The article describes Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) panels that are helping States and metropolitan areas refine their travel demand models to enhance transportation decision making. A partnership called the Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) is conducting research and delivering technical assistance and training to transportation planners. The Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and FHWA cooperatively support TMIP. The partnership is helping metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation improve the techniques they use to inform decision makers on how growth in population and employment, development patterns, and investments in transportation infrastructure affect travel, congestion, air quality, and quality of life. Between June 1, 2003 and May 30, 2004, TMIP sponsored nine peer review panels held at the following locations: Denver, Colorado Regional Council of Governments, Atlanta, Georgia Regional Commission, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, Southern California Association of Governments, North Carolina Department of Transportation, and Iowa Department of Transportation. Individual reports on the issues and recommendations discussed at each peer review panel are posted on the TMIP Web site at http://tmip.fhwa.dot.gov/services/peer_review_program/status.stm.
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