Abstract:
Alabama is home to 12 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) covering portions of 14 counties. Outside of these MPO boundaries, in the remaining 53 counties, roadway planning is limited in scope due to the time and data needed to build a comprehensive and accurate roadway model. The Alabama Transportation Infrastructure Model (ATIM), currently under development at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, has the potential to assist non-urban community and roadway planners in more accurately forecasting the impact of economic development and associated freight generation on their local roadways. The ATIM incorporates the major highway network of the entire state of Alabama and links the multiple MPOs in urban areas, allowing for identification of congested roadway sections outside of the MPO jurisdictions. It also allows simulation and comparison of alternative congestion relief strategies and their impact on the transportation system performance. By providing a more precise understanding of freight movement between MPO boundaries, the ATIM promises to assist both rural areas and the MPOs in planning for future growth due to industry development throughout the state.
