VHB recently completed a series of Congestion Management Workshops designed to arm the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) Board with insights for tackling the region's traffic congestion challenges. These workshops blended foundational education with cutting-edge big data techniques, showcasing innovative solutions to the complex transportation issues facing our community.
Led by VHB thought leaders Craig Schneider, Jorge Luna, and John Muth, the workshops presented congestion strategies, emphasizing the use of real-time INRIX traffic data. This powerful dataset provided Board members with an in-depth look at the top 25 most congested roads in the region, enhanced by robust statistical analyses and performance measures.
The first workshop set the stage, introducing key concepts in congestion management while revealing that Charlotte ranked as the 20th most congested city in the U.S. for 2024 according to the 2024 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard report. Attendees learned about the factors influencing congestion, its economic impact, and identified key problem areas through comprehensive presentations.
The second session covered technical assessments of congestion management tools and strategies. By harnessing real-time big data, CRTPO members were able to identify persistent congestion hotspots across Iredell, Mecklenburg, and Union Counties. This collaborative analysis prioritized congestion issues based on specific metrics and local insights, including driver behaviors and upcoming construction plans.
“It was great to see the Board’s response to and discussion about the INRIX data,” said Bob Cook, CRTPO Director. “It confirmed congestion spots that they regularly encounter and also highlighted where attention is needed on less-noticed roads.”
The final workshop turned the focus toward practical solutions and funding opportunities for the Charlotte community. Collaboratively, the team and the Board analyzed the INRIX data alongside various transportation improvement programs. Discussions unfolded around innovative strategies such as Travel Demand Management, managed lanes for interstate congestion, and optimizing signal timing and intersections on arterial roads. VHB also explored potential funding opportunities from sources like the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants, and other United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) grants.
Through these dynamic workshops, VHB equipped CRTPO Board members with the tools to forge effective, data-informed strategies for managing congestion both now and into the future. By leveraging technology to make informed decisions, we aim to provide communities with more effective solutions to complex issues, such as traffic congestion.
Learn more about how VHB is using big data through our Digital Project Delivery solutions.
