March 15, 2017 - Issue #106  Follow us on Twitter View our profile on LinkedIn Like us on Facebook View our videos on YouTube
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South by Southwest is currently running in Austin, part of which is highlighting new technologies and businesses looking to make their mark on transportation options.  Though the exact impacts of emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles are currently unknown, statements from automakers and other companies indicate broad moves to begin selling not just cars, but mobility options as well.
MOBILITY LAB'S TOP STORIES
#1: Untangling the jumbled path toward the ultimate connected city  Follow us on Twitter  Like us on Facebook

Transportation systems should be as seamless and intuitive as most phones these days, with multiple options at one's fingertips for different kinds of trips. 

In the quest for this kind of connected environment, cities must find creative ways to overcome challenges in funding, partnerships and education.   Read the story.
#2: How often is a bike lane blocked? A crowdsourced tool investigates  Follow us on Twitter   Like us on Facebook

Blocked bike lanes are a danger and deterrent for people on bikes, but the infraction can be difficult to quantify, making it a challenge for bicyclists to effectively raise concerns.

One advocate in Arlington, Va., employed traffic camera images and online volunteers to determine just how often parked cars were blocking two local bike lanes.  Read the story.
#3: Transit as a lifelong habit: Early transit exposure informs choices later on in life  Follow us on Twitter   Like us on Facebook

A  new study adds a long-term context to transportation behavior thinking. Researchers found that people who lived their early lives in an area with quality transit were likely to choose transit later on, even if they moved to a place with less abundant options.

The research suggests a new importance for TDM efforts that reach people at a young age.   Read the story.
#4: Federal performance measures: What are they, and why are they so important?   Follow us on Twitter   Like us on Facebook

New federal performance measure rules, released earlier this year, will guide federal decisions on future transportation projects.

By collecting information about tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions and the reliability of person-miles traveled (rather than vehicle-miles), the measures should support efforts to move people, more than just cars.  Read the story.
TDM STARS OF THE WEEK
BART

The Bay Area transit agency recently released the results of its Perks pilot program, which paid commuters small rewards to incentivize off-peak trips and minimize crowding. The program, which was the first of its kind in the U.S., saw many more participants sign up than expected. Ultimately, BART reported that 10 percent of them changed their commute times. Though the number was lower than hoped, BART is reviewing the lessons for future demand programs.

Columbus, Ohio

A property owners group in downtown Columbus, Ohio, is considering offering free transit passes to all 44,000 of the area's workers in an effort to reduce parking demand. The proposal, which a small property tax increase would fund, comes after a pilot program saw a doubling of transit use from people who received free passes. The Dispatch also notes that low-income workers would benefit the most, allowing more job security for service workers in the city's downtown.

TDM TIP OF THE WEEK
America's relationship with car ownership is changing. An analysis of rates of ownership among single people in the U.S. found those in many metropolitan areas increasingly moving toward car-free lifestyles, or at least owning fewer cars. However, several areas featured the opposite extreme: Pittsburgh, San Antonio, and San Juan saw one-person households owning more cars.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Transportation Techies: Bus Hack Night II , on April 11, in Washington, DC.

ACT 2017 Public Policy Summit, on April 19, in Washington, DC.