HERS-ST Highway Economic Requirements System - State Version: User's Guide
Software Version 4.X
July 2009
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof.
Table of Contents
Chapter 3. Understanding HERS-ST Analysis
Chapter 4. Installing the Software
Chapter 5. Starting the Software
- Logging On
- Understanding the HERS-ST Application Environment
- Modifying the Application Environment
- Database Manager
Chapter 6. Working with Input Data
- The Data HERS-ST Uses
- Highway Data
- HERS-ST Highway Data Fields
- Using the Highway Data Window
- Selecting a GIS Shape File
- Working with Highway Data
- Configuring the Table Layout
- Sorting Records
- Importing from an HPMS File
- Importing from an External Database
- Validating Records
- Selecting Records
- Adding and Deleting Records
- Viewing the GIS Map
- Selecting Highway Sections using the GIS Map
- GIS Map Backgrounds
- State Improvements Data
- Intermediate Year Data
Chapter 7. Working with Input Data
Chapter 8. Running HERS-ST Analysis
Chapter 9. Understanding Analysis Results
Chapter 11. Customizing HERS-ST Options
List of Figures and Tables
FIGURES:
Figure 2-1. Overview of HERS-ST Process
Figure 2-2. HERS-ST Analytical Procedures
Figure 4-1. Main HERS-ST Installation Screen
Figure 5-1. Logon Screen for HERS-ST
Figure 5-2. Worksheet Browser
Figure 5-3. HERS-ST Application Window
Figure 5-4. HERS-ST General Options
Figure 5-5. Database Manager
Figure 6-1. Highway Data in the Workset Tree
Figure 6-2. Highway Data Window (Root Level)
Figure 6-3. Shape File Browser
Figure 6-4. Highway Data Window (Sections Level)
Figure 6-5. Section Editor Window
Figure 6-6. Highway Data Table (Table Menu)
Figure 6-7. Highway Data Table (Column Menus)
Figure 6-8. Data Field Map
Figure 6-9. Query Builder Window
Figure 6-10. Highway Data Window (Map Level)
Figure 6-11. State Improvements Workset Tree
Figure 6-12. State Improvements Data Window (Root Level)
Figure 6-13. State Improvements Data Window (Improvements Level)
Figure 6-14. State Improvements Table Menus
Figure 6-15. State Improvements Data Editor
Figure 6-16. Improvement Type Dialog
Figure 7-1. Workset Tree (Settings)
Figure 7-2. Control Settings (General)
Figure 7-3. Control Settings (Objective)
Figure 7-4. Control Settings (Available Funds)
Figure 7-5. Control Settings (Performance Goals)
Figure 7-6. Control Settings (Constraint Weights)
Figure 7-7. Control Settings (Optional Settings)
Figure 7-8. Control Settings (Units)
Figure 7-9. Parameter Settings (General)
Figure 7-10. Parameter Settings (Improvement Costs)
Figure 7-11. Parameter Settings (Deficiency Levels)
Figure 7-12. Parameter Settings (Price Index)
Figure 7-13. Parameter Settings (Pavement Factors)
Figure 7-14. Parameter Settings (Optional Settings)
Figure 7-15. Output Settings (General)
Figure 7-16. Output Settings (Improvement Statistics)
Figure 7-17. Output Settings (System Conditions)
Figure 7-18. Output Settings (Section Conditions)
Figure 8-1. HERS-ST Run Wizard (Items)
Figure 8-2. HERS-ST Run Wizard (Objective)
Figure 8-3. HERS-ST Run Wizard (Options)
Figure 8-4. HERS-ST Run Wizard (Multiple Runs)
Figure 8-5. HERS-ST Run Wizard (Funds / Goals)
Figure 8-6. HERS-ST Run Wizard (Deficiency Levels)
Figure 8-7. HERS-ST DOS Window
Figure 8-8. Warning Message Dialog
Figure 8-9. Warning Message Dialog
Figure 9-1. Workset Tree (Results)
Figure 9-2. System Conditions (General)
Figure 9-3. System Conditions (Categories)
Figure 9-4. System Conditions (Mileage Deficiencies)
Figure 9-5. System Conditions (VMT Deficiencies)
Figure 9-6. Improvement Statistics (General)
Figure 9-7. Improvement Statistics (Statistics)
Figure 9-8. Section Conditions (General)
Figure 9-9. Section Conditions (Sections)
Figure 9-10. Section Conditions Viewer
Figure 9-11. Section Conditions Table Menus
Figure 10-1. Workset Tree (Reports)
Figure 10-2. Chart (General)
Figure 10-3. Chart (Design View)
Figure 10-4. Chart Data Table (Column Menu)
Figure 10-5. Expression Builder
Figure 10-6. Function Prototypes
Figure 10-7a. Query Wizard - Scenario
Figure 10-7b. Query Wizard - Category
Figure 10-7c. Query Wizard - Label
Figure 10-7d. Query Wizard - Fields
Figure 10-7e. Query Wizard - Advanced Filter
Figure 10-7f. Query Wizard - Advanced Sort
Figure 10-8. Ad Hoc Query Builder
Figure 10-9. Chart Template Library
Figure 10-10. Chart (Chart View)
Figure 10-11. GIS Map (General)
Figure 10-12. GIS Map (HERS Data Tab)
Figure 10-13. GIS Map (GIS Map Tab)
Figure 10-14. Theme Builder Dialog
Figure 10-15. Query Dialog
Figure 10-16. Join Builder Dialog
Figure 10-17. Join Builder Dialog
Figure 10-18. Dynamic Segmentation Dialog
Figure 10-19. GIS Map (Page Layout)
Figure 10-20. Report (General)
Figure 10-21. Report (Query Designer)
Figure 10-22. Report (Report Designer)
Figure 10-23. Report Template Library
Figure 10-24. Report (Report Viewer)
Figure 10-25. Table (General)
Figure 10-26. Table (Design Query)
Figure 10-27. Table (View Results)
