Challenge
Charged with delivering highway improvements, State DOTs and other agencies are broadening their organizational goals beyond just auto level of service. They are challenged with the need to identify tools and methods for evaluating achievement of a much broader set of agency goals related to the environment, safety, reliability, the economy, and health; as well as the need to guide and train their staff on the appropriate use of these new tools and methods.
Solution
Kittelson began work to develop guidance documents for California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) staff. The team organized Caltrans analysis objectives into a multi-objective analysis framework. Next, we conducted a national inventory of software tools and methods for evaluating the safety, reliability, air quality, economic, and active transportation impacts of highway design and operations under existing and future technology scenarios.
The Outcome
When Success Means More Than a Quick Drive
The information was condensed into a set of safety and transportation analysis guidance documents that will ultimately serve as the technical core of the Caltrans Transportation Analysis Guide and Traffic Impact Studies Guide. Caltrans is soliciting the input of internal and external policymakers to establish the agency policy framework for the two guides.
