Modeling Support and Examination of Census Transportation Planning Package

2003PDFTech ReportAnderson, Michael D.University of Alabama in HuntsvilleUniversity Transportation Center for AlabamaAlabama. Department of TransportationUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramUniversity Transportation Center for AlabamaAlabamaUnited StatesTraffic forecastingTraffic simulationTechnology transferTransportation planningImprovementsMetropolitan planning organizationsSoftware packagesCTPPUTCA Report Number 01330US DOT project DTRS98-G-0028Alabama DOT project 930-514Final ReportA Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for traffic modeling and traffic forecasting within its region. It uses these traffic forecasts to develop its Transportation Improvement Plan, a five-year plan of needed roadway repairs, improvements, or construction projects. This research focused on three general themes for improving transportation planning and management of a community's transportation system for Metropolitan Planning Organizations within Alabama. The first theme involved developing and teaching workshops on traffic modeling and TRANPLAN, a software package that is difficult to learn and operate for planning purposes. The second general theme examined of the difference between regional and local traffic modeling and developed a regional-to-local modeling system to allow a similar model to be used for different levels of analysis. The regional-to-local modeling system developed by this project used TRANPLAN (regional forecasting tool) and CORSIM (local network micro-simulation package). The final theme was a review of the Census Transportation Planning Package to summarize and disseminate transportation data for the state and its urban areas.122