PERC Environmental Audit - Chapter 9 Transportation

Transportation practices, policies, and infrastructure have significant environmental impact, including air pollution, traffic congestion, energy consumption, land use, noise and hazardous waste. As a major employer, research center, and transportation nexus, Princeton University lies in a powerful position to influence transportation policies in the region while simultaneously becoming a leader in creative transportation solutions. Over the past few years, the university has been very active in efforts to curb vehicle emissions resulting from employee commuting. In accordance with the 1990 Clean Air Act legislation, Princeton has organized several programs focused on increasing average vehicle passenger occupancy rates and reducing overall miles traveled. A full-time Employee Transportation coordinator and several committees have generated numerous creative initiatives addressing transportation and environmental concerns while opening up a healthy debate over policy options ranging from flexible work hours to alternatively-fueled vehicles.

The following report provides a cursory overview of the current state of transportation at Princeton, with a focus on environmental implications. Although the chapter fails to cover all transportation-related issues (notably the university's vehicle fleet, vehicle maintenance and emissions inspection, and transportation-related land use implications), hopefully it will broaden awareness throughout the university community about how its transportation decisions impact the local and global environment while pointing each its members to measures they can take to reduce congestion and pollution and improve the quality of life in Princeton. Several recommendations for addressing transportation and the environment at Princeton include: 1) increasing student awareness of the university's transportation programs and initiatives; 2) conducting a survey of student car use to inform future transportation planning and service provision; 3) improving bike lanes and walkways on local roads servicing graduate student housing and other frequented facilities; 4) incorporating fuel efficiency and emissions considerations into vehicle procurement; 5) pursuing opportunities for the use of compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles by the university and interested employees; and 6) encouraging and supporting a student solar vehicle team project and student-faculty projects to address local transportation issues.

In recent years, a fundamental shift has occurred in the way transportation planning is conducted. This new approach is guided by the concept that access, not mobility, should drive transportation policy. A shift from moving people and goods toward ensuring that people's needs are met subsumes transportation to one of several possible options for meeting those needs. Mobility is associated with going faster and farther. Access implies getting to more places conveniently, bringing services directly to people, and seamlessly integrating diverse modes of transportation. With access, the focus is on places. Mobility focuses on paths, often to the neglect or even destruction of places. Ultimately, transportation is inextricably linked to land use.

A community's environment and quality of life is affected in numerous ways by the transportation sector:

ī traffic congestion increases local air pollution concentration levels as well as travel and commute time (causing frustrations and higher opportunity costs of time);

ī failure to recycle or properly dispose of used oil, tires, and vehicles can threaten water quality, community aesthetics, and waste potentially recyclable resources;

ī excessive reliance on the automobile necessitates the devotion of large tracts of land to parking facilities.

In New Jersey, the transportation sector has become a powerful determinant of environmental quality, as expanded vehicle fleets and road and highway networks have facilitated rapid development and suburbanization. New Jersey is one of 11 states that has been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as having "severe" or "extreme" levels of ground pollution ozone. In 1990, automobiles in New Jersey accounted for almost 50% of the emissions that produce ozone and about 90% of carbon monoxide. Under the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, reductions in pollution from transportation sources were mandated through reduced automobile travel and improved fuels and vehicles. Over recent years, Princeton University has been taking steps to comply with federal and state mandates (as discussed in the following section); however, additional efforts will be needed in the coming decade to combat burgeoning traffic congestion and new emissions regulations.

