This primer provides an overview of traffic analysis tools in the transportation analysis process. Different categories of traffic analysis tools are defined, and the challenges and limitations of using traffic analysis tools is presented. A specific comparison between Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) analysis and traffic simulation-based analysis is provided. Criteria for selecting the appropriate type of traffic analysis totool are described. A list of traffic analysis tools within each category and their corresponding website links is provided in an appendix. This is the first volume in a series of volumes in the Traffic Analysis Toolbox. The other volumes in the toolbox are: Volume II : Decision support methodology for selecting traffic analysis tools (FHWA-HRT-04-039, http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/tat_vol2/index.htm) and Volume III : Guidelines for applying traffic microsimulation modeling software (FHWA-HRT-04-040, http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficanalysistools/tat_vol3/index.htm). (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting