Current ICT Project
Investigators:
  Rita Morocoima-Black (Primary), Prof. Paul Metaxatos
Project Title:
  Travel Demand Modeling for Small & Medium Size MPOs in Illinois
Start Date: 1/1/2009
End Date: 12/31/2010
Summary of Project:
  Travel demand modeling is an important tool in the transportation planning community. It helps us forecast travel characteristics into the future at various planning levels such as state, region and corridor. Long Range Transportation Planning is one of the principal tasks of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and travel demand modeling serves as a effective tool in analyzing future conditions and what if scenarios, and thereby helps to focus transportation planning funds to the most needed efforts. The intention of this research is to establish the framework necessary for the development, maintenance, and application of small and medium size MPO’s urban travel demand models in several communities in Illinois, which will constitute the foundation for a Statewide Travel Demand Model. The models will help small and medium size communities to assess transportation system performance and deficiency analysis, long range plan development, corridor preservation, route diversion impacts, and systems level project analysis.
Objective of Project:
  1. Identify the uses and benefits of travel demand forecasting on a regional basis (for small and medium size MPOs). 2. Identify the level of travel demand forecasting functionality necessary to meet the needs of each MPO. 3. Identify the resources necessary to develop, validate, maintain, and operate travel demand forecasting capabilities on a regional basis. 4. Identify the resources necessary to create a statewide group/organization to support, set standards and guide the creation implementation and maintenance of transportation models in small/medium size MPOs in Illinois.
Expected Outcome:
  The expected outcomes of this research are: 1. A common framework for the development and implementation of travel demand models in small and medium size MPOs in Illinois. 2. A set of urban travel demand models and analytical background data that would form the foundation of a Statewide Travel Demand Model for the State of Illinois. 3. Enhanced traffic forecasting factors based on region-level analysis of population, business growth, land-use, and traffic volumes. 4. A better understanding for IDOT of travel patterns within the urban areas and their relationships with state roads, which would lead to improved highway planning, and ultimately to a highway network better suited for Illinois’s economic future. The outcomes of this research will help small and medium size MPOs in Illinois to develop, maintain and apply travel demand modeling on a regular basis in their planning efforts. The framework created will help MPOs to update and maintain their model with minimal resources.
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Last Updated: 11/18/2009