Impacts of City-Level Parking Cash-Out and Commuter Benefits Ordinances

For many workers, the decision to drive to work is an economically rational one that minimizes their commute costs. The vast majority of employers offer free workplace parking, with few in comparison offering benefits for transit, walking, biking, or other means of commuting. In effect, employers are incentivizing a behavior that increases roadway congestion, reduces physical activity, and increases emissions. Moreover, since lower-income households are less likely to own and have access to a private vehicle than moderate and higher-income households, free parking is a financial benefit that many lower-income employees cannot access. Researchers from ICF and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) examined the city-level impacts of parking cash-out. Parking cash-out is a commuter benefits option where employers that provide free or subsidized parking at work also offer employees the option to take an equivalent cash payment, tax-free transit/vanpool benefit, or combination of cash payment and tax-free benefit instead of the parking subsidy. This webinar will present results from a study of five core parking cash-out scenarios applied across a sample of nine cities. The analysis shows substantial potential for reductions in VMT, congestion, emissions, and crashes. Further, the ordinances reflected in some scenarios offer benefits to a greater number of employees, or for a greater number of modes, compared to others. Differences in these offerings have additional implications for equity, which is critical to consider alongside transportation impacts. The work is relevant for city-level policymakers, practitioners, transportation planners, and researchers looking for effective strategies to curb VMT and emissions with safety and equity at top of mind. The topic is also timely, given the recent legislation (H.R. 8555) proposed by House Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-District 3) that would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to stipulate that a parking benefit is not a qualified parking fringe benefit unless an employer offers employees the option to receive an equivalent cash benefit or alternative tax-exempt benefit in lieu of the parking benefit.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/trec_seminar/1228/thumbnail.jp

Accessing Opportunities for Household Provisioning Post-COVID-19

In this project, we used a mixed-methods study to collect critical information to evaluate the extent to which people modified their shopping behavior, either by choice or necessity, to meet their provisioning needs during the COVID-19 crisis and the following recovery. First, four waves of a cross-sectional survey were administered online to a representative sample of households in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington. This longitudinal, comparative study responded directly to a critical research gap and advanced behavioral science by providing a rich survey dataset to support and test theories of behavioral change and technology adoption. Second, focus groups were conducted with older adults in Oregon to discuss their arc of technology adoption for grocery shopping. Focus groups were also conducted with two sets of mentors who provide assistance to family members and friends with online food purchases to understand what kinds of interventions might be necessary to broaden access to e-commerce and delivery platforms for vulnerable populations. This report presents high-level descriptive statistics from these surveys comparing results by wave and/or by state. The findings from the focus groups with older adults and mentors are also described. The findings of this research are critical for emergency planning but also for understanding the ever-changing mechanism used to access retail and service opportunities (whether in-person vs. online), and the opportunities for future interventions to remedy barriers to accessing food that are relevant after the pandemic recovery

WALKABILITY IN TUCSON: AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT TRENDS AND GROWTH POTENTIAL

Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone ProjectIn the United States, the transportation sector was responsible for 28% of 2016 GHG emissions—the largest contribution of any industry (U.S. EPA, 2018). To reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate their effects, active modes of transportation, like walking, need be planned for. This study provides an overview of walking in Tucson, AZ and subsequent guidance for future development through a) an assessment of walk-mode splits, b) a survey on residential preferences for walking, and c) a built environment case study analysis. It found that walking constituted 11% of all trips, compared to motorized vehicles, which accounted for more than 80% of all trips. Percentage of respondent walk and car trips varied significantly by income and trip purpose. Both Tucson residents and existing literature identified destination proximity as the most important built environment factor considered in deciding to walk. A complete streets project that incorporated many built environment features found to improve walkability (e.g., street connectivity, accessibility, walking infrastructure) but failed to account for destination proximity had little impact of walking behavior. To better promote walkability in Tucson, emphasis on coordination between transportation and land use planning and connection of walkability to social and cultural values is necessary.This item is part of the Sustainable Built Environments collection. For more information, contact http://sbe.arizona.edu

Adoption and Use of E-Grocery Shopping in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Transport Systems and Beyond

