Transportation Planning
Data Collection Services
Congestion Management
Transportation Management Areas with populations over 200,000 are required to develop a Congestion Management Process (LINK).
The purpose of the Northern Middlesex Congestion Management Process (CMP) is to:
Identify congested locations;
Determine the causes of congestion;
Develop alternative strategies to mitigate congestion;
Evaluate the potential of different mitigation strategies;
Propose alternative strategies that best address the causes and impacts of congestion; and
Track and evaluate the impact of previously implemented congestion management strategies.
The Northern Middlesex CMP is intended to be an integral part of the metropolitan planning process. NMCOG staff engages in data collection, prepares corridor studies, conducts travel time analysis, and analyzes transit data. NMCOG provides a system report updated in the Regional Transportation Plan.
System Report of the CMP (LINK)
Pavement Management
Paved roadways represent one of the largest capital investments in today’s modern highway system. Maintaining the paved surface of a large highway system involves complex decision-making about how and when to apply surface treatments to keep the highway performing and operating. Pavement management is the process in which a roadway network is evaluated to determine the most cost-effective treatment to maintain good conditions. Currently, NMCOG monitors pavement conditions on arterials and collector roadways throughout the region that are eligible for federal aid. MassDOT provides data on highways and larger arterials in the region.
The Pavement Management System (PMS) aims to keep the roadway system in the best possible condition with the most efficient use of available funds. The aim is to manage pavement conditions with preventative or rehabilitation measures rather than wait until a road needs reconstruction at a significant cost. Based on data collected using pavement management software, NMCOG calculates the cost of maintaining the region’s roadways and assesses long-term roadway maintenance needs. This data is incorporated into the Regional Transportation Plan and corridor studies. Transportation staff also collects pavement condition data for potential TIP projects proposed to the Project Review Committee for approval and funding.
Traffic Counting
Traffic count data provides information on the movement of people and goods along a roadway. The information obtained from these counts enables planners and engineers to study existing road and highway conditions related to the problem. The ability to project volumes into the future provides the opportunity to identify potential problems before they develop and seeks solutions to existing conditions. Traffic counts also are essential in helping to identify congestion issues. This data is also useful to business and real estate development interests and to marketing firms to assess market potential.
NMCOG produces an annual traffic volume report containing historical and present data. The 2021 Northern Middlesex Traffic Volume Report is linked below.
2021 Northern Middlesex Traffic Volume Report
In addition to NMCOG-collected data, the report includes traffic data collected by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Highway Division and is extracted from other traffic studies performed throughout the region.
NMCOG has also partnered with MassDOT, fellow RPAs, and Midwestern Software Solutions to develop a transportation data management system for the State of Massachusetts. All NMCOG traffic counts can now be viewed and analyzed on the MS2 Transportation Data Management System.
Traffic Safety
NMCOG maintains a regional Traffic Safety Program established to meet the following goals:
Identify intersections with safety problems;
Inform local and state officials and the public of safety problem locations; and
Provide technical assistance to help determine the cause of the safety problems and make recommendations for traffic safety improvements.
NMCOG staff produce an annual Regional Transportation Safety Report (2022 Edition includes crash data through 2019) detailing progress toward regional safety targets outlined in the Regional Transportation Plan. The safety report also outlines the top 100 crash intersections in the region, outlining eligibility for Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding to implement improvements at high crash intersections.
Crash data from MassDOT and the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) are used by NMCOG to locate and rank high crash intersections. The Equivalent Property Damage Only Method (EPDO) of ranking high crash locations is utilized, considering the total number of crashes at a location and the severity of each crash. This methodology is also currently used by MassDOT in its development of its Top 200 Crash Locations Report (LINK) for Massachusetts.
MassDOT has announced the availability of a Safety Application entitled IMPACT. This tool provides data on various aspects of the Commonwealth’s crash databases in a visual form and will assist staff with safety planning efforts.
As part of the safety program, NMCOG works with its communities and MassDOT to conduct Road Safety Audits (RSA) at locations of concern.This work is undertaken as a component of the State Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), both of which are legislatively mandated through the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.