Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): General Use Permit

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• What is the GUP?
• What is the peak period?
• Who measured our baseline count in 2001?
• What is a cordon?
• When are the cordon counts?
• Who is measured?
• Where is the cordon line located?
• Who are those individuals in the orange jackets, and why are they writing down license plate numbers?
• Do Hospital employees count? If not, how do you account for some Hospital employees who may be entering campus, and contributing to the GUP peak period commute trips?
• Do off-campus students count toward the cordon? Does event traffic count?
• Where can I get information on sustainable transportation options available to me?

What is the GUP?

One of the conditions of the GUP, defined by Condition of Approval G.4, states that “Stanford shall mitigate the transportation impacts of its additional development and population growth either through a program of ‘no net new commute trips’ or through proportional funding of mitigation measures for specified impacted intersections.” Since Stanford has chosen the “no net new commute trips” approach, the university’s goal is not to exceed the 2001 measured number of vehicles entering and exiting the university during peak periods over the life of the GUP.

Subsequent measurements are conducted twice a year through the life of the GUP to determine if Stanford is meeting the goals specified in the GUP agreement. 

What is the peak period?

The “peak commute period” is defined as the one hour with the highest volume of traffic, as determined by the cordon counts. Peak commute times occur between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Based on past counts, the one-hour peak traffic periods occur between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Who measured our baseline count in 2001?

The Santa Clara County Planning Office selected a third party, Korve (now AECOM) Engineering to establish the baseline in 2001. The data collection involved three two-week periods in the spring of 2001 and one two-week period in the fall of the same year.

What is a cordon?

Sixteen entry/exit points define a cordon line around the campus. Trip counters (rubber hoses extended across the roads) are used to measure vehicular trips across the cordon line (trips to and from the university).

When are the cordon counts?

Exact dates for the cordon count periods vary from year to year; however, they always occur during the spring and early fall.

Who is measured?

All university vehicular traffic crossing the cordon during peak commute periods is measured. Hospital employees parking in university lots that require permits are excluded from the count. Trips generated by Stanford Hospital and SLAC employees who do not work within a parking permitted zone are not counted toward the cordon count.

Where is the cordon line located?

The cordon line is defined by 16 cordon points located at: 

1. Campus Drive West north of Junipero Serra Boulevard
2. Stock Farm Road east of Sand Hill Road
3. Welch Road north of Oak Road
4. Quarry Road north of Campus Drive
5. Palm Drive south of Arboretum Road
6. Lasuen Street south of Arboretum Road
7. Galvez Street south of Arboretum Road
8. Serra Street southwest of El Camino Real
9. Yale Street west of Stanford Avenue
10. Wellesley Street west of Stanford Avenue
11. Oberlin Street west of Stanford Avenue
12. Olmstead Road north of Escondido Road
13. Bowdoin west of Stanford Avenue
14. Raimundo west of Stanford Avenue
15. Santa Maria Avenue north of Junipero Serra Boulevard
16. Campus Drive East east of Junipero Serra Boulevard

Who are those individuals in the orange jackets, and why are they writing down license plate numbers?

The individuals in the orange jackets are employees of the contractor hired each year by the county Planning Office to measure the number of peak-hour trips generated by the university. The last four digits of each license plate are surveyed for both inbound and outbound traffic on one day each week during the cordon count. Cars that have entered and exited the campus within 15 minutes through separate campus entrances are considered “cut-through” traffic and are subtracted from the count. Vehicles that enter and exit campus through the same location are not considered “cut-through” traffic—i.e., are considered a trip—since it appears they have dropped off a passenger and contribute to Stanford’s trip generation.

Do Hospital employees count? If not, how do you account for some Hospital employees who may be entering campus and contributing to the GUP peak period commute trips?

Hospital employees are excluded from Stanford’s trip‑generation calculations. To ensure accurate counts within the cordon, parking permit data are used to distinguish vehicles registered to university affiliates from those registered to hospital affiliates. Hospital-affiliated vehicles parked within the cordon are deducted from the total cordon count. Conversely, university-affiliated vehicles observed in lots outside the cordon are added back to the cordon count. This approach ensures the cordon count reflects university‑related trips only.

Do off-campus students count toward the cordon? Does event traffic count?

Yes. All vehicular traffic crossing the cordon during peak periods, whether single-occupancy vehicles, multiple-occupancy vehicles, motorcycles, visitor vehicles, or resident student vehicles, counts toward the cordon measurement.

Where can I get information on sustainable transportation options available to me?

Stanford Transportation offers a range of options and programs to promote the use of sustainable transportation. For a summary, please visit our "Find Your Sustainable Commute Options" page. For any other questions, feel free to contact us at Stanford Transportation; Phone: 650.723.9362; Email: transportation@stanford.edu.