CONNECT Centralina is our region’s first transportation demand management (TDM) program. TDM programs work to encourage sustainable modes of travel through education, marketing and incentives. TDM programs are meant to complement existing transportation infrastructure to allow travelers to better understand and increase their use of the region’s transportation options.
Why Do We Need TDM?
Transportation choice – the ability to select from a variety of transportation modes to meet one’s daily needs – is critical to ensuring a high quality of life, access to opportunities and economic vitality. Building new roads or lanes is expensive, long-term and creates more demand for driving in a single-occupancy vehicle (SOV). By changing preferences and travel behaviors, TDM programs increase the efficiency of existing infrastructure and allow travelers to better understand and increase their use of non-SOV options.
Additionally, access to transportation has multiple impacts on community members. As found in a Harvard study on mobility, commuting time was one of the most impactful factors in preventing upward socioeconomic mobility. It is also known that more vehicle miles traveled leads to more emissions that can pollute the environment and contribute to poor health.
TDM Plan Development Process
Centralina Regional Council is a lead sponsor and implementer of the CONNECT Beyond Regional Mobility plan (2021) for the greater Charlotte area. A key recommendation in the CONNECT Beyond plan is to develop a regional TDM plan and program. The plan identified Centralina as the lead in this effort along with statewide and regional partners.
Key partners included NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division, Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Area Transit System. Kittelson & Associates was selected as the lead consultant on the project.
The 14-month plan development process included the convening of a TDM steering committee with representatives from a broad array of organizations and geographies to help advise throughout the process. In addition to the steering committee, the planning process included engagement with key stakeholder groups from business and planning communities, as well as learning from peer TDM programs. A regional TDM assessment was also conducted to check our region’s readiness for a TDM program by evaluating existing travel behaviors, transportation networks, demographic data and spatial data.
What’s Next for CONNECT Centralina?
Centralina’s Executive Board endorsed the CONNECT Centralina TDM Plan in September 2024. Centralina staff and key partners will use the remainder of the fiscal year to transition from planning to implementing a full TDM program focused on the following TDM priorities:
- Education & Marketing: Outreach on existing non-SOV options and providing workplace travel planning for employers.
- Regional Partnerships & Coordination: Encourage employer-led TDM programs and collaboration.
- Incentives & Facilitation: Develop direct or partner incentives and TDM toolkits for non-SOV travel.
- Technical Assistance: Support the development and implementation of TDM policies and regulations.
Visit the CONNECT Centralina website for more information and to read the full CONNECT Centralina TDM plan, executive summary and plan appendices.
