Travel time and travel time savings are key to measuring the performance of many of the projects submitted through the Strategic Prioritization process to determine which projects will be programmed in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The process includes travel time values from two sources: data from the statewide travel demand model at the corridor and 24-hour level, and data from microsimulation at the intersection and peak hour level. These two sources produce results that are not immediately comparable and involve different levels of specificity, which limits the application of travel times within the Strategic Prioritization process.
The primary goal of this research is to identify options for improving travel time savings values produced by NCDOT for highway projects in the STIP context. The feasibility of increasing the accuracy and consistency of travel time savings will be explored. By leveraging the strengths of microsimulation and aligning it with statewide models, the accuracy and application of travel time data for highway projects in the STIP can potentially be improved, leading to more informed project prioritization and resource allocation decisions.
In order to develop the most informed options for NCDOT, the current related practices at NCDOT and other modern approaches for producing and integrating travel time data sources used by other DOTs will be reviewed. This information will guide analyses conducted to identify options for improving travel time savings. This iterative process will involve experimentation with different alternatives, testing these alternatives using project data submitted through the prioritization process, and presenting results to key stakeholders whose feedback will be incorporated into each iteration of analysis. By understanding the differences in data granularity, accuracy, and applicability, the research team can work toward aligning the two data sources to enhance the accuracy and consistency of travel time savings values within the STIP context.
Documentation will be delivered at every phase of this project to provide NCDOT with resources that can be used immediately and into the future. Key results of this work will be documented in a white paper NCDOT can use to communicate the current state of the practice related to travel time data and analysis at NCDOT and nationally. Presentations that outline incremental project progress and are suitable for sharing with the Prioritization Workgroup, a white paper outlining options for improving travel time savings, a technical guide detailing any recommended methodological changes, and a final report will be developed. Every research activity will be conducted with a focus on helping NCDOT achieve the goal of improving travel time savings estimations in an evidence-based way.
