1. 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.

2. 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

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

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

5. 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

6. Project Goals

7. 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

8. 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)

9. Strategy Development and
Evaluation Process

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Major Travel Corridors
Done
Major Travel Corridors

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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…

20. Case Study Areas

21. Improvement Options with Land Use Strategies

22. Sample Case Study Simulation
Objective for selecting locations…

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

24. 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…

25. GDOT Project Manager/Contact Person GDOT Office of Planning
For More Information
GDOT Project Manager/Contact Person
Kaycee Mertz
GDOT Office of Planning
Phone:
Website
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