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Entering the 21st century, the Nation’s transportation system has matured; it only expands its infrastructure by a fraction of a percentage each year. However, congestion continues to grow at an alarming rate, adversely impacting our quality of life and increasing the potential for accidents and long delays. These are expected to escalate, calling for transportation professionals to increase the productivity of existing transportation systems through the use of operational improvements. In order to assess the potential effectiveness of a particular strategy, it must be analyzed using traffic analysis tools or methodologies.
There are several traffic analysis methodologies and tools available for use; however, there is little or no guidance on which tool should be used. These tools vary in their scope, capabilities, methodology, input requirements, and output. In addition, there is no one tool that can address all of the analytical needs of a particular agency.
The objective of Traffic Analysis Tools Primer (Volume I) and Decision Support Methodology for Selecting Traffic Analysis Tools (Volume II) is to assist traffic engineers, planners, and traffic operations professionals in the selection of the correct type of traffic analysis tool for operational improvements. These documents are intended to assist practitioners in selecting the category of tool for use. Another objective of these documents is to assist in creating analytical consistency and uniformity across State departments of transportation (DOTs) and Federal/regional/local transportation agencies.
Decision Support Methodology for Selecting Traffic Analysis Tools identifies the criteria that should be considered in the selection of an appropriate traffic analysis tool and helps identify the circumstances when a particular type of tool should be used. A methodology is also presented to guide users in the selection of the appropriate tool category. This document includes worksheets that transportation professionals can use to select the appropriate tool category and provides assistance in identifying the most appropriate tool within the selected category. An automated tool that implements this methodology can be found at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Analysis Tools Web site at: http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Travel/Traffic_Analysis_Tools/traffic_analysis_toolbox.htm.
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