PLANNING, DESIGN, AND OPERATION OF TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IN HOUSTON, TEXAS: 1995 SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES. INTERIM REPORT

This report summarizes the activities conducted on a variety of topics for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Houston District. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) conducted the following studies on the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes: field studies on five HOV facilities to measure vehicle occupancies, volumes, and travel times; vehicle counts at 29 park and ride facilities to determine usage rates. TTI developed justification statements for ramp metering, road user cost analyses for U.S. 59, and traffic analyses for the Memorial City area on I-10 Katy Freeway. The project staff developed and conducted specific traffic analyses in the South Main/Texas Medical Center area to measure travel times and origin/destination patterns to address mobility and potential transportation improvements. There were two efforts in Freeway Incident Management: 1) development of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for traffic management application; and 2) monitoring and evaluation of the Motorist Assistance Program (MAP). TTI conducted urban planning studies on over 7600 sections of roadway for inventory statistics, travel time and speed parameters, and vehicle classification data. TTI collected general traffic data collections to maintain the Houston District database and to support the road user cost analyses made for specific areas. The project staff conducted the following studies: a public information study on Houston mobility and safety at the Houston Auto Show; focus groups to select a "formal" name for Houston's new Traffic Management Center (Houston TranStar); and development of an informational brochure for the opening of the Fred Hartman Bridge in Baytown, Texas. TTI conducted significant work for the central control system design: software development of Houston TranStar and coordinated efforts with TxDOT and their Systems Integrator, Loral, in multiple aspects of preparing for the opening of the traffic management center. TTI continued the development of the Houston AVI - Phase 2 program with the recruitment of 3,000 volunteers to serve as AVI probes. TTI provided technical assistance to TxDOT in the preparation of proposals, work orders, and other documentation in conjunction with the development of several cooperative projects with the Federal Highway Administration as well as other local transportation agencies.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/hostedpdfs/tti/1986-1.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/83376
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Research study title: Planning, Design, and Operation of Transportation Facilities in Houston - Phase II.
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Transfer Office, P.O. Box 5051
  Austin, TX  United States  78763-5051
• Authors:
  • McCasland, W R
• Publication Date: 1995-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 38 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Development; Facilities; Field studies; Operations; Research; Transportation planning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Geographic Terms: Houston (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Highways; Research; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00724964
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: TX-96/1986-1, Res Rept 1986-1, TTI: 7-1986
• Contract Numbers: Study 7-1986
• Files: NTL, TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 27 1996 12:00AM