TAZ Delineation - Webinar TAZ Team US Census Bureau February 25 and 28, 2011

Presentation Overview Notification and Shapefile download Installing the MTPS Running the MTPS for the first time TAZ and TAD startup options Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) into MTPS MTPS Tools and Toolboxes Modifying TAZ/TAD geography Verification Toolbox in MTPS Switching between TAZ and TAD delineations Resetting and Changing TAZ/TAD delineations Reporting Changes FTP Changes to the Census Bureau Dividing up work areas 2

Notification and Shapefile Download States released on a flow basis –Expected start mid-March –90 days to complete work from initial – sent to participants with SetupFile when data is available Download the MTPS software –Call for username and password –Create an ‘MTPS_software’ folder and unzip the software to this location 3

Notification and Shapefile Download Download shapefiles from the web – –Select download each county in the MPO/State DOT Creates a ZIP for each county file containing all shapefiles and required data files –Create a ‘TAZ_layers’ folder on your C: drive Copy and extract each ZIP files contents to the ‘TAZ_layers’ folder Copy SetupFile and file to the ‘TAZ_layers’ folder 4

Notification and Shapefile Download 5 (1)Download MTPS, participant guidelines and select a state (2) Check the counties you wish to download (1) (2)

Installing the MTPS Select the icon in your ‘MTPS_software’ directory Install the program using the default settings 6

Installing the MTPS 7 Select either

Setting Up the Data MTPSData folder –The software install should have created the MTPSData folder and copied all data to this folder 8

Running the MTPS Start Menu  Programs  MAF/TIGER Partnership Software –Password ‘TAZ’ (all CAPS) –Load time (few minutes to a few hours) –User Information –Startup Choices 9 Hit OK

Running the MTPS Computer Based Training (CBT) –Basic skills and TAZ 10

Running the MTPS Computer Based Training (CBT) –Basic skills 11

Running the MTPS Computer Based Training (CBT) –TAZ 12

Running the MTPS Go Directly to MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS) 13 Click to zoom to coverage

TAZ Startup Options 14 Select ‘I will be building Traffic Analysis Zones’ Select one of the TAZ startup options

TAD Startup Options 15 Select ‘I will be building Traffic Analysis Districts’ Select the geography to aggregate TADs from Select a method to create TADs

TAZ / TAD Startup Options 16 Select both ‘I will be building Traffic Analysis Zones and I will be building Traffic Analysis Districts’ Select one of the TAZ Startup options Select a method to create TADs

Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) What is a BEF? –File in DBF, CSV, or TXT format that allows the user to import their TAZ/TAD delineation –A BEF can be created in ArcGIS or another preferred GIS What is required in a BEF? –DBF, CSV, or TXT file format –Contains attribute fields for the block ID and TAZ/TAD codes –Place directly in MTPSData folder 17

Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) How can I create a BEF? –The BEF can be created in ArcGIS or another preferred GIS –It must be based on the 2010 Census tabulation blocks –2010 tabulation block shapefile are currently available if participants wish to get a jump start on their BEF files Why won’t my BEF file import into MTPS? –Duplicate block IDs –BEF is not of the correct file type or the name is not formatted correctly –Not in MTPSData folder –Multiple BEFs in DBF format –Modified CSV in Excel 18

Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) BEF Examples 19

Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) BEF Examples 20 Duplicate Block IDs Don’t edit in Excel

Importing Block Equivalency Files (BEFs) Adding the BEF to MTPS 21 Select either

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes The MTPS contains several tools and toolbars that the user should be familiar with –Main Menu –Standard toolbar –Tools toolbar –TAZ toolbox 22

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes Main Menu 23

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes Standard Toolbar 24

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes Tools Toolbar 25 Zoom In Zoom Out Pan Get Info Previous Scale Initial Scale Multi-Layer Info Multi-Layer Area Info Measure Distance Tool Measure Size

MTPS Tools and Toolboxes TAZ Toolbox 26 Target Area Pointer Zoom to Area Zoom to Area Layer (full extent) Display Area Data Select by Pointing Select by Shape Cancel Edits Save Edits Edit Layer Target Area Source Area Selection Layer Population and Worker Counts

Modifying TAZ and TAD Geography in MTPS Selecting a Target Area Selecting a Source Area Selecting a Selection Layer –TAZs –TADs Select by pointing tool Select by shape Creating a new entity (TAZ and TAD) Modifying a TAZ or TAD code Population and worker counts 27

Modifying TAZ Geography in MTPS Selecting a Target Area –Use target area pointer tool or target area dropdown 28 Target area will have a grey hatching

Modifying TAZ Geography in MTPS Selecting a Source Area –The source area is a specific location to which area can be added from 29 Selecting TAZ as the source area prevents area outside this TAZ from being added to

