TY - ABST AN - 01556879 TI - The Politics of Transport Policy in the Greater Copenhagen Region, 1945-2013 AB - What political factors have driven the emergence, consolidation, and continued development of sustainable transportation in the Greater Copenhagen Region? Combining qualitative and quantitative methods and relying on primary and secondary sources, this research project seeks to answer this question. KW - Copenhagen (Denmark) KW - Political factors KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346127 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556878 TI - Land-Use Regulation and Commuting Patterns AB - Land-use regulations are one of the primary ways in which state and local governments influence the urban landscape, affecting where people live, how much they commute and the impact they have on the environment. Using a new, novel data on the stringency of land-use regulation in the U.S. over the past decades, the project proposes to study the effect of local regulation on individual housing and commuting decisions. Furthermore, the project will pair the data on land-use regulation with demographic data from the U.S. Census to examine whether land-use policies disproportionately affect particular socioeconomic or demographic groups KW - Census KW - Commuting KW - Demographics KW - Environmental impacts KW - Land use planning KW - Policy KW - Regulation KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - United States UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346126 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556877 TI - Signal Timing Optimization for Improved Person Mobility and Air Quality AB - Due to the continuous growth of population and car ownership, large urban areas are challenged to find solutions to increasingly pressing traffic congestion problems and their related externalities, such as vehicle emissions that degrade air quality. Efficient and sustainable management of multimodal transportation systems is critical in maintaining the economic competitiveness of urban areas and ensuring livable communities. The proposed research aims to develop a real-time signal control system that optimizes signal timings at an intersection by minimizing a weighted combination of person delay and vehicle emissions, in particular, carbon monoxide. However, the proposed system can be used to minimize any type of pollutant vehicle emissions. Analytical models based on traffic flow theory will be developed to estimate person delay and vehicle activity (time spent accelerating, decelerating, cruising, and idling) as functions of demand, saturation flow, and signal control parameters. Information on vehicle activity will be used along with the Environmental Protection Agency's emissions microsimulation model to produce average emission rates per driving mode. The proposed methodology and optimization process will be evaluated with the use of data from two real-world intersections of University and San Pablo Avenues, in Berkeley, CA, and S. Pleasant Street with Amity and Main Streets, in Amherst, MA. Evaluation tests will be performed both through numerical examples and simulation. The contribution of the proposed research is in the development of a low-cost tool that can be used to provide priority to transit vehicles at busy urban signalized intersections, while improving air quality. KW - Air quality KW - Amherst (Massachusetts) KW - Berkeley (California) KW - Bus transit KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Mobility KW - Optimization KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic flow theory KW - Traffic signal priority KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Urban areas UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346125 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556876 TI - ADHD Teen Driver Evaluation and Training Tool Development AB - Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young drivers age 15-20 in the U.S. Researchers have looked extensively at the causes of young driver crashes. They find that teens are less likely to pay attention to forward roadways, are less likely to anticipate a hazard, and have difficulty controlling driving behaviors such as speeding. While many teens struggle with self-regulation as well as developmental limitations, teens with cognitive disabilities such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have additional challenges. The focus of this proposal is on: (a) the identification of the differences in the driving skills of ADHD novice drivers and neurotypical (NT) novice drivers, especially the skills of hazard anticipation, attention maintenance and hazard mitigation and (b) the development and evaluation of a training program targeted at the ADHD novice driver. The safety of our roadways needs to be guaranteed for all populations, not just the NT population. Differences will be analyzed on a driving simulator, an environment which is safe and has proven already that it can reveal differences between a number of different populations of drivers. The training program will complement already successful training programs for novice NT drivers, building on the large literature that bears on the teaching of ADHD students in schools many of the skills that will be critical for driving. In summary, this research will provide a greater understanding of ADHD as it relates to the driving task and both develop and evaluate a training program designed to build more advanced driving skills in the ADHD or neurologically challenged novice teen driver. KW - Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder KW - Driver education KW - Driver performance KW - Driver training KW - Evaluation KW - Highway safety KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346124 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556875 TI - An Optimal Adaptive Routing Algorithm for Large-Scale Stochastic Time-Dependent Networks AB - The objective of this project is to develop an efficient algorithm and its computer implementation for the optimal adaptive routing problem practical in large-scale real-life networks, where a traveler could revise the route choice based upon en route traffic information. Existing adaptive routing algorithms are for explorative purpose and can only be applied to hypothetical and simplified networks. In this project, important changes will be made to make the algorithm practical in real-life networks, in three major areas: memory, running time, and realistic features. The algorithm will be implemented and tested on both randomly generated networks and a number of real-life large networks, including those from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) of Massachusetts, Stockholm, and Singapore. The developed algorithm is an important building block for the route choice module of an advanced traffic prediction model, and is also the intelligent core of a route guidance system. KW - Adaptive control KW - Algorithms KW - Massachusetts KW - Real time information KW - Route choice KW - Routes and routing KW - Singapore KW - Stochastic processes KW - Stockholm (Sweden) KW - Time dependence UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346123 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556874 TI - Data-based Model for Regional Freight Demand AB - Freight movements are a major part of the transportation system in the United States, and the efficient movement of goods is essential for the economic vitality of regions across the country. In order to analyze and design freight systems, it is necessary to have reliable models for the types and quantities of commodities that are produced and attracted across regions. The proposed research project is develop freight demand models based on available freight and economic data that are aggregated at regional scales. The objective is to relate the generation of freight demand in terms of origins and destinations for several different commodities based on the spatial distribution of industry and population. The approach will be to use regression techniques to identify how demand for freight services is related to the economic activity in each region as described by the employment in different industrial sectors. Additional steps will be taken to identify the potential of using economic input-output data, which quantifies transactions between industrial sectors, to develop reliable models for the distribution of commodity flows within and between regions. The proposed models will be valuable for facilitating analysis of freight demand in response to growth or changes in economic activity. KW - Commodity flow KW - Demand KW - Economic conditions KW - Freight service KW - Freight traffic KW - Origin and destination KW - Regression analysis KW - Traffic distribution KW - United States UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346122 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556873 TI - An Observational Evaluation of Safety and Operations Resulting from Driver Distraction AB - Distracted driving is estimated to contribute to over 22 percent of all crashes and near-crashes and is directly involved in the deaths of nearly 6,000 individuals each year. This total will only get worse as in-vehicle technologies proliferate. The number of cell phone subscribers has increased dramatically between 2007 and 2012, from 243.4 million to 321.7 million people; this widespread use of cell phones affects the society in many ways. Although the dangers of using handheld devices while driving are clear, this vast problem continues. A quick phone call or a glance at the screen may seem innocent, but it has become a serious problem that reduces both the safety and operational efficiency along United States (US) roadways. The proposed program of research will directly address all aspects of driver distraction. The project is proposing to implement an innovative and comprehensive evaluation that improves the understanding of the safety and operational aspects associated with driver distraction. Specifically, the project is proposing to (1) develop and implement a mobile observation study design of driver distraction variables across New England; the proposed observation study will develop and introduce a new methodology for distraction data collection (using probe vehicles) that allows for the combination of traditional observation variables and unique in situ (i.e., behavior) variables; (2) complete an analysis of directly observed field data with existing crash and citation data to determine if those populations observed to be distracted in the field are consistent with those reported as distracted in crashes and citations; and (3) evaluate the effects of driver distraction on operational elements at signalized intersections in an attempt to quantify the costs of driver distraction on operational efficiency (i.e., intersection capacity) The proposed research will significantly expand upon the existing literature and directly improve the ability to develop targeted countermeasures that mitigate the negative safety and operations impacts of driver distraction. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crashes KW - Data collection KW - Distraction KW - Handheld devices KW - New England KW - Probe vehicles KW - Signalized intersections KW - United States KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346121 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556872 TI - Efficient Methodology for Traffic Flow Model Calibration AB - Proactive traffic management and control relies on sound traffic flow models that is central to traffic prediction and analysis. One of the challenges faced by such models is the calibration of these models to prevailing local conditions. As such, an efficient methodology is called for to fine turn model parameters so that they reflect local traffic characteristics. Many calibration procedures have been developed in the past with varying transferability, complexity, and accuracy. For example, some procedures are customized for certain models and are not easy to be adapted to other models; some procedures may involve optimization of multiple levels, so calibrating a model becomes a time-consuming job; some procedures optimize only one side of the model at the cost of the other inherently related side. The objective of this research is to develop a methodology for calibrating equilibrium traffic flow models that is accurate in nature, independent on models, efficient in computation, robust to calibration data. The result of this research can help traffic analysts and transportation agencies to better understand traffic flow characteristics, predict traffic evolution, mitigate traffic congestion, and deploy resources to anticipate incidents. KW - Calibration KW - Methodology KW - Optimization KW - Traffic characteristics KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346120 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556871 TI - Assessing the Full Cost of Parking Provision from the Perspective of the Municipality AB - Over the past several years, a team of faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students have assembled a detailed database of parking in various cities that has informed a number of high-profile studies that have begun to influence the way in which planners think about parking. Initial studies focused on understanding how the off-street parking was built in the first place, how it evolved over time and how cities may have been differentially impacted by their parking policy decisions. This project now seeks to extend this work to quantify the hidden cost that parking policies represent to municipalities and how those costs differ between cities. The data from the project analysis will be used to calibrate a decision tool that cities can use to conduct scenario analysis for parking provision in their cities. KW - Costs KW - Databases KW - Decision making KW - Off street parking KW - Transportation planning KW - Urban areas UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346119 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556870 TI - Effectiveness of Interventions at Midblock Crossings for Improving Senior and Other Pedestrian Safety AB - This project will evaluate the effectiveness of designed interventions on pedestrian crash experience at midblock crossings, focusing on seniors, children and other pedestrians. From the large crash database, the project will study crashes involving pedestrians in situations with and without the interventions, and merge this data against a database containing the road and roadside characteristics. The project will fit a suitable regression and identify important covariates. Conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles subject to the interventions will be observed using a variation of the Swedish Traffic Conflicts Technique, and classified by estimated age of the pedestrian and the severity of the conflict. Observations will be made at locations specifically targeted for having characteristics found to be associated with senior pedestrian crash severity relative to non-seniors. At these observation locations, speed will also be observed. The project proposes a statistical test of association between conflict severity and crash severity based on data obtained through the field observation and sampled from the crash database. It will be useful to compare the associations under interventions to that with no intervention. The project also proposes, in the presence of interventions, a hierarchical regression of crash severity on road and road characteristics as well as conflicts severity, where conflict severity is itself modeled as a function of relevant predictors. The project will acquire data from the Connecticut Crash Data Repository now being developed at the University and share results with the users of the Repository through a Living Laboratory arrangement. KW - Aged KW - Crash data KW - Crash severity KW - Midblock crossings KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Speed UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346118 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556869 TI - Crowdsourcing Real-Time Traveler Information Services: Issues, Challenges and Recommendations AB - Traditional approaches to providing travel information are based on physical sensor networks that are prohibitively expensive to install, costly to maintain and operate, limited in their coverage and suffer from unreliability. However, technological advances combined with participatory paradigms of information sharing such as Crowdsourcing, offer an alternative solution to providing traveler information services that can overcome these challenges. In crowdsourcing, individuals instead of physical sensors serve to collect data and contribute to content repositories; the information then gets processed and distributed to other users so they can make informed choices. The crowdsourcing paradigm is also gaining in popularity in the traveler information circles because of the growing penetration of internet-enabled and location aware handheld devices. However, despite its potential, a number of issues about its feasibility and applicability to provide complete traveler information services about entire transportation networks across all modal alternatives remain. In this regard, there are three main issues, namely, quality and validity of crowdsourced data; algorithms and approaches for synthesizing structured and unstructured crowdsourced data; and understanding participant behaviors as they relate to motivations for participation, and incentives for continued involvement. The main focus of the proposed research is to contribute alone these three lines of inquiry by deploying a crowdsourced project for providing real-time transit information services. KW - Algorithms KW - Crowdsourcing KW - Data collection KW - Data quality KW - Handheld devices KW - Internet KW - Mode choice KW - Real time information KW - Technological innovations KW - Travel behavior KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346117 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556868 TI - Spring 2014 UConn Pilot Project Competition AB - The proposed project is a small, pilot research project competition to be administered in Fall 2014 and executed in full by May 2015. Proposals will be solicited from University of Connecticut (UConn) researchers in fields related to transportation. Proposed projects will be able to request a maximum of $10,000. It is anticipated that 3-4 projects will be selected. The projects can range from equipment, data collection, advanced exploratory analysis or other efforts to explore new, potentially disruptive avenues of research. Proposals will conform to New England University Transportation Center (NEUTC) standards and will require a 1:1 match for all costs. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee comprised of internal and external reviewers. Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate potential for generating preliminary results and data, enabling transition to larger-scale development in the near term. Funds will be required to be expended by May 31, 2015. Once projects are selected, it is anticipated that this project description will be supplemented by the individual pilot project descriptions. KW - Data collection KW - Development KW - Equipment KW - Pilot studies KW - Transportation UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346116 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569165 TI - Estimating the Effect of Mobility and Food Choice on Obesity AB - This research will estimate the size and significance of individual mobility and food pattern choices on energy balance while accounting for both seasonality and individual perceptions of the navigability of the built environment in northern rural climates. Extensive bodies of research have examined relationships between energy balance and food patterns, the built environment and food choices However these diverse areas of study have never been addressed using a unified, transdisciplinary approach, nor has the role of perceptions of the navigability of the built environment by season been examined. This project will build upon a panel data set of 650 individuals residing in the Northeastern United States. The data set includes both time constant and time (seasonal) variant variables, as well as an individual travel diary. The proposed project will add geo-spatial built environment and actual weather data layers to these data. The combined panel data set will be used to estimate energy balance, accounting for individual perceptions of the built environment. Food choice and mobility have proved difficult to change using information alone. Changing perceptions may offer an alternate path to behavior change. The model will account for the influence of seasonal variation and actual geo-spatial characteristics, while controlling for demographic characteristics. New information can lead to recommendations for individual and policy level changes that promote energy balance and healthy weights. KW - Built environment KW - Energy KW - Food KW - Mobility KW - Obesity KW - Seasonality UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/estimating-the-effect-of-mobility-and-food-choice-on-obesity/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359720 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569115 TI - A Risk-Based Flood-Planning Strategy for Vermont's Roadway Network AB - This project proposes to expand the Network Robustness Index (NRI) to specifically focus on disruptions to Vermont's roadway network caused by flooding. The project will identify the links in the state-wide network that are most critical to the operational functionality of the state's roadway system and quantify the impacts associated with flooding episodes, like the ones which occurred in northern Vermont in the Spring of 2011 and in southern Vermont in August 2011. The project will rank-order the most vulnerable links using a risk-based probability approach that takes into account the likelihood a particular link will be flooded, the expected reduction in capacity on those links due to flooding, and the dynamic re-routing of travelers. High-priority links can be fortified either by improving drainage or retrofitting the roadway to prevent impacts from extreme rainfall and snowfall. KW - Floods KW - Highway capacity KW - Highways KW - Network Robustness Index KW - Networks KW - Retrofitting KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359626 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566198 TI - Electric Vehicles and their Impact on the Electric Power Delivery System AB - The overall goal of this project is to eliminate technical barriers to electrified transportation by developing empirically validated methods to quantify and mitigate the impacts of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging on the electric power distribution infrastructure. This goal is divided into four objectives. The first two objectives are to develop data-calibrated methods to quantify the impact of PEV charging on the expected life of underground distribution cables and transformers in the low and medium voltage distribution systems. The third objective is to develop methods to mitigate potential damage to infrastructure by managing electric vehicle charging. The fourth objective is to integrate these components into a model of the total impact of high PEV penetration on the distribution infrastructure in a neighborhood. In order to perform the proposed calibration, the team will obtain data from a neighborhood distribution system in the Green Mountain Power territory which has existing Smart Grid infrastructure. These data will allow us to calibrate the transformer and cable models, which will be subsequently combined with existing work by the PIs to develop a tool for estimating the total impact of PEV charging on a given distribution system with known characteristics. This one-year project will lay the foundation for future work, which we expect to fund through externally funded research grants. KW - Distribution systems KW - Electric power transmission KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Transformers KW - Underground utility lines UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/electric-vehicles-and-their-impact-on-the-electric-power-delivery-system/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357369 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566196 TI - The Social Network Mapping of Sustainable Transportation Leaders AB - There are a number of key environmental, political and financial issues facing transportation leaders attempting to promote policies and programs that advance sustainable transportation objectives in the 21st Century. This project seeks to understand how leaders of those organizations use their communication strategies to promote sustainable transportation, preferred policy outcomes and position within the organizational network. The project will build on previous research that investigated the network positions of 121 organizations engaged with sustainable transportation programs and policies in the states of Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. That project mapped the network structure of those organizations and their interorganizational communication patterns. In this project we interview the leaders in those organizations to understand their communication strategies, leadership approaches and perceived influence over different steps in the policy process focusing on how they communicate between organizations and the general audience media. The project then compare this qualitative data with the network analysis-data previously collected and an analysis of the appearance of these organization in the media discourse. This work contributes to the understanding of transportation leadership, the role of communications in organizational network position and appearance in the media discourse. This research will also add to the understanding of how leaders of sustainable transportation use communications as a tool to promote their preferred policy outcomes. KW - Communications KW - Financing KW - Leadership KW - Maine KW - New Hampshire KW - Policy analysis KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357367 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566188 TI - Prediction and Mitigation of Scour for Vermont Bridges AB - The majority of bridge failures in the United States and elsewhere are caused by scour, which was also observed in Vermont following the tropical storm Irene. Successfully mitigating such scour related problems associated with bridges is dependent on engineers' ability to reliably estimate scour potential, design effective scour prevention and countermeasures, design safe and economical foundation elements accounting for scour potential, and design reliable and economically feasible monitoring systems. The outcomes of this research project will enable the Agency of Transportation to holistically address the scour problem - predict the anticipated scour at a given site using modern numerical techniques such as artificial neural networks that employ the stream geomorphic data assembled by the Agency of Natural Resources; develop design and/or countermeasures techniques for bridge abutments that are appropriate for Vermont; and develop relatively low-cost passive sensors that will actively yet remotely communicate excessive scour. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridges KW - Design KW - Maintenance KW - Remote sensing KW - Scour KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357359 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566187 TI - Designing Porous Concrete to Resist Damage from Deicing Salts and Freeze-Thaw AB - Pervious concrete, with its ability to act as both a structural pavement and a stormwater mitigation system, has been identified as a best management practice (BMP) to efficiently manage stormwater runoff and reduce stormwater pollution. Despite the benefits and significant research and development on pervious concrete, its acceptance in cold climates is still limited. Vulnerability to freeze-thaw and salt exposure has led to uncertainty about its long term performance. The scope of this research is to: (1) evaluate in the laboratory porous concrete mixes for their resistance to deicing chemicals; (2) quantify the effects of sand addition on the resistance to deicing salts; (3) quantify the effects of fly ash replacement on resistance to deicing salts; (4) evaluate various chemical admixtures to determine if they improve resistance of porous concrete to deicing salts; and (5) determine how curing time affects resistance to deicing salts. KW - Admixtures KW - Best practices KW - Curing time KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Drainage KW - Durability KW - Freeze thaw durability UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/designing-sustainable-porous-pavements-for-northern-communities/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357358 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530519 TI - Performance Measurements of Transportation Systems based on Fine-Grained Data Collected by AVI and AVL Systems AB - Performance measurement is an important component of the planning and operation of transportation systems. The anticipated federal reauthorization legislation will put a very strong emphasis on performance measurement, requiring states and local agencies to establish and achieve performance targets. Increasingly, transportation agencies have been interested in utilizing data collected from point traffic detectors installed as parts of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for the estimation of transportation system performance measures and the use of these measures in the active management of transportation systems. The deployments of these point detectors are becoming common on freeway facilities, particularly in urban areas. Some agencies have utilitzed or are considering the utilization of Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technologies for estimating travel time in real-time applications. Initially, this has occurred on tolled facilities based on electronic toll collection (ETC) readers installed to support traffic management operations, as is the case with the ETC readers installed to estimate travel time on the Florida Turnpike System and those installed on the facilities of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA). More recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of AVI technologies by other agencies; particularly due to the availability of more cost effective technologies such as Bluetooth. These technologies are now being deployed or considered for deployment on both freeways and urban street networks. This project will investigate the opportunities for more detailed performance measurements of transportation systems based on AVI, Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), and Automated People Counters (APC) data and the utilization of derived measures for active performance management of the transportation systems. The specific objectives of the project are: (1) Utilize individual vehicle data collected by AVI systems to estimate various performance measures of highway networks and demonstration of the use of these measures for the active management of highway system performance; and (2) utilize transit vehicle AVL data to estimate the performance measures of transit systems and demonstration of the use of these measures for the active management of highway system performance. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Automatic vehicle identification KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Orlando (Florida) KW - Real time information KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle detectors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316154 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489797 TI - The Challenges of Growth and Motorization: Transportation Policy in Rapidly Developing Cities AB - The project is the culmination of a larger effort by the principal investigator to understand the transportation challenges facing rapidly growing cities in developing countries. Urbanization is one of the defining trends of our time, and has been especially rapid in Asia and Africa. Over the last five years the principal investigator (PI) has studied the efforts of four megacities--Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Lagos, Mumbai--to cope with the challenges of rapid growth and the shift to individual motorized modes of transportation notably the motorcycle and car. This research was supported by the World Bank, the Ash Institute for Asia at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and other sources, and has resulted in teaching cases on each of the four cities that are used in masters' courses and executive programs at the HKS, the World Bank and elsewhere. The current project would extend the research in two ways: by supporting the development of a case study of Bangkok, a city that has the reputation for having tamed the severe congestion it suffered from in the mid 1990s, and by supporting the drafting of a monograph or book manuscript that would draw together the lessons of the five cities' efforts to cope with growth and congestion. Matching funds would be drawn from the PI's sabbatical leave and other sources and no University Transportation Center (UTC) funds would be used for foreign travel. KW - Africa KW - Asia KW - Bangkok (Thailand) KW - Case studies KW - Developing countries KW - Motorcycles KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation policy KW - Urban growth KW - Urbanization UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259268 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489796 TI - Cell Phones and Vehicle Safety AB - Widespread adoption of smart phones, cell phones and other mobile devices has changed many aspects of society dramatically. Understanding the relationship between device use, distracted driving and driver safety is a vital question for public health, safety and transportation. The project proposes to bring novel data to bear on this important question. The project will merge information about all fatal and non-fatal police-reported crashes with minute-by-minute, localized data on cell phone usage. Given increased use of mobile devices and increased use of information technology integrated directly into vehicles, the research will examine a question of vital importance and will addresses directly New England University of Transportation Center's (NEUTC's) research focus on driver distraction and safety. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crash reports KW - Distraction KW - Highway safety KW - Information technology KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259267 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483238 TI - Nondestructive Evaluation Technologies for Bridge Inspection AB - The goal of this research program in Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) is to improve the safety and reliability of bridges. The results of this research will enhance the safety of the transportation infrastructure by providing better tools for the safety condition assessment of bridges during fabrication, inspection and repair. The research will also enhance the state of good repair by developing technologies for detecting deterioration in its embryonic stages, when maintenance and preservation strategies can be implemented to ensure the state of good repair. The benefit is better, safer and longer lasting steel and concrete bridges and related structures. Three promising areas will be the focus of this research: 1) Vehicle-mounted Infrared Thermography for Bridge Condition Assessment Develop a flexible, portable platform for infrared thermography that enables the technology to be vehicle-mounted for scanning bridge decks, bridge soffits and tunnels at close to normal traffic speeds. 2) Develop Phase Array Ultrasonic Testing for Steel Fabrication Improve the quality control process for steel fabrication to improve the reliability, safety and quality of welded constructions. 3) Ultrasonic Measurement of In-Situ Stress Levels in Gusset Plates Measure the actual the actual in-situ stress levels in the gusset plates to ensure structural safety. This experimental research will explore that application of these technologies for practical applications for bridge condition assessment. The research will also make a strong contribution to the education and training of students in the important arena of inspection and condition assessment of the civil infrastructure, where current curriculum is lacking. These technologies can make significant improvements in the ability of engineers and inspectors to assess the condition of bridges to improve highway safety and ensure the state of good repair. KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Deterioration KW - Infrared detectors KW - Infrared thermography KW - Infrastructure KW - Inspection KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Traffic safety UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=404 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252087 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483237 TI - Effectiveness of Work Zone Intelligent Transportation Systems AB - In the last decade, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies have been deployed in work zones by state departments of transportation (DOTs) to improve traffic operations and safety. Also known as Smart Work Zone Systems (SWZS) these deployments provide real-time information to travelers, monitor traffic conditions, and manage incidents. Although, there have been numerous ITS deployments in work zones to date, the evaluation of the effectiveness of these deployments has not been well documented. To justify the continuous development and implementation of work zone ITS, there is a need to determine the ITS effectiveness for specific work zone projects in terms of traffic diversion rate, delay, crash rate, queue, and speed management. This project aims to develop a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of SWZS and illustrate it on an actual work zone deployment in Missouri. The Mid-America Transportation Center (MATC) portion of the effort is focused on technology transfer activities in terms of disseminating the results of the developed framework to a broader audience. KW - Crash rates KW - Incident management KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Real time information KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technology transfer KW - Traffic queuing KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=406 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252086 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483130 TI - Geosynthetic Reinforcement to Protect Underground Pipes against Damage from Construction and Traffic AB - More than 5,000 significant pipe incidents happened in the United States from 1999 to 2009 that resulted in fatalities, injuries, and significant property damage and loss. Of those serious incidents 25 percent were caused by excavation damage. Therefore, protection of underground pipes against damage from construction and traffic are important and necessary. Unfortunately, no effective method is available so far. This research project will develop a technology using geosynthetic reinforcement to protect underground pipes (either existing or new pipes) against damage from construction or traffic. The geosynthetic reinforcement is laid across the trench between the surface and the top of the pipe. The objective of this research is to determine the level of protection provided to a flexible pipe by a geosynthetic layer. The hypotheses are: the geosynthetic reinforcement over a buried pipe will reduce the stresses and strains in a flexible pipe, caused by a penetrating (simulating excavation during construction) or dynamic surface load (simulating traffic). This research objective will be pursued at the CEAE Department at the University of Kansas using the large-scale geotechnical test box (3 m long x 2 m wide x 2 m high). In this research, the following factors will be investigated: (1) type of backfill in trench (sand and gravel), (2) type of surface cover (sand and gravel); (3) mechanical properties of geosynthetic, (4) depth of geosynthetic, and (5) type of loading (penetrating and cyclic loading). Earth pressure cells, displacement transducers, and strain gauges will be installed around or on the pipe and the geosynthetic to investigate the effects of the above influence factors. The successful completion of this research can advance the technology of using geosynthetic reinforcement to protect underground pipes, and potentially help engineers develop a system that can avoid catastrophes. KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Earth pressure KW - Geosynthetics KW - Longitudinal reinforcement KW - Mechanical properties KW - Pipe KW - Repeated loads KW - Strain gages UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=416 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251906 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483129 TI - Properties of Fouled Recycled Ballast AB - A thorough understanding of railroad ballast drainage and strength properties is required for developing ballast specifications. While the properties of new ballast meeting American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) specifications have been investigated, as much as 70 percent of the ballast applied to track during maintenance activities is recycled ballast. This ballast and a great deal of ballast currently in service under track has experienced degradation due to particle breakdown and rounding. The properties of recycled or degraded ballast have not been thoroughly examined; however it is believed that this ballast will not perform as well as new ballast, particularly when fouled. Furthermore, non-invasive detection of fouled ballast is often difficult in the field. The family of geophysical technologies has promise for enabling such detection. Electrical conductivity is one of these technologies that has not been thoroughly explored for this function. The change in electrical conductivity of ballast as it becomes fouled will be investigated. It is hypothesized that the properties of recycled ballast from 3-5 sources be characterized with regard to their degree of degradation. The initial work on the first source of ballast was undertaken as a part of Phase 1. Strength, permeability, and electrical conductivity tests will be conducted on clean and fouled samples with the goal of relating the degree of fouling to reductions in the strength, drainage, and conductive properties of recycled ballast. The anticipated outcome is relationships KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Drainage KW - Electrical conductivity KW - Maintenance of way KW - Permeability KW - Recycled materials KW - Strength of materials UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=437 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251905 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483128 TI - Repair of Floorbeam-to-Stringer Connections Affected by Distortion-Induced Fatigue AB - Distortion-induced fatigue is a serious and costly problem facing the Nation's steel bridge infrastructure. Inexpensive, practical, and effective retrofit techniques are desperately needed for the repair of existing structures. One structural system that has repeatedly shown susceptibility to distortion-induced fatigue is the stringer-floorbeam system of bridge construction, wherein cracking is commonly encountered at the connection between floorbeams and stringers. Little research has been performed aimed at developing inexpensive, practical, and effective retrofit techniques for floorbeam-stringer connections. This project contains a roadmap for accomplishing exactly that. Therefore, the research directly addresses the following US Strategic Goals: (1) Enhancing safety, (2) Improving the state of good repair, and (3) Improving environmental sustainability of the U.S. surface transportation system. The research project includes selection of details for study based upon feedback from regional DOTs. Two physical floorbeam-stringer specimens will be tested in distortion-induced fatigue, and various retrofit techniques developed through complimenting finite element analyses will be evaluated on the physical specimens. From prior experience, it is anticipated that multiple tests will be obtainable from a single specimen. Recommendations will be provided regarding the various retrofits developed. KW - Bridge construction KW - Distortion (Structures) KW - Failure KW - Finite element method KW - Repairing KW - Retrofitting KW - Safety KW - Stringers UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=438 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251904 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483127 TI - Evaluation of Low-Cost Intersection Countermeasures to Reduce Red Light Running Violations AB - Red light running (RLR) crashes are a serious safety concern at signalized intersections. In 2009 it was reported that 676 fatalities (FHWA, 2011) and 130,000 injuries were due to red light running crashes in the United States (IIHS, 2011). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that in 2007 over half of the red lights running fatalities were passengers of the violating vehicle, both passengers and the driver of the vehicle that was collided into, or pedestrians within the intersection (IIHS, 2007). Many communities have installed automated enforcement as a way to enforce red light violations at high-crash intersections. In 2011, it was estimated that over 538 communities had installed automated enforcement (IIHS, 2011). However, automated enforcement may not be practical for an intersection or cannot be implemented due to state legislation. Many communities have implemented low-cost countermeasures at intersections (e.g. confirmation lights, reflective back plates, advance beacons, or enhanced signage) to alert the driver or aid law enforcement officials in capturing violators. Limited research currently exists on evaluating low-cost red light running countermeasures beyond naïve before and after crash analysis in response to community pressure. To fully evaluate a countermeasure, typically 3 to 6 years of before and after crash data are required, and this may not always be feasible. For this analysis, a before and after reduction or increase in red light running violations will be used as a surrogate measure to crash data to evaluate red light running countermeasures and the spillover effect at select intersections in Kansas. The results of this research study is expected to have an immediate impact in the State of Kansas with legislation preventing automated enforcement to be installed and communities seeking low-cost ways to reduce red light running at signalized intersections. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash data KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Red light running KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=425 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251903 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483125 TI - Highway Safety Manual Applied in States: Calibration and Training AB - This project involves two major steps for applying the national Highway Safety Manual (HSM) in states. The first step is the calibration of HSM to local conditions using historical safety, geometric and demand data. The focus of the calibration will be on Missouri although other Mid-America Transportation Center (MATC) states could also benefit from the results. The second step is the development of training and technology transfer for a wide range of organizations including the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), metropolitan planning organizations, regional planning commissions and local communities. KW - Calibration KW - Data collection KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Technology transfer KW - Training KW - Travel demand UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=399 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251901 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483124 TI - Evaluation of Alternative Geometric Designs on Highway Corridors - Case Study of J Turns AB - Alternative geometric designs such as J-turns, double crossover interchanges and continuous flow intersections have the potential to improve safety and traffic flow on freeways and arterials. The evaluation of such designs will provide information on their effectiveness and guidance for their proper deployment. J-turn intersection designs have been in operation in Maryland and North Carolina for years. They serve as an alternative to a two-way stop controlled intersection on high-speed roadways. By forcing the through and left turn movements from the minor street to turn right and make a U-turn at a downstream location, the J-turn design is safer due to fewer conflict points and less severe conflict types. Missouri Department of Transportation (DOT) has recently started using J-turn design as a corridor safety treatment on rural high-speed roads. As their first corridor deployment, MoDOT is constructing J-turns on an 8.5-mile stretch of U.S. 54 south of Jefferson City. This project will evaluate the safety and operational benefits of this J-turn deployment. The analysis will focus on several safety and operational performance measures, including conflicts, actual crash statistics, driver confusion measures, heavy vehicle maneuverability, gap acceptance, and travel time measures. The study findings assist Missouri and other Midwest states with new knowledge on the benefits of J-turn design and guidance on when to consider deploying J-turns as a corridor level safety treatment. KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Intersections KW - J turns KW - Maryland KW - Missouri KW - North Carolina KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Traffic flow UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=402 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251900 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483123 TI - Evaluation of Work Zone Software Programs: Phase 2 - Validation Using Field Data AB - In 2008, the University of Missouri evaluated several software programs for work zone traffic impact analysis and identified appropriate analytical tools for assessing traffic impacts at different types of work zones. This research was funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). Three software programs - QuickZone, VISSIM, and CA4PRS were evaluated, and a customized spreadsheet for Missouri conditions, Work Zone (WZ) Spreadsheet, was developed. WZ Spreadsheet produces queue length and delay estimates with minimum amount of input data. The current project is aimed at calibrating and validating the software programs using real world data. Performance measures such as queue length and delay obtained from the programs will be compared with the values observed in the field. The accuracy of results produced by each program will be quantified so that the users can attribute a level of confidence to the program's outputs. Thus the software programs will be calibrated to provide reliable and documented results so as to improve traffic operations and safety in work zones. KW - Calibration KW - Field tests KW - Missouri KW - Software KW - Spreadsheets KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic queuing KW - Validation KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=403 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251899 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483122 TI - Development of the Fourth Edition of The Manual for Identification, Analysis and Correction of High-crash Locations (HAL) AB - No summary provided. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash causes KW - Development KW - High risk locations KW - Manuals KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=397 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251898 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483121 TI - Evaluation of Pile Load Tests for Use in Missouri LRFD Guidelines AB - The current Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Engineering Policy Guide (EPG) 751.36 for Driven Piles includes resistance factors to be used in the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD). These resistance factors were adopted from the current AASHTO LRFD Bridge Manual (2010). These resistance factors at the national level tend to be in the conservative side and closely tied to the level of effort and engineering conducted during the installation of the foundation elements (static pile load and dynamic method tests). A series of load tests (3) will be conducted at three construction bridge sites along the Missouri highway system. The results will be used to adjust the resistance factors that have been developed previously based on high strain dynamic methods only. KW - Bridge construction KW - Guidelines KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Missouri KW - Pile foundations UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=409 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251897 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537415 AU - Pickerill, Heath AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program at Missouri University of Science and Technology: Annual Progress Report, January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2011 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This annual report is a summary of the activities during 2011 for the Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program (Missouri LTAP), which is located at Missouri University of Science and Technology. The report highlights Missouri LTAP’s performance and activities over the past year. It gives detailed information on how the four focus areas of the National LTAP Strategic Plan were met through training and various activities and projects. It also includes information on how Missouri LTAP accomplished the six tasks that support the four focus areas. Performance indicators for each of the tasks are included. The four focus areas and six tasks are covered in detail under the 2012 Work Plan. Further, this report contains information on the training provided; training summaries for 2011; summaries of Missouri LTAP’s advisory and ambassadors’ meetings; the 2012 Work Plan; and the 2012 budget. KW - Annual reports KW - Highway departments KW - Local Technical Assistance Program KW - Missouri KW - Technical assistance KW - Training UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/ETT267%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322150 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01496741 AU - Ge, Yuning Louis AU - Rosenblad, Brent L AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Coal Fly Ash and Other Waste Products in Soil Stabilization and Road Construction-Including Non-Destructive Testing of Roadways PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 107p AB - An extensive laboratory testing program was performed on subgrade soils stabilized using fly ash and lime kiln dust. The laboratory program included measurements of: compaction curves, small strain elastic moduli, resilient modulus (Mr), Briaud Compaction Device (BCD) modulus, and unconfined compressive strengths of subgrade soils mixed with various amounts of Class C fly ash and lime kiln dust (LKD). The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify changes with time in subgrade modulus and strength from soil stabilization and (2) evaluate potential non-destructive quality control (QC) methods. The amount of improvement in subgrade modulus varied with soil type and soil stabilizer. Increases in Mr values by up to a factor of five were observed. Relative changes in resilient modulus with time were compared to changes in modulus values measured from small-strain velocity measurements and the BCD (both of which can be applied in the field for QC) with mixed results. In many cases, the trends in modulus change were in good agreement, but in other cases significant differences were observed. Short-term tracking of wave velocity of stabilized soil showed increases of about 20 to 40% (relative to the unstabilized soil) within 1-hour after compaction. Future studies should focus on evaluation of these non-destructive testing (NDT) methods under field conditions. KW - Fly ash KW - Kiln dust KW - Laboratory tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Quality control KW - Road construction KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade materials KW - Waste products UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1109/cmr13-006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264723 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01496674 AU - Rakha, Hesham A AU - Ahn, Kyoungho AU - Park, Sangjun AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - AERIS: Eco-Driving Application Development and Testing PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 47p AB - This exploratory study investigates the potential of developing an Eco-Driving application that utilizes an eco-cruise control (ECC) system within state-of-the-art car-following models. The research focuses on integrating predictive cruise control and optimal vehicle acceleration and deceleration controllers within car-following models to minimize vehicle fuel consumption levels. This system makes use of topographic information, spacing to lead vehicle, and a desired (or target) vehicle speed and distance headway as input variables. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Algorithms KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Car following KW - Cruise control KW - Deceleration KW - Ecodriving KW - Fuel consumption KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Vehicle spacing UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/47000/47500/47598/Final_Package_Eco-Driving-Applications_V3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491379 AU - Kawamura, Kazuya AU - Sriraj, P S AU - Bader, Cara AU - Fu, Elizabeth AU - Halpern-Givens, Ethan AU - Murchie, Jud AU - Lindquist, Peter AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - University of Illinois, Chicago AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Broad Economic Benefits of Freight Transportation Infrastructure Improvement PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 140p AB - This project strives to introduce a novel way to quantify the broad re-organization benefits associated with an improvement in the freight infrastructure. Using the approach based on the technique known as Field of Influence and RAS adjustment of input-output account, the benefits of reducing truck congestion in urban areas are estimated with and without the re-organization effects. Both approaches are applied to various urban areas in the upper Midwest to evaluate their broad applicability and to investigate the relationship between the estimated benefits and the economic structure and size. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic benefits KW - Freight transportation KW - Improvements KW - Infrastructure KW - Input output models KW - Midwestern States KW - Traffic congestion KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257320 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01489954 AU - Bier, Vicki AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Managing Challenges of Import Safety in a Global Market PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 16p AB - This collaborative will examine market, regulatory, and hybrid approaches to managing risk from deliberate or unintentional contamination in imported commodity products from the global supply chain, through research and on-campus activities involving industry, regulators, and visiting academics. KW - Commodity flow KW - Contamination KW - Globalization KW - Imports KW - Risk management KW - Safety KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0302.