Transportation Planning Process Research Articles

A Review of Approaches for Assessing Multimodal Quality of Service

Prompted by a need to respond to increasing traffic congestion, national, state, and local organizations have called for increased multimodal planning. This changing focus has added more complexity, data needs, and desire for supportive analytical tools to the transportation planning process overall. Multimodal performance methodologies are needed that can be readily applied. This article provides an analysis of existing methodologies to assess quality of service and related concerns for pedestrian, bicycle, and transit modes. It explores the methodologies in the context of supply-side considerations and provides considerations for their use. By placing transit-level service in line with pedestrian and bicycle, it brings all the modes together, making management easier.

Modeling spatial spillover effect on intersection crash propensity: a case study at the county level in Ohio

The characteristics of intersection crashes are not only affected by the subject intersection where the crash occurs but also are correlated with environmental conditions of neighboring analysis zones. There are few studies on intersection crash analysis to solve certain spatial effects on microscopic safety issues by proactively incorporating highway safety improvement measures into the long-term transportation planning process. The objective of this paper is to develop a heuristic traffic safety analysis system where spatial spillovers analysis is integrated into roadway safety assessment to incorporate micro variables and macro variables. With K-means clustering technique in a GIS environment, 8 hotspot counties are identified from 88 counties in Ohio, which have high intersection crash propensity. The rest of counties are identified as general counties. Then, an innovative integrated Generalized Linear Model is adopted to identify 11 and 20 significant variables that contribute to the intersection crash propensity in hotspot counties and general counties, respectively. To verify compatibility of intersection crash frequency models with macro-level and micro-level measurement, Reading Road in Cincinnati, Hamilton County (hotspot county) and I-71 in Mason City and Lebanon City of Warren County (general county) are used as examples for the test, and the results show a good consistence.

Analysis of Public Transportation Mode Choices in Tangerang City, Indonesia

Mode choice of transportation is a transportation planning process that functions in determining travel expenses or can be interpreted as an effort to separate people’s travel to understand the relationship between modes and a factor that influences the choice of other modes. This study aims to determine the mode choice of public transportation and the probability of using the Tayo Bus and City Transportation in Tangerang City. The research approach used is quantitative with primary data sources obtained from closed questionnaire instruments with stated preference techniques for 50 respondents using the Tayo Bus on the Ciledug-TangCity route and 50 respondents using the City Transportation for the Ciledug- Cikokol route. The analysis of mode choice uses the binomial logit model with attribute variables in the form of changes in travel costs, changes in travel time, and changes in headway. The results of the analysis show that the probability of mode choice for the changes in these attributes is 92.107% or Tayo Bus and 7.893% for City Transportation. The main factor that underlies the opportunity to choose the Tayo Bus is the cheaper cost than City Transportation, while the opportunity for choosing City Transportation the ease of access felt by passengers. Changes in the attributes of travel costs in both modes are increased or decreased, passengers generally prefer to use the Tayo Bus. Likewise with the attributes of travel time and headway, although it is increased or decreased, passengers tend to prefer to use the Tayo Bus as a mode to get their destination Keywords: mode choice, stated preference, and binomial logit model.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ МОДЕЛЕЙ ПРОГНОЗИРОВАНИЯ СПРОСА НА ГРУЗОВЫЕ ПЕРЕВОЗКИ

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need for accurate forecasting of freight volumes as part of travel demand assessments. Freight demand forecasting is a complex process that has not been studied to the same extent as passenger demand forecasting. The article compares traditional freight demand forecasting models with tour-based models and discusses the features, advantages, limitations and suitability of models for testing on a real transport network. The aim of the study is to provide an overview of available freight demand forecasting models for inclusion in the transportation planning process

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ МОДЕЛЕЙ ПРОГНОЗИРОВАНИЯ СПРОСА НА ГРУЗОВЫЕ ПЕРЕВОЗКИ

The article compares traditional freight demand forecasting models with tour-based models and discusses the features, advantages, limitations and suitability of models for testing on a real transport network. The aim of the study is to provide an overview of available freight demand forecasting models for inclusion in the transportation planning process

TRIP ATTRACTION RATES OF SHOPPING CENTRES IN BENGALURU CITY

The transportation planning process is critical in meeting people's current and future transportation needs. Trip generation must be done correctly and accurately to obtain accurate travel demand predictions. In any city or country, shopping trips are usually the second most popular after work trips. Shopping malls are places where a large number of people congregate. The number of shopping centers in Bengaluru is growing all the time. This could lead to a shift in travel patterns. A study was conducted to determine the trip attraction rate of shopping centers and the elements that influence it. Overall 5 number of shopping centers has been selected for the study. Required data needed for the analysis will be collected i.e. physical features, number of trips and socioeconomic factors. Analysis will be done to know the trip attraction rates and relations among trips and factors affecting the trips. Different Trip attraction rates will be calculated with the physical features of Shopping centers which affect the trip attraction. And different rates will be defined and compared. Some of the socio-economic and other factors related to the people will be considered. Factors affecting the trip attraction along with the timings of peak volumes of trips will be identified.

