NCHRP Project 8-36, Task 7, Multimodal Tradeoffs in Statewide Transportation Planning, proposed a framework for states to use in analyzing investment tradeoffs. Methodologies such as this framework provide an important tool for developing the information that decision-makers need to understand the consequences of different investment scenarios. As the panel has pointed out, the research to date has developed three hypothetical tradeoff situations to illustrate how the tradeoff framework could be applied, but has stopped short of a case study application of the framework using "real" data.

NCHRP Project 8-36, Task 7, Phase I developed an approach for states to use in analyzing investment tradeoffs. Methodologies such as this approach provide an important means for developing the information decision-makers need to understand the consequences of different investment scenarios. The objective of the NCHRP Phase II project is to apply the approach in a real-world situation, using data from a state department of transportation (DOT). The Phase I methodology was applied to two Washington State DOT (WSDOT) case applications. Applying the generalized approach for multimodal tradeoff analysis to these two applications allowed the research team to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology when applied to “real-world” situations.

The primary finding of this research study is that it is possible to apply the Phase I methodology to real-world situations using data from a state DOT. The methodology provided a systematic way to gather and organize data and present the information in a clear, concise way to staff and decision-makers.