01029834

Component

The paper draws on authors’ experience in partly leading a project, titled – Reality Check, the mission of which was to design and conduct a game where players allocate 2 million new residents and 1.6 million new jobs in the Metropolitan Washington region (MPO’s forecasts for 2030). This game involves 30 tables, each having 1 map/10 players (hint: Combine Monopoly, Lego‚ and SimCity‚ to get an idea!). The larger process is that of creating, reviewing and evaluating a regional visioning exercise and documenting the challenges related to using a regional GIS database in mapping, discussions and post-process evaluation. The research had three main challenges. One, create a legible physical map with adequate information that encourages regional thinking among various policymakers. Two, optimize digital translation of such information. And three, devise methods to analyze data and calculate reliable indicators (without using commercially available planning support systems). The project uses polygonal grids (vector GIS) for analyzing results that are presented as “synthesis” and “agreement” maps (average and standard deviation) and indicator tables (outliers). The results are eventually compared with the regional forecasts on a spatially disaggregated scale to evaluate transportation and spatial implications.

01020180

06-1145

English

14p

2006

Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting

CD-ROM

Figures (7) ; References

Data analysis; Forecasting; Future; Geographic information systems; Maps; Policy making; Regional planning; Spreadsheets; Vector analysis

Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; I10: Economics and Administration

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2006 Paper #06-1145

TRIS, TRB

Mar 3 2006 10:36AM