Tuesday, March 31, 2009

House Budget Includes $4.6B For Transportation Projects Statewide

The House released their $7.5 billion budget plan yesterday, and it includes $4.6 billion for more than 400 transportation construction projects across the state.

Despite shrinking revenues, the plan maintains a lot of funding for 'mega-projects' such as: $2.4 billion for Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement, $1.5 billion for a Tacoma-area HOV-lane project, I90 at Snoqualmie Pass would get $600 million, and the SR 520 floating bridge replacement would get $1.2 billion, much of it from tolls on the bridge.

But instead of the requested $350 million for our North Spokane Corridor, the House set aside $302 million. According to House transportation committee member John Driscoll, some of the difference between the request and what was agreed upon, ($14 million) would instead be spent to build a bridge separating traffic at the intersection of U.S. 195 and Cheney-Spokane Road. That intersection has been in the forefront since a 16-year-old driver was killed there in January in a traffic collision. The Senate plan had only set aside $250,000 for work at the intersection. That would have paid to realign a turn lane to improve visibility for cars trying to cross.

Driscoll also said that many projects included in a $341 million project list for federal stimulus dollars now look like they’ll come in under-budget. If that proves to be the case, the Spokane region might be able to get some of that money for North Spokane Corridor work.

Nothing Like Waiting Until The Last Minute

Happens every time seems like. Today is the last day to get your studs off... and it was snowing this morning. So don't say we didn't warn you. Snow or no snow, get those studs off so you don't have to pay a fine if you get pulled over. And ditto if you live in Idaho but work here. They'll still fine you even though you have another month to keep your studs on in Idaho.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Potential Red Light Violations Thrown Out

Over 300 potential red light violations had to be dismissed, meaning the City of Spokane may have lost some possible revenue from their red light cameras. Here's the Spokesman story.

Two Reminders For Tomorrow

#1- The Keller Ferry will be out of service for repairs tomorrow (Tuesday). Drivers need to detour via alternate State Routes. Service should resume at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

#2- Eastbound I-90 through traffic will be reduced to two lanes near the Thor-Freya exit tomorrow beginning at 9:00 a.m. until as late as 1:00 p.m. Crews will be repairing a damaged sign and equipment. All on and off ramps will remain open.

Don't Try This At Home (Or On The Freeway) Kids

I've seen people do a lot of weird things in their cars, including put on makeup, shave, eat cereal (or maybe it was soup), smack the kids in the backseat, and talk text or dial the phone. But I saw something yesterday that scared the heck out of me. A lady was blowing up balloons, and tying them, while driving on the freeway. What the heck?? I thought maybe it was just one balloon, but I noticed she had the back seat full of balloons so I paced her to see if she would blow up more. And she did. Just kept blowing them up, tying them, and throwing them in the backseat. Hmmm... talk about multi-tasking.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Hamilton Closure Planned For Sunday

Lane closures on Hamilton Street from North Foothills Dr. to Jackson Ave. are planned for Sunday, March 29, from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The street will be closed to northbound drivers while City crews lower a water main. Detours will be in place.

Regional Construction Map Media Coverage

KREM 2 News was at our news conference yesterday to release the 2009 Regional Construction Map and put together this story.

A Couple Of Things From The WSDOT You Should Know About

- On Tuesday, March 31, the Keller Ferry will be out of service for repairs. Drivers need to detour via alternate State Routes. Service should resume at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1st.

- On Tuesday, March 31, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until as late as 1:00 p.m., eastbound I-90 through traffic will be reduced to two lanes near the Thor-Freya exit in Spokane to repair a damaged sign and equipment. All on and off ramps will remain open.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Freya Project Starts Monday

Just a heads up- if you travel Freya Street between Wilding Avenue and Lincoln Road, you may want to find a new route starting next week. The County's project to reconstruct the roadway, widen to three lanes, and add sidewalks starts Monday (weather dependent of course).

Regional Construction Map Unveiled

It's been a busy day here at SRTC. We started the day with a 6 a.m. live shot with KHQ news to show off the 2009 Regional Construction Map. Then we had the official unveiling of the map at a news conference at 10:30 a.m.

