WTI

Montana Rest Area Usage: Data Acquisition and Usage Estimation

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

There are no reports associated with this project.

Project Objective

The objective of this research is to develop Montana-specific rest area usage guidelines with respect to water usage and traffic (vehicle, patrons) in order to supplement, replace and /or confirm current practices for rest area site selection, design and facilities management.

Project Abstract

Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) evidence suggests that rest areas located along lower volume rural roadways receive higher volumes of vehicles/patrons owing to fewer opportunities to stop elsewhere. These sites receive different volumes of traffic than those accounted for by AASHTO’s guidance, and, as a result, the prediction of sizing and usage is difficult based on the provided criteria. Subsequently, MDT’s concern is to avoid over-designing a facility where usage may be lower than the norm in order to make the best use of scarce financial resources. Conversely, there is also the concern of under-designing a facility, requiring costly renovations and expansion at a future date. Finally, MDT would also like to predict and track the expected life of rest area facilities based on asset management processes, which require extensive amounts of usage data. As a result of these concerns and needs, research is necessary to refine the figures employed in the estimation of Montana rest area use. In particular, it is necessary to obtain Montana-specific figures related to water flow, pedestrian traffic, vehicle traffic counts and classifications, and vehicle dwell times for trucks and smaller vehicles. This information will subsequently provide MDT with up-to-date figures that may be employed in usage estimation for rest area design and rehabilitation activities. The use of specific figures obtained in Montana will facilitate fiscally sound decision making through the avoidance of facility over or under design.

Task Descriptions

1. Project Management
   1. Project Management is essential to ensure effective communications and accountability between the MDT and WTI throughout the project.
2. Data Collection
   1. Data collection activities include literature review, compilation of states’ rest area policies, site data collection (vehicle and patron traffic, vehicle dwell time, and water usage).
3. Interim Report
   1. The PI will develop an interim report that provides a summary of data collection efforts including preliminary summaries of the data collected to date, as well as discuss any challenges encountered. Coinciding with the interim report, a meeting will be held with the project Technical Panel to review activities to date, as well as present and discuss upcoming data analysis plans and activities.
4. Data Analysis
   1. Data analysis activities will focus on the development of usage models and rates and an implementation guide. The data collected during phase I will be analyzed to develop models for estimation of rest area usage. The models will allow for estimation of vehicular traffic stopping at the rest area, pedestrian traffic using the rest room facilities, and water use.
5. Final Report
   1. This task will consist of the compilation of the Final Report and Project Summary Report. These documents will present the results of the overall research effort. Present Montana practices and procedures will be detailed, highlighting any deviations from current AASHTO guidance based on the data collected. Recommendations will be provided to assist in refining MDT procedures for calculating rest area usage. Recommendations for rest area data acquisition and analysis by MDT in the future will also be provided.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

True

Relationship to Other Research Projects

False

Technology Transfer Activities

True

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Rest Areas, Facility Design, Facility Planning

Partners

Montana Department of Transportation