Travel demand is a critical factor in transportation investment decision-making. The travel demand model is a computer tool designed to estimate traffic volumes and speeds by analyzing land use patterns, socioeconomic characteristics of the population and employment, and the composition and configuration of the transportation system.
Travel demand model forecasts roadway segment volumes and speeds, as well as transit ridership on various transit routes. The model undergoes continuous updates and enhancements to maintain accuracy and relevance.
In 2024, OKI refined its Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) system and the corresponding transportation networks. A TAZ is a geographic unit used for analyzing travel patterns and forecasting transportation demand.
The integration of TAZs with socioeconomic data, and the highway and transit networks, form the backbone of travel models. Refining the zone system and network structure improves the model’s ability to accurately represent current and future travel behavior.
OKI also began processing and analyzing data from the transit on-board survey conducted in Spring 2024. This survey data, along with other traffic and travel datasets, will be used to validate and calibrate the updated travel demand model, which incorporates the refined zone system and network structure.
Throughout 2024, OKI’s travel demand model was instrumental in generating system performance measures to evaluate various scenarios in the OKI 2050 Plan Update. It supported the Air Quality Conformity analysis for OKI’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the 2050 Plan Update.
OKI continued to support the air quality analysis, certified traffic studies, and transportation planning initiatives for stakeholders in 2024. Notable projects included:
- Generating mobile source emission estimates for the Cincinnati area 2008 Ozone Standard Maintenance Plan.
- Conducting Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT) analysis for the North Hamilton Crossing project.
- Producing mobile source emission estimates for the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory.
- Select zone analysis to assess the impact of major developments in Covington on the Brent Spence Bridge as part of the Environmental Evaluation for the Brent Spence Bridge (BSB) Project (ODOT, KYTC).
- Traffic forecasting for the IR 275 at SR 450 Interchange Improvement Project (ODOT District 8).
- Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) traffic forecasts for the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) in collaboration with ODOT.
- Traffic analysis for the Road Diet Implementation on portions of West 8th Street and Linn Street, west of downtown Cincinnati (City of Cincinnati).
