Chapter 3: Evaluation Methods and Scenarios
This chapter outlines the City of Honolulu’s preferred methodologies for evaluating the transportation impacts of proposed development projects. Not every project will require all evaluations described herein; the applicable methods will be determined during the scoping process on a case-by-case basis. The evaluation types may include:
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Level and Quality of Service (LOS) by mode
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Parking Supply and Demand Assessment
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Complete Streets Modal Priority Analysis
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Traffic Safety and Access Management
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Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Analysis
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Induced Traffic Analysis
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Neighborhood Traffic Analysis
3.1 Level and Quality of Service by Mode
The TIA must assess impacts to all transportation modes using mode-specific evaluation tools. These tools generate a multimodal score, ranging from 1 to 4, which is later applied in the City’s Complete Streets Modal Priority framework. Methodologies for each mode are described below. Refer to the Honolulu Transportation Evaluation Methodology Memo and relevant attachments for detailed procedures and example worksheets.
3.1.1 Pedestrian LOS
The Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index (PEQI) is the preferred method to assess pedestrian conditions. It evaluates 36 indicators across six categories:
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Intersection safety
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Traffic conditions
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Street design
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Land use
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Perceptions of safety
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Perceptions of walkability
Each indicator is weighted and aggregated into a score between 0 and 100. Table 3-1 shows the score ranges associated with four pedestrian comfort levels:
| PEQI Score | Pedestrian Comfort Description | Score (1–4) |
|---|---|---|
| 100–81 | Ideal pedestrian conditions | 1 |
| 80–61 | Reasonable conditions | 2 |
| 60–41 | Basic conditions | 3 |
| 40–0 | Poor or unsuitable conditions | 4 |
For segments with differing conditions across block sides, the worst condition is used to ensure infrastructure gaps are reflected.
3.1.2 Bicycle LOS
Bicycle conditions are assessed using the Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) tool. LTS measures comfort levels based on traffic volume, vehicle speed, roadway design, and bicycle facility type. Lower LTS values indicate safer, more comfortable conditions. Table 3-2 describes the scoring:
| Bicycle LTS | Description | Score (1–4) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low stress (e.g., protected bike lanes) | 1 |
| 2 | Moderate stress (e.g., buffered bike lanes) | 2 |
| 3 | High stress (e.g., narrow bike lanes on busy streets) | 3 |
| 4 | Very high stress (e.g., roads with no bike facilities) | 4 |
Similar to pedestrian analysis, segments with varying conditions are scored based on the highest stress level observed.
3.1.3 Transit LOS
Transit service quality is assessed using the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM). This method evaluates 19 metrics, including both transit operations and pedestrian environment factors. The resulting scores produce:
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A Transit Wait-Ride Score
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A Pedestrian Environment Score
These scores are weighted and combined into a final LOS rating from A to F, then translated into a multimodal score:
| LOS Grade | Score Range | Transit Comfort Scale |
|---|---|---|
| A | <2 | 1 |
| B | 2–2.75 | 2 |
| C | 2.76–3.5 | 3 |
| D–F | >3.5 | 4 |
Direction-specific differences are averaged across both directions for a segment-level score.
3.1.4 Auto LOS
Vehicle LOS is typically evaluated using the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology, either 2016 or 2000 versions depending on intersection complexity. LOS is based on volume-to-capacity (V/C) ratios and control delays at intersections:
| LOS | V/C Ratio | Delay (sec/veh) | Vehicle Ops Score (1–4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ≤0.60 | <10 | 1 |
| B | 0.61–0.70 | 10–20 | 1 |
| C | 0.71–0.80 | 20–35 | 2 |
| D | 0.81–0.90 | 35–55 | 2 |
| E | 0.91–1.00 | 55–80 | 3 |
| F | >1.00 | >80 | 4 |
For road segments, the HCM 2010 generalized daily volumes define segment-level LOS. Table 3-5 summarizes thresholds by road type:
| LOS | 2-Lane | 4-Lane | 6-Lane | Vehicle Ops Score (1–4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | ≤5,900 | ≤11,300 | ≤16,300 | 1 |
| D | ≤15,400 | ≤31,400 | ≤46,400 | 2 |
| E | ≤19,900 | ≤37,900 | ≤54,300 | 3 |
| F | >19,900 | >37,900 | >54,300 | 4 |
When conditions differ within a block, the worst-performing segment score is used for analysis. Auto LOS analysis uses the second-highest peak hour volumes rather than peak 15-minute counts, to reflect the City’s priority of supporting multimodal travel and reducing auto-centric road expansion.
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