Subsector: Active Transportation and Neighborhood Design
Mobility Hubs
VMT Reduction Potential: 3
Cost: 4
ROI: 2
TAM Relevancy: 4
Land Use Content: Urban, Suburban
Trip Type: School, Residential, Commute, Recreation
Scale: Regional, Community
Timing: Mid-term (3-10 years)
Implementors-Private: Developers (Employment), Developers (Residential)
Implementors-Public: Municipalities, Regional Agencies, Transit Agencies
Eligibility Status: Feasible, Implementable/Expandable, Applicable Funding

Description

Developing multimodal mobility hubs co-locates multiple non-Single Occupancy Vehicle transportation options to facilitate seamless travel transitions which makes using transit and other non-single occupancy vehicle modes of transportation more convenient.

Implementation Details

  • Prioritize installation of mobility hubs at Marin Transit transfer points, key intersections on Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) pathway/Great Redwood Trail, and regional destinations. Consider places near or on secondary education campuses and future rail stations.
  • Incorporate considerations for mobility hubs into future multimodal corridor planning efforts.
  • Include amenities like sheltered seating, digital wayfinding kiosks, e-bike docks, bikeshare, EV charging, and parcel lockers.
  • Integrate Marin Access and Mobility on Demand pickups with wayfinding to encourage seamless mode transfers.
  • Coordinate with local jurisdictions to adopt Marin County Mobility Hub Plan to identify priority locations and align capital planning.

Mitigation Potential

Mobility hubs can increase accessibility to transit, walking, biking, ridesharing, bike sharing, and carpooling. When coordinated, mobility hubs can offer a convenient mobility alternative to private vehicles, reducing VMT.

For more details, see Victoria Transport Policy Institute – Mobility Hubs for VMT reduction quantification.

Linked Strategies

Equity Considerations

Mobility hubs promote transportation equity by integrating multiple travel options in one accessible location. Locating hubs in underserved areas can improve mobility for residents without personal vehicles. Ensuring that hubs are designed for universal access, including safe crossings, shade, real-time info, and multilingual signage, helps reduce barriers for low-income and disabled riders.

Funding Sources

Likely requires significant initial funding to construct, plus continued funding for maintenance and operations. Active transportation grants and other one-time sources are available (though competitive). Such funding sources include the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Caltrans), the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program – Sustainable Communities – Competitive and Technical (Caltrans), the Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Grants (Federal Transit Administration), and the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (U.S. Department of Transportation).

Implemented in TAM Area

Current TDM Implementation

TAM is currently developing a Mobility Hub Plan to assess the opportunities for Mobility Hub Plans at nine transit stations in the county, including SMART stations in Novato, San Rafael, and Larkspur, and ferry terminals in Larkspur, Tiburon, and Sausalito. These locations already exhibit certain facets of mobility hubs, combining multiple transit modes, bike share services, and adjacent mixed-use development.

TDM Benefit Locations

This TDM Measure should be considered for major transit centers undergoing improvements or development, like the new San Rafael Transit Center, and communities that have been historically underserved by transit, like Marin City, Canal, Novato, and East Corte Madera. CIPs should be updated to reflect first/last mile connections and opportunities to create mobility hubs.