Traffic Modeling of Transit Oriented Development: Evaluation of Transit Friendly Strategies and Innovative Intersection Designs in West Valley City, UT

Street networks designed to support Transit Oriented Development (TOD) increase accessibility for non-motorized traffic. However, the implications of TOD supportive networks for still dominant vehicular traffic are rarely addressed. Due to this lack of research, decision making in favor of TOD supportive street networks is often a difficult process. The goal of this project is to quantify the traffic impacts of TOD using a study network in West Valley City, Utah. In the methodology, the test network is modified using not only designs typical for TODs, but also some network designs that enhance traffic operations. Proposed network designs represent the alternatives to traditional street widening approaches that should increase traffic efficiency while not discouraging non-motorized modes. This approach would increase the potential of the test network to become a TOD in the future, with two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines already in place. The results indicate that network designs that could be beneficial for TOD, such as enhanced street connectivity, innovative intersection designs, traffic calming measures and Transit Friendly Designs (TFD), do not necessarily decrease the efficiency of vehicular traffic for the most critical travel demand conditions. The major contributions of this study are the indications that TOD-supportive network designs are not necessarily associated with negative effects for vehicular traffic, even in conditions where mode shift does not occur and auto-mode travel demand remains the same. This is a significant finding that could be useful for metropolitan regions looking to retrofit the suburban neighborhoods into multimodal developments.