Housing Prices

NPR tells us (Home Prices Drop Most in Areas With Long Commutes, April 21, 2008, by Kathleen Schalach) that the real estate market is fairing better in areas with shorter commutes rather than those with the long drives into the city. Real estate experts say the trend is true here in the D.C. area as well as areas across the country. The conclusion. The longer the commute the steeper the drop in home values. Says one expert:

"Home buyers' attitudes have changed. The old rule was, "Drive 'til you qualify" - meaning they should go out from the city until they could get what they wanted at a price they could afford. Buyers are now asking different questions: "What is the cost of gasoline? What is the cost of my time?"

As a result, the experts say the market is responding. Over the last two years new construction on forest and farmland has dropped 70 percent while construction in town has held steady. Pushed by changing demographics, the trend is expected to continue. Says another expert:

"We don't live in the Ozzie and Harriet era anymore," Goldberg said. "We live more in the Seinfeld, Sex in the City era, in which young people find cities to be compelling."

Seems like demographics, congestion and energy prices are all having an effect on the housing market. I'm certainlly glad I live in town.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

America's Most Congested Cities

This week Forbes Magazine ranked America's most congested cities (America's Most Congested Cities, April 10, 2008, by Matt Woolsey). Guess what? We're #1! Oy. We seem to make progress and now we learn that by Forbes' index that takes into account the longest commuting times and the longest delays, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is the worst. The ranking:

                             Commutes Longer    Annual Hours
City                       Than 45 Minutes    Delay Per Person

1. Washington, D.C.             28.3%           60
2. Atlanta                            24.0%            60
3. Los Angeles                     19.0%            72
4. San Francisco                  24.0%            60
5. Houston                          17.3%            56
6. New York                         43.0%            43
7. Riverside-San Bernadino  23.0%             49
8. Chicago                           25.0%            46
9. Dallas                              16.5%            58
10. Boston                           20.0%            46

Says Forbes about our area:

"The D.C. Beltway is legendary for its ability to cause residents frustration. What has made things worse over the last few years is increased suburban sprawl. This has put additional stress on roadways, because very few of the area's new housing developments link up with the Washington metropolitan train system, which services the District of Columbia and immediate suburbs very well, but doesn't link up to most of the Virginia and Maryland population centers."

True enough. Guess we have a lot of work to do still.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

This week Forbes Magazine ranked America's most congested cities (America's Most Congested Cities, April 10, 2008, by Matt Woolsey). Guess what? We're #1! Oy. We seem to make progress and now we learn that by Forbes' index that takes into account the longest commuting times and the longest delays, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is the worst. The ranking:

                             Commutes Longer    Annual Hours
City                       Than 45 Minutes    Delay Per Person

1. Washington, D.C.             28.3%           60
2. Atlanta                            24.0%            60
3. Los Angeles                     19.0%            72
4. San Francisco                  24.0%            60
5. Houston                          17.3%            56
6. New York                         43.0%            43
7. Riverside-San Bernadino  23.0%             49
8. Chicago                           25.0%            46
9. Dallas                              16.5%            58
10. Boston                           20.0%            46

Says Forbes about our area:

"The D.C. Beltway is legendary for its ability to cause residents frustration. What has made things worse over the last few years is increased suburban sprawl. This has put additional stress on roadways, because very few of the area's new housing developments link up with the Washington metropolitan train system, which services the District of Columbia and immediate suburbs very well, but doesn't link up to most of the Virginia and Maryland population centers."

True enough. Guess we have a lot of work to do still.

London's Two-Wheel Transformation

In an article titled "City's two-wheel transformation" of the UK's The Guardian, London's mayor, Ken Livingstone, is quoted saying, "We want nothing short of a cycling transformation in London. We are announcing the biggest investment in cycling in London's history, which will mean that thousands more Londoners can cycle in confidence, on routes that take them quickly and safely to where they want to go." This investment in cycling includes $800M for the conversion of existing city streets into dedicated bicycle "super-cycleways" with the goal of increasing bicycling by 400% by 2025.

According to the article, the super-cycleways will link residential areas to the city center. The routes that have been selected "are based on a 12-month study of the most popular roads already used by cyclists and will have continuous, wide cycle lanes, dedicated junctions and clear signs."

"Planners hope the changes will encourage a 'critical mass' of cyclists to use the routes, creating a safe and accessible environment as well as cutting congestion and pollution across London."

