An Analysis of 2000 IH-35 Traffic Composition and Reassignment Solutions

Performed by:Manager: Caleb Kraenzel

Assistant Manager: Georgia ApplemanWebmaster/Analyst: Robert Roberts

Analyst: Stephen LeClairAnalyst: Matthew Manske

Analyst: Amanda Neal

Overview• Purpose• Scope• Primary Data• Results

– Traffic Density & Congestion– Freight Traffic– Commuter Traffic– Overall Composition

• Solutions• Conclusion

Purpose

• Determine the composition of the traffic on IH-35.

– What amount of the overall traffic is freight? Commuter? Miscellaneous?

• Knowledge of traffic composition can aide in the planning of solutions to help alleviate congestion.

Scope

Primary study area:Hays & Williamson County traffic input into Travis County.

The secondary study area :consists of Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal, and Bexar County.

Primary Data Sources• CTPP data

– Journey to Work Commuter Tables

• Statewide Analysis Model (SAM)– Mined necessary data and layers from SAM for analysis

• Projection- State Plane Texas Central 4203

• Spatial Units used in analysis– Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ)– County Level

Statewide Analysis ModelAnalyst Interface• Unable to use for spatial analysis

– Due to limitations of the software– Due to limitations of hardware

• Forced to revise methods• Broad data arrays in relational data bases

enabled us to conduct data driven analysis to complete project goals.

Results

Density of Traffic Counts

Congestion

• Analysis performed displayed differing areas of congestion along IH-35

• IH-35 becomes highly congested between Slaughter Lane and William Cannon Drive.

• Stays congested through Travis County

Freight Traffic MethodologyAssign sequential highway segment numbers from north to south on IH-35 in Williamson, Travis, and Hays County.

Sort by segment number

Select segments closest to county boarders with complete data record sets.

Compare results with the TxDOT IH35/SH130 Truck Diversion report

Add fields and calculate:

Truck_BA, %ComboTruck_AB, %ComboTruck_BA, EstTruck_AB, EstTruck_BA, EstTruck_AB25, EstTruck_BA25

Freight

Commuter Traffic Methodology

HIGHWAYSIH-35US 290US 183SH-95TAZ.SHP

SUMMERIZE CTPPSUMMERIZE CTPP

SUM TAZ SHAPEFILES

•Hays County TAZs•Williamson County TAZs

•Secondary Study Area TAZs

+

•Distance Determined Hays TAZs

•Distance Determined Williamson TAZs

SPATIAL ANALYST•Euclidean Distance•Reclassify•Raster Calculator•Convert to Polygon

Distance Buffer.shp+

Commuters to Work

Worker Commuters

Total2000: 105,642

Miscellaneous Traffic• Accounts for the highest

% traffic

•Constitutes further analysis

63%

Overall Composition 2000

YEAR 2000: IH-35 TRAFFIC COMPOSITION ENTERING TRAVIS COUNTY

Miscellaneous *239,537

63%

Freight 39,490

10% Commuters to Work

105,64227%

*Miscellaneous includes all traff ic that is not freight or commuters to w ork

COMPOSTION 2025YEAR 2025: IH-35 TRAFFIC COMPOSITION ENTERING TRAVIS COUNTY

Miscellaneous *625,440

56%

Freight63,754

8%

Commuters to Work

425,86438%

*Miscellaneous includes all traffic that is not freight or commuters to work TRAFFIC COUNT INCREASE FROM 2000 TO 2025

0

150,000

300,000

450,000

600,000

750,000

900,000

Commuters to Work Freight Miscellaneous*

traffic type

traf

fic

cou

nt

2025

2000

Errors and Variables

• Traffic variability on a daily basis must analyzed on an annual basis and/or average.

• Incomplete SAM data, missing data fields or error laden data entry.

• CTPP based sampling of 1 out of 6 long form census surveys containing commuter questions.

• Miscellaneous traffic could adversely effect percentage of freight or work-commuter percentages.

Solutions• Traffic Reassignment

– Street Network with weights assigned to roads

• Transportation Alternatives

• Legislative Solution

• Loop system Solution

Transportation Alternatives

• Each alternative removes drivers and their cars from the roadway and puts them into another mode of transport.

– Bus Systems

– Commuter Rail

Commuter RailCould remove up to

an estimated 8,500 commuter trips per day from IH-35 traffic. In 2025 trip totals are expected to double (17,000) commuter trips a day.

Legislated Freight Reassignment

• Possible freight reassignment routes by law?– By incentive?

Loop System

• The following solution was determined to be a potential alternative to alleviate traffic along IH-35 between San Antonio and Austin.

San Antonio’s highway loop system serves as a model for a diverse road network.

Conclusion

• Overall Composition

• Solutions

• Further Analysis– Any other analysis would require much more

data, sources, man power and time. Traffic is a never-ending equation.

Team Contributions

• Manager: Caleb Kraenzel• Assistant Manager: Georgia Appleman• Analyst: Stephen LeClair• Analyst: Matthew Manske• Analyst: Amanda Neal• Analyst/Webmaster: Robert Roberts

Website: http://geosites.evans.swt.edu/~G4427s05