GDOT Technical Planning Services

Purpose of Project

GDOT’s Technical Planning Services project is an on-call project that requires consultant teams to provide technical planning assistance including but not limited to statewide and regional travel demand modeling, transportation data analysis, transportation projects evaluation, and all data-driven performance-based technical support.  

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Our Role on the Project

As prime consultant, MMP is assisting GDOT to update and enhance the Georgia Statewide Travel Demand Model (GSTDM) to a base year scenario reflecting 2019/2020 condition and 2050 forecast scenarios under the GDOT Planning Technical Support Services Contract. Updates include a detailed review and refinement of the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) structure based on the 2020 census data, Trueshape network update based on HERE data, review of socioeconomic data, reasonableness checks and validation of trip generation, distribution, mode choice, and assignment steps. Additional enhancements to the GSTDM include the following:  

• Update the freight component using the 2019/2050 Transearch to improve the accuracy of freight forecasts and to support the Freight and Logistics Plan  

• Incorporate resiliency into GSTDM performance measures by connecting the infrastructure resiliency measures with travel demand and scenario planning 

• Integrate GSTDM with REMI model and other economic or benefit cost analysis tools to assess the over economic impacts of various transportation investments.

• Integrate GSTDM with MPO models to improve forecasting accuracy and efficiency, as well as streamline the development of both network and socioeconomic forecast 

 

Under this contract MMP is also developing, validating and updating all 14 MPO travel demand models in Georgia outside of Atlanta for each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) update. This includes updating and validating the base year model, including a detailed review of socioeconomic data, as well as developing the future year Existing-Plus-Committed (E+C) model, future year scenarios, needs plan and fiscally constrained plan models.  MMP documents all refinement and validation results and presents them to the MPO Technical Coordinating and Policy Committees. 

In addition to travel demand modeling, MMP is leading the consultant team to provide on-call technical analysis including:  

• Equity and resiliency analysis for programmed projects 

• Freight and truck projection and scenario evaluation using travel demand model data 

• Technical training courses and guides to GDOT planners 

• Air quality policy guidance and air quality impact analysis  

• Project specific modeling analyses to support project justifications, grant applications, and funding scenario evaluation 

• Big data analysis and application  

• Project evaluation and prioritization framework to support State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) development 

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Problem Solvers

MMP has a functional project organization structure that is able to support the GDOT planning office with travel demand modeling, data analysis, program project evaluation and all other ad hoc requests. MMP understands the best practice on technical planning analysis and proposes suitable approach for GDOT planners’ needs. MMP incorporates various of data sources into GSTDM including equity, safety, economic and resiliency to help evaluate potential projects and performance measures. MMP team works as extension staff of GDOT providing timely and proactive support.