Reducing Motor Vehicle Traffic in Cities

World Resources Institute's Transformative Urban Mobility program released two new guides that succinctly describe why and how cities can implement transportation demand management policies and programs.

Reducing Demand for Vehicle Trips in Cities 

Many cities have realized they cannot build themselves out of traffic jams by adding new roads and parking lots. An alternative is managing the demand for urban trips (called travel demand management). An interesting subset of demand management is to require companies to devise flexible ways to change how their employees commute.

The Role of Companies in Improving Urban Mobility

This guide describes how a government authority can prepare a Trip Reduction Ordinance. It also describes the elements of a Workplace Travel Plan to meet the requirements of a Trip Reduction Ordinance.

These guides use examples from around the world, including Seattle, Washington, which by implementing commute trip reduction policies and improving transportation options reduced downtown automobile mode share from 35% to 25% in just seven years. 

Well done World Resources Institute! Well done Seattle!