TY - RPRT AN - 01603664 AU - Renne, John AU - Listokin, David AU - Tolford, Tara AU - Mosby, Kim AU - Amdal, James AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Opportunities and Tensions of Historic Preservation and Transit Oriented Development PY - 2015/12 SP - 118p AB - In recent years, there has been much research on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in the United States and abroad. There has been decades of study of historic preservation, both in the United States and internationally. Yet the intersection of TOD and historic preservation has received scant attention. This project cross-references data on TOD and historic preservation, examines case studies of where TOD and historic preservation intersect and recommends policy and tools for preservation in TODs. KW - Case studies KW - Data analysis KW - Geographic information systems KW - Historic preservation KW - Literature reviews KW - Policy KW - Transit oriented development KW - United States UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00116-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409651 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603628 AU - Haselbach, Liv AU - Langfitt, Quinn AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates AU - Department of Transportation TI - Transportation Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Synthesis: Life Cycle Assessment Learning Module Series PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 83p AB - The Life Cycle Assessment Learning Module Series is a set of narrated, self-advancing slideshows on various topics related to environmental life cycle assessment (LCA). This research project produced the first 27 of such modules, which are freely available for download on the CESTiCC website http://cem.uaf.edu/cesticc/publications/lca.aspx. Each module is roughly 15-20 minutes in length and is intended for various uses such as course components, as the main lecture material in a dedicated LCA course, or for independent learning in support of research projects. The series is organized into four overall topical areas, each of which contain a group of overview modules and a group of detailed modules. The A and α groups cover the international standards that define LCA. The B and β groups focus on environmental impact categories. The G and γ groups identify software tools for LCA and provide some tutorials for their use. The T and τ groups introduce topics of interest in the field of transportation LCA. This includes overviews of how LCA is frequently applied in that sector, literature reviews, specific considerations, and software tutorials. Future modules in this category will feature methodological developments and case studies specific to the transportation sector. KW - Education and training KW - Environmental impacts KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Literature reviews KW - Software KW - Standards KW - Transportation UR - http://cem.uaf.edu/media/160293/life-cycle-assessment-learning-module-series-report-28-jan-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409699 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603610 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Clark, Latissha AU - Southern, Velyjha AU - Center for Transportation Training and Research AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Synthesis Report of Purpose and Need: Assessment of Event Egress for Houston’s Reliant Stadium PY - 2015/12 SP - 32p AB - Attendance at large arena events is increasing, as the seats are added, and ground level activities such as tailgating attract visitors not attending the game. Access is somewhat staggered as people choose their arrival times differently. However, the egress is far more concentrated with visitors largely attempting to leave simultaneously. The prevailing approach is to place police officers, who communicate via radio, at proximate exit locations. Further complicating the egress are those who arrive by public transportation and are transported by scheduled train cycles or queued buses. Once filled, users wait for the next cycle. Given advances in technology from the perspective of handheld devices and traffic management software, it is timely to reexamine protocol and strategies to determine whether an opportunity exists to facilitate or streamline egress, specifically looking at NRG Stadium in Houston. This work convened stakeholders familiar with NRG stadium in Houston, Texas to detail concepts to potentially improve egress, particularly in consideration of Super Bowl XLIX to be held at NRG in 2017. KW - Building exits KW - Egress KW - Houston (Texas) KW - NRG Stadium KW - Public transit KW - Schedules KW - Special events KW - Stadiums KW - Stakeholders KW - Traffic volume KW - Transit riders UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00049-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409653 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603561 AU - Zhang, Zhao AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Gulf Coast Megaregion Evacuation Traffic Simulation Modeling and Analysis PY - 2015/12 SP - 34p AB - This paper describes a project to develop a micro-level traffic simulation for a megaregion. To accomplish this, a mass evacuation event was modeled using a traffic demand generation process that created a spatial and temporal distribution of departure times, origins, and destinations based on past hurricane scenarios. A megaregion-scale simulation was required to assess this event because only at this level can traffic from multiple cities, over several days, with route assignments in multiple and overlapping directions be analyzed. Among the findings of the research was that it is possible to scale-up and adapt existing models to reflect a simultaneous multi-city evacuation covering a megaregion. The movements generated by the demand and operational models were both logical and meaningful and they were able to capture the key elements of the system, including the traffic progression over vast spaces and long time durations. They were also adequate to demonstrate benefits of proactive traffic management strategies and the effect of increased and decreased advanced warning times. The project also revealed numerous limitations of existing modeling and computational processing capabilities. The knowledge and results gained from this research can be adaptable and transferable for the evaluation of other locations with different road networks, populations, transportation resources, and hazard threats. Models such as this can be modified to represent anticipated growth and development within large regions and can be used to evaluate the interrelationships between behavioral response and regional transportation management strategies. KW - Evacuation KW - Evaluation KW - Gulf Coast KW - Hurricanes KW - Megaregions KW - Microsimulation KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel demand UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00101-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01602711 AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - European Union TI - State of Harmonisation Document SN - 9789292160265 PY - 2015/12 SP - 20p AB - The purpose of this document is to provide a high-level summary of the current state of progress toward achieving the necessary level of interoperability between the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and the Single European Sky ATM Research Programme (SESAR), based on the cooperative activities between the United States and the European Union. The U.S. and EU collaboration aims to harmonise and secure Air Traffic Management (ATM) modernisation efforts as drivers of and in support of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) with the Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU) programme. Both NextGen and SESAR recognise the need to integrate the air and ground parts of their air traffic management systems by addressing efficiency needs of flight trajectories planning and execution and the seamless sharing of accurate information. The U.S./EU joint harmonisation work will assure that modernisation and advances in air navigation systems worldwide can be made in a way that supports cooperation, clear communication, seamless operations, and optimally safe practices. The collaborative harmonisation work between the U.S. and the EU has taken place under the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the United States of America and the European Union on Civil Aviation Research and Development that was signed in March 2011, and specifically under Annex I, which covers “SESAR-NextGen Cooperation for Global Interoperability.” The two parties have concluded that it is more effective to plan for harmonisation activities with an implementation focus (ref. NextGen Implementation Plan and the European ATM Master Plan) and to initiate the activities early in the research and development phase. The MOC and its Annex I provide the functional framework for collaboration on such harmonisation activities. This framework also provides a vehicle for the U.S. and Europe to work together towards interoperable standards and in support of efforts towards achievement of ICAO global harmonisation as articulated in the ICAO GANP/ASBU´s. Much of the collaboration work done under this framework directly supports global ICAO standardisation efforts. The U.S. and Europe are for the same reason also supporting and engaging in initiatives fostered by other international bodies, such as the industry standardisation bodies of Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) and European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE). There are five main areas of collaboration under Annex 1 to the MOC on NextGen and SESAR Harmonisation: Transversal Activities; Information Management; Trajectory Management; Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) and Airborne Interoperability; and Collaboration Projects. This State of Harmonisation Document summarises the progress made in these five areas. KW - Air traffic control KW - European Union KW - Interoperability KW - Modernization KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research KW - Standardization KW - United States UR - http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/media/nextgen_sesar_harmonization.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1413083 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600752 AU - Xu, Gang AU - Shi, Xianming AU - Muthumani, Anburaj AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates AU - Department of Transportation TI - Environmentally Friendly Pervious Concrete for Treating Deicer-Laden Stormwater (Phase I Report) PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 119p AB - A graphene oxide-modified pervious concrete was developed by using low-reactivity, high-calcium fly ash as sole binder and chemical activators and other admixtures. The density, void ratio, mechanical strength, infiltration rate, Young’s modulus, freeze-deicer salt scaling, and degradation resistance of this pervious concrete were measured against three control groups. The test results indicate that graphene oxide modified fly ash pervious concrete is comparable to Portland cement pervious concrete. While the addition of 0.03% graphene oxide (by weight of fly ash) noticeably increased the compressive strength, split tensile strength, Young’s modulus, freeze-deicer salt scaling, and degradation resistance of fly ash pervious concrete, it reduced the void ratio and infiltration rate. The fly ash pervious concrete also showed unfavorable high initial loss during the freeze-deicer salt scaling test, which may be attributed to the low hydration degree of fly ash at early age. It is recommended that durability tests for fly ash concrete be performed at a later age. KW - Admixtures KW - Binders KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Durability KW - Fly ash KW - Graphene oxide KW - Laboratory tests KW - Porous pavements KW - Runoff UR - http://cem.uaf.edu/media/176826/final-report-cesticcreports_fly_ash_pervious_concrete-05202016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599871 AU - Chang, Carlos M AU - Vavrova, Marketa AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Multi-Objective Sustainable Model for Transportation Asset Management Practices PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 93p AB - Transportation Asset Management (TAM) practices has gained popularity in the United States and worldwide with the aim to provide the required level of service for the transportation infrastructure network in the most cost-effective manner. However, TAM is a complex decision-making process since many objectives and different perspectives, often producing conflicting goals, must be considered. The report presents a Multi-Objective Sustainable (MOS) model to integrate economic, social, and environmental sustainable objectives into TAM decision-making. A comprehensive literature review of sustainable performance measures for TAM are described to address concerns on road vehicle emissions, safety, and livability. The Quality Deployment Matrix (QFD) is proposed for selection of the performance measures. MOS can be used by transportation agencies to evaluate different scenarios in the context of Target-Driven or Budget-Driven decisions. An application of the MOS model is demonstrated in a case study for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The implementation of the MOS-TAM can help agencies to prioritize projects for funding in a sustainable manner addressing the needs of motorized users and pedestrians. MOS enhances the traditional TAM methods and improves the communication to stakeholders by providing helpful insights of the environmental and social consequences of TAM decisions. KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Literature reviews KW - Performance measurement KW - Pollutants KW - Quality of life KW - Safety KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable development UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-046-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407824 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599870 AU - Cheu, Ruey L AU - Mondragon, Oscar A AU - Villanueva-Rosales, Natalia AU - Nazarian, Soheil AU - Carrasco, Cesar J AU - Cabrera, Sergio D AU - Ferrugut, Carlos M AU - Gates, Ann Q AU - Jimenez, Heidi A Taboada AU - Balal, Esmaeil AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Research Challenges toward the Implementation of Smart Cities in the United States PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 67p AB - A smart city is characterized by its ability to integrate people, technology and information to create an efficient, sustainable and resilient infrastructure that provides high quality services while improving the quality of life of its residents. This report focuses on the three infrastructures: smart classroom buildings, smart bridges and smart bus systems, with the aim of making them smarter in the context of smart cities. The objective is to develop Concepts of Operations (ConOps), from user’s perspective, for smart buildings, smart bridges and smart bus systems, respectively, for smart cities. A smart classroom building is one which makes used of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to link different systems within a building to deliver useful information to different end users so as to improve the quality of teaching, learning and working experiences. A smart bridge has wireless sensors that automatically monitor the structural and geotechnical health, exchanges real-time data with traffic management center and incorporate traffic and emission impacts in the bridge maintenance decision making process. A smart bus system provides passengers a high quality service by implementing several bus rapid transit features and by the use of ICT to integrate and deliver service information to passengers. This report provides a description of each of the infrastructure systems from the system engineering perspective. Several techniques (Stakeholder Influence Diagram, Context Diagram, and Use Case Diagram) are used to identify relevant stakeholders, define the scope of the system and its external entities, and to identify the smart services provided by the smart classroom buildings, smart bridges and smart bus systems. By applying these systems engineering techniques, the challenges and research opportunities of transforming existing classroom buildings, bridges and regular bus systems into smart classroom buildings, smart bridges, and smart bus systems are identified. KW - Bridges KW - Bus transit operations KW - Cities KW - Data collection KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Smart growth KW - Stakeholders KW - Sustainable development KW - Systems engineering KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - United States UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-060-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407819 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599869 AU - Zolghadri, Navid AU - Halling, Marvin W AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Foust, Nick AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effects of Temperature on Bridge Dynamic Properties PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Structural health monitoring (SHM) using ambient vibration has become a valuable tool in evaluating and assessing the condition of civil structures. For bridge structures, a vibration-based SHM system uses the dynamic response of a bridge to measure modal parameters. A change in a structure’s modal parameters can indicate a physical change in the system, such as damage or a boundary condition change. These same modal parameters are sensitive to environmental factors, mainly temperature. Statistical models have been utilized to filter out modal parameter changes influenced by temperature and those caused by physical changes. Statistical models also help describe the relationship between modal parameters and environmental conditions. For this research, a lab specimen, I-girder, concrete box-girder, and steel plate girder bridges were studied. A SHM system was installed on these structures and vibration and temperature data were collected. This data was used to understand how the bridge’s natural frequencies typically change due to temperature. KW - Dynamic tests KW - Girder bridges KW - Modal analysis KW - Natural frequency KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Temperature KW - Vibration UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-050-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407822 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599295 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Colton, Paige AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Novel Modes Workshop Summary Report PY - 2015/12 SP - 56p AB - On December 2-3, 2014, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Exploratory Advanced Research Program, with support from the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, convened the 2-day workshop "Novel Modes." It was held concurrently at FHWA's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia; Federal Transit Administration's Region 9 Offices in San Francisco, California; and via Web conferencing. The purpose of the workshop was to assess and document the state of technology for new modal systems, thereby providing FHWA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other government agencies with (1) and educated understanding of potential technological trends that could affect the current highway, transit, and rail systems; (2) a foundation for considering the appropriate government policy and research roles for novel modal systems; and (3) an opportunity to provide ongoing fair and open access to innovators in the business and academic sectors. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highways KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Policy KW - Public transit KW - Railroads KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation modes KW - Workshops UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/sites/default/files/NovelModesWkshop-web.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60401/DOT-VNTSC-OSTR-2015-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407801 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597299 AU - Bullough, John D AU - Skinner, Nicholas P AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Demonstrating Urban Outdoor Lighting for Pedestrian Safety and Security PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 21p AB - Pedestrian safety is a critical element of urban transportation. A review of published literature, as well as real-world demonstration activities, indicate that bollard-level crosswalk lighting has excellent potential for enhancing pedestrian visibility and improving safety at crosswalks, particularly where the presence of a crosswalk might not be expected by approaching drivers. Such locations include midblock crossings, roundabouts and locations near schools and other public venues that might experience high levels of pedestrian traffic at sporadic or unexpected times. The light levels produced by the system and measured during a nighttime demonstration installation were sufficient to achieve high levels of visual performance. The push button control used by the prototype bollard system allowed the luminaires to produce a relatively low, glare-free light level when not in use, while still making them highly visible to pedestrians and drivers. The temporary cycling between low and high light levels that occurred when the button was pressed could act as a visual alert to warn drivers that a pedestrian is present and waiting to cross the street, and the higher light level of at least 10 vertical lux in the crosswalk resulted in high levels of visibility. KW - Brightness KW - Crosswalks KW - Drivers KW - Lighting KW - Literature reviews KW - Luminaires KW - Night visibility KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Demonstrating-Urban-Outdoor-Lighting-Pedestrian-Safety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404183 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596862 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Colton, Paige AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Novel Surface Transportation Modes PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 54p AB - This report summarizes an initial stage investigation into current research and development of alternative modal concepts. The project goals were to gain a better understanding of novel surface transportation concepts that fall outside of the Federal Highway Administration's Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program's regular technology scans; to facilitate interaction and information-sharing among the U.S. Department of Transportation, State and local governments, and private sector innovators; and to explore the role of the public sector in advancing transportation innovation. This report discusses the current state of novel surface transportation modal concepts, identifies opportunities and challenges for these concepts, and presents a set of potential future research needs. The authors of this report have summarized the information from both research on novel modes and the viewpoints shared at the novel modes workshop. KW - Ground transportation KW - Research projects KW - State of the practice KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation modes KW - Workshops UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/sites/default/files/NovelSurfTranspModes-web.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59146/NovelSurfTranspModes-web.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402108 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596777 AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - Bao, Ken AU - Wood, Abby AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost-Benefit Analysis: Substituting Ground Transportation for Subsidized Essential Air Services PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 76p AB - Since the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has been subsidizing air service to small rural communities through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The original intent of the program was to maintain some level of air service to rural communities that would otherwise not have any. The Rural Survival Act of 1996 established the permanence of the EAS program; the act was fueled by the idea that reliable air services are vital to local rural economies. This idea has been somewhat challenged in recent studies that found little to no economic impacts of air traffic. This project entertained the theory that intercity traffic volume, and not air traffic volume alone, is what affects the economic outcomes of certain geographical areas. A cost-benefit analysis of substituting subsidized air service with a subsidized ground service is presented and concludes that an intercity ground service network can create substantial cost savings on both a per round trip basis and a round trip-seat basis. KW - Air travel KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Bus travel KW - Economic impacts KW - Essential Air Service program KW - Intercity travel KW - Rural areas KW - Rural travel KW - Savings KW - Shuttle service KW - Subsidies UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1186&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403235 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596676 AU - Belthoff, Jim AU - Arnold, Erin AU - Regan, Tempe AU - Allen, Tiffany AU - Kociolek, Angela AU - Boise State University AU - Idaho Transportation Department AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessing Feasibility of Mitigating Barn Owl-Vehicle Collisions in Southern Idaho PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 147p AB - Large numbers of barn owls are killed along roads in southern Idaho. Although barn-owl vehicle collisions are not unique to Idaho, I-84 has among the world’s highest rates of vehicle-caused mortality for barn owls. This is concerning because much lower rates have caused local extirpation in some areas. Barn owl populations have declined in portions of their range such that regulatory agencies consider them a species of concern, threatened, or endangered in some states, provinces, and countries. This research was designed to understand the spatial, road geometric, and biotic (land cover and prey) factors associated with barn owl-vehicle collisions and examine feasibility of mitigation. The authors also provide a literature review of barn owl road mortality and mitigation approaches from North America and Europe. The greatest rates of mortality along I-84 occurred between Bliss and Hazelton, Idaho. Mortality increased when the highway was close to the Snake River Canyon, close to dairies (agriculture), and farther from water features, and when there were fewer nearby roads, narrower medians, fewer human structures, and a higher percentage of cultivated crops. Owl road kills were higher when plant cover type in the median and right-of-way was grass rather than shrubs. The research team recommends that mortality hotspots be the focus of initial mitigation. Efforts to reduce barn owl mortality should focus on vegetation management in the right-of-way to promote tall shrubs or scrub vegetation to reduce “huntability” for owls, and keeping grassy areas to very low heights to potentially reduce abundance of small mammals through decreased food and cover for them. There should also be development of barriers (hedges or trees, nets, fences, berms or other) to restrict low flight by owls in mortality hotspots. Reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions involving barn owls is an important step in ensuring persistence of this avian species. In so doing, it would reduce chances that the conservation status of barn owls is elevated, which would bring heightened regulatory challenges to the transportation sector in Idaho. KW - Birds KW - Crashes KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Idaho KW - Landscape maintenance KW - Literature reviews KW - Recommendations KW - Road kill KW - Vegetation KW - Wildlife UR - https://works.bepress.com/james_belthoff/45/download/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403013 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596012 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Macfarlane, Kate AU - Mittelman, Anjuliee AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Wainer, Jordan AU - Nash, Logan AU - Schwarzer, Julianne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Federal Highway Administration 2014/2015 Implementing Eco-Logical Program Annual Report PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 78p AB - The Eco-Logical approach offers an ecosystem-based framework for integrated infrastructure and natural resource planning, project development, and delivery. The 2014/2015 Implementing Eco-Logical Program Annual Report provides updates on the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Eco-Logical Program, in particular the Implementing Eco-Logical initiative funded through the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) in coordination with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The report discusses program accomplishments of Implementing Eco-Logical as well as from Implementing Eco-Logical Implementation Assistance Program recipients. The report provides findings and updates on recipients' projects and shares recommendations for next steps for the FHWA Eco-Logical Program. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Annual reports KW - Ecosystems KW - FHWA Eco-Logical Program KW - Highway planning KW - Implementation KW - Project delivery KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 KW - Transportation Research Board KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/AnnualReport2014-15/2014-2015_Eco-Logical_Annual_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56887/2014-2015_Eco-Logical_Annual_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596005 AU - Tiernan, Tim AU - Toma, Samuel AU - Najm, Wassim AU - Altan, Osman AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Characterization Test Procedures for Intersection Collision Avoidance Systems Based on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications PY - 2015/12 SP - 57p AB - Characterization test procedures have been developed to quantify the performance of intersection collision avoidance (ICA) systems based on vehicle-to-vehicle communications. These systems warn the driver of an imminent crossing-path collision at a road junction, and apply automatic braking if the driver does not respond in a timely manner to prevent the collision. This report describes test procedures for most common crossing-path pre-crash scenarios that involve light vehicles (passenger cars, vans, minivans, SUVs, or light pickup trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings less than 10,000 pounds). The test procedures include crash-imminent test scenarios to collect information on the ranges and time-to-collisions of crossing-path collision alerts and automatic braking onsets in prototype systems. In addition, the test procedures incorporate dynamic scenarios where countermeasure action is not needed so as to assess the capability of ICA systems to distinguish between crash-imminent and benign driving scenarios. KW - Automatic braking KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Intersections KW - Prototypes KW - Test procedures KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56846/DOT-VNTSC-NHTSA-12-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400026 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594696 AU - Pokharel, Sanjay AU - Shinstine, Debbie S AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Livability Program for Indian Reservations: A Methodology and Case Study PY - 2015/12 SP - 77p AB - Livability is a fairly new concept well understood in urban areas, but less so in rural areas and Indian reservations. A methodology was developed to identify the important livability issues for Tribal communities and consists of data collection, analysis, and development of the program. The methodology was implemented on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). Data was collected from a needs determination survey known as the WINDS III, and also from stakeholder and resident surveys. Common livability themes from the different sources of information were discovered. A definition was formulated, which focuses on a community having well-maintained roads with safe pedestrian/bicycle facilities that benefit people by providing access to jobs, health care, and recreational activities and by preserving the culture and sovereignty. The final step in the methodology was to develop a livability program that includes the existing programs and projects. It also will include other programs for future consideration, which address identified issues. Coordination and collaboration is important to the success of a practical livability program and includes engaging the community for feedback and review. This methodology can be implemented on other Indian reservations across the United States and will require coordination with other states, tribal governments, Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), and Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) centers. The commonalities from a broader implementation will provide comparisons and analysis of important issues of livability on Indian reservations, which will help guide tribes to make decisions and better allocate resources for transportation, economic development, and improved quality of life. KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Indian reservations KW - Methodology KW - Quality of life KW - Rural areas KW - Stakeholders KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable development KW - Wind River Indian Reservation UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-293.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401489 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594693 AU - Kim, Yail Jimmy AU - University of Colorado, Denver AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fire Performance of Bridge Members Retrofitted with Near-surface-mounted Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites PY - 2015/12 SP - 68p AB - This report presents a two-phase research program studying: (1) the interfacial response of near-surface-mounted (NSM) carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips embedded along a concrete substrate at elevated temperatures, and (2) the behavior of NSM CFRP strips for strengthening concrete members subjected to thermomechanical distress (thermal and mechanical loads are applied simultaneously). In the first phase, two types of bonding agents are used: ordinary and high-temperature epoxies. Residual behavior of the interface, including the characteristics of individual constitutive materials, is examined when subjected to a temperature range varying from 25°C [77°F] to 200°C [392°F]. Test results reveal that residual strength of the concrete and CFRP is not influenced by thermal exposure; however, residual strength of the adhesive is affected. The performance of the interface bonded with ordinary epoxy is better than that of the high-temperature one without thermal distress. The latter becomes superior to the former with an increase in temperature. Interaction between the adhesive and concrete controls interfacial capacity and corresponding failure mode, rather than the individual strength of the materials. Probability-based simulation that complements limitation of the experimental investigation, in terms of sample numbers, was conducted to develop design factors. In the second phase, the focus of the research lies in examining temperature-dependent interfacial responses that control the performance of such a CFRP-strengthening system. An experimental investigation was conducted to study various technical aspects associated with the thermal relaxation, heat conduction, load-carrying capacity, failure mode, and damage characterization of the NSM CFRP-concrete interface. Analytical approaches were entailed to generate practical information that can promote use of CFRP-strengthening technologies, based on the two-parameter Weibull function and probability-based capacity simulation. The thermal relaxation of a polymeric bonding agent influenced the transfer of interfacial stresses, including the stress-decrease response time of the interface with temperature. Transient heat flow was apparent across the interface until the strengthening system failed due to the thermomechanical load. The failure plane of the interface was controlled by progression of heat energy in conjunction with the phase transition of the adhesive. The slip of the interface articulated a thermal hysteresis mechanism, when loaded cyclically. The characteristic parameters proposed aided the design of NSM CFRP systems exposed to elevated temperatures. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bridge members KW - Carbon fibers KW - Epoxides KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Fire resistance KW - Interfaces KW - Mechanical loads KW - Residual strength KW - Retrofitting KW - Simulation KW - Thermal analysis UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-303.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401519 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594609 AU - Johnson, Robert I AU - Atadero, Rebecca A AU - Colorado State University AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovative and Economical Steel Bridge Design Alternatives for Colorado PY - 2015/12 SP - 180p AB - Simple-made-continuous (SMC) steel bridges are a relatively new innovation in steel bridge design. The SMC concept is a viable solution for steel bridges to recover market share of the bridges constructed in the United States. The majority of SMC bridges currently in use are constructed with concrete diaphragms. This work presents the results analysis and testing of this SMC connection scheme using steel diaphragms. A bridge of this type was constructed by the Colorado Department of Transportation in 2005 and its connections serve as the basis for the research presented herein. Preliminary numerical analysis was performed by hand; this analysis discovered potential design flaws in the current bridge connection. Subsequent numerical analysis using Abaqus finite element analysis software provided results that were indecisive in regard to the flaws found in the hand analysis. The finite element analysis did provide valuable insight into some of the connection behavior. Physical testing was subsequently performed on a full size model of the connection, which verified that there were design flaws in the original design. The results of analysis and physical testing provided information necessary to correct the design flaws and data required for the development of a design methodology for the connection type. KW - Bridge design KW - Colorado KW - Diaphragms (Engineering) KW - Finite element method KW - Laboratory tests KW - Numerical analysis KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-298.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401325 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594601 AU - Bajdek, Christopher AU - Menge, Christopher AU - Mazur, Ruth Anne AU - Pate, Alan AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Harris Miller Miller and Hanson, Incorporated AU - Battelle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Recommended Best Practices for the Use of the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM): TNM Object Input, Noise Barrier Optimization, and Quality Assurance PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 96p AB - Federal-aid highway projects that require a traffic noise analysis must use the latest version of the Federal Highway Administration Traffic Noise Model (FHWA TNM), according to 23 CFR 772.9(a). While the FHWA TNM provides for the accurate prediction of traffic noise levels along the wayside of a highway, accurate results are not necessarily guaranteed. Accurate results depend upon the quality of the input data and the care with which the user replicates objects in the physical world with objects in the virtual world of the FHWA TNM. This study provides TNM users with the best sources for information and input data that are critical to the development of an accurate model of highway traffic noise. This report provides best practices and guidance related to: (1) Sources of quality geospatial and elevation data, including advice for conducting an online search for such data, (2) Traffic distributions across a multiple-lane highway, (3) Noise barrier optimization, and (4) Quality assurance of TNM models and noise study reports. KW - Best practices KW - Data collection KW - Data quality KW - Noise barriers KW - Optimization KW - Traffic distribution KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/traffic_noise_model/documents_and_references/tnm_best_practices/fhwahep16018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401477 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594592 AU - Connor, Billy AU - Bennett, Larry AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving Performance, Knowledge, and Methods to Provide Quality Service and Products PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 163p AB - The objectives of this study were to educate staff about the impact of research in Alaska, enhance communication and coordination amongst stakeholders, and formulate a long-term research and implementation research plan for pavement and materials. Education begins with an overview of pavement design, construction and maintenance in Alaska since the 1900’s through a series of webinars. Interviews with five state materials engineers were used to explore best practices. Finally, a workshop focused on developing a coordinated research program and improving implementation activities. The workshop provided a series of recommendations to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities which will enhance the value of the departments research program. KW - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities KW - Best practices KW - Education and training KW - Implementation KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Paving KW - Recommendations KW - Research KW - Stakeholders KW - Workshops UR - http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwddes/research/assets/pdf/4000-149.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401093 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594584 AU - McVay, Michael C AU - Wasman, Scott J AU - Huang, Lin AU - Crawford, Stephen AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Resistance Factors for Augercast In Place Piles PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 164p AB - Data from 78 load tests from 21 sites in the State of Florida were collected to develop Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) resistance factors for Auger Cast In Place (ACIP) pile design. Forty-four of the piles were embedded in layers of soil and rock, 4 were only clay, 7 were only sand, 15 were sand and clay layers, and 8 had no borings. Inspection of the load test data revealed the majority (90%) of pile top displacements ranged from 0.1” to 0.3” and only a few reached 1”. Because of the relatively small displacements recorded during testing, the majority of the ACIP’s top load was carried by skin friction, where the maximum recorded tip resistance was 30% of top load, and occurred in the instance where the pile underwent 1.2” of top displacement. Current practice in the State is to design ACIP to carry the load in side friction only. The procedure has been adopted to address the load transfer characteristics of the relatively thin elements (when compared to drilled shafts for example), avoid issues with punching shear when tipping near the bottom of a calcareous bearing layer (e.g., Limestone), and to avoid uncertainty associated with the condition of the bottom of excavation, since neither manual (e.g., weighted tape, or Ding inspection device) nor visual (Shaft Inspection Device) monitoring can be performed. Consequently, the focus of this research effort concentrated on the development of LRFD resistance factors for side shear. Using the results of instrumented piles, and a segmental numerical analysis for un-instrumented load tests (i.e., no strain gauges embedded in the piles), the nominal side friction for soils (Cohesionless and Cohesive) and rock (Florida Limestone) was assessed for each site. For the calibration, various methods that make use of Standard Penetration Test (SPT) or unconfined compressive strength and splitting tension were analyzed and compared against the load test database. The bias, λ, and coefficient of Variation, CV of the measured/predicted side resistances were assessed, and the First Order Second Moment (FOSM) approach was followed to generate resistance factors for each design method. In the case of soils, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) (1999) approaches gave the higher Φ, and Φ/λ values vs. newer methods. In the case of ACIPs in rock, design methods based on laboratory strength data (Ramos, Herrera, and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)) gave the higher Φ, and Φ/λ values vs. SPT N design methods. Given the limited number of fully instrumented piles, vertical movement of the piles, and distance of boring data from load tests, the report recommends that FDOT perform further static load tests on sites using ACIPs. It is expected that with the addition of more instrumented load tests and nearby boring data, that the LRFD Φ for ACIPs could be further evaluated with Bayesian updating (Kwak, 2010). KW - Cast in place structures KW - Design methods KW - Florida KW - Friction KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Numerical analysis KW - Pile foundations KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Soil tests UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_STR/FDOT-BDV31-977-12-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401349 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594212 AU - Bayless, Steven AU - Guan, Adrian AU - Shaw, Anthony AU - Johnson, Mark AU - Pruitt, Gary AU - Abernathy, Bruce AU - Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Recommended Practices for DSRC Licensing and Spectrum Management: A Guide for Management, Regulation, Deployment, and Administration for a Connected Vehicle Environment PY - 2015/12 SP - 41p AB - This document outlines licensing requirements and best practices for deployment Connected Vehicle Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) Roadside Units (RSU) services that support vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. It introduces the institutional capacities a public agency or private entity wishing to deploy DSRC RSUs may find it necessary to acquire. It offers guidance on complying with FCC service rules, followed by a discussion of field deployment planning and spectrum management considerations. It also offers guidance on the process for licensing and registering DSRC equipment, including practical considerations for filing with the FCC and process flows for RSU deployment. KW - Compliance KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Licensing KW - Regulations KW - Spread spectrum communications KW - U.S. Federal Communications Commission KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56950/FHWA-JPO-16-267.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400139 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594129 AU - Tanner, Jennifer AU - Fiore, Bryce AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk of Alkali-Silica Reaction When Using Recycled Concrete Aggregate in New Concrete PY - 2015/12 SP - 67p AB - Two interlaboratory studies were performed utilizing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in accordance with ASTM C1260 Accelerated Mortar Bar Test (AMBT) in addition to the previous study documented in Adams et al. 2013. The first round of testing utilized a non-laboratory created RCA and the second evaluated two Wyoming concretes prepared with Black Rock and Knife River aggregates respectively. It was discovered that concrete made with RCA exhibits lower expansions due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) than the original concrete made with natural aggregates. Furthermore, RCA as it applies to ASTM C1260, has been observed to exceed the repeatability and reproducibility limits set by ASTM C1260. The authors suggest that the precision statement within ASTM C1260 be modified in order to include RCA and account for this increased variability. Precision statements for both studies were conducted utilizing a minimum of nine laboratories. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - ASTM C 1260 KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Laboratory tests KW - Natural aggregates KW - Recycled materials KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-302.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594128 AU - Qin, Xiao AU - He, Zhaoxiang AU - Samra, Haifa AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through Transportation System Enhancements Phase II PY - 2015/12 SP - 56p AB - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is crucial in rural environments where hospitals are not close by and are difficult to access. Establishing performance measures is critical in improving a rural community’s access to these services and eliminating systemic inequalities. However, an absence of quantitative performance measures challenges the development of attainable objectives. This study used the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) South Dakota data to develop data-driven performance metrics for EMS. Researchers used the data for three tasks: geospatial analysis of EMS events, optimization of station locations, and service performance evaluation. The measures– timely service and service coverage – are both dependent on mobility and the accessibility of the transportation network. Service coverage is measured by the ratio of the number of emergency calls within the 8-minute travel time zone to the total number of emergency calls responded to by the EMS agency. Timely service is gauged by the percentage of emergency calls that were actually responded to in less than 8 minutes within the 8-minute zone. The results help to identify the specific areas for needed resources and training. If the service provided at the current capacity is not adequate, the EMS stations can either be relocated or augmented to increase coverage and quality. The bi-objective of maximizing ambulance coverage area and minimizing en route time has been established and solved by the genetic algorithm. Case studies were performed for counties under different constraints. Moreover, the factors contributing to en route time were thoroughly reviewed. Thirteen key variables were identified and their coefficients were estimated by the geographically weighted regression model. KW - Case studies KW - Emergency medical services KW - Emergency response time KW - Geospatial analysis KW - Location KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Optimization KW - Performance measurement KW - Regression analysis KW - Rural areas KW - South Dakota UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-301.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400774 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594079 AU - McCarty, Tyrus A AU - Sharma, Jagdish P AU - Palikhel, Dinesh AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Harvesting Vibrational Energy Due to Intermodal Systems Via Nano Coated Piezo Electric Devices PY - 2015/12 SP - 35p AB - Vibrational energy resulting from intermodal transport systems can be recovered through the use of energy harvesting system consisting of lead zirconium titanate (PZT) piezo electric material as the primary energy harvesting component. The ability of traditional PZT piezo electric materials can be enhanced to generate substantially more power by using special coatings made of nano-coating mixtures. It can be demonstrated that the enhanced system can be utilized to power intermodal transport safety lighting systems from roadway vibrations. The objectives of the project was achieved by performing three tasks; design and construction of the special nano coated piezo electric energy harvester, testing and enhancement of the newly designed and constructed system in the lab and implementation of the energy harvesting system to power a lighting system. Nano-coated PZT energy harvesting system showed substantial and explicit improvement as compared to non-coated PZT energy harvesting system. Also, in the experimental analysis of this project work, rectangular cantilever system performed substantially better than trapezoidal and triangular cantilever systems in terms of power harvesting capability. To incorporate this power harvesting system for the application to power LED bulbs, more number of PZTs was integrated into the system. The new multi nano-coated PZT composite cantilever system with six PZT composites was designed and constructed. This power output charged totally discharged 3.6 Volts NiMH Battery to 3.054 Volts in two hours. The charged battery easily lighted the LED bulb in the laboratory. KW - Coatings KW - Electric power generation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Lighting systems KW - Nanotechnology KW - Piezoelectric materials KW - Vibration UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-31FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400764 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593939 AU - Chi, Guangqing AU - Kasu, Bishal AU - Hagedorn, Annelise AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Economic Demography of Passenger Intermodal Transportation: Opportunities and Challenges PY - 2015/12 SP - 127p AB - The research on intermodal transportation is vast. However, most efforts have focused on freight transportation. There is much less research on intermodal passenger transportation—largely due to lack of a comprehensive dataset for effectively studying it [1]. It is essential to understand passenger uses of the intermodal transportation system because passengers are the biggest users of transportation systems, and passenger benefits are one of the important factors, if not the most important factor, in transportation planning and decision-making. This research examines the geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic variations of passenger intermodal transportation usage by analyzing the 2009 National Household Travel Survey data. This study presents descriptive statistics of long and short trips, mode types, and trip purposes, and explores the relationship between different intermodal measures and geographic, demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results indicate significant differences in passenger intermodal transportation usage by age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, employment, income, and metro status. Decision-makers, transportation planners, and the public can use these insights to better understand and promote efficient passenger intermodal transportation systems. KW - Demographics KW - Geography KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mode choice KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Passenger transportation KW - Passengers KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip length KW - Trip purpose UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-07FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400760 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593927 AU - Chi, Guangqing AU - Kasu, Bishal AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - South Dakota State University, Brookings AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Economic and Demographic Impacts of Passenger Rail Systems: The Impact of Intercity Passenger Rails on Population and Employment Change in the United States, 2000–2010 PY - 2015/12 SP - 40p AB - This research examines the impact of intercity passenger rails on change in population and employment at the county level in the continental United States from 2000 to 2010. This research adopts an integrated spatial regression approach that incorporates both spatial lag and spatial error dependence. The data come from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the National Land Developability Index, and the National Atlas of the United States. Population and employment change are regressed on intercity passenger rails, controlling for 14 socioeconomic variables. Intercity passenger rails are measured by the number of intercity passenger rail terminals in each county. The results suggest that the impacts of intercity passenger rails on population and employment change are both direct and indirect. Intercity passenger rails have a negative and direct effect on population and employment change from 2000 to 2010. Intercity passenger rails facilitate moving residents and workers out of the county. The economic recession during this period may have compelled people to move out of their home county in search of jobs. Having intercity passenger rails helped this process. The results also indicate that intercity passenger rails have a positive and indirect effect on population and employment change. Population and employment change in one county influences those in the adjacent counties. This indirect effect does not come from within the county; rather, it is a spread effect from its neighbors. This research suggests that intercity passenger rails play an important role in facilitating the spread of change and the integration of local communities into a larger regional economy. KW - Counties KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Intercity transportation KW - Passenger transportation KW - Population KW - Rail transit KW - Railroad transportation KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Spatial analysis KW - United States UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-08FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400761 ER - TY - SER AN - 01593924 JO - Analysis Brief PB - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Results from the 2013 Drug and Alcohol Testing Survey PY - 2015/12 SP - 2p AB - This report summarizes the results of the 2013 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Testing Survey. This annual survey measures the percentage of drivers with commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) that test positive for controlled substances (referred to as drugs in this report) and/or alcohol, as a result of random and non-random (pre-employment, postcrash, and reasonable suspicion/follow-up) testing. For the 2013 survey, survey forms were sent out to 3,251 randomly selected motor carriers. Of these forms, 2,236 were completed and returned to FMCSA, resulting in usable data from 1,654 carriers (comprising 497,270 CDL drivers) for random controlled substance testing, as well as usable data from 1,524 carriers (comprising 205,669 CDL drivers) for random alcohol testing. The estimated positive usage rate for drugs in 2013 is 0.7 percent. The estimated violation rate for alcohol usage (the percentage of drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.04 or higher) in 2013 is 0.09 percent. KW - Alcohol tests KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Commercial drivers KW - Drug tests KW - Motor carriers KW - Surveys KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56784/Drug_and_Alcohol_Survey_Results_2013_Analysis_Brief-FINAL-508C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400751 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593738 AU - Pigman, Jerry G AU - Graves, Clark AU - Rister, Brad AU - Cain, David AU - Tollner, Neil AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Update of Data for Estimating ESALs PY - 2015/12 SP - 271p AB - This project involved updating processing traffic characteristics data using a series of quality control and analytical programs to produce an estimate of the following parameters of interest; 1) average daily traffic, 2) percent trucks, 3) percent trucks classified as heavy/coal, 4) axles per truck, 5) axles per heavy/coal truck, 6) equivalent single axle loads (ESALs) per truck axle, 7) ESALs per heavy/coal truck axle, and 8) total ESALs. ESAL estimation parameters used weigh-in-motion (WIM) data collected during 2007, 2011, and 2012–2013 (representing 41 stations); and classification data collected in 2010, 2011 and 2012 (representing 1,669 stations). Computer programs used to process classification data, process weight data, and then combining output to calculate ESALs are contained in the three following programs; 1) CLASS SUMMARY – processes vehicle classification data and produces annual average number of vehicle types at each classification station, 2) LOADOMTR SUMMARY – processes truck weight data to produce axle load distributions by vehicle type, and 3) AGGCALC – processes output form LOADOMTR AND CLASS programs to produce ESAL-related parameters of interest. A flowchart which provides steps of processing data and calculating estimates of ESALs is included in Appendix A and computer code for each of these programs is included in Appendix B. KW - Average daily traffic KW - Computer programs KW - Equivalent single axle loads KW - Estimating KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Information processing KW - Kentucky KW - Quality control KW - Traffic volume KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2016/02/KTC_15_26_PL21_13_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1399141 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593703 AU - Albeiruti, Nasser T AU - Ozbek, Mehmet E AU - Atadero, Rebecca A AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Public Perceptions of Different Options to Fund the Highway System PY - 2015/12 SP - 181p AB - The purpose of this research was to generate an understanding of the public perceptions of different revenue generation systems that are already in use or that have the potential to be used in the future, and to educate the public on the different revenue generation systems. In addition, this study tested a number of hypotheses that were focused on finding relationships (correlations) between the choice of funding options to support the highway system in the United States and the demographic information. A survey method was used to explore this topic. The survey instrument was sent to 15,945 people representing five states: Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming (Mountain-Plains Consortium states) via mail. Only 1,190 surveys were received, 27 were eliminated due to various issues, and 1,163 were posted as completed surveys, resulting in a response rate of 7.30%. Data analysis of the results consisted of performing descriptive and inferential statistics and running chi-square tests for correlation analysis. The results of this survey indicate that the public in the states of Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming selected “increasing the federal gas tax that is collected at the time of purchase” as its first choice of funding option. The support for the use of highway tolling to fund the highway system was somewhat moderate among the population across the five states. The collection of additional sales taxes on all goods to fund the highway system was an unpopular funding mechanism among the population in the five states. Similarly, the support for the use of mileage-based user fees was disliked among the population in the five states. This research is significant, as few studies have been done on understanding the public perceptions of different options to fund highway systems. Furthermore, the findings of this survey could be used by the lawmakers in the five states under study to make better decisions with respect to the alternative options of funding the highway system in their state based on the general public’s perceptions in the state. Future research could be aimed to study the impact of the utilized option on each state with regard to its social, economic, and behavioral issues that could result from its implementation. KW - Colorado KW - Demographics KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highway user taxation KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - North Dakota KW - Public opinion KW - Sales tax KW - South Dakota KW - Surveys KW - Tolls KW - Utah KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-300.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400180 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592012 AU - Brown, Henry AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Cope, Timothy AU - Khezerzadeh, Amirhossein AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Maintenance of Traffic for Innovative Geometric Design Work Zones PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 337p AB - Currently there are no guidelines within the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) on construction phasing and maintenance of traffic (MOT) for retrofit construction and maintenance projects involving innovative geometric designs. The research presented in this report addressed this gap in existing knowledge by investigating the state of the practice of construction phasing and MOT for several types of innovative geometric designs including the roundabout, single point urban interchange (SPUI), diverging diamond interchange (DDI), restricted-crossing left turn (RCUT), median U-turn (MUT), and displaced left turn (DLT). This report provides guidelines for transportation practitioners in developing construction phasing and MOT plans for innovative geometric designs. This report includes MOT Phasing Diagrams to assist in the development of MOT strategies for innovative designs. The MOT Phasing Diagrams were developed through a review of literature, survey, interviews with practitioners, and review of plans from innovative geometric design projects. These diagrams are provided as a tool to assist in improving work zone safety and mobility through construction of projects with innovative geometric designs. The aforementioned synthesis of existing knowledge documented existing practices for these types of designs. KW - Construction scheduling KW - Geometric design KW - Interchanges and intersections KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobility KW - Retrofitting KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/174/ UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/smartwz/projects/details.cfm?projectID=109 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398663 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592008 AU - Hammit, Britton AU - Young, Rhonda AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Weather Data for Operation of Rural Variable Speed Limit Corridors PY - 2015/12 SP - 185p AB - Each year thousands of people are killed and injured due to weather-related crashes. While outcomes of many incidents could not be changed, many accidents could be avoided through implementation of intelligent transportation systems. Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) have been adopted by transportation agencies to provide better information about the impact of current weather conditions on the roadway. However, RWIS can only provide data for a specific location, and there is a need for continuous road weather condition reporting. In response, the Connected Vehicle Initiative proposed using vehicles to communicate current roadway conditions, especially in inclement weather events. The advanced road condition data would allow travelers to better prepare for road conditions. This report illustrates efforts from the University of Wyoming to collect and analyze vehicle CAN-Bus vehicle data to extrapolate road conditions and determine usefulness of this data in providing real-time, weather information acceptable as input to Variable Speed Limit (VSL) algorithms. The results of this research indicate that standardization of vehicle data between vehicle makes and models is required. In addition, current vehicle data manipulation programs are not adequate for providing segmented road weather condition data need for implementation into VSL algorithms. KW - Algorithms KW - Data collection KW - Information dissemination KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Rural areas KW - Variable speed limits KW - Weather conditions KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-299.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398358 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590539 AU - van de Lindt, John W AU - Nazari, Negar AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Seismic Risk Assessment for the I-25/I-70 Corridor in the Mountain Plains Region of the U.S. PY - 2015/12 SP - 25p AB - When one thinks of earthquakes the Mountain Plains Region does not come to mind first; rather, the West Coast, South America, Japan, and, most recently, Italy and Nepal can easily be pictured. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the largest earthquake on record for Colorado occurred in 1882: The earthquake of November 7, 1882, the first ever to cause damage at Denver, probably centered in the Front Range near Rocky Mountain National Park, and is the largest historical earthquake in the state. The magnitude was estimated to be about 6.2 on the Richter scale. In Boulder County the walls of the depot cracked, and plaster fell from walls at the university at Boulder. The quake was felt as far away as Salina, Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah. Seismic hazard assessment in Colorado has demonstrated there is the potential for another event of this magnitude. Most structures in Colorado are designed with a focus on wind, which puts them at significant risk if an earthquake of M6 or greater were to occur, primarily because of a lack of seismic detailing which enables a structure to dissipate the energy input from load reversals. The seismic hazard situation in Colorado aligns with that of other parts of the United States and has been termed low-occurrence high-consequence. This hazard situation has created a challenge in terms of public perception, i.e. there is a perceived lack of need to consider this type of hazard. According to the 2005 Regional Transportation Plan for the Intermountain Transportation Planning Region (2007), up to 38,000 vehicles travel I-70 each day and that traffic count is likely much higher now (2015). Consider what would happen if this traffic corridor was disrupted for some period of time, and perhaps if I-25, which intersects I-70, was also disrupted because of one or more bridge or overpass failures. This project examined a range of scenario events to gain a better understanding of the potential level of traffic disruption that might occur at the intersection of two main arterial freeways, namely Interstates 25 and 70. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Arterial highways KW - Colorado KW - Earthquakes KW - Forecasting KW - Overpasses KW - Risk assessment KW - Seismicity UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-296.