Imagine Arlington with bicycle super-cycleways. These bike facilities wouldn't just be for fast riding, but for all cyclists and would accommodate people enjoying the day with a slow bike ride, running errands, and children riding to school. I'm sure more people would bike in Arlington with dedicated bike streets, where there were fewer potential conflicts with motorists. Afterall, safety is key and dedicated bikeways are the best way to ensure this.

by Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

In an article titled "City's two-wheel transformation" of the UK's The Guardian, London's mayor, Ken Livingstone, is quoted saying, "We want nothing short of a cycling transformation in London. We are announcing the biggest investment in cycling in London's history, which will mean that thousands more Londoners can cycle in confidence, on routes that take them quickly and safely to where they want to go." This investment in cycling includes $800M for the conversion of existing city streets into dedicated bicycle "super-cycleways" with the goal of increasing bicycling by 400% by 2025.

According to the article, the super-cycleways will link residential areas to the city center. The routes that have been selected "are based on a 12-month study of the most popular roads already used by cyclists and will have continuous, wide cycle lanes, dedicated junctions and clear signs."

"Planners hope the changes will encourage a 'critical mass' of cyclists to use the routes, creating a safe and accessible environment as well as cutting congestion and pollution across London."

Imagine Arlington with bicycle super-cycleways. These bike facilities wouldn't just be for fast riding, but for all cyclists and would accommodate people enjoying the day with a slow bike ride, running errands, and children riding to school. I'm sure more people would bike in Arlington with dedicated bike streets, where there were fewer potential conflicts with motorists. Afterall, safety is key and dedicated bikeways are the best way to ensure this.

by Paul DeMaio, BikeArlington

Best Companies To Work For Keep Telework Trend Going

Fortune recently released its 2008 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.  An impressive 84 of these "best companies" allow teleworking for at least  20% of an employee's schedule.

Recalling an earlier post that I wrote on the correlation between increasing gas prices and telework, telecommuting is an increasing popular arrangement that benefits employers and employees.  Telework rewards employees with less commute time and stress as well as helps employers recruit and retain valuable talent. And for those companies in Virginia, Telework!VA, a program administered through the VA Department of Rail and Public Transportation, offers incentives to expand or introduce a formalized telework program. 

The Fortune list also highlighted companies with "unusual perks." Among those cited were Genentech and Google.  Genetech gives employees that commute via public transportation, bike, or walking a $4 daily subsidy.  Google gives $1,000 toward the purchase of a hybrid or electric car.  Creativity is flowing to attract more employees to environmentally friendly transit. 

What is your company doing to help lessen the DC commute tension?  How do you think employers can encourage employees to commute via public transit, walking, biking, or carpooling?

Carly Nider, Arlington Transportation Partners

Fortune recently released its 2008 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.  An impressive 84 of these "best companies" allow teleworking for at least  20% of an employee's schedule.

Recalling an earlier post that I wrote on the correlation between increasing gas prices and telework, telecommuting is an increasing popular arrangement that benefits employers and employees.  Telework rewards employees with less commute time and stress as well as helps employers recruit and retain valuable talent. And for those companies in Virginia, Telework!VA, a program administered through the VA Department of Rail and Public Transportation, offers incentives to expand or introduce a formalized telework program. 

The Fortune list also highlighted companies with "unusual perks." Among those cited were Genentech and Google.  Genetech gives employees that commute via public transportation, bike, or walking a $4 daily subsidy.  Google gives $1,000 toward the purchase of a hybrid or electric car.  Creativity is flowing to attract more employees to environmentally friendly transit. 

What is your company doing to help lessen the DC commute tension?  How do you think employers can encourage employees to commute via public transit, walking, biking, or carpooling?

Carly Nider, Arlington Transportation Partners

The Coolest Bike Shop In the World

Lance Armstrong seems to have the right idea. He's opening up a shop in his home town of Austin, Texas that will be dedicated to encouraging people to use their bikes to commute and get around. Says Lance:

"This city is exploding downtown. Are all these people in high rises going to drive everywhere? We have to promote (bike) commuting," Armstrong said Wednesday, gazing up at the towering condos rising next to the site of his new shop. "This can be a hub for that."

Way to go Lance. Enjoy the article.

Lance Armstrong Unveils His New Commuting Bike Shop, February, 18, 2008; Pamela LeBlanc, Austin 360.com.

Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

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Parking Policy Shapes Our Cities

Rob Goodspeed over at the always interesting Goodspeed Update has a great post (The Urbanists' Panacea: Parking Reform, February 24, 2008) on urban parking policy and how it shapes our cities and impacts traffic. Rob discusses the ideas contained in UCLA planning professor Donald Shoup's book The High Cost of Free Parking.

Mr. Goodspeed also compares the amount of parking required by some of the local zoning codes. He tells us that the District is launching a major revision of it's zoning code and provides a "District of Columbia Zoning Requirement for Parking Study" PowerPoint and links to best practices in parking policy.

Everyone interested in reducing traffic congestion and improving the quality of life in our urban areas should take a look at Rob's post. There's lots to chew on here. Enjoy.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Escape from the Suburban Fringe

The Brookings Institution's Christopher Leinberger has an awesome article in the March Atlantic Monthly (The Next Slum?) about what the future may hold for the outer suburbs and their McMansions. He posits that they may become tomorrow's slums.

Mr. Leinberger finds that the recent decline of some of these places is usually attributed to the subprime-mortgage crisis and its wave of foreclosures. And while true, he believes that in the future, that a structural change in the housing market, in the way that more Americans want to live and work, is what will really work against these places. Says Leinberger:

"Twenty years ago, urban housing was a bargain in most central cities. Today, it carries an enormous price premium. It is urban life, almost exclusively, that is culturally associated with excitement, freedom, and diverse daily life. It’s crucial to note that these premiums have arisen not only in central cities, but also in suburban towns that have walkable urban centers offering a mix of residential and commercial development. People are being drawn to the convenience and culture of walkable urban neighborhoods across the country—even when those neighborhoods are small. "

He says builders and developers have noticed and are responding to accommodate the demand by providing an alternative to conventional car-based lifestyles. They do so by developing infill in the cities and inner suburbs and even finding a way to bring the city to the newer suburbs. He calls these new places "lifestyle centers." Think Reston. He says demographic changes and increases in gasoline and heating costs will only hasten this change in development patterns that favor new and traditional downtowns aligned with transit. He also echos much recent data that says the turn towards more walkable living means better health. So as America moves toward these changes he paints a sad picture that awaits many of today's sprawling outer burbs:

"... much of the future decline is likely to occur on the fringes, in towns far away from the central city, not served by rail transit, and lacking any real core. In other words, some of the worst problems are likely to be seen in some of the country’s more recently developed areas—and not only those inhabited by subprime-mortgage borrowers. Many of these areas will become magnets for poverty, crime, and social dysfunction."

If you live there now, escape while you still have time.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Business Mags Note Carsharing Is Growing Up

Two recent business magazine articles about Zipcar indicate that what started as a little green carshare company has become the industry's dominant national company.

The Fast Company article (Zipcar Makes the Leap, by Alex Frankel, February 14, 2008) shares that Zipcar has 180,000 members in 50 cities with revenues of $50 million a year. Next step an IPO, 2 million customers and $1 billion in revenue. Fast Company tells us that part of Zipcar's success has been soft-selling the green benefits in favor of the total experience. Another ingredient of success has been the college market. With Zipcar now on 70 campuses nation-wide, when students graduate and migrate to urban areas they are already predisposed to the concept. Fast Company also says that traditional car-rental companies have taken note of Zipcar's success and have started hourly rental in some select cities. Is Zipcar worried? Nah. Zipcar's CEO says that by positioning themselves as the Whole Foods of carsharing, the rental-car companies end up being grocery stores that add an aisle or two of natural foods. In the end, he believes Zipcar has too big a head start in technology and customer service to be concerned.

The Inc. Magazine article (How Fast Can This Thing Go, Anyway? by Stephanie Clifford, March 2008) is the cover story and quite extensive. The article's subtitle says "Zipcar was a classic founder-run company--long on passion, short on cash. Until a new CEO came aboard, gave the business a seven-step tune up, and put the pedal to the metal." The author thus traces the rise of the company with the story of how Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith, who was brought in at the beginning of 2003 -four years after the company was founded and had begun experiencing growing pains - implemented a seven-point strategy for turning a great idea into a thriving company. And so far it has worked. His seven points:

1. Break It Down to Built It Up
2. Before you Get big, Get Tech
3. Brand With Attitude. And BMWs
4. Hand Over Power, Watch Ideas Fly
5. Sell Where Your Competition Won't
6. First, Prove It. Then, Fund It.
7. Know When to Say No. And Whey to Say Yes

