Appendix C: Amplifying Questions

Introduction

The purpose of this scan is to explore ways other countries have managed traffic by managing demand. The scan team is interested in investigating the physical, operational, financial, and institutional characteristics of practices implemented by countries and/or cities to manage transportation system demand to mitigate traffic congestion.

Topics of Interest

• Physical practices might include such features as detour routes, auto use restrictions, parking restrictions, signing, etc.
• Operational practices might include traveler information, use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), signal retiming and coordination, transit service expansion, mode change, etc.
• Financial practices might include congestion pricing, variable roadway pricing, tolling, electronic payment services, variable parking pricing, transit subsidies, etc.
• Institutional practices might include policies, plans, organizational arrangements, etc.

Applications

The scan team is interested in roles and benefits of these practices (both to managing the system and to the travelers) and how they have been applied in the context of some or all of the following events, conditions, or situations that affect travel demand:

• Special events (e.g., sports or government security)
• Road reconstruction or work zone maintenance
• Tourism or visitor accommodation
• Commuter travel, employment growth, and economic development
• Intermodal transfer facilities for passenger and freight movement
• Long-term incidents and emergencies (e.g., spills of hazardous materials, terrorism, and weather)
• Extreme weather situations

The scan team is interested in learning about projects, programs, policies, and studies that convey each country's experience with the demand management practices applied to the above-listed situations. It would be useful to devote some of each visit (perhaps 30 percent) to site visits to see the projects and places described. Any written materials, hard copy or electronic, that might be useful would be appreciated as well.

United Kingdom

Current Activities of Interest

The scan team is aware of several programs, projects, and initiatives in the United Kingdom that are of interest to this topic:

• The Sustainable Travel Initiative at Department for Transport
• Influencing Travel Behavior program at the Highways Agency
• London Congestion Charging Scheme
• CIVITAS project activities in Bristol
• Demand management measures at Heathrow Airport

Any other examples that help illuminate the role and impact of demand-side measures issues would be helpful as well.

Amplifying Questions

Physical

• How are demand-side techniques planned into reconstruction or maintenance projects?
• What role does safety play in these efforts?
• What is the role of traffic signal control, signage, auto or truck restrictions, roadway metering, and alternative route information in managing demand?
• How are demand management measures used during large-scale incidents and emergencies?

Operational

• How are demand-side techniques integrated into the overall operation of the road system? How are various interests integrated?
• What type of information is available to travelers? Tourists? Special events?
• Is real-time information available on the Internet?
• What is the role of intelligent transportation systems in managing demand?
• How is demand management applied to freight movement?

Financial

• How did you garner political and popular support for pricing?
• What are some of the issues associated with moving to a nationwide system for pricing?
• If there are equity concerns with pricing, how are they addressed?
• What are the key technology considerations in implementing road pricing?
• What supporting strategies are offered to maximize impacts?
• Are incentives given to travelers who use other modes?
• What proportion of the transport budget goes to managing demand?

Institutional

• Is managing demand a recognized element of transport policy?
• Who is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating demand initiatives?
• Have you assessed the impact of demand management on the local economy or economic development?
• What new partnerships have formed to implement demand management?
• What performance indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of demand-side initiatives?
• How do demand management measures compare to other solutions?

The Netherlands

Current Activities of Interest

The Dutch have studied and implemented most, if not all, of the demand management practices listed previously. The scan team is aware of a few recent initiatives, including the following:

• Rijkswaterstaat's Roads to the Future reward-based pilot programs
• National studies on pricing, mobility management, accessibility, etc.
• Traffic management measures on the national highway system
• Use of demand management during major highway reconstruction
• CIVITAS project activities in Rotterdam
• Regional coordination of accessibility measures in The Hague (SWINGH)

Any other examples that help illuminate the role and impact of demand-side measures issues would be helpful as well.

Amplifying Questions

Physical

• How are demand-side techniques planned into reconstruction or maintenance projects?
• What role does safety play in these efforts?
• What is the role of traffic signal control, signage, auto or truck restrictions, roadway metering, and alternative route information in managing demand?
• How are variable speed limits used for congestion and incident management?
• How are demand management measures used during large-scale incidents and emergencies?

Operational

• How are demand-side techniques integrated into the overall operation of the road system? How are various interests integrated?
• What type of information is available to travelers? Tourists? Special events?
• What technology is used to provide information on highways?
• What is the role of intelligent transportation systems in managing demand?
• How is demand management applied to freight movement?

Financial

• What proportion of the transport budget goes to managing demand?
• Are transport services packaged with event tickets to encourage other modes?
• Have you assessed the impact of demand management on the local economy or economic development, for example due to enhanced accessibility?

Institutional

• Is managing demand a recognized element of transport policy?
• Who is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating demand initiatives?
• What new partnerships have formed to implement demand management?
• What performance indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of demand-side initiatives? How are performance data collected?
• How do demand management measures compare to other solutions?
• What are the benefits of demand management to the overall system?