In the past two years, significant progress has been made in Princeton University's efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of transportation-related activities. Although many policies remain in their pilot or formative stages, there is a clear commitment and concerted effort to meeting the targets and regulations laid out in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA). Unfortunately, compliance with federal guidelines does not always produce the anticipated benefits in pollution emission reductions. Employee trip reduction programs can lessen traffic congestion during peak travel hours, but have only a minor impact on mitigating air pollution. Only firms and organizations with over 100 employees are forced to participate, no differentiation is made between high- and low-polluting vehicles, and work-related vehicle trips comprise a decreasingly significant portion of overall miles driven. To address the challenges of reduced air pollution, traffic congestion, and inconvenience, diverse but integrated strategies and policies must be developed. The following section summarizes the current initiatives and status of several transportation-related issues at Princeton University:

One of the goals set forth in the CAAA involves reducing air pollution created by commuting vehicles. The Employer Trip Reduction Program (ETRP) requires many employers, including Princeton University, to implement actions and incentives to encourage employees to reduce their commute trips and increase their passenger occupancy for commuting purposes; failure to do so will result in substantial fines. Princeton submitted its initial certified Compliance Plan to the New Jersey Department of Transportation by November 15, 1994; the program is currently in the implementation phase. By November 15, 1996, the university must submit a certified maintenance plan to NJ-DOT if the average passenger occupancy (APO) target has been achieved, or submit a certified Update Plan documenting how the target will be achieved by November 1997. As of January 1995, Princeton University's APO stood at 1.18, with the NJ-DOT target set at 1.38.

In April 1994, university employees were surveyed to assess their transportation preferences and practices. The results of the surveys were used to inform the initial Compliance Plan. Figure 9.1 summarizes the distribution of commuter transportation modes reported in the April 1994 survey. It is important to note that the figure represents the data gathered prior to the implementation of many of the University Employee Trip Reduction Programs described below. The Compliance Plan indicates that follow-up surveys will be conducted in 1995 and 1996 to evaluate implementation efforts. The April 1994 survey also enabled the university to estimate the number of employees who would be likely to participate in various trip reduction programs and incentives (see Table 9.1).

In conjunction with the compliance program, Princeton has established an ETRP Committee (see References section for a committee roster) with six subcommittees. A full-time Employee Transportation Coordinator is charged with organizing ETRP Committee activities and implementing recommended actions and policies. Below are brief summaries of the policy options under consideration by the various subcommittees, along with descriptions of current initiatives and pilot projects.

Work with local municipalities is currently underway to improve bike paths and bike lanes around the university. Opportunities to make pedestrian and bicycle travel safer through improved lighting and more visible signs are also being explored.

The Princeton University Ride Share Program, a voluntary program that helps university employees to form and find carpools, provides an important option to commuters. This service not only reduces vehicle emissions per employee and decreases congestion, but also reduces commuting costs for participating employees. Carpool/vanpool postings can be viewed and registered on the university Gopher and World Wide Web site or by calling the Employee Transportation Coordinator at (609)-258-6807. The Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association also maintains its PoolMatch System which is open to the university community [contact Susan or Larry at (609)-452-8988]. Princeton Rideshare commuter coffee mugs have also been produced to raise program awareness and provide additional incentive. Electronic and physical ride boards currently exist for students (described below), which are predominantly used to share car rides on weekends and over breaks.

Proposed Trip Reduction Program	# Participants
Ridematching services	527
Personalized trip planning	736
Guaranteed ride home	736
Shuttle to transit stops	52
Financial incentives for transit	209
Bike storage (ballards)	152
Bike lottery (prize drawing)	13
Preferential parking	527
Flexible work schedules	209
Telecommuting	10
Conversion to alternatively-fueled vehicles	3

The university's Guaranteed Ride Home Program supports the ride share efforts by ensuring that employees have access to a ride home in case of emergency. An emergency is considered the illness of the employee or an immediate family member, death in the family, or serious property damage such as fire, theft, or flood.

Several university departments are exploring the potential use of alternative and flexible work schedules as well as telecommuting as a means to reduce vehicle use during peak commuting hours. The Office of Human Resources is currently drafting guidelines to assist department managers in implementing flexible work hour programs where appropriate.

The alternative fuel vehicles subcommittee has been working to identify potential programs and policies to encourage conversion of commuter vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG) and other cleaner burning fuel alternatives. Several states, governments, organizations, and individuals have begun the transition from gasoline to cleaner fuels such as CNG and propane. Clean burning, high octane natural gas provides for excellent vehicle performance, while reducing carbon monoxide emissions by more than 90%, hydrocarbons by 60 to 85%, carbon dioxide by 30%, and virtually eliminating particulates (soot).

