Metro’s Regional Travel Options program is the transportation demand management (TDM) component of the Regional Transportation System Management and Operations Plan. It reduces automobile traffic in the Portland region by helping people walk, bike, take transit, vanpool or carpool for work and other travel.
2019 Regional Travel Options Evaluation
RTO requires an evaluation of each grant cycle to understand whether funding is delivering projects that provide measurable benefit to the region and align with regional and state goals to achieve more sustainable and equitable transportation outcomes. Between the 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 grant cycles, Metro made changes to the reporting process and invested in helping grantees capture more consistent performance data. These improvements have led to greater accountability and transparency in the reporting process. This evaluation tells the story of what we have achieved and how we plan to do more.
2019 Regional Travel Options Survey
In Fall 2019, RTO worked with DHM Research to conduct a phone/text hybrid survey and two focus groups of Metro residents. The purpose of the research was to make comparisons between low-income and high income residents, white residents and residents of color, and gain insights into the TDM strategies residents find the most motivating.
Transportation Demand Management Inventory
In 2018, Steer was contracted by Metro to assist in the development of a regional TDM inventory. This involved defining strategies, collecting data on active programs within the Metro jurisdiction, and mapping them. The purpose of the inventory is to help develop a better picture of how programs and services are distributed across the region. The information assembled was used by Metro staff to build a TDM Inventory Storymap, an open and interactive resource, to share information about activities and inform a regional TDM assessment.
Explore the TDM Inventory Storymap
TDM Needs and Opportunities Assessment
As shown in the TDM Inventory Storymap, the Metro Portland region features an impressive level of programming that includes employer outreach, shared mobility, community programs, Safe Routes to School, planning and infrastructure. The TDM Needs and Opportunities Assessment builds on the work of the TDM Inventory by synthesizing information about the spatial distribution of programs and services, infrastructure, new mobility options, and strategic partners in the region. The findings of this assessment can be used to compare geographic areas of relative need and opportunity with respect to future TDM programs.