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397923 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590527 AU - Cai, Steve C S AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Hu, Jiexuan AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of Vehicle Performance in Harsh Environments Using LSU Driving Simulator and Numerical Simulations PY - 2015/12 SP - 68p AB - With the economic booming development of coastal areas, the importance of the traffic planning becomes obvious not only in a hurricane evacuation but also in the daily transportation. Vehicle performance on the freeway during harsh environments is critical to the success of the planning process. The present study aims to study the effect of harsh environments on the driving behavior and vehicle performance. The driving simulator installed in Louisiana State University was used to investigate the driver’s behavior and vehicle performance in different adverse conditions such as strong crosswinds, wet road surface, and curving. Modified parameters of the driving simulator were determined to reproduce the real wind loadings according to the vehicle velocity and wind velocity, through the manipulation of appropriate software. While the vehicle performance was recorded in terms of lane offset, vehicle velocity, and heading error, the driver’s reaction was measured in the form of the reaction time, steering angle, and the time of pressing on brake and gas pedal, respectively. The results illustrate that a higher wind speed leads to more variance of lane offset and heading error. The rainy weather/wet road surface does have an effect on the vehicle velocity in a strong wind environment. The findings of this study demonstrate the valuable use of a driving simulator to represent different hazardous driving conditions and to develop a statistic model to predict and estimate the driver’s behavior and vehicle performance. KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Vehicle performance KW - Weather conditions KW - Wind UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00112-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00112-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590526 AU - Tiaprasert, Kamonthep AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Queue Length Estimation and Platoon Recognition using Connected Vehicle Technology for Adaptive Signal Control PY - 2015/12 SP - 114p AB - This dissertation presents mathematical and analytical models for real-time queue length estimation and platoon recognition using the connected vehicle technology (CVT). Information on queue length and platoon is a crucial part of traffic signal control and is difficult to obtain accurately with traditional technologies such as loop detectors. The past studies are either limited to fixed-time signal control or lacked verification on the applicable range or evaluation of the performance of algorithms. The proposed algorithms focused on estimating the queue length for adaptive signal control and platoon characteristics for signal coordination and adaptive signal control. For queue length detection, an algorithm was developed to determine the estimated value between the last stopped vehicle and the first moving vehicle for different market penetration ratios. Discrete wavelet transform is applied to the estimated queue lengths to improve accuracy and consistency. The platoon recognition model is developed based on time headway so that the arrival times can be computed directly from the estimated platoon data. First, the detected platoon is identified by a modified critical time-headway. Then, platoon size and starting and ending times are estimated. Lastly, a filtering process for “qualified” detection platoon is proposed to optimize detectability. The results show that the proposed algorithms can estimate well in various traffic conditions and under both fixed-time and actuated signal control without relying on inputs that are hard to obtain in practice. Furthermore, an analytical model to estimate the platoon detection rate is proposed and shown to be close to the numerical results. Therefore, traffic engineers can use the analytical model to estimate the required market penetration ratio for the application without field experiments or microscopic simulation. Accordingly, the proposed algorithms can be an important part of adaptive signal control focusing on real-time coordination. KW - Adaptive control KW - Algorithms KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Queuing KW - Traffic platooning KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Vehicle detectors UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00038-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590516 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Stanford, Joseph AU - Fischer, Stephanie AU - Canty, Kara AU - Dechambeau, Brian AU - Ritter, Gary AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - 2015 OST-R Transportation Technology Scan: A Look Ahead PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 39p AB - This report identifies emerging technologies and innovative applications that may begin to have significant impact on U.S. transportation systems within three to five years. They represent several industries and disciplines and could affect all major modes of transportation. The report is intended to stimulate discussion across the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) and inform thought leadership on promising areas of innovation and where public research investments should be focused. Identifying these innovations will also enable leaders and policymakers to anticipate important opportunities, as well as potential challenges. There are large areas of overlap among the technologies featured and many of them are intimately interrelated—with a few major overlapping themes, including: the growing role of data and connectivity, changes to the workforce, and uncertain impacts on travel behavior. This report was developed by leveraging the resources and knowledge of the U.S. DOT; it was prepared by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, in consultation with modal agency members of the U.S. DOT Research, Development and Technology planning team. In selecting technologies for this scan, the project team referenced trends identified in U.S. DOT’s report Beyond Traffic 2045, conducted a technical literature review, and consulted with research leaders at the U.S. DOT modal administrations. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Drone aircraft KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Technological forecasting KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56785/2015_OST-R_Transportation_Technology_Scan.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56785/2015_OST-R_Transportation_Technology_Scan.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=January%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590505 AU - Lindquist, Will AU - Montney, Rodney AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Comparison of Spacing Factors as Measured by the Air-Void Analyzer and ASTM C457 PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 54p AB - The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) began using the Air-Void Analyzer (AVA) in 2001 and first incorporated an AVA spacing factor requirement into paving specifications beginning in late 2002. In 2005, a statewide investigation to evaluate the AVA and specifications began with the collection of 4-inch diameter hardened concrete samples taken at or near locations where the spacing factor was determined with the AVA. The hardened concrete samples were tested to determine the spacing factor in accordance with ASTM C457 (2012), a well-established test method used to determine spacing factors in hardened concrete. A total of 270 data pairs were collected to evaluate KDOT’s current use of the AVA and ASTM C457 tests and to determine if a correlation (either direct or pass-fail criteria) exists between spacing factors obtained with the two methods. Results of the study indicate that average spacing factors obtained with the AVA were 1.67 higher than average spacing factors determined using ASTM C457. A strong direct correlation was not identified between the two test methods, although pass-fail criterion that limits KDOT’s risk of accepting concrete with an inadequate air-void system was identified. KW - Air voids KW - ASTM C457 KW - Concrete pavements KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Kansas Department of Transportation KW - Spacing KW - Specifications KW - Test procedures UR - http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/docpop.aspx?clienttype=html&docid=9468844 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396136 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590504 AU - Nsengiyumva, Gabriel AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - You, Taesun AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Semicircular Bend (SCB) Test Method for Performance Testing of Nebraska Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 71p AB - Granted that most distresses in asphalt (flexible) concrete (AC) pavements are directly related to fracture, it becomes clear that identifying and characterizing fracture properties of AC mixtures is a critical step towards a better pavement design. This report examines the testing variables of a reliable and practical semicircular bending (SCB) test for evaluating the fracture characteristics of asphalt concrete mixtures at intermediate service temperature conditions. The first part of this report investigates the repeatability of the SCB fracture test method by integrating a statistical-experimental approach to identify testing variables of the SCB test that result in repeatable test results. Toward this end, five testing variables (the number of testing specimens, specimen thickness, notch length, loading rate, and testing temperature) of the SCB test were investigated due to their significant effects on mixture fracture characteristics. After statistical analysis of 18 specimens tested with a typical testing variables, approximately, five to six specimens/replicates were found to be a reasonable sample size that could properly represent asphalt concrete fracture behavior using the SCB test method. The coefficient of variation (COV) of the mixture fracture energy was used to evaluate the effect of each variable on the repeatability of test results. A range of 1 mm/min. to 5 mm/min. for the loading rate, a notch length from 5 mm to 25 mm, and a specimen thickness of 40 mm to 60 mm and a testing temperature of 15-40°C showed a good repeatability of fracture energy with small COVs (≤15 %). The second part of this work is to investigate the sensitivity of the SCB test using the previously determined testing variables. Fourteen different asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures collected from 12 field construction projects in Nebraska were used in this task. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test showed statistically significant differences between mixtures at a 95% confidence level. Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) multiple-comparison analysis found similarities within mixtures of same types and differences between mixture types. In addition, the fracture energy of bituminous mixtures increased with increasing amount of virgin asphalt content in mixture. Overall, the SCB test method developed herein proved to be repeatable and sensitive to changes in mixtures, and thus a promising tool for evaluating the fatigue fracture resistance of AC mixtures. KW - Analysis of variance KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Bend tests KW - Fracture mechanics KW - Nebraska KW - Statistical analysis KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/research/ACC/FinalReportM022.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590499 AU - Flower, Joseph P AU - Cramer, Patricia C AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Could Cattle Guards Augmented with Electrified Pavement Prevent Mule Deer and Elk Access to Highways? PY - 2015/12 SP - 43p AB - Motorists and wildlife are at risk when wild animals enter highways at access roads that bisect wildlife exclusion fencing. Cattle guards are common at access roads, but are ineffective wildlife barriers. Electrified pavement is an emerging technology previously untested as an ungulate deterrent. The objective with this study was to evaluate whether a standard cattle guard augmented with a strip of electrified pavement could reduce mule deer and elk intrusions through fence openings at rates comparable to specialized barriers, but at reduced cost. To determine the efficacy of the augmented guards as a barrier to wildlife movement, a two-part approach was used that included (1) a feeding exclosure trial using augmented guards deployed at entrances to baited wildlife exclosures at the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area in Northern Utah, and (2) a road trial in situ on an access road to Interstate 15 in Southern Utah. The goal was to provide a rigorous assessment of a cost-effective retrofit to standard cattle guards that could reduce wildlife intrusions to roadways and other protected areas at rates comparable to specialized guards. KW - Deer KW - Electricity KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Pavement design KW - Retrofitting KW - Utah KW - Wildlife KW - Wildlife crossings UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-297.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397924 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590496 AU - Stich, Bethany AU - Griffith, Kyle AU - Webb, Peter AU - Waggener, Brittany AU - Amdal, James AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Potential for Gulf Coast NAFTA Maritime Trade Corridors PY - 2015/12 SP - 52p AB - The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted in 1994 with the expressed intent of reducing barriers to trade. Since that time, however, transborder congestion and delays between the United States (US) and Mexico threaten achievement of this goal. As a partial mitigation strategy, maritime shipping offers a modal alternative for NAFTA trade with the potential for not only strengthening the resiliency of the North American transportation system, but also alleviating congestion for traditional overland modes. To that end, Gulf Coast economies are preparing for increased shipping activity in both vessel size and commodity volumes upon completion of the Panama Canal expansion by 2016. This study assesses the potential for maritime shipping corridors in the Gulf of Mexico between the US, Mexico, and Cuba. The authors document current trade patterns and infrastructure, analyze potential opportunities for trade expansion, and analyze the policy barriers that need to be addressed to strengthen these maritime trade corridors. The prospect of reduced transborder congestion, increased system resilience, and expanded economic cooperation with Cuba has opened a policy window for more deliberate coordination between national and state governments to make the necessary infrastructure investments and policy changes to bolster maritime shipping capacity. KW - Cuba KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Freight traffic KW - Gulf of Mexico KW - International trade KW - Mexico KW - North American Free Trade Agreement KW - Ocean shipping KW - Policy KW - Trade routes KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00118-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00118-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397180 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590483 AU - Kasperick, Taylor AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Calibration of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide for Local Paved Roads in Wyoming PY - 2015/12 SP - 145p AB - Since release of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) in 2004, many national and state agencies have been working toward implementation of the new pavement design guide through calibration and validation. In order to aide Wyoming’s Department of Transportation in its push toward total implementation, this study developed a set of traffic distributions and calibration coefficients for use within the MEPDG on designs of local paved roads that experience heavy truck traffic associated with the energy industry. A sensitivity analysis was also performed during this study to determine the effect of varying layer thicknesses on the prediction capabilities of the MEPDG. Findings of this report can be implemented on local paved roads that experience heavy truck traffic associated with the oil and gas industry. KW - Calibration KW - Implementation KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement layers KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Thickness KW - Truck traffic KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-294.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396137 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590482 AU - Haas, Peter AU - Scrivener, Allie AU - Mineta Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - High-Speed Rail and Equine Issues PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Community concerns have been raised about the possible negative impacts of high-speed rail (HSR) service on equestrian areas. Although much is known about the impact of aircraft noise on wild and domestic animals, relatively little information is available on the potential impact of HSR service on equine populations. This study will explore possible conflicts between HSR construction and operations in areas used for equestrian ranching, recreation, and related activities, and identify geographic areas where such conflicts could occur. KW - California KW - High speed rail KW - Horses KW - Maps UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1427-high-speed-rail-and-equine-issues.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396114 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590480 AU - Lardoux, Jacques AU - Martinez, Ray AU - Heller, Edward AU - TransCore ITS, LLC AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - New York State Energy Research and Development Authority AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Continuation of the Interoperable Coordinated Signal System Deployment in White Plains, New York PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The City of White Plains, New York owns and operates an advanced traffic control system (TCS) that monitors and controls over 130 intersections in real time. Its Traffic Department facility is not staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but two other centers operate 24/7: the City of White Plains Police Department (CWPPD) and the Hudson Valley Transportation Management Center (HVTMC) in Hawthorne, NY. This traffic management center (TMC) is operated by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Region 8, which includes Westchester County and six other counties north of New York City. It monitors, collects, and sends real-time traffic information for responding to roadway incidents and taking action to minimize disruptions to travelers. The objective of this project was to provide NYSDOT Region 8 and the CWPPD with real-time data on roadway arterials available from City of White Plains’ TCS. Although the city’s traffic signals are currently not monitored during nights and weekends, they would be operated and controlled from the HVTMC. All intersection controllers are monitored once-per-second in real-time, and multiple control strategies can be applied. Intersections can operate in multiple control modes including central time-of-day (CTOD), local time-of-day (LTOD), free, manual, and traffic-responsive (TR). As a result of this project, the agencies will be able to coordinate in managing incidents and monitoring the City of White Plains’ signals at all times. KW - Coordination KW - Data collection KW - Real time information KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - White Plains (New York) UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-11-58%20Final%20Report%20_12-2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394986 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590470 AU - Milliken, Eric AU - Young, Rhonda AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Travel Time, Travel Time Reliability, and Winter Condition Index Information for Improved Operation of Rural Interstates PY - 2015/12 SP - 92p AB - Using intelligent transportation systems to help report traveling conditions has been reserved for urban areas. The goal of this research was to help develop a new methodology for incorporating travel times calculated from intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology into Wyoming’s road and weather condition reporting system. Bluetooth sensors and speed sensors were used to measure travel times on I-80 between Cheyenne and Laramie, as well as WY-28 between Farson and Lander in Wyoming. From previous research, the distribution of travel times on I-80 show two distinct modes. Travel times from the WY-28 corridor were then calculated to determine if this trend was common with other rural highways. The next step in this research was to determine the best way to measure travel times on a rural corridor. Bluetooth sensor travel time data were compared to speed sensor travel time data. Then a travel time index was created for I- 80 from one year of speed sensor data. This travel time index was then modeled with weather variables downloaded from road weather information system (RWIS) stations. Finally, a methodology for implementing and evaluating this new travel time reporting procedure was developed. The results of this research will help to improve the current condition reporting system by incorporating both physical conditions (slick in spots, high wind speed, etc.) with travel times. This will help all types of travelers to more accurately quantify the severity of traveling conditions. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Rural highways KW - Sensors KW - Statistical analysis KW - Travel time KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-295.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396399 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590464 AU - Wang, Wen AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Link Travel Time Estimation Based on Network Entry/Exit Time Stamps of Trips PY - 2015/12 SP - 132p AB - This dissertation studies the travel time estimation at roadway link level using entry/exit time stamps of trips on a steady-state transportation network. The authors propose two inference methods based on the likelihood principle, assuming each link associates with a random travel time. The first method considers independent and Gaussian distributed link travel times, using the additive property that trip time has a closed-form distribution as the summation of link travel times. The authors particularly analyze the mean estimates when the variances of trip time estimates are known with a high degree of precision and examine the uniqueness of solutions. Two cases are discussed in detail: one with known paths of all trips and the other with unknown paths of some trips. The authors apply the Gaussian mixture model and the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm to deal with the latter. The second method splits trip time proportionally among links traversed to deal with more general link travel time distributions such as log-normal. This approach builds upon an expected log-likelihood function which naturally leads to an iterative procedure analogous to the EM algorithm for solutions. Simulation tests on a simple nine-link network and on the Sioux Falls network respectively indicate that the two methods both perform well. The second method (i.e., trip splitting approximation) generally runs faster but with larger errors of estimated standard deviations of link travel times. KW - Algorithms KW - Distributions (Statistics) KW - Links (Networks) KW - Simulation KW - Sioux Falls (South Dakota) KW - Travel time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00033-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397175 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590456 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Hassell, Vincent AU - Green, Veronica AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Methodology for Projecting Intercity Commuting PY - 2015/12 SP - 28p AB - Texas agencies are investigating passenger rail options in several corridors connecting people between the state’s major cities. Popular thinking is that there is commuter travel between a number of these markets. In specific, Austin to Houston and Dallas to Houston rank as highly desirable connections to be made by passenger rail. There has been significant study of corridors linking Austin, Dallas and San Antonio; but little research considers the State Highway 290 corridor that would link Houston to Austin. A tool to project the commuter travel between these cities would be beneficial for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and local transit authorities. This research seeks to assess existing methodologies, and then modify, develop and recommend for testing a methodology to determine the volume and frequency of commuter travel between these markets. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Commuters KW - Commuting KW - Forecasting KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Intercity travel KW - Methodology KW - Railroad commuter service UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/search/SearchResults_ClearCriteria.aspx?q=(catalog.ID=(33880)) UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00043-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00043-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397178 ER - TY - SER AN - 01588722 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Wet-Reflective Pavement Markings PY - 2015/12 SP - 8p AB - This document is a technical summary of the Federal Highway Administration report, Safety Evaluation of Wet-Reflective Pavement Markings (FHWA-HRT-15-065). The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) organized 38 States for the FHWA Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study as part of its strategic highway safety plan support effort. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety effectiveness of several low-cost safety improvement strategies through scientifically rigorous crash-based studies. One of the strategies selected for evaluation for this study was the application of wet-reflective pavement markings. This strategy involves upgrading existing markings from standard marking materials to wet-reflective markings, which may be applied as a paint, tape, or thermoplastic material. These markings are designed to provide an improved level of retroreflectivity during wet road surface conditions. KW - Crash data KW - Evaluation KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road markings KW - Traffic safety KW - Wet weather UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/15083/15083.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395978 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01588719 AU - Shahabi, Cyrus AU - Demiryurek, Ugur AU - University of Southern California, Los Angeles AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis and Prediction of Spatiotemporal Impact of Traffic Incidents for Better Mobility and Safety in Transportation Systems PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 39p AB - The goal of this research is to develop a machine learning framework to predict the spatiotemporal impact of traffic accidents on the upstream traffic and surrounding region. The main objective of the framework is, given a road accident, to forecast when and how the travel-time delay will occur on transportation network. Towards this end, the authors have developed a Dynamic Topology-aware Temporal (DTT) machine learning algorithm that learns the behavior of traffic in both normal conditions and during accidents from the historical traffic sensor datasets. This research exploits four years of real-world Los Angeles traffic sensor data and California Highway Patrol (CHP) accidents logs collected from Regional Integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (RIITS) under Archived Traffic Data Management System (ADMS) project. KW - Algorithms KW - Analysis KW - Crash data KW - Forecasting KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Police reports KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic models UR - https://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/METRANS-14-04-Final%20Report-Shahabi-Demiryurek.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395977 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587777 AU - Howell, Brian AU - Agent, Ken AU - Green, Eric AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Creating a Highway Information System for Safety Roadway Features PY - 2015/12 SP - 32p AB - Roadway departures are the leading cause of roadside fatalities. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has undertaken a number of roadside safety measures to reduce roadway departures. Specifically, KYTC has installed several low-cost, systemic roadway safety treatments to Kentucky’s roadways in recent years. These treatments include cable barriers, high friction surface treatments (HFST), rumble stripes, and Safety Edges. KYTC has installed approximately 44 cable barrier systems over 265 miles of roadway,112 HFST applications over 20 miles of roadway, 750 rumble stripe installations over 2,500 miles of roadway, and 147 Safety Edge treatments on 580 miles of roadway. The project team developed a complete inventory for safety measure installations, including their locations and select characteristics. This information was collected through interviews, KYTC databases, KYTC contract proposals, Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) studies, and onsite assessments. These data served as inputs into KYTC’s statewide highway model. ArcMap was used to reference locations of the inventoried safety treatments. All safety measure installations were compiled into a comprehensive Excel database. The database is a tool that will allow policy makers and transportation agencies to evaluate the effectiveness, cost, and benefits of roadway safety treatments. KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Databases KW - Friction course KW - Highway safety KW - Inventory KW - Kentucky KW - Location KW - Rumble strips UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.13023/KTC.RR.2015.25 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391929 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587771 AU - Phares, Brent AU - Cronin, Meghan AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa Department of Transportation TI - Synthesis on the Use of Accelerated Bridge Construction Approaches for Bridge Rehabilitation PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 74p AB - Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) has received significant research attention in recent years. For the most part, these research endeavors have focused on means and methods for decreasing impact to the traveling public during new bridge construction. At the same time, great opportunities exist to further reduce traffic impacts by decreasing construction time associated with bridge repair and rehabilitation. Most bridges undergo several small and one or two major rehabilitations during their useful lives and decreasing the traffic impacts during these events could have significant societal benefits. Fortunately, many of the new construction concepts may be able to be adapted for use in rehabilitation scenarios. In still other cases, new means and methods may be needed. This research completes a synthesis of available rehabilitation alternatives and solutions that could be used by practitioners to complete rapid rehabilitation projects. In some cases, these alternatives are adaptations of new construction methods and, in others, they are strictly for rehabilitation activities. This synthesis provides a comprehensive summary of available solutions. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bridge construction KW - Highway bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/ABC_for_rehab_synthesis_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395561 ER - TY - SER AN - 01587769 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Retrospective Analysis of Heat Stroke Deaths of Children in Motor Vehicles PY - 2015/12 SP - 2p AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) collects information from death certificates to identify noncrash motor vehicle fatalities including heat-stroke-related deaths of children from birth to age 14 in motor vehicles. In this document information from the National Death Index (NDI) was analyzed and cause of death is presented for 147 matched deaths. Based on this analysis, if the underlying cause of death from the death certificate is not considered, an enumeration of heat stroke deaths based on other sources will differ from NHTSA’s counts. KW - Children KW - Data analysis KW - Death certificates KW - Fatalities KW - Heat KW - Methodology KW - Motor vehicles UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812220.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378689 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587755 AU - Blomberg, Richard D AU - Van Houten, Ron AU - Thomas, F Dennis AU - Korbelak, Kristopher T AU - Hilton, Bryan W AU - Dunlap and Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Automated Feedback to Foster Safe Driving in Young Drivers, Phase 2 PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 53p AB - Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) represents a promising approach to reduce speeding. A core principle for ISA systems is that they provide real-time feedback to drivers, prompting them to reduce speed when some threshold at or above the limit is reached. The overall goal of the study was to provide insight into the effectiveness and acceptance by young drivers in the United States, of an ISA consisting of an Active Accelerator Pedal (AAP) system. The project involved the design, development, and production of an AAP that included speed mapping and data logging and its installation in two vehicles used for data collection. The AAP system provided increased accelerator pedal resistance above the 2 lbs. of the original pedal up to a maximum total of 38 lbs. if a person exceeded the posted speed limit. If drivers allowed the vehicle speed to drop back to or below the speed limit, the pedal force returned to normal. After successful development and pilot testing of the system, researchers conducted two separate studies with young drivers (18-24 years old) to examine its speed reduction effects, the workload experienced, and satisfaction with the system. For one study, researchers defined a driving route within the Kalamazoo/Portage area of Michigan consisting of 6 segments. Twenty-two pairs of participants (n=44) matched on age and gender drove the route twice on a single day—morning and afternoon— with one participant in each pair having the AAP active in the afternoon drive. Results of this study showed the AAP led to less speeding and somewhat increased driver workload when activated. The second study involved giving an AAP-equipped vehicle to 4 participants to use for 15 days in place of their personal vehicles. The system was off during the first 5 days, activated during the second 5 days, and again turned off for the final 5 days. Results of this study were encouraging with 2 of the 4 participants showing significantly reduced speeding 5+ mph over the limit when the pedal was active. Participants expressed support for the widespread use of the AAP if it saved them money (e.g., lower insurance premiums).They liked the increased awareness of the speed limit but disliked being slower than prevailing traffic. Overall, the studies produced results not unlike those reported in the literature from Europe. The AAP system showed promise for reducing speeding among young drivers in the United States, but more research is needed to further refine the system and understand how best to introduce it into the total vehicle fleet. KW - Attitudes KW - Drivers KW - Field studies KW - Intelligent speed adaptation KW - Pedals KW - Real time information KW - Speed control KW - Speeding KW - United States KW - Young adults UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812230-AutomatedFeedbackFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396050 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587743 AU - Wilmot, Chester AU - Bian, Ruijie AU - Greensword, Marlon AU - Shams, Alaa AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Identifying Local Transit Resources for Evacuation PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 125p AB - The purpose of this project was to establish an inventory of transit vehicles used by special needs and human services organizations in coastal Louisiana, and to incorporate the information into a geographic information system (GIS) that would allow queries on the database. The data was collected by means of a mail out/mail back survey within the context of transportation needs in an emergency. Online ArcGIS was used to allow quick assessment of transit resources and transportation demand that will arise in an emergency. Transportation demand from the general public was estimated recognizing the daily migration of the population and their location at different times of the day. The study found that the organizations surveyed were, in general, not enthusiastic about establishing an inventory of special needs and human services transit resources (a survey response rate of only 12% was obtained). However, the vehicles they have at their disposal represent a substantial resource of specialized transportation. In addition, their drivers are a valuable resource in that they are generally well trained in catering to the special needs of their clients, and approximately one-half of them are prepared to provide their services in an emergency. The study concluded that means must be found to obtain greater participation of these organizations in establishing a full inventory and cooperating with each other during emergencies. KW - Coasts KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Evacuation KW - Geographic information systems KW - Inventory KW - Louisiana KW - Paratransit services KW - Social service agencies KW - Surveys KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2015/FR_556.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394688 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587717 AU - Werbelow, Wesley S AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing A Methodology to Inspect and Assess Conditions of Short Span Structures on County Roads in Wyoming PY - 2015/12 SP - 173p AB - Ever since the introduction of the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) in 1971, there has been a tremendous amount of effort put into bridge rehabilitation programs and safety inspections. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) inspects these bridges in accordance with the NBIS on regular intervals, but there is currently no formal inspection procedure in place to assess the condition of short span structures, especially culverts. Culvert responsibility then falls subject to the agency that owns them. As a result, culverts can become neglected and fall into a state of disrepair and problems or deficiencies are not noticed until a much larger problem arises. In order to aid county governments in Wyoming to assess the conditions of their culverts and to better allocate limited funding, a comprehensive inspection methodology was developed. Since information on short span bridges is very limited, a preliminary inspection procedure was developed for inspecting short span bridges. Counties throughout the state can utilize the developed inspection procedures to aid in efficiently allocating limited funds to their deficient structures. Also, by having a comprehensive knowledge of the conditions of these structures, county governments can justify pursuing additional funding. KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Culverts KW - Data collection KW - Inspection KW - Methodology KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-290.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394955 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587715 AU - Kim, Sojung AU - Son, Young-Jun AU - Jeffers, Mary Anne AU - Williams, Jason AU - Chiu, Yi-Chang AU - University of Arizona, Tucson AU - George Mason University AU - Leidos AU - Textron Systems AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation in the Dilemma Zone PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 57p AB - The goal of this study is to develop a realistic dilemma zone (DZ) model that considers the effects of factors surrounding vehicles at an intersection, particularly focusing on driver decisionmaking behavior, such as the presence of a pedestrian countdown signal, a red-light photo enforcement camera, and the actions of an adjacent vehicle. The Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Driving Simulator (HDS) was used to collect drivers’ responses as a function of facility speed limit and whether the driver was in a hurry. From these responses, a DZ model was developed via agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) under the extended belief-desire-intention (E-BDI) framework. This framework represents uncertain perception and decision behaviors of humans in a probabilistic manner. To demonstrate and validate the proposed approach, the drivers’ actions under two circumstances were compared: (1) drivers only knew the approach speed and distance to the stop (i.e., internal information); and (2) drivers knew the internal information as well as external information, such as presence of a pedestrian countdown signal or presence of a red-light photo enforcement camera, and the behavior of an adjacent vehicle. The experiments indicate that sufficient external information could accurately predict the decisions of drivers and thus reduce the number of red-light violations that could potentially cause accidents at an intersection. In addition, the proposed E-BDI-based DZ model allowed us to consider the physical interactions between vehicles such that it provides realistic prediction results of drivers under various traffic conditions. KW - Automated enforcement KW - Behavior KW - Cameras KW - Decision making KW - Dilemma zone KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Intersections KW - Red light running KW - Traffic signals UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/15082/15082.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391869 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587712 AU - Von Quintus, Harold L AU - Rao, Chetana AU - Irwin, Lynne AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Long-Term Pavement Performance Program Determination of In-Place Elastic Layer Modulus: Backcalculation Methodology and Procedures PY - 2015/12//Draft Final Report SP - 182p AB - Deflection data have been measured at periodic intervals with a falling weight deflectometer on all rigid, flexible, semi-rigid, and rehabilitated pavement test sections included in the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program. A common use of deflection data is to backcalculate in-place layered elastic modulus values. The Federal Highway Administration sponsored earlier studies to backcalculate elastic layer modulus values from deflection basins measured on all LTPP test sections and included those computed values in the LTPP database. While the earlier studies focus on the use of nonlinear methods and were considered to have minimal success, some of the methods used have advanced within the past decade. As such, there was a need to revisit the methods used to improve on the results. This report summarizes all activities completed to backcalculate the elastic layered modulus from deflection basins measured on all test sections included in the LTPP program. Specifically, the report documents the tools, data analyses, backcalculation and forward calculation packages, and procedures used to calculate, on a production basis, the in-place elastic layer modulus of the LTPP test sections. Multiple packages (including BAKFAA, EVERCALC©, MICHBACK©, MODULUS, MODCOMP©, and the area and best fit methods) were considered and evaluated for estimating layered elastic modulus values on a production basis. The methods used in production for backcalculating elastic layer moduli include a combination of EVERCALC© and MODCOMP© for all types of pavements and the best fit method for rigid pavements. The methods and procedures, including the pre- and post-processing tools, have been automated so the results can be recreated by others not directly involved in development of the tools and procedures. The report also summarizes the results from the production runs to calculate the elastic layered modulus of flexible and rigid pavements (new construction and rehabilitation) as well as demonstrate the application and use of the results. KW - Backcalculation KW - Deflection KW - Flexible pavements KW - Long-Term Pavement Performance Program KW - Methodology KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Pavement performance KW - Rigid pavements KW - Test sections UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/15036/15036.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391870 ER - TY - SER AN - 01587709 JO - TRAFFIC TECH PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Automated Feedback to Foster Safe Driving in Young Drivers: Phase 2 PY - 2015/12 SP - 2p AB - Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) provides a promising approach to reduce speeding. A core principle of ISA is real-time feedback that lets drivers know when they are driving over the speed limit. The overall goal of the study was to provide insight into the effectiveness and acceptance by young drivers in the United States, of an ISA consisting of an Active Accelerator Pedal (AAP) system using haptic feedback (pedal resistance) to promote specific driving behavior. This project adapted the AAP from an earlier study that used haptic feedback to promote seat belt use. For this study, an upgraded AAP, speed mapping software, and a data logger were installed in two vehicles used for data collection. The AAP provided increased accelerator pedal resistance that required more effort to push the accelerator pedal whenever the driver exceeded the speed limit. It returned to normal pedal force when the vehicle speed dropped back to or below the speed limit. Researchers conducted two separate studies with young drivers (18-24 years old) to examine AAP effects on speeding, driver workload, and satisfaction with the system. KW - Attitudes KW - Drivers KW - Field studies KW - Intelligent speed adaptation KW - Pedals KW - Speed control KW - Speeding KW - United States KW - Young adults UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812233-TT-Automated_Speed_Feedback.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394939 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587695 AU - Reinhall, Per G AU - Dardis, Tim AU - Dahl, Peter H AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Underwater Noise Reduction of Marine Pile Driving Using a Double Pile PY - 2015/12//Research Report SP - 69p AB - Impact pile driving of steel piles in marine environments produces extremely high sound levels in the water. It has been shown that current pile driving noise attenuation techniques, such as bubble curtains and cofferdams, provide limited noise reduction because significant noise is transmitted through the sediment into the water. Similarly, the effectiveness of surrounding the pile in the water with a double walled steel tube was shown in an earlier Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) study to be limited. To address this problem, a double walled pile has been developed to decrease the total noise transmitted into the water. The double walled pile consists of two concentric tubes connected by a special driving shoe, with an air gap between the two tubes. The double walled pile is driven into the sediment by using traditional equipment to strike the inner tube only. The air gap between the inner and outer tube prevents the radial deformation wave produced by the pile hammer from interacting with the water and the sediment. This report discusses the design of the double wall pile and presents the results from finite element modeling of the pile, scaled prototype testing, and full-scale field testing in Commencement Bay, Puget Sound, Washington. The tests showed that the double walled piles reduce the peak sound pressure over 20 dB relative to single walled piles at a range of approximately 8 meters. They also showed that, in contrast, only a 3- to 6-dB reduction is obtained when a bubble curtain is used on a full-scale, single walled pile. KW - Design KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Noise control KW - Pile driving KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Puget Sound KW - Sound transmission KW - Underwater sound UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/849.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56790/849.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394687 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587694 AU - Chen, Mei AU - Zhang, Xu AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Methodology Update for Estimating Volume to Service Flow Ratio PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 38p AB - Volume/service flow ratio (VSF) is calculated by the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) software as an indicator of peak hour congestion. It is an essential input to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) key planning applications, such as highway adequacy rating. After the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reassessed the HPMS, the standalone HPMS software was no longer supported. This conclusion was based on the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM2000). As a result, the peak capacity and VSF estimates based on the submittal file are no longer available to KYTC. The calculation of VSF ratios requires annual average daily traffic (AADT), K factor, directional factor, and peak capacity as inputs. Previously, peak capacity was calculated by the HPMS software. The calculation method had limitations; it did not take into consideration certain information that may affect the VSF, such as the availability of a truck-climbing lane. Researchers in this study developed a Microsoft Access-based tool for KYTC that estimated peak capacity and VSF. They adapted the approach to ensure compliance with HCM2010. The tool required pre-processing the Highway Information System (HIS) extract to eliminate empty cells by either excluding segments with missing data or by imputing the values of the missing item(s). Often, a short segment was misclassified as a multilane highway or an urban two-lane or three-lane facility. Analyses indicated that VSF can provide a modest amount of information on a segment’s level of traffic congestion. However, it does not reflect variations in travel time (or speed), which may greatly contribute to user experience on the highway. A post-processing step may also be needed to mitigate the impact of short segments in the input data. The future of VSF as the sole measure of congestion performance should be evaluated. KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway Capacity Manual 2010 KW - Highway Performance Monitoring System KW - Kentucky KW - Methodology KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2015/12/KTC_15_27_PL22_13_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391867 ER - TY - SER AN - 01587661 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Alcohol-Impaired Driving PY - 2015/12 SP - 7p AB - In 2014, there were 9,967 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 g/dL or higher; this was 31% of total traffic fatalities for the year. An average of 1 alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 53 minutes in 2014. The estimated economic cost of alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States in 2010 (the most recent year for which cost data is available) was $44 billion. Of the traffic fatalities among children 14 and younger in 2014, 19% occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. In 2014, the 21- to 24-year-old age group had the highest percentage of drivers with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher (30%) in fatal crashes. The percentage of drivers with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher in fatal crashes in 2014 was highest for motorcycle riders (29%), compared to passenger cars (22%), light trucks (22%), and large trucks (2%). The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2014 was almost four times higher at night than during the day. Among the 9,967 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in 2014, 69% (6,852) were in crashes in which at least one driver in the crash had a BAC of .15 g/dL or higher. Additional statistics on alcohol-impaired-driving fatal crashes in 2014 are provided in this traffic safety fact sheet. KW - Age groups KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Drunk drivers KW - Drunk driving KW - Economic impacts KW - Fatalities KW - Periods of the day KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378639 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587648 AU - Morton, Tom AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Next Generation Traffic Control Systems Workshop Summary Report PY - 2015/12 SP - 42p AB - On February 3-4, 2015, at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia, the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Operations Research and Development, with support from the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, convened the 2-day workshop "Next Generation Traffic Control Systems." The purpose of this workshop was to bring together researchers and technology developers from industry, academia, and public agencies to discuss the direction of technological advances in traffic control systems and sensors. KW - Highway traffic control systems KW - Sensors KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/15085/15085.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394941 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587638 AU - Sobieck, Tyler AU - Atadero, Rebecca AU - Mahmoud, Hussam AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Predicting Fatigue Service Life Extension of RC Bridges with Externally Bonded CFRP Repairs PY - 2015/12 SP - 68p AB - This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the fatigue performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with different externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems. Seven specimens were fabricated; three had no CFRP; the remaining four had one of two CFRP systems. The objective of this study was to determine the effect the CFRP repair had on the growth rate of a fatigue crack initiating from a notch in the tensile rebars. The results of the experimental study showed an extended fatigue life and a slowed crack growth rate in specimens repaired with both CFRP systems. The crack growth rates were used to determine material constants for the Paris Law, which describes growth of a stable fatigue crack. These results were then used to propose recommendations for design of FRP repair systems for a specific fatigue life. KW - Carbon fibers KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Recommendations KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Repairing KW - Service life UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-292.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1392201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587637 AU - Eudy, Leslie AU - Post, Matthew AU - Gikakis, Christina AU - National Renewable Energy Laboratory AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2015 PY - 2015/12 SP - 43p AB - This annual status report discusses the achievements and challenges of fuel cell propulsion for transit and summarizes the introduction of fuel cell transit buses in the United States. It provides an analysis of the combined results from fuel cell transit bus demonstrations evaluated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with a focus on the most recent data (through July 2015). The primary results presented in the report are from two demonstrations of fuel-cell-dominant bus designs: Zero Emission Bay Area Demonstration Group led by Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in California and American Fuel Cell Bus Project at SunLine Transit Agency in California. This report combines results for fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) demonstrations across the United States and discusses the path forward for commercial viability of fuel cell technology for transit buses. Its intent is to inform Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Department of Energy (DOE) decision makers who direct research and funding; state and local government agencies that fund new propulsion technology transit buses; and interested transit agencies and industry manufacturers. KW - Alameda Contra Costa Transit District KW - Demonstration projects KW - Evaluation KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Sunline Transit Agency KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit buses KW - United States UR - http://www.afdc.energy.gov/uploads/publication/fc_buses_2015_status.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391754 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587635 AU - Gambatese, John A AU - Jafarnejad, Ali AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Radar Speed Display for Mobile Maintenance Operations PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 187p AB - Roadway maintenance projects often require working during nighttime hours in close proximity to ongoing traffic and may reduce traffic flow to a single lane while work is undertaken. In many cases the work is of short duration and a mobile operation. The Oregon Department of Transportation has conducted several research studies to identify best practices for traffic control during maintenance work. Radar speed signs (RSSs) are a traffic control device that has shown promise for positively affecting driver behavior and reducing speeds. RSSs use radar technology to measure the speed of oncoming vehicles and display the vehicle speed and accompanying messages to the drivers. This research study evaluated the impact of truck-mounted RSSs on vehicle speeds in maintenance work zones and identified best practices for their use as part of mobile and stationary maintenance work operations. The research study includes four case studies on multi-lane maintenance projects in Oregon. On each case study, the researchers conducted two periods of testing: one with the RSS display turned on and one without the RSS display turned on, and recorded vehicle speeds. The research findings indicate that vehicle speeds are typically lower and there is less variation in speeds between adjacent vehicles with the RSS turned on. Based on the findings, the researchers recommend use of truck-mounted radar speed signs during mobile maintenance operations on high-speed roadways. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Evaluation KW - Multilane highways KW - Oregon KW - Speed control KW - Speed detectors KW - Speed signs KW - Traffic speed KW - Work zone traffic control KW - Work zones UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/RSS_Final_Report_OR_RD_16_09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394685 ER - TY - SER AN - 01587630 JO - TRAFFIC TECH PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - School Start Times and Teen Driver Crashes PY - 2015/12 SP - 2p AB - As the critical importance of sleep has become fully recognized and teen sleep patterns better understood, some school systems in the United States have reversed the decades-long trend toward earlier high school start times. This study examined the hypothesis that a later high school start time could reduce crash rates by aligning school start time with the sleep needs of adolescents. Researchers collected data from four comparable counties in North Carolina, one of which (Forsyth County) changed their school start time from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. beginning in August 2003. In addition to the program in North Carolina, researchers explored previously collected teen crash data from an earlier study of a similar school start-time change in Kentucky. Researchers evaluated the data from these two changes in start time to determine whether there was a drop in crash rates among 16- and 17-year-old drivers due to later school start times.The current study cautiously supports the hypothesis that changing high school start times can decrease crash rates among teen drivers. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash rates KW - Drowsiness KW - Kentucky KW - North Carolina KW - Schools KW - Sleep KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812227-SchoolStartTimesAndTeenDriverCrashesTT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378640 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587605 AU - Walton, Jennifer R AU - Spellman, Mark S AU - Crabtree, Joseph D AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Thermal Imaging Technology for Commercial Vehicle Screening PY - 2015/12 SP - 28p AB - Brake and tire violations are common problems identified through commercial vehicle inspections. Identifying and correcting these types of problems before a crash occurs can produce significant safety benefits. Thermal imaging technology can be used by commercial vehicle enforcement to screen vehicles as they approach a weigh station to determine if they may have flat tires and inoperable brakes. The vehicles do not have to be stopped at a weigh station to be screened. Kentucky currently has three stations outfitted with thermal imaging technology. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the benefits of using the thermal imaging cameras to identify brake and tire problems and to develop recommendations for how enforcement personnel can receive the most benefits from this technology. The data presented in this report include: 1) a summary of previous research, 2) evaluations of the technology, 3) on-site data collection at a Kentucky weigh station, 4) an interview with one of Kentucky’s primary users of the technology, and 5) an analysis of Kentucky inspection data, specifically, brake and tire violations and vehicle out-of-service (OOS) rates. A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) evaluation concluded that the OOS rate for vehicles pinpointed via thermal imaging camera systems was 59 percent, whereas the OOS rate for conventional inspection was only 19 percent. Facilities with a thermal imaging system recorded a higher percentage of tire and brake violations per inspection as well as a higher vehicle out-of-service (VOOS) rate than facilities without a thermal imaging camera. However, the effectiveness of thermal imaging technology was significantly influenced by whether law enforcement embraced it as well as by inspectors’ proficiency operating the systems. This study recommends that enforcement staff who can access thermal imaging technology receive periodic training on its operation, then graduate to a practicum that lets them use the technology under expert supervision. Promotional materials that highlight the value of thermal imaging technologies should be distributed to all Kentucky enforcement personnel. In addition, methods and enforcement mechanisms should be identified so that personnel can be held accountable for using the technology. KW - Brakes KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Evaluation KW - Inspection KW - Kentucky KW - Law enforcement KW - Recommendations KW - Technology assessment KW - Thermal imagery KW - Tires UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2015/12/KTC_15_19_MTIC7_14_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391918 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01586643 AU - Foss, Robert D AU - Smith, Richard L AU - Shi, Funan AU - O'Brien, Natalie P AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - School Start Times and Teenage Driver Motor Vehicle Crashes PY - 2015/12 SP - 50p AB - There is substantial evidence that lack of sleep is a significant factor in motor vehicle crashes experienced by teenage drivers. This report examines the hypothesis that a later high school start time may reduce crash rates by reducing the interference of school start time with the sleep needs of adolescents. The authors collected data from two jurisdictions, Forsyth County, North Carolina, and Fayette County, Kentucky, that changed to substantially later high school start times. The authors examined whether these changes were accompanied by a drop in crash rates among 16- and 17-year-old drivers. Monthly time series were compiled corresponding to the overall rate of crashes on school days, adjusted for the 16- and 17-year-old population. An intervention time series analysis was applied to determine whether the change in school start time was accompanied by a downward shift in the level of the crash rate series. To control for possible confounding factors, comparable statistics were also compiled, using the same analyses, for several other counties where there was no change in school start times. For Forsyth County, North Carolina, there was a decrease in crash rates corresponding to the change in school start time, though the statistical significance of the effect is only moderate (one-sided p-value = .04). No corresponding effect was observed for three comparable counties of North Carolina. For Fayette County, Kentucky, there was no evidence of a statistically significant change in crash rates. Because of anomalous data in the one available comparable county, the authors were unable to derive meaningful results for a comparison county in Kentucky. The authors conclude that there is mild evidence that the change in school start times in Forsyth County, North Carolina, had a beneficial effect, but there is no corresponding evidence for Fayette County, Kentucky. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash rates KW - Drowsiness KW - Fayette County (Kentucky) KW - Forsyth County (North Carolina) KW - Schools KW - Sleep KW - Teenage drivers KW - Time series analysis UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812221-HighSchoolStartTimesAndTeenDriverCrashes.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1385829 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584399 AU - Washer, Glenn AU - Trial, Mike AU - Jungnitsch, Alan AU - Nelson, Seth AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Testing of Hand-Held Infrared Thermography, Phase II PY - 2015/12//Interim Report SP - 104p AB - This report describes research completed to develop and implement infrared thermography, a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technology for the condition assessment of concrete bridge components. The overall goal of this research was to develop new technologies to help ensure bridge safety and improve the effectiveness of maintenance and repair. The objectives of the research were to: (1) Quantify the capability and reliability of thermal imaging technology in the field; (2) Field test and validate inspection guidelines for the application of thermal imaging for bridge inspection; and (3) Identify and overcome implementation barriers. The project provided hand-held infrared cameras to participating state Departments of Transportation (project partners), trained individuals from these states in camera use, and conducted field tests of the technology. The reliability of the technology was assessed, and previously developed Guidelines for field use were evaluated through systematic field testing. The implementation of infrared thermography within the participating states was studied during the course of the research to identify implementation challenges experienced by users of the technology. Finite element modeling of the thermal behavior of concrete under typical environmental conditions was also completed to study the effects of defect depth and thickness and the effect of asphalt overlays. Overall, the verification testing and results reported through the implementation study showed that the Guidelines provided suitable conditions for detection of subsurface damage in concrete. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Concrete bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Guidelines KW - Implementation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technology assessment KW - Thermographs UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1144/cmr16-007.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1144/cmr16-007A-D.pdf UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1144/cmr16-007_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378076 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584397 AU - Anderson, Keith W AU - Russell, Mark AU - Uhlmeyer, Jeff S AU - Weston, Jim AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Kwik Bond Polymers® High Friction Surface Treatment PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 46p AB - High friction surface treatment (HFST) was applied to two on-ramps in the Seattle urban area to improve friction resistance. The ramps were high accident locations. The system applied was polyester resin binder and calcined bauxite aggregate. Testing of the completed HFST resulted in average friction numbers (FN40R) ranging from 75 to 86 with no individual value below 72. An evaluation period of five years is planned to monitor the performance of the HFST. At the end of the five-year period, a final report will be written which summarizes the friction and performance characteristics of the application, its effectiveness at reducing collisions, its cost effectiveness and recommendations on the future use of the high friction surface treatments. KW - Binders KW - Friction KW - Friction course KW - On ramps KW - Paving KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Surface treating UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/851.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56767/851.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584394 AU - Sacco, Maggie AU - HS InFocus AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation Library Connectivity and Development Pooled Fund Study, Final Report PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 57p AB - This report is a record of the major activities and accomplishments of the Transportation Library Connectivity and Development pooled fund study, TPF-5(237), from its approval by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2010 through its fifth and final annual meeting in August 2015. To deal with the overwhelming amount of valuable information produced by transportation agencies available in digital and physical formats, the transportation sector needs to engage libraries and leverage the specialized skills and systematic approach of professional librarians to effectively locate and curate this information. The Transportation Library Connectivity and Development pooled fund study is a continuation of the work of the previous study, TPF-5(105). In response to the recommendations of the previous study, a functional library consortium was established. This consortium offered members opportunities to enhance and improve services to their customers, while reducing costs and to prepare for federally funded scientific research and data policy changes, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21) and the evolution of the National Transportation Library. A new pooled fund study, to be led by Missouri Department of Transportation, is being planned to build upon the achievements of this study. KW - Information dissemination KW - Libraries KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - National Transportation Library KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation departments UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1127/cmr16-005.