The future for Zipcar looks bright. We  just met with Ellice Perez, General Manager of the Washington, D.C. regional office and came away impressed with the way they've handled the merger (Is Carshare Merger a Sign of Progress, November 1, 2007) of the two companies in our area and with their plans for the future. Ms. Perez has built a solid local team. Now with information from Inc. Magazine we know that she's got the backing and support from a great corporate culture. So the future of carsharing in our area looks very bright too.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Best of 2007 on CommuterPageBlog: Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments, Eight Things To Keep Our Eyes On and a Few Funny Stories

This is the last of three posts in a series looking at some of the best stories of 2007 from our sister CommuterPageBlog: The series includes:

1. Twenty Reports That Made Us Think, January 2
2. Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged, January 3
3. Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments, Eight Things To Keep Our Eyes On and a Few Funny Stories

For Washingtonians, there are two posts on CommuterPageBlog that pertain just to that area, they are:

1. A Dozen Good News Items in Arlington, December 28
2. Ten Good News Stories Around the Washington, D.C. Region, December 29

Today, we take a look at some bad ideas, some disappointments or setbacks, a few funny stories and a few things we'll need to worry about and keep our eye on. Enjoy the look back.

Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments, Eight Things To Keep Our Eyes On, a Few Funny Stories and Our Favorite Post

Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments

1. If you're going to extend Metrorail out to Dulles, shouldn't it a least be underground in Tysons and follow the Arlington model?
   How Sad to See Such a Major Mistake on Dulles Rail, June 23
2. This is one we didn't agree with. Big business and big interests won the day as the HOT (Lexus) Lanes were eventually approved. So let's make sure that when they build the HOT lanes that they protect the carpools and buses.
   Lexus Lanes Just Wrong, March 25
   Lexus Lane Plan Too Good to Be True?, April 18
   Common Sense Trumps Technology When it Comes To Protecting Our HOV Lanes, April 24
3. Thank goodness we only have one more year of these folks.
   Surprise! Feds Send Mixed Signals on Commuting Policy, August 16
   Uninformed: Transportation Secretary Says Bikes Aren't Transportation, August 21
4. Our sources at the Association for Commuter Transportation have recently told us that even providing the modest proposed amount of $25 per month for bikers was jettisoned from the Energy Bill. Sad...
   Tax Credits for Biking to Work in Virginia?, January 29
   Could Biking Soon Join Parking, Transit and Vanpooling as a Tax Free Benefit, June 22
   Hope for Bicycle Commuter ACT, July 2
   House Passes Energy Bill, Includes Bike Commuters, August 14
5. Another year, another lost opportunity to do the right thing. Don't hold your breath on this one either...
   Transit Parity With Parking at Last?, February 22

Eight Things to Keep Our Eyes On

1. This post received some of the most traffic and comments of the entire year. This issue is for the distant future, but something to watch nonetheless.
   Orange Crush Make for Blue Customers in South Arlington & Alexandria, August 1
2. We agree with the good Dr. that its a bad idea and hope VDOT sticks to its promise to end the hybrid exemption at the end of this fiscal year (June 30, 2008).
   The Dr. Says No to Hybrids in HOV Lanes, April 15
3. This nightmare is going to last years. Here's hoping State and local agencies can get a handle on this or everyone will suffer.
   Tysons Corner - What a Mess, January 28
   Construction Project Could Make Region's Congestion Worse, July 29
4. When it comes to reducing traffic or getting more people to ride the bus, we still have a lot of work to do.
   Easing Traffic Not So Easy, April 25
   Riding the Bus, Not Easy, April 10
   Are Printed Transit Information Materials a Significant Barrier to Transit Use?, August 23
5. Even Dr. Gridlock couldn't figure this out. This is something, I hope, we can work to improve.
   16? 2? 53a? &%**#!!, November 10
6. We'll have to wait and see whether or not one is better than two. We kinda liked having two. We wish the new Zipcar good luck!
   Is Carshare Merger a Sign of Progress?, November 1
7. Baseball and non-baseball fans alike will be rooting for the Nationals and the City to get the transportation situation at the gleaming new ballpark settled by Opening Day. Here's wishing everyone good luck!
   Dark Clouds Next Year Over the Nationals Parking Situation, August 31
8. This is the big one. Something that needs to be confronted at every level.
   Life -- After Cheap Oil, August 6, 2007

