Travel Time Value Calculator: The Development of an Analysis Utility in Cube/Voyager

Overview Background Travel Time Values Tool Tool as Catalog Tool as Template Tool as Application Further Developments

Background Assessment of Southeast Florida User Road Costs –Conducted by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. on behalf of the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT), District 4 –Developed Travel Time Value (TTV) rates and Vehicle Operating Costs (VOC) for various market segments in Southeast Florida –Monetary values in 2004 dollars

Background Florida DOT, Central Office develops TTV Tool –Requested by Florida DOT, District 4 –Use rates developed during the Assessment –Integrate TTV and VOC data with modeling in order to provide an additional dimension to project evaluation

Travel Time Values Tool Objectives of the Tool –Apply data supported rates for TTV and VOC to model estimations –Arrive at measurable dollar values on a link-by-link basis –Use the Cube/Voyager software package consistent with FSUTMS –Allow the process to be portable

Travel Time Values Tool Applying data supported rates –Selected Functional Classification as the market segmentation for rates: Rural Principal Arterial-Interstate Rural Principal Arterial-Other Rural Minor Arterial Rural Major Collector Urban Principal Arterial-Interstate Urban Principal Arterial-Other Freeways/ Expressways Urban Other Principal Arterial Urban Minor Arterial Urban Collector

Travel Time Values Tool Applying data supported rates (cont’d) –Each functional class was associated to an FSUTMS facility type and area type combination

Travel Time Values Tool Arrive at measurable dollar values –Model estimates were factored by dollar rates –3% inflation was introduced to allow the analyst to convert 2004 dollars to some other analysis year –Values output as link attributes on a loaded network

Travel Time Values Tool

Use Cube/Voyager and make the Process portable –Initial strategy involved developing a separate Cube catalog for the TTV tool –This was later refined to a “process template”

Tool as Catalog TTV Tool first designed as a catalog Cube catalogs organize model data and programs making models more manageable TTV catalog contains only a single application

Tool as Catalog Pros –Executed like other Cube applications –Scripting does not need to be replicated nor modified for each model analyzed –Can pull loaded networks from anywhere on the user’s computer –Allows user to customize rates, attribute names, and file locations making the tool compatible with data that deviate from FSUTMS standards

Tool as Catalog Cons –User must remember to pull the correct loaded network for input –Data output as a separate network file that may get overwritten or lost –Requires user to become familiar with interface –Needs to be executed separately each time data is desired

Tool as Catalog

Tool as Template Desire to integrate TTV and VOC calculations within the model stream Possible since the TTV tool can be contained in a single script The TTV calculator is added to a pre-existing model like any other Voyager template

Tool as Template

Pros –Automatically executed when model is run –Data output as link attributes in the final loaded network –Inputs are automatically passed through to the tool –No separate interface –Seamless integration

Tool as Template Cons –Script needs to be initially modified in order to ensure compatibility with the model –Model needs to be modified to include the new template –Can only be done if a tool is contained in a single script

Tool as Template

Tool as Application TTV calculator has not been developed as an application but other tools have been Allows more complex tools to be integrated with the model data Tool may still need to be run separately from the model but can automatically pull data from the current scenario

Tool as Application

Further Developments Continue to support and develop tools and scripts within Cube/ Voyager to enhance FSUTMS Additional ideas being developed or investigated: –Convert model data to HPMS analysis inputs –Automatically create input data for new scenarios –Report loaded highway network statistics

Further Developments Tools, utilities, and scripts will be made available to Florida model users on the FSUTMS website: Tools will be incorporated as they are developed into the training model and be made available to users

Thank you! Questions?