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378077 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584085 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Case Studies in Delivering Safe, Comfortable, and Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks PY - 2015/12 SP - 81p AB - To better understand the different ways in which communities are improving their pedestrian and bicycle networks, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Division Offices gathered and compiled examples of pedestrian and bicycle network improvement projects initiated by state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), counties, cities, and other local entities. The effort identified a total of 86 projects from all States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, each of which highlighted a project that was intended to improve the transportation network for pedestrians and bicyclists. The network examples were used to develop brief case studies of successful projects. Examples were identified, evaluated, and categorized into several key project types, including: Planning and Prioritization, Shared Use Paths, Corridor Improvements, Bridges, On-Road Facilities, and Intersections and Crossing Improvements. The examples provide agencies with ideas about how they can improve networks for pedestrians and bicyclists and will serve as a source of inspiration for communities who are interested in making network improvements. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bridges KW - Case studies KW - Construction projects KW - Highway corridors KW - Improvements KW - Intersections KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning KW - United States UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/network_report/network_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377557 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583649 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Al-Qadi, Imad L AU - Ozer, Hasan AU - Lambros, John AU - Khatib, Ahmad El AU - Singhvi, Punit AU - Khan, Tamim AU - Rivera-Perez, José AU - Doll, Berangere AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Testing Protocols to Ensure Performance of High Asphalt Binder Replacement Mixes Using RAP and RAS PY - 2015/12//Final Report IS - 15-017 SP - 209p AB - The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures can reduce demand for virgin aggregates and asphalt binder, bringing environmental and economic benefits. However, replacing virgin asphalt binder in AC mixtures poses challenges in terms of mixture volumetrics and low-temperature cracking, fatigue cracking, and other deterioration related to cracking. To counter these effects, softer virgin asphalt binder grades or modifying agents are used to improve production consistency. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate protocols, procedures, and specifications for testing engineering properties and performance of AC mixtures with high amounts (up to 60%) of RAP and RAS. The criteria for selection of the test method were (1) statistically significant spread in test outcome, representing a mix’s cracking resistance; (2) applicability and seamless implementation; (3) correlation to other independent test methods and engineering intuition; and (4) correlation to field performance. A practical test method, the Illinois modified semi-circular bending test (IL-SCB) was developed that can be readily implemented to quantify AC mixture’s cracking potential. In addition, a flexibility index (FI) was introduced to determine cracking resistance in a consistent way. The IL-SCB showed consistent and repeatable trends for changes in AC mix design properties. The developed FI was shown to provide greater separation between AC mixes to capture some of the changes that could not be captured by fracture energy alone. This approach does not enforce any limits on any AC mixture design characteristics, such as RAP and RAS content, or other alternative materials or technologies. Instead, it categorizes AC mixes based on their performance index. Hence, this approach encourages innovation and sustainability at the same time. KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Bituminous binders KW - Cracking KW - Field tests KW - Flexural strength KW - Mix design KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Test procedures UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=3713 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56773/FHWA-ICT-15-017.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377418 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583643 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Harrison, James A TI - 2015 ROW Fatality & Trespass Prevention Workshop PY - 2015/12 IS - 15-42 SP - 4p AB - Trespassing along railroad rights-of-way (ROW) is the leading cause of rail-related deaths. More than 500 preventable trespass fatalities and nearly as many injuries occur each year in the United States, and most of these incidents involve pedestrians. Based on the successful 2008 and 2012 ROW Fatality and Trespass Prevention Workshops, the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsored a third ROW Fatality and Trespass Prevention Workshop from August 4-6, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The workshop’s program was presented by rail experts and safety professionals who shared their ideas on key issues, best practices, technical developments, human behavior, law enforcement, and public education and awareness outreach methods and techniques related to trespass prevention. The participants represented Federal, State, and local governments, freight and passenger railroads, transit agencies, labor unions, academia, nonprofit organizations, and consultants. Other nations were represented including the UK and Canada. The workshop concluded with the development of 24 high priority recommended actions across five topic areas. KW - Best practices KW - Fatalities KW - Pedestrians KW - Prevention KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroads KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Stakeholders KW - Trespassers KW - Workshops UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15550 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56758/RR_2015_Trespass_Workshop.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376970 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583637 AU - Derkowski, Paul AU - Clark, Steve AU - Sturt, Richard AU - Keylin, Alexander AU - Baker, Chris AU - Vardy, Alan AU - Wilson, Nicholas AU - Arup AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - University of Birmingham, Edgbaston AU - Dundee Tunnel Research AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - High-Speed Rail Aerodynamic Assessment and Mitigation Report PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 260p AB - This report advances the current state of knowledge, as well as shared understanding and evaluation of present procedures used to mitigate the impacts effects from high-speed trains (HST) operating at speeds between 110 mph and 250 mph. This work gathers and summarizes existing international knowledge and standards and forms the basis for a future design and mitigation guidance manual. KW - Aerodynamics KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - High speed rail KW - Impact KW - Literature reviews KW - Railroad safety KW - Standards UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L17283 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583632 AU - Jin, Xia AU - Hossan, Md Sakoat AU - Asgari, Hamidreza AU - Florida International University AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Investigating the Value of Time and Value of Reliability for Managed Lanes PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 91p AB - This report presents a comprehensive study in Value of Time (VOT) and Value of Reliability (VOR) analysis in the context of managed lane (ML) facilities. Combined Revealed Preference (RP) and Stated Preference (SP) data were used to understand travelers’ choice behavior regarding the usage of MLs. The data were obtained from the South Florida Expressway Stated Preference Survey conducted by the Resource Systems Group, Inc. (RSG), which gathered information from automobile drivers of South Florida who had recently made a trip on I-75, I-95, or SR 826 corridors. Various modeling and analysis approaches were employed to further reveal user heterogeneity in VOT and VOR. Mixed logit modeling was applied and indicated an average value of $9.41 per hour for VOT and $13.02 per hour for VOR. The model was further enhanced by adding interaction effects of variables, which helped recognize and quantify potential sources of heterogeneity in user sensitivities to time, reliability and cost. The sensitivities were employed to capture the user heterogeneity in VOT and VOR. The findings indicated that various socioeconomic demographic characteristics and trip attributes contributed to the variations in VOT and VOR at different magnitudes. This study provides a robust approach to quantify user heterogeneity in VOT and VOR by incorporating the corresponding interaction effects for specific market segments. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding on what attributes lead to higher or lower VOT and VOR and to what extent. These findings can be incorporated into the demand forecasting process and lead to better estimates and enhanced analytical capabilities in various applications, such as toll feasibility studies, pricing strategy and policy evaluations, and impact analysis, etc. KW - Choice models KW - Consumer preferences KW - Demographics KW - Drivers KW - Logits KW - Managed lanes KW - South Florida KW - Surveys KW - Valuation KW - Value of time UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PL/FDOT-BDV29-977-12-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56735/FDOT-BDV29-977-12-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377215 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583619 AU - Howarth, Lawrence AU - Leiss, Erick AU - Madera, James AU - Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Wheel Load Cycle Tag for Rail PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 43p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has determined that there is a research need to collect and analyze statistical usage data to help ascertain the cumulative load-induced fatigue on rail track segments. The estimation of rail segment burdening through the determination of loaded or unloaded wheel passages is aided by obtaining totalized statistical counts that can serve as an early indication of potential track failures. This research focused on designing and extensively testing a small, self-powered track assessment gauge (TAG) device that was installed directly to the web of the track rail. This device was designed to tabulate train wheel passages and associate an “empty” or “loaded” status with passage of rolling trains. The measured statistical data was stored internally to the device and was field accessible for recovery via a non-contact hand-held unit. Additional testing is needed to confirm the actual power consumption during operation and sleep modes, and verify the operation and accuracy of the TAG unit in varied track/roadbed conditions. KW - Data collection KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Loads KW - Measuring instruments KW - Railroad tracks KW - Rolling contact KW - Wheelsets (Railroads) UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15552 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376972 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583591 AU - Darnell, James AU - Bell, Chris A AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Based Selection of RAP/RAS in Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 107p AB - Asphalt pavement technology has been driven by a desire to reduce the consumption of virgin oil products and improve the sustainability of vital ingredients required to produce pavement. The goal of the research study described in this report is to develop a strategy to select the type/quantity of recycled material, and PG grade for the virgin binder, of an asphalt mix to provide optimum performance in a given environment. This study compared the performance one mix design with five different quantities and combinations of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) using an Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester (AMPT). Three different PG graded binders were utilized. Based on the measurements of dynamic modulus and phase angles from the AMPT, it was concluded that a high RAP mixture with a soft binder grade could perform similarly to a low RAP mixture with a harder binder grade. Mixtures using RAS have different performance characteristics than those using RAP only. These mixtures were less susceptible to changes in loading frequency and temperature. KW - Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Binders KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - Mix design KW - Pavement performance KW - Recycled materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56780/SPR755_RAP-RAS_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377472 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583584 AU - Dixon, Karen AU - Dai, Yizhen AU - Zhou, Yanfen AU - Avelar, Raul AU - Narula, Sukrit AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effective Measures to Restrict Vehicle Turning Movements PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 126p AB - This study evaluated alternatives to raised/non-traversable medians on driveways and approaches. Raised medians are often considered as an effective technique to limit direct left-turns that may be due to a significant number of conflict points. The raised medians provide an added benefit of improved corridor aesthetics. This research effort specifically reviewed a variety of turn restriction alternatives to determine how effective they may be in addressing the safety and operational needs of the transportation network while still considering contextual sensitivities. The turn restrictions evaluated in this report are broadly separated into three categories: turn restrictions located only at the access point, turn restrictions located only in the roadway (typically some sort of median configuration), and combined turn restriction configurations. The literature review also identified the jug handle and roundabout design that could be considered to restrict turning maneuvers, but this research did not extend to these two infrastructure alternatives. The research team performed field evaluations in Oregon and Texas to determine the effectiveness of various turn restriction configurations. For the Oregon locations, the research team also evaluated recent crash histories to determine if turn restrictions were linked to observed crashes. In addition, the research team performed micro-simulation evaluations to identify the operational impacts of the various turn maneuver restrictions. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Crash data KW - Field studies KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Intersections KW - Literature reviews KW - Microsimulation KW - Oregon KW - Texas KW - Turning traffic UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56726/SPR766_RestrictVehicleTurningMovement_Final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56726/SPR766_RestrictVehicleTurningMovements_UserGuide.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376588 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583571 AU - Sinha, Arijit AU - Clauson, Milo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Evaluation of Pile Repair Splice Design PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 31p AB - The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Major Bridge Maintenance Engineer has proposed an in-house pile repair scheme for decayed piles. This repair scheme involves removing decayed area within the pile leaving a 2” outer shell, filling it up with rapid strength concrete and then placing a steel splice post with a ½” plate welded on the bottom. The design has not been validated by test results. The overall goal of the project was to characterize the new timber pile repair design. More specifically, the objectives of the study were to (a) characterize flexural and compressional properties of the timber splice repair design and (b) discern any influence of concrete plug length on the performance of the piles. The objective was achieved by conducting two tests on pile splices – compression (3) and flexure (3). Overall, the repair design performed well during testing. In compression, the piles did not fail and the testing had to be stopped as the capacity of the actuator was exceeded. The loads achieved in compression were higher than the nominal capacity of wood. In flexure the piles performed adequately albeit with a reduced moment capacity. The pile splice repair design reinforces the pile in the axial direction but expectedly reduces the moment capacity. The dependence of compressional performance of the piles on concrete plug length was not discernible from the current data set. These results cannot be statistically validated because of limited sample size and additional testing is required to achieve statistical significance. The results suggest that the design can be used in practice after accounting for the reduction in moment capacity. KW - Bend tests KW - Compression tests KW - Flexural strength KW - Highway bridges KW - Oregon KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Repairing KW - Timber UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56782/WSER07R2_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377471 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583536 AU - Schleith, Kevin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) TI - Implications of Electric Vehicles on Gasoline Tax Revenues PY - 2015/12 SP - 13p AB - This report summarizes the results of research conducted to determine if current and near future EV sales will have an impact on gasoline (gas) tax revenues as part of the Federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF). Gasoline taxes account for $31.1 billion or about 87% of the HTF. The project results were accomplished through a review of existing industry and government reports that detail fuel tax revenues and through analysis of EV sales from 2010 to 2015. Results for electric vehicle (EV) market penetration have shown increasing sales, but EVs have resulted in very little impact on gas tax revenues. As of August 2015, the lost gas tax revenue from EV sales of 365,000 vehicles is shown to be $71.9 million or a loss of 0.23% Current assessment is that in 15 to 25 years EVs could make an impact on revenue. The report also examines the implications and needs in HTF funding. According to numerous references, the HTF has experienced a continuing shortfall that is attributed to three major factors; more fuel efficient internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the fact that federal gas rates has not risen since 1993 and the increased cost in highway construction and repairs. For the future, if the gas tax is to remain the major source of highway funding, then both federal and state level policy officials most likely will need to create and implement transportation revenue generation strategies that may not rely entirely on the gasoline tax. The report covers some of the revenue generation options in place and under consideration as well as the pros and cons of each. KW - Electric vehicles KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highway Trust Fund KW - Revenues KW - States UR - http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-2011-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377354 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583534 AU - Rockwell Collins AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Positive Train Control Interoperability and Networking Research PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 73p AB - This document describes the initial development of an ITC PTC Shared Network (IPSN), a hosted environment to support the distribution, configuration management, and IT governance of Interoperable Train Control (ITC) Positive Train Control (PTC) systems between short line and commuter railroads and Class I railroads. This effort is focused on ITC-compliant Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) PTC Systems, which will allow the IPSN to support interoperability for train initialization and PTC-supported operations between tenant railroads and their host railroad partners and between host railroads while operating in each other’s territory. KW - Communication systems KW - Data communications KW - Interoperability KW - Laboratory tests KW - Positive train control KW - Railroads UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15549 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376971 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583522 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Hawkins, Neal AU - Smadi, Omar AU - Knickerbocker, Skylar AU - Pike, Adam AU - Carlson, Paul AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating All-Weather Pavement Markings in Illinois: Volume 1 PY - 2015/12 IS - 15-018 SP - 65p AB - Pavement markings provide critical guidance to motorists, especially under dark (non-lighted) conditions. However, the ability to see these pavement markings on a wet, rainy night is problematic given that the presence of water considerably decreases pavement marking retroreflectivity. This project evaluated the performance of several all-weather pavement marking products in an effort to provide guidance on their use on Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) roadways. In addition, a laboratory evaluation was completed in an effort to simulate degradation mechanisms of these pavement markings so that future all-weather materials can be evaluated in a timely manner within the lab versus public roadway. The study found that only 15% of the all-weather products provided a retroreflectivity of 50 millicandelas per meter squared per lux (mcd/m²/lux), which is noted as (mcd) within this report, under continuous wetting conditions. The lab evaluation showed some promise for the dry retroreflectivity performance given that data variability was low and there was good correlation initially with the field data. The correlation was not as good, however, as the markings aged, and correlation in the wet conditions was not good. KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Illinois KW - Laboratory tests KW - Rain KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road marking materials KW - Road markings UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=3704 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56737/FHWA-ICT-15-018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377214 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583514 AU - Boot, Walter AU - Charness, Neil AU - Roque, Nelson AU - Barajas, Kimberly AU - Dirghalli, Jared AU - Mitchum, Ainsley AU - Florida State University, Tallahassee AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - The Flashing Right Turn Signal with Pedestrian Indication: Human Factors Studies to Understand the Potential of a New Signal to Increase Awareness of and Attention to Crossing Pedestrians PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 45p AB - The flashing pedestrian indicator (FPI) is intended to alert turning drivers to the potential presence of pedestrians in the roadway, facilitate scanning in the likely direction of pedestrians, and encourage caution and yielding behavior in response to pedestrians. Task 1.1 assessed younger (21-35 years), middle-aged (50-64 years), and older (65+) drivers’ ability to comprehend the intended message of this new signal. Participants were presented with static driving scenes, containing the FPI (as well as other signal states), and were asked to report the meaning of the FPI in open-ended and multiple choice formats. Task 1.2 presented a separate group of participants with similar scenes and participants were asked to imagine they were a right-turning driver. In this task, participants were asked to report the correct action (go, stop, yield to pedestrian). Pedestrian presence was manipulated, as well as whether the intersection featured an FPI. Results of Task 1.1 indicated that drivers quickly picked up on the meaning of the FPI. However, there was some confusion regarding the meaning of the FPI for drivers proceeding straight through the intersection rather than turning right (participants often thought that that the signal meant that drivers proceeding straight through the intersection should expect pedestrians as well). Task 1.2 indicated that, compared to a standard signal that did not feature an FPI, the FPI encouraged significantly more decisions to yield to pedestrians within a crosswalk both in timed and untimed responses. Participants were more likely to make a response to yield when the FPI was active even when no visible pedestrian was present. Furthermore, participants were slower in making their decision when no pedestrian was present. The authors interpret this pattern as indicating greater caution and search for pedestrians in the presence of the FPI. In general, few age differences were observed. Results suggested that the FPI is a promising signal with respect to comprehension, but additional research is needed to 1) further explore the source of, and potential solutions to, driver confusion uncovered in these studies, 2) evaluate driving behavior in response to the FPI, and 3) understand pedestrian response to the FPI. Additional laboratory and simulator studies are required before final recommendations can be made regarding implementation. Reported results provide insight into the design of these studies and the questions they should address. KW - Age groups KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Flashing traffic signals KW - Human factors KW - Pedestrian actuated controllers KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Right turns KW - Signalized intersections KW - Yielding UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_TE/FDOT-BDV30-977-13-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56769/FDOT-BDV30-977-13-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377553 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584092 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Intersection & Interchange Geometrics PY - 2015/11/30 SP - 2p AB - About half of all severe crashes in the U.S. are intersection related. Left-turns represent a large portion of the intersection safety concern. As part of the safety focus area of the Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is promoting several proven techniques to improve the safety of intersections by strategically eliminating or relocating the left-turn conflicts. In this document the benefits of diverging diamond interchanges, displaced left-turn intersections, U-turn intersections, and modern roundabouts are reviewed. KW - Geometric design KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Interchanges and intersections KW - Left turns KW - State of the practice UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc-2/pdfs/edc_intersection_21.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377949 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01581070 TI - Application of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for Transportation Planning AB - No summary provided. KW - Global Positioning System KW - Transportation Planning Board UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/474 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375579 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01581120 TI - Construction of Low-Cracking High-Performance Bridge Decks Incorporating New Technology AB - The purpose of this study is to implement new technologies in conjunction with low-cracking high-performance concrete bridge specifications to improve bridge deck life through reduction of cracking. The work involves cooperation between state departments of transportation (DOTs), material suppliers, contractors, and designers. See scope of work. KW - Bridge decks KW - Construction KW - Contractors KW - Cracking KW - Service life KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/585 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375557 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01581121 TI - Avalanche Research Pool AB - The study's mission is to support collaborative research efforts in the field of avalanche hazard assessment and mitigation, with the goal of improving the safety, efficiency, and quality of control efforts, along with providing better information gathering and analysis techniques and seamless integration of new technologies to further these goals. The participation of many transportation related agencies in this study will also further cooperation in this industry, leading to improved future development of beneficial technologies and improved sharing of information and avalanche data, greatly furthering the safety, efficiency, and quality of the work done in this field for all relevant agencies. KW - Avalanches KW - Cooperation KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Hazard analysis KW - Information dissemination KW - Quality control KW - Risk assessment KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/586 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375556 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593740 AU - Nelson, Arthur C AU - Ganning, Joanna AU - Buchert, Martin AU - Kim, Keuntae AU - Eskic, Dejan AU - Beaudoin, Mercedes AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Study of BRT Development Outcomes PY - 2015/11/19/Final Report SP - 126p AB - Bus rapid transit (BRT) is poised to become the “next big thing” in public transit. From virtually no systems a generation ago, there are now 19 lines operating with at least seven under construction and more than 20 in the planning stages. BRT is gaining popularity because of its combination of low capital cost and potential for high levels of benefits. But are BRT systems effective in attracting development? To answer this and many more trending BRT questions, the Metropolitan Research Center (MRC) reviewed multiple studies using data from the United States Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics, and CoStar data in a quasi-experimental, compare-and-contrast research design to compare jobs, population and households, and housing units before and after BRT station construction relative to control stations and the stations’ metropolitan context. Our units of analysis will be 2010 census blocks and their assemblages as data allow within 0.25 mile buffers. The final products of the MRC’s research include case studies of each BRT and meta-assessments of whether and to what extent BRT systems attract development. Some of the studies answer the following questions: What are the effects of BRT on sectoral employment change in the United States? How does BRT affect housing location affordability? What is the relationship between BRT and its surrounding area’s wage-related job change? These answers can provide MPOs with information to aid in the decision-making process in terms of economic development and transportation planning options. KW - Before and after studies KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Case studies KW - Economic development KW - Employment KW - Households KW - Housing KW - Jobs KW - Population UR - http://t4america.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/NATIONAL-STUDY-OF-BRT-DEVELOPMENT-OUTCOMES-11-30-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583551 AU - Sulbaran, Tulio AU - University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mississippi Department of Transportation Research Peer Exchange 2015 PY - 2015/11/19/Final Report SP - 43p AB - From October 20th to 22nd, 2015, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, with the assistance of the University of Southern Mississippi, hosted a peer exchange focusing on best practices. The goal of the peer exchange was to develop actionable recommendations for: (1) Research project result implementation, (2) Strategic research plan, and (3) Doing more with less. Representatives from four state DOTs (Maryland, Missouri, South Dakota and Montana), the Transportation Research Board (TRB), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the University of Southern Mississippi (facilitator) participated in the peer exchange, which was held in Biloxi, Mississippi. KW - Best practices KW - Implementation KW - Maryland Department of Transportation KW - Mississippi Department of Transportation KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Montana Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Research management KW - Research projects KW - South Dakota Department of Transportation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation Research Board UR - http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/research/Reports/Interim%20and%20Final%20Reports/State%20Study%20267%20-MDOT%20Research%20Peer%20Exchange%202015.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56763/MDOT_Research_Peer_Exchange_Report_Outline_FINAL_REPORT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377554 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599882 AU - Williams, Billy M AU - Craft, David W AU - Wagner, John A AU - Rouphail, Nagui M AU - List, George F AU - Horne, Dylan R AU - Narron, Brian L AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Smartlink – Baseline for Measurement of Benefits PY - 2015/11/16/Final Report SP - 263p AB - The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) operates several traffic management centers across the state along with accompanying field devices such as traffic condition data stations, traffic surveillance cameras, and variable message signs in addition to several regional incident management assistance patrols (IMAP). These centers currently operate independently in an environment without dedicated center-to-center communication or seamless interaction. Efficient system operation and management at the corridor and regional levels are severely hindered by this lack of integration. In order to remedy this unacceptable situation thereby unleashing the potential for significantly reducing delay and increasing system efficiency and reliability, NCDOT plans to procure a statewide advanced traffic management system (ATMS) systems. This ATMS procurement was planned to occur during the performance of this research project. However, the procurement was delayed. Nonetheless the project achieved many of the original project goals. Although the baseline period did not come to an end during the project, the research established the framework for data assembly and baseline performance assessment. The project included a comprehensive review to the state of the practice and research in ATMS performance measurement and provided justification, data needs, and calculation methods for eighteen recommended performance measurements. The project also developed and tested a method for categorizing route performance based on analysis of full travel time distributions and developed and prototyped a multi-level reporting system for ongoing monitoring and assessment of ATMS performance. KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Data collection KW - North Carolina Department of Transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - State of the practice KW - Travel time UR - https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/RNAProjDocs/RP%202013-08%20Smartlink%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408187 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587706 AU - Karaa, Fadi A AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Requirements, Model and Prototype for a Multi-Utility Locational and Security Information Hub - Project PY - 2015/11/12/Final Report SP - 74p AB - This project lays the foundation for building an exchange hub for locational and security data and risk assessment of potential excavation work. It acts primarily at 2 stages: upstream of the mark-out process, as a decision support tool to help streamline, improve and guide the mark-out process, and downstream of the mark-out to gain and preserve information gained from such field verified data, and added intelligence to each utility asset management system related to the potential proximity of other utilities, and possible criticality of proposed construction activity in a given site that puts at risk key assets. Open to State Departments of Transportation, utility operators, One-Call System and regulators for planning infrastructure work and mark-out, this new information hub can also help guide emergency excavation work to be performed without the luxury of a detailed mark-out process. It can also provide critical sub-surface engineering (SUE) data required for planning and executing the highly uncertain and volatile utility relocation component of transportation infrastructure projects. Using interviews, systems analysis and other analytical methods, the project key deliverables include: (1) Functional Requirements Document, based on user needs. (2) Development of System Upstream and Downstream Functionality. (3) Development of Integrated Data Model and Interface Categories for integration of multiple sources of data. (4) Definition of Communication Protocols for Preservation of Intra-Utility and Inter-Utility Exchange Capabilities. (5) Development of Prototype for Information Exchange Hub, using representative lifeline Utilities. This project directly and indirectly meets the following USDOT Strategic Goals: Safety of Transportation system and the general population; State of Good repair, as it supports the repair and reconstruction of transportation infrastructure, including underground utilities; and Economic Competitiveness, based on the orderly expansion of infrastructure systems. KW - Asset management KW - Data collection KW - Decision support systems KW - Excavation KW - Information dissemination KW - Information processing KW - Risk assessment KW - Underground utility lines UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Requirements-Model-and-Prototype.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394938 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610800 AU - Sarasua, Wayne A AU - Davis, William J AU - Ogle, Jennifer H AU - Huynh, Nathan AU - Chowdhury, Mashrur AU - Clemson University AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - University of South Carolina, Columbia AU - The Citadel AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Support for the Development and Implementation of an Access Management Program through Research and Analysis of Collision Data PY - 2015/11/11/Final Report SP - 128p AB - The South Carolina Access and Roadside Management Standards (ARMS) provides standards and guidelines for permitting access encroachments onto South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) right-of-way. In April, 2013, SCDOT initiated research that would be used to update this manual with the intent that recommended changes could result in a reduction in crashes, injuries, and fatalities on South Carolina roadways. The research examined current and historical practices used by other transportation agencies with regard to access management. Using empirical data collected along several corridors that ranked highest in driveway related crashes, the researchers statistically analyzed and identified the correlation of access issues with crash data. Crash data were associated with driveways using complex Geographic Information System (GIS) modeling tools. The statistical analysis identified several significant independent variables that influence crash rates either positively or negatively. The results indicate that increasing the distance between driveways, increasing the number of entry lanes, and having a raised median will decrease driveway related crashes. Conversely, increasing driveway width, corridor volume and corridor speed limit will increase crashes. Similarly, a driveway with high turnover land use, a driveway with full access (as opposed to right-in right-out), and the presence of nearby signalized intersections will increase crashes. A micro-simulation analysis was used to investigate the operational performance of different driveway spacing policies adopted by various DOTs in the US. Experimental results indicate that driveway spacing has direct influence on the average travel speed of a corridor. Since reduced driveway spacing negatively impacts corridor travel speed, selection of a minimum spacing should consider its effect on the operational performance of the corridor. Benefit-cost analyses of two different access modification strategies following the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) procedures suggest that it is beneficial to convert a two-way left turn lanes (TWLTL) to a raised median. Similarly, it is beneficial to reduce the driveway density on a corridor. The research also reviewed SCDOT access waiver procedures. While the current process suffices based on a literature review it is evident that this process could be significantly streamlined and enhanced with a paperless system. Based on research findings, recommended changes to SCDOT Access and Roadside Management Standards (ARMS) are presented. It is anticipated that implementation of the findings of this research will result in long-term economic benefits, and improved traffic flow and safety. KW - Access control (Transportation) KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash rates KW - Driveways KW - Geographic information systems KW - Highway corridors KW - Microsimulation KW - Recommendations KW - Right of way (Land) KW - South Carolina Department of Transportation KW - Standards KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.scdot.scltap.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/SPR-706-Final-Report-12-28-151.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420970 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584084 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Accelerated Bridge Construction PY - 2015/11/10 SP - 2p AB - Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) uses safe and cost-effective planning, design, materials and construction methods to reduce the onsite construction time involved in building new bridges or replacing and rehabilitating existing bridges. There are many ways to accelerate bridge construction. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts initiative focuses on three ABC technologies — including Slide-in Bridge Construction, Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems (PBES) and Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil–Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS). KW - Bridge construction KW - Geosynthetics KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - State of the practice KW - Technological innovations UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc-2/pdfs/edc_abc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377950 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567100 TI - The Use of Bridge Management Software in the Network Analysis of Big Bridges AB - The objective of this project is to develop a methodology to utilize Element Level Inspection and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)Ware Bridge Management (formerly Pontis) in the management of big bridges in order to make cost effective preservation decisions. KW - Bridge maintenance KW - Bridge management systems KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Decision making KW - Preservation KW - Software UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/557 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358884 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608548 AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - Richardson, Heather AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Mammoth Cave National Park: Green River Ferry Service Life Analysis PY - 2015/11/09/Final Report SP - 45p AB - The purpose of this study is to assess whether Mammoth Cave National park should rehabilitate the existing Green River ferry to extend its service life or replace it with a new vessel. The ferry is used to transport cars and light duty equipment across the Green River, which bisects the Green River Ferry Road. The study includes the following components: existing conditions and use, options development and analysis, total cost of ownership, and recommendations. KW - Analysis KW - Costs KW - Equipment replacement KW - Ferries KW - Mammoth Cave National Park KW - National parks KW - Recommendations KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59403/MACA_ferry_service_life_analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417889 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599182 AU - Bhattacharya, Biplab B AU - Von Quintus, Harold L AU - Darter, Michael I AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation and Local Calibration of the MEPDG Transfer Functions in Wyoming PY - 2015/11/06/Final Report SP - 72p AB - The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) currently uses the empirical American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Design for Design of Pavement Structures as their standard pavement design procedure. WYDOT plans to transition to the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for designing new and rehabilitated highway pavements. As a part of the transitioning process, WYDOT has sponsored an implementation project. One part of the implementation project is to verify the MEPDG global distress transfer functions and calibrate these functions to local conditions, if determined to be necessary. The Wyoming Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) and non-LTPP roadway segments, as well as LTPP test sections in adjacent states were used for this verification-calibration process. As noted above, one objective of the implementation project was to verify or confirm that the MEPDG transfer functions and global calibration coefficients derived from National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project 1-40D reasonably predict distresses and smoothness in Wyoming. One of the tasks within this project focused on using the Wyoming LTPP test sections to confirm the applicability of the global calibration coefficients. Results from the initial verification concluded some of the transfer functions exhibited significant bias between the measured and predicted distress and require local calibration. Thus, some of the LTPP test sections in adjacent states with similar design features built in Wyoming combined with some non-LTPP roadway segments in Wyoming were used to determine the coefficients of the transfer functions to eliminate any bias between the measured and predicted distresses. This report documents the local calibration of the transfer functions using LTPP and non-LTPP roadway segments. The calibration process follows the steps presented in the 2010 AASHTO MEPDG Local Calibration Guide. Local calibration coefficients were derived to remove that bias for the rutting, fatigue cracking, and thermal cracking transfer functions of flexible pavements, and the faulting and fatigue cracking transfer functions of rigid pavements. The global coefficients of the smoothness degradation regression equation for flexible and rigid pavements were also checked for their applicability to Wyoming conditions. KW - Calibration KW - Implementation KW - Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement distress KW - Smoothness KW - Transfer functions KW - Wyoming UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56658/RS03209_FHWA1602F_MEPDG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407342 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01589871 TI - UAS Noise Certification AB - The FAA has a lot of data on manned aircraft noise signatures, but almost none on UAS. Mississippi State University worked with the NUAIR FAA UAS Test Site to develop procedures to measure UAS noise signatures. This research focused on the collection of noise measurements of UAS using 14 CFR Part 36, Noise Standards, to begin the initial assessment of whether noise certification procedures designed for manned aircraft are appropriate for unmanned aircraft. Ultimately, this study and follow on studies will help the FAA set standards for UAS mission profiles to minimize noise hazards. KW - Aerodynamics KW - Aircraft KW - Drone aircraft KW - Kinematics KW - Noise KW - Propellers KW - Test procedures KW - Wakes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397598 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01589870 TI - UAS Human Factors Considerations AB - Drexel University is leading a team of experts from New Mexico State, The Ohio State University and the University of North Dakota to what should - and should not - be automated in UAS and how to display critical information to UAS crews. The University of North Dakota and New Mexico State will then research how to train and certify UAS crew based on these requirements. This research will help the FAA set standards for how critical functions are automated in a UAS ground station and how UAS operators receive vital flight data. It will also help the FAA decide how to certify and train UAS crew. KW - Control systems KW - Drone aircraft KW - Flight crews KW - Flight decks KW - Human machine systems KW - Training programs KW - Visual flight UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397596 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583651 AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Humphrey, Brandt M AU - Schmidt, Tyler L AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Reid, John D AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - MASH Test Nos. 3-17 and 3-11 on a Non-Proprietary Cable Median Barrier PY - 2015/11/03/Final Report SP - 307p AB - The Midwest States Pooled Fund has been developing a new design for a non-proprietary high-tension cable median barrier. This new system incorporates four evenly spaced cables, Midwest Weak Posts (MWPs) spaced at 8 to 16 ft (2.4 to 4.9 m) intervals, and a bolted, tabbed bracket to attach the cables to the post. Full-scale crash testing was needed to evaluate the barrier’s safety performance. According to the proposed Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) testing matrix for cable barriers installed within a median ditch, a series of eight full-scale tests are required to evaluate the safety performance of the system. Additionally, a ninth test is required to establish the working width for systems with variable post spacings. Three full-scale crash tests were performed on the cable barrier system for use anywhere within 6H:1V V-ditches. Test no. MWP-1 was conducted according to MASH test no. 3-17 and utilized a 1500A passenger car impacting the barrier at the slope break point. The vehicle was contained and redirected by the barrier, and the test was deemed acceptable. Test no. MWP-2 was conducted according to MASH test no. 3-11 and utilized a 2270P pickup truck impacting the barrier on level terrain. The vehicle was contained and redirected by the barrier, and the test was deemed acceptable. Test no. MWP-3 was also conducted with a 2270P vehicle according to MASH test no. 3-11. However, the post spacing was reduced from 16 ft (4.9 m), utilized during the first two tests, to 8 ft (2.4 m). After initially capturing the vehicle, three cables were eventually overridden as the vehicle was being redirected. Subsequently, the vehicle rolled and the test was deemed unacceptable. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Cables KW - Evaluation KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Median barriers UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/TRP-03-303-15.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56744/TRP-03-303-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377092 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583582 AU - Schmidt, Jennifer D AU - Schmidt, Tyler L AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Reid, John D AU - Holloway, Jim C AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - MASH TL-4 Crash Testing and Evaluation of the Restore Barrier PY - 2015/11/03/Final Report SP - 308p AB - Three full-scale vehicle crash tests were conducted according to the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) Test Level 4 (TL-4) safety performance criteria on a restorable and reusable energy-absorbing roadside/median barrier, designated the RESTORE barrier. The system utilized for test nos. SFH-1 through SFH-3 was 240 ft (73.2 m) long with a nominal height of 38⅝ in. (981 mm). The barrier consisted of an upper steel tube rail attached to the top of 20-ft (6.1-m) long x 22¼-in. (565-mm) wide precast concrete beams connected with wedge-shaped joints and supported by 11⅝-in. (295-mm) tall rubber posts and steel skids. In test no. SFH-1, a 5,021-lb (2,277-kg) pickup truck impacted the barrier at 63.4 mph (102.1 km/h) and 24.8 deg. The barrier successfully contained and redirected the vehicle. Slight spalling occurred at the impacted joint, but no structural damage occurred and the barrier fully restored. The peak lateral acceleration was reduced by up to 47 percent as compared to similar impacts on rigid barriers. In test no. SFH-2, a 2,406-lb (1,091-kg) small car impacted the same barrier at 64.3 mph (103.5 km/h) and 24.8 deg. The barrier successfully contained and redirected the vehicle. The front face of two of the rubber posts were cut by the wheel rim, which did not allow the system to fully restore. The peak lateral acceleration was reduced by up to 23 percent as compared to similar impacts on rigid barriers. In test no. SFH-3, a 21,746-lb (9,864-kg) single-unit truck impacted the same barrier as test nos. SFH-1 and SFH-2 at 56.5 mph (91.0 km/h) and 14.9 deg. The barrier successfully contained and redirected the vehicle. The front face of the barrier experienced gouging and spalling as well as cracking and spalling between five joints. Modifications were recommended to strengthen the concrete at the joints to prevent spalling and to mitigate wheel interaction with the posts. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Evaluation KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Recommendations KW - Spalling UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/DPU-STWD%2894%29PhaseIVFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56734/DPU-STWD_94_PhaseIVFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377090 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616425 AU - Lee, Doug AU - Futcher, Emily AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Supporting Economic Development with Highway Investment PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 64p AB - Federal transportation regulations and law direct State and local transportation agencies to account for economic development plans in transportation planning processes. While Federal law is not prescriptive about how State and local agencies account for economic development, there exists a need for better understanding of how highway projects can support economic development and the economic competitiveness of local and regional economies. This document is a primer on economic development, and includes a glossary of relevant terms, discussion of available economic analysis methods and tools, and descriptions of current practice in estimating economic development impacts by agencies of different sizes. The primer focuses on economic development concepts and economic development impacts generally, in the context of discussing the role of highway investment within a package of economic development actions and policies. KW - Case studies KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic development KW - Highway planning KW - Highways KW - Investments KW - State of the practice KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/economic_development/highway_investment/fhwahep16043.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60566/HighwayInvestment.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1434920 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616249 AU - Johnson, Steven D AU - Bethel, James S AU - Supunyachotsakul, Chisaphat AU - Peterson, Scott AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laser Mobile Mapping Standards and Applications in Transportation SN - 9781622604012 PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 97p AB - This report describes the work that was done to support the development of a chapter for the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Survey Manual on Mobile Mapping. The work includes experiments that were done, data that were collected, analysis that was carried out, and conclusions that were drawn about accuracy of Mobile Terrestrial Laser Scanning (MTLS) systems. The resulting Manual chapter, located in the appendix, defines standards and procedures for preparing, collecting, editing, delivering, exploiting, and archiving electronic mapping data that were created for the INDOT. The purpose of the standards and procedures within this manual is to obtain statewide uniformity within the INDOT combined Aerial/Ground Survey process, to establish and maintain MTLS Standards for INDOT and contracted consultants, and to allow for all of the project data to be effectively managed from conception to completion. These standards apply to all projects delivered to INDOT by contracted consulting firms, or exchanged internally within INDOT or between state agencies. The standards and procedures are the result of mobile terrestrial laser scanning surveys of two test sites - one urban and one freeway - created for this project. After establishing reference control points on the sites, each site was surveyed by four mobile terrestrial laser scanning vendors. The results from the vendor data over the test sites, in addition to information in published literature, are the basis for the specifications manual. The proposed chapter for the Survey Manual is in Appendix E of this report. KW - Accuracy KW - Highway planning KW - Indiana KW - Laser radar KW - Manuals KW - Mobile mapping KW - Standards KW - Surveying KW - Terrestrial laser scanning UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316164 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429185 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616241 AU - Maritime Administration TI - The Economic Importance of the U.S. Shipbuilding and Repairing Industry PY - 2015/11 SP - 34p AB - The purpose of this report is to measure the economic importance of the U.S. shipbuilding and repairing industry at the national and state levels for calendar year 2013. The importance of the industry is not limited to the direct output and employment it generates (i.e., “direct impact”). Companies in the shipbuilding and repairing industry purchase inputs from other domestic industries, contributing to economic activity in those sectors (i.e., "indirect" impact). Employees spend their incomes, helping to support the local and national economies (i.e., "induced" impact). Thus, the economic importance of the U.S. shipbuilding and repairing industry includes direct, indirect, and induced effects. Put differently, the report seeks to document what happens in the shipbuilding and repairing industry and its relationships to the broader economy. It is important to note that the term “economic impacts” as used in this report reflects the association of employment, labor income, and gross domestic product (GDP) with the shipbuilding and repairing industry, but does not imply that some of this economic activity would not otherwise exist without the industry (particularly with regard to induced impacts). The IMPLAN model, an input-output (I-O) model based on Federal government data, was used to estimate the industry's overall economic impact. The study disaggregates the industry's economic activity into two components, operational and capital investment impacts. KW - Capital investments KW - Economic impacts KW - Input output models KW - Operational impacts KW - Ship repair KW - Shipbuilding KW - United States UR - https://www.marad.dot.gov/wp-content/uploads/pdf/MARAD_Econ_Study_Final_Report_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429384 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613771 AU - Daniel, Jo Sias AU - Bennert, Tom AU - Kim, Y Richard AU - Mogawer, Walaa AU - Mensching, David AU - Sabouri, Mohammadreza AU - University of New Hampshire, Durham AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth TI - Evaluation of Plant Produced RAP Mixtures in the Northeast: Phase III Report PY - 2015/11 SP - 103p AB - The overall objectives of this research project were to: (1) evaluate the performance in terms of low temperature cracking, fatigue cracking, and moisture sensitivity of plant produced RAP mixtures in the laboratory and field; (2) establish guidelines on when it is necessary to bump binder grades with reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) mixtures; and (3) provide further understanding of the blending that occurs between RAP and virgin binder in plant-produced mixtures. Phase I included testing on 18 plant-produced mixtures with RAP contents from 0% to 40% by total weight of mixture, Phase II of the project included testing on 10 plant-produced mixtures with RAP contents of 0% to 40%, Phase III was a controlled laboratory study of nine mixtures, and there was an additional task that evaluated two sets of mixtures stored in a silo for various time periods. The findings from each phase are summarized in separate reports. The mixtures in Phase III included a partial factorial of two binder grades (PG 58-28 and PG 64-28), three RAP contents (0, 20, and 40% by total weight) and three asphalt contents (optimum and optimum ±0.5%). Binders were extracted and recovered from the laboratory produced mixtures for testing. Binder testing included PG grading, G* master curves and analysis of rheological parameters, and multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) testing. Mixture testing included dynamic modulus, uniaxial tensile fatigue, triaxial stress sweeps, overlay tester, and thermal stress restrained specimen test. Pavement evaluations were conducted using a layered viscoelastic analysis. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Bituminous binders KW - Blending KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation KW - Laboratory studies KW - Mechanical tests KW - Mix design KW - Northeastern United States KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Document/Download/6380 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424369 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610881 AU - Barth, Matthew AU - Wu, Guoyuan AU - Boriboonsomsin, Kanok AU - University of California, Riverside AU - National Center for Sustainable Transportation AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Intelligent Transportation Systems for Improving Traffic Energy Efficiency and Reducing GHG Emissions from Roadways: A White Paper from the National Center for Sustainable Transportation PY - 2015/11 SP - 19p AB - Due to their potential to improve roadway safety, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance the mobility of people and goods, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have generated considerable enthusiasm in the transportation community. In this white paper, state-of-the practice ITS programs that are environmentally beneficial are highlighted spanning the three main areas of ITS, including, Vehicle Systems, Traffic Management Systems, and Traveler Information Systems. Recent ITS research programs in the US and EU are outlined. KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Advanced vehicle control systems KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - European Union countries KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Sustainable transportation KW - United States UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/02-22-2016-NCST_WP_ITS_GHG-UCR-final3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422711 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01609443 AU - Hekmatfar, Ali AU - McDaniel, Rebecca S AU - Shah, Ayesha AU - Haddock, John E AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Optimizing Laboratory Mixture Design as It Relates to Field Compaction to Improve Asphalt Mixture Durability SN - 9781622603893 PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Most departments of transportation, including Indiana, currently use the Superpave mixture design method to design asphalt mixtures. This method specifies that the optimum asphalt content for a given gradation be selected at 4 percent air voids. During construction, these mixtures are typically compacted to 7‐8 percent air voids. If mixtures were designed to be more compactable in the field they could be compacted to the same density as the laboratory mixture design, which would increase pavement durability by decreasing the in‐place air voids. The objective of this research was to optimize the asphalt mixture design in order to increase in‐place asphalt pavement durability without sacrificing the permanent deformation characteristics of the mixture. Three asphalt mixtures were designed using the standard Superpave design method at 100 gyrations of the Superpave Gyratory Compactor, suitable for traffic levels of 3 to 30 million Equivalent Single Axle Loads. Each mixture was then used as a starting point to design three additional mixtures using 70, 50, and 30 gyrations, with optimum binder content chosen at 5 percent air voids, rather than the currently specified 4 percent. The effective asphalt content was held constant for the original and re-designed mixtures. Permanent deformation characteristics of the sets of four mixtures were determined by measuring the dynamic modulus and flow number. The results suggest that the mixture designs produced using 70, 50, and 30 gyrations had permanent deformation characteristics equal to or better than the original 100‐gyration mixtures. Based on the laboratory test results, two field trials were placed to evaluate the design method, ease of construction and to compare the construction results of the re‐designed and original mixtures. Samples from both projects were collected during construction, test specimens compacted, and additional physical testing completed. The field trial results suggest that it is possible to place a mixture at 5 percent air voids and that mixtures designed at 5 percent air voids should have equivalent performance to those designed at the conventional 4 percent air voids. KW - Air voids KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Compaction KW - Deformation KW - Durability KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Optimization KW - Superpave UR - http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3057&context=jtrp UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316010 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420615 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599865 AU - Villegas, Arturo AU - Ray, Anagha AU - Prasad, Jubilee AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Aerodynamic flow deflector to increase large scale wind turbine power generation by 10% PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 27p AB - The innovation proposed in this paper has the potential to address both the efficiency demands of wind farm owners as well as to provide a disruptive design innovation to turbine manufacturers. The aerodynamic deflector technology was created to improve the efficiency of any current wind turbine around the world and to be included with new blade designs. To prove the feasibility of the deflectors, two tests have been done during this project for two different wind turbines. The first test was performed at the wind tunnel facility at Rutgers University. Two identical wind turbines were 3D printed, one with deflectors on its blades and the other one without deflectors. An average power coefficient (Cp) improvement of 10% was observed during this test. The second test was performed for the Whisper 100 turbine at the Wind Application Center at Appalachian State University. The turbine performance was measured without deflectors for 2 weeks. Then, the turbine was retrofitted with deflectors and its power performance was measured for another 2 weeks. An average Cp improvement of 7.7% was observed during this test. The estimated Annual Energy Production (AEP) increase was between 8.7 to 11.4 %, depending on the site annual average wind speed. All tests show important improvements in power performance and AEP. This technology could represent the biggest wind turbine aerodynamic improvement in the last decade and a game changer to the wind energy industry since even 2% AEP improvement allows wind farm profits to raise by 8%. KW - Aerodynamic force KW - Deflectors KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Technological innovations KW - Turbines KW - Wind KW - Wind power generation KW - Wind tunnels UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-058-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407820 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598809 AU - Gaines, Danena AU - Cavaretta, Amy AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Synthesis of Local Road Safety Noteworthy Practices PY - 2015/11//Technical Report SP - 36p AB - This synthesis report summarizes noteworthy practices and lessons learned from pertinent local road safety meetings and reports. Material is drawn from the Local Roads Safety Peer Exchanges held by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2012 and 2013, follow-up virtual peer exchanges conducted in 2014 and 2015, and two reports prepared from 2010 to 2013. The reports include "Assessment of Local Road Safety, Funding, Training, and Technical Assistance" and "Noteworthy Practices: Addressing Safety on Locally Owned and Maintained Roads—A Domestic Scan." To better understand the strategies States use to advance local road safety, this report synthesizes the information from these sources in a single document. The target audiences for this report include State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), county and city planners, engineers, and public works officials. KW - Highway safety KW - Lessons learned KW - Local roads KW - Peer exchange KW - State of the practice KW - States KW - Strategic planning KW - Syntheses UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/resources/synthesisLRS.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405063 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598135 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Vásconez, Kimberly C TI - Supporting Hometown Heroes PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - Building strong, sustainable traffic incident management (TIM) programs is essential for prompt and safe response on highways. Effective programs require support from senior leaders and formal programs allow for multidisciplinary planning and resource management. Jurisdictions are recognizing the necessity of formal programs to provide critical, cost effective services. KW - Best practices KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Freeway service patrols KW - Incident management KW - Interagency relations KW - Program management UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/07.