Browsing by Subject "transportation modeling"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A Guide to Transportation Modeling Using TRANPLAN for Computer Simulation of Strategies for Managing the Rural Road Infrastructure
    (1991-06) Halbach, Walter; Fruin, Jerry
    The objective of this paper is to provide a starting point for those interested in using transportation modeling software in a rural road setting. An example problem will be offered, and the package that it will be demonstrated in is TRANPLAN Version 6.20 ( The Urban Analysis Group, Danville CA ). It is assumed that the reader has a basic previous understanding of microcomputer hardware, software and operating systems. With this purpose in mind, this paper will also provide example code from TRANPLAN to illustrate various parts of the analysis process. Essentially this paper is a companion guide to the various sections of the TRANPLAN manual. Because of the applied nature of this task, only cursory discussion will be expended on the development of theory. References to several articles will be made instead. The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. Reference to a trade or company name is for specific information only and does not imply approval or recommendation of the company or the product by the researchers, their institutions, or the granting agencies, to the exclusion of others that may be suitable for a specific product application.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    SOUND – System for Ultraconnected Network Degeneration (with code to analyze network geometrics)
    (2016-07-13) Xie, Feng; Levinson, David M; dlevinson@umn.edu; Levinson, David M; University of Minnesota Nexus Research Group
    This software models the economic mechanisms behind the decline of a surface transportation network, based on the assumption that the decline phase is a spontaneous process driven by decentralized decisions of individual travelers and privatized links. The software models a degeneration process by which the weakest link is removed iteratively from the network.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Travels Impacts of Bridge Closures 1: Lafayette Bridge Final Report
    (2010-09-13) Levinson, David M; Zhu, Shanjiang
    This study evaluates traffic reactions to two alternative construction plans of Lafayette Bridge crossing the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. We calibrate a travel demand model previously developed and evaluate network performance in dif- ferent construction phases of the two alternative scenarios. Most significant changes in traffic condition occur during the bridge closure phase of scenario 2. The measur- able impacts of bridge closure on traffic conditions are limited within the region of I-494 and US 61 to the east and I-35E to the west. The increases in freeway traffic are moderate. Most travelers choose to use the arterial bridges as alternative routes. The Robert Street Bridge and the Wabasha Street Bridge will see significant traffic increases. Overall changes in consumer surplus indicate that scenario 2 has a some- what higher user cost ($5,209/day). However, the magnitude of difference in consumer surplus is very small and well within “margin of error”. The ultimate decision needs to consider construction cost savings due to faster construction, and safety issues in addition to changes in user cost.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Travels Impacts of Bridge Closures 2: Saint Croix River Bridges Final Report
    (2010-09-13) Levinson, David M; Zhu, Shanjiang
    This report is prepared at the request Abby McKenzie and Ed Idzorek of MnDOT to assess the expected traveler impacts of replacing or not replacing the Saint Croix River Bridge in Stillwater, Minnesota. The model that has previously been used to evaluate different Lafayette Bridge replacement scenarios is applied, using the 20 county (“collar counties”) network from the Metropolitan Council and best estimates of 2010 land uses (population and employment). The model evaluates changes in travel cost due to network reconfigurations corresponding to different scenarios. These costs would need to be compared against construction and ongoing operations and maintenance costs, and do not account for factors such as travel time reliability, the value of a redundant network for planned or unplanned closures, or changes in land use. It can be safely assumed that were a wider, faster bridge constructed there would be more development, and thus more travel demand from the Wisconsin side of the Saint Croix River. If no replacement bridge were built, we can assume that less growth (if any) would occur, and cross-river traffic would diminish. This model does not account for changes in land use, as we do not believe this has been accurately forecast for scenarios both with and without the bridge, but does account for changes in demand given the current land use under different network configurations. This is denoted as “Variable Trip Tables” in the report. Compared to the baseline (a replacement 2 lane bridge in the same location) according to the model, Construction Alternative 1, a new 4 lane bridge, produces an economic gain of $1.8 million per year. Compared to that same baseline, Construction Alternative 3, no replacement bridge at all, results in an economic loss on the order of $34.1 million per year according to the model.