Vehicles used primarily for commuting or as part of local fleets (i.e. university vehicles) stand as the most appropriate targets for conversion to alternative fuel sources, due to the limited range of CNG fuel tanks (about 150 miles per tank). Following the advice of the ETRP Committee, Princeton University has agreed to offer a one-time cash payment of $720 to any university employee who converts his/her vehicle to run on CNG. Combined with other financial incentives (e.g. PSEG $1,000 rebate), conversion could soon become a highly beneficial deal to commuters. Currently, CNG costs about $0.70 per gallon-equivalent, substantially less than gasoline. Refer to Table 9.2 for an explanation of the costs associated with converting a vehicle to run on compressed natural gas. PSEG estimates that most vehicle conversions can pay for themselves within 3 years. The $1,400 real cost to consumers is also partially offset by the fact that they are investing in $2,200 in equipment that can be resold even after the car is decommissioned. In addition, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 includes tax incentives for the purchase of alternative-fuel vehicles and a program to help school districts convert buses and install fueling facilities.


		$2,200	Vehicle conversion costs - materials
		$1,200	Conversion costs - labor (2.5 days @ $500/day)
		$3,700	Total vehicle conversion costs

		$720	Princeton University assistance
		$1,000	Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSEG) rebate
		$1,720	Total cash subsidy
		$600	U.S. Government tax credit on conversion costs of $2000
			(approximately $600 for individuals in the 30% tax bracket)
		$2,300	Total assistance for conversion to CNG-fueled vehicle

		$1,400	Real costs to consumers for vehicle conversion

One of the main barriers to realizing large scale conversion of vehicles to CNG and other alternative fuels remains the availability of fueling stations. Admittedly, the cost to the university to establish a CNG fueling station could be significant. However, working in conjunction with the state of New Jersey, PSEG, and other local corporations, a cost-effective and beneficial arrangement might be reached to locate a fueling station near campus. Most major oil companies, including Amoco, Exxon, Mobil, Texaco, Unocal, FINA, Shell, Chevron, Conoco, and Phillips 66, have begun establishing natural gas fueling at some of their service stations. Currently, almost 1,000 CNG fueling stations exist nationwide, with many more on the way. A coordinated effort might prompt one or more existing gas stations in the area to include CNG fueling services. In addition, by encouraging the state government to open up the CNG fueling stations used for state vehicles, the availability of alternative fuels would be greatly increased, further enhancing the attractiveness of vehicle conversion to commuters.

Over the next several decades, economic and environmental pressures are likely to necessitate shifts away from using petroleum-based vehicle fuels. Currently, more than 700,000 natural gas vehicles are in use around the world, including 50,000 in North America. The American Gas Association predicts that there will be 4 million natural gas vehicles in the U.S. by the year 2005 due to provisions in the Clean Air Act. By beginning the process sooner than later, the university will have a much easier time responding to future regulations while becoming a leader in its "service to the local community."

Groups of university employees who carpool to campus are entitled to preferential parking if they are registered with the parking office. Each carpool group receives one hanging parking tag which is transferable to each driver in the carpool. A three month commitment is required in order to take part in the program. Preferential parking serves as an important incentive for ridesharing, particularly in the absence of employee parking fees.

Clear and easily-accessible information is critical in order for individuals to choose effectively among transportation alternatives. Educational campaigns can raise awareness of the environmental and quality of life implications of transportation decisions, while suggesting simple steps people can take. Over recent months, the Department of Human Resources and Employee Transportation Coordinator have been highly active and effective in raising staff and faculty awareness of the environmental implications of transportation as well as university and non-university programs in which employees can participate.

