TY - RPRT AN - 01158458 AU - Newhouse, Charles D AU - Bole, Scott A AU - Burkett, W R AU - Nash, Phillip T AU - El-Shami, Mostafa AU - Texas Tech University, Lubbock AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Proposed Modifications to the LRFD Design of U-Beam Bearings PY - 2009/08//Research Report SP - 7p AB - This report contains proposed modifications to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design Manual. The modifications concern the LRFD of U-beam bearings found in Chapter 3 (Superstructure Design) Section 6 and Chapter 5 (Other Designs) Section 2. KW - Bridge bearings KW - Bridge design KW - Elastomeric bridge bearings KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Manuals KW - Revisions KW - Texas KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - U beams UR - http://www.depts.ttu.edu/techmrtweb/Reports/Products/0-5834-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919233 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01157050 AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - Follow-Up Audit On the Implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement's Cross-Border Trucking Provisions PY - 2009/08 SP - 40p AB - This report presents the results of our audit of the North American Free Trade Agreements (NAFTA) cross-border trucking provisions. Transportation appropriations legislation since fiscal year (FY) 2002 requires the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to annually review the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) compliance with eight safety criteria set forth in section 350(c) of the FY 2002 Act. The eight safety criteria relate to potential Mexico-domiciled motor carrier operations beyond the commercial zones. KW - Border regions KW - Free trade KW - Freight traffic KW - International trade KW - Mexico KW - Motor carriers KW - North American Free Trade Agreement KW - Truck traffic KW - Trucking UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916563 ER - TY - SER AN - 01156909 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Tse, Terry AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Alaska Railroad Collision Avoidance System (CAS) Project PY - 2009/08 SP - 4p AB - The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) is developing a program to design, develop, and implement a communication-based vital positive train control (PTC) system called collision avoidance system (CAS). This system will ensure an environment in which the safety of ARRC passenger and freight train operations in centralized traffic control (CTC) and non-signalized direct traffic control (DTC) will be significantly enhanced as well as providing for efficient train operations. The proposed safety enhancements include: (1) Generating and delivering safe mandatory directives, (2) Fail-safely enforcing authority limits to prevent train-to-train collisions, (3) Fail-safely enforcing speed restrictions to prevent overspeed derailments, (4) Protecting roadway workers within their assigned limits from incursions, and (5) Protecting train movements from a switch aligned in the wrong position. The CAS system will be implemented system-wide on the ARRC rail network including 65 miles of CTC and 435 miles of DTC territory; the network is a single main-line rail system that has both freight and passenger traffic concurrently. All controlling locomotives will be equipped with vital onboard computer equipment and two data packet radios for both low (44 MHz) and high (161 MHz) band radio frequencies. KW - Alaska KW - Automatic train control KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad safety UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/1999 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917693 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156589 AU - Prozzi, Jolanda AU - Flanagan, Kate AU - Loftus-Otway, Lisa AU - Porterfield, Beth AU - Persad, Khali AU - Prozzi, Jorge A AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Actual vs. Forecasted Toll Usage: A Case Study Review PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 168p AB - Reliable traffic and revenue (T&R) forecasts are critical to the success of toll proposals. However, a number of studies by the bond rating agencies—specifically Standard & Poor’s (S&P)—have shown that a majority of toll roads failed to meet revenue expectations in their first full year of operation. These studies alluded to the existence of an optimism bias in T&R forecasts, with an over-estimation of traffic by 20-30 percent in the first five years of operation. This uncertainty contributes to increased risks about the feasibility of toll roads, requirements for escrow accounts of up to 30 percent of the amount borrowed, and thus high interest payments (and ultimately higher costs to the users) to compensate investors for higher risks. The objective of this research study was to expand upon the analysis conducted by the bond rating agencies. The research focused on toll road case studies that have been operational for varying lengths of time in areas with similar demographic and transportation characteristics as Central Texas. Special care was taken to ensure the inclusion of more mature systems. This research report (a) summarizes the analysis done by S&P, J.P. Morgan, and a recent National Cooperative Highway Research Program Synthesis study on toll road demand and revenue forecasting; (b) details the researchers’ understanding of the general T&R approach used by the industry; (c) documents the research approach and summarizes the salient case study findings; (d) lists a number of areas that require an improved understanding to enhance the reliability of T&R forecasts of toll roads; (e) provides specific recommendations to address some of the concerns about data and data sourcing, the identification of key variables and how they are considered in the T&R forecasts, the limitations of the modeling methods used, and the sensitivity of T&R forecasts to changes in key variables; and (f) concludes with a brief description of the next year’s research activities. KW - Case studies KW - Forecasting KW - Revenues KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6044_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917306 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154727 AU - Meegoda, Jay N AU - Juliano, Thomas M AU - Tang, Chi AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Culvert Information Management System – Demonstration Project PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The overall objective of the research was to develop a pilot scale Culvert Information Management System (CIMS) that will comply with both requirements stipulated by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB-34) and new federal storm water regulations. A framework for inspection and rehabilitation/replacement of corrugated steel culvert pipes (culverts) is developed, and this report will form the basis for the creation of a computerized CIMS. The justification of the development of the CIMS is based on recent GASB-34 requirements. The CIMS will serve as a vehicle for evaluating underground infrastructure assets, specifically culverts, and facilitate computing present worth and comparing present costs of preserving them. Benefits of the CIMS will include long-term savings that should accrue from adopting optimized preventive maintenance strategies. The Condition States of culverts are used to express the extent of their deterioration. Different rehabilitation options are discussed and recommendations are made for deteriorated culverts. These options that will be incorporated into the CIMS, use survival probabilities based on the condition state of culverts. The survival probabilities for being in Condition States 1, 2, 3 or 4 are computed based on minimal field data. However, the CIMS requires additional field data for culverts or laboratory tests that mimic field conditions to enhance this capability. The CIMS is capable of analyzing decisions to inspect, rehabilitate/replace or do nothing at both project and network levels. At the project level this is achieved by comparing inspection and/or rehabilitation/replacement costs with risks and costs associated with failure. At the network level, the associated costs are optimized to meet annual maintenance budget allocations by prioritizing culverts needing inspection and rehabilitation/replacement. The CIMS consists of three major computer software components: databases, user interfaces, and a data administration module. Secondary components include an inlet/outlet structures module and a culvert segments module. The inlet/outlet structures module will store all the storm water data such as the quality/quantity of water and the receiving and discharge watersheds. Users will be able to retrieve culvert and inlet/outlet information and generate reports via location and road/milepost for condition state and assets needing immediate repair. The CIMS will also do the following operations: Maintain an up-to-date inventory of eligible infrastructure assets; Perform condition assessments of eligible infrastructure assets at least every three years, using a replicable basis of measurement and measurement scale; Summarize the results, noting any factors that may influence trends in the information reported; and Estimate yearly the annual amount needed to maintain and preserve the eligible infrastructure assets at or above a prescribed level. KW - Asset management KW - Condition surveys KW - Culverts KW - Databases KW - Inspection KW - Inventory KW - Management information systems KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Strategic planning KW - User interfaces (Computer science) UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-017.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915907 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154178 AU - Ullman, Brooke R AU - Trout, Nada D AU - Ullman, Gerald L AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Recommended Messages for Truck-Mounted Changeable Message Signs During Mobile Operations PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 90p AB - The use of truck-mounted changeable message signs (TMCMSs) for mobile operations is desirable for providing drivers with information to better prepare them for unexpected conditions. Traditionally, temporary traffic control for mobile operations has been limited to arrow panels and sometimes static warning messages mounted to the work vehicle. The use of warning signs in advance of the work operation is typically not practical due to the constant movement or stop-and-go nature of the work. TMCMSs can fill an information gap for these mobile operations by providing drivers with better information regarding both the operation and the expected actions based on the operation. Based on the findings of both a human factors laboratory study and field evaluations conducted during this research and basic message design principles, researchers have created a sampling of recommended messages for use on TMCMSs during mobile operations. These messages are defined by the type of work, road type, and identified concerns being addressed by the message. KW - Field studies KW - Human factors KW - Laboratory studies KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Mobile maintenance operations KW - Truck mounted variable message signs KW - Variable message signs KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/shared/Planning/Research/Truck-Mounted%20Changes%20-%20FHWA-WY-0907F.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44323/Truck-Mounted_Changes_-_FHWA-WY-0907F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915752 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153270 AU - Houston, Nancy AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Good Practices in Transportation Evacuation Preparedness and Response: Results of the FHWA Workshop Series PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 20p AB - This document provides an overview of the good practices identified during a series of multi-state workshops on Transportation Evacuation Preparedness and Response in four regions across the United States. Good practices are not presented in priority order, but rather were grouped in the three workshop phases as follows: Preparation and Activation; Response; and Re-entry and Return to Readiness. The four workshops were based on the Federal Highway Administration’s three volume primer series, "Routes to Effective Evacuation Planning Primer Series": Using Highways for Notice Evacuations; Using Highways for No-Notice Evacuations; and Evacuating Populations With Special Needs. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Evacuation KW - Routes and routing KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Workshops UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09040/fhwahop09040.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914867 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150613 AU - Pattersonn, J AU - Hughes Technical Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Runway Status Lights: Takeoff Hold Lighting System Evaluation PY - 2009/08//Technical Note SP - 40p AB - Takeoff hold lights (THL) are positioned along the runway centerline, and when illuminated, they are visible to an aircraft pilot at the beginning of the runway preparing for takeoff. Normally, these lights are off. A Runway Status Light (RWSL) System monitors the runway occupancy status and conveys this information to the pilots, ground vehicle operators, and others using special lighting components such as the THLs. Specifically, when a runway is occupied, the RWSL System turns on the THLs and provides a conspicuous visual warning to pilots preparing for takeoff that they should not continue. Project personnel from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Safety Technology Research and Development Subteam evaluated four THL configurations on Runway 13 at the Atlantic City International Airport. Three configurations contained a double row of red lights and one contained a single row of red lights. Project personnel collected data on the appearance of each configuration and recorded their findings on questionnaires. The results of this evaluation validated previous findings by the FAA Airport Safety Technology Research and Development Subteam that the double-row THL configuration spaced 6 ft from the runway centerline was more effective than the other three configurations. The 6-ft spacing created very distinct lines that did not, at any time, blend with the runway centerline fixtures. As a result, this configuration created a more conspicuous signal that was easily acquired by the pilots. Using double-row THLs significantly enhanced the THL system. KW - Air pilots KW - Airline pilots KW - Airport runways KW - Information systems KW - Lighting systems KW - Monitoring KW - Runway status lights KW - Takeoff UR - http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=998454b3-7959-44d2-92fd-1a3200fcd4d1&f=TN09-25.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150546 AU - Hayhoe, Gordon F AU - Patterson, J AU - Hughes Technical Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Towbarless Towing Vehicle Operations - Evaluation of Braking Action and Vehicle Conspicuity PY - 2009/08//Technical Note SP - 34p AB - General guidance on the operation of towbarless towing vehicles (TLTV) on airport operation areas is discussed with respect to braking during towing emergencies, painting, and lighting the TLTV and the aircraft being towed. Evaluations and recommendations are also given with regard to the topics discussed in the report. The braking evaluation was prompted by a runway incursion involving a Goldhofer AST-2 tractor and a Boeing 777 aircraft in which the 777 had none of its systems operational and no personnel present in the cockpit. A simulation analysis, conducted as part of the evaluation, indicates that a person in the cockpit qualified to apply the aircraft brakes probably could have stopped the TLTV/aircraft combination before the hold line and excessive damage would not have been caused to the nose gear of the aircraft during the aircraft braking action. This finding cannot be applied to other TLTV/aircraft combinations without analysis specific to that combination. The evaluation of painting and lighting (conspicuity) concerns was prompted by a number of airports reporting difficulty in seeing aircraft when being towed at night, particularly when the aircraft systems are not operational. The evaluation determined that TLTV/aircraft conspicuity may be increased by using brighter paint colors, reflective tape along the lower body panels of the TLTV, and additional warning lights on the body of the TLTV. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Airport operations KW - Airport runways KW - Boeing 777 aircraft KW - Braking KW - Runway incursions KW - Towed vehicles KW - Towing vehicles KW - Warning lights UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912787 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150534 AU - Rasmussen, R AU - Landoff, S AU - National Center for Atmospheric Research AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Fluid Endurance Time Tests Using the NCAR Snow Machine: Ethylene Glycol-Based Type II and IV Fluids, Type I Fluids and Conditions Near and Above 0 Degrees C PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report summarizes the results of three investigations of the use of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Snow Machine in anti-icing fluid endurance time tests. The first investigation focused on its performance for ethylene glycol-based Type II and Type IV fluids; the second examined its suitability for testing Type I fluids, and the third examined its suitability for testing at temperatures near and above 0 degrees C. Endurance time tests of Type II and IV fluids conducted in 2004 using the snow machine showed that it gave results that generally compared well with results from outdoor tests at the same conditions for all fluids except the only ethylene glycol-based fluid tested, ULTRA+. However, the number of tests was limited, and some had highly varying conditions. This report presents the results of subsequent ULTRA+ tests conducted to determine if the poor performance was more likely due to factors such as variable wind speed or direction, snowfall rate, or possibly experimental error, or to an inherent flaw in the snow machine for this particular fluid type. KW - Deicing KW - Durability tests KW - Equipment tests KW - Fluids KW - National Center for Atmospheric Research KW - Snow KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/ar0922.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912776 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150523 AU - Kennedy, B P AU - Gonzales-Estay, M AU - Hogan, F X AU - AECOM - Transportation AU - Welchert & Britz AU - Let's Be Frank Productions AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Innovative Uses of Digital Video, Denver Regional Transportation District PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 61p AB - The project delivers a national tool and template for public participation in transportation planning using digital video and assesses the effectiveness and limitations of video. The project delivers videos providing a citizens guide to NEPA, a citizen's guide to the regional transportation planning process and a case study of public involvement. Digital video can be an effective media for information transfer between practitioners and the public, can help improve citizen understanding and improve the effectiveness of the citizen's role in public involvement programs. Video should no longer be considered a luxurious extra, but a component of an overall outreach program that can be highly effective if integrated into a program of education, outreach and communication. Digital video has a focused role as one tool among many to address information transfer between practitioners and the public. The report presents supporting research and a technology transfer discussion focusing on video planning and production steps and provides recommendations for using the project videos, for adapting the project videos for refined purposes and creating new videos on similar and different topics. KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Digital video KW - Public participation KW - Public transit KW - Regional planning KW - Regional transportation KW - Regional Transportation District (Denver, Colorado) KW - Technology transfer KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912778 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01149200 AU - Meegoda, Jay N AU - Juliano, Thomas Michael AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Corrugated Steel Culvert Pipe Deterioration PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 78p AB - This research provides the basis for developing a comprehensive plan for inspection, cleaning, condition assessment and prediction of remaining service life of CSCP (Corrugated Steel Culvert Pipe). Inspection frequency guidelines were developed that rate CSCPs at three levels. The rating categories are based on the following factors: corrosion and erosion, bed load, pH, and culvert size, age and importance, and are ranked according to increasing need; e.g., annual inspections are recommended for Category III (older pipes with reported problems). A four condition state assessment system based upon the Caltrans system was developed, including quantifiable section losses, specific surface features, and a prescribed response associated with each condition state. A Markov deterioration model was used to predict the future condition state of new CSCP in urban and rural settings. These improvements will be addressed in the next phase of the research project within the context of a Culvert Information Management System (CIMS). In addition, the Weibull distribution will replace the Markov model for predicting the remaining service life of CSCP in the next phase of this project. The proposed CIMS will be capable of analyzing decisions to inspect, rehabilitate/replace, or do nothing at both project and network levels. At the project level this will be achieved by comparing inspection and/or rehabilitation/replacement costs with risks and costs associated with failure. At the network level, the associated costs will be optimized to meet annual maintenance budget allocations by prioritizing CSCPs needing inspection and rehabilitation/replacement. CIMS will also be used to estimate the required annual budgetary allocation for a stipulated planning horizon to maintain or improve the aggregate condition state of the CSCP network, or to maintain or improve the total highway CSCP network asset value, thereby meeting the GASB-34 requirements. The optimum sequential path in the annual decision making process may then be determined using a combination of operations research tools. A framework for real time and automated monitoring of the condition of culverts based on the identification of internal defects via video inspection was developed. An innovative approach of judiciously extracting image frames from the video and analyzing the frames to locate and categorize major defects was developed. Each frame is preprocessed to enhance contrast using an adaptive scheme and reduced dimensionality in pixel-space by implementing region based processing. The preprocessing is followed by a two-step image segmentation process, which implements a background elimination procedure in the first step and shape detection in the second step. Fuzzy clustering is used as the underlying segmentation model. Defect shape and depth information after post-processing are used as input to an automated condition state assessment methodology. A simple formulation based on both the damage area and depth is then utilized to assess the condition of culverts based on a 4-point condition assessment scale. The proposed framework was demonstrated with a test example. Future research would entail consolidating the concept by extensive testing and integration for real time application. KW - Budgeting KW - Cleaning KW - Condition surveys KW - Corrugated pipe culverts KW - Corrugated steel KW - Costs KW - Decision making KW - Inspection KW - Management information systems KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Replacement KW - Service life KW - Structural deterioration and defects KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2006-007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/911531 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146329 AU - Arel, Itamar AU - Urbanik, Thomas AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U18: Traffic Signal Safety (Phase B) PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 45p AB - Efficiently scheduling traffic, particularly heavy vehicles, remains a key challenge in transportation engineering. This project has focused on the development of a novel traffic–signal-control methodology to improve the safety of heavy vehicles on high-speed approaches to signalized intersections. The approach makes use of wireless communications between the heavy vehicle and the traffic-signal controller. The project builds upon the Trusted Truck® infrastructure in order to have a more cost-effective deployment. The project also considered existing intelligent transportation system standards (e.g. National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol [NTCIP]) as a means of establishing a practical implementation path. KW - Algorithms KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Trucking safety KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.ntrci.org/library/U18-Traffic_Signal_Safety_Phase_B_1258463973.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905592 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145989 AU - Obeng-Boampong, Kwaku AU - Ding, Liang AU - Henk, Russell H AU - Garcia, Mei AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Frontage Road Yield Treatment Analysis Tool (FRYTAT) Database: User Guide PY - 2009/08//Product SP - 42p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sponsored Project 0-4986, “An Assessment of Frontage Road Yield Treatments,” to assess the effectiveness of a wide variety of frontage road–exit ramp and frontage road–U-turn yield treatments that exist in Texas. Toward this goal, simulation modeling procedures compensated for the impracticability of the data collection effort that would be required to compile every possible combination of volume, geometry and yield treatment types. Researchers ran several simulations and generated significant numbers of measures of performance and comparative analysis. To better present the data in a more coherent manner, they developed a database tool to incorporate the results of the research and present these results in a format that would be useful to TxDOT staff. This report is the user guide for that database tool, the Frontage Road Yield Treatment Analysis Tool (FRYTAT). KW - Computer program documentation KW - Databases KW - Frontage roads KW - FRYTAT (Computer program) KW - Highway operations KW - Off ramps KW - Performance measurement KW - Texas KW - Traffic simulation KW - U turns KW - Yield treatments UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4986-P2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906670 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145976 AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Balke, Kevin N AU - Zeng, Xiaosi AU - Chu, Chi-Leung AU - Zhang, Yunlong AU - Pesti, Geza AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating and Improving Incident Management Using Historical Incident Data: Case Studies at Texas Transportation Management Centers PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 330p AB - The companion guidebook (0-5485-P2) developed as part of this study provides the procedures and methodologies for effective use of historical incident data at Texas Transportation Management Centers (TMCs). This research report documents the results from the case studies conducted using the procedures outlined in the guidebook. Researchers examined the data collected from three Texas TMCs, which are Houston’s TranStar, Austin’s Combined Transportation and Emergency Communications Center (CTECC), and Fort Worth’s TransVISION. Researchers conducted six categories of analyses in this study – (a) analysis of incident characteristics, (b) hot spot analysis, (c) incident impact estimation, (d) analysis of incident management performance measures, (e) incident duration prediction, and (f) incident-induced congestion clearance time prediction. Researchers found that historical incident data can be effectively used to support incident management and performance evaluation processes both reactively and proactively. Some procedures need to be automated to be used efficiently in day-to-day operations. As such, various prototype tools, such as the incident duration and incident-induced congestion clearance prediction tools, were developed during this study to facilitate and automate the proposed methodologies. These prototype tools provided a platform for the Texas Department of Transportation to deploy the research results in the future. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Case studies KW - Clearance time (Traffic incidents) KW - Computer models KW - Data analysis KW - Fort Worth (Texas) KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Incident duration KW - Incident management KW - Performance measurement KW - Texas KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic incidents UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5485-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906589 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145973 AU - Wimsatt, Andrew J AU - Chang-Albitres, Carlos M AU - Krugler, Paul E AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Freeman, Thomas John AU - Valdovinos, Maria B AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Considerations for Rigid vs. Flexible Pavement Designs When Allowed as Alternate Bids: Technical Report PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 134p AB - This report documents the research conducted for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) concerning the use of pavement alternates. The scope of the project includes reviewing the state-of-the-practice in methods used for pavement type selection, interviewing TxDOT key personnel with experience in developing pavement structure alternatives, conducting a side-by-side comparison of current TxDOT pavement design methods, developing guidelines with a protocol for considering rigid versus flexible pavement designs when allowed alternate bids, and developing the Alternate Pavement Design Analysis Tool (APDAT) for pavement type analysis. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Flexible pavements KW - Guidelines KW - Pavement design KW - Rigid pavements KW - State of the practice UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6085-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906594 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143779 AU - Briaud, Jean-Louis AU - Govindasamy, Anand V AU - Kim, Dongkyun AU - Gardoni, Paolo AU - Olivera, Francisco AU - Chen, Hamn-Ching AU - Mathewson, Christopher AU - Elsbury, Kenneth AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Simplified Method for Estimating Scour at Bridges PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 486p AB - This research proposes a new method to assess a bridge for scour. It is made up of three levels of assessments. The first level is termed Bridge Scour Assessment 1 (BSA 1). The second and third levels are termed BSA 2 and BSA 3, respectively. BSA 1 overcomes the qualitative nature of current initial evaluation procedures by extrapolating present scour measurements to obtain the scour depth corresponding to a specified future flood event. It utilizes computer-generated extrapolation charts based on a large combination of hypothetical bridges, which relate the future scour depth/maximum observed scour depth ratio to the future flood velocity/maximum observed flood velocity ratio. BSA 2 has to be carried out if BSA 1 does not conclude with a specific plan of action for the bridge. BSA 2 determines the maximum scour depth. Though conservative, BSA 2 was introduced due to its simplicity. BSA 3 has to be carried out if BSA 2 does not conclude with a specific plan of action. BSA 3 involves the calculation of time-dependent scour depth rather than simply using the maximum scour depth. BSA 3 is valuable in the case of highly erosion-resistant materials that do not achieve the maximum scour depth within the lifetime of a bridge. Both BSA 2 and BSA 3 utilize erosion classification charts that replace site-specific erosion testing for preliminary evaluations. The scour vulnerability depends on the comparison of the predicted scour depth and the allowable scour depth of the foundation. Hydrologic and hydraulic computer programs were developed to obtain the flow parameters. These programs generate maps of the maximum previous flood recurrence interval experienced by a specified bridge in Texas and converts flow into flow velocities. The 11 case histories used as validation showed good agreement between predicted and measured values. BSA 1 was then applied to 16 bridges. In this process, 6 out of 10 scour-critical bridges were found to be stable in terms of scour. The proposed bridge scour assessment procedure allows for the economical and relatively simple evaluation of scour-critical bridges. It also overcomes the over-conservatism in current methods. KW - Bridges KW - Case studies KW - Computer programs KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Floods KW - Flow velocity KW - Hydraulics KW - Hydrology KW - Scour UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5505-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56117/TX-0-5505-1.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904203 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143776 AU - Noble, James S AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Union Pacific Sedalia and Jefferson City Subdivisions Freight & Passenger Rail Capacity Analysis – Phase 2 PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 21p AB - The objective of this study was to analyze a list of rail enhancements that addresses current passenger and freight rail performance on the Union Pacific line from St. Louis to Kansas City in order to improve on-time passenger service and reduce freight delays. Amtrak delay data for January 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009 was obtained in order to evaluate both the sources of delay and the location of delay. Researchers found that the 2008 data FTI (Freight Train Interference) has the highest percentage of delay minutes (53.38%), followed by DSR (Temporary Speed Restrictions = 15.09%) and PTI (Passenger Train Interference = 9.90%). The top three causes contribute to 78.17% of the overall Amtrak delay. In general, the delay profile for 2008 was the same as for 2005, however, there were significant differences in the first half of 2009, specifically, FTI delay was reduced by almost 50% and the overall delay minutes are on pace to be 33% of the total minutes in 2005 and 2008. KW - Amtrak KW - Freight and passenger traffic KW - Freight trains KW - Improvements KW - On time performance KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad capacity KW - Railroad delays KW - Train delays KW - Union Pacific Railroad UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Rd09049/or10004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904269 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143768 AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Report to Congress on FY 2008 and FY 2009 FTA Research Projects PY - 2009/08 SP - 62p AB - The House Committee on Appropriations requested the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to prepare a report on all FTA-sponsored research projects from fiscal years (FY) 2008 and 2009. As a majority of projects received funding in both years, the report does not separate FY 2008 and FY 2009 projects, but is instead organized around the FTA’s Strategic Research Goals. The report describes the funding history, identifies whether the project was congressionally directed or selected at the FTA’s discretion, and provides information on the national relevance of the research, relevance to the transit industry and community, and expected final products and delivery dates. This report includes only projects funded out of the National Research and Technology Program. KW - Appropriations KW - Financing KW - National Research and Technology Program KW - Public transit KW - Research projects KW - U.S. Federal Transit Administration UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/2009FTAResearchReportToCongress.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904160 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143764 AU - Cooner, Scott A AU - Rathod, Yatinkumar K AU - Alberson, Dean C AU - Bligh, Roger P AU - Ranft, Stephen E AU - Sun, Dazhi AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Evaluation of Cable Median Barrier Systems in Texas PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 120p AB - Since 2003, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has embarked on an aggressive campaign to install median barriers to prevent cross-median crashes on freeway facilities statewide. In the few years prior to 2003, virtually all fatalities on interstate facilities (96 percent) were the result of cross-median crashes. TxDOT used special safety funding to accelerate projects and decided to primarily implement high-tension cable/wire rope median barrier systems in lieu of concrete so that more roadway miles could be protected. This report documents the performance evaluation of various cable barrier systems in Texas. The research evaluated TxDOT’s experience with cable barrier systems by analyzing installation cost, recurring maintenance costs and experiences, crash history before and after implementation, and field performance. Some of the key findings include: 1) From a capital cost and life-cycle cost perspective, cable barrier is an attractive option compared to concrete median barrier. 2) There has been a lack of coordination between TxDOT and emergency responders during the project planning and maintenance phases of cable barrier system projects. 3) Maintenance costs and personnel requirements for cable barrier systems can be substantial and constrained maintenance budgets and personnel availability for frequent repair needs are issues. 4) Cable barriers are performing extremely well and have had very few cases of penetration unless there were nonstandard impact conditions. Researchers believe that the cable barriers are functioning according to their intended design and are restraining vehicles that impact them in fashions similar to NCHRP 350 crash-testing guidelines. 5) The installation of cable barriers has produced significant benefits with a reduction of 18 fatalities and 26 incapacitating injuries in the first full year. This reduction equates to an almost $46 million economic benefit based on current crash cost values used in evaluation of projects for safety funding. 6) Due to problems experienced in Texas and other states, soil conditions should be considered as part of the project development process for cable barrier system installations. KW - Anchorages KW - Before and after studies KW - Cable barriers KW - Costs KW - Crash injuries KW - Cross median accidents KW - Economic benefits KW - Fatalities KW - Field performance KW - Freeways KW - Maintenance KW - Median barriers KW - Soil structure interaction KW - Soils KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5609-1.pdf UR - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvTxsJrL40g UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904172 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143757 AU - Masad, Eyad A AU - Rezaei, Arash AU - Chowdhury, Arif AU - Harris, Pat AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Predicting Asphalt Mixture Skid Resistance Based on Aggregate Characteristics PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 226p AB - The objective of this research project was to develop a method to determine the skid resistance of an asphalt mixture based on aggregate characteristics and gradation. Asphalt mixture slabs with different combinations of aggregate sources and mixture designs were fabricated in the laboratory, and their skid resistance was measured after different polishing intervals. The wheel-polishing device developed by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) was used for polishing the slabs. Frictional characteristics of each slab were measured by sand patch method, British Pendulum, Dynamic Friction Tester (DFT), and Circular Texture Meter (CTMeter). Aggregates were characterized using a number of conventional test methods, and aggregate texture was measured using the Aggregate Imaging System (AIMS) after different polishing intervals in the Micro-Deval device. Petrographic analyses were performed using thin sections made with aggregates from each of these sources. Petrographic analyses provided the mineralogical composition of each source. The aggregate gradation was quantified by fitting the cumulative Weibull distribution function to the gradation curve. This function allows describing the gradation by using only two parameters. The results of the analysis confirmed a strong relationship between mix frictional properties and aggregate properties. The main aggregate properties affecting the mix skid resistance were Polish Stone Value, texture change before and after Micro-Deval measured by AIMS, terminal texture after Micro-Deval measured by AIMS, and coarse aggregate acid insolubility value. The analysis has led to the development of a model for the International Friction Index (IFI) of asphalt mixtures as a function of polishing cycles. The parameters of this model were determined as functions of (a) initial and terminal aggregate texture measured using AIMS, (b) rate of change in aggregate texture measured using AIMS after different polishing intervals, and (c) the Weibull distribution parameters describing aggregate gradation. This model allows estimating the frictional characteristics of an asphalt mixture during the mixture design stage. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Aggregates KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Friction KW - International Friction Index KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mineralogy KW - Petrography KW - Polished stone value test KW - Polishing (Aggregates) KW - Skid resistance KW - Texture UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5627-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56119/TX-0-5627-1.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904162 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143664 AU - Mabey, Matthew A AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring of Bioengineering Stabilization Projects PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 100p AB - Four sites with bioengineered stream banks were monitored for four years. Observations included quantitative measurements of stream discharge, stage and velocity. No bank erosion was observed to have affected the stream banks at any of the monitoring sites. KW - Bank protection KW - Banks (Waterways) KW - Bioengineering KW - Embankments KW - Erosion control KW - Monitoring KW - Soil stabilization KW - Stream restoration KW - Streamflow UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Bioeng_Stabilization.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/903558 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142906 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Consumer Guide to Uniform Tire Quality Grading PY - 2009/08 SP - 155p AB - This report contains comparative grade designations for treadwear, traction and temperature for all passenger car tires, except deep tread, winter-type snow tires; space-saver or temporary use spares; or tires with normal rim diameters of 12 in. or less. All passenger car tires must conform to federal safety requirements in addition to these grades. KW - Automobiles KW - Grading (Tires) KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Quality control KW - Temperature KW - Tire treads KW - Tires KW - Traction KW - Wear UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902907 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142627 AU - Solomon, Mark G AU - Chaffe, Robert H B AU - Preusser, David F AU - Preusser Research Group, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Nighttime Enforcement of Seat Belt Laws: An Evaluation of Three Community Programs PY - 2009/08 SP - 76p AB - Programs to enforce seat belt laws at night were conducted in Asheville and Greenville, North Carolina and Charleston, West Virginia. Asheville used night belt use checkpoints in a primary belt law State. Greenville used saturation patrols. Charleston used night belt use checkpoint style enforcement in a secondary belt law State. Paid and earned media publicized each of four enforcement waves conducted in each community during calendar year 2007. Both checkpoint communities showed statistically significant increases in night belt use. Drivers at Asheville belt use checkpoints were asked to provide a voluntary breath test. The percentage of “had been drinking” drivers decreased from 16 percent to 10 percent over the course of the program. It was concluded that night belt use publicity and enforcement efforts can be effective both for increasing belt use and decreasing drinking and driving. KW - Alcohol breath tests KW - Asheville (North Carolina) KW - Charleston (West Virginia) KW - Drunk driving KW - Greenville (North Carolina) KW - Night KW - Primary law enforcement KW - Publicity KW - Saturation patrols (Police patrols) KW - Seat belt use KW - Seat belt use checkpoints KW - Seat belts KW - Secondary law enforcement KW - Sobriety checkpoints KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/nhtsa_static_file_downloader.jsp?file=/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Articles/Associated%20Files/811189.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/903038 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142619 AU - Lindquist, Will D AU - Darwin, David AU - Browning, JoAnn AU - University of Kansas, Lawrence AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development and Construction of Low-Cracking High-Performance Concrete (LC-HPC) Bridge Decks: Free Shrinkage, Mixture Optimization and Concrete Production PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 546p AB - The development and evaluation of low-cracking high-performance concrete (LC-HPC) for use in bridge decks is described based on laboratory test results and experience gained during the construction of 14 bridges. This report emphasizes the material aspects of the construction process; a companion report will provide a detailed discussion of the construction, design, and environmental factors affecting the performance of LC-HPC bridge decks. The KU Mix design methodology for determining an optimized combined gradation uses the percent retained chart and the Modified Coarseness Factor Chart. The process begins by developing an ideal gradation followed by the determination of an optimum blend of user-selected aggregates. A Microsoft® Excel workbook enhanced with Visual Basic for Applications is available to perform the optimization process at www.iri.ku.edu. The second portion of the study involves evaluating the effect of paste content, water-cement (w/c) ratio, coarse aggregate type, mineral admixture type (silica fume, slag cement, and Class F fly ash each at two levels of replacement), cement type and fineness, a shrinkage reducing admixture, and the duration of curing on the free-shrinkage characteristics of concrete mixtures in the laboratory tested in accordance with ASTM C 157. The final portion of the study presents the specifications, construction experiences, and the preliminary evaluation of 14 LC-HPC bridge decks that have been built or are planned in Kansas. The techniques used to reduce cracking in these bridge decks are presented, and the field experiences for the 18 individual LC-HPC placements completed to date are presented. The results indicate that LC-HPC decks with an optimized aggregate gradation and design w/c ratios of 0.44 and 0.45 with cement contents of 317 and 320 kg/m³ (535 and 540 lb/yd³) have more than adequate workability, finishability, and pumpability, in addition to reduced cracking. A preliminary evaluation of these decks indicates that, on average, the LC-HPC decks are performing at a level approximately equal to or exceeding the best performing monolithic decks in Kansas surveyed over the past 15 years. KW - Admixtures KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Bridge decks KW - Cement KW - Cement content KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Concrete curing KW - Construction KW - Cracking KW - Curing time KW - Field tests KW - High performance concrete KW - Kansas KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Optimization KW - Shrinkage KW - Specifications KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://www.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003793376 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31200/31204/FHWA-KS-09-5_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142139 AU - Baker, Teddie A AU - Bufalino, Michael E AU - Ford, M L AU - Kale, S R AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Mark Ford and Associates LLC AU - Kale Consulting LLC AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of the Connect Oregon Program through Two Project Selection Cycles PY - 2009/08 SP - 38p AB - The Oregon Legislature passed a law establishing the Multimodal Transportation Fund in 2005. The fund was part of what became known as the Connect Oregon program, with the purpose of making public and private investments in aviation, marine, rail, and transit. The legislation provided $100 million in state lottery bond revenues to fund the program. In 2007, the legislature provided another $100 million. For the $200 million available through Connect Oregon, a total of 181 project applications were received, and 73 were selected for funding. By June 30, 2009, 27 projects had been completed, and most of the others were under construction or in design. This report is intended to help inform other states considering a collaborative approach to multimodal transportation funding programs. The report is comprised of the following sections: (1) an overview of Connect Oregon legislation and administration; (2) procedures for submitting, reviewing, evaluating, and prioritizing Connect Oregon applications and for making final funding recommendations; (3) a comparison of Connect Oregon I and Connect Oregon II results by region, mode, and size of funding request; and (4) a discussion of participant feedback and lessons learned. KW - ConnectOregon Program KW - Financing KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Investments KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Project management KW - Public participation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Connect_Oregon_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901833 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142087 AU - Botch, Sabra R AU - Johnson, Robert D AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Toxicological Findings of Pilots Involved in Aviation Accidents Operated Under Title 14 CFR Part 135 PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 12p AB - Introduction: Under the United States Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), aircraft flown under Title 14 (Aeronautics and Space) Part 135 are operated as either commuter or on-demand flights. The rules governing the operation of and the crewmembers on board such aircraft are detailed within these regulations. Aircraft operated under 14 CFR Part 135 include medical flights, on-demand cargo flights, on-demand air-taxis, and scheduled/non-scheduled domestic passenger flights with or without air cargo. Pilots operating under these regulations carry with them the added responsibility of passenger safety or, for those involved in emergency medical flights, the importance of their role for the survivability of patients in critical condition. The purpose of this study was to examine the toxicological findings of pilots involved in aircraft accidents operated under 14 CFR Part 135. Methods: Toxicological and aeromedical findings from Part 135 pilots that were involved in fatal accidents between the years 1997 and 2007 were collected. Toxicological information was obtained from the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s (CAMI’s) Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory. Accident information and the probable cause and/or factor(s) of these accidents were obtained from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Results: Between the years 1997 and 2007, CAMI received biological samples of 142 pilots operating under Part 135 who had been involved in aviation accidents. Of these 142 pilots, 139 had sustained fatal injuries. Of the 139 fatalities, 33 (23%) were found to have taken at least one drug and/or had consumed alcohol prior to the accident. The compounds detected in these pilots ranged from the benign (such as acetaminophen) to illicit compounds (such as cocaine and marijuana). The NTSB attributed either the cause and/or a factor in the accident to drugs and/or alcohol use in 6 of these 33 accidents. Conclusion: Over the examined time period, aviation accidents operated under these regulations accounted for ~4% of all fatal aviation accidents received at CAMI for toxicological analysis. Generally, these aircraft were operated without harm to crewmembers, passengers, or bystanders. When accidents did occur, the majority were not the result of drug or alcohol impairment but, instead, were due to mechanical malfunctions, pilot error, and/or operation of aircraft in adverse weather conditions. KW - Air pilots KW - Air transportation crashes KW - Aviation safety KW - Crash investigation KW - Emergency medical services KW - Toxicology UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200915.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902276 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142084 AU - Pape, Douglas B AU - Holdridge, Jason T AU - Chitwood, J Caleb AU - Stilwell, Alex W AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U15: Tripped Rollover (Phase A) PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 71p AB - The Federal Highway Administration has expressed interest in learning more about pavement drop-offs at the edge of roadways and their relationship with the roll stability of heavy vehicles. Statistics kept by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other entities have shown that more than half of all heavy vehicle rollovers are associated with a run-off-road crash. Furthermore, the majority are "tripped;" that is, the truck rolled over because it ran over a drop-off or encountered a curb or other obstacle. Previous rollover research by the Heavy Truck Rollover Consortium, like nearly all previous full-scale rollover experiments, has focused on the "untripped" rollover; i.e., those in which the truck executes a maneuver (such as rounding a corner too quickly) and rolls on essentially level pavement. This report is the first publication to describe quantitative experiments in heavy vehicle behavior in roadway departure recoveries. The long-term objectives of the recommended "tripped" rollover research are to: (1) Develop and validate a model that explains how and when tripped rollovers occur and the influence of key components; (2) Develop recommendations and guidelines for reducing the likelihood of tripped rollovers, including recommendations for: a. Highway and pavement design, b. Vehicle suspension and dynamics design, c. Stability control algorithms, and d. Driver recovery procedures. The objective for the experiments described in this report was to: 1) Provide typical results from which further experiments can be designed, 2) Establish a dynamic vehicle model that can be enhanced in future years, and 3) Attract funding and participation from additional interested parties. KW - Dropoffs (Pavements) KW - Heavy duty vehicles KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Roll stability KW - Rollover crashes KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety UR - http://www.ntrci.org/ntrci-50-2009-013 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902295 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142076 AU - Chou, S F AU - Overfelt, R A AU - Gale, W F AU - Gale, H S AU - Shannon, C G AU - Buschle-Diller, G AU - Watson, J AU - Auburn University AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide on Common Aviation Textiles PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Modern transportation systems are subject to unintentional contamination from infected passengers, as well as deliberate contamination from criminals and political adversaries. Hydrogen peroxide has been used for years as a disinfectant in the medical community and is under consideration in the dilute vapor form as a decontaminant/disinfectant/sterilant for transportation vehicles like aircraft, buses, subway trains, ambulances, etc. Although the biological efficacy of STERIS Corporation’s Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP® a registered trademark of the STERIS Corporation, Mentor, OH) technology has been demonstrated elsewhere, the compatibility of the process with typical aircraft materials has not been rigorously established. The present report documents a materials compatibility evaluation involving the effects of hydrogen peroxide exposure on the mechanical properties and flammability of the following commercial-grade textile materials: wool, nylon, polyester, Nomex®, and leather. KW - Aircraft materials KW - Aviation KW - Decontamination KW - Disinfectants KW - Hydrogen peroxide KW - Materials compatibility KW - Textiles UR - http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps121527/LPS121527.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901825 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142052 AU - Plaxico, Chuck AU - Miele, Chuck AU - Kennedy, James AU - Simunovic, Srdjan AU - Zisi, Nikola AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U08: Enhanced Finite Element Analysis Crash Model of Tractor-Trailers (Phase B) PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 210p AB - Improved understanding of truck-infrastructure crashes will enable the highway community to improve barrier design, to further reduce the likelihood of vehicle-infrastructure fatalities and injuries, and to reduce highway congestion resulting from severe accidents. In collaboration with the TFHRC, the National Transportation Research Center, Inc., University Transportation Center (NTRCI) has taken an active role in enhancing industry understanding of truck-infrastructure crash behavior through funding the development and enhancement of advanced finite element (FE) computer simulation models of truck-infrastructure crashes. NTRCI is helping provide highway engineers with data to make better, more well-informed roadside infrastructure decisions that enhance the safety of the traveling public. The objective of this current investigation is to validate and enhance computer models of a tractor-semitrailer combination that will be used in analysis, design, and evaluation of roadside safety hardware. The research team is enhancing the overall fidelity of the tractor-semitrailer FE model by verifying vehicle failure modes from simulation against those from actual crash tests. This effort will enable the tractor-semitrailer FE model to provide more realistic predictions of crash performance and significantly reduce the need for costly full-scale truck testing. This report summarizes the results of the second phase (Phase B) of a three-phase program. In general terms, the plan for conducting this effort over three phases is as follows: 1. Phase A - Conduct an in-depth evaluation of the NCAC tractor only FE model, implement selected modifications, and develop a new trailer model. Phase B - Complete preliminary modification of combined tractor-semitrailer FE models, provide them to the FHWA Center of Excellence (COE) community for beta testing, and validate them against suitable full-scale crash tests. 3. Phase C - Refine the combined tractor-semitrailer FE models and develop an interactive, online FE model user's website and a User's Manual document to facilitate the use of the model. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash models KW - Finite element method KW - Impact tests KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety UR - http://www.ntrci.org/ntrci-50-2009-012 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902288 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141676 AU - Oghumu, Stanley Onyema AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Finite Element Modeling Approach and Performance Evaluation of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Sandwich Bridge Panels PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 286p AB - In the United States, about 27% of the bridges are classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Bridge owners are continually investigating methods to effectively retrofit existing bridges, or to economically replace them with new ones. Modern composite materials for structural applications, at one time only in the domain of aerospace engineering, are increasingly making their way into civil engineering applications. In addition to retrofitting current concrete and steel structures using FRP sheets or plates, a great deal of work is being conducted to develop versatile, fully-composite structural bridge systems. To reduce the self-weight and also achieve the necessary stiffness, sandwich panels are usually used for bridge decks. However, due to the geometric complexity of the FRP sandwich, convenient methods for bridge design have not been developed. The present study aims at developing finite element modeling techniques for sandwich structures. Parametric studies are carried out with the objective of developing equivalent elastic properties, which would be useful parameters in design. A distinction is made between in-plane and out-of-plane behavior, and properties are derived accordingly. The performance of the sandwich, such as the interface stress between the flange and wearing surface can be evaluated. Therefore, through finite element modeling, optimization can be achieved in order to minimize the interface stress. The contribution of stiffness of the wearing surface to structural performance, a factor which is not usually accounted for in typical design procedures, is also examined. An effort is also made to analyze the temperature effects on the structure’s performance. A conceptual approach aimed at studying the thermal performance of the panel due to both uniform and gradient temperature variations is presented. KW - Bridge design KW - Composite materials KW - Elasticity (Mechanics) KW - Fiber reinforced plastics KW - Finite element method KW - Interfacial properties KW - Mathematical models KW - Sandwich panels KW - Stiffness KW - Stresses KW - Structural performance KW - Temperature UR - http://www.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003794656 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31200/31202/FHWA-KS-09-3_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902111 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141670 AU - Distlehorst, Jennifer A AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Cost Effective Bridge Deck Reconstruction in Kansas Using High-Density Concrete Overlays and Asphalt Overlays PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 105p AB - In 1976 the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved federal aid funding for experimental installations of corrosion protection for reinforcing steel in existing concrete bridge decks. Sixteen of the sixty-nine Kansas bridges with cost effective overlays built between 1976 and 1987 were selected for ongoing monitoring of delaminations, cracking and corrosion potential in the reinforcing bars. Fourteen bridges with low water-cement ratio concrete overlays and two bridges with asphalt membrane protective systems were monitored annually for the life of the overlays. Eight of the low water-cement ratio overlays were constructed with high-cement-content Iowa System Overlays and six with lower-cement-content Kansas System Overlays. The two asphalt membrane overlays were constructed with a non-woven polypropylene fabric membrane laid onto asphalt cement and overlaid with hot-mix asphalt as a wearing surface. A comparison of service life with initial cost of each type of overlay shows that correctly-installed asphalt membrane overlays may have been the most cost effective, followed by the Kansas System concrete overlays. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Bridge decks KW - Cement content KW - Concrete density KW - Concrete overlays KW - Corrosion KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Cracking KW - Delamination KW - Impervious membranes KW - Kansas KW - Membrane interlayer KW - Polypropylene KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Service life KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://www.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003794651 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31200/31200/FHWA-KS-07-4_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902113 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141665 AU - ElGawady, Mohamed A AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Detection of Delaminations of FRP Retrofitted Reinforced Concrete Columns PY - 2009/08//Final Research Report SP - 56p AB - In the last few decades, an extensive research has been carried out to develop strengthening techniques for reinforced concrete (RC) infrastructures using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP). When a RC structure is strengthened using FRP sheets, the bond between FRP and concrete plays a crucial role in the performance of the strengthened structure. The failure process of RC columns strengthened using FRP starts from debonding of the most highly stressed FRP strip. Debond of FRP reduces the strength and stiffness of the strengthened member and leads to a brittle failure. Early detection of debond using structural health monitoring (SHM) of the strengthened member is the key to avoid such brittle failure. SHM will provide information concerning the development of debond, which can be used to implement timely action for maintenance/repair to ensure the safety of structures. This research aimed to perform SHM of RC structures strengthened with FRP using Lamb waves. Piezoelectric wafers active sensors (PWAS) was used for both wave transmitters and receivers. A series of damage configurations including different debond sizes, different types of defects, i.e., debond and delamination, the distance between the PWAS and the debonded section, and the thickness of FRP layer were investigated through an experimental work on small-scale specimens representing RC columns strengthened using FRP sheets. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bridge members KW - Debonding KW - Delamination KW - Failure KW - Fiber reinforced plastics KW - Laboratory tests KW - Lamb waves KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Retrofitting KW - Scale models KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902067 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141663 AU - Sezen, Halil AU - Fox, Patrick J AU - Yeau, Kyong Y AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Verification of ODOT's Load Rating Analysis Programs for Metal Pipe and Arch Culverts PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 263p AB - The main objective of this study was to evaluate and improve the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) current load rating procedures for corrugated metal culverts. This objective is achieved by testing 39 in-service culverts under static and dynamic loads, by evaluating the response of test culverts using available theoretical methods and numerical simulations, and by evaluating and advancing the current analysis tools and load rating methods based on the analytical and experimental evidence generated in this research. The experimental program was conducted to investigate the influence of several parameters on the field performance of culverts in Ohio. These parameters include backfill height, various static and dynamic load applications, and existing condition, size, shape, and other properties of corrugated metal culverts. Experimental results show that culvert deflections decrease nonlinearly with increasing backfill height. Deflections and strains were nearly zero in deep culverts with backfill height larger than 13 ft (4 m). Under static and dynamic truck loading, culvert deflections and strains increased significantly when the backfill height was less than about 6.5 ft (2.0 m). Responses of some of the test culverts were simulated using the two-dimensional finite element program CANDE. Deflections predicted from CANDE analysis were larger than deflections measured in the field. However, the moments and thrusts calculated from experimental strains were similar to those calculated using theoretical methods and CANDE. Experimental data and available theoretical studies were used to evaluate the current load rating methods. Recommendations are made to improve the analysis and evaluation procedures for corrugated metal culverts. Recommendations are based on an extensive review of load rating procedures and design practices, experimental data from 39 test culverts, and theoretical and numerical investigations. The recommended load rating procedures do not consider the effect of cover depth. New capacity reduction factors are introduced for culvert wall and seam, which require different appraisals for wall and seam during annual inspections. The authors recommend changes to rating factors for deep culverts and culverts subjected to low live load stresses. KW - Backfill soils KW - CANDE (Computer program) KW - Corrugated metal culverts KW - Deflection KW - Dynamic loads KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Height KW - Load factor KW - Metal arch culverts KW - Metal pipe KW - Ohio KW - Recommendations KW - Simulation KW - Static loads KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Theoretical studies UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/441917922/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902087 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141661 AU - Huang, Scott L AU - Darrow, Margaret M AU - Calvin, Peter AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Unstable Slope Management Program: Background Research and Program Inception PY - 2009/08//Phase I Final Report SP - 90p AB - Recognizing the growing importance of asset management as related to unstable slopes, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) tasked the research team with providing information and recommendations upon which more effective resource allocation and a utilization management program could be based. The study objectives were: (1) to gather information on existing unstable slope management programs with a focus on asset management practices in the United States and overseas; and (2) to recommend guidelines for an AKDOT&PF Unstable Slope Management Program. The long-term goals of this study are eventually to implement and manage an effective unstable slope management program within AKDOT&PF and develop continuing funding sources through federal and/or state budget processes. This study consisted of three tasks: (1) Identifying and assessing unstable slope management programs in other states and countries with similar climatic conditions and terrains; (2) Identifying and comparing key successful and unsuccessful aspects of the programs both from an asset management viewpoint and from a technical viewpoint; and (3) Recommending guidelines for an AKDOT&PF Unstable Slope Management Program; these guidelines include identification of participating divisions within AKDOT&PF and their responsibilities, types of information required, and the sequential steps to implement the program. KW - Alaska KW - Asset management KW - Financing KW - Guidelines KW - Management KW - Rock slopes KW - Slope stability UR - http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/cem/ine/autc/reports_docs/unstableSlope_phase1_aug2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141333 AU - Tilahun, Nebiyou Y AU - Levinson, David M AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Social Networks and ICT in Location Choice PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 92p AB - Humans are social animals. We routinely interact with others learning about one another, about places, where to go and what places to avoid. Our activities are coordinated with others; sometimes because we explicitly seek to physically meet with those we know personally, other times the coordination is systemic because of norms and requirements of when those activities can take place (e.g. shopping when the shops are open etc.). With those personally known, interactions serve to exchange information, form social bonds and to create social support systems. Within the transportation realm, the social dimension comes into play in different ways. Two or more people who want to meet face to face have to select a meeting location and travel to that destination. People can also learn about short-term activity locations, or about residences and workplaces through others and make location decisions based upon them. These two areas of social contacts' influence in the location choice is the topic of this report. The report looks into how job search methods can impact home and work location patterns at the aggregate level. It also investigates the role job search methods and their outcomes play in subsequent relocation and residential location decisions at the individual level. A third element that will be considered is the relationship between home, work and activity locations for social meetings. The roles of social networks are explored in work finding, residential location choice, and choices of meeting locations. KW - Activity choices KW - Employment KW - Information and communication technologies KW - Jobs KW - Location KW - Location choice KW - Residential location KW - Social activity KW - Social media KW - Travel behavior KW - Workplaces UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1190 UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=1812 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901458 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140738 AU - Cofer, William F AU - ElGawady, Mohamed A AU - Greenwood, Steven M AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seismic Assessment of WSDOT Bridges with Prestressed Hollow Core Piles – Part I PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 183p AB - There are 22 bridges with hollow-core pile foundations in Washington State. Sudden, catastrophic failure has been observed in tested piles of this configuration at displacement ductilities of four or less. To investigate the behavior of these piles and predict their in-service strength, a series of detailed nonlinear 3-D finite element (FE) analyses were performed. In addition, simplified 2-D nonlinear Winkler beam models were developed to evaluate their ability to predict failure. The modeling techniques were calibrated through simulation of experimental test specimens and shown to be capable of capturing the behavior of prestressed hollow core concrete piles. Compared with experiments, load capacity and displacement ductilities at yield and failure were reasonably well-predicted. Results from the FE analysis of an in situ hollow pile illustrated that confining pressure supplied by the soil does not provide significant additional strength to the cover concrete. Also, the subgrade plastic hinge was found to vary from 2.88 to 3.0 pile diameters and it was located, on average, 610 mm (24 in.) below ground level, depending on the soil type. The Winkler beam models were found to provide conservative approximations to the load-displacement response of the 3-D FE models. The simplified analyses under-predicted load capacity and displacement ductility capacity by roughly 30%. A typical connection between a pile and cross beam was also considered to evaluate its behavior and mode of failure. The response was shown to be nearly bilinear, and the moment strength was shown to be sensitive to the axial load on the pile. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Bridge failure KW - Bridges KW - Displacement ductility capacity KW - Ductility KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Finite element method KW - Hollow piles KW - Mathematical models KW - Pile foundations KW - Plastic hinge KW - Washington (State) KW - Winkler beams UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/732.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56174/WA-732.1.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901079 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140577 AU - Bligh, Roger P AU - Menges, Wanda L AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crash Testing and Evaluation of TxDOT Burn Ban Signs PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 126p AB - Texas counties expressed a desire to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to post advisory signs on the roadside to alert motorists when a burn ban is in effect. For obvious economic reasons, the preferred method of implementation is to append the burn ban notification signs to existing sign support structures already installed along Texas highways. In support of this request, TxDOT sponsored this project to evaluate the impact performance of a Texas slip base sign support system with a lightweight, composite burn ban sign appended to the support below the primary sign at a mounting height less than 7 ft. The impact performance of the burn ban sign support configurations was evaluated through full-scale crash testing. The crash testing was performed in accordance with the requirements of NCHRP Report 350. The configuration selected for testing incorporated a 24 in. × 24 in. × 0.080 in. thick aluminum confirmation sign mounted at a height of 7 ft, with the burn ban signs mounted below. Based on the satisfactory test results reported herein, the practice of appending a burn ban sign to an existing slip base sign support system is considered suitable for implementation. KW - Breakaway supports KW - Burn bans KW - Impact tests KW - NCHRP Report 350 KW - Regulatory signs KW - Sign supports KW - Texas KW - Traffic signs UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5210-5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140460 AU - Washer, Glenn A AU - Fenwick, Richard AU - Bolleni, Naveen AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Hand-Held Thermographic Inspection Technologies PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 119p AB - Subsurface deterioration in concrete structures presents a significant challenge for inspection and maintenance engineers. Cracking, delaminations and spalling that can occur as a result of corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel can lead to potholes and even punch-through in concrete decks. For overpass bridges, concrete can separate from the structure and fall into traffic below the bridge, and there have been numerous deadly accidents as a result. Although this deterioration can frequently be detected using hammer sounding and/or chain dragging, these inspection techniques require hands-on access to the surface of the concrete. For both overpass bridges and decks, lane closures are required to gain access to the structure, and the resulting traffic disruptions make inspections expensive and logistically difficult. The proposed research would explore the use of hand-held infrared cameras for the remote detection of deterioration in concrete. This technology could reduce the need for lane closures and improve the ability of inspection and maintenance personnel to detect and monitor deterioration in its embryonic stages, such that maintenance procedures can be employed before deterioration becomes critical. The technology can also be used to monitor and improve concrete repairs by rapidly identifying the extent of deterioration and locating its boundaries. KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Delamination KW - Deterioration KW - Handheld devices KW - Infrared cameras KW - Inspection KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Remote sensing KW - Spalling KW - Subsurface deterioration KW - Thermographs UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Ri06038/or10007.pdf UR - http://utc.mst.edu/documents/R198_CR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900840 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140456 AU - Richardson, David N AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Quick Test for Percent of Deleterious Material PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 169p AB - The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is considering the replacement of its deleterious materials test method (TM-71) with test methods that are more objective. MoDOT contracted with the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) to develop a method of approximation of various deleterious materials contents based primarily on systems of standard tests which would augment or replace the deleterious test method TM-71. The system would be comprised of one or more objective tests, depending on the outcome of the research project. Nine different quarry/ledge production materials representing seven geologic formations (four limestones and three dolomites) were sampled by MoDOT and delivered to Missouri S&T. The samples represented three aggregates each for use in concrete, asphalt, and granular base. Samples of controlled contamination were also tested, bringing the total to 18. The aggregates were subjected to fifteen different test methods/method modifications. The test results, coupled with MoDOT historical specific gravity, absorption, and deleterious materials data, formed the basis of the study dataset. Multiple linear regression was used to produce 15 models of varying accuracy and complexity for TM-71 predictions. Deleterious data for the same aggregate materials (samples) were used as the response (dependent) variable. The best models entailed test methods not normally performed by MoDOT. As an alternate to the regression models, a threshold-limits method was presented. The models themselves were not exact enough to predict the various deleterious contents with the level of accuracy required for routine decisions concerning aggregate product acceptance or rejection. As a result, a method of baseline ledge-specific initial calibration of the models was developed to enable MoDOT inspectors to make acceptability decisions on a routine basis without the necessity of performing TM-71. Unfortunately, MoDOT had no historical data with which to verify the models. This is a vital step and must be done in the future before any of the models are implemented. KW - Aggregate tests KW - Dolomite KW - Limestone aggregates KW - Materials tests KW - Mathematical models KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Multiple regression analysis KW - Test procedures UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Ri07052/or10005.pdf UR - http://utc.mst.edu/documents/R218_CR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900849 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140446 AU - Finley, Melisa D AU - Funkhouser, Dillon S AU - Brewer, Marcus A AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Studies to Determine the Operational Effects of Shoulder and Centerline Rumble Strips on Two-Lane Undivided Roadways PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 78p AB - This report describes the methodology and results of analyses performed to (1) evaluate the impact of shoulder rumble strips (SRS) and centerline rumble strips (CRS) on the placement of vehicles in the travel lane of two-lane, undivided roadways and (2) determine the minimum shoulder width required for drivers to correct errant vehicle trajectories once alerted by passing over SRS. Field studies indicated that CRS on two-lane, undivided roadways with lane widths as narrow as 10 ft do not adversely impact the lateral placement of the vehicle in the travel lane. In fact, at locations with smaller shoulder widths (1 to 2 ft) drivers positioned the center of their vehicles closer to the center of the lane. Similar effects were found at locations with both edgeline rumble strips (ERS) and CRS. The impact of SRS located within 7 to 9 inches of the edgeline on the lateral placement of vehicles in the travel lane was less clear. However, it does appear that SRS located near the edgeline may shift vehicle travel paths closer to the centerline. In contrast, SRS located 35 inches from the edgeline did not seem to impact the lateral placement of vehicles in the travel lane. In addition, lateral offsets that position the center of 16-in. SRS in the middle of the shoulders at least 4-ft wide should provide enough remaining shoulder width for the 85th percentile distracted driver to correct their errant vehicle trajectory before leaving the paved roadway surface. Additional findings from all of the studies and detailed recommendations are discussed in the report. KW - Center lines KW - Centerline rumble strips KW - Edge lines KW - Field studies KW - Lane correction KW - Lane positioning KW - Lane width KW - Lateral placement KW - Operational impacts KW - Road shoulders KW - Rumble strips KW - Shoulder width KW - Two lane highways KW - Width UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5577-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31124/0-5577-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900768 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139458 AU - Warner, Jeffery E AU - Protopapas, Annie A AU - Jasek, Deborah L AU - Morgan, Curtis A AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Public Guidance for Managing Hazardous Material Transportation in Texas PY - 2009/08 SP - 41p AB - Only a small fraction of the millions of daily hazmat shipments interrupt their planned journey due to an incident that may severely threaten public and environmental safety. However, this threat of very rare but very severe consequences elevates the concern over transportation of hazmat through population centers. Furthermore, concern now exists over possible intentional hazmat releases and their use as a means to invoke human, economic, and environmental damage. It is vital for the transportation planning community at all levels to fully understand methods to effectively manage the movement of hazardous materials; thereby improving incident prevention and mitigation, increasing public safety, and reducing risk, without undue burden to commerce. This guidebook strives to answer common but critical questions concisely, present facts, and provide examples of management strategies. The intent is to also provide references for further information so that sub-state level transportation planners, in particular, are well informed and equipped to make optimal decisions regarding the transport of hazardous materials as prescribed by local conditions. KW - Decision making KW - Freight transportation KW - Guidelines KW - Hazardous materials KW - Local government agencies KW - Railroad transportation KW - Risk management KW - Safety KW - Safety management KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5929-P1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31100/0-5929-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899783 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139456 AU - Warner, Jeffery E AU - Protopapas, Annie A AU - Jasek, Deborah L AU - Morgan, Curtis A AU - Huang, Jun (Jade) AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Understanding and Managing the Movements of Hazardous Material Shipments Through Texas Population Centers PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 120p AB - Every day almost a million shipments of hazardous materials move safely and securely along our nation’s transportation system, via any combination of modes. Only a small fraction of total shipments interrupt their planned journey due to an incident that may severely threaten public and environmental safety. However, this threat of very rare but very severe, sometimes even catastrophic, consequences elevates the concern over transportation of hazardous materials through population centers. Furthermore, concern now exists over possible intentional hazmat releases and their use as a means to invoke human, economic, and environmental damage. It is vital for the transportation planning community at all levels to fully understand methods to effectively manage the movement of hazardous materials, thereby improving incident prevention and mitigation, increasing public safety, and reducing risk, without undue burden to commerce. This report strives to provide an overview of the movement of hazardous materials by the various freight modes, details some of the data related to the movement of hazardous materials in Texas, and examines the issues and opportunities related to relocating hazardous materials outside urban areas. KW - Air transportation KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Hazardous materials KW - Inland waterways KW - Pipelines KW - Railroad transportation KW - Risk management KW - Safety KW - Safety management KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5929-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31096/0-5929-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899775 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139455 AU - Bonneson, James A AU - Pratt, Michael Paul AU - Zimmerman, Karl H AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Traffic Signal Operations Handbook PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 92p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) operates thousands of traffic signals, both in rural areas and small cities. TxDOT’s operation of these signals has served the state well over the years. However, regional differences in signal timing and detection design practice have evolved. These differences create operational inconsistencies and, possibly, sub-optimal performance. Good signal timing practices developed in some areas are not well documented or otherwise communicated to other areas. A comprehensive signal timing resource guide is needed to promote uniform, effective signal operation on a statewide basis. This document summarizes the research conducted and the conclusions reached during the development of a "Traffic Signal Operations Handbook." The handbook provides guidelines for timing traffic control signals at intersections that operate in isolation or as part of a coordinated signal system. The research conducted included a review of the literature, a survey of TxDOT engineers, an evaluation of alterative signal controller settings and detection designs. A spreadsheet was developed to accompany the handbook. This spreadsheet automates several tasks involved in the development of a signal timing plan and is intended to facilitate implementation of the handbook guidance. KW - Best practices KW - Guidelines KW - Handbooks KW - Implementation KW - Isolated intersections KW - Literature reviews KW - Spreadsheets KW - Surveys KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5629-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31101/0-5629-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899765 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139447 AU - Monsere, Christopher M AU - Wolfe, Michael AU - Alawakiel, Heba AU - Stephens, Max AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing Corridor-Level Truck Travel Time Estimates and Other Freight Performance Measures from Archived ITS Data PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 118p AB - The objectives of this research were to retrospectively study the feasibility for using truck transponder data to produce freight corridor performance measures (travel times) and real-time traveler information. To support this analysis, weigh-in-motion (WIM) data from each of the 22 stations in Oregon were assembled, processed, and uploaded in the WIM data archive which is housed under the Portland Transportation Archive Listing (PORTAL) umbrella at Portland State University’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Lab. Nearly 42,000,000 truck records were successfully uploaded to the archive dating back to July 2005. Two separate algorithms necessary for this research were scripted, tested, and validated. The closest stations are 38.3 miles apart; the most separated are 258 miles apart. The first algorithm matched transponders of all vehicles in a time window between the upstream and downstream stations. The second algorithm filtered these matches for through trucks. The filter was validated by comparing estimated travel times during a winter weather-induced delay. The analysis showed that corridor-level travel times for trucks for 2007 and 2008 could be generated from the archived data. To explore the feasibility of using these same data for real-time traveler information, ground truth probe vehicle data were collected. Travel time estimates from the WIM data and the probes were used to establish a simple linear relationship between passenger car and truck performance. It was concluded that the long distances between stations was a primary challenge to directly adapting the WIM data to real-time use. Recommendations were given on increased sensor spacing and filter improvement. Finally, potential performance metrics for station level, matched trucks, and filtered matched truck data were shown. KW - Algorithms KW - Data banks KW - Data filtering KW - Estimating KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Highway corridors KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Performance measurement KW - Probe vehicles KW - Real time information KW - Sensors KW - Spacing KW - Travel time KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Truck data KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31157/OTREC-RR-09-10__2_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899633 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139420 AU - Kahane, Charles J AU - Dang, Jennifer N AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - The Long-Term Effect of ABS in Passenger Cars and LTVs PY - 2009/08//NHTSA Technical Report SP - 89p AB - Statistical analyses based on data for calendar years 1995 to 2007 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the General Estimates System (GES) of the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) estimate the long-term effectiveness of antilock brake systems (ABS) for passenger cars and LTVs (light trucks and vans) subsequent to the 1995 launch of public information programs on how to use ABS correctly. ABS has close to a zero net effect on fatal crash involvements. Fatal run-off-road crashes of passenger cars increased by a statistically significant 9 percent (90% confidence bounds: 3% to 15% increase), offset by a significant 13-percent reduction in fatal collisions with pedestrians (confidence bounds: 5% to 20%) and a significant 12-percent reduction in collisions with other vehicles on wet roads (confidence bounds: 3% to 20%). ABS is quite effective in nonfatal crashes, reducing the overall crash-involvement rate by 6 percent in passenger cars (confidence bounds: 4% to 8%) and by 8 percent in LTVs (confidence bounds: 3% to 11%). The combination of electronic stability control (ESC) and ABS will prevent a large proportion of fatal and nonfatal crashes. KW - Antilock brake systems KW - Automobiles KW - Crash data KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - General Estimates System KW - Light trucks KW - National Automotive Sampling System KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Statistical analysis KW - Vans KW - Wet weather UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811182.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899547 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139419 AU - Picha, Dale L AU - Ullman, Brooke R AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Coordination and Safety Procedures for Mail Delivery on Roadways without Shoulders PY - 2009/08//Technical Report SP - 46p AB - This research utilized interviews, focus groups, and surveys of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) employees to determine safety and coordination issues related to mail delivery on rural, two-lane highways without shoulders. Numerous crashes involving letter carriers have prompted this effort to identify ways to reduce the exposure of rural letter carriers on these types of highways, as well as to recommend innovative ways to improve coordination between the two agencies. This report contains the results and recommendations from that effort. Researchers addressed the following specific issues: mailbox placement design standards; mailbox turnout design criteria; U.S. Postal Service efforts to improve safety for their rural letter carriers; Texas Rural Letter Carriers’ Association input on ways to improve safety for their members; and current TxDOT practices related to mailbox installation, turnout design, and coordination efforts with the U.S. Postal Service. This report includes data findings from the various studies and recommendations for improving safety for rural letter carriers, as well as ways for TxDOT and the USPS to improve coordination efforts. KW - Coordination KW - Crash exposure KW - Crashes KW - Design standards KW - Mail carriers KW - Mailboxes KW - Occupational safety KW - Postal service KW - Recommendations KW - Rural highways KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Turnouts KW - Two lane highways KW - U.S. Postal Service UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6076-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31106/0-6076-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899557 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139418 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - The Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) and Applications to Improve Traffic Safety Decision–Making PY - 2009/08 SP - 66p AB - The Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) is a program facilitated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a component of its State Data Program. CODES uniquely uses probabilistic methodology to link crash records to injury outcome records collected at the scene and en route by emergency medical services, by hospital personnel after arrival at the emergency department or admission as an inpatient and/or, at the time of death, on the death certificate. CODES is designed to foster and cultivate crash-outcome data linkage for highway safety applications at the State level, supporting State Highway Safety Offices, State Public Health and Injury Prevention Departments, State Emergency Medical Services Agencies, State transportation departments, and other such agencies; and to facilitate participation in NHTSA-coordinated multistate studies using linked data at the Federal level. This document is intended to inform traffic safety professionals, from those in CODES programs to those in the agencies they support, as well as all others interested in traffic safety, on best-practice applications available through linked CODES data. KW - Best practices KW - Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System KW - Crash records KW - Data linkages KW - Outcome (Medical treatment) KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811181.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899546 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139417 AU - Creaser, Janet I AU - Hoglund, Richard AU - Manser, Michael P AU - Donath, Max AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development and Evaluation of a Cellular Phone Based Teen Driver Support System PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 101p AB - Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers with speeding, seat belt non-compliance, alcohol involvement, and distractions serving as the primary contributors to this unacceptably high crash rate. In an effort to mitigate this situation, a prototype teen driver support system (TDSS) has been designed and developed. This computer-based system provides real-time feedback to teens regarding speed limit violations and warns of upcoming speed zone changes. A unique feature of this system is that speed limit feedback is relative to the speed limit posted on the roadway on which the teen is driving. By informing teens of speeding behavior, it is hoped that this system will reduce teen crash rates. This project includes a description of the TDSS features and specifications for how the TDSS operates using the Smart Phone technology. A small usability study was completed as part of the project where teen drivers (aged 18-19) drove with and without the system. Overall, the pilot study demonstrated that the TDSS could operate effectively within a vehicle driven by a teen driver. Warnings and messages were presented to the drivers and corresponding text messages were sent when drivers failed to alter their behavior in relation to a warning. The performance data trended in the direction expected, with the TDSS encouraging lower speeds and less speeding overall. The teen participants reported that very little mental effort was required to interact with the TDSS while driving, but they also reported the system increased their perceptions of stress while driving. The second phase of the study proposed the information that should be presented in the real-time text messages and to parents in a weekly report. A potential weekly report format is described. Finally, the project identified the issues associated with using the TDSS as an additional tool to support graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Driver support systems KW - Pilot studies KW - Prototypes KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Speeding KW - Stress (Psychology) KW - Teenage drivers KW - Text messaging UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1194 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899555 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139411 AU - Washer, Glenn A AU - Blum, Frank D AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing Raman Spectroscopy for the Nondestructive Testing of Composite Materials PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 78p AB - The proposed research will develop the application of Raman spectroscopy as a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tool for the condition assessment of carbon fiber composites. Composite materials are increasingly being used in engineered structures and components, ranging from highway bridges to airframes and pressure vessels. These materials have a high strength to mass ratio, making them ideal materials for inclusion in space vehicles, hydrogen cars and aircraft. There exists a critical need to develop nondestructive evaluation technologies that can be used to assess the condition of these materials in situ, such that components and systems can be managed and repaired during their service lives. To date, NDE technologies developed for the inspection of composite materials have focused on mechanical damage scenarios, such as impact and fatigue. There is growing concern that environmental degradation of these materials leads to reduced strength during their service lives, and presently there are no NDE technologies capable of characterizing the degradation of composite materials in situ. The proposed research will investigate if Raman spectroscopy can be used for the condition assessment of composite materials during their service lives. Raman spectroscopy is a laser technique that is sensitive to molecular interactions in ordered materials such as graphite and carbon fibers. For carbon materials, the technique has been shown to be sensitive to applied elastic stresses and structural order on a molecular level. Traditionally a laboratory technique, new instrumentation implementing fiber-optic probes has extended the potential for this technology beyond the laboratory. The potential exists for implementation as a hand-held device for the inspection of engineering components and structures, including bridges and hydrogen vehicles. KW - Bridges KW - Carbon fibers KW - Composite materials KW - Degradation (Materials) KW - Fiber composites KW - Fiber optics KW - Field tests KW - Hydrogen fueled vehicles KW - Inspection KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Raman spectroscopy UR - http://utc.mst.edu/documents/R232_CR.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31197/R232_CR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899544 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139403 AU - Myers, John J AU - Brewe, Jared E AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - High-Strength Self-Consolidating Concrete Girders Subjected To Elevated Compressive Fiber Stresses PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 70p AB - There are limited measurements documented in the literature related to long-term prestress losses in self consolidated concrete (SCC) members. Recorded test data have shown variations in mechanical property behavior of SCC compared to conventional high strength concrete (HSC) mixtures in the 8-12 ksi range. Over the past year, precast manufacturers such as Coreslab Structures, Inc., in Marshall, MO have experienced inconsistencies in camber behavior with SCC which may be attributed to mechanical property variations, but variation in stress may also be a contributing factor. Additionally, increasing the allowable fiber stress limit is desired for full utilization of materials and members, as long as structural performance is maintained. Furthermore, accurate prediction of time-dependant prestress losses is essential for determination of the effective prestress force, which affects serviceability prediction and structural performance. Further investigation is required. KW - Compressive stresses KW - Girders KW - High strength concrete KW - Mechanical properties KW - Prestress losses KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Stresses KW - Structural performance UR - http://utc.mst.edu/documents/R209_CR.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31198/R209_CR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899510 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139402 AU - Baker, Teddie A AU - Bufalino, Michael E AU - Ford, Mark L AU - Kale, Steven R AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of the "ConnectOregon" Program Through Two Project Selection Cycles PY - 2009/08//Final Report SP - 38p AB - The Oregon Legislature passed a law establishing the Multimodal Transportation Fund in 2005. The fund was part of what became known as the ConnectOregon program, with the purpose of making public and private investments in aviation, marine, rail, and transit. The legislation provided $100 million in state lottery bond revenues to fund the program. In 2007, the legislature provided another $100 million. For the $200 million available through ConnectOregon, a total of 181 project applications were received, and 73 were selected for funding. By June 30, 2009, 27 projects had been completed, and most of the others were under construction or in design. This report is intended to help inform other states considering a collaborative approach to multimodal transportation funding programs. The report is comprised of the following sections: an overview of ConnectOregon legislation and administration; procedures for submitting, reviewing, evaluating, and prioritizing ConnectOregon applications and for making final funding recommendations; a comparison of ConnectOregon I and ConnectOregon II results by region, mode, and size of funding request; and a discussion of participant feedback and lessons learned. KW - Administrative procedures KW - ConnectOregon Program KW - Financing KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Oregon KW - Transportation projects UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Connect_Oregon_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899533 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139223 AU - Olsen, Karl AU - Pollock, David G AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Department of Transportation TI - Ultrasonic Detection of Simulated Corrosion in One Inch Diameter Steel Tieback Rods PY - 2009/08//Final Research Report SP - 94p AB - Corrosion of tieback rods in sheet piling systems can compromise the reliability of associated transportation structures due to loss of cross‐section and reduced strength of the tieback rods. Common inspection techniques currently involve excavating to the location of a few tieback rods for visual appraisal. This process is typically expensive and labor‐intensive. Furthermore, the actual condition of the vast majority of tieback rods in a sheet piling system remains unknown, since only a few tieback rods are typically inspected. Ultrasonic inspection of tieback rods will provide a more comprehensive technique for detecting loss of cross‐section associated with corrosion. Ultrasonic inspection is already used to successfully detect fracture of anchor bolts in transportation sign structures by coupling ultrasonic transducers to one end of an anchor bolt and propagating a bulk wave along the bolt length. The proposed research regarding tieback rods will involve similar propagation of bulk ultrasonic waves at the exposed end of a tieback rod. However, instead of looking for “early echoes” in the signal associated with cracks or fracture, the portion of the ultrasonic signal following the back wall echo will be investigated for evidence of loss of cross‐section due to corrosion. These signal indicators will be correlated to actual variations in cross‐section dimensions, in order to estimate the residual capacity of corroded tieback rods. The development of an effective ultrasonic technique for inspecting tieback rods in sheet piling systems has the potential to save money by avoiding the costs of periodic excavation. Furthermore, an efficient ultrasonic inspection technique will improve safety and structural reliability by facilitating condition assessment of every tieback rod in a sheet piling system. KW - Corrosion KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Retaining walls KW - Sheet pile walls KW - Tie rods KW - Tiebacks KW - Ultrasonic detectors UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31700/31736/Ultrasonic_Detection_of_Simulated.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899158 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138109 AU - Olsen, Karl AU - Pollock, David G AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Ultrasonic Detection of Simulated Corrosoin in 1 Inch Diameter Steel Tieback Rods PY - 2009/08//Final Research Report SP - 94p AB - Corrosion of tieback rods in sheet piling systems can compromise the reliability of associated transportation structures due to loss of cross‐section and reduced strength of the tieback rods. Common inspection techniques currently involve excavating to the location of a few tieback rods for visual appraisal. This process is typically expensive and labor‐intensive. Furthermore, the actual condition of the vast majority of tieback rods in a sheet piling system remains unknown, since only a few tieback rods are typically inspected. Ultrasonic inspection of tieback rods will provide a more comprehensive technique for detecting loss of cross‐section associated with corrosion. Ultrasonic inspection is already used to successfully detect fracture of anchor bolts in transportation sign structures by coupling ultrasonic transducers to one end of an anchor bolt and propagating a bulk wave along the bolt length. The proposed research regarding tieback rods will involve similar propagation of bulk ultrasonic waves at the exposed end of a tieback rod. However, instead of looking for “early echoes” in the signal associated with cracks or fracture, the portion of the ultrasonic signal following the back wall echo will be investigated for evidence of loss of cross‐section due to corrosion. These signal indicators will be correlated to actual variations in cross‐section dimensions, in order to estimate the residual capacity of corroded tieback rods. The development of an effective ultrasonic technique for inspecting tieback rods in sheet piling systems has the potential to save money by avoiding the costs of periodic excavation. Furthermore, an efficient ultrasonic inspection technique will improve safety and structural reliability by facilitating condition assessment of every tieback rod in a sheet piling system. KW - Corrosion KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Inspection KW - Retaining walls KW - Sheet piling KW - Structural reliability analysis KW - Tie rods KW - Ultrasonic waves UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31700/31736/Ultrasonic_Detection_of_Simulated.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898455 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573235 TI - Accelerated Determination of Alkali-Silica Reaction Susceptibility During Concrete Prism Testing Through Nonlinear Resonance Ultrasonic Spectroscopy AB - The objective of this study is to develop a reliable rapid Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) technique for assessing and quantifying the alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) in aggregate and aggregate/paste combinations. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C1293 test method is accurate, but it takes one to two years to complete. On the other hand, ASTM C 1260 is an accelerated laboratory test method, but its accuracy to predict field performance is not good. KW - Aggregates KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Concrete tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Pastes KW - Resonance KW - Spectroscopy UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1365967 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154156 AU - Hawrylak, Peter J AU - Mickle, Marlin H AU - McCane, Kirsten AU - University of Pittsburgh AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Remote Sensing for Bridge Scour PY - 2009/07/31/Final Report SP - 203p AB - A large percentage of bridges within the state of Pennsylvania are located over waterways. For such bridges, much of the supporting structure is positioned within the river or stream bed of the waterway. As a result, these bridges are susceptible to bridge scour, the washing away of fill around structures, which compromises the safety of the bridge. Bridge inspections have a limited frequency at which they can occur. In between these inspections, unmonitored and difficult to detect events may happen that create an immediate danger to the general public. The purpose of this research was to create a prototype system for bridge scour monitoring that would provide continuous monitoring. The technique utilized for this particular bridge scour monitoring was detection using float out devices. The float out device concept is to bury transmitters at various locations around a bridge structure. These devices would then be released due to the scour’s removal of material around the device. A receiver on the bridge would receive the transmission and perform an action. A float out device system would provide an initial indication of scour severity for further investigation. To realize this technique, a prototype remote sensing system was designed to have three main components that work together to indicate bridge scour. The first component is a transmitter coupled with circuitry and encased such that it is watertight and can be buried under the materials surrounding the bridge structure. It is able to be armed such that it will remain dormant while buried and become active upon its release and rise to the surface of the water. Lastly, the communication link and time it takes the unit to rise are such that transmission of a message can consistently occur. This component in its entirety is referred to as the Sensor Unit within this document. The second component is a receiver coupled with circuitry that will be encased and installed on the bridge overpass. The receiver is able to store and interpret the RF messages sent by the Sensor Unit. Given this interpretation it is able to provide a visual indication of scour severity by interfacing with the third component described shortly. The receiver circuitry will have the capability to be powered continually. This component in its entirety is referred to as the Receiver Unit. The third component is a set of lights (LEDs) encased with its supporting circuitry. The purpose of these lights is to correspond to a particular Sensor Unit. This will allow for immediate comprehension by the inspector without having to be on the bridge. This component must be able to interface with the Receiver Unit as the light that will be lit is controlled by the Receiver Unit. This component in its entirety is referred to as the Light Indicator. This document contains documentation of the work done. This document contains all analysis leading up to the system design as well as the rationale behind design decisions made. An initial assessment of what the Scour Monitoring System would be composed of and its functionality is found in the requirements section. A less technical overview of the system designed to meet those requirements can be found in the specifications section. Following this are design sections explaining the system design in detail. Lastly, the implementation and testing of the system is presented. This document also contains all items related to the system such as Bill of Parts, Schematics, Layouts, and Embedded Software Code. KW - Bridges KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Monitoring KW - Pennsylvania KW - Radio transmitters KW - Remote sensing KW - Scour KW - System design KW - Transceivers UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Improving%20Pennsylvania%20Bridges/Remote%20Sensing%20for%20Bridge%20Scour.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915626 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464133 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 269. Feasibility of Using Incentives to Facilitate Utility Relocations AB -

 

Utility relocations are a major cause of delays during highway construction and a source of frustration to both highway and utility agencies. There are many contributing causes for these delays, the most prominent of which are: Many of the these problems can be minimized or avoided if state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) make a commitment to coordinate, cooperate and communicate (CCC) with utility owners early and often. Such CCC can best be facilitated by experienced, well-trained utility coordinators. DOTs have traditionally used their own utility coordinators during the preconstruction phase of projects to expedite the work. Now an increasing number of projects combined with insufficient numbers of employees have caused them to hire consultants to do the design and utility coordination. To complicate the problem, utility relocations have become necessary on nearly all major projects, including design-build projects, in conjunction with highway construction. Therefore, it is more essential than ever for CCC to take place on highway projects. This means that DOT utility coordinators, designers and/or their consultants must fully understand what it takes for utility companies to relocate facilities and for utility company representatives to completely understand why utility relocations are sometimes unavoidable for highway designs. Some DOTs have initiated the use of incentives in the form of relocation reimbursement to encourage utility company cooperation. Results have been mixed: There may be other states attempting to duplicate these efforts or providing incentives of another sort. One of the objectives of this research will be to determine which states are using utility incentives, if any, and their results.

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KW - Coordination KW - Design build KW - Road construction KW - State departments of transportation KW - Utility poles KW - Utility relocation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2597 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232361 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139413 AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Halling, Marvin W AU - Boone, Shane D AU - Bailey, Jeffery AU - Toca, Raul AU - Angomas, Franklin AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Concrete Design and Curing Investigation PY - 2009/07/30/Final Report SP - 135p AB - Bridge deck replacement is costly. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has had a mixed experience in the performance of these bridge decks. According to Linford and Reaveley (2004) 70 out of the 71 bridges that were investigated along I-15 had some type of cracking within a few years after completion. However, some bridges decks built prior to the I-15 project have performed well with minimal problems. This research focused on the investigation of deck cracking as a function of the mix design and curing conditions. It is believed by some that reductions in the shrinkage of the concrete deck mix by as little as 20% would reduce the concrete bridge deck cracking significantly. For this research, this reduction in shrinkage was sought through adjustments in the mix design or better curing practices. KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete curing KW - Cracking KW - Mix design KW - Shrinkage KW - Utah UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=24008 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56142/UT-09.14.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899571 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138110 AU - Bailey, J Ronald AU - Hairr, Mark E AU - University of Tennessee, Chattanooga AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - East Tennessee Hydrogen Initiative PY - 2009/07/30/Final Report SP - 53p AB - This report documents the results of the research project completed by the Center for Energy, Transportation and the Environment at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga under Federal Transit Administration Cooperative Agreement TN-26-7032. This research has led to the design and implementation of a system for generating, compressing, storing and dispensing hydrogen in sufficient quantities to support testing of hydrogen fueled transit vehicles. This report provides background information on alternative fuels and compares various methods for producing hydrogen including nuclear energy, coal gasification, electrolysis and natural gas reformation. A simulation model was completed during the research project to relate energy consumption to power and energy storage requirements for transit vehicle operations. It includes economic analysis for comparison of alternatives and a description of a rigorous decision making process that was used to select the various technologies used in the final configuration of a hydrogen fueling system that was optimized to support research on the use of hydrogen for transit operations. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Decision making KW - Economic analysis KW - Energy consumption KW - Hydrogen fueling stations KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Hydrogen production KW - Hydrogen storage KW - Simulation KW - Transit buses KW - Transit vehicle operations UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/EastTennesseeHydrogenInitiativeChattanooga.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/30000/30900/30964/CETE_TN-26-7032_Final_Report_7-30-09_Version_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898468 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464475 TI - Use of Automated Machine Guidance (AMG) within the Transportation Industry AB - Automated machine guidance (AMG) links sophisticated design software with construction equipment to direct the operation of the machinery with a high level of precision, improving the speed and accuracy of the transportation construction process. Because AMG eliminates much of the guesswork, manual control, and labor involved in traditional methods, it improves worker safety and saves agencies and contractors time and money, enhancing their ability to deliver transportation construction projects better, faster, and cheaper. This technology has the potential to improve the overall quality and efficiency of transportation project construction. The objective of this research is to develop guidelines for use of AMG technology for state transportation agency construction projects. The guidelines should (1) include technical procurement specifications for AMG technology; (2) provide guidance on the use of such technology in construction projects; and (3) address the implementation of AMG technology into construction techniques (including the provision of electronic files and models to support the AMG process). KW - Computer aided design KW - Construction KW - Global Positioning System KW - Guidelines KW - Software packages KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2504 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232705 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463971 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on Public Transportation. Task 26. An Analysis and Evaluation of States' Implementation of the FTA 5310, 5316 and 5317 Programs AB - SAFETEA-LU restructured the way the FTA 5316 program (Job Access and Reverse Commute) and the 5317 program (New Freedoms) are managed. Rather than the funds going to specific transit agencies by earmark, program funds are now allocated to large transit systems and state departments of transportation (DOTs) by formula. New planning and coordination, match, and other administrative requirements associated with the programs, along with the wide disbursal of a relative small amount of funding, may be hindering states effective implementation of these programs. This research will evaluate states implementation of the first 3 years of FTA funding for these two programs. It will determine the degree of success states are having in awarding the funds, and will analyze the extent to which the programs objectives are being met. Recommendations will be made that will help formulate the state's positions regarding whether or how these programs should be changed in the upcoming reauthorization. KW - Accessibility KW - Financing KW - Implementation KW - Job Access and Reverse Commute KW - Program management KW - Public transit KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2836 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232199 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01166621 AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Literature Review: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, Risk Assessment, and Adaptation Approaches PY - 2009/07/24 SP - v.p. AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognizes the importance of understanding and responding to information on impacts of climate change on the U.S. transportation system. FHWA further recognizes that this is a rapidly evolving area of research and that useful information may come from a wide variety of sources both inside and outside the United States . For that reason, FHWA has commissioned a review of U.S. and international approaches to address global climate change adaptation. FHWA recognizes that efforts to address adaptation are in their infancy and in some cases, adaptation efforts may be limited to a qualitative assessment of vulnerability. Thus, this literature review focuses on three major categories of activities: vulnerability assessments, risk assessments, and adaptation approaches. Ultimately, some combination of these actions will inform a new risk assessment framework for FHWA. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Climate change KW - Impacts KW - Literature reviews KW - Risk assessment KW - Transportation infrastructure KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Vulnerability UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/ccvaraaa.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927283 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463973 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on Public Transportation. Task 23. Identification of State and Local Matching Fund Requirements for State Administered Federal, and Non-Federal, Public Transportation Programs AB - All fifty states currently administer one, or more, federal public transportation funding programs such as the Section 5310 and Section 5311 programs. However, not all states have the same local matching fund requirements. For example, some states pay the entire non-federal match (eg. 80% federal, 20% state), some states require local matching funds equal to one-half of the non-federal share (eg. 80% federal, 10% state and 10% local) and some other states have other combinations of state and local matching fund percentages to cover the non-federal share. Furthermore, these state policies can differ among the various federal programs. To help understand what other states require from local governments to match federal grants for the various federal programs that states administer, it would be helpful to know what the different local matching fund policies employed by each state for each federal program. This would enable states to assess whether their current policies are similar to those of other states. In addition, since a number of states also administer various non-federal public transportation programs for urban and/or rural transit systems, it would also be helpful to determine the local matching fund requirements, if any, for each state for each urban and rural non-federal public transportation assistance program. Again this information would be helpful for states to determine if their current policy is consistent with those of other states. The results of this research will be matrixes showing the current state and local matching fund percentage requirements for each urban and rural federal programs, and the local matching fund requirements for each non-federal public transportation programs administered by each state. KW - Financing KW - Government funding KW - Local government agencies KW - Local transportation KW - Matching funds KW - Public transit KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2833 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232201 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462509 TI - Eliminating or Reducing the Need for Baggage Recheck for Arriving International Passengers AB - International passengers arriving in the United States and connecting to another destination collect their baggage after they clear U.S. Immigration and before clearance by U.S. Customs and Agriculture with the exception of pre-cleared passengers. Non-cleared passengers reclaim their baggage before carrying it through to an area for inspection. At the same time, passengers are potentially monitored or questioned by federal officials with respect to various issues relating to their trip purpose and duration. During this process, the airline handles the passenger baggage several times. In reality, only a very small percentage of passengers are subjected to secondary processing. If the baggage for these passengers could be quickly identified and retrieved at the request of federal officials, this would permit other passengers to continue their journey unimpeded through the terminal without having to wait for and recheck their baggage. If this streamlining were possible, there could be a potential for improving operations with cost savings. The objectives of this research are to (1) identify potential alternative procedures that could be implemented to reduce or eliminate the need for the recheck of baggage for arriving international passengers at U.S. airports; (2) describe in detail the benefits and costs associated with these alternative procedures to airports, airlines, and federal agencies; and (3) compare and contrast potential alternative procedures with current practices. KW - Baggage KW - Baggage handling KW - Baggage screening KW - Checked baggage KW - International airports KW - International transportation KW - Radio frequency identification KW - Research projects KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2585 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230730 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463461 TI - Development of a Noise-Texture Model for Pavements AB - With recent advances in two-dimensional decomposition methods and laser sensor technology, a new method of analyzing two- and three-dimensional texture and relating these texture profiles to tire-pavement noise is possible. Texture is related to all the functional surface characteristics parameters. Once the relationship between texture profiles and friction, and texture and tire-pavement noise is established, many of these significant functional parameters can be reliably predicted with one texture measurement. The development of the texture-noise relationship is one part of the surface characteristics model that will integrate texture, tire-pavement noise smoothness, and friction. As texture measurements are possible at highway speeds, the results of this research would also have applications for agencies to perform network-level management of smoothness, texture/friction, and tire-pavement noise. The objectives of the project are to propose and verify two sets of algorithms, one empirical and one theoretical, 1) relating sound intensity and decomposed pavement profile, and 2) develop an integrated texture-noise model. KW - Friction KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Sound intensity KW - Surface characteristics KW - Texture KW - Tire/pavement noise UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231687 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575548 TI - Identification and Characterization of Insect Cellulolytic Systems for Plant Biomass Degradation AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Cellulose KW - Degradation (Thermodynamics) KW - Insects KW - Plants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368086 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464291 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Task 61. Best Practices for Establishing and Maintaining Statewide Cultural Resource Databases at State DOTs AB - The goal of this research project is to identify and report on best practices among the state departments of transportation (DOTs) that have developed statewide cultural resources geographic information system (GIS) databases for transportation planning and environmental compliance. The results of this research will be used to develop guidance for states that are thinking of developing a GIS database, have begun to develop a database, or are considering updating and enhancing an existing GIS. KW - Best practices KW - Cultural resources KW - Databases KW - Geographic information systems KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2619 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232520 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01166623 AU - Duffy, Stephen F AU - McAvoy, Deborah S AU - Cleveland State University AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Demonstration of Innovative Techniques for Work Zone Safety Data Analysis PY - 2009/07/15/Technical Report; Draft Final Report SP - 86p AB - A macroergonomic approach was used to study the causes of work zone crashes, near crashes, and incidents to determine the primary causal factors. Also, a high-fidelity driving simulator (DriveSafety’s DS-600c) was validated based on naturalistic driving data. KW - Crash causes KW - Driving simulators KW - Macroergonomics KW - Naturalistic driving data KW - Near accidents KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic incidents KW - Validation KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.csuohio.edu/sites/csuohio.edu.engineering/files/media/utc/documents/CSUTC-TR-09-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927124 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464296 TI - Properties and Performance of Warm Mix Asphalt Technologies AB - Hot mix asphalt (HMA) is produced at temperatures between 280° and 320°F. These temperatures ensure that the aggregate is dry, the asphalt binder coats the aggregate, and the HMA mix has a suitable workability. HMA needs to be workable so it can be transferred into storage silos, transported, placed, and compacted. Even higher temperatures are used for HMA mixtures containing polymer-modified asphalt binders and crumb rubber asphalt binders. Technology is now available to decrease HMA production temperatures from 30°F to as much as 100°F. These relatively new processes and products use various physicochemical means to reduce the shear resistance of the HMA at construction temperatures while reportedly maintaining or improving pavement performance. While the current state of the practice for producing HMA has been shown to comply with existing environmental, health, and safety standards, reducing HMA production and placement temperatures will provide several benefits, including reduced emissions, fumes, and odors, and a cooler work environment. An energy savings from lower production temperatures is evident with the use of warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology. The quality of the HMA construction and performance may also be improved when production temperatures are lower. Workability improvements may result in higher in-place density. This decrease in in-place air voids decreases the permeability of the HMA and the long-term or in-service hardening of the asphalt binder as well as reducing water damage that can occur in the HMA. Workability improvements also have the potential to extend the construction season and the time available for placement of the asphalt mixture during a given day. Due to enhanced workability of the HMA, it may be placed under cooler weather conditions. A significant amount of asphalt binder aging occurs during the mixing and placing of HMA. Lower production temperatures for asphalt paving mixtures will decrease the aging of the asphalt binder during production. This decrease in aging can improve thermal and fatigue cracking resistance. The use of WMA technology has some potential engineering challenges. Since the asphalt binders may not harden as much at the lower production temperatures, a softer binder will likely be in the HMA mixtures when the pavement is opened to traffic and the mixture may have a greater potential for rutting. In addition, traffic may not be allowed on the pavement at the conclusion of the compaction process until the mixture cools beyond what is normally required for conventional HMA. Because binders may be softer and some WMA technologies use water as a workability aid, WMA may be more susceptible to moisture damage. The relationships among engineering properties of such mixes and field performance need to be investigated to facilitate the implementation of this technology. The objectives of this project are to (1) establish relationships among engineering properties of WMA binders and mixes and the field performance of pavements constructed with WMA technologies, (2) determine relative measures of performance between WMA and conventional HMA pavements, (3) compare production and laydown practices and costs between WMA and HMA pavements (including necessary plant adjustments to optimize plant operations when producing WMA), and (4) provide relative emissions measurement of WMA technologies as compared to conventional HMA technologies. Project deliverables shall include (1) recommended modifications to the preliminary WMA mix design and analysis procedure under development in NCHRP Project 9-43, (2) a protocol for laboratory evaluation of WMA performance, (3) guidelines for WMA production and construction, (4) an updated emissions measurement protocol, and (5) a project database on CD-ROM. KW - Aged binder KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Cracking KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Pavement performance UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2627 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232525 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464487 TI - Long-Term Performance of Epoxy Adhesive Anchor Systems AB - Epoxy adhesive anchor systems have widespread use throughout the world. They are used to anchor both threaded rods and reinforcing bar into hardened concrete. Common transportation applications for epoxy adhesive anchor systems include bridge widening, structure-mounted signs and appurtenances, luminaires and light poles, concrete repair and rehabilitation, barrier retrofitting, utility installation on existing structures, and tunneling finishing. In July 2006, a section of a suspended concrete ceiling failed and collapsed in the D Street Portal of the Interstate 90 connecter tunnel (part of the "Big Dig") in Boston, Massachusetts. This was a rapid and catastrophic failure that resulted in the loss of life. In July 2007, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a report tracing the cause of this collapse to the failure of epoxy bonded anchors that held the suspended ceiling in place (SB-07-36). NTSB cited a poor creep resistance of the epoxy resin and a general lack of understanding and knowledge about creep in adhesive anchoring systems. Epoxy bonding systems have widespread use throughout the world. These systems are used to anchor both threaded rods and reinforcing bar into hardened concrete. Common transportation applications for epoxy bonded anchors include bridge widening, concrete repair and rehabilitation, barrier retrofitting, utility installation on existing structures, and tunneling. Despite widespread use, the suppliers of these systems provide little guidance on how the adhesives perform under sustained, long-term loading. The long-term behavior needs further investigation to prevent failures like the one in Boston. Finally, the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification doesn't adequately address the use of epoxy adhesive anchors. The results of this research will be crucial in the development of appropriate guidelines for AASHTO. The objectives of this project are the following: (1) through testing and numerical modeling, if needed, document the long-term characteristics of epoxy adhesives currently in use, with emphasis on identifying what levels of sustained loading pose a risk to anchor performance; (2) develop standards and protocols for the testing and use of adhesive anchors in sustained loading applications; (3) provide guidance for future use of adhesive anchors, including (a) identifying the creep performance requirements that are necessary for acceptance of an adhesive anchor system, and (b) developing acceptance criteria that are a function of application, with epoxy anchors not subjected to sustained loading having different acceptance criteria than anchors that will have sustained loading; (4) provide recommendations for agencies for the use of adhesive anchors in sustained loading applications, including (a) how to identify which applications pose a potential risk to the public, (b) inspection and monitoring for anchors posing a potential risk, and (c) retrofit/repair suggestions for anchors posing a potential risk; and (5) provide draft language for addressing the use of epoxy adhesive anchors in the AASTHO LRFD Bridge Design Specification. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Adhesion KW - Anchor bolts KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Bridge design KW - Epoxy coatings KW - Failure UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2495 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232717 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463972 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on Public Transportation. Task 25. Evaluate Requirements for the Utilization of Section 5311(f) Funds for Intercity Bus Service AB - For a number of years, federal public transportation funding authorization legislation has required states to utilize, at a minimum of 15% of their annual Section 5311 funding for intercity bus service, unless states certified intercity bus needs were already being met without utilizing these funds. Most state DOT's currently utilize this available funding to help meet unmet intercity service needs. However, there is wide variation among states regarding the need to use the minimum required set aside. The objective of this research is to document the current policies and procedures utilized by applicable state DOT's for their use of Section 5311 funds for intercity bus services. Also, identify some of the best practices used by states for the administration of the 5311 program. Conduct a national survey of each state DOT that provides federal Section 5311 funds to support intercity bus service. This survey needs should include: (1)How each state is expending intercity bus services funds; (2) Their criteria for determining which grantees are eligible to receive these funds; (3) What requirements are passed on to eligible grantees to qualify for these funds (eg. local match requirements, reporting and auditing requirements, etc.); and (4) Would states continue to fund the project(s) if the required 15% set aside was removed? Document the results of this survey in a comparative matrix by state identifying the various policies and procedures for the administration of this program. Review the above information to determine the potential better state program practices and contact these states to learn more about their specific program; and, based on the results of the assessment, identify the best state practices for the administration of the 5311 program for the potential use by other states. Information gathered by these analyses would be very helpful in the development of the reauthorization of the surface transportation funding legislation. KW - Best practices KW - Bus transportation KW - Financing KW - Government funding KW - Ground transportation KW - Public transit KW - State departments of transportation KW - TEA-21 Section 5311 KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2835 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232200 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462524 TI - A Handbook for Developing, Implementing, and Overseeing Airport Capital Plans AB - Airport capital improvements are dynamic and involve many elements, including phasing, financing, planning, design, and construction. Incorporating these various elements into a single plan, and then managing, overseeing, and communicating these multiple elements is a daunting task for airports and their interested stakeholders. Airport capital plans involve various stakeholders during their development, management, and oversight of the program. Capital plans change over time as projects move from planning to implementation, requiring updates to the scope, budget, financing, and schedule of those individual projects. Airport staff members from many different departments (e.g., planning, engineering, and finance), consultants, and outside agencies are involved in the project administration, each with their own set of priorities and responsibilities. The airlines and the FAA also have an interest in receiving timely and accurate information and have certain criteria that they are seeking when reviewing or evaluating the capital plan. It is not uncommon for roles and responsibilities to be misunderstood that inhibit effective communication. A collaborative business process that (1) describes all stakeholders and their respective roles, responsibilities, expectations, and information requirements and (2) identifies procedural steps is needed. This process can then be implemented at airports to facilitate communication among multiple stakeholders to ensure a successful capital plan. With many off-the-shelf or customizable software programs, capital plan information can be tracked overall or on an individual project basis. A defined process by which to best capture and communicate information used to administer the capital plan through a technological solution is also needed. This technological process is an important aspect of successfully maintaining the capital plan. This process is even more important once a project leaves the "planning" stage and enters the "implementation" stage. The objective of this research is to develop a handbook that identifies best management practices in all phases of development, management, financing, and oversight of airport capital plans and includes those elements, steps, and key milestones that are necessary to create a collaborative business process that ensures the consistent flow of information and maintains the capital plan. This includes reporting, updating, and tracking financial and individual project information and identifying the processes that facilitate communication between internal and external stakeholders (e.g., airlines, FAA, local and state officials). The handbook should also identify and translate the elements of the collaborative business process so that it can be incorporated into an information technology solution. This handbook will be developed for those individuals at an airport who have a responsibility in the development, financing, management, or oversight of the airport capital plan or who have information that is required to maintain and ensure the capital plan is current and up to date (e.g., project managers, CFOs, COOs, engineers). For the purposes of this project, an airport capital plan includes the capital improvement programs (i.e., individual projects) and the finance plan to support implementation. KW - Airports KW - Best practices KW - Capital KW - Capital management KW - Capital projects KW - Financial management KW - Handbooks KW - Intelligent transportation systems UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2570 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230745 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464149 TI - Sustainability Performance Measures for State Departments of Transportation and Other Transportation Agencies AB - State departments of transportation and other transportation agencies are struggling with how to integrate sustainability into their investment and operating decisions. In part, this is because there are multiple definitions of sustainability, and they are variously applied at different scales and at different points in system planning and programming; project development, design, construction, and maintenance; and operations. Transportation agencies are incorporating the principles of Context Sensitive Solutions and environmental stewardship into their decisionmaking, and sustainability potentially presents at least a variation and at most an entirely new way of evaluating agency performance. Agencies need assistance in developing sustainability goals and objectives and related performance measures. Popular definitions of sustainability consider the environmental, economic, and social implications of a decision and the rate of natural resource consumption relative to resource availability and the needs of future generations. For sustainability to be successfully incorporated into transportation decisionmaking, it is essential that these concepts are adequately understood, quantified and applied. Transportation agencies have strategic goals that cover a broad range of topics, many of which may be consolidated into categories that specifically address the dimensions of sustainability--economic health, social equity, and environmental stewardship. Examples include improved safety, reduced congestion, wetland conservation, enhanced economic opportunity, improved air quality, reliable mobility, system preservation, accelerated project delivery, economic vitality, ecosystem services, neighborhood preservation, and increased value of transportation assets. Climate change constitutes an emergent and critical area where agencies need immediate assistance. To achieve the goals of sustainable transportation, agencies require practical and easy-to-use tools or methods to continuously integrate sustainability into current agency performance measurement programs. Working with performance measures, however, can be a daunting task due to the large number of possible measures, extensive data that might be required, and computational complexity--hence the need for identifying useful and easy-to-use performance measures. The objective of this project is to develop a guide for state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies to use to measure the sustainability of their networks, systems, facilities, projects, and activities, at the appropriate scales, stages (long-range planning, programming, project development, design, construction, maintenance, operations), and time frames. The project will clearly describe the underlying principles of sustainability as they apply to transportation agencies. The guide will (1) support agency decision-making processes at various management levels; (2) enable agencies to develop appropriate sustainability goals, objectives and associated performance measures, and methods for conducting performance measurement and monitoring; and (3) describe computation methods for these measures and possible data sources. KW - Decision making KW - Performance measurement KW - Research projects KW - State departments of transportation KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2500 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232377 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464016 TI - Quick Response for Special Needs. Task 75. Guiding the Selection and Application of Wayside Energy Storage Technologies for Rail Transit and Electric Utilities AB - Rail transit is experiencing increased ridership as a byproduct of the recent rise in price of gasoline that is further taxing the nation's rail systems. At the same time, the price of electricity that powers rail transit systems is rising because of the nationwide rapid growth in electrical demand and the limited capacity of a strained electrical grid. Further, existing rail power substations may be inadequately equipped to support running heavier trains with more passengers; operating higher performance trains; and operating more frequent trains on shorter headways. There is a way out of this dilemma for rail transit systems in the form of trackside energy storage systems, which would recycle regenerated energy from braking, reduce voltage sag between existing substations, and reduce peak power demands thereby reducing electric utility costs. Trackside energy storage units in the form of advanced batteries, electrochemical capacitors and flywheels have come a long way in recent years and some of which have been successfully applied in Europe and Japan. Energy storage in general, other than a few scattered past trials, is very new to US transit agencies. The average transit agency is overwhelmed by the need to amass knowledge on new storage technology quickly, and to learn how to efficiently perform engineering analyses needed to define the design and operation of energy storage technologies. They also need to understand the current state of energy storage technology, the role of utilities as potential partners, and the expected direction of new research and its affect on transit operations. KW - Demand KW - Electric utilities KW - Energy consumption KW - Energy storage systems KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Wayside signals UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2917 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232244 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463804 TI - Watershed Resource Registry AB - The Watershed Resource Registry (WRR) is a collection of data and information, including an evaluation of watershed and wetland conditions and a database of mitigation opportunities needed to address future Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements. The following tasks are representative activities which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 (R3) Water Protection Division (WPD) Office of State and Watershed Partnerships (OSWP) staff is undertaking in the development of the WRR with input and assistance from partner agencies. This funding agreement will support the work to be undertaken as part of these tasks. KW - Clean Water Act KW - Data collection KW - Environmental impacts KW - Partnerships KW - Watersheds KW - Wetland conservation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232031 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463300 TI - A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies AB - State departments of transportation and other transportation agencies are struggling with how to integrate sustainability into their investment and operating decisions. In part, this is because there are multiple definitions of sustainability, and they are variously applied at different scales and at different points in system planning and programming; project development, design, construction, and maintenance; and operations. Transportation agencies are incorporating the principles of Context Sensitive Solutions and environmental stewardship into their, and sustainability potentially presents at least a variation and at most an entirely new way of evaluating agency performance. Agencies need assistance in developing sustainability goals and objectives and related performance measures. Popular definitions of sustainability consider the environmental, economic, and social implications of a decision and the rate of natural resource consumption relative to resource availability and the needs of future generations. For sustainability to be successfully incorporated into transportation, it is essential that these concepts are adequately understood, quantified and applied. Transportation agencies have strategic goals that cover a broad range of topics, many of which may be consolidated into categories that specifically address the dimensions of sustainability--economic health, social equity, and environmental stewardship. Examples include improved safety, reduced congestion, wetland conservation, enhanced economic opportunity, improved air quality, reliable mobility, system preservation, accelerated project delivery, economic vitality, ecosystem services, neighborhood preservation, and increased value of transportation assets. Climate change constitutes an emergent and critical area where agencies need immediate assistance. To achieve the goals of sustainable transportation, agencies require practical and easy-to-use tools or methods to continuously integrate sustainability into current agency performance measurement programs. Working with performance measures, however, can be a daunting task due to the large number of possible measures, extensive data that might be required, and computational complexity--hence the need for identifying useful and easy-to-use performance measures. The objective of this project was to develop a guide for state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies to use to measure the sustainability of their networks, systems, facilities, projects, and activities, at the appropriate scales, stages (long-range planning, programming, project development, design, construction, maintenance, operations), and time frames. The project will clearly describe the underlying principles of sustainability as they apply to transportation agencies. The guide (1) supports agency decision-making processes at various management levels; (2) enables agencies to develop appropriate sustainability goals, objectives and associated performance measures, and methods for conducting performance measurement and monitoring; and (3) describes computation methods for these measures and possible data sources. KW - Guidelines KW - Long range planning KW - Performance measurement KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Project management KW - State departments of transportation KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2500 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231526 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462521 TI - Practical Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Strategies for Airports AB - There is increasing concern over aviation's contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and associated environmental impacts affecting airports and the aviation industry. As environmental pressures continue to increase nationwide, it is imperative that airports take every opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint. Research is needed to assist airports, in cooperation with airlines and airport tenants, in reducing their GHG emissions by identifying practical, low-cost solutions that will assist them in better serving their passengers, customers, and host communities. By fostering the exchange of ideas and experiences through the development of a handbook and other tools that identify and evaluate best practices, airports can voluntarily commence implementation of such practices. The objective of this research is to develop a handbook and supporting application(s) that can assist airports in identifying, evaluating, and implementing practical, low-cost strategies to reduce and manage GHG emissions. The supporting application(s) should include an interactive companion application and a presentation that can be used by airports to educate and inform stakeholders. The handbook and supporting application(s) should address a range of strategies that can be implemented by all types of airports either directly or in partnership with airport stakeholders, including airlines, airport tenants, and host communities. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Airport facilities KW - Airport operations KW - Airport planning KW - Carbon KW - Greenhouse effect KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Los Angeles International Airport KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2573 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230742 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01349523 AU - Chapman, Michael AU - Drobot, Sheldon AU - Jensen, Tara AU - Wiener, Gerry AU - Schuler, Elena AU - Johansen, Christian AU - University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Analysis of Temperature and Pressure Data from Connected Vehicles in the Developmental Testbed Environment PY - 2009/07/09/Final Report SP - 77p AB - The use of vehicle sensor data to improve weather and road condition products, as envisioned as part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), could revolutionize the provision of road weather information to transportation system decision-makers, including travelers. For example, vehicle-based probe data will significantly increase the density of weather observations near the surface and also provide unique datasets for deriving and inferring road-condition information. However, the amount of data flowing through a fully functional connected vehicle network could be immense, and many prospective users likely will not be capable of handling this vast quantity of data in its native form.With funding and support from the United States Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration (USDOT RITA) and direction from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is developing a Vehicle Data Translator (VDT) that incorporates vehicle-based measurements of the road and surrounding atmosphere with other weather data sources and creates road and atmospheric hazard products. In support of VDT development, this report (1) analyzed archived probe message data from the Proof-of-Concept (PoC), Data Use Analysis and Processing (DUAP), and Development Testbed Environment 2009 (DTE09) experiments, and (2) provided hardware recommendations for processing data. Major conclusions include: (a) The Sensor Range Test (SRT), Climatological Range Test (CRT), Neighboring Surface Station Test (NST), and Combined Algorithm Test (CAT) provide a robust Quality Checking (QCh) set; (b) For DTE09, the Jeep Cherokees proved superior to the Ford Edges and Nissan Altima; (c) For all three data sets, temperature measurements are superior to pressure measurements; (d) Environmental conditions (precipitation, temperature) might affect the QCh pass rates, but vehicle characteristics (speed) and time of day do not. The effects of environmental conditions on these datasets were not statistically significant for the most part, and physically the differences were small; (e) For the temperature observations that passed QCh in DTE09, the resulting statistics indicate that the vehicle data is very similar to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (KDTW); and (f) Storage of vehicle and ancillary data will require considerable disk space. KW - Atmosphere KW - Data collection KW - Environment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Periods of the day KW - Probe vehicles KW - Road weather information systems KW - Test beds KW - Vehicle Data Translator KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/38000/38500/38551/TOPR1_508_FINAL_10_062.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1107895 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142057 AU - Zimmerman, Carol A AU - Burt, Matt AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Raman, Mala AU - Lepofsky, Mark AU - Jehanian, Karen AU - Johns, Robert AU - Tarnoff, Phil AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U.S. DOT ITS Strategic Planning Workshop June 4, 2009 Synthesis Report of Findings PY - 2009/07/06 SP - 71p AB - The United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) conducted a day-long workshop on June 4, 2009 in National Harbor, Maryland to solicit stakeholder input on the strategic direction of the Federal Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) research program. The workshop was one of several mechanisms to solicit input from external stakeholders and followed a Request for Information (RFI) issued by U.S. DOT on April 20, 2009. Total workshop attendance was 180, demonstrating strong stakeholder interest. The diverse representation included the private sector, state and local agencies, academia, industry associations, and U.S. DOT personnel As background for the stakeholder discussions that followed, ITS JPO Director Shelley Row presented information about the DOT’s strategic planning process for ITS and the development of five goal area initiatives: Safety, Mobility (Data), Mobility (Applications), Mobility (Payment), and Environment. The Multimodal Team Leaders for each goal area then presented preliminary versions of proposed programs. These program proposals, eleven in all, were the focus of two rounds (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) of 90-minute facilitated breakout sessions organized by goal area. In each breakout session stakeholders were asked to react to the overall theme of the proposed program and to identify roles and engagement mechanisms for stakeholders, key technologies, and measures of research program success. All breakout sessions were well attended and stakeholders provided many useful comments. Workshop results include the major themes of stakeholders’ comments as well as key comments related to goal area initiatives and specific programs. Eight overarching themes emerged from multiple breakout sessions. They range from continuing stakeholder involvement to Federal role to ways to catalyze the market. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Research KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning KW - Technology KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31066/14487.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902329 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566755 TI - Core Program Services for a Highway RD&T Program - FFY 2009 (TRB FY 2010) AB - This solicitation will cover the period of the Transportation Research Board's (TRB's) fiscal year 2010 that begins July 1, 2009, and ends June 30, 2010. Funds committed by participating States will be from their Federal fiscal year 2009 funding. This pooled fund study permits States to make their contributions to the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Core Program instead of sending their contributions to TRB directly. The TRB Core Program provides support funding for the TRB annual meeting. KW - Financing KW - Highways KW - Program development KW - Research and development KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/420 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358411 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467538 TI - Optimal Harvest Time of Switchgrass: Yield, Nutrient Cycling, Air Emissions AB - The goal of this project is to determine how time of harvest affects the plants ability to survive winter and re-grow the next season by examining the effect time of harvest on total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) and other macronutrients that get stored in the root system. Determining when the maximum amount of nutrients (N, K, Cl) have left the stalk and moved back into the root system will help maximize the efficiency nutrient cycling and demonstrate differences in slag formation when switchgrass biomass from different harvest dates is burned. Since switchgrass is being grown as a biofuel for heating as well as cellulosic ethanol, it is important to evaluate silicon and alkali metal contents in the harvested crop, as these could contribute to air pollution. The project will document the extent that mineral content in the biomass is a function of the soil type and the timing of harvest. Two particular nutrients of interest are nitrogen and sulfur because during combustion these are likely to produce the primary air pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). These air pollutants are highly regulated by the Clean Air Act and taken into consideration when developing switchgrass as a biofuel. Marginal land may contain contaminates and it is therefore important to evaluate how time of harvest will impact the overall quality of the fuel product from marginal soils. The goal of the applied research in this project are to provide much requested information for growing biofuel crops particularly on underutilized or marginal land so as not to compete with land currently producing food crops. KW - Air pollution KW - Biomass KW - Biomass fuels KW - Clean Air Act KW - Combustion KW - Nitrogen KW - Soil nutrients KW - Sulfur UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235774 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466231 TI - Analysis of Compound Channel Flow with Two-Dimensional Models AB - none KW - Bridge piers KW - Channel flow KW - Cohesive soils KW - Flood plains KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Hydraulics KW - Scour KW - Skewed structures KW - South Dakota UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234466 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466224 TI - Estimation of the Generalized Truck Freight Elasticity of Demand: Case Study of the Seattle-Tacoma to Chicago Corridor AB - none KW - Case studies KW - Chicago Metropolitan Area KW - Decision making KW - Elasticity (Mechanics) KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Policy making KW - Puget Sound Region KW - Research projects KW - Travel demand KW - Truck terminals KW - Trucking UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234459 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464175 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-01. Geometric Design Practices for Resurfacing, Restoration, and Rehabilitation AB - In response to a provision in the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, the Transportation Research Board studied the safety and cost effectiveness of highway geometric design standards and recommended minimum standards for Resurfacing, Restoration and Rehabilitation (RRR) projects on existing federal-aid highways, except for freeways. In 1987, The Transportation Research Board (TRB) published Special Report 214, Designing Safer Roads: Practices for Resurfacing, Restoration, and Rehabilitation." The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) subsequently amended the Foreword of the Policy on Geometric Design for Highways and Streets to include the following sentence: "This publication is not intended as a policy for Resurfacing, Restoration, or Rehabilitation (3R) projects and refers the reader to TRB Special Report 214 for design guidance." In 2001, AASHTO published Guidelines for Geometric Design for Very-Low Volume Local Roads (ADT ≤ 400). While this document does not specifically address RRR work, it does provide some guidance related to improving the safety and cost-effectiveness of geometric design for existing, low-volume roads. With TRB SR 214 specifically addressing RRR work on federal-aid highways and AASHTO providing limited guidance only on roads with ADT less than 400 vehicles per day, there is a lack of design guidance for RRR work on the wide range of roads that have traffic volumes in excess of 400 vehicles per day but are not eligible for federal-aid funding. A need exists to document the state of highway practice related to resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation (3R) design guidelines for these roadway types. State transportation agencies in Alabama, California, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas all have 3R design guidelines; however, all are different. It is therefore likely that the range of current practice is considerable. The main focus of this project should be to conduct a state transportation agency survey to document current practices related to 3R design. The synthesis should document the range of 3R design practices used by state transportation agencies in the United States. This product of this synthesis will be of considerable value to local transportation agencies in need of a document that highlights best practices of 3R design policies currently used in the U.S. Information will be gathered by literature review, survey of transportation agencies, and selected interviews. KW - Average daily traffic KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highway safety KW - Low volume roads KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Research projects KW - Restoration KW - Resurfacing UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2739 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232403 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464174 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Task 41-02. Effective Delivery of Small-Scale Federal Aid Requirements AB - Many federally-funded transportation programs provide funds for small-scale projects that are administered by local governments. Relatively small projects need to comply with the same requirements as large highway projects. There is no provision that modifies the requirements based on the scale or scope of a project. In the case of small projects, a disproportionate amount of resources may have to be spent on administration to implement the projects. For example, many agencies rarely fund a project that is under $100,000 under the Transportation Enhancement program since it would be too small to justify the cost of implementing all of the requirements it would be burdened by. According to the creating legislation (Section 1807 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users), projects funded under the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NMTPP), must also follow the requirements of a project on the federal aid system. This is also the case with the relatively new Safe Routes to School program. Many Safe Routes to School infrastructure projects fall under the $100,000 for projects such as filling in missing sidewalk segments, installing a bridge or improve pedestrian crossing areas. Other FHWA programs, like the Recreational Trails Program, do not have to comply with the same level of requirements. KW - Bikeways KW - Crosswalks KW - Federal aid KW - Footbridges KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program KW - Project management KW - Research projects KW - Small UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2740 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232402 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464171 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-05. Design Fires in Road Tunnels AB - The objectives of this study is to synthesize the available information related to design fires in roadway tunnels, to identify gaps in that information and to provide a framework for design guidance. A design fire is characterized by a number of parameters including the temperature, heat release rate and combustion products. KW - Combustion KW - Fire KW - Heat KW - Highway safety KW - Tunnel fires KW - Tunnels KW - Vehicle fires UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2743 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232399 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464169 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-07. Operational and Institutional Agreements that Facilitate Regional Traffic Signal Operations Programs AB - Regional traffic signal management and operations are critical for the effective movement of people and goods. Traffic signal systems tend to operate inefficiently, often defy performance measurement, and rarely operate in a coordinated mode across jurisdictional boundaries. Regional collaboration is needed to advance corridor and incident management strategies. Recognizing the cost-effective opportunity to improve safety and mobility, reduce energy consumption and improve air quality, coalitions have been formed in a variety of ways to engage stakeholders. These stakeholders include Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), city, county and state DOTs, transit agencies, and others. They have joined together to form Regional Traffic Signal Operations Programs (RTSOPs). These programs through operational and institutional agreements facilitate a variety of activities from training and outreach to shared control and coordination of traffic signal systems across state and local jurisdictional boundaries. This study will focus on identifying the strategies, practices, and relationships used to develop and sustain regional traffic signal operations programs. The synthesis will inform stakeholders interested in forming cooperative relationships about current practices, institutional arrangements, agreements and organizational frameworks. KW - Highway operations KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Regional transportation KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signals KW - Training UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2745 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232397 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464168 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-08. Implementing Race-Neutral Measures in State Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Programs AB - State Departments of Transportation are required to establish an annual Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal and methodology for federal-aid highway contracts using funds disbursed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The federal regulatory mandate is set forth in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26 (Part 26). Each state is required to submit new overall goals for DBE participation each year. The process is elaborate and requires using the two-step goal-setting process set forth in Section 26.45 of Part 26 by establishing a base figure for DBE availability; describing the evidence with which it was calculated; by making adjustments to that figure, where appropriate; and, describing the evidence relied upon for such adjustments. Under Step One of the goal-setting process, states must calculate DBE availability to set a new annual overall goal for FHWA-assisted contracts based upon "demonstrable evidence of the availability of ready, willing and able DBEs relative to all businesses ready, willing and able to participate" on its FHWA-assisted contracts. Under Step Two, states must examine all relevant evidence for consideration of a possible adjustment to the base figure to reflect the "effects of the DBE program and the level of participation that would be expected but for the effects of past and present discrimination." To accomplish goals, many states have implemented "supportive services programs," which are race-neutral measures that assist DBEs to remove barriers and to compete successfully in the marketplace outside the DBE program. This study will review and synthesize problems faced by states in DBE program administration and goal setting and remedies used to overcome identified problems including race neutral efforts. KW - Contract administration KW - Contractors KW - Disadvantaged business enterprises KW - Federal aid KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2746 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232396 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464167 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-09. Techniques for Effective Construction of Highway Projects in Congested Urban Areas AB - Aging highway infrastructures, difficulty in new right-of-way acquisition, and increasing urban population, all lead to many construction projects on existing, congested urban roadways. A number of factors add to the complexity and difficulty of these projects: (1)  Many infrastructure systems share the same public corridors as highways, including utilities, rail, bus, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. *(2) Urban roadways often cross multiple political jurisdictions and are under the watchful eye of many stakeholders. Mediation among the diverse goals of these jurisdictions and stakeholders requires special techniques and may cause delay in design and execution. (3) These roadways carry important traffic, including general public use, commercial traffic, freight mobility and public safety. Dense population and limited alternative pathways often makes wholesale closure of the roadway infeasible while performing construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation. (4) Construction on roadways under these conditions creates the need for special work methods. It is the purpose of this study to review the techniques that have been developed by the various state departments of transportation (DOTs) in dealing specifically with the issue of construction on highways in highly congested urban environments. The scope is limited to actions beginning with facility design. Full roadway closures are not excluded from study. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Aging infrastructure KW - Infrastructure KW - Lane closure KW - Mobility KW - Reconstruction KW - Road construction KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Urban areas KW - Urban transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2747 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232395 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464166 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-10. Developing Production Pile Driving Criteria from Test Pile Data AB - Practices vary widely nationwide for developing production pile driving criteria from test pile data obtained from static load testing, rapid load testing, or high strain dynamic testing with signal matching analysis. The FHWA pile design/construction manual has some information and guidance on this issue. However, the guidance in that manual is not adequate to insure that this issue is handled consistently. This study will gather and synthesize information on the current state-of-practice to supplement the FHWA manual. Recently, AASHTO Technical Committee T-15 conducted a nationwide survey of the state DOT's that specifically attempted to gather opinions on the issue. This synthesis would gather the practices various states use, allowing others using the synthesis to identify the common elements as well as the differences, and possibly advantages and disadvantages of each approach, especially as applied to specific situations or site conditions. KW - Design criteria KW - Load tests KW - Pile driving KW - State of the practice KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Structural analysis KW - Test data UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2748 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232394 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464165 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-11. Transportation Improvement Program Revision Process AB - Federal legislation specifies that a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) be developed and maintained by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in consultation with the State, public transportation operators, and any other interested parties (Title 23, Chapter 1, § 134). Federal transportation legislation endowing MPOs with funding authority through the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) has provided MPOs with almost twenty years of experience in managing the TIP and the flow of federal funds to projects. Activities by the TRB Transportation Programming, Planning and Systems Evaluation Committee (ADA50) reveal distinct variations across the country in the way the TIP is managed once adopted. A mini-peer exchange conducted at the 2008 mid-year meeting highlighted some of these differences. It raised questions as to why TIP amendment processes approved in one part of the country are disallowed in other parts of the country. It pointed out efficiencies practiced in some regions that are not familiar to other regions. This synthesis of approved Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) amendment processes in practice by MPOs, States, and regional FHWA and FTA offices is needed to further the current state of the practice. Over the last three transportation acts MPOs have used flexibility inherent in the legislation to develop a number of different approaches to amending the TIP and keeping it current. This in turn is accompanied by a number of different relationships between the State, the MPO, and the regional FHWA and FTA offices in managing the TIP. Efficiencies realized in the TIP amendment process would be of value to those looking to minimize non-productive time between the allocation and obligation of funds, and the level of effort required to respond to changing project needs. But the ability to learn about approved practices and evaluate them for applicability is a hit-or-miss endeavor for MPOs, States, and regional FHWA and FTA offices. A compendium of approved real-world practices will be a valuable resource to regional, state, and federal practitioners. KW - Air quality management KW - Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program KW - Exhaust gases KW - Ground transportation KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Pollutants KW - Public transit KW - Surface Transportation Program KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation Improvement Program UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2749 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232393 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464164 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 41-12. Microsurfacing Best Practices AB - Microsurfacing treatments are widely used for preventative maintenance of pavements. While there has been extensive research on hot mix asphalt design and chip seal surface treatments, microsurfacing design and construction continues to depend more on local field experience and judgment, instead of a generally accepted engineering methodology. When not properly applied, these treatments fail early and incur costly corrective maintenance for user agencies. Microsurfacing NCHRP Synthesis 342: Chip Seal Best Practices successfully brought together in one document the national experience in that pavement maintenance/preservation treatment. A similar synthesis needs to be done for microsurfacing. KW - Chip seals KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Microsurfacing KW - Mix design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Surface treating UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2750 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232392 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463289 TI - Quick Response for Special Needs. Task 76. Support for a Transit Wireless Communications Joint Council AB - This task is providing support for a Transit Wireless Communications Joint Council so-sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association. KW - American Public Transportation Association KW - Information dissemination KW - Passenger transportation KW - Public transit KW - Strategic planning KW - Wireless communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231515 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462718 TI - Understanding Urban Goods Movements AB - The efficient flow of goods is essential for the economic well-being of the vast majority of Americans who live in urbanized areas. The performance of the freight flow system also has direct implications for the productivity of the nation, the costs of goods and services, and the global competiveness of industries. Demand for freight transportation has been rising steadily and shows no sign of abating for the foreseeable future. At the same time, freight system capacity has increased only modestly. Land use and zoning decisions at the local level, by determining the location of the origin or destination of goods, as well as restrictions on time and routes followed, often occur without a full understanding or consideration of urban goods movement. As a consequence, logistical needs of businesses and consumers may go unmet, opportunities for economic development may be missed and freight movements may unnecessarily detract from the quality of life. A common example is the failure to consider truck parking, particularly for package carriers, in the central business district during the day.
 
The objectives of this research are (a) to identify both positive and negative impacts of land use and zoning decisions on commodity flows and costs and (b) to identify the most efficient arrangements of land uses for the movement of commodities within an urban area. The research will develop a guidebook on urban goods movement for use by local transportation, economic development, and land use planning officials when dealing with urban congestion, land use, and development issues. The guidebook will provide the public with specific goods movement fundamentals, issues and challenges that should be considered when working on land use and transportation planning in an urban area, and creative solutions (e.g., business relocation, modal relocation, introduction of new freight transportation modes) to the balance between local logistical needs and environmental concerns.
KW - City planning KW - Economic development KW - Land use planning KW - Quality of life KW - Research projects KW - Transportation planning KW - Truck tractors KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas KW - Urban goods movement KW - Urban transportation KW - Zoning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2411 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230940 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462014 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SA-23. Practices in the Development and Deployment of Downtown Circulators AB - Several downtown areas have developed and deployed a "downtown circulator"-style bus operation. There does not appear to be significant literature documenting these programs--their challenges, barriers to implementation, and successful and sustainable strategies for making downtown circulators work. To the extent that information does exist, it lies in the private sector which often bids to operate such a service and so puts public agencies, business improvement districts, etc. seeking such services at an information/negotiation disadvantage. A synthesis is needed to provide information on the development and deployment of downtown circulator systems in order to aid city officials, non-governmental organizations, and the public in deciding whether and how to proceed when such a service is proposed. A literature review, survey of appropriate stakeholders, and detailed case studies will be accomplished to document the state of the practice, including lessons learned and gaps in information. KW - Bus transit KW - Bus transit operations KW - Case studies KW - Central business districts KW - Information systems KW - Public transit KW - State of the practice KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2772 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230234 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462013 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SA-24. Rail Security: Video Surveillance Uses By Rail Transit Agencies AB - TCRP Synthesis 80, Transit Security Update, reported that video surveillance has been widely used by transit agencies to protect their systems and infrastructure, is believed to deter both crime and terrorism, and enhances transit customer perception of security. Newer systems are being implemented to enhance monitoring, surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, and to provide incident management and response capabilities, through the installation of cameras and motion and perimeter sensors. This report will investigate the implementation, use, and other issues associated with rail ROW surveillance and on-board vehicle security cameras. A literature review, survey of transit agencies, and case studies will provide this information in a user-friendly document for use by US transit agencies currently operating/planning rail services. This topic is also applicable to transit bus. KW - Light rail transit KW - Public transit KW - Right of way (Traffic) KW - Safety and security KW - Security KW - Surveillance KW - Terrorism KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2773 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230233 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462012 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SA-25. Use of Mobile Device Technology for Real-Time Transit Information AB - The synthesis will investigate the use of personal mobile or music devices to notify transit customers of an approaching next vehicle. Since each stop/station in a transit network has a unique identifier, current and potential transit customers could sign up with their local transit agency to have a "your vehicle will arrive in X minutes/seconds, it's time to leave" message delivered The customer will be able to establish a "notification" profile/subscription with the following information: selection of exact stop/station, vehicle route(s), time window for the notifications (for example alerts only in a 30-minute period in for the outbound peak). A literature review, survey of transit agencies, and case studies will provide this information in a user-friendly document for use by US transit agencies. KW - Case studies KW - Cellular telephones KW - Customer service KW - Notification KW - Public transit KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2774 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230232 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462011 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SB-18. Strollers, Carts and Other Large Items on Buses and Trains AB - With a growing ridership, transit agencies face the increasing challenge of managing customers with strollers, carts, luggage and other large items currently allowed aboard buses and trains. Strollers can be particularly bulky and can block bus and train aisles and doorways. Competition already exists between the elderly, the disabled, and customers with strollers who use the priority seating area on both buses and trains. In addition to safety concerns, there are capacity problems when large items limit space for standing customers, as well as potential customer service and public perception challenges. A synthesis of transit practice is needed to report what, if any, dangers these large items pose to other customers; if children are safe in their strollers while on buses and trains; if children would be safer in strollers or on an adult's lap; and what other risks these items present on a transit system. Finally, it is of interest to identify any transit agency public outreach or information campaigns aimed at addressing large items such as strollers, carts, bikes and luggage. A literature review and survey of transit agencies will be provided to report on the permissibility of items such as strollers, carts, bikes and large luggage on bus and rail systems, including any restrictions such as requiring the folding of strollers and carts, size limitations, and rush hour or other time restrictions. The synthesis will also include information about safety-related incidents and injuries and customer complaints and related claims over time. KW - Aged KW - Baggage KW - Bus transportation KW - Light rail transit KW - Light rail vehicles KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Public transit KW - Ridership KW - Strollers KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2775 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230231 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462010 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SF-14. Practices to Protect Bus Operators from Passenger Assault AB - Bus operators face a daunting task in today's urban environment. They maneuver a large vehicle safely through congested streets, watching for patrons, answering customer questions, all the while maintaining a schedule - each task with its own challenge. Bus operators are increasingly facing another challenge, a challenge to their personal safety. Increasingly, bus operators are being accosted by the people they serve. Transit providers are searching for ways to keep their operators safe, while maintaining a sense of customer service. Some agencies are building "boxes" around the operator station, while others are equipping operators with pepper spray. At the 2008 meeting of the APTA Bus Safety Committee, interest was expressed in having information, regarding agencies' reactions to the pattern of increased violence again bus operators, gathered systematically. The purpose of this synthesis is to document the state of the practice. A literature review and national survey of transit agencies will be conducted to document current and planned transit agencies' practices in providing for the personal safety of bus operators. A table summarizing the various techniques being used or considered to improve operator safety can be prepared. Five case studies will provide more details on the various techniques reported. The case studies will include planning factors and approaches, costs and implementation data, measured results, bus operator feedback, identification of any administrative or legal issues, and lessons learned. KW - Assault and battery KW - Bus drivers KW - Bus transit operations KW - Case studies KW - Public transit KW - Research projects KW - Safety and security KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit operators UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2776 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230230 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462009 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SG-11. Transit Asset Condition Reporting AB - The value of the transit infrastructure in the United States is estimated to be $402.7 billion in 2004, not including the value of assets that belong to rural and special service operators. The US DOT has found that 15% of bus vehicles and 34% of the rail fleet in urban areas exceeded their useful life, 31% of urban bus maintenance facilities and 8% of rail maintenance facilities were in substandard or poor condition, and 51% of urban rail passenger stations were in substandard or poor condition. Currently, there are no standards for rating transit asset conditions and little guidance in the area of transit asset management. A state of the practice synthesis is needed to report what transit assist condition rating systems are being used in the field, as well as what current asset management systems are in use. As local communities continue to see increased demand for transit services while managing scarce resources to support these needs, the management of transit assets will become even more important to maximize the effectiveness of Federal and local investments in transit. A literature review and survey of transit agencies would report how they are communicating the condition of their assets on a national scale and document what asset management systems are currently in use, highlighting innovations, lessons learned, and gaps in information to aid in the implementation or upgrade of transit asset condition reporting and management systems. KW - Asset management KW - Asset valuation KW - Bus transit KW - Bus transit operations KW - Condition surveys KW - Railroad transportation KW - Ratings UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2777 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230229 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462008 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SH-13. Public Participation Strategies for Transit AB - As part of the metropolitan planning process, regulations require outreach to "representatives of users of public transportation," among other stakeholder groups. In light of this requirement and the recent increase in transit ridership, guidance is needed to address the experiences of states, MPOs, and transit agencies in successfully engaging transit passengers in decision-making. A synthesis will document the existing strategies and implementation techniques used by agencies to involve passengers in planning, programming, facility design, and operations. Examples may be drawn from long-range and strategic planning efforts undertaken by transit authorities and/or the planning and development of specific capital projects. Methods for involving passengers in service planning and delivery will also be included. This synthesis can be accomplished through a review of key literature sources and a survey of state, metropolitan and local transportation/transit agencies, as well as three to five case studies, detailing innovative practices. It will describe a variety of strategies and techniques for involving transit users, ranging from survey responses to representation on decision-making bodies such as citizen advisory committees. Both rural and urban agency information will be documented and include methods used for engaging specific groups of passengers, such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and non-English speakers. Of particular interest are the programs and practices that motivate participation in public processes, and those that are reported as cost-effective, such as those utilizing inexpensive materials and limited staff time. The synthesis will also document lessons learned and identify areas for future study. KW - Decision making KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Public participation KW - Public transit KW - Strategic planning KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit users KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2778 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230228 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461990 TI - Experimental Assessment of Swimming Capabilities of Selected Trout Species for Barrier Assessment AB - The primary objective of this research is to determine scientifically valid, volitional swimming abilities of westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout that reside in the Northern Rockies Ecosystem. This research will aid fish passage practitioners with better assessments, designs, retrofits and construction of hydraulic structures, including bridges and culverts, within our streams and rivers. KW - Bridges KW - Culverts KW - Ecosystems KW - Environment KW - Fish passage KW - Fishes KW - Research projects KW - Trout UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/research/4w2640.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230210 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461830 TI - Legal Aspects of Airport Programs. Topic 3-03. Survey of Minimum Standards Commercial Aeronautical Activities at Airports AB - Sponsors of airports that have received Federal Airport Improvement Program grants are under a federal obligation to operate their airport in a safe and efficient manner, while allowing access to all categories of aeronautical users on reasonable terms without unjust discrimination. The FAA encourages airport sponsors to adopt appropriate minimum standards for commercial use of the airport to help meet these potentially conflicting obligations. A compendium of comparative minimum standards would assist airport management and airport lawyers in developing appropriate standards that comply with their federal obligations. Currently, there is no comprehensive source of information to which airport lawyers can turn for minimum standards on commercial aeronautical activities at airports. The objective of the research is to identify commercial aeronautical activities (e.g., full service FBO or avionics repair) that are customary at airports, and rank them according to frequency of occurrence. The research should also identify minimum standards typically applied to these activities, and categorize minimum standards by type of commercial activity and by subject area, e.g., minimum insurance requirements or minimum square footage. KW - Air transportation facilities KW - Airport Improvement Program KW - Airport operations KW - Civil aviation KW - Government funding KW - Legal factors KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2874 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230050 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461821 TI - Operation, Safety, Environmental, and Financial Feasibility Analysis of Integrating Exclusive Truck Roads into SR60 Freight Corridor AB - Many jurisdictions are concerned with congested truck traffic and its effects on operations, safety, and the environment. A variety of strategies for truck lane/roads have been implemented in some 20 states to mitigate the effects of increasing truck traffic. The more aggressive of these strategies are: (i) restricted truck lanes where trucks are restricted to and/or from specified lanes,(ii) dedicated truck lanes where specified lanes that are dedicated only to trucks, and (iii) exclusive truck roads (ETR) where trucks use a road usually separated by barriers or median. In recent years a number of studies have examined the establishment of freight corridors, including the possibility of implementing truck lane/road strategies in Southern California. The current SCAG's RTP identifies truck lane/road strategies as a means to provide (i) efficient and smooth flow of containers, (ii) overall mobility along the corridor, and (iii) safety and sustainability improvement. RTP has proposed the construction of a network of ETRs for effective and sustainable flows of containers to and from San Pedro Bay ports. According to Leachman (2005), without congestion relief, even a small container fee would drive trade away from these ports. Failure to invest in goods movement infrastructure in an efficient and socially responsible manner could mean significant economic and environmental losses. We will develop a conceptual point of reference to integrate the ETR strategy into Southern California's SR60 transportation corridor. Next, we will establish a system and its set of criteria for vulnerability of the corridor segments to ETR. The criteria for the implementation of ETR forms a seven dimensional space: (i) operational effectiveness measured by the level of service, (ii) safety improvement measured by the number and severity of crashes, (iii) environmental sustainability, (iv) design concerns such as trade-off analysis between number of access points and usage, (v) public perception, (vi) legislative and administrative concerns, and (vii) financial/economics feasibility measured in terms of direct and indirect initial investment and yearly operational costs and benefits. Our final analysis will integrate these dimensions into a single measure of effectiveness of NPV or in its relative form as benefit/cost (B/C). The theoretical basis or context for this study can be summarized as: (i) system analysis and design, (ii) process flow analysis with the objective of creating effective, efficient, safe, and sustainable flow, and (iii) optimization and simulation techniques. The studies that suggest these bases as the next logical step are two projects sponsored by TxDOT and conducted by Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), two projects sponsored by SCAG on SR60 and I710, and a recent study sponsored by DOT on the economic feasibility of exclusive truck lanes. Our main sources of data are the SCAG heavy duty truck model, CalTrans truck counts, and MTA comprehensive truck/freight modeling efforts. The project will be centered at CSUN with significant contributions from CSUN student research assistants. In addition, the project will benefit from the participation of a nationally recognized USC professor in transportation safety and environmental studies, as well as from a program manager at TTI who is perhaps the most nationally renowned expert in truck lane strategies. Funding this proposal will break new ground by enabling high quality transportation research to be conducted at one of CSU's non-polytechnic campuses. More importantly, it encourages a fresh perspective as the research will be conducted in a college of business rather than a college of engineering. Consequently, CSU will provide a more well-rounded set of graduates for the transportation industry in Southern California. KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight trains KW - Freight transportation KW - Railroad transportation KW - Research projects KW - Southern California KW - Traffic safety KW - Truck lanes KW - Truck loading facilities KW - Truck traffic UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230041 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461691 TI - Online Demonstration and Measurement of Renewable Energy AB - This project will create a real-time energy monitoring tool to measure and report the impacts of renewable energy projects throughout Pennsylvania. Monitoring equipment will be installed at selected sites, resulting in measurements of petroleum savings, energy use, cost savings, and CO2 emissions avoided. This information will be provided to the public on an intuitive and informational web site that is designed to grow over time to include information from a large number of projects in the region. The system will be a valuable teaching tool for extension educators, providing a platform for renewable energy education to farmers, institutional managers, homeowners, and K-12 students, among others. Educational program material will be developed to utilize this resource and maximize its usefulness. It will also serve to showcase the region's efforts towards improving the energy sustainability of the northeast. The measured data will also be stored and made available for investigations into the implementation-scale performance of renewable energy systems. Alternative and renewable energy has become an area of great interest and importance in the northeast, largely as a result of increasing energy prices and concerns for the energy security of the nation. Many new and established renewable energy technologies have the potential to play an important part in the state's energy economy. However, there is a general lack of knowledge about actual performance of such systems, and people are naturally cautious about committing to new technologies that are unproven or unconventional. A great need exists to provide clear, unbiased, real-world measurements of renewable energy systems in such a way that allows people to understand the actual benefits and drawbacks of these systems. KW - Air quality management KW - Alternate fuels KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Computer online services KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Monitoring KW - Pennsylvania KW - Policy making KW - Pollutants KW - Real time information KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Research projects UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229911 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461687 TI - High-Throughput Engineering of Cellulase Consortia Using a Gel that Can Produce Proteins AB - With the advent of directed molecular evolution techniques, a whole new potential for enzyme engineering (instead of microbial engineering) and improvement has opened. The greatest advantage of directed evolution is that it is independent of knowledge of enzyme structure and of the interactions between enzyme and substrate. Recently, we have developed a novel hydrogel (termed P-gel) which can efficiently produce proteins without any living cells. The unique advantage of the P-gel system is that it is totally cell-free, thus it is ideally suited to express a consortium of proteins without worrying about the toxic effect to or low-yield problems in living cells. Enzymatic conversion of natural cellulose, in particular, non-food cellulose, to bioethanol will have great impact on alternative and renewable energy development, local economy, and environment protection. However, economical production of bioethanol from cellulosic biomass is currently impeded by the high cost and low efficiency of cellulase complexes. Three goals for this project: 1) Using P-gel to establish cellulase mutant selection methods based on insoluble substrates; 2) Using microfluidics to generate P-gel microdroplets in order to establish a high-throughput method for screening the high activity cellulase mutants; and 3) Highthroughput molecular engineering of cellulase consortia. The project will combine the molecular evolution approach with our cell-free P-gel and engineer cellulase consortia in a high-throughput fashion via the microfluidic format. The project expects that it will establish a robust, P-gelbased, high-throughput protein engineering platform that is able to molecularly evolve not just single proteins, but also protein consortia. The project also expects to achieve a five- to ten-fold reduction in the cost of cellulase enzymes by dramatically improving the efficiency of these enzymes. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Bioethanol KW - Cellulose KW - Energy conservation KW - Energy efficiency KW - Enzymes KW - Gels KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Research projects KW - Throughput (Traffic) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229907 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461686 TI - Optimal Harvest Time of Switchgrass AB - The goal of this project is to determine how time of harvest affects the plants ability to survive winter and re-grow the next season by examining the effect time of harvest on total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) and other macronutrients that get stored in the root system. Determining when the maximum amount of nutrients (N, K, Cl) have left the stalk and moved back into the root system will help maximize the efficiency nutrient cycling and demonstrate differences in slag formation when switchgrass biomass from different harvest dates is burned. Since switchgrass is being grown as a biofuel for heating as well as cellulosic ethanol, it is important to evaluate silicon and alkali metal contents in the harvested crop, as these could contribute to air pollution. The project will document the extent that mineral content in the biomass is a function of the soil type and the timing of harvest. Two particular nutrients of interest are nitrogen and sulfur because during combustion these are likely to produce the primary air pollutants NO2 and SO2. These air pollutants are highly regulated by the Clean Air Act and taken into consideration when developing switchgrass as a biofuel. Marginal land may contain contaminates and it is therefore important to evaluate how time of harvest will impact the overall quality of the fuel product from marginal soils. The goal of the applied research in this project are to provide much requested information for growing biofuel crops particularly on underutilized or marginal land so as not to compete with land currently producing food crops. KW - Air quality management KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Carbohydrates KW - Environmental impacts KW - Grasses KW - Nitrogen KW - Plants KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Sulfur KW - Switch grass UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229906 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461482 TI - Evaluation of Driver Education in South Dakota AB - South Dakota experiences higher than average highway fatality rates, and young drivers are involved in a disproportionate number of those deaths. In 2008, 6.1% of all South Dakota licensed drivers were between the ages of 14 & 18. They represented 13.0% of all drivers involved in crashes, and 12.2% of drivers involved in fatal crashes. A 2003 South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) research study, SD2003-15 "Factors Contributing to South Dakota Crash and Fatality Rates" identified "young drivers" as one of six areas that South Dakota should focus on to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities. One avenue for influencing the risky behaviors that cause teen crashes is driver education. In South Dakota, driver education is under local control. The South Dakota Department of Education's (SDDOE) sole requirement is that instructors in school districts offering driver education obtain the necessary college credits in safety and driver education and then earn six continuing education credits in the area every five years. Driver education is also taught by the South Dakota Safety Council (SDSC) but their instructors are not required to be certified by the SDDOE. However, the SDSC driver education instructors are certified through the National Safety Council. Since private sector driver education is not regulated by the SDDOE, their certification or accreditation requirements are not known. The State does not specify or monitor the curricula offered by the various school districts. Driver education programs in South Dakota are generally based on the 1949 National Education Association's National Commission on Safety Education recommendation of 30 hours of classroom education and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Most states follow the 1949 recommendations, but it should be noted that there have been numerous updates to the information to take into consideration new laws, signs, and technologies. However, there have not been any universally accepted national driver education curriculum standards for states to adopt. While numerous studies have questioned the effectiveness of driver education classes in the United States, others have shown that driver education coordinated with graduated drivers licensing reduces crashes. The completion of a driver education course in South Dakota is not a prerequisite for obtaining a driver's license at any age. Research is needed to evaluate the status and effectiveness of driver education programs in South Dakota, and determine if graduates of the programs have higher or lower crash and traffic citation rates compared with youth who do not participate in the programs. A proper assessment of driver education in South Dakota must identify who currently teaches driver education, where it is taught, how many students take the courses as well as how many do not. We need to analyze the costs and benefits associated with the programs and determine if the costs are covered by the students or if subsidies are available. The State currently does not evaluate the effectiveness of the driver education programs, therefore performance measures need to be developed to evaluate existing driver education as well as any recommended improvements to the programs. The objectives of this research project are to: (1) describe driver education programs in South Dakota and compare them to best practices in the United States; (2) recommend a driver education curriculum, and instructor certification requirement updates in consideration of best available practices and specific South Dakota needs; (3) identify resources needed to establish and maintain the recommended driver education curriculum, and instructor certification process and determine the costs and benefits; and (4) develop a methodology and define baseline measures for assessing the ongoing effectiveness of driver education programs in South Dakota. Research tasks for the project are as follows: 1) Meet with the project's technical panel to review the project scope and work plan and make any necessary modifications. 2) Recommend performance measures and identify data sources that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness and potential changes to driver education and driver education teacher certification programs in South Dakota and meet with the technical panel to demonstrate the measures and obtain their approval. 3) Review and summarize existing research concerning driver education programs and driver education teacher certification programs nationwide and use the performance measures identified in task two to recommend the most cost effective programs and curricula. 4) In cooperation with the technical panel, the SDDOE, the SDPS, the South Dakota Safety Council, and the SDDOT, develop and implement a web based survey instrument that can be used to determine driver education curricula, costs, number of students taught, locations where it is taught, and other questions necessary to ascertain the status of driver education in South Dakota. 5) Use the approved performance measures and compare the teacher certification requirements for driver education instructors sanctioned by the State and the National Safety Council with the most effective national driver education teacher certification programs and recommend cost effective alternatives that can be implemented in South Dakota. 6) Use the approved performance measures and compare current driver education requirements in South Dakota with national best practices and other cost effective alternatives and recommend program, legislative, and other changes that can be implemented in South Dakota. The recommendations need to be supported by estimated costs, benefits, resources, timeframes, and potential funding sources. 7) Meet with the technical panel and the SDPS Roadway Safety Committee to review and approve the recommendations. 8) Develop a plan to implement the recommendations that identify costs, benefits, resources, timeframes, and partners and meet with the technical panel to obtain its approval. 9) Establish and document baseline measures for assessing the ongoing effectiveness of driver education programs in South Dakota. 10) Upon review and approval of the recommendations and implementation plan by the technical panel and the Roadway Safety Committee, prepare a final report and executive summary of the research methodology, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. 11) Make an executive presentation to the SDDOT Research Review Board and the Governors Highway Safety Committee at the conclusion of the project. KW - Accident prone drivers KW - Driver education KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Recently qualified drivers KW - South Dakota KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229701 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461336 TI - Improving Goods Movement in a Metropolitan Area Adjacent to a Port AB - Southern California and specially Los Angeles faces enormous congestion associated with increase in cargo movement from/to the regional Ports. The region has started to drown in a sea of trucks and trains. This growing congestion has elevated the costs of freight transport. Also, it resulted in greater concerns regarding environmental impacts on local communities. Considering the predicted tripling of cargo movement through the ports in the next two decades, it is crucial to develop immediate alternative arrangements for freight management. More efficient operational management of intermodal transport provides effective cargo movement and maintains environmental justice. In this study, analytical tools, such as mathematical programming, are employed to develop a new strategy for cargo movement in order to lesser congestion and environmental impact. KW - Cargo handling KW - Cargo ships KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight traffic measurement KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Port congestion KW - Port operations KW - Traffic congestion UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229555 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461334 TI - Building Hydrogen Economy One Block at the Time AB - The Governor's S-7-04 executive order states "BE IT FURTHER ORDERED that California's 21 interstate freeways shall be designated as the California Hydrogen Highway Network and . . . shall work with . . . local and regional government organizations, educators, energy providers, automakers, fuel cell products suppliers. . . " Governor Schwarzenegger's order has foreseen the United States struggling with the socio-economic aftershocks of the dependence on foreign oil. Hydrogen economy is a likely long-term solution to the dependence on oil, global warming, and clean air concerns associated with the transportation sector. Production of hydrogen from domestic fossil resources, while a short-term alternative, is inferior to electrolysis utilizing renewable energy as a comprehensive solution to clean transportation. KW - California KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fossil fuels KW - Global warming KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Interstate highways KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229553 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461333 TI - Effective Decision Making Starts with a Effective Circulum AB - Effective Decision Making and Management of Transportation Systems is based on well prepared decision makers and managers, who should possess knowledge and experiences related to the technologies that are the subject of their decision making. Greater Los Angeles and the surrounding areas are amongst the most congested and polluted in the country. Fortunately, newer less polluting technologies are being developed and implemented. Among them are hybrid and fuel cell vehicles meeting SULEV and zero emission standards. These technologies exist in a multitude of choices and possibilities which require high level of technical expertise in making effective transportation management decisions. For example, LA Metro has recently acquired six hybrid buses for fleet testing. The agency also hired an engineer with appropriate experience in heavy-duty hybrid systems to aid in the service and evaluation process. A decision will be made upon completing the test period whether to extend the hybrid bus program in Los Angeles. With the advent of new electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, the growing need for engineers and technology managers with related knowledge is anticipated. KW - Air quality management KW - Decision making KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental policy KW - Exhaust gases KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Pollutants KW - Traffic congestion UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229552 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461332 TI - Evaluation of Waste Recycled Materials Applicaiton in Highway Pavement in California: An Overview of Research AB - The generation, handling, and safe disposal of solid wastes have become a major concern in the United States. Many disposal facilities are approaching capacity and environmental regulations have become increasingly wide-spread and restrictive. Also, there is a growing public awareness of the importance of conserving and preserving our valuable natural resources. This expanding awareness has given rise to a definite trend towards recycling or use of a wide variety of solid waste materials. The construction of pavements requires large volumes of expensive materials. As the volume of waste and by-product materials generated and the cost of disposal continue to increase, there is an increasing need to recover and recycle these materials for use in both primary and secondary applications of highway projects. Waste and by-product materials, differ vastly in their types and properties. This will be reflected in the pavement applications for which they may be suited. Also, experience and knowledge regarding the use of these materials vary. The objective of this research is to review the applications of different waste and by-product materials in the construction and rehabilitation of the asphalt pavements in California. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - California KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Recycled materials KW - Research KW - Solid wastes KW - Waste products UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229551 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461331 TI - Education Aids for Analyzing Supply Chain Energy Usage and Emissions AB - Energy usage by the US transportation sector is substantial, and the resultant greenhouse gas emissions have become a topical concern. Knowing that we as a society need to reduce our "Carbon footprint" is not sufficient, as we need to know how to do this in a way that still supports growth and economic prosperity. At present there is little evidence that universities are currently training students to recognize and evaluate emissions reductions opportunities and to make sound decisions that will lead to sustainable improvement. While such training would be appropriate to include within the standard operations management class, enthusiastic professors are faced with a dearth of existing course material. The project we propose would be to develop and disseminate a tutorial and supplemental material around an existing web-based energy and emissions calculator, CargoScope. This tool has been successfully used by students and researchers, but current documentation is geared towards specialists. With the help of interactive, easier-to-understand online tutorial students would be able to use this tool a typical operations management class, allowing them to engage in hands-on exercises to build a supply chain and measure the energy and carbon intensity of each stage. The additional modules would expose students to problems of varying complexity from different industries. Students will learn that supply chain design has a significant impact on a firm's energy usage and associated emissions and will be better positioned to make sound, informed decisions that meet both business and environmental needs. KW - Air quality management KW - Economic growth KW - Education and training methods KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Pollutants KW - Supply chain management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229550 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560231 AU - Lyons, William M AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Rainville, Lydia AU - Turchetta, Diane AU - Gaber, Mark AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integration of Climate Change Considerations in Statewide and Regional Transportation Planning Processes PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 127p AB - This report is part on on-going work for the US Department of Transportation’s Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting and the Federal Highway Administration to highlight innovative actions and initiatives undertaken by states and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to incorporate climate change considerations as part of the transportation planning process. The report provides case studies and proceedings from two panels of state and regional experts. Although the report considers both reduction of greenhouse house gas emissions and adaptation of transportation facilities to climate change, it focuses on reductions to reflect the priority of the organizations’ studied. Climate change considerations can shape the selection of investments and strategies within state and metropolitan area transportation planning processes. The case studies and panel summaries focus on how participating states and MPOs are considering climate change in the following aspects of transportation planning: vision and long range planning; forecasts, data and performance measures; public involvement; collaboration with partners; and project selection. The report provides analysis, observations, and lessons learned from the case studies and panels to assist peer states, regions and local areas interested in expanding how they incorporate climate change into transportation planning processes. KW - Case studies KW - Climate change KW - Environmental policy KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Policy making KW - Regional planning KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation policy UR - http://www.climate.dot.gov/state-local/integration/pdf/transportation_planning.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54660/transportation_planning.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348691 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543893 AU - Strawderman, Lesley AU - Eksioglu, Burak AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Role of Intermodal Transportation in Humanitarian Supply Chains PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 25p AB - After a nature or human‐made disaster, effective and efficient disaster relief support is needed. People affected by disasters should be moved away from affected areas and staff and disaster relief supplies need to be moved to destinations in time. The movement of personnel and supplies is completed by disaster relief supply chains, which directly affect the performance of humanitarian aid. Utilizing appropriate transportation modes in the relief chain is critical to effective relief operations. The main objective of this study is to identify the role and impact of intermodal transportation on the performance of response and recovery operations following a disaster. This objective will be achieved by pursuing two specific aims: 1. Identify and assess the current response operations. Determine how (if at all) and why humanitarian organizations utilize different modes of transportation to move the goods and personnel effectively and efficiently in responding to and recovering from a disaster. 2. Identify factors that will potentially improve the attractiveness of using intermodal transportation. To achieve the aims two rounds of interview were firstly conducted, and then a large scale online survey was designed and distributed. The data were analyzed to draw conclusions that can fulfill the aims.  It was found that intermodal transportation is not frequently used in disaster relief. Decision makers in disaster relief agencies consider multiple factors when choosing transportation modes. Among the factors, travel distance is mostly considered regardless of whether supplies or people are being transported.  Finally, the organizations that cover larger areas and preposition supplies in their relief operations tend to use intermodal transportation more frequently. KW - Disaster relief KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Humanitarian logistics KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Supply chain management KW - Trip length UR - http://ncit.msstate.edu/publications/reports/reports_58.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332058 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543591 AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Caputo, Mario AU - Gentile, Mark AU - Hyde, David AU - Lawson, Gustaf AU - Lee, Douglass B AU - Mergel, Joseph AU - Pace, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Calculation of Bunker Fuel, Currency, and Inland Freight Fuel Price Adjustment Factors for USTRANSCOM Commercial Shipping Contracts PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 216p AB - Military units that move equipment and supplies to and from points around the globe rely on USTRANSCOM to provide sea, land, and air shipping services when needed. USTRANSCOM, for 95% of all tonnage moved, contracts for intermodal shipping services from regularly scheduled commercial carriers. The offered rates—per measurement ton or per Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU)—apply to a given origin-destination pair for as much as 17 months from the time the offers are made. During that interval, prices of fuel and foreign currencies may fluctuate. In order to shift some of this volatility risk to shippers, carriers apply price adjustment factors to their published ocean and inland rates to compensate the carriers (or the shipper) for price changes. The specific adjustments apply to bunker and diesel fuel for ships, selected foreign currencies, and surface transportation fuel. This study describes the theoretical and practical considerations in designing these three types of price adjustment factors, and proposes methods for calculating the technical factors and their components. KW - Adjustment factors KW - Bunker adjustment factor (Shipping) KW - Commercial transportation KW - Contracts KW - Currency adjustment factor KW - Diesel fuels KW - Freight transportation KW - Fuel prices KW - Fuels KW - Intermodal services KW - Prices KW - Shipping KW - United States Transportation Command UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52856/ShippingCostAdjust072309.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330871 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526321 AU - Zingale, Carolina AU - Willems, Ben AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Review of Aircraft Self-Spacing Concepts: Implications for Controller Display Requirements PY - 2009/07//Technical Note SP - 30p AB - This report summarizes the concepts and the simulations conducted on pilot self-spacing and self-separation between 2005 and 2007 and focuses on the implications for air traffic control information needs and display enhancements. It follows a previous literature review on these concepts by McAnulty and Zingale (2005). In 2007, air traffic levels were predicted to double or triple by the year 2025. To manage this increase, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been planning to modernize the National Airspace System and to develop new concepts, procedures, and tools that will alter the roles and responsibilities of pilots and controllers. These concepts include the delegation of some responsibilities and procedures to the flight deck of appropriately equipped aircraft. It is anticipated that not all aircraft will be equipped to conduct these procedures at the same time. Therefore, some aircraft will be able to conduct such procedures as self-spacing and self-separation earlier than others, resulting in a mixed-equipage environment. Based on the level of traffic management required, controllers will need information to differentiate aircraft. The FAA must conduct extensive testing on these concepts and on the type of support provided to controllers to ensure that efficiency goals are realized while risks are minimized. KW - Air pilots KW - Air traffic control KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft separation KW - Approach control KW - Information display systems KW - National Airspace System KW - Simulation UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tctn093.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307210 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01523708 AU - Truitt, Todd R AU - Muldoon, Robert AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Comparing the Tower Operations Digital Data System to Paper Flight Progress Strips in Zero-Visibility Operations PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 116p AB - The current experiment used a high-fidelity, human-in-the-loop simulation to compare the Tower Operations Digital Data System (TODDS) to paper flight progress strips (FPSs) during zero-visibility Airport Traffic Control Tower operations. Sixteen current controllers participated in groups of two. Each group received touchscreen and TODDS training before completing eight practice and eight test scenarios. The participants worked at both the ground and local control positions under four experimental conditions. The participants used either the Integrated TODDS (electronic flight data integrated with surface surveillance, weather information, and digital-taxi communications), FPSs with Airport Surface Detection Equipment – Model X (ASDE-X), Perceptual-Spatial TODDS (electronic flight data integrated with weather information and digital-taxi communications, but no surface surveillance), or FPSs only, to control airport traffic. The participants had a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) display in all four conditions, but did not have an out-the-window view. Dependent measures included the number and duration of airport operations, number and duration of communications, TODDS usability, and participant opinion. The data revealed advantages for surface surveillance and TODDS. The Integrated TODDS provided additional benefits that may help reduce the risk of runway incursions, ease the flow of surface operations, and support the Staffed Virtual Tower concept. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport traffic KW - Airport Traffic Control Tower KW - Electronic flight data KW - Runway incursions KW - Tower Operations Digital Data System UR - http://hf.tc.faa.gov/publications/2009-comparing-the-tower-operations-digital-data-system/full_text.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307238 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454863 AU - Ford, Kevin M AU - Fricker, Jon D AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Real-Time Socio-Economic Data for Travel Demand Modeling and Project Evaluation PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 135p AB - Small and medium-sized communities often lack data that are complete, current, representative of the community, and appropriate for the travel demand models/software to be applied. To aid such communities, this research was conducted to meet the following objectives: (1) Identify and facilitate the communication of data that is updated more frequently than the Decennial Census for Indiana Travel Demand Models; (2) Allow the use of cross-classification techniques within trip generation for planning organizations that lack the time and resources to conduct travel demand/household surveys; (3) Evaluate the sensitivity of travel demand model outputs to varied parameters and inputs so as to help focus data collection and guide parameter selection; and (4) Apply risk management strategies to travel demand modeling so as to help planners program the most resource efficient projects. KW - Communities KW - Indiana KW - Project evaluation KW - Real time information KW - Risk analysis KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Trip generation UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314314 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454435 AU - Kishore, Varun AU - Abraham, Dulcy M AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Construction Costs - Using Federal Vs. Local Funds: Identifying Factors Affecting Highway Construction Costs when Sources of Funding Vary: A Case Study PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 77p AB - Costs of highway construction projects have been rising with rising prices of construction materials such as asphalt, concrete and steel. Identifying cost saving strategies is one of the ways of efficient utilization of available funds (federal and local) by the state Department of Transportations (DOTs) and Local Public Agencies (LPAs). A case study of a sample pair of projects (a federal-aid project and a 100% locally funded project) constructed in Elkhart County, Indiana was undertaken to compare construction costs when sources of funding vary. Based on analysis of cost details from these two projects and discussions with the general contractor involved with these projects and other contractors in Indiana, possible reasons of cost differences between the projects were identified. Pavement evaluation tests were conducted to compare the pavement conditions of the road sections built under the two sample projects. This report presents some observations regarding cost differentials between federally funded projects vs.100% locally funded projects, and provides some suggestions for future investigation and study. KW - Case studies KW - Construction costs KW - Construction projects KW - Costs KW - Financing KW - Government funding KW - Indiana KW - Local government agencies KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314310 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218781 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454084 AU - Dooley, Frank AU - Tyner, Wallace AU - Sinha, Kumares C AU - Quear, Justin AU - Cox, Lydia AU - Cox, Maria AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Impacts of Biofuels on Transportation and Logistics in Indiana PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Like the rest of the United States, the ethanol industry in Indiana has rapidly expanded, growing from one plant in 2006 to a projected 13 by 2010. One result of this expansion is that truck and rail traffic flows in Indiana are shifting, as more corn and beans are processed in state. Most of the change in transportation requirements will likely be concentrated in regions of Indiana where the ethanol plants are constructed. The goal of this work was to determine how the entry of ethanol and biodiesel plants changes the inbound and outbound transportation flows of corn, soybeans, distillers grains (DDGS), and ethanol at the county level in Indiana between 2006 and 2010, focusing on modal and market shifts. The addition of 12 ethanol and 2 biodiesel plants from 2006 to 2010 increases total annual truckloads by 8%, but vehicle miles of travel (VMTs) by 39%. This is due to fewer short hauls of corn and beans to local grain elevators replaced by longer hauls to ethanol plants. In addition, the movement of DDGS and ethanol is largely by truck. As more grain is processed within Indiana, less is shipped to out-of-state users by rail. However, outbound rail movements of ethanol and DDGS offset this somewhat. Finally, the changes in traffic flows are heavily concentrated in those counties with ethanol plants. As more ethanol plants are constructed, transportation requirements will change. Increases in the volume of truck traffic (more trucks and more miles traveled by each truck) will increase damage on local roads. This research identifies regions with large increases in truck traffic resulting from new ethanol and biodiesel plants. In turn, transportation planners can anticipate a reallocation of maintenance budgets to maintain key highways and bridge. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Commodity flow KW - Haul distance KW - Impacts KW - Indiana KW - Industrial plants KW - Local roads KW - Logistics KW - Railroad traffic KW - Truck traffic UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314289 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218755 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454079 AU - Morre, D James AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Creation of a Committed Johnsongrass Area and Implementation Study PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 34p AB - This project was to develop a committed roadside Johnson grass research area with controlled mowing and date of spraying adjacent to US 63 from I-74 south to JCT US 36 and to continue studies of a cold-adapted Johnson grass ecotype identified in the Northern-most tier counties in Indiana (IN) in an area adjacent to IN 23 between South Bend and New Liberty, IN. The cold-adapted Johnson grass provides a further threat of encroachment of roadside-established Johnson grass onto adjacent cropland of considerable potential economic consequence. Completed was a 3-year study with Roundup alone and in combination with Outrider either as a tank mix or sequentially with Roundup followed after several weeks by Outrider or Outrider followed after several weeks by Roundup comparing different rates, dates of application and stages of development. Roundup alone or in sequence several weeks following Outrider was without effect on Johnson grass regrowth. A small benefit from 0.4 lb/A Roundup 3 to 6 weeks post Outrider was insufficient to justify the additional cost and offered no benefit over post Outrider mowing at the same stage. Correlations were with stage of growth with Johnson grass 24 to 30 in. tall, 33-36 in. tall and 40-42 in. tall without seed heads, seed heads forming in the boot, early anthesis (flowering), late flowering or with seed heads formed and 50-60 in. tall and spray date. Fall 2006 marked initiation of the final implementation of the project. Outrider alone at a rate of 0.5 oz/100 gal plus a detergent at 0.12% of the total spray mixture spot sprayed to the point of runoff is to be recommended. Best results are expected with regrowth following mowing although about >90% control can be expected from midseason to late spraying of mature Johnson grass. Evaluated in 2007 and 2008 was the optimum regrowth stage to treat and the response to mowing following spraying. Johnson grass can be mowed very soon after spraying (next day or late same day) without loss of treatment effectiveness. In laboratory studies, a candidate Outrider binding protein was identified and cloned. KW - Grasses KW - Herbicides KW - Indiana KW - Mowing KW - Roadside flora KW - Spraying KW - Vegetation control UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314283 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218749 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375849 AU - Medina, J Alberto AU - Clouser, Tyson R AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of RePlay Soy-Based Sealer for Asphalt Pavement PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 23p AB - BioSpan Technologies has developed a product named RePlay. The product is a soy derivative and has been marketed to drastically reduce the infiltration of air and water into pavement. The company further claims that the oils increase the flexibility of aged, brittle pavement, deterring reflective cracking. The product contains approximately 15% polymers, which the company claims increase the resistance to raveling, rutting, and cracking. This research project will evaluate RePlay’s effectiveness at reducing permeability without unacceptably reducing durability or skid resistance. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Evaluation KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Permeability KW - Sealing compounds KW - Soy based materials UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/New%20Products%20&%20Innovations/RePlay%20Soy-Based%20Sealer,%20Evaluation%20of%202008-035.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359715 AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Ayres, Greg AU - Truong, Minh AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 95p AB - The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze information from Government, industry, and media sources on the causes, frequency, and severity of motorcoach fires in the U.S., and to identify potential risk reduction measures. The Volpe Center created a database on reported motorcoach fire incidents between 1995 and 2008. Independent reference sources were used to verify that incidents were applicable, to address missing or unknown field values, and to derive non-reported elements. Preliminary analysis of the data suggests that: (a) approximately 160 motorcoach fires are reported annually, with average damages of $65,000; (b) with the exception of a single catastrophic fire, which resulted in 23 fatalities and 15 injuries, approximately 95 percent of the reported fires resulted in no direct injuries or fatalities; (c) about 70 percent of fires originate in the engine compartment and wheel wells; (d) frequency of motorcoach fires for model years 1998–2002 compared to older models was disproportionately greater than their relative populations; (e) vehicle out-of-service (OOS) rates for fire-involved motorcoaches have exceeded rates for all buses, and the gap has widened in recent years; and (f) North American Standard (NAS) Motor Carrier Inspection and OOS criteria may not sufficiently identify all precursors of motorcoach fires. KW - Fire detection systems KW - Fire safety KW - Fire suppression systems KW - Motor vehicle inspection KW - Motorcoaches KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Risk analysis KW - Vehicle maintenance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42700/42778/Motorcoach-Fire-Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125692 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01349492 AU - Tyagi, Avdhesh AU - Brown, James AU - Al-Madhhachi, Abdul-Sahib AU - Large, Joe AU - Ali, Abdelfatah AU - Patil, Sonal AU - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater AU - Oklahoma Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Modeling of Energy Dissipation in Broken-back Culverts PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 90p AB - This research investigates the reduction in scour downstream of a broken-back culvert by forming a hydraulic jump inside the culvert. A broken-back culvert is used in areas of high relief and steep topography as it has one or more breaks in profile slope. A broken-back culvert in the laboratory represents a 1 (vertical) to 2 (horizontal) slope after the upstream inlet and then continuing 100 feet at a 1 percent slope in the flat part of the culvert to the downstream outlet. The pro-type for these experiments were either a two barrel 10-foot by 10-foot, or a two barrel 10-foot by 20-foot reinforced concrete. The drop between inlet and outlet is selected as 24 feet. Three flow conditions were simulated, consisting of 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 times the culvert depth. The Froude number of the hydraulic jump created in the flat part of the culvert ranges between 2.7 and 3.6. This Fr classifies the jump as an “oscillating jump”. Such a jump moves up and down in the barrel, its location changing over time. The jump in experiments began nearly at the toe by placing sills in the flat part. The optimal location was determined at a distance of 45 and 25 feet from the outlet face of the culvert in pressure flow conditions. The sills contain two small orifices at the bottom to allow the culvert to completely drain. The impact of friction blocks was found to be minimal. No friction blocks were used to further dissipate. The length of the culvert cannot be reduced as the pressure flow fills up the culvert barrels nearly completely. For new culvert construction, the best option to maximize energy dissipation under open channel flow condition is to use one sill located 40 feet from the outlet. Again, frictional blocks were not effective in further reduction of energy. The maximum length of the culvert can be reduced by 15 feet to 44 feet. Such a scenario is important where right-of-way problems exist for culvert construction. KW - Broken-back culverts KW - Culverts KW - Dissipation KW - Flow KW - Hydraulic jump KW - Open channels KW - Scour UR - http://www.oktc.org/otc/files/finalReports/OTCREOS7.1-48-F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1108029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01341154 AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Lefate, J AU - Naghawi, Hana AU - Montz, Thomas AU - Dixit, V AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - New Orleans University AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Application of TRANSIMS for the Multimodal Microscale Simulation of the New Orleans Emergency Evacuation Plan PY - 2009/07 SP - 163p AB - Following the obvious failings to effectively evacuate the low-mobility populations from New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina, state and local officials in Louisiana as well as their federal counterparts, developed a revised evacuation plan for the region that includes a much greater usage of public transit resources. The 2006 post-Katrina New Orleans City Assisted Evacuation Plan relies on busses, trains, and even airplanes to ferry out elderly, infirm, tourists, and economically disadvantaged residents of the city using a complex relay system that spans between various modes and locations. Although officials are confident that the new plan will eliminate much of the delays and suffering experienced by these low-mobility individuals, at the time of this research and development project the plan was not yet complete and had never been tested or evaluated to any degree. The city assisted evacuation plan for New Orleans is one of the cornerstones of the city's emergency preparedness position to assist the elderly, sick, and poor. However, it had never been used, practiced, or even simulated and no one knew how well or even if it will actually work. In this project the Transportation Analysis and Simulation System (TRANSIMS) was applied for emergency transportation planning and analysis. In this effort, the TRANSIMS platform was used to develop a transportation model to simulate the travel processes associated with an evacuation of the New Orleans Louisiana metropolitan region. Given the temporal and spatial scales of mass evacuations, it was theorized that the scalability and level of detail afforded by the TRANSIMS program would make it an ideal system to model, test, and evaluate evacuation and other emergency transportation plans. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Emergency management KW - Evacuation KW - Microsimulation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Public transit KW - TRANSIMS (Computer model) KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation planning UR - http://evaccenter.lsu.edu/pub/09-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1103106 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01337278 AU - Wu, Zhong AU - Gaspard, Kevin AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mechanistic Flexible Pavement Overlay Design Program PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 92p AB - The current Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) overlay thickness design method follows the “Component Analysis” procedure provided in the 1993 AASHTO pavement design guide. Since neither field nor laboratory tests are required by LADOTD for this method, pavement engineers usually rely on a pre-assigned parish-based typical subgrade resilient modulus value and a set of assumed layer coefficients for determining the effective structural number of an existing pavement in an overlay thickness design. This may lead to significant errors in the designed overlay thickness results because the selected design parameters do not represent actual field conditions. The objective of this research was to develop an overlay design method/procedure that is used for a structural overlay thickness design of flexible pavement in Louisiana based upon (1) in-situ pavement conditions and (2) non destructive test (NDT) methods, specifically the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) and/or Dynaflect. Fifteen overlay rehabilitation projects were selected for this study. These projects were strategically located throughout Louisiana with different traffic levels. At each selected project, NDT deflection tests including the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) and Dynaflect were performed at a 0.1-mile interval. For some of the selected projects, detailed condition survey data including cracking, rut depth, International Roughness Index (IRI), mid-depth temperature, and pavement thickness was also collected. Six NDT-based overlay design methods were selected and used in the overlay thickness design analysis. Results indicated that the 1993 AASHTO NDT procedure generally over estimated the effective structural number for the existing asphalt pavements in Louisiana, which would result in an under-designed overlay thickness. On the other hand, other NDT methods (i.e., ROADHOG, Asphalt Institute MS-17, Louisiana 1980 Deflection method, ELMOD5, and EVERPAVE) were found inapplicable to the Louisiana pavement conditions because all those methods rely on locally calibrated design parameters. Since further calibration of those NDT methods requires additional testing resources and is also considered very time-consuming, a modified FWD deflection based overlay thickness design method was proposed in this study. This method, based upon the Louisiana Pavement Evaluation Chart (a relation between Dynaflect deflections and the structural number of existing pavements) and in-situ subgrade modulus, is deemed able to directly represent Louisiana’s pavement condition. The cost/benefit analysis revealed that, as compared to the current LADOTD component analysis method, the proposed NDT-based overlay design method would potentially save millions of dollars in the flexible pavement rehabilitation in Louisiana. Therefore, before full implementation of the new Mechanistic-Empirical (M-E) pavement design method, the proposed NDT-based overlay design method is recommended for implementation by LADOTD. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Condition surveys KW - Deflection tests KW - Dynaflect KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Flexible pavements KW - Louisiana KW - Mechanistic design KW - Nondestructive tests UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_454.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37858/fr_454.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1098657 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01220475 AU - Barrett, Amy Smith AU - Kim, Hyeong AU - Frank, Karl H AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Test and Finite Element of I-345 Bridge in Dallas PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 169p AB - This report documents a field test to determine the stresses at areas where fatigue cracks had formed in the bridges. Two bridges were instrumented and subjected to controlled truck traffic. In addition, the service fatigue stresses were evaluated by monitoring the stresses for a 1 week period after the controlled truck testing. A three dimensional finite element model was constructed of each bridge. The stresses from the field tests and the model were compared. The floor beams were found to behave as composite with the bridge deck when the truck loads were near floor beams. The local stress at the critical sections was in reasonable agreement between the field and analytical results. Proposed retrofit schemes were evaluated in the analytical model. In general, the proposed schemes appear to reduce the stresses at the critical locations, however high stresses are generated in other areas that have not cracked. The unsymmetrical support conditions of some of the girder units cause twisting of bridge section. Adding of additional supports to make the bridge support symmetrical will also improve fatigue performance of the bridge. KW - Bridges KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Retrofitting KW - Stresses KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural supports UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_4124_01_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968942 ER - TY - SER AN - 01164260 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Bordelon, Amanda AU - Roesler, Jeffery AU - Hiller, Jacob AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mechanistic-Empirical Design Concepts for Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements in Illinois PY - 2009/07//Research Report SP - 256p AB - The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) currently has an existing jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) design method based on mechanistic-empirical (M-E) principles. The objective of this research was to provide IDOT with an improved design process for JPCP based on new research findings over the past 15 years. Existing JPCP methods such as the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) were reviewed. Two conclusions from the review of current design methods were that a geographic specific temperature and site specific load spectra analysis were not necessary at this time to produce reasonable concrete thicknesses. A single climate zone and the ESAL concept to represent mixed truck traffic are therefore still recommended for the state of Illinois based on current rigid pavement design technology. A new mechanistic-empirical design process was proposed based on the principles of the current IDOT method. This new design process was implemented into a spreadsheet program to allow for rapid plotting of design charts and also to enable pavement engineers to readily conduct special design studies that may be warranted when certain inputs fall outside the recommended values used to plot the new design charts. The new design inputs are pavement layer and slab geometry, material layer properties, concrete strength, ESALs, slab-base interface bond condition, temperature curling analysis type, shoulder type, and a reliability-based fatigue algorithm derived from laboratory beam tests. Due to the limited JPCP performance data, the recommended design process did not use a field calibrated damage-to-cracking model but was verified against the existing JPCP method. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Illinois KW - Jointed plain concrete pavements KW - Mechanistic design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Rigid pavements UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/15210 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55774/FHWA-ICT-09-052.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923576 ER - TY - SER AN - 01164250 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Kuchma, Daniel A AU - Hart, Christopher R AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Standard for Lifting Loops in Precast Deck Beams PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 151p AB - Prestressing strands, bent into loops and cast within beams, are the most common anchorage system used for handling precast beams. No national guidance exists for the design of lifting loops in members that are shallower than 24 inches. To address this shortcoming, the 2003 IDOT Prestressed Concrete Manual provided requirements for lifting loops that were derived from experience and best engineering judgment. An experimental research program was conducted at the University of Illinois to investigate the performance and capacity of lifting loops cast in deck beams, and also on the rupture strength of strand loops that protrude from heavily confined specimens. The key variables in the deck beam tests were the shape of the lifting loop, depth of embedment, side edge distance, number of strands per loop, number of lifting loops in a corner of a beam, and angle of pull. The key variables in the strand rupture tests were the number of strands per lifting loop, the uniformity of strand shape, the constraint of strands by a conduit, and the shape of the contact surface of the lifting device. The results of these experiments, in conjunction with a review of previous work and field practices, support and help justify the recent changes to IDOT lifting loop design requirements as presented in the 2007 ABD Memorandum 07.2. In the absence of another suitable design, a lifting loop must satisfy the IDOT requirements of a minimum 60-degree lift angle, a minimum 6-inch edge clearance, and an embedment depth that is at least equal to the overall depth of the member less 4 inches. The test results demonstrated the benefit of using multiple stands per lifting loop, multiple lifting loops in a corner of a beam, higher lift angles, and conduit to help ensure more uniform shape and engagement of strands. The results of this research have reinforced IDOT’s current design requirements for lifting loops and revealed the need for a national standard. KW - Beams KW - Bridge decks KW - Handling and conveying equipment KW - Lifting KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestressing strands UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/25522 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55777/FHWA-ICT-09-056.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923582 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162473 AU - Troiano, Gino P AU - DeWolf, John T AU - University of Connecticut, Storrs AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Strain Monitoring to Evaluate Unexpected Cracking in a Non-Redundant Steel Plate Girder Bridge PY - 2009/07 SP - 27p AB - This study was carried out to evaluate fatigue cracking in tie plates in a multi-span, non-redundant, steel plate-girder bridge. The plates are needed to provide continuity for the transverse floor beams. Repairs have been on-going, and the goal was to explain the cause of cracking and provide guidelines for those responsible for designing the repairs to assure that there would be no further cracks. The designers expected that these bolted plates would act in simple tension, which is a reasonable assumption based on the plans and actual bridge. Field monitoring has demonstrated, however, that the plates are acting as bending members, with bending occurring in the horizontal plane. The field testing, combined with a finite element analysis, have been used to explain the behavior causing bending and to provide guidance on how best to make the repairs. KW - Bending KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Monitoring KW - Plate girder bridges KW - Repairing KW - Tension KW - Tie plates UR - http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/documents/dresearch/CT-2251-2-09-4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/921565 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162211 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-65 to US 31W access improvement, Warren County : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/07//Volumes held: Final, Final Appendix KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Kentucky UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923197 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162051 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Marin-Sonoma Narrows (MSN) HOW widening project, Marin and Sonoma counties : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/07//Volumes held: Draft(2v) (v.2 fol), Dapp, F(3v) (v.2 fol), Fapp KW - California KW - Environmental impact statements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923035 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01160004 AU - Briglia, Peter M AU - Howard, Zachary N AU - Fishkin, Emily AU - Hallenbeck, Mark E AU - Martin, Anna St AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - In-Service Evaluation of Major Urban Arterials with Landscaped Medians–Phase II PY - 2009/07//Research Report SP - 52p AB - Because of undesirable characteristics of some major arterials such as State Route (SR) 99 north and south of Seattle several cities are implementing redevelopment plans. These redevelopment proposals for SR 99 and other state routes include landscaped medians, many with trees placed close to the roadway in either the median or shoulder areas. However, WSDOT’s clear zone width criterion may not always be met when trees are placed within curbed medians. To address this potential conflict, WSDOT chose to adopt an in-service evaluation process that would study collision, environmental, operational, and maintenance experiences in the field. A report was prepared in 2007 that summarized an analysis of two of the 13 median treatment projects. That report also provided before data and condition information on all median sections. This report summarizes the analysis of five additional sections. Because of changes in the methodology, previously reported accident rates were recalculated to be consistent with the after data from this analysis. Data from the before and after periods were also analyzed at two control locations where no median treatments were installed. Total, fatal, fixed object, pedestrian/bicycle, tree, curb/median and U-turn accident rates were analyzed. The percentages of intersection-related, driveway-related, and other accidents were analyzed. Overall, accidents decreased significantly for the treatment locations, but no other types of accidents showed significant changes at either the treatment or the control locations, except for the percentage of other types of accidents at the control locations, which increased significantly. It appears that the installation of landscaped medians does not have a detrimental effect on safety and may result in an overall decrease in accidents, conclusions consistent with those of the first phase. KW - Arterial highways KW - Crash rates KW - In service performance KW - Landscaping KW - Medians KW - Trees KW - Urban design KW - Urban highways UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/636.2.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56162/WA-636.2.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920492 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156613 AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Maintenance of Drainage Features for Safety, A Guide for Local Street and Highway Maintenance Personnel PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 40p AB - This guide was prepared to help local road agency maintenance workers understand the importance of maintaining and upgrading drainage features on their road system. Storm water that stands or ponds on the road surface and shoulders can contribute to crashes. It can cause hydroplaning under water conditions and skidding under icing conditions. Water run-off can deteriorate the shoulder and sideslopes, and reduce the effectiveness of safety hardware (guardrails, sign posts, etc.). This guide identifies typical drainage problems and suggests corrective measures to improve safety. KW - Drainage KW - Guidelines KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highway safety KW - Maintenance personnel KW - Runoff KW - Streets UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/fhwasa09024/fhwasa09024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917342 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154158 AU - Won, Moon AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of MEPDG with TxDOT Rigid Pavement Database PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 67p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) initiated the rigid pavement database project to collect information on the general performance of portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement as well as to collect project-level information on PCC pavement responses and performance. Twenty-seven sections were selected statewide and detailed information was collected such as load transfer efficiency (LTE) at small, medium, and large crack spacings and for two different seasons: summer and winter. Also collected were crack spacing information and slab deflections. Efforts were made to calibrate the punchout model in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). Review of the punchout model in MEPDG revealed that it is quite sophisticated, with a number of variables involved. It assumes that longitudinal cracking is induced by top-down cracking. The model is more applicable to continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) with an asphalt shoulder. On the other hand, the model might not be appropriate for the punchout analysis of CRCP with tied concrete shoulder. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of selected input variables on punchouts. Zero-stress temperature (ZST) had quite a large effect, because crack width and LTE depend to a large extent on ZST. The MEPDG equation for crack width tends to over-predict crack width and appropriate calibration constant needs to be determined. The comparison of actual punchout with a predicted value from MEPDG using national calibration constants shows a marked difference. MEPDG over-predicted punchout more than 30 times. When the calibration constant for crack width was reduced from 1 to 0.5, the predicted punchout became more reasonable. It appears that many distresses identified and recorded as punchouts in Texas are not actually punchouts caused by structural deficiency. Rather, most of them are due to imperfections in design details and/or construction/materials quality issues. Horizontal cracking appears to be the major cause of distresses in CRCP in Texas. The interactions between longitudinal steel and concrete in response to dynamic wheel loading applications appear to be the cause of horizontal cracking. Efforts should be made to accurately identify punchout during field evaluations. At this point, the punchout information in TxDOT’s Pavement Management Information System (PMIS) doesn’t appear to be accurate. A manual for the administrator of the database developed in this study is contained in this report. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Crack spacing KW - Crack width KW - Cracking of concrete pavements KW - Databases KW - Deflection KW - Horizontal cracking KW - Load transfer KW - Load transfer efficiency KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Punchouts KW - Rigid pavements KW - Summer KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Winter UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5445_3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915609 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150571 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Management Systems: Driving Performance. A Glance at Data-Driven Decisionmaking Practices. Transportation Asset Management Case Studies PY - 2009/07 SP - 24p AB - Asset management is an efficient and cost-effective management approach that allows for strategic decisions as to how specific resources should be deployed. Asset management is a true value added to transportation planning and programming, which has become a challenging task due to limited funding. Planners and programmers who face budget constraints are to prioritize and select candidate projects from a pool of needed work throughout their States or local jurisdictions. Information from various management systems, including highway pavements, bridges, safety, traffic congestion, public-transportation facilities, and other assets, are extremely valuable to transportation agencies that are under increasing pressure to balance their budgets while responding to public demands for quality services. KW - Asset management KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Decision making KW - Information systems KW - Pavement management systems KW - Public transit KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/if09021/hif09021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912722 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150568 AU - Rokhsaz, K AU - Dorfling, J AU - K, Kliment L AU - Wichita State University AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Operational Usage Information for a Commuter Propeller PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Wichita State University (WSU) supports the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) research in the area of Operational Loads Measurement of commuter and general aviation aircraft. This research is aimed primarily at acquiring and reducing typical in-service usage data for the purpose of better understanding the flight loads experienced by the airframe. The program includes developing improved methods and criteria for processing and presenting large amounts of data. These activities result in information that can (1) lead to the understanding of the service-related factors affecting the operational life of the aircraft and (2) allow the FAA to reassess continued suitability of existing certification criteria. The University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) published the results from the processing and analysis of digital flight recorder data obtained from 910 flights of 30 BE-1900D aircraft during typical operational usage by a single commuter airline. These aircraft employ propellers with composite structures. The data used by UDRI also contained some information on engine and propeller usage, such as engine revolutions per minute (rpm) and torque and time at propeller reversal. This report documents the efforts of WSU to derive statistical summaries of aircraft usage data, ground operations data, and flight operations data pertaining to the propellers from this database. Statistical data are presented for parameters such as torque correlated with rpm, time in propeller reversal, alpha, and unsteadiness in alpha due to gust velocities. The scope of activities performed encompasses the service-related factors that affect the operational life of the propeller, as defined by the propeller manufacturer. WSU has generated the processed data in statistical formats that can enable the FAA, the propeller manufacturer, and the airline to better understand and control those factors that influence the structural integrity of these components. KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft operations KW - Commuter airlines KW - Commuters KW - General aviation KW - Propeller driven aircraft KW - Statistical analysis KW - Structural analysis UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/ar0915.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912781 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150555 AU - Stoddard, A T AU - LSC Transportation Consultants, Incorporated AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - North Country Public Transportation Participation Pilot Project PY - 2009/07//Research Report SP - 366p AB - North Country Transit (NCT) is located in rural northern New Hampshire. As part of the statewide initiative to develop coordinated transportation programs, NCT approached the human services agencies in the region. NCT found that most of the agencies were not interested in coordinating transportation services and did not see any benefit from coordination. Many of the agencies saw coordination as a threat to their transportation programs. As a result, an educational program was developed to present the benefits of coordination strategies to the transportation providers, funding agencies, elected officials, and the public. This report describes the process which was used to develop the education programs and the results which were achieved. The educational programs are included as guides to be used by other agencies which may desire to promote the benefits of coordinating transportation services. Background material, PowerPoint slides, and the presentation are included in the educational programs developed for agencies and for the public. KW - Coordination KW - Lessons learned KW - New Hampshire KW - Public participation KW - Public transit KW - Regional planning KW - Regional transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912780 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150506 AU - Khademian, A AU - Kikuchi, S AU - Offenbacker, B AU - Coelus, P AU - Sanchez, T AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Waterford Incorporated AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Enhancing Public Participation in Regional Public Transportation Planning PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 140p AB - Public participation in public transportation planning requires an active and ongoing relationship between the public and transportation planners, and a regional, or network wide approach. This report examines innovations by metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) across the country to enhance public participation for public transportation planning through efforts to enhance diversity in regional planning efforts, to improve knowledge gathering and sharing with the public across the region, and to improve incentives for public participation. Results of a survey of 384 MPOs and three case studies are presented. MPOs often excel in efforts to educate the public and to include the public in MPO governance, but innovations in long term planning and project specific efforts are limited. Moving to more advanced levels of public participation will require improved knowledge gathering and management techniques and a more robust understanding of the incentives for participation. The report presents a knowledge management exercise and an incentives diagnostic for MPOs to facilitate that effort. KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Public participation KW - Public transit KW - Regional planning KW - Regional transportation KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel surveys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912774 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01149532 AU - DeWolf, John T AU - University of Connecticut, Storrs AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - History of Connecticut's Short-term Strain Program for Evaluation of Steel Bridges PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 29p AB - Non-destructive strain monitoring has been used for two decades on Connecticut’s bridges to supplement visual field inspections. These studies have addressed a wide range of problems, including fatigue cracking in diaphragm connections, cracked secondary connections, main girder cracking, load ratings, over-load conditions, and concerns with movable bridges involving drive mechanisms and counter-weight supports. Monitoring has often shown that repairs are not necessary, and when necessary, the data collected in the monitoring has been used to provide information on how best to design the repair. The benefit from the monitoring program during the past two decades has saved the State of Connecticut millions of dollars, well below the cost of implementing the monitoring program. KW - Connecticut KW - Cracking KW - Monitoring KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Steel bridges KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Structural analysis UR - http://docs.trb.org/01149532.pdf UR - http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/documents/dresearch/CT-2251-F-09-6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/911770 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01149202 AU - Daniel, Janice R AU - Rotter, Naomi G AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Customer Behavior Relative to Gap between Platform and Train PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 79p AB - Managing gap safety at the train platform interface has been an on-going concern for passenger rail systems. The major questions this research seeks to answer are what customer behaviors are associated with the risk of gap injury incidents and what are potential ways to reduce these behavioral risks. To answer these questions, the research approach is two pronged. The first prong analyzes and reviews the NJ TRANSIT Rail accident data and reports to gain a clear picture of the accidents in relation to demographic, seasonal, and temporal characteristics. The second prong involves observational studies of passengers boarding trains to identify behavioral patterns that are associated with risk of gap accidents. An analysis of gap injuries on NJ TRANSIT Rail found that for 2005 to 2008, gap injuries accounted for 25 percent of passenger injuries on NJ TRANSIT Rail. The majority of gap injuries occur during the AM and PM peak periods. For gap injuries the percent of injuries peaks for the very young, under 10 years old. For both gap and non-gap injuries, the majority of the injured were women. Sixty-six percent of gap injuries occurred while passengers were boarding. The study indicates that young children were particularly vulnerable to gap injuries while detraining. Seventy-eight percent of detraining passengers and 88 percent of boarding passengers were observed to look down while detraining or boarding. Based on the analysis of the data, recommendations on strategies for reducing gap accidents include additional Passenger Information, Platform and Train Treatments, Training and Public Awareness Campaign. KW - Behavior KW - Boarding and alighting KW - Children KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash data KW - Field studies KW - Gaps (Vehicle/platform) KW - Gender KW - Injuries KW - Passenger platforms KW - Passengers KW - Rail transit KW - Rail transit stations KW - Risk assessment UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/911547 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147319 AU - Blower, Daniel F AU - Matteson, Anne AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Evaluation of 2008 North Dakota Crash Data Reported to the MCMIS Crash File PY - 2009/07//Special Report SP - 34p AB - This report is part of a series evaluating the data reported to the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) Crash File undertaken by the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The earlier studies showed that reporting to the MCMIS Crash File was incomplete. This report examines the factors that are associated with reporting rates for the state of North Dakota. MCMIS Crash File records were matched to the North Dakota crash file to determine the nature and extent of underreporting. Overall, it appears that North Dakota is reporting 64.2% of crash involvements that should be reported to the MCMIS Crash file. There is also evidence that about 17% of the records reported do not meet the reporting standard. Reporting rates were found to be related to crash severity, the configuration of the vehicle, and the type of enforcement agency that covered the crash. Over 93.3% of fatal crashes were reported, 81.8% of injury/transported crashes, and 57.5% of tow/disabled involvements. More than 72% of reportable involvements of truck-tractors were reported, but the reporting rate was 47.4% for 2-axle, 6-tire single-unit trucks. Only 30.8% of bus involvements were reported. Missing data rates are low for most variables. Overall, the crash report is well-designed to support full reporting. The information necessary to identify reportable cases is available in the crash file, so a substantial improvement in the reporting rate can be achieved. KW - Crash data KW - Crash reports KW - Crash severity KW - Data reporting KW - Missing data KW - Motor Carrier Management Information System Crash File KW - Motor carriers KW - North Dakota KW - Statistics KW - Underreporting UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/64136 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907559 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01144508 AU - Gresham, Smith and Partners AU - Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Tennessee Department of Transportation TI - Complete Streets Study: Broadway Corridor in Fountain City, Knoxville, Tennessee PY - 2009/07 SP - 73p AB - This report details a Complete Streets Study which was undertaken during the fall 2008 - winter 2009 in Knoxville, Tennessee. A corridor in Knoxville's Fountain City neighborhood (the Broadway corridor) was studied in order to make recommendations concerning how to transform the corridor so that it could be utilized safely by all users. A complete street is defined as a street which is designed and operated to the benefit of all users - bicyclists, pedestrians, bus riders, and drivers - regardless of age. Variables investigated include mobility, land use and demographics, community facilities, design and implementation. KW - Bus transit KW - City planning KW - Complete streets KW - Cyclists KW - Demographics KW - Drivers KW - Implementation KW - Knoxville (Tennessee) KW - Land use KW - Livable communities KW - Pedestrians KW - Quality of life KW - Urban design UR - http://www.knoxtrans.org/plans/complete_streets/broadway.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904918 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143750 AU - Regan, Terrance AU - Murphy, Elizabeth AU - Hines, Mary E AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - SAFETEA-LU 1808: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Evaluation and Assessment: Phase II Final Report PY - 2009/07//Phase II Final Report SP - 76p AB - In the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Section 1808, Congress required the U.S. Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to evaluate and assess the direct and indirect impacts of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)-funded projects on air quality and congestion levels to ensure the program’s effective implementation. Phase II of the CMAQ Evaluation and Assessment responds to that request by exploring different practices and approaches that select agencies Nationwide use in CMAQ project selection and implementation. The study team conducted 1-day site interviews with Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) at seven locations around the country. The Phase II Report highlights effective CMAQ implementation practices and identifies benefits, challenges, and opportunities encountered by the agencies interviewed as they program CMAQ funds from the information collected and analyzed during the site visit interviews. KW - Air quality KW - Benefits KW - Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Implementation KW - Interviewing KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Project selection KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/cmaq/research/safetea-lu_phase_2/index.cfm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31500/31592/fhwahep09026.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904106 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143660 AU - Hallmark, Shauna L AU - McDonald, Thomas J AU - Sperry, Robert AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium TI - Evaluation of Rumble Stripes on Low-Volume Rural Roads in Iowa—Phase I PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 62p AB - Single-vehicle run-off-road crashes are the most common crash type on rural two-lane Iowa roads. Rumble strips have been proven effective in mitigating these crashes, but these strips are commonly installed in paved shoulders adjacent to higher-volume roads owned by the State of Iowa. Lower-volume paved rural roads owned by local agencies do not commonly feature paved shoulders but frequently experience run-off-road crashes. This project involved installing “rumble stripes,” which are a combination of conventional rumble strips with a painted edge line placed on the surface of the milled area, along the edge of the travel lanes but at a narrow width to avoid possible intrusion into the normal vehicle travel paths. Candidate locations were selected from a list of paved local rural roads that were most recently listed in the top 5% of roads for run-off-road crashes in Iowa. Horizontal curves were the most favored locations for rumble stripe installation because they commonly experience roadway departure crashes. The research described in this report was part of a project funded by the Federal Highway Administration, Iowa Highway Research Board, and Iowa Department of Transportation to evaluate the effectiveness of edge line rumble strips in Iowa. The project evaluated the effectiveness of “rumble stripes” in reducing run-off-road crashes and in improving the longevity and wet weather visibility of edge line markings. This project consists of two phases. The first phase was to select pilot study locations, select a set of test sites, install rumble stripes, summarize lessons learned during installation, and provide a preliminary assessment of the rumble stripes’ performance. This information is summarized in this report. The purpose of the second phase is to provide a more long-term assessment of the performance of the pavement markings, conduct preliminary crash assessments, and evaluate lane keeping. This will result in a forthcoming second report. KW - Edge lines KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Field tests KW - Iowa KW - Low volume roads KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Rumble strips KW - Rural highways KW - Single vehicle crashes UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/19255 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/reports/HallmarkTR-577_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31300/31329/TR-577_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/903565 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142528 AU - Mokkapati, C AU - Tse, Terry AU - Rao, A AU - Ansoldo-STS USA, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Practical Risk Assessment Methodology for Safety-Critical Train Control Systems PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 125p AB - This project proposes a Practical Risk Assessment Methodology (PRAM) for analyzing railroad accident data and assessing the risk and benefit of safety-critical train control systems. This report documents in simple steps the algorithms and data inputs that are required to calculate the collective risks associated with a proposed system (such as a positive train control system). These risks are in turn compared with a reference safety target (such as the risk associated with the existing system or method of operation that the proposed system is intended to replace) to arrive at the quantitative hazard rates that proposed system must be designed not to exceed. These hazard rates, called tolerable hazard rates, form a key part of the safety requirements specification for the proposed system. A software tool has been developed for use by risk analysts safety engineers to implement the steps of PRAM in an iterative manner. KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic train control KW - Benefits KW - Human factors engineering KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Risk assessment KW - Safety performance UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/306 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902882 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142522 AU - Evans, J E AU - Weber, M E AU - Wolfson, M M AU - Clark, D A AU - Newell, O J AU - Massachusetts Institute of Technology AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Roadmap for Weather Integration into Traffic Flow Management Modernization (TFM-M) PY - 2009/07 SP - 142p AB - This report provides recommendations for aligning new Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies (CATM-T) with evolving aviation weather products to improve NAS efficiency during adverse (especially severe) weather conditions. Key gaps indentified Include: Improving or developing pilot convective storm avoidance models as well as models for route blockage and capacity in severe weather is necessary for automated congestion prediction and resolution; forecasts used to characterize uncertainty that can be used by CATM tools, and, explicitly forecast key parameters needed for translation of weather to capacity impacts; time based flow management will require substantial progress in both the translation modeling and in predicting appropriate storm avoidance trajectories; near term efforts should focus on integration of the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) with contemporary severe weather products such as the Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS); Human factors studies on product design to improve industrial decision making; Improved Collaborative Decision Making in 'difficult' situations, and the use of the probabilistic products are also essential; studies need to be carried out to determine how well en route and terminal capacity currently is being utilized during adverse weather events as to identify the highest priority areas for integrated weather-CATM system development. KW - Air traffic control KW - Air transportation KW - Airport congestion KW - Aviation safety KW - Human factors engineering KW - Storms KW - Traffic flow KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting UR - http://www.ll.mit.edu/mission/aviation/publications/publication-files/atc-reports/Evans_2009_ATC-347_WW-17918.