Research Idea Details

Research Idea Scope

TERI Database Administrator Notes:  Note recommended at present time by 2009 Environmental Process Subcommittee. 

In the current state of the practice there are no tools and best practices available that allow for integration of regional, corridor, and local scale modeling. This precludes decision makers from having an integrated framework for informed decision making as it relates to environmental considerations. For example, a decision maker may be confronted with project alternatives that cross modes with little to no way of confidently predicting mode shifts or micro-level impacts. The result of this lack of information can lead to decisions which over- or underestimate the relative impacts on the environment and the transportation system.

Phase I. Development of integrated analytical tools and practices to enhance travel demand forecasting across modes, including freight movement. To fill this gap it is necessary to

1. Evaluate the current macro-, meso-, and microscale modeling; this includes the validation of travel behavior assumptions used in these techniques;
2. Identify research techniques that allow for better forecasting of all aspects of travel, including mode shifts, activity analysis, and multimodal analysis including freight and related environmental impacts; 3. Establish and define best practices and guidelines for modeling, which allow decision makers to have levels of confidence in the results portrayed.

Phase II. Integration of best practices and analytical tools across modes and media for assessing factors that have environmental considerations. To fill this gap it is necessary to

1. First survey the state of practice,
2. Identify research techniques that allow for compatibility among modeling interpretation and evaluation, and
3. Establish and define best practices and guidelines for modeling that allow decision makers to have levels of confidence in the results portrayed.