Visualization in Transportation Planning--From Visioning to Performance Measures

Date and Time: Thursday: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Kavli Auditorium

 

David Hutchinson, Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION

For decades, States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have been called on to use visualization techniques to strengthen public participation in project planning and delivery. Many agencies have become adept in using technology and cutting-edge visualization tools, while others seem stuck in a world of static Powerpoint presentations, hard-to-read tables, pie charts or bar graphs, and a few photos. The Sarasota/Manatee MPO incorporates advanced data science and visualization tools not only in public outreach efforts, but in developing and implementing its regional Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) to achieve goals and objectives across multiple transportation-related disciplines.

The MPO uses a performance-based, data-driven planning approach and incorporates extensive visualization methods with the public, elected officials, jurisdictional technical staff and other stakeholders. There are 8 performance measure areas in the MPO’s LRTP, each with long-range objectives and benchmarks.
• Safety | Security
• Infrastructure | Resiliency
• Mobility | Reliability
• Technology | Autonomy
• Economy | Tourism
• Environment | Conservation
• Equity | Livability
• Projects | Delivery


In recent years the MPO instituted a new level of Virtual Public Involvement (VPI) tools as encouraged by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), using visual and interactive formats to provide increased transparency and access to transportation planning activities. Using VPI tools allowed the MPO to pivot quickly at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic from a process based on numerous in-person public meetings and public engagement activities to a virtual participation model that provided elected official engagement and public participation opportunities while meeting Florida's stringent "Government in the Sunshine" requirements.

This presentation will briefly cover examples of visualization used in:
• updating the MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP);
• demonstrating how regional goals and plans support state and national objectives;
• regional vision/alternate scenario analysis;
• an award-winning public outreach program known as "Tuesday Traffic JAM!”;
• the region’s Destination Zero Safe Systems approach to reducing traffic fatalities and serious injuries;
• Transportation Performance Measures (TPMs) and Data Analytics;
• the MPO’s online Project Prioritization tool that uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools to rank projects based on goals, objectives and performance measures;
• other Web-based and printable materials visualization implementations used to convey complex technical information to various non-technical audiences; and
• even routine MPO activities such as federal certification and budgets.

MPO staff will be available for discussion and to further share how our visualization successes can be replicated.

For additional information please contact David L. Hutchinson (Dave@MyMPO.org) and visit the MPO’s website at http://www.MyMPO.org.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

David L. Hutchinson serves as Executive Director of the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). His multidisciplinary generalist/transportation specialist background spans 30-plus years combining policy, planning, public affairs and program administration. He approaches transportation planning in terms of relationships to land use, infrastructure interdependencies, community and economic development, systems operations, safety, security, equity, and resiliency.

Hutchinson joined the MPO staff in 2011. Previously he served as Director of Planning for the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, and worked for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Office of Policy Planning in Tallahassee and as Intergovernmental Liaison in FDOT’s District One Southwest Area Office.

Earlier he served as County Administrator for Grand County in Moab, Utah, and as Administrator/Assistant Road Supervisor there. He worked as Legislative Aide for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors District 1 for seven years and as National Public Relations Coordinator for the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau

He is a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), American Planning Association (APA), Transportation Research Board (TRB) and Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). Hutchinson serves on numerous regional and statewide committees, task forces and technical working groups.

PRESENTATION FILE