The Burlington City Council has declared that a climate emergency exists which threatens Burlington’s community and human health and safety, biodiversity, and common environment. Emissions in Vermont have risen since 1990, with the largest increases coming from the transportation sector, which also accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in both the City and State. This climate emergency declaration calls for the reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through transportation demand management (TDM). The City additionally recognizes that TDM programs improve equity for the Burlington workforce by providing financial and other benefits for Burlington residents and workers who do not own automobiles – a population that is disproportionately low-income, Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
TDM strategies take many forms. Here are just a few:
- Bike, Shopping Buggy, or Stroller Library: A free place in your apartment building, neighborhood, or workplace where you can check out certain mobility tools, just like you would a library book.
- Free or discounted bus passes: Residents or employees are offered a free or discounted bus pass to help them get around without a car.
- Car Share Membership: A developer, landlord, or employer pays for their residents or employees to be Car Share members.
- Guaranteed ride home: Employers pay and help arrange for rides home if it's too late for the bus or if the weather isn't cooperating.
- Mobility wallet: A developer, landlord, or employer provides a monthly amount of money to be used for getting around without a car.
- Infrastructure planning: TDM plans can also help identify ways that the City can provide better infrastructure, making life without a car easier and safer.
Employers, developers, residential property managers and owners can also join a Transportation Management Association to help them manage their TDM programs. TDM can currently be implemented in a few different ways:
- New development: when a new development is built, the developer might be required to provide TDM programs (like those listed above) to users of the building.
- Employers: getting to and from work takes time and money. Employers may be required to offer a range of TDM programs and amenities to their employees.
- The City: Burlington might take it upon itself to provide TDM programs for residents and commuters.
- City staff: As one of the largest employers in the city, the City of Burlington will continue to implement TDM programs to help its staff move around in a less car-dependent way.
What is the Citywide Transportation Options Study?
The Citywide Transportation Options Study (TOS) is a project led by the City of Burlington's Planning Department in close coordination with other city departments to assess existing and previous TDM programs in the city and recommend approaches the City may take to build on those efforts. The study is the product of a 2021 City Council resolution. The goals of the TOS are to:
- Evaluate previous and existing TDM efforts
- Develop recommendations to advance Burlington's TDM goals
- Extend TDM in Burlington beyond the development code or process
- Explore models for neighborhood-based TDM
Transportation Options Planning in the Old North End
Along with the TOS, the Office of City Planning is developing a neighborhood-level Transportation Demand Management framework to help translate citywide recommendations to individual corridors or neighborhoods as a component of future planning efforts. This framework currently being piloted in the portion of the Old North End shown in the image on the left.
Residents of the Old North End are invited to attend the following community workshop and discussion focused on transportation options, strategies, and mobility in and along the Old North End’s North Winooski Avenue Corridor:
ONE Community Workshop: Neighborhood Mobility + Transportation Options
6:00pm on Wednesday, April 10th at the Old North End Community Center
Image Source: Nelson\Nygaard
