results, half of the local residents find roads are congested at various times of the day, <br />and the vast majority finds roads are congested during morning and evening rush hours. <br />16. The COMSIS TDM Strategy Evaluation Model, used in August 1997 to evaluate the <br />impact of TDM strategies, found that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and vehicle trips are <br />reduced up to 3 percent by voluntary strategies (e.g., employer-paid bus pass program) <br />and up to 10 percent by mandatory strategies (e.g., mandatory employer support); that <br />requiring employers to increase the cost of employee parking is far more effective than <br />reducing employee transit costs; and that a strong package of voluntary strategies has a <br />greater impact on VMT and vehicle trips that a weak package of mandatory strategies. <br />17. Transit system ridership has increased 53 percent since the first group pass program was <br />implemented in 1987 (with University of Oregon students and employees). <br />18. The OHP recognizes that TDM strategies can be implemented to reduce trips and impacts <br />to major transportation facilities, such as freeway interchanges, postponing the need for <br />investments in capacity-increasing projects. <br />19, An Evaluation of Pricing Policies for Addressing Transportation Problems <br />(ECONorthwest, July 1995) found that implementation of congestion pricing in the <br />Eugene-Springfield area would be premature because the level of public acceptance is <br />low and the costs of implementation are substantial; and that parking pricing is the only <br />TDM pricing strategy that would be cost-effective during the 20-year planning period. <br />Policies <br />F.6 Expand existing TDM programs and develop new TDM programs. Establish TDM <br />bench marks and if the bench marks are not achieved, mandatory programs may be <br />established. <br />F.7 hlcrease the use of motor vehicle parking management strategies in selected areas <br />throughout the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area. <br />F.8 Implement TDM strategies to manage demand at congested locations. <br />Transportation System Improvements: System-Wide <br />Findings <br />20. The number of vehicles, VMT, and use of the automobile are all increasing while use of <br />alternatives is decreasing. Between 1970 and 1990, the number of vehicles in Lane <br />County increased by 83 percent, while the number of households increased by 62 percent. <br />Between 1980 and 1990, VMT grew at a rate seven times that of the population growth. <br />The Regional Travel Forecasting Model projects that, by the year 2015, without <br />implementation of proposed TransPlan projects, non-commercial VMT will increase 52 <br />percent while the percentage who bike will drop from 3.7 percent to 33 percent, walk <br />III-F-6 <br />Laurel Ridge Record (Z 15-5) Page 218 <br />