You can pick up a copy of the map at Spokane City Hall, Spokane Valley City Hall, Spokane County Public Works building, and the SRTC offices. Or here's an electronic version if you prefer.

Better Get Those Studs Off

Just a reminder that studded tires must be removed by midnight, Tuesday, March 31. Winter driving conditions are still a possibility on mountain passes though, so be prepared by carrying chains if you're headed to the west side.

Have Fun While Helping To Fund Trails

The group 'Friends of the Centennial Trail' would like to invite you to their Adventure Auction, which helps pay to build trails in the area. The event blends items and adventures into a fun unique package. For example, Spokane Athletic Supply is donating a running package in which the winning bidder gets to run with Don Kardong. There are also over 100 silent and live auction items.

The auction takes place at Dance Street Ballroom on April 10 at 6:30 P.M. It's only $25 a ticket or $225 for a table of 10. There are only 180 tickets, so act fast! For Tickets call the Friends of the Centennial Trail office at 624-7188 or go to their website for more information.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Senate Budget Proposes $ For Bike/Ped Projects

The proposed senate budget came out at noon today and there are some good things on there for bicyclists and pedestrians in Spokane County. $93,500 is being asked for for the County's Ben Burr Pedestrian/Bike Trail Extension project. And $1,500,000 is requested for the City of Spokane's Market Street Pedestrian Improvements project, which includes reconstruction of sidewalk in the urban core.

We'll update you on other senate budget proposals tomorrow. And we'll continue to follow these proposals through the process to see how they fare, as nothing is guaranteed. Even so, it's encouraging to see that our Senators are pushing for bicycle and pedestrian projects in our area.

STA Getting $10.6M In Stimulus Money

Spokane Transit Authority will receive $10.6 million in federal economic stimulus money. So what do they plan to spend it on? New buses, including 10 diesel-electric hybrids. Here's the story.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

SmartRoutes Update

A group of SmartRoutes supporters has just returned from Washington, D.C. where they educated our congressional delegation and their staff on SmartRoutes. The group included Spokane City Councilman Richard Rush, Barb Chamberlain from WSU Spokane, and Amy Johnson from Greater Spokane Incorporated.

Members of the group met with Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers. They also met separately with staff members from each office. All were reportedly very receptive and welcoming of the SmartRoutes proposal. Councilman Rush reports that Spokane's case statement for SmartRoutes was a hit – easily one of the best presented. He says that where case statements from other communities left questions, ours provided answers and supporting data.

So here's what comes next; the SmartRoutes group would also like them to experience what money provided to SmartRoutes would do on the ground. They will attempt to schedule a walk or ride with each when they are in Spokane on break this spring.

For more information on SmartRoutes, here's a link to the website.

World's Cheapest Car Launched In India

The world's cheapest car has just been launched in India. Costing just $1,979, the 'Tata Nano' is in limited supply right now. A lottery will determine who gets to buy the 100,000 existing cars. Here's more about the tiny car.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Bikes- 2 Celebrities- 0

Bikers watch out, it's rough out there. If celebrities such as Matt Lauer and Lance Armstrong can't stay on their bikes, what hope do mere mortals like us have? Lauer was hurt when he hit a deer on his bicycle. Here's the story. And Armstrong broke his collarbone during a race in Spain. Here's what happened.

2009 Construction Map To Be Unveiled

The 2009 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map is hot off the presses. It will be unveiled at a news conference this Thursday, March 26. So if you don't have anything going that day, meet us in the parking lot of the Five Mile Prairie Grange at 3024 W. Strong Rd. at 10:30 a.m.

The map is an annual project shared by Spokane Regional Transportation Council, Spokane County, Spokane Valley, the City of Spokane, and the Washington State Department of Transportation/Eastern Region. It shows the major projects that will affect traffic county-wide during this construction season.

If you can't make the news conference, you can pick up your own map at Spokane County’s Engineering and Roads Division in the Public Works Building (1026 W. Broadway, 2nd floor), Spokane City Hall (808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., 1st floor Information Desk) and Spokane Valley City Hall (11707 E. Sprague Avenue, Ste. 106).

