Overview

The Transportation Analysis section conducts a variety of transportation planning activities, many of which are required by federal and state legislation and regulations. Other activities provide substantial support to MassHighway and other state agencies and organizations. The major categories of activities are (click on title for description):

Transportation Planning Studies and Plans
Air Quality Activities
Statewide Traffic Modeling and RPA Technical Support
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Performance Monitoring Program
Freight Planning Activities

Transportation Planning Studies and Plans

The Transportation Analysis section performs, participates in, and manages several types of transportation planning studies, conducted either internally or by other entities such as consultant firms, the regional planning agencies (RPAs), and MassHighway. The level of involvement is project-specific, and it includes activities such as project development and analyses, coordination, technical assistance, and technical review. Often, these studies are part of the standard planning, design, and environmental processes required to advance a transportation project forward to construction. Other studies originate from directives in the Transportation Bond Bill, and may ultimately result in transportation improvements as well.

Click on the following link to see descriptions of Current Studies
Click on the following link to see descriptions of Recently Completed Studies

Members of the Transportation Analysis section played an integral part in drafting the new long range transportation plan for the Commonwealth titled A Framework for Thinking-A Plan for Action. This document presents the transportation mission, goals, and objectives for all of Massachusetts over the next 25 years. A Framework for Thinking- A Plan for Action will incorporate an open and cooperative public process to promote a safe, cost-effective, accessible, coordinated, and multimodal transportation system that provides increased mobility for people and goods.

Click here to access the official website for A Framework for Thinking- A Plan for Action.

Air Quality Activities

Much of Transportation Analysis' air quality activities are required under federal transportation "conformity" regulations. These regulations require that transportation plans, programs, and projects conform to a state air quality implementation plan (SIP). Conformity to a SIP means that transportation activities will not delay timely attainment of the national ambient air quality standards. These standards are quantified in emissions "budgets", and the Transportation Analysis section is responsible for measuring the effects of all transportation activities and projects on these budgets for Massachusetts.

Transportation Analysis participates in an ongoing conformity consultation process with FHWA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the RPAs. Through the use of traffic counts, forecasting models, and emission factors, Transportation Analysis is responsible for estimating the amounts of pollutants generated by all motor vehicles in the Commonwealth. Transportation Analysis provides a variety of information, including vehicle travel and registrations, that assists DEP in developing and updating the mobile source emissions budgets for conformity purposes. Transportation Analysis also provides or reviews small scale air quality analyses for individual projects proposed as part of the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) Program.

All of the air quality activities performed by Transportation Analysis help to ensure that conformity to the SIP - and therefore attainment of national air quality standards - is maintained each year. Since attainment of these standards is tied to funding targets, if future programs and projects were ever found not to conform, Massachusetts could lose millions of dollars in federal transportation funding.

Statewide Traffic Modeling and RPA Technical Support

Transportation Analysis conducts traffic modeling activities to meet several requirements. The traffic models are a necessary part of the federal air quality conformity process. These models are also an important part of many transportation-planning studies. Finally, the models are one of the tools used to develop project-level traffic forecasts and design factors for highway facilities throughout Massachusetts. Providing these forecasts supports the design, construction, and maintenance programs of MassHighway.

The Transportation Analysis section provides guidance and technical support to the RPAs in the development of federally mandated products, such as: regional transportation plans, transportation improvement programs, and management systems. A variety of socioeconomic, demographic and transportation data and forecasts form the foundation of these products, and Transportation Analysis gathers and develops these data.

Click here for a variety of data gathered and developed by Transportation Analysis.

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Performance Monitoring Program

Transportation Analysis is required by state regulation to conduct performance-monitoring activities on MassHighway's HOV facilities. These activities include conducting vehicle travel-time runs and tracking HOV usage through vehicle counts. Transportation Analysis prepares quarterly HOV performance reports to update other state agencies on regulatory compliance status. Other responsibilities include maintaining HOV statistics and responding to inquiries about the MassHighway's HOV program.

Freight Planning Activities

The Transportation Analysis section conducts ongoing freight planning activities as originally referenced by federal transportation regulations, including the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), and Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). These activities include developing freight facility inventories, representing MassHighway on freight advisory groups, and conducting regional freight studies.

Click here to read Identification of Freight Issues and Priorities.