The route not taken: Equity and transparency in unfunded transit proposals

Transportation equity research and assessments undertaken by academics and practitioners stretches back decades. Despite the abundance of work, questions still remain about how decisions are made in the transportation planning process, including how routes are analyzed and prioritized. To understand this, we examine the potential equity outcomes of bus rapid transit routes that were neither funded nor constructed in three Canadian case studies (Ottawa, ON; Winnipeg, MB; and York, ON). Through a mixed-methods approach including spatial analysis, content analysis, and interviews, we analyze the equity implications of both built and unbuilt route options, and transparency in the planning processes. Relying primarily on publicly-available data may have limitations for understanding decision-making, yet it also provides insight into the transparency of processes. While in some cases, built BRT routes serve a larger proportion overall of high-need census tracts than proposed options, several unbuilt route options would have likely provided greater improvements for equity-seeking groups in these cities. Despite the push towards increased public engagement in transportation planning, we find a lack of explicit or systematic documentation as to why routes were discarded. With multiple priorities shaping transportation planning and decision-making, planners and policy-makers should be explicit in both the selection criteria used and how they are weighted.

A SOFT COMPUTING APPROACH TO TRIP GENERATION ESTIMATION IN LAGOS METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Trip generation is an indispensable component of the four-stage transportation planning process because the subsequent three stages are predicated on its results. Linear regression has been widely adopted to predict trips due to its simplicity and its outperformance of more sophisticated count models and in some cases, soft computing models. The efficacy of regression for estimating trip generation alongside Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Fuzzy Expert System (FES) was examined. The performance of each model was evaluated using metrics such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Coefficient of Determination (R2) and the capability of predicting average trips. The R2 for Regression, ANN and FES were all 0.71. The MAE for Regression, FES and ANN were 0.56, 0.55 and 0.49 respectively. The MSE for Regression, ANN and FES were 1.15, 1.16 and 1.15 respectively. Finally, FES and ANN resulted in average trips of 4.5 in comparison to actual average trips of 4.51 per household, while regression produced average trips of 4.51. ANN and FES are not superior alternatives to the linear regression model for trip generation modelling. The performance increments gained from adopting these models are marginal and the extra development and computational effort required to apply such sophisticated approaches may not be justified

Modeling the long-term regional impacts of autonomous vehicles: A case study of Victoria, Australia

Driverless vehicles are expected to revolutionize existing transportation systems by improving safety, mobility, and sustainability. This study provides a framework that incorporates autonomous vehicles (AVs) into the transportation demand analysis and planning process of regional areas. To this end, we apply a nested logit model based on the probability distributions of the trip destination and mode choice, and formulate a multiclass traffic assignment to differentiate between AV and HV modes of transport. The proposed model is implemented in a conventional 4-step model developed for the state of Victoria, Australia. We study two different future scenarios in the year 2051 using various parameters including the value of travel time, vehicle operating cost, and toll rates to evaluate the impacts of different assumptions of AVs on Victoria’s future mobility. Our results show that travelers prefer to traverse longer distances with little to no difference in their associated general travel costs. This indicates that AVs provide users with more flexible residential, work, and school location choices. Choosing AVs for long distances rather than short distances is another finding of this study. Furthermore, as a result of the AVs deployment, up to 10% of new trips from public transport and active modes will be shifted to car trips. Empty vehicle travels by AV add around 20 percent to the vehicle kilometers traveled on Victoria’s roadway network which leads to a major reduction in the average speed and an increase in travel time delay.

