The following documents are an overview of the tools available in the NPMRDS tool suite. They explain the User Interface and show the tools.

Introduction

The Home Page is the default page users are brought to when they log in to the NPMRDS Tool Suite. Here, the user has access to a menu of quick links that can bring them to a variety of the most useful reports for either focused or regional analyses.

Route Analysis is a collection of route report templates intended to quickly provide insights or export data about one or more specific routes.

Regional Analysis is a collection of preset parameters for the Macro Tool. Clicking on one will open the Macro Tool with parameters intended to provide specific insights.

Left Navigation Panel provides links to quickly access the different tools offered in this suite. The sections are:

• Route Creation - Map tool for creating a specific route for use in analyses
• Folders - Organizational structure for user-created content
• • Routes - Collection of default and user-created routes made using the Route Creation tool
  • Reports - Collection of default and user-created reports and templates
• Macro - Map tool used for configuring parameters, visualizing information, and exporting user-defined data.
• PM3 - At a glance dashboard for visualizing Map-21 performance measures

Frequently Asked Transportation Planning Questions

Q: How can I find a route's recent behavior?

A: Utilize the Snapshot Report Template to discover key metrics about an average day in the past calendar year on a chosen route.

Q: How does a route behave differently depending on time of year?

A: The Seasonality Report Template is used to analyze seasonal behavior on a selected route and compares data for a season against the full year. The report looks at average speeds and congestion and is intended to give the analyst a seasonal view of a particular route over a year. Each route is color-coded to represent its season.

Q: Is there a way to better understand and evaluate a two-way road?

A: The Bi-Directional Route Analysis Template (Intermediate) is designed to look at the behavior of two directions of a bi-directional corridor. It is set up to show yearly averages for each year of the NPMRDS.

Q: What does a typical week look like for a particular route?

A: The "Weekly Averages (Beginner)" template provides a breakdown of a selected route's typical behavior on each day, Monday through Sunday, showing speeds and hours of delay.

Q: Can I analyze a route before and after a specific time period to evaluate a change?

A: The Single Route Before and After (Beginner) report template is intended to give an analyst a view of a particular route before and after a certain time frame. It compares a single route's average speeds and congestion before and after a user-specified time period.

Q: How can I look at and compare a routes long-term behavior patterns?

The Year Over Year Report Template (Beginner) report shows the travel time and average hours of delay for a single route across multiple years. The report is intended to give the analyst a year over year look at changes to average hours of delay and travel times.

Q: How does a routes monthly behavior compare with the previous month and the same month last year?

A: The This Month vs. Last Month vs. Last Year Template (Advanced) is intended to give the analyst a month vs month, and month by year over year look at changes. It compares a month's travel time, average hours of delay, and speed to the previous month and the same month the year prior.

Q: How can I look at an overview of congestion on a particular route?

A: The Monthly Congestion (Beginner) template is intended to give the analyst a monthly view of a particular route over a year. It is used for analyzing congestion by comparing speed and travel time across all months of a single year.

Q: How can I look at an overview of Speeds on a particular route?

A: The Monthly Speed Comparisons template is used to compare the latest full year to all-time and analyze the performance by month for the latest year.

Q: Which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay?

A: The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Total Excessive Delay (TED) - Person Hours" maps the total excessive delay for all vehicles.

Q: Which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay for Trucks?

A: The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Truck TED - Total Excessive Delay for Trucks - Vehicles Hours" maps the total excessive delay for just trucks.

Q: Which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay during peak hours?

A: The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Peak Hour Excessive Delay (PHED) - Person Hours" maps the excessive delay for peak hours.

Q: Which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay for trucks during peak hours?

A: The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Truck PHED - Peak Hour Excessive Delay for Trucks - Vehicle Hours" maps the excessive delay of trucks only for peak hours.

Q: Which segments have the highest amount of recurrent (regular/normal) delay?

A: Recurrent delay is a measure designed by AVAIL that highlights segments of the road that experience regular delay issues from road design, signals, or high volumes. The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Recurrent Delay" maps this measure to segments.

Q: Which segments have the highest amount of non-recurrent (irregular/abnormal) delay?

A: Non-Recurrent Delay is a measure designed by AVAIL to quantify delay associated with incidents. The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Non-Recurrent Delay" maps this measure to segments.

Q: Where are peak hour travel times most variable for commuters?

A: The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Car (Level of Travel Time Reliability - LOTTR)" depict peak hour speed distributions for cars only on a given segment and exclude trucks.

Q: Where are peak hour travel times most variable for freight delivery?

