Ce412 - Chapter 03 - Urban Transportation Planning

CHAPTER 03
URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

CE412 - PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
1
Urban transportation planning involves the evaluation and selection of highway or transit facilities to
serve present and future land uses.
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CE412 - PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING ENGR. CHRISTIAN PIMENTEL
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For example, the construction of a new shopping
center, airport, or convention center…
…will require additional transportation services.

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Also, new residential development, o ce space,
and industrial parks…
…will generate additional tra c, requiring the

creation or expansion of roads and transit services.
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Urban transportation planning is concerned with two separate time horizons.
• The rst is a short-term emphasis intended to select projects that can be implemented within a
one-to four-year period. These projects are designed to provide better management of existing
facilities by making them as e cient as possible.
• The second time horizon deals with the long-range transportation needs of an area and identi es
the projects to be constructed over a 20-year period.
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Short-term Projects involve programs such as:
• Park-and-Ride Fringe Parking Lots
• Signal Timing • Tra c Car and Van Pooling to increase transit ridership, and transit
to improve ow to reduce congestion improvements.
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Long-term Projects involve programs such as:
• Adding New Highway • Additional Bus Lines or • Access Roads to Airports or Shopping
Elements Freeway Lanes Malls.
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Uni ed Grand Central Station, Quezon City, Philippines
N
SM CITY NORTH EDSA

SM CITY NORTH EDSA
LRT-1 [E.D.S.A.]
E.D.S.A
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MRT-3 [E.D.S.A.]
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The urban transportation planning process can be carried out in terms of
the procedures outlined previously and is usually described as follows.
Figure 11.7 illustrates the comprehensive urban area transportation
planning process.
I. Inventory of Existing Travel and Facilities

II. Establishment of Goals and Objectives
III. Generation of Alternatives
IV. Estimation of Project Cost and Travel Demand
V. Evaluation of Alternatives
VI. Choice of Project
Figure 11.7 Comprehensive Urban Area Transportation
Planning Process
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This is the data-gathering activity in which urban travel characteristics are described for each de ned
geographic unit or tra c zone within the study area.
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Inventories and surveys are made to determine:
Traf c Volumes Land Uses Origins and Destinations
Population Employment Economic Activity
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Inventories are made of existing transportation
facilities, both highway and transit. Capacity,
speed, travel time, and tra c volume are
determined. The information gathered is
summarized by geographic areas called
Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZ).
The size of the TAZ will depend on the nature

of the transportation study, and it is important
that the number of zones be adequate for the
type of problem being investigated.
Often, census tracts or census enumeration districts are used as TAZs because population data are
easily available by this geographic designation.
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The urban transportation study is carried out to develop a program of highway and transit projects
that should be completed in the future.
Thus, a statement of goals, objectives, and standards is prepared that identi es de ciencies in the
existing system, desired improvements, and what is to be achieved by the transportation
improvements.
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For example, if a transit authority is considering the possibility of extending an existing rail line into a
newly developed area of the city, its objectives for the new service might be to maximize its revenue
from operations, maximize ridership, promote development, and attract the largest number of auto
users so as to relieve tra c congestion.
ANONAS
STATION
SANTOLAN STATION
ANTIPOLO
ARANETA CENTER MARIKINA STATION STATION
CUBAO STATION
J.RUIZ KATIPUNAN
STATION STATION
BETTY GO
RECTO STATION GILMORE BELMONTE
STATION STATION
V.MAPA
PUREZA STATION
LEGARDA
STATION STATION
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Public Transportation vs. Private Transportation
PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIVATE TRANSPORT
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In this phase of the urban transportation planning process, the alternatives to be analyzed will be
identi ed. It also may be necessary to analyze the travel e ects of di erent land-use plans and to
consider various lifestyle scenarios. The options available to the urban transportation planner include
various technologies, network con gurations, vehicles, operating policies, and organizational
arrangements.
• In the case of a transit line extension, the technologies could be rail rapid transit or bus.
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• The network con guration could be de ned by a single line, two branches, or a geometric
con guration such as a radial or grid pattern. The guideway, which represents a homogeneous
section of the transportation system, could be varied in length, speed, waiting time, capacity, and
direction. The intersections, which represent the end points of the guideway, could be a transit
station or the line terminus.
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• The vehicles could be singly driven buses or multi-car trains.
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• The operating policy could involve 10-minute
headways during peak hours and 30-minute
headways during o -peak hours, or other
combinations.
Headways
Moving Direction Gap Vehicle Length
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• The organizational arrangements could be private or public. These and other alternatives would
be considered in this phase of the planning process.
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This activity in the urban transportation planning process involves two separate tasks.
• The rst is to determine the Project Cost, and
• The second is to estimate the Amount of Tra c Expected in the future.
The estimation of facility cost is relatively straightforward, whereas the estimation of future tra c
ows is a complex undertaking requiring the use of mathematical models and computers.
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Planning-Level Cost Estimation
Project cost estimation at the planning stage may be hampered either because the project has not
yet been well de ned or because a signi cant amount of time has passed since the project’s cost
was previously estimated, rendering the older estimate out of date.
To address the rst problem, many transportation agencies maintain a set of unit costs that allows
for a quick determination in the absence of more detailed data.
These unit costs may be strati ed by area type (rural or urban), number of lanes, and roadway
design.
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For example, one state’s unit costs are $5 million/mi of a four-lane divided highway in an urban area
with a at median compared with a cost of about $1 million/mile for a two-lane rural undivided
highway.
Four-lane divided highway in an urban area with a at median Two-lane rural undivided highway
Unit Cost: $5,000,000/mi Unit Cost: $1,000,000/mi
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To address the second problem of costs being out of date, cost indices may be used which convert
costs from a historical year to a current year by accounting for in ation.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) provides an average rate of in ation for all goods and services.
Indices speci c to the transportation eld are the National Highway Construction Cost Index
(compiled by the Federal Highway Administration for highway construction projects) and various
railroad indices, such as the Railroad Cost Recovery (RCR) Index or the All–Inclusive Index–Less
Fuel (AII-LF) (compiled by the American Association of Railroads for railroad projects).
If more detailed project cost data are available (e.g., highway labor costs separated from materials
costs), then the two previously mentioned sources may be consulted for indices that represent
changes for particular goods and services, such as concrete, steel, and labor costs.
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Planning-Level Demand Estimation
Future travel is determined by forecasting future land use in terms of the economic activity and
population that the land use in each TAZ will produce. With the land-use forecasts established in
terms of number of jobs, residents, auto ownership, income, and so forth, the tra c that this land
use will add to the highway and transit facility can be determined.
This is carried out in a four-step process that includes the determination of:
• The number of trips generated,