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902891 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142506 AU - Rancatore, B AU - Llana, P AU - Ingen-Dunn, C V AU - Bradney, C AU - Armor Holdings Aerospace and Defense Group AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Occupant Protection Experiments in Support of a Full-Scale Train-to-Train Crash Energy Management Equipment Collision Test PY - 2009/07 SP - 95p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration sponsored a full-scale train-to-train crash energy management (CEM) technology test that was conducted on March 23, 2006, at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The Volpe National Transportation Center directed and coordinated the contractors who implemented the test and developed the technical requirements for the test, including the conditions, the equipment tested, and the measurements made. This report describes the installation details and the results of the five occupant protection experiments conducted as part of Task Order Contract DTR S57-04-D-30008/TO6. The five experiments were conducted on board two commuter rail cars as part of the full-scale train-to-train CEM equipment collision test. KW - Crash energy management KW - Crashworthiness KW - Frontal crashes KW - Impact tests KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Railroad cars KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad transportation UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/321 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34500/34534/DOT-VNTSC-FRA-09-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902734 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142468 AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Development of an Adaptive Predictive Braking Enforcement Algorithm PY - 2009/07//Research Results SP - 4p AB - Predictive enforcement braking is one of the key concepts behind positive train control (PTC) systems. If a train is on the verge of overrunning a target stopping location, such as an authority limit, the system enforces a brake application to stop the train safely short of the limit. The concept depends on an algorithm that can predict the stopping distance of the train. Errors in stopping distance prediction can result in target overruns, target underruns, or unnecessary enforcements, which can negatively impact railroad safety or operations. Due to the uncertainty of many parameters that affect stopping distance, PTC enforcement algorithms have traditionally used a target offset to ensure that no trains overshoot the target. However, this can force the algorithm to be overly conservative and result in unnecessary or early warnings and enforcement. KW - Adaptive control KW - Braking KW - Fail safe systems KW - Interoperability KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad transportation KW - Stopping distances KW - Telecommunications UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2001 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902703 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142072 AU - Limroth, John AU - Kurfess, Thomas AU - Law, E Harry AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U13: Co-Simulation of Heavy Truck Tire Dynamics and Electronic Stability Control Systems (Phase A) PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 69p AB - Electronic stability control (ESC) systems have been proven to be an effective means of preventing instability and loss of control on both passenger vehicles and heavy trucks. In addition, roll stability algorithms are an effective means of reducing the risk of rollover on heavy trucks with their relatively high centers of gravity. Stability control systems are so effective that the U.S. government has mandated their inclusion on all new passenger vehicles by September 2011, and similar legislation is anticipated soon for heavy trucks. The goal of this research project is to produce a software co-simulation of an articulated tractor-trailer model together with an ESC algorithm. Such a simulation platform will enable the investigation of truck performance both with and without stability control and the sensitivity of vehicle performance to changes in vehicle parameters. The simulations will be used to conduct experiments to determine particular vehicle configurations and parameters that result in improved vehicle stability and dynamic performance. In addition the simulation platform will provide a means to investigate advanced stability control algorithms, such as algorithms that automatically adapt to changes in vehicle parameters such as trailer load configurations. The co-simulation may be a Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulation system utilizing a commercial ESC Electronic Control Unit (ECU) or pure software co-simulation with an algorithm representative of a commercial ESC system. KW - Algorithms KW - Electronic stability control KW - Hardware in the loop simulation KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Motor vehicle dynamics KW - Stability (Mechanics) KW - Tire mechanics KW - Tires UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31156/U13-_Co-Simulation_of_Heavy_Truck_Tire_Dynamcis__ESC__Phase_A_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902282 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142068 AU - Ling, Chen AU - Lopez, Miguel AU - Xing, Jing AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Validating Information Complexity Questionnaires Using Travel Web Sites PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 26p AB - With the prevalent use of visual interfaces and the increasing demand to display more information, information complexity in human-computer interfaces becomes a major concern for technology designers. Complex interfaces affect the effectiveness, efficiency, and even the operational safety of a system. Previously, researchers at the Federal Aviation Administration developed two questionnaires to evaluate information complexity of air traffic control displays. This study adapted the questionnaires for commercial computer interfaces and validated them with two types of tasks on three travel Web sites. The results demonstrated that both questionnaires had acceptable reliability, validity, and sensitivity. KW - Air traffic control KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Information complexity KW - Information display systems KW - Questionnaires KW - User interfaces (Computer science) UR - http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/faa-aviation-medicine-reports/AM09-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902270 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142045 AU - Nakagawara, Van B AU - Montgomery, Ron W AU - Wood, Kathryn J AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Evaluation of Next-Generation Vision Testers for Aeromedical Certification of Aviation Personnel PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 36p AB - Introduction: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows the use of a variety of vision screening devices to evaluate a pilot applicant’s vision performance for medical certification purposes. This study compares human subject test scores obtained using two new vision testing instruments (Optec 5000 and Titmus i400) with those from previously approved counterparts (Optec 2000 and Titmus 2A), which have been discontinued by their manufacturers. Method: Testing included near, intermediate, and distant visual acuity, when appropriate, as well as heterophoria and color perception. Aside from color vision deficiencies, visual performance for all subjects was within the minimum Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) vision requirements for Class II airmen. The test subject population included 36 individuals who ranged in age from 18 to 66 (34.4 ± 14.2). Six subjects were 50 years of age or over, requiring intermediate vision testing and 12 were color deficient. Analysis was designed to detect statistically significant differences between the test scores obtained with the new instruments vs. the older models. Results: The results of this study indicate that both new instruments provided visual acuity and heterophoria scores that are statistically equivalent to the older models. Color vision test scores for the Titmus i400 were found to be statistically equivalent to those of the Titmus 2A, with little or no change in failure rate. Although the color vision scores of the Optec 5000 were statistically equivalent to those of the Optec 2000, it failed 50% of the color normal subjects in the study. Conclusion: FAA approval is recommended for the Titmus i400 for use in all applicable aviation vision tests. Conditional approval is recommended for the Optec 5000, provided the Aviation Medical Examiner has an appropriate alternate color vision test should individuals be identified as color deficient during the certification exam. KW - Aviation KW - Certification KW - Color vision KW - Medical certification KW - Personnel KW - Vision KW - Vision tests UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200913.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902269 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141674 AU - Bonneson, James A AU - Pratt, Michael Paul AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Roadway Safety Design Workbook PY - 2009/07//Product SP - 220p AB - Highway safety is an ongoing concern to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). As part of its proactive commitment to improving highway safety, TxDOT is moving toward including quantitative safety analyses earlier in the project development process. The objectives of this research project are: (1) the development of safety design guidelines and evaluation tools to be used by TxDOT designers, and (2) the production of a plan for the incorporation of these guidelines and tools in the planning and design stages of the project development process. This document provides the best-available information describing the relationship between various highway geometric design components and crash frequency. It is intended to be used by engineers for the purpose of explicitly evaluating the potential safety trade-offs associated with various design alternatives. This document focuses on quantitative safety relationships for specific design components known to be correlated with crash frequency. It is intended for engineers responsible for the geometric design of streets and highways. Following an introductory chapter, the remaining chapters are devoted to freeways, rural highways, urban and suburban arterials, interchange ramps and frontage roads, rural intersections, and urban intersections. KW - Arterial highways KW - Crash rates KW - Freeways KW - Frontage roads KW - Geometric design KW - Guidelines KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Interchanges KW - Intersections KW - Ramps (Interchanges) KW - Rural areas KW - Rural highways KW - Streets KW - Suburbs KW - Texas KW - Urban areas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4703-P2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902128 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141672 AU - Sebesta, Stephen AU - Liu, Wenting AU - Harrison, Gerry AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Reference Guide for the Soil Compactor Analyzer PY - 2009/07 SP - 18p AB - The Soil Compactor Analyzer (SCA) attaches to the automatic tamper used for Test Methods Tex-113-E and 114-E and uses rapid sampling of the hammer displacement to measure impact velocity. With the known mass of the hammer and the determined velocity, energy can be determined. This document provides guidelines for the installation of the SCA and the calibration of its software. KW - Calibration KW - Guidelines KW - Installation KW - Software KW - Soil compaction test KW - Testing equipment UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5135-P6.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31088/0-5135-P6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902146 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141646 AU - Cuelho, Eli AU - Perkins, Steve AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - NAUE GmbH & Co KG TI - Field Investigation of Geosynthetics Used for Subgrade Stabilization PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 143p AB - The use of reinforcement geosynthetics in unsurfaced roads built upon a soft subgrade is known to provide benefit through better distribution of applied loads and increased bearing capacity. This report describes a research project where field test sections were constructed to evaluate the performance of several geosynthetics commonly used for subgrade stabilization. A sandy clay soil was prepared as a weak roadbed material to a CBR strength of approximately 1.8 and a 20 cm thick aggregate layer was compacted over the geosynthetics. Trafficking was provided by a fully-loaded tandem axle dump truck. Longitudinal rut depth, along with discrete measurements of displacement and pore pressure were monitored throughout the trafficking period. Post-trafficking excavations were conducted to evaluate damage to the geosynthetic, base contamination and deformation of the layers. The construction and monitoring techniques employed during the course of this project helped establish a test bed of relatively similar conditions to facilitate more direct comparison of individual test sections to one another. An empirical analysis was used to normalize small differences between the subgrade strength after trafficking and base course thickness between test sections to facilitate a more direct comparison performance. The results showed that the welded geogrids, woven geogrids and the stronger integrally-formed geogrid product seemed to provide the best overall performance, while the two geotextile products and the weaker integrally-formed geogrid provided significantly less stabilization benefit based on the normalized rutting performance at 50, 75 and 100 mm of longitudinal rut data, and this performance is likely directly related to the tensile strength of the materials in the cross-machine direction. Overall, this research provides additional and much needed insight regarding which properties have a significant role on performance, as well as an assessment of two design methodologies' ability to predict rutting performance using the test section parameters as design inputs. Additional work is needed to more fully understand which geosynthetic material parameters are most relevant in these situations. KW - California bearing ratio KW - Field tests KW - Geogrids KW - Geosynthetics KW - Geotextiles KW - Gravel roads KW - Pore pressure KW - Rutting KW - Sandy clays KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Tensile strength KW - Test sections KW - Traffic loads KW - Unpaved roads UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/subgrade/final_report.pdf UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/geotech/subgrade.shtml UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/documents/reports/4W2012_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45821/final_report42.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141644 AU - White, David J AU - Vennapusa, Pavana K R AU - Zhang, Jiake AU - Gieselman, Heath AU - Morris, Max AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Minnesota Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation of Intelligent Compaction Performance Based Specifications in Minnesota PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 337p AB - This study documents relationships between intelligent compaction measurement values (IC-MVs) and various in-situ point measurement techniques for monitoring compaction of non-granular and granular materials. Factors affecting correlations are discussed (e.g., soil type, moisture contents, stress level, etc.). Measurements from earth pressure cells document the relationship between in-ground stresses for rollers and various in-situ test methods. Comparisons were made between test roller rut depth measurements and IC-MVs and various point measurements as a quality assurance (QA) check for the subgrade pavement foundation layer. It was concluded that IC-MVs and in-situ point measurements can serve as reliable alternatives to test rolling. Site specific target values were calculated for IC-MVs, dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP), light weight deflectometer (LWD), and shear strength. Measurement error and protocols for field testing were evaluated for LWDs. Laboratory compacted samples were used to assess an approach for determining LWD field target values. Future research is recommended to evaluate this approach for materials on a state-wide basis. Results from field studies were used to develop four IC specification options. Three specifications do not require on-site roller calibration. One specification option requires on-site calibration of IC-MVs and in-situ point measurements. This specification option has the advantages of quantifying risk, establishing a framework for a performance specification, providing information for incentive-based pay, and better linking as-built quality to long-term performance. An IC training/certification program, new IC field data analysis tools, and additional pilot projects will assist with greater implementation of these technologies. KW - Cone penetrometers KW - Deflectometers KW - Earthwork KW - Field tests KW - Intelligent compaction KW - Lightweight deflectometers KW - Minnesota KW - Monitoring KW - Performance based specifications KW - Quality assurance KW - Road construction KW - Shear strength KW - Soil compaction KW - Subgrade (Pavements) UR - http://www.lrrb.org/pdf/200914.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56000/56039/MN-200914.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901481 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141330 AU - Saka, Anthony A AU - Morgan State University AU - National Transportation Center AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Statewide GIS Mapping of Recurring Congestion Corridors PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 51p AB - Recurring congestion occurs when travel demand reaches or exceeds the available roadway capacity. This project developed an interactive geographic information system (GIS) map of the recurring congestion corridors (labeled herein as hotspots) in the state of Maryland. The map allows users to obtain images, turning-movement counts, travel times, and roadway schematics for individual hotspots. The GIS map was also converted to a keyhole mark-up list (KML) file so that it can be used in Google Earth's 3-D environment. It is hoped that this study will lead to a statewide mapping of hotspots and help the Maryland State Highway Administration to allocate the resources necessary for the mitigation and management of recurring congestion. KW - Geographic information systems KW - Google Earth KW - Highway traffic control KW - Interactive maps KW - Mapping KW - Maryland KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation UR - http://www.morgan.edu//Documents/ACADEMICS/CENTERS/NTC/Statewide_Saka_0809.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901472 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140734 AU - Machemehl, Randy B AU - Cheu, R L Kelvin AU - Liu, Hongchao AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Incorporating a Bus Rapid Transit Scenario into the Analysis of Texas Highway Corridors PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 163p AB - Many corridors in the Texas State highway system are facing increasing congestion while having severe right-of-way limitations. The best form of congestion relief may not be additional highway lanes and/or grade separations. The best solution may be the introduction of a higher capacity transit system. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has been increasingly regarded as a cost-effective solution for improving mobility and alleviating congestion in urban transportation networks. This research was aimed at providing the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) with comprehensive guidelines for planning and designing BRT that allows development of a BRT scenario in the traditional alternatives analysis. Specifically, this research developed a decision procedure to help TxDOT engineers/metropolitan planning organization planners decide the role of BRT as an integral part of existing/future transportation systems. The research team included identification and evaluation of analysis tools and methods for measuring the effectiveness/impact of BRT. Design criteria were developed for BRT concepts, including possible street re-alignment, geometric considerations, right-of-way acquisition, signal preemption, dedicated/shared busways on major state arterials, as well as integration of BRT into existing and future managed lanes (HOT/HOV). A BRT planning and design case study for El Paso, Texas and Austin, Texas was completed. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Case studies KW - El Paso (Texas) KW - Guidelines KW - Highway corridors KW - Mobility KW - Planning and design KW - Texas KW - Traffic congestion KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5668_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901056 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140722 AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Audit of the Data Integrity of the Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) PY - 2009/07 SP - 16p AB - The Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued reports on the Commercial Drivers License (CDL) Program in 2000, 2002, and 2006.2 The first report focused on the disqualification of commercial drivers, noting that out-of-state convictions were not transmitted to licensing states in a timely manner. This report also concluded that states did not disqualify commercial drivers, as required by law, and granted licenses to commercial drivers who posed a safety risk. The 2002 and 2006 reports focused predominantly on fraudulent licensing. Last year, as mentioned, we reported on the use of income derived from CDLIS for system modernization, as required by SAFETEA-LU. These reports contain recommendations to improve CDL program oversight. Congress found that one of the leading factors operating against commercial motor vehicle safety was the possession of multiple licenses by commercial drivers. Drivers with multiple licenses spread their traffic violations over a number of state licenses to maintain a good-driver rating, regardless of the number of violations they acquire in one or more states. In response to states concerns, the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (CMVSA) directed DOT to establish minimum standards for licensing, testing, qualification, and classification of commercial drivers. CMVSA also prohibited commercial drivers from possessing more than one commercial license. The goal of CMVSA was to improve highway safety by removing unsafe and unqualified drivers from the highways, including ensuring that drivers of large trucks and buses were qualified to operate those vehicles. KW - Commercial drivers licenses KW - Data quality KW - Freight traffic KW - Information systems KW - Motor carriers KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - Safety audits KW - Security KW - Trucking UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/pdfdocs/00CDLIS_Final_7-30-2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140585 AU - Mukhopadhyay, Anal Kanti AU - Jang, Sehoon AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Using Cement Paste Rheology to Predict Concrete Mix Design Problems: Technical Report PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 154p AB - The complex interaction between cement and chemical/mineral admixtures in concrete mixture sometimes leads to unpredictable concrete performance in the field, which is generally defined as concrete incompatibilities. Cement paste rheology measurements instead of traditional workability tests can have a great potential to detect those incompatibilities in concrete before the concrete is placed to avoid setting time, workability, and curing-related issues, which sometimes lead to severe early-age cracking especially in severe weather conditions. The objective of the present study was to examine the applicability of the Superpave Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) to measure cement paste rheology on the one hand and identify cement and mineral/chemical admixtures incompatibilities based on cement paste rheological behavior on the other hand. Based on the extensive laboratory investigation, it is observed that DSR in modified form can measure cement paste rheology with permissible repeatability and sensitivity and has a great potential to identify cement and mineral/chemical admixture incompatibilities. The heat of hydration data from isothermal calorimeter test and setting time results for the studied mixtures have strongly supported the rheology-based observations. A procedure to formulate rheology-based acceptance criteria has been developed based on the available test results. Further refinement of these acceptance criteria based on detailed work covering a wide range of incompatibilities and validation through implementation efforts is warranted. This will ultimately help concrete producers and district laboratories detect problematic combinations of concrete ingredients during the mixture design process. The researchers also investigated the feasibility of the mini slump cone test as an alternative or supporting tool for the rheology test. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Admixtures KW - Cement paste KW - Concrete KW - Concrete curing KW - Heat of hydration KW - Incompatibility KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Rheology KW - Rheometers KW - Workability UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5820-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900975 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140584 AU - Wallace, William A AU - Wojtowicz, Jeffrey M AU - Torrey, David AU - Renna, Nicholas AU - Tan, Jiewei AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - University Transportation Research Center TI - Guidelines for Traffic Signal Energy Back‐up Systems PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 105p AB - Power outages affect traffic signalized intersections, leading to potentially serious problems. Current practices of responding to power failures are very basic, ranging from ‘do nothing’ to installing portable generators. The purpose of this research project was to provide the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) with a better understanding of the practices of other agencies in dealing with dark traffic signals and to develop guidelines for instrumenting uninterrupted backup power at intersections across the state. The main goals of the project are to: (1) recommend cost effective methods for alternative power at traffic signals in NYS; (2) identify the pros and cons of each of the alternative power sources; and (3) develop a methodology for identifying those NYS traffic signals for installation of alternative energy power sources. The research activities consisted of the following eight tasks: Task 1: Kickoff meeting; Task 2: Conduct Assessment of Alternative Energy Solutions; Task 3: Identify and Evaluate Possible Technologies; Task 4: Develop Prioritization Guidelines; Task 5: Perform a Historical Power Outage Analysis for NYS; Task 6: Develop a Specification for the Alternative Energy Sources; Task 7: Plan to Integrate the Selected Alternatives with the Existing Signal Structure; and Task 8: Deployment Plan. KW - Backup systems KW - Electric power supply KW - Guidelines KW - New York (State) KW - Power outages KW - Traffic signals KW - Uninterruptible power supply UR - http://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-06-08_final%20report_August%202009.pdf UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/assets/142/TrafficSignalEnergyBack-Up1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31189/C-06-08_final_report_August_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900968 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140576 AU - Benz, Robert Joseph AU - Pike, Adam M AU - Kuchangi, Shamanth P AU - Brackett, Quinn AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mobile Retroreflectivity Best Practices Handbook PY - 2009/07//Product SP - 46p AB - This handbook documents best practices related to proper use of the mobile retroreflectometer, sampling of sites for data collection, and handling of mobile retroreflectivity data. The best practices described in this handbook are derived from the results of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-5656 and the author’s observation in using the mobile retroreflectometer. The first part of the handbook provides information on sampling of pavement markings, periodic data quality checks, and data file naming conventions. The sampling procedure described here provides a systematic way of reducing the number of samples under a constrained budget. File naming conventions suggested in this handbook will be helpful in automating mobile retroreflectivity data handling and analysis. The second section of the handbook provides information on equipment required to calibrate the mobile retroreflectometer and collect the data. This handbook also describes the best practices for initial setup and calibration of the mobile retroreflectometer and calibration checks. Since several factors change as data are being collected, best practices for accounting for changes in variables, such as variations in vehicle speed and operating temperature, etc., are described. The final section pertains to best practices in data handling and suggested analysis of mobile data. This handbook elaborates on the consistency of data file headers and quality checking of data. A prototype of automation for data analysis is demonstrated that will prove handy in dealing with large amounts of mobile data. KW - Best practices KW - Calibration KW - Data collection KW - Data files KW - Data quality KW - Handbooks KW - Information processing KW - Mobile retroreflectometers KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road markings UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5656-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900983 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139987 AU - Elston, Debra AU - Huft, David L AU - Harder, Barbara T AU - Curtis, Joyce AU - Evans, Monique R AU - Jenks, Christopher W AU - McGinnis, Laurie AU - Paul, Harold R AU - Roberts, Glenn AU - Wingfield, Eric AU - Wlaschin, J B AU - American Trade Initiatives AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) TI - Transportation Research Program Administration in Europe and Asia PY - 2009/07 SP - 76p AB - The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program sponsored a scanning study of Europe and Asia to review transportation research program administration practices. The scan team sought policy initiatives and process improvements to enhance transportation research administration in the United States. The team found that in the countries it studied, transportation research is directly related to national economic growth and competitiveness, transportation research efforts are promoted, transportation research and development (R&D) is accepted as a valuable contribution to the national good, and addressing intellectual property rights is a common practice that facilitates the delivery of transportation research results. Team recommendations for U.S. application include building international relationships in transportation research to achieve global goals, developing a nationally coordinated research framework, and strengthening the innovation process by examining international research institutes that link the creation and application of knowledge. KW - Administration KW - Asia KW - Europe KW - Innovation KW - Intellectual property rights KW - International Scanning Program KW - Research KW - Research management UR - http://international.fhwa.dot.gov/pubs/pl09015/pl09015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899212 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139918 AU - Ragula, Michael AU - Bitar, George AU - Urbanik, Tom AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U17: Trusted Truck® II (Phase C) PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 50p AB - The states conduct close to 750,000 roadside inspections of commercial vehicles per year. Even with this seemingly large number of inspections, the states are still being overwhelmed with the burden of performing inspections in a fashion that ensures the carriers are complying with safety regulations without impacting the profitability of the carriers. In the first Trusted Truck® project Volvo helped demonstrate the ability to perform brake inspections wirelessly between the vehicle and the state’s roadside infrastructure. The first two phases of the Trusted Truck® II project built off of that initial project to further explore the concept of building a relationship of trust with commercial vehicles and motor carriers through wireless roadside inspections and compliance along with ways that would help enhance the efficiencies of the carriers. The goal will be to move closer to defining a mechanism for performing wireless roadside inspections (WRI). This third phase focused mainly on preparation work for the final Phase D. Phase C of the Trusted Truck® project was a preparatory step that delivered the system architecture specification, a demonstration of the system prototype during a bypass operation, and a plan to introduce the Trusted Truck® Management Center to industry and government. KW - Automated inspection KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Inspection KW - Motor carriers KW - System architecture KW - Trucking safety UR - http://www.ntrci.org/ntrci-50-2009-011 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31154/U17-_Trusted_Truck_r__II__Phase_C___2_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899334 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139850 AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Crossing Consolidation Guidelines PY - 2009/07//Research Results SP - 4p AB - The development of highway-rail grade crossing consolidation guidelines provides federal endorsement for the closure and consolidation of unneeded highway-rail grade crossings. The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research and Development tasked the Research and Innovative Technology Administration John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) with supporting FRA Office of Safety in the update of the 1994 Grade Crossing Consolidation manual. The Volpe Center conducted literature and regulation reviews and solicited information from states about their crossing consolidation programs. The information and experiences were compiled into key subject areas. These subject areas are topics for state and local officials to consider during the crossing consolidation process. Best practices and lessons learned are provided as examples. Crossing consolidation is crucial to public safety and economic development. Consolidating crossings ensures the ability of the railroads to play a constructive role in the national transportation system and to reduce congestion. The best practices, success stories, and tools offered in this document are a means to provide support and technical assistance in developing a successful program. KW - At grade intersections KW - Best practices KW - Consolidation KW - Economic development KW - Grade crossing closure KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Guidelines KW - Technical assistance UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2002 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139592 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Value of Research: Telling the R&T Story PY - 2009/07 SP - 17p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) plays a leadership role in shaping and executing a National Research and Technology (R&T) program. The agency also acts as a convener; collaborations with State, industry, and academic partners provide the foundation for conducting research and developing innovations that are essential, indispensable, and connected to the needs of transportation system users. FHWA’s continuing commitment to highway research and the implementation of ground-breaking technology is changing the way roads, bridges, and other facilities are designed, built, and maintained across the country, ultimately improving the transportation system’s safety, reliability, effectiveness, sustainability. This document highlights examples of valuable FHWA research, translated into applications of ground-breaking technology that improve the transportation system’s performance – in safety, reliability, effectiveness, and sustainability. FHWA's mission-driven research is conducted in the following focus areas: Enhancing System Performance; Reducing Traffic Congestion; Improving Safety; Working in Partnership to Address Climate Change and Quality of Life; Maintaining Infrastructure Integrity; and Looking to the Future. KW - Bridge design KW - Climate change KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Leadership KW - Performance KW - Quality of life KW - Research KW - Structural integrity KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Transportation infrastructure KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/09050/ UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/09050/09050.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31099/FHWA-HRT-09-050.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900366 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139590 AU - Van Order, Deborah AU - Skorupski, Douglas AU - Stinebiser, Ryan AU - Kreeb, Robert AU - Booz Allen Hamilton, Incorporated AU - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Fleet Study of Brake Performance and Tire Pressure Sensors PY - 2009/07//Final Project Report SP - 114p AB - The purpose of this project was to conduct a field study of brake performance and tire pressure monitoring systems on commercial heavy-duty vehicles operating under real world conditions. The study evaluated six systems in total—three brake performance and three tire pressure monitoring systems from various suppliers participating in the project. Transit bus platforms were selected for this field test because of the severe urban, stop/start duty cycle under which transit buses operate—an environment that accelerates both brake and tire wear thus allowing the sensor systems to be heavily “exercised” over the study period. The test fleet included 12 test buses and 12 control buses. The buses were operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, DC. The test site was the Four Mile Run maintenance garage located in Arlington, VA. During the course of the 1-year field test, the buses averaged 129 miles per day, and the test fleet traveled a total of approximately 762,580 miles. Four sources of data were used to evaluate the brake and tire monitoring systems: visual inspections, on-board self-diagnostic data, maintenance records, and technician interviews. Both the tire and brake monitoring systems were found to hold up to the rigors of an urban city environment, and to provide fleet managers with data that can be used to improve vehicle safety and maintenance practices. The information provided by such systems allowed managers to better plan and anticipate maintenance actions, and to initiate preventative maintenance in order to prevent potentially severe failures. Key challenges associated with introduction of the sensor systems included: implementation of proper training for maintenance staff; consistent and correct use of data obtained from the systems; and, disciplined inspections and tracking of the sensor systems themselves to ensure they did not add to the overall vehicle maintenance requirements. KW - Braking performance KW - Bus garages KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Field studies KW - Motor vehicle inspection KW - On-board monitoring KW - Tire pressure monitoring systems KW - Transit buses KW - Vehicle fleets KW - Vehicle maintenance KW - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51300/51301/FMCSA-PSV-09-001__BrakeTireSensors.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900372 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139508 AU - Benekohal, Rahim F AU - Atluri, Varun AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Roundabout Evaluation and Design: A Site Selection Procedure PY - 2009/07//Research Report SP - 67p AB - This study surveyed Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) staff about roundabouts, evaluated two popular roundabout software programs (aaSIDRA and RODEL), developed a multi-criteria site selection procedure, and used it to identify 10 potential intersections in Illinois that may reduce fatalities and severe injuries by using a roundabout. IDOT jurisdiction includes three roundabouts built or under construction and four roundabouts in planning stages. One third of IDOT districts were familiar with the RODEL and aaSIDRA, but they did not have working knowledge of the software. Some districts were concerned about proper roundabout usage by unfamiliar, younger, or elderly drivers. For the same traffic conditions, aaSIDRA yielded higher delay than RODEL for most of the reasonable volume combinations. Capacity values from RODEL are very similar to FHWA’s 2000 Guide and both are higher than the new NCHRP Report 572 model, but aaSIDRA’s capacity curves are similar to that of NCHRP Report 572. This study used aaSIDRA for developing the proposed site selection procedure. A multi-criteria site selection procedure was developed and its application is presented. The factors considered in the site selection process included crash history, intersection delay (LOS), roundabout capacity, distribution of traffic volume among approaches, location of intersection, and input from “local” engineers. The site selection process was used to identify the top 10 potential roundabout locations in Illinois. Further modification to this procedure is needed to cover other types of roads (multi lane) and traffic conditions. It is recommended that, for the time being, IDOT follow the FHWA Roundabout Guide (2000) in conjunction with the findings of recently published NHCRP Report 572 as a guideline for the design of roundabouts. The upcoming FHWA Roundabout Guide and a new roundabout chapter in the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual will include significantly new information that could be used in developing a roundabout design guide for IDOT. KW - aaSidra (Computer model) KW - Design KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway Capacity Manual KW - Illinois KW - Location KW - NCHRP Report 572 KW - RODEL (Computer model) KW - Roundabouts KW - Traffic delays UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/15211 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55773/FHWA-ICT-09-051.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899892 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139409 AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Wixom, Kathryn AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Feasibility of Using High-Strength Steel and MMFX Rebar in Bridge Design PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 84p AB - Pressed by increases in construction costs coupled with insufficient funding for maintenance and new construction, many state and federal agencies are now specifying a service life of 75 years for all concrete bridges without significant repairs. In order to achieve this longer service life, better materials are required. MMFX Microcomposite Steel is a proprietary alloy that the company claims has greater corrosion resistance and structural properties which can achieve a service life of up to 75 years. This report summarizes previous research and the Utah Department of Transportation's experience with the use of MMFX Microcomposite Steel as deck reinforcement. KW - Alloy steel KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete bridges KW - Feasibility analysis KW - High strength steel KW - Microcomposite steel KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Service life UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=23075 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899535 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139405 AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Halling, Marvin W AU - Boone, Shane D AU - Toca, Raul AU - Angomas, Franklin AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - UDOT's Calibration of AASHTO's New Prestress Loss Design Equations PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 66p AB - In the next edition of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications the procedure to calculate prestress losses will change dramatically. The new equations are empirically based on high performance concrete from four states (Nebraska, New Hampshire, Texas and Washington). The material testing resulted in modified equations to predict elastic shortening, shrinkage and creep. Because high performance concrete has traditionally resulted in smaller prestress losses these new equations also estimate lower losses in comparison to the existing equations. Many of the bridges built in Utah do not use specifically high performance concrete, but a self consolidating concrete that is different than the mixes that were used to develop the new AASHTO equations. Appropriate design parameters need to be established in order to apply them in the new AASHTO LRFD prestress loss calculations. This report summarizes the calibration of the AASHTO prestress loss equations for the Utah Department of Transportation. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Calibration KW - Equations KW - High performance concrete KW - Prestress losses KW - Self compacting concrete UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=23074 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139132 AU - Gordon, Peter AU - Cho, JoongKoo AU - Moore, James E AU - Park, Jiyoung AU - Richardson, Harry W AU - Yoon, SungSu AU - University of Southern California, Los Angeles AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - University Transportation Centers Program AU - California Department of Transportation TI - Adding a Freight Network to a National Interstate Input-Output Model: Implications for California PY - 2009/07 SP - 37p AB - In this study, the authors develop a model which allows for the analysis of the economic consequences of a terrorist attack on any major element of the U.S. highway network. This is accomplished by adding a freight network to a national multiregional economic impact model and making freight traffic flows endogenous. The approach is based on the National Interstate Economic Model (NIEMO) and is further elaborated as TransNIEMO (Transportation network and the National Interstate Economic Model). The new model enables the state-specific and industry-specific economic impacts of any significant changes in the nature of highway freight movements to be studied. While the model was tested for selected freight movements in and out of California, the results are encouraging enough to have the model elaborated and tested for hypothetical disruptions of freight traffic throughout the U.S. KW - California KW - Economic factors KW - Economic models KW - Freight security KW - Freight traffic KW - Highway bridges KW - Terrorism UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/final/07-19%20Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898605 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138107 AU - Scholz, Todd V AU - Rajendran, Sathyanarayanan AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigating Premature Pavement Failure Due to Moisture PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 167p AB - This report details the forensic investigations conducted to identify the causes of pavement failures shortly after a rehabilitation activity on five interstate highway projects in Oregon, and the research efforts conducted to develop guidelines to minimize the risk of premature failures on future projects. One of the principal objectives of this research effort was to identify sources of moisture and other conditions that led to the early rutting problems observed along the five projects. Overall, improper tack coat or failure, permeable dense-graded layers, inadequate drainage, and, possibly, inadequate compaction of dense-graded material, were all identified as the likely root causes of the observed moisture damage and consequential rutting problems. The other principal objective was to evaluate design, construction, and materials requirements that will minimize the risk of such failures for future rehabilitation projects so that guidelines could be developed for these processes. In this respect, this report contains guidelines for the following: Pre-construction site investigations to identify the potential for moisture-related problems; Pavement structural design techniques that have been effective in reducing the risk of failures related to moisture damage; Construction techniques that can reduce the risk of failure due to moisture damage; and Materials selection and testing to assist in reducing the risk of failure due to moisture damage. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Compaction KW - Construction management KW - Drainage KW - Failure analysis KW - Forensic science KW - Guidelines KW - Interstate highways KW - Materials selection KW - Moisture damage KW - Oregon KW - Pavement design KW - Preconstruction activities KW - Road construction KW - Rutting KW - Site investigation KW - Tack coats UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Moisture_Damage.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898439 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138106 AU - Scholz, Todd V AU - Rajendran, Sathyanarayanan AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigating Premature Pavement Failure Due to Moisture: Appendices PY - 2009/07//Final Report Appendices SP - 388p AB - This document contains the appendices to the final report on the forensic investigations conducted to identify the causes of premature pavement failure on five interstate highway projects in Oregon. The following appendices are included: Appendix A: Literature Review; Appendix B: Maintenance Personnel Interview Questionnaire; Appendix C: Personnel Interviews; Appendix D: Initial Site Visits; Appendix E: Records Review; Appendix F: Pavement Core Logs for Pleasant Valley – Durkee; Appendix G: Pavement Core Logs for Cottage Grove – Martin Creek; Appendix H: Pavement Core Logs for Anlauf – Elkhead Road; Appendix I: Pavement Core Logs for Garden Valley – Roberts Creek; Appendix J: Pavement Core Logs for Vets Bridge – Myrtle Creek; Appendix K: Subcontractor Report on Ground Penetrating Radar Surveys; Appendix L: Checklist for Pre-Construction Site Investigations to Identify the Potential for Moisture-Related Problems in Rehabilitated Hot Mix Asphalt Pavements; Appendix M: Checklist for Pavement Structural Design Techniques for the Rehabilitation of Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete Pavements When the Potential for Moisture-Related Problems Exist; Appendix N: Checklist for Construction Techniques for the Rehabilitation of Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete Pavements When the Potential for Moisture-Related Problems Exist; and Appendix O: Checklist for Materials Selection and Testing for the Rehabilitation of Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete Pavements When the Potential for Moisture-Related Problems Exist. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Compaction KW - Construction management KW - Drainage KW - Failure analysis KW - Forensic science KW - Guidelines KW - Interstate highways KW - Materials selection KW - Moisture damage KW - Oregon KW - Pavement design KW - Preconstruction activities KW - Road construction KW - Rutting KW - Site investigation KW - Tack coats UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Moisture_Damage_Appendices.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898441 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01137612 AU - Krugler, Paul E AU - Estakhri, Cindy K AU - Chang-Albitres, Carlos M AU - Sasser, Christopher H AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Synthesis Study on Transverse Variable Asphalt Application Rates for Seal Coats PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 140p AB - This report documents a cooperative effort to collect, process, and make available information about successful methods of varying seal coat asphalt application rates across treated roadways to optimize aggregate retention and avoid wheel path flushing. This topic is of critical importance to maximizing value obtained from the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT’s) multi-million dollar preventive maintenance program. The primary source of the information was highly experienced TxDOT personnel. Researchers used a field interview process to capture knowledge that had been gained through years of roadway practice. Construction specifications and a field guidebook entitled "Guide for Transversely Varying Asphalt Rates" were developed. Captured field experience and knowledge were prepared for placement into TxDOT’s knowledge management system and seal coat inspector training course. KW - Application rates KW - Interviewing KW - Knowledge management KW - Maintenance personnel KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Seal coats KW - Training UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5833-1.pdf UR - http://youtu.be/mneUw3LV3FI UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/897742 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01137210 AU - Crone, John V AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Cost-Driven Policy Approach for Development of On-Street and Off-Street Bicycle, Multi-Use and Single-Use Paths and Related Facilities PY - 2009/07 SP - 132p AB - This study examines policy/cost issues related to bicycle lanes, multi-purpose paths, and single use-paths based on an explicit process from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and empirical analysis of several case studies. Research continues to identify criteria for the planning and design of appropriate bicycle facilities and pedestrian systems, but the selection and costs of these modes of transportation depend on many factors including planning organization, public support, funding, traffic type and characteristics, adjacent land use, expected growth patterns, terrain, path size and materials, and even the potential economic impact on and physical health measures of a community. Research on application of the three phase AASHTO process (planning, design/build, and maintenance) in cities and towns across the nation can yield cost-saving strategies based on experience and be made available to policy makers for increased productivity. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Bikeways KW - Case studies KW - Costs KW - Multi-use paths KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Planning and design KW - Policy KW - Walkways UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/897494 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01137205 AU - Kim, David S AU - Porter, J David AU - Kriett, Phillip AU - Mbugua, Wilson AU - Wagner, Tristan AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Fleet Replacement Modeling PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 177p AB - This project focused on two interrelated areas in equipment replacement modeling for fleets. The first area was research-oriented and addressed a fundamental assumption in engineering economic replacement modeling that all assets providing a similar service are equally utilized. It is shown that if assets providing a similar service are not equally utilized, than overall operational costs of a fleet increases. The second area addressed the need of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Fleet Services Section for a modern, user-friendly, well constructed and documented fleet condition model. The state-of-the-art in equipment replacement modeling and the research on effective prioritization measures computable from existing data are discussed. A new model is developed utilizing the highest value of (Age/Age standard)+(Usage/Use standard) as a measure to prioritize equipment. The model is described and it is shown through simulation that the prioritization measure utilized performs better than several other suggested measures. This project was conducted jointly with the ODOT Fleet Services Section and the ODOT Research Section. KW - Asset management KW - Cost models KW - Economic models KW - Equipment replacement KW - Fleet management KW - Life cycle costing KW - Mathematical models KW - Oregon KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Vehicle fleets KW - Vehicle replacement UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Fleet_Model.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/896287 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01137203 AU - ETC Institute AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Report Card From Missourians – 2009 PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 142p AB - This survey populates data for five customer satisfaction measures for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Tracker: 5a, 12j, 13c, 17d and 18b. The survey also asks other evaluative and priority questions that measure the public’s support for various ways of raising and appropriating revenue for transportation. Using previous annual surveys as a baseline, the investigators collaborated with MoDOT to finalize the survey questions to be asked. A professional calling center was contracted to obtain a representative sample of each of the 10 MoDOT Districts, with a minimum of 350 respondents per District. Potential respondents were contacted through random digit dialing (RDD) from May 11 through May 22. The participation rate (completed interviews over the total number completed, refused, and terminated interviews) was 65 percent. A total of 3,567 interviews were completed for the study. KW - Customer satisfaction KW - Fund raising KW - Interviewing KW - Missouri KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Public opinion KW - Revenue generation KW - Surveys UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/ri08018/or10001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/897496 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01135877 AU - Nachtmann, Heather AU - Pohl, Edward A AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rural Transportation Emergency Preparedness Plans PY - 2009/07 SP - 45p AB - Improving the emergency preparedness of rural transportation systems is the overall goal of this research. Unique characteristics exist in rural transportation systems including widely dispersed and diverse populations and geographic areas. Exploring rural transportation emergency preparedness is important because these networks are essential for transporting freight and linking rural residents with distant services. This research investigates the disaster relief and recovery needs of rural communities and provides an assessment tool for evaluating transportation‐related emergency preparedness for these communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s "Guide for All Hazard Emergency Operation Planning" is a vital source used by state and local officials to develop emergency operations plans. This guide is used as the basis for developing the Transportation Readiness Assessment and Valuation for Emergency Logistics (TRAVEL) tool. TRAVEL is a value‐based assessment tool for evaluating transportation readiness in emergency operations planning. A demonstration of TRAVEL based on three rural county‐level emergency operations plans is provided to demonstrate the use of TRAVEL in a real world scenario. KW - Case studies KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Emergency planning KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Rural areas KW - Transportation Readiness Assessment and Valuation for Emergency Logistics tool UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/896200 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01135762 AU - Howson, Jonathan Embrey AU - Bhasin, Amit AU - Masad, Eyad A AU - Lytton, Robert L. AU - Little, Dallas N AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Database for Surface Energy of Aggregates and Asphalt Binders PY - 2009/07//Technical Report SP - 76p AB - Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) project 0-4524 evaluated the influence of surface energy of aggregates and binders on the resistance of asphalt mixtures to moisture damage. The results from this research lead to the development of a three-tier approach to assess the moisture damage resistance of asphalt mixtures. This approach is based on testing and evaluating the physical and/or mechanical properties of the constituent materials, the fine aggregate mixture, and full asphalt mixture. In the first tier, an energy-based parameter termed the energy ratio (ER) is calculated using the surface energy measurements. This parameter is used as a screening tool to select binders and aggregates that have good resistance to moisture damage. The second and third tiers rely on measuring the mechanical properties of the fine aggregate mixture and full asphalt mixture, respectively. This report documents the results of an implementation project of the testing methods and analysis approaches of the 0-4524 project. This implementation project included (a) providing training on the developed experimental and analysis methods, (b) conducting measurements of the surface energy of binders, additives, and aggregates, and (c) developing a database of surface energy measurements. This database will be useful as a diagnostic tool for finding the cause of poor moisture damage resistance in mixes and to suggest remedies through modification with anti-strip agents, lime, polymers, other additives, or through a change of materials in extreme cases. KW - Aggregates KW - Antistrip additives KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Bituminous binders KW - Calcium oxide KW - Databases KW - Energy ratio KW - Mechanical properties KW - Moisture damage KW - Moisture susceptibility KW - Polymers KW - Surface energy KW - Test procedures UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-4524-01-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31109/5-4524-01-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/896075 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01135761 AU - Rabb, James AU - Vandor, Steven AU - Intellicheck Mobilisa, Incorporated AU - Washington State Ferries AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Washington State Ferries Wireless Connection High-Speed Data Project PY - 2009/07//Final Report SP - 48p AB - The Washington State Ferries (WSF) High Speed Data Project is a Research & Development project to study the feasibility of providing technologies capable of very high data transmission rates for wireless networks in a mobile marine environment. WSF is installing a high speed network infrastructure onboard vessel in an effort to improve ferry security and system monitoring. WSF wishes to explore ways of increasing transmission rates, facilitate a larger number of real-time camera views and improve overall performance. Intellicheck Mobilisa has established the viability of that system. The initial project test location selection resulted in using the Fauntleroy/Vashon Island/Southworth Ferry route. A demonstration of promising technologies was performed in June 2007 at the Fauntleroy terminal, utilizing the MV Klahowya. Technological concepts resulted in the decision being made to perform the final evaluation at the same terminal utilizing the same ferry. During final evaluation testing, several issues developed, including interference from a WSF WI-FI installation, power issues on the MV Klahowya, and power issues at the terminal resulting from a generator installation. The decision was made to move the final evaluation to the Port Townsend/Keystone ferry route, where it was successfully conducted in March 2008. KW - Demonstration projects KW - Ferries KW - High speed data system KW - Prototype tests KW - Security KW - Ship-to-shore communications KW - Video cameras KW - Washington State Ferries KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/WashingtonStateFerriesDataConnectionProject.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/896076 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01135598 AU - Schrank, David AU - Lomax, Tim AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2009 Urban Mobility Report PY - 2009/07 SP - 41p AB - Congestion is a problem in America’s 439 urban areas, and it has gotten worse in regions of all sizes. In 2007, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.8 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $87.2 billion – an increase of more than 50% over the previous decade. This was a decrease of 40 million hours and a decrease of 40 million gallons, but an increase of over $100 million from 2006 due to an increase in the cost of fuel and truck delay. Small traffic volume declines brought on by increases in fuel prices over the last half of 2007 caused a small reduction in congestion from 2006 to 2007. There are many congestion problems but there are also many solutions. The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses, manufacturers, commuters and travelers. The best approach to selecting strategies is to identify projects, programs and policies that solve problems or capitalize on opportunities. The strategies must address the issue that the problems are not the same in every region or on every day – the variation in travel time is often as frustrating and costly as the regular “daily slog” through traffic jams. This report clearly demonstrates that all the solutions are not being implemented fast enough. KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobility KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic delays KW - Urban areas UR - http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/ UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/mobility_report_2009_wappx.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/892857 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01132442 AU - Goodchild, Anne V AU - Andrioli, Derek AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural and Geographic Shifts in the Washington Warehousing Industry: Transportation Impacts for the Green River Valley PY - 2009/07//Final Research Report SP - 30p AB - Establishment level employment data indicate that the warehousing industry has experienced rapid growth and restructuring since 1998. This restructuring has resulted in geographic shifts at the national, regional, and local scales. Uneven growth in warehousing establishments across the Pacific Northwest has likely exerted a significant impact on the regional transportation system, but the extent of these transportation impacts remains unknown. Identifying these impacts is the goal of the proposed study. Recent and ongoing research indicates that growth in the warehousing industry is profound. County Business Patterns data published by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that at the national level, the number of warehousing establishments grew by just over 100% from 1998 to 2005. In 1998 there were 6,712 warehousing establishments in the U.S. By 2005, that number had increased to 13,483. Although a wide range exists within the warehousing industry, interview data collected by the authors of this proposal indicate that each warehouse handles between 25 and 100 trucks, or 50 and 200 trips, hence the location of warehousing establishments has a significant impact on transportation systems. At the county level in Washington, King County experienced the strongest absolute growth, adding 59 establishments to the 61 reported in 1998. In relative terms, however, Pierce County added warehousing establishments at a faster rate (159%) than any other county. The preliminary data produced in this report clearly indicate that there has been strong growth in warehousing establishments at the national and state levels, but that the growth has not been even across states and counties. From a transportation perspective, these findings suggest that future research needs to focus on how these structural and geographic shifts impact regional and local transportation systems. KW - Freight transportation KW - Impact studies KW - King County (Washington) KW - Local transportation KW - Pierce County (Washington) KW - Regional transportation KW - Supply chain management KW - Warehousing and storage businesses KW - Washington (State) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31700/31729/Structural_and_Geographic_Shifts_in_the_Washington.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/892784 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01132423 AU - Moudon, Anne Vernez AU - Rutherford, Scott AU - Saelens, Brian AU - Hallenbeck, Mark E AU - Turkiyyah, George AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Report on Participant Sampling and Recruitment for Travel and Physical Activity Data Collection PY - 2009/07//Final Research Report SP - 93p AB - The substantial investments now being made in transit yield benefits that go beyond managing traffic congestion relief, and include improved environmental quality and potential gains in human health due to increased physical activity. Past research on the effects of such infrastructure investments on mode choice and physical activity has been hampered by cross-sectional designs that limit the ability to draw causal inference. A 5-year $3.3 million study was submitted to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study takes advantage of the introduction of light rail transit (LRT) in Seattle. Using a case-control longitudinal panel design, 1000 adults living either close to (within 1 mile; case) or far from (control) an LRT station will be assessed prior to (baseline), soon after (post 1), and more than 2 years after (post 2) the introduction of LRT service. It is hypothesized that residents living close to LRT will have an increase in transportation-related walking and total physical activity relative to residents living farther away. Individuals’ walking will be assessed via integrated information from portable GPS and a 7-day travel diary, and physical activity assessed via accelerometry. Neighborhood built environment will be assessed via parcel-level land use evaluation. Changes in non-LRT infrastructure and availability (e.g., bus routes) will also be considered. The proposal has been favorably reviewed once by NIH. The resubmission deadline is in early March. The December 2008 project start date does not give the research team the time needed to set up the protocol and collect the baseline data before Light Rail opens in July 2009. As a result, the research team has sought bridge funding for a May 2008 project start. TransNow support will contribute to this bridge funding and insure that baseline data can be collected on 1000 subjects for 7-day travel patterns. The study natural experiment design has strong potential to make a significant contribution to scientific knowledge and to transportation policy. The prospective evaluation of changes in the same individuals’ transport modes and physical activity over a period of marked change in transportation and built environment is a rare, but potent test of the impact transportation investments on behavior. KW - Baseline data KW - Before and after studies KW - Behavior KW - Benefits KW - Built environment KW - Data collection KW - Land use KW - Light rail transit KW - Mode choice KW - Physical activity KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Transportation policy KW - Walking KW - Walking distance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31700/31738/VernezMoudon_EffectofLight_Rail.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/892788 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01532320 AU - Fang, Howie AU - Weggel, David C AU - Bi, Jing AU - Martin, Michael E AU - University of North Carolina, Charlotte AU - University of North Carolina, Charlotte AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Finite Element Evaluation of Two Retrofit Options to Enhance the Performance of Cable Median Barriers PY - 2009/06/30/Final Report SP - 93p AB - This report summarizes the finite element modeling and simulation efforts on evaluating the performance of cable median barriers (CMBs) including the current and several proposed retrofit designs. It also synthesizes a literature review of the performance evaluation of cable median barriers, existing finite element modeling and simulation work on roadside safety, and an analysis of crash data collected by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Two retrofit options were proposed for this project, and several designs for each option were evaluated using the full-scale finite element simulations of a vehicle crashing into a cable median barrier. The simulation results showed that the potential of vehicle under-riding in back-side impacts was higher than that for front-side impacts, because the vehicle’s suspension was compressed and there was less median traversal width for back-side impacts. The evaluation of different retrofit options indicated that lowering the middle and bottom cables and changing the sides of all cables on the posts could increase the likelihood of redirecting small vehicles for back-side impacts without sacrificing the CMB’s performance for front-side impacts and for large vehicle impacts. For each of the two retrofit options, a new design was developed and evaluated. The simulation results showed that the newly developed three-cable and four-cable retrofit designs could improve the performance relative to the current design in back-side impacts without sacrificing its performance in front-side impacts. The simulation results of this project should only be used to investigate performance trends for evaluating the CMBs; they should not be used to draw definitive conclusions about CMB performance for a specific crash event, because many factors affecting CMB performance were not considered in the simulations. Finite element analysis was shown to be a useful tool in crash analysis and could be used in future research to investigate these remaining issues. KW - Cables KW - Crash data KW - Finite element method KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Median barriers KW - North Carolina KW - Performance measurement KW - Retrofitting KW - Simulation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51905/2008-10FinalReport.pdf0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317710 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01499644 AU - Lerner, Neil AU - Singer, Jeremiah AU - Robinson, Emanuel AU - Huey, Richard AU - Jenness, James AU - Westat AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Driver Use of En Route Real-Time Travel Time Information PY - 2009/06/30/Final Report SP - 124p AB - Communications and display technologies now permit the provision of key travel information to drivers in real time, using changeable message signs. The purpose of this project was to conduct human factors research to establish a basis for more effective provision of real-time travel time information. Such real-time travel time systems will only work well if they are designed with consideration of driver information needs and an understanding of the perceptual and cognitive aspects of motorist use of the signs. The project addressed these issues through various analytical and empirical activities. These included: (1) review of literature on travel time information and driver behavior; (2) identification of current practices and their rationale; (3) focus groups with drivers who commute along corridors with real-time travel time displays, in three cities with different signing practices and traffic system characteristics (Atlanta, Milwaukee, Seattle); (4) trip logs kept by commuters in the same three cities, documenting the driver’s experience with travel time displays and with influences on route choice, confidence in decisions, and other driver perceptions and beliefs; and (5) a laboratory study of the comprehension and interpretation of travel time displays. Recommendations for the design and use of en route real-time travel time displays were derived from the research findings. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Behavior KW - Commuters KW - Drivers KW - Focus groups KW - Human factors KW - Laboratory studies KW - Literature reviews KW - Milwaukee (Wisconsin) KW - Real time information KW - Route choice KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - State of the practice KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Variable message signs UR - http://tmcpfs.