US95 Article In Spokesman Today

Some changes our 'sister' agency suggested for US95 aren't very popular with a few people in Coeur d'Alene, and a closure on Evergreen Road in Spokane Valley may not be very popular with people who travel through the area on a daily basis. Here's what's happening this week in transportation from the Spokesman's 'Getting There' column.

Take It Easy, It's Slick Out There

If you're not at work yet, take it easy on the roads. It looks beautiful and sunny out there but it's slick as... well, you know. Jeff just got into the office and he said he saw people spinning out on the freeway on-ramps, and I saw a couple slide-offs along the freeway on my way in. Plus, all the traffic reports on the news and radio shows this morning were going haywire with accident reports. Here's an article on an accident that has US 195 closed until 4 p.m. today.

Sigh... I thought it's supposed to be spring?

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Watch For Downtown Sewer Work

Drivers near downtown can expect lane closures this weekend as City sewer crews do maintenance work:

· Lincoln St. from Main to Riverside avenues will have the center lane closed to traffic on Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22.

· Post St. from Main to Riverside avenues will be completely closed to traffic on Sunday, March 22.

Safe Routes To Schools Issues Progress Report

The National Center for Safe Routes to School has completed a three-year progress report mapping the growth of SRTS throughout the nation.

The report includes case studies and updates on current state and national initiatives in support of communities building Safe Routes to School programs. Here's a link to the report. And yes, this time I did make sure the entire report is there.

Writer Likes Current Bus Benches

I hadn't heard anything lately about a move to change out benches at bus stops to a new design, but saw this letter in the paper today:

Spokesman-Review Letters to the Editor
Bus benches a service

I look at a bus bench ad I get a warm feeling, thinking, “What a thoughtful gesture of the business advertising on the back of the bench.” It is a community service done every day and night of the year. I imagine elderly people out for a walk might rest on them.

It would be wrong to replace them with a mesh metal bench that can’t be sat on when it’s cold or hot weather, and with no support for a person’s back. Should a child fall off backwards it could result in a serious head injury.

Leila L. Larson
Spokane


Anyone got the scoop on this? Is there a new move afoot to regarding bus benches in Spokane?

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

WSDOT Wants Your Child- For A Contest

I thought I had this one tied up, until I realized it was for people of elementary school age. Oh well. If your child is of that age, he or she can enter the fifth annual 'Bridging Futures' contest, brought to you by the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The goal is to educate children about issues surrounding wildlife and our roads, such as the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project that will make the road safer for people and wildlife (and bigfoot? No, that's just my little joke) by including two wildlife overpasses and numerous underpasses.

Students are asked to produce drawings that show how we can work to benefit both animals and people in transportation planning and include a written description of their thoughts on the topic.

The winner(s) will have their drawing made into billboards. All entries must be postmarked no later than April 20. Here's more info and the rules. So get those kids drawing. And if they do enter this contest, drop us a line, maybe we can post their work on here too.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Family Travels To Olympia To Ask For Intersection Fix

A local family who lost a member to a traffic accident testified before a House committee yesterday in Olympia in an effort to obtain safety improvements for Highway 195.

Lorissa Green was killed when she was struck by a pickup while pulling onto the highway at Cheney-Spokane Road. That intersection has seen 86 accidents in the past decade. Here's more from the Spokesman-Review.

How Does Washington Support Bicycling & Walking?

Wondering how Washington has encourages and supports non-motorized transportation? A new report published by the National Conference of State Legislators shows how state legislatures have proactively supported bicycling and walking as transportation choices. Here's a link to the National Conference of State Legislators website and that report.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Traffic Jams Can Cause Heart Attacks?


Stuck in traffic? Take it easy, your chance of suffering a heart attack just increased significantly. A new study out of Germany has uncovered evidence that getting stuck in traffic makes you much more likely to have a heart attack within an hour's time. Yikes, that means I'm prime for one right now after sitting through that mess on the freeway this morning!

Here's an article on the study results.