Modifying TAZ Geography in MTPS Selecting a Selection Layer –The selection layer can be changed to block, block group, or census tract depending on the area that should be added to the TAZ 30

Modifying TAZ Geography in MTPS Select by Pointing –Allows the user to select one unit of geography (tract, block, etc) to add to a TAZ –Better for selecting larger geography like tracts 31 Using select by pointing tool to add whole tracts to TAZ

Modifying TAZ Geography in MTPS Select by Shape –Allows the user to select all geographic units (tracts, blocks, etc) within a defined polygon –Better for selecting smaller geography like blocks 32 Using select by pointing tool to add whole tracts to TAZ

Modifying TAD Geography in MTPS Only the selection layer differs from what is used in modifying TAZ geography –Only TAZ 2010 is an option 33

Creating New TAZ/TADs in MTPS Select New Entity as the target area and add geography Enter up to an 8-character alphanumeric code 34

Modifying TAZ/TAD Codes in MTPS To modifying an entire TAZ/TAD code select display area data, select the TAZ/TAD and enter a new code in the attribute box 35

Population and Worker Counts Population and worker counts are modified each time the user selects a new geographic unit to add to a TAZ or TAD 36 Initial pop and worker counts of TAZ Update pop and worker counts of TAZ after adding highlighted area

TAZ and TAD Verification Required checks –Unique codes (should never fail) These will fail for contiguity rather than unique codes –Nesting (TADs only) Suggested checks –Unassigned area –Minimum population (600 TAZs, TADs) 1200 recommended for TAZs; software flags those less than 600 –Contiguity –Compactness 37

TAZ and TAD Verification Unassigned Areas 38 Click ‘Verify’ to get the list of failures for each required and suggested checks. Click the magnifying glass to zoom to the specific failure. Highlighted area has not been assigned to a TAZ

TAZ and TAD Verification Nesting (TADs only) –TAZs must nest within TADs 39 Circled area shows a TAZ that does not nest within a TAD

TAZ and TAD Verification Minimum population –TAZs: 600 (suggested 1200) –TADs: Highlighted area shows a TAZ that does not meet the minimum population or worker count of 600

TAZ and TAD Verification Contiguity –TAZs/TADs should be contiguous with some exceptions (e.g. islands, etc) 41 TAZ failed for compactness due to a shape index

TAZ and TAD Verification Compactness –Shape index of less than 0.15 (ratio of area of polygon to area of minimum surrounding circle 42 TAZ failed for compactness due to a shape index

Switching between TAZ and TAD Delineation Switching from TAZs to TADs –Choose ‘Delineate TADs’ TAZ menu –TAZ delineation should be complete Switching from TADs to TAZs –Any changes to TAZs after TADs are delineated may require additional updates to TADs Nesting issues 43

Resetting TAZ/TAD Delineation 44 Must use same delineation option used at the start Select one of the TAZ Startup options Select a method to create TADs NOTE: Resetting the TAZ/TAD delineation will erase any previous work

Changing TAZ/TAD Delineation 45 The user has the ability to select to delineate TAZs, TADs, or both Select one of the TAZ Startup options Select a method to create TADs NOTE: Changing the TAZ/TAD delineation will erase any previous work

Reporting Changes TAZ Menu  Report Changes –Both TAZs and TADs must be verified (software might ask to verify TAZs/TADs twice) –Creates a ZIP file in the MTPSData folder Contains shapefiles and BEF files for each county in the MPO coverage 46 The output ZIP file will be named something similar to TAZ_RA1234_Return.zip

FTP Changes to Census Bureau Secure Send-a-File Utility – –Enter username and password provided in participant guidelines 47 Browse to the location of the output ZIP file USCB employees address: Senders address:

Splitting Work Areas Modifying the SetupFile –Instructions provided in participant guidelines –Primary participant must complete verification on entire MPO before submitting to the Census Bureau –XML file required for the MTPS to function –Double-click the SetupFile to open 48

Splitting Work Areas Modifying the SetupFile –View  Source 49 Opens the SetupFile in a text editor (notepad)

Splitting Work Areas Modifying the SetupFile –Edit the CoreCountyCoverage and save (repeat as necessary to create multiple SetupFiles) –File name must include SetupFile at the beginning 50

Splitting Work Areas Dividing work administratively –Primary participant divides work up within a single county –Individuals will complete their delineation assignment Each will have unassigned area outside of their work area –Primary participant should collect all BEF files and import into MTPS for review on complete coverage Original setup file should be used Verification on entire coverage –Primary participant submits ZIP file with output to Census Bureau 51

IMPORTANT! Should you encounter any software errors (such as the one below) during delineation, please contact the Census Bureau immediately. Do not continue working! If you do encounter a software error, follow the procedures in your participant guidelines so that we can fix the error without loss of work. 52

Questions? TAZ Team