The Rethinking Mobility Transportation Strategic Plan is a five-year plan that includes thirteen actionable transportation and parking management strategies to reduce single-occupant automobile trips, manage parking demand, and enhance access for those walking, biking, and using public transit. The City’s General Plan 2025 calls for the development and adoption of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program to serve as a model for other cities in the region, and since the adoption of the General Plan in 2006, the City has undertaken a number of implementing actions, yet to pursue further reduction in single-occupant automobile trips and peak-period congestion, the City developed the Rethinking Mobility Transportation Strategic Plan.

Rethinking Mobility Transportation Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan Strategies

On October 20, 2020, the City Council unanimously adopted the Rethinking Mobility Transportation Strategic Plan, and it's thirteen strategies (shown numerical, not ranked):

1. TDM Program Reporting
Request annual or bi-annual TDM program reporting from Walnut Creek's largest employers

2. Incentivize BART use for trips to Walnut Creek
Develop a coordinated set of strategies to encourage and facilitate BART use from Central and Eastern Contra Costa County to Walnut Creek

3. Transit Infrastructure Improvements
Identify and implement infrastructure improvements on key corridors that will improve bus travel times on congested corridors

4. Commute Alternative Program
Implement changes to the City's current Commute Alternative Program that will help the City meet its goal of serving as a model employer

5. Bicycle Amenities*
Provide secure bicycle parking and public bicycle repair stations at key destinations within downtown and transit stops/stations

6. Innovative Mobility Programs
Pursue innovative partnerships to address first/last mile and gap coverage challenges, such as comprehensive car sharing, Transportation Network Company (TNC) pilot programs, and micromobility solutions

7. Coordination with East Bay Regional Parks
Work with the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD) to update policies and enhance infrastructure to better enable the city's network of regional trails to become a key component of its active transportation infrastructure

8. Promote Safe Routes to School
Promote the use of sustainable transportation modes and educate students and their families about safe walking, biking, and transit use by building on and expanding the existing Streets Smarts Diablo and Contra Costa County Safe Routes to Schools programs in Walnut Creek

9. School Transit Access
Work with 511, CCTA, County Connection, and school districts to develop ways to increase student access to school transit services

10. Parking and Curb Signage*
Improve parking and curb management signage so that its clear and easy to understand

11. Parking Requirements for New Development*
Review and modify parking requirements for new development to ensure that they are supportive of the City's parking and TDM goals, policies, and objectives

12. Zone- and Demand-Based Parking Pricing
Extend or eliminate time restrictions for on-street meters and price parking by zone, based on demand

13. Municipal Garage Pricing*
Increase the hourly rate and cost of monthly parking permits in municipal garages to help achieve TDM and transportation goals

*Priority strategy for 2021

The following are key documents drafted during the planning process for Rethinking Mobility:

• Transportation Needs, Opportunities, and Challenges (NOC) Report
  • A report that assessed the City’s transportation network, programs, and policies with respect to the primary objectives identified for the planning effort. These include: biking, walking, public transit, parking, and current travel patterns.
• TDM Strategies Report
  • Through joint workshops with the Transportation and Planning Commissions, public surveys, and street-level engagement, City staff evaluated potential strategies with stakeholders and the public and developed goals, objectives, and performance measures.
• Draft Transportation Strategic Plan
  • Working with a consultant group, City staff incorporated public and stakeholder feedback to develop preferred TDM strategies, as well as developed implementation and funding recommendations.
• Appendices for the Transportation Strategic Plan
  • The appendices for the Rethinking Mobility Transportation Strategic Plan

What is Transportation Demand Management, also known as TDM?

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) looks at the choices people make about how they travel, for work, school, shopping, and recreation. TDM strategies focus on how we can best utilize our existing transportation infrastructure and capitalize on investments already made, by encouraging people to travel through sustainable modes such as walking, biking, transit, and ridesharing. The goal is to make these mobility choices easier and more attractive than driving alone, to reduce congestion and help improve roadway operations, public health, and community vitality.