STA Numbers Continue To Rise

STA continues to see a rise in riders despite lower gas prices, the Fish Lake Trail gets more money, and the City approves two new construction projects. Here's what's happening with area transportation from the Spokesman's 'Getting There' column.

Downtown I90 Traffic Backed Up

If you're not at work yet and you have to head downtown, avoid westbound I90 through downtown. Traffic is backed up after a fatal collision on the Latah Creek Bridge.

The accident occurred about 6:30 a.m. after one car apparently became disabled about midway across the bridge and was struck by another vehicle headed west.

The identity of the victim has not been released.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Riverpoint Campus Master Plan Workshop

You're invited to participate in a master plan workshops next week for Riverpoint Campus partners Eastern Washington University and Sirti. The workshop is Tuesday, March 17, 3-5 p.m., at the Riverpoint Campus Academic Center Auditorium.

Presentations will include a summary of the recently completed Downtown Spokane Plan, overview of current campus/neighborhood conditions, results of a 2008 space study to accommodate current health/biomedical sciences programs, and conceptual ideas for the buildout of campus to assist in the update of the master plan for the Riverpoint Campus.

Here's a link for more info.

Fish Lake Trail Gets More Stimulus Money

The SRTC Board yesterday awarded an additional $469, 638 in stimulus funds for phase two of the City of Spokane’s Fish Lake Trail project. That money is in addition to $308,679 awarded the project in stimulus Enhancement funds by the Board last month, for a total of $778,317.

SRTC is responsible for allocating $10.4 million of stimulus money to local government agencies in Spokane County. In February, our Transportation Technical Committee recommended transportation projects to fund with that money from a list of previously-approved projects. At the end of the selection process, there was $469,638 left over; not enough to fund an entire project but enough to make an impact on a partially-funded project such as Fish Lake Trail.

The additional amount awarded to Fish Lake Trail means the City will be able to complete construction of phase two of the trail, a roughly $2 million project that includes paving 4.4 miles of trail, constructing a trail head, installing benches and safety components, and rehabilitating four existing former railroad bridges.

County Weight Restrictions Back In Effect

Thanks to a cold spell earlier this week, Spokane County’s Engineering and Roads Division temporarily suspended weight restrictions on county roads. It provided local companies a small window of opportunity to transport their products on county roads without concern for the weight of their cargo.

However, with the return of warmer temperatures, seasonal weight restrictions are again in effect and will be enforced.

For more information on road weight limits and restrictions, contact the Spokane County Division of Engineering and Roads at (509) 477-3600.

Get Your Green On & Get Off Downtown Streets

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is this Saturday, March 14, at noon. As usual, there will be a number of road closures downtown. Here's the route:

- Stage at the Spokane Arena. Floats will work their way from there to Spokane
Falls Blvd. on Washington St.
- east on Spokane Falls Blvd. to Bernard St.,
- south on Bernard St. to Main Ave.
- west on Main Ave. to Stevens St.,
- north on Stevens St. to Spokane Falls Blvd.,
- down Spokane Falls Blvd. to Post St.,
- across the Post St. Bridge, and back to the Arena.

All roads should be reopened by 3 p.m. If all that'ss too much for your green beer-addled mind to comprehend, here's a map of the parade route.

So how about it, who's going to the parade?

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Stevens Street Lane Reductions

Stevens Street from Main to Riverside avenues will be reduced to one lane from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow, March 13. Additionally, the sidewalk will be closed to pedestrians. The closure is needed to accommodate a crane.

Confusing Signs Coming Down

City of Spokane employees this week began removing some problematic signs, which were located on parking meters in downtown’s “Entertainment Parking District.” They will be replaced with this, hopefully clearer, sign on each block in the district.

The Entertainment Parking District is a new parking area that provides entertainment venues with specialized parking rules designed to provide more flexibility to large groups and tour buses. It’s a three-block area bounded by Madison Street, Post Street, Sprague Avenue, and First Avenue.

The signs are intended to inform motorists that a vehicle with a disabled parking placard can park for up to four hours at a metered location. Motorists with disabled placards can park free in all other metered parking spaces without limitation.

