The methodology was documented for the analysis and evaluation. The methodology was submitted to FDOT, District One and the approved methodology is provided in Appendix A. The purpose of the traffic analysis is to evaluate US 27 and identify other existing parallel and connecting facilities to US 27 that could potentially be improved to meet the purpose and need.

FDOT District One Regional Planning Model (D1RPM) v2.0 developed by the FDOT District One was utilized for the study. A traffic analysis subarea model shown in Figure 5-1 was developed to include areas and facilities along US 27 and the existing parallel facilities of US 17, Sebring Parkway/Panther Parkway, SR 17, and CR 671, and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard/Power Line Road and the connecting facilities of SR 70, SR 66, SR 64, US 98, and SR 60 for a broader traffic analysis of existing facilities in Highlands County.

The study limits of corridor along US 27 extends approximately 56 miles within the Highlands County boundary limits. US 27 is a north-south facility with four-lane from North of US 98 to W County Line Rd, six-lane from W county Line Rd to SR 66 and four-lane from SR 66 to Highlands/Glades County Line. US 27 is functionally classified as an urban principal arterial and rural principal arterial within the study area.

D1RPM v2.0 represents the latest available and includes a 2015 Base Year and 2045 Forecast Year. The D1RPM has validated daily demand model. This document includes travel demand modeling procedure that was used for the US 27 Corridor Alternative Study.

The highway network modeling efforts included updating the base year 2015 traffic counts, reviewing speeds, facility types, area types, and number of lanes for highway links and checking centroid connector locations.