Connectivity & Mobility Atlanta Athens Connectivity & Mobility TRB Planning Applications Conference May 8, 2013 Kaycee Mertz, Georgia Department of Transportation David Pickworth, Atkins Patti Schropp, Atkins Jim Evans, Metro Planning and Engineering, Inc.

Project Purpose Georgia Department of Transportation undertook this study in 2011 to evaluate the Atlanta to Athens Corridor Optimize travel efficiency and safety Improve transportation connectivity to major employment and activity centers Improve mobility across and within the study area Linkage between transportation planning, land use, and economic development efforts

Atlanta to Athens Study Area I-85 I-75 I-75

Study Area Boundary Jackson Barrow Clarke Gwinnett University of Georgia Walton Oconee Downtown Atlanta DeKalb Rockdale

Study Area Information 2 MPOs, 9 partial counties, 4 transit providers, 5 CIDs East-west length of the corridor is over 54 miles long and the north-south distance is over 22 miles wide Home to over 1.3 million people in 2010 Forecast to increase to 1.7million by 2040 Over 371,000 jobs in 2010 Forecast to increase to 633,000 by 2040 Home to several regional malls , activity centers and University of Georgia (current enrollment – over 32,000) 31.1 million Daily VMT in 2010 Forecast to increase to 48.5 million by 2040

Project Goals

Key Study Activities Stakeholder Involvement Compilation of Local Land Use Plans Develop Travel Demand Model Existing Conditions Evaluation Future Needs Evaluation Identification and Evaluation of Alternatives for Study Area Case Study Analysis The Public Steering Committee Stakeholder Project Team We are here

Technical Process Perform three levels of analyses to identify potential needs and solutions Evaluate study area conditions (macroscopic) Evaluate corridor-level conditions and travel patterns (mesoscopic) Perform detailed analysis of eight selected case study areas (microscopic)

Strategy Development and Evaluation Process

Major Travel Corridors Three-Tier Approach A2A Travel Demand Model Macroscopic Model Develop broad range of improvement strategies to meet study goals Evaluate LOS, travel time, delay, speed for study area Major Travel Corridors Mesoscopic Model Evaluate LOS, travel time, delay, speed by corridor Assess impact of potential improvement strategies applied to various situations Case Study Areas Microscopic Model

1st Step - Build the Travel Demand Model Integration of ARC , Athens, & Statewide models Multimodal Non-motorized travel Highway Auto (SOV, SR2 & SR3+) Truck (Medium, Heavy & Commercial) Transit Bus Heavy Rail (HT) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Light Rail (LT) Commuter Rail Used for the Analysis of Study Area and Major Travel Corridors

Building the Model Final Atlanta to Athens Network (3800+ Zones) ARC Plan 2040 Network (1700+ Zones) Jackson County Network From GA Statewide Model (27 Zones) ARC Updated Network Clipped Study Area (780+ Zones) Athens-Clarke County Network From MACORTS Model (332 Zones) Downtown Athens Study Area Clipped Downtown Atlanta

Major Travel Corridors Three-Tier Approach A2A Travel Demand Model Macroscopic Model Develop broad range of improvement strategies to meet study goals Evaluate LOS, travel time, delay, speed for study area Major Travel Corridors Mesoscopic Model Evaluate LOS, travel time, delay, speed by corridor Assess impact of potential improvement strategies applied to various situations

Purpose of Major Travel Corridors Focus on routes used for regional travel More detailed analysis at corridor-level Use stakeholder input to test and evaluate Improvement Strategies in these corridors

Major Travel Corridors Done Major Travel Corridors

Evaluation of Major Travel Corridors Utilize dynamic traffic assignment Develop list of potential improvement concepts or templates that can be selectively applied to various situations throughout study area Assess potential success associated with each of identified improvement concepts Most efficient and cost-effective

Major Travel Corridors Three-Tier Approach A2A Travel Demand Model Macroscopic Model Develop broad range of improvement strategies to meet study goals Evaluate LOS, travel time, delay, speed for study area Major Travel Corridors Mesoscopic Model Evaluate LOS, travel time, delay, speed by corridor Assess impact of potential improvement strategies applied to various situations Case Study Areas Microscopic Model

Purpose of Case Study Areas The case study areas will be used to analyze and provide detailed insights associated with potential alternative improvement strategies incorporating combinations of transportation and land use strategies.

Selecting Case Study Locations Meet criteria that indicate relevance to study goals Select locations with a variety of transportation and development issues Industrial development Regional activity center Commercial development Objective for selecting locations…

Case Study Areas

Improvement Options with Land Use Strategies

Sample Case Study Simulation Objective for selecting locations…

Sample Intersection Improvement Strategy Continuous Flow Intersection Objective for selecting locations… Before After

Study Still Underway Evaluation of Case Study Areas still underway Development of Tool Box which relates transportation improvements with land use strategies Objective for selecting locations…

GDOT Project Manager/Contact Person GDOT Office of Planning For More Information GDOT Project Manager/Contact Person Kaycee Mertz GDOT Office of Planning kmertz@dot.ga.gov Phone: 404-347-0245 Website http://www.dot.ga.gov Click On – Information Center Click On – Programs & Studies Click On – Active Studies Click On – Atlanta to Athens http://www.dot.ga.gov/AtlantatoAthens