Transit Oriented Development to Reduce Trips by up to 47% Becomes Model for County Development

Metro West is planned as a new transit-oriented development consisting of 2,248 residential units; 300,000 S.F. of office space; and 100,000 S.F. of retail/institutional/governmental uses immediately adjacent to the Vienna/Fairfax-George Mason University Metro station.

Wells + Associates’ Fairfax County TDM and traffic engineering team was selected by Pulte Homes to assess the transportation impacts of this new community, including pedestrian, vehicular, bicycle, and transit systems. Our traffic engineering team conducted a comprehensive traffic study of 12 intersections in Fairfax County for road improvements that would be part of Pulte Homes’ proffer package. Metro Station enhancements also were identified, evaluated, and redesigned.

A key component of the project was Pulte Homes’ commitment to reduce vehicle-trip generation. As required by the comprehensive plan, residential trips during peak hours would be reduced by 47 percent and office trips by 25 percent. Members of our team developed a state of the art Transportation Demand Management program, which has become the model for development proposals in Fairfax County.

The program includes:

• Funding and ongoing implementation mechanisms
• A parking management plan encompassing resident, visitor, employee, and retail parking management strategies
• Financial incentives and on-site design to encourage use of alternate modes
• Penalty schedules if goals are not met