Traffic analysis zone
Encyclopedia
A traffic analysis zone is the unit of geography
most commonly used in conventional transportation planning
models. The size of a zone varies, but for a typical metropolitan planning software, a zone of under 3000 people is common. The spatial extent of zones typically varies in models, ranging from very large areas in the exurb
to as small as city blocks or buildings in central business district
s. There is no technical reason why zones cannot be as small as single buildings, however additional zones add to the computational burden.
Zones are constructed by census block information. Typically these blocks are used in transportation models by providing socio-economic data. States differ in the socio-economic data that they attribute to the zones. Most often the critical information is the number of automobiles per household, household income, and employment within these zones. This information helps to further the understanding of trips that are produced and attracted within the zone. Again these zones can change or be altered as mentioned in the first paragraph. This is done typically to eliminate unneeded area to limit the "computational burden."
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
most commonly used in conventional transportation planning
Transportation planning
Transportation planning is a field involved with the evaluation, assessment, design and siting of transportation facilities .-Models and Sustainability :...
models. The size of a zone varies, but for a typical metropolitan planning software, a zone of under 3000 people is common. The spatial extent of zones typically varies in models, ranging from very large areas in the exurb
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
to as small as city blocks or buildings in central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
s. There is no technical reason why zones cannot be as small as single buildings, however additional zones add to the computational burden.
Zones are constructed by census block information. Typically these blocks are used in transportation models by providing socio-economic data. States differ in the socio-economic data that they attribute to the zones. Most often the critical information is the number of automobiles per household, household income, and employment within these zones. This information helps to further the understanding of trips that are produced and attracted within the zone. Again these zones can change or be altered as mentioned in the first paragraph. This is done typically to eliminate unneeded area to limit the "computational burden."