The VisionEval (VE) model system evolved from the successful GreenSTEP suite of analytic tools originated at ODOT and is now widely used by agencies within Oregon and elsewhere. GreenSTEP was developed to provide ODOT and other agencies in Oregon the ability to model the effects of a wide variety of strategies on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from surface transportation [1, 2]. Ongoing efforts by ODOT and others have focused on improving the VE model system in a number of respects [3] but improvements to land use modeling have been limited.

The research goal is to upgrade the land use model in the current VisionEval implementation and expand its capacity to enable evaluation of transportation and land use policies. The upgrades will improve ODOT’s abilities to evaluate how land use and transportation strategies will affect each other and GHG emissions. In addition, they will greatly improve capabilities for modeling land use and its consequences at a more detailed level, evaluating regional land use strategies, and evaluating the social equity implications of land use and transportation strategies.