Modernizing Mitigation: A Demand Centered Approach

This report proposes a new approach to assessing and responding to land use-driven transportation impacts, called “modern mitigation.” Instead of relying on auto capacity improvements as a first resort, this approach builds on practice around transportation demand management (TDM) to make traffic reduction the priority. Current land use methods requires developers to provide parking and often to widen roads, which adds traffic. Transportation Demand Management, the method described in this report, focuses on rewarding low-auto-travel development and mitigating the traffic created by high-auto-travel development. Land use, zoning and building codes are powerful tools that cities can use to implement.