TRAVEL CHARACTERISTICS AT LARGE-SCALE SUBURBAN ACTIVITY CENTERS

Suburban Activity Centers (SACs) are one of the fastest growing segments of our urban areas. However, only limited research has been conducted on the characteristics of the trips generated by the SAC development. For that reason, NCHRP project 3-38(2) was initiated to collect and analyze travel characteristics data appropriate for use in analyzing the site impact of individual buildings, the regional traffic impact of individual buildings, the regional traffic impact of SACs, and the internal trip characteristics of SACs. Data was collected at six SACs spread throughout the United States. The product of the research is a series of relationships between selected independent variables and the desired travel characteristics. The independent variables include individual building characteristics and SAC characteristics. The key qualitative findings can be summarized in six points. First, there is a great deal of internalization (i.e., within the SAC) of trips generated by the retail development. The extent of this internalization is a function of the type of retail and the overall SAC office/retail mix. Second, there is significant interaction between the office buildings located within the SAC. Third, although the above two points portray similarities to central business districts, there still is a major difference in their modes of travel. The vast majority of internal SAC trips are by automobile, even in SACs where parking supply is limited and parking costs are paid by employees. Fourth, intermediate stops on the way to and from work and midday are made by a majority of office employees. Fifth, a significant proportion of the employed SAC residents also work within the SAC. Sixth, peak period vehicle trips generated by hotels with conference facilities are dominated by non-guest, local trips and a significant proportion of the trips are internal to the SAC.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_323.pdf
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Hooper, K G
• Publication Date: 1989-10

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 112 p.
• Serial:
  • NCHRP Report
  • Issue Number: 323
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0077-5614

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Activity centers; Data collection; Suburbs; Surveys; Travel behavior; Travel modes; Trip generation
• Old TRIS Terms: Travel modes
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491140
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04620-3
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 28 1990 12:00AM