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403440 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598120 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Hein, David K AU - Tyson, Samuel S AU - Smith, David R TI - Concrete Turns Green, Figuratively Speaking PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - Current permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICPs) design accommodates more frequent and heavier vehicle loading than earlier permeable pavements. As a result, PICP applications have expanded to include streets, walkways, driveways, large commercial parking areas, alleys, and roadway shoulders. New PICPs also address a number of other issues, such as water pollution and excess heat in surface waters. This article outlines the benefits of PICPs, lists factors in determining project suitability, and describes structural and hydrological design, construction considerations, and maintenance. KW - Blocks KW - Concrete pavements KW - Drainage KW - Hydrology KW - Permeability KW - Permeable interlocking concrete pavers UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/03.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403436 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598102 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Kitchel, Kyle TI - A New Era Is Dawning PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - With roots in roadway legislation enacted in the early 1900s, tribal public authorities have emerged across the country and are developing into full-fledged departments of transportation. Tribes now have the option to carry out their transportation program directly through FHWA and 130 tribal DOTs are now working to improve the transportation infrastructure in Indian Country. This article traces the history of tribal transportation legislation and looks at current activities of tribal DOTs. KW - History KW - Indian reservations KW - Legislation KW - Native Americans KW - Transportation policy KW - Tribal government UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/02.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403435 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598069 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Jalinoos, Frank TI - Reusing Bridge Foundations PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - A critical component of bridge owners’ decisionmaking is the ability to characterize the foundations of bridges. This information is used as part of the process for determining whether existing foundations can continue to carry increasingly heavy loads or whether major bridge rehabilitation, replacement, or widening should be considered. Characterization of bridge foundations is complex and the Federal Highway Administration is developing and evaluating methods to clarify and mitigate these issues under its new Foundation Characterization Research Program. The program’s objectives are to evaluate new and existing methodologies for characterizing bridge foundations to determine unknown geometry, material properties, integrity, and load-carrying capacity. Another objective is to develop a methodology for load testing of existing bridge foundations, including instrumentation for monitoring foundation response. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Bridge foundations KW - Condition surveys KW - Hazards KW - Methodology KW - Scour UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/05.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403438 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598051 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Martin, Clark TI - Connecting the Employment Dots PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - Transportation workers include planners, engineers, environmental specialists, safety practitioners, traffic operations managers, heavy equipment operators, financial specialists, technicians, and others. Developing and maintaining an effective transportation workforce requires a coordinated effort by the transportation, education, and labor communities. In collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education, FHWA has established five regional transportation workforce centers to enhance transportation workforce development more strategically and efficiently. These five regional centers collaborate to form a national network for sharing workforce strategies and promising practices. KW - Education and training KW - Labor force KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/04.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403437 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01597955 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Wallick, Barry AU - Arnold, Michelle TI - Where The Laboratory Meets The Road PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - Driving simulators used for highway research range from simple desktop units to large domes that enclose a complete vehicle mounted on a complex, eight-degrees-of-freedom motion platform. Motion platforms add to the realism of the simulation by offering additional motion cues to better simulate real-world driving, immersing drivers in the experimental conditions. However, presenting motion cues that are perceived as realistic to participants in driving simulator research presents numerous challenges. Testing was done on the FHWA highway driving simulator which was recently upgraded with a new hexapod motion base. KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Motion KW - Perception KW - Testing UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/01.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403434 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01597916 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Gibbons, Ronald B AU - Cheung, Joseph AU - Lutkevich, Paul TI - The Future of Roadway Lighting PY - 2015/11 VL - 79 IS - 3 AB - Traditional approaches to lighting design result in significant over-lighting of roadways and excessive energy usage. Adaptive lighting, which adjusts illumination levels based on the needs of roadway users, offers an approach to overcome these challenges. It employs a design methodology in which the light output of a system can be reduced or dimmed when traffic on highways or sidewalks lessens.This article describes how adaptive lighting may be implemented while maintaining the safety of road users and how agencies in San Jose, CA, and Cambridge, MA, are deploying this technology. KW - Adaptive control KW - Cambridge (Massachusetts) KW - Highway safety KW - Lighting systems KW - Methodology KW - San Jose (California) KW - Visibility UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/15novdec/06.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403439 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597260 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation System Resilience to Extreme Weather and Climate Change PY - 2015/11 SP - 4p AB - The ability of transportation agencies’ to effectively manage, operate, and maintain a safe, reliable transportation system is being threatened by a changing climate. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, and long-term climatological trends are slowly but inexorably changing how transportation systems need to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained. A “new normal” is evolving and State departments of transportation (DOTs) are turning their focus toward building resilience. Climate change will necessitate adjustments by DOT transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) and maintenance managers to ensure the resilience of activities such as traffic monitoring and management, providing traveler information, traffic incident management, and maintenance management. TSMO and maintenance functions at DOTs are often responsive to conditions as they arise. There are nevertheless some activities that, if done in advance, can enhance the resilience of the transportation system overall and with greater efficiency to the public agency than if actions had not been taken. Adapting TSMO and maintenance programs is largely about improving capability rather than a major technology development and deployment initiative. Many of the technology elements used to support safety, congestion mitigation, and traveler information objectives are already in place. To adapt to climate change, agencies need to consider how these existing capabilities that already help to improve operations and reliability need to evolve to meet the new and emerging requirements of a changing climate. The framework provided in this fact sheet gives an overview of how TSMO and maintenance managers can begin to take action through steps to: define the scope of adaptation efforts; assess vulnerabilities to inform the development of adaptation strategies; and integrate climate change into decision making. A checklist provides further detail on these steps. Additional information, including additional steps, sub-steps, and details, are found in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) "Climate Change Adaptation Guide for Transportation Systems Management, Operations, and Maintenance." KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Climate change KW - Framework (Planning) KW - Maintenance practices KW - Resilience (Adaptability) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation system management UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15025/fhwahop15025.pdf UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15024/fhwahop15024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401540 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596840 AU - Nix, Emma AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Airport Drop-Off and Pick-Up Charges in Great Britain: Will They Come to the United States? PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 39p AB - As transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft drive a change in modern transport behaviors, fewer passengers pay for services such as parking or commercial vehicle drop-off at airports, meaning that what once was a primary revenue source for airports now has a tenuous future. Therefore, airports must find a way to counterbalance the revenue losses created by these changes. One such solution has been on the rise in Great Britain. With airport drop-off and pick-up charges, private vehicles must pay for the convenience of loading or unloading passengers at the airport entrance. Not only does this practice have the potential to generate millions of dollars in annual revenue, but it also offers a remedy for other maladies such as congestion and safety issues on airport roads. This report examines the effects that drop-off and pick-up charges have had in Great Britain and explores what US airports might expect should they too adopt the practice. KW - Airport access KW - Airport parking KW - Airports KW - Fees KW - Loading and unloading KW - Revenues KW - Traffic congestion KW - United Kingdom KW - United States UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1193&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596800 AU - Smith, L Douglas AU - Xu, Liang AU - Wang, Ziyi AU - Pan, Deng AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Lambert-St.Louis International Airport AU - Department of Transportation AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Airside Operations at Major Airports for Strategic Decision Support PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Tens of billions of dollars are spent each year worldwide on airport infrastructure to promote safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly operations. Airport layouts, allocations of gates to carriers, and the manner of deploying ground equipment or personnel can dramatically affect passenger delays, fuel consumption, and air and noise pollution. Airport planners require reliable information about how different spheres of airport activity interact and how system performance would change with alterations to physical infrastructure or operating practices. The authors developed a discrete-event simulation model that can be used for strategic decisions regarding the provision and effective utilization of infrastructure needed for airside operations at major airports. The authors calibrated the model with detailed activity data for an entire year, verified its ability to represent essential spheres of activity, and illustrated its application to study system performance under several operating scenarios. KW - Airport planning KW - Airports KW - Airside operations KW - Calibration KW - Decision support systems KW - Infrastructure KW - Simulation UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1194&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403231 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596765 AU - Hileman, Christy R AU - McNeil, Cheryl A AU - Rogers, Paul AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Fatal Aviation Accidents: Fiscal Years 2009-2013 PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 26p AB - This report describes the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s) Autopsy Program Team’s efforts to support accident investigation and research conducted within the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, including descriptive characteristics for fatal aviation accidents and incidents investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board for fiscal years 2009 through 2013. Autopsy data utilizing the Medical Analysis Tracking Registry database was ordered into the following categories: date of autopsy acquisition, date of accident, region and state of residence, accident type, age, gender, pilot flight hours, aircraft type, and governing operation. Incidental medical findings described in the autopsy reports were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition – Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) and International Classification of Disease, Procedure Coding System. The Team reviewed 1,330 fatal accidents/incidents from fiscal years 2009 through 2013 and assisted with requests. Additionally, the Team obtained over 95% of autopsy reports for individuals involved in fatal aviation accidents, averaging 266 fatal accidents/incidents per year. The average age of a fatally injured pilot was 55 years, compared to the average age of 45 for the U.S. Civil pilot population. Accidents involving float planes were 2.63% of all fatal accidents. An analysis of 22 Medical Transport fatal accidents revealed 46% occurred during the repositiong phase of the flight. During the time frame of the study, 37 (31.35%) of pilots let their FAA medical certificate laspse in 118 Light Sport aircraft fatal accidents. Summaries of information collected from fatal accident/incidents are included in the report. KW - Air pilots KW - Air transportation crashes KW - Autopsies KW - Aviation safety KW - Crash investigation KW - Demographics KW - Diseases and medical conditions KW - Fatalities KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201519.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402113 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596688 AU - Nix, Emma J AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Economic Benefits of Additional Rail Bridge Capacity: A Case Study on the Benefits of Replacing the Merchants Bridge Main Spans at Saint Louis PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 64p AB - The Merchants Memorial Mississippi Rail Bridge and MacArthur Bridge over the Mississippi River make up the most heavily used Mississippi River rail crossing in the country. A large contributor to the popularity of the Merchants Bridge is its accessibility to all railroads. However, the bridge is 126 years old and in significant need of repair. Without improvements, the bridge will close in 2034 and all current traffic will be rerouted to longer routes, resulting in hundreds of extra miles traveled and more time spent. Repairing the bridge will cost approximately $250 million for construction, which includes the additional costs of closing the bridge during the repairs. However, the project is set to generate billions of dollars in cost savings in the coming decades. At a discount rate of 7%, improving the Merchants Bridge will lead to nearly $4.7 billion in net benefits over the next 20 years and approximately $6.6 billion in the next 30 years. These benefits will not only be realized by the transportation industry, they will help the entire region. Therefore, reconstructing the Merchants Bridge will generate economic benefits that will protect the most heavily used Mississippi River rail crossing and provide sizeable benefits to the public, at large. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - Economic benefits KW - Freight traffic KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1192&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403229 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596672 AU - Wilkinson, Chris AU - Honeywell Aerospace AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Obsolescence and Life Cycle Management for Avionics PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 220p AB - This research identifies ways to identify and mitigate obsolescence risks in avionics and to provide related aviation safety input to the Federal Aviation Administration for the development of regulations, policy, guidance, and training. Obsolescence and obsolescence management of avionics products are a technically challenging and costly financial problem with many adverse business impacts for both the avionics suppliers and their customers. Though obsolescence is not unique to the aerospace industry, it presents special problems because of the typically long life cycle of aircraft and a requirement to comply with airworthiness regulations that make continuous change complex and costly. Obsolescence is the inevitable consequence of the dependence of aerospace on a supply base whose major markets are outside of aerospace and whose technology life cycles are much shorter than those of other markets. Aerospace has a continual demand for technological progress in aircraft system capabilities and safety improvements, but on a much longer timescale than the technology turnover timescale of the supply base. Obsolescence is an inevitable occurrence; therefore, the goal of obsolescence and life-cycle management is to minimize the recurring cost impacts and the disruption of supply to customers while maintaining continued airworthiness and regulatory compliance. This report describes the current state of obsolescence management in the aerospace industry; the processes, standards, and tools now being used; and the underlying causes. The report addresses the identification, mitigation, and avoidance of issues related to obsolescence in systems, software, and airborne electronic hardware development; the related design assurance and certification considerations; and optimal methods for life-cycle maintenance and technical refreshment. The report identifies known and emerging obstacles, problems, issues, and gaps in existing standards and guidance; proposes standards and assurance techniques that may minimize the impact of obsolescence; and suggests how manufacturers can proactively plan and manage the life cycle of their products. The report describes the extant research on numerical methods for obsolescence risk assessment and related economic modeling, and provides recommendations for further public guidance and standards that would assist industry and users in adapting to a dynamic environment. The report suggests some industry and regulatory practices that could promote best practices; reduce costs and inconvenience; and improve the product life-cycle planning process. Finally, the report suggests some relevant research topics that are not well addressed presently and should be considered for future work. The report suggests that the obsolescence problem cannot be solved only by engineering methods, but also requires proactive measures and risk-awareness planning by both customers and suppliers. Obsolescence is a complex mix of engineering, economic, and business issues with many associated uncertainties. These uncertainties arise from the supply base and the customer base, which require marketing, engineering, and economic planning and analysis using numerical risk-assessment methods that measure uncertainty. KW - Aircraft KW - Aviation safety KW - Avionics KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Obsolescence KW - Recommendations KW - Regulation KW - Risk assessment KW - Risk management KW - Standards KW - State of the practice UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tc15-33.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594235 AU - Kitchener, Fred AU - Huft, Dave AU - Ostermeier, Greg AU - Omay, Murat AU - Toth, Chris AU - Waisley, Michael AU - Battelle AU - McFarland Management, LLC AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) Regional Traveler Information System for Weather Responsive Traffic Management PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) strives to promote the development and implementation of cutting-edge techniques for maintaining safety, mobility, and productivity of roadways during adverse weather conditions. The FHWA RWMP partnered with the South Dakota DOT to develop and implement a Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM) strategy that involves mobile data collection and traveler information dissemination during weather events. A concept of operations and an evaluation plan were developed and utilized in the project. The objectives of the system were to improve the efficiency of road condition data collection, increase the number and frequency of road condition reports, improve and expand road weather information provided to travelers, enhance the perceived benefits to travelers from the new traveler information, and support partner agencies that can use the new traveler information. This report documents the development, implementation and evaluation of the system. Overall, the evaluations indicate that travelers value road condition forecasts. Furthermore, after viewing road condition forecasts, the travelers’ either changed the timing or routing of their trips, or felt more prepared for them. The report also contains lessons learned and recommendations based on the evaluation results. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Evaluation KW - Road weather information systems KW - Route choice KW - South Dakota Department of Transportation KW - Weather forecasting KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56952/FHWA-JPO-16-269_V1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400142 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594080 AU - Boot, Walter R AU - Charness, Neil AU - Mitchum, Ainsley AU - Roque, Nelson AU - Stothart, Cary AU - Barajas, Kimberly AU - Florida State University, Tallahassee AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Driving Simulator Studies of the Effectiveness of Countermeasures to Prevent Wrong-Way Crashes PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 127p AB - Wrong-way crashes (WWCs) are severe and more likely to be fatal compared to other highway crashes. The authors report two tasks aimed at understanding and reducing this type of crash. Task 1 was a review of five decades of research on the characteristics of wrong-way drivers, interchange designs associated with wrong-way entries, and the effectiveness of countermeasures that have been implemented to reduce wrong-way crashes and entries. Task 1 also involved the development of a cue-based decision model to explain wrong-way movements. Task 2 included laboratory and driving simulator studies to better understand effective countermeasures to prevent wrong-way entries and crashes, testing younger and older drivers under conditions in which they are most likely to be involved in a WWC (younger drivers at night, older drivers during the day). A subset of younger participants was asked to drive scenarios while under conditions of simulated impairment (with visual distortion and under cognitive load). Within the context of the previously proposed cue-based decision framework, the goal was to understand the most effective cues to convey to drivers of all ages information about correct and incorrect interstate entry points so they can make safe and accurate driving decisions. Since wrong-way entries are rare events, in the simulator, the authors explored a number of potentially more sensitive metrics to detect driver confusion at interchange decision points (e.g., lane deviation, speed, braking behavior). A non-simulator decision task involving photos of interchanges was also conducted to understand the best countermeasures to quickly alert drivers regarding correct and incorrect entry points. The decision task revealed that the visibility of wrong way (R5-1a) signs was one of the best predictors of correctly rejecting an exit ramp with respect to countermeasures. The presence of other vehicles was also a strong predictor of accuracy, consistent with the fact that many WWCs occur at night with few other vehicles on the road. In general, a greater number of different types of countermeasures present benefited the correct rejection of exit ramps in the decision task. Both younger and older adults benefited from an increase in diversity of countermeasures. In addition to a greater variety of countermeasures, the presence of redundant signs (Wrong Way, Do Not Enter) improved the identification of exit ramps, though in this case, more so for younger adults compared to older adults. In the simulator task, drivers (N = 120) were instructed to enter a highway, and exit ramps were marked with the minimum number of countermeasures recommended by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) or with a greater number of countermeasures and countermeasure enhancements recommended by a recent analysis of Florida exit ramps by the Florida Department of Transportation’s Statewide Wrong Way Crash Study. A total of four wrong way entries were observed (2 older drivers, two younger drivers under conditions of simulator impairment). All four occurred in the minimum countermeasure condition. Evidence also suggested that speed and braking patterns differed as a function of countermeasure configuration, highlighting the potential of subtle driving behavior measures as indicators of driver confusion/uncertainty. Overall, results of the simulator study provide initial evidence that countermeasure configurations including a greater number and greater diversity of countermeasures may assist in reducing confusion regarding entrance and exit ramps. However, some caution is warranted with respect to claims of reducing the number of wrong-way entries as statistical significance is difficult to achieve when investigating such low probability events in the absence of very large samples. Based on the developed decision model and the results of the ramp classification and driving simulator task, new countermeasure standards that increase the number and diversity of countermeasures at exit and entrance ramps are a promising approach to reduce this dangerous type of crash. KW - Aged drivers KW - Countermeasures KW - Decision making KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Florida KW - Laboratory studies KW - Periods of the day KW - Ramps (Interchanges) KW - Wrong way driving KW - Young adults UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_TE/FDOT-BDV30-977-10-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400905 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592561 TI - Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program AB - The objective of this program is to conduct a pilot study to demonstrate how split-sleep in conjunction with the North American Fatigue Management Program could be used to improve driver rest and alertness. Scientific literature suggests that statutory or regulatory limitations on work hours may not be sufficient to prevent worker fatigue. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted an in-residence laboratory study from January 2010 to May 2011 where three sleep conditions were examined. Results indicate that daytime consolidated sleep leads to less total sleep time, increased driver sleepiness, and increased blood glucose and testosterone levels by work week’s end. Results for split-sleep conditions indicate that when consolidated nighttime sleep is not possible, split-sleep is preferable to consolidated daytime sleep. Additionally, during listening sessions for the hours-of-service (HOS) rulemaking, many drivers indicated that they would like some regulatory flexibility to be able to sleep when they become tired or when traffic is congested (i.e., exemption from the requirement for consolidated sleeper berth time). This combination of research and industry feedback informs the current sleeper berth and split-sleep pilot study. The Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program is a field operational test allowing regulatory flexibility in the HOS provisions. Carriers that would like flexibility with the sleeper berth provision will be identified. There will be constraints on the use of split-sleep for team driving. Driver alertness and changes in health metrics will be measured. The sample size goal is 200 drivers—stratified by size of carrier—to include drivers from large, medium, and small carriers who regularly use their sleeper berth and have completed the North American Fatigue Management Program. The proposed research design is an “in-subject and between-subject design,” where alertness both within subjects and across subjects will be compared for drivers who operate under different alternatives within the HOS provisions. Drivers will be remunerated for the time spent performing tasks required for the study. The study team will collect data on a minimum of 50 drivers per 90-day participation cycle. To achieve the goal of 200 participants, the study team will collect data on five 90-day cycles. An extra cycle may be needed for driver attrition. Data collection can come from a multitude of sources, including analysis of variance-based strategies that are applied to analyze mixed effects within and between subjects. Addressing carriers that have expressed a desire for flexibility in sleeper berth provisions; field data on the efficacy of allowing split-sleep in conjunction with a fatigue management program; and measures of driver alertness, sleep quantity, and changes in health metrics. KW - Cognition KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Hours of labor KW - Hours of Service Act KW - Motor carriers KW - Pilot studies KW - Sleep KW - Truck drivers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592042 AU - Barmpoutis, Angelos AU - Zhang, Lei AU - Zao, Liangke AU - Kondyli, Alexandra AU - Patil, Shivraj S AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Islam, Md Mozahidul AU - Hosuri, Shaghayegh Rostami AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigating the Effect of Drivers’ Body Motion on Traffic Safety PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 67p AB - Although significant advances have been done with respect to vehicle technology and roadway construction, driver behaviour remains the number one contributing factor of traffic crashes worldwide. Studies show that one of the major causes of crashes is driver inattention. Driver inattention may occur when drivers are involved with secondary activities (e.g., texting, talking on the phone, or eating), and when they fail to follow the cues of the surrounding environment while driving. The latter is particularly important when drivers are negotiating maneuvres and are required to interact with other vehicles as in the case of changing lanes or merging onto the freeway. The main objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between driver behavior and safety, by looking at the actual body movements and posture, as well as the eye fixation of the drivers when they are performing lane changing and merging maneuvers under different traffic conditions. To accomplish this objective, a total of 35 drivers were recruited to participate in an instrumented vehicle field study, where each participant drove for approximately two hours along a pre-selected route. Participants’ 3D body posture was recorded with the use of a low-cost infrared depth sensor (Microsoft Kinect). In addition, participants’ eye gaze throughout the entire data collection effort was recorded with the help of eye-tracking equipment. Lastly, the vehicle was equipped with two cameras that faced the front and the rear which allowed for information about the traffic conditions during the data collection period to be obtained. A rich dataset of driver behavior was developed and analyzed as part of this research. The analysis findings relate the 3D sequence of driver motion and posture with the actual eye and head movement of drivers. Based on the analysis, head movements were the predominant type of movement when driving. The average duration of head movements was 4 seconds and 3.75 seconds for freeway merging and lane changing maneuvers respectively, and 2.3 seconds for arterial lane changing. Analysis of the magnitude of movements while driving showed that the right arm was more active than the left arm for the majority of the drivers, and differences between different driver groups were observed. However, given the small sample available in this study, the findings should be treated with caution. This report presents the research approach, summarizes findings, and provides recommendations accordingly. The research approach is useful for establishing guidelines for monitoring driver behavior as part of advanced driver assistance systems. The proposed framework has also potential in developing appropriate alert mechanisms for increasing driver alertness by monitoring driver body posture. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Eye fixations KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Lane changing KW - Merging traffic KW - Posture KW - Sensors KW - Traffic safety UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_2015-051S_-_Final_Report_Barmpoutis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592041 AU - Asam, Susan AU - Bhat, Cassandra AU - Dix, Brenda AU - Bauer, Jocelyn AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Leidos AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Climate Change Adaptation Guide for Transportation Systems Management, Operations, and Maintenance PY - 2015/11 SP - 88p AB - This guide provides information and resources to help transportation management, operations, and maintenance staff incorporate climate change into their planning and ongoing activities. It is intended for practitioners involved in the day-to-day management, operations, and maintenance of surface transportation systems at State and local agencies. The guide assists State departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies in understanding the risks that climate change poses and actions that can help reduce those risks. Incorporating climate change considerations into how agencies plan and execute their transportation system management and operations (TSMO) and maintenance programs helps the agency become more resilient to unanticipated shocks to the system. Adjustments to TSMO and maintenance programs—ranging from minor to major changes—can help to minimize the current and future risks to effective TSMO and maintenance. KW - Climate change KW - Maintenance management KW - Risk management KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15026/fhwahop15026.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398797 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590534 AU - Parr, Scott AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Manual Traffic Control for Planned Special Events and Emergencies PY - 2015/11 SP - 120p AB - Manual traffic control is a common intersection control strategy in which trained personnel, typically police law enforcement officers, allocate intersection right-of-way to approaching vehicles. Manual intersection control is a key part of managing traffic during emergencies and planned special events. Despite the long history of manual traffic control throughout the world and its assumed effectiveness, there have been no quantitative, systematic studies of when, where, and how it should be used or compared to traditional traffic control devices. The goal of this research was to quantify the effect of manual traffic control on intersection operations and to develop a quantitative model to describe the decision-making of police officers directing traffic for special events and emergencies. This was accomplished by collecting video data of police officers directing traffic at several special events in Baton Rouge, LA and Miami Gardens, FL. These data were used to develop a discrete choice model (logit model) capable of estimating police officer’s choice probabilities on a second-by-second basis. This model was able to be programmed into a microscopic traffic simulation software system to serve as the signal controller for the study intersections, effectively simulating the primary control decision activities of the police officer directing traffic. The research findings suggested police officers irrespective of their location, tended to direct traffic in a similar fashion; extending green time for high demand directions while avoiding gaps in the traffic stream. KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Choice models KW - Decision making KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Highway operations KW - Manual control KW - Miami Gardens (Florida) KW - Police traffic direction KW - Special events KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic simulation KW - Video UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/search/SearchResults_ClearCriteria.aspx?q=(catalog.ID=(33879)) UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00113-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00113-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397179 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590487 AU - Hensen, Ron AU - Miyaki, Joe AU - Short Elliott Hendrickson Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Comparison of Freeway and Parallel Major Arterial Corridors: A Study of Safety Patterns in the Denver Metropolitan Area PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 47p AB - Observations and initial examination of average daily traffic (ADT) and peak-hour volume data on Denver regional arterials suggests questions as to if and why they are happening, and what the implications are on corridor travel and accident patterns? This proposed research task will investigate these trends and address questions, to assist Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in better determining which improvements would more likely decrease accident experience while improving corridor capacity. The research will focus on a selected freeway section and corresponding regional arterials corridors. The study will address the effects of arterial traffic volume diversion patterns and the discontinuities on freeway versus arterial safety parameters. The final product of this research will be a report presenting the traffic and safety statistics and trends along a selected freeway/arterial corridor, with conclusions as to what improvements are most likely to improve safety and corridor thru-put on both. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Arterial highways KW - Crash rates KW - Denver Metropolitan Area KW - Freeways KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway safety KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Traffic volume UR - https://www.codot.gov/programs/research/pdfs/2015-research-reports/safety-patterns/at_download/file UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396349 ER - TY - SER AN - 01590472 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Crash Stats PB - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - 2014 Crash Data Key Findings PY - 2015/11 SP - 2p AB - In 2014 there were 32,675 people killed in motor vehicle crashes on U.S. roadways. An additional 2.3 million people were injured in crashes in 2014. While showing slight fluctuation in recent years, fatalities and injuries have been in a general decline. Fatalities have decreased 25 percent from 2005 to 2014 and the number of people injured has decreased 13 percent from 2005 to 2014. In 2014 there were 21,022 passenger vehicle occupants who lost their lives. Despite the large number, it is the lowest number of passenger vehicle occupant deaths since 1975. Forty-nine percent of these people were not restrained. Additional statistics include fatality and injury rate, 1990-2014, and alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state, 2014. KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash rates KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812219.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590462 AU - Frank, Frederick A AU - Lennon, Lawrence AU - Parsons Brinckerhoff, Incorporated AU - Creighton Manning Engineers, LLP AU - Capital District Transportation Committee AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-87/US 9 Integrated Corridor Management Plan PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 118p AB - This study evaluates the potentiality of developing an integrated freeway / arterial corridor plan to improve overall operations of I-87 and US 9 (parallel arterial) by improving the methodology of addressing recurring and non-recurring delays (including incident management) within the corridor between Exits 2 and 15. The output includes the following: a data mining tool that can easily extract incident information from New York State Department of Transportation's (NYSDOT’s) Management and Information System for Transportation (MIST) system; a Traffic Performance Profile for I-87 and US 9; an Incident Profile for I-87, with recommendations for improving the region’s incident management program; traffic operations recommendations; discussion of a Access Management Plan on US 9 and land use recommendations; a calibrated VISSIM model to test and evaluate differing traffic diversion strategies, specifically looking at the impact on local transportation facilities; and strategic capital actions (with startup and operating costs) required to improve operations on I-87 and make US 9 and other surface arterials effective diversion routes. KW - Albany County (New York) KW - Arterial highways KW - Freeways KW - Highway operations KW - Incident management KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Land use KW - Recommendations KW - Saratoga County (New York) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic diversion KW - Traffic incidents KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-07-69_%20I-87%20US9%20ICMP%20Final%20Report_12-14-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394987 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587699 AU - Condon, Joseph AU - Pickrell, Don AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Production Process for Financial Data Tables in FHWA’s Highway Statistics Series PY - 2015/11//Technical Report SP - 40p AB - This report captures the production process and programs and steps used to produce the finance tables and charts published in the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Highway Statistics Series publication site made available to Congress and the public. Specific to States' income and revenue, this report characterizes the automated online systems and manual methods used by FHWA to collect State-delivered forms; details types of revenue sources, and how FHWA analyzes statistical data derived from these various classifications of highway expenditures. Information presented in this report is intended for users as a source of material that is user-friendly and accessible. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Expenditures KW - Financial analysis KW - Highway Statistics (Publication) KW - Revenues KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/pubs/financial_data_processing.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56787/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378465 ER - TY - SER AN - 01587652 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Crash Stats PB - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Lives Saved in 2014 by Restraint Use and Minimum-Drinking-Age Laws PY - 2015/11 SP - 3p AB - In 2014 the use of seat belts in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 12,802 lives (occupants 5 and older), and an estimated 2,396 lives (occupants 13 and older) were saved by frontal air bags. An estimated 252 child occupants 4 and younger were saved by the use of child restraints, and 1,669 lives were saved by the use of motorcycle helmets. An additional 2,814 lives would have been saved in 2014 if all unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants 5 and older involved in fatal crashes had worn their seat belts. If all motorcyclists had been helmeted, then an additional 660 lives would have been saved. An estimated 485 lives were saved due to minimum-drinking-age laws. Additional statistics in this report include total number of lives saved in 2014 for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. KW - Air bags KW - Child restraint systems KW - Fatalities KW - Legal drinking age KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Seat belt use KW - States KW - Traffic safety KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812218.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378595 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587641 AU - Waldheim, Nicole AU - Wemple, Elizabeth AU - Fish, Joseph AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Applying Safety Data and Analysis to Performance-Based Transportation Planning PY - 2015/11//Technical Report SP - 100p AB - This guidebook provides State departments of transportation (DOT) and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) planners with a framework for navigating the fundamentals and advanced methods of safety data collection and analysis. It also demonstrates how the results of that analysis can be applied to the performance-based transportation planning process to develop safety goals, objectives, performance measures, and targets; identify and prioritize projects; and evaluate progress towards safety priorities. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Highway safety KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Performance measurement KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa15089/data_anl.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587610 AU - Fehon, Kevin AU - O'Brien, Pam AU - Leidos AU - DKS Associates AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Traffic Signal Management Plans – An Objectives- and Performance-based Approach for Improving the Design Operations and Maintenance of Traffic Signal Systems PY - 2015/11//Project Report SP - 84p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has prepared this guidebook to assist transportation agencies across the country in better managing their traffic signal systems through systematic alignment of maintenance, design, and operations activities and resources. It provides step-by-step instructions for documenting current activities, relating them to the agency’s goals and transportation objectives, and offers a structure that shows how the activities of all staff involved in traffic signal management support those objectives. The appendix includes performance measurement case studies. KW - Case studies KW - Design KW - Handbooks KW - Highway operations KW - Maintenance KW - Performance measurement KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic signals UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15038/fhwahop15038.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394933 ER - TY - SER AN - 01584258 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Crash Stats PB - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half (Jan – Jun) of 2015 PY - 2015/11 SP - 3p AB - A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2015 shows that an estimated 16,225 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents an increase of about 8.1 percent as compared to the 15,014 fatalities that were reported to have occurred in the first half of 2014. Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shows that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the first 6 months of 2015 increased by about 51.9 billion miles, or about a 3.5-percent increase. The fatality rate for the first half of 2015 increased to 1.06 fatalities per 100 million VMT, up from 1.01 fatalities per 100 million VMT in the first half of 2014. The actual counts for 2014 and 2015 and the ensuing percentage change from 2014 to 2015 will be further revised as the final file for 2014 and the annual reporting file for 2015 become available next year. These estimates may be further refined when the projections for the first 9 months of 2015 are released in late December. KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - Forecasting KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812217.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377954 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584083 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Remotely Monitoring Water Quality Near Highways: A Sustainable Solution PY - 2015/11 SP - 2p AB - Collecting water quality data on streams located near highways can be challenging in remote and difficult-to-reach locations. Obtaining and transporting water samples is time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes dangerous. Another key challenge is that transportation agencies can miss the release of toxins and pollutants that occur in a short time period or the first flush of stormwater runoff from highways. Collecting water quality data is crucial, however, to State departments of transportation in their effort to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements, particularly during the first flushes of spring stormwater runoff. Placing sensors directly in the water to collect data is an appealing solution, but these in situ sensors typically rely on batteries that have to be replaced as often as every 3 weeks. Designing a renewable and self-sustaining onsite system is the goal of the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program project “A Remote, Self-Sustained System for Monitoring Water Quality Near Highways.” Montana State University conducted this research, which was funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). KW - Data collection KW - Field tests KW - Highways KW - Montana KW - Remote sensing KW - Runoff KW - Streams KW - Water quality UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/16018/16018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377948 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583652 JO - Analysis Brief PB - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Large Truck Safety in the Bakken Oil-Producing Region PY - 2015/11 SP - 6p AB - The Bakken shale oil-producing region encompasses parts of North Dakota and Montana in the United States and Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada, with North Dakota accounting for 93 percent of the U.S. production. The expansion of Bakken oil production has increased large truck traffic—specifically large trucks carrying oil, water, sand, and other materials to support drilling operations and to transport the crude oil from the wells to the rail heads and pipelines. North Dakota is routinely experiencing 75 truck trips per day on county roads in the oil patch and on some days more than 1,000 truck trips. The increased traffic brings increased safety risk, as much of the heavy truck traffic occurs on two-lane rural roads. Since the start of the Bakken oil boom in 2007, the number of crashes involving large trucks in the counties encompassing the Bakken region has increased. This brief looks at truck trips per well, fatal large truck crashes 2007-2013, and inspection rates. KW - Crash data KW - Fatalities KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Inspection KW - North Dakota KW - Rural areas KW - Shale oil KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck traffic UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56263/15-005_-_Bakken_Oil_Region_Brief__FINAL_508C_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377223 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583648 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Tayabji, Shiraz AU - Brink, Wouter TI - Precast Concrete Pavement Bedding Support Systems PY - 2015/11 SP - 6p AB - Precast concrete pavement (PCP) technology is gaining wider acceptance in the U.S. for rapid repair and rehabilitation of concrete pavements, as well as for reconstruction of heavily trafficked asphalt concrete intersections. Widespread use in the U.S. is fairly recent, with most projects in service less than about 14 years. Nonetheless, dozens of projects have been constructed, and advances continue to be made in all aspects of the technology, including panel design, fabrication, and installation. The use of both jointed PCP and posttensioned PCP systems has advanced during the last decade due to a combination of work sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), projects constructed by highway agencies, and innovations by the highway agencies and the construction industry. One area of innovation relates to improvements in the bedding support under precast concrete panels. This Tech Brief describes the technical considerations for bedding support and current bedding support practices for PCP systems. KW - Bedding KW - Panels KW - Pavement design KW - Posttensioning KW - Precast concrete pavements KW - Subgrade materials KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376319 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583645 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS): Analytical User’s Manual 1975-2014 PY - 2015/11 SP - 562p AB - One of the primary objectives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is to reduce the staggering human toll and property damage that motor vehicle traffic crashes impose on our society. Crashes each year result in thousands of lives lost, hundreds of thousands of injured victims, and billions of dollars in property damage. Accurate data are required to support the development, implementation, and assessment of highway safety programs aimed at reducing this toll. NHTSA uses data from many sources, including the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) which began operation in 1975. Providing data about fatal crashes involving all types of vehicles, the FARS is used to identify highway safety problem areas, provide a basis for regulatory and consumer information initiatives, and form the basis for cost and benefit analyses of highway safety initiatives. FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes with a set of data files documenting all qualifying fatalities that occurred within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico since 1975. To qualify as a FARS case, the crash had to involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public, and must have resulted in the death of a motorist or a non-motorist within 30 days of the crash. This multi-year analytical user’s manual provides documentation on the historical coding practices of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 1975 to 2014. In other words, this manual presents the evolution of FARS coding from inception through present. The manual includes the data elements that are contained in FARS and other useful information that will enable the users to become familiar with the data system. KW - Coding systems KW - Computer program documentation KW - Data dictionaries KW - Data files KW - Databases KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - Highway safety KW - Traffic crashes KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812214.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377035 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583634 AU - Bellman, Miles AU - Pagano, Thomas AU - Shah, Vaibhav AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of the Navy AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Interim Update to the AN/UPX-41(C) Spectrum Certification Conditions (SPS-18778/1) PY - 2015/11 SP - 81p AB - In 2012, the Navy requested spectrum certification for the shipboard AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System, Software Version 5.5 with Mode 5. Current operating conditions for the Navy’s AN/UPX-41(C) are the same as restrictions imposed on the AN/UPX-37 digital Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator. A proposed AN/UPX-41(C) Stage 4 certification was developed to allow the Navy to operate under less restrictive parameters but required that the Navy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) validate those proposed restrictions. In October 2015, the report, DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-01, was released and detailed the results of the validation effort. Using the information from the validation effort, a more appropriate set of restrictions were developed to specify limits on AN/UPX-41(C) shipborne interrogator activity within 100 nmi of the coastline of the United States and its Posessions (US&P). This document details the rationale behind the new restrictions and gives the new shipborne interrogator geometry relative to the coastline in both a generic and operational manner. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft KW - Coasts KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Radio transmitters KW - Ships KW - Surveillance KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56706/DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377563 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583609 JO - Exploratory Advanced Research Program Fact Sheet PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tools for Improving the Sustainability and Durability of Concrete: Modeling Hydration and Performance PY - 2015/11 SP - 2p AB - How does hydration affect the performance of concrete, including its setting, strength, and durability? Can advanced hydration models be developed that will allow practitioners to input the composition of cement, supplementary cementitious materials, and admixtures, combined with temperature, and receive guidance on a pavement’s expected performance? Answering these questions is the goal of the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program project “Mechanisms of Hydration and Setting of Ordinary Portland Cement in Simple and Complex Systems.” This document reviews the project's experimental techniques, modeling advances, and importance to the Federal Highway Administration. KW - Concrete KW - Durability KW - Hydration KW - Mathematical models KW - Pavement performance UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/15084/15084.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377420 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583605 AU - Lowell, Dana AU - M.J. Bradley & Associates, LLC AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Electric Drive Vehicle Systems: Suggested Changes to Large Truck and Motorcoach Regulations and Inspection Procedures PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 77p AB - This report provides recommendations for changes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), North American Standard (NAS) inspection procedures, and Out-of-Service (OOS) criteria that are needed to accommodate and facilitate the use of commercial vehicles with high-voltage electric drive systems. Such vehicles include battery-electric vehicles, vehicles with hybrid-electric drive systems (including plug-in hybrids), and vehicles with hydrogen fuel cell engines. In addition to providing specific recommendations for changes, this report summarizes the process used to arrive at the recommendations, which included a literature review and gap analysis, industry site visits and consultations, and a formal peer review process. Because most of the commercial vehicles now in service have only low-voltage electrical systems (12/24 volts direct current [VDC]), the current FMCSRs, NAS inspection procedures, and OOS criteria do not address the unique safety aspects of high-voltage systems (less than 60 VDC or greater than 30 volts alternating current [VAC]) when present on a vehicle. The purpose of this project was to identify necessary changes to the current FMCSRs and inspection procedures, if any, to address the unique safety requirements associated with high-voltage vehicle systems, and to improve the overall safety of commercial vehicle operations by ensuring that commercial vehicles with high-voltage drive systems meet appropriate safety criteria while operating on public roads. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Electric drives KW - Electric vehicles KW - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations KW - Inspection KW - Literature reviews KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations KW - Vehicle electrical systems KW - Vehicle safety KW - Voltage UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56288/14-007-Electric_Drive_Systems-FINAL-NOV_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377225 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583603 AU - Masten, Scott V AU - Thomas, F Dennis AU - Korbelak, Kristopher T AU - Peck, Raymond C AU - Blomberg, Richard D AU - Dunlap and Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Meta-Analysis of Graduated Driver Licensing Laws PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 93p AB - The objective of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs for reducing total, injury, and fatal crashes among drivers 15 to 20 years old by conducting a meta-analysis of GDL research since 2001 that evaluated the effectiveness of GDL systems overall and GDL components individually. The final sample of 14 selected studies represented 13 different States, and three represented GDL programs across most or all U.S. States. Results of the meta-analysis showed that GDL programs as a whole were associated with statistically reliable reductions in traffic crashes outcomes of 16 percent for 16-year-olds and 11 percent for 17-year-olds, but were not reliably associated with changes in crash outcomes for 18- or 19-year-olds. Unfortunately, the numbers of effect sizes representing the unique effects of individual GDL components and calibrations were small for most of the components, particularly when stratified by the ranges of possible calibrations for those components. Although the exact effectiveness of individual GDL provisions could not be determined, the meta-analysis uncovered no indication that any provision was necessarily counterproductive for the GDL target audience of 16- and 17-year olds. Thus, a reasonable strategy for any State considering passage of a GDL law might involve enumerating the full range of provisions applicable to that State, determining which could be reasonably operationalized given available resources and support from key agencies and organizations, and adopting as comprehensive an approach as possible. KW - Age KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Graduated licensing KW - Literature reviews KW - Meta-analysis KW - State laws KW - Teenage drivers KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812211-MetaAnalysisGDLLaws.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376323 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583597 AU - Inman, Vaughan W AU - Bertola, Mary Anne AU - Philips, Brian H AU - Leidos AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Information as a Source of Distraction PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 142p AB - The overall goal of the Information as a Source of Distraction project was to further the scientific basis for decisions about the types of information that can be displayed within the right-of-way without adversely affecting drivers’ attention to their primary task—safe driving. There were two focus areas: electronic changeable message highway signs (CMS) and guide signs. Six studies were conducted. The first study examined the perceived similarity between messages on a full-color, full-matrix, light-emitting diode CMS display with 0.79-inch (20-mm) pixel pitch and the same messages on a liquid crystal display. The purpose of that study was to derive requirements for laboratory and driving simulation studies of CMS messaging. The second study examined the legibility distance for text message on the CMS display used in the first study. It was determined that, assuming 20/40 vision, legibility distance could be estimated using a letter height of 1 inch (2.54 cm) per 20 ft (6.1 m) of viewing distance. In the third study, drivers read the CMS display as they approached it on a closed course that required them to simultaneously navigate a curved path. The effects of CMS message properties such as flashing, phasing, abbreviations, and use of symbols versus text were examined. The fourth and fifth studies simulated overhead CMS messages on a freeway on which there was a CMS every 0.5 mi (0.8 km). By displaying highly salient images (faces on brightly colored backgrounds) that changed every 3 s, an attempt was made to distract drivers. Drivers did not look at the salient images more often or longer than they looked at travel-time messages. When headways were short, the salient signs had a 0.2 probability of receiving a brief look. None of the signs caused drivers to miss safety-critical messages encountered later in the drive. None of the signs caused drivers to fail to detect a roadway hazard (spilled logs). The final study examined the effects of the frequency and spacing of guide signs on navigation performance and eye-glance behavior. That study supported retaining current Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways standards and recommendations for guide signs and suggested further research on the design of specific service logo signs. KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Eye movements KW - Guide signs KW - Legibility KW - Recommendations KW - Spacing KW - Variable message signs UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/15027/15027.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376534 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583587 AU - Hickman, Jeffrey S AU - Soccolich, Susan AU - Fitch, Greg AU - Hanowski, Richard J AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Driver Distraction: Eye Glance Analysis and Conversation Workload PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 112p AB - The objective of this project was to assess the risk of performing a secondary task while driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). The risk of conversation workload while driving a CMV was also assessed. Conversation workload is a proxy for cognitive distraction or the amount of mental workload associated with thinking about something other than the driving task. The data were collected from an existing naturalistic driving dataset. Naturalistic driving data records a driver performing his or her normal duties. The data were from 6,379 commercial trucks and buses during a 4-month period. The study found that talking to passenger(s) significantly increased the risk of a safety critical event (SCE). However, talking or listening on an electronic device while driving did not pose a significant risk. Drivers who looked away from the forward roadway close to the trigger point were more likely to be involved in an SCE. Talking time analyses showed that the longer a driver talked while driving, the less likely that driver was to be involved in an SCE. Results from the conversation workload analyses were inconclusive because there were not enough data for an assessment. Finally, the current study compared spurious and random baselines. Spurious baselines are recordings that are triggered by events not related to safety such as a vehicle traveling across railroad tracks. The study found that talking time and visual distraction plots for random and spurious baselines were similar. As a result, spurious baselines are acceptable for use in place of random baselines. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Commercial drivers KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Eye movements UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56289/14-001-Cognitive_Distraction-FINAL-NOV_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377224 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583577 JO - Analysis Brief PB - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Pedestrian and Bicyclist Fatalities in Large Truck Crashes, 2013 PY - 2015/11 SP - 3p AB - From 2006 to 2013, pedestrian fatalities as a percentage of total fatalities in all motor vehicle crashes rose from 11.2 percent to 14.5 percent, and bicyclist fatalities as a percentage of total fatalities rose from 1.8 percent to 2.3 percent. Over this period, pedestrians’ share of large truck crash fatalities grew from 6.3 percent to 8.5 percent, and bicyclists’ share of large truck fatalities grew from 1.6 percent to 2.0 percent. This brief presents information on pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in large truck crashes, using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). In 2013, 338 pedestrians and 78 bicyclists were killed in crashes involving large trucks, accounting for 8.5 percent and 2.0 percent of the 3,964 total large truck crash fatalities, respectively. Of those fatalities, 312 pedestrians (92 percent) and 76 bicyclists (97 percent) were struck and killed by large trucks, with the remainder struck and killed by other vehicle types involved in the crashes. Large trucks represented 6.6 percent of the vehicles that struck and killed pedestrians and 10.3 percent of the vehicles that struck and killed bicyclists. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Truck crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56300/56303/Pedestrians_and_Bicyclists_in_LT_Crashes_2013-FINAL-NOV_2015.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59252/RRA-14-008-Pedestrians_in_Large_Truck_Crashes_2013-_Final-508C_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583575 AU - Senzig, David A AU - Boeker, Eric R AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Rotorcraft Performance Model (RPM) for use in AEDT PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 68p AB - This report documents a rotorcraft performance model for use in the FAA’s Aviation Environmental Design Tool. The new rotorcraft performance model is physics-based. This new model replaces the existing helicopter trajectory modeling methods in the Aviation Environmental Design Tool which were mode-based. The new methods enable fuel consumption and emissions modeling based on the performance data derived from information found in the helicopters’ flight manuals. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Fuel consumption KW - Helicopters KW - Performance KW - Pollutants UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56284/Rotorcraft_Performance_Model.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376332 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583572 JO - TRAFFIC TECH PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Meta-Analysis of Graduated Driver Licensing Laws: Effectiveness of Specific Program Components PY - 2015/11 SP - 2p AB - Graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs in the United States do not represent a single homogeneous intervention; rather, they contain different combinations and variations of program components. Programs vary by the duration of each stage of the GDL process, age restrictions imposed at each stage, nighttime and passenger restrictions, and supervised driving requirements. While research has suggested GDL is effective at reducing young driver crashes, results are not as clear about which specific program component variations are associated with the largest crash reductions. Studies on the effectiveness of GDL implementations have produced a substantial amount of data and analysis results. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) used these data to conduct a meta-analysis in which the results of existing research were pooled to look for effects revealed by their combined power. As part of the meta-analysis process, researchers first screened studies of GDL programs for relevance and quality. Researchers then coded separate rate ratio effect sizes from the 14 selected studies to estimate the impact of overall GDL programs and variations of program components (referred to as GDL component “calibrations” from here forward) on 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 year-olds’ total, injury, and fatal crash outcomes. The full technical report explains the meta-analysis methodology more completely together with all of the study results. This Traffic Tech focuses on the effectiveness of GDL component calibrations for reducing per capita crash rates for 16- and 17-year-olds when at least two effect sizes were available for a given analysis. KW - Age KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Graduated licensing KW - Literature reviews KW - Meta-analysis KW - Teenage drivers KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812212-TT-Meta-AnalysGDL-LawsEffectSpecProgCompnts.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376321 ER - TY - SER AN - 01583565 JO - Technology Brief PB - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Electric Drive Vehicle Systems: Suggested Changes to Large Truck and Motorcoach Regulations and Inspection Procedures PY - 2015/11 SP - 2p AB - Most commercial vehicles on the road today use low-voltage electrical systems (12/24 volts direct current). The current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), North American Standard (NAS) inspection procedures, and out-of-service (OOS) criteria do not address the unique safety aspects of high voltages (greater than 60 volts direct current or greater than 30 volts alternating current) when present on a commercial vehicle. The purpose of this project was to identify suggested changes to the current FMCSRs and inspection procedures to address the unique safety requirements associated with high-voltage vehicle systems and to improve the overall safety of commercial vehicle operations. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Electric drives KW - Electric vehicles KW - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations KW - Inspection KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations KW - Vehicle electrical systems KW - Voltage UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56300/56302/14-007-Electric_Drive_Systems-Technology_Brief-FINAL-NOV2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377229 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583560 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES): Analytical User’s Manual 1988–2014 PY - 2015/11 SP - 429p AB - The National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) - General Estimates System (GES) data are obtained from a nationally representative probability sample selected from all police-reported crashes. The data system began operation in 1988. To be eligible for the NASS GES sample, a Police Accident Report (PAR) must be completed for the crash, and the crash must involve at least one motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway and must result in property damage, injury, or death. This multi-year analytical user’s manual provides documentation on the historical coding practices of the General Estimates System from 1988 to 2014. In other words, this manual presents the evolution of NASS GES coding from inception through present. The manual includes the data elements that are contained in the NASS GES and other useful information that will enable the users to become familiar with the data system. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)/NASS GES Coding and Validation Manuals provide more detailed definitions for each data element and attribute for a given year. Years 1995 to current are available at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/cats/listpublications.aspx?Id=k&ShowBy=DocType. KW - Coding systems KW - Computer program documentation KW - Data dictionaries KW - General Estimates System KW - Highway safety KW - National Automotive Sampling System KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812215.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377404 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583552 AU - Shinstine, Debbie S AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Indian Reservation Safety Improvement Program: A Methodology and Case Study PY - 2015/11 SP - 244p AB - Improving roadway safety on Indian reservations requires a comprehensive approach. Limited resources, lack of crash data, and few cross-jurisdictions coordination has made it difficult for Native American communities to address their roadway safety concerns. A methodology to improve roadway safety has been developed and successfully implemented on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). Key to the success of such a process is collaboration among safety stakeholders. Strategic highway safety plans are used to assist agencies to determine effective safety improvements to their roadways. The WRIR has successfully developed a strategic plan utilizing the available crash data, identified ways to improve reporting, and incorporated their safety improvement program into the strategic plan. Statistical models have been used to help researchers determine related factors and identify countermeasures to improve roadway safety. This study analyzes crash severity for rural highway systems in Wyoming using a multiple logistic regression model. In order to improve transportation safety and other transportation issues in tribal communities, they need programs that meet their specific needs and culture. This report presents several programs that address livability and sustainability. Roadway safety is a primary goal among Native Americans in their efforts to improve the quality of life among their people. KW - Case studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash rates KW - Crash severity KW - Highway safety KW - Indian reservations KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Methodology KW - Rural highways KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning KW - Wind River Indian Reservation UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-291.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56742/mpc15-291.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377415 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583538 AU - Affleck, Rosa T AU - Smith, Charles AU - Bernier, Andrew AU - Arbogast, Jude AU - Smart, Aaron AU - Scholz, Ann AU - U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center AU - New Hampshire Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Condition Assessment of Reinforced Base-Course Pavement PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 113p AB - In 2011, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) reconstructed 2 miles of Pickering Road in Rochester. This included building three distinct reinforcement conditions: a geogrid reinforcement within the granular base-course layer and no geotextile separator, a geotextile separator between the subgrade soil and the subbase course, and a geogrid reinforcement within the granular base-course layer with a geotextile separator between the subgrade and the subbase layer. The Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) conducted a series of falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests to monitor changes in layer moduli as the seasons changed. FWD tests occurred several times throughout the year on selected locations along the reinforced and non-reinforced (southern portion) pavement. Based on the seasonal back-calculated moduli for 2014 and 2015 values, the reinforced geogrid granular base-course layer provided higher moduli than the nonreinforced sections, and it appears that the aggregate layer thickness can be reduced to 33%–42% if the base course is reinforced with a geogrid mesh. This higher stiffness should allow the pavement to withstand many more traffic repetitions before fatigue cracking develops; and the geogrid should minimize the influence on thermal cracking. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Geogrids KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Pavement design KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Rochester (New Hampshire) KW - Seasons KW - Separators UR - http://acwc.sdp.sirsi.net/client/en_US/search/asset/1047549 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376324 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583530 AU - Department of Transportation TI - University Programs in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): The Evolving Transportation Engineering Discipline PY - 2015/11//White Paper SP - 10p AB - The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the growing demand for university degree and certificate programs to meet the emerging needs of Connected Vehicle (CV) and related technologies for transportation. This paper examines Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), CV, the changing workforce demographics, the education and training efforts of the ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program. The paper then describes the need for changes in the University engineering discipline to incorporate evolving transportation topics. It includes a series of recommendations to address these needs. KW - Demographics KW - Education and training KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - ITS Professional Capacity Building Program KW - Labor force KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Recommendations KW - Transportation engineering KW - Transportation engineers KW - Universities and colleges UR - https://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/documents/whitepaper_university_pgms_in_ITS.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376254 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583519 AU - Goodwin, Arthur AU - Thomas, Libby AU - Kirley, Bevan AU - Hall, William AU - O'Brien, Natalie AU - Hill, Kate AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasure Guide for State Highway Safety Offices, Eighth Edition, 2015 PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 437p AB - The guide is a basic reference to assist State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) in selecting effective, evidence-based countermeasures for traffic safety problem areas. These areas include: Alcohol- and Drug-Impaired Driving; Seat Belts and Child Restraints; Speeding and Speed Management; Distracted and Drowsy Driving; Motorcycle Safety; Young Drivers; Older Drivers; Pedestrians; and Bicycles. The guide: • describes major strategies and countermeasures that are relevant to SHSOs; summarizes strategy/countermeasure use, effectiveness, costs, and implementation time; and provides references to the most important research summaries and individual studies. KW - Aged drivers KW - Child restraint systems KW - Costs KW - Countermeasures KW - Cyclists KW - Distraction KW - Drowsiness KW - Drugged drivers KW - Drunk driving KW - Highway safety KW - Implementation KW - Motorcycles KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Research KW - Seat belts KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812202-CountermeasuresThatWork8th.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376322 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582434 AU - Hurwitz, David AU - Jannat, Mafruhatul AU - Warner, Jennifer AU - Monsere, Christopher AU - Razmpa, Ali AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Towards Effective Design Treatment for Right Turns at Intersections with Bicycle Traffic PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 283p AB - The overall goal of this research was to quantify the safety performance of alternative traffic control strategies to mitigate right-turning vehicle-bicycle crashes at signalized intersections in Oregon. The ultimate aim was to provide useful design guidance to potentially mitigate these collision types at the critical intersection configurations. This report includes a comprehensive review of more than 150 scientific and technical articles that relate to bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. A total of 504 right-hook crashes were identified from vehicle path information in the Oregon crash data from 2007-2011, mapped and reviewed in detail to identify the frequency and severity of crashes by intersection lane configuration and traffic control. Based on these efforts, a two stage experiment was developed in the Oregon State University (OSU) high-fidelity driving simulator to investigate the causal factors of right-hook crashes at signalized intersections with a striped bike lane and no right-turn lane, and to then identify and evaluate alternative design treatments that could mitigate the occurrence of right-hook crashes. Experiment 1 investigated motorist and environmental related causal factors of right-hook crashes, using three different motorist performance measures: (1) visual attention, (2) situational awareness (SA) and (3) crash avoidance behavior. Data was collected from 51 participants (30 male and 21 female) turning right 820 times in 21 different experimental scenarios. It was determined that the worst case right-hook scenario occurred when a bicycle was approaching the intersection at a higher speed (16 mph) and positioned in the blind zone of the motorist. In crash and near crash situations (measured by time-to-collision) the most common cause was a failure of the driver to actively search for the adjacent bicyclist (situational awareness level 1), although failures were also determined to occur due to failures of projection (i.e. incorrectly assuming that the bicycle would yield or that there was enough time to turn in front of the bicycle). Elements of driver performance and gap acceptance collected in the first stage simulator experiment were field validated to provide additional confidence in the findings. The research reviewed 144 hours of video and identified 43 conflicts where the time-to-collision (TTC) measured less than 5 seconds. When field observations of scenarios most similar to those in the simulator were isolated, the analysis indicated that the distribution of the TTCs values observed in the simulator were consistent with those observed in the field. Experiment 2 evaluated several possible design treatments, (specifically: signage, pavement markings, curb radii, and protected intersection designs), based on the visual attention of motorist, their crash avoidance behavior, and the severity of the observed crashes. Data was collected from 28 participants (18 male and 10 female) turning right 596 times in 22 scenarios that were used. The resulting analysis of the driver performance indicators suggest that while various driver performance metrics can be measured robustly, and all of the treatments had some positive effect on measured driver performance, it is not yet clear how to map the magnitudes of the differences to expected crash outcomes. Additional work is recommended to address the limitations of this study and to further consider the potential effects of the right-hook crash mitigation strategies from this research. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Driver performance KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway design KW - Literature reviews KW - Oregon KW - Right turns KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic control UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR767_FinalReport_070815.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375682 ER - TY - SER AN - 01582193 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Elhouar, Souhail AU - Dragoo, Drew AU - Khodair, Yasser AU - Lee, Yoon-Si AU - Bradley University AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Evaluation of Snow and Ice Plows PY - 2015/11//Final Report IS - 15-007 SP - 102p AB - Removal of ice and snow from road surfaces is a critical task in the northern tier of the United States, including Illinois. Highways with high levels of traffic are expected to be cleared of snow and ice quickly after each snow storm. This is necessary for maintaining the safety of the public and the efficiency of the highway system. In 2011, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) initiated a research project to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the performance of snow and ice plows. The project targeted several plow performance indicators including blade type, scraping forces, and shock acceleration, among other suggested parameters. The project involved a literature review, a synthesis of best practices in snow and ice plowing operations, development of a plow and blade performance evaluation procedure, instrumentation of a snow plow and the carrying out of field tests, development of finite element models to synthesize a comprehensive performance database, and documentation of project results. KW - Best practices KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Illinois KW - Instrumentation KW - Literature reviews KW - Performance measurement KW - Snowplows KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=3692 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56705/FHWA-ICT-15-007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582192 AU - Simpson, Sarah AU - Bruggeman, Dave AU - United Civil Group AU - Lee Engineering, LLC AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Detection and Warning Systems for Wrong-Way Driving PY - 2015/11 SP - 86p AB - Arizona’s wrong‐way crash data were compiled from 2004 through 2014 and show that 245 wrong‐way crashes occurred with 91 fatalities over the 11‐year period. Approximately 65 percent of the wrong‐way drivers in the Arizona crashes were documented as impaired. Arizona’s statistics align with the national average showing that approximately 60 percent of wrong‐way drivers are impaired. Until impaired driving is significantly lessened, wrong‐way driving will continue to occur. However, technology might provide a means to reduce wrong‐way crashes by alerting authorities instantly of the errant driver’s entry and tracking the errant vehicle’s exact location on the highway system, giving law enforcement the knowledge needed to stop the vehicle before a crash occurs. This research developed a conceptual system to detect a wrong‐way driver upon entry, inform the errant driver of their mistake, notify the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Traffic Operations Center (TOC) and law enforcement instantly, track the wrong‐way vehicle on the highway system, and warn right‐way drivers in the vicinity of the oncoming vehicle. The proposed design would integrate readily available technologies with the existing freeway management system (FMS) infrastructure. To integrate these technologies and devices would require the development of customized software for wrong‐way detection. KW - Arizona KW - Crash data KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Impaired drivers KW - Technological innovations KW - Warning devices KW - Wrong way driving UR - https://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ741.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56670/AZ741.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375685 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01581012 AU - Hansen, Kent R AU - Copeland, Audrey AU - National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Asphalt Pavement Industry Survey on Recycled Materials and Warm-Mix Asphalt Usage: 2014 PY - 2015/11//5th Edition Final Report SP - 28p AB - A shared goal of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) is to support and promote sustainable practices, such as pavement recycling and warm-mix asphalt (WMA). The use of recycled materials, primarily reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS), in asphalt pavements reduces the amount of new materials required to produce asphalt mixes, as well as the stream of material going to landfills. This is vital to the mission of environmental stewardship and extending the service life of the nation’s infrastructure while lowering overall costs. WMA technologies have been introduced to reduce the production and compaction temperatures for asphalt mixtures as a means of reducing the energy needed and emissions associated with mix production. Additional benefits include improved compaction of asphalt mixtures leading to improved pavement performance, as well as a longer paving season. As part of FHWA’s Every Day Counts initiative, WMA was chosen for accelerated deployment in federal-aid highway, state department of transportation (DOT), and local road projects. It is important for the industry to document the deployment of these technologies to understand where they are being used and where they may be underutilized. FHWA has established a mechanism for tracking the use of recycled materials and WMA in asphalt pavements. This mechanism has established a baseline for RAP, RAS, and WMA usage and has tracked the growth of the use of these sustainable practices in the highway industry since 2009. The objective of this tracking is to quantify the use of recycled materials and WMA produced annually by the asphalt pavement industry. Results show significant growth in the use of RAP, RAS, and WMA technologies from 2009 through 2014. The asphalt industry remains the country’s most diligent recycler by recycling asphalt pavements at a rate of over 99 percent. The average percentage of RAP used in asphalt mixtures has increased from 15.6 percent in 2009 to 20.4 percent in 2014. In 2014, the estimated RAP tonnage used in asphalt mixes was 71.9 million tons. Assuming 5 percent liquid asphalt in RAP, this represents over 3.6 million tons (20 million barrels) of asphalt binder conserved along with replacing some 68 million tons of virgin aggregate. The combined saving of asphalt binder ($550/ton) and aggregate ($9.50/ton) by using RAP and RAS in asphalt mixes is more than $2.8 billion. This keeps asphalt pavement mixture costs competitive and allows owners to achieve more roadway maintenance and construction activities within limited budgets. In 2014, WMA was about one-third of the total asphalt mixture market. WMA use increased by nearly 7 percent from 2013 to 2014, and about 577 percent since 2009. Plant foaming is used most often in producing WMA, with over 84 percent of the market. WMA additives accounted for about 16 percent of the market. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Shingles KW - Surveys KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.asphaltpavement.org/PDFs/IS138/IS138-2014_RAP-RAS-WMA_Survey_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375094 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580980 AU - Gold, Andrea AU - Chin, Kristie AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Phase III Texas Technology Task Force Activities Report PY - 2015/11//Technical Report SP - 208p AB - The Texas Technology Task Force (TTTF) is a strategic initiative that supports the Texas Department of Transportation in navigating change and developing a common vision for the state’s transportation system. Composed of thought leaders from public agencies, industry, and research, the TTTF provides insight into portfolio development, impact analysis, and strategic planning. The Emerging Technology Portfolio includes the following six major categories that may be combined to serve a multimodal purpose: 1) Next Generation Vehicles & Energy, 2) Information & Communications, 3) Infrastructure & Construction, 4) Service-Based Platforms, 5) Materials & Additive Manufacturing, and 6) Other Technologies. Each technology is then analyzed along four dimensions: 1) Goals, 2) Barriers, 3) User-Groups, and 4) Modes. A primary focus of this phase of work was on developing technical papers on two core strategies, managing customer relationships with data and developing a communication plan. White papers were also developed for freight and logistics technologies, drones, and big data. These papers serve as background pieces for a Strategic Technology Business Plan. KW - Communications KW - Customers KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Drone aircraft KW - Logistics KW - Strategic planning KW - Technological innovations KW - Technology assessment KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6803-01-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374123 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580972 AU - Chin, Kristie AU - Gold, Andrea AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Texas Technology Task Force White Papers, Volumes 1–5: How the Age of Technology Is Transforming Transportation Agencies PY - 2015/11 SP - 64p AB - The Texas Technology Task Force (TTTF) is a strategic initiative that supports the Texas Department of Transportation in navigating change and developing a common vision for the state’s transportation system. Composed of thought leaders from public agencies, industry, and research, the TTTF provides insight into portfolio development, impact analysis, and strategic planning. This document contains five TTTF White Papers: Volume 1 - Understanding the Customer of the Future; Volume 2 - Revolutionizing the Global Logistics Industry; Volume 3 - Identifying Opportunities and Challenges of UAVs; Volume 4 - Managing Customer Relationships Using Big Data ; and Volume 5 - Formulating a Communications Strategy. KW - Communications KW - Customers KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Drone aircraft KW - Freight transportation KW - Logistics KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6803-01-p4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374119 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580890 AU - Richard, Christian M AU - Morgan, Justin F AU - Bacon, L Paige AU - Graving, Justin S AU - Divekar, Gautam AU - Lichty, Monica G AU - Battelle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Multiple Sources of Safety Information from V2V and V2I: Redundancy, Decision Making, and Trust—Safety Message Design Report PY - 2015/11//Interim Report SP - 80p AB - This report is part of the Human Factors for Connected Vehicles (HFCV) research program, whose goal is to minimize driver workload by eliminating connected vehicle (CV) device-related distractions. The research described in this document is part of an effort to develop initial design guidance for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) safety messages provided using driver-infrastructure interfaces and driver-vehicle interfaces. Existing HFCV research, in addition to research from related domains, was used to develop this preliminary design guidance. The target audiences for this information are CV system designers and other State transportation department personnel involved in the development and implementation of V2I applications that provide safety information. The design topics are divided into two sets. The first set is composed of general topics providing background information and covers issues that apply across multiple V2I applications. The second set includes topics focusing on specific V2I applications. The general objective of the guidance information is to assist in the coordination of V2I and vehicle-to-vehicle displays and messages to safely support driver information needs and decision making. This information may serve as a resource for the development of guidelines that address V2I system-related human factors design issues in future versions of NCHRP 600: Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems. KW - Human factors engineering KW - Information display systems KW - Messages (Communications) KW - User interfaces (Computer science) KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/15007/15007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375421 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604936 AU - Vahedifard, Farshid AU - Howard, Isaac L AU - Bazne, Mohammed AU - Smith, Braden T AU - Barksdale, Melanie A AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainably Enhancing Intermodal Freight Operation of Ports using Geotextile Tubes PY - 2015/10/31/Final Report SP - 133p AB - The primary objective of this report was to study use of geotextile tubes filled with cementitiously stabilized very high moisture content fine grained dredged soils for beneficial reuse. The purpose of doing so was to sustainably enhance intermodal freight operation of ports. A material of key emphasis in this report was lightly cemented very high moisture content fine grained soil (LC-VHMS), which by definition in this report contained 5% or less cement by slurry mass (soil plus water). A cement of key interest in this study was portland-limestone cement (PLC), which is a more sustainable alternative to ordinary portland cement. The project’s research and educational plan had four components summarized as follows: 1) evaluate engineering properties of geotextile tubes filled with LC-VHMS; 2) develop methodologies to help ports include geotextile tubes more readily; 3) study sustainability and economic competitiveness of LC-VHMS filled geotextile tubes; 4) educate students and the engineering community on the potential benefits of LC-VHMS filled geotextile tubes. The overall conclusion of this report is that LC-VHMS should be considered as geotextile tube fill for some applications and LC-VHMS could have some value absent geotextile tubes in other applications in and around ports and harbors. Engineering With Nature (EWN) applications could make use of lightly cemented materials as they have the potential to improve properties to levels suitable for low strength applications. KW - Dredged materials KW - Fine grained soils KW - Freight transportation KW - Geotextiles KW - Geotubes KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Moisture content KW - Portland limestone cement KW - Ports KW - Properties of materials KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-05FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416953 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594233 AU - Boston, Thomas D AU - Ross, Catherine L AU - Smith, Sarah McCord AU - Schmid, Jon AU - Georgia Institute of Technology AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - GDOT Local Beneficiary Analysis of TIA Project Expenditures (Establishment of Baseline Conditions and Expectations) PY - 2015/10/31/Final Report SP - 157p AB - Voters in three regions of Georgia approved the Transportation Investment Act in 2012, adding 1% to local sales taxes to fund voter-approved and discretionary projects. This report analyzes the economic impact of expenditures arising from the TIA from 2012-2014. A framework for measuring the benefits of TIA for current and future projects is developed. Discretionary funds allocated to local areas are identified as one of the most highly valued outcomes of the program. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Economic analysis KW - Georgia KW - Investments KW - Local taxation KW - Stakeholders UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/13-30.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587740 AU - Orton, Sarah AU - Salim, Hani AU - Elsisi, Alaaeldin AU - Pelikan, Andrew AU - Barrett, David AU - Imhoff, Cory AU - Kuntz, Gregory AU - Wombacher, Matt AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - HDR, Incorporated AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Finger Plate and Flat Plate Connection Design PY - 2015/10/31/Final Report SP - 297p AB - This project investigates the cause(s) of premature deterioration of Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) finger plate and flat plate expansion devices under high traffic volumes and then uses that information to design new Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) finger plate and flat plate designs that are intended to last 40 years or more with minimal maintenance. To fully evaluate the expansion devices, a literature review and survey of current expansion devices used by transportation departments across the United States was conducted. The failure of the finger plate expansion devices were found to be contributed primarily to fatigue failure of the weld between the finger plate and the support beam beneath it as well as vertical misalignment due to poor construction. The flat plate expansion device was found to perform inadequately if the bridge span experiences rotation causing a gap between the sliding flat plate and the support angle or if construction of the device is deficient. Experimental testing was conducted on the finger plate device on Eastbound Blanchette Bridge on Highway I-70 in St. Louis and the flat plate device on Route 350 passing over Highway I-435 in Kansas City. The results were also used to validate Finite Element Models (FEMs) of the current expansion device designs. Testing of the finger devices found that dynamic impact in the finger device is generally between 40% and 70% and could be as much as 160% and the effect of misalignment of the fingers can results in 30% additional stresses. Testing of the flat plate device revealed significant stresses build in the sliding plate due to the differential movements of the abutment and bridge span. A robust finger plate device was designed to accommodate bridges which require large expansion lengths on high large volume routes. In addition suggestions for improvements of the existing finger plate device design were made for use on routes with lower traffic volumes. Repair and replacement best practices and details were also developed as part of this project. KW - Best practices KW - Bridge design KW - Deterioration KW - Expansion joints KW - Field tests KW - Finite element method KW - Literature reviews KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Missouri KW - Plates (Engineering) KW - Repairing KW - Surveys UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201506/cmr16-008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394988 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612164 AU - Ahn, Kyoungho AU - Park, Sangjun AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Real-Time Energy and Environmental Monitoring System PY - 2015/10/30/Final Report SP - 26p AB - The objective of the research is to develop a framework for real-time emission modeling to improve eco-friendly intelligent transportation system (ITS) applications. The proposed framework can be utilized for real-time ITS applications such as eco-routing and applications for the environment: real-time information synthesis program. To develop a more efficient framework, a new interface to the motor vehicle emission simulator (MOVES) model is developed to enhance the computational performance. Additionally, a methodology using a probe vehicle equipped with onboard equipment is suggested for collecting operating mode distribution through the network to generate input for the MOVES model. Through virtual implementation using a simulation environment developed with the Python scripting language, this study demonstrates that the proposed framework generally works as designed. The study also investigates the effects of probe vehicle sampling size on estimation accuracy. KW - Computational efficiency KW - Emissions modeling KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Probe vehicles KW - Real time information UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424195 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604945 AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Osman, Osama AU - Mousa, Saleh AU - Karblaieali, Sogand AU - Bakhit, Peter AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Optimal Ramp Metering Control Strategy for I-12 PY - 2015/10/30/Final Report SP - 109p AB - This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of various adaptive ramp metering strategies in order to identify the optimum algorithm that can help improve traffic conditions on I-12, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The evaluated ramp metering strategies included the ALINEA local ramp metering control and mixed strategies case which included HERO coordinated and the local ALINEA control. The coordination was performed between three sets of two on-ramps, one on the eastbound and two on the westbound, while the other on-ramps were operating as ALINEA. The different strategies were compared to the current ramp metering strategy that was fixed-time. Geometric and traffic data were collected to build and calibrate a simulation model to be used to test the different ramp metering strategies. Comparative evaluation was then performed on the simulation results of the three strategies using three performance measures: travel time, speed, and vehicle hours traveled (VHT). The three measures were aggregated for the entire corridor and averaged for different sections on the corridor while each section was representing a ramp metering location. The evaluation was conducted separately for the eastbound and westbound directions. For the eastbound direction, the average travel time reduction was 2 seconds for ALINEA and 6 seconds for the mixed strategy case. For the travel speed, the average increase in speed was 0.2 mph for the ALINEA control and 0.4 mph for the mixed strategy. For the VHT, the average reduction was 2.5 veh.hrs for the ALINEA control and 6.5 veh.hrs for the mixed strategy case. On the other hand, for the westbound direction, the results showed more significant improvements. The average travel time reduction increased to 20 seconds for ALINEA control and 40 seconds for the mixed strategy case. For the travel speed, the average increase in speed was one mph for the ALINEA control and 2 mph for the mixed strategy. For the VHT, the average reduction was 195 veh.hrs for the ALINEA control and went up to 197 veh.hrs for the mixed strategy case. The statistical analysis on these results showed that while the improvements were not significant for the eastbound, they were significant for the westbound direction. Yet, most of the results were not considered practically significant. Therefore, more detailed section-by-section analysis was performed using the calculated performance measures for each section on the corridor. The section-by-section analysis showed that none of the eastbound sections experienced any significant improvements. Whereas, on the westbound direction, three sections experienced significant improvements in the different performance measures: Range-O’neal, O’neal-Millerville, and Millerville Sherwood. The travel time reductions on these sections were as high as 45 seconds and 30 seconds for ALINEA and the mixed strategies, respectively. The increase in speed was 9 mph and 13 mph for ALINEA and the mixed strategies, respectively. For the VHT, both strategies achieved reductions that reached 100 veh.hrs for the three sections. When the ALINEA and mixed strategies where compared to one another, the mixed strategy showed more significant improvements. In summary, the eastbound did not experience any significant improvements in the traffic conditions. This is expected since this direction is operating at free flow conditions with the fixed-time strategy. On the other hand, for the westbound directions, the mixed strategy improved the traffic conditions significantly compared to the other control strategies. Yet, the achieved improvements were not as significant as expected. This was caused by the spillbacks at the off-ramps resulting from the vehicles waiting at the red traffic signals on the surface streets. Therefore, the study recommended investigating the integrated corridor management between the ramp meters and the traffic signals on the surface streets. KW - Active traffic management KW - Algorithms KW - ALINEA (Computer program) KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - On ramps KW - Ramp metering KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle hours of travel UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-41FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416960 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580250 AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for University Transportation Systems PY - 2015/10/30 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards, planning and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. Major activities in the research area included: the collection and analysis of data from the Nissan funded DC fast charger at Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), the development of a student and faculty battery laboratory at Tuskegee University, the opening of a new University of Hawaii battery test lab, a computer model to optimize electrical costs for Tallahassee StarMetro buses, and the installation and beginning of data collection from the FSEC wireless charging laboratory. Detailed industry interactions for the period included Nissan, NovaCharge, General Motors, Florida Power & Light and Alabama and Florida Departments of Transportation. In the education and STEM area, twelve courses were offered or are under development and twelve STEM and K-12 education events were held. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Technology transfer UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/EVTCPPPR4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373084 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598875 AU - Cavalline, Tara L AU - Whelan, Matthew J AU - Tempest, Brett Q AU - Goyal, Raka AU - Ramsey, Joshua D AU - University of North Carolina, Charlotte AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Determination of Bridge Deterioration Models and Bridge User Costs for the NCDOT Bridge Management System PY - 2015/10/26/Final Report SP - 188p AB - The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) currently oversees the design, construction, operation, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of more than 17,000 bridges. As funding to match the growing need for new infrastructure and for maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation (MR&R) of existing infrastructure becomes more difficult to obtain, maximizing the service life of existing bridges becomes increasingly critical. In support of data-driven planning, NCDOT’s bridge management system (BMS) stores inventory data, including bridge characteristics, inspection data, and rating information, and uses deterioration models and economic models to predict outcomes and to provide network-level and project-level decisions. The objectives of this project were to provide NCDOT with revised, updated deterioration models and user cost tables for use in the BMS software. Existing data in NCDOT’s BMS were reviewed and steps to address data anomalies were identified and implemented. Updated deterministic deterioration models were developed for the existing data on the family level, with components grouped into families using established a priori classifications. Additionally, a unique statistical regression methodology applying survival analysis techniques to better address characteristics of the historical condition rating data was developed and resulted in probabilistic deterioration models for bridge components and culverts that provide significantly improved predictive accuracy and precision over prior deterministic models. These models include transition probability matrices that account for the effects of design, geographic, and functional characteristics on deterioration rates over different condition ratings. These models were found to provide significantly improved prediction accuracy and precision over typical planning horizons used in network analysis. However, while this advanced model was found to best fit the historical condition rating data and provide unique insight on factors influencing deterioration over the life-cycle of each bridge component, it was also discovered that a simplified implementation of the probabilistic deterioration model was able to achieve similar performance without rigorously incorporating the effects of external factors on deterioration rates. To aid in implementation and technology transfer, a software application was developed to facilitate routine updating of both the deterministic and probabilistic deterioration models. Preliminary work to evaluate the relative impact of individual maintenance activities on element condition ratings was performed, including the development of histograms of condition rating changes from prior actions to aid in development of action effectiveness models. Inputs and methodologies utilized to compute user costs in NCDOT’s BMS were updated and enhanced using relevant, current resources that were locally or regionally sourced when possible. Specifically, the updates and enhancements to the user cost models address average daily traffic (ADT) growth rates, vehicle operating cost, vehicle distribution, vehicle weight distribution, vehicle height distribution, accident injury severity, accident cost, and an equation useful in forecasting the number of annual bridge-related crashes. Analysis performed to generate the bridge-related crash prediction equation resulted in the identification of seven bridge characteristics that are most associated with bridge-related crashes. A sensitivity analysis on user costs indicated that, in NCDOT’s BMS, user costs are most sensitive to accident costs. KW - Accident costs KW - Bridge management systems KW - Crashes KW - Deterioration KW - Mathematical models KW - North Carolina KW - Probabilistic models KW - User costs UR - https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/RNAProjDocs/2014-07FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405296 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612166 AU - Tang, Lijie AU - Flintsch, Gerardo AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Assessment of Splash & Spray PY - 2015/10/22/Final Report SP - 15p AB - The effects of vehicle splash and spray are well known to motorists who have undertaken journeys in wet weather conditions. Research suggests that splash and spray contributes to a small, but measurable, proportion of road traffic accidents and provides considerable nuisance to motorists. Furthermore, splash and spray from highway pavements can carry a number of pollutants and contaminants that can be poisonous to plant life and cause the accelerated corrosion of street furniture. Vehicle and highway engineers are working on several types of solutions to reduce splash and spray, examples of which include splash and spray reducing devices and/or a permeable surface layer on pavement. A robust splash and spray measurement device could be used to assess the effectiveness of those solutions. Furthermore, fluid mechanics computational models are used to simulate the process by which splash and spray is generated. To calibrate and validate these models, it is necessary to measure the physical properties of the droplet cloud generated, including the droplet’s size and space density. This project proposed a methodology to measure splash and spray on in-service pavements and developed a proof-of-concept system to quantify splash and spray on in-service roads using this methodology. This effort included developing the system, which involved integrating a light source (beam laser) and a camera, preparing the image processing software, and subsequent laboratory and road tests to validate the proof-of-concept. KW - Field tests KW - Highway safety KW - Image processing KW - Imaging systems KW - Measurement KW - Proof of concept KW - Software KW - Splash and spray KW - Splashing KW - Wet weather UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424189 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578461 TI - Transportation Learning Network AB - Transportation Learning Network (TLN) will be dedicated to: (1) technology transfer, (2) innovative transportation practices, and (3) new processes, initiatives and technology. Through the proposed pooled fund, the member states plan to research and deliver needed technology transfer topics via distance-based and on-demand methods. KW - Distance learning KW - Innovation KW - Learning KW - Technology transfer UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/582 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372530 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578439 TI - Enhancement to the Intelligent Construction Data Management System (Veda) and Implementation AB - Using ICDM-Veda as a tool/platform, the objectives of this effort are to incorporate features and enhancements such as the following: (1) Analysis platforms; (2) Filtering, computations, modeling, etc.; (3) Management of database and project files; (4) Enhancements and additions to existing logic and coding to facilitate efficiency and added features; (5) Mapping; (6) Mapping performance, print feature; (7) Correlation analyses; (8) Correlations between different data sets (intelligent compaction, thermal profiling, ground penetrating radar (GPR), pavement smoothness, falling weight deflectometer (FWD), density, etc.); (9) Spot tests; (10) Management of conventional spot test data (import, filtering, mapping, correlations); (11) Data import and mapping; (12) Import data sets from ProVAL, ground penetrating radar, and delimited text data; (13) Contract administration; (14) Automated items needed to administer geo-spatial technologies during construction for quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA); - Data import/mapping, acceptance, basis of measurement and documentation of quantities; (15) Asset management; and (16) Mapping of final project QC/QA data collection for use as a supplement Pavement Management Systems. KW - Asset management KW - Construction projects KW - Correlation analysis KW - Data collection KW - Data files KW - Data management KW - Intelligent agents KW - Mapping KW - Pavement management systems UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/583 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372529 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578401 TI - 2016 through 2020 Biennial Asset Management Conference and Training on Implementation Strategies AB - This project will: (1) Provide communication and information sharing among member states. Discuss research needs and provide research ideas to the Transportation Research Board (TRB); (2) Provide a technology and knowledge exchange forum to enhance the practical knowledge of member states concerning asset management implementation; and (3) Enhance the working knowledge of the asset management community. KW - Asset management KW - Conferences KW - Implementation KW - Research KW - Strategic planning KW - Training UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/584 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613751 AU - Campbell, Tom AU - Parida, Basant AU - Zaouk, Abdullatif K AU - QinetiQ North America, Technology Solutions Group AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Locomotive Fuel Vapor Reclamation Fuel Vapor Reclamation System Field Evaluation and Cost-Benefit Analysis PY - 2015/10/21/Final Report SP - 79p AB - This report summarizes the results of the work performed to install a diesel vapor reclamation unit (DVRU) on an SD70 MAC locomotive of BNSF Railways and its performance evaluation during freight railroad service. One complete DVRU with several sensors for monitoring fuel and ambient temperatures as well as the fuel vapor-to-air ratio was installed on BNSF9674. An electronics control unit with digital data acquisition and wireless communication over mobile network and internet constituted the remote DVRU data monitoring system. As BNSF9674 was deployed over its freight carrying routes, the DVRU system performance data could be monitored only over a very limited period of time. Often, the remote data transmission was interrupted due to inadvertent locomotive and/or DVRU maintenance problems. Based on one year’s experience with performance monitoring, it was concluded that practical difficulties with day-to-day revenue service operations may not permit smooth operation of the DVRU over a long period. This precluded the scope for further installation of more DVRUs on other locomotives. Because the amount of useful DVRU system performance data from the field tests was insufficient, a cost-benefit estimate was carried out while accounting for the contributions of the DVRU and return fuel cooling. In the best case scenario, the return on investment in DVRUs would take 15 years to recover. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Diesel fuels KW - Field tests KW - Freight transportation KW - Fuel tanks KW - Locomotives KW - Performance KW - Pollutants KW - Sensors KW - Vapors UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/16604 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425824 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587645 AU - McKenzie, Erica R AU - Zhang, Huichun AU - Van Aken, Benoit AU - Abboud, Bechara AU - Temple University AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effective Use and Application of Winter Roadway Maintenance Material Enhancers PY - 2015/10/16/Final Report SP - 172p AB - A study was conducted to evaluate the product performance and potential environmental effects of five (5) winter maintenance additives: salt – reference (as brine or rock salt), AquaSalina, BEET HEET, GreenBlast, and Magic Minus Zero. Product performance was prioritized for the overall product evaluation as direct negative environmental impacts are expected to be minimal (based on project chemical analysis and toxicity testing) and to not exceed relevant water quality criteria; however, this may not apply to very small watersheds (minimal dilution) or watersheds that are known to have existing water quality issues. The top three performers, based on product performance, were as follows: 1) AquaSalina, 2) GreenBlast, 3) Magic Minus Zero. When product cost was included, the top three value products were: 1) Magic Minus Zero, 2) AquaSalina, and 3) GreenBlast. KW - Costs KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Salts KW - Toxicity KW - Water quality KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.dot7.state.pa.us/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Maintenance/Task_6.1_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56923/Task_6.1_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1391942 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580998 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FAA Lacks an Effective Staffing Model and Risk-Based Oversight Process for Organization Designation Authorization PY - 2015/10/15/Audit Report SP - 21p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) created the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program in 2005 to standardize its oversight of organizations (e.g., manufacturers) that are approved to perform certain functions on its behalf. In June 2011, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported that FAA needed to improve its oversight of the ODA program, including better monitoring of ODA personnel and training of FAA engineers. Since then, the ODA program has continued to evolve. Currently, there are approximately 80 delegated authorities that approve work for FAA at airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and repair facilities. In May 2012, a joint Government-industry report recommended that FAA expand and fully use the program to help manage its workload and keep pace with emerging aviation technologies that require certification. Representative Peter DeFazio requested that OIG review FAA’s staffing and oversight of the ODA program’s delegated organizations. In particular, Representative DeFazio expressed concerns as to whether FAA has the resources and risk-based tools in place to provide effective oversight of the ODA program. Accordingly, the audit objectives were to assess FAA’s (1) process for determining staffing levels needed to conduct ODA oversight and (2) oversight of delegated organizations’ program controls. KW - Organizations KW - Oversight KW - Personnel management KW - Risk management KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FAA%20Oversight%20of%20ODA%20Final%20Report%5E10-15-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580233 AU - Nachtmann, Heather AU - Boudhoum, Othman AU - Oztanriseven, Furkan AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Economic Impact Study for the McClellan Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System PY - 2015/10/15/Final Research Report SP - 51p AB - The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), located in Oklahoma and Arkansas, contains 440 miles of waterway and is a crucial part of the United States’ transportation system. The MKARNS strategically connects the heartland of the United States with the rest of the world via the Mississippi River and Port of New Orleans. The authors investigate the regional economic impacts of the MKARNS in order to inform waterway stakeholders of the system’s value. The study considers regional economic impacts from hydropower energy generation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) operations and maintenance (O&M) expenditures, private sector investment expenditures, port activities, shippers’ activities, transportation cost savings, and recreation benefits related to the MKARNS. The findings show the MKARNS contributes total impacts of $8.5 billion in sales, $4.3 billion in gross domestic product (GDP), and 55,872 jobs to the national economy. The findings of this study will inform future MKARNS investment decisions which can result in sustainable growth in the regional and national economy. KW - Arkansas KW - Economic impacts KW - Expenditures KW - Hydroelectric power generation KW - Jobs KW - McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System KW - Oklahoma KW - Port operations KW - Regional economics KW - Sales KW - Shipping KW - Stakeholders KW - Waterways UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/regional-economic-impact-study-for-the-mcclellan-kerr-arkansas-river-navigation-system.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373085 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580074 AU - You, Zhanping AU - Yang, Xu AU - Hiller, Jacob AU - Watkins, David AU - Dong, Jianping AU - Michigan Technological University AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improvement of Michigan Climatic Files in Pavement ME Design PY - 2015/10/15/Final Report SP - 201p AB - Climatic inputs have a great influence on Mechanistic-Empirical (ME) design results of flexible and rigid pavements. Currently the state of Michigan has 24 climatic files embedded in Pavement ME Design (PMED), but several limitations have been identified. First, five of the climatic files cannot be directly utilized because of an entire month of missing data. These missing data should be filled properly. Second, the 24 weather stations in Michigan are not uniformly distributed geographically, with some regions poorly represented. It is desirable to add new weather stations for these gap regions. Third, existing climatic files for Michigan have not been updated since 2006. A longer climatic data length can better represent the long-term climatic conditions, so it is recommended that the data length of existing climatic files be extended. This study aims to improve the climatic files in Michigan for PMED. To achieve this goal, quantity and quality checks of the existing 24 climatic files were conducted to find out the potential missing data and erroneous data. Procedures for filling the missing data and correcting the erroneous data were proposed as well. The sensitivity of PMED design performance to weather station variation in Michigan, the five individual climatic variables, and the depth to ground water table was investigated. Two traffic levels (heavy and medium) and two pavement types (flexible and rigid) were used for the sensitivity analysis. Typical traffic load spectra, pavement structures and materials in Michigan were incorporated as well. Additional weather data from the Automated Surface Observation Systems (ASOS) and Michigan Road Weather Information System (RWIS) were investigated as potential sources to add new weather stations in gap regions and to extend the existing climatic files. Quantity and quality checks on both data sources were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of application in PMED. It was found the ASOS data and the existing climatic data are from the same historical data records. Fifteen additional weather stations were added to fill the gap regions using the ASOS data. In addition, all the existing climatic files have been extended from Feb. 2006 to Dec. 2014. Finally, climatic zones based on pavement design results and multiple climatic variables for Michigan were preliminarily investigated. Fifteen climate zones were established for Michigan based on pavement surface temperatures and distress predictions. KW - Data collection KW - Data quality KW - Flexible pavements KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Michigan KW - Rigid pavements KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Weather and climate KW - Weather stations UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1626_503841_7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372768 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580072 AU - Forsyth, Jason AU - Hines, Kristen P AU - Coupey, Eloise AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Innovative Intelligent Awareness System for Roadway Workers Using Dedicated Short-Range Communications PY - 2015/10/15/Final Research Report SP - 21p AB - Roadside workers and emergency responders, such as police and emergency medical technicians, are at significant risk of being struck by vehicular traffic while performing their duties. While recent work has examined active and passive systems to reduce pedestrian collisions, current approaches require line of sight using either laser-, infrared-, or vision-based systems. The authors addressed this problem by developing a Global Positioning System (GPS)-based solution that equips roadside workers and vehicles with GPS units to estimate the trajectory of oncoming traffic, and to estimate whether worker strike is imminent. The results of this study show that the approach is 91% accurate in alerting the worker and vehicle of collisions and near misses. Furthermore, accurate warnings can be provided 5 to 6 seconds before any potential collision, allowing time for mitigating solutions. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Law enforcement personnel KW - Occupational safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Road construction workers KW - Roadside KW - Vehicle trajectories KW - Warning devices UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56244/Bowman_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372955 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579159 AU - Mehta, Yusuf A AU - Ali, Ayman W AU - Rowan University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impact of Polymer Modification on Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Binders and Hot Mix Asphalt PY - 2015/10/07/Final Report SP - 23p AB - This study was initiated with the aim of evaluating the relative impact of different cross-linking agents on the rheological and morphological properties of polymer modified asphalt binders (PMAs). To complete this objective, two cross-linking agents (an aromatic oil and silicon oxide) were selected for evaluations. The cross-linking agents were then added to a styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer modified binder (virgin PG 70-22) at different dosages. The selected cross-linking dosages were 2 and 4% by weight of virgin binder. The SBS, virgin binder, and cross-linking agents were mixed together for 90 minutes using a high shear mixer. The morphology of the modified binder was then tested using a florescent microscope and the rheological properties were evaluated using the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) to determine the dynamic shear modulus values at different temperatures (i.e., 70oC and 76oC) and the multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) properties of these binders. Based on the results obtained, it was found out that the addition of the Aromatic Oil agent might result in increasing the potential for rutting, decreasing the potential for low temperature cracking, and helps in improving the interlocking between the polymer modifier and the neat binder. It can also be concluded that the addition of the silicon oxide cross-linking agent to PMAs might have positive impact on rutting resistance without any adverse effects on low temperature cracking. Also, the addition of silicon oxide did not affect the morphology of PMAs. Furthermore, the collected results showed that the MSCR testing procedure is more capable at characterizing the properties of PMAs than can the traditional DSR test. KW - Bituminous binders KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Multiple Stress Creep Recovery KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Rutting KW - Shear modulus KW - Viscoelasticity UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Polymer-Modification-Viscoelastic-Properties.pdf?utm_source=10-13-15+Final+Reports&utm_campaign=07-06-14+PR-Final+Reports&utm_medium=email UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371708 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577968 TI - MT1-EM - Development and Deployment Technologies HMA Project AB - Develop and deploy technologies and processes to accelerate construction and preservation by improving compaction on hot mix asphalt (HMA) projects. KW - Compaction KW - Construction KW - Development KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Preservation KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371317 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577879 TI - 2014-117 (RSDP) Update MIRE Version 1.0 AB - No summary provided. KW - Asset management KW - Computer programs KW - Crash data KW - Data collection KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Model Inventory of Roadway Elements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371182 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577837 TI - SI.12-01.01: Transportation Performance Management (MAP-21 Requirements) AB - No summary provided. KW - Economic growth KW - Highway safety KW - Management KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Performance measurement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370911 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612155 AU - Flintsch, Gerardo AU - de Leon, Edgar AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Training on Pavement Surface Characteristics PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 115p AB - Pavement (and bridge) surface characteristics are key elements in the assessment of the performance of our roads and highways. Smoothness or road quality has been considered since the AASHO road test one of the key performance indicators, but other pavement surface characteristics are becoming more and more significant as agencies start to manage their performance using a wider spectrum of performance indicators under MAP-21. However, these properties are not always fully understood by practitioner pavement and road safety engineers and managers. For example, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has recently recognized friction as one of the key contributors to roadway safety, but tire-pavement friction and other related surface properties are not yet perceived as an integral part of roadway safety improvement programs in the U.S. The project developed an effective education training program for roadway agency engineers and managers (at the federal, state and local level), that introduces the participants to the state of the art in pavement surface characteristics measurement and management and explains their impact on the performance of our transportation infrastructure systems. KW - Education and training KW - Engineers KW - Friction KW - Managerial personnel KW - Pavements KW - Performance indicators KW - Rolling contact KW - Roughness KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texture UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424197 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599277 AU - Téllez, Andrés Felipe Archila AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intercity Passenger Rail Productivity in the Northeast Corridor: Implications for the Future of High-Speed Rail PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 178p AB - The ongoing discussion about the future implementation of high-speed rail (HSR) in the Northeast Corridor (NEC) is full of questions on the feasibility of HSR and the ability of Amtrak to implement it. Indeed, the introduction of the Acela Express in the past decade was not free from operating problems, but even with trains running below their full potential, the Amtrak NEC had substantial market growth. Thus, it is not clear if a true HSR service is feasible in the NEC, and if the current prospects are potentially effective. To evaluate the performance of the NEC and its main services in FY 2002-2012, and make inferences about HSR in the NEC for the next 30 years, the authors use productivity analysis. The authors employ a non-parametric single factor productivity (SFP) Törnqvist trans-log index approach with several metrics. The authors set ridership, revenue, revenue passenger-miles (RPM), and available seat-miles (ASM) as outputs, and operating costs as input. In this way, the authors provided guidelines and a robust structure of analysis that can be useful for subsequent passenger rail productivity studies. KW - Amtrak KW - Feasibility analysis KW - High speed rail KW - Intercity transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Passenger transportation KW - Productivity UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R02-Final_Report_%28Archila%291.