Strengthening Linkages between Transportation Demand Management and Traffic Management

Transportation system users face many choices when planning their entire travel trip. Destination, mode, route, time-of-day, and what facility or lane are types of choices for travelers to consider and all have implications for transportation system management. These choices provide opportunities for public and private agencies to inform traveler decisions for both the traveler’s and the transportation system’s benefit. Linking transportation demand management (TDM) and traffic management enhances the ability for transportation stakeholders to address mobility and reliability concerns in travelers’ decision-making processes and enable users to make informed decisions throughout their trip.

TDM addresses how and when people need to travel, and traffic management addresses how users traverse the transportation system efficiently. Traditionally, separate unconnected programs are responsible for managing travel demand on the transportation system and managing the resulting traffic from that demand.