Evaluation of Intersection Properties Using MARS Method for Improving Urban Traffic Performance: Case Study of Tekirdağ, Turkey

Increasing urban traffic performance is a technical problem that has been investigated by many researchers these days. Traffic performance can be increased in many ways, as part of the transportation planning process, on smaller scales, or with different methods and techniques. The determination of traffic intervention areas in urban transportation planning is an intervention type that determines the rate at which the traffic performance will increase. Although transportation planning is an integrated issue, the type of traffic modification and prior intervention on intersections are often determined with partitive paradigms and strategies. It is a significant opportunity for decision makers to be informed in advance of the effects of intersection characteristics on the overall traffic performance. However, it is not an attempted or tested concept to perform a general assessment of the impact of the intersection characteristics on the overall performance of the intersections. In this study, a four-stage integrated analysis including the multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) method is proposed for the overall traffic performance evaluation. The traffic characteristics of intersections are first indexed and categorized. The intersection performance results are then obtained using the VISSIM traffic simulation software. Subsequently, the relationship between them is determined with the MARS method, and the effects of the intersection characteristics on the traffic performance are investigated. Tekirdağ, a metropolitan city located in northwestern Turkey, is selected for the case study. According to the obtained simulation results, the suggestions related to the development of intersection performances are made and tested.

Travel-based multitasking behaviour in Singapore: Determinants and impacts on money-time-seat trade-offs

Investigating travellers’ travel-based multitasking behaviour broadens the horizons of transport policies regarding improving transport services and promoting more sustainable travel behaviour. This study is conducted in Singapore that examines travel-based multitasking preferences and quantifies the impacts on travellers’ monetary trade-offs between travel time savings and seat availability. Considering activity types and duration, five groups of in-vehicle activity are classified from a list of 26 self-reported activity library through performing an exploratory factor analysis. The choice of multitasking is modelled by considering impacts from the perspectives of travel modes, trip characteristics and socio-demographics. Differences across trip purposes namely home to work (HW), work back to home (WH) and leisure/recreation trips (LR) are captured. Public transport riders are found more likely to participate in e-activities for leisure purpose. Car drivers are found to be less likely to perform any multitask during commute, except for social activity on LR trips. Travellers’ monetary trade-offs vary across in-vehicle activities. Herein, people with passive or information- and communication-technology (ICT) related activities are found to be less sensitive to changes in travel time during WH and LR trips. Carrying out ICT-related activities is found to reduce individuals’ economic cost on morning commute, but to increase it on evening commute. People with productive activity are found slightly more likely to pay for a seat during morning commute, and less likely to do so during evening commute. In effect, we contend travel-based multitasking has a significant, but largely unaccounted for, impact on transport planning and appraisal process.

APPLICATION OF GENETIC ALGORITHMS AT THE PLANNING STAGE OF INTERNATIONAL INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATIONS

The necessity to transport goods has always been a crucial component of everysociety. It is difficult to imagine a modern country without an advanced transport network andtechnology, which is why the latest computer systems have been developed over the past decades tomeet the needs of carriers. The study of this logistics segment shows that the complexity of thetechnological process of international intermodal transportation causes a range of problems to allparties involved in transportation. An advanced transport network provides a large number ofpossible options for the transportation of goods or commodities. That is why the computerization ofthe planning process is the next step in the evolution of transport logistics. This article describes theusage of software based on genetic algorithms to settle and improve the use of commercialIncoterms 2020. Taking into account all the limitations of existing software, it is proposed to use aheuristic approach to find the optimum transportation option and automate the planning process.Ukraine has always assigned a priority role to the railway mode of transport. This is why therailway industry has always been an integral part of the multimodal transportation process.Analysis of imports and exports shows stable growth over the past ten year period. Additionally,Ukraine enjoys a very advantageous geographical location, in that four important transportcorridors cross the territory of our country. Studies indicate that innovations in this area willpositively contribute to the credibility of Ukrainian carriers. Further, the article describes thetypical problems that arise during the usage of the basic Incoterms terms of delivery, including thecomplexity of customs procedures and clearance of goods, as well as unforeseen monetary costsarising from the difference in the laws of the countries participating in the transportation process.The author proposes the automation of the transportation planning process as a key to solving thesedisadvantages. The proposed innovation does not require significant investment and can createpositive economic value by substantially reducing the cost of transportation.