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59257/NURail2012-MIT-R02-Final_Report__Archila_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599239 AU - Ogunbekun, Tolulope A AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of Amtrack Performance in the Northeast Corridor PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 233p AB - The primary goal of this research is to study the impact of Amtrak’s performance in the Northeast Corridor (NEC). This report focuses on Amtrak’s Acela and Regional passengers, as well as the travel time performance of these services in the last ten years (2005 to 2014). It evaluates different factors that lead to variability in ridership and service performance, as well as the impact of service performance on ridership. Another objective of the thesis is to hypothesize about how service performance affects future demand on the Acela and Regional services. This research lays the foundation for future work on the impact of Amtrak's performance, and measures needed to strengthen and improve intercity passenger rail in the Northeast Corridor. This report is essentially empirical, using Amtrak data to ascertain current performance on the NEC, with particular emphasis on on-time performance, delays and variability in travel time along the corridor. Methods include standard statistical techniques with time series analysis playing an important role. KW - Amtrak KW - Northeast Corridor KW - On time performance KW - Performance KW - Quality of service KW - Ridership KW - Time series analysis KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59244/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599174 AU - Pena-Alcaraz, Maite (Maria Teresa) AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Capacity Pricing and Allocation Mechanisms in Shared Railway Systems PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 206p AB - The objective of this thesis is to contribute to the field of shared railway systems coordination by (1) developing a framework to analyze the performance of shared railway systems under alternative capacity pricing and allocation mechanisms and (2) using this framework to understand the implications of representative capacity pricing and allocation mechanisms in representative shared railway systems. This research uses quantitative techniques from the fields of operations research and economics to solve the capacity allocation and pricing problem from the viewpoint of (1) the train operators and (2) the infrastructure manager and then seeks to find the appropriate balance between them from a public policy viewpoint. Two case studies are performed. The first deals with the Northeast Corridor of the U.S. where competition for track capacity among intercity, commuter and freight traffic is intense. The second deals with Tanzania where the competition is less intense but the question of how to operate the rail system in the public interest is front and center. KW - Analysis KW - Case studies KW - Competition KW - Coordination KW - Freight trains KW - Infrastructure KW - Intercity transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Pricing KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Tanzania UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405564 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593718 AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Holloway, James C AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development and Evaluation of Weak-Post W-Beam Guardrail in Mow Strips PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 251p AB - The objective of this study was to adapt and evaluate a weak-post, W-beam guardrail system for use within mow strips and other pavements. The weak-post guardrail system was originally designed as the Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) bridge rail and has also been adapted for use on culverts. It was envisioned that the weak-post design would absorb the impact forces and prevent damage to the mow strips, thereby minimizing maintenance and repair costs. Evaluation of the weak posts in mow strips began with three rounds of dynamic bogie testing. Round 1 of bogie testing showed that 4-in. (102-mm) thick concrete would sustain only minor spalling from impacts to the posts. However, the posts would push through 4-in. and 6-in. (102-mm and 152-mm) thick asphalt mow strips. During Round 2, 24-in. (610-mm) long, 4-in. x 4-in. (102-mm x 102-mm) sockets with 10-in. x 9-in (254-mm x 229-mm) shear plates were utilized to better distribute the impact load to the asphalt pavement and prevent damage. However, Round 3 of bogie testing consisted of dual-post impacts, and the asphalt suffered from shear block fracture between the two 24-in. (610-mm) sockets and the back edge of the mow strip. A dual-post test within a 4-in. (102-mm) thick concrete pad showed only minor spalling. A full-scale Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) 3-11 test was conducted on the weak-post guardrail system installed within an asphalt mow strip. Due to the Round 3 testing results, the asphalt thickness was increased to 6 in. (152-mm), and the socket depth was increased to 30 in. (762-mm). The 2270P pickup was contained and safely redirected, and all MASH safety criteria were satisfied. Unfortunately, the asphalt fractured, and a 2½-in. (64-mm) wide crack ran from socket to socket throughout the impact region of the system. Therefore, the weak-post guardrail system was crashworthy, but would require repairs in its current configuration. The system could also be installed in a concrete mow strip to prevent pavement damage. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Cracking KW - Crashworthiness KW - Evaluation KW - Guardrails KW - Impact tests KW - Midwest Guardrail System KW - Mow strips KW - Pavement distress KW - Posts KW - Spalling UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/FinalReportSuppl57.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1399924 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01589848 TI - Small UAS Detect and Avoid Requirements Necessary for Limited Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations AB - The FAA's proposed small UAS rules say that operators must be able to see their UAS at all times when flying. This means UAS can only fly a few miles from their operators, restricting their usefulness. NMSU and UND are researching methods to make it safe to fly UAS even when the operator can't see their UAS. The research will provide the FAA an operational framework for BVLOS operations, recommendation for the minimum operating standards for detect-and-avoid systems, and the proposed operating rules, limitations and guidelines all to help the FAA decide when it's safe to allow commercial UAS to fly beyond the line-of-sight of their operators. KW - Airworthiness KW - Aviation safety KW - Compliance KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Drone aircraft KW - Line of sight KW - Regulations KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397572 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577829 TI - GEO-1: Hazard Mitigation and Adaptation Counter Measures for Existing and New Highway Slopes AB - No summary provided. KW - Countermeasures KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Hazard mitigation KW - Slope stability KW - Slopes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370870 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577826 TI - HG-5: Development and Deployment of Mix Designs for High Performance Concrete in Mass Underground AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - High performance concrete KW - Mix design KW - Underground structures UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370867 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625807 AU - Krile, Robert AU - Todt, Fred AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Battelle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessing Roadway Traffic Count Duration and Frequency Impacts on Annual Average Daily Traffic Estimation: Assessing Accuracy Issues Related to Short-Term Count Durations PY - 2015/10 SP - 45p AB - Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) for many roadways is estimated through a temporary count obtained over anywhere from a few hours to one week, and subsequently expanded to a full year using factors derived from permanent count stations with similar characteristics. Historic research has focused on determining the optimum duration for the short-term count to balance resource restrictions, which favor shorter count durations, against statistical accuracy, which favors longer count durations. This task quantifies the relative accuracy and precision associated with different durations. It also evaluates the impact of day of week and month of year for AADT estimation. Results are evaluated for different factoring methods, and different factor grouping methods. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Travel Monitoring Analysis System (TMAS) volume data from 14 years consisting of hourly counts by day from nearly 43,000 continuous permanent volume traffic data sites/years in the United States comprised the reference dataset for this research. A subset of 320 of these were utilized which include complete data for all 24 hours of every day of the year. These sites collectively represented a wide range of AADT volumes, nine functional classes, 32 states, and years 2000 through 2012. This report is a final task report that summarizes accuracy and precision of AADT estimation for various short-term count durations, by day of week and month of year in which count was obtained, and includes the analysis methodology and summary statistics findings. KW - Accuracy KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Continuous monitoring KW - Short term KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic estimation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/travel_monitoring/pubs/aadt/aadt_task_3_final_report_nov_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1442739 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01611985 AU - O.R. Colan AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Notices and Offers by Electronic Methods: Process Streamlining PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 39p AB - This research provides the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with technical information necessary to determine how internet-based systems can be used to streamline the acquisition process, specifically in the delivery of notices and offers, which are integral to the right of way (ROW) process. Contents include: Costs to Develop, Deploy, Use and Support Electronic Delivery or Signature Methods; Presenting Written Offers to Acquire to Property Owners; Techniques Involving Use of Electronic Methods as an Aid to Acquiring ROW; and Proposed Model of Utilizing Electronic Delivery/Signature Verification Techniques. KW - Costs KW - Electronic data interchange KW - Information dissemination KW - Information systems KW - Internet KW - Property acquisition KW - Right of way (Land) UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/publications/e_methods/fhwahep16008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423089 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01609441 AU - Lowe, Kate AU - Mosby, Kim AU - Tolford, Tara AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - The Conceptual Mismatch: Transportation Stressors and Experiences for Low-Income Adults PY - 2015/10 SP - 57p AB - Physical access to jobs has long been identified as a barrier to employment and earnings, with prior research identifying the “spatial mismatch” between suburban entry-level jobs and low-income workers. However, existing transportation research on physical access fails to adequately account for the complex role that transportation needs, stressors, benefits, and costs play in low-income households. Through qualitative analysis, this study examines the role of transportation in the lives of low-income adults in two medium-sized metropolitan areas and how their actual, lived transportation experiences function as stressors with potentially compounding impacts. The study finds that job accessibility models that only account for travel time and location may not reflect the transportation time tax associated with accessing employment for some low-income households. KW - Accessibility KW - Automobile ownership KW - Health KW - Jobs KW - Louisiana KW - Low income groups KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Public transit KW - Qualitative analysis KW - Stress (Psychology) KW - Travel time UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00115-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420406 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608561 AU - Lee, Jusang AU - Hastak, Makarand AU - Ahn, Hyung Jun AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crack Sealing and Filling: Best Practices SN - 9781622603831 PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 53p AB - This study investigated the current state of practice for crack sealing/filling. In addition, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) crack sealing/filling practice was experimentally evaluated for the effectiveness of crack sealing/filling, the effectiveness of routing, the performance of the different types of crack sealants and fillers, the validity of sealant performance grade system, and the crack sealing/filling equipment performance. The key findings from an extensive literature review and nationwide/statewide survey performed in 2012 are the following: 1) 65% of the responses indicated that the routing is required for the crack sealing/filling application; 2) ASTM D 6690 Type II was the most widely used sealant type and only Missouri and Indiana included emulsions in their specifications as crack sealing/filling materials; and 3) crack sealing/filling equipment availability and their maintenance were the biggest concerns. Based on the two‐year experimental investigation, the crack sealing/filling was determined to be effective in preventing the occurrence of pavement surface crack distress. The crack sealing/filling was concluded to be effective in maintaining crack integrity and resisting sealant and filler deformations due to the seasonal crack movement. The routing was not determined to be effective in terms of the pavement performances. However, Adhesive/Cohesive/Spalling (ACS) failure results showed that the routed sections significantly outperformed the non‐routed sections. In addition, the test results indicated that the ASTM 6690 Type II crack sealants performed relatively well in terms of pavement and crack performance. The correlation between the sealant performance grades and the pavement and crack performances with different types of sealants and fillers were poor and insignificant. The mixed results regarding the effectiveness of the routing were obtained from the literature review and the field evaluation. As a result, it was recommended from the SAC meeting that routing in the 2090 Activity be limited to a single transverse crack (reflective cracks) on asphalt concrete over concrete pavements. INDOT currently uses the ASTM Type II crack sealants, which showed an overall good pavement and crack performances in the evaluation. Therefore, the current INDOT crack sealant material selection process (ASTM Type II) is concluded to be adequate. The experimental results showed that the cracks on wet pavement treated with hot air lance (HAL) had significantly higher bonding between the materials and asphalt pavement surface than the cracks treated with the conventional air compressor. Therefore, the incorporation of a hot air lance in the wet condition is recommended to extend the operable time and seasonal availability for crack filling and sealing construction (2070 and 2090 Activities). KW - Best practices KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Literature reviews KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Sealing (Technology) KW - Sealing compounds KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316008 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1419100 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603586 AU - Belivanis, Konstantinos Victor AU - Han, Liwei AU - Sun, Cong AU - Helwig, Todd AU - Engelhardt, Michael AU - Tassoulas, John AU - Williamson, Eric AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Extending Use of Steel-Laminated Elastomeric Bearings to Higher Demand Applications PY - 2015/10 SP - 184p AB - Elastomeric bearings have historically been used on bridges with short to moderate spans. The resulting demand on the bearings is usually not very severe in terms of the necessary support reaction or the deformational requirements. The bearings have historically showed good behavior and as a result, there is a strong desire to use the bearings on higher demand applications with larger support reactions and more significant deformational requirements. Although longer span concrete bridges may be candidates for these higher demand applications, many steel girder systems such as tub girder systems are also good candidates for these applications. The necessary translational and rotational demands for these bridges are significant and the support reactions are much larger than bridges that have typically utilized elastomeric bearings. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has utilized the bearings on some steel tub girders and although many of these bearings have behaved well, isolated bearings have shown significant distress in a relatively short period of time. Although in recent years, TxDOT has successfully used elastomeric pads in steel bridge applications, no full size tests on the large bearings have been conducted to demonstrate the ability of the bearings to satisfy the long-term performance requirements. In the absence of these tests, it is not clear if manufactures have the ability to consistently produce bearings for high demand applications. The research outlined in this proposal consists of laboratory testing, field monitoring, and parametric computational modeling that will provide the supporting data so that elastomeric bearings can be confidently used in the wide range of bridge applications throughout the state of Texas. The use of elastomeric bearings in steel bridge applications will result in systems that are easier to fabricate, erect, and maintain while also improving the long-term bridge behavior. KW - Bridge bearings KW - Deformation KW - Elastomers KW - Field studies KW - Finite element method KW - Girder bridges KW - Laboratory tests KW - Steel bridges KW - Texas UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6785-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410844 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603497 AU - Yin, Yafeng AU - Lawphongpanich, Siriphong AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Workshop for Managed Lanes on Arterials PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 32p AB - Managed lanes have been successfully implemented on freeways across the United States. In Project BDV32 977-01 for Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the authors explored the possibility of extending the concept of managed lanes to arterials in order to further improve the efficiency of busy Florida roads. The main objective of this workshop is to promulgate the research findings from FDOT Project BDV32 977-01. The workshop was held twice, once on October 19, 2015 in the auditorium of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 6 in Miami, Florida and the other on October 20, 2015 in Mike Rippe Auditorium of FDOT District 1 in Bartow, Florida. The workshop (a) disseminated results from the study on extending the managed-lane concept to arterials, (b) solicited opinion regarding managed lanes on arterials from FDOT personnel and those from metropolitan planning organizations, and (c) obtained suggestions for a proof-of-concept study location. KW - Arterial highways KW - Florida KW - Florida Department of Transportation KW - Managed lanes KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Arterial_Managed_Lanes_STRIDE_2015-001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599322 AU - Apronti, Dick T AU - Herpner, Jaime J AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Wyoming Low-Volume Roads Traffic Volume Estimation PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 241p AB - Low-volume roads are excluded from regular traffic counts except on a need to know basis. But needs for traffic volume data on low-volume roads in road infrastructure management, safety, and air quality analysis have necessitated regular traffic volume estimates. This study developed traffic volume estimation models for low-volume roads in Wyoming. A review of existing estimation models was carried out. Two main model types were identified - regression models and Travel Demand Models (TDMs). The study developed the two model types and recommended the best model for implementation. Two regression models were developed, a linear and a logistic regression model. Each of the regression models was developed using data from 13 randomly selected counties and nine counties were used in model validation. The linear regression model had an R² of 64 percent and was verified to be a good predictor of traffic volumes across Wyoming. The logistic regression model validation indicated a prediction accuracy ranging from 78 to 89 percent. The TDM was developed using standard factors and trip rates in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 365. The TDM was implemented for four south eastern counties in Wyoming. The model was then validated and calibrated by comparing actual traffic volumes to those generated by the model. The calibrated model had a Percentage Root Mean Square Error and an R² values of 50 and 74 percent respectively. The report compared the three models with respect to cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and accuracy and recommended the TDM for implementation. The regression models were recommended for applications requiring quick traffic volume estimations and for which lower levels of accuracy are acceptable. KW - Accuracy KW - Calibration KW - Counties KW - Estimating KW - Low volume roads KW - Recommendations KW - Regression analysis KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel demand KW - Validation KW - Wyoming UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56920/RS06213_1604F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596844 AU - Miles, Jeffrey D AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Idaho Transportation Department AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - LED Luminaires for Roadway Sign Illumination PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 57p AB - The researcher collected data to assess the performance of different light emitting diode (LED) luminaires for use with overhead guide signs by Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). The performance testing included illuminance and luminance measurements when the units were new and then after being weathered for one year outside. The impact of temperature was evaluated, and a prototype mobile luminance system was developed to provide ITD with a field tool to assess sign performance. Each luminaire was also modeled to provide ITD with information on the potential differences between modeled photometric values versus real world values. When considering current guidance on guide sign lighting, previous research, and the data collected on this project, it is believed that each of the luminaires tested could be used by ITD based on photometric data. It is recommended that the mobile luminance system developed during this project be used to supplement modeling data for evaluating additional luminaires that are being considered for the qualified products list (QPL). The mobile luminance system should also be used for assessing sign maintenance needs. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Guide signs KW - Idaho KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Luminaires KW - Luminance KW - Performance measurement KW - Photometry KW - Prototypes KW - Temperature UR - http://itd.idaho.gov/highways/research/archived/reports/RP230FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596823 AU - Green, Steven D AU - Flight Operations Research AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - The Icemaster Database and an Analysis of Aircraft Aerodynamic Icing Accidents and Incidents PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 136p AB - An investigation of in-flight and ground aircraft icing events from January 1982 to November 2011 was conducted. The first step in the investigation was to develop a comprehensive database (named Icemaster) of icing events during that period. The second step was to use this database to perform a statistical analysis of the entire database and a separate analysis of the initial conditions, occurrences, and pilot actions for each of the events. Icemaster was constructed from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident Database, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Accident/Incident Data System, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). This entailed a thorough, rigorous process of screening more than 200,000 event reports, which resulted in the final Icemaster database containing 308 in-flight icing events and 248 ground icing events. Each event in the Icemaster database was analyzed with respect to initial conditions; ice protection type and operation during the event; and sequence of aerodynamic occurrences and pilot actions leading to the final outcome. The entire database was statistically analyzed with respect to historical trends for accidents and events; meteorological factors; aircraft power loadings; wing airfoil; and pilot experience. The report yields more than 20 major findings and a number of conclusions and recommendations. Among the major findings are: (1) the majority of in-flight icing events with aircraft damage and personal injury were associated with a failure to operate the ice protection systems, (2) failure to ensure the complete removal of frozen contaminants from the critical surfaces occurred in 44% of the ground icing events, and (3) although the NTSB, FAA, and ASRS databases contain a wealth of information on aircraft events, inconsistencies, non-uniformity, and omissions in event documentation sometimes made both event and statistical analysis more difficult and less conclusive. KW - Air transportation crashes KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Databases KW - Icing KW - Recommendations KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tc14-44r1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402001 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596692 AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - McKenna, Brooke AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - PEL Benefits: Measuring the Benefits of Planning and Environmental Linkages PY - 2015/10 SP - 35p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) commissioned this report to explore and document the benefits stemming from the incorporation of Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) strategies into State, regional, and local planning and project development processes. This report includes five case studies from across the country that detail five different implementations of PEL strategies and their attendant benefits. The case studies investigated two common PEL strategies: PEL studies and electronic screening tools. The most common benefits included facilitation of the environmental review process, cost and time savings, and a flexible evaluation of alternatives. KW - Benefits KW - Case studies KW - Environmental impacts KW - Implementation KW - National Environmental Policy Act KW - Transportation planning UR - https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/PEL_Benefits_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/58000/58000/58011/PEL_Benefits_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594216 AU - Kitchener, Fred AU - Ragan, Ali AU - Garcia, Vince AU - Omay, Murat AU - Waisley, Michael AU - Battelle AU - McFarland Management, LLC AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Road Condition Reporting Application for Weather Responsive Traffic Management PY - 2015/10 SP - 65p AB - Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) strives to promote the development and implementation of cutting-edge techniques for maintaining safety, mobility, and productivity of roadways during adverse weather conditions. A particular Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM) strategy developed and described in this report involves mobile data collection and reporting system in Wyoming for road weather information during weather events. A concept of operations and an evaluation plan were developed and utilized in the project. The objectives of the system were to improve the efficiency of road condition reporting and actions taken in the Traffic Management Center (TMC), the timeliness of updated traveler information, and the situational awareness of field maintenance staff. This report documents the implementation and evaluation of the system. Overall, the evaluations indicate improved effectiveness and efficiency of road condition reporting and traffic management center activities during weather events. Furthermore, improvements in the TMC data management systems, frequency of road reports, and field information accuracy were also noted. The report contains the description, development, and implementation of the system; the evaluation approach and results; and conclusions, lessons learned, and recommendations based on the evaluation results. KW - Data collection KW - Highway traffic control KW - Road weather information systems KW - Road Weather Management Program KW - Wyoming UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56890/FHWA-JPO-16-266_v2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400145 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593743 AU - Bauer, Jocelyn AU - Ange, Katharine AU - Twaddell, Hannah AU - Leidos AU - Renaissance Planning Group AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Advancing Transportation Systems Management and Operations Through Scenario Planning PY - 2015/10 SP - 76p AB - The intent of this primer is to inform planners, operators, and other transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) partners on the potential use of scenario planning to advance TSMO. It builds upon the long standing scenario planning guidance that continues to be advanced by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty. The primer includes an explanation of the “why” behind the use of scenario planning in transportation and presents hypothetical examples to prompt thinking about the “when” and the “how” scenario planning might be used for TSMO. This includes discussions about how to apply scenario planning at multiple geographic scales and in support of several TSMO-focused planning activities, such as developing work zone management or statewide freight mobility plans. While this primer does not provide detailed guidance on how to conduct scenario planning for a specific TSMO effort, it does offer a deeper understanding of scenario planning opportunities and a framework that readers can adapt to their specific needs and use as a guiding tool as they embark upon scenario planning to enhance their TSMO planning and programming decisions. KW - Forecasting KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation system management UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16016/fhwahop16016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398813 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593730 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - U.S. Department of Transportation Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Assessments PY - 2015/10//Summary Report SP - 56p AB - Beginning in the fall of 2014, the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) field offices began organizing pedestrian and bicycle safety assessments, on-the-ground examinations of transportation facilities conducted by a multidisciplinary, multi-agency team. By June of 2015, field offices from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) had hosted or participated in 52 assessments, one in every State, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. More than 1,500 people, including elected officials, field office leaders, and representatives from local, regional, State, Federal, and nongovernmental agencies took part, helping advance Secretary Foxx’s Safer People, Safer Streets Initiative for pedestrian and bicycle safety. The purpose of the assessments was for teams to consider site-specific recommendations as well as to envision broader systemic changes needed to improve safe walking and bicycling. While simply conducting an assessment does not immediately fix problems, the act of bringing together many partners to focus their attention on these issues lays the groundwork for effective interagency collaboration going forward. This report highlights some of the varied and creative methods used to conduct the assessments. It discusses examples of both infrastructure and non-infrastructure barriers identified through the assessments; how specific communities used the assessments to discuss and address barriers; and resources (existing and under development) to support communities in ensuring safe and convenient access to walking and bicycling. KW - Cooperation KW - Cyclists KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Policy KW - Recommendations KW - Stakeholders KW - States KW - Transportation safety UR - https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Bike-Ped-Assessments-Report_508_10_29_15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593729 AU - Xu, Yanzhi "Ann" AU - Grossman, Alice AU - Shaw, Atiyya AU - Pratyaksa, Parbha AU - Greenwood, Aaron AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engaging in Engineering Initiative with Centennial Place Academy PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 31p AB - Transportation engineering researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology developed an active learning outreach program for Centennial Place Academy, a metro Atlanta public school that serves a racially and economically diverse student population with the majority of students falling into lower income brackets and minority populations. Georgia Tech researchers visited the school to conduct an initial session with the entire fifth grade class; this was followed by two full day sessions with a smaller subset of the same students after they had moved into the sixth grade. The program was designed to utilize cutting-edge technology to implement Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education with elementary and middle school students through guided inquiry. The purpose of the program was to show students that engineering is an accessible discipline that utilizes many skillsets and encompasses multiple aspects of their lives. The program resulted in a wealth of ready-to-use materials that can be implemented in future engineering outreach initiatives. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Elementary school students KW - Middle school students KW - Outreach KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_gt_k12_FinalReport_Engaging_in_Engineering_Initiative_Centennial.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400041 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593713 AU - Distlehorst, Jennifer AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Freezing and Thawing Testing of Field and Lab Concretes with the Same Aggregates PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 36p AB - Concrete and aggregates sampled on 20 field visits to Kansas Department of Transportation concrete paving projects constructed between 2010 and 2012 were tested to compare the KTMR-22 freeze-thaw durability of field-cast specimens with standard lab-cast specimens made with the same aggregates. No consistent differences were found between the field and lab specimen results, indicating that the results of the KTMR-22 (2012) Resistance of Concrete to Rapid Freezing and Thawing test are determined primarily by the durability of the aggregate used. Sampling concrete as delivered to the job site for freezing and thawing evaluation would provide assurance that the KTMR-22 test results reflect the performance of the aggregate used in the pavement. KW - Aggregates KW - Concrete pavements KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Kansas KW - Laboratory tests KW - Samples UR - http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/docpop.aspx?clienttype=html&docid=9496270 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398951 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592626 TI - Performance-Based Testing of Driving Skills/Capabilities AB - The objective of this project is to determine the risks associated with older commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, and to evaluate if there is a need for performance-based testing of older drivers. Further, to provide recommendations for moving forward; if the recommendation is to implement a performance-based test, recommendations on how to test and how to implement will be included. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published the study entitled “Performance-Based Testing of Driving Skills/Capability” in August, 2012. The study examined the need for performance–based testing of CMV drivers over a certain age. The idea behind the study came from industry representatives raising the issue that The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) precludes them from removing older drivers on the basis of safety concerns. If carried out, the performance-based test would be developed and administered at State Divisions of Motor Vehicles as part of the CMV license renewal process. The 2011 commercial driver crash statistics were analyzed and results revealed that commercial drivers aged 66 or older had elevated risks (6.64 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash, and 4.25 times more likely to be involved in an injurious crash) than commercial drivers aged 46 to 55 years (the safest age group). A literature review was conducted and reduced to those peer-reviewed studies in which a performance-based measure was used to predict prospective crash risk. Very few relevant publications were identified, indicating a need for additional data collection. Meta-analyses of the existing studies were conducted and several performance-based measures were found to be associated with increased crash risk in older drivers. This study will involve four parts: (1) a literature review on the current research of the risks of older drivers and associated data; (2) an analysis of Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) data to retrieve crashes and Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) data to retrieve driver age;(3) a data collection and analysis of carrier crash records, driver age, critical reason assigned to the crash, and vehicle miles traveled; (4) an assessment of the need for a performance-based test. These four parts together will result in a robust study for evaluating if there is a need for performance-based testing of older drivers. A report, including an analysis and recommendations will be provided. KW - Aged drivers KW - Commercial drivers KW - Performance tests KW - Risk analysis KW - Safety KW - Truck drivers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400220 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592610 TI - Instructional Design Guides for Inspecting Electric and Hybrid-Electric Commercial Motor Vehicles AB - The objective of this project is to provide safety guidelines to commercial vehicle enforcement officers and inspectors when examining electric and hybrid-electric commercial vehicles for compliance. Electric and hybrid-electric commercial vehicles have been in use for over a decade. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), the North American Standard (NAS) inspection procedures, and the out-of-service (OOS) criteria have not kept up with this new technology. The most important aspect of this project is to provide safety guidelines to commercial vehicle enforcement officers and inspectors when examining such vehicles for compliance. Some of the hazards that such vehicles pose that are not present include serious injury (e.g., electrocution) from high voltage systems, quietness of approach, and “stranded energy.” This project is predicated on the findings and recommendations of another project, “Electric Drive Vehicle Systems: Suggested Changes to Large Truck and Motorcoach Regulations and Inspection Procedures.” The outcomes of the project will include a one-hour, online training course. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Electric vehicles KW - Guidelines KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety KW - Training UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400191 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592628 TI - Impact of Motorcoach Driver Compensation on Safety Performance AB - The objective of this project is to collect information on the methods of compensation for motorcoach drivers and drivers’ associated safety performance. The primary goal of the study is to determine if there is a relationship between payment methods and safe driving performance. In addition, the study may be able to identify the method of compensation that has the lowest crash rate and fewer unsafe driver behaviors, leading to fewer fatalities and injuries. There are many segments of the bus industry that employ a variety of methods of compensation for their drivers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in collaboration with other interested organizations, will work to assess the safety implications of different methods and amounts of compensation for motorcoach drivers. The study will collect feedback from stakeholders to seek information on the possible safety advantages and disadvantages of different compensation packages. The survey instrument will be designed using statistically-sound scientific techniques. This survey is intended to be a large-scale data collection effort and will require approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The data will be used to characterize industry practices with respect to driver compensation and to determine the effect on safety. Motorcoach drivers working for charter, tour, regular route, or commuter express operations will be the focus of the study. These data will be used to demonstrate possible relationships of variables and to determine if the variables may contribute to unintended safety consequences, such as driver and vehicle out-of-service rates and crash rates. An assessment of the safety implications of different methods and amounts of compensation for motorcoach drivers using a statistically sound scientific survey instrument. The study may be able to identify the method of compensation that has the lowest crash rate and fewer unsafe driver behaviors, leading to fewer fatalities and injuries. KW - Bus drivers KW - Buses KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Impact studies KW - Motor carriers KW - Pay KW - Performance KW - Safety KW - Safety factors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400185 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592040 AU - Perkins, Steve AU - Montana State University, Bozeman AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Survey of Micropile Use in Neighboring Western States PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Micropiles are small diameter piles that are constructed by drilling and grouting techniques. Micropiles are a foundation alternative that are cost-effective in a variety of conditions encountered in Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) projects, however a limited experience base has led to underutilization of a potentially beneficial foundation alternative. To explore a greater use of micropiles, a survey of nine neighboring western state transportation agencies on the use of engineered micropiles has been developed and conducted with the results compiled and presented in this report. Response to this survey indicated use of micropiles in situations for which they were intended. The use of micropiles was tied to the availability of qualified contractors. With the Pacific Northwest containing such contractors, use in this area has become common practice and satisfaction is high. In states where population density is lower and local micropile contractors are not available, micropiles have been used less frequently. Responses emphasized the importance of a well-qualified contractor and a well-qualified quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Responses also indicated the importance of comprehensive geotechnical data describing the subsurface conditions in which micropiles will be installed. For the agencies responding, the greatest use of micropiles was for new bridge foundations, followed by projects involving retrofitting existing bridge foundations. Micropiles appear to be versatile as evidenced by their use on a variety of projects involving structures other than bridge foundations. Responses indicated that micropiles have been used exclusively on projects for which other conventional deep foundation approaches would not work. The reasons for this were approximately split between site surface conditions and subsurface conditions. These responses supported the notion that micropiles are particularly suited for difficult ground conditions (i.e. presence of cobbles and boulders, intermediate geomaterials) and sites with restricted work areas having limited space and/or remote access and/or urban, noise and vibration sensitive sites. Load testing of micropiles is common and appears to be incorporated in all projects. None of the agencies responding indicated a “failure” or lack of capacity with project micropiles that have been load tested, which speaks to the success and high degree of satisfaction of the users. Contracting methods for micropile subcontractors appear to be typical and well established. All agencies have developed specifications and/or special provisions for this technology. Limitations associated with micropiles involve limited lateral capacity in areas of high seismic demand and the higher cost of installation as compared to conventional deep foundations. The latter limitation is not necessarily applicable in common situations where a conventional deep foundation cannot be used. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Contractors KW - Montana KW - Piles (Supports) KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Transportation departments UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/research/docs/research_proj/micropile/FINAL_REPORT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398118 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590540 AU - Paudel, Ananda AU - Hirsch, Arthur AU - Colorado State University, Pueblo AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Potential Impacts of Solar Arrays on Highway Environment, Safety and Operations PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 93p AB - The advent of solar energy utilization in highway infrastructure around the country has been increasing in recent years. Right of Ways (ROWs) have several advantages for energy development such as the existing electrical infrastructure aligned with the major highways, a secured boundary, and easy maintenance access. It has been identified by various Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that solar array deployment along the ROW is possible after adequate site evaluation and impact study. With higher solar insolation available, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) can generate electricity from solar arrays on its ROWs across much of the State of Colorado. Political climate, public cooperation with energy providers, commitment of utility companies and potential impacts are some of the major concerns in successful solar array deployment. The potential impact of photo voltaic (PV) arrays on driver safety, highway operation and maintenance, and the environment are the focus of this research study. Changes in driver’s expectations, glare, maintenance practices due to snow drifting along the roadside, and local ecosystems are some of the impacts that are evaluated in this report. To understand the potential impacts on driver safety, environmental resources, and maintenance operations, case studies are presented from national and international projects. A base line study was performed pertaining to the current ROW’s physical characteristics, operational conditions, regulatory requirements and PV array design criteria. Factors associated risk impacts are analyzed qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Mitigation measures are recommended to minimize the undesirable impacts in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of solar array. This document provides guidance for CDOT Management, Project Engineers, Operation and Maintenance personnel and energy generators who are interested in installing and maintaining PV arrays in the CDOT ROW. The following are the main objectives of this project: (1) Develop a general model of a solar highway focusing on user safety and maintenance activities; (2) Study and analyze the impact of highway solar array on driver’s safety; (3) Study and analyze the impact of highway solar array on road maintenance; (4) Evaluate and assess the impact of the highway solar array on the environment; (5) Identify and list the critical risk factors in solar array and array deployment and develop risk reduction strategies; (6) Provide CDOT with a guidance manual that will provide basic considerations and requirements to address CDOT environmental, safety, and operation and maintenance expectations; (7) Make design and safety guidance recommendations pertaining to highway PV array design, installation, operation and maintenance. KW - Case studies KW - Colorado KW - Environmental impacts KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Recommendations KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Risk analysis KW - Solar collectors UR - https://www.codot.gov/programs/research/pdfs/2015-research-reports/solar-arrays/at_download/file UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396352 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590510 AU - Cottrell, Benjamin H AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of Truck Mounted Attenuator (TMA) Crashes in Work Zones in Virginia PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 45p AB - Truck mounted attenuators (TMAs) are deployed on shadow vehicles in work zones to mitigate the effects of errant vehicles that strike the shadow vehicle, either by smoothly decelerating the vehicle to a stop when hit head-on or by redirecting the errant vehicle. The purpose of this study was to investigate crashes involving TMAs in work zones in Virginia. The objectives of the study were (1) to review trends over the last 3 to 5 years in crashes involving TMAs including a measure of traffic exposure such as the frequency of work zones using TMAs; and (2) to identify the causal factors of crashes in work zones where TMAs are involved. An email survey of Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and contractor staff was administered to obtain information on the opinions of field forces with regard to the use of TMAs in work zones and their safety in mobile and lane closure operations. Crashes involving TMAs from 2011-2014 in Virginia were compiled and analyzed. Based on the survey results, driver inattention/behavior, road geometrics/sight distance, mobile operations, and not following the Virginia Work Area Protection Manual are possible contributing factors for TMA crashes. TMA crashes increased from 2011-2014, and most of these crashes occurred on the interstate. A majority of TMA crashes occurred in VDOT’s Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond districts. A typical TMA crash involved a contractor TMA vehicle that was struck from the rear by a male driving a passenger vehicle. TMA crashes accounted for less than 1% of all work zone crashes in Virginia from 2011-2014. There is no clear-cut solution to resolving TMA crashes. Although they represent a small number of crashes compared to the overall number of work zones crashes, most of them affect at least two people: the motorist striking the TMA vehicle and the TMA operator. The study offers a number of recommendations to reduce the incidence of TMA-involved crashes. First, VDOT should require TMA operator training. Second, VDOT’s Traffic Engineering Division should share the information with regard to TMA crash experience with the VDOT regions, with particular emphasis on the regions with the highest number of crashes. In addition, VDOT’s Traffic Engineering Division should review the benefits of having the first TMA vehicle in a travel lane straddling the lane, as opposed to being fully in the lane, and the spacing of TMA vehicles near ramps during mobile operations. Finally, VDOT should consider working with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and/or others on media and outreach campaigns for distracted driving and include mobile work zones for safer work zones. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Recommendations KW - Surveys KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Truck mounted attenuators KW - Virginia KW - Work zone safety UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590447 AU - Stich, Bethany AU - Griffith, Kyle AU - Webb, Peter AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Gulf Coast Megaregion: In Search of a New Scale to Understand Freight Transportation and Economic Development PY - 2015/10 SP - 65p AB - Jane Jacobs famously wrote, “The economic foundation of cities is trade.” Increased global connectivity and expanding domestic markets around major city hubs have led to a spatial reorganization of regional economies towards a higher level of scale referred to as the megaregion. These trade networks rely on a complex mix of freight and telecommunications infrastructure, low trade barriers, as well as international business and social networks. Policymakers have a responsibility to recognize the vital relationship between economies and freight, and it is imperative that national policies reflect the domestic and global environments in which megaregions must now compete. The United States (US) lacks a national freight strategy and most metropolitan areas fail to implement comprehensive trade strategies, indicating disconnect between policy and practice. In this research, the authors determine the status of freight planning strategies at the megaregion scale of an economically integrated section of the United States Gulf Coast. KW - Economic development KW - Freight transportation KW - Gulf Coast KW - Megaregions KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00108-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00108-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397177 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01588716 AU - Kolpakov, Alexander AU - Reich, Stephen L AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Synthesis of Research on the Use of Idle Reduction Technologies in Transit PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 80p AB - There are several potential ways to reduce vehicle tailpipe emissions, including reducing sulfur in fuel, replacing older engines, tightening emission standards, installing pollution control equipment on heavy-duty vehicles, and others, but the most direct method to reduce harmful emissions is to limit unnecessary vehicle idling. Technologies that can be installed on-board vehicles to reduce the amount of idling without sacrificing vehicle energy needs or driver utility include direct-fire heaters, auxiliary power units (APU), thermal storage systems, on-board batteries, automatic engine shut-off devices, and other equipment. Additionally, parking space electrification also allows the reduction of excessive stationary idling of heavy-duty vehicles by providing them with an outside power source to run vehicle accessories without running the main engine. Reduction in idling can be achieved not only by installing specialized equipment on vehicles, but also through a change in operational procedures. Idle reduction policies may include limiting engine warm-up, shutting down the engine after a certain time of idling, improving vehicle scheduling and dispatching, minimizing vehicle queuing, and other procedures. Federal, state, and local incentive programs can help with covering some of the incremental costs of idle reduction equipment acquisition and installation. In the U.S., there are 106 laws, regulations programs, and incentives dealing with idle reduction at the federal, state, and local levels. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Engine idling KW - Exhaust gases KW - Fleet management KW - Public transit KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit buses KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/NCTR-7905R0-2-Idling-Reduction-508.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587763 AU - Saito, Mitsuru AU - Knecht, Casey S AU - Schultz, Grant G AU - Cook, Aaron A AU - Brigham Young University AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crash Prediction Modeling for Curved Segments of Rural Two-Lane Two-Way Highways in Utah PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 83p AB - This report contains the results of the development of crash prediction models for curved segments of rural two-lane two-way highways in the state of Utah. The modeling effort included the calibration of the predictive model found in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) as well as the development of Utah-specific models using negative binomial regression. The data for these models came from 1,495 randomly sampled curved segments in Utah, with crash data coming from years 2008-2012. For this research, two sample periods were used: a three-year period from 2010 to 2012 and a five-year period from 2008 to 2012. The calibration factor for the HSM predictive model was determined to be 1.50 for the three-year period and 1.60 for the five-year period. A negative binomial model was used to develop Utah-specific crash prediction models based on both the three-year and five-year sample periods. The independent variables used for negative binomial regression included the same set of variables used in the HSM predictive model along with other variables such as speed limit and truck traffic that were considered to have a significant effect on potential crash occurrence. The significant variables were found to be average annual daily traffic, segment length, total truck percentage, and curve radius. The main benefit of the Utah-specific crash prediction models is that they provide a reasonable level of accuracy for crash prediction yet only require four variables, thus requiring much less effort in data collection compared to using the HSM predictive model. KW - Calibration KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Highway curves KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Regression analysis KW - Rural highways KW - Two lane highways KW - Utah UR - http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=26397103967317288 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394588 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587754 AU - Rouhani, Omid M AU - Gao, H Oliver AU - Geddes, R Richard AU - Cornell University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating the Role of Private Investment in Infrastructure Assets PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 36p AB - Public Private Partnership (P3) projects are likely to fundamentally impact entire transportation systems. However, most studies are focused on system modeling rather than policy analysis, and few studies have examined the impacts of P3s on real-size transportation networks. Policy guidance for devising and administering P3 contracts to improve transportation system performance while maintaining profitability is lacking. Using the transportation network of Fresno, a middle-sized city in California as an example, this study considers alternative P3 approaches for profit maximization and system cost minimization at full urban transportation network scales. Based on system modeling results, the authors offer the following recommendations for policy makers to design and promote successful P3 projects in urban environments: (1) to promote a profitable and a socially beneficial system, toll rates should be set between profit-maximizing and system-optimal rates; (2) even though tolls (i.e., higher travel costs) on a few roads helps reduce travel demand they may, counter-intuitively, lead to higher total travel cost for the transportation system as a whole; (3) lower limit(s), in addition to upper limit(s), for tolls may be required to enforce system-optimal tolling and avoid undercutting; (4) a variable tolling scheme (i.e., temporally and spatially varying tolls) significantly reduces congestion and increases profits relative to flat tolls; and (5) public officials should provide a comprehensive plan regarding past, current, and future P3 projects along with detailed system-wide impact analysis of project implementation in order to promote a more sustainable transportation system. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Costs KW - Financing KW - Fresno (California) KW - Policy KW - Public private partnerships KW - Sustainable development KW - Tolls KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Evaluating-Role-of-Private-Investment.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587657 AU - Schultz, Grant G AU - Bassett, David R AU - Saito, Mitsuru AU - Reese, C Shane AU - Brigham Young University AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Roadway Attributes in Hot Spot Identification and Analysis PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 157p AB - This research focuses on the addition of roadway attributes in the selection and analysis of "hot spots." This is in conjunction with the framework for highway safety mitigation in Utah with its six primary steps: network screening, diagnosis, countermeasure selection, economic appraisal, project prioritization, and effectiveness evaluation. The addition of roadway attributes was included as part of the network screening, diagnosis, and countermeasure selection, which are included in the methodology titled "Hot Spot Identification and Analysis" in Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Report No. UT-13.15. Included in this research was the documentation of the steps and process for data preparation and model use for the step of network screening and the creation of report forms for the steps of diagnosis and countermeasure selection. The addition of roadway attributes is required at numerous points in the process. Methods were developed to locate and evaluate the usefulness of available data. Procedures and systemization were created to convert raw data into new roadway attributes, such as grade and vertical sag/crest curve location. For the roadway attributes to be useful in selection and analysis, methods were developed to combine and associate the attributes to crashes on problem segments and problem spots. The methodology for "Hot Spot Identification and Analysis" was enhanced to include steps for inclusion and defining of the roadway attributes. These methods and procedures were used to help in the identification of safety hot spots to be analyzed and countermeasures selected. Examples of how the methods are to function are given with sites from Utah’s state roadway network. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash analysis KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - High risk locations KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Statistical analysis KW - Utah UR - http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=26393704446276758 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1392176 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587616 AU - Ritter, George W AU - Al-Nazer, Leith AU - Edison Welding Institute AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Quantification of the Effectiveness of Low Solar Absorption Coatings for Reducing Rail Temperature PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Due to the thermal expansion properties of steel, the risk that a track will buckle increases as the temperature of the rails increase. Therefore, it is desirable to keep rail temperature as low as possible, especially on hot summer days. Empirical data and modeling has shown that on such days, the peak temperature of the rail could reach as high as (or slightly exceed) 35 degrees Fahrenheit above the peak ambient temperature. If the peak ambient temperature for a given day is 100 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, then the peak rail temperature can be expected to be approximately 135 degrees Fahrenheit, provided there is little cloud cover and no precipitation. This project’s objective was to quantify the effectiveness of various low solar absorption coatings for reducing rail temperature, thereby reducing the risk of track buckling. The results indicate that some of the coatings tested can significantly reduce the temperature of a rail when the coated rail is compared to the temperature of an uncoated rail. However, further studies are needed to ensure the durability of these materials when applied to in-service track. KW - Absorption KW - Buckling KW - Coatings KW - Maintenance of way KW - Railroad tracks KW - Temperature KW - Temperature control UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15600 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395380 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01586642 AU - Gibbons, Ronald B AU - Li, Yingfeng "Eric" AU - Meyer, Jason E AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessment of the Performance of Light-Emitting Diode Roadway Lighting Technology PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 75p AB - This study, championed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Traffic Engineering Division, involved a thorough investigation of light-emitting diode (LED) roadway lighting technology by testing six types of roadway luminaires (including housing and all components enclosed) in a laboratory environment and on the field over a 2-year period. The results showed that LED luminaires exhibited superior lighting and related qualities compared to high-pressure sodium luminaires. Different photometric characteristics were found among LED luminaires of different designs, indicating a careful selection considering light distribution and illuminance level is necessary for individual lighting applications. During the first 2 years of operation, the average light loss for the LED luminaires was 6% based on laboratory testing. The study also found that implementing LED technology systematically will result in a return on investment between 3.25 and 5.76 for different scenarios over a 25-year period due to savings in maintenance and energy consumption. The study resulted in the VDOT LED Roadway Luminaire Specification document and developed recommendations relevant to VDOT’s implementation of LED technology KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Field tests KW - Implementation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Performance based specifications KW - Photometry KW - Recommendations KW - Return on investment KW - Street lighting KW - Virginia Department of Transportation UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1386607 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01584396 AU - Deeter, Dean AU - Roelofs, Tina AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Ullman, Gerald AU - Battelle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidance on Using Traffic Management Centers for Work Zone Management PY - 2015/10 SP - 102p AB - Many Departments of Transportation (DOTs) at the state, county, and local levels operate Traffic Management Centers (TMCs). Typically, a TMC is a center where operators utilize software systems to control field devices (e.g., Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), ramp meters) and to view data and video collected throughout the monitored area. In regards to work zones, TMCs are most commonly thought of during the active work zone phase, when the work zone is in operation and the TMC operators assist by disseminating information and managing the traffic through the work zone. However, there is potential for TMC resources to support all stages of the work zone, from the planning and design phase through active work zone operations and post-operation evaluation. This document presents guidance for DOTs to consider how TMC resources (staff, data, and tools) can be used to support all stages of a work zone, providing examples of where these resources are used today. This document is intended to be a resource for staff responsible for all stages of work zone planning and operations, as well as TMC managers and operators. A total of eight strategies are presented for utilizing TMC resources during the four stages of a work zone. Each strategy includes detailed descriptions and examples of use in practice. While strategies for using the TMC resources most common to all TMCs in aspects of work zone planning, operation and evaluation are described, a detailed table describing many TMC resources is provided to illustrate the many additional TMC resources that are possible. KW - Evaluation KW - Highway operations KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Traffic control centers KW - Transportation planning KW - Work zones UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15032/fhwahop15032.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378462 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583646 AU - Burns, Susan E AU - Troxel, Cameron F AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Life Cycle Cost Assessment And Performance Evaluation Of Sediment Control Technologies PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 187p AB - This study was performed for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to better understand the environmental impacts associated with sediment control technology currently employed on transportation projects. In this study, a review of current and past methods for testing sediment control devices (SCDs), both in the field and in the laboratory, as well as procedures for conducting a life cycle assessment was performed. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is discussed in depth in this report to facilitate future LCA on this subject. Field and laboratory testing is executed to measure performance of five different SCDs for retention of sediment, metals, and nutrients. Results of the tests are combined with existing data for the production and disposal of metal, plastic, and timber and emission data for trucks and machinery to model the life cycle of each SCD. An environmental impact analysis was performed using GaBi 6.0 software and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) methodology. Results of the impact analysis indicate: (1) Straw bale installations significantly increase eutrophication potential in downstream water systems due to high levels of phosphate present in the straw bales; (2) Production of steel sections and wire mesh for support of low permittivity Type C silt fence result in large increases in global warming and acidification potential; (3) Performance of high permittivity Type A silt fence suggests that it is a good alternative to low permittivity silt fence in high volume and high sediment runoff conditions; and (4) The overall low global warming and acidification potentials of mulch berms, as well as their low aquatic toxicity levels, suggests that their use as an alternative to geotextile silt fence is favorable. KW - Berms KW - Environmental impacts KW - Erosion control KW - Field tests KW - Georgia KW - Geotextiles KW - Laboratory tests KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Performance measurement KW - Runoff KW - Sediments UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/10-24.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56764/10-24.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377476 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583640 AU - Ferraro, Christopher C AU - Tibbetts, Caitlin M AU - Perry, Michael C AU - Watts, Benjamin E AU - Paris, Jerry M AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Effects of Coarse Aggregate on the Physical Properties of Florida Concrete Mixes PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 172p AB - Portland cement concrete is a heterogeneous, composite material composed of coarse and fine granular material embedded in a matrix of hardened paste. The coarse material is aggregate, which is primarily used as inexpensive filler and comprises the majority of the volume of concrete and can be obtained from a variety of different sources. The physical properties of concrete are heavily influenced by the aggregate properties. Most of the coarse aggregate produced in Florida is a limestone material that is more porous, less dense, and softer than limestone produced from other areas of the U.S. To differentiate between limestone produced in Florida and limestone produced elsewhere, limestone from the geologic formations in Florida is typically referred to as “limerock.” The coarse aggregate produced in Florida and used in structural concrete require special consideration with regard to relative strength, thermal, and physical properties. The structural design of concrete is based on service limit states and utilizes modulus of elasticity as a design parameter. However, the modulus of elasticity of concrete used for the design of structures is typically determined by relationships which utilize compressive strength. Due to the assumption that structural concrete made with weaker Florida limerock would have lower strength than concrete made with other aggregates, an aggregate correction factor of 0.9 is used in the calculation of elastic modulus from compressive strength testing for structural design equations. The use of an aggregate correction factor of less than 1.0 requires the use of more concrete to meet structural requirements. The primary goal of the research was to study the effects of different coarse aggregate types on the physical properties and design of portland cement concrete, with the emphasis on coarse aggregate from Florida for use in structural concrete. Concrete specimens were made and tested to acquire the information necessary for use in the design equations used to predict the physical properties of the concrete. A value of 1.0, rather than the currently used value of 0.9, was found to be appropriate for the aggregate correction factor for Florida limerock. KW - Admixtures KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Florida KW - Limestone KW - Mix design KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Physical properties KW - Portland cement concrete UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SMO/FDOT-BDV31-977-08-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56771/FDOT-BDV31-977-08-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377416 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583614 AU - Bellman, Miles AU - Gandhi, Pratik AU - Mackey, Allen AU - Pagano, Thomas AU - Shah, Vaibhav AU - Van Dongen, John AU - Wapelhorst, Leo AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of the Navy AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System Compatibility with the National Airspace System PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 287p AB - In 2012, the Navy requested spectrum certification for the shipboard AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System, Software Version 5.5 with Mode 5. Current operating conditions for the Navy’s AN/UPX-41(C) are the same as restrictions imposed on the AN/UPX-37 digital Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator. A proposed AN/UPX-41(C) Stage 4 certification was developed to allow the Navy to operate under less restrictive parameters but required that the Navy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) validate those proposed restrictions. This report provides the results of the validation effort. The effort conducted by the Volpe Center used modeling, simulation, and live testing to evaluate the AN/UPX-41(C) system’s compatibility. The live testing, which occurred August 18-21, 2014 was conducted in its entirety using four AN/UPX-41(C) digital IFF interrogators at land-based test sites (LBTS). Prior to, and following the test, modeling, simulation, and analysis was performed to assess the impact of the proposed Stage 4 certification configuration on National Airspace System (NAS) Aeronautical Surveillance and Collision Avoidance Systems (ASCAS). KW - Aircraft KW - Certification KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Field tests KW - National Airspace System KW - Ships KW - Simulation KW - Validation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56183/DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376120 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583607 AU - Williams, R Christopher AU - Peralta, Joana AU - Puga, Ka Lai Ng AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Non-Petroleum-Based Binders for Use in Flexible Pavements – Phase II PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 132p AB - Bio-binders can be utilized as asphalt modifiers, extenders, and replacements for conventional asphalt in bituminous binders. From the rheology results of Phase I of this project, it was found that the bio-binders tested had good performance, similar to conventional asphalt, except at low temperatures. Phase II of this project addresses this shortcoming and evaluates the Superpave performance of laboratory mixes produced with the enhanced bio-binders. The main objective of this research was to develop a bio-binder capable of replacing conventional asphalt in flexible pavements by incorporating ground tire rubber (GTR) into bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis of agriculture and forestry residues. The chemical compatibility of the new bio-binder with GTR was assessed, and the low-temperature performance of the bio-binders was enhanced by the use of GTR. The newly developed binder, which consisted of 80 percent conventional binder and 20 percent rubber-modified bio-oil (85 percent bio-oil with 15 percent GTR), was used to produce mixes at two different air void contents, 4 and 7 percent. The laboratory performance test results showed that the performance of the newly developed bio-binder mixes is as good as or better than conventional asphalt mixes for fatigue cracking, rutting resistance, moisture sensitivity, and low-temperature cracking. These results need to be validated in field projects in order to demonstrate adequate performance for this innovative and sustainable technology for flexible pavements. KW - Air voids KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Binder content KW - Binders KW - Cracking KW - Flexible pavements KW - Laboratory tests KW - Performance tests KW - Rubber KW - Rutting UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/20463 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56714/IADOT_TR-650.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376125 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583562 AU - Hiltunen, Danielle AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Kendra, Andrew AU - Jo, Young Jin AU - Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) 2015 Industry Survey PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 132p AB - This document provides an overview of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) hardware and software capabilities, including portable electronic devices (PEDs) used as EFBs, as of July 2015. This document updates and replaces the Volpe Center’s previous EFB industry surveys. The information for this report was gathered through industry contacts, websites, and online product brochures. This report was conducted in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the information is intended to be of use to anyone interested in EFBs/PEDs. Nineteen manufacturers participated in this industry survey. Each provided a description of hardware components, supported software, functions and capabilities, as applicable. Participating Manufacturers were classified into three categories based on their products. Hardware manufacturers (without software) are those that provide an EFB/PED display platform and/or hardware components. Hardware/Software manufacturers (EFB software and hardware) are those manufacturers who develop physical hardware in addition to providing EFB software. Integrated and customizable software manufacturers (without hardware) are those who provide custom software that performs a specific function or integrates and/or manages EFB applications from other software providers. A list of 46 commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software manufacturers offering COTS, standalone software is also provided in order to provide a snapshot of the types of standalone, COTS software applications currently available. These manufacturers provide specific applications that have not been integrated or customized. References include EFB regulatory and guidance material, Flight Standardization Board (FSB) reports, and other research reports. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Computers KW - Electronic flight bags KW - Flight decks KW - Industries KW - Portable equipment KW - Software KW - Surveys UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56199/EFB_Industry_Survey_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377240 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583550 AU - Gallagher, Susan AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2015 Montana Summer Transportation Institute PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University (MSU) hosted a Summer Transportation Institute (STI) from June 14 to June 26, 2015. The aim of the program is to introduce high school participants to career opportunities in transportation. The two-week residential program introduces participants to all modes of transportation, seeks to build creative problem-solving skills, and supports college and career planning activities. Students lived on the MSU campus while participating in a multidisciplinary academic curriculum, which included guest speaker presentations, hands-on laboratories, and field trips. Participants gained leadership skills while working on team design-build projects. During the evenings and weekend, STI students participated in educational, sports, and team-building activities. The 2015 STI program was comprised of fourteen rising tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students from 4 different counties in Montana and 3 additional states. KW - Education and training KW - High school students KW - Montana KW - Transportation careers KW - Vocational guidance UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/research/docs/research_proj/summer/FINAL_REPORT_15.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56774/FINAL_REPORT_15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377352 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583537 AU - Lin, Pei-Sung AU - Kourtellis, Achilleas AU - Wang, Zhenyu AU - Guo, Rui AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Interactions between Drivers and Pedestrian Features at Signalized Intersections PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 76p AB - Florida experienced serious pedestrian safety problems and had the highest pedestrian fatality rate in the U.S. from 2008–2011. Pedestrian safety at signalized intersections is the most serious concern due to frequent and severe conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrian features directly related to pedestrian safety are used to increase driver compliance behaviors and reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts. This project aimed to explore driver behaviors at signalized intersections with four identified pedestrian features—“STOP HERE ON RED,” “NO TURN ON RED,” “TURNING VEHICLES YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS,” and “RIGHT ON RED ARROW AFTER STOP” signs—by using an innovative safety data source, the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2) Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data. To improve data processing efficiency, two software tools were developed to assist researchers in data reduction in an automatic and/or semi-automatic manner: (1) the NDS Automatic Video Processing Tool, which automatically detects and tracks pedestrians and traffic signal indications in NDS videos, and (2) the NDS Data Reduction and Analysis Tool, which assists researchers in reviewing and analyzing NDS videos and sensor data. A cross-sectional analysis was used to assess the safety effectiveness of the selected pedestrian features by comparing the observed compliant driver behaviors between two groups: a feature group (with the pedestrian feature) and a control group (without the pedestrian feature). Chi-square tests were used to determine whether the proportional difference of compliant driver behaviors between the two groups was significant. The major findings were the following: (1) The “NO TURN ON RED” sign had the highest rate of compliance (70%), followed by “RIGHT ON RED ARROW AFTER STOP” (67%), “TURNING VEHICLES YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS” (67%), and “STOP HERE ON RED” (55%). (2) Three features—“STOP HERE ON RED,” “NO TURN ON RED,” and “RIGHT ON RED ARROW AFTER STOP” signs—increased the likelihood of compliant behaviors compared to control groups. (3) Drivers had a much higher compliance percentage at the feature sites than at the control sites (67% vs. 29%) when pedestrians were not present at intersections; the difference was statistically significant. (4) Drivers generally were sensitive to pedestrian presence at both the feature sites and the control sites; the compliance percentages for both groups were higher when pedestrians were present than those when pedestrians were absent. (5) Drivers were more likely to comply with the feature at feature sites when pedestrians were present than at control sites (77% vs. 50%); however, there was no evidence to show the difference was statistically significant due to a small sample size. (6) Based on self-evaluation, female drivers were significantly more likely to believe they are easily distracted when driving compared to male drivers; older drivers (age 60+) believe they take significantly fewer risks and are less distracted than other drivers. (7) Female drivers tended to comply more consistently with the feature than male drivers. (8) Mid-age drivers tended to comply more consistently with the feature than others. KW - Age groups KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Florida KW - Gender KW - Information processing KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian signs KW - Pedestrians KW - Signalized intersections UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_OP/FDOT-BDV25-977-16-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56679/FDOT-BDV25-977-16-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56680/FDOT-BDV25-977-16-sum.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376328 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583513 AU - Yang, Jidong (James) AU - Kim, Sung-Hee AU - Zuo, Bashan AU - Kennesaw State University AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Vehicle Detection Technologies for Applications in Georgia PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 148p AB - Vehicle detection technologies have been rapidly evolved over the past decade due to the advancement of sensors and wireless communication technologies and the increasing deployment of traffic‐responsive and adaptive traffic control systems, which heavily rely on robust vehicle detection.  Given a variety of vehicle detection technologies available, each has its advantages and disadvantages and may or may not be appropriate for specific situations or contexts. This research study is conducted to identify the contexts appropriate for different detection technologies.  High‐resolution data were collected in the field from three test sites selected in Georgia.  Data mining techniques were employed to identify potential factors underlying variation in detection errors of different technologies and quantify their respective effects. The quantified effects were then used to construct technical performance measures in terms of accuracy and reliability, referred to as technical performance criteria.   An agency survey was also conducted in Georgia to assess nontechnical performance criteria, such as life cycle cost and ease of installation and maintenance. Both technical and nontechnical performance criteria were considered in evaluating vehicle detection technologies through a multicriteria framework.    Finally, practical constraints frequently encountered in Georgia were considered as part of respective application contexts.  Based on the results and findings, specific guidelines were developed to promote consistency in application of various detection technologies and to enhance efficiency and safety in traffic signal operations in Georgia. KW - Accuracy KW - Georgia KW - Highway traffic control KW - Reliability KW - Surveys KW - Technological innovations KW - Technology assessment KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Vehicle detectors UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/13-26.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56765/13-26.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377475 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583503 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2013 Data: Young Drivers PY - 2015/10 SP - 7p AB - In 2013, there were 1,691 young drivers 15 to 20 years old who died in motor vehicle crashes, a decrease of 10 percent from 1,880 in 2012. Additionally, 177,000 young drivers were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2013, a decrease of 4 percent from 184,000 in 2012. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year olds, according to the most recent data available (2013) from the National Center for Health Statistics. This fact sheet presents information on young driver fatalities 2004-2013; involvement in fatal crashes by gender, 2004 and 2013, and by age group, 2013; restraint use; motorcycle fatalities and injuries; alcohol involvement in fatal crashes; and fatalities by state. KW - Age groups KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash rates KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Seat belt use KW - Teenage drivers KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812200.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377417 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582437 AU - Green, Paul AU - Kang, Te-Ping AU - Lin, Brian AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Touch Screen Task Element Times for Improving SAE Recommended Practice J2365: First Proposal PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 113p AB - This report describes the identification of task elements and the estimation of their times for in-vehicle tasks such as dialing a phone number or finding a song using a touch screen. These elements were derived from an experiment in which 24 drivers distributed across three age groups completed 40 trials involving various in-vehicle tasks. These data will be used to develop a new version of Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice J2365, which is used to predict task times when the driver interface is at the wireframe stage, well before hardware and software are available to collect driver-performance data. The predicted, static (non-driving) task times are used to predict which tasks are most likely to be unacceptably distracting and unsafe to do while driving. Based on those data, the following elements were identified along with initial estimates for young drivers (age = 24). Estimates for other ages can be obtained by multiplying the times that follow by age-correction factors described in the report. Elements and their times include cursor other (read page content, 2.4 s), cursor 1 (cursor down an first ordered page, 2.7 s), cursor 2 (cursor down on a subsequent page, 0.8 s), drag (3.5 s), function button 1 (for initial screen, 2.9 s), function button 2 (2.4 s for following screens), press and hold (a button, 1.6 s), letter 1 (entering a letter on a new screen, 1.9 s), letter 2 (entering a subsequent letter, 1.0 s), number 1 (entering a number on a new screen, 1.4 s), number 2 (entering a number on a subsequent screen (0.7 s), slider s (after a new screen, 5.0 s), and slider 2 (after the first, 2.5 s). KW - Age groups KW - Distraction KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Drivers KW - SAE J2365 KW - Society of Automotive Engineers KW - Time duration KW - Touchscreens KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ATLAS-Center-Final-Research-Report-Paul-Green.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56666/ATLAS_Center_Final_Research_Report_-_Paul_Green.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375962 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582427 AU - Hudson, Joan G AU - Zhong, Haotian AU - Moran, Maarit AU - Iragavarapu, Vichika AU - Vincent, Vickie AU - Dai, Boya AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Best Practices for Addressing Pedestrian Crashes on High Speed Roadways PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Texas ranks as the worst state in the nation for interstate pedestrian fatalities. Almost 600 pedestrians died on interstate roadways during the 5-year period between 2007 and 2011. Texas is the fourth-highest state in terms of interstate pedestrian fatalities per 100 million interstate vehicle miles traveled. Few studies have been conducted to investigate the causes and factors that contribute to pedestrian fatalities on very high-speed roadways. For this study, the research team conducted a survey of 20 states to find out what they are doing or have done in terms of engineering, education, enforcement, and evaluation to address pedestrian safety on controlled or limited access urban interstate, freeway, and expressway main lanes where posted speed limits are 55 mph or higher. The design of the survey was based on a literature review that identified factors that correlated with pedestrian fatality rates, motivations for pedestrians entering high-speed roadways, and countermeasures that had been implemented to reduce fatalities or protect pedestrians. Survey respondents reported being aware of pedestrian safety concerns on the main lanes of high-speed, controlled-access highways. Eighty percent responded that there is a law or policy that prohibits pedestrian access on the controlled-access highways in their states. Policies and practices aimed at unintended pedestrians were more frequently cited than those addressing intentional pedestrians. The survey respondents highlighted existing practices such as the construction of overpasses/underpasses, installation of fences along rights of way or medians, and use of roadside assistance programs. In the end, researchers discussed best practices, opportunities for future research, and recommendations for increasing pedestrian safety on high-speed, controlled-access roadways. KW - Best practices KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Interstate highways KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Recommendations KW - States KW - Surveys KW - Texas UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-2015-09-Final-Research-Report-Hudson.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56669/ATLAS-2015-09_-_Final_Research_Report_-_Hudson.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375965 ER - TY - SER AN - 01581076 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Estimating Lives and Costs Saved by Motorcycle Helmets With Updated Economic Cost Information PY - 2015/10 SP - 10p AB - In 2013, an estimated 1,630 lives were saved in the United States by motorcycle helmets; an estimated 715 additional fatalities could have been prevented if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. The lives saved resulted in an estimated $2.8 billion saved in economic costs, and $17.3 billion in comprehensive costs, by helmet-wearing motorcyclists. An additional $1.1 billion could have been saved in economic costs, and $7.2 billion in comprehensive costs, if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) annually provides information on the number of lives saved by the use of Department of Transportation (DOT)-compliant motorcycle helmets, as well as the potential number of lives that could have been saved at 100-percent helmet use. In addition, the economic costs saved by those wearing helmets, and how much could have been saved had all riders worn helmets, are also estimated. This information is provided for each State as well as the nation as a whole. A recently published report, The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010 (Revised) (Blincoe, Miller, Zaloshnja, & Lawrence, 2015), updated the cost information used with these estimates. This Research Note provides information on how NHTSA determines estimates of lives and costs saved by the use of motorcycle helmets, principally presenting updated economic cost estimate data. The Appendix details the process for calculating these estimates. KW - Costs KW - Estimating KW - Fatalities KW - Methodology KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Motorcyclists KW - States KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812206.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375062 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01581019 AU - Bassey, Robert AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Development and Evaluation of Safety Orange Airport Construction Signage PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 130p AB - In April 2010, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization created the Airport Construction Advisory Council (ACAC) to identify hazards due to airfield construction activities. The ACAC has recently proposed the use of safety orange for temporary airport construction signage to reduce adverse operational incidents. In response to this proposal, the Airport Technology Research and Development Branch researchers from the William J. Hughes Technical Center visited ongoing airport construction projects and collected information to identify shortfalls and determine compliance with related Advisory Circulars (AC). They were also tasked to develop and evaluate prototype signs in an airport environment. Site visits were conducted to existing construction sites at several airports to collect information regarding the airport’s existing airfield construction projects. Pilots of varying backgrounds evaluated several design concepts utilizing the simulation technology of the Airway Facilities Tower Integration Laboratory at the William J. Hughes Technical Center. Outdoor evaluations were then conducted using sign prototypes to determine the optimal height and color used for the sign legend. To validate the final sign prototypes, evaluations were conducted at several airports where construction projects were occurring. No shortfalls with respect to compliance with the related ACs were identified during the site visits. Several types of visual aids were used at the airports in accordance with AC 150/5370-2F. The airport operators indicated that besides using the current visual aids, found in AC 150/5370-2F, the use of the temporary safety orange signs would be advantageous if they were available. During the field evaluations of the prototype signs, a combined total of 131 individuals participated in the survey, including 98 vehicle operators and 33 pilots. Overall, vehicle operators and pilots overwhelmingly agreed the messages, character heights, and colors of the signs were comprehensible, conspicuous, and adequate in alerting individuals about existing construction. Based on the results of this study, it is advised that AC 150/5370-2F be updated to include safety orange construction signage as a visual aid to alert pilots and vehicle operators of existing airport construction. Signs displaying CONSTRUCTION ON RAMP and CONSTRUCTION AHEAD are recommended to be placed at locations leading to ramps and other areas with construction activity. When a runway is temporarily shortened due to construction, it is recommended that TAKEOFF RUN AVAILABLE (TORA) signs be placed at the runway entrances to display the current takeoff run available. Additional education is recommended to increase understanding of the TORA acronym to ensure pilots have adequate situational awareness. KW - Air pilots KW - Airport runways KW - Airports KW - Construction projects KW - Construction safety KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation KW - Field studies KW - Orange KW - Prototypes KW - Recommendations KW - Signs KW - Simulation UR - http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=aa5332fe-ece2-4615-908a-989f680e7388&f=TC-15-52_Airport%20Construction%20Signs.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373301 ER - TY - SER AN - 01581017 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Burris, Lisa AU - Kurtis, Kimberly AU - Morton, Tom TI - Novel Alternative Cementitious Materials for Development of the Next Generation of Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure PY - 2015/10 SP - 38p AB - Georgia Institute of Technology and collaborators from Oklahoma State University, Tourney Consulting, and the Army Corps of Engineers, for an Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program project funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Turner–Fairbank Highway Research Center, are performing a comprehensive and systematic investigation of novel alternative cementitious materials (ACMs) for applications in sustainable transportation infrastructure. These materials include calcium aluminate cement (CAC), calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA), calcium sulfoaluminate belite (CSAB), magnesium phosphate cement (MPC), and alkali-activated (AA) and carbonate-binder systems that provide potential advantages over traditional portland cement through reductions in embodied energy and greenhouse gases, as well as enhanced performance, which contributes to sustainability. The research includes evaluation of early-age and long-term material properties, in addition to multiscale durability investigations. The research team aims to provide guidance for recommended test methods and, where relevant, test limits for acceptance of ACMs for transportation infrastructure, including highway structures and rigid pavements, as well as preliminary specifications for use. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Cement KW - Durability KW - Evaluation KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Infrastructure KW - Pavement performance KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/16017/16017.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375420 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01581000 AU - Vithani, Anand R AU - Brabb, David C AU - Sharma and Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Locomotive Emissions Test Stand with Particulate Matter Measurement Integration PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 31p AB - This project builds upon previous research efforts, in which a complete instruction manual and bill of materials was developed for a blueprint that allows any organization in the railroad industry to build their own locomotive emissions measurement setup. A full scale emissions test was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of a compact and portable setup for locomotive emissions measurement. A mobile laboratory was used for this test and proved to be a quick and convenient method for emissions testing. KW - Emissions testing KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Laboratories KW - Laboratory tests KW - Locomotives KW - Manuals KW - Particulates UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15454 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373197 ER - TY - SER AN - 01580988 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Liu, Y AU - Singh, S AU - Subramanian, R TI - Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes as a Leading Cause of Death in the United States, 2010 and 2011 PY - 2015/10 SP - 5p AB - This Research Note examines the status of motor vehicle crashes as a leading cause of death in the United States in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, for the third year in a row, motor vehicle traffic crashes were not among the top 10 causes of death in the United States. Motor vehicle crashes were the 12th leading cause of death during 2011 as compared to their rank as the 11th leading cause of death in 2010. When ranked by age, motor vehicle traffic crashes were the number one cause of death in 2011 among people ages 8, 13, 14 and every age 16 through 25. In contrast, motor vehicle traffic crashes were the number one leading cause of death for people ages 13 through 25 in 2010. This continued drop in the rank of motor vehicle traffic crashes as a leading cause of death is attributed to a significant (25%) decline in motor vehicle traffic fatalities over the period 2005 to 2011. Nevertheless, despite this drop, motor vehicle traffic crashes continue to be among the top 10 leading causes of death among the younger age groups. In order to highlight the tremendous toll that motor vehicle traffic crashes take on the younger population, the National Center for Statistics and Analysis also included the ranking based on the years of life lost, i.e., the number of years a person would have lived had he/she not died. Accordingly, this study found that while motor vehicle traffic crashes ranked 12th overall as a cause of death in 2011, they were ranked as high as 7th in terms of the years of life lost. Similarly, in 2010, motor vehicle traffic crashes ranked 11th overall as a cause of death and 6th in terms of the years of life lost. KW - Age groups KW - Fatalities KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812203.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374057 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580985 AU - Stanchak, Kathryn AU - Foderaro, Frank AU - DaSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - High-Security Fencing for Rail Right-of-way Applications: Current Use and Best Practices PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 33p AB - The Volpe Center investigated how high-security fencing is used to prevent right-of-way (ROW) trespassing at several urban transit and commuter rail agencies in the United States. Interviews, operations documentation, and site visits were used to gather information for this research, and it was found that the best high-security fencing installations do the following: 1) prevent trespassing in all directions, i.e., over, under, and around; 2) are strategically placed in locations determined through rigorous hazard analysis and have community support; and 3) are part of a comprehensive railroad fencing program. KW - Best practices KW - Fences KW - Rail transit KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Trespassers KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15476 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56286/High_Security_Fencing_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374004 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580984 AU - Richardson, David N AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - MoDOT Pavement Preservation Research Program. Volume I, Summary Report PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The following report documents a research project on pavement preservation performed by the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) on behalf of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The report is in seven separate volumes consisting of a Summary Report followed by six detailed technical reports. To achieve the goal of reducing maintenance costs and improving minor road ratings, MoDOT has embarked upon a plan of formalizing its maintenance/preservation planning. To assist in developing the plan, MoDOT contracted with Missouri S&T and UMC to conduct a research project, entitled “MoDOT Pavement Preservation Research Program.” The product of this research would become a part of MoDOT’s overall Pavement Management System (PMS). The overall objective of the research was to provide a process that would allow MoDOT to do more selective planning, better engineering and more effective maintenance to minimize costs while maintaining adequate safety and performance of Missouri’s pavements. Six Guidance Documents were created which will act as guidelines for MoDOT’s Pavement Specialists and Pavement Engineers. The work was divided into six tasks, each with its own research (Task) team. The focus of the research was on preservation strategies applied to minor routes. KW - Guidelines KW - Missouri KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Preservation KW - Research UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56671/cmr16-004v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373321 ER - TY - SER AN - 01580979 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Tayabji, Shiraz TI - Precast Concrete Pavement Implementation by U.S. Highway Agencies PY - 2015/10 SP - 6p AB - Precast concrete pavement (PCP) technology is gaining wider acceptance in the U.S. for rapid repair and rehabilitation of concrete pavements as well as for reconstruction of heavily trafficked asphalt concrete intersections. Widespread use in the U.S. is fairly recent, with most projects in service less than about 14 years. The use of both jointed and prestressed PCP systems has advanced during the last decade due to a combination of work sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), projects constructed by highway agencies, and innovations by the construction industry. Currently, FHWA is working with 15 highway agencies to implement the use of PCP for pavement repair and rehabilitation. This Tech Brief summarizes PCP technology implementation by U.S. highway agencies. KW - Highway departments KW - Implementation KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Precast concrete pavements KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - United States UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373826 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580975 AU - Kubas, Andrew AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Energy Sector Growth on Perceived Transportation Safety in the 17-County Oil Region of Western North Dakota: A Three-Year Case Study PY - 2015/10 SP - 52p AB - The sharp increase in travel volumes, shift in traffic mix, and large increases in crashes have transformed the traffic environment in the oil region of western North Dakota. Roads once used for local access and agricultural purposes now regularly serve the energy sector. Oil companies, workers, commercial trucks, and industrial equipment associated with oil extraction use these roads to access drilling and production sites. This has led to a larger number of overweight and oversized vehicles sharing the roadway with other traffic. A survey questionnaire was sent to drivers to better understand perceptions and behaviors of road users in this region. County-level crash data were gathered to analyze changes in driving conditions during the latest oil boom – specifically between 2004 and 2014. This study addresses two goals for improving regional traffic safety: first, to examine public perceptions of traffic safety issues and priorities; and, second, to address crash trends and intervention strategies. Survey results indicate residents believe driving conditions in the region are dangerous, but ratings have improved as oil activity has decreased. Crash data reveal that crashes parallel oil production: as the number of active oil wells grew exponentially, so too did crashes – even when factoring for changes in vehicle miles traveled and population growth. Economic factors, such as the price of a barrel of oil, may be linked to the prevalence of crashes, especially those involving large trucks. KW - Behavior KW - Case studies KW - Crash data KW - Drivers KW - North Dakota KW - Oversize loads KW - Petroleum industry KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys KW - Traffic safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-289.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56740/mpc15-289.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374379 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580974 AU - Cyrus, Holly M AU - Patterson, James AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Evaluation of Structured Methyl Methacrylate Marking to Increase Paint Conspicuity PY - 2015/10//Technical Note SP - 81p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Aviation Research, Airport Technology Research and Development Section, in response to a request for research from the FAA Office of Airport Safety and Standards, Airport Engineering Division, undertook this research effort to determine if a new application technique for painting pavement markings would increase conspicuity over the useful life of the marking. A paint manufacturer presented the FAA with information on a new paint marking called structured methyl methacrylate (SMMA). Methyl methacrylate (MMA), paint without the structured component, is currently approved for use on runways and taxiways. SMMA differs from traditional MMA because it is applied using a splatter pattern. When applied to a pavement using the splattered application technique, SMMA creates a thicker, textured surface with peaks and valleys, while still creating a visible solid line. The manufacturer claims this application technique will enhance wet, nighttime retro-reflectivity by allowing water to flow off the peaks and into the valleys of the marking, thus making the paint and beads on the peaks more visible. The manufacturer also suggested using a slightly modified paint formula, which will provide enhanced visibility when used with this unique application technique. The research objective was to compare the suggested SMMA paint to traditional MMA paint, and further evaluate whether the proposed splatter application technique, thicker application, and modified formula offer improvements over the currently accepted MMA application techniques and formula. A complex test plan, containing a variety of tests, enabled researchers to evaluate each element that makes up the SMMA paint markings. Testing activities included retro-reflectivity, chromaticity (color), friction, pull-off strength, water run-off, and heavy vehicle simulator studies. The results of this research effort were favorable, indicating that the new SMMA paint, when used with Type III glass beads, showed an improvement over conventionally installed MMA markings. Although the SMMA paint does not fully cover the pavement surface, the material does appear to be a continuous marking when viewed from a distance. The SMMA paint possessed higher friction values, shed water faster, and improved the visibility of the paint marking over the conventional MMA markings. The modified, softer paint formula proposed by one manufacturer did not appear to have any adverse effect on the SMMA paint markings. KW - Airport runways KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Evaluation KW - Friction KW - Methyl methacrylate KW - Paint KW - Painting KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road markings KW - Visibility UR - http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=0669291b-0df2-4511-acd8-66e98bc57cbc&f=TC-TN-15-50.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373303 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580967 AU - Wallace, Candice AU - Martin, Andrew AU - Walton, Jennifer R AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for the Implementation of the REAL ID Act PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 64p AB - The REAL ID Act specifies the minimum standards that must be used to produce and issue driver’s license and identification cards that are REAL ID compliant. Beginning in 2020, if a person does not possess a form of identification that meets REAL ID standards they will not be able to board an aircraft that is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Currently, of the 56 states and jurisdictions required to implement the REAL ID Act, only 23 are in compliance. Although the Commonwealth of Kentucky (KY) has not yet implemented the REAL ID Act, an extension allowing Federal agencies to accept state driver’s licenses is currently in effect. This report summarizes the eight REAL ID requirements, discusses the results of a survey that asked compliant states about their implementation experiences, identifies different strategies for implementation, and proposes recommendations. This should begin with development of a state security plan and execution of a public information campaign about REAL ID. It is recommended that Kentucky require Division of Driver Licensing (DLL) field offices to handle REAL ID applications, offer an online renewal system, and create a centralized distribution of driver’s licenses and identification cards. Several KY Statutes will have to be amended to allow for changes in license renewal cycles, third party vendor distribution, and the resulting changes in license fees. KW - Best practices KW - Driver licenses KW - Driver licensing KW - Implementation KW - Kentucky KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - REAL ID KW - Recommendations KW - States KW - Surveys UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2015/11/KTC_15_23_SPR15_511_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373414 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580962 AU - Godavarthy, Ranjit AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Nichols, Patrick AU - Peterson, Del AU - Hough, Jill AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Method for Assessing National Demand-Response Transit Level of Service PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Demand-response transit service is a major source of mobility for older adults and people with disabilities in urban and rural areas. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant programs under sections 5307, 5310, and 5311 all have components designed to increase the availability of paratransit or demand-response service. However, there is little information in the National Transit Database (NTD) or elsewhere about the extent of demand-response coverage across the country. Therefore, it is challenging to know the gaps in service coverage and to understand unmet needs. The primary objective of the study is to fill the gaps in the data available from the NTD database to determine the demand-response transit level of service. Also, this study aims to develop a standard method for determining the demand-response service level of coverage so that geographic areas/locations that do not have sufficient demand-response transit service can be identified. A survey questionnaire was developed to gather important information such as service span, service area, service type, and service eligibility from demand-response operators to determine the demand-response transit level of service. The survey was tested in two states, North Dakota and Florida, for its applicability in the rest of the country, and recommendations were provided for gathering additional service details for determining the national demand-response transit level of service. Based on the results from the study, recommendations were provided regarding data needs, an appropriate method for collecting those data, and a framework for understanding the communities/locations where demand-response service improvements are needed. The recommended framework will provide useful information to transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and state departments of transportation for identifying deficiencies in service while minimizing the reporting burden for transit providers. KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Florida KW - Level of service KW - Methodology KW - National Transit Database KW - North Dakota KW - Paratransit services KW - Recommendations KW - Surveys UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/21177060-NCTR-NDSU06.pdf UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/2015-10-assessing-level-of-service.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580961 AU - Abdelaty, Ahmed AU - Jeong, H David AU - Smadi, Omar AU - Gransberg, Douglas D AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Highway Research Board AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Iowa Pavement Asset Management Decision-Making Framework PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 116p AB - Most local agencies in Iowa currently make their pavement treatment decisions based on their limited experience due primarily to lack of a systematic decision-making framework and a decision-aid tool. The lack of objective condition assessment data of agency pavements also contributes to this problem. This study developed a systematic pavement treatment selection framework for local agencies to assist them in selecting the most appropriate treatment and to help justify their maintenance and rehabilitation decisions. The framework is based on an extensive literature review of the various pavement treatment techniques in terms of their technical applicability and limitations, meaningful practices of neighboring states, and the results of a survey of local agencies. The treatment selection framework involves three different steps: pavement condition assessment, selection of technically feasible treatments using decision trees, and selection of the most appropriate treatment considering the return-on-investment (ROI) and other non-economic factors. An Excel-based spreadsheet tool that automates the treatment selection framework was also developed, along with a standalone user guide for the tool. The Pavement Treatment Selection Tool (PTST) for Local Agencies allows users to enter the severity and extent levels of existing distresses and then, recommends a set of technically feasible treatments. The tool also evaluates the ROI of each feasible treatment and, if necessary, it can also evaluate the non-economic value of each treatment option to help determine the most appropriate treatment for the pavement. It is expected that the framework and tool will help local agencies improve their pavement asset management practices significantly and make better economic and defensible decisions on pavement treatment selection. KW - Asset management KW - Condition surveys KW - Decision support systems KW - Iowa KW - Literature reviews KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Return on investment KW - Spreadsheets KW - Surveys UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/20731/14/IADOT_InTrans_TR_651_Abdelaty_Pavement_Treatment_Selection_Tool_2015_tool.xlsm UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/20731/15/IADOT_InTrans_TR_651_Abdelaty_User_Guide_Pavement_Treatment_Selection_Tool_for_Local_Agencies_2015.pdf UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/20731 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/pvmt_asset_mgmt_decision-making_framework_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56716/IADOT_TR-651.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580958 AU - Herricks, Edwin E AU - Woodworth, Elizabeth AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Deployment and Assessment of Avian Radar Systems at John F. Kennedy International Airport PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 112p AB - Avoiding collisions between birds and aircraft is the focus of airport safety programs. In those programs, wildlife management is a key activity. A wide array of wildlife management tools is available to airport wildlife biologists, with avian radar systems prominent in the list. Avian radar systems are available commercially and provide new information to wildlife managers and new operational opportunities in airport safety management systems. The University of Illinois Center of Excellence for Airport Technology (CEAT) has led a multiple-year program to assess the performance of avian radar systems at airports. This report provides a comprehensive review of avian radar system deployment at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), providing a summary of installation, operations, maintenance, and data analysis. This report addresses program, project, and study objectives that were updated throughout the deployment. The deployment was completed with the installation of two avian radar systems, which were operated for more than two years. Operational experience found that avian radars are robust and reliable. CEAT personnel demonstrated support for airport wildlife hazard management through near real-time and after-the-fact studies that identified and quantified bird movement dynamics. Daily, seasonal, and inter-annual variability in bird movement and activity were characterized. The two avian radar systems deployed did not provide complete airport coverage, nor were they deployed to provide the sense-and-alert functionality needed for air traffic control. Surveillance was provided for approach and departure paths for several runways and for areas where birds were known hazards. Avian radars were shown to contribute important supplementary information on bird movement and dynamics to airport wildlife management Concept of Operations. KW - Airports KW - Aviation safety KW - Bird strikes KW - Birds KW - Data analysis KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Implementation KW - John F. Kennedy International Airport KW - Radar KW - Wildlife UR - http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=7225209c-a6fb-4a44-8f11-f56ecb52c9ea&f=TC-15-53_Deployment%20and%20Assessment%20of%20Avian%20Radar%20Systems%20at%20John%20F%20%20Kennedy%20International%20Airport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373302 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580950 AU - Berry, Michael AU - Dalton, Kelsey AU - Murray, Flynn AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Phase II: Feasibility of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement as Aggregate in Portland Cement Concrete Pavements Field Demonstration PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 59p AB - This research was focused on evaluating the feasibility of using minimally processed reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as aggregate replacement in concrete pavements. An initial phase of research demonstrated that concretes with up to 50 percent of the fine aggregates and 100 percent of the coarse aggregates replaced with RAP were suitable for concrete pavement. However, the field performance of these mixes was not evaluated. Further, these initial mixes contained a significant proportion of cement in order to achieve the desired performance criteria, hindering the economic benefit of using this recycled material in concrete. Therefore, the research discussed herein focused on: (1) evaluating the field performance of RAP concrete through a field demonstration project, and (2) reducing the amount of cement required in the RAP concrete by including water-reducing admixtures. As part of the field demonstration project, two RAP-concrete slabs were cast on a roadway near Lewistown, Montana, and monitored for damage, shrinkage, and curling over a two-year period. There were no logistical issues associated with the construction of the slabs, and no damage and only minor shrinkage/curling was observed. In regards to the mixture optimization, two modified mix designs with reduced cement contents were developed, and evaluated with a suite of mechanical and durability tests. Mechanical properties tested were compressive and tensile strength, elastic modulus, and shrinkage. Durability tests included abrasion, chloride permeability, freeze-thaw resistance, and scaling. These mixes performed well with respect to all tests, with the exception of the chloride permeability. Although both mixes performed well, the resulting mixes were lean and were difficult to get good consolidation. Moreover, the process for batching these mixes may be considered a hindrance, as it involved slump adjusting the mixes with the water-reducing admixture. This was required because the nature of the RAP aggregates made it difficult to adjust mixes for variations in moisture content. KW - Aggregates KW - Curling KW - Demonstration projects KW - Durability tests KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Montana KW - Pavement performance KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Shrinkage UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/research/docs/research_proj/cement/Final_Report_Oct15.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56775/Final_Report_Oct15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374065 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580948 AU - Llana, Patricia AU - Stringfellow, Richard AU - TIAX, LLC AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Full-Scale Dynamic Testing of Locomotive Crashworthy Components PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 77p AB - The Office of Research, Development, and Technology of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Volpe Center are evaluating new occupant protection technologies to increase the safety of passengers and operators in rail equipment. In view of the importance of override prevention in train-to-train collisions in which one of the vehicles is a locomotive, and the success of crash energy management technologies in cab-car-led passenger trains, the Volpe Center is evaluating the effectiveness of components that could be integrated into the end structure of a locomotive and are designed to mitigate the effects of a collision and, in particular, to prevent override of one lead vehicle onto the other. A research program has developed, fabricated, and tested two crashworthy components for the forward end of a locomotive: (1) a deformable anti-climber, and (2) a push-back coupler. Detailed designs were developed, and their performance was evaluated in large deformation dynamic finite element analysis (FEA). Designs were also developed for two test articles to verify the performance of the component designs in full-scale tests. The two test articles were fabricated and dynamically tested by means of rail car impact to verify their performance characteristics relative to specific requirements. The tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the two design concepts. Test results were consistent with finite element model predictions in terms of energy absorption capability, force-displacement behavior, and modes of deformation. KW - Couplers KW - Crashworthiness KW - Deformation KW - Dynamic tests KW - Evaluation KW - Finite element method KW - Impact tests KW - Locomotives KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Railroad crashes KW - Underride override crashes KW - Vehicle design UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15451 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56300/56304/DynamicTestingLocomotiveCrashworthyComponents.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373198 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580918 AU - Severson, Kristine AU - Parent, Dan AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Accident Report of Chicago Metra Derailment on September 17, 2005 PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 39p AB - On Saturday, September 17, 2005, Metra commuter train 504 was heading north from Joliet to Chicago on the Rock Island District Line operated by the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, which is the commuter rail system that serves northeast Illinois. The train traversed a 10-mph switch at 69 mph, causing it to derail just south of the West 47th Street Bridge. This accident was investigated by the US Department of Transportation’s Rail Accident Forensic Team to support the Passenger Equipment Safety Research Program of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The Forensic Team’s primary objective in investigating rail vehicle accidents is to estimate the complete underlying sequence of events and determine the specific causal mechanisms of injuries and fatalities. This report includes a detailed reconstruction of events, which is based on data collected at the scene and passenger interviews. The principal causal mechanism for the fatalities and serious injuries that occurred in the accident was the impact between the 4th car and the bridge girder, resulting in significant vertical forces on the rail car and structural damage to the car interior. KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Crash causes KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash investigation KW - Crash reconstruction KW - Derailments KW - Fatalities KW - Metra KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad crashes UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15457 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56287/Accident_Report_Chicago_Metra_Derailment_09-17-2005.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56732/Accident_Report_Chicago_Metra_Derailment_09-17-2005_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373772 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580915 AU - Pigman, Jerry G AU - Winchester, Graham AU - Swallom, Nathanial AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Commercial Truck Parking and Other Safety Issues PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 56p AB - Commercial truck parking is a safety issue, since trucks are involved in approximately 10% of all fatal accidents on interstates and parkways in Kentucky. Drivers experience schedule demands and long hours on the road, yet they cannot easily determine available parking locations. The objective of this study was to identify information related to parking demand, locations with documented or potential safety issues, and potential countermeasures. The literature review indicated substantial research has been done on commercial vehicle parking, and works have outlined the necessary facilities to accommodate trucks before drivers exceed their allowable hours of driving. Attention to commercial truck parking became a priority with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), and this focus continued with the inclusion of Jason’s Law as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Surveys were conducted to determine how frequently commercial vehicles used parking facilities on interstates in Kentucky. The surveys focused on the state’s two primary north-south interstates (I-65 and I-75). Data samples were also obtained from the other interstates in Kentucky (I-24, I-64, and I-71). Of the 4715 parking spaces surveyed during daytime observations, 2143 were in use, or 45 percent. Of 7,844 parking spaces surveyed during nighttime observations, 6803 were in use, or 87 percent. Crash data were analyzed for the period 2010-2013. Of 848 crashes that were either shoulder-related or fatigue-related, collision reports were reviewed. 239 crashes were related to commercial truck parking. Two-thirds of all crashes included in the analysis occurred on I-75, I-65, I-64, and I-71. Crash cluster locations appeared to be directly related to proximity and usage rate of parking facilities. To address truck parking demand and to improve safety, the following general recommendations were identified in the review of literature: 1) use public and private parking areas to increase capacity, 2) use Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to improve use of parking facilities, 3) provide real-time information that informs truck drivers of parking facility locations with available spaces, 4) combine global positioning system (GPS) tracking with electronic communication to notify truckers of nearest parking, and 5) monitor parking usage rates to determine future needs. Part of the literature review included recommendations from truck drivers. Based on observations at sites on interstates in Kentucky, several locations would benefit from increasing the number of parking spaces, including a number of locations on I-64, I-65, I-71 and I-75. Any site that had 90 percent or more of its spaces used during the surveys could be a candidate for an expansion of existing parking spaces or for development of a new facility to accommodate more parking. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash data KW - Interstate highways KW - Kentucky KW - Literature reviews KW - Parking KW - Parking demand KW - Parking facilities KW - Recommendations KW - Surveys KW - Truck drivers KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2015/11/KTC_15_04_SPR14_478_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373791 ER - TY - SER AN - 01580913 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Tayabji, Shiraz AU - Brink, Wouter TI - Load Transfer Systems for Jointed Precast Concrete Pavement PY - 2015/10 SP - 6p AB - Precast concrete pavement (PCP) technology is gaining wider acceptance in the U.S. for rapid repair and rehabilitation of concrete pavements, as well as for reconstruction of heavily trafficked asphalt concrete intersections. Available PCP systems include jointed PCP with reinforced or prestressed panels installed singly or in a continuous series, as well as PCP that typically incorporates thinner reinforced or prestressed panels installed and posttensioned in a continuous series, resulting in fewer joints. The use of both jointed PCP and posttensioned PCP systems has advanced during the last decade due to a combination of work sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), projects constructed by highway agencies, and innovations by the highway agencies and the construction industry. One area of innovations relates to improvements in the load transfer features used at PCP transverse joints. The load transfer features currently used at transverse joints in PCP systems are described in this Tech Brief. KW - Load transfer KW - Pavement joints KW - Posttensioning KW - Precast concrete pavements KW - Prestressed concrete pavements KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Transverse joints UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374709 ER - TY - SER AN - 01580910 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Passenger Rail Car Egress Computer Model PY - 2015/10 IS - 15-35 SP - 4p AB - The Office of Research, Development, and Technology of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investigating ways to enhance regulatory requirements that address the safe, timely, and effective evacuation of occupants from passenger rail vehicles in various emergency scenarios. Several evacuation concepts, strategies, and techniques are currently being investigated and evaluated for applicability to U.S. passenger rail cars. FRA is also interested in determining the feasibility of applying performance-based emergency evacuation time-based requirements to passenger rail cars. The requirements would be similar to minimum evacuation times specified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (e.g., 14 CFR Part 25.803 stipulates as part of its certification process that occupants can be evacuated within 90 seconds). However, it is necessary to assess how long it would take for passengers to egress from passenger rail cars to different locations using exit designs and configurations present in the unique railroad-operating environment. Therefore, FRA provided partial funding to the Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG), University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, to develop a new prototype railEXODUS® software model that is designed to accurately predict passenger rail car egress times for a variety of emergency scenarios. KW - Computer models KW - Emergency exits KW - Evacuation KW - Evaluation KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Passenger trains KW - Passengers KW - Regulations KW - Software KW - Time duration KW - Vehicle design UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15453 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373196 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580904 AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving the Usability of Research Reports (2015 Peer Exchange) PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 28p AB - From June 2 to 4, 2015, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) hosted a peer exchange to address best practices for improving the usability of research reports. The goal of the peer exchange was to develop actionable recommendations for improving final report quality and effectiveness, considering opportunities related to roles and responsibilities, documentation, project management, communication, and partnerships. This report documents the discussions, outcomes, and recommendations of the peer exchange panel members. It includes brief summaries of each agency’s research program along with the agency’s best practices and challenges with research report implementation. Key outcomes resulting from brainstorming sessions during the peer exchange are also presented along with agency takeaways and next steps for ODOT. KW - Best practices KW - Implementation KW - Ohio Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Project management KW - Recommendations KW - Research reports KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p267401ccp2/id/12979 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374060 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580884 AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - Rust, Daniel L AU - Phillips, Sareema Koirala AU - Nasser, Sidra AU - Páez, María Gabriela Rodríguez AU - Snowden, Elizabeth AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mass Transit Sustainability in the Saint Louis Region PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 65p AB - It has been often suggested that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Unfortunately a dispassionate evaluation of the current state of public transit in the United States would easily fit this definition. Public transportation funding continues to require federal, state, and local tax reserves in an attempt to address the needs and adapt to the trends of growing urban communities and support sustainable mass transit solutions. Fifty years of increased funding for domestic mass transit infrastructure and services has been met with overall ridership decline (as a percentage of urban population). Caught between looming deficits and a failure to attract consumers is a mangled web of inefficient operations, financially unsustainable funding commitments, and an inability to adequately modernize transit systems. Despite good intentions, investments are now contributing to an unsustainable trend. Successful and scalable examples of ways to improve sustainability are already in place around the globe and are promoting an era of shared responsibility for mass transit between public and private sectors. Latin America, being the earliest adopter of modern and sustainable mass transit systems, operations, and infrastructure, has seen great economic and consumer success. Now other regions— China, India, South Africa, North America, and Eastern Europe—are committing to innovative and rewarding approaches to leveraging and restructuring mass transit systems. Although still a work in progress for some cities, the partnering between government infrastructure and private investors supports a future of flexibility, accountability, and profitability for mass transit in areas with growing urban populations and is a viable solution for the transportation challenges and environmental concerns associated with large populations. This report explores alternatives implemented in various countries and the factors that contributed to their successes and failures. Most successes tend to result from the collaboration itself and lead to each sector’s common triumph: government stability through a reduced dependency on public subsidies and increased private innovation. These innovative solutions for improving mass transit are sustainable and scalable and require no additional government funding or subsidies. They may be the only viable options available for creating sustainable mass transit systems. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bi-State Development Agency KW - Case studies KW - Countries KW - Financial analysis KW - Public private partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Regional Transportation Authority (Illinois) KW - Ridership KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/st_louis_mass_tranist_sustainability_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56727/st_louis_mass_tranist_sustainability_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580881 AU - White, Megan AU - Zhu, Junfeng AU - Blandford, Benjamin AU - Grossardt, Ted AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Identifying Significant Environmental Features Using Feature Recognition PY - 2015/10 SP - 37p AB - The Department of Environmental Analysis at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has expressed an interest in feature-recognition capability because it may help analysts identify environmentally sensitive features in the landscape, including those relating to historic preservation, archaeology, endangered species habitat, and geology. LIDAR Analyst and Feature Analyst are a pair of geoprocessing software packages that have been developed by Textron Systems. Using this software, users can use LIDAR data to identify finely-scaled user-specified features. The software’s automated feature extraction saves time that might otherwise be spent manually analyzing images and digitizing features. This report explores the capabilities and accuracy of this software by using LIDAR data to identify sinkholes throughout a small area in Kentucky. This report also discusses an alternative LIDAR-based geoprocessing methodology developed by the Kentucky Geological Society. The method relies on ArcGIS and Python scripting to identify sinkholes. The feasibility and applicability of these methodologies are compared, the workflow for each method is outlined, and the capabilities and limitations of each are noted. Sample results—the identification of sinkholes—from each methodology are presented. The research team found the batch processing capability built into LIDAR and Feature Analyst adequate and beneficial for smaller projects, such as projects that prioritize the extraction of buildings, trees, and forest regions. KW - Accuracy KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Data analysis KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Information processing KW - Kentucky KW - Laser radar KW - Sinkholes KW - Software KW - Topography UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2015/10/KTC_15_18_SPR15_502_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580877 AU - Patterson, James AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Performance Assessment of the Laufer Wind Aircraft Detection System as an Aircraft Detection Lighting System PY - 2015/10//Technical Note SP - 45p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Safety Research and Development (R&D) Section conducted a performance assessment of the Laufer Wind Aircraft Detection System (ADS). The purpose of this assessment was to determine if the Laufer Wind ADS meets the aircraft detection lighting system (ADLS) requirements specified in Chapter 14 of FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 70/7460-1L, “Obstruction Marking and Lighting.” The Airport Safety R&D Section evaluated the Laufer Wind ADS at the U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewal Energy Laboratory, National Wind Technology Center near Boulder, Colorado. The performance assessment, consisting of demonstrations, flight tests, and data analysis, began in June 2014 and concluded in November 2014. In this performance assessment, a series of flight patterns were flown against the Laufer Wind ADS to demonstrate whether it could meet the FAA performance requirements specified in AC 70/7460-1L. The Laufer Wind ADS performed according to the manufacturer’s specifications and met the performance requirements identified in AC 70/7460-1L. In addition, the data collected during the performance assessment confirmed that the performance requirements specified in AC 70/7460-1L remain valid and provide for a technology that offers a satisfactory level of safety for the flying public. At the same time, this technology reduces the impact of obstruction lights on nearby communities and migratory bird populations. KW - Aviation safety KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Flight tests KW - Obstructions (Navigation) KW - Specifications KW - Vehicle lighting systems UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tctn15-54.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373300 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580075 AU - Latimer, Ed AU - Bansberg, Richard AU - Hershberger, Scott AU - Price, Theresa AU - Thorstenson, Don AU - Ryder, Phil AU - AMEC Environmental & Infrastructure AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of ADOT Application Rate Guidelines for Winter Storm Management of Chemical Additives through an Ambient Monitoring System PY - 2015/10 SP - 120p AB - The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is responsible for keeping state and federally owned/operated transportation corridors safe and operational during winter months when snow and ice accumulate on these roads. A common practice is the application of anti‐icing and deicing chemicals, primarily sodium chloride (salt). ADOT’s Winter Storm Management Operations Manual (WSMOM) presents guidelines for the application of anti‐icing and deicing chemical based on specific storm events and roadway conditions. Sodium and chloride can be dispersed to areas adjacent to roadways though melting snow and ice and by vehicle splash and spray. Upon reaching vegetation and soil, these compounds can negatively impact the environment. To evaluate the relationship between salt applications and potential impacts to soil and vegetation, data from winter storm management activities (frequency of application, quantity of salt applied, and adherence to ADOT WSMOM guidelines) were compared to sodium and chloride concentrations in soil and vegetation samples collected at varying distances from the roadway. Data collection and review included 16 sites along State Route 260 and U.S. Routes 180 and 191, all in ADOT’s Globe District. Analyses of soil and vegetation samples show that sodium concentrations are greatest nearest the roadway and decrease with increasing distance from the roadway. There is no evidence that sodium concentrations in the soil exceed levels considered tolerable for vegetation, nor is there a significant seasonal difference between fall readings and spring readings of sodium and chloride concentrations in soil and vegetation. Additionally, sodium concentrations in soil samples did not appear to have a statistically significant impact on the level of sodium in vegetation samples. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that sodium concentrations in soil are directly impacting sodium concentration in vegetation near the roadway. There is no evidence to support that ADOT should deviate from its current chemical application rate guidelines. KW - Anti-icing KW - Arizona KW - Arizona Department of Transportation KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Guidelines KW - Roadside flora KW - Sodium chloride KW - Soils KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ691.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372950 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580061 AU - Appiah, Justice AU - Cottrell, Benjamin H AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Benefit-Cost Analysis Tool for Assessing Guardrail Needs for Two-Lane Rural Roads in Virginia PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 46p AB - Guardrail is installed along the roadside to shield hazards such as steep slopes and bridge piers from vehicles. Although the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Road Design Manual provides guidance for determining where to install guardrail on new facilities, there is no consistent approach available for evaluating guardrail needs on existing roads that explicitly considers costs and benefits. This study developed such an approach, focusing on low volume, two-lane rural roadways in Virginia. The Roadside Safety Analysis Program (RSAP)—developed under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 22-27 and currently the most sophisticated tool available for conducting cost-effectiveness analysis of roadside safety treatment options—was used to determine expected crash frequencies, severities, and costs for several combinations of hazard scenarios; guardrail treatment options; and relevant roadway, roadside, and traffic characteristics. The results of the RSAP analysis were used to develop a predictive model that relates the input variables to the output response (benefit/cost ratio). The model is implemented in a simple spreadsheet for the quick and efficient evaluation of proposed guardrail treatment options without the need for full-blown RSAP analysis. Application of the spreadsheet tool is demonstrated through example problems. A comparison of the tool’s modeling results with results obtained from RSAP is presented. The comparative results show that benefit/cost ratio estimates provided by the tool are in good agreement with those provided by RSAP. These results indicate that the simplified tool meets the requirements to serve as a surrogate for RSAP analysis and is therefore recommended for benefit/cost evaluations of proposed guardrail treatment options for low volume, two-lane rural roadways in Virginia. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Guardrails KW - Low volume roads KW - Needs assessment KW - Roadside Safety Analysis Program KW - Rural areas KW - Spreadsheets KW - Two lane highways KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372609 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579643 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Schmitt, Rolf AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Diesel-powered Passenger Cars and Light Trucks PY - 2015/10//Fact Sheet SP - 4p AB - Diesel-powered automobiles are in the news following emission concerns raised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This fact sheet contains background information on diesel-powered motor vehicles and diesel fuel including fleet share, vehicle miles of travel, sales, fuel consumption, fuel prices, and emissions. KW - Costs KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Diesel fuels KW - Fuel consumption KW - Light trucks KW - Motor vehicles KW - Sales KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/DieselFactSheet.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371945 ER - TY - SER AN - 01579640 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessing Pavement Surface Splash and Spray Impact on Road Users PY - 2015/10 SP - 5p AB - The effects of vehicle splash and spray are well known to motorists who have driven in wet weather conditions. Research suggests that splash and spray contribute to a small but measureable portion of road traffic accidents and are sources of considerable nuisance to motorists. Furthermore, splash and spray from highway pavements can also carry a number of pollutants and contaminants. When deposited, these contaminants can be detrimental to plant life and accelerate the corrosion of roadway appurtenances. This TechBrief describes the development of an assessment tool to characterize the propensity of highway sections to generate splash and spray during rainfall and the impact of splash and spray on road users. KW - Assessments KW - Drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Rain KW - Splashing KW - Surface course (Pavements) UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/15062/15062.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371983 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579621 AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Department of Transportation TI - Northern Plains Grain Farm Truck Fleet & Marketing Patterns PY - 2015/10 SP - 57p AB - A survey of farm operators in the Northern Plains Region of North Dakota, northern South Dakota, western Minnesota and eastern Montana was conducted to gather information about transportation of crops, the inventory and characteristics of the farmer-owned truck fleet and onfarm storage capacity. The objective of the study is to provide information about farm truck inventory and grain marketing patterns in the Northern Plains. There is no other source for this information and it should be unique and complementary to other farm-to-market information and national commodity flow publications. Farmers may use the results for their own investment and productivity assessments. Local and regional planners and policy makers can use the information in calibrating travel demand and freight flow models for investment and asset management choices. KW - Commodity flow KW - Farms KW - Grain KW - Market assessment KW - Minnesota KW - Montana KW - North Dakota KW - South Dakota KW - Storage facilities KW - Surveys KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/dp-284.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371376 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579609 AU - Schmalzer, Peter AU - Karamihas, Steven AU - Meyer, Hans AU - Senn, Kevin AU - Puccinelli, Jason AU - Nichols Consulting Engineers AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Evaluation of Arizona’s LTPP SPS-2 Project: Strategic Study of Structural Factors for Rigid Pavements PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 222p AB - As part of the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) constructed 21 Specific Pavement Studies 2 (SPS-2) test sections on Interstate 10 near Buckeye, Arizona, to study a variety of structural sections in new portland cement concrete construction. Opened to traffic in 1994, this project is actively being monitored at regular intervals. Surface distress, profile, and deflection data collected throughout the life of the pavement were used to evaluate the performance of various rigid pavement design features, layer configurations, and thickness. This report documents the analyses conducted as well as practical findings and lessons learned that will be of interest to ADOT. KW - Arizona KW - Deflection KW - Evaluation KW - Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Rigid pavements KW - Test sections UR - https://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ396(2).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371984 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579216 AU - Donaldson, Bridget M AU - Kweon, Young-Jun AU - Lloyd, Lewis N AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - An Evaluation of Roadside Activity and Behavior of Deer and Black Bear to Determine Mitigation Strategies for Animal-Vehicle Collisions PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Virginia is consistently among the top 10 states with the highest number of deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs), with more than 56,000 DVCs per year since 2007. The Virginia Department of Transportation has targeted a section of I-64 on and near Afton Mountain for safety and mobility improvements because of a high number of crashes and traffic stoppages. DVCs are a primary driver safety concern in the area, and vehicle collisions with black bears are also relatively frequent. Mitigation strategies are needed to address this issue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate white-tailed deer activity and behavior along (1) an interstate roadside adjacent to unfenced isolated underpasses used by deer and (2) a stream corridor / highway intersection with no viable underpass for deer. Although not a primary focus, black bear and other wildlife activity was also evaluated. Two years of camera data and animal carcass removal data were analyzed to gain a better understanding of deer and black bear activity and behavior relative to the two road and landscape features. Cameras were installed at a large bridge underpass and a box culvert (both used by deer to cross beneath the highway) and along the adjoining 0.5-mile roadside on both sides of the underpasses. Despite frequent use of the underpasses by deer (1,187 per year), there was high deer activity along the adjacent roadside (1,182 per year). A statistically significant relationship was found between roadside deer activity and DVCs (i.e., as deer activity increased, DVCs increased), and this relationship was strongest in October and November. Although highway crossing attempts comprised a low proportion of deer behavioral responses (n = 100 crossing attempts), crossing attempts resulted in 7.5 DVCs per year on the 1-mile highway segments adjacent to each unfenced underpass. Deer along the roadside exhibited relatively low responsiveness (or vigilance) to the interstate; predominant behaviors included walking along the roadside and feeding. At the stream corridor / highway intersection, cameras were installed at the intersection and extended along the adjoining 0.25-mile roadside on both sides of the intersection. Bear were more active along the roadside near the stream corridor than at the underpass sites. The stream corridor and associated topography were found to concentrate deer movement toward a relatively short section of highway; deer activity was statistically higher nearest the stream corridor / highway intersection and decreased farther away from this intersection. DVCs were statistically correlated with roadside deer activity and were significantly higher during October and November than during the other months of the year. Study recommendations include (1) the installation of fencing along the roadside adjacent to existing large underpasses, and (2) an animal advisory message on the dynamic message signs along I-64 in the Afton Mountain area. Messages should be displayed from dusk through dawn from October through November (to correspond with periods of higher deer activity and DVCs). Fencing both sides of just one underpass is expected to result in a savings in costs associated with DVCs of $501,473 over its service life. A planned post-mitigation study may find that these low-cost forms of mitigation could have a substantial impact on drivers and wildlife, particularly if implemented on a larger scale. KW - Animal behavior KW - Cameras KW - Crashes KW - Deer KW - Interstate highways KW - Months KW - Recommendations KW - Roadside KW - Roadside fauna KW - Statistical analysis KW - Streams KW - Underpasses KW - Virginia KW - Wildlife UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371706 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579183 AU - Kirkpatrick, Steven W AU - Rakoczy, Przemyslaw AU - MacNeill, Robert A AU - Anderson, Adam AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Side Impact Test and Analyses of a DOT-111 Tank Car PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 96p AB - Transportation Technology Center, Inc. conducted a side impact test on a DOT-111 tank car to evaluate the performance of the tank car under dynamic impact conditions and to provide data for the verification and refinement of a computational model. The tank car was filled with water to approximately 97 percent of its volume and sealed but not pressurized. The tank car was impacted at 14.0 mph by a 297,125-pound ram car with 12- by 12-inch ram head fitted to the ram car. The ram car impacted the tank center and punctured both the external jacket and tank shell. The overall purpose of the program is to improve transportation safety for tank cars. KW - Impact tests KW - Railroad safety KW - Side crashes KW - Tank cars UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15338 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371340 ER - TY - SER AN - 01579165 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Short Line Safety Institute Pilot Safety Culture Assessment Project: Recruitment and Selection of Sites and Assessors PY - 2015/10 IS - 15-29 SP - 4p AB - The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), with the support of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T), is establishing a Short Line Safety Institute (Institute). The first step in creating the Institute is a Pilot Safety Culture Assessment Project (Pilot Project), which is focused on short line and regional railroads that transport crude oil. This report provides an update on the Pilot Project and the Institute. Specifically, this report describes how the railroads were selected for the Pilot Project and discusses recruiting, selecting, and training Assessors. KW - Assessments KW - Crude oil KW - Education and training KW - Location KW - Railroad safety KW - Regional railroads KW - Selection and appointment KW - Short line railroads UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15337 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01614926 AU - Faisal, Hasan M AU - Mannan, Umme Amina AU - Tarefder, Rafiqul A AU - University of New Mexico, Albuquerque AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - New Mexico Department of Transportation AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Relating Dynamic Shear Modulus (G*) of Performance Grade (PG) Asphalt Binders to Nanoindentation Stiffness (E) PY - 2015/09/31/Final Report SP - 31p AB - Traditionally, asphalt binder is characterized by a dynamic shear rheometer, which applies a shear load on a bulk volume of liquid asphalt binder to determine shear modulus (G*). Recently, a nanoindentation test can characterize an asphalt binder film in the form of coating around roadway aggregates, which is more practical. In a nanoindentation test, a sharp tip is used to indent an asphalt film while residing on an aggregate surface to determine nanoindentation modulus (E). This study evaluates whether there is a relation between G* and E. For both tests, replicate samples were conditioned in three ways: unaging, rolling thin film oven aging, and pressure vessel aging. Results show that the E-value is approximately 2 to 6 times larger than the G*-value based on all samples/conditioning. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Bituminous binders KW - Laboratory tests KW - Nanoindentation KW - Pavement design KW - Shear modulus KW - Stiffness UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Tarefder%20Final%20Report_Solaris_E%20and%20G.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1426351 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599274 AU - Foster, Craig AU - Motamedi, Mohammad Hosein AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling of Rail Track Substructure Soil Plasticity Modeling PY - 2015/09/30/Final Report SP - 42p AB - Elastic modeling of soil is unable to capture permanent deformation and settlement in soil that may come from rail applications. In addition, elastic models may not correctly predict dynamic deformation of soil. The authors modify a soil model an elasto-viscoplastic soil model to account for better performance at low mean stresses and improve its numerical implementation. The authors modify the Sandia Geomodel, a three-invariant, cap plasticity model with isotropic and kinematic hardening, with a tension cap for more realistic behavior in the tensile regime. The authors rewrite the yield function in terms of homogenous function of order one to prevent spurious solutions that troubled previous implementations. Finally, the authors create an algorithm to determine from the trial state whether they are on the shear or cap surface, enhancing robustness. These are implemented in a fully implicit, unconditionally stable return-mapping algorithm. KW - Algorithms KW - Compression tests KW - Elastoplasticity KW - Plastic deformation KW - Railroad tracks KW - Shear tests KW - Soil mechanics KW - Tension tests KW - Viscoplasticity UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R01-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599263 AU - Foster, Craig AU - El-Ghandour, Ahmed AU - Hamper, Martin B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling of Rail Track Substructure Linear Elastic Coupling PY - 2015/09/30/Final Report SP - 24p AB - Most analyses of rail dynamics neglect contribution of the soil, or treat it in a very simple manner such as using spring elements. This can cause accuracy issues in examining dynamics for passenger comfort, derailment, substructure analysis, or other reasons. The authors examine how the treatment of the soil in a continuum fashion influences rail simulations. The authors use the finite element method to build a continuum model of the track structure and soil, including rails, fasteners, crossties (sleepers), ballast, subballast, and subgrade. The authors export the modal stiffness of the track structure to a multibody code to simulate the wheel/rail contact of a train over the track. From the modal displacements, the nodal displacements can be reconstructed in the finite element model. Contact forces and other quantities of interest can be determined. KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Finite element method KW - Railroad tracks KW - Rolling contact KW - Simulation KW - Soil mechanics KW - Subballast KW - Subgrade (Railroads) KW - Substructures KW - Train track dynamics UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R01-combined1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59261/NURail2012-UIC-R01-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405193 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599202 AU - Levy, Samuel J AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Capacity Challenge on the California High-Speed Rail Shared Corridors: How Local Decisions Have Statewide Impacts PY - 2015/09/30 SP - 174p AB - In 2012, as a cost-control measure and in response to local opposition in the San Francisco Bay Area, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) adopted a "blended system" at the north and south bookends of the planned first phase of its high-speed rail line. In this blended operation, the high-speed rail line will share track and other infrastructure with commuter rail, intercity rail, and freight on the 50-mile Peninsula Corridor in Northern California and on 50 miles of right-of-way between Burbank, Los Angeles, and Anaheim in Southern California. This thesis provides a critical review of the blended system and discusses the level of cooperation and coordination necessary between host railroads and the high-speed rail tenant operator. KW - California KW - Cooperation KW - Coordination KW - Freight transportation KW - High speed rail KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405563 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597291 AU - Carlson, S Joel AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Government and Railroad Strategy for Crude Oil Transportation in North America PY - 2015/09/30 SP - 238p AB - On July 6, 2013, an oil-laden unit train derailed and exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada, killing 47 people, shocking and saddening many, and leading to significantly increased public scrutiny of crude oil transported by rail. Simultaneously, there has been intense scrutiny of proposed pipelines from the oil/tar sands in Alberta, most notably the TransCanada Keystone XL. Not only is there concern about the potential environmental impacts of the pipelines themselves, such as a potential spill of diluted bitumen, but there is also concern about the consequences of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the energy-intensiveness of bitumen production and refining. Proponents argue that a denial of pipeline permits by governments in Canada and the United States would lead to more crude by rail, an outcome that pipeline supporters believe would not only be less cost-effective, less safe, and less environmentally-friendly, but would also ultimately lead to the same amount of greenhouse gas being emitted from the production and refining of oil sands bitumen. Railroads, with much of the required infrastructure already in place to transport crude, usually do not need to undergo the same environmental assessments as pipelines for modest capacity expansions. As a result, when pipelines are evaluated through political and regulatory processes in Canada and the US, much of the focus is on what railroads might do if a pipeline permit is not approved, rather than what they should do. This research emphasizes the latter. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Crude oil KW - Greenhouse gases KW - North America KW - Pipeline safety KW - Pipelines KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad transportation KW - Regulations KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R03_Transportation_of_Energy-Related_Material_-_Carlson_final_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59246/NURail2012-MIT-R03_Transportation_of_Energy-Related_Material_-_Carlson_final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583639 AU - Putjenter, Joseph G AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Reid, John D AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Conceptual Development of an Impact-Attenuation System for Intersecting Roadways PY - 2015/09/30/Final Report SP - 554p AB - Longitudinal barriers are commonly used to shield hazards, including stiff bridge rail ends and slopes. In some locations, a secondary roadway intersects the primary roadway within the guardrail’s length-of-need (LON). Some intersections may have as little as 15 ft (4.6 m) between the intersection and beginning of the bridge railing, which require short-radius guardrail systems. One short-radius guardrail system has passed several crash tests under American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) standards. Site conditions provided by the Nebraska Department of Roads were used to determine the constraints for a new safety treatment for intersecting roadways and include intersection radii, bridge railing offset distances, and clear zone distances. An examination of the site conditions determined that the bridge railing end should be treated as a hazard, as defined in the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide. The hazard would begin at the bridge railing end with a width extending to the clear zone. Several design concepts were developed to treat these situations with a preference on using existing technologies that could be adapted for this hazard scenario. Fifteen concepts were brainstormed, with three considered for further analysis and evaluation. These concepts included net attenuation/end terminal, inertial barrel array/end terminal, and a bullnose with a secondary energy absorber inside of it. All three systems were capable of stopping a vehicle in the space available, but only the net attenuation/end terminal concept was considered likely to accommodate the site conditions using a moderate slope behind the system. Four dynamic bogie tests and two static tests were performed on potential net attenuators to evaluate their use as energy absorbers in the preferred design concept. Recommendations for further development of the net attenuation system were provided. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Bridge railings KW - Crash cushions KW - Design KW - Guardrail terminals KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Intersections KW - Nebraska KW - Recommendations UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/research/Design/FinalReportM332.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56708/FinalReportM332.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377093 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580244 AU - Katicha, Samer AU - Zeng, Huanghui AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Smith, Brian AU - Flintsch, Gerardo AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Infrastructure Pavement Assessment & Management Applications Enabled by the Connected Vehicles Environment – Proof-of-Concept PY - 2015/09/30/Final Research Report SP - 20p AB - The objective of this project was to develop prototypes and conduct a field test of system level applications of a connected vehicle pavement condition measurement system. This allowed the research team to: (1) investigate different approaches to a connected vehicle pavement measurement system; and (2) determine the optimum procedures for collecting, processing, aggregating, and storing the data to support engineering and management decisions. The study found that roughness measures obtained from probe vehicles are comparable to roughness measures obtained from the profile, when the appropriate parameters that affect roughness were taken into account. A sensitivity analysis suggested that data sampling and quarter-car parameters were the most critical parameters. Finally, the results of the network-level simulations showed that the probe vehicle vertical acceleration measurements (collected from a mobile smart phone application) have the potential to be used for network-level prescreening of deficient pavement sections. KW - Condition surveys KW - Data collection KW - Field tests KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pavement distress KW - Probe vehicles KW - Roughness KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Simulation UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Flintsch_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579638 AU - Stuedlein, Armin W AU - Li, Qiang AU - Arduino, Pedro AU - Ganji, Abbas AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation TI - Behavior of Drilled Shafts with High-Strength Reinforcement and Casing PY - 2015/09/30/Final Project Report SP - 1378p AB - Drilled shafts provide significant geotechnical resistance for support of highway bridges, and are used throughout the States of Oregon and Washington to meet their structural foundation requirements. Due to changes in construction methods and poor near-surface soils, the use of permanent steel casing for drilled shaft installation has increased. However, geotechnical design models for axial and lateral resistance of drilled shafts are largely based on soil-concrete interfaces, not soil-steel interfaces associated with large diameter steel casing. Owing to the increased understanding of the regional seismic hazards, the amount of steel reinforcement used in drilled shaft construction has increased over the past several decades, creating a new construction concern for engineers: the increased steel area results in a reduced clearance between adjacent reinforcement bars in the steel cage, such that concrete has an increased difficulty in penetrating the cage, increasing the likelihood for voids and defects within the shaft, which can lead to poor structural and geotechnical performance. The use of high-strength reinforcement steel can lead to increased clearance within the steel cage, mitigating concreting issues. The use of steel casing and the amount of steel area control the axial and lateral resistance of the shaft. However, depending on the method of construction, the steel casing may result in reduced axial load transfer to the surrounding soil. Thus existing analytical approaches need to be evaluated for modern construction methods, and new approaches developed if necessary to ensure desired performance criteria are met. KW - Bridge construction KW - Casings KW - Drilled shafts KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Load transfer KW - Oregon KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Resistance (Mechanics) KW - Shafts (Machinery) KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/PacTrans-24-OSU-Stuedlein.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372576 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577738 TI - CM-9: Pavement Preservation and Construction Techniques AB - No summary provided. KW - Construction KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavements KW - Paving KW - Preservation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370800 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577737 TI - CM-4: AASHTO-ARTBA-AGC Joint Committee Initiatives to Accelerate Construction AB - No summary provided. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - American Road & Transportation Builders Association KW - Construction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370799 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577726 TI - MT-8: Guidance on Testing and Approving New Materials AB - No summary provided. KW - Implementation KW - Materials KW - Pavements KW - Test procedures KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370768 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01618803 TI - Evaluation of Community-Oriented Enforcement Demonstrations AB - Starting in 2017, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will engage in two demonstration projects: "Building Community Support for Seat Belt Enforcement" and "Support for Impaired Driving Enforcement." These demonstration projects are based upon existing law enforcement models and will be used to increase public awareness and build community support for law enforcement efforts in seat belt and alcohol-impaired driving enforcement. This project will include an evaluation of the effectiveness of community-oriented seat belt and impaired driving enforcement modeled after proven law enforcement models with respect to increasing community support for enforcement, a process evaluation to document the implementation, an outcome evaluation including changes in community awareness of and attitudes towards enforcement, and to the extent possible, a safety impact evaluation. KW - Alcohol breath tests KW - Awareness KW - Drunk driving KW - Evaluation KW - Impaired drivers KW - Seat belt use KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440009 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01607470 TI - Awareness and Availability of Child Passenger Safety Information Resources AB - Many information resources are available to aid parents and caregivers with proper and accurate child restraint system selection and installation including hands-on instruction. In 1998, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) implemented a program for training and certifying child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs). Presently, Safe Kids Worldwide hosts Child Car Seat Inspection Stations nationwide, which provide parents and caregivers an opportunity to receive one-on-one instruction regarding proper use and installation of child restraints from a certified CPST. Unfortunately, this resource seems to be underutilized, and it is unclear what obstructs and what encourages use of this resource. This research will use a survey to assess the awareness and availability of child passenger safety information resources including the degree of awareness parents and caregivers have of Child Passenger Safety Technicians and inspection stations; the relationships between parent and caregiver confidence, risk perception, and the intent to visit an inspection station; and barriers to use of inspection stations. KW - Awareness KW - Child restraint systems KW - Inspection KW - Installation KW - Parents KW - Passengers KW - Safe Kids (Program) KW - Safety KW - Surveys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418975 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583508 AU - Weiland, Nicholas A AU - Stolle, Cody S AU - Reid, John D AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - MGS Dynamic Deflections and Working Widths at Lower Speeds PY - 2015/09/29/Final Report SP - 57p AB - The Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) has been full-scale crash tested in many configurations, including installations adjacent to slopes, with different types of wood posts, with and without blockouts, for culvert and bridge applications, and at high flare rates. Although the performance of the MGS and the dynamic deflection and working width of the barrier have been examined, little is known about the dynamic deflection and working width of the MGS when impacted at lower speeds. The MGS is a relatively low-cost barrier, and the Test Level 3 (TL-3) version could be installed for TL-2 and TL-1 applications. The barrier is expected to capture or redirect errant vehicles impacting at speeds less than or equal to those used for crash testing according to TL-3 of the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). Accurate dynamic deflections and working widths of the MGS when impacted at lower speeds are critical for the safe placement of guardrail to reduce the likelihood of vehicle impact with a shielded hazard in the Zone of Intrusion (ZOI) for use on level terrain and in combination with curbs. LS-DYNA computer simulation models of a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado impacting both a tangent MGS and MGS in combination with a curb at a 6-ft 3-in. (1.9-m) post spacing (i.e., standard post spacing) were calibrated against previous crash tests. Then, the model was simulated with two lower speeds and at five impact locations with a conservative soil model to determine the maximum dynamic deflection and working width of the system at TL-1 and TL-2 impact conditions of MASH. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Deflection KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - LS-DYNA (Computer program) KW - Midwest Guardrail System KW - Simulation KW - Speed KW - Width UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/TRP-03-314-15.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56745/TRP-03-314-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377091 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01619673 TI - In-Vehicle Drowsy Driving Detection and Alerting AB - This research project focuses on exploring the currently available and near-term drowsy detection and alerting systems on the market and developing a methodology for determining what warnings and/or specific messages should be provided to drivers to prevent drowsy driving after the detection of drowsiness has occurred. Currently, drowsy driving detection systems provided by Original Equipment Manufacturers alert drivers that they are drowsy by a simple auditory and/or a visual warning. However, it is unlikely that this alert would be sufficient to affect behavior change in many populations of frequent drowsy drivers. To determine what type of alerting strategy is most effective, the project will develop a methodology that will allow in-vehicle alerts and messages to be tested in a motivationally and emotionally valid environment. The project has four objectives. The first objective is to determine and report on the state-of-the-field in regards to commercial systems that detect and alert drivers of their drowsy state. The second is to identify and report on countermeasures and alerting strategies (content and timing) that may ameliorate the effects of drowsy driving and/or persuade drivers to cease driving while drowsy. The third is to identify and report on potential methodologies that will allow for the testing of potential countermeasures and alerting strategies in a driving simulator. The fourth is to perform a pilot-study demonstrating the effectiveness of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approved methodologies and countermeasures. KW - Alertness KW - Countermeasures KW - Detectors KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - Drowsiness KW - In vehicle sensors KW - Warning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440623 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01618725 TI - Understanding Belt Use Beyond Demographic Factors AB - While much progress has been made in raising belt use, targeting the remaining nonusers has posed a challenge. Further understanding these individuals, specifically their attitudes, risk perceptions, and other psychological factors, may prove beneficial for program development and subsequently effective for promoting behavior change. Insight into the psychological make-up and psycho-social patterns of behavior of rare and situational belt users will provide a basis for developing new programs directed at these individuals. The objectives of this project are to determine psychological constructs and psycho-social factors related to belt users and create profiles of user types based on these constructs and demographic factors through a nationally representative survey. The results will yield a more comprehensive picture of belt user groups that can be transitioned to program development. KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - Demographics KW - Psychological aspects KW - Risk assessment KW - Seat belt use KW - Surveys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1437008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599275 AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - McHenry, Mike AU - Greenwell, Travis AU - Peng, Xu AU - Brown, Michael AU - LoPresti, Joseph AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Tie-Ballast Interaction PY - 2015/09/28/Final Report SP - 163p AB - Improvements in railroad efficiency in the future may likely require higher passenger train speeds and heavier freight axle loads. As the demand for more efficient rail transportation grows, so does the need for higher performance and lower maintenance track. To attain higher performing track, a better understanding of the track’s behavior and the interaction of its components are required. An important component of the conventional railroad track structure is the magnitudes and distribution of interfacial pressures between the ballast and ties. This interface impacts many functions of both the tie and the ballast including initiating pressure distribution into the ballast layer, allowing for track geometry adjustment through tamping, and providing vertical, lateral, and longitudinal track stability. Common track issues such as ballast degradation, tie degradation, tie center-binding, and differential track settlement are greatly impacted by the ballast-tie interface pressure levels. Actually the ballast-tie interface is characterized by high pressures due to low effective contact areas between the tie and the rough, angular ballast particles. These high pressures may contribute to ballast particle breakage, tie surface degradation, and ballast degradation. A better understanding of the fundamental properties, such as the ballast-tie load environment, could lead to increased understanding of the impact on tie bending input loads, track geometry, and tie and ballast degradation modeling. Along the continuum, properties and relationships serve as input to track maintenance planning, ultimately leading to enhanced maintenance strategies and policies. KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Calibration KW - Pressure KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks KW - Sensors UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURAIL2012-UKY-R05_and_2013-UKY-R07_Final_Report_Tie-Ballast1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59301/NURAIL2012-UKY-R05_and_2013-UKY-R07_Final_Report_Tie-Ballast1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405088 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599195 AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - Wang, Teng AU - Lau, Dan AU - Peng, Xu AU - Aboubakr, Ahmed AU - Randerson, Edward AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 3D Methodology for Evaluating Rail Crossing Roughness: Vehicle Dynamic Modeling PY - 2015/09/28/Final Report SP - 39p AB - Annually, over 2000 rail highway crossing crashes in the U.S.result in nearly 300 fatalities. Crossing roughness is a concern for the motoring public from a comfort and vehicle maintenance perspective, and to highway authorities from a maintenance perspective. Roughness may even increase the risk of crossing crashes. However, with 216,000 rail highway grade crossings in the US, maintenance management is a large undertaking. Crossings deteriorate over time, sometimes rapidly, and life cycle costs increase without preventive maintenance. However, while methods are available to quantify highway roughness, no method currently exists to quantitatively assess the condition of rail crossings. Because conventional inspection relies on qualitative judgment based on an inspector’s perception of the crossing, effect on different vehicles and perception by other drivers is unknown. Further, roughness may be due to as-built geometry, crossing deterioration, or a combination of both. A quantifiable and extensible procedure is thus desired. In this report, vertical vehicle acceleration is proposed as a way to quantify rail highway crossing roughness. To facilitate the development of acceleration ratings for crossings, a vehicle dynamic model was developed to simulate vehicle accelerations using only a crossing terrain model and vehicle parameters as inputs. Accelerometers were used to field calibrate and validate the model. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Accelerometers KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Methodology KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Roughness KW - Simulation KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2014-UKY-R08_Final_Report_dynamic_model1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59313/NURail2014-UKY-R08_Final_Report_dynamic_model1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405094 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01618776 TI - Feasibility of Modeling the Relationship between Seat Belt Program Inputs and Outcomes AB - As States make progress with their occupant protection programs and reach high levels of observed seat belt use, program goals may shift to become more maintenance-oriented, requiring States to make changes in how they allocate their programmatic resources. Such adjustments may include changes in funding and program activity levels for communications, education, and enforcement, for example. Adjusting resources within a program as problems shift and new ones are identified is a key practice of effectively using resources. However, it can sometimes be challenging to gauge how resources should be shifted to maintain the positive program effects already achieved. This objective of this research is to determine the feasibility of modeling the relationship between seat belt program inputs and outcomes with the goal of maintaining high levels of stable seat belt use in high performing States. The project will explore data needed to build such a model and, if feasible, prepare a plan to build it. KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Highway safety KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Resource allocation KW - Safety programs KW - Seat belt use UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1439920 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01615067 TI - Quantifying Drowsy Driving AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses imputation methods to predict the values of missing alcohol data based upon characteristics of existing data. In the case of alcohol use by drivers, objective measures are available for many cases, and these known values can be used as a basis for imputing missing data. In the case of driver fatigue, objective data are not available, so other methodological and statistical approaches need to be developed to gain a greater understanding of the risks of drowsy driving and incidence of related crashes. By combining multiple methods of determining driver drowsiness and measuring related factors, we will explore the potential of utilizing methods such as those used in alcohol data imputation to generate sound estimates and cross-validate drowsy driving. A number of datasets are currently available that lend themselves to exploring crash numbers and the driving risks associated with drowsy driving. One of the most promising datasets for exploring drowsy driving is from the 2nd Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) naturalistic study. By exploring and linking variables and estimates in the SHRP2 dataset and others, such as NHTSA’s crash databases, NHTSA hopes to create new statistical models and cross-validate findings in order to establish more reliable and valid estimates of drowsy driving crash risks and incidence. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash data KW - Driver performance KW - Drowsiness KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Risk assessment KW - Statistical analysis KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427692 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580922 AU - Flury, Markus AU - Mullane, Jessica M AU - Chahal, Maninder K AU - Cogger, Craig G AU - Washington State University, Puyallup AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Experimental Evaluation of Compost Leachates PY - 2015/09/25 SP - 159p AB - Compost is often used in rain gardens, roadsides, and bioretention systems, not only because of its beneficial properties on soil quality, but also because compost improves water infiltration and retains stormwater contaminants. However, when compost is freshly applied, materials from compost can leach out when rain or stormwater seep through compost or compost-amended bioretention media. The goal of this research project was to experimentally evaluate and characterize leachates from compost. The authors quantified and characterized the leachate composition of compost following intermittent, simulated storm events. The authors used municipal compost of different ages and different source materials. Compost was filled into columns and then irrigated with deionized water and stormwater. Stormwater was spiked with copper to increase copper concentrations. Six-month, 24-hour rain storms were applied every two weeks for a total of up to 18 rain storms. Outflow was analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), particulate concentration, surface tension, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen, phosphorus, and copper. Particulate and dissolved organic matter was further characterized for molecular structure by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Fourier-Transformed Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. The results showed that concentrations of dissolved and particulate organic carbon and electrical conductivity in the leachate where high at the onset of each storm, but decreased as the storm progressed. However, each new storm released another peak of constituents. Leaching from mature compost was less a function of age and type, but more a function of number and frequency of storms and leaching history. Concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and copper were high in the initial few storms, and then decreased. Only a small fraction (3%) of the copper present in the compost leached out, but nonetheless, the copper concentrations in the leachate remained above the regulatory waste discharge standards. NMR and FTIR analyses revealed that dissolved organic carbon consisted mainly of aliphatic and aromatic components typical of fulvic and humic acids. The results show that municipal compost can serve as a sustained source of leaching of nutrients and metals, regardless of compost age and source. However, the copper concentrations observed in the experiment are likely not toxic due to the presence of elevated DOC, as DOC readily forms complexes with dissolved copper thereby reducing its toxicity to aquatic organisms. The DOC plays a dual role in terms of copper fate and transport: DOC can enhance leaching of copper by forming aqueous complexes, but at the same time, reduces toxicity of copper because copper-DOC complexes are less bioavailable. KW - Compost KW - Copper KW - Electrical conductivity KW - Evaluation KW - Leachate KW - Nitrates KW - Particulates KW - Phosphorus KW - Runoff KW - Simulation UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/848.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373320 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01589880 TI - UAS Science and Research Panel Support AB - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seeks to identify and develop criteria and standards required for the civil certification and regulations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) pilots, equipment and operations. Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) is the FAA’s academic and industry resource to accomplish research & development of those criteria and standards. The Science and Research Panel (SARP) coordinates and directs government-sponsored research that supports development of key UAS criteria and standards that enable near-term UAS access to the National Airspace System (NAS). Ensuring the FAA and ASSURE are aware of government-sponsored to ensure inter-agency coordination of UAS-related research efforts is critical to the success of the FAA’s objectives. The FAA UAS Center of Excellence is a union of public sector, private sector, and academic institutions that identifies solutions for existing and anticipated UAS related issues. The Center of Excellence (COE) enhances the FAA’s UAS research efforts by providing access to the various talents of nationally recognized academic-research scientists. This effort directly supports the FAA’s goal of ensuring the safe and efficient integration of UAS into the NAS, thus enabling this emerging technology to safely achieve its full potential. The UAS Executive Committee (ExCom) is a joint committee comprised of senior executives from four member organizations: Department of Defense (DoD), FAA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The mission of the UAS ExCom is “to enable increased and ultimately routine access of Federal UAS engaged in public aircraft operations into the NAS to support operational, training, development and research requirements of the FAA, DoD, DHS and NASA.” The UAS Science and Research Panel (SARP) is a panel of experts from organizations that are performing UAS research to ensure sound technical approaches are being evaluated to facilitate the integration of UAS into the national airspace system (NAS). The SARP’s primary purpose is to promote and coordinate partnerships between ExCom member agencies and the broader academic and science community on UAS NAS integration science and research initiatives. Benefits from these partnerships were realized through a broader range and depth of scientific expertise applied to challenges that affect all aspects of potential UAS operations, and through advocacy of potential solutions and through evaluation, test, and implementation of viable approaches. These partnerships are critical to UAS science and research efforts to positively inform and influence strategic integration decisions. The UAS SARP is managed by co-chairs appointed by the ExCom Senior Steering Group (SSG) and funded by the ExCom member agencies. The FAA seeks to identify and develop criteria and standards required for the civil certification and regulations of UAS pilots, equipment and operations. New Mexico State University (NMSU), will represent the ASSURE Center of Excellence at the Science and Research Panel (SARP) and act as an advisor to the FAA on SARP matters. NMSU will assist the FAA in identifying, evaluating, coordinating, performing and reporting research that supports the integration of unmanned aircraft into the NAS. Finally, NMSU will provide support to the FAA NextGen SARP board member. This assistance will include: (1) identifying key areas of planned and ongoing UAS integration Research & Development (R&D); (2) evaluating potential research gaps for applicability and priority; (3) coordinating research conducted and/or supported by SARP member organizations to minimize duplication and maximize benefit to the government and the UAS stakeholder community; (4) facilitating the performance of identified and prioritized research; and (5) reporting the results of the selected research to the FAA and the appropriate standards bodies/organizations to inform UAS integration activities such as rulemaking, the development of performance criteria and standards. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Aviation safety KW - Drone aircraft KW - National Airspace System KW - Regulations KW - Science KW - U.S. Department of Homeland Security KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration KW - U.S. National Aernonautics and Space Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397604 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599172 AU - Brock, Timothy J AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A National Survey of Commuter Rail Policy PY - 2015/09/22/Final Report SP - 74p AB - This research situates commuter rail systems in the context of rail systems at-large, compiles a complete and definitive list of U.S. commuter rail systems, profiles each system and establishes a 'new start' and 'legacy' classification system for commuter rail. Examining new start commuter rail, specifically the acquisition of right-of-way on shared-corridors and the relationship between system design and urban form, provides a means of tracing the policy mobility and system development of contemporary commuter rail. The authors highlight the current state of commuter rail, the historical acquisition of legacy commuter rail systems by public transit agencies and the establishment of contemporary new start commuter rail projects. This overview includes profiles of all 26 operational US commuter rail systems. These profiles examine the vital statistics and demographics of each system. KW - Best practices KW - Classification KW - History KW - Policy KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R02_Final_Report_Commuter_Rail_with_appendices1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405085 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599164 AU - Blandford, Benjamin L AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Lock and Dam Closures on Rail System PY - 2015/09/22/Final Report SP - 13p AB - In this paper, a model simulates the changing patterns of coal distribution resulting from disruptions on the waterway network at specified Ohio River locks. The paper portrays the extensive geographic and intermodal connectivity of coal shipments in the U.S., and demonstrates how disruptions at even a single node on the network can manifest in dramatic changes throughout the nationwide network. The network model is built using ESRI ArcMap 10.1, and utilizes the program’s Network Analyst toolset. The Network Analyst toolset enables users to model data flows, in this case coal, across a network. The network is comprised of a set of lines, representing the highway, railway, and waterway segments, as well as a collection of points, representing intermodal access points, such as river ports and intermodal facilities. KW - Coal KW - Dams KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Modal shift KW - Ohio River KW - Railroad transportation KW - Service disruption KW - Simulation UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R01_Final_Report_-_Lock_and_Dam1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405084 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599196 AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Saladin, Luke AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Systematic Life-Cycle Analysis and Performance of Enhanced Trackbed Support PY - 2015/09/21/Final Report SP - 350p AB - Over the past 30 years, the use of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) underlayment in railroad track structures has steadily increased. While the benefits of HMA underlayment has been well documented in special trackworks applications – particularly in areas with poor subgrade and heavy tonnages – little documentation is recorded regarding the benefits of HMA relative to traditional all-granular structures when used on mainline open track. This report compares the relative performance of HMA underlayment versus traditional granular track structures on the Panhandle Subdivision, located along the BNSF Railway’s Transcon line. A total of 23 sections of double main track – one main predominately using HMA underlayment with concrete ties and the other main consisting of a traditional all-granular track structure with wood ties – were analyzed using the Surface Quality Index (SQI), which is a track quality measurement developed by BNSF to determine the extent of geometric defects in track over a period of time. KW - BNSF Railway KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Performance KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R04_Final_Report_Lifecycle1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59300/NURail2012-UKY-R04_Final_Report_Lifecycle1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405087 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575992 TI - Worldwide Jet Fuel Data Gathering Effort AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft fuels KW - Data analysis KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369330 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610883 AU - Korfmacher, Karl AU - Mathews, Alyssa AU - Van Munster, Katelijn AU - Rochester Institute of Technology AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Modeling Emissions and Environmental Impacts of Transportation Activities Associated with High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing Operations in the Marcellus Shale Formation PY - 2015/09/18/Final Report SP - 60p AB - The researchers' initial University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) research project identified routes and road segments with predicted high volumes of truck traffic related to natural gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale region. Results also generated annual estimates of pollution emissions per route and road segment related to these transportation activities. The road segment results identified areas of potentially elevated pollution emissions due to incremental truck traffic resulting from natural gas development. The current UTRC project uses these “hot spot” data as source inputs for the AERMOD pollution dispersion model to begin the assessment of potential health impacts on local populations due to increased truck traffic. Total truck traffic estimates from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PADOT) were also used to generate emission estimates and also input into AERMOD as a comparison dispersion analysis to help assess the relative impact of the natural gas truck activity. This report outlines the developed pollution dispersion methodology and provides results for 2011. Results indicate that the maximum average daily truck induced emission concentrations for PM10 are 2.845 μg/m³ for the PADOT roads and 0.082 μg/m³ for the Geospatial Intermodal Freight Transport (GIFT) roads, the differences primarily due to overall truck counts. Subtracting the output files from the 2007 rate simulations from the 2008 rate simulations, if MY 2007 emission standards had been in place, pollution concentrations would have been reduced anywhere from 0.0625 - 0.00002 μg/m³ in the GIFT network analysis, and PADOT network reductions would have ranged from 2.1917 – 0.1165 μg/m³. Overall, however, model results suggest truck emissions are a small part of the average daily particulate matter (PM) pollution, as determined by limited Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) monitoring station data. In 2011, the average daily PM10 emission concentrations ranged from 7.37 to 25.12 μg/m³, and 5.97 to 14.50 μg/m³ for PM2.5. Results are considered to underestimate the true emission concentrations, however, due to temporal limitations of the truck count and total PM10 emissions (both are annual values distributed evenly throughout the year as a model requirement). Despite the lower than expected concentrations, model results do highlight areas within the Marcellus Shale region that are predicted to have higher relative emission concentrations as a result of increased truck traffic related to hydraulic fracturing activities. These show where roads with higher truck counts may be impacting environmental and human health and may be used to help site monitoring stations. Using the AERMOD emission contour intervals to select 2010 US Census block data, model results suggest that over 1.2 million people are exposed at some level to elevated PM pollution due to trucks supporting gas extraction, although the vast majority of the population experiences low level exposure. KW - AERMOD (Computer model) KW - Environmental impacts KW - Health KW - Hydraulic fracturing KW - Marcellus Shale KW - Methodology KW - Particulates KW - Pollutants KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Modeling-Emissions-and-Environmental-Impacts-Of-Transportation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422152 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587716 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Goworowska, Justyna AU - Smith, Sonya AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Travel Facts and Figures 2015 PY - 2015/09/18 SP - 102p AB - Passenger Travel Facts and Figures is a snapshot of the characteristics and trends of personal travel in the United States; the network over which passenger travel takes place; and the related economic, safety, and environmental aspects of passenger travel. Chapter 1 summarizes the basic demographic and economic characteristics of the United States that contribute to the demand for passenger travel. Chapter 2 examines travel patterns by household characteristics, trip purpose, and transportation mode. Chapter 3 provides information on the passenger transportation system and its performance. Chapter 4 discusses the economic characteristics of passenger travel and tourism. Chapter 5 describes the safety, energy, and environmental impacts of passenger travel. KW - Demographics KW - Economic factors KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fatalities KW - Households KW - Passenger traffic KW - Passenger transportation KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel patterns KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trip purpose KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/PTFF_Complete.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378484 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575991 TI - TAF Forecast Improvements AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Forecasting KW - Improvements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369329 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575990 TI - Sustainability FAA Greening Initiative AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Green KW - Sustainable transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369312 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575989 TI - Support ASA Workgroup on Dose-Response (NPS) AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369311 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575988 TI - Streamline C/Q Process for Jet fuels - Industry Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft fuels KW - Streamlining UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369309 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575987 TI - Sonic Boom AB - No summary provided. KW - Aeronautical engineering KW - Environmental impacts KW - Sonic boom UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369290 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575986 TI - SAE/Noise Research Testing Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Research KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369289 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575985 TI - SAE E31 AB - No summary provided. KW - Air quality KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369288 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575984 TI - Project XX - Low Power/Low Drag AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft KW - Drag KW - Environmental impacts KW - Power UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369287 ER -