Three Funny Stories

1. Whether or not the series is really funny or not we hope it lasts a while because it demonstrates the benefits of carpooling with every episode. It's like free advertising.
   Carpoolers...Coming to a TV Near You, August 3
   Tune In To See How Much Fun You Could Have Carpooling, September 26
2. Oh the horror. Some people had to walk from their McMansion's all the way to their mailbox. The most absurd story of the year.
   Suburban Angst Caused By Walking To Get Mail, June 17
3. The funniest transportation commercial of the year (ad appears at top of post). Only the folks from the land down under could have pulled off something so edgy.
   A Different Approach To Combating Speeding, June 27
   

One Favorite Post

1. Our favorite post of the year. Okay, we liked it because Jim Bacon's article said so many nice things about our program and Arlington. Sorry but this one's a keeper...
   Vanquishing the Density Demon, August 13

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Best of 2007 on CommuterPageBlog: Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged

This is the second of three posts in a series looking at some of the best stories of 2007 from our sister CommuterPageBlog: The series includes:

1. Twenty Reports That Made Us Think, January 2
2. Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged
3. Bad Ideas, Disappointments, a Few Funny Stories and Some Things To Worry About or Work On

For Washingtonians, there are two posts on CommuterPageBlog that pertain just to that area, they are:

1. A Dozen Good News Items in Arlington, December 28
2. Ten Good News Stories Around the Washington, D.C. Region, December 29

Today, we take a look at ten good ideas, plus one, that emerged and were were covered on the blog during 2007. Enjoy the look back.

Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged

11. We think it's both.
Bike Parking or Art?, January 29

10. What an illuminating idea. Every biker should have these!
Bicycle Safety on the Side, October 31

9. Before heading out the door check out this handy website for a quick look at traffic.
Jamfactor8.5 Meters are in the Red, Check the Webcams!!, April 11

8. Are those folks from the land down under on to something here? Can you combine the best of carpooling and slugging and formalize it so even more people can share the ride?
Is a More Formalized Slugging in Our Future?, May 3
Flexible Carpooling - Coffee Included - Coming to the States?, August 24

7. Okay if they can even think about doing this in Los Angeles, shouldn't we study the idea around here?
Carfree Boulevards. Could it Work Here?, July 31

6. If our region is #1 in walkability than shouldn't we be making a better effort at becoming #1 in biking too? Here's an idea that could help build that culture where everyone participates.
Another Car-Free Idea from Mexico City, August 2
Could Bogota's Example Lead to Ciclovia: Metro Washington, D.C.?, December 8

5. From the people who brought you Zipcar, comes the next generation of ridesharing. Everybody GoLoco!
Ridesharing 2.0, April 25
Ridesharing 2.0 Revisited - GoLoco!, August 22

4. Who doesn't love Google and Google Maps? When you start combining that know-how with transit, good things are bound to happen.
Rail Stops and Google - It's Better than Chocolate, February 13
Google Transit, March 2
Google Maps Credited with Increase in Duluth's Transit Ridership, August 26
Google Transit Now Available in 19 U.S. Cities, October 7

3. My teleworking co-worker swears by this little gizmo which he uses daily. A must have for transferring files back and forth between home and work safely and quickly.
Teleworking's New "Toy", July 30

2. Our favorite little site for 2007. And of course it uses Google Maps.
How Walkable is Your Neighborhood?, July 18

1. The best idea since carsharing. We can't wait for DC and Arlington to start their bikesharing programs. It's so European!
Bike-sharing Arrives in Paris, July 18
Bikesharing Coming to the U.S., November 16

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Best of 2007 on CommuterPageBlog: Twenty Reports That Made Us Think

Today we bring you the first of three posts in a series looking at some of the best stories of 2007 from our sister CommuterPageBlog. Our series includes::

1. Twenty Reports That Made Us Think
2. Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged
3. Bad Ideas, Disappointments, a Few Funny Stories and Some Things To Worry About or Work On

For Washingtonians, there are two posts on CommuterPageBlog that pertain just to that area, they are:

1. A Dozen Good News Items in Arlington, December 28
2. Ten Good News Stories Around the Washington, D.C. Region, December 29

Today we highlight twenty posts that were based on some interesting reports, studies or findings in the press. There's a lot of data here. Dive in and enjoy.

Twenty Reports That Made Us Think

1. American Drivers Drive Fewer Miles, January 31
2. Information, Information, Information, March 28
3. Extreme Commutes and Your Health, April 17
4. Is Taller Better, Another Call for More Density, May 2
5. U.S. News Explores America's War on Traffic, May 10
6. Cheaper Housing, Better Pay - But at What Price?, June 3
7. Pedestrians Faster Than Cars?, June 6
8. Can Transit Revive a City?, June 15
9. More Data on Congestion, June 29
10. Vanquishing the Density Demon, August 13
11. U.K. Report: Walk More and Lose Weight, Save the Environment, August 16
12. Are Printed Transit Information Materials a Significant barrier to Transit Use?, August 23
13. People-Oriented Cities are Cycling-Friendly Cities, September 4
14. Want to Fight Global Warming, Take the Bus, October 6
15. Build Places Where People Don't Need to Drive and Save the Planet, October 8
16. Is Sprawl Contributing to America's Health Problems?, November 3
17. Coincidence or Conspiracy?, November 9
18. 11 Most Bicycle Friendly Cities...in the World, November 14
19. Is Philly the Carshare Capital of the Country?, November 29
20. It's Official. More Walking = Better Health, December 19

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Are you paying attention?

Traffic jam mystery solved by mathematicians from PhysOrg.com
Mathematicians from the University of Exeter have solved the mystery of traffic jams by developing a model to show how major delays occur on our roads, with no apparent cause. Many traffic jams leave drivers baffled as they finally reach the end of a tail-back to find no visible cause for their delay. [...]

While traffic engineers have known this for a while (did these folks pay any attention to the MUTCD?), I don't think that there has been an equation to this effect that would allow for the calibration of automated devices for individual vehicles.  Why does this matter for TDM?  A couple of reasons...

First, smoother flowing roadways mean less congestion in general, regardless of how many people are in the vehicle or what type of lane they're in.  If there are preferential carpool lanes, these devices could help with controlling lane conflicts from delay associated with a slower moving lane next to the carpool lane.  It would require designated access points, but I believe this is coming to most areas in the near future anyway associated with broader tolling schemes.

Second, in my opinion, the less personal control over the driving experience that the system user (i.e. driver) is allowed to have in order to maximize the use of the system, the more likely they are to consent to a shared travel experience with others in their conveyance.  This, of it's very nature, is an encouragement to HOV travel.  Admittedly, this could be more of a boost to the personal rapid transit crowd, but I can't see that level of separate infrastructure being created any time soon, and I see more emphasis on efficient use of existing infrastructure.

Chris Simmons, TDM Corridor Implementation Planner, WSDOT

simmocw@wsdot.wa.gov

Green Business is getting the hint...

For folks who aren't following the Green Business community, a recent post from cleantechblog.com gives some insight into how parts of the business community are looking to TDM as a method of reducing their carbon footprint.

http://www.cleantechblog.com/2007/12/flexible-work.html

Chris Simmons, TDM Corridor Integration Planner, Washington State Department of Transportation

simmocw@wsdot.wa.gov

It's Official. More Walking = Better Health

The results of yet another study are in.* And the conclusion is that you'll trim your waistline and decrease your risk of metabolic syndrome - an increasingly common condition that is linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle - by by doing a brisk 30-minute walk 6 days a week, even if you don't make any dietary changes. So if people can find a way to get in a little bit of walking each day, perhaps by choosing to walk instead of driving on an occasional trip, they can increase their health.

In a story by Reuters (Walking Packs Huge Health Punch, Study Confirms, December 17, 2007; Reuters) we learn:

"...about one quarter of all U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors that raise the odds of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a person must have at least three of these five risk factors -- a large waistline, high blood pressure, high levels of harmful triglycerides, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, and high blood sugar -- and according to many studies, a growing number of people have these problems.

The Duke University study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and just released in the American Journal of Cardiology says that there's a significant decline in the prevalence of the syndrome with consistent, moderate exercise. Says a Duke University Researcher: "It's also encouraging news for sedentary, middle-aged adults who want to improve their health. It means they don't have to go out running 4 or 5 days a week; they can get significant health benefits by simply walking around the neighborhood after dinner every night."

To help figure out how you can fit in 30 minutes of walking a day, visit Arlington's Car-Free Diet or WALKArlington.com.