A: The Macro Tool's Regional Analysis, "Truck (Level of Truck Travel Time Reliability - TTTR)" depict peak hour speed distributions for trucks only on a given segment and exclude cars.

Common Transportation Planning Needs

N: I need to export data to perform analyses in different software.

The Macro Tool's data downloader allows analysts to select variables to be downloaded into a .CSV or .SHP file. The "How-to Download Performance Measures" document provides more information and a tutorial on this function.

N: I need to find the definitions or calculations associated with terminology found within these tools.

A: A breakdown of definitions and calculations can be found across three documents: Data Dictionary, Calculations, and Macro Tool Data Measures.

Deep Dive Tools

About Focus Analysis

The Focus Analysis section of the landing page provides a direct entry into a variety of BI templates designed to help you gain immediate insight into your specific type of problem or analysis. The description of each template is located below. Once you choose a template you will be asked to choose a route to analyze, or a number of routes, depending on the template.

How to choose routes after selecting a template

After selecting a template a user is required to select a route or a set of routes depending on the specific template.

A new user accessing these tools for the first time may have no user-generated routes. To access algorithmically generated default routes, hover over the "My Stuff" folder.

Select the region from the Default Folders to see the list of available default routes.

After selecting your route you can open the report template by clicking "Click Here to Open Report"

Some templates require two or more routes. You will be asked to select the number of routes that each template requires.

Template Descriptions (What does each template do?)

Click the link to specific template for more detail.

Behavioral

• The Snapshot (Beginner) template compares an average day for a year against weekday and monthly averages as well as against AM or PM peak and Off-peak. The report looks at average speeds and congestion. It is intended to give the analyst a snapshot of a particular route over the latest calendar year for which there is a full year of NPMRDS data. The date ranges for each view (e.g., AM or PM peak, Off-peak) can be changed by clicking on the routes listed under the “Routes” section of the control panel which will open up the details pane for each. Make sure to update each route for the desired time period and click “Update” to ensure the changes are applied.
• The Seasonality (Intermediate) template is used to analyze seasonal behavior on a selected route. It compares data for a season against the full year. The report looks at average speeds and congestion. It is intended to give the analyst a seasonal view of a particular route over a year. The date ranges for each view (e.g., Winter or Spring) can be changed by clicking on the routes listed under the “Routes” section of the control panel which will open up the details pane for each. Make sure to update each route for the desired time period (Avg Day and Weekday) and click “Update” to ensure the changes are applied.
• The Bi-Directional (Intermediate) template is designed to look at the behavior of two directions of a bi-directional corridor. It is set up to show yearly averages for each year of the NPMRDS.
• • NOTE: This report requires two routes, ideally where the start and end points of one are the end and start points of the other. It should be the Eastbound and Westbound or Northbound and Southbound of a corridor.
• The Weekly Averages (Beginner) template is intended to analyze route behavior by displaying speed and hours of delay for each average day of the week in a single year.
  
  

Before & After

• The Single Route (Beginner) template compares an incident day against an average day without incident. It includes the monthly and yearly averages in which the incident occurred. Key graphs display the differences in speed and average hours of delay for the incident day against the yearly average day.

Change Over Time

• Year Over Year (Beginner) shows the travel time and average hours of delay for a single route across multiple years. The report is intended to give the analyst a year over year look at changes to average hours of delay and travel times. The date ranges for each year can be changed by clicking on the routes listed under the “Routes” section of the control panel which will open up the details pane for each. Make sure to click “Update” to ensure the changes are applied.
• This Month vs. Last Month vs. Last Year (Advanced) is for comparing a month's travel time, average hours of delay, and speed to the previous month and the same month the year prior. The report is intended to give the analyst a month vs month, and month by year over year look at changes to average hours of delay, travel times, and speeds. The date ranges for each year can be changed by clicking on the routes listed under the “Routes” section of the control panel which will open up the details pane for each. Make sure to click “Update” to ensure the changes are applied.
• The Monthly Congestion (Beginner) and Monthly Speed Comparisons (Beginner) templates are for analyzing congestion by comparing hours of delay or speed and travel time across all months of a single year. It is intended to give the analyst a monthly view of a particular route over a year.
  
  
  

Events

• The Single Day (Advanced) template compares an incident day against an average day without incident. It includes the monthly and yearly averages in which the incident occurred. Key graphs display the differences in speed and average hours of delay for the incident day against the yearly average day.

Custom Reports

This section includes a link for starting a new blank report, and the list of recently viewed templates and reports for quick reference and to revisit recent work.