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/cfprojects/uploaded_files/real_time_tt_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1267735 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01155083 AU - Petit, Bill AU - Petit Consulting AU - Railroad Research Foundation AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Interoperable Communications-Based Signaling Project PY - 2009/06/30 SP - 33p AB - Interoperable Communication-Based Signaling (ICBS) refers to an implementation of a train control system based on signaling principles whose system architecture and interface are documented as Recommended Practices (from the AREMA Manual of Recommended Practices for Communications and Signaling) by the Association of Railroad Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA). This project demonstrated that existing suppliers of vital (fail-safe) train control equipment can modify their products to support the system architecture and interfaces as specified. ICBS is capable of satisfying the requirements of a positive train control system. KW - Communication KW - Interoperability KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad signaling UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/343 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915755 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142059 AU - Hart, Robert AU - Osborne, Leon AU - Conger, Steven M AU - Wiegmann, John AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Meridian Environmental Technology, Incorporated AU - Iteris, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Baselining Current Road Weather Information: Summary Report PY - 2009/06/30/Summary Report SP - 21p AB - This report summarizes the findings derived from research on establishing metrics to measure and track the quality and value of road weather information resources as assessed by members of the surface transportation community who use this information routinely in their decision-making process. The objectives were the establishment of a baseline measure of current road weather information, the development of strategies for an ongoing monitoring program, and the exposition of anticipated outcomes derived from a well-defined method for tracking and comparing the character of road weather information resources. The research evaluated the existing sources of road weather information and the methods used by departments of transportation (DOT) to disseminate this information for both internal and external consumption. DOTs acquire road weather information for multiple decision-making or subsequent decision-supporting purposes, and thereby develop a keen sense of the level to which the road weather resource information meets their needs. A set of six attributes was developed to measure the quality and value of road weather. The road weather information resources were separated into product types and basic weather elements representing the discrete packages weather service providers disseminate to the DOTs. The baseline assessment of quality was accomplished through an online survey executed by surface transportation personnel who routinely use road weather information as part of their daily operations. The report details the organization of the data into a quality attribute matrix and discusses the results from the survey. User responses within quality attribute classes illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of specific products and weather elements both by attribute and in comparison to other products and elements. The research team evaluated the results, their implication regarding specific resources, and the user feedback regarding the survey. All of these results were evaluated as a basis for an ongoing quality characterization monitoring program. The research team then evaluated appropriate time intervals for ongoing testing and potential impacts on the monitoring process and proposed a strategy for implementing a regular quality assessment monitoring process. What was learned from the baseline survey project also served as the basis for a projection of anticipated outcomes from an ongoing road weather quality monitoring program. KW - Baseline data KW - Information dissemination KW - Information sources KW - Measurement KW - Monitoring KW - Quality assurance KW - Road weather information systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31064/14485.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902318 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465109 TI - Older Driver Self Regulation AB - Within the next few decades, shifts in the age distribution of the population will result in increased numbers of older drivers. Anecdotal evidence indicates that many older drivers limit their driving in potentially risky or complex situations, such as during rush hour or in inclement weather. While limiting driving under such conditions could be expected to result in reduced risk, it is not clear whether older adults tend to use these strategies, or whether those who do experience fewer crashes than those who do not. This is an exploratory study to gather information about strategies older drivers use to reduce their crash risk. The strategies will be compared with crash data to determine the extent to which the situations the drivers avoid match those that have been shown to be particularly risky for this population. KW - Aged drivers KW - Crash data KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Driving conditions KW - Inclement weather KW - Peak hour traffic UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233342 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462515 TI - Evaluating Airfield Capacity AB - Airport capacity and its related implementation is a critical evaluation component of most airport planning projects; therefore, it is important that appropriate guidance be available to the aviation industry on measuring capacity and delay. While airport sponsors often employ more sophisticated methods for evaluating capacity, the FAA's Advisory Circular 150/5060-5 Airport Capacity and Delay (AC) is the formal Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidance on this topic. To use the AC or the Airport Capacity Model (ACM), airport planners must choose one or more runway nomographs that, singly or collectively, most closely match the airport's runway layout. There are also complex, higher fidelity simulation models which can be resource and data intensive, such as SIMMOD and TAAM. With the many current and evolving factors and limitations that influence capacity at a given airport, there is a need to enhance capacity modeling tools and techniques to provide the accuracy appropriate to make timely and cost-effective critical project funding decisions. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook to assist airport planners with airfield and airspace capacity evaluation. The guidebook will address airport airfield and airspace capacity planning at all tyes of airports. The term "airfield" capacity refers to runways, taxiways, apron areas, and aircraft parking positions. "Airspace" capacity for this research is defined as the approach and departure procedures in the immediate vicinity of an airport that directly affects airfield capacity. KW - Airport capacity KW - Airport facilities KW - Airport operations KW - Airport runways KW - Airports KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Master plans KW - Simulation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2579 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230736 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139248 AU - Calvaresi-Barr, Ann AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Air Traffic Control: Potential Fatigue Factors PY - 2009/06/29 SP - 22p AB - This report presents the results of The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General's (OIG's) audit of fatigue factors that could impact air traffic controllers. OIG conducted this review at three Chicago area air traffic control facilities: Chicago O’Hare International Airport Air Traffic Control Tower (Chicago O’Hare), Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (Chicago TRACON), and Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (Chicago ARTCC). These 3 facilities are among the top 10 busiest air traffic control facilities in the United States. Nationwide, during 2007, Chicago O’Hare was the second busiest air traffic control tower with 927,000 airport operations, Chicago ARTCC the fourth busiest air route traffic control center with 2.8 million operations, and Chicago TRACON the sixth busiest TRACON with 1.4 million operations. OIG conducted this audit at the request of Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois. Senator Durbin expressed specific concerns that staffing shortfalls, longer hours on the job, and a growing shortage of certified controllers may be causing controller fatigue at these critical facilities. He asked that OIG review factors that could potentially cause controller fatigue at these locations. Consistent with Senator Durbin’s request, OIG's audit objectives were to (1) identify and evaluate key factors that could cause controller fatigue at Chicago O’Hare, Chicago TRACON, and Chicago ARTCC and (2) identify what measures FAA has taken to mitigate potential controller fatigue at these locations. OIG conducted its audit between January 2008 and February 2009 in compliance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Briefly, OIG identified a number of factors at Chicago O’Hare, Chicago TRACON, and Chicago ARTCC that could create potential fatigue conditions for controllers. These factors include minimal hours between shifts and counter rotational shifts with progressively earlier start times; scheduled overtime; and on-the-job training (OJT), which requires a high level of concentration and focus. OIG also found that overtime hours at Chicago O’Hare and Chicago TRACON had increased significantly between fiscal year (FY) 2006 and FY 2007 (by 75 percent and 67 percent, respectively). However, the potential impact on fatigue was negligible because controllers did not always work all days of a scheduled 6-day (i.e., overtime) work week. While all three facilities have high traffic volumes and complex airspace, their staffing levels exceeded established staffing ranges for those locations. Those ranges do not, however, consider the ratio of trainees to certified controllers. Fatigue can have serious safety implications and has been identified by the NTSB as a potential contributing factor in several operational errors (where controllers fail to maintain required distances between aircraft). Yet, FAA does not consistently address human factors issues, such as fatigue and situational awareness, during either the preliminary or final operational error investigation process. FAA is taking several actions at the national level to address NTSB recommendations regarding fatigue. These actions include amending FAA Order 7210.3 to (1) increase the time available for rest (between shifts) from 8 hours to 10 hours, (2) increase the time available for rest after working a midnight shift on the fifth day of the week from 12 hours to 16 hours for facilities that utilize a 6-day work week, and (3) allow controllers to sleep or rest when not controlling traffic. KW - Air route traffic control centers KW - Air traffic control KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Aviation safety KW - Chicago O'Hare International Airport KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Hours of labor KW - Terminal radar approach control (TRACON) UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/pdfdocs/WEB_FILE2_Controller_Fatigue_AV2009065.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898378 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464486 TI - Recommended Laboratory Test for Predicting the Initial Retroreflectivity of Pavement Markings from Glass Bead Quality AB - The initial retro-reflectivity level of pavement markings is greatly dependent on the quality of glass beads applied on top of the marking material. Agency experience has shown that glass beads meeting the same specifications for gradation and roundness and applied by the same paint crew with identical equipment can exhibit a difference of 200 mcd/lx/sq m from one batch of glass beads to another. In Iowa, an increase of 100 to 200 mcd/lux/sq m in initial retro-reflectivity levels can lead to an additional year of useful life from a pavement marking. A quick, reproducible, and standardized laboratory test method is needed to predict the initial level of retro-reflectivity a particular batch of glass beads can provide. Such a test can be used by purchasing agencies to screen glass beads before they are applied to the road. The objective of this project is to develop a laboratory test to predict the initial retro-reflectivity of glass beads applied on top of liquid pavement markings. Actual field applications will need to be compared to laboratory tests to determine a method for accurately predicting how various batches of glass beads will perform in providing initial retro-reflectivity. The test should be rapid (less than 24 hours) and able to be conducted in a typical state DOT materials testing laboratory. KW - Glass beads KW - Paint KW - Reflectorized road markings KW - Research projects KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road markings KW - Traffic paint UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2496 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232716 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462056 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems. Topic SH-12. Relationships Between Street Cars and the Built Environment AB - The purpose of this synthesis is to document experience with selected streetcar and trolley projects and their relationship with the built environment. (Streetcars and trolleys defined by APTA under the light rail mode are lightweight passenger rail cars operating singly (or in short, usually two-car, trains) on fixed rails in right-of-way that is not separated from other traffic for much of the way and typically driven electrically with power, drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley or pantograph.) Local potential for changes in land use are often used as justification for investment in streetcar and trolley systems. However, the ability of these systems to spur growth and revitalization has not been adequately documented. There are questions regarding the direct role of such systems on the built environment versus other factors which may be also be important. In documenting experiences, this study will examine selected built US streetcar and trolley systems in order to trace their evolution, define significant factors, and identify commonalities among levels of success in impacting the built environment. KW - Built environment KW - Light rail transit KW - Public transit KW - Right of way (Traffic) KW - Streetcars KW - Sustainable development KW - Trolley cars UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2566 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230276 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138526 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) AU - National Cooperative Highway Research Program TI - International Scan Summary Report on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility PY - 2009/06/24/Summary Report SP - 11p AB - In May 2009, a team of 12 transportation professionals with expertise in bicycling and walking from the United States visited five countries in Europe (Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) to identify and assess effective approaches to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility. The countries were chosen because of their innovative approaches to nonmotorized transportation, as well as the potential transferability of their policies and practices. The scan team identified numerous possible approaches to improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility in the U.S. The scan team also prepared a list of implementation items for those approaches that should be pursued in the U.S. This summary report provides a quick‐response overview of the team’s findings and recommendations. KW - Bicycle safety KW - Cyclists KW - Denmark KW - Germany KW - Innovation KW - Mobility KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Recommendations KW - Study tours KW - Sweden KW - Switzerland KW - United Kingdom UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/resources/pbssummary062409.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898525 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573569 TI - Quantifying the Effectiveness of State Quality Assurance Programs AB - State highway administrations do not currently have an objective way to determine how well their quality assurance programs and their specifications are working. A procedure has been developed to assist State highway administrations and Federal Highway Administration Divisions in evaluating the effectiveness of construction quality assurance programs and specifications. The procedure (see "Procedure for Monitoring and Improving the Effectiveness of QA Specifications" in Transportation Research Record 1813) calls for data analysis of the State's construction quality database to determine whether what the State wants (in terms of construction quality) is actually being specified by the State and delivered by the contractor. The procedure can be used to quantify the effectiveness of a quality assurance program, while at the same time identifying problem areas so they can be corrected. It also has the potential for use as a benchmarking tool for State highway agencies. The procedure was used to analyze the Florida Department of Transportation's Construction Quality Reporting (CQR) database, and make recommendations to that State. This is an activity that calls for analyzing various States' databases, making recommendations for quality assurance program improvements, and promoting good database development and analysis. KW - Data analysis KW - Florida Department of Transportation KW - Quality assurance KW - Road construction KW - Specifications KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366804 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146786 AU - Stoffels, Shelley M AU - Schokker, Andrea J AU - Yin, Hao AU - Singh, Vishal AU - Yeh, Lin AU - Lopez de Murphy, Maria AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Prestressed Pavement Rehabilitation PY - 2009/06/23/Final Report SP - 243p AB - In 1989, a landmark pavement project was opened to traffic in Blair County, Pennsylvania, that received national attention. The pavement was a two-mile section of prestressed concrete pavement that was constructed on the northbound lanes of what is now Interstate 99. The pavement has now started to show signs of distress, including transverse cracks, longitudinal cracks, spalling, and seal failure at the armored contraction joints. In addition, there are signs of shoulder separation and some localized subgrade failure. However, the ride quality of the pavement is still very good. Due to the uniqueness of this pavement section, and the lack nationally of any other similar sections in terms of design and age, traditional rehabilitation and overlay options are not necessarily directly applicable. The objective of this project was to develop recommendations for feasible rehabilitation strategies for the prestressed concrete pavement on I-99 in Blair County. As part of the work, the expected design lives and cost-effectiveness of the strategies were evaluated. KW - Blair County (Pennsylvania) KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Prestressed concrete pavements KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Extending%20Pavement%20Life/Prestressed%20Pavement%20Rehab.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906287 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139994 AU - Meegan, Douglas AU - Waters, Paul AU - Ardani, Ahmad AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - National Cooperative Highway Research Program AU - Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Smart Sensor for Autonomous noise Monitoring (SSAM) PY - 2009/06/23/Final Report SP - 73p AB - This project involved the development of a cost-effective sensor for long-range wireless, autonomous traffic noise monitoring. The device is called the Smart Sensor For Autonomous noise Monitoring (SSAM). The SSAM system developed under this project includes ten prototype sensors that measure and report noise levels periodically (e.g., once per minute) to a prototype base station that may be located up to 1.2 miles away. The data reported by SSAM includes flat-weighted and A-weighted sound pressure levels as well as octave band measurements over the frequency range of 22 to 5657 Hz. The system performance is similar to a Type 1 microphone as demonstrated in laboratory calibration tests reported here. The SSAM system developed in this project has been used to measure highway noise barrier insertion loss. The low-cost design of SSAM as well as the ability to perform autonomous measurements provides a new cost-effective approach to noise monitoring. KW - Monitoring KW - Noise KW - Noise barriers KW - Wireless sensors UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/430214311/viewonline UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55800/55852/FHWA-OH-2009-6.PDF UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55800/55853/FHWA-OH-2009-6_EXEC_SUMMARY.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899332 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464134 TI - Guidance for Design and Selection of Pipes AB - In recent years, new pipe materials have been introduced on the market. The pipe industry is placing increasing pressure on department of transportations (DOTs) to allow the use of their products for highway applications, claiming their products' competency. In many cases, the performance of these pipe materials has not been verified by credible independent scientific analysis. Some pipe installations are failing prematurely because of pipe material degradation. The cost of repairing or replacing failing pipes can be many times the initial installation costs. Three main hindrances exist nationally for selecting a good pipe material type: (1) Lack of unified, unbiased pipe material selection guidance. (2) Lack of defined engineering approach to pipe selection. (3) Insufficient tracking of the performance of existing culvert installations. The objective of this research is to develop a recommended standard for selecting pipe materials based on sound, scientific research to meet transportation needs for providing durable, safe and economical products. KW - Degradation (Materials) KW - Degradation failures KW - Durability KW - Materials KW - Materials science KW - Pipe KW - Pipe laying KW - Pipelines KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2477 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232362 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464314 TI - Evaluation of Bridge-Scour Research: Geomorphic Processes and Predictions AB - Since 1990, state highway agencies, federal agencies, and others have expended significant resources for research on bridge scour, particularly in the following areas: (a) prediction of scour at bridge piers and abutments, (b) selection and design of bridge-scour countermeasures, (c) stream bank protection, (d) tidal scour, and (e) analysis of river systems and methodologies for predicting channel instability. In 1997, NCHRP Project 24-08, "Scour at Bridge Foundations: Research Needs," prepared a comprehensive plan to identify and guide bridge-scour-related research. Development of this plan required the research agency to assess the validity and applicability of research related to bridge scour and fluvial system instability; define the state of practice; identify gaps, deficiencies, and potential improvements in current scour technology; and make recommendations for future research. Using the results of Project 24-08, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has, through NCHRP, initiated and completed a number of bridge-scour-related research studies. In addition, FHWA and other agencies and institutions have conducted bridge-scour-related research studies related to the comprehensive strategy. The AASHTO Technical Committee on Hydrology and Hydraulics is currently developing two new manuals: Policy for Design of Highway Drainage Facilities and Recommended Procedures for Design of Highway Drainage Facilities. To assist in development of the bridge-scour sections of these manuals, AASHTO needs a critical evaluation of bridge-scour research completed since 1990 with recommendations for the adoption of specific research results. These recommendations will be used by AASHTO in developing policies and procedures in the bridge-scour area for the two new highway hydraulic engineering guidance documents. NCHRP Project 24-27 was funded to critically evaluate bridge-scour research results completed since 1990 and make recommendations for adoption of specific research results by AASHTO and use by the engineering community in general. Project 24-27 is divided into three functional areas: (1) Pier Scour Processes and Predictions, (2) Abutment and Contraction Scour Processes and Predictions, and (3) Geomorphic Processes and Predictions. Separate but coordinated research teams will address each of these functional areas under the umbrella of NCHRP Project 24-27. Projects 24-27(01) and 24-27(02) are underway. This project will address the functional area Geomorphic Processes and Predictions and will be conducted as NCHRP Project 24-27(03). The objectives of this research are to (1) critically evaluate the results of research completed since 1990 on fluvial geomorphic processes and predictions related to channel stability in comparison with current practice and (2) develop recommendations for adoption of specific research results by AASHTO and their use by the engineering community in general. This research should include stability in cohesive soils, cohesionless soils, and rock; NCHRP's primary interests in this project are long-term degradation and aggradation, and lateral migration. In conducting this research, the contractor will coordinate with the contractors for Projects 24-27(01), "Evaluation of Bridge-Scour Research: Pier Scour Processes and Predictions," 24-27(02), "Evaluation of Bridge-Scour Research: Abutment and Contraction Scour Processes and Predictions," and 24-29, "Scour at Bridge Foundations on Rock." KW - Bridge piers KW - Bridges KW - Hydraulic engineering KW - Instability KW - Manuals KW - Scour UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1599 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232543 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464132 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 272. Rheological Characterization of Flow Table Reference Material AB - This project will (1) fully characterize the reference material used in several AASHTO standard tests for hydraulic cement and (2) suggest a more efficient method to produce the reference material. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Hydraulic cement KW - Hydraulic properties KW - Materials KW - Reference materials KW - Referencing KW - Rheological properties KW - Rheology UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2600 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232360 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464289 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Task 58. Methods to Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation Construction/Maintenance/Operations Activities AB - Greenhouse gas emissions and the related subject of global climate change is an emerging environmental issue, with the potential to significantly affect transportation agencies. This proposal is a follow-up to NCHRP 25-25, Task 17 - Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Analysis Techniques for Transportation Projects. That study looked at techniques available to transportation agencies to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from transportation activities. This research will be conducted in two parts. Part I will develop a tool (spreadsheet or other) that would allow the user to enter information on construction, maintenance and/or operations activities and would provide reliable estimates of greenhouse gas emissions. The tool should account for different types of equipment as well as different technologies (e.g. retrofits) and operational activities (e.g. hours of operation). Using this tool, transportation agencies could take into account their greenhouse gas emissions as part of their day-to-day activities as well as provide information to the public and other stakeholders in examining the effects of transportation projects. Part II will develop a synthesis of current research on the cost-effectiveness of different strategies within these activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, identify the gaps in current research, and recommend needed research to more affectively address the cost-effectiveness of these strategies. KW - Air quality management KW - Exhaust gases KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Highway operations KW - Maintenance practices KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Transportation facility operations KW - Transportation operations UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2621 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232518 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462523 TI - Understanding Airport In-Terminal Concession Programs AB - Airport in-terminal concessions provide an important passenger service amenity but also can provide significant financial benefits to the airport. During the past 10 years, many airports have evolved from generic non-branded food and news locations into shopping mall centers throughout the airport featuring national and regional food concepts and a wide variety of specialty retail brands. With the shift in approach, the planning for concessions and the business terms for concession agreements have changed dramatically. The objective of this research is to develop a resource manual that summarizes the considerations in concessions program planning, customer service standards, and business terms development. The project will also include a survey of the rental terms and total occupancy costs for major classifications of airport concessions at a comprehensive sample of large, medium, and small airports across the nation. Concession program planning will include issues related to selection of brands, local concepts, and analyzing passenger flows and adjacencies. Rules of thumb with respect to the amount of space dedicated to concessions by categories and general achievable expectations for sales per enplaned passenger and per square foot should also be developed. Best practices in customer service standards should be outlined. The project deliverables will also include a survey tool and an on-line database that can be updated on an ongoing basis to reflect changing occupancy costs to serve as an interactive tool for detailed comparison of approaches by airports. KW - Airport planning KW - Airport terminals KW - Best practices KW - Concessions KW - Customer service KW - Food service KW - Research projects KW - Shopping facilities UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2571 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230744 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464485 TI - Methodology for Estimating Life Expectancies of Highway Assets AB - The deterioration of highway infrastructure begins as soon as it is put into service. Effective management of highway system assets requires a good understanding of the life expectancy of each asset. Asset life expectancy is the length of time until the asset must be retired, replaced, or removed from service. Determining when an asset reaches the end of its service life generally entails consideration of the cost and effectiveness of repair and maintenance actions that might be taken to further extend the asset's life expectancy. Different types of assets, such as pavements, bridges, signs, and signals, will have very different life expectancies. Asset life expectancy also depends on the materials used; demands actually placed on the asset in use; environmental conditions; and maintenance, preservation, and rehabilitation activities performed. Effective management of highway system assets requires that agency decision makers design and execute programs that maintain or extend the life of the various types of assets in the system at low cost. Designers use estimates of asset life expectancy in their lifecycle cost analysis to make design decisions, but those estimates depend on assumptions about maintenance practices, materials quality, service conditions and characteristics of the asset's use. If actual service conditions and maintenance activities subsequently differ from the designer's assumptions, the asset's life is likely to be different from initial estimates. Better information and tools for estimating asset-life expectancies are needed to guide in-service asset management programs. Research is needed to determine the life expectancies of assets for at least four potential cases: (1) when maintenance and preservation activities are performed as assumed by the designer in the lifecycle cost analysis, (2) when little or no maintenance is performed over the life of the asset, (3) when more aggressive maintenance and preservation activities are performed to extend the asset's life, and (4) when materials or designs that require no or very little maintenance are used. The objectives of this research are to (1) develop a methodology for determining the life expectancies of major types of highway system assets for use in lifecycle cost analyses supporting management decision making; (2) demonstrate the methodology's use for at least three asset classes, including pavement or bridges and two others, such as culverts, signs, or signals; and (3) develop a guidebook and resources for use by state DOTs and others for applying the methodology to develop highway maintenance and preservation programs and assess the impact of such programs on system performance. KW - Asset management KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Life cycle costing KW - Maintenance KW - Maintenance practices KW - Preventive maintenance UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2497 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232715 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462511 TI - Decision-Making Tool for Evaluating Passenger Self-Tagging AB - The evolution of self-service passenger processing over the last 10 years has had a significant impact on airport terminal facility design and operation. Airport terminal departures halls are no longer vast spaces with linear ticket counters staffed by an army of airline agents. Today, passengers are immediately greeted by a field of self-service kiosks that provide more choices and reduce queuing time. The recently opened Terminal 5 at London Heathrow was specifically designed around self-service check-in options, including passenger self-tagging, based on the target of accommodating 80 percent of originating passengers with self-service and the remainder with traditional full-service check-in options. As self-service check-in continues to evolve, the next logical step is for passengers, who are checking baggage for transport in the aircraft's cargo hold, to apply bag tags and place their checked bags on the conveyor belt for induction into the baggage handling system. While this activity is currently prohibited in the United States by Transportation Security Administration regulations, other North American cities, such as Montreal, as well as several European countries are allowing it. Passenger self-tagging has the potential to not only provide more check-in choices and expedite the process but also to greatly impact airport terminal facility design by increasing the capacity of existing facilities and reducing the space requirements for new facilities. However, the implications (positive or negative) of passenger self-tagging are not widely understood. With baggage handling and screening systems becoming an increasingly more important factor in airport terminal design and operation and passenger self-empowerment becoming a key method for increasing passenger level of service, further investigation is required to help operators and regulators in the U.S. aviation industry to better understand the future implications for passenger self-tagging. The objective of this research is to establish the current status of passenger self-tagging in the locations where it is allowed, identify the future implications for passenger self-tagging in the United States, and make recommendations for accommodating passenger self-tagging.
 
KW - Airport facilities KW - Airport operations KW - Airport terminals KW - Airport ticket counters KW - Baggage KW - Baggage handling KW - Checked baggage KW - Passenger transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2583 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230732 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141272 AU - Parker, Alice C AU - Jeong, Changsoo AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - University of Southern California, Los Angeles AU - California Department of Transportation AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - Vision-based Autonomous Ground Vehicle Design Within a Mixed Environment PY - 2009/06/16/Final Report SP - 48p AB - This report describes a project in which a vision guidance system was developed for an autonomous vehicle. The Autonomous Vehicle VIsion (SAVVI) software is designed to robustly detect and track obstacles. The vision methodology consists of wavelet decompos9tion, spatial object detection, temporal motion detection, 3D tree-structure analysis and object tracking with a Kalman filter and neural network. One of the primary objectives of the project was to provide a solution to port terminal traffic congestion through the use of autonomous ground vehicles. Autonomous or robotic vehicles possessing sophisticated software algorithms can alleviate congestion and air pollution while enhancing safety and security. KW - Automated vehicle control for ground vehicles KW - Autonomous vehicle guidance KW - Computer vision KW - Marine terminals KW - Robot vision KW - Robotics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899047 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146778 AU - Laman, Jeffrey A AU - Kim, Woo Seok AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring of Integral Abutment Bridges and Design Criteria Development PY - 2009/06/15/Final Report SP - 654p AB - It has been observed that Pennsylvania integral abutment bridge behavior is much different from that predicted by current design methodologies. Thermally induced displacement magnitudes are typically on the order of 10% to 25% of predicted values. Thermally induced rotations and displacements are, in certain locations, opposite predicted rotations and displacements. Thermally induced stresses are not currently incorporated into design aids and guidelines and are not insignificant. Design methodologies must consider actual field observations such that the design accurately predicts the structural behavior. Proper application of integral abutments can then be made considering the findings of this study with new integral abutment bridge design. In addition, PennDOT integral abutment design requirements will represent the state-of-the-art. The objective of this project was to revise and make more accurate integral abutment bridge design criteria based on observed structural behavior and results of numerical parametric studies. Observed behaviors were on the basis of field monitoring conducted at 4 integral abutment bridge sites and a weather station utilizing previously installed instrumentation and data acquisition systems. Integral abutment bridge engineering data were continuously collected over the entire contract period at bridges 109, 203, 211, and 222 and compiled, processed and evaluated. Numerical parametric studies were conducted on the basis of 2D and 3D finite element models, developed and calibrated to the observed integral abutment behavior, in order to evaluate the field performance of integral abutments and establish the range of potential applications for integral abutment bridge construction in Pennsylvania. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge design KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Integral abutments KW - Rotation UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Improving%20Pennsylvania%20Bridges/Monitoring%20of%20Integral%20Abutment%20Bridges.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906270 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142086 AU - Hart, Robert AU - Osborne, Leon AU - Conger, Steven M AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Meridian Environmental Technology, Incorporated AU - Iteris, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Baselining Current Road Weather Information: Final Report PY - 2009/06/10/Final Report SP - 93p AB - This final report contains research findings on the characterization of the quality and value of road weather information resources used by members of the surface transportation community in their decision-making process. The objectives of the project were to identify current road weather information resources, develop a process to measure the quality of road weather information, and establish a baseline metric of the existing resources, and the recommendation of a strategy for an ongoing monitoring program. The project evaluated the existing sources of road weather information and the methods used by departments of transportation (DOT) to use this information for both internal and external applications. The analysis of weather service provider sources, road weather products, and DOT uses of the data permitted the research team to define six quality attributes that could be used to measure DOT users’ perception of road weather data quality and value. The road weather information that DOTs receive/use were separated into product type packages and the basic weather elements within the resource deliverables. The baseline assessment of quality was accomplished through an online survey. DOT personnel who use road weather information routinely as part of their daily operations participated in the survey. The report details the organization of the survey responses into a quality attribute matrix and then analyzes the results of the survey. The report addresses variable user responses within and amongst quality attribute classes that illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of specific products and weather elements. The resulting measures from the survey serve to establish quality markers and point out road weather products or elements that could benefit from improvement. The technique chosen to characterize the quality of existing road weather information for this study was evaluated as the project evolved to assess its viability for an ongoing quality characterization monitoring program. The team also looked at appropriate time intervals for regular quality assessment, and evaluated the potential impacts of issues that occurred during the quality characterization process. The report evaluates these factors and proposes a strategy for implementing a regular quality assessment monitoring program. Finally, the research report projects the team’s anticipated outcomes from an ongoing road weather quality monitoring program. KW - Baseline data KW - Measurement KW - Monitoring KW - Quality assurance KW - Road weather information systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31065/14486.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37840/2010_BaselineSurvey_FinalReport-508.doc UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902319 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464162 TI - Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) Before and After Cost Study AB - Lea & Elliott will conduct an in-depth study of the cost effectiveness of implementing a Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) system at a selected US public transit agency. Using the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) Market Street (Metro) Tunnel CBTC application for the study also allows examining the effectiveness of a phased implementation, which in this case started with a limited take-over of the conventional train control system and eventually phased into fully automated control under CBTC. KW - Automatic train control KW - Before and after studies KW - Public transit KW - Railroad transportation KW - Research projects KW - San Francisco (California) UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/CBTC_before-after_cost_effectiveness_study_-_Report_FTA-TX-26-7005_2010_01_-_101025_final_draft1_(3).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232390 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462517 TI - Guidebook for Estimating the Economic Impact of Air Cargo at Airports AB - Air cargo services are part of a complex network of diverse economic production and distribution activities carried out across a wide spectrum of airport configurations. In response to this diversity, approaches employed by airports must account for differing operational roles with a variety of facilities located in many locales. Adding to the complexity, the air cargo industry is under continuing pressure to implement additional oversight measures (e.g., security) for moving cargo on passenger aircraft and, to a lesser extent, on freighter aircraft. There is every indication that demand for these measures will continue to evolve and grow over time with increased costs to the industry and to the nation's economy as a result. The principal industry stakeholders concerned with and affected by these measures include the following: (1) airports, (2) airlines, (3) cargo forwarders, (4) air cargo truckers, (5) independent ground handlers, and (6) commercial shippers and consignees. The economic contribution of air cargo to airports and the communities they serve is significant. Therefore, it is important to provide effective tools and techniques to measure and value the contribution of air cargo activity to local, regional, and national economies, allowing improved response to changing global market conditions. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook for use by airport operators and other air cargo industry stakeholders that provides tools and techniques for measuring existing and future economic impacts of air cargo activities at a national, regional, and local airport level in the context of changing market, financial, security, and other conditions. Critical issues in measuring economic impacts of air cargo activity at a given airport should include but not be limited to the following: (1) size of the air cargo market, (2) source and purpose of air cargo activity, (3) effect of changing fuel prices, (4) understanding complex linkages to changing economic conditions, (5) effect of increasing security requirements, and (6) availability and comparative cost of alternate cargo shipment modes. KW - Airports KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight handling KW - Freight security KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2578 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230738 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142042 AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Transit Green Building Action Plan: Report to Congress PY - 2009/06/04 SP - 34p AB - The explanatory statement accompanying the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus appropriation’s act directed the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to submit a transit facility green building action plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. As directed, this plan includes an analysis of green rating systems that would be suitable for transit projects; an overview of certified green building transit projects; an inventory of relevant assistance that could be provided to transit agencies; and planned FTA actions, timelines and resources to encourage green building in FTA programs. Green buildings make efficient and effective use of resources – energy, water, raw materials, and land – and provide a healthy environment for working, learning and living. By applying green building practices to new construction and refurbishment of existing facilities, transit agencies can conserve resources through lower construction, operations, and maintenance expenditures. KW - Building materials KW - Construction of specific facilities KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental protection KW - Green infrastructure KW - Public transit UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/30000/30900/30934/FTA-TRI20-2009.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902332 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01343592 AU - Holmen, Britt A AU - Robinson, Mitchell AU - Sentoff, Karen AU - Montane, Paul AU - Hathaway, Kevin AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Resource Systems Group, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The On‐Board Tailpipe Emissions Measurement System (TOTEMS): Proof‐of‐Concept PY - 2009/06/03 SP - 61p AB - An on-board tailpipe emissions instrumentation system was designed, assembled and tested as proof-of-concept for the University of Vermont’s Transportation Research Center (TRC) Signature Project #2 “real-world” vehicle emissions data collection effort. This report summarizes the measurement system’s status as of June 2009 and demonstrates that the study team can reliably collect on-board emissions/vehicle performance data. The purpose of the new instrumentation package is to collect real-world exhaust emissions for regulated (CO, HC, NOx) and unregulated (CO2, air toxics, particle number) pollutant species as well as vehicle operating parameters, all at 1Hz temporal resolution, while a test vehicle is driven on the road network in Chittenden County, Vermont. Future data collected using the on-board system will be used to model the modal emissions of alternative vehicles. This report documents (i) the instrumentation system’s components and the research team’s proposed data collection methodology; and (ii) presents initial data sets collected by quantifying real-world emissions from a 1999 Toyota Sienna minivan that was used in previous studies. Unlike previous studies, however, the new instrumentation package collects: (i) the full number distributions of particle emissions using a particle spectrometer instrument that was not available previously; and (ii) quantifies mobile source air toxic (MSAT) gaseous emissions in addition to criteria pollutant (CO, NOx, HC) and greenhouse gas (CO2, N2O, CH4) using a high-speed Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) instrument specifically designed for on-board vehicle exhaust testing. KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Data collection KW - Data files KW - Exhaust gases KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Instrumentation KW - Measuring instruments KW - Mobile Source Air Toxics KW - On board equipment KW - Pollutants KW - Proof of concept KW - Toyota Sienna UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-10-015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1105597 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140984 AU - Reston, James T AU - Reed, Monica AU - Swanson, Susan AU - Tregear, Stephen AU - MANILA Consulting Group, Incorporated AU - ECRI Institute AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Evidence Report: Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Safety (Comprehensive Review) PY - 2009/06/03 SP - 165p AB - The purpose of this evidence report is to address several key questions posed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Each of these key questions was developed by the FMCSA such that the answers to these questions provided information that would be useful in updating its current medical examination guidelines. The five key questions addressed in this evidence report are as follows: Key Question 1: What are the criteria that define when an individual with Parkinson’s disease (PD) should stop driving a CMV? Key Question 2: What is the impact of pharmacotherapy for PD on driver safety? Key Question 3: Are individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) at an increased risk for a motor vehicle crash? If so, what factors associated with MS are predictive of an increased crash risk? Key Question 4: How frequently should individuals with MS be assessed in order to monitor whether they remain safe to drive? Key Question 5: What is the impact of pharmacotherapy for MS on driver safety? KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Diseases and medical conditions KW - Medication KW - Multiple sclerosis KW - Parkinson's disease KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck drivers KW - Trucking safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31002/PD_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901232 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573550 TI - Establishment of the Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (TOL) AB - Advanced mobility and safety services can use new vehicle-infrastructure and vehicle-vehicle communication technologies to allow smooth travel at desired speeds, to increase travel time reliability, to improve throughput, to improve safety, and to improve environmental performance. Many of the research projects sponsored through the Exploratory Advanced Research and Intelligent Transportation Systems programs are identifying new services, or possible enhancements to exiting services, that can potentially offer substantial benefits. Because these services have not yet been realized in deployments, laboratory testing and transportation models are needed to further analyze and improve the concepts and to provide early valuations of their potential benefits. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Traffic safety KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366745 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01486020 TI - Connected Transportation Pooled Fund Study AB - Connected vehicle research allocates funds to Virginia for Pooled Fund Study. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pooled funds KW - Virginia UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1255641 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462518 TI - A Guidebook for Improving Environmental Performance at Small Airports AB - Small airports have limited resources and staffing and, as a result, these airports usually do not have an environmental practitioner on staff who is intimately knowledgeable in the environmental arena. No one resource is available to airport managers (or their governing boards) that outlines all the federal environmental regulations. In addition, practices that exceed requirements and promote environmental stewardship, sometimes referred to as "sustainable practices," are also not familiar to small airports. Airports and their governing boards are committed to being good neighbors, enhancing their environmental efforts, and increasing public awareness of those initiatives. Given that every airport is unique, each airport must select, prioritize, and implement practices based on individual circumstances. Research is needed to provide small airports with information and guidance on potential environmental initiatives applicable to their situations. The objective of this research is to provide managers of small airports with a guidebook (1) promoting environmental awareness, (2) identifying federal environmental compliance requirements, (3) outlining those best management practices that proactively enhance environmental stewardship, and (4) identifying resources/tools that airports can use to be proactive. The guidebook should be written so that a non-environmental practitioner can easily understand it. KW - Airport operations KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental regulations KW - Handbooks KW - Small airports UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2576 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230739 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462512 TI - Sustainable Airport Construction Practices AB - Airports strive to be fiscally, socially, and environmentally responsible, and to be good neighbors. They consider their activities in terms of achieving excellence in economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. While information is readily available to support a movement toward integrating sustainable concepts into facility design, there is less information available on sustainable practices, methods, procedures, and technologies that can be incorporated during construction. Airports can not wait until construction begins to start discussing sustainable practices, they must include planners, engineers, and their construction manager and/or contractor (if selected) who can assist the airport in the development of the bid documents that include sustainable construction practices. Airports must also ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. The objective of this research is to develop a Collection of sustainable practices that can be implemented during airport construction. The Collection will include best practices, methods, procedures, and technologies for all stakeholders involved in the planning, design, and construction of airport development or re-development projects and will be in a format that is easily usable by airports. KW - Airport access KW - Airport facilities KW - Airport ground transportation KW - Airport operations KW - Airport surface traffic control KW - Airport terminals KW - Construction KW - Construction of specific facilities KW - Construction sites KW - Environmental impacts UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2582 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230733 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01226609 AU - Ramasubramanian, Laxmi AU - Milczarski, William AU - Albrecht, Jochen AU - Boile, Maria AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Hunter College of the City University of New York AU - New York Metropolitan Transportation Council AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Ferry Parking and Landside Access Study PY - 2009/06/01/Final Report SP - 283p AB - The goal of the Ferry Parking and Landside Access Study (FPLAS) was to assist the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) in the assessment and evaluation of both current and future potential sites suitable for the development of facilities to support waterborne transportation. Specifically, the study focused on the development of assessment criteria to optimize underutilized waterborne transportation resources and services through the following four tasks. Task 1 – Literature Review: The first task consisted of a comprehensive review of literature about the subject area, focusing on studies and reports conducted in the region. The review provided a first look at the factors (criteria) that were likely to be used in the evaluation of individual landing sites. The authors' findings are discussed extensively in the Task 1 report. Task 2 and Task 2- B – Expert Interviews, GIS Repository and Long List of Ferry Sites: First, the consultant team conducted 24 expert interviews with a wide range of stakeholders including a private ferry operator, representatives from the PANYNJ, the departments of transportation from New York City, Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties, NYSDOT, MTA, the Regional Plan Association, and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. The interviews were used to identify existing and potential sites as well as additional criteria for site evaluation. In Task 2, the consultant team compiled a “long list” of 85 sites that included 25 existing sites and 60 potential sites. The list was created using field observations and information gathered from the literature review and the expert interviews. Task 3- Site Detailed Description and Assessment: In Task 3, the consultant team created detailed and exhaustive site evaluations for the twelve sites other than Freeport, Nassau County, which was not analyzed in this study because the city declined to be involved at this time. Each site was first researched focusing on available data about the adjacent major attractions, accessibility of the sites, available transit, traffic conditions within the proximity of the site, demographics and future development. In Task 2B, the consultant team developed an interactive GIS based site-comparison tool and data repository to evaluate the 85 sites using readily available population, land use, and transportation data. Task 4-Site Assessment and Prioritization: The objective of this task was to produce a ranking and comparison of the sites. For this purpose, the consultant team assigned numerical values to the individual site assessments that were included at the end of each site evaluation in Task 3 Report. The criteria used in these assessments included the following: Vehicular Accessibility, Transit/Intermodal Connectivity, Pedestrian and Bicycle Access, Parking, Land Use, and Demographics and Commute Patterns. KW - Accessibility KW - Boat landing KW - Ferry service KW - Geographic information systems KW - Land use KW - Landside access KW - New York Metropolitan Area KW - Parking KW - Public transit KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/assets/120/Ferry_Parking-Landside_Access1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/982047 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548533 AU - Hall, Kevin D AU - James, Mainey AU - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AU - Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - PCC Materials Input Values for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 102p AB - The new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) requires a number of materials-related inputs, many of which are not typically measured or tracked. For rigid pavement design, such inputs include the Portland cement concrete (PCC) coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), Poisson’s ratio, and elastic modulus. For this study, three replicate specimens were prepared for each of 24 concrete/cement paste mixtures and tested at various ages ranging from 7 to 90 days. Aggregates included in the study represented the major aggregate types typically used in Arkansas. Results from the testing effort were collected into a materials library/catalog to be accessed by pavement designers using the MEPDG for Level 1 design efforts. The results show that MEPDG Level 3 default values for CTE are generally suitable for most design applications; values for Poisson’s ratio should be taken from the PCC materials catalog for design; and that default strength-gain curves embedded in the MEPDG, while generally sufficient for design, could be improved. Regression coefficients governing the MEPDG strength gain algorithm were optimized for Arkansas using the data generated in the study. KW - Arkansas KW - Compressive strength KW - Materials selection KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Mix design KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Optimization KW - Poisson ratio KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Thermal expansion UR - http://www.arkansastrc.com/TRC%20REPORTS/TRC%200708.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334407 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01516413 AU - Perkins, Robert A AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Risk in Change Orders Report for AKDOT Construction Staff PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 94p AB - Work changes are common in construction contracts, especially for large projects. When contract changes must be made, how the owner (the organization paying for the work) and the contractor (the firm performing the work) agree on a fair and reasonable cost can be as complex as a good poker game. It is usually in the owner’s best interest to negotiate a lump sum price for changes before the new work starts (forward-pricing). Forward-pricing passes considerable risk (such as work delays, changing weather, getting new materials to remote sites, and re-scheduling other projects) to the contractor, who deserves some compensation for assuming it. The owner wants the best deal possible, and the contractor is the best judge of his (or her) own costs. The stakes can be higher in Alaska, where a short building season and remote locations can push a project into an additional year, with extra staging costs, staffing, and scheduling nightmares. This project, led by University of Alaska, Fairbanks engineering science management specialist Robert Perkins will produce a guide for Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) managers and engineers that will better prepare them for judging project risk and estimating costs. KW - Alaska KW - Change orders KW - Construction projects KW - Contractors KW - Contracts KW - Cost estimating KW - Risk management UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2014/01/107059.Appendix-D-with-attachments.pdf UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2014/01/107059.Perkins.-Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1290652 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01505735 AU - Ames, David AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Oswald, Michelle AU - Gayley, Rebekah AU - Delaware Center for Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Current State of BOSFOLK Transportation Corridor and Indicators of Resiliency PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 54p AB - The Northeast corridor is a multimodal and multi-generational network connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Washington D.C. The corridor is also referred to as the BOSWASH corridor and more recently the BOSFOLK corridor, recognizing the extension of the corridor to Norfolk, Virginia. The objective of this research is to evaluate the resiliency of the BOSFOLK corridor. Investigating the evolution and development of the corridor provides insight into future growth and land use impacts in order to address challenges and improve management practices throughout the corridor. KW - Evaluation KW - Highway corridors KW - History KW - Land use KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/downloads2013/Ames_McNeil_finalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285221 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472081 AU - Ala, Nima AU - Stanigzai, Mohammad Ajmal AU - Azizinamini, Atorod AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Development of Field Data for Effective Implementation of Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Procedure PY - 2009/06 SP - 197p AB - This report provides summary of the work that was carried out to assess the merits of the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design approach and attempts to calibrate the procedure for application in Nebraska. Mechanistic Empirical (M-E) design of pavements is a new approach to pavement design. The method consists of two components; Mechanistic and Empirical. The Mechanistic part of the procedure tries to predict the response of the pavement to various loading during a very short time period. The empirical part tries to sum up the damages inflected to the pavement during the short time steps that the pavement is subjected to and attempts to predict the accumulated damage as function of time. This project consisted of two parts. First a parametric study was carried out to identify the parameters that are important and level of sophistication that is needed at the input level. The next step was to develop a field instrumentation plan and start collecting data and then continue with the calibration process. KW - Calibration KW - Field studies KW - Implementation KW - Instrumentation KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Parametric analysis KW - Pavement design UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/research/Design/Final%20Report%20P300.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239504 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454357 AU - Anastasopoulos, Panagiotis Ch AU - Mannering, Fred L AU - Haddock, John AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effectiveness and Service Lives/Survival Curves of Various Pavement Rehabilitation Treatments PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 237p AB - The pavement analysis in this study considers various combinations of pavement rehabilitation treatments: two-course hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay with or without surface milling; concrete pavement restoration; three-course HMA overlay with or without surface milling; three-course HMA overlay with crack and seat of portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement; and Resurfacing, Restoration and Rehabilitation (3-R) and Resurfacing, Restoration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (4-R) overlay or replacement treatments. Six road functional classes (rural and urban of interstates, non-interstates of the National Highway System (NHS), and non-interstates non-NHS) are considered. This allows for estimation of the performance and service life of the pavement, corresponding to each treatment and road functional class. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life KW - Types of roads UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314292 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218758 ER - TY - SER AN - 01446053 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Steele, Douglas A AU - Vavrik, William R AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving the Safety of Moving Lane Closures PY - 2009/06 IS - 09-049 SP - 87p AB - Moving lane closures are an increasingly utilized and inherently hazardous traffic control procedure for highway maintenance and operations activities. To improve the safety of moving lane closures for workers and motorists, this research studied driver behavior around moving lane closures and the effect of different components of current traffic control scenarios, including the number, configuration, and spacing of shadow vehicles, and the effect of various traffic control devices and sign messages. This report presents the results of Phase I of this study and includes the findings of full-scale field experiments performed at four locations. A future Phase II of the research will expand on these findings and produce specific recommendations for revisions to current traffic control standards to improve the safety of moving lane closures for highway workers and the traveling public. KW - Construction sites KW - Field tests KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Lane closure KW - Mobile lane closures KW - Shadow vehicles KW - Variable message signs KW - Work zone safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45770/FHWA-ICT-09-049.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212522 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446027 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Current Design-Build Practices for Transportation Projects: A Compilation of Practices by the Transportation Design-Build Users Group PY - 2009/06 SP - 106p AB - Design-build is a relatively new project delivery method that is being applied or considered by numerous transportation agencies. As such, transportation agencies recognize the need to share information regarding all aspects of the design-build delivery process. The Design-Build Users Group is an informal group of State, Federal and local transportation agencies who wish to share current design-build practices with other agencies. This report is a collection of design-build procurement and contracting practices used by various transportation agencies. It provides basic information about the design-build project delivery method and its relation to transportation projects. KW - Best practices KW - Construction management KW - Construction projects KW - Contracts KW - Design build KW - Procurement KW - Project management UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/pubs/dbpractice/dbpractice.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01384547 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Swiss heavy good vehicle control centers: a closer look at facility characteristics and supporting technologies: international technology scanning program PY - 2009/06 SP - 29p AB - Switzerland has incorporated the use of technology as part of an efficient and effective approach to simultaneously measuring commercial motor vehicle size and weight at off-route stationary enforcement locations (i.e., heavy goods vehicle (HGV) control centers). Potentially oversize or overweight vehicles—based on technology-based preselection procedures using weigh-in-motion (WIM) and/or overheight detection systems or enforcement personnel assessment—are directed into the facility for additional measurements. This document provides detailed information on facility characteristics and supporting technologies. KW - Freight transport KW - Freight transport logistics KW - Freight transportation KW - Heavy vehicle KW - Heavy vehicles KW - International comparison KW - International comparison KW - Overdimensional vehicle KW - Overloaded vehicle KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Switzerland KW - Vehicle size KW - Weigh in motion KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://international.fhwa.dot.gov/pubs/swiss/summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1152310 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01384324 AU - Rasmussen, R O AU - Garber, S I AU - United States. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center TI - Nonwoven geotextile interlayers for separating cementititious pavement layers: German practice and U.S. field trials PY - 2009/06 IS - FHWA-HRT-09-031 SP - 52p AB - The German highway community has more than 25 years of experience using an alternative interlayer made of a nonwoven geotextile. With proper selection and placement, these interlayers have resulted in excellent performance in separating new concrete pavement layers from the cementitious bases commonplace on the German motorway system. While this application also exists in the United States, the possibility of using the nonwoven geotextile as a separation interlayer in an unbonded concrete overlay system has also generated significant interest because of the potential cost savings involved. This report documents the German experience and gleans better practices for using nonwoven geotextile interlayers between cementitious layers in the United States. The report covers field trials in Missouri and Oklahoma along with other information so that pavement engineers can make an informed decision on the viability of this innovative but proven alternative. KW - Concrete pavement KW - Concrete pavements KW - Field test KW - Field tests KW - Geotextile KW - Geotextiles KW - Germany KW - Overlay KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement layer KW - Pavement layers KW - Pavement technology KW - Usa UR - http://www.international.fhwa.dot.gov/pubs/geotextile/geotextile.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1152089 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359835 AU - Hopwood, Theodore AU - Palle, Sudhir AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Nondestructive Testing of a Weld Repair on the I-65 Bridge Over the Ohio River at Louisville PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Nondestructive evaluation methods were applied to verify the structural integrity of a fracture critical structural member on the I-65 John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville. Several nondestructive evaluation methods including acoustic emission monitoring, penetrant testing, ultrasonic testing and radiographic testing were used to evaluate a weld/crack repair on an H beam made from quenched and tempered steel. No defects were detected during the course of testing, indicating that the repair was properly affected. Technical aspects of the nondestructive evaluation work are presented along with test findings and recommendations fora structural reliability assessment of the bridge fracture critical members made from quenched and tempered steel. KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Cracking KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Fracture critical members KW - John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge (Louisville, Kentucky) KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Penetrants KW - Quenched and tempered steel KW - Radiography KW - Structural analysis KW - Ultrasonic tests KW - Welds UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125643 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353065 AU - Mosher, James AU - Hauck, Allyson AU - Carmona, Maria AU - Treffers, Ryan AU - Reitz, Dave AU - Curtis, Chris AU - Ramirez, Rebecca AU - Moore, Aidan AU - Saetta, Stacy AU - Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Legal Research Report: Laws Prohibiting Alcohol Sales to Intoxicated Persons PY - 2009/06//Legal Research Report SP - 124p AB - In September 2006, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation to conduct legal research on State statutes and regulations that pertain to alcohol sales and/or service to intoxicated people to reduce injuries and fatalities stemming from alcohol impaired driving. The research was to explore the variation in State sales to intoxicated people (SIP) laws and include examination of case law to assess how statutory language has been interpreted in court cases. The research was also to include a qualitative component that collected data on key issues specific to SIP law enforcement and adjudication practices. This report summarizes the findings of this research. Legal research findings related to six key elements: types of laws; defendants; definition of intoxication in statutory language; prohibited activities; evidentiary requirements; and penalties. The single most notable finding from the qualitative enforcement research is that SIP enforcement is relatively rare. Lack of enforcement appears to be due to three main factors: cultural norms/lack of political will to address SIP law violations; limited resources to engage in SIP enforcement operations; and statutory evidentiary provisions that make the collection of evidence overly burdensome. Other noteworthy findings concern factors that affect enforcement practice. Three case studies of State-specific enforcement and adjudication issues offer insight into SIP enforcement in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in California and New Mexico. The report concludes with 13 “best practice” recommendations. This report is designed for policymakers, administrators, researchers, law enforcement professionals, health and safety advocacy groups, and others who are working to reduce injuries and fatalities stemming from alcohol impaired driving. The findings and best practice recommendations provide a foundation for augmenting their efforts to prevent these tragedies on the Nation’s highways with the effective application of State SIP laws. KW - Adjudication KW - Alcoholic beverages KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Best practices KW - California KW - Case studies KW - Drunk driving KW - Intoxication KW - Law enforcement KW - Legal documents KW - Legal factors KW - New Mexico KW - Sales KW - State laws UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Articles/Associated%20Files/811142.