On November 15, 1994, Princeton sponsored its first transportation fair for university employees and the broader university community, with over 290 individuals attending. The event brought together numerous university departments related to transportation, local non-profit organizations, state agencies, and transit authorities to raise awareness and provide information. Participating organizations included NJ Transit, the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, NJ Van Pool, and the American Cancer Society, among others. The transportation fair marked a critical step towards educating faculty and staff about Princeton's efforts and programs to address transportation needs and environmental quality. The second annual transportation fair is being planned for Fall 1995. In February 1995, Human Resources sponsored a "Transit Day" to raise further awareness of university transportation programs; 50 people attended this event.

Additional employee education programs and resources focused on transportation and Clean Air Act compliance include:

ī presentations to over 20 university departments on transportation issues and programs. The Employee Transportation Coordinator and Human Resources Department are working to assist other departments to implement employee trip reduction initiatives;

ī "zip code" meetings to link up employees who live in the same area and facilitate ride sharing arrangements. Lunch meetings were held for Bucks County and Hamilton residents, where they had direct opportunities to sign up for TMA or University rideshare programs. Additional zip code meetings are planned for later in 1995;

ī articles in university newspapers and publications to raise awareness of transportation and environmental quality issues and to provide updates on initiatives and programs open to members of the university community.

By and large, most university students are unaware of university efforts to reduce vehicle congestion and emissions. With over 2,000 student vehicles on and around campus, students have a significant impact on congestion, parking availability, and emissions. The university, working in conjunction with PERC and other student organizations, could incorporate awareness-raising activities into student orientation or activities fairs. Student ride share notice boards are currently available both electronically and on a board posted outside the University Bookstore. The Electronic Ride Board (in the Travel menu on the Princeton Gopher/Web page--Especially for Students section) is clear and easy to use, but its use could be significantly increased. Efforts might be explored to raise student awareness of this helpful service.

Princeton University owns and operates numerous vehicles, spread across several departments (Grounds and Buildings Maintenance, Public Safety, Athletics, Dining Services, among others). In general, vehicle purchase and leasing decisions are decided at the departmental level. No central listing of University vehicles appears to be maintained, and time constraints prevented this subject to be researched in depth. It is recommended that a future audit explore this area in depth. Important considerations for such a study to explore include:

ī the potential for converting vehicles in the University fleet to alternative fuels;

ī the environmental implications of University vehicle maintenance, including the disposal of solvents, oil, and tires.

As of April 1995, 4,177 parking spaces were administered by the university parking office in 30 main lots and several smaller parking areas. Students utilize a sizable portion of the university's parking facilities, with 1,130 parking permits allotted to graduate students and about 800 to undergraduates (not counting vehicles parked at eating clubs). Registration for undergraduate and graduate overnight parking during the 1994-95 academic year cost $115 for cars and $50 for motorcycles. No parking registration fee is currently assessed on vehicles belonging to university employees/staff/faculty.

Strong pressures for additional parking facilities are likely to persist, particularly in conjunction with sporting and theater events. As more graduate and undergraduate students use vehicles for short trips across campus or from nearby residences (annexes, university apartments, local off-campus housing), parking demand strains the available facilities. University planners face the challenge of balancing demand-side management approaches with the provision of new parking facilities. As available land near the main campus decreases, ridesharing and other trip reduction initiatives will look increasingly attractive.

Princeton University has excellent access to other cities along the East Coast Corridor and beyond. State and regional train lines are easily accessible to Princeton through the "Dinky" train service to Princeton Junction station. NJ Transit and Amtrak trains connect Princeton to New York, Trenton, Philadelphia, and numerous other destinations. Several private companies provide shuttle service to Newark International Airport. Suburban Transit operates an express bus to New York City from in front of Nassau Hall, with stops in New Brunswick and several other New Jersey towns. Schedules for NJ Transit, Amtrak, and the Princeton Airporter are posted electronically on the University Web page and Gopher system. The Employee Transportation Coordinator has been developing stronger ties between the university and transit organizations through events such as the transportation fair and Transit Day. Such cooperation might ultimately enable NJ Transit and local mass transit services to better meet the needs of university employees through schedule or route adjustments.

