Charles Komanoff and the Balanced Transportation Analyzer
August 8, 2017 7:11 AM Subscribe
Starting in the mid-2000s, economist and transportation analyst Charles Komanoff began constructing a tool of fantastic complexity to analyze traffic policy impacts in Manhattan and surrounding territories. . .
ten years and countless tweaks and modifications later, his masterwork, the Balanced Transportation Analyzer, is available for download (Excel). Curious about what effect your traffic policy of choice would have on the New York City area? Try modeling it yourself! There's even a video walkthrough to help you navigate this otherworldly machine.
Komanoff originally developed the tool to model congestion pricing, but more recently it's been used to show that Uber sucks for New York.
ten years and countless tweaks and modifications later, his masterwork, the Balanced Transportation Analyzer, is available for download (Excel). Curious about what effect your traffic policy of choice would have on the New York City area? Try modeling it yourself! There's even a video walkthrough to help you navigate this otherworldly machine.
Komanoff originally developed the tool to model congestion pricing, but more recently it's been used to show that Uber sucks for New York.
This thing is actually pretty light on macros considering its size and complexity. If anything it could benefit from sheet show/hide toggles on the Table of Contents page.
I haven't had to work with any enormous Excel models for a couple years and I'm getting some actual nostalgia looking at this one. (I'm sure the enchantment will fade.)
posted by paper chromatographologist at 7:48 AM on August 8, 2017
I haven't had to work with any enormous Excel models for a couple years and I'm getting some actual nostalgia looking at this one. (I'm sure the enchantment will fade.)
posted by paper chromatographologist at 7:48 AM on August 8, 2017
Aw yay, I was just saying today that this is one of my favorite things (I've done research on pricing). I saw Komanoff present it once and it was really cool!
posted by ferret branca at 10:42 AM on August 8, 2017
posted by ferret branca at 10:42 AM on August 8, 2017
Came for the dystopia, was not disappointed:
posted by dmh at 3:21 AM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Insurance premiums could reflect the habits of individual drivers instead of relying on crude proxies like age. Drivers could be rewarded for taking the roads less traveled—not having to pay, and sometimes even getting paid, if they chose to commute on less congested routes on particularly busy daysToday? Excel sheet! Tomorrow? Surveillance nightmare that destroys trust and solidarity!
posted by dmh at 3:21 AM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
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welcome to software hell
posted by indubitable at 7:13 AM on August 8, 2017 [2 favorites]