Development and Application of a Mobility Monitoring Process and Guidebook for Small to Medium-sized Communities

Transportation professionals in growing small- to medium-sized communities (SMSCs) struggle with congestion issues. SMSCs are defined as communities with a population less than 200,000. Extensive resources and literature are dedicated to measuring, monitoring and improving large urban area congestion, but resources are scarce for SMSCs. Guidance is needed for SMSCs practitioners to better identify, measure, and alleviate congestion before the problems escalate. This paper discusses the results of a research project sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The project?s primary objective was to develop and test a framework suitable for monitoring mobility in SMSCs. Practitioners including state DOT staff and staff of their partnering agencies (e.g., metropolitan planning organizations [MPOs], municipalities, and counties) interested in mobility monitoring in SMSCs will find the research products valuable resources. This paper first highlights key points gleaned from the available literature. Performance measures are presented and discussed. Second, the paper presents the development of a six-step mobility monitoring framework and its application in two SMSCs. The framework was developed to be user-friendly. The mobility monitoring process was conducted in Bryan/College Station, Texas and Huntsville, Texas. Third, the paper discusses methods to communicate results to a wide audience. Several graphical techniques are presented and discussed, including intraday directional traffic volumes and travel rate indices within a corridor. Fourth, the paper highlights available resources to assist practitioners performing mobility monitoring in SMSCs. Finally, the authors summarize general conclusions and future research needs.