The City has broad authority to decide how it evaluates the impact of new developments on the transportation system. The current LOS (Level of Service) standard measures only vehicles, and counts one person in a car as equal to 30 people on a bus. Pedestrians and bicyclists are currently not counted at all as part of the transportation system.

Because the City evaluates transportation impacts using a flawed LOS metric, new developments are forced to "mitigate" the impact by widening streets or adding multiple turn lanes, which makes it unsafe and unwelcoming to walk or bike. Impacts on pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users are not measured or mitigated.

The City should adopt San Francisco's best practice which is to mitigate "auto trips generated" rather than LOS impacts. Impact fees are then used to improve the system as a whole, which includes transit, bikeway, and sidewalk improvements. Developments that don't generate as much congestion by reducing auto trips are rewarded with lower impact fees. The City becomes a better place to walk and bike. Everyone wins.