Transportation forecasting

Transportation forecasting is like predicting how many cookies you might want to eat in the future. Just like you think about how many cookies you will want to eat at snack time, city planners and transportation experts think about how many people will want to travel to and from different places in the future.

They use important information like how many people live in a place, how many jobs there are, and how many cars people have to figure out how many people will want to travel in different ways, like walking, biking, or driving. They also look at things like weather patterns and changes in local laws, just like you might think about how hot it is outside and whether or not you are allowed to have a sugary snack.

Using all of this information, transportation experts make detailed plans for building streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transportation systems that can safely and efficiently get everyone where they need to go. So just like you might plan ahead by packing a snack or bringing a hat if you know it's going to be sunny outside, transportation forecasting helps cities plan ahead to make sure they are always ready for the trips people need to take.