Modeling Transportation Alternatives

This project develops an "outreach model" that isolates and simplifies the most essential dynamics of the complete integrated model in a way that is more transparent and that facilitates outreach to stake holders. The immense complexity of the combined UrbanSim and TRANSIMS models complicates any attempts to facilitate outreach with stakeholders. A simplified systems oriented "outreach model" will be designed to facilitate such outreach and dialogue. The purpose of this model is to help convey to stakeholders how transportation issues relate to the other major issues with which they are interdependent, including land use, energy, economics, environment and quality of life. Through a web interface stakeholders will be able to run their own simplified versions of the model under different scenarios and vary parameters in a way that makes the key dynamics and assumptions of the model clear and easy to understand. If there is general convergence between the results of both, this may be a good indication of the overall robustness of both approaches. If there is extreme difference in the results, an analysis of the sources of these differences may help us better understand some of the sensitivities and assumptions of both model approaches. Development of the outreach model will consist of the following tasks: * Regular stakeholder workshops to verify model design and components, to review preliminary results, and to design and review scenarios. * Intensive model development activities between workshops. This would include model coding, calibration, and testing, as well as development of user interfaces. Existing more complex models (i.e. URBANSIM) would be used for cross-calibration and testing. * Problem-based (atelier) courses structured around the project and involving students from many departments on campus. * Web-based outreach. A sophisticated, interactive web site will be developed that will serve to connect stakeholders during project development and to serve as the major portal for delivery of the Integrated Modeling Package after completion.

• Record URL:
  http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/modeling-transportation-alternatives/
• Supplemental Notes:
  • http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-001.pdf

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $35116.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DTRT06-G-0018

  023351

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  University Transportation Centers Program
  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Troy, Austin

  Aultman-Hall, Lisa

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Vermont, Burlington

  Transportation Center, 210 Colchester Avenue
  Farrell Hall
  Burlington, VT  United States  05405
• Principal Investigators:

  Boumans, Roelof

• Start Date: 20070801
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20090831
• Source Data: RiP Project 28446

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Integrated systems; Land use; Land use planning; Public transit; Simulation
• Identifier Terms: TRANSIMS (Computer model); UrbanSim (Computer model)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Model integration
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01566211
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: UVM Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: DTRT06-G-0018, 023351
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jun 12 2015 1:01AM