Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis of Traffic Forecasting: A Case Study

Derek Hungness and Raj Bridgelall
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Derek Hungness: SRF Consulting Group, Middleton, WI 53562, USA
Raj Bridgelall: College of Business, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: Transportation planning has historically relied on statistical models to analyze travel patterns across space and time. Recently, an urgency has developed in the United States to address outdated policies and approaches to infrastructure planning, design, and construction. Policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels are expressing greater interest in promoting and funding sustainable transportation infrastructure systems to reduce the damaging effects of pollutive emissions. Consequently, there is a growing trend of local agencies transitioning away from the traditional level-of-service measures to vehicle miles of travel (VMT) measures. However, planners are finding it difficult to leverage their investments in their regional travel demand network models and datasets in the transition. This paper evaluates the applicability of VMT forecasting and impact assessment using the current travel demand model for Dane County, Wisconsin. The main finding is that exploratory spatial data analysis of the derived data uncovered statistically significant spatial relationships and interactions that planners cannot sufficiently visualize using other methods. Planners can apply these techniques to identify places where focused VMT remediation measures for sustainable networks and environments can be most cost-effective.

Keywords: geographical information system; vehicle miles traveled; level of service; exploratory spatial data analysis; spatial autocorrelation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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