WTI

Montana Four City Parking Generation/Land Use Pattern Correlation Study

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

1. Montana Three City Parking Generation/Land Use Pattern Correlation Study
   1. Victoria Falcon
   2. 425622_Four_Cities_Final.pdf

Project Objective

To provide increased accuracy in parking and trip generation data utilized for review of development and urban planning and provide increased and publicly available knowledge in the area of urban development. The creation of a method, which can be used by local regulatory agencies to adjust projected parking and vehicle trip demand generation, based upon patterns of land use development.

Project Abstract

Parking facilities are costly and space intensive. Regulatory parking requirements are often set by local governments in reference to the size and type of land use (e.g., cinema, laundromat), but the compactness and pattern of land use (i.e., the urban form) may also have influence on the need for parking. Different land use forms may have different actual parking efficiencies, that is, greater numbers of destinations arising from single parking event. If such differences exist, but are not embodied in local parking requirements, then unnecessary costs may be imposed on areas that are more parking efficient. This study aims to identify and quantify differences in parking efficiencies of common land use forms by surveying parking events in central business districts, commercial corridors, and power centers ( ) in Montana’s four largest cities; Bozeman, Missoula, Great Falls, and Billings. The hypothesis to be examined is that some commercial land use development patterns appear to be more vehicle trip generation/parking efficient than others are. It is expected that the difference can be quantified by personal questionnaire survey of vehicle users. It is expected that a more densely developed with highly connected travel routes land use pattern following the Central Business District pattern provides the most parking efficiency. At this time no other study is known to have examined this type of correlation.

Task Descriptions

1. Data Considerations
   1. The researcher will examine seasonal travel patterns through discussion with Chambers of Commerce, Departments of Tourism, and development agencies in the cities concerned with the project. Seasonal travel patterns could have influence on the results of the research and should be explored. The researcher will get certification through the Human Subjects Committee in order to do the survey. She will then develop a questionnaire aimed at identifying travel and parking behavior in three types of land use patterns: 1. Central business districts 2. Strip developments (linear stores) 3. Power Centers (two or more big businesses)
2. Data Analysis
   1. City of Bozeman staff will complete data entry from the results of the on-site interviews. The researcher will analyze the results to prove or disprove the hypothesis. Desired level confidence is 90% of better with a +/-5% or less rate of error. Should the hypothesis be proven, the researcher will develop a method to compare the documented efficiency rate between the different land use patterns. The method should allow comparison of existing regulatory conditions and modifiers to be applied based on land use pattern.
3. Project Management
   1. To develop a data collection schedule, the researcher will consider different parameters that affect the amount of time and dates required. The researcher will establish the sample size desired for data collection. The researcher will also consider differences in travel patterns based on time of day, day of week, or special events. The researcher will coordinate with the municipal planning offices in Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, and Bozeman to locate areas exhibiting defined land use characteristics.
4. Literature Review
   1. The researcher will obtain materials related to her topic from various sources, focusing on information regarding transportation, land use, land development, and parking. She will also gather information on parking, transportation, and zoning specific to the City of Bozeman.
5. Project Documentation
   1. The researcher will prepare a final report outlining the purpose of the project, methodology selected, research sites, summary of the data resulting from the research, analysis, and conclusions. The final report will be presented at a symposium at the end of the program.
6. Data Collection
   1. The researcher will conduct on-site user (persons parking) interviews using the questionnaire in Billings, Bozeman and Great Falls. The researcher will target various areas of the city that fit into the categories of land use patterns defined in Task 3. Individuals in Missoula will conduct a survey in that community using the same survey tool.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

True

Relationship to Other Research Projects

False

Technology Transfer Activities

True

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Parking, Planning, Urban Development

Partners

Cities of Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, and Missoula