Sweden

Current Activities of Interest

The scan team is aware of several programs, projects, and initiatives in Sweden that are of interest to this topic:

• The Four-Stage Principle in the national Transport Policy for Sustainable Development
• The congestion pricing pilot program in Stockholm
• CIVITAS project activities in Stockholm
• The comprehensive LundaMaTs scheme in Lund
• Other demand management planning and evaluation initiatives

Any other examples that help illuminate the role and impact of demand-side measures issues would be helpful as well.

Amplifying Questions

Physical

• Are demand-side techniques planned into reconstruction or maintenance projects? What role does safety play in these efforts?
• What is the role of traffic signal control, signage, auto or truck restrictions, roadway metering, and alternative route information in managing demand?
• How are demand management measures used during large-scale incidents and emergencies?

Operational

• How are demand-side techniques integrated into the overall operation of the road system? How are various interests integrated?
• What type of information is available to travelers? Tourists? Special events?
• Is real-time information available on the Internet?
• What is the role of intelligent transportation systems in managing demand?
• How is demand management applied to freight movement?

Financial

• How did you garner political and popular support for pricing?
• What are the key technology considerations in implementing road pricing?
• Are incentives given to travelers who use other modes?
• How will road pricing revenues be used? Who decides?
• If there are equity concerns with pricing, how are they addressed?
• Have you assessed the impact of demand management on the local economy or economic development, for example due to enhanced accessibility?
• What proportion of the national or local transport budget goes to managing demand?

Institutional

• Is managing demand a recognized element of transport policy?
• Who is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating demand initiatives? How are they integrated into a systematic approach?
• What performance indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of demand-side initiatives?
• What models or methods are used to predict the impact of demand-side measures?
• How do demand management measures compare to other solutions?

Cologne, Germany

Current Activities of Interest

The scan team is aware of several programs, projects, and initiatives in the Cologne area that are of interest to this topic:

• Integrated traffic management and advanced traveler information (Stadtinfoköln)
• Statewide bicycle information network (Radverkehrsnetz)
• Implementation of truck tolling and traffic management schemes on highways around Cologne
• Traffic management plans for World Youth Day 2005

Any other examples that help illuminate the role and impact of demand-side measures issues would be helpful as well.

Amplifying Questions

Physical

• What is the role of traffic signal control, roadway metering, signage, auto or truck restrictions, and alternative route information in managing demand?
• How are demand-side techniques planned into reconstruction or maintenance projects? What role does safety play in these efforts?
• How are variable speed limits used for congestion and incident management?

Operational

• What are some of the technological tools used to deploy traveler information?
• What types of information are real-time?
• How much information is geared toward pretrip planning?
• How are intermodal facilities integrated into traveler information?
• What technology is used to provide information on highways?
• How is demand management integrated into special event planning?

Financial

• What role has pricing (truck, parking) played in the region's traffic management plans?
• Have you assessed the impact of demand management on the local economy or economic development, for example due to enhanced accessibility?
• What proportion of the transport budget goes toward managing demand?

Institutional

• Is managing demand a recognized element of transport policy?
• Who is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating demand initiatives? How are they integrated into a systematic approach?
• What models or methods are used to predict the impact of demand-side measures?
• What performance indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of demand-side initiatives?
• How is the collection and distribution of information coordinated?

Rome, Italy

Current Activities of Interest

The scan team is aware of several programs, projects, and initiatives in the Rome area that are of interest to this topic:

• The Urban Traffic Master Plan, with road pricing and restrictions in the first ring, parking pricing and controls in the next ring, and park-and-ride on the periphery
• Public transport improvements as alternatives to car use
• Mobility management initiatives with companies
• CIVITAS project (MIRACLES) activities in Rome

Any other examples that help illuminate the role and impact of demand side measures issues would be helpful as well.

Amplifying Questions

Physical

• What is the role of traffic signal control, signage, roadway metering, and alternative route information in managing demand?
• How do you restrict cars and motorbikes in the central zone?
• How is parking managed in each zone?
• How have transport services changed with the traffic restrictions?

Operational

• How are softer measures, such as traveler information or mobility management, compared to harder measures, such as traffic restrictions or pricing?
• What have been some of the key technological considerations in implementing traffic management?
• How is information provided to different groups, such as commuters, tourists, special event visitors, etc.?

Financial

• What role has pricing (access, parking) played in the region's traffic management plans?
• How did you garner political and popular support for pricing?
• If there are equity concerns with pricing, how are they addressed?
• How are pricing revenues used? Who decides?
• Have you assessed the impact of demand management on the local economy or economic development, for example due to enhanced accessibility?
• What proportion of the transport budget goes toward managing demand?

Institutional

• Is managing demand a recognized element of transport policy?
• Who is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating demand initiatives? How are they integrated into a systematic approach?
• What role has the private sector played in managing demand?
• What performance indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of demand-side initiatives?
• How do demand management measures compare to other solutions?