Figure 10-28. Table (Print Preview)
Figure 11-1. General Options
Figure 11-2. Database Options
Figure 11-3. Highway Data Options (Default Values)
Figure 11-4. Highway Data Options (Validation Rules)
Figure 11-5. Layout Options
Figure 11-6. System Options
Figure 11-7. Configuration Options
TABLES:
Table 6-1. HPMS Sample Selection Data Items
Table 6-2. HERS-ST Highway Data Fields
Table 6-3. Format of State Improvements
Table 6-4. Improvement Codes
Table 6-5. Intermediate Year Data
Table 9-1. System Conditions Categories
Table 9-2. System Conditions Mileage Deficiencies
Table 9-3. System Conditions VMT Deficiencies
Table 9-4. Improvement Statistics Categories
Table 9-5. Improvement Statistics Categories
Table 9-6. Section Conditions Data Fields
Table 9-7. Improvement Selection Codes
Table 10-1. Formula Constants
Table 10-2. Predefined Queries
Table 10-3. Query Wizard Scenario Fields
Highway Data Validation Rules 2002
User's Guide Conventions
The HERS-ST User's Guide uses three icons to indicate key areas of interest in the text.
Presentation Conventions
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The "exclamation" icon indicates information you need to know to protect your data. Always read the text marked with this icon. |
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The "light bulb" icon indicates notes or hints to make using the application easier. |
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The "information" icon indicates where you can find additional information about a topic. |
Cross-Reference Conventions
- Italicized Text contained in a message to "see" other location refers to sections within this User's Guide.
- Plain Test contained in a message to "see" other locations refers to separate, HERS-ST related documents, as listed in Chapter 1.
Welcome to HERS-ST
This User's Guide is designed to help you use HERS-ST. The guide describes how HERS-ST works, and how you can use it to accomplish your objectives.
About This Program
The Highway Economic Requirements System - State Version (HERS-ST) is a highway investment/performance computer model. It considers engineering and economic concepts and principles in determining the impact of alternative highway investment levels and program structures on highway condition, performance, and user impacts. HERS-ST offers a range of capabilities and potential uses. For example, HERS-ST can be used in program development, in "needs" analysis, and in establishing performance objectives. The user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) provides for robust data management and end-user reporting, charting, and mapping capabilities. HERS-ST was developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and is available at no cost.
HERS-ST is based on the Highway Economic Requirements System (HERS), which was also developed by the FHWA Office of Policy in order to bring economic principles and measures into its analyses of highway investment. The HERS model is used to estimate future investment requirements for pavement preservation and system expansion in the biannual Status of the Nation's Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions and Performance Report to Congress (C&P Report).
About You
We want this guide to help you learn about and use HERS-ST. We made a few assumptions about you as we designed and wrote this guide:
- You know how to use a personal computer and understand the basic Windows operating environment.
- You have a general understanding of the engineering and economic principles underlying the highway decision-making activities in your State.
- You, as a State or local Department of Transportation (DOT) official, will be the primary user of this software.
- You have access to the data your State submits to the U.S. DOT for use in the Highway Performance Monitoring System or other similar highway data sources.
We've done a few things based on these assumptions:
- We've designed HERS-ST to run on your personal computer. You navigate within the program as you would in any Windows environment with menus, icons, and mouse clicks.
- We start with the basics and show you how to fine-tune your results.
- We've included tutorials in most chapters so you can teach yourself how to use the software.
HERS-ST Home Page
Additional Support
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides a full range of HERSST support services. On-site briefings, training workshops, and implementation/troubleshooting support are available upon request, given the availability of resources. Visitors to the HERS-ST website will find a variety of useful information, such as downloadable documents and software, future conferences, and a community of practice. HERS-ST users can also join the User's Group on the website, which is used solely for the purpose of disseminating information to the HERS-ST users. Please visit the website at:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/asstmgmt/hersindex.cfm