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Jack Faucett Associates, Inc. ABSTRACT Final Report March 1997 This report presents background material on the assessment of transportation planning data needs, data organization, a procedure for prioritizing data collection and data integration requirements among planning agencies. This material has been analyzed and condensed in a separate Guidance Manual for Coordi,2atir~g Transportation Planning Data. A separate Compendium of Data Collection Practices and Sources has also been prepared. This report discusses the tasks completed in the research: 1. a. 5. Strategic assessment of data needs (Task I) Evaluation of framework for organizing data (Task 2) Guidance Manual and Compendium (Task 4) Economic analysis of transportation data collection (Task 5) Data integration issues (Task 6~. The first step in the study was to identify and analyze the major transportation planning functions and the allocation of the responsibility for executing these functions among the state departments oftransportation (state-DOTs) end metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and their constituent agencies. Next, data currently used for executing these major planning functions were identified along with new data needs generated by emphasis on multimodal planning and associated environmental impacts. For these purposes a limited mail survey of state-DOTs and MPOs was conducted and supplemented by telephone and personal interviews. The information gathered was further supplemented by an extensive review of state-DOT and MPO planning documents, planning conference reports, journal articles, and Transportation Research Board (TRY) reports. A suggested approach to data assessment needs is adopted from information engineering theory in the form of a Business Model which identifies data needs in association with planning objectives and alternative strategies to meet objectives. This is a departure from most current practices in transportation planning agencies in which data needs are identified in association with specific analytical processes, or models, for analyzing the relative effectiveness and impacts of transportation projects. Identification of data needs at a higher level in the decision making hierarchy facilitates a more comprehensive assessment of the body of associated data needed for alternative strategy evaluation-as contrasted with disparate and narrower data needs of analytic processes or models used for evaluating specific projects. This can lead to standardization of data coverage and definitions which facilitates data exchange among multiple users, to economies in data collection, and elimination of duplication in these collections. Current data organization frameworks in transportation planning agencies are evaluated in Task 2. In general, tlata collection activities are loosely organized and lack standardization and consistency NCHRP Multimodal Transportation Planning Data 1 Project 8-32(5)
~ .~llarch 1997 that would facilitate data exchange among multiple users even within the same agency. Centralized databases are becoming more common in state-DOTs and large MPOs but still lack standardization and comprehensive coverage of bodies of data oriented to alternative strategies for meeting agency objectives. A recommended data organization framework with hierarchical detail centered on planning objectives and supporting strategies is developed. The framework is one component of a suggested Data Program that is coordinated by the state-DOT to ensure standardization of concepts and definitions within an hierarchical framework which permits flexibility of coverage of data detail among the MPOs and their constituent agencies. Gaps in current databases are most pronounced in socio-economic data for analyzing trip generation, especially for nonjourney-to-work trips, and in traffic monitoring databases in terms of detail required for evaluating environmental pollution impacts. There is also a general lack of data on intercity freight movement by truck and on tr~p-generation factors for intra-urban truck movements. . In Task 5 a procedure for obtaining the most benefit for planning purposes for specific data collections is outlined. Transportation planners are faced with often frustrating yet critical requirements for more and better information. Decisions require accurate information that is often unavailable and costly to collect. Making the best planning decision requires the best information. Planners must be able to trade off the quality of their information with resources required to collect and verify it. Transportation planning needs are organized into four principal components: supply, demand, performance and system impacts, and provides discussion of their relative imr~ortance and ~^ ~ A ~ ~1.~:~ ~ ~4 ~4 ~ 1~ 1 _ ~ 11 , · . - · . Ull~l;) a lilCtilUU lU1 apply ~1g ~ ~UbL-cilcuLlV~IleSs ISIS 10 data collection activities. Since demand data reflect the attributes of users of the transportation system, an external environment faced by the system designers and internal operators, this represents a large amount of information useful for sharing among transportation planners. Hence the analytical procedure is illustrated by an application to collections of demand data. The proposed procedure would allow planners to apply their information collection resources in those areas that would provide the greatest payoff in the transportation planning process. In Task 6 data integration issues and data collection technology are discussed and illustrated. Integration issues apply to both internal administrative data primarily under the control of the planning organization as well as the data interchanged among planning organizations. Interchange is concerned lately with collection of demand data esnecinilv t~hn~lnev At Prinriml-o ad ~ ~ ~ ~ --or----- ~ are, ~ ~ ~ ~^--a. ~ -I vet ~ , . . .. . .. ~ . . ~ . . Information storage and dissemination of internal data within the planning organizations are discussed and left to decisions among disparate planning organizations. Extensive data are needed for financial analysis associated with measuring costs and allocating funds for public investment in transportation infrastructure, and the funding of outreach programs to elicit cooperation among modes in transport investments. This is a paramount function in transportation planning and is subject to fiscal and political constraints not dealt with in this report. However, the NCHRP - Multimodal Transportation 2 Project8-32~5) Planning Data
Jack Faucett Associates, luc. Final Report March 1997 data sources discussed in this report can supply much of the data required for the financial analysis, often in different organizational frameworks. A short reference to developments in innovative financing mechanisms is presented in Appendix 4 to this report. PROPOSED DATA PROGRAM To successfully meet the objectives of this study, IFA has developed a data program that embodies a coordinated, organized, consistent, and integrated approach to assessing data needs, developing data organization frameworks, collecting data, and disseminating data among all data users. Data Task Force-The development of a data task force is needed to ensure coordination across all transportation planning groups within a state. Given the state's role in resource allocation and its place in the hierarchy of geographic coverage, the development of the data task force should be led by the state-DOT. Other members of the data task force should include representatives from state- DOT functional offices (e.g. operations), MPOs, other transportation data user groups such as air quality planning agencies, and other public and private stakeholders. The mission of this task force can be articulated as follows: To ensure coordination and collaboration in the assessment of data needs and in the organization, collection, andtdlissemination of data across ally user groups within the state. Each of the elements of this mission (he., needs, organization, collection, and dissemination) comprises one ofthe other components ofthe proposed date program end reflects an objective ofthis research. Data Needs Assessment-The data needs component involves the application of a strategic planning platform to assess data needs associated with multimodal planning. The Business Model is recommended to strategically assess data needs of planning agencies. One objective of the data task force is to urge each planning agency within a state to implement the Business Model in defining overall data needs including internal data. under its control. A compelling objective is to coordinate and standardize data to be exchanged among the planning agencies. Data Organization-Once data needs have been assessed, the organization of data must be considered. Given the large quantity of data necessary for development, evaluation, and implementation of transportation strategies that support planning objectives, the manner in which data are grouped impacts the efficiency and stability ofthe planning process. To ensure stability and efficiency in the planning process, we recommend that transportation data be organized along the four major attributes ofthe transportation system (he., supply, demand, performance, and impacts). Data Collection-This component of the proposed data program delineates primary and secondary data collection activities that must be undertaken by planning agencies to support planning functions. NCNRP-Multimodal Transportation 3 Planning Data Project 8-32~5)
Jack Faucett Associates, inc. F~rralReport March' 1997 A primary objective of the data task force will be to assign data collection responsibilities across planning agencies perhaps based on economies of collection, geographic scope, resources, and data uses. Data collection activities should parallel elements of the data organization framework. Data Dissemination-Data dissemination addresses the need for data integration and available technologies for data storage and sharing. This component involves the identification, evaluation, and implementation of data integration strategies, such as GIS, to related transportation supply, demand, performance, and impact data in the context of multimodal planning models. An important objective of the data task force will be to implement the most cost-effective data integration system that optimizes the storage, maintenance, and retrieval process across user groups. NCHRP-MultimodalTransportation . 4 Pro~ect8-32(5) Planning Data