*Related Posts:

• Coincidence or Conspiracy?, by Lauren Hassel; November 9, 2007
• Is Sprawl Contributing to America's Health Problems?, by Chris Hamilton; November 3, 2007

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Inspiration for Going Car-Free from L.A. Yes, That's Los Angeles

From the folks at the Car-Free USA blog we find inspiration for going car-free from Los Angeles (Commuter Kicks Car Habit, Kerry Cavanaugh, December 5, 2007; Los Angeles Daily News). Yes, Los Angeles, California. The article begins:

"Two years ago, Simon Pastucha (pictured here) - an urban designer and planner for the city of Los Angeles - left his Mercedes SUV at the dealership and hasn't looked back. But how does a professional with children and far-flung meetings survive in car-centric Los Angeles without owning an automobile? Quite easily, I found after tagging along with Pastucha on his commute."

The author goes on to describe how Simon, after going car-free for a bit, realized he had a lot of extra money in his pocket. In fact he was saving $1,000 a month. So he decided not get a new car as planned and instead keep going car-free. He takes transit to work, uses a carsharing vehicle, taxi or car rental when he needs to and still comes out way ahead. Enough to pay for a trip to Italy.

The story is familiar. In fact our favorite author of How To Live Well Without Owning A Car, Chris Balish had the exact same experience. Mr. Balish was so inspired he wrote a book about it. We were so inspired by Mr. Balish's book that we worked with the author and publisher to print a Special Arlington, Virginia Edition (pictured here) recently made available for FREE by participating in Arlington's Car-Free Diet.

For other car-free and car-lite stories visit Arlington's Car-Free Diet Blog.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Research: Proving the Value of TDM

About two years ago Arlington County Commuter Services  began work on a research plan and program to evaluate the impacts of transportation and ACCS services on Arlington residents, workers and visitors - and to understand our customers and their needs better.  The bottom line is to improve transportation services provided by Arlington County.

It began with a plan to determine the best methodologies to document the impacts of our services, to evaluate what is most effective with an eye toward improving (or eliminating) services, and to assess and improve our customer service in all areas of our operations.  We hired two of the leading firms in the transportation research industry, Southeastern Institute of Research (SIR) of Richmond, Virginia, and LDA Consulting of Washington, DC.  The resulting three year program of research planning and surveys is considered to be one of the most innovative and comprehensive research programs in the industry.

Most importantly, the results are showing that Arlington's transportation facilities and services are working, and they are paying big dividends in our quality of life and business climate.  For example:

• CEOs in Arlington cite Arlington's transportation system and services as the NUMBER ONE reason for locating a business in the county.
• Arlington employers say commuting services (Such as provided by ACCS) result in significant benefits to their business, including improved employee morale, easier recruitment and retention, increased productivitiy, and less parking demand.
• The quality of Arlington's transportation system and services has a direct correlation to residents' perception of their overall quality of life.
• One in five Arlington residents used a services of ACCS in 2006; and, of those, 40% took action to change their travel.
• Twice the percentage of Arlinton residents take mass transit to work as compared to the Washington regional average.

The Research and Evaluation Plan completed in October 2006 recommended a series of studies of different customers who are served by ACCS, including fielding new surveys and drawing upon existing research by others, such as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.  These studies include:

• Surveys of Arligton residents, via telephone and Internet
• An Online survey of Arlington Transportation Partners' employer clients and residential property manager clients
• A survey of Arlington Business Leaders
• CommuterStore customer surveys
• CommuterPage.com customer surveys
• CommuterDirect.com customer surveys (in progress)
• Commercial property surveys, including building property managers,  employers, and employees (in progress)
• Customers of Arlington Transit

As they are completed, results of these studies are now being made available for easy use by everyone at our Arlington County Transportation Demand Management Research Center on the Web at www.CommuterPage.com/research.  Here you will find nearly 40 studies that can be searched easily by year, topic, or keywords.  We provide brief summaries as well as full reports.  There are also various "Knowledge Papers" interpreting what we have learned into valuable synopses of Arlington's transportation program and its effect on people and businesses in the community.

In future posts we will share key results of many of these studies that are of general interest.  If you want to learn more about how transportation affects your community, visit our Research Center or stay tuned as we roll out some "Cool Fact" about transportation in Arlington.

Posted by Howard Jennings, Manager of Research and Development with Arlington Transportation Partners in Arlington, Virginia, in the Washington, DC region.

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