Tools for Large Area Analysis and Ranking of Segments

You can enter in to the regional analysis tools, also known as the Macro tool and map tool, by either first selecting a region in the regions dropdown on the right side of the landing page and clicking on one of the regional analysis icons, or by clicking on the Macro link in the left side navigation panel.

About Regional Analysis

The Regional Analysis section of the landing page provides a direct entry into the Macro Tool set to a variety of default parameters designed to help you gain immediate insight into your specific type of problem or analysis. The description of each analysis is located below.

How to choose a geography before selecting an analysis

The regions dropdown menu on the right side of the landing page allows a user to select their respective NYSDOT region before jumping into a regional analysis.

Analysis Descriptions (What does each analysis do?)

The Regional Analyses provide default MACRO tool settings for a variety of measures. There are six (6) congestion measures, two (2) reliability measures, two (2) traditional indices and links to the MAP-21 PM3 measures tool and to the TSMO regional dashboard.

Floating Car

50th Percentile Speed

This map is meant to help you export the 50th percentile (median) speeds for every segment in a region.

80th Percentile Speed

This map is meant to help you export the 80th percentile speeds for every segment in a region.

Freeflow Speed

This map is meant to help you export the theoretical freeflow speed for all segments in a region which is defined as the 85th percentile of off-peak travel time speeds.

Congestion

Total Excessive Delay (TED) - Person Hours

This map is meant to help you answer the question: which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay?

Excessive delay measures the extra amount of time spent in congested conditions defined by speed thresholds that are lower than a normal delay threshold. For the purposes of this measure, the speed threshold is 20 miles per hour or 60 percent of the posted speed limit, whichever is greater. This measure multiples the total hours of delay by traffic estimates for each segment to determine vehicle hours. The measure is then multiplied by the federal vehicle occupancy estimate which is calculated by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) to determine person hours.

Truck TED - Total Excessive Delay for Trucks - Vehicles Hours

This map is meant to help you answer the question: which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay for Trucks?

This measure uses only truck speed data to calculate Total Excessive Delay. TED measures the extra amount of time spent in congested conditions defined by speed thresholds that are lower than a normal delay threshold. For the purposes of this measure, the speed threshold is 20 miles per hour or 60 percent of the posted speed limit, whichever is greater. This measure multiples the total hours of delay by traffic estimates for each segment to determine vehicle hours.

Peak Hour Excessive Delay (PHED) - Person Hours

This map is meant to help you answer the question: which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay during peak hours?

Excessive delay measures the extra amount of time spent in congested conditions defined by speed thresholds that are lower than a normal delay threshold. For the purposes of this measure, the speed threshold is 20 miles per hour or 60 percent of the posted speed limit, whichever is greater. This measure multiples the total hours of delay by traffic estimates for each segment to determine vehicle hours. The measure is then multiplied by the federal vehicle occupancy estimate which is calculated by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) to determine person hours.

PHED is a MAP-21 PM3 measure that reports only the amount of delay within the federally designated peak travel times. For Total Delay see the TED measure.

Truck PHED - Peak Hour Excessive Delay for Trucks - Vehicle Hours

This map is meant to help you answer the question: which segments have the highest amount of excessive delay for trucks during peak hours?

This measure uses only truck speed data to calculate Peak Hours of Excessive Delay. PHED measures the extra amount of time spent in congested conditions defined by speed thresholds that are lower than a normal delay threshold. For the purposes of this measure, the speed threshold is 20 miles per hour or 60 percent of the posted speed limit, whichever is greater. This measure multiples the total hours of delay by traffic estimates for each segment to determine vehicle hours.

PHED is a MAP-21 PM3 measure that reports only the amount of delay within the federally designated peak travel times. For Total Truck Delay see the Truck TED measure.

Recurrent Delay (Coming Soon)

This map is meant to help you answer the question: which segments have the highest amount of recurrent (regular/normal) delay?

Recurrent delay is a measure designed by AVAIL that highlights segments of the road that experience regular delay issues from road design, signals, or high volumes. The measure compares the raw 5-minute epoch data for every segment to the average delay for that specific epoch for that segment. When the delay exceeds the average AVAIL categorizes it as non-recurrent delay. When it is at or below average it is categorized as recurrent delay.

Non-Recurrent Delay (Coming Soon)

This map is meant to help you answer the question: which segments have the highest amount of non-recurrent (irregular/abnormal) delay?

Non-Recurrent Delay is a measure designed by AVAIL to quantify delay associated with incidents. The measure compares the raw 5-minute epoch data for every segment to the average delay for that specific epoch for that segment. When the delay exceeds the average AVAIL categorizes it as non-recurrent delay. When it is at or below average it is categorized as recurrent delay.

Reliability

All-Vehicle Reliability (Level of Travel Time Reliability - LOTTR)

This map is meant to help you answer the question: where are peak hour travel times most variable for commuters?

LOTTR is a MAP-21 PM3 measure that looks at peak hour speed distributions for a given segment. LOTTR is a ratio calculation for each segment of road that takes the annual 80th percentile travel time for peak hours over the annual 50th percentile travel time for peak hours. Higher LOTTR values indicate that there is a wider gap in distribution of travel times between the 80th and the 50th percentiles. A wider gap (higher LOTTR score) means that delay during peak travel times is inconsistent and highly variable.

Truck Reliability (Level of Truck Travel Time Reliability - TTTR)

This map is meant to help you answer the question: where are peak hour travel times most variable for freight delivery?

TTTR is a MAP-21 PM3 measure that looks at peak hour speed distributions for a given segment. TTTR is a ratio calculation for each segment of road that takes the annual 95th percentile travel time for peak hours over the annual 50th percentile travel time for peak hours. Higher TTTR values indicate that there is a wider gap in distribution of travel times between the 95th and the 50th percentiles. A wider gap (higher TTTR score) means that delay during peak travel times is inconsistent and highly variable. TTTR is a more stringent reliability score than LOTTR to highlight the most highly variable segments that could impact freight delivery times.

Emissions

Coming Soon

CO² (Carbon Dioxide)

CO (Carbon Monoxide)

NOx (Nitrogen Oxides)

VOC (Volatile organic compound)

PM₂.₅ (Fine Particles <= 2.5 microns)

PM₁₀ (Particulate Matter <= 10 microns)

Traditional Indices

Travel Time Index (TTI)

The Travel Time index (TTI) is the ratio of a measured travel time during congestion to the time required to make the same trip at free-flow speeds. For example, a TTI of 1.3 indicates a 20-minute free-flow trip required 26 minutes.

Traditionally, Travel Time Index and Planning Time Index are calculations of observed travel times, known as floating car data, where travel times are associated with specific vehicles. Many Congestion Management Plans have utilized the floating car method. TTI and PTI were regularly employed as metrics for reliability before the advent of probe speed datasets. The probe speed calculation of PTI and TTI is slightly different from the floating car calculation. The probe speed calculation is not vehicle specific and freeflow is defined by the probe speed data instead of by the practitioner. TTI is useful in the probe speed era in communicating comparisons to past plans but doing so should come with some caution. TTI is also comparable to LOTTR (see below) but the two measures are different enough to provide value for different applications which will be discussed in the Results section.

Planning Time Index (PTI)

The Planning Time index (PTI) is the ratio of the 95th percentile travel time divided by the free-flow travel time. PTI represents the total travel time that should be planned when an adequate buffer time is included and is useful for planning on-time freight deliveries. The planning time index compares near-worst case travel time to free-flow traffic travel times. For example, a planning time index of 1.60 means that, for a 15-minute trip in light traffic, the total time that should be planned for the trip is 24 minutes (15 minutes × 1.60 = 24 minutes). The planning time index is useful because it can be directly compared to the travel time index (a measure of average congestion) on similar numeric scales.

PM3

The System Performance, Freight, and CMAQ measures (commonly known as PM3) are six measures related to various aspects of the transportation system:

• Percent of Person Miles of Travel on the Interstate System that is Reliable (Level of Travel Time Reliability - LOTTR)
• Percent of Person Miles of Travel on the Non-Interstate National Highway System (NHS) that is Reliable (Level of Travel Time Reliability - LOTTR)
• Truck Travel Time Reliability (TTTR)
• Peak Hour Excessive Delay (PHED)
• Percent Non-Single Occupancy Vehicle (Non-SOV) Travel
• Total Emissions Reductions (NOx and VOC)

Targets are established biennially for these measures as part of a four-year performance period, the second of which began in 2022. The PM3 page provides PM3 overviews for the State, MPOs, and counties.

Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO)

The TSMO Performance Dashboards are a set of performance dashboards that are intended to provide an at-a-glance view of critical aspects of Transportation Systems Management and Operations. The dashboards provide a monthly view of performance and conditions by NYSDOT Region. The contents and data supporting the dashboards are continually evolving and new features, capabilities and measures will be added over time based on feedback. New dashboard areas will also be added over time to cover other aspects of TSMO like weather, arterial management, and travel demand management.