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117578 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01352764 AU - Taha, M M Reda AU - Azarbayejani, Mohammad AU - Farfan, G B AU - University of New Mexico, Albuquerque AU - New Mexico Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring Long-Term In-Situ Behavior of Installed Fiber Reinforced Polymer: Report II: Proposed Monitoring System for Bridge 7937 in Tucumcari PY - 2009/06 SP - 43p AB - The purpose of this report is to present the design of an innovative structural health monitoring (SHM) system designed to provide continuous monitoring of Bridge 7937 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Bridge 7937 was previously strengthened as a showcase strengthening project. The new SHM system is designed as a smart monitoring system based on field programmable gated array (FPGA) technology with minimum human intervention. The system operates wirelessly and is powered with a solar system. The new SHM system allows continuous remote monitoring of the bridge structure for public safety. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Fiber composites KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Sensors KW - Solar collectors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Tucumcari (New Mexico) KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Research/NM08TT02_FRP_FINAL_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117186 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01352750 AU - Taha, M M Reda AU - Azarbayejani, Mohammad AU - University of New Mexico, Albuquerque AU - New Mexico Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring Long-Term In-Situ Behavior of Installed Fiber Reinforced Polymer: Report I: State of the Art In Structural Health Monitoring of Bridges and FRP Systems PY - 2009/06 SP - 32p AB - The objective of this report is to provide information on state of the art in structural health monitoring (SHM) and its application to bridges. The most recent trends in SHM with regard to fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are discussed. Different approaches for structural monitoring using vibration-based and acoustic monitoring are examined and methods implemented in each approach are discussed and critically visited. Further discussion focuses on the challenge of monitoring significantly large structures and the reasons to consider frequency and wavelet analysis for damage detection. The report also discusses the technologies used for monitoring one bridge in Tucumcari, New Mexico located on Interstate 40 (I-40). KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Acoustic detectors KW - Fiber composites KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Frequency analysis KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Sensors KW - State of the art KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Tucumcari (New Mexico) KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Research/NM08TT02_FRP_FINAL_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117185 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01352741 AU - Taha, M M Reda AU - Azarbayejani, Mohammad AU - University of New Mexico, Albuquerque AU - New Mexico Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring Long-Term In-Situ Behavior of Installed Fiber Reinforced Polymer: Report III: Analysis and Results of Post-Construction Monitoring for Bridge 7937 in Tucumcari. PY - 2009/06 SP - 40p AB - The objective of this report is to provide information on the installation and operation of the new structural health monitoring (SHM) system installed on Bridge 7937 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The new SHM system is based on field programmable gated array (FPGA) technology and operates using wireless communication. This report also describes the installation of solar panels used to power the SHM system with renewable energy. New software specially designed for data analysis and damage detection of Bridge 7937 is described. The new SHM system hardware and software are operational and provide smart monitoring of Bridge 7937 for public safety. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Data analysis KW - Fiber composites KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Sensors KW - Solar collectors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Tucumcari (New Mexico) KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Research/NM08TT02_FRP_FINAL_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117187 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01342251 AU - Solanki, Pranshoo AU - Khoury, Naji N AU - Zaman, Musharraf M AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Engineering Properties of Stabilized Subgrade Soils for Implementation of the AASHTO 2002 Pavement Design Guide PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 131p AB - A comprehensive laboratory study was undertaken to determine engineering properties of cementitiously stabilized common subgrade soils in Oklahoma for the design of roadway pavements in accordance with the AASHTO 2002 Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). These properties include resilient modulus (Mr), modulus of elasticity (ME), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), moisture susceptibility and three-dimensional (3-D) swell. Four different types of soils encountered in Oklahoma, namely, Port Series (P-soil), Kingfisher Series (K-soil), Vernon Series (V-soil), and Carnasaw Series (C-soil) were used in this study. These soils were stabilized with three locally produced and economically viable stabilizers used in Oklahoma, namely, hydrated lime (or lime), class C fly ash (CFA), and cement kiln dust (CKD). Additionally, mineralogical studies such as scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to verify the findings from the macro test results. The percentage of stabilizer used (3%, 6% and 9% for lime; 5%, 10% and 15% for CFA and CKD) was selected on the basis of pH test and literature review. Cylindrical specimens of stabilized soil were compacted and cured for 28 days in a moist room having a constant temperature (23.0±1.7oC) and controlled humidity (>95%). The 28-day curing period is consistent with the new MEPDG for evaluation of design Mr, ME and UCS. After curing, specimens were tested for resilient modulus (Mr), modulus of elasticity (ME) and unconfined compressive strength (UCS). Selective specimens were also tested for moisture susceptibility (tube suction test) and three-dimensional swell during 60 days of capillary soaking. Results for the tested stabilized soil specimens showed that all three stabilizers improved the strength/stiffness properties, namely, Mr, UCS and ME values, of P-, K-, V- and C-soil specimens. At lower application rates (3% to 6%), the lime-stabilized soil specimens showed the highest improvement in the strength/stiffness. At higher application rates, however, P-, K, V- and C-soil specimens stabilized with 15% CKD showed the highest improvement. The P-soil specimens, however, showed more improvement in strength due to lower PI, as compared to K-, V- and C-soil. The SEM analysis showed formation of crystals with soil matrix as a result of stabilization. It is reasoned that the crystals within the matrix provide better interlocking between the particles and possible higher resistance to shear deformation and also reduce void within the matrix resulting in overall strength gain. The results of the analysis conforms to the results of the Mr, ME and UCS tests. The tube suction test (TST) results revealed that lime- and CFA-treatment is helpful because it reduces the moisture susceptibility. CKD-stabilization, however, makes stabilized specimens more susceptible to moisture, as compared to raw soil specimens. Three-dimensional (3-D) swelling test showed increase in volume for lime- and CKD-stabilized specimens while reduction in volume for CFA-stabilized specimen, as compared to raw soil. This increase in volume is attributed to sulfate-induced heaving which results in the formation of expansive mineral ettringite. Further, presence of ettringite was verified using SEM/EDS tests in conjunction with XRD analyses. This study generated useful information that would enrich the database pertaining to Mr, ME, UCS, 3-D swell and moisture susceptibility of selected soils in Oklahoma. An enriched database would benefit highway agencies, specifically pavement engineers, when dealing with construction of new pavements or rehabilitation of existing pavements. It will also facilitate the implementation of the new AASHTO 2002 pavement design guide. KW - Calcium hydroxide KW - Fly ash KW - Kiln dust KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Oklahoma KW - Pavement design KW - Properties of materials KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Subgrade materials KW - Swelling UR - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/spr-rip/library/reports/fhwa-ok0810.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1103946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01220486 AU - Dam, Thomas Van AU - Peshkin, David AU - Applied Pavement Technology, Incorporated AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Concrete Aggregate Durability Study PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 57p AB - There are many factors that affect the durability of Portland cement concrete (PCC), including the mix design and the materials used, the quality of construction, and the environment. Durability is not an intrinsic property of the concrete, but instead is related to how the material interacts with the environment. Durability-related deterioration is referred to as materials-related distress (MRD). Common MRDs include those caused by physical processes, such as freezing and thawing, or chemical processes, such as alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) and sulfate attack. This research project was undertaken to determine whether concrete used in the ADOT system is experiencing, or is potentially susceptible to, ASR or sulfate attack, and if so, to what degree. Based on this study, ADOT’s current practices are consistent with those of its neighboring states, but by no means are they the most rigorous, particularly related to controlling ASR. The following recommendations are made to improve ADOT’s approach to ASR and sulfate attack mitigation to ensure success in the future: (1) ADOT should review its supplementary cementitious material (SCM) specifications to ensure that those materials being used in its concrete have the desired effect of mitigating ASR and sulfate attack. (2) A number of neighboring states permit the use of ASTM C1157 performance-specified cements and ADOT should investigate allowing the use of these cements as well. (3) ADOT is following the current state-of-the-practice regarding aggregate screening for ASR susceptibility. New FHWA guidelines (Thomas et al. 2008A) recommend that long-term concrete prism testing be conducted in accordance with ASTM C1293, Standard Test Method for Determination of Length Change of Concrete Due to Alkali-Silica Reaction, to establish an empirical relationship with the ASTM C1260 test results to ensure mitigation. This would require ADOT to embark on a long-term study to test their most common ASR-susceptible aggregates, but it is the only currently acceptable approach to developing confidence that the ASTM C1260/C1567 results accurately predict field performance. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Arizona KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Durability KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Sulfate attack UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34500/34506/AZ575.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/981265 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173887 AU - Schilling, Martin AU - Bittner, Jason AU - Adams, Teresa AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Containerization Policy: Considering Increased Load Weight for Certain Circumstances of Freight in Wisconsin PY - 2009/06 SP - 68p AB - Many businesses in Wisconsin export their goods throughout the world. An efficient way of doing business internationally is through containerized shipments. This research discovered that Wisconsin’s weight laws for transporting international containers (ICs) are stricter than in several bordering states. Through interviews with major shippers and stakeholders, and analysis of rail related waybill information, this report details some of the economic impacts of stricter weight limits for international container traffic in Wisconsin. After conducting research on current trends in international container shipping, this report analyzed container weight regulations in several states throughout the US, including Minnesota and Illinois. Through interviews with impacted businesses and stakeholders, the research team learned that transportation costs increase significantly for Wisconsin businesses as a result of the state’s existing weight laws. KW - Containers KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - International trade KW - Policy KW - Size and weight regulations KW - State laws KW - Weight KW - Wisconsin UR - http://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/55593/01-05_FR.pdf UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/08-26increaseloadsize-f.pdf UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/01-05_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927751 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173192 AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - National Aviation Research Plan, 2009 PY - 2009/06 SP - 104p AB - The 2009 National Aviation Research Plan (NARP) presents an established research plan that highlights the results of the research and describes how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) research and development (R&D) programs are progressing toward achieving the R&D targets through 2016. There are no major structural changes in the plan from the 2008 NARP. It maintains continuity with the previous R&D goals and the milestones supporting those goals. KW - Air traffic control KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Airport planning KW - Airport runways KW - Airport terminals KW - Aviation safety KW - Civil aviation KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ang/offices/tc/about/campus/faa_host/rdm/media/pdf/2009narp.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927782 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173186 AU - Alfelor, Roemer M AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Baselining Current Road Weather Information: Characterizing Sources and Evaluating Attributes PY - 2009/06 SP - 2p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) recently completed Baselining Current Road Weather Information, a study to establish a baseline for current road weather information. The baseline characterizes sources and evaluates the quality attributes of road weather parameters used by transportation agencies. Varying levels of quality characterize existing sources of road weather information. These can often paint an incomplete or inaccurate picture of conditions on or near the road surface, which are documented in the 2004 National Research Council report Where the Weather Meets the Road: A Research Agenda for Improving Road Weather Services. To overcome these deficiencies and improve road weather information products, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is investing in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) research. One of the road weather ITS initiatives is Clarus, an integrated surface transportation weather observing, forecasting, and data management system. Clarus enables public and private information providers to produce anytime, anywhere road weather information to meet the needs of all road users and operators. Using Clarus will ultimately help improve mobility and safety by alleviating the impacts of adverse weather on the surface transportation system. Baselining road weather information establishes a reference to compare the results when agencies and organizations use Clarus and other advanced road weather management technologies. By characterizing existing weather information, the results may be used by all surface transportation weather users and providers as a benchmark for measuring improvements over time. KW - Clarus KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Road weather information systems KW - Snow and ice control KW - Snow removal KW - Weather conditions KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33720/baselining_pdf.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33720/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927685 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167139 AU - DeGroot, Don J AU - Lutenegger, Alan J AU - University of Massachusetts, Amherst AU - Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development and Validation of a MassHighway Geotechnical Engineering In Situ Testing Vehicle PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 109p AB - This technology transfer and implementation project developed a state-of-the-art in situ testing vehicle for the Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway) that can be used to perform detailed geotechnical engineering in situ testing at project sites throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a wide variety of geologic materials. An existing MassHighway truck mounted drill rig manufactured by Mobile Drilling Co., Inc., was retrofitted with the necessary tooling to conduct the in situ tests. The project developed the equipment for conducting standard penetration (with an automatic hammer), drive cone, cone penetration, seismic piezocone, plate load and pressuremeter tests. Interpretation of data from such testing provides information on basic soil characteristics and key design parameters such as in situ stress state, stiffness, flow and shear strength properties. Training of MassHighway personnel on use of the equipment was conducted at five research test sites that consisted of a variety of soil conditions ranging from fine to coarse-grained soils. The efficiency and potential of the in situ tests developed for MassHighway in this project was demonstrated through the field work and subsequent presentation of measured and interpreted data. Details on how to conduct the in-situ tests, data processing, data presentation and data interpretation are presented in a user manual entitled "Development and Validation of a MassHighway Geotechnical Engineering In Situ Testing Vehicle: User Manual" that accompanies this report. KW - Field tests KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Instruments for measuring loads or pressure KW - Massachusetts KW - Soil penetration test KW - Test vehicles UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926223 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164852 AU - Adrignolo, Anthony AU - Sankar, Sai AU - Szary, Patrick AU - Fairleigh Dickinson University AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Dual-Drive Production Prototype Project PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 15p AB - This project was an initiative to engineer, develop and build a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle using the Dual-Drive system. The project aimed to build a plug-in hybrid utilitarian vehicle on a light commercial vehicle platform. The hybrid vehicle will have a range of 35-40 miles and will have the ability to switch between pure electric drive and pure gasoline drive. The vehicle’s electric drivetrain will enable the vehicle to run efficiently at very low speed conditions and will also give the user the flexibility to switch to pure gasoline driving and thus drive at highway speeds. KW - Electric drives KW - Fuel consumption KW - Fuel efficiency KW - Gasoline engines KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Prototypes KW - Vehicle drive systems UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/files/FDU-RU4474_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925753 ER - TY - SER AN - 01164225 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Dhanaraju, Sharan AU - Ouyang, Yanfeng AU - Tursun, Umit Deniz AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Regional Data Archiving and Management for Northeast Illinois PY - 2009/06//Research Report SP - 86p AB - This project studies the feasibility and implementation options for establishing a regional data archiving system to help monitor and manage traffic operations and planning for the northeastern Illinois region. It aims to provide a clear guidance to the regional transportation agencies, from both technical and business perspectives, about building such a comprehensive transportation information system. Several implementation alternatives are identified and analyzed. This research is carried out in three phases. In the first phase, existing documents related to ITS deployments in the broader Chicago area are summarized, and a thorough review is conducted of similar systems across the country. Various stakeholders are interviewed to collect information on all data elements that they store, including the format, system, and granularity. Their perception of a data archive system, such as potential benefits and costs, is also surveyed. In the second phase, a conceptual design of the database is developed. This conceptual design includes system architecture, functional modules, user interfaces, and examples of usage. In the last phase, the possible business models for the archive system to sustain itself are reviewed. The authors estimate initial capital and recurring operational/maintenance costs for the system based on realistic information on the hardware, software, labor, and resource requirements. They also identify possible revenue opportunities. A few implementation options for the archive system are summarized in this report; namely: 1. System hosted by a partnering agency, 2. System contracted to a university, 3. System contracted to a national laboratory, 4. System outsourced to a service provider. The costs, advantages and disadvantages for each of these recommended options are also provided. KW - Data banks KW - Database design KW - Database management systems KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Highway operations KW - Highway planning KW - Illinois KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems UR - https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/14261/FHWA-ICT-09-050%20regional%20data.pdf?sequence=2 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55772/FHWA-ICT-09-050.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923574 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164119 AU - Persad, Khali R AU - Loftus-Otway, Lisa AU - Harrison, Robert AU - Cruz-Ross, Alejandra AU - Singh, Prakash AU - Chi, Seokho AU - Franco, Patricia AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of TxDOT's J.A.C.K. Model for Revenue and Expenditure Projections PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 231p AB - This research report documents work conducted by the Center for Transportation Research (CTR) at the University of Texas at Austin in analyzing the Joint Analysis using the Combined Knowledge (J.A.C.K.) program. This program was developed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to make projections of revenues and expenditures. This research effort was to span from September 2008 to August 2009, but the bulk of the work was completed and presented by December 2008. J.A.C.K. was subsequently renamed TRENDS, but for consistency with the scope of work, the original name is used throughout this report. KW - Expenditures KW - Forecasting KW - Mathematical models KW - Revenues KW - Texas Department of Transportation UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6395_CT_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/924747 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162069 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Orange County Gateway Project within the Cities of Placentia and Anaheim and unincorporated Orange County to provide grade separation alternatives along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks from west of Bradford Avenue to west of Imperial Highway (State Route 90) : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/06//Volumes held: Draft(3v), Final(4v) KW - California KW - Environmental impact statements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923053 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01160006 AU - Hardy, Matthew AU - Wunderlich, Karl AU - Bunch, James AU - Noblis AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structuring Modeling and Simulation Analyses for Evacuation Planning and Operations PY - 2009/06 SP - 78p AB - This document is intended to provide guidance to decision-makers at agencies and jurisdictions considering the role of analytical tools in evacuation planning and operations.. It is often unclear what kind of analytical approach may be of most value, particularly in light of complex data requirements and staff training. The decision to create an analytical capability to support decision making can be a significant investment, and deserves careful consideration. In the end, evacuation planning and operations analysis should never be used to make key decisions but instead developed as a trusted resource for understanding the potential mobility impacts and using this information to inform key decisions. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Emergency transportation KW - Evacuation KW - Structural equation modeling KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33000/33042/100309_Evacuation_Modeling_User_Guide__FHWA-JPO-10-033_.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33000/33042/edl14940.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33000/33042/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920460 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159710 AU - Yeon, Jung Heum AU - Suh, Chul AU - Won, Moon AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Pilot Implementation of New Test Procedures for Curing in Concrete Pavements PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 45p AB - Curing of concrete has substantial effects on the performance of portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement. Curing effectiveness depends on the quality of the curing materials, time of curing compound application in relation to evaporation, and the amount and uniformity of the curing compound applications. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) developed and maintains a quality monitoring (QM) program for curing compounds to ensure that curing compounds used in TxDOT projects meet the minimum requirements. The timing of curing compound application as required in the specifications is well adhered. On the other hand, the uniformity and the amount of curing compounds applied are not monitored as well as they should be, primarily due to the lack of simple and proper methods for verifying their compliance with the specification requirements. To ensure good quality of curing in TxDOT paving projects, there is a need for simple and easy-to-use compliance testing. TxDOT Research Project 0-5106 evaluated and identified potential compliance testing for curing compound application rate and uniformity. Speed control of the curing machine was the basis for the compliance testing utilizing non-contact Doppler radar speed sensor and wireless data logger system. This project evaluated the feasibility of implementing this compliance testing in TxDOT construction projects. The findings include (1) speed control of the curing machine could be the most practical and simple method for compliance testing, (2) the non-contact Doppler radar speed sensor and the wireless data logger showed fairly good performance and can be an effective and practical curing compliance testing system, and (3) as the wind speed increases, the loss of curing compound tends to increase nearly proportionally. Since the proposed system is more complicated than the current practice, a simpler approach was developed and recommended for quick implementation. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Compliance KW - Concrete curing KW - Concrete pavements KW - Curing agents KW - Data logging KW - Doppler radar KW - Quality control KW - Specifications KW - Wireless sensors UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_5106_01_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920237 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159341 AU - Deng, Zhi-Qiang AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - First Flush Reactor for Stormwater Treatment for Elevated Linear Transportation Projects PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 56p AB - The United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Water Sewer System) Program regulations require municipalities and government agencies including the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) to develop and implement stormwater best management practices (BMPs) for linear transportation systems to reduce the discharge of various pollutants, thereby protecting water quality. An efficient and cost-effective stormwater BMP is urgently needed for elevated linear transportation projects to comply with MS4 regulations. This report documents the development of a first flush-based stormwater treatment device, the first flush reactor, for use on elevated linear transportation projects/roadways for complying with MS4 regulations. A series of stormwater samples were collected from the I-10 elevated roadway section over City Park Lake in urban Baton Rouge. Stormwater treatment experiments were conducted using three laboratory columns filled with different combinations of filter medium layers. In terms of contaminant removal efficiency, the optimum filter medium combination was found to be (a) a mixture of Smart Sponge and Hydra CX2 in the top layer, (b) zerolite in the next layer, (c) sand, (d) sawdust, and (e) gravel in the bottom layer. Results of the laboratory experiments indicate that the first flush reactor with the optimized filter medium layers is able to remove over 85% of total suspended solids (TSS), 90% of total phosphorus, 99% of NO2-N and NO3-N, and 70% - 90% of fecal coliform bacteria. Tested heavy metals include Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Si, and Zn. In general, removal rates of heavy metals through the recommended filter media are higher than 80%. The removal rates of three toxic heavy metals including cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) are higher than 90%. Hydrocarbon levels in the stormwater samples were too low to be detected. Some unsolved problems in the current design of the first flush reactor include the low removal rate (15%-58%) of TKN (Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen) and the slight release (up to 20%) of toxic metal zinc (Zn) from the reactor. The problems may be resolved by conducting more column tests and possibly replacing the Hydra CX2 with other types of fiber mulch. Experimental results presented in this report may be used for further study of filter medium selection and for optimization of the first flush reactor. Guidelines for design, field construction, operation, and maintenance of the first flush reactor are provided in this report to help environmental engineers and stormwater managers design and operate the first flush reactor properly and achieve the stormwater pollutant removal efficiency required in the MS4 program. KW - Best practices KW - First flush KW - Highway bridges KW - Runoff KW - Water quality management UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/08_3tire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919748 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154797 AU - Elseifi, Mostafa A AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of Seasonal Strain Measurements in Asphalt Materials under Accelerated Pavement Testing and Comparing Field Performance and Laboratory Measured Binder Tension Properties PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 86p AB - Seasonal variation of measured pavement responses with temperature and its relationship to pavement performance has not been thoroughly evaluated for ALF Experiments II and III. Such information may be used to improve instrumentation strategies in future ALF experiments. These results may also be used to establish the relationship between binder elongation properties at intermediate and low temperature and mix performance. Such link may be used to update current binder standards by specifying measurement of properties that are indicative of pavement performance. Such properties may be obtained by complementing or modifying current specifications with the direct tensile test or the multiple stress creep recovery test instead of the current ductility test. The objectives of this study were two fold. First, instrument responses in past ALF Experiments were analyzed to quantify the impacts of seasonal variation of pavement responses with temperature and its relationship to pavement performance. Second, nine straight asphalt binders obtained from two asphalt suppliers were tested to link laboratory measured properties to mix performance. Based on the results of this analysis, it is concluded that survivability and repeatability of the gages were acceptable in past experiments. However, strain gages were not a reliable indicator of damage development in hot-mix asphalt (HMA). Laboratory test results showed that a binder that provides high ductility at intermediate temperature would be characterized by poor elongation properties at low temperature. This trend was related to the binder fractional compositions as an increase in the binder content of low molecular weight results in an increase in its ductility at intermediate temperature. However, an increase in paraffinic maltene content results in the binder tending to crystallize at higher temperature as it approaches the glassy region. Based on the results of laboratory testing conducted in this study, it is recommended that the ductility test be kept in the state binder’s specifications as it correlates well with mix performance at intermediate temperature. This test may not be substituted with the direct tensile test or the multiple stress creep recovery test. KW - Accelerated loading facilities KW - Accelerated tests KW - Bituminous binders KW - Creep tests KW - Ductility KW - Ductility tests KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Pavement performance KW - Seasonal variations KW - Strain measurement KW - Tension tests UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_444.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915921 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154728 AU - Bennert, Thomas A AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Modulus of Hot Mix Asphalt PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 81p AB - One of the most critical parameters needed for the upcoming Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) is the dynamic modulus (E*), which will be used for flexible pavement design. The dynamic modulus represents the stiffness of the asphalt material when tested in a compressive-type, repeated load test. The dynamic modulus is one of the key parameters used to evaluate both rutting and fatigue cracking distresses in the MEPDG. The computer software that accompanies the MEPDG also provides general default parameters for the dynamic modulus (i.e. – Level 2 and 3 inputs). However, caution has already been issued by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) researchers as to the appropriateness of these parameters for regional areas. The major concern is that state agencies will use these default values blindly and sacrifice accuracy of the design, hence making the new mechanistic procedure no better than using a structural number (SN) with the old AASHTO method. There were three primary objectives of the research study. First, the current version of the dynamic modulus test, AASHTO TP62-07, was evaluated to determine the relative precision of the test method, and if required, recommend a modified procedure with better precision. The second objective of the study was to develop a dynamic modulus catalog for use with the MEPDG by testing plant-produced and laboratory-compacted samples of various asphalt mixtures. This would supercede Level 2 inputs currently in the MEPDG for New Jersey. The third primary objective of the research study was to assess the accuracy of two commonly utilized dynamic modulus prediction equations: 1) Witczak Prediction Equation and 2) Hirsch Model. The database developed during the study also led to the development of correlations between dynamic modulus and fatigue cracking and rutting performance of asphalt mixtures. KW - AASHTO TP62-07 KW - Accuracy KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - Equations KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Flexible pavements KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Precision KW - Rutting KW - Stiffness UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915905 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154215 AU - Ruiz, J Mauricio AU - Xu, Qinwu AU - Chang, George K AU - Dick, Jason C AU - Rasmussen, Robert O AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - University of Wisconsin, Madison AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - HIPERPAV Wisconsin Implementation Support Phase IIa And Phase IIb – Final Report PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 54p AB - HIPERPAV Wisconsin is a software product developed for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that includes local conditions and materials typically used in Wisconsin. It is believed that by implementing the HIPERPAV Wisconsin software into daily construction practices, concrete pavements will be built with higher quality, at a lower cost, and with increased long-term performance. Similarly, the HIPERPAV Wisconsin software will serve as a tool to educate new personnel on the behavior of concrete pavements as a function of climatic conditions and construction operations. Implementation efforts have been initiated to make the most out of this customization effort including a series of workshops throughout the state. In addition, in this project, the following implementation tasks were accomplished: 1. HIPERPAV predictions of time of set for Class C fly ash paving mixtures in Wisconsin were evaluated through field and laboratory testing and the time of set factor was calibrated from the findings in this work. 2. HIPERPAV Wisconsin implementation support tasks also included addressing technical issues and answering questions on the use of the software and broadcasting a newsletter to HIPERPAV users. 3. In addition, the HIPERPAV Wisconsin software was modified to include a time of placement simulation tool for automated analysis of multiple placement times and hydration inputs from semi-adiabatic calorimetry for improved thermal predictions. KW - Calorimetry KW - Climate KW - Concrete pavements KW - Field tests KW - High performance concrete KW - HIPERPAV (Computer program) KW - Hydration KW - Implementation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Road construction KW - Setting (Concrete) KW - Setting time KW - Wisconsin UR - http://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/53350/Final%2520Report%252008-33.pdf UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/Final_Report_08-33.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915830 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153453 AU - Rupp, Jonathan D AU - Flannagan, Carol A C AU - Kuppa, Shashi M AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Development of New Injury Risk Curves for the Knee/Distal Femur and the Hip for Use in Frontal Impact Testing PY - 2009/06 SP - 25p AB - This report describes how new injury risk curves for the knee/distal femur and the hip were developed through reanalyses of existing peak knee impact force data. New hip injury risk curves were developed using survival analysis with a lognormal distribution. This distribution was parameterized to account for the effect of stature, which was the only subject characteristic that had a statistically significant effect on the relationship between peak force applied to the hip and the risk of hip fracture. The empirically defined effects of hip flexion and abduction from a standardized seated driving posture on mean hip fracture force were also incorporated into the lognormal distribution as mean shifts. Injury risk curves for the midsize male crash test dummy were defined by applying the stature associated with this dummy and posture of 30° flexion and 15° abduction from a standard reference posture and the standard reference posture (0°flexion, 0° adduction) to the lognormal distribution. A new risk curve describing the relationship between peak force applied at the knee and the likelihood of knee/distal femur fracture was developed by applying survival analysis to an existing dataset in which there was uncensored, left censored, and right censored peak knee impact force data. This risk curve is similar to that currently used by the NHTSA to assess the risk of AIS 2+ KTH injury. Because the fracture forces in the dataset used to develop the new knee/distal femur risk curve were primarily from tests where rigid surfaces loaded the knees of elderly midsize male cadavers, the new risk curve only applies to rigid knee impacts and this segment of the occupant population. Future work should focus on developing knee/distal femur risk curves that apply to other segments of the driving population by characterizing and accounting for the effects of subject factors and impact surface rigidity on KTH fracture forces. KW - Crash injuries KW - Dummies KW - Femur KW - Frontal crashes KW - Hip KW - Impact tests KW - Injury criteria KW - Injury risk prediction KW - Knee KW - Risk analysis KW - Set forward force UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/64998 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914461 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150505 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Dill, J AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 'Green' Transportation of Taxes and Fees: A Survey of Californians PY - 2009/06 SP - 142p AB - This report explores public opinion on a new and promising concept--green transportation taxes and fees. These are taxes and fees set at variable rates, with higher rates for more polluting vehicles and lower rates for those that pollute less. This approach to transportation taxes and fees adapts the traditional transportation finance system, permitting it to achieve two critical public benefits simultaneously: encouraging drivers to choose more environmentally-friendly transportation options, and raising revenue for needed transportation programs. Growing concern with global warming, air pollution, and energy security, combined with California's concern over shrinking transportation revenues, make this type of transportation finance system a particularly exciting finance approach to evaluate at present. KW - Air pollution KW - Air quality management KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental policy KW - Greenhouse effect KW - Public transit KW - Surveys KW - Taxes UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/GreenTaxes%20(Final%20with%20Cover).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912589 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01149204 AU - Liu, Rongfang AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Weekend Travel Demand and Mode Choice Models PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 146p AB - Travel demand models are widely used for forecasting and analyzing policies for automobile and transit travel. However, these models are typically developed for average weekday travel when regular activities are routine. The weekday models focus primarily on peak period travel, which are dominated with work and school trips. Given that weekend travel is largely generated for discretionary activities and is significantly affected by seasonal variation and special events, it is not surprising that weekday models are not adequate to forecast weekend travel. This report documents an effort to develop a pilot weekend travel demand forecast and mode choice model for New Jersey. The research team utilized a holistic approach that balances state of the art research and practical modeling applications for multiple agencies. The pilot model, produced via enumeration applications, not only incorporated up-to-date understanding of dynamics of weekend travel behavior but also obtained consensus from various agencies in New Jersey so it will be implemented. KW - Forecasting KW - Mathematical models KW - Mode choice KW - New Jersey KW - Nonwork travel KW - Off peak periods KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Weekends UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/911550 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01148584 AU - Margiotta, Richard A AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Recurring Traffic Bottlenecks: A Primer - Focus on Low-Cost Operational Improvements PY - 2009/06 SP - 58p AB - This is the updated, 2nd version of this document. (The 1st version is FHWA-HOP-07-130). While many of the nation's bottlenecks must be addressed through costly major construction projects (i.e., "mega projects") or costly transportation alternative solutions (i.e., high occupancy vehicle or toll lanes, dynamic pricing, investments in transit alternatives, etc.) there is a significant opportunity for the application of operational and low-cost "fixes" at spot-specific locations. This Primer is the signature product of the Localized Bottleneck Reduction (LBR) Program, which is administered out of the Office of Operations, Office of Transportation Management, at FHWAY HQ in Washington, D.C. The LBR program is focused on recurring congestion chokepoints (as opposed to nonrecurring congestion causes) and the operational influences that cause them. Widening, lengthening, retiming, metering, or bypassing these problem areas to unclog them can often be done with lower cost, lesser intensive means than traditionally waiting for a complete facility rebuild or an out-year project. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Highway operations KW - Improvements KW - Lane drops KW - Low cost KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic congestion KW - Weaving traffic UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31400/31410/FHWA-HOP-09-037.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908315 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147867 AU - Hollingshead, Travis AU - Tullis, Blake Paul AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - In-Situ Culvert Rehabilitation: Synthesis Study and Field Evaluation PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This synthesis study evaluated culvert rehabilitation (repair) methods involving trenchless technologies that may be appropriate for use in Utah. This report is not intended as a replacement for installation manuals provided by the manufacturers but rather provides a brief description of each method and its installation procedures, and highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each. Segmental lining is cost effective in Utah and the most common method of culvert rehabilitation in most western state highway culverts. Cured-in-place pipe and fold-and-form methods are also common but the costs are higher than segmental lining. The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintenance personnel can often carry out segmental lining, while contractors with specialized skills and equipment are required for all other methods. This report also presents a survey of culvert relining project costs (western states) and a discussion on burial depth limitations and end treatments. The information provided was obtained through a literature review, surveys of various western state DOTs and interaction with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT). A flip chart and installation video were developed for segmental lining as part of this study, with the majority of effort coming from UDOT personnel. Table 1 at the end of the report summarizes the main disadvantages, advantages, and limitations for each culvert relining method. KW - Burial depth KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Culverts KW - Cured in place pipe KW - End treatments KW - Fold and formed pipe KW - Installation KW - Literature reviews KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Relining KW - Repairing KW - Segmental lining KW - Surveys KW - Trenchless technology KW - Utah KW - Western States UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=27347 UR - http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=9732720543913757 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908587 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147426 AU - Rasmussen, Robert Otto AU - Whirledge, Robert P AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tire/Pavement and Environmental Traffic Noise Research Study Interim Report – 2007 Testing PY - 2009/06//Interim Report SP - 117p AB - This research study is being conducted in response to the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT’s) interest in traffic noise in general, and the tire/pavement interaction in particular. Following a rigid set of testing protocols, data are being collected on highway traffic noise characteristics along with safety and durability aspects of the associated pavements. The overall goal of this research project is to develop and execute a comprehensive, long-term study to determine if a particular pavement surface type and/or texture can be successfully used in Colorado to help satisfy FHWA noise mitigation requirements. The study is needed to accomplish the following: Determine the noise generation/reduction characteristics of pavements as functions of pavement type, pavement texture, age, time, traffic loading, and distance away from the pavement; Determine a correlation between source measurements using on-board sound intensity (OBSI), and statistical passby (SPB) and time-averaged wayside measurements; and Accumulate information that can be used for validation and verification of the accuracy of the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) to use on future Colorado highway projects. The information included in this report highlights the second in a series of four measurements to be collected over a five-year period. While some of this information can be used immediately for decisions related to pavement design and specification, it is recommended that caution be exercised as the results from future testing will help further define the long-term acoustical durability of these pavement surfaces. KW - Colorado KW - Noise control KW - Pavements KW - Rolling contact KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texture KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model KW - Validation UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/qpr2.pdf/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907692 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147397 AU - Mathur, Shishir AU - Ferrell, Christopher AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effect of Suburban Transit Oriented Developments on Residential Property Values PY - 2009/06 SP - 86p AB - The development of successful TODs often encounters several barriers. These barriers include: a lack of inter-jurisdictional cooperation, auto-oriented design that favors park and ride lot over ridership generating uses, and community opposition. The community opposition may be more vocal in suburban areas where residents of predominately single-family neighborhoods may feel that the proposed high-density, mixed-use TOD will bring noise, air pollution, increased congestion and crime into their area. Community opposition has been instrumental in stopping many TOD projects in the San Francisco Bay Area. While community opposition to TODs has been pronounced, very little empirical research exists that indicates whether this opposition is well-founded. Economic theory suggests that if a TOD has a negative effect on the surrounding residential neighborhoods, then that effect should lower land prices and in turn, the housing prices in these neighborhoods. Similarly, an increase in the housing prices would mean a positive effect of TODs on the surrounding neighborhoods. This study empirically estimates the impact of four San Francisco Bay Area sub-urban TODs on single-family home sale prices. The study finds that the case study suburban TODs either had no impact or had a positive impact on the surrounding single-family home sale prices. KW - Case studies KW - Multiple regression analysis KW - Prices KW - Property values KW - Public opinion KW - Public transit KW - San Francisco Bay Area KW - Suburbs KW - Transit oriented development UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/mtiportal/research/publications/documents/Effects%20of%20Sub-Urban%20Transit%20(with%20Cover).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905601 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147316 AU - Blower, Daniel F AU - Matteson, Anne AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Evaluation of 2007 Oklahoma Crash Data Reported to the MCMIS Crash File PY - 2009/06//Special Report SP - 44p AB - This report is part of a series evaluating the data reported to the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) Crash File undertaken by the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The earlier studies showed that reporting to the MCMIS Crash File was incomplete. This report examines the factors that are associated with reporting rates for the state of Oklahoma. MCMIS Crash File records were matched to the Oklahoma Crash file to determine the nature and extent of underreporting. Overall, it appears that Oklahoma is reporting 54.7% of crash involvements that should be reported to the MCMIS Crash file. Reporting rates were found to be related to crash severity, the configuration and licensing of the vehicle, and the type of enforcement agency that covered the crash. Over 74% of fatal crashes were reported, but only 57.4% of injury/transported crashes and 52.0% of tow/disabled involvements. More than 72% of reportable involvements of tractor-semitrailers were reported, but the reporting rate was 57.0% for 3-axle single-unit trucks, and 25.6% for 2-axle single-unit trucks. Only 13.4% of bus involvements were reported. Missing data rates are low for most variables. Overall, the crash report is well-designed to support full reporting. The information necessary to identify reportable cases is available in the crash file, so a substantial improvement in the reporting rate can be achieved. KW - Crash data KW - Crash reports KW - Crash severity KW - Data reporting KW - Missing data KW - Motor Carrier Management Information System Crash File KW - Motor carriers KW - Oklahoma KW - Statistics KW - Underreporting UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/63511 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907560 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147309 AU - Bogard, Scott E AU - Funkhouser, D AU - Sayer, James R AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety System (IVBSS): Heavy Truck Extended Pilot Test Summary Report PY - 2009/06//Summary Report SP - 47p AB - This report describes the findings and recommendations from the heavy-truck (HT) extended pilot test (EPT) conducted by University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and its partners under the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) program. The EPT was conducted to provide evidence of system performance (alert rate and reliable operation) and driver acceptance prior to conduct of the field operational test (FOT). The results of this test were to be used to modify the HT system performance and functionality as required, prior to the start of the FOT. The EPT entailed use of an integrated crash warning system in a heavy truck by seven drivers, over a period of five days each, in the course of their regular duties as drivers for Con-way Freight at the Ann Arbor distribution center. The test lasted four weeks starting on November 10 and ending December 12, 2008; the resultant data represent 5,300 miles of system use. The extended pilot test of the heavy truck platform on the IVBSS program successfully evaluated system performance and driver acceptance. Driver recruitment and training procedures were tested, as were the driver survey and debriefing methodologies. The warning system and data acquisition hardware operated reliably through the EPT. However, the warning system had an alert rate that was higher than anticipated based on previous testing. Nonetheless, drivers were generally still accepting of the system. Valuable data obtained from the EPT have led to further system performance improvements in the detection of stopped and slower-moving objects by the forward crash warning (FCW) subsystem in order to reduce the alert rate, and these enhancements have been implemented into the heavy truck fleet for the full field operational test. KW - Acceptance KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Con-way Freight KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Extended pilot testing KW - Forward collision warning KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Integrated Vehicle Based Safety Systems (Initiative) KW - Motor carriers KW - System performance UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/62989 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146770 AU - Gautreau, Gavin P AU - Bhandari, Pallavi AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Geotechnical Information Database PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 65p AB - The purpose of this project was to create a database for existing, current, and future geotechnical records and data. The project originated from the Geotechnical Design Section at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) and their need to review historical geotechnical data prior to new design decisions. The database could benefit the Department by reducing or eliminating the need and time necessary to conduct new soil borings and test their samples. The database would also serve as a valuable reference resource to the design and other sections. Initially researchers believed the project would require its own computer server to store the vast amounts of data. Upon further review of existing LADOTD databases and storage capabilities, only an interface was necessary to access different existing databases. Content Manager, an Enterprise Document (Object) Management System, already used within the Department is key to the capture, storage, retrieval, and printing of online documents within the Department. The project created a Global Information System (GIS) with a user friendly interface and additional links to existing databases within (and outside) the Department to speed access times, compared to hardcopy searches, consolidating vast amounts of information into one online resource. The data will be accessed mainly by Headquarters’ Geotechnical Design Section but also by the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC) and district laboratory offices. This project has already benefited the design section. Specifically, the GIS Web site application has been implemented to “...enhance the Geotechnical Design Section’s ability to select proper boring depths. Additionally, the information attached to the database such as load test data, pile driving logs, and other activity logs will greatly improve the pile resistance prediction. The better pile length prediction may ultimately reduce the cost of foundation construction.” (Ching Tsai, LADOTD Geotechnical Design Section). KW - Databases KW - Design KW - Development KW - Geographic information systems KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2009/fr_446.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31400/31416/fr_446.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906621 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146334 AU - Capecci, Steve AU - Krupa, Cathy AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Concept of Operations for Virtual Weigh Station PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 64p AB - This document describes the concept of operations (ConOps) for the virtual weigh station (VWS). The ConOps describes the goals, functions, key concepts, architecture, operational scenarios, operational policies, and impacts of virtual weigh stations. This ConOps will provide technical guidance to jurisdictions regarding their implementations of the virtual weigh station concept and will be a tool that can be used to plan roadside programs, support states’ funding requests, obtain buy-in from public and private stakeholders, and communicate information among State, Federal, and private sector parties. The document consists of six sections: 1. Section 1.0, Introduction – Provides the context for developing a concept of operations for the virtual weigh station. 2. Section 2.0, Current Situation – Reviews current roadside enforcement operations and existing virtual weigh station deployments. 3. Section 3.0, Motivation for Virtual Weigh Station – Describes the challenges and needs underlying states’ virtual weigh station deployments and the operations that will address the challenges. 4. Section 4.0, Concept of Operations – Presents the operational scenarios, information needs, and functionality associated with virtual weigh stations. 5. Section 5.0, Summary of Benefits and Costs – Relates the expected benefits and costs of deploying virtual weigh stations. 6. Section 6.0, Conclusions – Summarizes the enforcement improvements gained from virtual weigh stations, as well as limitations and next steps. KW - Automated enforcement KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Concept of operations KW - Highway operations KW - Size and weight regulations KW - Trucks KW - Virtual weigh stations KW - Weigh stations UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09051/virtual_weigh_stn.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905619 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146324 AU - Krupa, Cathy AU - Capecci, Steve AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Truck Size and Weight Enforcement Technologies Implementation Plan PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 48p AB - The purpose of this Implementation Plan is to recommend strategies to encourage the deployment of roadside technologies to improve truck size and weight enforcement in the United States. The plan includes strategies that State practitioners can use to overcome typical challenges confronting the deployment of virtual weigh stations and other roadside enforcement operations (Section 3.0) and overall program support that FHWA needs to provide to jurisdictions looking to deploy virtual weigh stations and other operations (Section 4.0). The plan is the final deliverable in FHWA’s Truck Size and Weight Enforcement Technology project. The goal of the project was to encourage and facilitate states’ technology deployments as a means to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of roadside enforcement. The Implementation Plan includes a two-page “Reference Guide to Deploying Roadside Technologies” that summarizes the important steps that can be taken by states in order to incorporate new roadside technologies into their enforcement programs. States are encouraged to tailor or modify the guide to suit their particular circumstances and needs. KW - Automated enforcement KW - Plan implementation KW - Strategic planning KW - Technology KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle size KW - Vehicle weight KW - Virtual weigh stations KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09049/implementation_plan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905618 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145051 AU - Griffin, D M AU - Louisiana Tech University, Ruston AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Volume Balance and Toxicity Analysis of Highway Stormwater Discharge from Cross Lake Bridge PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The Cross Lake Bridge in Shreveport, Louisiana, spans Cross Lake that serves as the city’s water supply. Concern about accidents on the bridge contaminating the lake prompted the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) to construct a closed drainage system on the bridge to convey precipitation falling on the bridge deck to a concrete lined holding pond on the east side of the lake. Once there, bridge runoff is tested for oil and grease, pH, and lead before discharge to 12-mile bayou. This report describes the methodology and results of two studies dealing with runoff from the Cross Lake Bridge. The first examined the degree to which repairs to the Cross Lake Bridge’s closed drainage system were successful in capturing runoff from the bridge. An earlier study found that, because of leakage, only about one half of the precipitation falling on the bridge actually ended up in the holding pond. This is substantially less than would be expected from a catchment that is essentially impervious. To test the success of repairs to the drainage system, volume balances for 22 precipitation events were conducted by comparing the rainfall on the bridge to the subsequent flow into the pond. The ratio of the volume of runoff to the volume of precipitation was found to average 0.86, which when compared to values from the previous study as well as published values, suggested a successful repair of the drainage system. The second study examined the use of the Microtox toxicity analysis system manufactured by Azur Environmental for use as a screening tool to assess toxicity of the pond contents. Microtox protocols rely on measurement of light output from a specific strain of luminescent bacteria. Toxicity is indicated when light output from the bacteria decreases. Tests can be run in time periods ranging from 5 to 30 minutes. The standard endpoint of the tests occurs once light output has dropped 50 percent and is termed the EC50. Samples from the water column and sediment were collected and analyzed for toxicity using the basic test (liquid) and the basic solid phase test (sediment). KW - Cross Lake Bridge KW - Drainage KW - Runoff KW - Shreveport (Louisiana) KW - Toxicity KW - Volume KW - Water quality UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2009/fr_447.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31300/31381/fr_447.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905230 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143751 AU - Goodin, Ginger D AU - Burris, Mark W AU - Dusza, Casey M AU - Ungemah, David H AU - Li, Jianling AU - Ardekani, Siamak A AU - Mattingly, Stephen P AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Role of Preferential Treatment for Carpools in Managed Lanes PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 150p AB - With the evolution of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities to managed lanes, and the increasing level of activity in the development of managed lanes in Texas and nationally, research and guidance defining the role of carpools in priced managed lanes is needed, especially a better understanding of the tradeoffs between carpool exemptions and other project objectives. Increasingly, project objectives reflect not only mobility concerns but funding deficiencies and the need to generate revenue. As a result, allowing exempt users such as carpools requires an evaluation of revenue impacts as well as mobility interests such as person movement, operations, and emissions. This study utilizes a state-of-the-practice review, a 4600-respondent survey of freeway users in Houston and Dallas, and simulation modeling of six alternative HOV scenarios at varying toll rates to identify the tradeoffs associated with carpool toll discounts in new managed lanes. KW - Carpools KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Discount KW - Freeway operations KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Impact studies KW - Managed lanes KW - Mobility KW - Revenues KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Texas KW - Tolls UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5286-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904161 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142740 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Dill, Jennifer AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - Paving The Way: Recruiting Students into the Transportation Professions PY - 2009/06 SP - 184p AB - The transportation industry faces a growing shortage of professional engineers and planners. One key strategy in solving this problem will be to encourage more civil engineering and urban planning students to specialize in transportation while completing their degrees, so that employers have a larger pool of likely recruits. However, very little is known about how these students choose a specialization. To help fill that gap, this report examines the factors that lead civil engineering undergraduates and urban planning masters students to specialize in transportation, as opposed to other sub-disciplines within the two fields. The primary data collection methods were web-based surveys of 1,852 civil engineering undergraduates and 869 planning masters students. The study results suggest steps the transportation community can take to increase the number of civil engineering and planning students who choose to specialize in transportation. KW - City planning KW - Civil engineering KW - Education KW - Job opportunities KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering KW - Transportation planning KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/Paving%20the%20Way%20(Complete%20with%20covers).pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31194/Paving_the_Way__Complete_with_covers_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142724 AU - Brown, Jeffrey AU - Thompson, Gregory L AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - The Influence of Service Planning Decisions on Rail Transit Success or Failure PY - 2009/06 SP - 508p AB - Some United States metropolitan areas with rail transit systems enjoy ridership and productivity success while others do not. This study examines the experiences of 11 U.S. metropolitan areas with between one million and five million persons to better understand why some areas are successful and others are not. A particular focus is the role of service planning decisions in facilitating transit success. We find that successful transit systems are those that: 1) articulate a clear, multidestination vision for regional transit; 2) rely on rail transit as the system’s backbone; 3) recognize the importance of the non-CBD travel market; 4) encourage the use of transfers to reach a wider array of destinations; 5) recognize that rail transit alone is not enough to guarantee success; and 6) recognize the importance of serving regional destinations. KW - Case studies KW - Commuting KW - Dual mode transportation systems KW - Passenger service KW - Rail transit KW - Ridership KW - Systems analysis KW - Transportation planning KW - Urban transit UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/ServicePlanningDecisions%20(with%20covers).pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31195/ServicePlanningDecisions__with_covers_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902272 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142688 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Dill, Jennifer AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - “Green” Transportation Taxes and Fees: A Survey Of Californians PY - 2009/06 SP - 128p AB - This report explores public opinion on a new and promising concept―green transportation taxes and fees. These are taxes and fees set at variable rates, with higher rates for more polluting vehicles and lower rates for those that pollute less. This approach to transportation taxes and fees adapts the traditional transportation finance system to achieve two critical public benefits at once: encouraging drivers to choose more environmentally-friendly transportation options and raising revenue for needed transportation programs. To test public support for green transportation taxes and fees, the authors conducted a random telephone survey of 1,500 Californians that asked respondents their views on five hypothetical tax and fee options: a flat-rate and a green vehicle registration fee, a flat-rate and a green mileage fee, and a “feebate” program for new vehicle purchases under which more-polluting vehicles would be charged a tax and less-polluting vehicles would receive a rebate. The survey results show that the concept of green transportation taxes and fees strongly appeals to Californians. The survey tested this in two ways: by testing support for the three hypothetical green transportation tax and fee policies, and also by comparing support levels for flat-rate versus green versions of two taxes. Majorities of the respondents supported all three green taxes and fees tested. Another striking finding from the survey is that support for the green taxes and fees did not vary greatly by population subgroups; a diverse range of Californians supported the green taxes and fees. An analysis comparing support for the green and flat-rate vehicle registration fee and feebate proposals confirmed that in every subgroup, more people within that subgroup supported the green than the flat version of the two taxes tested. KW - California KW - Environmental policy KW - Fees KW - Fuel taxes KW - Public opinion KW - Public policy KW - Registration fees KW - Sales tax KW - Taxation UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/GreenTaxes%20%28Final%20with%20Cover%29.