Land Use and Transportation Scenario Analysis and Microsimulation (LUTSAM) Tool (SSTI and DelDOT, 2012)

SSTI provided technical assistance to the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to establish a transferable process to perform Smart Transportation/Smart Growth analyses. The project created a 3-D building library in regionally appropriate styles as well as the LUTSAM (Land Use and Transportation Scenario Analysis and Microsimulation) tool,  which enables model walking and biking trips and speed scenario analyses to demonstrate the benefits of smart growth policies through integration of GIS, travel demand, and 3-D microsimulation models using readily available industry standard software.
LUTSAM can be easily used to improve current 4-step and advanced travel demand models to work at the parcel and building level within the study area while producing easily transferable results to industry standard microsimulation software. It not only accelerates scenario development but also (1) provides a platform for testing land use planning, multimodal investments such as improving bicycle and pedestrian mobility; (2) encourages public engagement in community planning and decision making; and (3) encourages interactions between planners, modelers and engineers.
Please see the resources linked below for more information.
The recording of SSTI’s February webinar on the project, which features Scott Thompson-Graves of Whitman, Requardt, & Associates and Mike Duross of DelDOT, details the background of the project, its goals, and future directions.
Development of the State Smart Transportation Initiative’s DelDOT 3-D Micro Model Process – This paper describes the LUTSAM GIS application, the travel demand process, microsimulation and case studies that quantify the community impacts of differing development styles.
LUTSAM User’s Manual – This guide provides instructions on how to install and use the LUTSAM software.
Please contact SSTI if you are interested in learning more about how you could put LUTSAM to work in your agency.