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted travel for in-person shopping, commute trips, global supply chains, and food business operations. Previously mundane tasks, like shopping for food and household items, became markedly different as new social distancing and mask guidelines were put in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Concurrently, e-commerce sales in the U.S. skyrocketed. E-grocery pickup and delivery services saw unprecedented expansions. The adoption and use of e-grocery services have implications for equity and mobility, although the nature of the relationship of e-grocery to the latter is still unclear. Enhancing our understanding of the drivers of (and barriers to) online grocery shopping and its potential stickiness --or the extent to which e-grocery use will continue at the same or higher frequencies after the pandemic--is a prerequisite for unpacking current and future consequences of this ecommerce sector on people and transportation networks. The goal of this work, then, is to 1) explore the drivers of adoption and use of e-grocery services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and 2) estimate stickiness of online grocery ordering behaviors. Survey data (N=2,266) capturing household and individual information on demographics, attitudes, and behaviors are employed in carrying out this goal. First, individual e-grocery delivery adoption is explored using a series of mixed logit models disaggregated by household income. Demographics, COVID-19 related variables, and attitudinal indicators hold significant explanatory power in estimating the probabilities individuals will fall into non-adopter, pre-pandemic adopter, or during-pandemic adopter categories. Next, relationships between in-store and online grocery shopping trip rates are investigated utilizing random parameters Tobit and hurdle models. Model results demonstrate heterogeneous and often asymmetric relationships between shopping modes. Finally, whether or not households will retain (or increase) their already elevated e-grocery shopping behavior is examined. A random parameters binary logit model is applied to identify factors affecting the probability households a) ordered groceries online more often during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic, and b) expect to hold or increase the proportion of their groceries purchased online in the next year. The culmination of results show attitudes and COVID-19 related variables are strong drivers of e-grocery adoption, use, and stickiness. With respect to attitudes in particular, households with shoppers who find shopping online for groceries to be easy and who know others who shop online for groceries have a higher likelihood of adopting and using e-grocery services, as well as continuing these behaviors in the future. COVID-19 related characteristics -- including individual and household experiences related to employment, income, remote work, diagnosis, food insecurity, and changes in food shopping behaviors -- were found to be significant across the suite of estimated models, demonstrating the sheer impact of the pandemic on household provisioning behaviors. Results from the stickiness analysis suggests households that are multimodal, below retirement age, and located in places with high e-grocery service availability are more likely to hold or increase their already elevated e-grocery usage. Households who have at least one member particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 or who reduced their in-store shopping frequency during the pandemic are also more likely to have e-grocery shopping stick . Attitudes of household grocery shoppers also play a significant role: households whose shopper thinks it\u27s easy to shop online have an almost 17%-point higher probability of holding or increasing their already elevated proportion of groceries purchased online. The work concludes with a synthesis of findings, highlighting key drivers of and barriers to online grocery shopping, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on e-grocery, and implications for transportation systems and practice. This discussion includes recommendations for policy and future work

Linking Residential Parking to Automobile Transportation Impact Outcomes at a Development Level

Although there exists a well-studied relationship between parking policies and automobile demand, conventional practices evaluating the transportation impacts of new land development tend to ignore this. In this paper, we: (a) explore literature linking parking policies and vehicle use (including vehicle trip generation, vehicle miles traveled [VMT], and trip length) through the lens of development-level evaluations (e.g., transportation impact analyses [TIA]); (b) develop a conceptual map linking development-level parking characteristics and vehicle use outcomes based on previously supported theory and frameworks; and (c) evaluate and discuss the conventional approach to identify the steps needed to operationalize this link, specifically for residential development. Our findings indicate a significant and noteworthy dearth of studies incorporating parking constraints into travel behavior studies—including, but not limited to: parking supply, costs or pricing, and travel demand management strategies such as the impacts of (un)bundled parking in housing costs. Disregarding parking in TIAs ignores a significant indicator in automobile use. Further, unconstrained parking may encourage increases in car ownership, vehicle trips, and VMT in areas with robust alternative-mode networks and accessibility, thus creating greater demand for vehicle travel than would otherwise occur. The conceptual map offers a means for operationalizing the links between: the built environment; socio-economic and demographic characteristics; fixed and variable travel costs; and vehicle use. Implications for practice and future research are explored.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Transportation Transformation: is Micromobility Making a Macro Impact on Sustainability?

The transportation landscape is ever-evolving in the face of new technologies, including the emergence of micromobility—a new classification given to lightweight human-powered or electric vehicles operated at low speeds. This article focuses on the role of these new modes in the efforts to cultivate a more sustainable transportation system by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing a reliable and equitable transportation service, and enhancing the human experience. Existing literature on sustainable transportation systems is used to build a three-goal framework, which is then used to assess the extent to which micromobility contributes to a sustainable urban transportation system. Next, we identify and discuss policies that can help micromobility achieve better sustainability outcomes. This review of the nascent literature shows that the sustainability impacts of these modes are at present mixed and are likely to remain so without more targeted interventions by local stakeholders. Yet, the operations and use of micromobility systems are quickly evolving and hold promise for contributing to a more sustainable transportation system

Data from: Consumer Responses to Household Provisioning During COVID-19 Crisis (NSF RAPID 2030205) and Recovery and Accessing Opportunities for Household Provisioning Post-COVID-19 (NITC-RR-1435)

