Travel modeling
The Denver Regional Council of Governments travel model, known as Focus, helps local elected officials, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Regional Transportation District evaluate transportation improvements.
Model forecasts provide data on roadway users, transit riders and travel patterns across the region. They also provide data for tailpipe emission modeling to ensure the region conforms to federal air quality regulations.
DRCOG staff developed Focus specifically to model transportation forecasts for the Denver region. As an activity-based model, it incorporates a various data about the region's people, businesses, transportation systems and development patterns resulting in millions of daily trips across the region. Staff then assign trips to roadway and transit networks estimate future traffic volumes and transit ridership. Review the Focus Model 101 Presentation.
Data file and model use requests
Contact Sang Gu Lee, travel model supervisor, at 303-480-6765 or slee@drcog.org to explore how to use the model yourself, or request data from the model. Lee can also provide PDFs of 2020 and estimated 2050 traffic volumes.
Current and modeled traffic volumes
For current traffic volumes, visit the Regional Traffic Count program webpage.
Economic and land use modeling
DRCOG staff provide population and employment forecasts for neighborhoods and communities throughout the Denver region. They use the UrbanSim land use model to predict the pattern of growth and development by simulating the dynamic interaction of households, jobs, real estate markets and the regional transportation system within the constraints of local growth policies.
Using the tool can help inform policymaker decisions about long-term growth and development, as well as infrastructure investments.
For more information, contact regional planning and analytics manager Andy Taylor at ataylor@drcog.org or 303-480-5636.