managing travel for planned special events - FHWA Operations ...

events. Table 10-9 summarizes key topicsof a qualitative evaluation.Table 10-9Key Topics of a Qualitative EvaluationTOPIC• Quality of pre-event information• Quality of day-of-event information• Direction provided to the event and at thevenue• Traffic management at the site• Egress from the venueQuantitative Evaluation1. The Dutchess County Fair TrafficPlan, New York State Department ofTransportation, Presentation at the2002 ITS New York Meeting, SaratogaSprings, Ny., June 5--7, 2002,24 pp.2. Indiana State Police 2002 BrickyardRace Detail, Indiana State Police,2002.3. “Minutes of the Volusia CountyFreeway Incident ManagementTeam,” Volusia County Freeway IncidentManagement Team, March13, 2002.The quantitative evaluation provides a numericalpicture of the event. Figures such ascosts, hours saved, incidents handled, andpassengers carried provide a view which canbe compared with similar events and providea metric to judge how well the traffic managementplan worked. As the saying goes,what gets measured gets done. If that is thecase, then involved stakeholders shouldidentify, before the event, what they wish tomeasure. While computer programs allowany number of items to be tabulated andmeasured, a good understanding before theevent will facilitate the measurement of thekey areas identified.The quantitative evaluation is very usefulwhen conducting a cost/benefit analysis ofactivities for the planned special event.Knowing where the most benefit was realizedfor the costs incurred can help in theplanning process to see if resources shouldbe reallocated for the next event.REFERENCES10-12