Developments that incorporate facilities and amenities that support biking and walking and highlight the proximity and accessibility of nearby transit services are well positioned to attract tenants while also reducing the demand for parking.

Facilities such as continuous bike lanes and sidewalks on adjacent streets, in-building bicycle parking, lockers and showers for non-resident tenants who bike, and in-unit bike storage options all increase the likelihood that tenants will select non-driving travel modes and increase the value of new developments. Property management approaches can also further enhance TOD connections to transit by promoting access to transit (and the travel benefits it offers) and ensuring that on-site parking amenities do not put transit at a significant cost/convenience disadvantage in the competition for tenants’ travel decisions.

Provision of these programs and amenities can be incentivized via Trip Reduction Plans within TOD districts that commit developers to providing a strategic set of programs, policies, and/or investments designed to reduce how much parking the proposed buildings and uses will generate. Another name for these programs, policies, and investments are Travel Demand Management (TDM) strategies. Developers typically work through a provided “menu” of options available to them, or negotiate the plan contents with municipal staff, to best align TDM strategies with the land uses proposed for the site. For employment-based uses, for example, an emphasis on reducing the cost of commuter transit passes is a likely priority, whereas providing on-site access to carshare vehicles may be a priority for residential uses. A typical Trip Reduction Plan will incorporate elements from the following design and policy interventions into a consolidated package that seeks to improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit accessibility and user experience.

Design Tools

Building entrances/exits that minimize walking distance to stations/stops
Ample sidewalk widths along sections connecting to stations/stops and other nearby activity centers
Amenities for people walking along sidewalks connecting to stations and stops: benches, shade features, buildings with active frontage, appropriate lighting, etc.
Dedicated path for people biking between buildings and stations/stops, as well as connections to a broader regional bike network
Bike parking and maintenance amenities within units, common areas of all buildings, and at station/stop end of bike routes
Elevators that are large enough to accommodate bicycles
Public showers and lockers for usage by non-resident bicyclists
Narrow, traffic-calmed streets between buildings and stations/stops
Bus waiting area amenities such as premium shelters, network maps and schedules, and seating areas
Locate bike shops on-site that can provide merchant services as well as training programs

Policy Tools

Parking cash-out, to offset the trip-generation impact of free or subsidized parking rates
Guaranteed ride home programs, for those who forgo on-site parking options, providing free rides when occasional circumstances disrupt their primary ride-home arrangements
Carpool/vanpool incentives, including ride-matching services, priority parking locations, and discounted parking rates
Install real-time arrival/tracker displays for transit and other available mobility services in building lobbies or similarly prominent locations
Provide new residents with a year of free transit passes and/or an ongoing discount that makes transit commuting cost-competitive with driving
Encourage/require employer tenants to offer discounted transit passes to employees

Improve Mobility Options to Reduce Parking

Public-Private Development

Crediting Off-Site Parking

Parking Management Districts

Unbundled Parking Costs

Future Re-use Parking

Monetizing Excess Capacity

Code Incentives for Public Parking

Fee-in-Lieu of Parking

Curb Space Management

Parking Maximums

Shared Parking Agreements

Density-Bonus Incentives

Parking Availability Platforms

Eliminate or Reduce Minimum Parking Requirements