ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                                 Date: May 21, 1996
                                                 File No. 4201

    TO:       Vancouver City Council

    FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services

    SUBJECT:  Transportation Demand Management Issues


    INFORMATION

         The following report is submitted for the information of Council,
         to provide an update on current Transportation Demand Management
         activities through the GVRD.

    COUNCIL POLICY

    The Clouds of Change Report (1990) supports the use of Transportation
    Demand Management techniques.  See recommendations #9, #12 and #13.


    PURPOSE

    On May 28, 1996, staff from the GVRD will be available to brief Council
    on current activities in the Transportation Demand Management Field. 
    The purpose of this report is to advise Council of the work plans being
    conducted through the GVRD.

    REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

    Population growth in Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver Regional
    District (GVRD) is addressed through the approved GVRD "Livable Region
    Strategic Plan".  Corresponding growth in transportation trips is
    addressed in the Transport 2021 Report.  Current regional trends
    indicate that transit is serving a declining number of trips compared
    with the existing mode share.  If trends were to continue at today's
    levels, the number of traffic lanes required to cross bodies of water
    would increase from 47 lanes of capacity to 85  lanes by 2021.

    To deal with growth in transportation demand, Transport 2021 suggests
    strategies that help to modify these trends:  

         Land use as a strategy that is dealt with in the Livable Region
         Strategic Plan and provides for a compact metropolitan region,
         regional centres and complete communities.  

         Improved transit service can help serve this land use, and attract
         more ridership.

         Higher costs and a lower level of service can discourage
         automobile use.

         Transportation demand management is intended to modify driver
         behaviour in order to make better use of existing facilities. 
         This management strategy include incentives such as
         tele-commuting, carpooling, high occupancy vehicle lanes, and 
         disincentives such as parking charges and availability.

    The City reviewed its role in transportation demand management in 1992
    and decided the issue should be co-ordinated at the GVRD level, because
    the issues overlap municipal boundaries.  The GVRD has begun to develop
    a strategy that would result in implementation of TDM projects such as:

    1.   Travel reduction programs

         -    ride sharing
         -    employees programs
         -    telecommuting

    2.   Comprehensive Parking Management programs

         -    price and supply of parking

    3.   Financial incentives for reduced auto use

         -    marginalization of costs

    4.   Road pricing

    5.   Encouragement of non-motorized modes.

    City staff are participating actively with the GVRD on these projects
    and will report results and choices for Council's consideration.  I am
    represented on the Transportation Demand Management Steering Committee,
    in order to maintain liaison with the Regional Engineers' Advisory
    Committee.  Other representatives on this Committee include BC Transit,
    the Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Transportation Financing
    Authority and others.

    Immediate activities being co-ordinated at the GVRD level include a
    study on the relationship of parking availability to Transportation
    Demand Management, an investigation of methods of making automobile
    costs more visible to users (on a marginal basis) and establishing
    standards for HOV lanes.  Further details on these activities will be
    provided in the GVRD briefing.