Two main university-run campus transportation systems provide a critical alternative to automobile use around campus: the campus shuttle and the Tiger Tram. The campus shuttle operates from 5:00 PM to 12:45 AM, running every 15 minutes seven days a week, and services several campus-owned apartment buildings (Graduate College, Butler Apartments, Lawrence Apartments, etc.). Public Safety's Tiger Tram runs Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:45 PM, servicing several parking lots and main campus buildings.

One potential option for reducing graduate student parking on campus would be to provide shuttle service between several university apartments and annexes for graduate students during the day. Substantial research would need to be conducted to ascertain whether or not demand is significant enough to justify the high cost of providing shuttle service.

Bicycling and walking are the most prominent modes of getting around campus. The university has been responsive to installing adequate bike racks near most university facilities. Most paths and walkways on campus are well-maintained for both pedestrians and cyclists. Over the past year, several pedestrian-related accidents on Washington Avenue and Nassau Street have highlighted the need for well-marked crosswalks. Other important measures could be taken to promote pedestrian and bicycle travel around the university while insuring safety. Parts of Alexander Road, Washington Road, and other heavily-trafficked streets could benefit from improved bike lanes or walk paths. The sharp corner on Alexander Road, just after the canal bridge, is particularly hazardous with no shoulder or walkway. With many University Graduate Housing Annexes located out these roads, it is critical that adequate bike and walking paths/lanes be maintained for safety purposes and to offer graduate students an alternative to driving to campus.

Public Safety's efforts to prevent bicycle theft, such as the bicycle registration program and free bike lock loan program, represent important steps toward encouraging alternatives to vehicle travel. During the 1994-95 academic year, about 475 bicycles were registered with the Department of Public Safety; 233 bike locks were loaned (free of charge) to members of the university community.

Significant transportation-related academic research is currently underway in various university departments. Professors Enoch Durbin, Fred Dryer, and Fred Bracco in the Mechanical Engineering Department are world-renowned experts in areas such as combustion chemistry and alternative fuels. Dr. Steve Paul at the Plasma Physics Laboratory is currently developing a natural gas-based liquid fuel that reduces emissions and can be used in an unmodified vehicle engine. Professor Alain Kornhauser in the Engineering School presently teaches and consults on transportation policy and engineering. Research at the Center for Energy and the Environment has also focused on transportation issues and alternatively powered vehicles. Although not comprehensive, the above list indicates that numerous faculty, not to mention undergraduate and graduate students, specialize or conduct research in the transportation sector.

This pool of talent represents an invaluable resource to the university as it attempts to devise solutions to reducing vehicle emissions and decreasing congestion. Students interested in transportation issues might be encouraged to conduct research on issues affecting Princeton, such as a more comprehensive campus transportation audit or a feasibility study of converting portions of the university vehicle fleet to CNG. Financial and/or faculty resources might also be devoted to addressing student interests for a solar vehicle team. Such a project could play a critical role in raising awareness throughout the university community of transportation issues and alternatives. Such research might also be expanded develop solar vehicles for use on campus (i.e.. maintenance "golf cart"-type vehicles).

Princeton University has made impressive advances in addressing the environmental implications of transportation as the school moves to comply with the trip and emission reduction goals laid out in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. These efforts to increase vehicle passenger occupancy, reduce vehicle emissions, and raise awareness in the university community about the environmental implications of transportation choices (summarized in the Overview section of this chapter) should be continued. Even if federal and state pressures for compliance wane, programs should remain in effect since local congestion and pollution problems are bound to intensify in coming years and new demands for stringent regulation will be likely.

