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Simply put, a district becomes congested when demand for street space is more than exists. This can arise even in small low-rise areas when little attention is paid to public policies and programs that encourage walking, biking, and public transport. To reduce congestion, either enlarge roads or discourage car travel. In an American context, the common tendency is to accommodate private traffic – cars, trucks, SUVs, service equipment: all the vehicles that are so intimate a part of life today. Our lifestyle is largely suburban and Interstate-oriented. Even in rail-served CBDs (downtown districts) such as Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver and Seattle – most access is by car, requiring large heat-banks of parking garages and asphalt. More common are fully auto-oriented office parks, malls, strips and other commercial sprawl that make up America. Clearly, Manhattan and Chicago are the exceptions. The car rules in America as it does in many other parts of the world. |
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 Parking at the periphery can be encouraged by a master plan. |
 Congestion occurs when street capacity is not adequate for a car-oriented district. |
The mode split or balance between vehicular traffic (and its parking requirements) and green modes – public transport, walking, biking – largely depends on density and culture. The variety is rich and colorful. Yet across all climates and settlement patterns, a level of civic discipline is needed to reduce congestion to manage the supply of -- and the demand for -- street space and parking. An official master plan to assess individual projects and guide enforcement efforts for your district should be in place. If not, that’s where you must put your efforts.
What goes into district congestion management? It would likely start with an inventory of existing parking. Do you have data to track parking utilization, costs, revenue, and turnover? There are many other elements beyond parking and roadways. What steps have been taken to improve ease and well-being of walking into the district, and within it? Is ride-sharing encouraged? Is there a local circulator for internal use or links to regional transit service? What public transit services – mostly buses – are available? Can they be enhanced?
A master plan is needed. It should set environmental goals and quantitative objectives for the desired mode split. A good master plan should spell out in detail the stream of capital improvements to be undertaken over the next decade and beyond. Parking supply should be rationalized and managed. District circulation – by foot, by bike, and by specialized service – should be mapped out and adequately funded. A traffic model that simulates traffic flows can be used to test various “what if?” scenarios.
 Curbside parking conflicts with pedestrian life. |
Large districts or ones with particularly severe accessibility challenges may benefit from a local circulator service, such as by vans, buses and autonomous vehicles. Very large districts may benefit from investment in an off-street system that operates on its own right-of-way. Bus Rapid Transit can use existing streets and priority busways. APMs have their own right-of-way. This is expensive, but it is the key to a more robust and convenient level of service. PRT can serve a whole network with high levels of mobility service, with guideway and stations of modest size. There is no one way to reduce congestion. Many of the vehicles may be through traffic that is unable to bypass your district. Eliminating them from your district involves working with regional and municipal officials. |
