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Resources

The following data may be useful in writing the project description. This list is not exhaustive; DOT encourages applicants to identify the most relevant information for their project.

List of resources for projects
Element	Types of Information to Consider
Facility Information	Map indicating the location and type of facilities in the project.For projects involving freight rail, a map showing rail facilities, rail lines, and at-grade rail crossings. Number of vehicles (automobiles, trucks, trains, ships, planes, and volume of pipeline capacity) per day or year in and out of each facility in the project. Square footage of each facility in project area. Number of employees at each facility in the project. Types and amount of commodities in and out of each facility.
Volume Data	Hourly classification counts to separately identify truck volume peaks and auto volume peaks. On- and off-ramp classification counts to better understand specific destinations of trucks on corridors. For railway-highway grade crossings and grade separations, the frequency of trains trucks, and automobiles through the project. For freight rail, port, and other intermodal facility projects, the frequency of trains, trucks, or vessel calls and the average cargo tonnage or volume carried by each.
Throughput and Time Savings	Separate estimates of throughput and or congestion for morning, midday, and afternoon periods for highway corridors and for routes affected by railway-highway grade crossing and grade separations. Identification of congested freight rail lines, ports, or other intermodal facilities, where relevant, with measures of congestion (e.g., truck or train turn times while in and in proximity to the rail or port facility). Estimates of the same measures for highway, grade crossings and grade separations, rail, port, and other intermodal facility congestion and time savings resulting from the project. Level of service indicators may be used.
Passenger and Freight Forecasts	Expected growth of passenger traffic before project implementation and in 10 and 20 years. Growth of freight traffic should be developed from freight-specific sources for each mode affected by the project.
Safety Data	For highway corridors, and railway-highway grade crossings and grade separations, accident rates reported separately for truck-only accidents, truck-auto accidents, and auto-only accidents. Fatality rates separately by vehicle class, where relevant. Accidents separately for passenger transit and freight rail. Accidents at at-grade highway-rail crossings. Crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, including trespassers on rail facilities. For port and other intermodal facilities, accident and fatality rates. Estimated accident and fatality rate for each mode affected by the project after implementation.
Facility Geometry	Locations of steep grades, sharp curves, short weaves, and reduced vertical clearances that affect facility operations.
Infrastructure Condition	Pavement or bridge condition using information from state DOT road network database, FHWA HPMS data, stakeholder input, and/or field observation. Include class of track for rail, ability of track and bridges to handle 286,000 lbs. cars, and maximum speeds, where relevant. Condition of facilities within rail, port, and other intermodal facilities affected by the project. Show how conditions are likely to change before and after the project.
Origin-Destination Data	The split between through traffic versus traffic destined into and out of the project.
Modal Shift	Routing information and the likely diversion of freight to other modes. Describe how diversion caused by the project will affect traffic congestion on both the mode that the traffic is diverted from and the mode it is diverted to (information of this type is helpful in determining if rail, port, and intermodal facility freight projects can improve freight movement on highways).
Economy	The project’s ability to reduce costs or otherwise support the national or regional economy. The output by dollar or tonnage for specific industries linked to the project.
Land Use	Land use information, including commercial and residential uses that will be affected by the project.

Updated: Friday, September 2, 2016

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