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258467 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488182 AU - Hanley, Paul AU - Ma, Suyun AU - Yu, Hai AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Procedure for Matching Truck Crash Records with Hazardous Material Release Incidents and a Comparative Analysis of the Determinants of Truck Crashes with Hazardous Material Releases PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The current study quantifies the number and location of hazardous release crashes and identifies the events leading to crashes, as well as the type of material released. This study, for the first time, combined two federal databases: the United States Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) database, and the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) crash database. PHMSA and MCMIS data for 1999 through 2009 were obtained and matched using the common attributes of time, day, month, year, county, state, and phase of transportation. Naive Bayesian, logistic and neural network classification methods were developed and compared. Each method performed well. All possible pairwise combinations of records between the two datasets were identified. Likelihood estimates of a match using these common attributes were calculated, after which a sample of the records was drawn. The sample was manually checked for matches and mismatches, and was used in the calibration of the logistic and neural networks. The matching algorithms were run using all possible pairwise combinations to identify exact matches, as well as the probability of matches. Pairwise comparisons with a probability of a match greater than 0.50 were extracted and used in the statistical analysis of truck crash characteristics. Each of the extracted records was weighed based on the probability of a match, and the weighted total was set to equal the number of MCMIS reported crashes characterized by hazardous material releases. One outcome of this study will be the identification of a probabilistic model that will advance safety regulations of the U.S. trucking industry and fleet. KW - Comparative analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash records KW - Hazardous materials KW - Motor Carrier Management Information System Crash File KW - Spills (Pollution) KW - Truck crashes KW - U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Hanley_AProcedureforMatchingTruckCrashRecordswithHazardousMaterialReleaseIncidentsandaComparativeAnalysisoftheDeterminantsofTruckCrasheswithHazardousMaterialReleases.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482535 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Coordination with Railroads to Facilitate Acquisition of ROW PY - 2012/06 SP - 77p AB - It has been observed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) that there has been an emerging national trend for increasingly difficult and time consuming right-of-way (ROW) access agreements and acquisitions of smaller parcels from railroads. The frequent complaint is that railroads are slow to process requests for access rights and State Departments of Transportation (SDOTs) have a difficult time reaching an amicable negotiated settlement. FHWA has determined that it would be a worthy research effort to explore ways in which SDOT ROW access agreements and real estate acquisitions from railroads could be expedited to the benefit of all stakeholders and the safety and convenience of the traveling public. This project will be confined to research of this problem in the northeastern United States, specifically those states through which the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) operations its Northeast Corridor. The purpose of this research is to develop approaches which will be useful to acquiring agencies as they advance ROW access and land acquisition programs. This includes identifying the best ways to use HEPR resources to help SDOTs and other local public agencies successfully and expeditiously achieve railroad access agreements and acquisitions consistent with the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisitions Policies Act of 1970 as amended, also known as the Uniform Act (UA). Objectives of this project were to identify strategies and institutional agreements that will facilitate beneficial relationships between railroad companies and public agencies; and identify barriers to an effective agreement process and propose remedies. Key observations, findings and best practice opportunities for DOTs are included, as well as opportunities and potential next steps for FHWA. KW - Best practices KW - Coordination KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Northeastern United States KW - Property acquisition KW - Railroads KW - Right of way (Land) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/publications/row_railroad_coordination/finalacqrow.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/48000/48100/48199/finalacqrow.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250630 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01481253 AU - Rojas, Francisca M AU - Harvard Kennedy School AU - Taubman Center for State and Local Government AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Transparency: Effective Disclosure through Open Data PY - 2012/06 SP - 85p AB - This study examines the process by which transit agencies in the United States disclose their operations data to the public and analyzes how constituencies for that data, particularly software developers and transit riders, used that information. This report is based upon five case histories of public transit agencies: Portland’s Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation System of Oregon (TriMet), Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The authors sought to understand the origin, evolution and effect of those agencies’ open data initiatives using extensive interview work, web research, and analyses of customer surveys. Through this methodology, the authors identified the drivers and barriers to adoption of transparent, consumer-oriented information systems by transit agencies. KW - Case studies KW - Chicago Transit Authority KW - Data sharing KW - Information dissemination KW - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority KW - New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority KW - Public transit KW - Surveys KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit riders KW - Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon KW - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority UR - http://www.transparencypolicy.net/assets/FINAL_UTC_TransitTransparency_8%2028%202012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1245606 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475854 AU - Rajabipour, Farshad AU - Wright, Jared AU - Shafaatian, Seyed (Afshin) AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Utilizing Coal Fly Ash and Recycled Glass in Developing Green Concrete Materials PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The environmental impact of Portland cement concrete production has motivated researchers and the construction industry to evaluate alternative technologies for incorporating recycled cementing materials and recycled aggregates in concrete. One such technology is based on using pulverized glass as sand or pozzolan. Currently in the United States more than 600,000 tons/year of recycled glass bottles are stockpiled due to prohibitive shipping costs from recycling locations to glass melting factories. This project demonstrates the potential use of this waste material along with fly ash (another industrial byproduct with landfill rate of 42.4 million tons/year) in developing durable and environmentally positive concretes that can be used for various transportation applications. Toward this objective, the project included two main tasks. In the first task, the deleterious alkali-silica reaction (ASR) induced by the use of silicate glass aggregates was mitigated via the use of fly ash. Mixtures were prepared using one of six different fly ashes. The main objective of this task was to better understand the mechanisms by which fly ash mitigates ASR and to identify factors that most significantly determine fly ash effectiveness against ASR. Through a combination of advanced analytical measurements and numerical simulations, it can be concluded that fly ash is effective against ASR by (1) reducing the alkalinity of pore solution by alkali binding, (2) reducing the mass transport in concrete, (3) improving the tensile strength of concrete, and (4) reducing the aggregate dissolution rate by reducing the concentration of hydroxyl ions per unit surface area of siliceous aggregates. In addition, fly ashes with low calcium oxide and alkali content and high silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide contents were found to be most effective against ASR. The goal of the second task was to provide recommendations and design tools for engineers and materials suppliers to allow proper proportioning and production of “Glasscrete” mixtures (i.e., concrete containing recycled glass fine aggregates as 100% replacement of natural sand). Several Glasscrete mixtures with target slump, air content, and compressive strength were prepared and their fresh and hardened properties compared against concretes with natural sand. All mixtures contained 20% class F fly ash as mass replacement of Portland cement to mitigate ASR. It was found that the use of glass sand results in a reduction in the compressive strength of concrete, potentially due to weakening of the aggregate-paste bonding. In comparison with natural sand concrete, Glasscrete was found to have better workability, lower water sorptivity, lower chloride permeability, and lower coefficient of thermal expansion. On the other hand, Glasscrete showed lower resistance against abrasion. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Fine aggregates KW - Fly ash KW - Glass KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Pozzolan KW - Recycled materials UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2010-07.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46063/PSU-2010-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244581 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475808 AU - Boriboonsomsin, Kanok AU - Sheckler, Ross AU - Barth, Matthew AU - University of California, Riverside AU - Calmar Telematics LLC AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - AERIS: Assessment and Fusion of Commercial Vehicle Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Data for Real-Time Emission Modeling PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 51p AB - Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) play a significant role in the freight transportation sector in the United States. However, they consume a vast amount of fuel and are a significant source of both greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions. In order to properly design strategies to reduce energy and environmental impacts of HDTs, accurate data of their fuel consumption and emissions are required, preferably in real-time. One of the important sources of these data is the on-board electronic control units (ECUs) that can provide hundreds of vehicle and engine operating parameters. This report investigates how data items from ECUs, such as engine speed, engine load, and fuel flow rate, might be collected and what value these data items might have in studying the environmental issues associated with highway transportation and in the development of advanced applications, such as real-time emission modeling and reporting system, to manage these issues. KW - Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Data collection KW - Electronic control units KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Pollutants KW - Real time information UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46187/FINAL_PKG_FHWA-JPO-12-051.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244516 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473754 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - Murthy, Vinay AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - What Do Americans Think about Federal Tax Options to Support Public Transit,Highways, and Local Streets and Roads? Results from Year 3 of a National Survey PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 88p AB - A national random-digit-dial public opinion poll asked about support for various tax options for raising federal transportation revenues, with a special focus on understanding support for increasing revenues for public transit. Eleven specific tax options were presented. Information was used to assess support levels for the tax options among different population subgroups. The survey results show that a majority of Americans would support higher taxes for transportation under certain conditions. A gas tax increase of 10¢ per gallon to improve road maintenance was supported by 58 percent of respondents; support dropped to just 20 percent for more general maintenance and improvement of the transportation system. Sales taxes are much more popular than either a gas tax increase or a new mileage tax. Survey results from all three years show that while most people want good public transit service in their state there are relatively low levels of support for measures to raise revenue for it. Large minorities of respondents did not know that all levels of government support transit, with the federal government the least recognized source of support. KW - Federal aid KW - Finance KW - Fuel taxes KW - Public opinion KW - Public transit KW - Sales tax KW - Taxation KW - Transportation policy UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1128-american-survey-federal-taxes-public-transit-highways-streets-roads.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/object?group=ucb_transportation_studies_library&object=ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5jd4xgf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225403 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473722 AU - Kozub, Christopher A AU - Jenkins, Brian Michael AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bus Operator Awareness Research and Development Training Program PY - 2012/06 SP - 10p AB - The Bus Operator Security Training Program overview is a security awareness course specifically designed for public transit bus operators. The training is designed to enhance abilities to evaluate suspicious activities, take appropriate action, and provide accurate information to law enforcement. KW - Bus drivers KW - Bus transit KW - Security UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2875-II-bus-operator-awareness-research-development-training.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218687 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472537 AU - Rakha, Hesham A AU - Kamalanathsharma, Raj Kishore AU - Ahn, Kyoungho AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - AERIS : Eco-Vehicle Speed Control at Signalized Intersections Using I2V Communication PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 36p AB - This report concentrates on a velocity advisory tool, or decision support system, for vehicles approaching an intersection using communication capabilities between the infrastructure and vehicles. The system uses available signal change information, vehicle characteristics, lead vehicle characteristics, and intersection features to compute the fuel-optimal vehicle trajectory. The proposed system involves a complex optimization logic incorporating roadway characteristics, lead vehicle information, vehicle acceleration capabilities and microscopic fuel consumption models to generate a fuel-optimal speed profile. The research also develops a MATLAB application in order to demonstrate the potential of an in-vehicle application of such a technology. KW - Fuel consumption KW - Signalized intersections KW - Speed control KW - Traffic signal phases KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46329/FHWA-JPO-12-063_FINAL_PKG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239140 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472534 AU - Tran, Hung Viet AU - Eberhard, Marc O AU - Stanton, John F AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Seismic-Resistant Connections between Precast Concrete Columns and Drilled Shafts PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 130p AB - In most areas of the country traffic is becoming more congested, and delays, more common. Highway construction, and especially construction that requires lane closures, exacerbates the delays, and imposes costs that can be measured in dollars, wasted fuel, carbon emissions, safety and personal stress levels. Methods of constructing bridges that require less time on site are therefore being developed in order to address these costs, and are referred to collectively as Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). One approach to ABC involves prefabricating concrete elements of the bridge off-site, and connecting them onsite. This procedure saves the time needed to erect formwork, assemble reinforcement cages and wait while the concrete gains strength. The elements are most conveniently cast and transported if they are line elements, such a straight beams and columns. In non-seismic regions, this presents no special problems. However, in seismic regions, precasting line elements means that the connections must be made at the intersections between them, which is where the moments are highest and the inelastic cyclic deformations the largest. Designing connections that are sufficiently robust to withstand severe seismic loading and are at the same time simple to complete is a challenge. This report described a method of connecting a precast concrete column to a drilled shaft foundation in a way that is suitable for use in a high seismic region. The method was adapted from the existing way of constructing a cast-in-place drilled shaft-to-column connection, and involves embedding the precast column into the top of the cast-in-place drilled shaft. The quantity and detailing of the reinforcement in the transition region, where the embedment occurs, is critical to achieving good seismic performance. Two scale specimens were tested in the laboratory, and the test results provided a lower bound on the amount of spiral reinforcement needed in the transition region. Analytical models were developed to describe the behavior of the connection. KW - Bridge construction KW - Columns KW - Drilled shafts KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Laboratory tests KW - Precast concrete KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Seismicity KW - Structural connection UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46261/TNW2012-14_Seismic_resistant_connections.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239164 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472516 AU - Gunnarsson, Arni Kristinn AU - Lehman, Dawn AU - Roeder, Charles AU - Kuder, Katherine AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Long-Term and Seismic Performance of Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Columns with Conventional and High-Volume SCM Concrete PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 236p AB - Production of Portland Cement for concrete is a major source of carbon dioxide emission. Concrete can be made more sustainable by replacing a large volume of the cement with Supplementary Cementitous Materials (SCMs) such as fly ash and slag. The amount of cement that can be replaced with SCMs in conventional concrete structures is limited due to slow strength gain, of such concretes. Concrete-Filled Tubes (CFT) are composite structural elements that consist of a steel tube with concrete infill. In CFT sections, neither formwork nor rebar is needed since the steel tube serves as both, which can reduce construction time and cost. In bridge construction, the steel tube itself has strength to support some dead weight of the superstructure prior to casting of the concrete. This can significantly reduce delays for concrete curing and eliminates the need for high early strength of the concrete, making slow-curing concrete, such as SCM concrete a realistic alternative. In this research program, two 20-inch diameter CFT columns were tested for creep and shrinkage behavior under sustained axial loading. Subsequently, the specimens were tested until failure under combined loading consisting of constant axial load and increasing cyclic lateral load to evaluate seismic performance. One tube was filled with conventional self-consolidating concrete (SCC), while self-consolidating SCM concrete was used in the other specimen. The objective was to determine if the performance of CFTs filled with SCM concrete is comparable to the performance of CFTs with conventional concrete. In the SCM concrete, 80% of the cement was replaced with fly ash and slag, which reduces the carbon footprint of the mixture greatly. Sealed and unsealed cylinders were made from both concrete mixtures and tested for creep and shrinkage behavior as a comparison. The results indicate that the long-term performance of CFTs filled with low early-strength concrete, such as SCM concrete, is fully comparable to performance CFTs filled with conventional concrete. Slightly more load was shed to the steel in the SCM specimen, but the concrete core of the SCM specimen was shown to creep considerably less. The results from the long-term tests were compared to four existing models for creep and shrinkage, to determine if these models provided acceptable predictions for the long-term behavior of structural CFT components. Some models captured the behavior quite well in some cases, while other models provided inferior predictions. Results from the seismic performance tests were compared to results from two specimens previously tested for seismic performance. One was identical to the SCC specimen tested in this research program, apart from the embedment depth of the tube, which was slightly smaller. The other specimen was 30 in. in diameter but the steel tube was of the same thickness. The results showed that the seismic performance of the CFT SCM specimen was almost identical to the seismic performance of CFTs filled with conventional concrete. Observed damage, Force-Displacement response, and Moment-Drift ratio were all very similar for all 20 in. specimens compared. KW - Axial loads KW - Concrete-filled steel tube KW - Creep KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Failure analysis KW - Fly ash KW - Performance tests KW - Shrinkage KW - Slag KW - Supplementary cementing materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46264/TNW2012-18_Long-Term_and_Seismic_Performance_of_Concrete-Filled_Steel_Tube_Columns.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239159 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472497 AU - Campbell, John L AU - Cluett, Christopher AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Lichty, Monica G AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Testing and Evaluation of Preliminary Design Guidelines for Disseminating Road Weather Advisory & Control Information PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The tremendous growth in the amount of available weather and road condition information, including devices that gather weather information, models and forecasting tools for predicting weather conditions, and electronic devices used by travelers, has led the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop effective and specific guidelines for communicating road weather information in a way that is consistent with what travelers need, want, and will use when making travel decisions. This project builds upon the earlier Human Factors Analysis of Road Weather Advisory and Control Information project which was initiated to assist transportation officials in communicating both pre-trip and enroute road weather information effectively, consistently, and timely to meet the needs of travelers for different weather conditions and travel scenarios. This earlier project resulted in preliminary guidelines. For the current effort, these preliminary guidelines were disseminated to a broad group of transportation and road weather officials for review and use. These reviewers included staff from private agencies and State Department of Transportation (DOT) staff working at Traffic Management Centers (TMCs). Evaluation of the guidelines followed through end user surveys, on-site interviews and discussions, and application of the preliminary guidelines to assess their suitability and effectiveness for traffic operations. Valuable feedback provided by these end users was used to modify the preliminary guidelines and develop the revised guidelines. This report documents the work of the completed project. The revised guidelines are available as Report No. FHWA-JPO-12-046. KW - Guidelines KW - Information dissemination KW - Road weather information systems KW - Surveys KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46358/FHWA-JPO-12-073_FINAL_PKG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239165 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470022 AU - Dissanayake, Sunanda AU - Amarasingha, Niranga AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effects of Geometric Design Features on Truck Crashes on Limited-Access Highways PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Freight can be transported between most points in the country quite efficiently using trucks. However, involvement of large trucks in crashes can cause much damage and serious injuries, due to their large sizes and heavy weights. Large truck crashes occurring on limited-access highways may be more severe than crashes occurring on other roadways due to high speed limits, and traffic- and geometric-related characteristics. The purpose of this study is to describe the relationships between large truck crash probability, and traffic and geometric characteristics. Crash data from 2005 to 2010 were obtained from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), which included 5,378 large truck crashes that occurred on Kansas limited-access highway sections. The traffic- and geometric-related details of highways were obtained from the Control Section Analysis System (CANSYS) database, which is maintained by KDOT as a highway inventory system. Homogeneous road sections in terms of speed limit, Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT), percent of trucks, horizontal curvature, horizontal grade, lane width, shoulder width, median width, and existence of rumble strips were identified. The total number of crashes occurring within each segment from 2005 to 2010 was determined, resulting in 7,273 analysis segments used in the modeling. A Poisson regression model and a negative binomial regression model were developed for identifying the relationships between the occurrence of truck crashes, and traffic and geometric characteristics. According to the models, highway design features such as horizontal curvature, vertical grade, lane width, and shoulder width are factors which can be used to change the occurrence of large truck crashes. Identifying the effect of traffic and geometric characteristics is important to promote safety treatments through engineering improvements. KW - Crash analysis KW - Expressways KW - Geometric design KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Kansas KW - Oversize loads KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46680/CorrectDissanayake_454_Effects_of_Geometric_Design_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225968 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470012 AU - Appiah, Justice AU - Naik, Bhaven AU - Sorensen, Scott AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Calibration of Microsimulation Models for Multimodal Freight PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 59p AB - This research presents a framework for incorporating the unique operating characteristics of multi-modal freight networks into the calibration process for microscopic traffic simulation models. Because of the nature of heavy freight movements in United States Department of Transportation Region VII (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas), the focus of the project is on heavy gross vehicles (HGV), or, trucks. In particular, a genetic algorithm (GA) based optimization technique was developed and used to find optimum parameter values for the vehicle performance model used by “Verkehr In Staedten-SIMulationmodell (VISSIM),” a widely used microscopic traffic simulation software. At present, the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), which is the most common reference for analyzing the operational characteristics of highways, only provides guidelines for highway segments where the heavy vehicle percentages are 25 or less. However, significant portions of many highways, such as Interstate 80 (I-80) in Nebraska, have heavy vehicle percentages greater than 25%. Therefore, with the anticipated increase in freight-moving truck traffic, there is a real need to be able to use traffic micro-simulation models to effectively recreate and replicate situations where there is significant heavy vehicle traffic. The procedure developed in this research was successfully applied to the calibration of traffic operations on a section of I-80 in California. For this case study, the calibrated model provided more realistic results than the uncalibrated model (default values) and reaffirmed the importance of calibrating microscopic traffic simulation models to local conditions. KW - Calibration KW - California KW - Case studies KW - Freight traffic KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Highway operations KW - Microsimulation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Nebraska KW - Trucks KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225863 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469969 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Gao, Miao AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Truck Safety at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Safety at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGC) is a major concern for different agencies because increasing highway and rail traffic presents a greater risk of crashes at these locations. In 2008, there were 2,391 crashes and 523 fatalities reported at grade crossings across the U.S. Of these, 187 crashes were reported in Nebraska, including 35 involving trucks with trailers and 10 involving trucks only. At gated crossings, gate-related violations by truck drivers are a primary cause of collisions between trains and trucks. The objectives of this research were to report on the frequency and type of gate violations by truck drivers at dual quadrant gated HRGCs in Nebraska, and to empirically identify factors that may be associated with those gate violations. Data on gate violations by truck drivers during train crossing events were collected at two HRGCs in Nebraska. Analysis of the data showed that the most frequent violations by truck drivers were passing under ascending gates, followed by drivers passing under descending gates. Violations increased with greater truck traffic at the HRGCs and with longer times between the onset of flashing lights and train arrivals. Analysis also showed nighttime to be associated with a greater frequency of gate violations by truck drivers. The main recommendation for reducing gate violations is to reduce excessively long time intervals between the onset of flashing lights and train arrivals at HRGCs. Recommendations for future research are provided in the report. KW - Gates KW - Nebraska KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Signal lights KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46661/Khattak_225_Assessment_of_truck_safety_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469962 AU - Lee, Hosin "David" AU - Shannon, Cory AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Quality Standards for Inclusion of High Recycled Asphalt Pavement Content in Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The objective of this research was to examine the effects that different methods of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) stockpile fractionation had on the volumetric mix design properties for high-RAP content surface mixes. The processing of RAP materials resulted in the degradation of the aggregate structure of the original pavement. The increased presence of fine RAP materials in the stockpile could be attributed to the amount of crushing done on the RAP millings. Fractionation methods were designed to separate the stockpile at certain sizes to isolate the fine RAP materials which contained higher amounts of fine aggregate and negatively impacted the volumetric properties of the mix design. These isolated RAP materials were used in reduced proportions or completely eliminated, thereby decreasing the amount of fine aggregate material introduced to the mix. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Fine aggregates KW - Fractionation KW - Mix design KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Stockpiling UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225864 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469942 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Luo, Zheng AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Safety Improvements at Highway-Railroad Crossing for Pedestrians and Bicyclist and the Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Centerline Curbing PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 73p AB - The focus of this research was on assessing the long-term effectiveness of median barriers at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs), the impacts of barrier maintenance in resurrecting safety, and on exploring and assessing ways to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety at HRGCs. Nebraska has about 7,000 HRGCs and each one represents a potential conflict point among trains and highway users, i.e., motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Safety at HRGCs is compromised when highway users resort to unsafe maneuvers, such as passing around closed gates when trains are approaching. Gate-related violations by motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists were studied at three selected HRGCs in Waverly, Fremont, and Lincoln, all cities located in Nebraska. The barrier at the Waverly HRGC was removed after being in place for a long time while the dilapidated barrier at the Fremont HRGC was revived through maintenance. An educational activity focused on pedestrians and bicyclists at the Fremont HRGC was evaluated for reducing gate violations. Removal of the barrier in Waverly contributed to greater frequency of unsafe maneuvers by motorists. Specifically, the frequencies of aggregate unsafe maneuvers (i.e., the sum of motorist gate rush, U-turn and backup), as well as gate rush and U-turn, increased after barrier removal. Safety deteriorated over the long-term at the Fremont HRGC while maintenance resurrected safety by reducing the frequency of passing around fully lowered gates by 30-50%. Regarding the effects of the educational campaign focused on pedestrians and bicyclists at the Fremont HRGC, the drive successfully reduced passing around fully lowered gates by about 39%. The recommendations from this research include emphasis on maintenance of barriers in top condition after installation and educational campaigns focused on pedestrians and bicyclists for safety improvements at HRGCs. KW - Center lines KW - Cyclists KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Highway safety KW - Maintenance KW - Median barriers KW - Nebraska KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Safety education UR - http://nlc1.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/R6000/B016.0189-2012.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46656/P323_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469933 AU - Neff, Margaret "Rita" AU - Bai, Yong AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Multi-Modal Freight Movement Plan for the Sustainable Growth of Wind Energy Related Industries PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 44p AB - As the demand for wind power increases so too has the popularity of larger and larger turbines. Larger turbines are able to produce more power for the input they receive but they are also much more difficult to transport. This project examines these difficulties with a focus on effective strategies to overcome them. Particular attention was paid to transportation of turbine components through the state of Kansas. KW - Freight traffic KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Kansas KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Oversize loads KW - Route choice KW - Turbines UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46681/Bai_467_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469918 AU - Hossain, Mustaque AU - Haritha, Musty AU - Sabahfer, Nassim AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of High-Volume Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for Asphalt Pavement Rehabilitation Due to Increased Highway Truck Traffic from Freight Transportation PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 71p AB - A recent rise in asphalt binder prices has led state agencies and contractors to use higher quantities of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). Besides being economic, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, RAP can be replaced for a portion of aggregates in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) where quality aggregates are scarce. In this project, the effect of increasing RAP percentage and using fractionated RAP (FRAP) in HMA mixture on moisture resistance, rutting, and fatigue cracking were evaluated. Mixtures with five different RAP and FRAP contents (20%, 30%, and 40% RAP, and 30% and 40% FRAP) were studied. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD) Test (TEX-242-F), Kansas Standard Test Method KT-56 or modified Lottman Test, and Dynamic Modulus Test (AASHTO TP: 62-03) were used to predict moisture damage, rutting potential and fatigue cracking resistance of the mixes. HMA specimens were prepared based on Superpave HMA mix design criteria for 12.5 mm (1/2 inch) Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size (NMAS) and compacted using the Superpave gyratory compactor. Results of these tests showed that although mixture performance in the laboratory tests declined as the percentage of RAP increased in the mix, even mixtures with 40% RAP passed the minimum requirements in commonly used tests. When RAP is compared with FRAP, FRAP does not seem to improve performance of the HMA mixtures. This was largely confirmed by the statistical analysis. Mixtures with RAP performed more or less the same as or better than the mixtures with FRAP. KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Moisture resistance KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Rutting KW - Superpave UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46665/Hossain_452_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225856 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458075 AU - Steciak, Judi AU - Beyerlein, Steve AU - Budwig, Ralph AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Progress in Catalytic Ignition Fabrication and Modeling: Fabrication Part 1 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 23p AB - Previous engine testing with Catalytic Plasma Torch (CPT) technology at the University of Idaho has shown promising results in the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. Because this technology is not yet well characterized, past research has indicated that parametric studies of the CPT design should lead to greater control over the combustion event. This report details the process used to design and fabricate a highly adjustable research-grade CPT to be used in a variable compression ratio Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) engine. CPT construction techniques originally developed by SmartPlugs, Inc. were used as a baseline for the next generation design and fabrication process outlined in this work. The design was improved by making the prechambers interchangeable with the feed-through and catalytic core assembly. The feed-through was simplified by using a compression style cap made by Conax® Technologies. Testing with the CFR engine shows that the redesigned CPT can withstand combustion pressures and facilitate gas phase ignition as effectively as the SmartPlugs design. With the new design and simplified fabrication process, families of CPT assembly combinations can be produced locally and inexpensively. This will allow quick and simple adjustment of many physical parameters believed to affect ignition timing and cycle-to-cycle variability. KW - Catalytic ignition KW - Combustion KW - Engines KW - Fabrication KW - Fuel consumption KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Pollutants UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK762_N12-06A.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46621/KLK762_N12-06A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225671 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458071 AU - Eacker, Christopher AU - Wos, Samuel AU - Odom, Edwin AU - Beyerlein, Steve AU - Law, Joe AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design, Synthesis, Manufacturing, and Testing of a Competitive FHSAE Vehicle PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The goal of this multi-year project was to create a fully functional University of Idaho entry in the hybrid Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) competition scheduled for 2012. Vehicle integration has been completed as part of a variety of 2010-2011 senior design projects and 2011-2012 senior design projects. This leverages a variety of analytical and empirical studies undertaken in Fiscal Year 2010 that demonstrate feasibility of the electromechanical powertrain, the energy management system, and the chassis layout. This project has engaged a broad population of graduate and undergraduate students in implementing sustainable transportation technology as well as creation of knowledge management systems that will benefit current and future competition teams. Approximately 30% of the allowed 19.5 Mega-Joules (MJ) for the 22 mile endurance event will be supplied in the initial charge state of the battery pack. The remaining 70% is stored in the vehicle’s gas tank. Accomplishments to date include a road load energy model, inertia modeling of the YZ250F, acceleration modeling, performance testing of the electric motor/controller, solid modeling of a reconfigured YZ250F motorcycle engine, suspension modeling, frame design, and an electronic archive designed to serve as a resource for just-in-time learning of hybrid terminology, subsystem descriptions, analysis methods, and performance tests. Specifications are given for all major subsystems and components that comprise a hybrid electronic competition vehicle that is destined for the 2012 Hybrid FSAE Challenge. KW - Chassis KW - Competition KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Performance tests KW - Power trains KW - Race cars KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK764_N12-07.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46623/KLK764_N12-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225673 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458055 AU - Steciak, Judi AU - Beyerlein, Steve AU - Budwig, Ralph AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Progress in Catalytic Ignition Fabrication and Modeling: Modeling Part 2 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 22p AB - The ignition temperature and heat generation from oxidation of methane on a platinum catalyst were determined experimentally. A 127 micron diameter platinum coiled wire was placed crosswise in a quartz tube of a plug flow reactor. A source meter with a 4-wire measurement capability measured the resistance and current to calculate the average temperature of the surface reaction. Light-off temperatures varied from 730-780K for methane for a fuel-oxygen equivalence ratio of 0.3 to 1.0 at fuel percentages of 2-5% by volume. A model of the experimental system was created using Fluent coupled with Chemkin to combine an advanced chemistry solver with flow simulation. The experimental data was compared to the model results, which includes heat transfer and the surface reaction kinetics of methane on platinum. The heat transfer model obtained values close to experimental data for temperatures between 400K and 700K. At temperatures greater than 700K the model deviated with temperatures greater than the experimental results. KW - Catalytic ignition KW - Combustion KW - Computer models KW - Engines KW - Heat transfer KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Methane KW - Platinum UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK762_N12-06B.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46622/KLK762_N12-06B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225672 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458048 AU - Miller, Neil AU - Welch, Austin AU - Den Braven, Karen AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - University of Idaho’s Low-Speed Flex Fuel Direct-Injected 797cc Two-Stroke Rear Drive Snowmobile PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 31p AB - The University of Idaho’s entry into the 2012 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC) uses a Ski-Doo XP chassis with a lowspeed 797 cc direct-injection two-stroke powered snowmobile modified for flex fuel use on blended ethanol fuel. A batteryless direct injection system was used to improve fuel economy and decrease emissions while maintaining a high power to weight ratio. A new tuned exhaust design was used to lower the engine speed while maintaining a peak power output of 79 kW (106 hp). Noise was reduced by running the engine at a lower speed, and by strategically placed sound absorbing materials within the engine compartment. A muffler was designed that reduced exhaust noise and improved engine emissions without greatly reducing power output. A rear drive system was designed to improve drive train efficiency, and the snowmobile entered the 2012 SAE CSC competition weighing 281 kg (620 lbs) wet, achieving 9.35 km/L (22 mpg) running on blended ethanol fuel, with an EPA five-mode emissions test score of 196 on E10, and a predicted J-192 sound magnitude score of 78 dBA. KW - Competition KW - Ethanol KW - Fuel injection KW - Noise KW - Pollutants KW - Snowmobiles KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK767_N12-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46624/KLK767_N12-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458046 AU - Luo, Guanqun AU - Bakharev, Pavel AU - McDonald, Armando AU - McIlroy, David AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Nanocatalysts for the Synthesis of Biofuels from Biomass Derived Syngas PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 21p AB - The potential silica nanospring (NS) supported cobalt catalyst (Co/SiO2 -NS) for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) was investigated, and the results were compared with those of a conventional silica gel supported cobalt catalyst (Co/SiO2-gel). Co/SiO2-gel and Co/SiO2-NS catalysts were prepared using the incipient wetness impregnation method and a thermal assisted reduction process, respectively, and characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 physisorption, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and H2-temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR). The catalysts were evaluated for their conversion of syngas to products in a quartz fix-bed micro-reactor (230 °C, atm pressure). The FTS products were trapped and characterized by GC-MS to determine conversion efficiency. The products (alkanes) for both catalysts ranged from C1 to C21 and would be a suitable substrate for diesel. The results show that the NS approach for a FTS catalyst support shows promise for generating fuels from syngas. Future work will focus on optimizing Co/SiO2-NS catalyst for improved conversion efficiencies. KW - Biomass KW - Biomass fuels KW - Catalysts KW - Fischer-Tropsch Process KW - Synthesis (Chemistry) KW - Synthetic fuels UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK769_N12-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225675 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457370 AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Khan, Mubassira AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Idaho Transportation Department AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Potential Crash Reduction Benefits of Safety Improvement Projects – Part A: Shoulder Rumble Strips PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 90p AB - This research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the safety benefits of shoulder rumble strips in rural highways in Idaho. The effectiveness of shoulder rumble strips in reducing the number and severity of run-off-the-road (ROR) crashes was examined based on Idaho’s crash experience for 3 different roadway types: 2-lane rural highways, 4-lane rural highways and rural freeways. All ROR, severe ROR crashes, and truck ROR crashes were analyzed as part of this study. The evaluation was done using two different evaluation methods: Comparison Groups (CG) before-and-after analysis and Empirical Bayes (EB) before-and-after analysis. For cases where control section data was limited or not available, naïve before-and-after analysis was used. Based on Idaho’s crash data, the installation of shoulder rumble strips on 2-lane rural highways resulted in a 15 percent reduction in all ROR crashes and a 74 percent reduction in severe ROR crashes. The benefits seem higher in roadway segments that have little to moderate roadway curvature. For rural freeways, the percent reduction in all ROR crashes and severe ROR crashes was 29 percent and 67 percent, respectively. The big difference between the two numbers is because there seems to be a higher percentage of minor (less severe) crashes on the freeway segments tested. The percent reduction in all ROR crashes and severe ROR crashes when shoulder rumple strips were installed in 4-lane rural highways were 60 percent and 45 percent, respectively, which is statistically significant. Truck crashes in all rural highways also decreased after shoulder rumble strips installation by a range of 42 to 62 percent. KW - Bayesian analysis KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash rates KW - Highway safety KW - Idaho KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Road shoulders KW - Rumble strips KW - Rural highways UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK556_RP191Final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46349/RP191Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225522 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457310 AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - Im, Soohyok AU - Ban, Hoki AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Research on Roadway Performance and Distress at Low Temperature PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 68p AB - This research project investigated the performance and damage characteristics of Nebraska roadways at low-temperature conditions. To meet the research objective, laboratory tests were incorporated with mechanistic numerical modeling. The three most common pavement structures in Nebraska were selected and modeled considering local environmental conditions and pavement materials with and without truck loading. Cracking of asphalt overlay was predicted and analyzed by conducting finite element simulations incorporated with cohesive zone fracture. Parametric analyses were also conducted by varying pavement geometries and material properties, which could lead to helping pavement designers understand the mechanical sensitivity of design variables on the overall responses and performance characteristics of pavement structures. This better understanding is expected to provide Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) engineers with more scientific insights into how to select paving materials in a more appropriate way and to advance the current structural pavement design practices. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Low temperature KW - Nebraska KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance UR - http://ne-ltap.unl.edu/Documents/NDOR/Research_on%20Roadway_Performance.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46500/46577/Kim_01_Research_on_Roadway_Performance_revisited_AM_11-27_5b1_5d.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456904 AU - Eisele, William L AU - Schrank, David L AU - Bittner, Jason AU - Schwartz, Travis AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Areawide Estimate of Truck Freight Value in the Urban Mobility Report PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Significant efforts have resulted in improved knowledge about the effects of congestion on the motoring public. The Urban Mobility Report (UMR) has been produced for over 20 years detailing the effects of congestion in the United States. Despite these efforts, and others, less is known about the effect of congestion on urban freight movement. This research set out to produce truck freight values for inclusion in the UMR to inform policy discussion and decisions. Researchers developed a three-part methodology to estimate truck freight value using Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) and FHWA Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) datasets. Researchers found that there was a correlation between commodity value and truck delay, higher commodity values are associated with more people; more people are associated with more traffic congestion. Researchers also developed and tested (in Milwaukee) a transferable method to investigate freight value along specific corridors in an urban area. Policy implications of the freight information are presented. Researchers first implemented the methodology into the 2010 UMR, released in January 2011. The 2011 UMR, released in September 2011, used a similar methodology to present the truck freight values. KW - Commodities KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight traffic measurement KW - Highway Performance Monitoring System KW - Milwaukee (Wisconsin) KW - Mobility KW - Traffic congestion KW - Urban areas KW - Urban Mobility Study UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_04-16_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224990 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456750 AU - Shaheen, Susan A AU - Martin, Elliot W AU - Cohen, Adam P AU - Finson, Richard S AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Public Bikesharing in North America: Early Operator and User Understanding PY - 2012/06 SP - 138p AB - Information technology (IT)-based bikesharing systems typically position bicycles throughout an urban environment, among a network of docking stations, for immediate access. Bikesharing can serve as both a first-and-last mile (connector to other modes) and a many-mile solution. As of January 2012, 15 IT-based, public bikesharing systems were operating in the United States and four in Canada. This study evaluates public bikesharing in North America, reviewing the advances in technology and major events during its rapid expansion. Notable developments during this period include the emergence of a close partnership between vendor and operator and technological advances, such as mobile bike-docking stations that can be moved to different locations and real-time bike/station tracking to facilitate system rebalancing and provide user information. Information on four early IT-based systems: BIXI in Montreal; BIXI in Toronto; Capital Bikeshare in Washington, D.C.; and Nice Ride Minnesota in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul) was obtained via a user survey. The most common trip purpose for bikesharing is commuting to either work or school. Respondents in all cities overwhelmingly indicated that they drive less as a result of bikesharing, indicating that it reduces vehicle miles/kilometers traveled and vehicle emissions. KW - Bicycle commuting KW - Capital Bikeshare KW - Information technology KW - Modal shift KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1029-public-bikesharing-understanding-early-operators-users.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218686 ER - TY - SER AN - 01456749 JO - University of California, Davis. Institute of Transportation Studies. Research report PB - University of California, Davis AU - Miller, Joshua AU - University of California, Davis AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Results of the 2011-12 Campus Travel Survey PY - 2012/06 SP - 105p. AB - The UC Davis campus travel survey, a joint effort by the Transportation and Parking Services and the Institute of Transportation Studies, collects annual data on travel to campus, including mode choice, vehicle occupancy, distances traveled, and carbon emissions. Survey results are used to assess awareness and utilization of campus transportation services and estimate demand for new services designed to promote sustainable commuting. Data also provide researchers with insights about the effects of attitudes and perceptions of mobility options on commute mode choice. Almost half of those physically traveling to campus on a typical day bike to the campus while about one-quarter drive alone. Results indicate that biking is increasing and the amount of carbon dioxide produced by commuters is decreasing. KW - Campus transportation KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Mode choice KW - Surveys KW - University of California, Davis KW - Work trips UR - http://www.its.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/themes/ucdavis/pubs/download_pdf.php?id=1644 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217326 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456748 AU - Guo, Zhan AU - Rivasplata, Charles AU - Lee, Richard J AU - Keyon, David AU - Schloeter, Luis AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Amenity, or Necessity? Street Standards as Parking Policy PY - 2012/06 SP - 50p AB - This paper explores the rationales underlying the use of minimum street width requirements to mandate street parking. A survey of 97 cities reveals that this mandate is not a technical necessity based on safety concerns or an amenity reflecting market demand, two common beliefs held by decision-makers. Many residents are likely unwilling to pay for street parking if it is unbundled from housing. The hidden parking policies should be made transparent and subject to public oversight, the double standard between private and public streets should be eliminated, and parking on residential streets should be optional. KW - On street parking KW - Policy KW - Public opinion KW - Standards KW - Streets KW - Width UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1001-2-street-standards-street-width-parking-policy-investigation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218685 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454130 AU - Standridge, Charles R AU - Khasnabis, Snehamay AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Grand Valley State University AU - Wayne State University AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Simulation in Regional Modeling: Application to the Interstate Infrastructure Near the Toledo Sea Port PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 13p AB - A small team of university-based transportation system experts and simulation experts has been assembled to develop, test, and apply an approach to assessing road infrastructure capacity using micro traffic simulation supported by publically available data in partnership with personnel of the Toledo Sea Port, the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Application activities previously focused on the arterial road infrastructure connecting the Toledo Sea Port to the interstate highway system via Interstate 280 and now focus on capacity on Interstate 75 in Toledo near Anthony Wayne Trail and Nebraska Avenue. Data was gathered from the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and the Ohio Department of Transportation. A micro traffic simulation model was developed using the commercial software product AIMSUN. Simulation experiments were conducted to assess traffic bottlenecks caused by a construction project to add one additional lane in each direction to I-75. The road infrastructure was seen to have sufficient capacity to support the construction activity without traffic delays. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bottlenecks KW - Construction sites KW - Highway capacity KW - Interstate 75 KW - Toledo Sea Port KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-41/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS41p1-2_2012-Final_Rpt_Traffic_Simulation_in_Regional_Modeling.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218636 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449702 AU - Sharma, Anuj AU - Appiah, Justice AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Structural, Driver and Economic Impacts of Traffic Pole Mounted Wind Power Generator and Solar Panel Hybrid System PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 70p AB - This project evaluates the physical and economic feasibility of using existing traffic infrastructure to mount wind power generators. Some possible places to mount a light weight wind generator and solar panel hybrid system are traffic signal poles and street light poles. Traffic signal poles can themselves have multiple designs depending on type of mount (mast arm vs. span wire) and the width of the intersection (load carried) etc. The close proximity of street light poles and traffic signal poles to the traffic cabinets, which can be used for storing the battery banks, makes them good candidates to mount the hybrid system. This project assesses the structural impacts of the hybrid system on the poles. Lincoln standard plans will be used for identifying the pole and foundation design. Structural analysis involves a first principal for wind load analysis and an explicit finite element analysis using LS-Dyna for evaluating fatigue. Methodologies to conduct economic analysis are developed. Economic impacts of the proposed wind power system were evaluated using a before and after study at a test intersection in Lincoln, Nebraska. A cost and benefit analysis was performed to identify the economic efficiency at the test site. KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Economic analysis KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Finite element method KW - Lincoln (Nebraska) KW - Mounting systems KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Solar panels KW - Street lighting KW - Structural analysis KW - Traffic signals KW - Wind load KW - Wind power generation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45737/Sharma_AssessingImpacts_420_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217360 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449687 AU - Moudon, Anne Vernez AU - Lin, Lin AU - Stewart, Orion AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Census of Schools and School Neighborhoods in Five States PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 29p AB - This project contributes to developing a technical infrastructure to support the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, specifically to monitor its growth and to evaluate its effectiveness. Since its inception in 2005, the SRTS program mandated by SAFETEA-LU has benefited about 6,489 schools nationally. The goals are to insure the safety of children attending schools and to encourage their walking and biking to school. Programs use the 4 Es—engineering, education, encouragement, and enforcement—to monitor and evaluate their success. The National Center for Safe Routes to School keeps track of these schools by compiling tallies of children walking or biking to school and by collecting parent surveys. Each state works to have a fair and effective distribution of resources to the neediest schools. This proposal adds to an ongoing Pooled Fund project spearheaded by the Washington State Department of Transportation to support information exchanges and research between several participating states, including Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. Over the past two years, the Principal Investigator (PI) and her team have been working with WSDOT to provide technical support to members of the Pooled Fund. The researchers propose to geocode schools nationwide, in relation to existing transportation facilities. This would enable state SRTS coordinators to quickly evaluate the schools’ proximity to different types of transportation facilities, and to establish their related level of exposure to traffic. Geocoded schools would also allow coordinators to analyze the characteristics of the neighborhoods around the schools, based on spatial data that are readily available from the U.S. Census. KW - Bicycling KW - Census KW - Florida KW - Mississippi KW - Neighborhoods KW - Safe Routes to School (Program) KW - School children KW - Schools KW - Texas KW - Walking KW - Washington State Department of Transportation KW - Wisconsin UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214435 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447867 AU - Qiao, Pizhong AU - Chen, Fangliang AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhanced Performance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete with Atomic Polymer Technology PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 79p AB - The atomic polymer technology, in the form of mesoporous inorganic polymer (MIP), can effectively improve material durability and performance of concrete by dramatically increasing inter/intragranular bond strength of concrete at nano-scale. The strategy of MIP is fundamentally different from most additives currently on the market for industrial applications. When MIP is added to a concrete or masonry mix, this atomic-level bonding means that the strength of the cement is defined by the strength of its atomic bonds; these bonds are incredibly strong. Atomic-level bonding also translates the flexibility of the MIP molecule, which is built like a coil, lending strong tensile and flexural strength, thus reducing the vulnerability of concrete to cracking. On the other hand, the recycled concrete aggregates from the demolished structures, when reused in concrete, often exhibit relatively low mechanical performance. It is thus anticipated that the inclusion of MIP in recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) can effectively improve its performance and long-term durability. The objectives of the proposed study are two-fold: (1) to evaluate the performance of RAC with MIP, and (2) to assess improved performance and condition of RAC, using embedded smart piezoelectric sensors/actuators. The findings in RAC with MIP resulting from this study will promote the widespread application of recycled concrete in engineering, improve sustainability of RAC structures, and provide viable long-term health monitoring techniques for RAC. KW - Additives KW - Bond strength (Chemistry) KW - Bonding KW - Concrete KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Durability KW - Inorganic compounds KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Performance measurement KW - Polymers KW - Recycled materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46260/TNW2012-11_Enhanced_Performance_of_Recycled_Aggregate_Concrete_with_Atomic_Polymer_Technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213877 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446985 AU - Kyte, Michael AU - Anderson, John AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - Using Visual Simulation Tools And Learning Outcomes-Based Curriculum To Help Transportation Engineering Students And Practitioners To Better Understand And Design Traffic Signal Control Systems PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 81p AB - The use of visual simulation tools to convey complex concepts has become a useful tool in education as well as in research. This report describes a project that developed curriculum and visualization tools to train transportation engineering students to more deeply understand complex traffic control systems and to have an increased ability to prepare designs to improve these systems. Prototype tools and curriculum developed as part of this project address several traffic signal operations modes including actuated control, coordination, and railroad preemption. KW - Education and training KW - Highway operations KW - Simulation KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal preemption KW - Transportation engineering KW - Visualization UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK718_N12-09.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45944/KLK718_N12-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214451 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446983 AU - Lowry, Michael AU - Dixon, Michael AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - GIS Tools to Estimate Average Annual Daily Traffic PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This project presents five tools that were created for a geographical information system to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic using linear regression. Three of the tools can be used to prepare spatial data for linear regression. One tool can be used to calculate a connectivity importance index for the streets of a city. The main tool can be used to conduct linear regression to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic. The tools were created for ArcGIS 10 using open-source python scripting. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Geographic information systems KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic estimation UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK725_N12-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45948/KLK725_N12-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214447 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446982 AU - Wall, Richard W AU - Bauer, Denise H AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Pedestrian Safety at Signalized Intersections PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 29p AB - This research investigated methods and technologies to make signalized intersections safer for pedestrians using the capabilities of accessible pedestrian systems. The research focused on three technologies: acoustic beaconing, passive pedestrian detection, and pedestrian preemption. The effectiveness of proposed enhancements was measured by engineering performance analysis, pedestrian and traffic agency feedback, and an open forum one-day workshop involving constituents of pedestrian advocacy groups. The engineering performance analysis studied both the equipment and user interface from a human factors perspective. The experiments were completed using existing Advanced Accessible Pedestrian Signals (AAPS) hardware. Human factors studies were completed to determine the human response to information presented in both audible and visual format. Audio beaconing is a low cost but highly effective method to direct pedestrians to the destination curb. AAPS hardware modifications are needed to be most effective. Passive pedestrian detection is simple to interface to the existing AAPS equipment but equipment costs are high relative to the AAPS equipment. Information conveyed during preemption must have a low cognitive load and unambiguous interpretation. These changes for improved safety are subject to the consideration of numerous factors before an intersection is equipped with the capability or technology. KW - Accessible pedestrian signals KW - Acoustic signals KW - Advanced pedestrian signals KW - Analysis KW - Audible pedestrian signals KW - Crosswalks KW - Passive detection KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal preemption UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK720_N12-04.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45945/KLK720_N12-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214450 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446981 AU - Brown, Shane AU - Dixon, Michael AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Embedded Knowledge in Transportation Engineering: Comparisons Between Engineers and Instructors PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 27p AB - Substantial research in a diversity of fields suggests that being successful in a skilled profession requires ways of thinking that are unique to the context of that profession and present in practitioners of that field. Two critical concepts are sight distance and stopping sight distance as applied to highway geometric design. These concepts play important roles in designing highway horizontal and vertical curves, establishing safe speed limits, and safe traffic signal timing. The purpose of this study is to characterize instructors’ and engineers’ embedded knowledge of highway geometric design sight distance and stopping sight distance and similarly examine course materials. Individual interviews were conducted with 29 transportation engineers and 19 transportation instructors. Course notes from a selection of instructors and three commonly used textbooks were also analyzed. Although instructors and practitioners expressed similar content knowledge, there were significant differences in the context in which it was embedded. Engineering practitioners used and referred to software, manuals, and specific experiences, while instructors primarily spoke in a more abstract context, or referred to textbooks. Also, engineers discussed methods to mitigate minimum design criteria violations; this was not found in course notes or textbooks. This research strongly suggests that context-dependent embedded knowledge exists in transportation engineering and efforts are necessary to integrate this knowledge in the curriculum. KW - Education and training KW - Instructors KW - Interviews KW - Knowledge KW - Sight distance KW - Stopping sight distance KW - Textbooks KW - Transportation engineering KW - Transportation engineers UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK722_N12-11.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45946/KLK722_N12-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214449 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446980 AU - He, B Brian AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - In situ Transesterification of Microalgal Oil to Produce Algal Biodiesel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This research focused on processing whole microalgae cells for biodiesel production without first extracting lipids. The ultimate goal was to develop a process for algal biodiesel production directly from microalgae cells in a single step, i.e., in situ transesterification, to lower the processing costs. The authors conducted research on characterizing the selected microalgae strains and screening the influential process parameters. Characterization was performed on microalgae through proximate and ultimate analyses; fatty acid profiles; ash content and mineral components of the microalgae samples; Thermogravimetric analysis; and scanning electron microscopy examination. It was found that green microalgae are suitable for algal biodiesel production due to their relatively high lipid content, while brown microalgae may be good for fermentable sugar production due to their high carbohydrate content. Microalgae tested in this study have relatively high ash content (up to 25%wt), which is somewhat unexpected. Fatty acid profiles varied widely among the microalgae tested and need validation through further investigation. Reaction time affected the microalgal lipid conversion considerably at 300°C, and extending the reaction would lead to satisfactory process efficiency. Findings from this study provide necessary information for the continued systematic investigation on algal biodiesel production. KW - Algae KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Energy conversion KW - Fuel processing KW - Microalgae KW - Transesterification UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK768_N12-10.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45950/KLK768_N12-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214445 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446979 AU - Munoz, Carlo AU - Gerpen, Jon Van AU - He, Brian AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Production of Renewable Diesel Fuel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 20p AB - Vegetable oils have been investigated as a way to provide a renewable source for diesel fuel. A successful approach to using vegetable oils in diesel engines has been transesterification of the oils with simple alcohols to produce mono-alkyl esters, or biodiesel. A recent development in the area of alternative diesel fuels is a fuel produced from vegetable oils and animal fats using specially modified hydrogenation processes in a conventional petroleum processing facility. This fuel is usually called renewable diesel. This project has focused on developing an understanding of the processes involved with renewable diesel production from a variety of bio-based feedstocks. The project has determined that Raney nickel is an effective catalyst for hydrogenation and deoxygenation of fatty acids, which is a key step in the production of renewable diesel. The authors have also determined that deoxygenation can take place in a hydrogen-lean environment so that fatty acids can be deoxygenated without having to be completely hydrogenated. This is an important observation because hydrogenation affects the fuel’s cold flow properties by increasing its melting point. Decarboxylation without full hydrogenation continues to be explored as a way to provide renewable diesel with superior low temperature properties. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Fuel processing KW - Hydrogenation KW - Transesterification KW - Vegetable oils UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK766_N12-08.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45949/KLK766_N12-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214446 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446293 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Corey, Jonathan AU - Lao, Yunteng AU - Xin, Xin AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Criteria for the Selection and Application of Advanced Traffic Signal Control Systems PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 103p AB - The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has recently begun changing their standard traffic signal control systems from the 170 controller running the Wapiti W4IKS firmware to 2070 controllers operating the Northwest Signal Supply Corporation’s Voyage software. Concurrent with this change in standard signal control systems, ODOT has taken the opportunity to install test sites with adaptive signal control systems and evaluate advanced features in the Voyage software. The evaluation of advanced features and adaptive signal control systems has led to a series of questions about how to measure performance, when to apply a given feature and, when should one system be preferred over another. To answer these questions a survey of literature and practicing professionals was conducted to determine the current state of the practice regarding conventional and adaptive signal control systems. The survey of practitioners indicated that practitioners in general were seeking answers regarding when and how to implement adaptive systems. Similar questions were found in literature, with the addition that the Federal Highway Administration's Model Systems Engineering Documents for Adaptive Signal Control Technology added questions regarding whether existing systems had potential performance gains available through feature enablement. This knowledge was used to create an evaluation framework to guide practitioners in evaluating the performance of their current systems. A decision support framework based on decision tree logic and queuing theory models was built on top of the analytical framework to analyze the existing system for features that may improve performance. The decision support framework also provides a means of estimating the performance of different control strategies given the existing conditions. As a means of evaluating the various systems and selected features, the research team created a series of simulation models in VISSIM 5.30. These simulations were controlled via external logic emulating the signal control logic of the various systems and features. In total, 4,536 simulation cases were examined. The results of these simulations were used to calibrate the decision support and queuing model logic. KW - Adaptive control KW - Advance traffic control signs KW - Decision support systems KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - Literature reviews KW - Queuing theory KW - Selection criteria KW - Signalized intersections KW - Surveys KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46263/TNW2012-17_Criteria_for_the_Selection_and_Application_of_Advanced_Traffic_Signal_Control_Systems.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213863 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446285 AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Gagliano, Andrea AU - Rowell, Maura AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Characterizing Washington State’s Supply Chains PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 52p AB - The University of Washington (UW), Washington State University (WSU), and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) recently developed a multi-modal statewide geographic information system (GIS) model that can help the state prioritize strategies that protect industries most vulnerable to disruptions, supporting economic activity in the state and increasing economic resilience. The proposed research was identified at the conclusion of that project as an important step in improving the model's ability to measure the impact of disruptions. In addition to developing the model, the researchers developed two case studies showing the model's capabilities: the potato growing and processing industry was chosen as a representative agricultural sector, and diesel fuel distribution for its importance to all industry sectors. As origin-destination data for other freight-dependent sectors is added to the model, WSDOT will be able to evaluate the impact of freight system disruptions on each of them. Moving forward, it is not cost effective to develop case studies in the manner used for these case studies, therefore, the state is currently supporting activities at the national level that will provide methods for collecting statewide commodity flow data. However, this commodity flow data will still lack important operational detail necessary to understand the impacts of transportation changes. This research will begin to fill that gap by developing a transportation-based categorization of logistics chains. The goal is not to capture all of the complexity of supply chain logistics, but to identify approximately 15-20 categories within which supply chains behave similarly from a transportation perspective, for example, in their level of scheduling and methods for route selection. Researchers will use existing publicly available data, conduct an operational survey, and analyze GPS data collected for WSDOT's freight performance measures project to identify the categorization. KW - Case studies KW - Commodities KW - Freight Performance Measures KW - Freight traffic KW - Logistics KW - Route choice KW - Scheduling KW - Supply chain management KW - Surveys KW - Traffic models KW - Washington (State) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213868 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446029 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Lao, Yunteng AU - Liu, Cathy AU - Xu, Guangning AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Simulation-Based Testbed Development for Analyzing Toll Impacts on Freeway Travel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 89p AB - Traffic congestion has been a world-wide problem in metropolitan areas all over the world. Toll-based traffic management is one of the most applicable solutions against freeway congestion. This research chooses two toll roads, the SR-167 high occupancy toll (HOT) lane and the SR-520 toll bridge (i.e. Evergreen Point Bridge), as study sites for simulation testbed developments to evaluate the toll impact on freeway operations. The research approach proposed in this study consists of three steps: first, external modules are developed to enable VISSIM models to simulate various traffic operations with complicated tolling schemes; then, a standardized calibration procedure is proposed for freeway traffic simulation to enhance the models’ creditability; and finally, a statistical method is developed to analyze simulation outputs against data autocorrelation problems. Two VISSIM external modules were developed for evaluating toll impacts on freeway operations in this research. For the SR-167 HOT lane site, an external tolling control module using the Component Object Model (COM) interfaces was developed to dynamically adjust the toll rate based on real time traffic conditions. For the SR-520 Evergreen Point Bridge site, an external routing module using Car2X module is developed to dynamically update vehicle routing. These external modules enabled testing customized tolling strategies often needed in toll impact studies. The simulation results from the SR-167 HOT lane study site found that among all the three operational strategies, HOT lane operation with dynamic toll outperforms the other two strategies under various traffic demand conditions. Compared with the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane operation, dynamic toll strategy makes significant improvement on general purpose (GP) lane performance at regular segments, merging areas, on-ramps, and off-ramps. Compared with the time-of-day toll rate strategy, dynamic toll strategy is more flexible under a variety of traffic demands. The simulation results of the SR-520 toll bridge found that with an increase in toll at SR-520, the travel speed on SR-520 tends to increase and the speed on I-90 tends to decrease as more vehicles are diverted to use the non-tolled alternative. However, the change on I-5 and I-405 after tolling is insignificant since the number of vehicles turning from SR-520 to I-90 is much smaller than the existing volumes on I-5 and I-405. The two simulation testbeds developed in this study were applied to the SR-520 Evergreen Point Bridge and the SR-167 HOT lane projects and the results were satisfactory. These testbeds are capable of studying various customized tolling strategies on freeway operations. The methodology developed in this study for external module development and simulation output analysis can be used for other simulation studies of similar kinds. KW - Analysis KW - Dynamic tolls KW - Freeway operations KW - General purpose lanes KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Toll bridges KW - Tolls KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic speed KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Washington State Route 167 KW - Washington State Route 520 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46262/TNW2012-16_Simulation-Based_Testbed_Development_for_Analyzing_Toll_Impacts_on_Freeway_Travel.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446017 AU - Lichty, Monica G AU - Richard, Christian M AU - Campbell, John L AU - Bacon, L Paige AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Disseminating Road Weather Advisory & Control Information PY - 2012/06 SP - 122p AB - The tremendous growth in the amount of available weather and road condition information, including devices that gather weather information, models and forecasting tools for predicting weather conditions, and electronic devices used by travelers, has led the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop effective and specific guidelines for communicating road weather information in a way that is consistent with what travelers need, want, and will use when making travel decisions. This project builds upon the earlier Human Factors Analysis of Road Weather Advisory and Control Information project which was initiated to assist transportation officials in communicating both pre-trip and en route road weather information effectively, consistently, and timely to meet the needs of travelers for different weather conditions and travel scenarios. This earlier project resulted in preliminary guidelines. For the current effort, these preliminary guidelines were disseminated to a broad group of transportation and road weather officials for review and use. These reviewers included staff from private agencies and State Department of Transportation staff working at Traffic Management Centers. Evaluation of the guidelines followed through end user surveys, on-site interviews and discussions, and application of the preliminary guidelines to assess their suitability and effectiveness for traffic operations. Valuable feedback provided by these end users was used to modify the preliminary guidelines and develop the revised guidelines presented here. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Guidelines KW - Information dissemination KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Road weather information systems KW - Surveys UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45623/FinalPackage_JPO-12-046_V1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212684 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446015 AU - Al-Kaisy, Ahmed AU - Ewan, Levi AU - Veneziano, David AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of a Variable Speed Limit System for Wet and Extreme Weather Conditions: Phase 1 Report PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 158p AB - Weather presents considerable challenges to the highway system, both in terms of safety and operations. From a safety standpoint, weather (i.e. precipitation in the form of rain, snow or ice) reduces pavement friction, thus increasing the potential for crashes when vehicles are traveling too fast for the conditions. Under these circumstances, the posted speed limit at a location may no longer be safe and appropriate. From an operations standpoint, inclement weather could have considerable impacts on the capacity of the highway system and the efficiency of using the system by motorists. Consequently, new approaches are necessary to influence motorists’ behavior in regards to speed selection when inclement weather presents the potential for reduced pavement friction at a given location. Among these approaches is the use of Variable Speed Limit (VSL) systems. This document presents the results of initial work completed in the development of such a system. The work completed included a literature review related to different aspects and types of VSL systems, as well as a review of sensor systems capable of providing roadway grip/friction measurements. The work also developed a Concept of Operations and Requirements for the prospective VSL system, with detailed information provided in the Appendix. Sensor testing was completed on the Vaisala DSC 111 to determine its accuracy and applicability for inclusion in the prospective VSL. Finally, a policy and legal implications review that was completed by Oregon Department of Transportation staff including a summary of Oregon’s recently enacted administrative rules on use of variable speed limits and statutes and rules adopted by other states is presented. KW - Highway operations KW - Laws KW - Literature reviews KW - Policy KW - Speed limits KW - Traffic speed KW - Variable speed limits KW - Weather conditions KW - Wet weather UR - http://cms.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/docs/Reports/2012/SPR743_VSL_System.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45584/SPR743_VSL_System.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212470 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445990 AU - Nihan, Nancy L AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-UTC On-line Freight Seminar PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 101p AB - Four University Transportation Centers (UTC)s, (composed, at the time, of twelve universities in total), worked with local and regional partners to develop and deliver a simultaneous multi-university online freight seminar during academic year 2010-11. The goal of the project was to foster collaboration among these various stakeholders, share information, and provide university students and practicing professionals with the tools they need for successful careers in this important transportation area. The pilot project successfully demonstrated that courses, which cover specialty areas such as freight transportation, can be offered by more universities with transportation programs if we effectively exploit UTC resources collectively. The project described in this paper investigated the feasibility of this approach by developing a graduate seminar, which brought together faculty and students from several universities and professional experts from four separate regions in a video-based, real-time format. The project was proposed as a first step toward developing a Multi-UTC program of courses that can be accessed by students at each individual UTC for course credit in their graduate transportation programs KW - Cooperation KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - Online courses KW - Students KW - Transportation engineering KW - Universities and colleges KW - University Transportation Centers Program UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45957/TNW2012-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212781 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444855 AU - Shaheed, Mohammad Saad AU - Gkritza, Konstantina AU - Marshall, Dawn AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Motorcycle Conspicuity – What Factors Have the Greatest Impact PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 90p AB - The objective of this project was to determine the effect of headlight configuration (daytime running lights, high beam, modulating) and rider color (bright yellow, blue denim, and black torso and helmet) on the conspicuity of a motorcycle to a driver of a passenger vehicle in a simulated environment. To achieve this, 36 participants completed three drives on a National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS)-2 driving simulator. During two of the drives, participants were presented with six oncoming motorcycles and three leading parked motorcycles, each with a different combination of rider color and headlight configuration. Each of the nine motorcycles was present in either the urban or rural driving environment. Participants indicated when each motorcycle was first visible to them by pressing a button on the steering wheel of the driving simulator. The detection distances from the motorcycles to the participant vehicles were then recorded. Participants were within one of two groups: younger drivers (25 to 55) or older drivers (65 and older). This research applied repeated measures analysis of variance to investigate the impact of headlight configurations and rider color on motorcycle conspicuity in urban and rural environments. The researchers found that oncoming motorcycles with modulating headlights were detected at the greatest distance compared to motorcycles with high beam or daytime running lights. Participant ability to detect an oncoming motorcycle was also significantly influenced by the combination of headlight configurations with black or bright yellow rider colors. Leading motorcycles in urban environments were detected at a greater distance compared to those in rural environments. Leading motorcycles with riders having bright yellow clothing and helmet were detected at the greatest distance, followed by motorcycles with riders having blue denim and black rider colors. A significant interaction effect among the driving environment, rider color, and age group was also found for the detection distance of leading motorcycles. KW - Age groups KW - Clothing KW - Color KW - Daytime running lamps KW - Detection distance KW - Headlamps KW - High beamed headlamps KW - Motorcycles KW - Motorcyclists KW - National Advanced Driving Simulator KW - Rural areas KW - Urban areas KW - Visibility UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/motorcycle_conspicuity_ii_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212412 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444829 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - Tasic, Ivana AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Utah Traffic Lab Driving Simulator: User Manual and Flex Lanes Scenario Development PY - 2012/06 SP - 58p AB - This report describes the University of Utah Traffic Lab (UTL) driving simulator, and a scenario development for Flex Lanes driving simulation. The first part describes the driving simulator in details. At the time of installation, the UTL driving simulator was unique and the first to join microsimulation with driving simulation. This type of integration offers major possibilities beyond those of a “classic” driving simulator. The second part is dedicated to the development of the Flex Lanes scenario. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will implement the first Flex Lanes (reversible lanes) project on 5400 S in the City of Taylorsville, Utah, in summer of 2012. The UTL, in cooperation with the AAI Corporation, has developed a real-world driving simulation scenario of the Flex Lanes corridor. The UTL is planning to use this driving simulation to assess the drivers’ performance and compliance with the posted signalization. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Driving simulators KW - Microsimulation KW - Reversible traffic lanes KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC12-247.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46038/MPC_12-247.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212373 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383582 AU - Hastings, Aaron AU - Guthy, Catherine AU - Pollard, John K AU - Garay-Vega, Lisandra AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Research on Minimum Sound Specifications for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 90p AB - This report documents research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to identify ways to develop sound specifications for electric and hybrid vehicles. The research was conducted to support activities related to the implementation of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (PSEA) requires NHTSA to conduct a rulemaking to establish a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) requiring an alert sound for pedestrians to be emitted by all types of motor vehicles that are electric or hybrid (EVs and HVs). The goal is to establish performance requirements for an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby EV or HV. The alert sound must not require activation by the driver or the pedestrian, and must allow pedestrians to reasonably detect an EV or HV in critical operating scenarios such as, but not limited to, constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating. Sound specifications would include criteria for sounds to be detectable and recognizable as the sound of a motor vehicle in operation. Two concepts to identify potential detectability specifications for alert sounds are explored: (a) minimum sound levels based on psychoacoustic modeling and detection distances and (b) minimum sound levels based on the sound of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Potential detectability specifications are discussed in terms of frequency range and minimum sound level for selected one-third octave bands. Also considered is the relative proportion of acoustical energy emitted from a vehicle as a function of direction (directivity). Recognition includes two aspects: recognition that the sound is emanating from a vehicle and recognition of the type of operation that the vehicle is conducting. Potential specifications to aid in recognition are discussed in terms of broadband noise and tones (tone-to-noise ratio) and ways to denote changes in vehicle speed (pitch-shifting as a function of vehicle speed). KW - Audible warning devices in vehicles KW - Electric vehicles KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Pedestrian detectors KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act KW - Sound KW - Specifications KW - Warning devices UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45558/MinimumSoundSpecs.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148385 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383575 AU - Hitchcock, Wilbur A AU - Uddin, Nasim AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia AU - Salama, Talat AU - Kirby, Jason AU - Zhao, Hua AU - Toutanji, Houssam AU - Richardson, Jim AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (B-WIM) System Testing and Evaluation PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 75p AB - The expansion in freight shipments on the nation’s highways has led to a substantial increase in road traffic congestion. Of particular concern is the increase in the number, size, and weight of heavy commercial vehicles. Because of the limited resources available to enforcement agencies, an effective program of highway maintenance and safety could benefit substantially from an affordable traffic sampling and enforcement program that is not manpower intensive. A reliable, accurate, and portable dynamic sampling system capable of delivering measurements of moving vehicle type, size, and weight would be attractive. The continued advancement and acceptance in Europe of bridge weigh-in-motion (B-WIM) technology as a tool for highway maintenance, safety, and enforcement has established an interest for field demonstrations of the technology and potential applications in the United States. In this project, a team of researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), University of Alabama (UA), and University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) was initiated to evaluate the potential use of B-WIM systems in Alabama. Over the course of eighteen months, the team consulted with experienced researchers and practitioners in Europe and the United States. A commercial B-WIM system developed in Slovenia was purchased for testing. System installation and calibration was conducted at two remote sites. A short, in-service field test at the second site resulted in accuracy classifications of C(15) for gross vehicle weight and lower accuracy for single axles and group of axles. After work at the two test sites was completed, an international one-day B-WIM workshop was held to discuss practical applications for B-WIM technology in heavy truck freight operations. The report concludes with recommendations for bridge selection, system installation, calibration techniques, and operational methods. KW - Alabama KW - Applications KW - Bridges KW - Calibration KW - Field tests KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Installation KW - Maintenance management KW - Overweight loads KW - Weigh in motion KW - Workshops UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2012/07/07212-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148248 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383554 AU - Ideker, Jason H AU - Adams, Matthew P AU - Tanner, Jennifer AU - Jones, Angela AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Durability Assessment of Recycled Concrete Aggregates for use in New Concrete – Phase I Report PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The primary goal of this research project was to investigate the long-term durability of concrete incorporating recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) through accelerated laboratory testing. Overall it was found that modifications to standard aggregate testing and characterization standards were necessary for testing RCA. This included modifications to standard tests including ASTM C 128, C 305 and C 1260. It was found that the potential for alkali silica reactivity did exist for new concrete containing RCA. The characteristics of the RCA also had a profound effect on alkali silica reaction (ASR) related expansion. RCA with a higher content of reactive coarse or fine aggregate (compared to paste fraction) exhibited greater reaction and would therefore require higher levels of mitigation. Based on testing in this research project precision and bias statements in ASTM C 1260 (for virgin aggregate) do not apply to RCA. Recommendations for future work are also included in this report. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Long term performance KW - Pavement performance KW - Recycled concrete aggregate KW - Recycled materials UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1192 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45545/OTREC-RR-11-09_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148246 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380502 AU - Pyeon, Jae-Ho AU - Lee, E B AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Systematic Procedures to Determine Incentive/Disincentive Dollar Amounts for Highway Transportation Construction Projects PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 80p AB - The Federal Highway Administration has encouraged state transportation agencies to implement Incentive/Disincentive (I/D) contracting provisions for early project completion. Although general guidelines to determine the I/D dollar amount for a project are available, there is no systematic and practical tool in use to determine optimum I/D dollar amounts for I/D projects considering road user cost, agency cost, contractor’s acceleration cost, and contractor’s cost savings. Therefore, systematic procedures and models to assist project planners and engineers in determining an appropriate I/D dollar amount are essential to optimizing the use of I/D contracting techniques. This research performed a literature review related to the determination of daily I/D dollar amounts. Caltrans I/D project data were then collected and evaluated. Project performance data were analyzed with regard to project outcomes in two key areas: project time and project cost. Statistical analyses were performed to identify the impact of I/D dollar amount on project time and cost performance. Using Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (CA4PRS) software, Caltrans I/D projects were analyzed to introduce three different levels of CA4PRS implementations for the I/D dollar amounts calculation. Based on the results of the I/D project case studies, the systematic procedures to determine appropriate I/D dollar amounts were developed using the CA4PRS schedule-traffic-cost integration process for the new I-5 rehabilitation project in LA. The proposed procedures were applied to a typical highway pavement rehabilitation project using HMA (hot mix asphalt) materials. Further research is needed to apply the proposed model to other types of highway projects, with adjustment for the type of project. KW - CA4PRS (Computer model) KW - Contracting out KW - Cost estimating KW - Disincentives KW - Incentives KW - Literature reviews KW - Road construction KW - Road user costs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45188/2908-highway-transportation-construction-incentive-disincentive-amounts.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380431 AU - Rodier, Caroline AU - Martin, Elliot AU - Spiller, Margot AU - Abraham, John AU - Hunt, Doug AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Economic and Life Cycle Analysis of Regional Land Use and Transportation Plans PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 88p AB - Travel and emissions models are commonly applied to evaluate the change in passenger and commercial travel and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use and transportation plans. Analyses conducted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments predict a decline in such travel and emissions from their land use and transportation plan (the “Preferred Blueprint” or PRB scenario) relative to a “Business-As-Usual” scenario (BAU). However, the lifecycle GHG effects due to changes in production and consumption associated with transportation and land use plans are rarely, if ever, conducted. An earlier study conducted by the authors, applied a spatial economic model (Sacramento PECAS) to the PRB plan and found that lower labor, transport, and rental costs increased producer and consumer surplus and production and consumption relative to the BAU. As a result, lifecycle GHG emissions from these upstream economic activities may increase. At the same time, lifecycle GHG emissions associated with the manufacture of construction materials for housing may decline due to a shift in the plan from larger luxury homes to smaller multi-family homes in the plan. To explore the net impact of these opposing GHG impacts, the current study used the economic production and consumption data from the PRB and BAU scenarios as simulated with the Sacramento PECAS model as inputs to estimate the change in lifecycle GHG emissions. The economic input-output lifecycle assessment model is applied to evaluate effects related to changes in economic production and consumption as well as housing construction. This study also builds on the findings from two previous studies, which suggest potential economic incentives for jurisdictional non-compliance with Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCSs) under Senate Bill 375 (also known as the “anti-sprawl” bill). SB 375 does not require local governments to adopt general plans that are consistent with the land use plans included in SCSs, and thus such incentives could jeopardize implementation of SCSs and achievement of GHG goals. In this study, a set of scenarios is simulated with the Sacramento PECAS model, in which multiple jurisdictions partially pursue the BAU at differing rates. The PRB is treated as a straw or example SCS. The scenarios are evaluated to understand how non-conformity may influence the supply of housing by type, and holding other factors constant, the geographic and income distribution of rents, wages, commute costs, and consumer surplus. KW - Economic analysis KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use planning KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Sacramento (California) KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45190/1008-regional-land-use-transportation-plans-economic-lifecycle-analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147383 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380422 AU - Ashiabor, Senanu AU - Wei, Wenbin AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Advancing High-Speed Rail Policy in the United States PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 88p AB - This report builds on a review of international experience with high-speed rail projects to develop recommendations for a High-speed rail policy framework for the United States (US). The international review looked at the experience of Korea, Taiwan, China, and several countries in Europe. Countries in Asia and Europe have pursued high-speed rail (HSR) to achieve various goals, which include relieving congestion on highway networks, freeing up capacity on rail network for freight train operations, and reducing travel time for travelers. Some of the key rationales do not work well in the US context. As an example, in the US, freight companies own most of the rail network and, hence, do not need government intervention to free up capacity for their operations. The project concluded that the potential to reduce travel times, coupled with improved travel time reliability and safety, will be the strongest selling points for HSR in the US. HSR lines work best in high-density, economically active corridors. Given that there are a limited number of such corridors in the US, this study recommends that the US HSR project funding mix be skewed heavily toward state bonds guaranteed by the federal government. This will ensure that the states that benefit directly from the projects pay most of the costs, making it more palatable to states that may not have HSR projects. For the projects that span multiple states, member states may have to negotiate the level of financial responsibility they will bear, and this will require detailed negotiations and financial setups that are not addressed in this report. Other measures that the federal government needs to put in place include designating a key agency and dedicated funding source, and developing regulations and specifications for HSR design and construction. States that embark on HSR projects should start with formal legislation and put in place structures to ensure sustained political support throughout the planning and construction of the project. The federal government also needs to move quickly to foster educational and training centers to build up the HSR workforce in the country. KW - High speed rail KW - Policy making KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time KW - Travel time reliability KW - United States KW - Urban transportation policy UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45193/2905-US-hsr-high-speed-rail-policy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147381 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380292 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Luo, Zheng AU - Gao, Miao AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Factors Associated with Truck Crash Severity in Nebraska PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The severity of truck crashes is a concern in the state of Nebraska. This study was undertaken to investigate factors associated with the severity of truck crashes. A two-year dataset obtained from the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) was analyzed to determine those factors. Results indicated that the involvement of alcohol was associated with more severe injuries in truck crashes on Nebraska highways. Crashes involving farm equipment were more injurious than other truck crashes. Dawn and dusk were critical periods associated with more severe truck crashes. Further, the absence of medians contributed to truck crash severity. Crashes on adverse pavement conditions such as snow, ice, and slush were less severe in comparison to crashes on pavements of different conditions. Crashes reported on local roads were less severe compared to those reported on other highways. The researchers recommend strengthening the ongoing focus on reducing driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as an in-depth investigation of truck crashes involving farm equipment. The researchers also recommend provision of medians on roadways, where possible. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash investigation KW - Crash severity KW - Drunk driving KW - Nebraska KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147615 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380279 AU - Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong AU - Duncombe, William AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Syracuse University AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Earmarked Revenues and Spending Volatility: The Case of Highway Finance PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 80p AB - Over the last decade, state governments have experienced two recessions (including the recent ―Great Recession‖) which have resulted in significant disruptions in state budgets and highlighted the volatility of the personal income tax and general sales tax. Since infrastructure maintenance funding may be particularly vulnerable to budget cuts during recessions, it is important to identify more stable revenue sources and budgetary institutions. One of the distinguishing characteristics of highway finance in the United States is the heavy use of earmarked revenues linked to highway users. The authors' key research question is whether an increase in the share of highway funding from earmarked revenues will reduce the volatility of highway budgets. To answer this research question, the authors have collected extensive data on state highways, state finances, and other socio-politico-economic characteristics of state governments over a 30-year period, and developed an empirical model drawing from previous research in state and local public finance. They found that earmarking of revenue in state highway funds is significantly related to highway expenditure; however, the relationship is more nuanced than they originally hypothesized. An increase in the share of highway funding from transportation-related revenue sources or an increase in the share of transportation-related revenue from motor fuel taxes are associated with a decrease in volatility of state highway spending. On the other hand, an increase in the share of transportation-related revenue used for highways is associated with an increase in budget volatility. Since the major alternative use of state transportation-related revenue is to fund local roads, this result indicates the importance of examining state-local intergovernmental finance on highway spending volatility in future research. KW - Budgeting KW - Earmarks KW - Economic and social factors KW - Expenditures KW - Financing KW - Political factors KW - Revenues KW - State highways UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45735/Nguyen_Hoang_476_Earmarked_Revenues_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148230 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380037 AU - Rivasplata, Charles R AU - Guo, Zhan AU - Lee, Richard J AU - Keyon, David AU - Schloeter, Luis AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Residential On-Site Carsharing and Off-Street Parking Policy in the San Francisco Bay Area PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 64 p. AB - This study evaluates the performance of on-site carsharing programs in the San Francisco Bay Area by interviewing developers, planners, and carsharing service providers. The principal factors contributing to the success or failure of on-site carsharing are identified as: the unbundling status of off-street parking in residential developments; ties to off-street parking standards; financial constraints; and the level of coordination among stakeholders. The interviews reveal that while on-site carsharing has been accepted by developers, planners, and service providers, there appears to be a gap between such programs and off-street parking standards, and between such programs and carsharing business operations. The authors recommend that a few models for establishing carsharing policy be tested: a model designed to serve high-density cities with traditional carsharing; and another designed to serve moderately-dense communities, with new carsharing options (e.g., peer-to-peer). In the case of the latter, trip reduction can be achieved through the promotion of alternative modes along major corridors. KW - Costs KW - Developers KW - Off street parking KW - Population density KW - San Francisco Bay Area KW - Urban transportation policy KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1001-1-residential-carsharing-offstreet-parking-policy-san-francisco.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148006 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380036 AU - Gosling, Geoffrey D AU - Wei, Wenbin AU - Freeman, Dennis AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Collaborative Funding to Facilitate Airport Ground Access PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 188p. AB - This study examines the challenges of funding airport ground access projects and the role of collaborative funding strategies between agencies. Current federal transportation funding programs are reviewed along with state and local funding programs and potential opportunities for private-sector funding. Detailed case studies of seven selected airport ground access projects are presented, including a major intermodal center, two automated people-mover projects, two airport access highway projects, and two airport rail links. These case studies examine the history of each project, the costs involved, and the funding programs and mechanisms used to finance the projects. The report identifies potential funding strategies for intermodal airport ground access projects, requirements for effective implementation of these strategies, and a recommended approach to facilitate successful project development and implementation. The report also presents recommended changes to transportation funding program rules and regulations that could facilitate and simplify development of intermodal solutions to future airport ground access needs. KW - Airport access KW - Airport ground transportation KW - Case studies KW - Finance KW - Government funding KW - Public private partnerships UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2503-collaborative-funding-airport-ground-access.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148004 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380035 AU - Ashiabor, Senanu AU - Wei, Wenbin AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development Challenges of Small and Secondary Airports in California PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 58 p. AB - A challenge for operators of secondary airports in California is that Increased low-cost carrier (LCC) aircraft operations have led to significant noise impacts on the surrounding communities. Operators have imposed curfews to limit the noise impacts, but this approach constrains the LCCs and has lead some to initiate flights out of large hubs instead. Statistics from this study show that the LCCs have replaced the legacy airlines as the dominant air provider in the state. With their growing dominance, the LCCs will become more attractive to the large hub airports, and the secondary airports will face increased competition in retaining them. To retain those LCCs, the secondary airports must better understand how LCCs make investment decisions related to airport development. At the same time, they must better educate the LCCs about their airport needs. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airports KW - California KW - Competition KW - Economics KW - Low cost carriers KW - Market share UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2804-california-small-airport-development-challenges.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148005 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379202 AU - DeAnnuntis, Chirstopher AU - Morris, William P AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Best Practices in Bus Dispatch PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 144p AB - In 2007, the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) sponsored a study to examine best practices in extraboard operator management. In most transit agencies, extraboard manpower is managed by the dispatch function, but extraboard management is only one of the many aspects of operating a transit system managed by Dispatch. The study for extraboard management revealed a need to have a greater understanding of operational functions within transit systems and to share optimal practices among transit operations personnel. While the similarities of dispatch functions across all transit agencies are well known, the differences in operating policies, procedures, and functions of dispatch have not been well researched or documented. Very little is known about the differences between transit agencies in terms of the manner in which dispatch is structured, the operational practices and procedures that dispatchers follow, and a catalogue of all of the functions of dispatch. KW - Best practices KW - Bus transit KW - Dispatchers KW - Dispatching KW - Extraboards KW - Human resources management KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-25_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146792 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379175 AU - Lacouture, Richard V AU - Larsen, Randolph K AU - Anderson, Jon T AU - Morgan State University AU - National Center for Transportation Management, Research and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Susceptibility of Eastern Oyster Early Life Stages to Road Surface Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 26p AB - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of chemical compounds that are mostly anthropogenic in nature, and they can become persistent organic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Runoff from impervious surfaces is one of the many ways contaminants enter the aquatic realm. Three different PAH concentrations were used to investigate the effects on oyster-egg fertilization, embryonic transformation to the D-shell veliger larva, and larvae settlement onto hard substrate. The three different concentrations of PAHs ranged from one that is environmentally relevant to the concentrations found in runoff from road surfaces, another that was tenfold more concentrated, and finally one that was one hundred times more concentrated. The extremely concentrated solution had negative effects on fertilization success after one hour of exposure, while the lesser concentrations showed significant deleterious effects after two hours of exposure. All of the three PAH solutions caused significant numbers of abnormalities in the embryonic transformation of embryos to D-stage larvae. Finally, the two more concentrated PAH solutions significantly inhibited the oyster larvae in successfully setting on the hard substrate. This study's results provide evidence that PAHs entering an aquatic ecosystem from runoff from road surfaces have the potential to inhibit oyster reproduction by negatively impacting three critical processes in the early life cycle of the Eastern oyster. KW - Aquatic life KW - Ecosystems KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons KW - Runoff UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45187/Susceptibility_Lacouture_1112.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146605 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379148 AU - Dusicka, Peter AU - Mehary, Selamawit T AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seismic Hazard Assessment of Oregon Highway Truck Routes PY - 2012/06 SP - 114p AB - This research project developed a seismic risk assessment model along the major truck routes in Oregon. The study had adopted federally developed software tools called Risk for Earthquake Damage to Roadway Systems (REDARS2) and HAZUS-MH. The model was the first time REDARS2 has been adopted and used in research outside of the original development team, presenting a number of unique challenges. The development of the model was a complex, intensive process that required a significant research effort, manipulation and adjustment of data. Furthermore, limitations of the software tools themselves had been identified that prevented the inclusion of important aspects such as liquefaction induced damage and refinement of the transportation network. The main objective of this research were to refine the data from a first generation of the model to more realistically represent the bridge inventory, to address the seismicity of the Pacific Northwest, conduct sensitivity analyses of soil data on the analyses results and develop a seismic network model of Oregon bridges for purposes of assessing the seismic vulnerability of roadway segments. The first generation model relied on default settings within the program to determine the economic loss due to repair and replacement of damaged bridges. The assumptions used in the analyses have been reviewed and Oregon specific data was incorporated for the model. The largest earthquake now considered to be at a highest level of probability in the Pacific Northwest is a subduction zone earthquake. The major shortcoming of REDARS2 is its inability to incorporate the subduction zone attenuation relationship into the analysis. To incorporate that capability into the model, shakemaps were developed by USGS for Cascadia subduction zone scenario events and incorporated as the demand on the refined model. Analyses of the transportation network incorporating bridge routes and post processing of the data with input from Oregon DOT bridge engineers resulted in recommendations toward bridge route priority strategies. The majority of the bridges that indicated the possibility of damage were types associated with multi-column bents, simply-supported concrete superstructures and simply-supported steel superstructures. Of the major highway routes that were considered, I-405, section of I-5 (from Multnomah to Clackamas Counties), I-84, I-205 and US-101 were the top five on the preliminary priority for seismic retrofit. These routes need to be analyzed more and advanced cost-benefit investigations should be done before retrofit decisions are made. KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Earthquakes KW - Forecasting KW - Hazard evaluation KW - Highway bridges KW - Oregon KW - REDARS2 (Computer program) KW - Risk assessment KW - Seismicity KW - Truck routes UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1189 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45159/OTREC-RR-11-22_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144248 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01378869 AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Lu, Wei AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-vehicle Mobility Allowance Shuttle Transit (MAST) System - An Analytical Model to Select the Fleet Size and a Scheduling Heuristic PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 50p AB - The Mobility Allowance Shuttle Transit (MAST) system is a hybrid transit system in which vehicles are allowed to deviate from a fixed route to serve flexible demand. A mixed integer programming (MIP) formulation for the static scheduling problem of a multi-vehicle MAST system is proposed in this thesis. Based on the MIP formulation, the authors analyzed the impacts of time headways between consecutive transit vehicles on the performance of a two-vehicle MAST system. An analytical framework was then developed to model the performance of both one-vehicle and two-vehicle MAST systems, which can be used to identify the critical demand level at which an increase of the fleet size from one to two vehicles would be appropriate. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to find out the impact of a key modeling parameter, w sub 1, the weight of operations cost on the critical demand. In this research, the authors developed an insertion heuristic for a multi-vehicle MAST system, which has never been addressed in the literature. The proposed heuristic was validated and evaluated by a set of simulations performed at different demand levels and with different control parameters. By comparing its performance versus the optimal solutions, the effectiveness of the heuristic was confirmed. Compared to its single-vehicle counterpart, the multiple-vehicle MAST prevails in terms of rejection rate, passenger waiting time and overall objective function, among other performance indices. KW - Fleet management KW - Fleet size KW - Flexible transit system KW - Headways KW - Heuristic methods KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Scheduling KW - Shuttle service UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Quadrifoglio_11-47-77.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146609 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01378868 AU - Ramani, Tara L AU - Turnbull, Katherine F AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Conference on Performance Measures for Transportation and Livable Communities: Summary of Work Performed PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 24p AB - Livability is primarily concerned with issues such as transportation choices, neighborhood character and access to destinations, affordability, and maintaining cohesive rural, urban and suburban communities. As transportation agencies work toward addressing livability goals, it is important that they monitor their progress. Performance measurement is highly relevant in this context and can help transportation agencies better understand and apply livability concepts and enhance decision making processes. The aim of this project was to plan and conduct a workshop or conference on transportation and livability performance measures, involving researchers and transportation practitioners from different agencies in the U.S. The conference was held in Austin, Texas, from September 7–8, 2012, with over 130 attendees who participated in plenary sessions, breakout sessions, and interactive discussions. The conference was co-sponsored by the Transportation Research Board, by the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota, and by Texas Transportation Institute's Transportation Economics Center. The outcome of the conference was summarized in conference proceedings, published at: http://utcm.tamu.edu/LivabilityConference/proceedings/documents/Conference_Summary.pdf. This report summarizes the work performed and results achieved in planning and implementing this conference. KW - Accessibility KW - Communities KW - Conferences KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Livable communities KW - Performance measurement KW - Public transit KW - Quality of life KW - Transportation planning KW - Walkability UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Ramani_11-15-78.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146607 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530506 TI - Micro-Dynamics of Business Location and Growth and its Effects on the Transportation Network and Congestion in Georgia and the Southeast Region AB - The project will examine selected industries that are economically important to Georgia and to the broader Southeast region, and that are some of the important drivers of demand for transportation (road, rail and ports). Examining the link between the micro-dynamics of industrial location and growth and the demand for transportation is important for several reasons. A more efficient and less congested transportation system, for example, will mean lower costs for the industries, allowing them to attain higher levels of economic performance and be more competitive on a national global scale. A better performing and more competitive industrial sector, in turn, will spur greater economic development in Georgia and in the greater Southeast. region. To truly understand the complexities of transportation and its impacts, the researchers contend that one needs to focus on some of the core industries that generate demand for the various modes of transportation. The research is novel in its use of pooling new, as well as existing, data sources to explore the little understood linkages between the micro-foundation of industry dynamics and economic activity, along with the macro-congestion aspects of freight transport. The project will contain four distinct aspects important to providing a comprehensive understanding: They include: 1) a review of economic and financial incentives that the state of Georgia and other states in the Southeast region have provided to attract key companies and industries that provide large economic impact; 2) a focus on selected industries (e.g., automobiles) which have been an important target of policy initiatives; 3) a careful mapping of the supply-chain - particularly the automobile industry - by developing a taxonomy of the main component areas, and identifying major suppliers; 4) examining the demands of these flows of industry inputs and final products place on the transportation system, using predetermined data sources, to develop per unit of consumption and production transportation costs by mode of transport for the principlal commodities moved. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic growth KW - Georgia KW - Industrial location KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Regional development KW - Southeastern United States KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation networks UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316141 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446265 AU - Akyurtlu, Ates AU - Akyurtlu, Jale AU - Eastern Seaboard Intermodal Transportation Applications Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Further Analysis of NOx and O3 Data, and the Acquisition, Installation and Laboratory Testing of the PM Equipment PY - 2012/05/31/Final Report SP - 16p AB - In the Eastern Seaboard Intermodal Transportation Applications Center at Hampton University, the authors have started a comprehensive investigation of the emissions around heavily traveled roadways, shipping channels, airports, and railroads with the purpose of obtaining real time measurements of pollutant concentrations and relating them to real-time weather and traffic information. In the first two cycles of their research program, they built a mobile unit containing a NOx and an ozone analyzer, and a weather station to provide simultaneous measurements of wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and insolation with the concentration measurements. The measured concentrations were compared to the predictions of CALINE4. Considering the effects of PM2.5 on public health, for the third research cycle the authors proposed to include an instrument for the real time measurement of PM2.5. KW - Air quality management KW - Environmental impacts KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Ozone KW - Particulates KW - Pollutants KW - Real time information KW - Traffic data UR - http://biz.hamptonu.edu/esitac/docs/environmental_final_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212537 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01538113 TI - Digital Dissemination Platform of Transportation Engineering Education Materials AB - National interest abounds in improving engineering education in the United States (US). This interest stems from low performance on concept inventories concerns over the role of the US as a national economic leader, evidence of best practices in curriculum development and pedagogy, and a sense that we can just do things better. These concerns have led to the development of an abundance of materials and methods that are based on effective methods of development and/or been shown to be effective on student learning and other important educational outcomes. While progress has been made in improving courses and curriculum, it is greatly hindered by inefficiencies associated with duplicating development efforts. For example, there are approximately 200 introduction to transportation engineering courses taught annually in the US and little evidence of sharing of materials (other than textbooks) in these courses. More knowledge is needed on how and why faculty and teachers adopt curriculum. Where do they go for resources when developing a new course or revising an old course? How do they make adoption decisions when they find curriculum? In what forms can dissemination venues (such as websites) take to optimize adoption? How can higher education and workforce development curriculum be shared efficiently? This project will begin to answer these important questions through an investigation of how faculty adopt curriculum when developing a new course or revising an existing course and using this knowledge to develop an architecture and sustainable plan for a web-based dissemination venue. In parallel with this work, faculty from University of Alaska, Fairbanks will develop and test courses focused on working professionals. The project will monitor this course development process to add to the knowledge base for repository development. KW - Best practices KW - Course content KW - Education KW - Information dissemination KW - Students KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-6-739437-Brown-Shane-Multi-Education.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324562 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380453 AU - Misener, James AU - Andrews, Scott AU - Cannistra, Peter AU - Adams, Tori AU - Collins, John AU - Garcia, Dominie AU - Waite, Andrea AU - Walsh, Richard AU - Sheppard, Blake AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Communications Data Delivery System Analysis. Task 2 Report: High-Level Options for Secure Communications Data Delivery Systems PY - 2012/05/16/Draft SP - 90p AB - This Communications Data Delivery System Analysis Task 2 report describes and analyzes options for Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communications data delivery systems using various communication media (Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), cellular, Wi-Fi, potential hybrid approaches and others), with security credentials management as a primary purpose. This task consisted of two subtasks. The first subtask was to gather and perform an initial level of analysis on the available communications options and methods to analyze deployment technology and business cases. Up to four options were to be considered during Task 2 – DSRC and cellular, and up to two more were to be selected by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). The second subtask was to take the documented results of the Task 2 analysis, distribute to multiple groups of interested stakeholders for their review, and collect their feedback during a public workshop, for consideration and inclusion in a follow-up iteration of the report. This report is the result of both subtasks. KW - Data communications KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45615/FHWA-JPO-12-061_CDDS_Task_2_Rpt_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147987 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489280 TI - Exploring Novel Applications of Archived Transportation Data: Predicting Freeway Crash Risk, Border Crossing Delay and Inclement Weather Impacts AB - There has recently been an increased interest in taking advantage of the latest Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies to improve the efficiency, safety, resiliency, and environmental friendliness of the transportation system. The focus of this proposal is one specific ITS application or user service, namely Archived Data Management Systems (ADMS). ADMS or ITS Data Warehouses are designed to archive, fuse, organize and analyze ITS data and can therefore support a wide range of very useful applications at a minimal additional cost. Given the benefits of ITS Data Warehouses, researchers from the University at Buffalo (UB) and the State University of New York (SUNY) have recently been working with the different organizations in the Buffalo-Niagara region that collect transportation-related data to develop a prototype ITS data warehouse for the region. The proposed project has two primary objectives. First, the project proposes to further develop the prototype ITS data warehouse, currently under development by UB, in order to make it ready for use by participating agencies. Specifically, the work proposed includes: (1) further development and refinement of the programs designed to read and import the different traffic data streams; (2) the inclusion of additional data streams; and (3) the development of the graphical user interface (GUI) and the addition of new functionalities to allow the user to run a number of queries and perform different types of analysis. The second objective of the proposed research is to utilize the data within the ITS data warehouse to support three innovative and novel applications of archived data. These are: (1) Developing models and methods for predicting the likely crash risk in real time; this work will involve correlating and fusing: (a) incident data from Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition (NITTEC) logs; (b) real-time counts from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) or NYSTA; (c) real-time link-based speeds from the TRANSMIT system; and (d) weather information from the national weather service; (2) Developing predictive models for predicting border crossing delays at the Niagara Frontier Border Crossings; this work will involve fusing data regarding: (a) volumes; (b) border delays; and (c) weather; (3) Analyzing the impact of inclement weather on traffic operations, with a special emphasis on studying the impact of snow on truck operations, which will involve fusing data about: (a) counts; (b) speeds; (c) accidents; and (d) weather. The aforementioned three applications are universal in nature, and all have far-reaching implications and broad impacts that go well beyond the Buffalo-Niagara region or the State of New York. Moreover, the work related to the development of the ITS data warehouse itself can serve as s a model deployment to other regions across New York State and the country. KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Data warehouses KW - Graphical user interfaces KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Real time information KW - Traffic data KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/exploring-novel-applications-archived-transportation-data UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258297 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01516391 AU - Biton, Anna AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluation Report, Region 5 PY - 2012/05/14/Final Report SP - 70p AB - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Volpe Center conducted a Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluation (RATE) in FWS Region 5 to ensure effective consideration and integration of alternative transportation systems (ATS) into the goals and recommendations of the Region 5 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). From north to south, Region 5 is comprised of the thirteen northeastern states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Region 5 RATE team, consisting of staff from the Volpe Center, FWS Washington Office and Region 5, and Eastern Federal Lands Highways Division (EFLHD), traveled through portions of Massachusetts and southeastern Virginia in December 2011, to explore and discuss alternative transportation needs and constraints in the region with the staff of a group of FWS refuges. The RATE visits also helped to develop an alternative transportation systems (ATS) questionnaire, which was later sent to all refuges in the region. During the RATE, the team visited Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Back Bay NWR, the Eastern Shores of Virginia NWR Complex, and Great Dismal Swamp NWR to identify specific opportunities for ATS in these and other stations. Ultimately, the RATE provided selective baseline information, and identified opportunities and constraints, on how ATS may be instituted more broadly across Region 5. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - National Wildlife Refuge System KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Northeastern United States KW - Public transit KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service KW - Water transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/50000/50800/50891/RATE_Report_R5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1290557 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572633 TI - Project 43 - Policy Analysis: Mission Specifications AB - Future reductions of fuel burn and green house gas emissions from commercial aviation will be, in large part, achieved through the development and use of more fuel- and environmentally-efficient aircraft. Achieving significant efficiency improvements at the aircraft level may require opening up the design space so as to consider changes in aircraft design mission specifications/capabilities such as lower cruise speed, different payload-range characteristics, and longer wing span. However, there are potentially serious and unforeseen system-wide implications (economics, viability, delays, manufacturability, etc.) that could result from these changes and that have not yet been quantified properly. The main objective of this project is to understand and quantify these implications so that informed decisions can be made. To accomplish these goals, one needs to first assess the full potential of these changes for fuel efficiency improvements at the individual aircraft level. More importantly, specific approaches to be followed (and their combinations) need to be prioritized to focus on those that provide the largest potential benefit in combination with what could be achieved by technology improvements alone. Second, there is a lack of understanding of how aircraft with such changes in mission specifications could impact both airlines' operations/economics and the ability of manufacturers to produce multiple models at reasonable costs. These assessments can be performed through parametric analysis of airline and manufacturer economics and result in a cost abatement evaluation of both individual aircraft mission specifications changes and their combinations. This understanding will allow the propagation of aircraft-level improvements to the fleet level in order to assess system-wide benefits. Finally, the potential aircraft mission specification changes may have operational implications at the local and National Airspace System level. Understanding these operational implications will be critical to assessing whether the current NextGen concepts of operations and future capabilities (i.e., in the 2020-2030 time frame) will permit, enable, or impede the introduction of these new vehicles into the NAS. Collaborations with Project 30 are expected. KW - Air transportation policy KW - Aircraft KW - Civil aviation KW - Design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Specifications UR - http://partner.mit.edu/projects/analysis-missions-specifications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364645 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547625 TI - Carbon Footprint of Supply Chains: A Scoping Study AB - Supply chains are designed for the efficient processing, staging, and movement of goods to market or industrial users. Decision makers must make many competitive choices when establishing supply chains, and these choices have material consequences for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While many companies measure the carbon footprint of their individual supply chains, and freight operators have measured their particular contributions, there is no consistent method to measure the transportation component of the supply chain GHG impacts for key industrial sectors of the economy. This limits the ability of decision makers to understand existing impacts and to explore the consequences of existing or proposed policies and regulations related to GHG emissions.Research is needed to review the current state of the practice for measuring the overall carbon footprint of the transportation component of supply chains for key industrial sectors of the economy, and for preparing a research approach to develop a method to allow consistent reporting and measurement of supply chain impacts and identification and quantification of reduction opportunities. The objectives of this project are to (1) define a standardized, conceptual approach to assessing global greenhouse gas emissions of the transportation component of supply chains; (2) critique the current methods and data used to quantify GHG emissions of the transportation component of supply chains; and (3) prepare a detailed work plan listing the specific tasks necessary to develop a decision tool to help estimate the carbon footprint of the transportation component of supply chains and to assess potential supply chain modifications to reduce these impacts. KW - Decision making KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Pollutants KW - Supply chain management KW - Transportation UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3271 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335178 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572686 TI - Sustainability Evaluation Guidance for Jet Fuel AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft fuels KW - Aviation fuels KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Jet engine fuels KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364772 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572685 TI - Terminal - Support to ATO and Research Opportunities Evaluation AB - No summary provided. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport terminals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Research KW - Terminal operations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364771 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572684 TI - Tools Related Policy Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Emergency medical services KW - Environmental impacts KW - Policy making KW - Tools UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364770 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572683 TI - Tools Validation Modeling AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Data validation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Modeling KW - Tools UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364769 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572682 TI - ICAO CAEP WG2 TG4 Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Aviation safety KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants KW - Technical assistance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364768 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572641 TI - Project 30 - CO₂ Standard AB - Aircraft regulatory standards, or aircraft certification requirements with associated stringency levels, are among the set of mechanisms that can be used to incentivize CO&#8322; emissions reductions from commercial aviation. Setting such standards requires the definition and identification of a metric (e.g., gCO&#8322;/km, gCO&#8322;/(kg*km)), correlating parameter, stringency level, and scope of applicability (i.e., type of aircraft, reference missions, fuel mix). Project 30 seeks to develop robust metrics that objectively and accurately reflect CO&#8322; emissions at the aircraft and fleet levels. KW - Air quality KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Certification KW - Civil aviation KW - National Ambient Air Quality Standard KW - Pollutants KW - Regulations UR - http://partner.mit.edu/projects/metrics-aviation-co2-standard UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364653 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572539 TI - NextGen EMS Demo AB - No summary provided KW - Aviation KW - Demonstration projects KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364503 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572538 TI - NextGen Environmental Policy Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364502 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572536 TI - Noise AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise control KW - Sound transmission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364500 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572535 TI - Noise-Certification Advancement AB - No summary provided. KW - Certification KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise sources KW - Sound transmission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364499 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572534 TI - Noise-Metrics AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Noise control KW - Sound transmission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364498 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572533 TI - Noise-Airport Community Studies AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Airports KW - Community impact assessment KW - Noise UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364497 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572532 TI - Noise-Beyond 65 Studies AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise control KW - Sound level KW - Sound transmission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364496 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572531 TI - Noise-Public Meetings/Workshops AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Noise KW - Noise control KW - Public hearings KW - Workshops UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364495 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572530 TI - Operational Procedures Portfolio Planning and Management AB - No summary provided. KW - Administrative procedures KW - Environmental impacts KW - Management KW - Organizational portfolio analysis KW - Planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364494 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572525 TI - Project 21 - ATM and Operational Procedure N Control AB - Taxiing aircraft contribute significantly to fuel burn and emissions at airports. The quantities of fuel burned as well as different pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter, are functions of aircraft taxi duration (along with throttle setting, number of running engines, and pilot and airline decisions regarding engine shutdowns during delays). The reduction of taxi times through improved planning of surface movements has the potential to reduce these emissions. Project 21 focuses on opportunities to reduce surface emissions through departure planning and surface movement optimization. The research will include a detailed plan for implementing these techniques in a pilot study at an airport, with an overall goal of initiating wider adoption of the methods throughout the United States. This project will investigate approaches, such as gate-holds and taxi-route planning, to decrease taxi times. In addition, environmental factors will be incorporated into the objective functions of the optimization through the use of aircraft-specific delay costs, which will reflect the fact that the emissions characteristics of various aircraft may differ. Current baseline fuel burn and emissions at major airports will also be assessed in order to identify locations where the proposed strategies will produce the most benefits. Project 21 will also address the development of approaches to surface movement optimization that will balance both airport throughput and emissions objectives, while simultaneously ensuring fairness in the delays incurred by the different airlines. Barriers to the practical adoption of these approaches, such as gate usage and ownership issues, as well as surface infrastructure considerations such as taxiway layouts, the availability of tugs, and the presence and location of holding areas, will be identified, and possible approaches to overcome these barriers will be developed. Airline competition, tradeoffs between airline and air traffic control objectives, traffic flow management initiatives in the airspace and the presence of uncertainty in airport processes (which result in uncertain estimates of pushback times and taxi times) also pose significant challenges to surface movement optimization, and will be addressed. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport operations KW - Environmental impacts KW - Operational procedures model (Aviation) KW - Procedures KW - Pushback rate control KW - Taxiing KW - Traffic flow KW - United States UR - http://partner.mit.edu/projects/airport-surface-movement-optimization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364489 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572524 TI - Project 21 - ATM and Operational Procedures Continuous Climb AB - Taxiing aircraft contribute significantly to fuel burn and emissions at airports. The quantities of fuel burned as well as different pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter, are functions of aircraft taxi duration (along with throttle setting, number of running engines, and pilot and airline decisions regarding engine shutdowns during delays). The reduction of taxi times through improved planning of surface movements has the potential to reduce these emissions. Project 21 focuses on opportunities to reduce surface emissions through departure planning and surface movement optimization. The research will include a detailed plan for implementing these techniques in a pilot study at an airport, with an overall goal of initiating wider adoption of the methods throughout the United States. This project will investigate approaches, such as gate-holds and taxi-route planning, to decrease taxi times. In addition, environmental factors will be incorporated into the objective functions of the optimization through the use of aircraft-specific delay costs, which will reflect the fact that the emissions characteristics of various aircraft may differ. Current baseline fuel burn and emissions at major airports will also be assessed in order to identify locations where the proposed strategies will produce the most benefits. Project 21 will also address the development of approaches to surface movement optimization that will balance both airport throughput and emissions objectives, while simultaneously ensuring fairness in the delays incurred by the different airlines. Barriers to the practical adoption of these approaches, such as gate usage and ownership issues, as well as surface infrastructure considerations such as taxiway layouts, the availability of tugs, and the presence and location of holding areas, will be identified, and possible approaches to overcome these barriers will be developed. Airline competition, tradeoffs between airline and air traffic control objectives, traffic flow management initiatives in the airspace and the presence of uncertainty in airport processes (which result in uncertain estimates of pushback times and taxi times) also pose significant challenges to surface movement optimization, and will be addressed. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport operations KW - Climbing flight KW - Environmental impacts KW - Operational procedures model (Aviation) KW - Pollutants KW - Pushback rate control KW - Taxiing UR - http://partner.mit.edu/projects/airport-surface-movement-optimization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364488 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572519 TI - Research Incentives Options for EMS AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Incentives KW - Research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364483 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572518 TI - SAE A21 AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364482 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572516 TI - Spiroid Winglets Tasks AB - No summary provided. KW - Energy KW - Environmental impacts KW - Winglets KW - Wings (Aircraft) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364480 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572515 TI - Surface - Support to ATO and Research Opportunities Evaluation AB - No summary provided. KW - Airport operations KW - Airport surface traffic control KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364479 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572316 TI - Future Alt Fuels Qualification Process AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental protection KW - Future KW - Qualifications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363936 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572315 TI - General Energy Conservation Management AB - No summary provided. KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental protection KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363935 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572314 TI - Greening Initiative AB - No summary provided. KW - Emissions reduction KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental protection KW - Green technology KW - Greenhouse gases UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363934 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572311 TI - Fuel Feedstock Invasiveness Study AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Feedstocks KW - Invasive plants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363931 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572308 TI - Model Support to COE #11 and #16 (Volpe) AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants KW - Technical support UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363928 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572307 TI - Multi-Year EMS Program Management Update AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Program management KW - Updates UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363927 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572305 TI - NEPA/EMS AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363925 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572253 TI - EMS Updates for NexGen AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Next generation design KW - Updates UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363871 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572252 TI - Enroute - Multi-year Project Plan AB - No summary provided. KW - Air traffic control KW - Enroute traffic control KW - Multi-year action plan system UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363870 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572251 TI - Enroute - Support to ATO and Research Opportunities Evaluation AB - No summary provided. KW - Air traffic control KW - Enroute traffic control KW - Evaluation KW - Support services (Management) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363869 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572250 TI - Environment Assessment-AEDT AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Environmental assessments UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363868 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572247 TI - FAA EMS Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Technical support KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363865 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572246 TI - Facilitate FAA NextGen EMS AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Next generation design KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363864 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572245 TI - Fuel Quality Control Study/System AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental protection KW - Fuel quality KW - Quality control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363863 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572244 TI - Fuels Deployment AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Environmental protection KW - Fuel conservation KW - Model deployment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363862 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572177 TI - Black Carbon Altitude AB - No summary provided. KW - Altitude KW - Aviation KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363733 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572176 TI - CAAFI Management AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation fuels KW - Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) KW - Management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363732 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572174 TI - Climate Adaptation AB - No summary provided. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Climate KW - Climate change KW - Environmental protection UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363730 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572173 TI - Emissions Certification AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Certification KW - Environmental protection KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363729 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572172 TI - Emissions Quantification AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Pollutants KW - Quantification UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363728 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572171 TI - EMS Data Management Baselining AB - No summary provided. KW - Baseline data KW - Data collection KW - Data management systems KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363727 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572170 TI - EMS Decision Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Decision making KW - Decision support systems KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363726 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572169 TI - EMS Environmental Impacts Analysis and Metrics AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363725 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572168 TI - EMS Framework Refinements AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Frameworks UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363724 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572167 TI - EMS Initiative Prioritization AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Task prioritization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363723 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572166 TI - EMS Pilots/Testing AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Environmental policy KW - Environmental protection KW - Pilot studies KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363722 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572011 TI - ACCRI Alt Fuel Emissions Scenario AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Aviation fuels KW - Climate change KW - Forecasting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363617 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572010 TI - ACCRI-Climate AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Scientific method UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363616 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572008 TI - AEDT Enhancements to Cover Study of Local NAS AB - No summary provided. KW - Air quality KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Flight dynamics KW - Fuel burn KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Information storage and retrieval systems KW - Noise KW - Software UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363614 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572007 TI - AEDT Prototypes and Legacy Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental impacts KW - Legacy systems KW - Prototypes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363613 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572006 TI - AEROMOD Evolution AB - No summary provided. KW - AERMOD (Computer model) KW - Aviation KW - Information processing KW - Meteorology in aviation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363612 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572003 TI - Alt Fuels Scenario Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Aviation fuels KW - Forecasting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363609 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572001 TI - Aviation Portfolio Management Tool AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Management KW - Organizational portfolio analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363607 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01523492 TI - Landfill Closure with Dredged Materials - Desktop Analysis AB - Traditional dredged material placement capacity in New Jersey is extremely limited. Traditionally, materials derived from dredging projects are placed in Confined Disposal Facilities (CDF). A CDF is an upland area that consists of an earthen dike in which dredged material is placed within. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has recently inventoried and sampled the existing CDFs and has identified that these existing CDFs are reaching capacity. Without increasing capacity at these sites through the beneficial use of dredged material there is a potential for the reduction of dredging activity, which would negatively affect New Jersey's marine transportation of both recreational and commercial vessels. Beneficial use of dredged material options must be explored to provide dredged material placement capacity. One beneficial use option for the material stored within a CDF is landfill closure. As listed in the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) landfill database, over 90% of the landfills in New Jersey's Cape May, Atlantic, Burlington, Ocean, and Monmouth Counties that stopped operating prior to 1982 have not been officially closed. These sites have the potential to utilize significant amounts of dredged material in their closure plans. This research will evaluate each landfill site and the feasibility of using dredged material for final closure. As a result, this study will identify and rank the top landfill sites with the highest potential to utilize dredged material during the closure of the landfills. The NJDOT has identified an area of interest for investigation where there are landfills requiring closure, an abundance of dredged material CDFs, a need for dredged material capacity, and sediment information on the CDFs. The area of interest includes: Cape May County, Atlantic County, Burlington County (east, Ocean County, and Monmouth County. The objective of this research is to conduct an initial feasibility analysis study which will include the following: The NJDEP has a landfill database that identifies existing landfills that require closure. The current list is incomplete. The research group is to identify the landfills located in Cape May, Atlantic, Burlington, Ocean, and Monmouth Counties that require closure. Data gaps within the existing attributes will be filled in cooperation with the NJDEP and local government officials. This information will be used to rank the landfill sites and determine prioritization for further investigation. Each landfill site parcel will be mapped. A shapefile of the landfill parcels will be created in ArcGIS. With the assistance and guidance of the NJDOT and the NJDEP, a rating system will be created to evaluate landfill closure with dredged material and each site will be ranked. Priority landfill sites that have a high feasibility for closure with dredged material will be identified. A Phase 1 Environmental Site Investigation will be conducted of the priority sites to identify unknown potential issues or concerns. KW - Dredged materials KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Landfills KW - New Jersey KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/landfill-closure-dredged-materials UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307180 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495344 TI - Michigan Connected Vehicle Program Test Bed Operations and Maintenance AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway operations KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Maintenance KW - Test beds KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264895 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495343 TI - Connected Vehicle Commercial Vehicle Safety Applications AB - No summary provided. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264894 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495342 TI - Concept of Operations (ConOps) for Transit Connected Vehicle Program Applications AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway operations KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Transit vehicle operations KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264893 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495341 TI - Development, Operation, Maintenance of the Hwy Safety Information System-V AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Information systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264892 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495340 TI - VII Deployment: Decision Support Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Analysis KW - Decision support systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264891 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495339 TI - Research of V2V and V2I Rail for Commuter, Freight, and Heavy Rail AB - No summary provided. KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight trains KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Rapid transit KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264890 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495338 TI - DSRC Aftermarket Safety Devices AB - No summary provided. KW - Aftermarket KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Safety equipment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264889 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495337 TI - Connected Vehicle Program Technology Scan AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264888 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495336 TI - Vehicle Positioning Systems Trade Study for Connected Vehicle Program Applications AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Program management KW - Vehicle positioning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264887 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495335 TI - Intelligent Vehicle Initiative Light Vehicle Enabling Research Program AB - No summary provided. KW - Initiatives KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Light vehicles KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264886 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495334 TI - Crash Scenario Framework and ID of Safety Application Countermeasures AB - No summary provided. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash scenarios KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Traffic crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264885 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495333 TI - Communications Systems Analysis for SPAT Applications in Connected Vehicle Program AB - No summary provided. KW - Communication systems KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264884 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495332 TI - Production of Dedicated Short Range Communications at 5.9 GHz 'Here I Am' Devices AB - No summary provided. KW - Communication systems by recipient KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Production KW - Safety equipment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264883 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495331 TI - Development and Production of Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) Roadside Equipment (RSE) Devices AB - No summary provided. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Development KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Production KW - Roadside structures KW - Safety equipment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264882 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495288 TI - Rural Safety Innovation Program Evaluation AB - No summary provided. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - Innovation KW - Rural areas KW - Rural highways UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264782 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495287 TI - Developments in Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM) Strategies AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264781 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495286 TI - Integrating Weather in TMC Operations AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway traffic control KW - Integrated systems KW - Traffic control centers KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264780 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495285 TI - "Here I Am" Devices for Test Bed Use AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Safety equipment KW - Test beds KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264779 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495283 TI - Vehicle Integration Application for Improving Surface Transportation Weather Services AB - No summary provided. KW - Ground transportation KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264777 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495282 TI - Integrating Clarus Data in Traffic Signal System Operation: A Survivable Real-Time Weather Responsive System AB - No summary provided. KW - Clarus KW - Real time data processing KW - Traffic actuated controllers KW - Traffic signals KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264776 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495281 TI - New Brunswick - Nova Scotia Clarus Integration Plus AB - No summary provided. KW - Clarus KW - Integrated systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - New Brunswick KW - Nova Scotia KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264775 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495280 TI - Integrating Clarus Weather Station Data and State Crash Data into a Travel Decision Support Tool AB - No summary provided. KW - Clarus KW - Crash data KW - Decision making KW - Decision support systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264774 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495278 TI - Passenger Bus Industry Weather Information Application AB - No summary provided. KW - Bus industry KW - Bus transit KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Passenger transportation KW - Road weather information systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264772 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495277 TI - The Integration of Multi-State Clarus Data into Real-time and Archived RITIS Data Visualization Tools AB - No summary provided. KW - Clarus KW - Data banks KW - Integrated systems KW - Real time information KW - Visualization KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264771 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495276 TI - SafeTrip-21 AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - SafeTrip-21 KW - Traffic safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264770 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495275 TI - Weather Delay Costs to Trucking AB - No summary provided. KW - Delay costs KW - Trucking KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264769 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495274 TI - Connected Vehicle Program Mobile Data Collection and Application Demonstration Project AB - No summary provided. KW - Data collection KW - Demonstration projects KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264768 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495231 TI - Integrating Mobile Observations with Weather Sources AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile telephones KW - Road weather information systems KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264628 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495229 TI - Clarus System Design AB - No summary provided. KW - Clarus KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Road Weather Management Program KW - System design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264626 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495227 TI - The Clarus Initiative - Building a User Community AB - No summary provided. KW - Clarus KW - Initiatives KW - Road weather information systems KW - Software KW - Weather UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264624 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495225 TI - Comparative Analysis of Clarus and MADIS AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Clarus KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Management KW - Road weather information systems KW - Software packages KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264622 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495224 TI - Development of Road Weather Management Program Marketing Plan and Outreach Products AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Marketing KW - Outreach KW - Road Weather Management Program UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264621 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495223 TI - Implementation and Evaluation of Weather Responsive Traffic Estimation and Prediction Systems (TrEPS) AB - No summary provided. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic Information and Prediction System KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264620 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495222 TI - Testing and Evaluation of Preliminary Design Guidelines for Disseminating Road Weather Advisory and Control Information AB - No summary provided. KW - Design standards KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Information dissemination KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264619 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495099 TI - Integrated Corridor Management State of Minnesota Minnesota DOT AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Integrated systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Minnesota KW - Transportation corridors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264531 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495098 TI - SAE J2735 Standard: Applying the Systems Engineering Process AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Automotive engineering KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Society of Automotive Engineers KW - Standards KW - Systems engineering UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264530 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495097 TI - Evaluation of the Integrated Corridor Management Initiative Demonstration Phase-Traveler Response Survey AB - No summary provided. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Responses KW - Transportation corridors KW - Travel surveys KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264529 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495096 TI - Pilot Deployments of TCIP AB - This project describes three pilot deployments of Transit Communications Interface Profile (TCIP) that will serve as the initial implementation testbeds for TCIP. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - ITS deployment KW - Pilot studies KW - Public transit KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264528 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495095 TI - PIRAC ITS Handbook Web Content AB - No summary provided. KW - Handbooks KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Public interest KW - Research KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264527 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495094 TI - Connected Vehicle Program DCMDMA Standards Coordination Plan AB - No summary provided. KW - Data capture KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Real time information UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264526 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495093 TI - Demonstration Phase Evaluation AB - No summary provided. KW - Demonstration projects KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Intelligent transportation systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264525 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495092 TI - IAA with ORNL for ITS Deployment Tracking Administration and Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Administration KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Technical support KW - Tracking systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264524 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495091 TI - Real-Time Traveller Information Market Assessment AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Market assessment KW - Real time information KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264523 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495090 TI - Integrated Corridor Management Stakeholder Review AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Reviews KW - Stakeholders KW - Transportation corridors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264522 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495089 TI - Test Data Sets to Support Connected Vehicle Mobility Applications Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Data collection KW - Data files KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobility UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264521 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495088 TI - Real-Time Data Capture and Management State of the Practice Assessment and Innovations Scan AB - No summary provided. KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Management KW - Real time information KW - State of the practice KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264520 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495087 TI - Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Knowledge and Technology Transfer AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Knowledge KW - Technology transfer KW - Transportation corridors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264519 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495086 TI - System Evaluation for the MSAA Initiative AB - No summary provided. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Initiatives KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Public transit KW - Systems analysis KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264518 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495085 TI - Integrated Corridor Management DART Dallas Area Rapid Transit AB - No summary provided. KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Dallas Area Rapid Transit KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Transportation corridors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264517 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495084 TI - Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Technical Integration AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Integration KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Technical support KW - Transportation corridors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264516 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495083 TI - Pilot Program to Demonstrate the Benefits of Vehicle Assist and Automation (VAA) Applications for Full-size Public Transit Buses AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Benefits KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Pilot programs KW - Transit buses KW - Vehicle assist and automation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264515 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495082 TI - Real-Time Data Capture and Management Evaluation and Performance Measures AB - No summary provided. KW - Data capture KW - Evaluation KW - Management KW - Performance measurement KW - Real time data processing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264514 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495081 TI - Architecture Evolution AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Software KW - System architecture UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264513 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495080 TI - ITS Deployment Tracking AB - No summary provided. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - ITS deployment KW - Tracking systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264512 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495079 TI - Integrated Corridor Management SANDAG San Diego Association of Governments AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway traffic control KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - San Diego (California) KW - Transportation corridors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264511 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495078 TI - U.S. DOT Surface Transportation Data Business Plan (Phase I) AB - No summary provided. KW - Business administration KW - Data collection KW - Ground transportation KW - Real time information UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264510 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495077 TI - Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Architecture FY 2009 AB - No summary provided. KW - Architecture KW - Intelligent transportation systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264509 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494998 TI - VIIC AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Testing KW - Vehicle tests UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264409 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494996 TI - Otay Mesa II Border Crossing AB - No summary provided. KW - Border regions KW - International borders KW - Otay Mesa-Tijuana border crossing KW - Screenings UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264407 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494995 TI - Vehicle Infrastructure Integration Program AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264406 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494994 TI - Smart Roadside Initiative AB - No summary provided. KW - Automated highways KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Roadside KW - Roadside improvement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264405 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494993 TI - Systems Engineering Update for Connected Vehicle Program AB - No summary provided. KW - Driver information systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Systems engineering UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264404 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494992 TI - Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Public Safety Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Safety KW - Technical support UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264403 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494991 TI - Active Traffic Management (ATM) Concept Development and Research Plan AB - No summary provided. KW - Active traffic management KW - Conceptual design KW - Development KW - Highway traffic control KW - Traffic control centers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264402 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494990 TI - Border-wide Assessment of ITS Technology AB - No summary provided. KW - Border regions KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - International borders KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264401 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494989 TI - Vision-Operational Concept for Enabling ATIS AB - No summary provided. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Highway operations KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Vision UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264400 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494988 TI - Real-time Modeling/Decision Support Assessment AB - No summary provided. KW - Decision support systems KW - Environmental risk assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Real time information UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264399 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494987 TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Analytical Needs AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Dynamics KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264398 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494985 TI - Connected Vehicle Program: Stakeholder Impact Assessments AB - No summary provided. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Impact KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Policy making UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264396 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494984 TI - Expansion of the Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Technology Test Bed AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Technological innovations KW - Testing KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264395 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494983 TI - EFM Case Studies AB - No summary provided. KW - Case studies KW - Electronic freight management KW - Freight traffic KW - Intelligent transportation systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264394 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494982 TI - Participation in Distraction Working Group Focus Group AB - No summary provided. KW - Distraction KW - Focus groups KW - Human factors engineering KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264393 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494981 TI - Concept Development and Needs Identification for Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Needs assessment KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264392 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494980 TI - An Evaluation of Likely Environmental Benefits of Lowest Fuel Consumption Route Guidance in the Buffalo-Niagara Metropolitan Area AB - No summary provided. KW - Benefits KW - Environmental protection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Fuel consumption KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Route guidance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264391 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494979 TI - Engaging the International Community AB - No summary provided. KW - Communities KW - Engagement based learning KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - International compacts KW - International relations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264390 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494978 TI - Research on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Applications to Improve Environmental Performance AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental policy KW - Improvements KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264389 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494977 TI - Developing and Evaluating Intelligent Eco-Drive Applications AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Sustainable transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264388 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494976 TI - Developing Connected Vehicle Program Eco-Adaptive Signalized Intersection Algorithms AB - No summary provided. KW - Adaptive control KW - Algorithms KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Signalized intersections UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264387 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494975 TI - Connected Vehicle Program: Policy Research for the ITS Joint AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Policy making KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264386 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494973 TI - DMA Open Source Application Development Portal AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Open source software KW - Portals UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264384 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494972 TI - Connected Vehicle Program Policy Roadmap Development and Implementation for ITS-JPO AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Policy UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264383 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494971 TI - ITS Exploratory Solicitation AB - No summary provided. KW - Exploratory studies KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems programs KW - Solicitations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264382 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494970 TI - Human Factors Support for Safety Pilot AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Pilot studies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264381 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494969 TI - Connected Vehicle Program Deployment Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Analysis KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Policy making KW - Vehicle design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264380 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494968 TI - Active Transportation and Demand Management (ATDM) Foundational Research AB - No summary provided. KW - Active traffic management KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Real time information KW - Traffic control KW - Travel demand management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264379 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494967 TI - Vehicle Infrastructure Integraton (VII) System Integration and Test (SI&T) AB - No summary provided. KW - System integration KW - Testing KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264378 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494966 TI - Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative AB - No summary provided. KW - Infrastructure KW - Initiatives KW - Vehicles UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264377 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494965 TI - Traffic Analysis Tools Program AB - No summary provided. KW - Highway traffic KW - Traffic analysis tools KW - Traffic congestion UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264376 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494964 TI - Applications for the Environment: Real Time Information Synthesis (AERIS) Program Stakeholder Activities Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Real time information KW - Stakeholders UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264375 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494963 TI - Developing Organizational/Operational Models for a Certificate Management Entity AB - No summary provided. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Management models KW - Operations KW - Organizational effectiveness UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264374 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494555 TI - AERIS Applications for Environment: Real-time Synthesis State of the Practice Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Applications KW - Environmental impacts KW - Real time control KW - State of the practice KW - Technical support UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1263724 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467631 TI - Plug-in Hybrid Emissions Characterization and Demonstration Study AB - This study is progressing as planned despite delays relating to the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle's operability. The project team is in regular contact with Daimler and Chrysler representatives to rectify intermittent service issues affecting the plug-in hybrid (pHEV). To date, the majority of the on-road data collection is completed. Weather permitting; the project team anticipates completing the sampling specified in the statement of work (SOW). The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) will hold the pHEV in Kansas City through the spring of 2008 so additional data can be collected, if necessary. KW - DaimlerChrysler AG KW - Data collection KW - Electric vehicles KW - Hybrid automobiles KW - Kansas City (Kansas) KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicle operations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235867 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467629 TI - An Ionic Liquid-Based Absorption Refrigeration/Air-conditioning System for Increased Fuel Efficiency and Reduced Emissions AB - This research project is investigating the thermodynamics of a completely novel absorption refrigeration system based upon non-volatile ionic liquids (ILs). Previous work indicates that even with model systems, there is enough heat energy in the coolant or exhaust gas of an automobile to operate the system. Current work is reviewing the regions of operability of the technology ionic liquids with refrigerants. Data will allow better selection of ionic liquids and refrigerant working pairs for an actual vehicle air-conditioning system. A major National Science Foundation (NSF) proposal ($364,047) was submitted in October based in part upon preliminary data obtained from this Transportation Research Institute (TRI) grant. KW - Absorption KW - Air conditioning systems KW - Coolants KW - Fuel efficiency KW - Ionic conductors KW - Liquids KW - Pollutants KW - Refrigerants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235865 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467628 TI - Empirical Investigation of the Relation between Transportation Infrastructure and the Pattern of Production Specialization across the US AB - This research project is in the process of data collection and organization, literature review and formulation of hypotheses. There are more date options and sources than previously known. Data is notorious for problems with correct definitions of the location of production. A major issue in interpreting origin data since the origin of movement does not always coincide with the origin of production. The project has almost constructed its bilateral resistance matrix. It created a file with bilateral state distances based on the shortest distance between capitals and created a state distance file that allows for any pair of states to determine the states that are "on the way" from one state to another. KW - Data collection KW - Empirical methods KW - Infrastructure KW - Matrices (Mathematics) KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235864 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467627 TI - Emissions Testing and Performance Evaluation of Aircraft Diesel Engines AB - Preliminary emission testing of a Thilert Centurion 1.7 Aircraft Diesel Engine using jet fuel was conducted in the Mal Harned Propulsion Laboratory of the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the University of Kansas. The data analysis is in progress and the second round of emission testing is scheduled for February In the original proposal, some equipment funding was allocated for the purchase of a Delta-Hawk Aircraft Diesel Engine. The purpose was to run it not only on jet fuel, but also on standard diesel fuel and bio-diesel and compare the emission products and performance of the engine using those fuels. Per Delta-Hawk, some technical improvements to the engine has delayed the delivery and plans to purchase it may not materialize at this point. KW - Aircraft engines KW - Aircraft fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Diesel engines KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235863 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467626 TI - Quantifying Surface Subsidence using Remote Sensing, Geomorphology and Seismic Methods: Implications for Sinkhole Development and Risk Assessment along Rapidly Developing Urban Corridors AB - This research project has been analyzing and developing a time series of high resolution tonal imagery and high resolution digital elevation models from satellite data in the vicinity of Brandy Lake, KS. In the Spring, the plan is to obtain high resolution seismic data along two transects; one north-south and the other east-west to document the subsurface structure along what may be an active sinkhole and relate what the image in the subsurface to the surface geomorphology. Based on the findings, the plan is to submit a comprehensive collaborative proposal by the Kansas Geological Survey, Department of Geology, and Department of Engineering to the National Science Foundation geohazards program in October 2008. The proposal will develop an integrated workflow to produce in a short time frame a regional inventory of potentially active sink holes in the state of Kansas using space based technology. The remote sensing results can then be verified using surface geomorphology and seismic methods. KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Geomorphology KW - Kansas KW - Remote sensing KW - Risk assessment KW - Seismicity KW - Sinkholes KW - Subsoil UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235862 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467625 TI - Development of Three-Dimensional, Full Wave Field Seismic Imaging Technology for Transportation Infrastructure AB - This research project is developing a device that will allow for automated deployment of a large array of geophones. Testing has also begun on the 3-C seismic sensors placed on pavement. The device and sensors will be fabricated, tested and fine-tuned for future use. KW - Geophones KW - Pavements KW - Seismic prospecting KW - Sensors KW - Technological innovations KW - Video imaging detectors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235861 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467624 TI - A Novel Intensive Production Method for Biodiesel - A One Year Feasibility Study AB - The project saw some excellent results this quarter. Positive effect of an electrical field upon interfacial inter-esterification reaction between a triglyceride ester and sodium methoxide to form biodiesel at a plane liquid-liquid interface has been demonstrated. Rate of reaction with an applied voltage of 10KV is greatly increased suggesting that interfacial disturbance is not the only mechanism involved. Changes in the electrophoretic transport of reactant and products may play a role in determining the overall rate. This non-uniform increase is consistent with other data for hydrolysis reactions involving oil-water mixtures under the influence of an electrical field. Further research is required using gel immobilization of the two phases to determine concentration profiles and fluxes of each components. The project also examined the effect of phase ratio upon reaction rate and designed and built a small continuous electrically enhanced biodiesel system. Hydrodynamic performance of this system is under evaluation. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Chemical reactions KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Hydrodynamics KW - Interfaces UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235860 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467623 TI - Promoting Sustainability through Transportation Infrastructure: Is there a Disconnect between Policy and Design? AB - This research project conducted a thorough literature review. One area is the theoretical foundation, exploring the literature on the diffusion of innovation, with a special focus on what is knows about how and why local governments innovate and how those innovative practices diffuse. The other is looking at innovative practices with respect to two elements of community sustainability: promoting public health and promoting water quality. Upcoming tasks will be to conduct, transcribe, and analyze interviews with 20-30 planners and engineers in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The project will be developing interview protocols and will begin the interviews shortly thereafter. Other spring tasks include identification of potential funding opportunities and research partners. KW - Interviews KW - Literature reviews KW - Local government KW - Public health KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation engineers KW - Water quality UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235859 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467622 TI - Acquisition of an Integrated Thermogravimetric Analyzer & Differential Scanning Calorimeter for Materials used in Transportation Research AB - Instrument continues to study mixed oxide ceramic membrane materials for use as hydrogen generation materials and as anodes for solid oxide fuel cells. New studies have been conducted on the effect of various environments (reducing, oxidizing, etc) on the oxygen release capability and structural stability of the membrane materials with a specific instrument in calculating the oxygen stoichiometry in the membrane materials as a function of temperature and atmospheric composition. Completed data are slated for inclusion in a publication with a submission date of April 2008. KW - Fuel cells KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Membranes KW - Oxidizing agents KW - Oxygen KW - Structural stability KW - Thermogravimetric analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235858 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467621 TI - Determining the Oxidation Stability of Biodiesel Produced from High Stability Oils AB - Oxidation stability analyzer ordered and received. High stability soybean oil obtained which will allow for high stability canola and soybean oils to be compared. Future work will be the detailed study of the effect of the oil composition on the fuel composition and oxidation stability. The project also will start generating used cooking oil from these high stability samples so that effect of used high stability oils on the biodiesel production process and resultant fuel can be determined. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Oils KW - Oxidation KW - Soybean oil KW - Stability analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235857 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467620 TI - KU Biodiesel Initiative AB - Majority of the equipment to conduct the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) tests of the biodiesel produced from used cooking oil has been ordered and received. Production facility began producing 100% biodiesel (B100) in September 2007. Since then, over 300 gallons of B100 have been produced on campus. ASTM test equipment will allow for the following tests: acid number, iodine number, carbon residue, cloud point, viscosity, methanol content, water and sediment, and copper strip corrosion. Other instrumentation will allow for oxidation stability and flash point to be determined. During the next quarter, all instrumentation will be received and that training in the ASTM methods will be the focus. The facility will continue to produce biodiesel. Discussions with landscape services underway for use of biodiesel in the tractors as a pilot program. It is projected that the testing will begin in January 2008. One additional proposal to the Kansas Soybean Commission has been submitted based on this project. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Instrumentation KW - Kansas KW - Oxidation KW - Soybean oil KW - Vehicle tests KW - Viscosity UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235856 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467619 TI - Development of Life-Cycle Economic and Environmental Analysis Methodologies AB - CIMS decided not to replicate past work & attempted life cycle assessment (LCA) research to advance the state of knowledge and modeling rigor. To assess the life cycle cost and economic impacts of differentiating alternative fueled vehicles (hydrogen fuel cell, E85, hybrid-electric, hydrogen internal combustion engine, biodiesel, etc.) the project chose 3 critical life cycle variables: fuel production and distribution, fuel/vehicle use and vehicle production/ disposition. The project researched available models and tools. After a series of trade studies and comparisons of strengths/weaknesses, the project chose Argonne National Lab's Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) (v. 1.7 & 2.7) model for fuel cycle, vehicle cycle and vehicle use. The project also evaluated the Carnegie Mellon's Economic Input/Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIOLCA) model in combination with the GREET and synergy of the two benefited the high-level LCA and enabled analysis of environmental impact of automotive infrastructure. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Economic analysis KW - Electric vehicles KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235855 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467618 TI - Analysis of Vehicle Cycle Infrastructure Impacts of Biofuel Transition AB - The project initiated contacts with U.S. vehicle manufacturers to survey the "state of the industry" with regard to implementation of alternative fuel/propulsion technologies and to explore opportunities for future partnerships. The project gathered data from Ford, Harley-Davidson, Caterpillar, the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, GM & American Honda on their alternative fuel vehicles and roadmaps for future development. The project hosted the Volkswagen of America Dieselution: Clean Diesel Tour at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and were able to examine a number of new "clean diesel" vehicles planned for introduction into the U.S. market in 2008. The project gathered data from Volkswagen and are continuing discussions with Caterpillar about testing its new diesel engines with different biodiesel formulations. Caterpillar has indicated they may be willing to donate an engine. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Clean fuels KW - Data collection KW - Diesel engines KW - Vehicle design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235854 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467617 TI - Biodiesel Monitoring Program in Cooperation with RIT AB - Campus program is on-going. Shuttle van and plow truck have been using B20 since early November with no significant problems. Oil has been changed and samples will be analyzed for impacts from the biodiesel. B20 fuel samples will be analyzed for various properties. The weather this winter has been slightly warmer than average. The lowest temperature in February was 0° F but there were also a few 60° F days that month. Snow totals in the Rochester area exceed 100 inches this season, which is well above the average 84 inches. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Diesel engines KW - Monitoring KW - Rochester (New York) KW - Shuttle buses KW - Winter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235853 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467616 TI - Biodiesel in Monroe County Vehicles AB - The County continued using B5 biodiesel during the winter months. It experienced a problem with their airport shuttle vans which had significant water in their fuel and caused engine malfunctions. The project extracted samples that did contain substantial water. Other County vehicles fueled from the same tank had no problems. Problem isolated as low-speed, constant use of the shuttles. Data showed that vehicles spend anywhere from 60-75% of their engine-on time idling which is well above average for other vehicles in the fleet. The vehicles also spend the balance of their running time under 30 mph. Supplier commented that this type of problem was common with diesel vehicles that only operate at low speed in cold temperatures. The situation is made worse by the use of biodiesel due to its tendency to absorb water. The supplier recommended an additive to dissolve the water and the County added it to their fuel storage tank. The project continued to monitor the vehicles, but no further issues were identified during the winter months. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Engine idling KW - Fuel additives KW - Fuel tanks KW - Low speed vehicles KW - Shuttle buses KW - Vehicle operations KW - Water KW - Winter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235852 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467615 TI - New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) Award for Hydrogen Vehicle Demonstration AB - Work continues on the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) program to stand up the hydrogen station and acquire the three Ford Escape hybrids. Vehicles are undergoing modification with estimated delivery date of June 15. Quantum is implementing a new hydrogen fuel tank design that promises to give the vehicles extended range over the older baseline design. The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) hydrogen fueling station is planned to open in June. At the invitation of Monroe County, staff participated in a site survey meeting to discuss the construction of a county separate hydrogen dispenser. Dispenser is part of the GM "Project Driveaway" and will be used to operate a county fuel cell vehicle. Located only three miles from RIT , station will allow additional work on hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Facility to be open by the end of April. KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Fuel tanks KW - Hybrid automobiles KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - New York (State) KW - Range (Vehicles) KW - Vehicle design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235851 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467614 TI - Alternative Fuel Vehicle Study for the Town of Brighton, NY AB - The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) was asked by the Town of Brighton, New York to assist in reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the board under the "Color Brighton Green" initiative. Brighton wanted to identify vehicles, systems or methods to reduce CO2 emissions by 10%. RIT performed analysis as a "first round trial" of its comprehensive tool set for other such municipalities and fleet users who want to embark on an alternative fuel vehicle program. Research showed a 10% reduction was achievable by conservation and efficiency improvements. Town was give a draft report and 8 recommendations. Based on its comments, if any, a final report will be ready by the end of April. A copy will be provided to the Department of Transportation (DOT). KW - Alternate fuels KW - Brighton (New York) KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Emissions reduction KW - Energy conservation KW - Green technology KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicle design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235850 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467613 TI - Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Study AB - The project has found fuel cell research to be difficult and challenging with existing resources and now are evaluating electric powered vehicles. Preliminary work is assessing the state of electric vehicles and related technologies. A literature review was conducted. Results will guide areas of additional research based on Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) skill sets. Review will compliment the one completed for fuel cells and fuel cell systems. RIT also met with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) who are developing a kit for hybrid vehicles to convert them to plug-in hybrid. The project team approached the agency to see if the team could work on issues like: Certification of aftermarket kits - either plug in or hybrid.; Standards for retrofit kits/battery packs and emergency procedures for first responders; Thermal modeling or durability assessment of batteries; Durability of wiring harnesses and other accessories; and Remanufacturing of any of the specialized components. The team is also contacting battery and electric vehicle industry to see what research the team could perform within the existing schedule and funding. KW - Aftermarket KW - Durability KW - Electric vehicles KW - Fuel cells KW - New York (State) KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Reform tool kits KW - Retrofitting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235849 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467612 TI - Limited Test & Evaluation of E20 Ethanol in Older, Conventionally Fueled Vehicles AB - Test 10 old vehicles from the Monroe County Department of Environmental Services using E20 fuel for engine problems and emissions. The final report will discuss compatibility issues with E20 operational drivability, emissions deltas, life-cycle cost and emissions assessment, and the fuel blending and supply chain issues for ethanol. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Environmental impacts KW - Ethanol KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicle tests UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235848 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467610 TI - Engine Testing (Retrofit & NOx Research) AB - Eliminate perceived barriers to engine manufacturer/aftermarket catalyst manufacturer acceptance of biodiesel blend with the expectation these blends will be fully warranted by the original equipment manufacturers while improving air quality. This will be done to the greatest extent possible through engine and aftermarket catalyst performance and durability tests and real world fleet operations employing these technologies. KW - Air quality management KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Catalysts KW - Durability KW - Engines KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicle tests UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235846 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467609 TI - Biodiesel Performance and Durability in 2010 Medium-Duty Engine AB - A detailed final report on the results of tests done on a medium-duty engine will be submitted the results will be published as an Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) paper or equivalent peer reviewed article. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Durability KW - Engines KW - Medium trucks KW - Performance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235845 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467608 TI - Biodiesel Performance and Durability in 2010 Line-Haul Engine AB - A detailed final report on the results of tests done on a line-haul engine will be submitted and the results will be published as an Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) paper or equivalent peer reviewed article. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Durability KW - Engines KW - Line haul KW - Performance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235844 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467607 TI - Biodiesel Performance and Certification with Aftermarket Retrofit Systems AB - Reports summarizing the research will be submitted to the appropriate regulatory body for approval, and an Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) paper or equivalent journal article will be accomplished for each test run. National Biodiesel Board (NBB) will coordinate with the studies conducted by the original equipment manufacture's (OEM's) and after-market companies on their own, through other governmental or NBB sponsored projects. It will minimize duplication of research to maximize approvals and increase biodiesel volumes. KW - After market KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Certification KW - Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) KW - Performance KW - Retrofitting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235843 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467606 TI - Fleet Evaluation on Post-2007 & Retrofitted Systems AB - Engine and emission control system durability up to 2000 hours will be tested. Fleet evaluation to include lube oil analysis and tear down inspection of certain critical engine parts. In-use emissions will be evaluated with on-board measurement technology or via chassis dynamometer testing through the use of credible testing organizations like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), original equipment manufacture's (OEM's), and other labs. A detailed report of results will be provided for each fleet test conducted. KW - Air quality management KW - Dynamometers KW - Engines KW - Pollutants KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Vehicle fleets UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235842 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467605 TI - Biodiesel Performance and Durability in a 2012 Off-Highway Engine AB - In FY08-FY09, National Biodiesel Board (NBB) will partner with a leading engine testing organization like Refuel, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), or original equipment manufacturer's (OEM) lab with one or several OEMs to develop a detailed scope of work for testing of biodiesel blends on a Off-Highway engine with active and passive diesel particle filters, and with 1) Nitrogen dioxide (NOx) absorber/catalyst and 2) NOx selective catalytic reduction systems. The testing will include emission control system optimization to explore the potential benefits and challenges resultant from the different fuel chemistry. It will include the transient and steady state operating cycles included in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for engine certification, and will examine the effects of biodiesel on all regulated emissions using this technology. Selected non-regulated exhaust species of interest will also be measured. System durability will be tested under the fleet evaluations portion of the program. A detailed final report for this task will be submitted and the results will be published as an Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) paper or equivalent peer reviewed article. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Catalytic ignition KW - Energy conservation KW - Engines KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235841 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467604 TI - Glycerin Application Development (Cows) AB - The objective of this research project is to develop markets for glycerin, a co-product of biodiesel production. Glycerin, once a value-added product, is now a disposal concern for producers and will becoming an increasing challenge as this fuel increases market share. The project will research glycerin's potential application in animal feed. There are also plans to test on swine. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Animal feeds KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Cows KW - Glycerin KW - Swine UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235840 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467603 TI - Identification of Nutritional Components/Feedstock Trails AB - The research will identify the major nutritional components present in crude glycerin produced from a biodiesel manufacture, the digestive characteristics of crude glycerin when fed to ruminant and non-ruminant species, and how to optimize crude glycerin use in the animal's diet. The information gained will enable a value to be discovered for crude glycerin. The first year's research will determine the rate of glycerin fermentation, the free fatty acid yield and the ratio from glycerin fermentation as well as the microbial protein yield from glycerin fermentation. It will be conducted in vitro using continuous culture fermenters. The effect of glycerin level on growth performance and carcass of beef steers will also be determined. Data to assess an initial value of glycerin for use in beef feeds and to determine if any beneficial or potentially negative effects from including glycerin in the diet of feedlot cattle. KW - Carcasses KW - Fatty acids KW - Feedstocks KW - Fermentation KW - Glycerin KW - Nutrition UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235839 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467602 TI - Optimizing Glycerin Levels AB - Subsequent years' research will focus on optimizing glycerin level and diet ingredient formulation to maximize glycerin feed value and expanding glycerin feeding applications to pasturing cattle, lactating dairy cattle, and liquid diets for swine. The potential of using glycerin as an energy source in animal diets could not be more timely. The competition for corn by ethanol plants is expected to buoy corn prices, placing pressure to identify alternative energy sources to corn for feeding animals. Glycerin could well be such an alternative energy source KW - Alternate fuels KW - Corn KW - Ethanol KW - Feedstocks KW - Glycerin KW - Renewable energy sources UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235838 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467601 TI - Feedstock Evaluation AB - A limiting factor to biodiesel's greater national market penetration is the ability of the industry to supply sufficient feedstocks for significant diesel replacement. This effort will provide the biodiesel industry an opportunity to thoroughly research a variety of feedstock scenarios to increase raw material supplies in order to achieve up to a 5% national diesel replacement, a goal of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Freedom Car Program. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels industry KW - Diesel fuels KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Feedstocks KW - Raw materials KW - Replacement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235837 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467600 TI - Comprehensive Feedstock Assessment Study AB - During first year, better understand the implications of raw materials supplies on sustainable biodiesel industry growth. Results will direct FY07-FY10 research. In order to accomplish the objectives the project will: (1) Identify market drivers for biodiesel use in the U.S. and globally & estimate future demand based upon mandates & national directives;( 2) Estimate current raw material supplies for production of biodiesel; considering current competitive uses; (3) Identify scenarios to increase raw material supplies; including cropping rotations, variety improvement and/or modification, and novel feedstock production; (4) Document implications of the Word Trade Organization on the U.S. biodiesel market; and (5) Recommend future courses of action. The in-depth feedstock assessment study to be performed by MARC-IV and Centrec Consulting Group, FAPRI, and Washington Counsel Ernst & Young. The team will prepare a report documenting feedstock supplies, impacts on biodiesel demand, potential scenarios for increasing feedstock supplies, and recommend future feedstock development programs. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Crops KW - Demand KW - Feedstocks KW - Raw materials UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235836 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467599 TI - Increasing the Fatty Acid Synthesis Soybean AB - Using transformation capability at the Danforth Center and University of Missouri, a soybean somatic embryo system will be used. Like seeds, somatic embryos accumulate oil and storage proteins, and this system has proven to be a powerful predictor for seed-specific traits in soybean. For the proposed experiments, transformation of somatic soybean embryos will be used to establish the efficacy of traits that alter the content and quality of the oil. Transformation events that are identified as positive in somatic embryos will be regenerated into plants for production of genetically enhanced seeds. KW - Conversion factors KW - Energy conversion KW - Fatty acids KW - Seeds KW - Soybeans UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235835 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467598 TI - Protein Engineering AB - Using engineered enzymes for tailoring the production of fatty acids and oils in transgenic crops is a major emphasis of agricultural biotechnology, but requires significant knowledge of the structure-function relationships in the enzyme target for successful redesign. Fortunately, the three-dimensional architecture and detailed chemical reaction mechanism of condensing enzymes in plants are well studied. This detailed understanding of how condensing enzymes function provides a foundation for experiments aimed at altering their chemistry. This work sets a precedent for engineering not only the condensing enzymes but other proteins involved in fatty acid and oil synthesis in plants. KW - Chemical reactions KW - Crops KW - Enzymes KW - Fatty acids KW - Oils KW - Plants KW - Technology UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235834 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467597 TI - Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis AB - Fatty acids generated by the first part of the oil biosynthesis pathway are incorporated into triacylglycerols or oil molecules. The Wang laboratory is interested in improving seed oil content and oil seed quality using a set of integrated approaches: (A) Increasing the precursor supply for seed oil production by enhancing the efficiency of conversion of seed oil precursors from membrane lipids to storage lipids, (B) Enhancing the sink size for seed oil accumulation by improving oil body biogenesis and production, (C) Decreasing seed oil loss by enhancing oil seed stability and quality and (D) Improving stress tolerance of oil crops, and thus oilseed output, by identifying and manipulating pathways that affect plant response to environmental stress. Work products will be a better understanding of the soybean and/or improved seeds. KW - Crops KW - Energy conversion KW - Fatty acids KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Oils KW - Oilseeds KW - Seeds KW - Soybeans UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235833 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467596 TI - Downstream Fuel Quality AB - Improve fuel quality and consumer acceptance of biodiesel/biodiesel blends. With recent fuel quality issues in Minnesota and elsewhere, it is critical the biodiesel industry establish and support quality assurance programs to maintain high quality biodiesel. Project will bolster the industry's ability to meet fuel quality issues through American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) guidance and targeted education. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Consumer preferences KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Fuel quality KW - Quality assurance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235832 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467595 TI - NCWM Quality Testing AB - This will provide resources to complete the efforts started in FY06 in educating and informing the state fuel regulatory agencies and the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) members on biodiesel quality and testing, and encouraging their adoption and enforcement of D 6751 as part of state law and state budgets. Effort also will help address the legal status of biodiesel blends in various state statutes on an interim basis until American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) officially adopts blended fuel specs. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Quality control KW - Specifications KW - Systems of measurement KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235831 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467594 TI - Integrated BioWeb Project AB - All grantees participate in the Integrated BioWeb Project that provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of biomass, alternative paths for biomass development and quantified impacts of biomass industry development (where possible) and in Webnibus, the on-line system that allows researchers, peer reviewers and institutional approvers on a variety of platforms to log in from anywhere to work on, review and approve competitive grant proposals. KW - Biomass energy industries KW - Biomass fuels KW - Expert/peer reviews KW - Grant aid KW - Proposals KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235830 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467591 TI - Small Farm Integrated Project AB - Dairy farms with less than 100 cows represent 75% of New York dairy farms. This project will build and demonstrate a simple small farm system to produce both ethanol and methane for electricity production using off-the-shelf materials and technology not to exceed the normal management skills of a small farm operator. KW - Electric power generation KW - Ethanol KW - Farms KW - Methane KW - Off-the-shelf KW - Production methods UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235827 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467574 TI - Activities AB - Thiis project will manage Webnibus. Hosted Western Regional Biomass Feedstock Workshop in August 2007 that explored the region's potential for developing sustainable biomass feedstocks. Participants included Guam and American Samoa. Event established 9 Regional Working Groups to discuss feasibility of Biobased economy in South Central region. There are 5 technical groups: Agricultural Feedstocks; Wood/Forest Feedstocks; Other/Waste/Residual Feedstocks; Bioconversion Technologies; and Bioproducts Technologies and 4 cross-cutting groups: Economics/Policy; Environment; Implementation/ Development; and Communications/Outreach. KW - Agricultural wastes KW - Biomass fuels KW - Conversion factors KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Feedstocks KW - Sustainable development KW - Wastes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235810 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467573 TI - Activities II AB - The objective of this research project is to establish a Sustainable Technologies Laboratory to build capacity for: ethanol production from renewables; biodiesel production from algae; and high value bioproducts from renewables. KW - Algae KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Ethanol KW - Production methods KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235809 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467572 TI - Production of Bioplastics Using Waste Streams AB - This research project will develop new bio-based products processes from biodiesel and manure waste streams to improve waste management practices, enhance rural economies and reduce petroleum dependence. Activities currently focused on setting bioreactor operational parameters. KW - Best practices KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Oil dependence KW - Production methods KW - Streams KW - Waste management KW - Waste products UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235808 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467568 TI - Enzyme-Mediated Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks to Ethanol AB - The objective of this research project is to develop new "accessory" enzymes to assist available cellulases to increase the rate and extent of converting lignocellulosic biomass, such as forest thinnings or grasses, to ethanol. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Conversion factors KW - Enzymes KW - Ethanol KW - Feedstocks KW - Grasses KW - Lignocellulose UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235804 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467565 TI - Engineering-based Research in Areas of Biofuels, Bioenergy, and Bioproduct Engineering AB - The primary emphasis of this research project is the development of microbially developed fuel cells, bio-based products and fuels and downstream processing. Emphasis on technology development and commercialization with a focus on sustainable design and economic development. KW - Bioenergy KW - Biomass fuels KW - Commercialization KW - Economic development KW - Engineering KW - Fuel cells KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235801 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467564 TI - Bio-based Fuels AB - This research project will study enzyme technology with emphasis on enzymatic processing of polysaccharies. The project will conduct studies of glycan hydrolases to better understand how they function; find new methods to regulate their specificity and new application for the production of value-added products. Specifically, enzamtic saccharification of cellulose as well as the conversion of biomass poly saccharides debranching enzymes in industry. The project will also study th fermentation processes for production of biofuels and value -added products. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Cellulose KW - Enzymes KW - Fermentation KW - Polysaccharides UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235800 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467563 TI - Biofuels and Bioproducts Recovery AB - The project works with agricultural industries in developing technologies and strategies to recover and use waste materials as economically valuable byproducts; i.e., blend chitin and pomace with glycerin to form rigid, biodegradable containers for the horticulture industry. Other efforts include development and use of biodegradable, edible films/coatings, to prolong shelf life of fruits and vegetables. The project also develops bioproducts and biofuels from dairy and feedlot wastes, such as methane and other products, while providing outreach and education on these efforts to the state. KW - Agricultural wastes KW - Biomass fuels KW - Educational services KW - Methane KW - Outreach UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235799 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467562 TI - Fuel Cell Development AB - The project uses microbial fuels cells to generate electricity, optimizing these cells to improve power generation from various water biomass. The project uses a research system characterization and optimization to increase the hydrogen production rate and total energy recovery, by using bioelectrochemically assisted microbial reactors. The project also develops bio-based methods for the SADE, efficient and economical production of hydrogen, to serve as an energy carrier for fuel cells or engines. KW - Biomass KW - Electric power generation KW - Electricity KW - Fuel cells KW - Hydrogen production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235798 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467561 TI - Working Groups: Developing a Prairie Biorefinery Working Group AB - The objectives of this research project are: (1) develop prairie cord grass as a biomass feedstock; (2) develop pretreatment strategies to biochemically convert cord grass into a biofuel; (3) conduct thermo-economic and environomic analyses of thermochemically converting cord grass into a biofuel; (4) secured grass samples and initiated breeding program. devised model for gas composition and resulting gas temperatures; (5) model can use air, oxygen or stem as gasifying agent; and (6) tested cord grass and switch grass for biochemical pretreatment and conversion and began characterizing the germplasm. KW - Biochemistry KW - Biomass fuels KW - Biorefineries KW - Conversion factors KW - Feedstocks KW - Grasses KW - Grasslands UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235797 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467560 TI - Working Groups: Annual Updating of Spatial Extent of Feedstock Agricultural Working Group AB - This research project will assemble MODIS and ancillary data sets for feedstock supply curves for biofuel production. Began processing data for 250 meter characterization with 56m data delivered and being analyzed. Papers on crop type mapping and on corn and soybean mapping in the United States using MODIS time-series data sets published in Agronomy Journal. Produce national scale crop map for corn and soy production centers. Presented Multi-Date Compositing Techniques at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service event (November 2007). KW - Agricultural products KW - Biomass fuels KW - Corn KW - Crops KW - Feedstocks KW - Mapping KW - Production methods KW - Time series UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235796 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467558 TI - Sustainable Renewable Energy Systems for Practical Use of Bulky Biomass AB - Third quarter report accomplishments include: (1) Process optimization- Limited data were obtained due to some problem with the equipment; (2) Equipment development, improving the continuous hydrothermal reactor; (3) Physical and chemical characterization of conversion products, continued analyzing chemical and physical properties, 57% completed; and (4) Develop and test biofuels and chemicals 35% completed. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Chemical properties KW - Hydrothermal properties KW - Physical properties KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235794 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467554 TI - BioWeb Project AB - This project will manage the Integrated BioWeb Project. KW - Biomass KW - Information dissemination KW - Natural resources KW - Project management KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://bioweb.sungrant.org UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235790 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467553 TI - TN Agricultural Experiment Station AB - The project administers a biennial program of 4-5 multi-institutional multiyear grants (3 years, $250K each) and 2-4 short-term seed grants (2 years, $50K-$75K each). The focus is on developing switchgrass as a bioenergy crop. Research could include: 1) economics and policy analysis on feedstock availability and cost analysis/effects of state and federal decisions on evolution of the bioeconomy; 2) plant sciences and molecular genetics, especially increased photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production, down regulation of lignin synthesis, 3) alteration of cellulosic superstructure to reduce recalcitrance, in-situ gene insertion to trigger degradation and optimize pre-treatments, and selection of improved tree species for energy production; 4) the environmental impact of intensive bioenergy crop management; 5) biomass production of selected switchgrass varieties on different sites; 6) energy reduction of pre-processing through optimal equipment design; 7) assessment of warm-season grass ecosystems on wildlife populations; and 8) the effects of agronomic practices on chemical and structural characteristics of bioenergy crops and agricultural residue. KW - Agricultural products KW - Bioenergy KW - Biomass fuels KW - Crops KW - Grasses KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Tennessee UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235789 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467552 TI - TN Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES) Small Scale Demonstration Plant AB - TN Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES) is developing a small scale demonstration plant to facilitate research and development (R&D) in new process methods and will integrate feedstocks and conversion methods. Two primary units include a solvent fractionation reactor (to isolate pure polymer components from lignocellulosic material) and a fluidized bed pyrolysis reactor to produce bio-oils. Facility also will include twin screw extruder for further modification of residual lignin and a small bioreactor to produce ethanol from carbohydrate product stream. Effort also will include the production of relatively low volume high value chemical coproducts. KW - Bio-oils KW - Conversion KW - Demonstration projects KW - Ethanol KW - Feedstock KW - Lignin KW - Lignocellulose UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235788 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467528 TI - Improving Biogas Conversion from Animal Waste AB - No summary provided. KW - Animal materials KW - Biomass fuels KW - Energy conversion KW - Wastes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235764 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467521 TI - Effect of Harvest Logistics on Productivity and Supply of Biomass Sorghum throughout the Cropping Season AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Logistics KW - Productivity KW - Supply UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235757 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467516 TI - Evaluation of the Nutritional and Feeding Value of Ethanol By-Products for Animal Production AB - No summary provided. KW - Animals KW - Ethanol KW - Feedstock KW - Nutrition UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235752 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467443 TI - Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) System Integration and Test (SI&T) AB - No summary provided. KW - Integrated systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Vehicle tests KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235679 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467403 TI - ITS Architecture and Standards AB - No summary provided. KW - Architecture KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Standards UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235639 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465346 TI - Climate AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Climate KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233579 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465237 TI - Causal Analysis of Grade Crossing Accidents AB - Currently, accident reporting systems tell what has happened, but they do not know why the accident occurred. Emphasis will be placed on identifying human factors (e.g., crossing characteristics that promote poor motorist decision-making) and system issues (e.g., ambiguities in jurisdiction that impede the correction of problems) that contribute to accidents. This project's primary goal is to identify areas for future research. It will use Moray's Sociotechnical model and Reason's analytic framework to guide the work. KW - Behavior KW - Crash causes KW - Crash reports KW - Decision making KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Human factors in crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233470 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465236 TI - Evaluation of Motorist Behavior at Grade Crossings AB - Motorist behavior is an important factor in understanding and preventing accidents at grade crossings. This project will determine how locomotive alerting lights, freight car reflectors, wayside horns should be designed and operated to maximize their ability to attract motorist attention and foster safe motorist behavior. This project is coordinated with the accident causation project. This project includes lab studies using a driving simulator and naturalistic field studies of motorist behavior. KW - Behavior KW - Crashes KW - Drivers KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Horns KW - Warning systems KW - Wayside signals UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233469 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465233 TI - Grade Crossing Safety Research Support AB - This project supports the general administration of the Federal Railroad (FRA's) grade crossing safety research program at the Volpe Center, plus such generalized support as: (1) monthly reporting; (2) research dissemination; (3) conference support; and (4) quick response and special studies. Quick response and special studies covers requests from Office of Safety or others for work not covered by an existing task. KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Information dissemination KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Reports KW - Research KW - Safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233466 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465228 TI - Track Buckling and CWR-SAFE Application Guide AB - The objectiives of this project are to: (1) provide a guide which provides background on the phenomenon of track buckling, the factors which cause it it or reduce its likelihood of occurrence, and explains how to use Volpe's continuous welded rail (CWR)-SAFE program for evaluating track buckling potential; and (2) adjust CWR-SAFE, as needed, for easiest use and interpretation. KW - Buckling KW - Continuous welded rail KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Guidelines KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad tracks UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233461 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465178 TI - Funding for Support of Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting AB - No summary provided. KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Financing KW - Forecasting UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233411 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465117 TI - Vehicle Safety Communications - Applications: Independent Evaluation AB - The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center is leading the effort to estimate safety benefit opportunities associated with the deployment of safety applications within the Vehicle Safety Communications - Applications (VSC-A) project. KW - Applications KW - Driver information systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - Vehicle safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233350 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464995 TI - Cell-Phone Traffic Flow & O/D Study AB - Possible demonstration project in Kansas City and Lawrence to evaluate utility of cell phone tracking data for identifying congestion problems and rerouting traffic. This would also be evaluated as a tool to acquire origin/destination data for better transit route planning. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Detours KW - Origin and destination KW - Real time information KW - Routes and routing KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233228 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464994 TI - Geo-Cell Manufacturing Facility AB - This research project will research the use of geo-tech and geo-cells as a stabilization system for soils and roadbeds to reduce the thickness of base materials and control problem soils related to pavement failures. Discussions are underway with the foreign manufacturer to locate distribution and manufacturing facilities nearby. Also there is some interest in using byproducts from biofuels production as a potential source of polyethylene or polyvinyl feedstocks for the geo-cell fabric. KW - Feedstocks KW - Geocells KW - Pavement distress KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Thickness KW - Waste products UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233227 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464993 TI - K-10 Edwards Campus Bus Wi-Fi AB - The objective of this research project is to implement a wide-area Wi-Fi high speed internet connection system to allow commuters to/from Kansas University (KU) to access internet while en route. KW - IEEE 802.11 (Standard) KW - Internet KW - Kansas KW - Technological innovations KW - Wireless LANs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233226 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464992 TI - Waste Cooking Oil Bio-Diesel Conversion & Characterization AB - The objective of this research project is to convert waste cooking oil to biodiesel for use in campus buses and other vehicles. Efforts are underway to have Kansas University (KU) designated as the Kansas state certification laboratory for fuel quality. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Cooking KW - Energy conversion KW - Fuel quality KW - Oils KW - Wastes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233225 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464990 TI - Composite Material Systems for Use in Bridge Applications AB - This project will provide research in developing a specimen for fabrication and a peel-off test apparatus for manufacturing. Progress expected in several different areas, including completion of the Marx Generator test rig, fabrication of specialized test platens, instrumentation and fabrication of specimens. In the future, there will be more testing and further characterization of superconducting specimens. KW - Bridge design KW - Composite materials KW - Fabrication KW - Instrumentation KW - Specimens KW - Superconductors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233223 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464989 TI - Performance-Based Detailing for Bridge Columns AB - Formulate performance-based detailing for bridge columns in regions of moderate seismicity, determine economic feasibility of providing performance-based detailing, and laboratory and field measurements of bridge girder movement using photogrammetry techniques. Work in the next quarter will focus on completion of a literature review of detailing practices in the Central and Eastern United States. The development of performance-based seismic detailing using the results of the four-span bridge test will begin. KW - Columns KW - Connection details (Bridges) KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Girder bridges KW - Performance measurement KW - Seismicity UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233222 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554196 AU - Balducci, Patrick AU - Burt, Matt AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Pierce, Ben AU - Krile, Bob AU - Zimmerman, Carol AU - Lee, Ming-Shiun AU - Lee, Matt AU - Pack, Michael AU - Fincher, Scott AU - Kishan, Sandeep AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Integrated Corridor Management Initiative: Demonstration Phase Evaluation Final National Evaluation Framework PY - 2012/05/07/Final Report SP - 160p AB - This report provides an analytical framework for evaluating the two field deployments under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Initiative Demonstration Phase. The San Diego Interstate 15 corridor deployers and the Dallas U.S. 75 corridor deployers are implementing a suite of strategies aimed at balancing corridor transportation supply and demand to promote overall corridor efficiency and safety. The strategies include decision support systems to aid transportation operators in synthesizing incoming transportation system data and to develop, select and modify response plans; center-to-center information sharing and distribution strategies to promote coordinated, multi-modal and multi-agency responses; traffic signal timing adjustments and short-term transit capacity additions; and enhanced pre-trip and en-route traveler information to shift travelers to alternative modes or routes or to postpone trips to less congested periods. The evaluation will investigate and document the investments made by both sites, including ICM-related changes in policies and procedures; document and evaluate the capabilities acquired through ICM deployment and how those capabilities were utilized; and assess the impacts of the deployments, including mobility, safety, air quality and overall benefit-cost. Institutional and organization issues and lessons learned will also be investigated. The evaluation features eight individual analyses focusing on specific ICM capabilities and types of impacts. KW - Air quality KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Decision support systems KW - Evaluation KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Mobility KW - San Diego (California) KW - Traffic safety KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54300/54350/ICM_National_Evaluation_Framework__FHWA-JPO-13-015_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342212 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560475 AU - Alexiadis, Vassili AU - Sallman, Doug AU - Armstrong, April AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Analysis Toolbox Volume XIII: Integrated Corridor Management Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation Guide PY - 2012/05/05 SP - 109p AB - As part of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Analysis Toolbox (Volume XIII), this guide was designed to help corridor stakeholders implement the Integrated Corridor Management Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (ICM AMS) methodology successfully and effectively. It provides a step-by-step approach to implementation of the ICM AMS methodology and reflects lessons learned in its application to the three ICM Pioneer Sites and a test corridor. It is specifically targeted at technical and/or program managers in transportation agencies at the State or local level who may oversee implementation of ICM and/or an ICM AMS initiative. This Guide will also be a helpful reference to all stakeholders involved in AMS, including technical modelers, by providing a framework for developing an effective analysis plan to support selection and application of available tools and models specifically conducive to ICM. KW - Analysis KW - Guidelines KW - Implementation KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Methodology KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/50000/50600/50615/30B00211.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350275 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530517 TI - Information Services in Social Networked Transportation AB - Over the past 20 years the transportation sector has experienced an information technology (IT) revolution, as the national program in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) planned and launched a wide variety of IT-based systems. Today the transportation sector is poised for a second IT-driven revolution, this one more far-reaching than the first. This second IT revolution, "social networked transportation" (SNT), realizes the functionality of social networks, already well known in the IT sector, in the transportation sector. Social networked transportation leverages pre-existing IT investments to realize new services and functions that significantly enhance mobility. Based on the experiences of other sectors in the economy where social networking is well underway, the project predicts that social networked transportation will require less investment than traditional ITS even as it can generate similarly enormous benefits. This research combines research in social networking and research in transportation to achieve useful insights into social networked transportation (SNT). We seek to understand the functions and the benefits of SNT, the processes that make SNT possible, and the institutional innovations needed to facilitate those processes. The project expects that the results of this research would interest a wide audience, from transportation researchers to field practitioners. KW - Information technology KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Real time information KW - Social networking KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316152 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530514 TI - Impact and Feasibility Study of Solutions for Doubling Heavy Vehicles AB - The useful service life of a bridge deck and girder is a function of a number of several variables: load magnitudes, number of load cycles, and decision as to when it should be renewed (by overlay or replacement). Many of the details used in older steel bridge girders are particularly prone to fatigue failures directly related to truck weight. Repetitive loading may cause fatigue cracking in these steel members and limit the service life of a bridge. Truck-weight frequency distributions by vehicle type (i.e., truck weight histograms) are needed to estimate the effects on remaining life and the costs caused by changes in legal and permit truck weights. Changing truck weights can affect the truck weight histograms. Because carrying higher payloads can reduce the operating costs of truck operators, the possibility of a growing share of freight (e.g., shifting from rail to truck) will be considered in estimating the future truck weight distribution and truck traffic. The first objective of the research is to quantify the effect of meeting increasing freight demands with heavier trucks to reduce the growth in the number of trucks on the road. Specifically, the effect of heavier trucks on bridge infrastructure will be quantified with regard (to) the force effects experienced by the bridges and the effects on the durability and longevity of bridges. The second objective is to compare the effect of heavier trucks with the doubling in the number of heavy vehicles under the present legal weight restrictions. The primary goal of both tasks is to determine if allowing an increase in truck weight provides better or worse bridge durability and longevity when compared to increasing the number of trucks to meet freight demands. Finally, specific configurations of heavy trucks, such as additional axles or long-combinations, will also be investigated to minimize the effect of a weight increase and reduce the impact to bridges. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Bridge decks KW - Freight traffic KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Load factor KW - Service life KW - Size and weight regulations KW - Trucks by weight UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316149 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530509 TI - Economic Development and Workforce Impacts of State DOT Expenditures AB - This research will measure the economic development impact of the Georgia Department of Transportation's (GDOT) highway expenditures on economic activity, income, employment, and workforce development, and generalize these results to other state DOTs. The analysis will examine impacts in every prime contract and subcontract award made by GDOT over the last three years. A statewide input-output model will be used to estimate the multiplier effect of the award on economic activity, income and employment throughout the state. Special attention will be given to economically disadvantaged communities and Environmental Justice areas. Geographic information sytem (GIS) software will be used to geocode the address of contract recipients, to determine the location of impact of awards. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), submitted by prequalified contractors to GDOT, will be used to measure the workforce impact of highway expenditures. EEO records contain information on occupational distribution of the workforce and workforce diversity, e.g., race, ethnicity and gender of employees. The approach provides a national framework for state agencies to measure economic development and workforce impacts of highway expenditures. KW - Economic development KW - Economic impacts KW - Expenditures KW - Georgia Department of Transportation KW - Labor force UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316144 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530507 TI - Next-Generation Wireless Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) System Integrated with Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Capability for Transportation Infrastructure Safety AB - The expansion in highway freight shipments has led to a substantial increase in truck traffic. The use of heavy vehicles (18 wheelers) has become the backbone of logistics and economic success, and national projections predict that freight shipments will double in the next ten years. Of particular concern are the increased number, size and weight of heavy commercial vehicles, some illegally overloaded. Overloaded vehicles can endanger the safety of transportation infrastructure and cause expensive premature structural damage. Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) is a method where an existing bridge is used as a weighing scale to identify the axles and gross weight of passing trucks. The system can provide information on overloading and potentially protect the bridge from sudden collapse. This project will develop rapidly deployable, portable wireless bridge WIM systems with enforcement and monitoring capability. Another unique system feature is the integration with state-of-the-art ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies that can assist in monitoring damage growth in critical structural members. The research will deliver a low-cost, easy-to-install-and-maintain, reliable monitoring system for long-term next-generation WIM and NDE deployment on bridges. By removing lengthy cables and bulky equipment, it is expected that an accurate, portable, and self-powered wireless WIM system incorporated with ultrasonic NDE will achieve much higher accuracy and reduce traditional cabled WIM system cost ($120k each) by at least 50%. KW - Bridges KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Monitoring KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Overloading KW - Weigh-in-motion systems KW - Weighing devices KW - Wireless communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316142 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01522155 TI - Ambler Hydrologic Investigations AB - The lack of information about sediment delivery, both in terms of bed and suspended loads, from many Alaskan rivers is a fact recognized by the research community and state agencies. Information on sediment characteristics and sediment loads is not available in major rivers along the proposed road to Ambler. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (Alaska DOT&PF) proposes to build a highway from the Dalton Highway in the vicinity of Coldfoot, AK to the Ambler mining district in the vicinity of Ambler, AK. This project is performing hydrologic observation and evaluation on three rivers along the 200+ mile transportation corridor for bridge planning and permitting purposes. This work is similar in nature and scope to the current University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) work on the Alaska DOT&PF Foothills West project (aka, Road to Umiat). Similar to the region surrounding Umiat, the route to Ambler lacks the available environmental data (meteorological, hydrological, biological, etc.) necessary to support the bridge permitting and design process. This project is adding value to current hydrologic investigations along the proposed Ambler corridor. The research team has purchased field supplies necessary to intensively investigate sediment transport along the selected river reaches, one additional watercraft for collection of field data, and funded one graduate student to aid in the collection, analysis, and reporting of field data. As a first step, the project will carry out a basic measurement plan to quantify suspended sediment loads in some of these streams, and will install autosamplers (ISCO or similar) in the streams as well as turbidimeters. Sediment samplers will be deployed in the field soon after breakup, and will be retrieved in late fall. Samplers will collect daily water samples; suspended sediment concentration will be estimated in UAF research labs. Turbidimeters will be set to collect hourly data. Correlation between suspended sediment concentration from water samples and data collected by the sensor will be developed. The turbidimeter will provide information to identify and quantify daily sediment pulses. Additionally, bed sediment samples will be collected in each of the study sites. Giving the spatial distribution of this proposed project, the project will create a valuable data set on sediment concentration. This information could serve as baseline data for federal and state agencies involved in different phases (from design, permitting and construction) of this project. The team will also employ an inflatable catamaran (cataraft) to aid in the collection of field data. Based upon continuing field experience, the WERC team prefers the stability and reliability of this platform for in-stream work during discharge measurements. Powered by oars or outboard motor, the craft provides a versatile research platform useful for large and small streams during most stages of flow. KW - Alaska KW - Bridge design KW - Data collection KW - Hydrologic cycle KW - Rivers KW - Sediments KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/projects/ambler-hydrologic-investigations/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306901 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01473881 TI - Enhanced Role of Activity Center Transportation Organizations in Regional Mobility AB - The objectives and tasks of this research are to (1) review the literature and practices on the emerging roles of major activity center transportation organizations in enhancing activity center and regional transportation; (2) survey major activity centers in the United States with respect to their role and activities in actual operations of the transportation system serving their area; (3) support the implementation of road operations strategies under the auspices of the Buckhead CID; (4) assess the feasibility and effectiveness of activity center management association in such strategies; and (5) generalize the results of the research to other activity center contexts in the region and in the United States, with particular attention to Birmingham, Miami and Orlando. The Atlanta region is a good case study site for this study because it is representative of the fast growing metropolitan areas throughout the United States where activity centers play such an important role, and in particular serves as a good test bed for the application of operations strategies, which are receiving more attention in the region. KW - Activity centers KW - Birmingham (Alabama) KW - Literature reviews KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Miami (Florida) KW - Mobility KW - Orlando (Florida) KW - Regional transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244520 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01470892 TI - Assistance for NYMTC with tasks for New Major Projects AB - The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council's (NYMTC's) primary mission is to focus the collective federally funded planning activities of Council members to meet the transportation needs of the region. This is done through efforts to strengthen and to coordinate diverse regional needs into a workable long range plan. NYMTC's secondary mission is to assure that its member agencies and operators remain eligible to receive federal funds to support and to implement the Council's planning efforts. The Program, Finance and Administration Committee (PFAC), the Central Staff, the Transportation Coordinating Committees (TCC's), and the Sub-regional Planning Program all serve as mechanisms by which these needs are addressed. NYMTC adopted combined "Major Metropolitan Transportation Investment (MMTI) Criteria and Major Investment Study (MIS) Procedures" in February 1995, based on the Metropolitan planning Regulations of October 1993. With the passage of the TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT FOR THE 21st CENTURY (TEA-21) in 2000, MIS procedures were no longer mandatory. However, NYMTC chose to retain the PFAC-adopted procedures as part of the metropolitan planning organization's (MPO's) operating process (up to present). When The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) made several significant changes to the requirements for Major Projects. Based on this legislation and guidance issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), NYMTC developed and PFAC adopted "Operating Procedures for Major Projects Analysis" in June 2008. There are now two sets of procedures governing the major studies and major projects in NYMTC's operating process. The objective of the study is to provide NYMTC with recommendations as to whether the two sets of procedures should remain and, if so, how they should be improved, whether there should be a single procedure integrating the MIS and Major Projects procedures, or whether there should only be a procedure for Major Projects per current federal regulations and guidance. KW - Federal funding KW - Major investment study KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/nymtc-new-major-projects UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239045 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01470598 TI - The Informed Railroad Traveler (Smartphone Application) AB - Passenger rail usage critically depends on passengers' ability to transition from/to other transportation modes. This project will develop a smartphone application that enables seamless integration between rail and other transportation modes and thus promotes the attractiveness of passenger rail. The application, called Rail Traveler Assistant (RTA), presents options to transition to/from rail, finds parking spaces and cabs at station, informs of delays/outages and next train, and navigates through station to the right platform. The project will explore a crowd-sourced solution for sharing transition related information among rail travelers. The solution builds mobile communities using social media (e.g., Twitter) and mobile peer-to-peer communication (e.g., WiFi). The solution exploits the capability of social media to scale to millions of users and constant streams of publications/subscriptions. This scalability would be expensive to reach if the system was to be built from scratch. In developing RTA the project will study the following research issues: (1) Organization of social networks. Find proper mapping between the organization of social networks and the spatio-temporal domains that are of interest to travelers. (2) Trust management. How to distinguish between truthful and false publications? The project will investigate and review existing work on dealing with data trust issues and adapt and apply available techniques to RTA. (3) Publication Ranking. Travelers are presumably on the move all the time. For the sake of convenience and safety, it is desirable to minimize the interactions required between the traveler and RTA. One way to minimize interactions is to rank publications such that the most relevant ones are presented to a user for viewing, commenting, or editing. (4) Incentive mechanisms. We will study incentive mechanisms to stimulate users to participate in the social networks. KW - Integrated systems KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Social media KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238745 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01468636 TI - Taxis in Paratransit: Considering the Ecological Footprint AB - Many communities in the US and around the world--whether urban, rural, or suburban--are interested in providing effective paratransit services that are also reasonably good performers from the viewpoint of environmental sustainability. Herein, paratransit will be understood in the general sense of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules, and often serves the transportation needs of the handicapped or elderly. Typically, paratransit systems exist because laws and regulations require the services to be provided, and because governments are able to provide the needed subsidies. Public or private operators who deliver paratransit services often do so via fleets of vans or mini-buses. Paratransit ranges widely in terms of the flexibility of the provided services, which can range from relatively inflexible transportation along a more or less defined route, to fully "demand responsive" service that offers door-to-door transportation, on-demand. Given the governmental subsidies needed to support paratransit, policymakers are increasingly considering ways to operate paratransit systems more effectively. Likewise, they are increasingly interested in the environmental sustainability of paratransit. In New York City (NYC), the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - New York City Transit ("NYC Transit") provides paratransit services by administering Access-A-Ride (AAR), which offers three types of services: shared-ride, door-to-door, or feeder service. Feeder service refers to a trip in which AAR transports the customer for the first leg of the trip, from the starting point to a fixed-route bus/subway stop. The AAR service area encompasses the five boroughs as well as a ¾ mile corridor beyond fixed-route service across the NYC borderline into nearby areas of Nassau and Westchester counties. Services are provided by private carriers who contract with NYC Transit and use lift-equipped vans, or sedans. In addition, service is also provided by private taxis, livery and black car services. Attention has been given to the potential financial benefits of such integration, and some have estimated that cost-per-trip can be reduced more than 50% by using yellow cabs instead of the more costly AAR vans. This study will focus on paratransit services provided by NYC Transit, and in particular on the integration of taxis (and livery and black car services) into the mix of service-providing vehicles. The overall focus will be on how such taxi integration affects the environmental sustainability of paratransit systems. A working hypothesis is that there are types and degrees of taxi integration that will provide the same levels of paratransit service, for approximately the same cost, but with a measurably smaller ecological footprint. The project aims to provide a foundation for a follow-up externally-funded study (or studies) that could expand the scope of the analysis in various directions. KW - Access-A-Ride KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Greenhouse gases KW - New York (New York) KW - Paratransit services KW - Taxicabs UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/taxis-in-paratransit UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236979 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447236 AU - Sullivan, Jim AU - Mika, Anna AU - Fraker, Joe AU - Hershey, David AU - Hathaway, Kevin AU - Lawe, Stephen AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Land-Use, Transportation and Environmental Modeling: The Vermont Integrated Land-Use and Transportation Carbon Estimator PY - 2012/05/01 SP - 33p AB - The Vermont Integrated Land-Use and Transportation Carbon Estimator (VILTCE) project is part of a larger effort to develop environmental metrics related to travel, and to integrate these tools into a travel model under University of Vermont Transportation Research Center Signature Project No. 1B. The signature project teams intended to develop measures normally not considered in transportation models. By including these environmental metrics, travel models can be used for a wider range of applications and can consider important impacts resulting from a project or policy that might otherwise be overlooked. The signature project includes the following tasks: development of new model-output environmental metrics to quantify net-carbon, storm water impacts, particulate impacts, robustness, and air pollution; integration of new output metrics into an advanced transportation model; evaluation of environmental metrics under alternative policy, planning, and investment scenarios; and testing of the sensitivity of the model-output metrics to the level of model complexity. KW - Air pollution KW - Carbon KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Land use KW - Mathematical models KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Model output KW - Particulates KW - Pollutants KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation models KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-003.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46020/UVM-TRC-12-003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214566 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01609804 AU - Mekuria, Maaza C AU - Furth, Peter G AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Low-Stress Bicycling and Network Connectivity PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 84p AB - For a bicycling network to attract the widest possible segment of the population, its most fundamental attribute should be lowstress connectivity, that is, providing routes between people’s origins and destinations that do not require cyclists to use links that exceed their tolerance for traffic stress, and that do not involve an undue level of detour. The objective of this study is to develop measures of low-stress connectivity that can be used to evaluate and guide bicycle network planning. The authors propose a set of criteria by which road segments can be classified into four levels of traffic stress (LTS). LTS 1 is suitable for children; LTS 2, based on Dutch bikeway design criteria, represents the traffic stress that most adults will tolerate; LTS 3 and 4 represent greater levels of stress. As a case study, every street in San Jose, California, was classified by LTS. Maps in which only bicycle-friendly links are displayed reveal a city divided into islands within which low-stress bicycling is possible, but separated from one another by barriers that can be crossed only by using high-stress links. Two points in the network are said to be connected at a given level of traffic stress if the subnetwork of links that do not exceed the specified level of stress connects them with a path whose length does not exceed a detour criterion (25% longer than the most direct path). For the network as a whole, the authors demonstrate two measures of connectivity that can be applied for a given level of traffic stress. One is “percent trips connected,” defined as the fraction of trips in the regional trip table that can be made without exceeding a specified level of stress and without excessive detour. This study used the home-to-work trip table, though in principle any trip table, including all trips, could be used. The second is “percent nodes connected,” a cruder measure that does not require a regional trip table, but measures the fraction of nodes in the street network (mostly street intersections) that are connected to each other. Because traffic analysis zones (TAZs) are too coarse a geographic unit for evaluating connectivity by bicycle, the authors also demonstrate a method of disaggregating the trip table from the TAZ level to census blocks. For any given TAZ, origins in the home-to-work trip table are allocated in proportion to population, while destinations are allocated based on land-use data. In the base case, the fraction of work trips up to six miles long that are connected at LTS 2 is 4.7%, providing a plausible explanation for the city’s low bicycling share. The authors show that this figure would almost triple if a proposed slate of improvements, totaling 32 miles in length but with strategically placed segments that provide low-stress connectivity across barriers, were implemented. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycle travel KW - Bicycling KW - Highway design KW - Mapping KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - San Jose (California) KW - Stress (Psychology) KW - Traffic density UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1005-low-stress-bicycling-network-connectivity.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5b32gx5/1/producer%2FMTI%20Report%2011-19.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412430 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543891 AU - Durr, Michael R AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Selection Tool for use in the Identification, Recruitment & Retention of Safe Intermodal Transportation Workers PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 24p AB - A total of 486 transportation employees employed by a major railroad completed a series of tests constructed for this project. These tests or instruments included the Denver Lifestyle Questionnaire, a performance rating scale called the Employees Quality Measurement Scale (EQMS) and also several tests published by commercial authors include the Safety Attitude Test (AON Consulting), Mechanical and Abstract Reasoning Tests from the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) (Pearson Publishing), and the Web Neuro Test, brief Neuropsychological Screening instrument. Total completion rates for the various tests were as follows: 346 completed the Denver Life Style Questionnaire; 354 on whom the EQMS Scores were available; 194 AON tests; 92 DAT tests; and 50 Web-Neuro tests. Employee test scores were obtained and correlated with performance indicators from the EQMS instrument. Results of the analyses revealed that: (1) Components of the EQMS performance scale were not correlated with the number of person injuries recorded in the data base scores component measures not correlated with person. However the total EQMS score was correlated with the number of with Derailments, Decertifications, Absenteeism, Total incidents, and the injury Frequency Index; (2) EQMS performance scale scores were significantly correlated with scores on the DAT Spatial Reasoning test; (3) Employee number of personal Injuries was significantly correlated with scores on the personality scale of Conscientiousness and Neuroticism; (4) Total number of employee Decertifications was significantly correlated with spatial relations and safety orientation (r=.205, p<.03); (5) Total number of Derailments was significantly correlated with behavior and attitudinal predictors reflecting physical and mental distractibility and activity, possibly indicating a characterological pattern of lack of concentration or distractibility; (6) Distractibility significantly correlated with Reaction Time and Digit Span Trials Correct; and (7) Absenteeism significantly correlated with four items from the Denver Life Style Inventory (DLSI). KW - Absenteeism KW - Aptitude tests KW - Attitudes KW - Derailments KW - Distraction KW - Injuries KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Personnel KW - Personnel performance KW - Personnel retention KW - Railroads KW - Recruiting UR - http://www.ncit.msstate.edu/NCIT%20Reports/2008_03_UPRR%20-%20Durr%20and%20Sherry%20-%20Development%20of%20a%20Selection%20tool.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331534 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488648 AU - Murakami, Jin AU - Cervero, Robert AU - University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) AU - University of California, Berkeley AU - University of California, Berkeley AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - High-Speed Rail and Economic Development: Business Agglomerations and Policy Implications PY - 2012/05 SP - 48p AB - High-Speed Rail (HSR) investments in the United States have been justified as an economic stimulus. However, international experiences raise the question of whether the economic benefits conferred by HSR investments are truly generative or largely redistributive. This article examines business agglomerations around 17 Tokaido Shinkansen, 30 Northeast Corridor, and 25 California HSR stations. Cluster analysis formed eight agglomeration types for each of the corridors, reflecting variations in sizes, trends, balances and specializations. Past experiences and patterns revealed by these typologies suggest that HSR is likely to induce greater economic benefits in knowledge-intensive businesses, though they are mostly limited to large, globally connected cities at the expense of small intermediate ones. The redistributive effects of HSR within a region need not be “zero-sum”. When leveraged through proactive policies, increased business agglomerations that take form through redistribution can have generative economic qualities, to the benefit of the region at large. KW - California KW - Cluster analysis KW - Economic development KW - Globalization KW - High speed rail KW - Industrial location KW - Japan KW - Public policy KW - Value capture UR - http://www.uctc.net/research/papers/UCTC-FR-2012-10.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm5sf30x7/1/UCTC-FR-2012-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249019 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486738 AU - Murphy, Rob AU - Zhao, Weixin AU - Peterman, Robert AU - Beck, B Terry AU - Kansas State University, Manhattan AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Determining the Transfer Length in Prestressed Concrete Railroad Ties Produced in the United States PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 273p AB - This paper presents results from transfer length measurements on prestressed concrete railroad ties. Results are shown from the four main producers of concrete ties in the United States. Six prestressed concrete tie plants were visited by the research team to measure transfer length on ties with various mix designs and prestressing reinforcement. After all plants had been visited, a total of nine concrete mix designs and 10 reinforcement variations were tested. Overall, 220 transfer length measurements were conducted on prestressed concrete railroad ties during the duration of this research project. This was the first coordinated effort to measure transfer lengths in concrete railroad ties ever conducted in the industry. Concrete strains were monitored using the standard Whittemore gage, as well as a non-contact procedure called laser-speckle imaging (LSI). This method to measure transfer lengths was developed at Kansas State University (KSU). Ties measured using the Whittemore gage were sent back to the civil engineering structural laboratory at KSU for the long-term measurement of transfer lengths. KW - Length KW - Load transfer KW - Mix design KW - Prestressed concrete ties KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Strain measurement KW - Transfer length KW - United States UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1256192 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01485781 AU - Ng, Chen Feng AU - Frey, Elaine F AU - Law, Foong Yee AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California State University, Long Beach AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of the Economic Recession on Truck Traffic in Los Angeles PY - 2012/05 SP - 25p AB - The economic recession in 2007 coincided with rising oil prices and an overall decline in traffic volume nationwide. This project focuses on truck traffic on the Long Beach Freeway (I-710), which connects the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to railyards and other freeways. Various factors that could have affected truck traffic on this freeway, such as economic conditions, diesel prices, possible modal substitutions, and port policies, are explored. To identify these factors and help develop a model to disentangle the effects of these factors on truck traffic, a comprehensive literature review of the research on this topic was conducted. Summary statistics of data collected for this project are presented. KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Diesel fuels KW - Economic conditions KW - Port of Long Beach KW - Port of Los Angeles KW - Prices KW - Recession KW - Traffic congestion KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/11-20_Ng_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225414 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01485751 AU - Larson, Greg AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Connected Traveler Project: a Component of the Safe Trip-21 Initiative PY - 2012/05 SP - 20p AB - This report describes the Connected Traveler Project, research performed under the SafeTrip-21 Initiative, which was part of the Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration Program. This project integrated the field test and ITS applications into a product that was showcased at the 2008 ITS World Congress in New York City; field-tested and evaluated applications on real roads to address mobility and safety needs in the greater San Francisco Bay Area; and demonstrated to prospective users and applications developers in order to stimulate deployment of SafeTrip-21technologies. This report is a high level summary of the individual components of the Connected Traveler Project, with the details of each of these components being described in greater detail in the separate reports that are referenced in it. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Field tests KW - iPhone (Smartphone) KW - Mobile telephones KW - Public private partnerships KW - Smart parking KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.dot.ca.gov/newtech/researchreports/reports/2012/safe_trip-21/safe_trip-21_report.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm5js9v6q/1/CA12-1935.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477123 AU - Meyer, Michael AU - Hunter, Michael AU - Eisenman, Ana AU - Georgia Transportation Institute University Transportation Center (GTI-UTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainable Streets and Highways: An Analysis of Green Roads Rating Systems PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 92p AB - As sustainability increasingly becomes a concern to society, it is in state transportation agencies’ best interests to embrace and adopt initiatives that will both educate their employees and the communities they serve on how transportation systems and system operations can be viewed within such a context. One of the strategies some state departments of transportation (SDOTs) have adopted for providing a more sustainable approach to highway design is a “green streets and highways rating system.” Adopting a strategy such as the one proposed in this thesis for the Georgia Department of Transportation will enable an agency to compare projects based on sustainability goals and outcomes. Such a rating system can provide several benefits to a state department of transportation. As a public relations tool, publishing the sustainability rating results of completed projects can promote an “environmentally friendly” image of the agency. In some cases, this could be used to garner increased support for an agency’s program. Comparing the ratings of proposed projects during the early programming process may also help in the selection of more sustainably effective and efficient projects. Additionally, a project in the project planning phase could use the green rating criteria to identify those areas where changes in design could result in more environmentally sensitive designs. A green streets and highways rating tool is an important means of fostering an environmental ethic in a transportation agency, one that could become more important in years to come. KW - Context sensitive design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Green streets KW - Highway design KW - Ratings KW - State departments of transportation KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.utc.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/projects/reports/eisenman_ana_a_201205_mast_sustainable_streets_and_highways_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246694 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477122 AU - Meyer, Michael AU - Cherry, Phillip AU - Georgia Transportation Institute University Transportation Center (GTI-UTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Projection of Motor Fuel Tax Revenue and Analysis of Alternative Revenue Sources in Georgia PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 176 AB - Motor fuel tax revenue currently supplies the majority of funding for transportation agencies at the state and federal level. Georgia uses excise and sales taxes to generate revenue for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). Inflation and increases in vehicle fuel efficiency have reduced the effectiveness of these taxes in recent years. These changes have resulted in drivers purchasing less fuel and generating less fuel tax revenue, which weakens GDOT’s ability to maintain Georgia’s transportation assets. This thesis uses literature from regional and state agencies, academic reports, and databases to identify factors that affect motor fuel tax revenue and then creates a model to predict Georgia’s fuel tax receipts in 2020 and 2030. It also discusses and evaluates other transportation funding mechanisms that could replace or supplement the fuels tax and recommends how best to implement these strategies. In Georgia, fuel tax revenue is based on fuel consumption, which is directly affected by vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and fuel efficiency, and fuel price. Several forces influence VMT and fuel efficiency including demographic factors such as population density and persons per household, economic factors such as, income distribution and gross domestic product (GDP), and technological factors such as alternative vehicle development. The model incorporates these factors and their interactions by segmenting vehicles into four classes: personal vehicles, single-unit trucks, combination trucks, and transit vehicles, and then creating unique forecasting frameworks for each segment. The model first calculates 2009 VMT and revenue to compare these projections with known values to validate the model’s logic and create a baseline for projecting future revenue. Then, the 2009 model’s conceptual framework and additional variables are used to project future fuel tax revenue. The model calculates revenue from personal vehicles using a proportional categorical method that uses income as its main explanatory variable as well as user-prompted variables in post-processing. Freight revenue is calculated using historical VMT-GDP relationships in combination with other user-prompted inputs. Because of the model’s input-output nature, users can create a virtually limitless array of revenue projection scenarios for 2020 and 2030. To show a probable range of these outputs, conservative and aggressive scenario outputs are presented and discussed for each year. These revenue outputs are compared against the 2009 values on an absolute, per-capita, and per-mile basis. The results indicate that real revenue will increase from 2009 to 2020 but actually decline between 2020 and 2030 due to fuel economy improvements and widespread use of alternatively fueled vehicles. To counteract these potential revenue declines, this document discusses methods of increasing fuel tax revenue, including increasing the current fuels tax and/or linking it to inflation, VMT-fees, widespread tolling, and regional transportation sales taxes. Each of these mechanisms has advantages and drawbacks, depending on an agency’s overall set of objectives. After evaluating each method, the author recommend s first evaluating Georgia’s upcoming regional transportation sales tax, and then aiming to implement a VMT-fee by 2020 by conducting extensive trials and public involvement. Regardless of what specific steps Georgia’s leaders take, change will be needed to maintain Georgia’s infrastructure and its economic competitiveness. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Financing KW - Fuel consumption KW - Fuel taxes KW - Georgia KW - Gross domestic product KW - Sales tax KW - Tolls KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.utc.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/projects/reports/cherry_phillip_p_201205_mast_projection_of_motor_fuel_tax_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246693 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01476019 AU - Cotton, Benjamin AU - Holder, Kirsten AU - Clark, Michael AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Martin Van Buren National Historic Site: Alternative Transportation Feasibility Study PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The Martin Van Buren National Historic Site (MVBNHS) Alternative Transportation Feasibility Study examines the feasibility of alternative transportation system (ATS) service to MVBNHS. The report investigates opportunities for a shuttle carrying visitors from the Amtrak station in Hudson to MVBNHS in Kinderhook, as well as more extensive service to several destinations in and around Columbia County. Based on the opportunities and challenges presented in this report, the report identifies five potential scenarios for pilot testing a shuttle service. The viability of each scenario depends on the participation of other regional destinations in supporting a new ATS. The report also presents a vision for improved ATS throughout the Hudson Valley region, where connectivity between counties and traveler destinations is currently limited. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Historic sites KW - Hudson (New York) KW - Kinderhook (New York) KW - Martin Van Buren National Historic Site KW - National Park Service KW - Regional transportation KW - Rural transit KW - Shuttle buses KW - Transportation modes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46700/46757/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-13-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1245583 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475816 AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Colton, Paige AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Case Studies in Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Streamlining PY - 2012/05 SP - 23p AB - This 2012 summary report addresses the current use of geographic information systems (GIS) and related technologies by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for environmental streamlining and stewardship, particularly in relation to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The report presents background information, a series of case studies, and a summary of conclusions. In order to develop case studies, the authors of this report interviewed representatives from five agencies about their respective applications, including: California DOT’s Cultural Resource Database and GIS applications; Pennsylvania DOT’s Proposal Screening Tool; South Carolina DOT’s Project Screening Tool; Tennessee DOT’s Statewide Environmental Management System; and Washington State DOT’s Workbench. KW - Case studies KW - Environmental stewardship KW - Environmental streamlining KW - Geographic information systems KW - National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46056/GIS4EST_Summary_Report_2012__2_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244576 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454652 AU - Dumbaugh, Eric AU - Li, Wenhao AU - Joh, Kenneth AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Examining the Design and Developmental Factors Associated with Crashes Involving Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorists in Urban Environments PY - 2012/05 SP - 49p AB - Using a parcel-level database of crash incidence and urban form developed for the San Antonio-Bexar County metropolitan region, this study examined how urban form-related variables affect the incidence of crashes involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. Arterial thoroughfares, strip commercial uses, and big box stores, which include design features expressly intended to support automobile travel, were found to be associated with significant increases in crashes involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists alike. Population density was found to be associated with increased crash incidence among pedestrians, although this is likely a function of increased crash exposure due to the higher levels of pedestrian activity occurring in higher-density environments. The presence of pedestrian-scaled commercial and retail uses, which is likewise associated with increased pedestrian travel, was nonetheless found to be associated with statistically significant reductions in the incidence of multiple-vehicle, fixed-object, and pedestrian crashes. Given that the developmental risk factors that affect pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists proved to be largely the same, this report outlines potential strategies for addressing urban crash incidence in a comprehensive, multimodal manner. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Commercial strips KW - Communities KW - Highway design KW - Land use KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Population density KW - San Antonio (Texas) KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Urban areas KW - Urban design KW - Urban form UR - http://d2dtl5nnlpfr0r.cloudfront.net/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161107-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223265 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449700 AU - Barth, Matthew AU - Boriboonsomsin, Kanok AU - University of California, Riverside AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - ECO-ITS: Intelligent Transportation System Applications to Improve Environmental Performance PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 45p AB - This report describes recent research supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS) program, building upon existing work through developing and improving data collection methods, developing new data fusion techniques to improve estimates, and applying appropriate models for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) environmental/energy assessments. In addition, the report includes a synthesis of information gathered on other programs in ITS environmental research, as well as a set of technical recommendations on how to proceed with Tracks 1-3 of the AERIS program. KW - Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis KW - Data collection KW - Energy analysis KW - Environmental assessments KW - Environmental impacts KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Pollutants UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45636/FINAL_PKG_FHWA-JPO-12-042_V3.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46188/FINAL_PKG_FHWA-JPO-12-042_V3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217362 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449502 AU - Morse, Lindsey AU - Cotton, Benjamin AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Alternative Transportation Feasibility Study: Phase I Final Report PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 75p AB - Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBSNF) is located in close proximity to the Puget Sound metropolitan area in western Washington State. The Forest is facing a number of transportation issues, such as increasing congestion and decreasing availability of parking, which may negatively impact resources and visitors. The study is intended to assess transportation issues, and evaluate solutions for those issues, on and along the four major highway corridors through the MBSNF that offer winter and summer recreational opportunities: State Route (SR) 542, U.S. Route 2 (US-2), Interstate 90 (I-90), and SR 410. Due to the study’s large regional scope and multi-modal approach, the limited availability of funding, and the desire to lead to specific implementation projects, the study was divided into two phases. Phase I was the scoping phase and was intended to identify how the remainder of the funding could be best used, given the multiple corridors and issues and limited resources. Phase II is based on the recommendations from Phase I. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Highway corridors KW - Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest KW - National parks KW - Parking KW - Passenger transportation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation planning KW - Washington (State) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45933/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-12-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216160 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448669 AU - Sneed, Lesley H AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Adding Faculty in Transportation Areas - Year 2 & 3: Research Progress on Behavior and Design of Concrete Structures PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 6p AB - The National University Transportation Center (NUTC) provides funds to help departments build up their faculty in the transportation field over the next five years. Broad areas will be considered as listed in the UTC mission or other areas that relate to State Departments of Transportation and MoDOT in particular as stated in their goals, interests, and objectives. KW - Concrete structures KW - Labor force KW - Personnel development KW - Teachers KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R225%20-%20Sneed.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216156 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447651 AU - Zhou, Debao AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Infrared Thermal Camera-Based Real-Time Identification and Tracking of Large Animals to Prevent Animal-Vehicle Collisions (AVCs) on Roadways PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 23p AB - Animal vehicle collision (AVC) is constantly a major safety issue for the driving on roadways. It is estimated that there are over 35,000 AVCs yearly resulting in 3 to 11 deaths, over 400 personal injuries, and close to 4,000 reported property damages of $1,000 or more. This justifies the many attempts that have been tried to detect large animals on road. However, very little success has been achieved. To reduce the number of AVCs, this research used an infrared (IR) thermal imaging method to detect the presence of large animals and to track their locations so drivers could avoid AVCs. The system consists of an infrared-thermal-image grabbing and processing system and a motion control system to track the objects. By analyzing the infrared thermal images, the presence of deer in surrounding areas have been identified, and thus tracked. Since the IR thermal imaging is independent of visible light, the system can work both day and night, even in bad weather. The system can cover a circle area up to 1,000 feet in radius for the identification of an object the size of an adult human being. KW - Animal vehicle collisions KW - Animals KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Crash injuries KW - Deer KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Fatalities KW - Infrared imagery KW - Property damage KW - Thermal imagery UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1728 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214572 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446984 AU - Tribelhorn, Maria AU - Kyte, Michael AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Activity Development for Intersection Operations: The National Transportation Curriculum Project: Developing Activity-Based Learning Modules for the Introductory Transportation Engineering Course PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 57p AB - The goal of this work was to develop activity-based learning materials for the introductory transportation engineering course with the purpose of increasing student understanding and concept retention. These materials were to cover intersection operations from a multimodal transportation approach. The initial framework was to create a set of 4 activities, the first activity focused solely on automobile transportation, and the subsequent activities adding one additional transportation mode each. For the final work, the existing sequence of material in the textbook was used for activity development. The final work included the development of a handout for Dr. Kyte’s critical movement analysis method, a queuing systems field lab, a pedestrian and bicycle level of service lab, and a transit level of service lab. The lab activities provided an active learning experience, two focusing on non-auto modes. These activities facilitated a fundamental and broad understanding of core concepts in transportation engineering. KW - College students KW - Education and training KW - Intersections KW - Learning KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK724_N12_01.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45947/KLK724_N12_01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214448 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445976 AU - Stringfellow, Richard AU - Rancatore, Robert AU - Tiax LLC AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Workstation Table Engineering Model Design, Development, Fabrication, and Testing PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 121p AB - This research effort is focused on providing a workstation table design that will reduce the risk of occupant injuries due to secondary impacts and to compartmentalize the occupants to prevent impacts with other objects and/or passengers seated across from them. The table must be capable of protecting the passengers in a seating arrangement with the table located between facing seats. Included in this study are the design, fabrication, quasi-static testing, and delivery of the table for subsequent testing in the crash energy management (CEM) full-scale test. Finite element analyses of the table components and multibody dynamic analyses of the occupant response were performed to help guide the design and predict whether the occupant injury risk for the newly designed table meets the requirements. Four tables were fabricated; two were included in the CEM full-scale train-to-train test in March 2006, and two were constructed for use in quasi-static and dynamic sled tests. To date, only the quasi-static tests and the CEM full-scale test have been performed. KW - Crash energy management KW - Crashworthiness KW - Design KW - Fabrication KW - Finite element method KW - Impact tests KW - Passenger cars KW - Prototype tests KW - Static tests KW - Workstation tables UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/85 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45774/TR_Workstation_Table_Engineering_Model_Design_Development_Fabrication_Testing_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212509 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444827 AU - Taghvaeeyan, Saber AU - Sun, Zhen AU - Mott, Michael AU - Rajamani, Rajesh AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Ultra Reliable Detection of Imminent Collision for Enhanced Occupant Safety PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 93p AB - This project focuses on the use of anisotropic magnetoresisitve (AMR) sensors for detection of an imminent unavoidable collision. An analytical formulation is developed for the variation of the magnetic field around a car as a function of position. Based on magnetic field measurements using AMR sensors, the position and velocity of any other car can be estimated and an imminent collision detected just prior to collision. The developed AMR sensor system has very high refresh rates, works at very small distances down to zero meters and is highly inexpensive. A variety of experimental results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the system for both one-dimensional and two-dimensional relative motion between cars. The second part of the project conducts simulations to show the benefits of detecting an imminent collision using the developed AMR sensors. An occupant model is developed to analyze occupant motion inside a car during a frontal collision. Analytical formulations and simulations are used to show how occupant safety can be enhanced when knowledge of an imminent collision is available. KW - Automatic crash notification KW - Collision detection KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Electromagnetic fields KW - Highway safety KW - Sensors KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1744 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212332 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01443825 AU - Rosandich, Ryan G AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving the Safety and Efficiency of Roadway Maintenance Phase I: Developing a Robotic Roadway Message Painter Prototype PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 20p AB - A large-scale prototype for a robotic roadway message painter was developed, built, and tested. The system is a gantry-style robot capable of painting a four-by-eight-foot area and is based on off-the-shelf linear motion components, readily available motion control hardware, and commercial operator interface software. The system is mounted on a modified trailer that can be manually rolled around for positioning or towed behind a vehicle. The system is equipped with a standard automatic paint head and airless paint pump. Software was developed for the system that enables it to paint a variety of characters and symbols on the roadway. An operator interface was also developed that allows an operator to easily select the painting operation to be conducted and to monitor and control the actual painting process. The software resides in a laptop computer that communicates with the robotic painting system in real-time using a dedicated Ethernet connection. The system was used to determine the feasibility of painting with or without stencils and to determine many design parameters for the eventual development of a commercially viable system for painting symbols and messages on roadways. It is expected that the system will eventually enable states, counties, and municipalities to improve the safety, productivity, and flexibility of their pavement marking operations. KW - Highway maintenance KW - Painting KW - Prototypes KW - Road markings KW - Robotics KW - Robots KW - Software KW - Traffic paint UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1730 UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1730 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211619 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01443815 AU - Fan, Yingling AU - Chen, Qian AU - Douma, Frank AU - Liao, Chen-Fu AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Smartphone-Based Travel Experience Sampling and Behavior Intervention among Young Adults PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 101p AB - This research project aims to develop a data collection application that enables real-time tracking and reporting of the health-related impacts of travel behavior. Using computing, communication, and sensing capabilities of smartphones, an Android phone application—named UbiActive—was developed to collect real-time travel-related physical activity and psychological well-being data from phone users. The application was tested on multiple Android phones, among which Nexus S and HTC Magic were found to produce comparable physical activity outputs with the commercially available accelerometer. The application was further tested in a three-week field study for its viability for real-time data collection and behavior intervention against unhealthy travel behavior. Twenty-three young adults were recruited and randomized into intervention and control groups. Both groups were asked to install UbiActive on their phone and wear their phone on their right hip during all waking hours for three consecutive weeks. The intervention group was provided information on impacts of their travel behavior on physical activity and psychological well-being. No information was provided to the control group. After the field study, all participants were asked to complete a web-based exit survey that was comprised of questions about their general participation experience and specific concerns about the study design, application, compliance requirements, and privacy issues. Findings from the field study show that UbiActive has high potential in collecting travel-related physical activity and psychological experience data, but limited effectiveness in behavior intervention. Findings from the exit survey provide useful insights into potential improvement areas of the study and the UbiActive application. KW - Behavior modification KW - Data collection KW - Field studies KW - Health KW - Smartphones KW - Surveys KW - Travel behavior KW - Well-being KW - Young adults UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1726 UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1726 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55755/CTS12-11_SMARTPHONE_BASED_TRAVEL.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211620 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383580 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Thompson, Eric AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Methodology for Assessment of Crash Costs at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings in Nebraska PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 43p AB - An accurate measure of crash costs is required to support effective decision-making about transportation investments. In particular, underinvestment will occur if measurement fails to capture the full cost of crashes. Such mis-measurement and underinvestment may be occurring in the case of crashes at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs). HRGC crash costs can be substantial because of the severity of crashes. However, another important potential cost is the disruption to the transportation and logistics system. Existing methodologies capture the first set of costs but often fail to fully capture the second set. This research provides a standardized methodology for assessing the expected annual crash costs at HRGCs in Nebraska, and the potential benefits from removing and replacing HRGC sites, for example, with an overhead bridge. Avoided crash costs are the primary benefit of safety improvements but logistics costs savings also are identified. Throughout the report, we trace a scenario using traffic conditions at the mean at-grade highway-rail crossing crash. We find that the cost of a crash, if it did occur, would be $805,675. The lifetime benefit of removing an at-grade intersection and replacing it with an overhead bridge or an underpass would be $235,836 given the traffic conditions at the mean Nebraska HRGC crash site. Given the relatively low traffic volumes found in many parts of Nebraska, at the mean crash site the injuries and deaths associated with crashes are the primary cost, with logistics costs accounting for a small share of costs (though exceeding the share of operating costs for trucks and rail). Naturally, benefits would vary given different traffic condition, with benefits rising if the number of motor vehicles and trains using a highway-rail at grade crossing increases. More generally, in this project the authors developed a spreadsheet which can be used to calculate the economic costs of individual crashes based on the average annual daily traffic (AADT) and detour time on the impacted roadway and train traffic and length of delay on the railway. This spreadsheet is available for simulation purposes and can be paired with information on the likelihood of crashes to determine the benefits of improving the safety of at-grade rail-highway intersections. KW - Accident costs KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash data KW - Logistics KW - Methodology KW - Nebraska KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Replacement costs KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45734/Khattak_422_Crash_Costs_Combined_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148241 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379982 AU - Pande, Anurag AU - Nuworsoo, Cornelius AU - Shew, Cameron AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Proactive Assessment of Accident Risk to Improve Safety on a System of Freeways PY - 2012/05 SP - 85p AB - Real-time crash risk-assessment models are developed and evaluated for four freeway corridors. Crash data for these freeway segments for the 16-month period from January 2010 through April 2011 are used to link historical crash occurrences with real-time traffic patterns observed through loop-detector data. The crash risk-assessment models are based on a binary classification approach (crash and non-crash outcomes), with traffic parameters measured at surrounding vehicle detection station (VDS) locations as the independent variables. The analysis techniques used in this study are logistic regression and classification trees. It was found that the predictive model derived from one freeway can be readily applied to other freeways, although the classification performance decreases. The models that transfer best to other roadways were determined to be those that use the least number of VDSs–that is, those that use one upstream or downstream station rather than two or three. The classification accuracy of the models is discussed in terms of how the models can be used for real-time crash risk assessment. The models can be applied to developing and testing variable speed limits (VSLs) and ramp-metering strategies that proactively attempt to reduce crash risk. KW - Classification KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Data mining KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Loop detectors UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1006-freeway-accident-risk-safety-improvement.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147834 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379715 AU - Fischer, Jacob AU - Krzmarzick, Adam AU - Menon, Arvind AU - Shankwitz, Craig AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Analysis of Squad Car Lighting, Retro-reflective Markings, and Paint Treatments to Improve Safety at Roadside Traffic Stops PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 35p AB - In the United States, more police officers are killed in collisions at roadside stops than through felonious acts. Causal factors that affect police safety at roadside stops include officer conspicuity, squad car conspicuity, weather conditions, and the attention and fatigue level of the traveling public. Described herein is a research project that provides insight and guidelines that may ultimately improve officer safety at roadside stops. The project is designed to modify an existing sensor-based traffic monitoring system so that it serves as a test bed to evaluate the retro-reflector, lighting, and paint treatments of an emergency vehicle to determine whether particular combinations produce improved “move over” behavior of oncoming traffic. This is done using automated data analysis software built specifically for this project. Tests are performed at a fully instrumented rural intersection. After mimicking a traffic stop where a patrol vehicle is placed at this intersection, the experimenter logs onto a website and enters the time when the test took place. Analysis software draws results from the data. The results are e-mailed to the experimenters, who devise their own test regimes, following the guidelines presented herein, and draw their own conclusions. A second system was built to provide a more portable option for testing in urban areas. This system consists of two freestanding radar boxes with wireless communication, as well as one netbook computer. Test procedures and results are analogous to the original system. Additional calibration is automatically performed to account for the variable position of the radars. KW - Automobile drivers KW - Behavior modification KW - Move over law KW - Occupational safety KW - Paint KW - Police KW - Police vehicles KW - Retroreflectors KW - Test procedures KW - Vehicle lighting KW - Visibility UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1724 UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1724 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146853 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376184 AU - Desorcie, Felicia AU - Jiang, Ruoxin AU - Kelly, Pete AU - Larson, Shawn AU - Rasulo, Marcus AU - Rivera, Joshua AU - Wood, Hidi AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Compendium of Student Papers: 2011 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program PY - 2012/05 SP - 179p AB - This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2011 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 21st year, provides undergraduate students in Civil Engineering the opportunity to learn about transportation engineering through participating in sponsored transportation research projects. The program design allows students to interact directly with a Texas A&M University faculty member or Texas Transportation Institute researcher in developing a research proposal, conducting valid research, and documenting the research results through oral presentations and research papers. The papers in this compendium report on the following topics, respectively: 1) evaluating the impact of nighttime work zone lighting characteristics on motorists; 2) late night roadway visibility; 3) investigation of the use and pricing of the I-15 express lanes in San Diego; 4) intercity passenger rail access to airports: a case study at the Milwaukee airport; 5) development of overhead guide sign background complexity assessment tool; 6) identifying pavement preservation treatments suitable for performance-related specifications; and 7) arsenic content and retroreflectivity of glass beads used in pavement markings. KW - Airport access KW - Arsenic KW - Background (Traffic signs) KW - Case studies KW - Express lanes KW - Glass beads KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Intercity passenger rail KW - Lighting KW - Night visibility KW - Overhead traffic signs KW - Pavement preservation KW - Performance based specifications KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road markings KW - Road pricing KW - Work zones UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/compendiums/476660-00003-4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144011 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376180 AU - Storey, Beverly AU - Foster, Derrold AU - Johnson, Jeremy AU - McFalls, Jett AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development and Validation of a Testing Protocol for Carbon Sequestration Using a Controlled Environment PY - 2012/05//Technical Report SP - 46p AB - Carbon footprints, carbon credits and associated carbon sequestration techniques are rapidly becoming part of how environmental mitigation business is conducted, not only in Texas but globally. Terrestrial carbon sequestration is the general term used for the capture and long-term storage of carbon dioxide. For a transportation facility, this occurs through the natural processes of the roadside vegetation and soil. Texas has a state-maintained highway system of approximately 80,000 linear miles of roadway with more than 1.1 million acres of right-of-way, not including the street systems of cities, towns and local communities. The majority of these roadways have supporting vegetation within their rights-of-way that usually consists of various combinations of grasses, shrubs and trees. Roadside carbon sequestration measurement practices typically rely on modeling and in-situ measurements. This project conducted initial testing to develop a method for quantifying plant and soil carbon sequestration capabilities under the controlled conditions of the Texas Transportation Institute’s Environmental and Emissions Research Facility (EERF). Plants and soil were subjected to heavy-duty truck emissions over a six week period. Samples were analyzed for changes in carbon and nitrogen content over time. Due to the plant injury that occurred during testing, the sequestration capabilities of these plant materials and soils were inconclusive. A comparison of samples taken over the course of the study indicated that the desired results may have been accomplished had the initial exposure in the EERF been reduced to a more moderate level. Modifications to this technique for future research on specific soils and plant materials may help identify plant and soil combinations to maximize roadside carbon sequestration. KW - Carbon credits KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Carbon sequestration KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Measurement KW - Roadside flora KW - Test facilities KW - Texas KW - Vegetation UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00028-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144013 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376091 AU - Tang, Hua AU - Li, Peng AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a New Tracking System Based on CMOS Vision Processor Hardware, Phase II Prototype Demonstration PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 38p AB - Intelligent transportation systems depend on being able to track vehicle operations and collect accurate traffic data. This project targets a hardware-based video detection system for real-time vehicle detection. To allow real-time detection, customized hardware implementation of the system is targeted instead on the traditional computer-based implementation of the system. The system includes four main processing steps. First, a camera is used to capture images. Second, the captured images are segmented using the Mixture-of-Gaussian algorithm. Without sacrificing the segmentation accuracy, researchers modified the Mixture-of-Gaussian algorithm to allow more efficient and economical hardware implementation in terms of design overhead and hardware resources. Third, the segmentation regions are extracted and validated as the objects of interests. In the last step, the validation result will be wirelessly transmitted to a variable message sign, which displays necessary traffic information. Since the system design includes integration of diverse devices, the video design kit from Xilinx is used. Such a hardware-based vehicle detection system has been tested with practical videos of traffic scenes. KW - Algorithms KW - Cameras KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Real time information KW - Traffic data KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1710 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142114 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376076 AU - Cetin, Mecit AU - Monsere, Christopher M AU - Portland State University AU - Old Dominion University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploratory Methods for Truck Re-Identification in a Statewide Network Based on Axle Weight and Axle Spacing Data to Enhance Freight Metrics: Phase II PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 52p AB - Vehicle re-identification methods can be used to anonymously match vehicles crossing two different locations based on vehicle attribute data. This research builds upon a previous study and investigates different methods for solving the re-identification problem and explores some of the factors that impact the accuracy of the results. To support this work, archived data from weigh-in-motion (WIM) stations in Oregon are used for developing, calibrating, and testing vehicle re-identification algorithms. In addition to the Bayesian approach developed by the researchers in the previous study, a neural network model is developed for solving the re-identification problem. The results from the testing datasets showed that both methods can be effective in solving the re-identification problem while the Bayesian method yields more accurate results. A comprehensive analysis is performed to investigate the key factors impacting the accuracy of the results. The analyses are performed by employing the Bayesian algorithm to match commercial vehicles that cross upstream and downstream pairs of WIM sites that are separated by long distances ranging from 70 to 214 miles. Data from 14 different pairs of WIM sites are used to evaluate how matching accuracy is impacted by various factors such as the distance between two sites, travel time variability, truck volumes, and sensor accuracy or consistency of measurements. After running the vehicle re-identification algorithm for each one of these 14 pairs of sites, the matching error rates are reported. The results from the testing datasets showed a large variation in terms of accuracy. It is found that sensor accuracy and volumes have the greatest impacts on matching accuracy whereas the distance alone does not have a significant impact. Overall, for estimating travel times and origin-destination flows between two WIM sites, the methods developed in this project can be used to effectively match commercial vehicles crossing two data collection sites that are separated by long distances. KW - Accuracy KW - Automatic vehicle identification KW - Axle spacing KW - Axle weight KW - Bayesian analysis KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Freight transportation KW - Oregon KW - Origin and destination KW - Travel time KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle reidentification KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1123 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44733/OTREC-RR-12-04_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375844 AU - Tuan, Christopher Y AU - Gerbino-Bevins, Barbara AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving the Freight Transportation Roadway System during Snow Events: A Performance Evaluation of Deicing Chemicals PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 139p AB - The ability of state DOTs to adequately clear roadways during winter weather conditions is critical for a safe and effective freight transportation system. Variables affecting winter maintenance operations include the type of precipitation, air and pavement temperature, traffic, wind, time of day, day of week, and maintenance equipment. The main objective of this study is to identify the best practices for normal deicing operations, based on the performance rating of deicing chemicals. Optimum deicer/brine ratios and the associated application rates will be determined for various weather conditions. The best practices will ensure effective deicing operation and economical use of deicing chemicals. Common deicing chemicals include sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, potassium acetate, potassium formate and carbohydrate–based (corn or beet) deicer solution. Deicers take the form of pellets or liquids. Liquid deicers are commonly used for prewetting road salt or other chemicals, or they are used as liquid solution. Several laboratory tests for deicer performance evaluation have been developed. However, none of these tests have been correlated with field performance data nor have they provided standardized results to ensure an acceptable performance in the field. Nebraska will serve as the test bed for this study although the results can be generalized to other locations. This is an ideal test site because a large quantity of automatic vehicle location (AVL) system data from NDOR plow trucks will be available. The AVL data includes truck location with GPS coordinates and time stamps. In addition, the snow plow trucks are equipped with digital cameras, which take snapshots of the roadway. These onboard systems will also provide real-time surface temperatures, air temperatures, wind speed, deicer application rates, and roadway conditions. The field data will be available for correlation analysis with the data from laboratory testing through the use of a Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS). The correlations between the field deicing performance and the laboratory testing are crucial for the development of the best practices using competing deicing products for a variety of weather conditions. The end result will be clearer roads during snow events, which will lead to a safer and more efficient freight and passenger roadway system. KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Decision support systems KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Freight transportation KW - Nebraska KW - Performance measurement KW - Snow and ice control KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45200/45245/Tuan_ImprovingTheFreightTransportationRoadwaySystemDuringSnow_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143106 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375507 AU - Pande, Anurag AU - Edwards, Frances AU - Yu, Joseph AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Framework for Developing and Integrating Effective Routing Strategies Within the Emergency Management Decision-Support System PY - 2012/05 SP - 116p AB - This report describes the modeling, calibration, and validation of a VISSIM traffic-flow simulation of the San José, California, downtown network and examines various evacuation scenarios and first responder routings to assess strategies that would be effective in the event of a no-notice disaster. The modeled network required a large amount of data on network geometry, signal timings, signal coordination schemes, and turning movement volumes. Turning movement counts at intersections were used to validate the network with the empirical formula-based measure known as the GEH statistic. Once the base network was tested and validated, various scenarios were modeled to estimate evacuation and emergency vehicle arrival times. Based on these scenarios, a variety of emergency plans for San José’s downtown traffic circulation were tested and validated. The model could be used to evaluate scenarios in other communities by entering their community-specific data. KW - Advanced driver information systems KW - Decision support systems KW - Emergency management KW - Evacuation KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - San Jose (California) KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic simulation KW - Turning traffic KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2901-routing-strategies-emergency-management-decision-support-system.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139724 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375504 AU - Pyeon, Jae-Ho AU - Lee, E B AU - Park, Taeho AU - Ellis, Ralph D AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost Estimate Modeling of Transportation Management Plans for Highway Projects PY - 2012/05 SP - 52p AB - Using well-developed Transportation Management Plan (TMP) strategies, work zone safety and mobility can be enhanced while road user costs can be minimized. No tools or systematic modeling methods are available to assist agency engineers with TMP cost estimating. This research included reviewing TMP reports for recent California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) projects regarding state-of-the-art TMP practices and input from the district TMP traffic engineers. The researchers collected Caltrans highway project data regarding TMP cost estimating. Then, using Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (CA4PRS) software, the researchers performed case studies. Based on the CA4PRS outcomes of the case studies, a TMP strategy selection and cost estimate (STELCE) model for Caltrans highway projects was proposed. To validate the proposed model, the research demonstrated an application for selecting TMP strategies and estimating TMP costs. Regarding the model’s limitation, the proposed TMP STELCE model was developed based on Caltrans TMP practices and strategies. Therefore, other STAs might require adjustments and modifications, reflecting their TMP processes, before adopting this model. A more detailed step-by-step TMP strategy selection and cost estimate process should be included in the TMP guidelines to improve the accuracy of TMP cost estimates. KW - Accuracy KW - CA4PRS (Computer model) KW - California Department of Transportation KW - Case studies KW - Cost estimating KW - Highway traffic control KW - Mathematical models KW - Reconstruction KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Work zones UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1007-cost-estimate-modeling-transportation-management-highway-projects.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139721 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375249 AU - Beaty, Curtis AU - Lieu, Henry AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Early-Stage Toll Revenue Estimation Model PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 54p AB - With agencies and states increasingly considering tolls as a means to finance transportation infrastructure, there is an increasing need to quickly assess the feasibility of potential tolling projects. In the early stages of a project when an agency—either public or private—merely wants to see the possibility of future traffic and tolled revenues, there still exists a need for a tool to capture basic assumptions and perform preliminary forecasting calculations to see if a project even warrants further examination as a toll road. Both as an early screening tool and as a continuing reasonableness test, this early-stage toll revenue estimation model will allow a user to simultaneously examine the interaction of multiple tolling variables and traffic scenarios so that agencies can make more informed decisions. The authors develop a stand-alone, spreadsheet-based model that prepares early-stage traffic and toll revenue estimates. The model allows users to examine a potential tolled project as a single phase or multiple phases—up to three—then examine the results individually or cumulatively. KW - Decision making KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Financing KW - Forecasting KW - Highway projects KW - Mathematical models KW - Toll roads KW - Tolls UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Beaty_09-22-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142363 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374496 AU - Barbeau, Sean J AU - Tran, Khoa AU - Hillsman, Edward L AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Regional Public Transportation GIS Architecture and Data Model PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Coordinated data sharing is important for government jurisdictions that overlap the same geographic area. For efficient planning and operations purposes, each jurisdiction should have knowledge of the other organizations’ activities that may affect them. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 (D7) has identified the need to obtain and view spatial data from many public transportation agencies within FDOT D7 and across the West Central Florida region. This ability will greatly increase the efficiency of FDOT D7 employees that use public transportation information in their workflows. Furthermore, it will assist the regional public transportation planning efforts in FDOT D7. Past efforts for intra-regional data sharing have included the manual transmission of datasets via email or File Transfer Protocol. However, manual data sharing is difficult to sustain at a high frequency due to the manual effort involved in collecting, formatting, sending, receiving, and processing the data. Additionally, each dataset may be in a different format, which makes comparison and coordination among agency datasets difficult and time-consuming. If the perceived effort to exchange data is too great, old and outdated datasets may be used in place of new data, even if new data are available. The research team, along with feedback from FDOT D7 and the transit agencies in its region, successfully developed and demonstrated a prototype software system that is able to automatically retrieve General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS)-based datasets (describing transit stops, routes, and schedules) from local transit agency websites and store them in the FDOT D7 enterprise geodatabase. Additionally, a Web application was developed to visualize and query transit data alongside FDOT D7 data. The resulting Web application is capable of showing multimodal data for the regional transportation systems that is always based on the most recent data available from the transit agency. Challenges encountered in this project included working with proprietary Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) software that has limited examples and documentation and coordinating with transit agencies that are in various stages of collecting and maintaining their bus stop inventory data. Next steps for this project are the deployment of the system to FDOT D7 staff as well as replication of this system to other districts, such as FDOT District 1. Tools exist to assist transit agencies in developing an accurate bus stop inventory and in creating and maintaining GTFS datasets. Increasing the awareness and expertise of agencies in the use of these tools will be useful for deploying this system with data from additional agencies. KW - Computer architecture KW - Data files KW - Data sharing KW - General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) KW - Geodatabases KW - Geographic information systems KW - Public transit KW - Regional transportation KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation planning KW - Web applications UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-29_rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/77935.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44751/77935.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374495 AU - Tang, Hua AU - Dinh, Hai AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Tracking-Based Traffic Performance Measurement System for Roundabouts and Intersections PY - 2012/05//Final Report SP - 62p AB - Automatic traffic data collection can significantly save labor work and cost compared to manual data collection. The collected traffic data are necessary for traffic simulation and modeling, performance evaluation of the traffic scene, and eventually (re)design of the traffic scene. However, automatic traffic data collection has been one of the challenges in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). This project presents the development of a single camera-based video system for automatic traffic data collection for roundabouts and intersections. The system targets roundabouts and intersections because no mature data collection systems exist for these traffic scenes yet in contrast to highway scenes. The developed system has mainly processing modules. First, the camera is calibrated for the traffic scene of interest and a novel circle-based calibration algorithm is proposed for roundabouts. Second, the system tracks vehicles from the video by incorporating powerful imaging processing techniques and tracking algorithms. Finally, the resulting vehicle trajectories from vehicle tracking are analyzed to extract the interested traffic data, which includes vehicle volume, vehicle speed (including acceleration/de-acceleration behavior), travel time, rejected gaps, accepted gaps, follow-up time and lane use. Practical tests of the developed system show that it can reliably track vehicles and provide reasonably accurate traffic data in most cases. KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Image processing KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intersections KW - Performance measurement KW - Roundabouts KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Vehicle trajectories KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1718 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55754/CTS12-10_TRACKING.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142141 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456901 AU - Stansbury, John AU - Moussavi, Massoum AU - Zhang, Tian 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 - Feasibility of Integrating Natural and Constructed Wetlands in Roadway Drainage System Design PY - 2012/04/30/Final Report SP - 349p AB - Stormwater from roadways could have negative effects on the environment and aquatic ecosystems. Typical highway runoff pollutants include solids; heavy metals, particularly cadmium, copper, and zinc; petroleum hydrocarbons; gasoline constituents; polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); oxygen demanding compounds measured as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); and road salts. Roadway runoff falls under the legislation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) via the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). CWA regulates discharge of nonpoint source pollutants, such as roadway runoff, by issuing permits to public entities which manage Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). The objectives of volume I of this research were to characterize the pollutants in roadway runoff and determine the effectiveness of the existing stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) at the study site. To accomplish these objectives, eleven rainfall events were sampled from November 2008 through November 2010. The objective of volume II was to fulfill the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) permitting requirement of creating a design guide for BMPs to remediate roadway runoff in Nebraska. BMPs which were most applicable to treating roadway runoff were those which removed 80% of the total solid load in the runoff, reduced metal concentrations to below acute toxicity levels, had low maintenance burden, were cost effective, did not pose a safety hazard to motorists, could be implemented within the right-of-way, did not negatively impact the road subgrade, and were aesthetically pleasing. The BMPs which best fit these criteria were vegetated filter strips, vegetated swales, bioretention, sand filters, and horizontal filter trenches. In this study fact sheets and design guides were compiled for each of these BMPs. The fact sheet provides background on the BMP including cost considerations, siting constraints, and predicted maintenance requirements. The design guide provides the process for sizing the BMP, design criteria the BMP must meet, and a design example which goes through the design process for a hypothetical application. KW - Best practices KW - Design standards KW - Drainage KW - Nebraska KW - Pollutants KW - Runoff KW - Wetlands UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224017 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376100 AU - Sullivan, James AU - Novak, David AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identifying Network Representation Issues with the Network Trip Robustness PY - 2012/04/23 SP - 18p AB - This study evaluates the effects of road-network representation on the application of the Network Robustness Index (NRI), using the Chittenden County Regional Transportation Model. The focus of this study was the tendency for minor and local roads to provide significant robustness gains as they offer critical alternative routes during disruption events. The overall conclusion of this report is that the application of the NRI and the Network Trip Robustness (NTR) can be used to identify these links, and test their significance. By examining the change in NTR that occurs when a previously omitted link is added to the network reveals its significance. In this study, a set of 23 links were identified qualitatively in Chittenden County which are currently not included in the region’s transportation model but may be significant. These 23 links were tested qualitatively and a total of 12 were found to be significant. Based on these findings, future applications of the regional model (CCMPO, 2008) should consider the influence of these links to overall network dynamics. If possible, these links should be included in the network representation for all analyses going forward. The results of this study also have general implications for travel demand models which are increasingly being used to help decision makers with a wide range of critical policy questions. Sophisticated models exist only for large urban areas, and often these models do not include secondary roads required to study relevant policy issues such as robustness and resiliency. Statewide models are often characterized by the use of very large Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZs) which can preclude effective evaluation of detailed road networks. The aggregation of links in a transportation network can have some unintended consequences. This study suggests it is timely to investigate ways of generating model networks that consider the full functional connectivity of the highway system. KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Network Robustness Index KW - Networks KW - Road networks KW - Roads KW - Secondary roads KW - Traffic network disruption UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-004.