The National Context for Smart Mobility

John V. Thomas, PhDUS EPA Smart Growth

Program

Why Smart Mobility?

• Big Challenges and Limited Resources

• Movement toward more integrated

programs =

• Need for a more comprehensive approach

HUD DOT EPA Sustainable Communities

Partnership• Enhance integrated planning and

investment• Provide a vision for sustainable growth• Redefine housing affordability and make

it transparent• Redevelop underutilized sites• Develop livability measures and tools• Align HUD, DOT and EPA programs• Joint research, data collection and

outreach

Guiding Principles Related to the Smart Mobility Principles

• More transportation choices– Location Efficiency, Reliability, Safety

• Promote equitable, affordable housing – Location Efficiency

• Increase economic competitiveness – Reliability, Stewardship

• Support existing communities – Stewardship

• Value communities and neighborhoods– Stewardship, Safety

Emerging Legislation

• What did ARRA tell us about the future of Federal Programs?– Clean Water State Revolving Fund – Transportation provisions in HUD / DOE

programs

• “Transportation Efficiency” provisions in the proposed House climate change bill

Reshaping Clean Water Investments

• $4 B in additional resources• 20% Green Project Reserve requirement

– Water Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Environmentally Innovative Projects and…

– Green Infrastructure• “Implementation of green streets (combinations of

green infrastructure practices in transportation rights-of-ways), for either new development, redevelopment or retrofits.”

• Under consideration in current revolving fund reauthorization

Source – March 9th 2009 Guidance

Drawn by: Kevin Perry

BEFORE: Madison Avenue and 15th

AFTER: Madison Avenue with Stormwater Swale

Stormwater Management with Green Streets

Drawn by: Kevin Perry

BEFORE: Madison Avenue and Convention Center

AFTER: Madison Avenue with Stormwater Swale

Stormwater Management with Green Streets

Greenway Planning Example –

Covington, KY

DOE Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program

• Eligible Transportation Projects– Zoning guidelines that promote energy

efficient development;– Infrastructure such as bike lanes and

pathways and pedestrian walkways;– Integrated planning activities with the

goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled

http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/about/default.html

HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2

• $1.9 B in competitive grant funds – eligible applicants - states, local

governments, nonprofits, and consortia of nonprofits

• Although targeted at purchasing foreclosed property in at risk areas…– Rating Factor 5: Energy efficiency

improvement and sustainable development factors

http://www.hud.gov/recovery/nsp2-nofa.pdf

ACES (aka Waxman Markey Bill) Section 222 “Transportation

Efficiency”• State and regional “goals” for emission

reduction “reasonably commensurate” with overall targets in the Act

• Plans shall– use transportation and land use scenario

analysis to address transportation-related GHG emissions

– be done in consultation with the State and local housing, public health, economic development, land use, environment, and transit agencies

Strategies Identified in the Bill

• Updates to zoning and other land use regulations and plans to support development that—– coordinates transportation and land use planning;– focuses future growth close to existing and planned

job centers and public facilities;– uses existing infrastructure;– promotes walking, bicycling, and public

transportation use; and– mixes land uses such as housing, retail, and schools

• Implementation of a complete streets policy

National Best Practices Related to Smart Mobility Concepts

DRCOG TIP Requirements

• 100 point rating system for road capacity projects – 10 pts. contribution to multimodal connectivity– 5 pts. transportation system management – 26 pts. helps implement Metro Vision– 15 pts. long range plan score

• Other project categories have similar criteria but weighting varies– E.g. bike and pedestrian projects, transit projects,

planning studies (road capacity planning, operations studies, station area plans)

Bike and Pedestrian Project Criteria

• User base• Cost per user base• Connectivity improvements

– Gap closure– Access to schools, jobs and etc.– Eliminating barriers– Access to transit

PSRC – Connecting Vision 2040 and Destination 2030

• Comprehensive performance measures– mobility, safety, land use, environment

• Monitoring system to track progress1. Linking TIP programming to growth

management considerations2. Incorporating design guidelines into review

process3. “best practices” for physical design

guidelines, financial incentives, and development strategies

4. Investigating issues related to concurrency

If you measure it… it matters

Performance Measurement – Florida DOT Multi-modal Level of

Service

Network Connectivity

VDOT Secondary Street Standards

• requires new developments to provide connectivity with adjacent developments

– “provision of connectivity can help improve the overall capacity of the transportation network. “

– “by providing direct and alternative routes, connectivity can help

• reduce the burden on major roadways and vehicle miles traveled, and

• improve emergency response times. “

Typical Configuration

Two Alternatives That Meet the Standard

Standards Vary by Place Type

Enhanced Connectivity or Bypass Highway

Source – NJ DOT (2006)

Massachusetts Commonwealth Capital Fund Smart Growth

Scorecards• 14 State Programs pooled into a single fund• 70% of rating criteria is from each program• 30% is based on the commonwealth capital

application score– PLAN FOR & PROMOTE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES

(14)– ZONE FOR & PERMIT COMPACT DEVELOPMENT

(38)– EXPAND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES (33)– REDEVELOP SITES AND BUILDINGS (8)– CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES (11)– ADVANCE SOUND WATER POLICY (14)– SUSTAIN WORKING NATURAL LANDSCAPES (12)

Other EPA Work Related to Smart Mobility

• Street Design Standards for Emergency Response– Performance Based Standard submitted to

International Code Council• Smart and Sustainable Streets

– Best practices database • Traffic Analysis and Mixed Use

Development– Working with Institute of Transportation

Engineers to publish a new Trip Generation method

Why is Better Traffic Analysis So Important?

Source: TCRP Report 128 (2008)

Applications of Smart Mobility

• Regional Transportation Plans• Criteria for Grant Programs• Design Standards• Development Review