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How to Create Base Year Inputs 📊

The current base year is 2023.

Synthetic Population 👥👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Overview

The 2023 population is synthesized using the code in this GitHub repository: populationsim/tm2/bay_area

Getting Started

To get started creating the 2023 population, read the README on this page: populationsim/tm2

Output Files

When you complete the synthetic population run, there will be 3 files that need to be moved and copied to your model input directory on Box.

Update Required

You will need to update this script with your Box location: copy_tm2_landuse_files.py

Files Generated:

MAZ Data Files: - maz_data.csv - maz_data_withDensity.csv

Population Files: - households_2023_tm2.csv → renamed to households.csv - persons_2023_tm2.csv → renamed to persons.csv

Land Use Data 🏘️

MAZ Data Files

The MAZ households and persons data comes from the new synthetic population process.

Network Compatibility

We have a new MAZ specification with some of the MAZs merged, so we could run into problems with network mismatch later (because the MAZs on the network haven’t been updated).

Data Processing

This processing happens in the create_baseyear_controls_23_tm2.py script. View on GitHub

Employment Data 💼

The employment data comes from ESRI Business Analyst. We needed to figure out a way to quickly get to the needed 23 categories of data.

Data Quality

We aren’t 100% sure about its quality, but we’ve done some basic checks. We hope to move to an open source option in the future.

Other Data Sources 📋

  • Parking data and other data has not been updated since 2015
  • We need to figure out an approach for updating this legacy data

Data Integration

To combine the updated employment data with other legacy data like enrollment, use this script: update_emp.py

Process Summary 🔄

  1. Generate Synthetic Population 👥
  2. Run populationsim for 2023 base year

  3. Produces households and persons files

  4. Process MAZ Data 🏘️

  5. Combine population data with employment data

  6. Integrate with legacy parking and enrollment data

  7. Copy to Model Directory 📂

  8. Move files to Box input directory
  9. Rename files according to model conventions

Detailed Guides 📚

For more detailed information on specific aspects of base year input preparation: