Criteria for Traffic Website Evaluation - 2003

 

General

 1.  Information is grouped as (1) current state (e.g., congestion, real-time cameras, alerts), (2) trip planning, and (3) car pooling or travel demand management.

• Either the grouping must be done on the root page itself, or the root page must have prominent links to pages for each of these groups.
• Links may be provided to subgroups of information within these.
• Additional groups are permitted.

0 = information is grouped in another manner

1 = information is grouped under these topics but the groups are not in this order

2 = information is grouped under these topics and in this order

 

Current state information

 2.  Current state information includes a synopsis of the routes in the region, where all available details on a route can be linked from the synopsis. This may be a map illustrating the current state, or a table or list of text descriptions.

0 = a synopsis does not exist

1 = a map exists

2 = a table or list of text descriptions exists

3 = both text and map exist

 

 3.  Is there a time stamp for all current state information presented?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

 4.  If there is a map, what current condition information does it show?

a) Congestion/speed

0 - no

1 - congestion levels but no specific speeds (e.g., green/yellow/red)

2 - speeds

3 - travel times

 

b) Incidents

0 = no

1 = yes

 

c) Construction

0 = no

1 = yes

 

d) Real-time camera locations

0 = no

1 = yes

 

e) Weather/roadway conditions

0 = no

1 = yes

 

f) Special events (sports, concerts, parades, etc.) as they affect traffic

0 = no

1 = yes

 

g) Other current condition information

0 = no

1 = yes

 

 5.  If there is a map, does it include lower level roads or just highways?

0 = no lower level roads

1 = lower level roads included for reference, but no current condition information presented for them

2 = lower level roads are included and have current condition information presented for them

 

 6.  If there is a map, is there a legend present that indicates that congestion is graphically coded with between 3 to 5 levels using one of the following ways:

• Shade, where darker means more congested.
• Frequency, where more marks per inch means more congested.
• Color, where increasing congestion goes green - yellow/amber - red and it is combined with at least one other coding method visible to the color blind. No coding by weight (thickness).

0 = no

1 = yes, coding

2 = yes, coding and visible to the color blind

 

 7.  Can the user click on, or move the cursor to, a segment of the highway map and receive more detailed information describing conditions (such as average speed, incidents, weather-related road conditions, etc.) on that segment of road?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

 8.  Does the map include landmarks?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

 9.  If there is a table or text synopsis of current conditions, what information does it include?

a) Congestion/speed

0 - no

1 - congestion levels but no specific speeds (e.g., green/yellow/red)

2 - speeds

3 - travel times

 

b) Incidents

0 = no

1 = yes

 

c) Construction

0 = no

1 = yes

 

d) Real-time camera locations

0 = no

1 = yes

 

e) Weather/roadway conditions

0 = no

1 = yes

 

f) Special events (sports, concerts, parades, etc.) as they affect traffic

0 = no

1 = yes

 

g) Other current condition information

0 = no

1 = yes

 

10.  If there is a table or text synopsis, does it include lower level roads or just highways?

0 = no lower level roads

1 = lower level roads included for reference, but no current condition information presented for them

2 = lower level roads are included and have current condition information presented for them

 

11.  Can the user click on a link from a specific entry in a table or text synopsis to receive more detailed information describing conditions?

a) Congestion/speed

0 - no

1 - congestion levels but no specific speeds (e.g., green/yellow/red)

2 - speeds

3 - travel times

 

b) Incidents

0 = no

1 = yes

 

c) Construction

0 = no

1 = yes

 

d) Real-time camera locations

0 = no

1 = yes

 

e) Weather/roadway conditions

0 = no

1 = yes

 

f) Special events (sports, concerts, parades, etc.) as they affect traffic

0 = no

1 = yes

 

g) Other current condition information

0 = no

1 = yes

 

12.  Is there information on the following topics included on the site, but not referenced in a synopsis?

a) Congestion/speed

0 - no

1 - congestion levels but no specific speeds (e.g., green/yellow/red)

