1. FHWA Webinar on Traffic Analysis Tools
November 15th, 2016
John Halkias, FHWA
John Corbin, FHWA
David Hale, Leidos
Robert Bertini, USF
Jiaqi Ma, Leidos

2. Webinar Agenda (David Hale)
Agenda and Logistics (David Hale)
Many participants (please mute your mic by default)
WebEx features (“raise hand”, chat box)
FHWA TAT Program (John Halkias)
Project Objectives (John Corbin)
Five Key Questions (Robert Bertini)
Next Steps (David Hale)
Contact info

3. FHWA TAT Program (John Halkias)

4. Project Objectives (John Corbin)
Project title: “National Capability Assessment in Traffic Analysis Fundamentals and Development of a Model Curriculum on Performance-Based Planning for TSMO”
Conduct national webinar and 4 regional roundtables
Determine critical issues and challenges in traffic analysis
Develop modular training curriculum for universities and DOTs
Traffic analysis fundamentals
TSMO planning

5. Five Key Questions (Robert Bertini)
(sent to the group last week)
Step 1: I’ll introduce a key question
Step 2: I’ll open the floor for discussion
Step 3: Raise your hand in WebEx
If you have anything interesting to add :)
Step 4: I’ll call on you
Step 5: Unmute and enlighten us
Step 6: 15 minutes of discussion per question
Step 7: Use chat box in WebEx
If you can’t get in a word edgewise
Step 8 (optional): Review last week’s responses

6. Question #1
What types of traffic analysis do you most routinely complete, and what traffic analysis tools are most regularly utilized?

7. What Analyses/Tools are Common?
Last week’s responses from this group
Travel demand (Cube, Visum, TransCad, EMME/2)
Macro (HCS, Synchro, Vistro, Sidra, spreadsheet tools)
Micro (Vissim, Paramics, Aimsun, Corsim, SimTraffic)
Simple v/c evaluations using travel forecast data
Community-wide long range plan (Transportation System Plans)
Multi-modal operations analysis
Highway Safety Manual
Traffic impact analysis

8. Question #2
What types of traffic analysis and associated tools are emerging, or expected to be more widely utilized in coming years?

9. What are the Emerging Trends?
Last week’s responses from this group
Increased availability of data
Reliability analysis
Dynamic traffic assignment (DTA)
Multimodal emphasis
Shared mobility
Emissions analysis
Ped/bike trip generation
Metanet (managed motorway analysis)
Economic analysis (e.g., traffic & revenue studies for tolling projects)
Highway Safety Manual (HSM)
High-level quick analyses via spreadsheet

10. Question #3
What are the general roles & responsibilities within Division Offices, and between FHWA and state agency functions (operations, planning, design) in traffic analysis application & review?

11. What are the Roles and Responsibilities?
Last week’s responses from this group
FHWA reviews methodology prior to modeling
State DOT responsible for conducting analysis (often contracted out)
FHWA division office reviews analysis after local peer review
Roles have been very “siloed” (moving towards better collaboration)
FHWA reviews calibration and results along the way
FHWA responsible for review and approval of IJRs
Responsibilities vary widely by location and project type

12. Question #4
What 2 or 3 things most limit your capabilities in applying or reviewing traffic analysis techniques?
(e.g., tool availability, training, staffing levels, corporate commitment to core competency, data availability & data management, etc.)

13. What are the Limitations and Inefficiencies?
Last week’s responses from this group
Analysts-stakeholders-reviewers with different expectations
Data availability and staffing levels at the FHWA division office
Overall document providing standardization for modeling
Understanding limitations for each given tool
Weighting analysis against other performance measures (e.g., cost, ROW, impacts, local interests)
Lack of time availability, lack of technical skills, lack of training

14. Question #5
What 2 or 3 things could FHWA do in the near term to enhance technical assistance or tool development activities to address these limitations on capabilities?

15. How Can FHWA Help? Last week’s responses from this group
Webinars and/or training courses
“Methods and Assumptions” documents (prior to beginning analysis)
Develop a standardized modeling document
Update guidance documents for traffic modeling
Deploy traffic detectors where major projects are anticipated
Promote importance of tools in the decision-making process
Making the business case

16. Next Steps (David Hale)
Feedback from today will be used to create roundtable material
Conduct 4 regional roundtables (2-hours apiece)
Regional differences?
Overlap with TSSM
Develop a five-year sketch plan
Develop a modular TAT training curriculum
Integration with TSMO effort
Closing comments (if any)
John Halkias
John Corbin
More feedback?
Contact info:

17. Questions and Answers Thank You Contact info: