Agencies may also have their own sets of traffic data. Cities and tolling authorities may have traffic management centers which often collect real time data about the transportation network.

Some MPOs and cities have their own traffic count databases. Cities may have an annual count program which can be a good resource for obtaining historical counts. Typically, these online databases only include ADT counts and not TMCs. Some MPOs combine counts from multiple sources such as cities and TxDOT STARS II and display it under one database. These counts may be used for planning or sketch level (macroscopic) analysis.

Some major cities, TxDOT urban areas, and cities that have traffic management centers may also have ADT or turning movement count data for their roadway facilities. These cities may conduct an annual traffic count program and collect traffic count data on their major roadways. The traffic management centers may also have data related to speed and travel time as part of their Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) network. As of 2024, the suitability and availability of speed and count data is under review by TxDOT.

Tolling agencies may also be able to provide ADT counts for locations adjacent to the toll gantries. This information can be helpful for projects involving toll lanes or managed lanes.

Pedestrian and bicycle data can be obtained through Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Texas Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Exchange (BPCX). A link to BPCX is provided in

Appendix C, Section 6 – External References (Reference 3)

. Cities and MPOs may also collect pedestrian and bicycle data. Coordinate with local jurisdictions to see what data is available.

“Big data” in general refers to a large volume of information, the different types of data, the real-time nature of the data, and the tools and techniques to manage and analyze it. For transportation and traffic engineering, FHWA defines big data as having at least seven dimensions:

Big data has many advantages over traditional methods of collection. The data is readily available through third-party providers and does not involve infrastructure investment. Because the data is collected and stored by the provider, there is no need for local storage. Collecting the data does not involve manual and in-field methods. Data can be analyzed for an entire day, month, or year, not just during peak periods. The flexibility of data collection may enable a deeper understanding of travel patterns and other traffic operations-related issues.

There are some challenges and limitations associated with big data. Due to the automated nature of the data collection, there is a lack of information on field conditions, such as construction, detours, weather, or malfunctioning traffic signals. Typically, the data provider does not share its process for how the data is aggregated, processed, and analyzed, and the user relies on it and trusts the provider’s methods. Other challenges may arise when the defined study area does not have a one-to-one relation within the defined limits of the provider’s platform.

Additional detail about providers of big data (e.g., INRIX, Replica, and StreetLight) related to transportation planning and traffic engineering is provided in the sections below. As of 2024, TxDOT has subscriptions to INRIX and Replica, and the subscriptions are available to TxDOT employees and contractors working on TxDOT projects or initiatives. To access this data, consultants and external entities need a TxDOT sponsor and to fill out forms agreeing to terms of use before access is granted. Sample forms are provided in

Appendix C, Sections 2-5

. Information regarding Replica data access can be found in Appendix C, Sections 6 (References 5 and 6). Information regarding INRIX data access can be found in

Appendix C, Section 6 (Reference 7)

.

TxDOT’s Open Data Portal is an online GIS database. The portal allows users to explore and download GIS datasets in various data formats. Users utilize queries and filters to view the information on a map on the portal. The database includes information regarding TxDOT’s roadway inventory, mile markers, most congested roadway segments, District boundaries, legislative boundaries, bridges, and more. This data may help in a planning level analysis to get information regarding a corridor or study area. The data is also downloadable and may be used to create graphics and maps to convey information in a customizable way. Some of the information on this portal can also be found on other TxDOT online data sources such as the TxDOT Statewide Planning Map and TxDOT Project Tracker.

TxDOT’s PMIS is used for storing, retrieving, analyzing, and reporting pavement conditions for all of TxDOT’s roadways. The PMIS is an internal database and information from the PMIS needs to be requested on a project basis. The request needs to go through the TxDOT Maintenance Division. A data request form for PMIS and a confidentiality agreement are provided in

Appendix C, Section 3 – PMIS Data Request Form

and

Appendix C, Section 4 – PMIS Confidentiality Agreement

, respectively.

There may be datasets available through Traffic Management Centers in metro/urban Districts such as Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. This data typically includes speed by lane, volume per lane, and occupancy per lane. This dataset can be used as a resource for traffic operations and safety analysis, especially for microscopic model development. See

Appendix C, Section 7 – Traffic Management Center Data

for more information about TxDOT’s Traffic Management Centers. See Appendix C,

Section 8 – Lonestar RVSD Detector Locations

for locations the detectors. See

Appendix C, Section 9 – Lonestar RVSD Detector Example Data Output

for an

example

of the Traffic Management Centers data outputs.

Travel Demand Model outputs (TDM outputs) are used for determining future traffic volumes based on changes in land use, population, employment, and other demographical factors. TDMs also incorporate planned and approved future projects. MPOs have a TDM for their specific jurisdiction. TDM outputs may help with analyzing future growth of traffic, providing insight in travel patterns, and identifying areas for traffic improvements.

TxDOT also has a SAM which includes areas outside of the MPO TDM boundaries. The SAM encompasses all the State’s major highways, ports of entry at the border with Mexico, and some freight corridors that tie in with the rest of the United States.

Historical crash records are used to perform a safety analysis. Crash data can be obtained from TxDOT’s CRIS database. Crash data available on CRIS are collected from reports from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Reports (CR-3) and processed by TxDOT. The CRIS database has information related to the location of crashes, type of crash, conditions, date, and other pertinent information. This data can be queried and used in conducting various types of crash analysis. A CRIS database query allows the user to find crashes based on time and location. Once the user determines the location of interest and the range of years, they select attributes from three different fields: crash, unit, and person.

Users select the different attributes of interest, download the raw data, and analyze it in many ways, such as creating crash heat maps, generating graphs or infographics, identifying crash patterns based on certain criteria, and much more.

The user can also review queried results with preset data processing. These include a query results map, which has some predefined filters and map modes in place, such as:

These views are helpful for understanding where there is a higher frequency of crashes and the severities of these crashes, without having to download data or generate maps. The CRIS database also has a category of popular queries, which may be selected for screening and analysis purposes. For projects that need FHWA approval, it is recommended that crash data be obtained through the CRIS helpdesk or TxDOT’s TRF Division. For projects that do not need FHWA approval, crash data may be downloaded through the CRIS website. A link to the CRIS website is shown in

Appendix C, Section 6 – External References (Reference 4)

.

MicroStrategy (MSTR) is a business intelligence software connected to the CRIS database. MSTR is used to pull crash data, generate reports, and create dashboards. Access to MSTR can be requested through TxDOT’s TRF Division.

TxDOT has access to Transearch, which is a tool that aggregates historical truck traffic and projects freight flows up to 30 years in the future. Freight information can be filtered by origin, destination, commodity, and transportation mode. It also has county-level freight movement data.

Transearch data is produced by IHS Markit, a company that oversees the software. To get access to the data, an IHS Markit data release form needs to be filled out and signed (see

Appendix C, Section 5 – IHS Markit Data Release Form

) and an email with the following information needs to be submitted to TPP:

Bicycle and pedestrian traffic counts are often considered in traffic and safety analysis. If this data is unavailable from state resources, it may be available from the local MPO or city. Additionally, agencies can use the Texas Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Exchange. The Texas Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Exchange is a free statewide database that agencies can use to access bicycle and pedestrian counts. If counts for the location are unavailable, agencies can also submit a request for bike and pedestrian counts to be completed or request count equipment to conduct their own counts through the Bicycle and Pedestrian Counter Loan program. For more information about the loan program, use the online resource shown in Appendix C, Section 6 – External References (Reference 3).

RITIS is a large online database of the latest transportation-related data available from the public and private sectors. It was developed by University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT Lab) in 2006 with the intent to use data integration for improving traffic operations, incident management, and traveler information for the greater Washington D.C. area. Coordinate with TxDOT TPP Division for access to this data.

There are three main RITIS features that help with analysis: real-time data feeds, real-time situational awareness tools, and archived data analysis tools. RITIS data types are listed below and detailed information regarding each data type can be found on the RITIS website.