[FEATURE] Allow user to add variables to general purpose managed lane connectors

[DavidOry]

User Story

I have a managed lane with limited access points. I want to monitor the demand on the managed lane links and then charge the price on the access link. Travelers pay when they traverse the access link. I therefore need a variable on the dummy link connecting the general purpose lane to the managed lane.

Priority

Medium

Level of Effort

Medium

Resolution Ideas

The current managed lane project cards allow users to set managed lane specific variables using the ML_ prefix. We could add an AC_ and EG_ prefixes to set variables that are specific to the access and egress connectors, respectively. For example, AC_toll_code could be used to set a toll code on the access link. This would be a Network Wrangler solution.

The Lasso solution would be to add an agency-specific method to the roadway_standard_to_model_network method that acts on the dummy links after they are created. This would require the user to write what could be complicated Python code to get the variables they want on specific links. ​

I think the Network Wrangler approach is superior. But Lasso would need to know about the AC_ and EG_ codes to write out the model network properly.

Project

There is no funder for this feature request.

Who should be involved?

Implementer: @i-am-sijia
Commenters: @DavidOry, @e-lo
Users: @RachelWikenMC, @lmz
Reviewers: @e-lo

Risk

Low, as the changes should be isolated to the connectors.

Tests

Test a project card with variables on the connectors and make sure they are carried through to the model network object.

[e-lo]

@DavidOry can you verify:
A. if this is still a relevant issue
B. if this should be added to 1.1 milestone?