Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, one question we frequently hear from our clients is: How has local travel behavior changed? To help provide answers, we embarked on a self-funded research effort, collecting pre-COVID and 2022/2023 traffic data at residential, retail, and mixed-use sites across California. We also conducted multi-day surveys at large office parks, one of the land uses most affected by the pandemic.
Our findings reveal significant shifts in travel patterns, especially at office buildings, where trip generation rates have dropped well below the rates set by ITE’s 2021 Trip Generation Manual, which consists entirely of pre-COVID data. These insights could have important implications for transportation planning, from travel demand models to infrastructure forecasting and fee programs.
For a deeper look at the data and what it means for future planning, check out our full white paper. Questions? Feel free to reach out to the report’s primary author, John Gard, PE, RSP1.
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2020 Staff Certifications
With 2020 drawing to a close, we recognize our team’s professional industry achievements amidst the year’s uniquely challenging circumstances.
SB 743 Agency Decision Matrix
This guide helps California agencies make informed decisions on how to measure and assess Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) for land use and transportation projects, ensuring compliance with SB 743.
Still Getting Trip Generation Right: Revalidating MXD+
State-of-the-practice analytical methods should be employed when estimating the trip generation of mixed-use projects. In the latest issue of the American Planning Association’s PAS Memo, John Gard and Corwin Bell of Fehr & Peers describe the advantages, analysis techniques, and use of MXD+ through actual site case studies.