Note: This pilot credit was closed for new registrations as of March 1, 2012.
This credit is an evolution of Alternative Transportation: Public Transit Access, a credit found in all design and construction rating systems. In its current form, the credit rewards projects for locating within ¼-mile and ½-mile of a bus stop and rail stations, respectively. It does not consider the actual walking distance from the project to the stop or station, nor does it consider the frequency of trips from the stop or station. These two omissions inspired the Location and Planning Technical Advisory Group (LP TAG) to revise the credit accordingly; the revision now rewards projects for varying levels of transit service (instead of an all-or-nothing point structure) and requires that the distances to and from the transit stops are walking distance. The new Option 2 rewards projects for locations that don’t necessarily have transit service but still have relatively low vehicle miles traveled (by either nearby residents or workers). Both options (in addition to Option 3 in LEED for Schools) are the main avenues LP TAG has authored to inspire reduced automobile use by building occupants.
Credit Submittals
General
- Register a username at LEEDuser.com, and participate in online forum
- Submit the feedback survey using the link on the USGBC.org credit page; supply PDF of your survey/confirmation of completion with credit documentation
Credit Specific
1. Option 1: Transit-Served Location
a. A map with main building entrance, transit stops by transit vehicle type, and walking routes
b. A table listing all qualifying transit stops, transit routes, and the trips at each stop, including the schedule dates from which the trip information is drawn
c. For funded or under construction transit stops, a copy of the funding commitments by the appropriate transit providers.
2. Option 2: Metropolitan Planning Organization Location with Low VMT
a. A map with MPO TAZ boundaries in relation to project boundary. This can be a special non-base map.
b. MPO name
c. TAZ number(s) containing project site
d. MPO household travel research preparation date (year)
e. Regional model run date producing the following VMT values (year)
f. Year represented in regional model run (year)
g. Annual home-based VMT per capita region average (VMT/capita/yr)
h. Annual home-based VMT per capita for project TAZ(s) (VMT/capita/yr).
3. Option 3: Walking Pedestrian Access (LEED for Schools only)
a. Indication of total number of students, number of students in grades 8 and below and in grades 9 and above.
b. Indication of the number and percentage of students within a ¾-mile walk (grades 8 and below) and a 1 ½-mile walk (grades 9 and above).
c. A site vicinity plan, with scale, showing the school’s attendance boundary, student population density percentage calculations, and walking path distances (based on grade level). The plan must also show dedicated walking or biking lanes that extend from the school building to at least the edge of the school property in two or more directions.
Additional Questions
- Do the tiered thresholds in Option 1 (Transit-Served Location) provide an accurate way to measure the nearby level of transit? If so, how?
- Is Option 2 (Metropolitan Planning Organization Location with Low VMT) a usable option, with regard to a typical project team’s understand of metropolitan planning organizations, transportation analysis zones, and vehicle miles traveled? If not, why?
- Do you believe that Option 2 requires more, less, or the same performance of projects as Option 1? Why or why not?
- Are the thresholds in any of the options too easy or difficult to achieve?