Last Chance To Take Non-Motorized Survey

This is your last chance to take the Non-Motorized Plan survey if you haven't already. The survey is only open through 5 p.m. tomorrow.

We're asking people who live or use the transportation system in North Idaho to take this survey by our 'sister' agency, Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization, on how you would like to see Kootenai County's bicycle and pedestrian system developed.

The survey results will help to identify policies, goals, and projects to include in a Kootenai County Non-Motorized Plan. To take the survey, click here, then hit the link at the top of the KMPO home page.

You do not have to be a Kootenai County resident to take this survey.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

4th District Town Hall Meeting

Listen up if you live in the 4th District, an area covering much of the Spokane Valley from the Pend Oreille County line on the north to 32nd Ave. on the south and from the Idaho State line on the east to Yale Road and Highway 2 on the west.

The 4th District legislative team is hosting a town hall meeting this Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at CenterPlace at Mirabeau Point Park, 2426 N. Discovery Place.

The 'team' is made up of Senator Bob McCaslin, Representative Larry Crouse, and Representative Matt Shea. They will present a progress report on the session's issues and accomplishments, and then open up the forum for your questions, comments, and opinions.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Two Things; A Warning and A Thank You

To start with, I would like to remind you all that, even mid-day, some of the outlying roads are slick as... well, you know. I just drove Trent from Sullivan to almost Hauser and, even going 35 miles an hour, was still sliding all over.

Second item, I would like to thank one of the County plow drivers. Actually, I would like to thank all of them, but one in particular who works my neighborhood. I don't know her name, but she is a short, blonde woman with short hair. She does West Newman Lake Drive, Sutton Bay Drive, and probably a lot of other roads in the Newman Lake area. She is always friendly, goes out of the way to plow the mouth of each road so we don't have to bust through a giant snow berm, and is careful not to plow in our cars in the many areas we have that are very tight. She also plows all the way down the resort road (which I'm not sure is a County road- hope I'm not getting her in trouble) and makes a loop at the bottom so the people who try to stick it out down there year-round can get out. And most important- she has snuck up on me a couple times when I've been cross country skiing, and she didn't lay on the horn and scare the heck out of me like other plow drivers have been known to do on occasion :)

Anyone you want to thank?

County Road Restrictions Temporarily Lifted

Due to the recent drop in temperatures, combined with requests from area businesses that are struggling to survive the current economy, weight restrictions on county roads will be temporarily suspended until Friday, March 13, 2009.

This will provide local companies a small window of opportunity to transport their products on county roads without concern for the weight of their cargo. Warmer temperatures are expected to return soon and weight restrictions will again be enforced.

For more information on road weight limits and restrictions, contact the Spokane County Division of Engineering and Roads at (509) 477-3600.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Browne Street Lane Closures

On Tuesday, March 10, from 9 a.m. until around noon Browne St. from Second to Third avenues will have the two west lanes closed to traffic. The lane closures are needed to accommodate a crane.

How Much Is A Trillion Dollars? An Illustrated Guide

With all the talk about the Stimulus Package going on, we've been hearing about some ludicrous amounts of money. And most of us have no way to comprehend how much a trillion or a billion is. A fellow governnment employee sent me
this handy-dandy tutorial from 'PageTutor.com' on just how much a trillion dollars is. I dodn't really have a way to fact check it, as I'll never get my hands on even a quarter of that kind of money, so take it for what it's worth. I thought it was interesting though.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

This News Release Just In From WSDOT

Olympia- Winter hasn't given up its grip on Washington just yet. Snow and ice greeted drivers in Puget Sound's higher elevations and mountain pass highways this morning, with snow showers in much lower elevations than early forecasts predicted. WSDOT closed I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and a portion of SR 18 near Tiger Summit during afternoon hours due to heavy snow, spinouts and collisions. Both roadways are now open.

There could be more snow to come in the overnight hours, and drivers should prepare for winter driving and possible black ice Friday morning.

