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The case studies contained in the HCMAG also include some situations where the desired study of performance in a traffic situation is not explicitly covered by the HCM analysis methodologies, or where the traffic situation is very difficult to analyze using empirical and analytical models. A variety of additional software packages are available to assist the user in the analysis of these situations. Where such cases arise, the HCMAG explicitly identifies the particular software package that was used so that the user has an appropriate context in which to view the output and understand the ensuing discussion. It must be emphasized that the particular software used in the HCMAG is applied for illustrative purposes only, and its use within the HCMAG case studies does not imply any endorsement or judgment relative to other software packages that can also be applied with equal effectiveness to conduct similar analyses. It should also be noted that software packages are typically updated and refined quite frequently, so the particular output results reported in the HCMAG may not be replicable with the latest version of the software. This is not considered to be a significant problem for the HCMAG where the focus is more upon the analysis process and the interpretation of the results, and less upon the particular results obtained.

Ultimately, the HCMAG is intended to address every facility type referenced in the Highway Capacity Manual. Initially, however, this first edition of the HCMAG is more limited in its focus. To ensure that the HCMAG provides the most effective guidance to the widest range of potential users, its initial focus is toward those applications that typically receive the most attention and activity from the HCM user community. These include: