Congestion Management Process (CMP) Innovations A Menu of Options

							Congestion Management Process
      (CMP) Innovations:
      A Menu of Options

      Presentation at AMPO Annual Conference
                    Michael Grant
                  ICF International

Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
                            Background
      Congestion Management System (CMS)
      requirement for TMAs was established under
      ISTEA
      Requires
     –     Methods to evaluate transportation system
           performance and identify causes of congestion
     –     A program for data collection and system performance
           monitoring
     –     Parameters for measuring congestion
     –     Identification of alternative actions
     –     Evaluation of anticipated performance and expected
           benefits of strategies
     –     Assessment of the effectiveness of strategies



Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
         Challenges facing MPOs

   Limited Federal guidance
   Concern that the CMS had not lived up
   to its potential
     – Requires staff and budget resources, but
       often with limited benefit
     – Often not well integrated into the planning
       process
   SAFETEA-LU refers to a Congestion
   Management Process (CMP)

Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
       Goal of Shared Cost Initiative
                 Project
   To identify innovative options to meet
   CMP requirements and make the CMP
   more effective
   Based on:
     –   Review of CMS documents and literature
     –   Survey of NYS MPOs staff
     –   Interviews with MPO staff in other regions
     –   A peer forum of NYS MPOs and invited
         guests


Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
                     CMP Innovations:
                     A Menu of Options
        Approaches to address CMP
        requirements
          –   Developing performance measures
          –   Using performance measures
          –   Collecting data / monitoring system performance
          –   Identifying and evaluating improvement strategies
          –   Monitoring strategy effectiveness
          –   Documenting CMP activities
        Putting the CMP to broader uses
          – Strengthening linkages with the planning process
            (LRTP, TIP)
          – Serving multiple objectives (freight, safety, air
            quality, etc.)
Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
               Options for Developing
               Performance Measures
1. Traditional V/C ratios and LOS measures
2. Travel time measures
3. Congestion duration and extent measures
4. Reliability measures
5. Transit travel condition measures
6. Non-motorized travel availability/service level
   measures
7. Accessibility measures
8. Freight measures



Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
                 Options for Using
               Performance Measures
1. Use multiple measures / combined
   index
2. Use screening measures and additional
   measures for congested locations
3. Use different definitions of congestion
   for different locations or times




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New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
      Las Vegas: Regional
Transportation Commission (RTC)
      of Southern Nevada
   Uses V/C ratio for initial identification of
   roadway congestion
     – Performance thresholds for different types of
       roadways in different types of environments
   For congested roadways, calculate four
   components of congestion
     –   Intensity: Based on V/C and percent reduction in speed
     –   Duration: Number of hours that exceed intensity threshold
     –   Extent: Persons or vehicles affected
     –   Reliability: Calculated based on crash rates and non-
         crash incidents, obtained from Freeway Service Patrol


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New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Austin, TX: Capital Area Metropolitan
  Planning Organization (CAMPO)
   Uses speed measures to identify congested
   locations
   Minimum threshold speeds vary based on type
   of road and area

                         Thresholds (miles per hour)
          Are a Type      Fre e way Fre e way    Majo r     Bus On       Rail In     Bic yc le
                          Mainline    HOV       Arte rial    S tre e t   S tre e t

       CBD                   32        60         18           9           10           9
       CBD Fring e /         40        60         24           12          15          10
       Urban
       Re s ide ntial
       S uburban             50        60         29           15          20          14
       Rural                 55        60         32           17          25          18



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New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
        Options for Collecting Data /
         Monitoring Performance
1. Traffic count data
2. GPS technologies for conducting travel
      time surveys
3.    Archived ITS data
4.    Other electronic data
5.    Data from traffic reporting organizations
6.    Travel demand forecasting model



Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Hartford, CT: Capital Region Council
     of Governments (CRCOG)
   Freeway monitoring uses ITS
   data from Connecticut DOT
   Arterial monitoring uses GPS
   equipment to monitor travel
   times and speeds
       – Technology is simple and cost-effective
       – Rely on CRCOG staff for collecting data




Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Dayton, OH: Miami Valley Regional
 Planning Commission (MVRPC)
   Recurring congestion is monitored using
   traditional measures
   Non-recurring congestion is tracked for
   five major corridors using a local radio
   station that provides reports of volunteer-
   submitted traffic observations, as well as
   other sources




Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
     Options for Documenting CMP
                Activities
1. Produce a stand-alone report
2. Produce a user-friendly summary
3. Incorporate the CMP as an element of
      the long-range plan




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New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
  Options for Strengthening Links
  between the CMP and LRTP/TIP
1. Require projects to be CMP compliant
     – Must be a congestion reduction strategy or
       incorporate TDM/TSM strategies
2. Use the CMP in criteria for prioritizing
   projects
3. Explicitly set aside funding for
   congestion management projects
4. Use CMP data to update travel demand
   forecasting model

Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
  Examples of Strengthening Links
  between the CMP and LRTP/TIP
   Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council
   of Governments (Cincinnati) uses
   congestion as a criterion in roadway
   project scoring
   Miami-Dade MPO sets aside money in
   the TIP for the RUSH (Resourceful Use
   of Streets and Highways) program,
   which funds quick implementation of
   small projects

Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
          Using the CMP for Multiple
                  Objectives
   Enhancing integration of various
   concerns into planning:

                                         Congestion
                                                          Operations &
              Air Quality                                Emergency Mgmt


       Bicycle & Pedestrian                   CMP              Freight Mobility
             Access


                    Land Use Integration              Safety


Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
     Examples of Using the CMP to
      Support Various Objectives
   Freight
     – Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) defines
       prioritization criteria accounting for truck volumes and
       availability of parallel rail service
   Safety
     – Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
       (HRPDC) used CMS traffic data along with crash data
       to complete a regional safety study
   Land Use
     – The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
       (TCRPC) in Lansing, MI has employed land use
       integration as its primary CMS strategy

Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
                                Summary
   A wide range of innovative approaches
   are available
   These approaches can enhance the
   value of the CMP while limiting staff time
   and data collection costs
   Selection of options will depend on local
   factors
   Federal guidance is forthcoming


Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations
               For more Information

                 Michael Grant
                 ICF International
                 9300 Lee Highway
                 Fairfax, VA 22031
                 703-218-2692
                 mgrant@icfi.com

                 To download report, and other
                   resources:
                 www.nysmpos.org
Sponsored by
New York State Metropolitan Planning Organizations