And then Washington drivers can expect a quick breather before readying for the next round: a heavy storm forecasted to hit the mountains and most of eastern Washington late Saturday. Snow is also possible Saturday in western Washington's higher hills.

WSDOT uses tools and technology to manage and dispatch winter roadway crews 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week where needed most. These crews use salt and anti-icing compounds, or sand to treat and clear highways of snow and ice. On Snoqualmie Pass, close to 20 equipment operators will work over the weekend to keep I-90 safe and open. For more on WSDOT's winter operations visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter.

Before you go, check the WSDOT Web site and local media reports. It is also important to check the mountain pass reports for any scheduled road closures for avalanche control.

SRTC Stimulus Project List Released

Washington State will receive $492 million in federal transportation money from President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. SRTC is responsible for allocating $10.4 million of that money to local government agencies for transportation projects in Spokane County.

On February 25, SRTC held a special meeting of its' Transportation Technical Committee to discuss and recommend specific projects for that money. Today we released the list that was dervied at during that meeting. here's a link to it and other Stimulus Package information.

What's Happening On The West Plains? A Traffic Study

If you lie awake at night wondering, 'I wonder what transportation studies SRTC is working on right now?,' here's your answser: the West Plains- Spokane International Airport (WP-SIA) study.

That's right, with growth at the airport taking place and plans in the works for several development out that way, we were asked to take a look at what's happening in the area. It's pretty early in the study timeline (we're hoping to have it done before the end of the year) but here's a link to the WP-SIA project page. I've still got some work to do on it, but the basics are there now.

WSDOT: 'We'll Show You The Money!'

The Washington State Department of Transportation says they don't need no stinkin' stimulus act to get them to account for where your tax dollars go; they've been tracking spending and keeping you informed all along. Here's a link to the WSDOT blog and the ways you can make sure your money isn't being spent on a million dollar wrench.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Survey To Take If You Use North Idaho Transportation Facilities

Do you live, work, or play in Idaho but live in Washington? Or vice versa? If you spend any time using the transportation system in Kootenai County, we want to hear from you.

Our 'sister' metropolitan planning organization, Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization, is taking a survey on how you would like to see Kootenai County's bicycle and pedestrian system developed.

The survey results will help to identify policies, goals, and projects to include in a Kootenai County Non-Motorized Plan. To take the survey, click here, then hit the link at the top of the KMPO home page.

You do not have to be a Kootenai County resident to take this survey.

Please complete the survey by March 13, and thanks for your time.

WSP Looking For Laser Wielders

The Washington State Patrol is looking for witnesses who may have seen someone shining a green laser light into vehicles on Interstate 90 last night. Troopers say, not only can lasers hurt your eyes, but they're also distracting and could have caused accidents. Here are the details.

Bike To Work Week: Coming Up Soon


I know Bike To Work Week is still a while away (May 11-15), but you may want to check out their website now anyway.

Organizers say it will be more like ‘Bike to Everything’ week this year; elements are being added to encourage bike transportation for all purposes, not just getting to work. Spokane will be the first city in Washington to join the nationwide ‘Bicycle Benefits’ program, with businesses signed up to offer special discounts to cyclists. Individuals and teams will be able to participate in a new Commuter Challenge sponsored by Group Health.

And there are other new developments as well, along with other local non-motorized news. So just because registration for Bike To Work Week isn't open yet doesn't mean there aren't a lot of other reasons to visit the BTW website.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

STA Fare Meeting Reminder

No lunch plans today? If you work downtown, stop by the STA Plaza between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to give your opinion on STA's proposal to increase fares. Two drop-in style meetings are scheduled, one for today and one for tomorrow during those hours.

If you aren't familiar with the fare hikes here's the proposal on how much they would go up.

About SRTC

SRTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Spokane County. Urbanized areas with populations exceeding 50,000 people are required to have an MPO. SRTC was formed to address the county's transportation planning needs. It provides coordination in planning between the public, cities, small towns, the county, the state, transit providers, and tribes.

SRTC offers services including transportation monitoring, transportation modeling, census information analysis, travel demand forecasting, historical traffic count analysis, geographic information systems, and trip generation rates.