2 - speeds

3 - travel times

 

b) Incidents

0 = no

1 = yes

 

c) Construction

0 = no

1 = yes

 

d) Real-time camera locations

0 = no

1 = yes

 

e) Weather/roadway conditions

0 = no

1 = yes

 

f) Special events (sports, concerts, parades, etc.) as they affect traffic

0 = no

1 = yes

 

g) Other current condition information

0 = no

1 = yes

 

13.  If there are real-time camera views, are there graphic or written cues indicating camera view orientation (e.g., Show camera view direction cone on map; text describing scene depicted)?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

14.  Does the site include or provide links to messages currently displayed on dynamic message signs?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

15.  Does the site allow users to sign up for personalized traffic alerts?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

16.  Does the site provide information on 511 service?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

17.  Does the site provide predicted traffic conditions?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

18.  Can information be downloaded to a PDA or cell phone?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

Trip planning

19.  Does the site suggest alternate routes or detours for construction/accidents/special events, not necessarily personalized for a specific user?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

20.  Does the site include a trip planner, which provides directions based on origins and destinations provided by the user through a form?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

21.  Does the site include comprehensive toll information for the routes listed or shown on the map?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

22.  Does the site allow the online purchase of toll media or provide a direct link to a site that provides that service?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

23.  Does the site list locations for purchase of toll media?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

24.  Is real-time information on parking availability provided?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

25.  Does the site provide information of particular interest to tourists?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

Carpooling, travel demand management and multimodal information

26.  Does the site provide static information on HOV lanes, such as locations and rules for use?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

27.  Does the site provide current condition information (prevailing speeds or travel times) on HOV lanes separate or in contrast to information on general purpose lanes?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

28.  Does the site provide information on carpooling/vanpooling or link to organizations that facilitate it?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

29.  Does the site provide links to information about transit?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

30.  Does the site provide links to other traffic information sites in the metropolitan area?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

31.  Does the site provide links to public intercity transportation facilities and providers, such as airports, railroads, or intercity bus companies?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

Contact information

32.  Is contact information provided on the site?

0 = no

1 = telephone number

2 = e-mail address

3 = both phone and e-mail

 

General usability

Home page and one other page

 

33.  Each displayed page has unique URL in Location box of browser. Specifically check for this on sites that employ frames.

0 = no

1 = yes

 

34.  Each graphic element has a text equivalents such as a hovertext < ALT > tag. Specifically check page labels, menus, and street/route maps and other image maps.

• Graphic links without Alt tags have redundant text links somewhere on the page.
• Key traveler information provided on maps must be available by some non-graphic means.

0 = no

1 = yes

 

35.  Text links are discriminated from ordinary text by being underlined and colored differently.

• No underlining on a non-link.
• This item does not apply to a menu bar as long as the menu bar is located at either the top or upper left and it is set off from the rest of the page by a box, line, or alternative background.

0 = no

1 = yes

 

36.  Each list of routes and places is in either (1) alphabetic order, or (2) grouped by geographic region, in which each group is labeled with the region name.

0 = no

1 = yes

 

37.  The page includes a menu to the major pages of traveler information with no more than two links to non-traveler relevant information.

• This may be implemented as ordinary links at the top, bottom, or sides of the page.
• This may be implement as a graphic or text menu using menu-specific colors if it is located at either the top or upper left of the page and is set off from the rest of the page by a box or alternative background.
• It may be implemented in a frame.

0 = no

1 = yes

 

38.  If a site captures information on a user, such as for online sale of toll media, alerts, or other advanced services, does the site provide information on its privacy policy?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

39.  Does the site provide a language choice?

0 = no

1 = yes

 

Root Page^[1]

40.  The root page loads with no script errors or requests for plug-ins (e.g., Flash) or requests to download any controls.

0 = no

1 = yes

 

Non-Root Pages

41.  The page has a link to the root page. It is acceptable to have a logo in the upper left that links to the home page if that is the root page for the traveler information.

0 = no

1 = yes