Toward the Development of a Unified Process and Methodology Guide for Environmental Justice Analysis in Planning and Programming

Federal Environmental Justice directives require transportation agencies responsible for planning and programming federal funds, including state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations. Despite issuance of federal and state guidance and training programs, many MPOs nationwide continue to seek clarity on effective environmental justice (EJ) approaches and procedural considerations. The South Central Pennsylvania Unified EJ Process and Methodology study was a year-long effort undertaken by a consortium of MPOs in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 8 to identify a unified and replicable approach to implementing EJ in transportation planning. PennDOT, Federal Highway Administration PA Division, and Federal Transit Administration Region III provided technical assistance and support to the effort. The consortium engaged a technical assistance consultant to facilitate a collaborative process to identify a process framework, a set of analytical methodologies, and effective strategies for advancing EJ in the regional transportation planning process. The study demonstrated a model for convening regional, state, and federal partners to reach consensus around an effective EJ process and methodology. This paper provides an overview of the study process, findings related to the concerns of the participating MPOs, and a brief description of the recommended analytical approaches. The paper discusses lessons learned during the course of the study and considers additional work required to further enhance the EJ process.

Smart Region Mobility Framework

A smart city describes an urban setting which aims to effectively apply ICT technologies to help improve the well-being of its citizens and reduce the negative impacts of urbanization. The priority areas considered in the Global Smart City Index (SCI) by the Institute for Management Development’s (IMD) World Competitiveness Centre were key infrastructures and technologies in (1) health and safety, (2) mobility, (3) activities (e.g., recreational spaces), (4) opportunities (work and school), and (5) governance. A smart region is a term used to extend the concept of a smart city into both urban and rural settings to promote a sustainable planning approach at the regional level. A direction that must be considered is the adoption of a “Smart Region Mobility Framework” to effectively transform our urban and rural regional transportation networks. This research study focused on the development of the smart region mobility framework for an island region group in the Philippines. The smart region goal is to integrate intelligent transportation system (ITS) platforms such as advanced public transportation system (APTS), advanced traveler information system (ATIS), and advanced rural transportation system (ARTS) to the local public transportation route plans (LPTRP) of the region. The activities include the data collection, analysis, and evaluation of multimodal regional transportation networks and social services infrastructure. The transportation network modeling process follows the four-step transportation planning process of trip generation, trip distribution, modal-split analysis, and trip assignment. Based on the analysis of 6 provinces, 16 cities, and 114 municipalities included in the study, there are two cities identified as smart city candidates. One of the smart city candidates is designated as the smart city regional center. In the context of a smart region, the available social services (e.g., employment opportunities, education, and health services) in the designated smart cities can also be made accessible to connected cities/municipalities through ease of transportation and mobility services in the region. Lastly, the study presented the implementation of data flow architecture of the smart region mobility framework, and the regional traveler information system using mobile and web application services.

Statistical Analysis for Assessing the Built Environment Walkability of an Urban Area

In the past era, in the transport planning process walkability was at the least priority as it was considered as a minor mode of transport. Though, it has its importance towards social life, economy, empirical quality and health. Consequently, the focus of the researchers across the world is now on walkability analysis. Therefore, to assess the walkability of an urban transport network in India, 15 different locations (i.e. institutional, educational, commercial, terminals and residential) were selected from three different cities. In the present study, different statistical techniques (i.e. factor analysis stepwise regression method) were used to identify a suitable number of data set based on their correlation analysis. Thereafter, land use-based and combined models were developed with the help of a questionnaire survey. Finally, different clustering analysis technique was used to assess the walkability thresholds which will make the job easier for sidewalk planners (i.e. in walkability analysis).

Developing a Participatory Planning Support System for Sustainable Regional Planning—A Problem Structuring Case Study

In this paper, we report on the application of systems engineering in initiating the synthesis of a participatory planning support system (PSS) for sustainable regional planning. The systems engineering SPADE approach is applied in a model-based fashion to define and link sustainable development goals (SDGs) to regional and urban planning policies in a co-creative multi-stakeholder environment. The approach is demonstrated through a case study from the interregional climate, land-use, and transportation planning process (PAKT) in the Ålesund region in Norway. The work was performed using focus groups with planning stakeholders over a series of workshops to analyze, design, verify and validate the problem structure. Our study shows that the approach is useful for integrating and operationalizing the SDGs in a planning context. The methodology also brings clarity and structure to planning problems and provides a pedagogical frame to engage stakeholders in co-creative PSS synthesis. Further research is necessary to explore how structured elements may be exploited in PSS synthesis.

Environmental Review of Highway Projects Using Planning and Environmental Linkages

In addition to statutory requirements for long-range transportation planning, transportation projects funded in part by USDOT are required to undergo environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requirements include a statement of the project’s purpose and need and an analysis of alternatives to the proposed project. USDOT adopted federal regulations and guidance in 2007 that would allow these NEPA requirements, including the elimination of potential alternatives, to be conducted as part of the earlier transportation planning process, a concept known as planning and environmental linkage (PEL). Congress has authorized a form of PEL since 2012, albeit with a somewhat stricter standard for public involvement than reflected in the USDOT PEL regulations and guidance. This paper examines legal challenges to environmental review of transportation projects using the PEL approach. The PEL approach has the potential to be abused, because a statement of purpose and need adopted prior to NEPA could be drafted so narrowly as to effectively preclude public participation and detailed environmental review of alternative transportation modes, routes, or strategies. However, courts generally approve the PEL approach, providing legal protection for the elimination of alternatives during transportation planning, even when public participation and environmental impact analysis at the transportation planning stage does not satisfy NEPA requirements.

Modelling Trip Distribution Using the Gravity Model and Fratar's Method

Trip Distribution is a difficult and significant model in the urban transportation planning process. This paper creates and assesses a satisfactory model of the trip distribution stage for the Nasiriyah city by using two models, Gravity and Fratar methods. A large sample was used for developing the model. The research methodology depends on discussing the theoretical fundamentals of the various methods for estimating the trips distribution and examining the suitability of these fundamentals for the conditions of the selected study area. Two different models had been used, namely; Frater and Gravity model. These models were calibrated using real data. The study tests the accuracy of the models, including overall statistical assessments of the predicted movements. Finally, the study recommended to use Fratar Method. These results had been confirmed to the literature that, if the area is a homogenous growth, the best model is the growth factor (Fratar's method) and if the area is experiencing rapid changes. The gravity model will produce satisfactory results because it takes into account the competition in different land uses.

A multi-objective genetic algorithm approach to design optimal zoning systems for freight transportation planning

This paper contributes to the existing research on freight transportation, spatial and land use planning by investigating an improved spatial aggregation technique to delineate desirable freight traffic analysis zones. Zoning is a process of spatially aggregating several predefined basic spatial units (BSUs) into multiple zones. It plays a vital role in the transportation planning and decision-making process and is well-documented as the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP). MAUP involves aggregating BSUs to obtain optimal zones satisfying specific criteria and constraints. This paper proposes an improved spatial aggregation methodology to develop a freight traffic analysis zone system by applying the multiobjective optimization concept using a genetic algorithm. The decision variables, namely, (i) Freight trip density; (ii) Number of establishments; (iii) Employment density; and (iv) Compactness, are chosen to represent the elements of freight, passenger traffic, and land use. The problem is formulated as a multiobjective network partitioning problem. The four objectives aim to create zones with better homogeneity and compactness. It is solved using a genetic algorithm with a weighted distance metric approach to prioritize the four objectives. Results show that zones resulting from the improved methodology are superior to the existing zones in terms of homogeneity of decision variables and compactness. The findings are expected to help the decision-making process of urban, transportation, and land-use planners in selecting appropriate freight traffic zone delineation strategies for a given region.

Unsignalized Intersection Level of Service: A Bicyclist’s Perspective

As the traffic conditions at unsignalized intersections are complex and chaotic, the perceived satisfaction levels of bicyclists are controlled by several factors. Although complex, the Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) studies at this facility are highly important so as to improve its performance from the perspective of bicycling. This study is an initial attempt to identify and model the factors influencing BLOS at unsignalized intersections under mixed traffic conditions. For analysis purposes, extensive data sets on the geometric details and operational characteristics are collected from 70 unsignalized intersection approaches located in various parts of five Indian cities. Subsequently, eight variables (effective approach width, peak hour volume, conflicting traffic volume, and average bicycle delay, etc.) having significant influences on the perceived satisfaction levels of through bicyclists are identified. Of all these variables, the average bicycle delay is observed to have the highest influence on user-perceived BLOS. This suggests that the minimization of bicycle delay is the utmost important strategy to enhance perceived satisfaction levels of bicyclists. Further, a step-wise regression-based BLOS model has been developed for the service quality assessment at unsignalized intersection approaches. This model has shown a very good prediction ability in the present context with a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.83 with averaged observations. A service scale is also defined to convert the outcomes of this model to letter-graded service classes A–F (excellent–worst). The field application of these tools has shown that above 89% of the investigated sites are offering BLOS ‘C’ or inferior. This is a serious concern for the inhabitants in the long run. Hence, the modeled attributes should be prioritized (in their identified order of importance) in the transportation planning process to avail the better service classes effectively.