II. SURVEILLANCE

TASK 2.16 Microcomputer Model Refinement

During 2001-02, CDTC purchased an advanced software package to allow CDTC to move from its TMODEL2-based modeling system. Initial efforts with the new VISUM software are already underway. During 2002-03, work will include refinement to geographic detail (900 zones) and initial work on a detailed transit model.

TASK 2.30 Routine Highway Condition Inventory

The every-other-year survey of non-state federal aid roads was completed in 2001. Annual review of Albany County's conditions will occur in 2002.

TASK 2.25 Collection of Transportation Planning Support Data

CDTC continues to use interns for extensive data collection.

These general tasks will continue in 2002-03, increasing the Capital District's base of locally-generated travel data and travel relationships. A small consultant budget is included to allow for specialized traffic studies (in addition to routine and special counts by NYSDOT and its consultants.) The consultant effort will include speed monitoring and speed-delay data collection.

CDTC's add-on to the State University of New York at Albany's resident attitudinal survey was first conducted in 1996 and repeated annually since. This provides a nice time series of data, all set in the context of resident's attitudes toward other issues (job security, quality of life, etc.). Pedestrian issues were added in 2000. CDTC will repeat this effort again in 2002. The annual cost of this add-on is approximately $10,000.

CDTC will also gear up to collect before and after travel speed and delay data for the NY5 ITS signal project. This will occur in 2002.

Comprehensive transit ridership data collection will be a special contractual effort for 2002-03, estimated at $60,000.

TASK 2.28 Census / Household Travel Survey

CDTC's new Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) set was used by the Census Bureau in conjunction with the 2000 Census. The new TAZ set numbers approximately 900 rather than the traditional 471. This was completed in conjunction with the Census Bureau's "TAZ-UP" process. CDTC also participated in the Census Bureau's "WORK-UP" effort to better define addresses for places of work for the 2001 Journey to Work files.

CDTC transferred $175,000 of its funds to NYSDOT for use in the 2001 National Personal Transportation Study (NPTS) allowing for approximately 1800 data samples in the Capital District. This will save CDTC approximately $50,000 from estimates made for the cost of a household travel survey. It will also allow for consistency in data with the national data base and allow for maintenance of Capital District travel parameters in 2005 through tracking of national trends. Along with this approach, CDTC will tentatively plan to repeat the large scale sample again in 2010. Initial results of both the Census journey-to-work data and the NPTS data are expected in 2002.

During 2002-03, CDRPC will review its population projections and estimates against initial rollout of 2000 Census counts. Estimates will be refined for TAZ's and projections will be updated for minor civil divisions. Additionally, CDRPC plans to pursue an effort to define regional economic and demographic indicators for ongoing monitoring of conditions.

TASK 2.29 Regional Geographic Information System

This task is designed to permit the continued creation, modification, conversion, and maintenance of map features and data in conjunction with CDRPC’s NYSDOT-based regional GIS effort. CDRPC will continue to process and manipulate data and clip the information specific to the Capital Region and the communities within its jurisdiction.

For 2002-03, CDRPC will continue to incorporate parcel-level data and high-resolution orthophotography for the entire region and add this information to data coverages on the GIS.

The CDTC staff continues to make its own contributions to the regional GIS. During 2001-02, GIS data coverage development included refinement of both the state and local accident surveillance data conversions to ESRI GIS structures. Numerous GIS applications included drafts of the regional trails map, scenic byways maps, bike and pedestrian crash data maps and support mapping for various studies.

CDTC's Civil Rights and Environmental Justice work will be a major GIS product of 2002-03, along with Safety Management System work. GIS will also play a larger role in the New Visions 2030 / New Visions for a Quality Region effort than was possible in the previous New Visions processes.

TASK 2.31 Traffic Volume Report

CDTC continues to maintain a web-available report.