Communities across the the United States use Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) to align road infrastructure with mobility demands of new development. Since the 1970’s, TIA has been an instrumental tool to ensure that transportation infrastructure keeps pace with land development. Recent research has questioned the accuracy and unintended consequences of TIA as it’s conventionally employed. Thinking has evolved as to where, how, and even whether traffic impact of new developments even ought to be evaluate and accommodated.
As a starting point for transportation professionals looking to improve the TIA process in their communities, Noreen McDonald and Tab Combs illustrate a range of alternative approaches to TIA that communities are adopting.
Noreen McDonald is a Thomas Willis Lambeth Distinguished Professor and department chair. Her research interests include emerging mobility option and their impacts on planning practice, road safety, and travel behavior. Tabitha Combs is a DCRP research associate. Her research interests include land use, travel behavior, and equitable mobility.
_________________