A trip generation database for large retail stores and its development into an expert system

The rapidly expanding retail industry, centered in large multistore developments, creates a new problem for the traffic engineer. These developments attract a large amount of traffic which often causes problems on the surrounding road networks, besides requiring parking space. Currently used methods of estimating the amount of traffic generated by such a development, based on location and probable catchment area, floor area of shops, etc., are inaccurate, and the development of a database based on dBase III Plus is proposed to remedy the situation. The development of this database into an expert system is discussed and it is suggested that this would be a significant step forward in the process of resolving planning applications. It would act as an aid to analysis and enable the expertise of engineers to be retained and the design process of each project to be recorded and accumulated