Development of the Graphical User Interface and Improvement and Streamlining of NYMTC's Best Practic

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Development of the Graphical User Interface and
Improvement and Streamlining of NYMTC's Best
Practice Model

• Jim Lam, Andres Rabinowicz, Srini Sundaram,
  Caliper
• Kuo-Ann Chiao, Mohammad Rashid, Ali Mosheni,
  NYMTC
• Bob Donnelly, Surabhi Gupta, PB
• TRB Applications Conference, May 18, 2009

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Development of the Graphical User Interface and
Improvement and Streamlining of NYMTC's Best
Practice Model

• Improve Usability and Applicability
• Move to the Latest Versions of Model Software
  (TransCAD)
• Exploit Features of New Model Software Procedures
• Streamline and Optimize Model Code
• New Graphic User Interfaces
• Adapt to Multiple Hardware Environments
• Multi-threading and Distributed Processing
• Public, Web-Access to Model Outputs

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Background

• BPM is implemented in C programs, GISDK script,
  other software, and TransCAD modeling software
• BPM requires 2 CPUs and 3-4 gigabytes of RAM
• BPM is deployed on a dated version of TransCAD
  (4.5, updated to 4.8)
• BPM has long running times
• Previous experiments and new developments suggest
  massive speedups are possible.

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Improving Usability and Applicability

• Lessen hardware requirements for some users
• Create a full-featured User Interface
• Scenario and File Management
• Automated Reporting and Output Manager
• Create a superfast version for production

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FlowChart GUI

• Easy to View Model Stream
• Easy to Use
• Easy to Create new Scenarios

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Flowchart
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Example Snapshots of Interface
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Model Run Time Comparisons

• Processor Intel Xeon 4-Core Processor, 3.0GHZ,
  
• RAM Memory 3 GB
• Hard Drive 300GB 10,000 RPM in Raid 0
  configuration
• OS Windows XP Professional, 32-bit
• Model Highway only 3-Loop Feedback
• TransCAD 4.5 Current BPM Model run times (on a
  slower machine)
• TransCAD 4.8 Model Run after new GUI interface
  and model
• update to TransCAD version 4.8
• TransCAD 5.0 Model run after new flowchart GUI
  interface,
• update to TransCAD version 5.0, and software
• and model performance enhancements,
• before Distributed Processing
• Distributed Assignments saves 1-1.5 extra
  hours

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Model Run Time Comparisons
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Software and Model Enhancements

• Faster Procedures
• Multithreading
• Code Optimization
• Minimization of Inputs and Outputs
• Potential for even more performance enhancements
  with 64-bit TransCAD
• More available memory
• Better multithreading with I7 processor and Vista
• Some processes (i.e. matrix processing) much,
  much faster

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Automated Reports and Graphics
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Automated Reports and Graphics
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Automated Reports and Graphics
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Interactive Reports

• Link reports of flows, congestion, speeds, etc.
• TAZ/Demographic reports
• Network reports (Origin-to-destination paths and
  travel time diagrams)

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Dynamic Web Application

• Provide Key Input Data and Model Output to the
  Public
• Datasets and starter maps created by interactive
  reports
• Interactive Queries Reports
• Custom Map graphics

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Example Snapshots of Web Browser
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Ongoing Work

• Integration of newest BPM version into interface
• Inclusion of transit portions of model
• Development of newer more accurate NYCTA transit
  networks
• Development of better methods of
  access/egress/transfer links
• Development of better transit assignment (e.g.
  equilibrium pathfinder) methods
• Handling of route/platform/parking capacities