1 minute read
A Balanced System
If the community offers the same travel choices, will people change their travel behavior? Simply put, no. A status quo transportation system will lead to status quo behavior, exemplified by Teton County’s challenge in reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled since 2015, when the ITP targeted a reduction. To move the dial, it is critical to consider how and when people make choices that influence travel. Our travel behaviors are the results of decisions big and small:
MICRO
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HOW WILL I MAKE MY NEXT TRIP?
What’s the quickest way to get there?
What trip best balances my budget and time available?
What mode of travel is safe, comfortable, and fulfilling?
MACRO
WHERE DO I LIVE, WORK, AND TRAVEL?
What housing can I afford?
Where will I choose to work?
How long, challenging is the commute?
What other places do I go regularly?
Teton County's affordable housing challenges make acute the tension between time and cost. Every year more people choose, or are forced, to travel farther to access affordable housing. Ultimately, people, who are displaced to a distance where travel becomes substantially burdensome, will seek opportunity to work closer to home. The choices people make about how and when they travel differ. The following graphic demonstrates how factors influencing trip decisions vary for different Teton County system users.
A sustainable mobility system stands on three legs. Simultaneous investment in each is the fastest and most effective path to healthy and balanced community mobility.
Teton County’s ITP is constructed on principles and measured by targets that are only realistic when fewer people choose to drive. Reducing per capital vehicle miles travelled (VMT) and driving mode share by sustainable modes—walking, biking, and transit— requires land uses that make those travel modes highly convenient, travel options that are competitive with hopping in the car, and policies that recognize the high costs of driving.
Efficient Land Use
Affordable housing near jobs means people have options for travel.
Travel Options
Services, programs, and safe facilities allow people to bike, walk, take transit, share rides, and telecommute.
Behavior Change
Incentives, pricing, and education encourage people to make choices other than driving alone.