The following recommendations are meant to complement and reinforce current policies, programs, and practices aimed at improving environmental quality in the transportation sector:

9.1 Increase student awareness of the university's transportation programs and initiatives.

Most university vehicle miles and emissions reduction programs focus on university employees, as mandated by the ETRP provisions of the Clean Air Act legislation. However, about 2,000 students have vehicles on campus or close-by. If students are aware of the efforts being made by university employees to reduce vehicle use and mitigate air pollution, they will be more likely to think twice before driving across campus to class. The Princeton Environmental Reform Committee (PERC) and other student organizations on campus can play an important role in encouraging students to utilize alternatives to automobile travel around campus as well as ride share services. In addition, full descriptions of university transportation-related services and emissions control efforts should be posted on-line (Gopher and Princeton University WWW site), along with educational background information. The postings could include a list of steps employees and students can take to reduce vehicle emissions and traffic congestion. The annual transportation fair could be expanded to include students and student organizations. The event could be used to highlight the roles university students can play in curbing vehicle emissions and improving transportation services while raising awareness of university transportation-related programs and environmental issues.

In conjunction with parking permit renewal or registration, students who have cars on campus might be surveyed to determine how they use their vehicles (how often, for what purposes, etc.). The survey could serve the dual purpose of raising awareness of the implications to automobile usage and assisting with planning, design, or alteration of transportation services for students. For instance, survey results might indicate that shuttle service could be effectively extended to a near-by off-campus area where there is a high concentration of graduate students living, or that the CNG vehicle conversion assistance should be extended to students, or that certain off-campus services could be brought on campus to reduce travel needs.

9.3 Improve bike lanes and walkways on local roads servicing graduate student housing and other frequented facilities.

Several dangerous stretches of heavily-trafficked roads (such as Alexander and Washington Roads) could benefit from widened shoulders, paths, or improved sign markings. Students living in graduate housing and annexes should have safe and well-maintained bike lanes and walkways. Improving accessibility will both increase safety and encourage alternatives to short vehicle trips to crowded university parking facilities.

By incorporating fuel efficiency as a high priority in the purchase of new university vehicles, fuel costs can be reduced over the lifetime of the vehicle while emissions per vehicle mile traveled are lower. Effective and regular vehicle maintenance can also ensure that spark plugs, catalytic converters and other components are functioning properly, and not leading to the release of unburned fuel. No centralized information is currently kept on the university vehicle fleet. This would become important as efforts to mitigate the emissions of university vehicles come on line.

Conversion of a portion of university and employee vehicles to run on compressed natural gas would bring significant benefits in terms of reduced emissions and lower fuel prices. In order for an effective transition to occur, the university must address the CNG-fuel supply issue, working with the State of New Jersey, PSEG, and other local employers. Three steps would greatly facilitate the transition to using CNG-fueled vehicles:

1) Setting up a CNG fueling station on or around campus for use by commuters and university-owned vehicles;

2) Convert appropriate university-owned vehicles to run on compressed natural gas;

3) Work with the State Department of Transportation to open up State-run CNG- fueling stations to non-state-owned vehicles.

Through financial and/or faculty time allocations, the university can go along way in investing in our transportation future, while providing invaluable educational experiences and potential solutions to local vehicle emissions problems. Such an effort would serve as a highly visible and educational symbol of the university community's commitment to improving transportation options and environmental quality.

9.7 Consider purchasing retreaded tires and recycled oil for university vehicles.

If recycled vehicle components such as retreaded tires and recycled oil meet necessary quality specifications, the university should strongly consider their procurement to lessen the environmental impact and help develop markets for these products.

Princeton University is to be commended on its substantial efforts to reduce employee automobile use and vehicle emissions levels. To effectively address these issues, there is a critical need to extend educational efforts to students. As the environmental implications of transportation and vehicle use intensify in coming years, it will be important to increasingly rely on demand-side management, CNG and other alternatively fueled vehicles, and well-integrated mass transit options. By mobilizing the university's wide array of transportation expertise and thinking holistically about how transportation should serve the university community's needs for accessibility, Princeton can maintain a high quality of life and environment.

This material may be used for educational and non-profit use. Commercial use of this information is prohibited without written consent. Copyright Š 1995, Princeton Environmental Reform Committee, Princeton University.

Princeton Environmental Reform Committee (PERC) Environmental Audit of Princeton University

Chapter 9 - Transportation