How important is non-commute travel (personal business, social and recreational trips) in Smart Growth planning considerations?
It is extremely important. Commute travel has reduced from 31% of household vehicle trips in 1969 to 15% in 2001. Trip chaining, off-peak travel and other complex patterns represent increasing percentages of travel. Smart Growth planning principles, including development density, diversity and design are most effective at shortening non-commute trips and translating them from auto trips to walk trips. Regional analysis in Sacramento found that, in terms of reduced trips and travel miles, non-commute trips were two to three times as sensitive to Smart Growth as home-to-work trips.