• The origin and destination of trips,
• The mode of transportation used by each trip (for example, auto, bus, rail), and
• The route taken by each trip.
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Planning-Level Demand Estimation
The urban travel demand forecasting process thus involves four
distinct activities:
• Trip generation,
• Trip distribution,
• Modal split, and
• Network assignment
as illustrated in Figure 11.8.
When the travel forecasting process is completed, the highway and
transit volumes on each link of the system will have been
estimated. The actual amount of tra c, however, is not known until
it occurs. The results of the travel demand forecast can be
compared with the present capacity of the system to determine the
operating level of service. Figure 11.8 - Travel Demand Model Flow Chart
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This phase of the process is similar in concept to what was described earlier but can be complex in
practice because of the con icting objectives and diverse groups that will be a ected by an urban
transportation project.
Among the groups that could be a ected are:
• The Traveling Public (user),

• The Highway or Transit Agencies (operator), and
• The Non-traveling Public (community).
Each of these groups will have di erent objectives and viewpoints concerning how well the system
performs. The traveling public wants to improve speed, safety, and comfort; the transportation
agency wishes to minimize cost; and the community wants to preserve its quality of life and improve
or minimize environmental impacts.
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The purpose of the evaluation process is:
• To identify feasible alternatives in terms of cost and tra c capacity,
• To estimate the e ects of each alternative in terms of the objectives expressed, and
• To assist in identifying those alternatives that will serve the traveling public and be acceptable to
the community.
Of particular importance are the environmental assessments mandated in most urban transportation
studies.
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Environmental Impact Statements
Federal and/or state regulations may require that the environmental impacts of proposed projects be
assessed. These impacts may include e ects on air quality, noise levels, water quality, wetlands, and
the preservation of historic sites of interest.
Air Pollution Studies Noise Levels Water Quality Preservation of Historic Heritage
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The analytical process through which these e ects are identi ed can take one of three forms,
depending on the scope of the proposed project:
• A full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
• A simpler Environmental Assessment (EA), or
• A cursory checklist of requirements known as a Categorical Exclusion (CE).
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Examples of projects that might receive the CE designation are utility installations along an existing
transportation facility, bicycle lanes, noise barriers, and improvements to rest areas.
Generally, projects that receive the CE designation do not require further detailed analysis.
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Projects for which an EIS is required might include the construction of a new limited-access freeway
or a xed guideway transit line. For some projects, it might not initially be clear whether the project
merits a full environmental study.
For those projects, an environmental assessment may be conducted, and the EA will either result in
a Finding of No Signi cant Impact (FONSI) or in a nding that a full EIS is warranted.
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For some large-scale projects that require an EIS, projects may be “tiered.”
• The rst tier addresses macroscopic issues, such as whether a proposed facility should be a
highway bypass or a light rail line and whether it should follow an eastern or western alignment.
• The second tier addresses microscopic issues, such as the number of parcels that might be
taken once a decision has been made that the facility will be a rail line following a western
alignment.
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The purpose of this environmental review process is to assure that all potential e ects (positive as
well as adverse) are addressed in a complete manner so that decision makers can understand the
consequences of the proposed project.
Once an agency, such as a state department of transportation, completes a draft EIS, the public is
given an opportunity to comment.
The project cannot proceed until the revised, nal EIS has been accepted by the appropriate federal
and state regulatory agencies.
Generally, these federal regulatory agencies will include FHWA and FTA.
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Element of an EIS
Although the entire environmental review process is beyond the scope, examination of some of the
common elements of an EIS illustrate its role in transportation planning.
The project’s purpose and need section articulates why the project is being under-taken:
• Is it to improve safety, to increase capacity in response to expected future tra c growth, or is it to

