The primary objective of SUTRA is to develop a consistent and comprehensive approach and planning methodology for the analysis of urban transportation problems, that helps to design strategies for sustainable cities.

This includes an integration of socio-economic, environmental and technological concepts including the development, integration, and demonstration of tools and methodologies to improve forecasting, assessment and policy level decision support.

Combining an indicator based approach with simulation models and scenario analysis, socio-economic and environmntal impact assessment, and a public information component, SUTRA includes awareness building end educational aspects for citizens and stakeholders participating in urban decision making processes.

Within the policy oriented framwork defined by the indicators, model based quantitative analysis is a central apporach in SUTRA. The project uses:

• An energy/technology system model (MARKAL)
• A transportation model (VISUM)
• A transport emission model (TREM)
• A dynamic street canyon air quality model (VADIS)
• A regional photochemical air quality model (OFIS)
• City-level air quality models for point and area sources as well as the entire transportation network ( AirWare);
• Impact assessment tools (rule-based expert system), including population exposure assessment (EIAxpert);
• Multi-criteria ranking and comparison tools (DISCRETE).

The cities collaborating and involved in SUTRA (Buenos Aires, Gdansk, Genoa, Geneva, Lisbon, Tel Aviv and Thessaloniki) differ widely in terms of culture, environmental conditions, size, economic structure, social composition and demography.

Despite these differences they all face common challenges in their transportation system such as those relating to air quality, noise, traffic congestion, but also related issues such as economic competitiveness, mobility, employment, maintaining their deteriorating infrastructure and built environment while reducing social exclusion and promoting sustainable development.