Over the last 25+ years, mobility analysis has changed dramatically and TTI has consistently been at the leading edge, working with sponsor states to improve the practice. Topics of the MASTER study have included evaluating data and data sources, developing new performance measures, refining calculation procedures, conducting sensitivity analyses, exploring target-setting, communicating and visualizing performance measures for diverse audiences, and syntheses on “hot topic areas” (e.g. applications of artificial intelligence.)
MASTER sponsors meet in-person annually to interact with one another and learn from each state’s challenges and solutions as well as brainstorm future research questions. Sponsors also have access to TTI’s national mobility experts to help apply research products to their unique situation or assist with implementation of study products.
Selected Publications
The following are selected publications produced through the pooled fund study that have been reviewed, modified and approved by the sponsors. Material that is the subject of non-disclosure agreements is not included here.
Data & Data Products
Summary of Feedback Gathered on Strengths and Challenges of Mobility Data Platforms (August 2022)
This document summarizes user experiences across various passive mobility data platforms based on responses gathered from a series of surveys and online interactions. The takeaways listed in the document will help users make informed choices for their future data needs.
State of Emerging Mobility Big Data Sources and its Applications (August 2022)
This document focuses on big data-based mobility products and their applications. The report is an update to the 2019 document “Tools and Best Practices for Using Passive Origin-Destination Data.” The 2022 report focuses on data products rather than data sources.
Quality of NPMRDS Data on Lower Volume Roadways (August 2019)
In this task, the team summarized findings of the nature and magnitude of differences between speed data captured by permanent monitoring stations installed by state departments of transportation and corresponding speed data in the National Performance Measurement Research Data Set (NPMRDS) on lower volume roadways in three states (Colorado, Texas and South Carolina).
Methodology & Calculation Guidance
Keys to Estimate Mobility in Urban Areas: 3rd Edition – 2021 (August 2021)
This modernized “Keys Report” provides several updates on how practitioners conduct mobility analysis with state-of-the-art mobility measures to enhance performance monitoring, alternative selections, and solutions-oriented policies and targets. This update provides an explanation of theoretical concepts, a detailed process for performing analyses and selecting measures, detailed reference guides and equations for the most-used mobility measures, and tips for communicating and visualizing mobility measure results.
Freight Measures for Transportation System Resilience (August 2021)
This paper documents the results of an investigation to develop and apply transportation system resilience measures with applications across various geographic scopes.
Congestion Pie Chart for Different Sources of Congestion (March 2021)
Presents information on the causes of congestion (both recurring and non-recurring) from a literature review meta-analysis.
Project Prioritization Practices and Methods (May 2020)
Presents information on current practices, approaches, and tools for project prioritization that may improve system performance, address community desires, and includes policy elements for system needs and mobility strategies.
Estimating Planning Level Reliability from Major Projects (April 2019)
Understanding and estimating travel time reliability is critical for mobility analyses, project prioritization and other transportation analyses. This document discusses four groups of tools (and associated case studies) for measuring roadway network reliability, including 1) sketch-planning methods, 2) post-processing methods, 3) simulation or multiresolution methods, and 4) monitoring and management tools and methods.
Communication & Visualization
Advanced Tableau Guidance for Transportation Uses (December 2019)
Provides practical tips and guidelines for using Tableau software to achieve visualization goals and build useful, Section 508-compliant transportation visualizations.
Transportation Performance Monitoring Visualization Tools (December 2017)
This paper reviews and discusses examples of both “dynamic” and “static” visualizations, the effectiveness of the suggested chart styles and graphic choices, and the advantages and limitations of the technological tools used to create the visualizations.
Current Sponsors
- California DOT
- Colorado DOT
- District of Columbia DOT
- Florida DOT
- Idaho DOT
- Illinois DOT
- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
- Maryland DOT-State Highway Administration
- Minnesota DOT
- New York DOT
- North Carolina DOT
- Oregon DOT
- Pennsylvania DOT
- South Carolina DOT
- Virginia DOT
- Washington DOT
Requested Funding
$35,000 per year