Destination Medical Center Transportation Study and TMA Formation

Destination Medical Center Transportation Study and TMA Formation

Rochester, Minnesota
UrbanTrans developed recommendations regarding what TDM strategies should be provided and the organizational structure through which those strategies should be delivered.

UrbanTrans was part of a consulting team that worked with the city of Rochester to study investments in transit, active transportation, Transportation Demand Management (TDM), and parking management as part of a significant planning and economic development effort aimed at accommodating a two-fold increase in its downtown employment over a 20-year period.

Results:

UrbanTrans developed recommendations regarding what TDM strategies should be provided and the organizational structure through which those strategies should be delivered. UrbanTrans also assisted the city with the development of policies to encourage new developments to fund and implement TDM strategies that reduce parking demand and vehicle travel.

Simultaneous to our TDM planning work, UrbanTrans has helped the city plan and implement a pilot TDM program for city staff and subsequently launched a transportation management association to expand that program to other employers and employees within the city. Current efforts include surveying employees, identifying applicable TDM strategies, and developing and implementing marketing and educational efforts to encourage travel behavior change.

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MassRIDES Program Support

MassRIDES Program Support

Massachusetts
MassRIDES hired UrbanTrans to build a model that predicts increases in transit ridership that would result from subsidizing TNC rides between commuters’ homes and nearby commuter rail stations in the Boston region.
UrbanTrans’ role in the MassRIDES Program Support project was three-fold:
Program Evaluation
UrbanTrans conducted an analysis of three evaluation methodologies in order to improve how program impacts are determined. Prior to our support, estimates of impacts on travel behavior and environmental quality primarily came from data collected through a state-wide ridematching and trip tracking tool. UrbanTrans analyzed the data collected through the tool and the methodology used to determine program impacts and provided recommendations to improve the analysis methodology. Our work included modeling program impacts using TRIMMS and conducting a survey of program participants. The survey data were used to build a statistical model to estimate program impacts that accounted for participant race, income, and work location. In addition, an analysis was conducted to determine what effect suburban versus urban locations had on program results.
TDM Toolkits
UrbanTrans assisted MassRIDES with the development of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) toolkits that are being used to educate employers and developers on the benefits of TDM programs. The toolkits are designed to assist developers and employers with the selection of TDM strategies that are applicable to their worksite or development that will result in measurable reductions in vehicle travel. Based on the success of the toolkits, UrbanTrans was asked to update them to cover a broader selection of employers and locations throughout the state.
TNC as a first mile solution
MassRIDES hired UrbanTrans to build a model that predicts increases in transit ridership that would result from subsidizing Transportation Network Company (TNC) rides between commuters’ homes and nearby commuter rail stations in the Boston region. The model controls for factors such as parking cost and availability, station access time and mode, differences in rail travel time versus vehicle travel time, vehicle trip cost savings, transit fares, and parking fees at transit stations and near work locations. It was used to evaluate stations throughout the Boston region and identify the top ten stations where TNC subsidies will yield the largest increases in transit ridership while requiring minimal net costs after accounting for new transit fare revenue.

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RTD First-and-Last Mile Strategic Plan

RTD First-and-Last Mile Strategic Plan

Case Study
For Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD), building on a transit service that reaches more people effectively means facilitating efficient and safer connections from destination to destination. Covering more than 2,300+ miles and serving just over 3 million people, RTD sought a plan to guide future safety and access improvements to support first and last mile trips across 40 cities in and surrounding Denver, Colorado.
Leading a team of firms, UrbanTrans worked closely with RTD and the project planning advisory committee representing key stakeholders in the region to develop a comprehensive first and last mile strategy toolkit. The plan covers all modes of transportation, including improving access for transit, TNC pick-ups and drop-offs, pedestrians, bicyclists and micromobility users all while integrating TDM programs to complete the package of solutions.

Denver, Colorado
2018-2019
First and Last Mile
Planning

Results

The project team developed a methodology to put the first and last mile toolkit into action and identify the most suitable and practical strategies to improve station access. This methodology was applied to 15 representative stations across the district to showcase to local jurisdictions how they can perform their own analysis and generate recommendation for their stations. 

