Comprehensive Regional Plan - Northwestern Indiana Regional ...

A Multimodal Framework
The intermodal nature of Northwest Indiana’s transportation system offers the
greatest long-term benefits to our region. A challenge that the CRP addresses
involves how Livable Centers will take advantage of the region’s vast transportation
options by moving more people from inefficient means of travel, to those modes
that enhance our environment, health and quality of life.
TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES
ROADWAY NETWORK
Of all the transportation modes in use, by far the most prevalent are our
roadways. Since the end of World War II, our primary means of getting around
has been the automobile. In addition, over the past three decades, trucking
has overtaken railroads as the chief means to ship goods. The result has put an
enormous strain on our existing road network, with increased congestion and
deteriorating infrastructure. In response, community leaders continue to call for
expansion projects – such as widening roads or building new ones – while local
funds dry up for repairing their existing network.
Establish a
Congestion
Management Sub
Committee
Collect Data
Process followed
Development of Congestion
Management Objectives
Identify Area
of Application
Ongoing
Data
Collection
Clearly a new way of thinking must be advocated. The CRP’s emphasis for our
future roadway network is on increased efficiency. Here the direction is not
on expansion, but maintaining and improving our existing roads. A number of
activities are advanced in the CRP to help meet this objective:
Develop
Performance
Measures
Evaluation of
Comprehensive Plan
Scenarios
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Utilize Congestion Management Strategies
These seek to find means to maximize the use and efficiency of existing
roadway facilities. Common congestion relief practices include: travel demand
management, access management, new multimodal access (such as transit),
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and a range of other activities.
Institute System
Monitoring Plan
Identify /Evaluate Strategies
Ongoing
Data
Collection
Ongoing
System
Monitoring
IImprove System Safety
While the CRP has identified a range of safety improvements that could be made
on the network, roadway and railroad grade separations would be a major safety
enhancement in the region. Projects that help reach the goals of the CRP will
score high and eventually be constructed when the funding becomes available.
Incorporate Strategies
into
The RTP and TIP
Implement Selected
Strategies/Manage
System
Reform Project Selection Methodology
Monitor Strategy
Effectiveness
Ongoing
Strategies
Monitoring
Noteworthy is that the project selection criteria now in use by NIRPC likely will
be further refined in future years. These emphasize proximity to livable centers,
revitalization and infill locations and other land-use measures.
Traditional Congestion Management Process Steps