The Houston-Galveston Area Council has been engaged in developing a new generation of travel demand forecasting tools known as activity-based models, which simulate all movements of individual persons and vehicles versus the current trip-based model which only considers work commutes. H-GAC is also involved in collecting various traffic data through travel surveys and traffic counts within the H-GAC Metropolitan Planning Organization region to verify model data. These resources are used in a variety ways, such as developing H-GAC’s long-range Regional Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Programs; conducting roadway & transit feasibility analyses; and public safety planning.
Over the past few years, the Texas Transportation Institute has assisted H-GAC staff with model development, data collection, preparation, validation, and conversion. The Texas Transportation Institute has also supported H-GAC staff in other planning applications; primarily providing consulting and training support for developing congestion mitigation performance measures, crash and traffic data analyses, and Intelligent Transportation Systems plan expansions.