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31196/GreenTaxes__Final_with_Cover_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901476 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142475 AU - Simunovic, S AU - Bennett, R AU - Zisi, N AU - Southeastern Transportation Center AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Enhanced Finite Element Analysis Crash Model of Tractor-Trailers: Website and User's Manual PY - 2009/06//Phase B SP - 52p AB - The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has established four major safety areas of concern for vehicle accidents most likely to cause injuries and fatalities: 1) lane change, 2) run-off-road, 3) rear-end clearance, and 4) intersections. This project focuses on technology developments to address run-off-road scenarios in which heavy trucks impact roadside barriers and other infrastructure elements. While much progress has been made over the past 15 years in analyzing the causes and effects of run-off-road accidents, much more information should be gathered, particularly for the heavy-vehicle mode of transportation. Selective computer analyses, together with limited field tests, are now being used to qualify roadside safety hardware. The objective of this project is to evaluate, enhance and validate computer models of a heavy vehicle (tractor-semitrailer combination) that will be used in the design, and evaluation of roadside safety hardware. The NTRCI Finite Element Crash Analysis Team of Battelle, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (UTK) is continuing its efforts on enhancement and validation of the National Crash Analysis Center's (NCAC) Tractor-Trailer Finite Element Model (FEM) (V01B - BetaVersion) in a 3-yr program that started in 2007. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Finite element method KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Trucking UR - http://www.ntrci.org/library/U01-Enhanced_Finite_Element_Analysis_Crash_Model_of_Tractor-Trailers__Website_and_Users_Manual-Phase_B_1247836602.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902718 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142474 AU - Brosseau, Joseph AU - Ede, Bill Moore AU - Association of American Railroads AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Development of an Adaptive Predictive Braking Enforcement Algorithm PY - 2009/06 SP - 191p AB - Predictive enforcement braking is one of the key concepts behind positive train control (PTC) systems. If a train is on the verge of overrunning a target stopping location, such as an authority limit, the system enforces a brake application to stop the train safely short of the limit. The concept depends on an algorithm that can predict the stopping distance of the train. Errors in stopping distance prediction can result in target overruns, target underruns, or unnecessary enforcements, which can negatively impact railroad safety or operations. Due to the uncertainty of many parameters that affect stopping distance, PTC enforcement algorithms have traditionally used a target offset to ensure that no trains overshoot the target. But this can force the algorithm to be overly conservative, resulting in unnecessary or early warnings and enforcements. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) contracted Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) to research proof-of-concept techniques for improving the accuracy of PTC enforcement algorithms by adapting the algorithm to the characteristics of each specific train. The project included a parametric study of some of the key variables that can affect stopping distance, followed by the development and testing of the adaptive functions. KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic train control KW - Braking KW - Interoperability KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad traffic KW - Telecommunications UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/342 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902715 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142061 AU - Quiroga, Cesar AU - Li, Yingfeng AU - Koncz, Nicholas AU - Overman, John AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis and Integration of Spatial Data for Transportation Planning PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 120p AB - Transportation planning requires substantial amounts of data and cooperation among transportation planning agencies. Advances in computer technology and the increasing availability of geographic information systems (GIS) are giving transportation planners the ability to develop and use data with a much higher degree of efficiency. However, as information systems advance, the need to provide effective data integration/exchange protocols and procedures to reduce redundancy and data collection costs is becoming more important. Many factors influence the effectiveness of data exchange and data integration efforts, such as data compatibility, data access, data quality, completeness, metadata, hardware, software, and staff expertise. This research resulted in a catalog of spatial data sources available to transportation planning agencies in Texas. The work included a synthesis of current transportation planning practices in Texas with a focus on spatial data integration and exchange issues, meetings with transportation planning and data stakeholders, the development of a map of data sources, the development of a preliminary logical data model of spatial data entities, and a compilation of metadata documents for a sample of data sources. Developing the catalog of categories and subcategories for transportation planning spatial data was an iterative process that involved several rounds of data entity categorization; analysis of the resulting structure for inconsistencies, gaps, and redundancies; and subsequent changes to the data entity categorization scheme. In the end, the three-level grouping structure resulted in 7 categories, 63 subcategories, and 589 spatial data entities. The research also resulted in a prototype web-based map and metadata viewer called Transportation Planning GIS (TPGIS) Data Viewer. KW - Data analysis KW - Data integration KW - Data quality KW - Geographic information systems KW - Metadata KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31103/0-5696-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902417 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141831 AU - Ramasubramanian, T AU - Hunter (Broward) AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Evaluating the Effectiveness of Widely Available 3-D Visualization Tools in Support of Public Participation PY - 2009/06 SP - 104p AB - There is a persistent need for improved tools and techniques to facilitate public involvement at all phases of transportation decision making. Transportation agencies are still seeking more affordable, accessible, and effective means of communicating with a wide range of stakeholders. The court documents a survey of a wide variety of transportation agencies on their use of interactive 3-D visualization for public involvement using an electronic survey. Supplemental qualitative data was generated through telephone interviews with selected variety participants. It concludes with three case studies illustrating applications of interactive 3-D visualization to support public involvement in transportation decision making. The report concludes that the use of interactive 3-D mapping, although pervasive in transportation planning and design, is at the early stages of application as a public involvement tool. Most agencies use the tools for the purpose of informing stakeholders, illustrating the location of proposed projects, or plans or programs of projects in a regional or study area context, but not for engaging them in a specific dialogue in a meeting, workshop, or on-line chat forum. KW - Decision making KW - Geographic information systems KW - Public participation KW - Public transit KW - Traffic control KW - Transportation planning KW - Visualization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901800 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141689 AU - Choi, Seongcheol AU - Won, Moon C AU - Sudoi, Elias AU - Nasrazadani, Seifollah AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Tech University, Lubbock AU - University of North Texas, Denton AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Horizontal Cracking Mechanism in CRCP PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 52p AB - The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanism of horizontal cracking in continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). To this end, a numerical model to predict the risk of horizontal cracking in CRCP was developed. Material properties and steel design were considered in the numerical analysis and their effects on the risk of horizontal cracking were investigated. Based on numerical analysis results, laboratory testing was also conducted in order to simulate the horizontal cracking in transverse crack interface in CRCP. A horizontal cracking frame was developed and the mechanism of horizontal cracking was experimentally investigated. Longitudinal steel plays a significant role in developing horizontal cracks in CRCP. Significant stress of concrete develops near longitudinal steel because of steel restraint. It indicates that the horizontal crack perpendicular to maximum stress of concrete can occur near the steel. The horizontal cracks initiate from the transverse crack interface and propagate along the longitudinal steel. The effects of rebar temperature at the concrete placement and the water-to-cement ratio on the concrete rebar bond strength were also investigated experimentally. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Horizontal cracking KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mathematical models KW - Pavement cracking KW - Properties of materials KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Temperature KW - Transverse cracking KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5549_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902280 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141680 AU - Asquith, William H AU - Roussel, Meghan C AU - U.S. Geological Survey AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Regression Equations for Estimation of Annual Peak-Streamflow Frequency for Undeveloped Watersheds in Texas Using an L-moment-Based, PRESS-Minimized, Residual-Adjusted Approach PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 60p AB - Annual peak-streamflow frequency estimates are needed for flood-plain management; for objective assessment of flood risk; for cost-effective design of dams, levees, and other flood-control structures; and for design of roads, bridges, and culverts. Annual peak-streamflow frequency represents the peak streamflow for nine recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 250, and 500 years. Common methods for estimation of peak-streamflow frequency for ungaged or unmonitored watersheds are regression equations for each recurrence interval developed for one or more regions; such regional equations are the subject of this report. The method is based on analysis of annual peak-streamflow data from U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations (stations). Beginning in 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and in partnership with Texas Tech University, began a 3-year investigation concerning the development of regional equations to estimate annual peak-streamflow frequency for undeveloped watersheds in Texas. The investigation focuses primarily on 638 stations with 8 or more years of data from undeveloped watersheds and other criteria. The general approach is explicitly limited to the use of L-moment statistics, which are used in conjunction with a technique of multi-linear regression referred to as PRESS minimization. The approach used to develop the regional equations, which was refined during the investigation, is referred to as the “L-moment-based, PRESS-minimized, residual-adjusted approach.” For the approach, seven unique distributions are fit to the sample L-moments of the data for each of 638 stations and trimmed means of the seven results of the distributions for each recurrence interval are used to define the station-specific, peak-streamflow frequency. As a first iteration of regression, nine weighted-least-squares, PRESS-minimized, multi-linear regression equations are computed using the watershed characteristics of drainage area, dimensionless main-channel slope, and mean annual precipitation. The residuals of the nine equations are spatially mapped, and residuals for the 10-year recurrence interval are selected for generalization to 1-degree latitude and longitude quadrangles. The generalized residual is referred to as the OmegaEM parameter and represents a generalized terrain and climate index that expresses peak-streamflow potential not otherwise represented in the three watershed characteristics. The OmegaEM parameter was assigned to each station, and using OmegaEM, nine additional regression equations are computed. Because of favorable diagnostics, the OmegaEM equations are expected to be generally reliable estimators of peak-streamflow frequency for undeveloped and ungaged stream locations in Texas. The mean residual standard error, adjusted R-squared, and percentage reduction of PRESS by use of OmegaEM are 0.30 log10, 0.86, and −21 percent, respectively. Inclusion of the OmegaEM parameter provides a substantial reduction in the PRESS statistic of the regression equations and removes considerable spatial dependency in regression residuals. Although the OmegaEM parameter requires interpretation on the part of analysts and the potential exists that different analysts could estimate different values for a given watershed, the authors suggest that typical uncertainty in the OmegaEM estimate might be about ±0.10 log10. Finally, given the two ensembles of equations reported herein and those in previous reports, hydrologic design engineers and other analysts have several different methods, which represent different analytical tracks, to make comparisons of peak-streamflow frequency estimates for ungaged watersheds in the study area. KW - Equations KW - Estimating KW - Flood plains KW - Hydrologic engineering KW - Peak discharge KW - Regression analysis KW - Streamflow KW - Texas KW - Watersheds UR - http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5087/pdf/sir2009-5087.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902143 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141678 AU - Thompson, David B AU - Cleveland, Theodore G AU - Texas Tech University, Lubbock AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Subdivision of Texas Watersheds for Hydrologic Modeling PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 99p AB - The purpose of this report is to present a set of findings and examples for subdivision of watersheds for hydrologic modeling. Three approaches were used to examine the impact of watershed subdivision on modeled hydrologic response: (1) An equal-area approach, (2) an ad-hoc approach wherein subdivisions were created at locations based on engineering judgment, and (3) a distributed-modeling approach. The three methods were implemented by different individuals with varied hydrologic experience, using their professional judgment under the direction of project researchers. Technology included Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) curve number method for runoff volume, a variety of runoff-transformation methods, and use of measured rainfall-runoff responses. In general, subdivision had little or no impact on runoff volume. Estimates of peak discharge from study watersheds showed modest improvement in accuracy, but none beyond about 5-7 subdivisions. Time to peak estimates tended to degrade with subdivision, most likely because hydrologic routing introduced additional parameters requiring estimates. The distributed-modeling approach was extremely difficult to apply. In general, subdivision of watersheds is beneficial primarily when flow rates at locations internal to the watershed are required. The improvement in implied accuracy does not generally justify the subdivision process. KW - Hydrologic models KW - Hydrology KW - Peak discharge KW - Runoff KW - Texas KW - Watersheds UR - http://www.depts.ttu.edu/techmrtweb/reports/complete_reports/0-5822.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31200/31298/0-5822.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902187 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140745 AU - Goldgof, Dmitry B AU - Sapper, Deborah AU - Candamo, Joshua AU - Shreve, Matthew AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Smart Video for Transit Event Detection PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 85p AB - Transit agencies are increasingly using video cameras to fight crime and terrorism. As the volume of video data increases, the existing digital video surveillance systems provide the infrastructure only to capture, store and distribute video, while leaving the task of threat detection exclusively to human operators. The objective of this research project was to study and develop an evaluation framework for commercial video analytics systems. A state-of-the-art research literature survey was conducted. Identified strengths, weaknesses, future directions of research and state-of-the-art commercial video analytics products were surveyed. Product capabilities were identified by working together with vendors and analyzing the available literature offered by the providers. Use of analytic technology in transit agencies in Florida was analyzed. A technology survey among the largest agencies in the state indicates very low use of video analytics, significant skepticism, and poor general knowledge of the technology and its capabilities. Based on existing general evaluation frameworks, an evaluation framework for video analytics technology was developed, including annotation guidelines, scoring metrics, and implementation of the scoring metrics in the scoring software. KW - Anomaly detection KW - Crimes KW - Digital video KW - Florida KW - Literature reviews KW - Public transit KW - Security KW - State of the art KW - Surveillance KW - Terrorism KW - Video analytics KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BD549-49_rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77807.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31167/77807.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901150 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140743 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) AU - National Cooperative Highway Research Program TI - Swiss Heavy Goods Vehicle Control Centers: A Closer Look at Facility Characteristics and Supporting Technologies PY - 2009/06 SP - 30p AB - Switzerland has incorporated the use of technology as part of an efficient and effective approach to simultaneously measuring commercial motor vehicle size and weight at off-route stationary enforcement locations [i.e., heavy goods vehicle (HGV) control centers]. Potentially oversize or overweight vehicles—based on technology-based preselection procedures using weigh-in-motion (WIM) and/or overheight detection systems or enforcement personnel assessment—are directed into the facility for additional measurements. Once inside the facility, vehicles are required to drive under gantries where a vehicle profiler system captures the vehicle’s length, width, and height measurements and onto a static weigh bridge instrumented with several load cell scales that provides simultaneous axle and gross vehicle weight measurements. Size- and weight-related citations are generated automatically onsite for issuance to the driver and submission to the appropriate judiciary body. The vehicle may also be subject to a more rigorous safety inspection, if the facility is designed and equipped to perform such inspections. In February 2008, representatives of the Swiss Federal Roads Program (FEDRO) and the Uri Cantonal Police traveled to the United States and participated in a 1-day workshop in Glendale, AZ, where they described the use of automated size and weight measurement tools at Swiss enforcement sites. The two Swiss representatives next traveled to Washington, DC, where they made presentations to Federal and State officials and members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Subcommittee on Highway Transport. The U.S. presentations on the Swiss HGV control centers made in February 2008 continue to generate interest among U.S. commercial vehicle enforcement officials. To move the highway community from this expressed interest level to actual plans for deployment, this document provides additional detailed information on facility characteristics and supporting technologies. Specifically, this document describes the following: Intended facility functions (e.g., size or weight enforcement, safety inspections); Facility characteristics; Vehicle access, routing, and storage (e.g., out-of-service vehicle parking); Buildings and structures (e.g., administrative offices, covered inspection areas); Physical space requirements; Environmental considerations; Supporting technologies, including hardware and software components; and Associated facility cost. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Computers KW - Costs KW - Environmental impacts KW - Floor space KW - Inspection equipment KW - Law enforcement KW - Overheight vehicles KW - Size and weight regulations KW - Software KW - Structures KW - Switzerland KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle safety inspections KW - Weigh in motion KW - Weigh stations UR - http://international.fhwa.dot.gov/pubs/swiss/summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901083 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140737 AU - Walton, Jennifer R AU - Agent, Kenneth R AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Management Practices to Exchange Information Between the TOC and District Offices PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The objective of this study was to develop best management practices for exchange of information between the Transportation Operations Center (TOC) and the district offices and regional traffic management centers. Data collected for this study included: meetings with the Study Advisory Committee and key personnel within the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet at the central office and highway district offices; a literature review; a state website review; and telephone interviews with representatives from a few states. Recommendations were made in the following general areas: use of Condition Acquisition and Reporting System (CARS)/511; communication between the TOC and district offices; SAFE patrol; ITS equipment; public information; incident management; detours; weather/snow & ice; coordination with regional traffic management centers; documenting complaints; and website design. KW - 511 (National Travel Information Number) KW - Best practices KW - Communication KW - Condition Acquisition and Reporting System KW - Detours KW - Districts and authorities KW - Incident management KW - Information exchange KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2012/06/KTC_09_12_SPR_382_09_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901076 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140733 AU - Wallace, Candice Y AU - Walton, Jennifer R AU - Crabtree, Joseph Dale AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for Providing Traveler Information to Motorists at Rest Areas and Welcome Centers PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 45p AB - The objective of this study was to look at what Kentucky and other states are doing to provide wireless Internet connectivity (i.e., Wi-Fi service) for motorists at rest areas, weigh stations, and truck rest havens, and to identify technologies and best practices that may have applicability to Kentucky. A secondary objective was to look at the use of kiosks to provide traveler information in rest areas and welcome centers. Information was gathered through a literature review, Internet searches, and telephone interviews with public officials in numerous states. The study identified 18 states that are providing (or have provided) Wi-Fi service to travelers at rest areas and/or welcome centers. Four states were identified for case studies on the use of Wi-Fi. With regard to the use of kiosks, six states were selected for case studies. Based on the information gathered and analysis of the case studies, conclusions and recommendations for Kentucky were developed and presented. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - IEEE 802.11 (Standard) KW - Internet KW - Kentucky KW - Kiosks KW - Recommendations KW - Roadside rest areas KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2012/06/KTC_09_13_SPR_387_08_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901077 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140623 AU - Leonelli, F AU - Keller, S AU - F. J. Leonelli Group, Incorporated AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Research on Procedures and Guidance for Process/Repair Specifications PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 53p AB - A process specification is a detailed process requiring close control of certain parameters to produce a desired result. A process specification, as used in aircraft maintenance, may also be a subset of a repair procedure. Process specifications are used by manufacturers, airlines, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved repair stations during the manufacturing process and in the performance of maintenance on U.S.-registered aircraft and products. However, there is little FAA guidance, particularly for repair stations, on how to develop process specifications for repairs and to obtain FAA approval for their use. This lack of guidance also affects the FAA inspectors responsible for coordinating approvals for these types of process specifications by adding them to repair stations Operations Specifications. This research revealed that there is some disagreement on how these process specification approvals should flow through the various FAA organizations and at what levels the specifications should be approved. However, this flow of information is not defined clearly in any FAA guidance and the personnel concerned have had to develop their own mechanisms to ensure new process specification approvals are routed and approved properly. The research team included recommendations on how process specification approvals should flow among FAA offices and directorates. It should be noted that many issues presented in this study are opinions from the personnel who participated in the research. Some of these may be contrary to official FAA policy, but are useful and should be considered in efforts to improve the development and approval of process specifications. KW - Air transportation KW - Aircraft maintenance KW - Guidelines KW - Maintenance KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations KW - Specifications KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/901012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140459 AU - Sebesta, Stephen AU - Liu, Wenting AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Pave-IR Operator's Manual Version 1.3 PY - 2009/06//Product SP - 32p AB - This product updates the prior user’s manual for Pave-IR to reflect changes in hardware and software made to accommodate collection of Global Positioning System (GPS) data simultaneously during the collection of thermal profiles. The current Pave-IR system described in this manual attaches to the paver and collects and displays the thermal profile of the hot-mix construction operation in real time as the paving train progresses. The system also records the GPS coordinates of each temperature scan, so that the limits of the profile and the location of anomalous areas can be reliably documented. KW - Data collection KW - Global Positioning System KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Infrared imagery KW - Manuals KW - Operators (Persons) KW - Pave-IR KW - Paving KW - Quality control KW - Thermal imaging UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-4577-03-P1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31107/5-4577-03-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900830 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140457 AU - Wang, Jyh-Hone AU - Song, Miao AU - University of Rhode Island, Kingston AU - University of Rhode Island, Kingston AU - Rhode Island Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Studying the Vehicle Headway Issue and Its Impact On the Slow-Down Effect PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 54p AB - Tailgating is a dangerous driving behavior and is a major cause of rear-ended crashes. Finding effective means to help drivers maintain proper vehicle headways and to warn and discourage tailgating behavior is thus of utmost importance to traffic management authorities. This project presented a human-factors study, consisting of a vehicle headway analysis and a questionnaire survey, which was aimed to identify the causes of tailgating and to find effective means for tailgating treatments. In the vehicle headway analysis, vehicle headways on specific segments of major highways in Rhode Island were examined. With tailgating phenomenon confirmed from the analysis, the study next searched means to mitigate tailgating behavior. A questionnaire survey was conducted to find the leading causes of tailgating. Drivers’ preferences on several tailgating treatments were surveyed. The results of the survey indicated that the majority considered “tailgating” a serious offense. Most of them, however, did not know what the proper vehicle headway was when driving on highways. Among the few different tailgating treatments, most preferred the one where equal-distanced horizontal bars were used as reference markings. They also indicated that properly designed dynamic message signs and fixed signs using both graphics and words could help them better understand the proposed tailgating treatment systems. KW - Graphics KW - Headways KW - Highway traffic control KW - Human factors KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Questionnaires KW - Rear end crashes KW - Rhode Island KW - Road markings KW - Surveys KW - Tailgating KW - Traffic signs KW - Variable message signs UR - http://www.uritc.org/media/finalreportspdf/0001852.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900828 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140447 AU - Persad, Khali R AU - Walton, C Michael AU - Franco, Patricia AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Financing Tools for Rural and Small Urban Area Projects PY - 2009/06//Technical Report SP - 156p AB - This research examined financing tools that are applicable to rural and small urban area projects undertaken by the Texas Department of Transportation. It documents district experience with some of these tools and lessons learned. Pass-Through Tolling Agreements (PTA) have been popular recently, so case studies of their use in Texas were examined in detail. It was found that districts lack planning tools to conduct proper cost and benefit analyses for partnership projects. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Fees KW - Financing KW - Pass-through tolling agreements KW - Public private partnerships KW - Rural areas KW - Small cities KW - Taxes KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Tolls KW - Transportation projects UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6034_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900761 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01140000 AU - Rosenblad, Brent AU - Washer, Glenn AU - Goetz, Ryan AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium TI - Bridge Deck Integrity Measurements for Asset Management PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 43p AB - This project investigated the application and implementation of stress-wave–based methods for assessing the integrity of concrete bridge decks. The ultimate objective is to develop reliable and economical non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques that evaluate the condition of concrete bridge decks in the field with limited traffic disruption. Experimental and theoretical studies were conducted on guided stress waves (Lamb waves) in concrete plates. Field measurements were performed on a full-scale concrete bridge deck located at the Remote Testing Facility (RTF) at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Measurements were performed using a variety of sensor and source orientations, including the placement of sensors on the opposite side of the concrete deck from the source. Energy was excited using vertically and horizontally oriented broadband source impacts. Dispersion curves were successfully developed from a single-sensor, multi-impact approach and a frequency-wavenumber transformation procedure. The dispersion curves that were developed demonstrated the ability to detect and separate multiple Lamb wave modes that could be used to infer the thickness and Rayleigh wave velocity of the concrete deck. A second series of field experiments was performed on a concrete element containing simulated defects at several depths. The implementation of the approach described above proved ineffective for clearly detecting the presence and depth of the flaws. Additional measurements of Lamb waves propagating past the subsurface defects demonstrated the potential to identify the presence and depth of flaws based on changes in the frequency content of the wave. These measurements have provided valuable insight into potential means to implement stress-wave measurements for defect detection in bridge decks. KW - Asset management KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete KW - Measurement KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Stress waves UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/reports/BridgeDeckIntegrity.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899346 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139996 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Driving Transitions Education: Tools, Scripts, and Practice Exercises PY - 2009/06 SP - 58p AB - The purpose of this document is to provide professionals who work directly with older adults, their families, and concerned community members with the tools, scripts, and practice exercises to develop the necessary skills required for effective conversations about driver safety. Step-by-step procedures are provided for responding to inquiries about older driver safety, preparing the older adult and his or her family for the decisions they need to make, and discussing transitions from driving to alternatives that facilitate continued mobility and community involvement. The goal is to enable these professionals to feel comfortable and competent when talking to older drivers, their partners, and families about issues related to driver safety. KW - Aged drivers KW - Counseling KW - Decision making KW - Driving cessation KW - Highway safety KW - Traffic safety education KW - Transitions (Change) UR - http://www.safeandmobileseniors.org/pdfs/NHTSA%20Driving%20Transitions%20Education.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899524 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139969 AU - Ala, Nima AU - Stanigzai, Mohammad Ajmal AU - Azizinamini, Atorod AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Field Data for Effective Implementation of Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 197p AB - This report provides a summary of the work that was carried out to assess the merits of the Mechanistic Empirical Design approach and attempts to calibrate the procedure for application in Nebraska. This project consisted of two parts. First a parametric study was carried out to identify the parameters that are important and level of sophistication that is needed at the input level. It was concluded that there is a need for collecting field data, before making a final conclusion on effectiveness of the new methodology for application in Nebraska. The next step was to develop a field instrumentation plan and start collecting data and then continue with the calibration process. KW - Data collection KW - Field studies KW - Mechanistic design KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Nebraska KW - Pavement design UR - http://www.ne-ltap.unl.edu/ndor/field_data_for_empirical_design.zip UR - http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/R6000/B016.0138-2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899855 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139964 AU - Henault, John W AU - Kilpatrick, David J AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of a Cold In-Place Recycled Rehabilitation Treatment PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 123p AB - In 1998, a state highway with fewer than 5,000 vehicles per day of traffic received a three-inch cold in-place recycled (CIR) base treatment to rehabilitate the pavement, which had developed extensive reflective cracking in a previous overlay. The CIR treatment was followed by a two-inch overlay to complete the preservation project. Adjacent pavement on this highway received a conventional HMA overlay, and served as the experimental control for this research. This report presents results of an evaluation of the CIR treatment after ten years of service under light traffic. It includes results of testing of drilled cores and manual distress surveys. It also includes a state-of-the-art SPSS(trademark) statistical analysis of data collected by ConnDOT's Photolog personnel. These data include rut depths determined from full-width and partial-width transverse profiling equipment, international roughness index (IRI) values, and WiseCrax pavement distress values. The WiseCrax analysis shows that the CIR treatment was an effective preservation technique that mitigated reflective cracking, as a 65% reduction in pavement cracking was observed for the CIR versus the control pavement. The density of drilled cores taken from the CIR base ranged from 80% to 90% of the maximum theoretical density (MTD). Accordingly, rutting is a concern when using a CIR treatment. Overall, rut depths were 10% less severe for the CIR rehabilitated pavement than for the control pavement; however, where longitudinal joints were located in the wheel path, CIR treated pavement rut depths were 83% more severe than control pavement rut depths. Also, CIR pavement rut depths were 60% to 183% more severe on uphill grades >=4% than downhill grades >=4%. IRI values were comparable between the CIR pavement and the control. As a result of this research ConnDOT has established a goal to select four new construction projects, one from each District on low volume roadways, to receive CIR treatment of the base. The Department's Pavement Management section will determine which pavements are most suitable for this application, following the 2005 guidelines developed by the pavement preservation work group. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Cold in-place recycling KW - Cracking KW - Depth KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Reflective cracking KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Ruts (Pavements) UR - http://docs.trb.org/01139964.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899488 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139958 AU - Rajagopal, Arudi AU - Infrastructure Management and Engineering, Incorporated AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Automated Laboratory Testing Methods for Specific Gravity and Absorption: Verified to Match the Current Test Methods PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 82p AB - Twenty six coarse aggregate (12 gravel, 10 lime stone, 4 slag) and nine fine aggregate (4 lime stone, 3 natural sand, 2 slag sand) materials were collected from various sources in Ohio. Specific gravity and water absorption of the coarse aggregate samples were determined using CoreLok and ASTM C 127 procedures while testing of fine aggregate samples involved CoreLok, SSDetect and ASTM C 128 procedures. All the tests were performed in a single laboratory and by the same technician. The primary intent of the study was to investigate the ability of CoreLok and SSDetect to obtain faster results while, at the same time, improving the accuracy of results. The results led to the following conclusions: (1) Coarse Aggregates: CoreLok bulk specific gravity (Gsb) values are up to 8% higher than the ASTM C127 Gsb values. The difference between the corresponding apparent specific gravity (Gsa) values vary from 0 to 12%. The CoreLok absorption values are 1 to 81% lower except for two slag samples. These differences are statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. (2) Fine Aggregates: The SSDetect Gsb results closely follow the ASTM C 128 values. CoreLok Gsb values are moderately higher than ASTM and SSDetect for natural sand, but lower for slag. Gsa results of all the three test procedures follow each other closely. These differences are not statistically significant. The difference in absorption values between CoreLok and ASTM C 128 procedure ranges from 1.5% to 243.7%. In case of SSDetect vs. ASTM, this difference is 0.9% to 124.2%. (3) An in-depth absorption study of coarse aggregates using CoreLok highlighted some inconsistencies in the procedure. The principal recommendation of the study for the Ohio Department of Transportation is to continue specific gravity and absorption tests of coarse and fine aggregates using the traditional ASTM procedures. KW - Absorption KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Fine aggregates KW - Laboratory tests KW - Specific gravity KW - Test procedures UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/2/OHI/2010/01/06/H1262791041861/viewer/file1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55800/55850/FHWA-OH-2009-3.PDF UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55800/55851/FHWA-OH-2009-3_EXEC_SUMMARY.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899830 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139588 AU - Anderson, Keith W AU - Uhlmeyer, Jeffrey S AU - Williams, Kurt AU - Russell, Mark A AU - Weston, Jim AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Portland Cement Concrete Pavement With High Slag Content Cement PY - 2009/06//Post-Construction and Performance Report SP - 36p AB - The performance of a section of concrete pavement built with 30% Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) is compared to a control section of concrete pavement built with 25% GGBFS to determine if the higher slag content pavement is more resistant to wear from studded tires. This report details the construction of the pavement, construction quality control tests, and initial base line wear, friction, and smoothness results. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Friction KW - Granulated slag KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving KW - Quality control KW - Slag KW - Smoothness KW - Studded tires KW - Wear UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/728.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900375 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139586 AU - Badger, Thomas C AU - Fish, Marc AU - Lowell, Steve AU - Allen, Tony M AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Ring Nets for Slope Protection for Rockfall: End-of-Construction Report: SR 28 Rock Island Experimental Feature Study PY - 2009/06//End-of-Construction Report SP - 67p AB - The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has used double-twisted hexagonal wire mesh and wire rope cable nets for several decades as slope protection to control rockfall initiating from slopes along state highways. Double-twisted hexagonal wire mesh has generally been applied to slopes with rock blocks less than 2 ft in size, while wire rope cable nets have been employed where larger blocks, typically up to 4-5 ft, are expected. In recent years, ring nets have been increasingly used for slope protection (drapery), mostly outside North America, to control large-sized rockfall. Because of the reported high strength of ring nets and the need to examine cost-competitive alternatives to cable nets, WSDOT proposed to evaluate ring nets for slope protection on a Federally-funded rockfall mitigation project. As outlined in the work plan submitted to FHWA, the study includes an evaluation of the ring net installation and an annual assessment of the performance for a 5-year period. This end-of-construction report documents the installation of the ring nets. KW - Installation KW - Performance KW - Ring nets KW - Rock slopes KW - Rockfall protection systems KW - Rockfalls KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/729.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56176/WA-RD-729.1.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/900376 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139510 AU - Turnage, Robert S AU - Baber, Thomas T AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Testing of the Wolf Creek Curved Girder Bridge: Part I: Vibration Tests PY - 2009/06//Final Contract Report SP - 69p AB - The Wolf Creek Bridge is a curved, multi-girder three span steel composite bridge located south of Narrows, Virginia, that was completed in 2006. A finite element model of the bridge revealed that pier flexibility may be important in modeling the bridge. In addition, questions have been raised as to the effectiveness of the C15x33 diaphragms in providing lateral transfer of loads between members. This study was conducted as Phase I of a project for which the overall goal was to use field testing to obtain a better understanding of the behavior of multi-span curved girder bridges. An array of vertically oriented accelerometers was located along the inner and outer edges of the bridge, along with radially oriented accelerometers along the outer edge, a tangentially oriented accelerometer on the outer edge, and an additional vertical accelerometer placed in the middle of the center span. Dynamic response data were collected under a variety of excitations, including sinusoidal forcing induced by an electro-dynamic shaker, impulse loadings at various locations, and several different vehicular loads. The dynamic data were transformed into the frequency domain and analyzed using a simple frequency domain algorithm to extract vibration frequencies and mode shapes. The resulting frequencies and mode shapes were compared with the existing finite element model. The findings indicated that not only is pier flexibility important, as had been hypothesized, but also that end constraints imposed by highway guardrails change both the natural frequencies and the mode shapes in ways that had not been anticipated. Frequencies of modes with strong pier participation and modes with strong transverse (hogging) components were lower than predicted by the computer model, suggesting that pier stiffness may be less than the model predicted and that transverse stiffness, to which the diaphragms contribute, may also be estimated. Implications of this study could have a significant effect on future health monitoring applications as they pertain to both curved and straight girder bridges. It is essential that finite element models in such long-term applications be able to reproduce the “as-built” response characteristics of a bridge. The current study raised significant issues about the ability to model the behavior of curved girder bridges correctly. Thus, it will be important to perform subsequent numerical research studies to develop models that will result in more precise predictions and to use these and other methods being developed in any health monitoring applications. KW - Accelerometers KW - Bridge piers KW - Computer models KW - Curved bridges KW - Dynamic response (Structures) KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Flexibility KW - Girder bridges KW - Narrows (Virginia) KW - Stiffness KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration tests UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/09-cr13.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37700/37782/09-cr13.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899864 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139509 AU - Yu, Xiong AU - Beck, Randall AU - Case Western Reserve University AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Performance and Economic Benefits of Thick Granular Base for Flexible Pavement Design in Ohio PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 103p AB - This project investigates the feasibility of using thick granular base for flexible pavement design in Ohio. The criteria considered include the performance criteria and life cycle economic analyses. The performance of different types of base layer design are compared using the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database. The focus is on the ability of achieving uniform dynamic deflections using Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data. Based on FWD records from the LTPP database, the relative merits of different base type design are compared. The pavement performance is predicted using the "Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide" (MEPDG) design software. A sensitivity study is conducted on the effects of granular base layer parameters on pavement performance. From the relative improvement in terms of pavement distress reduction, an optimal base layer thickness of 12 in. to 15 in. is identified. The use of thicker granular base (from the current 4 in. to 6 in. granular base currently used in Ohio to 12 in. thick granular base) is predicted to increase the pavement service life for around 30% using the criteria for common types of distresses. Life cycle analyses are conducted using a simplified model. The model indicates that for the typical Ohio flexible pavement sections, doubling the thickness of base layer, while causing higher initial construction cost, will result in life cycle cost savings. Thus performance predictions using the MEPDG and life cycle economic analyses support positively the use of granular base in flexible pavement design in Ohio. It is also found in this study that the climate model of the existing MEPDG design software does not adequately account for the regional climate conditions (such as freeze-thaw effects) effect on pavement performance. It is recommended to conduct further analyses of field performance data to validate the MEPDG model predictions. Finally, recommendations are provided on the specifications for screening the supply sources of granular materials for granular base construction. KW - Climate KW - Databases KW - Deflection KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Flexible pavements KW - Granular bases KW - Life cycle costing KW - Long-Term Pavement Performance Program KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Ohio KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Service life KW - Thickness UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/2/OHI/2009/08/18/H1250610088170/viewer/file1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899889 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139461 AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Implementation of Advanced Technologies in Rural Transit Service for the State of North Dakota PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 31p AB - This document, the final report for the Implementation of Advanced Technologies in Rural Transit Service for the State of North Dakota project, describes the motivation for, development and operation of, and lessons learned from an Internet-based trip planning system. The system was developed as an addition to an existing human service website, NDinfo.org. The new transportation module consisted of a searchable online database of transportation services available within North Dakota. The transportation module was available to online users from November 29, 2004, until the spring of 2006. In the summer of 2006, project resources were transferred to the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center (SURTC), a program of the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, at North Dakota State University. Under contract with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, SURTC redesigned the transportation module which remains operational. The final report is intended to meet a number of objectives. In addition to describing the effort and outcomes for reasons of accountability, the document is also meant to be an educational tool to provide information for those involved in Internet-based trip planning systems development as well as the broader Intelligent Transportation Systems and transit communities. The final report includes background information; a description of the project process and outcomes; and the evaluation framework, methods, and findings. The report should be of value to a wide range of transit industry professionals including federal and state program managers, transit agencies, and those involved in advanced public transportation systems engineering especially in small urban and rural communities. KW - Advanced public transportation systems KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Internet KW - North Dakota KW - Rural areas KW - Rural transit KW - Small towns KW - Trip planning UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/Implementation_of_Advanced_Technologies_in_Rural_Transit_Service_for_the_State_of_North_Dakota.pdf UR - http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP214.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899754 ER - TY - SER AN - 01139282 JO - FRA Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Tse, Terry AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Interoperable Communications-Based Signaling as a Basis for Positive Train Control PY - 2009/06 SP - 4p AB - This project demonstrated that the major suppliers of signaling equipment for the North American railroads could modify their existing safety-critical equipment to support operation of a vital interoperable positive train control system based on signaling principles developed over many decades. Project participants included the major suppliers of signal and train control equipment within North America. These suppliers have provided a wide variety of signaling equipment, including processor-based equipment that has been in revenue service on railroads and transit properties for decades. This includes equipment designed and built to the vital (or fail-safe) requirements of rail and transit properties. The project was sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Railroad Development and coordinated through the Railroad Research Foundation (www.railroadresearch.org). This project was undertaken to show a set of interoperability standards developed and maintained through an industry professional organization, such as the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), could be implemented. Interoperability is important as trains frequently travel across multiple territories operated by other railroads. As part of the project, a test environment modeling four sections, each representing a different railroad, was created along with a communications infrastructure for transporting messages. Each of the suppliers modified their own existing equipment to support the AREMA Manual of Recommended Practices and inserted their equipment into one of the sections within the overall test environment. Experience gained through the project was collected and referred to AREMA for inclusion in the next release of Recommended Practices. The four suppliers demonstrated that their modified wayside equipment operated within the test environment and was interoperable with the other suppliers equipment. Two of the suppliers demonstrated their carborne equipment operated within the system (including across all four suppliers waysides) and was interoperable within the overall system. KW - Communications KW - Interoperability KW - Positive train control KW - Rail transit KW - Railroads KW - Signaling UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2003 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139246 AU - Shaffer, Steven J AU - Long, Amy M AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U14: Field Testing & Analysis of Braking Performance of In-Service Trucks PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 40p AB - The purpose of this project was to collect a high quality data set to provide a snapshot of the braking capability of a representative sampling of in-service commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) on the road today. This data collection effort is important to safety in that no actual stopping performance data has been collected from in-service vehicles since the implementation of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) visual inspection in the early 1980’s. This assessment utilized improved technology, such as GPS systems and a Performance Based Brake Tester (PBBT), to collect data on CMV braking performance. The data collected in this effort is intended for use in evaluating how current in-service vehicles perform, and how the Level I visual inspection corresponds to actual braking performance. Since there is no regulation of after-market components, including replacement brake pads, visual inspections may not fully assess the ability of a vehicle to stop safely. Industry and regulators alike could use current vehicle performance data in safety applications as they review present design and maintenance practices and regulations. Industry and government partnered to support this project through direct financial and in-kind contributions. Primary contributors to the project include the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), Heavy-Duty Brake Manufacturer's Council (HDBMC) and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. KW - Braking performance KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Field tests KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Stopping KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.ntrci.org/ntrci-50-2009-009 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899179 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139236 AU - Barbur, John AU - Rodriguez-Carmona, Marisa AU - Evans, Sally AU - Milburn, Nelda AU - Applied Vision Research Centre AU - Civil Aviation Authority AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Minimum Color Vision Requirements for Professional Flight Crew, Part III: Recommendations for New Color Vision Standards PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 47p AB - This report describes the findings of the third phase of the project sponsored by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority on “Minimum Color Vision Requirements for Professional Flight Crew.” This third part of the project, “Recommendations for New Color Vision Standards,” involved collaboration and co-sponsorship by the Federal Aviation Administration. Minimum color vision requirements for professional flight crew have been established by assessing the level of color vision loss above which subjects with color deficiency no longer perform the most safety-critical, color-related tasks within the aviation environment with the same accuracy as normal trichromats. The new CAD (Color Assessment & Diagnosis) test provides accurate assessment of the applicant’s color vision. The results of the test establish with high specificity whether the subject’s red-green and yellow-blue color vision performance falls within the normal range and the class and severity of color vision loss in subjects with color deficiency. The results of the test also indicate whether the applicant’s color vision meets the minimum requirements for safe performance that have emerged as necessary from this investigation. If the new, experiment-based, pass/fail color limits were adopted as minimum requirements for professional flight crew, 36% of deutan subjects and 30% of protan subjects would be classified as safe to fly. Given the higher prevalence of deutan deficiencies, these findings suggest that 35% of color deficient applicants would be classified as safe to fly. KW - Aviation safety KW - Color blindness KW - Color vision KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Flight crews KW - Standards UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200911.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899169 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139232 AU - Canfield, Dennis V AU - Dubowski, Kurt M AU - Whinnery, James E AU - Lewis, Russell J AU - Ritter, Roxane M AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Increased Cannabinoids Concentrations Found in Specimens From Fatal Aviation Accidents Between 1997 and 2006 PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 16p AB - The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s toxicology laboratory receives biological specimens from more than 90% of all fatal aviation accidents that occur in the United States and its territories. As a part of the routine analysis of pilot specimens, the laboratory tests all cases for the presence of marijuana (cannabis). The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) reported a 1.5-fold increase in the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of street cannabis seizures from 1997-2001 to 2002-2006. This study was conducted to compare the changes, over those years, in blood and urine cannabinoid concentrations with the potency of THC reported in the cannabis plant. In our laboratory, cannabinoids are screened using radioimmunoassay (RIA) for blood and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) for urine and confirmed using GC/MS. A total of 95 individuals were found to be using cannabis from a total number of 2769 (3.4%) individuals tested over the period 1997 through 2006. Blood was received for analysis from 1676 fatally injured individuals. Urine was received for analyses from 1650 fatalities. Cannabinoids were found in 88 of the 1676 (5.3%) blood specimens received for analysis, and 64 of the 88 were from pilots. Cannabinoids were found in 68 of the 1650 (4.1%) urine specimens received for analysis, and 57 of the 68 were from pilots. Other impairing drugs were found in 39% of the cannabinoids-positive individuals. The mean concentration of THC in blood for 1997-2001 was 2.7 ng/mL; for 2002-2006, it was 7.2 ng/mL, a 2.7-fold increase in the mean THC concentration of specimens from aviation fatalities, compared to a 1.5-fold increase in cannabis potency reported by the NIDA and ONDCP over the 10 years of this study. The median age for cannabis users was 42 years (range 18-72) for aviation fatalities. For all blood and urine specimens tested from aviation fatalities, the mean age of the individuals with negative test results was 50 years (range 14-92). More than half of the fatalities tested were 50 years or older, whereas 80% of the positive cannabis users were under 50. THC concentrations in blood ranged from 0 ng/mL to 68 ng/mL, with a mean concentration of 5.5 ng/mL. Concentrations of 11-nor-9- carboxy-THC (THC-COOH) found in blood ranged from 0 ng/mL to 179 ng/mL, with a mean concentration of 17.5 ng/mL. Urine concentrations for THC-COOH ranged from 2 to 1,113 ng/mL, with a mean concentration of 137.9 ng/mL. KW - Air transportation crashes KW - Cannabis KW - Concentration (Chemistry) KW - Fatalities KW - Toxicology KW - Urine UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200912.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/899162 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139123 AU - Edwards, Frances L AU - Goodrich, Daniel C AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - The Role of Transportation in Campus Emergency Planning PY - 2009/06 SP - 183p AB - This report describes the value of integrating transportation infrastructure into the campus emergency plan, including planning for helicopter operations. It offers a list of materials that can be used to educate and inform campus leadership on campus emergency impacts, including books about the Katrina response by Louisiana State University and Tulane Hospital, contained in the report’s bibliography. It provides a complete set of Emergency Operations Plan checklists and organization charts updated to acknowledge lessons learned from Katrina, September 11 and other wide-scale emergencies. Campus emergency planners can quickly update their existing emergency management documents by integrating selected annexes and elements, or create new National Incident Management System (NIMS)-compliant plans by adapting the complete set of annexes to their university's structures. KW - Campus transportation KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Emergency management KW - Emergency medical services KW - Emergency transportation KW - Hazards and emergency operations KW - Transportation planning KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/mtiportal/research/publications/documents/Role%20of%20Transportation%20(Complete%20with%20Cover).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898962 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139099 AU - James, Kenneth AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - University Transportation Centers Program AU - California Department of Transportation TI - Dual Use of Electric Utility Rights of Way by Integration of an Urban Maglev Container Corridor and Gas Insulated Transmission Lines PY - 2009/06//Final Report SP - 16p AB - This report examines the economic feasibility of allowing electric utility rights of a way to serve as a goods movement corridor. This would be a dual use scenario involving the integration of shielded Gas Insulated Transmission Lines (GITLs) within a specific Maglev based container transport system known as the ECCO system. A second objective of the study was to select an existing utility rights of way alignment for further study of such an integrated system from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to warehouse facilities in the Inland Empire and beyond. KW - Container traffic KW - Containers KW - Electric utilities KW - Magnetic levitation KW - Port of Long Beach KW - Port of Los Angeles KW - Right of way (Land) UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/Final%20Report%2007-13_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898635 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01139087 AU - Johnston, Robert A AU - Gao, Shengyi AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - Public Versus Private Mobility for the Poor: Transit Improvements Versus Increased Car Ownership in the Sacramento Region PY - 2009/06 SP - 32p AB - In this study, the authors examined the impacts of car ownership promotion versus transit improvements on job accessibility, work trips, and traveler’s economic welfare by running a travel demand model adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). In the car scenario, the zero-car households who were assigned a car had higher job accessibility and larger traveler benefits than in the Base Case scenario. The other households had lower traveler benefits, compared to the Base Case, due to slight increases in congestion. In the transit scenario, all households had gains in traveler benefits and the households without a car gained more than those with a car. The households without a car gained more in traveler benefits in the transit scenario than in the car scenario. The total gain in traveler benefits was higher in the transit scenario. In both scenarios, the changes in total travel time, congestion, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) were small, but mode shares changed substantially. KW - Automobile ownership KW - Low income groups KW - Mode choice KW - Public transit KW - Sacramento Metropolitan Area KW - Transportation policy KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Work trips UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/mtiportal/research/publications/documents/Johnston&Gao%20(Complete%20with%20cover).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898957 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138759 AU - Briglia, Peter M AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - ITS Evaluation Framework — Phase 2 Continuation (2009): Seventeen Projects PY - 2009/06//Research Report SP - 106p AB - This report documents the results of applying a previously developed, standardized approach for evaluating intelligent transportation systems (ITS) projects to 17 ITS earmark projects. The evaluation approach was based on a questionnaire to investigate technical, management, and organizational lessons learned. The report includes 15 evaluation reports for the 17 ITS projects. Each report includes a discussion of the following: Background; Project description; System usage and benefits; Cost, operations and maintenance; Architecture and standards; and Lessons learned. Most of the lessons learned in this evaluation phase were similar to those documented in previous evaluations. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Lessons learned KW - Projects KW - Questionnaires UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/672.2.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56164/WA-672.2.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898992 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138542 AU - Persaud, Bhagwant AU - Lyon, Craig AU - Eccles, Kimberly A AU - Lefler, Nancy X AU - Gross, Frank AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Persaud and Lyon, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Offset Improvements for Left-Turn Lanes PY - 2009/06 SP - 50p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) organized a pooled fund study of 26 States to evaluate low-cost safety strategies as part of its strategic highway safety effort. One of the strategies chosen to be evaluated for this study was offset improvements for left-turn lanes. This strategy is intended to reduce the frequency of crashes by providing better visibility for drivers that are turning left. The safety effectiveness of this strategy has not been thoroughly documented, and this study is an attempt to provide an evaluation through scientifically rigorous procedures. Geometric, traffic, and crash data were obtained for 92 installations in Nebraska, 13 in Florida, 12 in Wisconsin, and for a number of untreated reference sites in each State. To account for potential selection bias and regression-to-the-mean, an Empirical Bayes (EB) before-after analysis was conducted to determine the safety effectiveness of improving the offset for left-turn lanes. There was a large difference in observed effects among the three States, which may be explained, in part, by the wide variation in offset improvements. Florida and Nebraska employed pavement marking adjustments or minor construction to improve the offset. While the offset was improved at each site, most improvements did not result in a positive offset. Wisconsin reconfigured left-turn lanes through major construction projects, resulting in significant positive offsets. Results in Florida and Nebraska showed little or no effect on total crashes. Wisconsin showed significant reductions in all crash types investigated—total (34%), injury (36%), left-turn (38%), and rear-end (32%). A disaggregate analysis was conducted for Nebraska, the only State with enough installations to disaggregate the results. The analysis revealed that the percent reduction in crashes increased as the expected number of crashes increased. An economic analysis was conducted to identify the level of expected crashes that would yield a crash benefit to justify the construction cost. Based on this analysis, offset improvement through reconstruction is cost-effective at intersections with at least nine expected crashes per year and where left-turn lanes are justified by traffic volume warrants. KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Disaggregate analysis KW - Economic analysis KW - Empirical Bayes method KW - Florida KW - Highway safety KW - Improvements KW - Left turn lanes KW - Nebraska KW - Offset intersections KW - Offset left turn lanes KW - Sight distance KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09035/index.cfm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31090/FHWA-HRT-09-035.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898931 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138538 AU - Gross, Frank AU - Persaud, Bhagwant AU - Piesse, Andrea AU - Lefler, Nancy X AU - Eccles, Kimberly A AU - Jenness, James AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Advance Street Name Signs PY - 2009/06 SP - 66p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) organized a pooled fund study of 26 States to evaluate low-cost safety strategies as part of its strategic highway safety effort. The objective of the pooled fund study was to estimate the safety effectiveness for several of the unproven, low-cost safety strategies identified in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 500 Series reports through scientifically rigorous crash-based studies. One of the strategies chosen to be evaluated for this study was advance street name signs at signalized intersections. This strategy is intended to reduce the frequency of older driver crashes and crashes related to way-finding (i.e., rear-end and sideswipe crashes) at signalized intersections. Geometric, traffic, and crash data were obtained at signalized intersections for 82 sites in Arizona, 65 sites in Massachusetts, and 46 sites in Wisconsin. To account for potential selection bias and regression-to-the-mean, an Empirical Bayes before-after analysis was conducted to determine the safety effectiveness of installing advance street name signs. Based on the aggregate analysis, sideswipe crashes were the only crash type that changed significantly, which was a 27% reduction in Massachusetts and a 10% reduction for the three States combined. While results showed an insignificant reduction for total crashes in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, there was an insignificant increase in total crashes in Arizona. For the three States combined, there was a statistically insignificant reduction in total crashes (1.6%). The disaggregate analysis indicated that advance street name signs may be more effective on the major road at three-legged intersections as well as those locations with a relatively large average annual daily traffic (AADT) or a large expected number of crashes. Also, additional signs (i.e., two or more per approach) were shown to be more effective than just one advance sign. Based on conservative cost estimates, a reduction of just 0.01 crashes per intersection-year would achieve a 2:1 benefit-cost ratio. Given the very low cost of this strategy and the potential to enhance way-finding, the use of advance street name signs is justified, particularly at three-legged intersections and locations with a relatively large AADT or a large expected number of crashes. KW - Advance street name signs KW - Aged drivers KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Arizona KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Empirical Bayes method KW - Highway safety KW - Improvements KW - Massachusetts KW - Rear end crashes KW - Side crashes KW - Signalized intersections KW - Three leg intersections KW - Traffic signs KW - Wayfinding KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09029/index.cfm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31000/31091/FHWA-HRT-09-029.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898925 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01138537 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Regulatory Analyses, Regulatory Evaluations, and Other Reports Completed by Plans and Programs/Plans and Policy/NCSA Office of Regulatory Analysis From January 1971 Through June 2009 PY - 2009/06 SP - 37p AB - This is a list of the regulatory analyses, regulatory evaluations, and other reports completed by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) Office of Regulatory Analysis during the period January 1971 through June 2009. It is arranged by date and includes the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number and the title of the document. KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Motor vehicles KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811180.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/898917 ER -