Transportation Management Plans
What's New
On May 23, 2023, the City Council adopted the TMP Policy which modifies the Transportation Management Plan requirement for new development. Under this new Policy, development is required to contribute to the GO Alex Fund to support various transportation management programs and policies. Developments are eligible for various credits to reduce their TMP fee and the payment requirement lasts for 30 years. For more details, please review the City Council docket materials from April 15, 2023.
Existing developments with a TMP may choose to opt into the new Policy. Those interested in learning more about this option should contact the GO Alex team at GOAlex@alexandriava.gov to discuss their specific development and TMP.
Background
A Transportation Management Plan (TMP) is a site-specific plan of strategies to encourage residents and employees to take public transportation, walk, bike or share a ride, as opposed to driving alone. The TMP is required by ordinance through the City's development review process, depending on the size of the development.
In May 1987, City Council approved the Transportation Management Plan Ordinance, Section 11-700, which was later updated in March 2014. In May 2023, the ordinance was further updated to adopt the TMP Policy, which outlines new requirements for development subject to a TMP. The thresholds for developments subject to the TMP Policy are as follows:
Residential: 20 dwelling units or more
Commercial*: 10,000 square feet or more
*(includes Office, Retail, Academic, and Laboratory Space)
Hotel: 30 rooms or more
For Applicants
If your proposal meets the development thresholds above, then you will be required to go through the site plan review process for transportation, and details of this process can be found on page 3 in the Transportation Planning Administrative Guidelines . The Guidelines provide technical procedures to analyze and report the effects of new development on transportation facilities in Alexandria. The Guidelines standardize the submittal requirements and transportation systems evaluated to provide a comprehensive analysis of impacts related to development proposals and proposed mitigation strategies. The transportation study results will be used to determine the level of mitigation needed for development, most notably the level of participation in the City's TMP program.
The first step is to submit a Transportation Screening Worksheet to determine the level of review required for the project. The results of the transportation review process will determine the details required in the TMP and what type of study should be conducted.
Annual TMP Rates
The TMP rate was standardized for developments approved after November 2014. Section 11-708 of the Zoning Ordinance establishes the base rate in Fiscal Year 2014 and notes this rate will be adjusted for inflation each July based on the Consumer Price Index.
The CPI-U adjustment for FY 2025 is 3.5% and the new rates are:
o Residential - $109.01 per unit
o Office - $0.34 per sf
o Retail - $0.27 per sf
o Hotel - $54.39 per hotel room
o Industrial - $0.16 per sf
For earlier TMPs, the rates should be adjusted by 3.5% for FY 2025
TMP Coordinator Responsibilities
All TMPs have a Special Use Permit (SUP) number. The SUP is the original document from which all the site-specific TMP details originate. If you do not have documentation for the original TMP SUP, but have your SUP number, you can look up the SUP . If you do not know your TMP SUP number, please email GO Alex at GOAlex@alexandriava.gov.
TMP Coordinators are required to keep current contact information on file. If you are a new Coordinator, please email GOAlex@alexandriava.gov with your contact information and to set up a one-on-one session to review the TMP requirements for your property.
The Transportation and Environmental Services Department (T&ES) administers the TMP program. City staff verifies compliance with the conditions of the TMPs through the following documents:
Semi-Annual TMP Fund Report
- This form is used to record the TMP financial contributions and expenses made by a TMP property to support TDM activities on site for a six month period. Deficits are shown as additional contributions by the TMP holder to avoid carrying negative balances. Fund reports are due to the City by January 15 and July 15 of each year.
Annual Report
- This report is a narrative of the activities carried out during the year and indicates what activities are planned for the coming year. The template for the report is provided by the City as an electronic survey. The Annual Report is due on July 15 of each year and should be completed by the TMP Coordinator.
Resident and Employee Surveys
- The surveys are completed by residents and employees of TMP properties to measure the effectiveness of the transportation strategies carried out by TMP properties. Surveying is done annually, generally between April and July of each year, and the surveys are provided to the TMP Coordinators by the City.
Most TMPs require a TMP fund based on the size of your property. Standard TMP fund rates for newly created TMPs are listed above. Please review your TMP SUP to determine the rate that applies to your property and how the Consumer Price Index affects the rate.
The Coordinator is required to spend TMP funds to support the TMP mode share goals stated in the TMP SUP. Every TMP should include a combination of program components to mitigate vehicular traffic, including transit subsidies, incentives for carpool/vanpool/shuttles, carshare and bikeshare memberships and marketing programs available to all City residents and employees. Approved TMP expenses are listed here however, if you have an idea about ways to spend your TMP funds that would be relevant to your community, please ask for approval before spending any money. The Director of T&ES may approve modifications to agreed TMP activities, if the changes are consistent with the goals of the TMP.
For all lease/purchase agreements on a TMP property, tenants and owners must be notified of the TMP SUP using appropriate language of the Special Use Permit and conditions therein. The City Attorney's office reviews and approves such language. Please verify that your purchase and leasing documents contain this language.
More Information
- For more information about the GO Alex Program and resources available to residents and employees, please visit www.alexandriava.gov/GOAlex
- Curious about creative ways to implement TDM practices at your TMP property? Visit VTPI for case studies and examples of successful TDM programs.
- To stay up-to-the-minute about City of Alexandria events, register for eNews .
- Contact GOAlex@alexandriava.gov to request free brochures to display on-site or questions about the TMP program.