Estimating transportation impact indicators for a regional participatory visioning process: An approach

Regional participatory visioning processes (RPV) using recently developed computerized planning support systems (PSS) that estimate the impacts of land use activity on travel patterns at a sketch-level of analysis is the focus of this dissertation. The goal of this research is to develop guidelines for the continuous improvement of PSS intended for RPV, in the area of land use impacts on transportation using transportation impact indicators from the perspective of RPV participants. The main research question is: "how do potential participants of a RPV perceive transportation impact measures?" A second question is "how can a PSS support a RPV and create the conditions to integrate it to its broader metropolitan transportation planning activities?"; This exploratory research is a case study of Common Ground: A Blueprint for Regional Action, in the Chicago region. The methods used were participant observations of a RPV process; a survey and two focus groups of potential participants of a RPV; and an illustrative exercise to estimate transportation impact indicators using a PSS.; Findings revealed that relevant indicators are those that inform about congestion; account for transportation corridors; used multimodal factors; and reflect a multitude of levels of development in the region. The study also identified recommendations about improving the design of a PSS-based RPV that affect the development of transportation impact indicators. The recommendations include attending the diversity of participants, including underrepresented groups; design a flexible RPV process; make the region relevant; represent a desired future using information aids; clarify the value of visioning; provide quality information; acknowledge educational needs; and promote coordination among jurisdictions.; The resulting set of guidelines include principles for RPV; a regional planning framework; strategies; issues; criteria for selecting a PSS; steps to develop transportation impact indicators; and participants' profile.{09}The study concludes that PSS can benefit from developing a regional platform to address transportation impact indicators by drawing from conventional transportation planning practices, while setting a new agenda on PSS indicators.