PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN EMPLOYMENT CENTERS: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND LAND USE

Measures designed to discourage automobile use and encourage use of alternative modes need to be carefully evaluated to avoid unintended consequences. The impact of a particular set of protransit parking policies on mode and destination choice was examined. A travel demand model with an integrated spatial allocation land use module was used to expand the analysis beyond the narrow question of how mode choice changes within the zones that are subject to the transit-friendly parking policies. Parking supply and/or travel costs to zones with parking restrictions can be adjusted in the model to reflect the restrictions. Discouragement of car travel to some locations influences not only mode choice but can, over time, lead to changes in destination choice and land use patterns that can be detrimental to public transportation. The extent to which such land use changes will take place will depend, in large part, on the nature and implementation of existing land use policy. The desired reduction in automobile traffic is possible only if appropriate parking and business location policies are coordinated and enforced. A stringent parking policy without consideration of long-term impacts on land use development is likely to have little impact on networkwide automobile use but may cause a substantial decline in public transportation ridership.