Comprehensive Urban Transportation Study Methods

The problems of planning, constructing, and operating transportation systems in urbanized areas have reached a critical stage, primarily as the result of an exploding urban population and an unprecedented increase in traffic volumes. Solutions of these problems are hopefully forthcoming. In this paper, the basic elements and methods for comprehensive urban transportation studies are presented. Nine procedural steps are described indicating the progress being made in developing sophisticated techniques in urban transportation planning. Important developments in land use planning, population projections, urban growth, and In economic projections are discussed. New procedures in traffic analysis dealing with trip generation, trip distribution modal split, trip assignment, capacity restraint, and reassignment of traffic are described. The evaluation of alternative routes and systems and procedures for making an economic analysis of alternative systems are discussed. A major objective considered is the development of an areawide transportation plan, acceptable to the public as achieving regional goals of mobility, safety, and efficiency in moving people and goods in a balanced and integrated transportation system.