The development of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and of the Clean Air Act Amendment (CAAA) expands the transportation decision-making role of local and regional governments. This increased importance of decision-making in transportation issues requires increased attention to both justification and analysis of transportation initiatives.
Therefore, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) must coordinate transportation data collection activities and maximize available technical resources. Integrating collected data sets such as traffic counts, vehicle mixes, roadway characteristics, functional classifications, employer statistics, and land use information is vital for assessment of transportation projects. Combining data with analytical tools and providing access to all users enhances the success of programs such as air-quality control, employer trip reduction, management system development and other mandated requirements of ISTEA and CAAA.
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), the Houston area MPO, is addressing these issues by developing a desktop, client-server Traffic Data Management System (TDMS). Furthermore, H-GAC has teamed with Innovative System Developers, Inc. (ISD) in utilizing GIS technologies in order to allow transportation professionals to efficiently store, display, query, analyze and disseminate information. The TDMS includes a graphic user interface which allows both inter- and intra-agency users to employ an integrated modeling environment in support of transportation planning and programs.
Toni Gosinski
Innovative System Developers, Inc.
2566 Sun Crest Dr.
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
Telephone: 602-378-4942
Fax: 602-378-4946
Sabas Avila
Houston-Galveston Area Council
3555 Timmons Lane,
Ste. 500
Houston, TX 77227