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Center Identification Number:    575-16

Project Title:    Florida Journey to Work Fact Book and Web-Site

Principal Investigators:

Martin Catalá, Research Associate

813-974-9791 – Phone

813-974-5168 – Fax

E-mail: catala@cutr.usf.edu

Phil Winters

813-974-9811 – Phone

813-974-5168 – Fax

E-mail: winters@cutr.usf.edu

Steve Polzin

813-974-9847 – Phone

813-974-5168 – Fax

E-mail: polzin@cutr.usf.edu

Institution:

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida

I.    Project Objective

To analyze the 1990 and 2000 Census and Nationwide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS) data for the purposes of creating and disseminating an electronic data resource for planning agencies, transit systems, decision makers and the public. 

II.    Project Abstract

This project builds on a previous CUTR initiative which produced a series of publications examining trends in Florida’s demographics and journey-to-work travel behavior.  The series served as a resource for transportation planners, public officials, and the general public.   With the release of the 2000 Census and Nationwide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS) data, an update to the previous series is necessary in order to ensure its continued utility.  

Rather than simply updating the data, this effort goes one step further by providing the information in a more readily accessible format.  For example, all data will be made available through a newly created web site.  Similar to the previous project, the web site will use charts and tables to display the demographic and travel behavior data.  All information on the web site will be available for downloading in popular data and document formats.  

III.    Task Descriptions

A.     Data Collection

Identify and download NPTS and Census data for Florida’s counties.  This data includes both the geographical elements and the descriptive attributes. 

B.     Design Web

Identify and review design features of existing data distribution websites that serve in an information resource capacity.  Using the desired design elements, project staff will construct the web site template.   An examination of web sites such as the United States Census (www.census.gov), the United States Geological Survey (www.usgs.gov), and other sites which distribute spatially oriented data will be performed.  The final design will be established after an internal CUTR review.

C.     Customizing Data for Web Delivery

Using the identified design elements, project staff will review and develop the appropriate data structure to accommodate the selected web delivery system.  Upon development of the data structure, the census and NPTS data will be manipulated accordingly to ensure seamless integration with the selected web template.   

D.    Create Datasets

Charts, tables, and documents will be created for each Florida county using the above referenced data structure. 

E.     Integrate Datasets with Web

The final datasets created will be integrated with the web site.  Testing will be performed to ensure proper

navigation within the site as well as consistency within and between datasets.  

F.      Operational test of web site

An examination of the web site’s integrity will be performed.  Internal quality control to ensure the operational structure of the web site is correctly functioning.

IV.    Project Schedule, Milestones

Start Date: November 1, 2003

V.    Project Budget

Note:    This budget does not reflect any federal participation.  The project team will include faculty, students, and secretarial and other support staff who will work directly on the project and whose costs are reflected in the direct costs of the project as listed above.

VI.   Student Involvement

Graduate students will be used to assist in data collection and the development of the web-site. 

VII.    Relationship to Other Research Projects

This is building upon the 1992 Journey to Work Fact book Created by CUTR.   

VIII.        Technology Transfer Activities

The results of this analysis will be provided to the FDOT through a web site, and will be made available on the NCTR website and through presentations at local and national conferences.

IX.    Potential Benefits of the Project  

This project will create a valuable web resource which allows Florida’s decision makers, transportation planners, and the public to conveniently access the journey to work data acquired from the United States Census and the National Personal Transportation Survey.  In addition, all data provided by the web site will be available in several downloadable formats, allowing for independent user analysis.

X.    TRB Keywords 

 Public transit, Journey to Work, GIS, Census, CTPP

National Center for Transit Research · at the Center For Urban Transportation Research · University of South Florida · 4202 E. Fowler Ave., CUT100 · Tampa, FL 33620-5375 · (813) 974-3120 · (813) 974-5168 · www.nctr.usf.edu · Comments: webmaster@cutr.eng.usf.edu