upgrade a de cient link in a region’s comprehensive transportation network?
• The purpose and need section should include relevant AADT projections, crash rates, and a
description of existing geometric conditions.
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Element of an EIS
The alternatives to the proposed project, such as the do-nothing case, should be described, as well
as any criteria that have been used to eliminate alternatives from further consideration.
For example, if a second bridge crossing over a body of water is being considered, then alternatives
could be:
• To change the location,

• To widen an existing bridge, to improve ferry service, or
• To do nothing.
Criteria that prevent further consideration, such as the presence of an endangered species at what
would have been another potential location or the permanent loss of several hectares of wetlands,
are given in this section.
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Element of an EIS
The environmental e ects of the proposed project, such as the impacts on water quality (during
construction and once construction is complete), soil, wetlands, and plant and animal life, especially
endangered species, should be analyzed.
Note that environmental e ects also include the impact on communities, such as air quality, land
use, cultural resources, and noise.
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Computing Environmental Impacts for Emissions and Noise
The level of detail in a full EIS can be staggering given the amount of analysis required to answer
some seemingly simple questions:
What is the noise level?
How much will automobile emissions increase?
A number of tools are provided by regulatory agencies that can answer some of these questions. For
example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed the Motor Vehicle Emissions
Simulator (MOVES) model, which estimates emissions for mobile sources such as cars and trucks.
The results of this model, compared with observed carbon monoxide concentrations, can be used to
determine the relative impact of di erent project alternatives on the level of carbon monoxide.
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One approach for quantifying noise impacts is to use the Federal Highway Administration’s
Transportation Noise Model (TNM), a computer program that forecasts noise levels as a function of
tra c volumes and other factors. The method by which noise impacts are assessed can vary by
regulatory agency. For example, the FHWA will permit one to use the L10 descriptor, which is “the
percentile noise level that is exceeded for ten percent of the time.” A more common noise descriptor
is Leq, which is the average noise intensity over time. A variant of this descriptor may be used by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where the Leq for each hour is
determined but then a 10-dB “penalty” is added to the values from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Since noise is
proportional to tra c speed, the impact of this last type of descriptor is to favor projects that would
not necessarily result in high speeds in close proximity to populated areas during the evening hours.
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An EIS utilizes current and forecasted volume counts (i.e., automobiles, medium trucks, and heavy
trucks), speeds, and directional split in order to compare environmental e ects for the current
conditions, future conditions with the proposed project, and future conditions assuming any other
alternatives, which at a minimum should include the no-build option.
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VI. Choice of Project
Selection of a project will be based on a process
that will ultimately involve elected o cials and the
public.
Quite often, funds to build an urban transportation

project (such as a subway system) may involve a
public referendum. In other cases, a vote by a
state legislature may be required before funds are
committed.
A multiyear program then will be produced that

outlines the projects to be carried out over the
next 20 years. With approval in hand, the project
can proceed to the speci cation and construction
phase.
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END OF PRESENTATION
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CHAPTER 03

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

…will require additional transportation services.

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

…will generate additional tra c, requiring the

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

SM CITY NORTH EDSA

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

I. Inventory of Existing Travel and Facilities

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Population Employment Economic Activity

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

The size of the TAZ will depend on the nature

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Moving Direction Gap Vehicle Length

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

• The rst is to determine the Project Cost, and

• The second is to estimate the Amount of Tra c Expected in the future.

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

• The number of trips generated,

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Among the groups that could be a ected are:

• The Traveling Public (user),

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

• To identify feasible alternatives in terms of cost and tra c capacity,

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

• A full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),

• A simpler Environmental Assessment (EA), or

• A cursory checklist of requirements known as a Categorical Exclusion (CE).

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

• Is it to improve safety, to increase capacity in response to expected future tra c growth, or is it to

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

• To change the location,

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

What is the noise level?

How much will automobile emissions increase?

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Quite often, funds to build an urban transportation

A multiyear program then will be produced that