Man Versus Car–Property Management Takes on Traffic

Arlington-Potomac Yards

My name is Gabriel Ortiz, and I work for Legum & Norman, a professional management company based in Alexandria, Virginia. When it comes to associations and the environment, my job highlights the unique role associations, developers and management companies can play in working toward a more sustainable environment. 

The Washington, DC metropolitan area’s traffic is legendary. So, when the redevelopment of the old Potomac Rail Yards, a prime area of land just across the river from Washington, DC began, a transportation management plan was a required element of the development process. Arlington County, Virginia officials wanted to make sure that this massive project would not clog existing roadways and hamper the transportation infrastructure of their small but very populous urban County.  With more private office space than downtown Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Denver, Arlington County is a booming municipality.  However, as anyone knows, where there is office space there is bound to be parking, and where there is parking, there are going to be automobiles.  More automobiles translate to more traffic congestion and inevitably more pollution, smog and harmful greenhouse gases.  In an effort to be proactive against this inevitable influx of automobiles, Arlington County asked Potomac Yard developers of Potomac Yards to create a Transportation Management Association (TMA).

A TMA is a nonprofit organization formed by partnerships between the private and public sector to address collectively transportation issues. A number of TMAs have been very successful in implementing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies.  One Department of Transportation official eloquently defined TDM as, “the art of influencing traveler behavior for the purpose of reducing or redistributing travel demand.” 

Transportation Demand Management Strategies

In basic terms, TDM is all about finding ways to get people to stop driving alone or to ditch their cars all together, and to switch to more sustainable forms of transportation to get from point A to point B. One example of a TDM strategy is a company creating a telework program for its employees to work from home. Another example of a TDM strategy is a company giving its employees incentives to live within walking distance of their office.

After establishing The Potomac Yard Transportation Management Plan Association (TMPA), the developers of this mixed-use development now needed someone to manage the day-to-day business of this Association. And that’s were I come in:  I work for Legum & Norman Reality, Inc. (L&N). L&N’s primary businesses are community association management, multi-family rental management, facility services, consulting, and brokerage. In other words, we work to build the human infrastructure that makes up a community. Our experience in managing communities has positioned us to bring together the many players it will require to make the Potomac Yards TMPA a success.

As new properties and community associations grow, municipalities are insisting that developers and homeowner associations find ways to make commuting more efficient and to decrease the impact their new communities will have on roadways and the local environment.  As the property management company for several of these newly developed associations, L&N has aided developers and associations to help them satisfy the stringent Transportation Demand Management mandates and requirements local governments have placed on them.

On the FAST Track

L&N is moving forward with implementing the TMPA through a program named FAST. FAST stands for Full Access Solutions in Transportation for Potomac Yards.

FAST is currently crafting strategies that would help attain our goal of reducing congestion, pollution and increasing transit options. Carpool, vanpool, and bus subsidy programs have been established to expand a commuter’s options.  Each program has built in incentives to help nudge commuters to start sharing rides or to use public transportation.  L&N is currently working on program for FAST to encourage Potomac Yards employees to walk to work.

The concept is fairly simple for this program - lease a unit in the nearby apartments located five minutes walking distance away from work, and FAST will pay for a month’s worth of rent.  The added bonus:  you get to walk to work!  FAST plans to start a telework program for employers and their workers.   With innovative programs supported by constant marketing and promotions, FAST hopes to deliver Potomac Yards employees and residents as much information and options as possible on how to live well without a car. 

In addition, by reducing vehicle trips in the area, FAST will also help Potomac Yards and Arlington become an even more livable, clean, and eco-friendly place to live, work, and play.