District 6 Technical Planning

District 6’s Technical Planning Unit provides, and reviews travel demand information and analyses in support of the Traffic Operations Unit for the Project Development and Environmental Division project development process, and in support of local agency or developer projects. Travel demand information and analyses are used to identify current and future deficiencies on the State Highway System, to provide data for the evaluation of proposed improvements, and to aid the Environmental Unit in the analysis of air quality.

The Technical Planning Unit works with and uses the Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, and Madera, Metropolitan Planning Organizations’ (MPOs’) regional travel demand models. In cooperation with the MPO’s, local agencies, and Caltrans’ various Planning units, Technical Planning provides planning or corridor studies with conceptual designs to aid City and County land use approval agencies with geometric design concepts for short-term, mid-term, and long-range planning.

In addition, Technical Planning provides Traffic Indices/Design Designations (TI/DD’s), Benefit-Cost Analysis, and microsimulation that can be used in support of operational analysis, need and purpose, and for public information meetings.

Technical Planning Products and Services

  • Traffic Forecasting
  • Traffic Indices and Design Designations (TI/DD’s)
  • Truck Rate by Axle
  • Pedestrian Count Volumes
  • Existing and Estimated Future AADT volumes
  • Existing and Estimated Future Design Hourly Volumes
  • Travel Demand Model Development
  • Origin and Destination Studies
  • Network Planning
  • Air Quality Performance Parameters: vehicle miles traveled (VMT), vehicle hours traveled (VHT), vehicle hours of delay (VHD), and speed distributions
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis
  • Feasibility and Corridor Studies
  • Microsimulation
  • Planning Cost Estimates
  • GIS
  • Planning Newsletter

How to Request

For all requests send a memorandum addressed to Emad Abi-Rached, Senior Transportation Engineer, Technical Planning Branch.

Include in the memo:

  • Title Sheet or Vicinity Map with project or study location
  • Project Route and Limits (Post Miles)
  • EA Number and Project ID
  • Type of work to be performed by the project
  • Construction Year (CCA or when project is anticipated to open to traffic)

Design Designation and Traffic Index

  • Allow 4 – 6 weeks to complete

Existing and Future Traffic Volume Forecasting

Intersection, Interchange, or Capacity Increasing and Operational Improvement Projects.

  • Include as much geometric design detail as possible, including local road improvements and detours.
  • Early consultation is encouraged, particularly on complex projects. Requests should be made after joint consultation with Design and Traffic Operations Units to determine the deliverables and the schedule.

Microsimulation Studies

Microsimulation can be used for public information presentations or in support of traffic operational analysis.

  • Consultation with the Technical Planning is encouraged as early as possible. Timeframe for completing is dependent on workload and project complexity.

Benefit-Cost (B/C) Ratio

BC ratios are typically required on STIP project as part of the CTC fund approval request.

  • Additional information needed for B-C analysis includes all support (i.e. PA&ED, PS&E, R/W, Construction) and capital (R/W and Construction) costs and length of construction period
  • Allow 4 weeks for analysis to be completed

Air Quality Inputs

Many environmental documents will require noise and air quality studies.

  • Requests should be made after joint consultation with Design, Traffic Operations, and Environmental Units to determine the deliverables and the schedule

Conceptual Geometric Designs

Technical Planning provides conceptual geometric designs as part of joint planning between Caltrans and our local agency partners. These products are available upon request.

  • Consultation is needed to determine the scope and issues to be considered for conceptual designs

Contact

Emad Abi-Rached
Branch Chief
Senior Transportation Engineer
Phone: (559) 246-7342