Transportation System Information
and Forecasting
To better plan for future transportation needs, the Birmingham area MPO collects and analyzes data to support transportation and air quality planning activities, and to forecast future travel conditions using sophisticated computer modeling within the Birmingham metropolitan area. Travel data and forecasts are used by:
Transportation engineers and planners throughout the region to identify existing and future traffic problems and solutions
The Alabama State Legislature and U.S. Congress to make decisions regarding the allocation of state and federal funds
Regional, state and federal air quality experts to monitor traffic-related pollutants and conformance with air quality standards
Private sector marketing specialists as measures of accessibility and exposure
Transportation System Performance
Transportation system performance assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of the transportation system. The MPO has developed methods for monitoring current traffic congestion; employs the modeling and other techniques to forecast the travel pattern change and traffic congestion evolution; and, works with member jurisdictions to develop the transportation plans to mitigate traffic congestion in the region.
Transportation Data Center
The Data Center is the repository of the most requested and/or specially created transportation information. The online retrieval system provides the Birmingham Area MPO and Heart of Alabama RPO member governments and agencies, the consulting and business community, and the general public traffic count data via a user-friendly web-based tool. The Transportation Data Center also provides for storage, efficient management, update, analysis and retrieval of available transportation system data and performance measures to include transportation control device inventories and travel times through the Birmingham MPO and its rural counterpart, the Heart of Alabama Rural Planning Organization (HARPO). New transportation data and data management tools will be posted on the site as a part of the ongoing transportation data development effort.