The acquisition of food and household necessities has been dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as people are asked to minimize travel to avoid exposure, supply chains are disrupted, transit services are reduced, and stores and restaurants have closed or modified operations. Aided by technology, online retailers and delivery services are filling some gaps left by the disruption. However, the ability to access goods and services varies substantially across different subgroups of the population. This project aims to capitalize on this unique opportunity to understand activity and travel behavioral change during this dynamic period of crisis and recovery, examine the ways new technologies may be used in household provisioning, and identify the most common barriers faced by vulnerable subgroups, such as the elderly, low-income, or disabled populations. There is a limited window of opportunity to capture how households respond as local, state, and federal governments impose and lift restrictions, brick-and-mortar establishments close and potentially reopen, and e-commerce and delivery services adjust. In this project, we use a mixed-methods study to collect critical information to evaluate the extent to which people modify their shopping behavior, either by choice or necessity, to meet their provisioning needs during the COVID-19 crisis and the following recovery. First, a two-wave cross-sectional survey will be administered to a sample (N~4,000) from Oregon and Arizona with varying location, demographic, and economic characteristics. This longitudinal, comparative study responds directly to a critical research gap and advances behavioral science by providing empirical evidence to support and test theories of behavioral change and technology adoption. Second, qualitative interviews and/or focus groups will be conducted with key informants working with the population most vulnerable to complications with COVID-19, and therefore most constrained by social distancing guidelines. Here, the focus will be on the strategies used in provisioning, challenges experienced, and assessment of unmet need. The findings of this research will be critical for emergency planning but also for understanding the ever-changing mechanism used to access retail and service opportunities (whether in-person vs. online), and the opportunities for future interventions to remedy barriers to accessing food that are relevant after the pandemic recovery

Improving transportation impact analyses for subsidized affordable housing developments: A data collection and analysis of motorized vehicle and person trip generation

Transportation impact analyses begin with a trip generation estimation process-estimating motorized vehicle and person trip counts coming and going from the proposed site. Data commonly used is often insensitive to urban contexts (such as employment densities) and socioeconomic conditions. This insensitivity results in sometimes exaggerated estimates, an increase associated transportation impact fees, and a need for additional mitigation of impacts which may further hinder land development. In this study, we collected and analyzed person and motorized vehicle count data from 26 affordable housing developments in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Counts were regressed upon site and built environment characteristics known to influence site-level travel behavior (e.g., parking supply, employment density), and regressions were validated using externally collected data. The findings indicate the average square footage of dwelling units, parking ratios, and nearby retail employment densities to be important predictors. The findings also indicate that increasing the parking supply from one space to two for each dwelling unit will result in a significant predicted increase of approximately 0.26 and 0.18 motorized vehicle trips per dwelling unit for AM and PM peak periods, respectively. These findings reiterate the need for trip generation methodologies sensitive to the built environment and socio-demographics.24 month embargo; published online: 22 May 2020This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Households with constrained off-street parking drive fewer miles.

Parking supply is one of the most neglected elements of the built environment in travel behavior research, despite evidence linking parking with vehicle use. As transportation impacts of new development are increasingly measured by vehicle miles traveled (VMT), explicitly connecting parking characteristics with vehicle travel is necessary to better inform transportation and land use policy. In this paper, we begin to address this research gap and explore the relationship between constrained parking and household VMT. Utilizing the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) California add-on sample, we estimate residential parking constraint for households in Los Angeles County. Then, we develop a two-level model framework. Level 1 (Cost) models estimate travel costs, represented by vehicle ownership as a function of parking constraints, the built environment, and demographics. Level 2 (Demand) models regress household-level total and homebased-work VMT on predicted vehicle ownership, controlling for temporal and environmental characteristics. To further explore the relationship between parking and VMT by place type, we applied Level 1 and Level 2 models to develop a suite of scenarios for typical households in Los Angeles County. Our findings support the hypothesis that the built environment (including parking) influences VMT through travel costs (vehicle ownership). Results from scenarios analysis reveal constrained on-site residential parking (< 1 parking space per dwelling unit), accounts for an approximate 10-23 percentage-point decrease in VMT within each place type. Finally, implications for practice and future research are presented

Households with constrained off-street parking drive fewer miles

Parking supply is one of the most neglected elements of the built environment in travel behavior research, despite evidence linking parking with vehicle use. As transportation impacts of new development are increasingly measured by vehicle miles traveled (VMT), explicitly connecting parking characteristics with vehicle travel is necessary to better inform transportation and land use policy. In this paper, we begin to address this research gap and explore the relationship between constrained parking and household VMT. Utilizing the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) California add-on sample, we estimate residential parking constraint for households in Los Angeles County. Then, we develop a two-level model framework. Level 1 (Cost) models estimate travel costs, represented by vehicle ownership as a function of parking constraints, the built environment, and demographics. Level 2 (Demand) models regress household-level total and homebased-work VMT on predicted vehicle ownership, controlling for temporal and environmental characteristics. To further explore the relationship between parking and VMT by place type, we applied Level 1 and Level 2 models to develop a suite of scenarios for typical households in Los Angeles County. Our findings support the hypothesis that the built environment (including parking) influences VMT through travel costs (vehicle ownership). Results from scenarios analysis reveal constrained on-site residential parking (< 1 parking space per dwelling unit), accounts for an approximate 10–23 percentage-point decrease in VMT within each place type. Finally, implications for practice and future research are presented.california department of transportation12 month embargo; first published 29 July 2022This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]