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How the ATL Airport Slashed Commute Times, Costs With Their Award-Winning Carpool Program​
Designing an Equitable, Sustainable Transportation Option for Airport Employees
Readying Toronto for the Great Welcome Back
UrbanTrans has been an amazing & extremely reliable resource for guidance and solutions in the challenging and complex world of TDM. Our non-profit organization has been able to count on UrbanTrans for a variety of projects including their great customer service and expertise in transportation. Working with UrbanTrans has made our work a complete success.
Tracy FosterBoulder Transportation Connections

Mercedes Southeast HQ Wins Award for Game Changing Telework Program

Mercedes Southeast HQ Wins Award for Game Changing Telework Program

UrbanTrans would like to congratulate Mercedes-Benz USA for earning a 2019 Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) National Award for their Telework program. Upon making Atlanta home in 2018, Mercedes-Benz USA quickly realized commuting to work was a widespread pain point for its employees.

Mercedes took action and partnered with Perimeter Connects in effort to overcome their employees’ commuting challenges. Perimeter Connects is a Transportation Management Association managed by UrbanTrans on behalf of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts. Perimeter Connects helped Mercedes develop a custom telework program that allows the majority of employees the ability to telework one day a week. 

The result? 98% of participating employees reported that telework was valuable for Mercedes. In addition, a survey of managers revealed that employee productivity increased with the new custom telework program. Mercedes was honored with the 2019 ACT National Award for Telework for their efforts in reducing commuter frustration and improving employee satisfaction.

ACT recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of transportation demand management every year. Mercedes’ Telework program exemplifies ACT’s vision of, “A Better Journey for Everyone.” On behalf of UrbanTrans and Perimeter Connects, we would like to celebrate our partner Mercedes-Benz USA for their outstanding achievements in implementing a custom telework program. 

 

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Atlanta Regional Commission Bike-Transit Parking Best Practices Guidelines

Atlanta Regional Commission Bike-Transit Parking Best Practices Guidelines

Atlanta, Georgia
This task involved primary data collection using virtual reality 360 cameras to allow stakeholders to visually experience the transit stations without having to visit them. The virtual reality imagery also helped identify potential locations for bicycle parking facilities.
UrbanTrans was a key member of a team that developed a strategic bike-transit parking plan for the Atlanta Region. Our role was to develop a best practice guidebook for ARC to support the implementation of a regional bicycle parking at transit program. The team identified case studies from across the US and conducted interviews to understand how other agencies operate bike to transit programs and gather lessons learned in implementation. UrbanTrans also supported the team in conducting bicycle audits around major transit stations within the Atlanta region. This led to the development of access improvement plans and an understanding of current bicycle parking conditions. This task involved primary data collection using virtual reality 360 cameras. This visual data allowed stakeholders to experience the transit stations without having to visit them. The virtual reality imagery also helped identify potential locations for bicycle parking facilities. Results: The final best practices guidebook covered topics such as implementation costs, estimating use, recommended infrastructure types, membership models and marketing strategies. This project was a part of ARC’s wider “Walk!, Bike! Thrive!” plan, which won the Transportation Planning Excellence Award from the Federal Highway Administration in 2017.

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What’s Ahead In 2020 + Beyond

The new decade is here, bringing countless exciting, innovative projects in the communities we serve.

Here’s a look at some of the projects we’re most excited to see take place over the next year and decade in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Denver.

Continue reading

This is the Start of Something New

This Is the Start Of Something New

A new year can inspire us to try something new, explore unfamiliar places, and achieve greater heights.

We’re taking part in this sentiment with a fresh look and a new blog for UrbanTrans.

Through this blog, we’re exploring the emerging trends in transportation and the ways in which technology, sustainability, equity—and so much more—are changing how we think about the evolving world around us. We’ll also share news and ideas that inspire us in our work each day.

Each article is authored by our staff—comprised of people from across North America who bring to the table distinct backgrounds and fresh perspectives.

As we embark on something new together, stay tuned each month to keep a pulse on the transportation news you should know. Want to hear from us more often? Follow us on LinkedIn for weekly updates on the latest happenings.

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