TDM: Solutions to Ease Traffic and Help Commuters

As the Fairfax County community grows, it is important to mitigate the effects and impacts of development in the county, including how they relate to transportation and traffic. One way that Fairfax County works to accomplish this is through a set of strategies that are aimed at reducing the number of single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips being taken, known as Transportation Demand Management (TDM). These strategies include providing access, information, education, and incentives to use alternative methods of transportation such as transit, ridesharing, biking, and walking. Implementing these strategies can lessen the traffic impacts of new developments, all while making our community a safer, cleaner, healthier and more equitable place to live.

TDM benefits everyone. By offering more modes of transportation as options, commutes can become more cost effective, more active and safer. By taking single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips off the roads, TDM lessens negative impact on air quality and decreases congestion in the area - improving commuting conditions for all. For more information about incorporating TDM into your commute, please see the menu of TDM Resources and Programs below.

TDM and the Development Process

Fairfax County encourages further growth of TDM programs by working with developers to create commuting options for their future residential and commercial tenants. The need for a TDM program is dependent on location, size, development type (residential, commercial, mixed use, etc.), and existing and planned transit options and retail in the area. Developments will create their own site-specific TDM proffer that incorporates elements of a TDM program, as well as incentives to meet those goals.

Because every development is unique, Fairfax County reviews TDM programs on a case-by-case basis. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) offers TDM options with various levels of requirements, which are determined by various characteristics of the development such as location, size and use.

Common elements of TDM programs offered by developers include:

TMAs Help Locally

In addition to these elements, sites that have a TDM program may join a Transportation Management Association (TMA) in their region/area. A TMA is often a nonprofit organization that brings together multiple stakeholder groups to address transportation issues in a certain area and reach transportation management goals.

TMA’s in Fairfax County include:

• Dulles Area Transportation Association (DATA)
• LINK (Reston)
• Transportation Association of Greater Springfield (TAGS)
   

Next Steps

If you are a commuter in Fairfax County looking for resources on how to get to work, please start with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation home page. From there, you'll find links to transit, biking, ridesharing, telecommuting and more.

If you are an employer looking to build a commuting program that reduces workforce stress, increases worker loyalty, improves the environment, visit the Fairfax County Commuter Services page.  

For more information about TDM and Development in Fairfax County, please continue on to our Developer's Toolkit.