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44731/UVM-TRC-12-004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142122 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376075 AU - Flynn, Brian S AU - Dana, Greg S AU - Sears, Justine AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Weather Factor Impacts on Commuting to Work by Bicycle PY - 2012/04/17 SP - 22p AB - The primary objective of this study was to describe the impact of specific weather conditions on daily use of bicycles for travel to work among a panel of working adults who commute by bicycle two or more miles each way. A large proportion of recruited participants provided adequate information for modeling purposes. The characteristics of participants included in the data analyses and the weather conditions recorded on study days across ten months provided good range of variation. Several weather factors had independent effects on the odds of commuting by bicycle to work among a diverse panel of adults who bike to work at least occasionally. Precipitation, temperature, wind speed, and snow depth measured in the morning commuting hours were significantly associated with bicycle commuting. These results may be useful for modeling bicycle commuting levels and for exploring methods to mitigate adverse effects of weather on bicycle commuting or to encourage greater use in more favorable conditions. KW - Bicycle commuting KW - Cyclists KW - Mode choice KW - Seasons KW - Weather UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-006.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44732/UVM-TRC-12-006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142121 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489641 TI - Assessment of Local and Rural Road Safety AB - This project will focus on assessing the integration of local and rural roads safety in existing initiatives identifying gaps and opportunities. KW - Highway safety KW - Roads KW - Rural highways UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258871 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01506073 TI - Offshore Wind Development Research AB - The objective of the research (from RFP) "is to provide information and recommendations that ensure that the maritime aspects, both vessel and port interface, of offshore wind (OSW) development do not impede the state's desire to make a significant contribution to the achievement of the green electricity production objectives set by the federal government and New Jersey's 2011 Energy Master Plan. Research should be specific to vessel requirements, characteristics needs and costs, and, the land-use/wharf-side aspects of maritime port facilities as they relate to OSW industry development. Research should not include OSW siting, a discussion of overall costs/benefits and/or environmental considerations. This research will include a comprehensive literature review related to offshore wind installation support including the provision of vessels and port infrastructure. Best practices will be defined for institutional and regulatory concerns. The research team will draw on lessons learned from other countries. The review will include operational standards and environmental aspects of supporting wind farm development. The primary source of lessons learned is Europe. However, the maritime requirements of the U.S. (primarily labor, safety and security) are different and so consideration will be given to incorporating those variations. In addition, the literature review will scan US East Coast plans to fill out the context for region-wide opportunities that may have synergies with the successful development of the NJ offshore wind market. The offshore wind farm equipment characteristics will be used to identify the appropriate maritime assets to carry the project to its implementation. The characteristics of the components that make up the offshore wind energy system, their dimensions, weight, design, and the equipment that would handle them safely and reliably while in transport and through installation, will be the input in identifying the maritime assets for the project. Thus, the study will identify the maritime equipment needs, based on U.S. standards, in order to carry out the development plan throughout all the phases of the offshore wind farm life. The study will also identify the equipment needs for the operation and maintenance of the offshore wind farm after the development is completed. In addition to the maritime assets characteristics, the study will also provide equipment capital cost, and operations and maintenance costs. Furthermore, since maritime equipment and operations are subject to various rules and regulations (labor, safety, security, etc.), the study would identify all the U.S. rules and regulations associated with maritime equipment operations, including the Jones Act requirements in order to provide compliance of maritime equipment and operations. There are different types of vessels that are specially designed for offshore wind farms based on various requirements such as installation area, sea conditions, wind turbine size, construction materials, vessel capabilities, and installation methods. The team will identify current offshore wind farm vessel types regarding specifications, operating characteristics, capabilities, purchase costs, and operating costs. In addition, the team will evaluate various options to obtain and operate these offshore wind farm vessels. The offshore wind farm vessels can be built domestically or abroad (subject to Jones Act requirements), chartered, or bought in the second hand market. Maritime assets are obtained by building them new, buying second hand or chartering ("chartering" is equivalent to "leasing" a vehicle). The team will evaluate the alternatives on the basis of duration of use, cost, financing, and other aspects, and will provide the advantage and disadvantage of each alternative. For example, for this project, vessels might be required for a specified amount of time or for a specific number of trips to deliver the offshore wind farm energy system equipment. Therefore, should the vessels be bought or chartered? What are the different types of charters that could be applied in this case? What are the financial alternatives for each decision? The team will determine the financial and economic value of each alternative and, as stated before, the advantage and disadvantage of each alternative for decision making purposes. KW - Decision making KW - Energy consumption KW - Maritime industry KW - New Jersey KW - Port operations KW - Wind KW - Wind power generation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/offshore-wind-development-research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1290485 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01545912 TI - Integrating MTS Commerce Data with Multimodal Freight Transportation Performance Measures to Support MTS Maintenance Investment Decision Making AB - For years, transportation has been largely viewed as a collection of individual modes that operate separately and are funded separately. However, freight transportation is different. Freight moves in a system often using multiple modes, and as global supply chains have evolved, this system must be managed as corridors of freight flows. One area of continuing discontinuity in the transportation system is the transition between waterborne transport and surface transport. The marine transportation system (MTS) consists of the nation's waterways and the connecting intermodal distribution system. The shippers who use the MTS want the system to be fast, reliable, and cost effective. Given the vast quantities of bulk and containerized goods using the MTS, and the projected upward trend, it is vital that public agencies responsible for the separate elements of the nation's freight transportation system align their investment and maintenance activities to ensure the necessary capacity exists to efficiently move cargo through waterways, ports, and their connecting road and rail corridors. The annual maintenance dredging of the MTS is critical to the reliability of the national intermodal freight system. Rational, objective, multimodal performance indicators could help allocate limited resources across the portfolio of navigation and surface transportation projects. Such performance indicators would assist in effectively gauging which portions of the MTS are most important from a multimodal freight system perspective. A foundation for achieving this objective is the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center (WCSC) that provides data that can be used in making MTS maintenance decisions. The WCSC collects and compiles detailed records of commercial cargo for both foreign (using U.S. Census Bureau foreign trade data) and domestic movements in U.S. waters. Research is needed to develop methodologies that can bridge the WCSC data with equivalent land-side, multimodal transportation data to support system-level intermodal freight mobility, including the identification of appropriate related MTS maintenance investment strategies. The objective of this research is to develop methodologies that (1) link the performance of the U.S. MTS with the performance of the U.S. freight transportation system and (2) can be used to identify MTS maintenance investment strategies that improve the efficiency of the overall freight transportation system. Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks: (1). Identify, quantify, and describe the high-volume freight MTS corridors (including Great Lakes, coastal, and inland waterways) in the United States. (2). Identify, quantify, and describe the intermodal connections for each of the high-volume freight MTS corridors identified in Task 1.(3). Identify and describe the relevant freight data repositories for all intermodal freight modes and outline a methodology to align them with the USACE WCSC data in order to support the development of standardized measures of performance. (4). Develop proposed metrics and operations research methodologies for making MTS maintenance investment decisions that take into account the overall impact on the freight transportation system and the National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) that will apply the operations research methodologies for making MTS maintenance investment decisions developed in Task 4. Five of the proposed case studies will be conducted in Task 7. (6). Prepare an interim report providing the results of Tasks 1 through 5. (7). Upon NCFRP approval, apply the operations research methodologies for making MTS maintenance investment decisions in the 5 approved case studies. (8). Prepare a final report that documents the research effort, lessons learned, and suggested future research options. KW - Data analysis KW - Freight transportation KW - Investments KW - Maintenance KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Strategic planning KW - Water transportation UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3127 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332861 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380479 AU - Misener, Jim AU - Frank, Larry AU - Jeffers, Dan AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Communications Data Delivery System Analysis. Public Workshop Read-Ahead Document PY - 2012/04/09 SP - 23p AB - This document presents an overview of work conducted to date around development and analysis of communications data delivery systems for supporting transactions in the connected vehicle environment. It presents the results of technical analysis of communications needs and the ability of alternative communications media to support these needs. It also describes the next stage of analysis planned, which will include additional technical and commercial analysis around specific scenarios. KW - Communications KW - Data communications KW - Delivery systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Technical assistance KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45597/FHWA-JPO-12-039_CDDS_Read_Ahead_40912_v3_2_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147986 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01545913 TI - Incorporating Truck Analysis into the Highway Capacity Manual AB - The objective of the research was to develop improved, nationally accepted capacity and level of service techniques suitable for incorporation into the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) that (1) improve transportation agencies' abilities to plan, design, manage, and operate streets and highways to serve trucks and (2) better evaluate the effects of trucks on other modes of transportation and vice versa. Techniques are needed for uninterrupted and interrupted flow facilities in both rural and urban conditions. KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway Capacity Manual KW - Highway operations KW - Rural areas KW - Traffic flow KW - Truck traffic KW - Urban areas UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3128 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332862 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380505 AU - Garcia, Dominie AU - Waite, Andrea AU - Walsh, Richard AU - Sheppard, Blake AU - Frank, Larry AU - Jeffers, Dan AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Certificate Management Entities for Connected Vehicle Environment. Public Workshop Read-Ahead Document PY - 2012/04/05 SP - 16p AB - This document presents an overview of work conducted to date around development and analysis of organizational and operational models for certificate management in the connected vehicle environment. Functions, organizational models, technical background, and approach to cost estimation are all included. KW - Cost estimating KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Management and organization KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45598/FHWA-JPO-12-038_CME_Read_Ahead_040512_VBriggs_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147985 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01450878 AU - Connor, Billy AU - Collins, Rodney AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Stabilization of Horseshoe Lake Road using Geofibers and Soil-Sement® PY - 2012/04/03/Final Report SP - 38p AB - One solution to reducing the cost of importing gravel in areas where available soils are predominately silts and sands is to stabilize the local soils with geofibers and synthetic fluids. There have been several studies which have evaluated improvements in soil strength using geofibers. Laboratory work at the Alaska University Transportation Center has shown that the use of geofibers in combination with synthetic fluids has the potential to stabilize silts and sands, making them usable for roadway and airport construction. A 500 ft test section was constructed on Horseshoe Lake Road, near Wasilla, Alaska. The test section was comprised of 250 ft using six inches of geofiber and Soil-Sement® and 250 ft using twelve inches of geofiber and Soil-Sement®. The test section was monitored over 16 months for performance and soil strength. Overall the test section has performed well. KW - Alaska KW - Field tests KW - Geofibers KW - Sandy soils KW - Silts KW - Soil stabilization KW - Stabilizers KW - Strength of materials KW - Synthetic fluids UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2012/04/Conner-Collins-Horseshoe-Lake-S12609.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46190/Conner-Collins-Horseshoe-Lake-S12609.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218220 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01514358 TI - Hydrothermal Synthesis and Shape-Reactivity Correlation Study of Automotive Three-Way Nanocatalysts AB - The widely employed cerium based oxide three-way catalysts drastically reduce many of the critical pollutants (e.g., CO, NOx, and hydrocarbons) in automobile traffic. The nearly unsurpassed performance of the cerium oxide redox system is, however, limited to rather high temperatures (>600oC), which adversely effect the fuel efficiency of the engine-exhaust system. During cold start conditions, this is especially problematic and provides the primary impetus for the development of lower temperature catalysts. Surfaces play a crucial role for heterogeneous catalytic applications involving rare-earth oxides as the active species. The control of the crystal morphology presents itself as one of the major obstacles towards the development of more low-temperature active CeO2 based catalysts. In a recent pilot study, the project was able to synthesize well-dispersed single-crystalline CeO2 nanocubes, nanocuboids and nanorods with more reactive surfaces such as {110}, {100}, {211} etc., using a facile hydrothermal method. In this proposal, the project proposes to synthesize a series of CeO2 and cerium-based mixed oxide nanopowders with controlled particle size and morphology using hydrothermal method, and carry out a detailed study on the correlation between particle shape, exposed crystal faces and overall catalytic performance. To measure the overall properties of the materials, some commonly used techniques will be employed including: (1) X-ray Diffraction (XRD); (2) Surface Area Measurement (BET); (3) Thermogravimetric; (4) Analysis (TGA) of Redox Processes; and (5) Temperature Programmed Reduction and Oxidation (TPR and TPO). Powder X-ray diffraction will be performed to determine the overall crystallinity and structure of the materials. The surface areas will be measured using a Micromeritics Gemini Surface Area Analyser. TGA reduction and TPR will be performed with TA Q50 and Micromeritics AutoChemTM II 2920 instruments to measure the overall reducibility and catalytic activity of the materials, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) will be used to determine the particle morphology and size, and nanoscale (or atomic level) structure and composition of individual nanoparticles. KW - Catalysts KW - Cold starts (Driving) KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust system components KW - Nanotubes KW - Pollutants UR - http://web.ysu.edu/gen/stem_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/CTME_2012_Final_ReportWangHydrothermal_Synthesis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1298766 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566200 TI - Integrating Sustainability with Transport Asset Management Processes: Governance of Intergovernmental Decision Making on Prioritizing V-Trans STIP Projects AB - The proposed project will address the research question: What modifications in transport asset management processes and intergovernmental project prioritization mechanisms are needed to integrate environmental, social and economic sustainability considerations in the allocation of federal and state funds for transport projects? This question has gained new salience with shrinking federal and state budgets and dynamic socio-economic drivers of change, such as climate change induced hazards, climate change mitigation demands, economic development needs, and socio-economic demographics. The funding of transportation projects is facing increasing pressure from a scarcity of financial resources to meet the competitive demands of preserving existing transportation infrastructure while simultaneously planning for future needs envisioned through the lenses of social, environmental and economic sustainability. The project proposes to develop a computer simulation model of intergovernmental funding mechanisms and asset management decision making processes for simulating funding sources and STIP-based funding allocations of transportation projects in Vermont (2000-2035) under business as usual and alternate policy, planning and governance arrangements. The computer simulation model will be calibrated against observed project prioritization data from 2000 to 2010 to generate a business as usual scenario. By utilizing the simulation model through interactive mediated modeling workshops with regional planners, state agency officials and policy makers, alternate scenarios of innovative policy tools and intergovernmental governance arrangements will be generated and communicated to appropriate audiences. Visioning of such alternate policy and governance arrangements in prioritizing transport projects will prepare the State of Vermont to better adapt to climate change and other drivers of socio-economic change. Applications to other states will be drawn. KW - Asset management KW - Decision making KW - Policy analysis KW - Simulation KW - Sustainable development KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/integrating-sustainability-with-transport-asset-management-processes-governance-of-intergovernmental-decision-making-on-prioritizing-v-trans-stip-projects/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357371 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566199 TI - Simulation Modeling for Guiding Management of Transportation and Recreation in Parks and on Public Lands: Building Foundational Expertise AB - The goal of this project is to build foundational research expertise in integrated land use and transportation modeling for tourism travel and outdoor recreation. Transportation and recreation are inherently connected and complex systems. Transportation behaviors, like walking and driving, are often done for recreation. In providing access to and mobility within recreation settings, transportation networks serve as recreational facilities and are influential elements of settings' carrying capacities and qualities. Simulation modeling has been a productive tool for understanding transportation and recreation complexity. Borrowing from the transportation field, outdoor recreation researchers have applied simulation models to park and public land management. Advances in simulation modeling for transportation integrate spatial data with microsimulation in ways that may replicate recreation behavior and systems substantially better than previous models. Such simulation models can be effective and necessary management tools in the face of intense visitor use and resource protection pressures. The University of Vermont's Park Studies Laboratory (PSL) and Applied Trails Research (ATR) propose a collaborative and integrated program of research to build foundational expertise in simulation modeling for parks and public lands. By developing demonstration and case study models, the PSL and ATR will further the application of simulation modeling to satisfy demand for transportation and recreation management. KW - Land use KW - Microsimulation KW - Mobility KW - Parks KW - Recreation KW - Simulation KW - Tourism KW - Transportation modeling UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/simulation-modeling-for-guiding-management-of-transportation-and-recreation-in-parks-and-on-public-lands-building-foundational-expertise/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357370 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518992 AU - Chapman, Michael AU - Drobot, Sheldon AU - University Corporation for Atmospheric Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Vision for Use of Connected Vehicle Data in Practical Road Weather Applications PY - 2012/04/01/Final Report SP - 26p AB - With funding and support from the United States Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration (USDOT RITA) and direction from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is developing a Vehicle Data Translator (VDT) software system that incorporates vehicle-based measurements of the road and surrounding atmosphere with other weather data sources. The purpose of this document is to provide a short overview of the VDT software, a description of several possible applications for key potential end-users of the VDT, and a description of the data standards that are required in order for the mobile weather data to be useful for various road weather impact applications. KW - Data collection KW - Data communications KW - ITS program applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Software KW - Vehicle Data Translator KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/48000/48300/48370/1A82B8A8.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302265 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01501406 TI - Finite Element Model Updating and Damage Detection for Bridges using Vibration Measurements AB - This project focuses on the development of methodologies for obtaining reliable Finite Element (FE) models of bridges from measurements of their structural response to ambient as well as earthquake and wind excitations. Comparing such models from different times, for example before and after an earthquake or before and after a maintenance/rehabilitation operation, can provide information on the presence of structural damage and/or on the effectiveness of a rehabilitation solution. These methodologies will be compared with other types of damage detection methodologies that do not require an initial FE model of the structure: these methods try to "recognize a pattern" in the response of the structure corresponding to its healthy state (hence the name of "pattern recognition"). By looking at how this pattern changes, the project proposes developing a methodology that can assess the presence (amount as well as location) of structural damage. KW - Bridges KW - Damage detection KW - Earthquakes KW - Finite element model KW - Structural deterioration and defects KW - Vibration UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/finite-element-model-updating-and-damage-detection UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1280812 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01490741 TI - Adaptive Traffic Signal Control System (ACS Lite) for Wolf Road, Albany, New York AB - Adaptive Control Software Lite (ACS-Lite) is a low cost signal timing optimization system that dynamically adjusts signal timing to meet current traffic demands. Through a public-private partnership between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Siemens, The University of Arizona, Purdue University, Siemens/Eagle, Econolite, Quixote/Peek and McCain Traffic ACS-Lite was developed. As stated in the request for proposal (RFP) field tests of ACS-Lite have resulted in estimated annual user cost savings ranging between $88,000 and $757,000. This system, if successfully demonstrated, could be implemented in some of the New York State (NYS) corridors where variability and unpredictability in traffic demand results in excessive delay and stops that cannot be reasonably accommodated by updating coordinated signal timing parameters. The research team assembled for this contract includes UTRC member Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and the City College of New York (CCNY), and non-UTRC members Siemens ITS, SenSys Networks, Annese and Associates, Inc. Hereafter, the study team shall be referred to as the Consultant and the NYSDOT Project Manager/Technical Working Group will be referred to as NYSDOT. The main objectives of this research project are to: Demonstrate and evaluate the Siemens ACS-Lite technology and signal timing optimization system at nine (9) signalized intersections along Wolf Road in Albany, N.Y. Deploy a SenSys Arterial Travel Time (ATT) system to allow the collection of arterial and volume data along this corridor. Conduct a Before-and After traffic study on Wolf Road in Albany, N.Y., to assess the operation and cost benefits of the ACS Lite software and hardware applications. Document in a final report the results of the study, including findings, conclusions and recommended improvements to future deployments. KW - Adaptive control KW - New York (State) KW - Optimization KW - Public private partnerships KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/adaptive-traffic-signal-control-system UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1260479 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489662 TI - Development of In-Service Monitoring Tools for Long-Span Bridges Using Advanced Sensor Networks AB - The long-term operation and management strategy for long-span suspension bridges requires a suite of monitoring tools, starting with bridge structural health monitoring and extending to traffic monitoring and homeland security applications. This project will investigate the status of state-of-the-art technologies needed to improve the overall safety, reliability, availability, and longevity of long-span bridges. The study will include identifying appropriate sensors required for deployment as well as how to adapt a wireless sensor system already-developed in-house for monitoring typical bridges. This work leverages past and ongoing efforts at Clarkson with the New York Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). As a case study, the project will focus on the long-term in-service performance monitoring of the potential fracture of critical cables in Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, a highly traveled suspension bridge connecting the United States and Canada. These non-redundant components require sensitive care and observation to avoid failure of not only the cable but the entire bridge. Currently, only 2 percent of the US bridges are categorized as a suspension bridge (FHWA, 2010), but many on that list are some of the most critical and most traveled bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and George Washington Bridge just to name a few. According to Andrew Smyth, Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University, individual replacement of a main suspension cable can cost in excess of $100 million dollars. With some bridges having approximately 4 cables, this turns into nearly $0.5 billion dollars (Smyth, 2011). Therefore, caring for the infrastructure today with intelligent monitoring techniques can aid in making smart maintenance decisions and reducing expenses due to unforeseen costly repairs in the future. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge in a recent biannual inspection by the NYSDOT observed cracks and chips in the paint along with the onset of zinc and iron oxide corrosion (NYSDOT, 2009). Furthermore, the suspenders, while determined to be sound, were noted to have a loss of galvanizing and pitting on the wire ropes. Recommendations were made for an indepth inspection program for the cables and the anchorage assembly for documenting the corrosion and condition on a regular basis. Accordingly, research will focus on identifying best tools in evaluating the performance and integrity of the main suspension cables. Material degradation due to corrosion and other environmental effects will be monitored using newly installed wireless sensor technology on the cables. These sensors will also be used to detect the fracturing of cables whether by long-term environmental degradation or sudden man-made events. The initial phase of the research will look to determine the appropriate monitoring system for this bridge and extend the development and customize Clarkson's wireless sensor system for this specific deployment. It is critical to identify what sensing technology including data fusion will be an effective in bridges that are exposed to extreme environmental conditions, including snow, ice, wind, and extremely low temperatures. Therefore it is anticipated that the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge will be used as a test bed for these critical technologies that can be further developed by the partner institution and deployed at national and international scales. Subsequent phases of the research will focus on the optimal deployment and monitoring plan. These phases will include selecting the optimal locations of the sensors which will allow for the best overall description of the cable performance. Sensors are not intrusive components that will not alter the structure or limit the functionality of the bridge. They will be primarily add-on miniaturized wireless devices working on dedicated transmission frequency that will locally transmit to a central unit in compliance with international communication protocols. Upon completion of the sensor installation, data will be gathered for a minimum of an 18 month period to allow for measurements to be taken over a variation of weather conditionals across seasonal climates. This will allow for any extreme temperature effects to be considered in future measurements. The proposed research will build upon the knowledge gained from previous and ongoing research projects regarding monitoring cable based structural systems. Findings and results will be shared through technical reports, peer reviewed publications as well as presentations at conferences and workshops, thus enabling the transfer of resulting information and technology. These activities will be carried out through the Laboratory for Intelligent Infrastructure and Transportation Technologies at Clarkson University. KW - In-service monitoring KW - Long span bridges KW - Monitoring KW - New York (State) KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Suspension bridges KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/development-of-service-monitoring-tools UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258892 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473284 AU - Rahai, Hamid R AU - Sciortino, Antonella AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Effects of Distortion on Trajectory of Diesel Particulate Matter (PM) from Mobile Sources PY - 2012/04/01 SP - 20p AB - Laboratory and field measurements were performed to understand the effects of local urban aerodynamics on particulate matter (PM) concentration. For the laboratory experiments, an open-circuit wind tunnel along with exhaust from a small diesel engine were used. The field measurements were performed along the Alameda Corridor railroad under the bridge adjacent to the control room at the location where distortion due to the building structure was present. Results indicate that the PM concentration is a function of the local wind speed and direction and the blockage effect. KW - Aerodynamic force KW - Alameda Corridor KW - Atmospheric diffusion KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Particulates KW - Velocity UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/10-20_Rahai-Scortino_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225232 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467823 TI - Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Deteriorated Concrete Bridge Components AB - Corrosion of steel bars in reinforced concrete structures is a major durability problem for bridges constructed in the New York State (NYS). The heavy use of deicing salt compounds this problem. Corrosion of steel bars results in loss of steel cross section, deterioration of bond between concrete and reinforcing bars, and more important, in most cases, it results in unsymmetrical concrete section that is susceptible to shear stresses produced by torsion. Though earthquake frequency of occurrence and the expected ground accelerations in NYS is less than in western states, the potential for earthquake damage in or around NYS is still very real. Given the level of deterioration in many reinforced concrete bridges in NYS, they are considered very vulnerable to major damage during a moderate seismic event. There is an urgent need for proper detailed guide for analysis of deteriorated reinforced concrete bridge components that could assist structural engineers estimate the reserved strength of deteriorated bridges, and design cost-effective methods for retrofit. Proper evaluation and retrofit of existing deteriorated reinforced concrete bridges will limited the collapse of bridge during moderate seismic events in NYS and the surrounding states, and consequently save people's lives. The proposed project will evaluate the seismic response of typical deteriorated reinforced concrete bridges constructed in NYS. In addition, it will offer a guideline for seismic retrofit of deteriorated reinforced concrete bridge components. KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Deterioration KW - New York (State) KW - Retrofitting KW - Seismicity KW - Shear stress KW - Torsion UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/seismic-evaluation-of-concrete-bridge-components UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236059 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579617 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Liu, Mindy AU - Moore, Chip AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Drunk Driving by the Numbers PY - 2012/04 SP - 3p AB - This document includes statistics related to drunk driving in the United States from 2001-2010. It also includes a section on alcohol usage in the transportation workplace. Figures include: Number and Percent of Alcohol Related Versus Nonalcohol Related Highway Vehicle Fatalities; Number and Percent of Highway Vehicle Fatalities Involving Alcohol by Person Type; and Alcohol Related Versus Nonalcohol Related Recreational Boating Fatalities KW - Alcohol use KW - Boating KW - Drunk driving KW - Employees KW - Fatalities KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/index.html UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371949 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01547506 AU - Dennis, Norman D AU - Wilson, Andrew AU - Mack Blackwell National Rural Transportation Center AU - Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Determination of Pavement Thickness Using Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves PY - 2012/04 SP - 304p AB - This study was conducted to create an operational and efficient field unit and data acquisition program that enables field technicians to conduct spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) testing with limited training. As a part of this study, a computer program was developed that provides a partially automated conversion process to drastically reduce the amount of time required to reduce data and provide an accurate solution for the determination of pavement strata thickness. This was accomplished by modifying an existing SASW system so that it would act as a single integrated unit rather than a collection of components that must be placed and monitored independently. The unit was tested on various pavement sections in the state of Arkansas, where pavement thicknesses were known. The collected data were analyzed using the newly developed data reduction program, as well as a more theoretically based program from the University of Texas at El Paso. The product of this analysis was an estimation of pavement strata thickness, based on relative values of phase velocity. The overall intent of this study is to provide the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) with a system that can rapidly predict pavement thickness under a variety of conditions without the need for destructive testing. At a minimum this device can be used in conjunction with the existing falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing to avoid the requirement for pavement coring. Ultimately, this device may be able to completely replace the FWD system as a method to obtain both modulus and layer thickness of a pavement system. KW - Computer programs KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Pavement design KW - Spectral analysis of surface waves KW - Thickness UR - http://www.arkansastrc.com/MBTC%20REPORTS/MBTC%202074.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334559 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01518883 AU - Muhlanger, Michelle P AU - Severson, Kristine AU - Perlman, Benjamin AU - Prabhakaran, Anand AU - Singh, Som P AU - Vithani, Anand R AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Prototype Design of an Engineer Collision Protection System PY - 2012/04 SP - 11p AB - This research program was sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research and Development in support of the advancement of improved safety standards for passenger rail vehicles. In a train collision, the cab or locomotive engineer is in a vulnerable position at the leading end of the vehicle. As cars with increased crashworthiness are introduced into service, there is a greater potential to preserve the space occupied by the engineer following an accident. When sufficient survival space is preserved, the next objective is to protect the engineer from the forces and accelerations associated with secondary impacts between the engineer and the control cab. Given the hard surfaces and protruding knobs in a control cab, even a low speed collision can result in large, concentrated forces acting upon the engineer. Researchers have designed a passive (i.e., requiring no action by the operator) interior protection system for cab car and locomotive engineers. This paper discusses the prototype design, including background research, baseline definition and prototype development. The initial prototype design is analyzed using computer models. The components are tested to verify and improve the computer models. The test and analysis results are presented. U1 - ASME/ASCE/IEEE 2012 Joint Rail ConferenceAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersAmerican Society of Civil EngineersIEEEPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania,United States StartDate:20120416 EndDate:20120418 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, IEEE KW - Cabs (Vehicle compartments) KW - Computer models KW - Locomotive engineers KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Prototypes KW - Railroad crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/50000/50900/50982/JRC2012-74073.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302155 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486727 AU - Chang, Chin AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Fiber-Optic Sensor Network for Transportation Infrastructure Monitoring PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Fiber-optic sensing technology is capable of offering superior performance to the transducer technology typically used for sensing in long-span bridge structural health monitoring. Comprehensive performance evaluation for point and distributed fiber optic sensors were conducted. In the research effort, validation of point and distributed fiber optic sensors is achieved through laboratory and field tests. The fiber-optic sensors provide accuracy and long-term stability. KW - Fiber optics KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/10-14_Chang_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247847 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01480989 AU - Papanicolaou, A N Thanos AU - Admiraal, David M AU - Wilson, Christopher AU - Kephart, Clark AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Monitoring the Effects of Knickpoint Erosion on Bridge Pier and Abutment Structural Damage Due to Scour PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 63p AB - The goal of this study was to conduct a field-oriented evaluation, coupled with advanced laboratory techniques, of channel degradation in a stream of the Deep Loess Region of western Iowa, namely Mud Creek. The Midwestern United States is an ideal place for such a study considering that ~$1 Billion of infrastructure and farmland has been lost recently to channel degradation. A common form of channel degradation in this region is associated with the formation of knickpoints, which naturally manifest as short waterfalls within the channel that migrate upstream. As flow plunges over a knickpoint face, scouring of the downstream bed creates a plunge pool. This downcutting increases bank height, facilitating bank failure, stream widening, and damage to critical bridge infrastructure. The authors conducted a state-of-the-art geotechnical analysis of the sediments from the knickpoint face, plunge pool, and adjacent stream banks to determine the areas of the streambed near the bridge infrastructure that favor knickpoint propagation. Soil characterization using particle size distributions and Gamma Spectroscopy identified a stratigraphic discontinuity at the elevation where the knickpoint forms. An automated surveillance camera was established to monitor the location of the knickpoint face relative to a fixed datum and provide a first-order approximation of its migration rate, which was approximately 0.9 m over a 248-day study period. Surveys conducted of the stream reach also facilitated information about knickpoint migration. Flow measurements using Large-scale Particle Image Velocimetry were conducted during the study to understand the hydrodynamic conditions at the site. The results of this research will assist local and federal transportation agencies in better understanding the following: (1) principal geotechnical and hydrodynamic factors that control knickpoint propagation, (2) identify necessary data for extraction and analysis to predict knickpoint formation, (3) provide mitigation measures such as grade control structures (e.g., sheet-pile weirs, bank stabilization measures) near bridge crossings to control the propagation of knickpoints and prevent further damage to downstream infrastructure. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge piers KW - Channel flow KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Iowa KW - Knickpoints KW - Scour KW - Structural analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249572 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472087 AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reduction of Construction Project Risks to Pedestrians, Drivers, and Transit Passengers through Analysis of Historical Accident Records PY - 2012/04 SP - 131p AB - A methodology using the Pareto Principle and an accident chain analysis to analyze historical accident records is introduced with the objective of forming new construction project workplace safety recommendations to reduce risks to pedestrians, drivers, and transit passengers. Potential accident chain scenarios based on the analysis are also developed as a tool to communicate accident mechanisms. KW - California KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash data KW - Methodology KW - Risk management KW - Work zone safety UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/04-09_Kuprenas_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218682 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469966 AU - Papanicolaou, A N Thanos AU - Tsakiris, Achilleas AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) Sensors for Performing Automated Bridge Pier Structural Damage Detection and Scour Monitoring PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 14p AB - The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors able to detect impacts with different frequencies on a bridge pier. The FBG technology was evaluated under controlled conditions in a laboratory flume set-up to mimic the flow, sediment, and design characteristics of a pier structure. The system was calibrated using site-specific properties to relate strain to a known magnitude force for different bridge pier designs, different scour depths, and structural impacts. The FBGs proved a reliable measure of strain and displacement for key components of bridge structures, such as piers, during varying flow magnitudes. Additionally, the FBGs were used to assess the impacts of different flow-altering countermeasures on the displacement of a bridge structure. Sacrificial piers that were approximately three pier diameters from the bridge proved to minimize the strain at the top end of the pier significantly. Practical guidelines were developed on how the FBGs can be used to provide real time state awareness information for making decisions on down time, repair cost, and functionality of bridges. The research will pave the way for inexpensive, bridge automated monitoring, while providing an open framework to expedite the development of similar systems for other critical infrastructure, such as roads, highways, dams, levees, and prevent catastrophic events such as the Minnesota bridge collapse in 2007. KW - Bridge piers KW - Bridges KW - Fiber Bragg grating sensors KW - Flaw detection KW - Scour KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46671/Papanicolaou_472_Use_of_Fiber_Bragg_Grating_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225858 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01453880 AU - Min, Hokey AU - Dutta, Utpal AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Bowling Green State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing TranslinkeD Corridor Investment Strategies and Assessing Their Socio-Economic Impacts on the Detroit Metropolitan Area and the Northwest Ohio Regional Community PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 27p AB - Due to mounting fiscal pressures over the last few years, the federal government as well as many state and municipal governments in the United States (U.S.) have had to reexamine their transportation policies and projects such as the TranslinkeD program in the Detroit metropolitan area which seeks to “link” new economic growth with infrastructure, logistics, and distribution development. Tax increases and/or spending cuts which aim to trim budget deficits are currently major preoccupations of most policy makers and legislative bodies. With regard to the task of building new or rehabilitating bridges, highways, and toll gates, cost-benefit analysis and economic impact studies are often undertaken by various government entities to rank and prioritize spending in the hopes of maximizing fiscal efficiency and road usage benefits. Since much of highway construction and maintenance expenditures is absorbed by state governments, it is mostly up to state policy makers to decide transportation priorities. However, no research to date has been conducted to evaluate the comparative efficiency of state road provisions to commuters and shippers which often affect the state government’s budgetary allocation and spending plans. This report is one of the first to assess and rank the comparative efficiency of all 50 states in the U.S. by using data envelopment analysis and then explain variations in efficiency ratings by using Tobit regression analysis. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Economic growth KW - Economic impacts KW - Highway maintenance KW - Investments KW - Road construction KW - Strategic planning UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/sc-41/pdf/MIOH_UTC_SC41_2012-Final_Rpt_Developing_TranslinkeD_Corridor_Investment_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46266/MIOH_UTC_SC41_2012-Final_Rpt_Developing_TranslinkeD_Corridor_Investment_etc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218698 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449503 AU - Guo, Jessica Y AU - Gong, Qi AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding and Modeling Freight Stakeholder Behavior PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 76p AB - This project developed a conceptual model of private-sector freight stakeholder decisions and interactions for forecasting freight demands in response to key policy variables. Using East Central Wisconsin as a study area, empirical models were developed for selected elements of this conceptual model that are fundamentally significant to the production/attraction, spatial distribution, and modal split of freight movements. The empirical results formulated the recommendations to the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC) on freight planning and demand model enhancement. KW - Behavioral models KW - Demand KW - Freight demand modeling KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Stakeholders KW - Wisconsin UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/WisDOT-Policy-Research-0092-09-22-final-report.pdf UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0206.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46140/WisDOT-Policy-Research-0092-09-22-final-report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46500/46556/FR_0206.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1215917 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444819 AU - Chang, Chin AU - California State University, Long Beach AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Fiber-Optic Sensor Networks for Transportation Infrastructure PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 51p AB - This project addressed the monitoring and management of transportation infrastructural health through the use of fiber-optic sensing technology. It demonstrates that the fiber-optic sensing technology is capable of offering superior performance and extensive capability to structural heath monitoring applications. Comprehensive performance evaluation for point and distributed fiber optic sensors aiming at the application for the long-span transportation infrastructural monitoring were conducted. In the research effort, validation of point and distributed fiber optic sensors is achieved through laboratory and field tests. A structural health monitoring system using a quasi-distributed sensor network and distributed sensors will be designed based on the results of this field test. The research team plans to collaborate with Caltrans engineers to conduct a field deployment test within the Southern California transportation infrastructure. The field-test data will be reviewed and analysed to obtain important information to justify fiber-optic sensing technology for future system installation. The prototype deployed in the selected section of the transportation infrastructure will continue to collect structural information for technology and design validation. A system design utilizing a fiber-optic sensor network used in the monitoring and management of transportation infrastructures will be proposed as the end of the research effort. KW - Bridge management systems KW - California KW - Fiber optic sensors KW - Fiber optics KW - Field tests KW - Infrastructure KW - Long span bridges KW - Monitoring KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/10-14-development-fiber-optic-sensor-networks-transportation-infrastructure-monitoring UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212346 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380495 AU - Bunch, James AU - Shah, Vaishali AU - Burnier, Carolina AU - Hicks, Drennan AU - Hatcher, Greg AU - Greer, Liz AU - Ball, William AU - Fender, Katie AU - Noblis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Review of Existing Literature and Deployment Tracking Surveys: Decision Factors Influencing ITS Adoption PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Intelligent transportation system (ITS) is at cross-roads with deployment of first generation ITS technologies “at a saturation point” for mature ITS applications, especially in the large metropolitan areas across the United States. Understanding the motivating factors for adopting a technology that supports multimodal operations and for continuing its use and increasing deployment is therefore critical for the continued evolution and deployment of the next generation of ITS and especially for moving to a connected vehicle and multi-modal information and coordinated operations system envisioned for the future. The purpose of this report is to provide a foundation that captures the state of knowledge for motivating factors influencing ITS adoption, maintenance, and growth. This report highlights the issues and insights that could be drawn from the previous funded research and additional sources, and the questions, gaps, and needs that remain. This foundation, or benchmark of knowledge, will be used to help direct and focus the subsequent tasks of the Longitudinal Study of ITS Implementation. Analysis of the theory of innovation presented a number of implications for successful adoption and diffusion of new ITS technologies: (1) Innovators/Early Adopters do not necessarily make good references or examples to convince the early majority to adopt a technology, because they are not considered “peers” by the majority of adopters. (2) As the technology matures and is mainstreamed, the focus of the design should change from technology centered to consumer/needs centered products. ITS that may appeal to pioneers and large systems may not be attractive to (or needed by) smaller agencies. (3) Peer networks and social systems along with their communication channels are very important when promoting imitator-driven technology adoption. KW - Deployment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Technology UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45616/FHWA-JPO-12-043_v2_Final_508.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147992 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379983 AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - DeLuca, Cathy AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Examination of Women’s Representation and Participation in Bicycle Advisory Committees in California PY - 2012/04 SP - 118p AB - This study examines women’s membership levels in and experiences serving on California bicycle advisory committees and bicycle/pedestrian advisory committees and some of the barriers to participation faced by female cyclists. A survey of 42 committees revealed that women make up approximately 24% of members on an average bicycle (and pedestrian) advisory committee in California. Through focus group interviews with 24 women currently serving on BACs, several common themes emerged. Women on these committees are more likely than men to bring up women’s and children’s issues, and some aspects of the committees themselves may serve as barriers for women to become more involved. An online survey of 565 women cyclists in California provided insight regarding some of the common barriers for not becoming involved with a BAC:time; perceived lack of qualifications; lack of information about the committee; family and household responsibilities; and lack of interest. Recommendations to increase women’s representation on BACs include education about the committee; targeted recruitment efforts; and policy and procedural changes. KW - Advisory groups KW - California KW - Cyclists KW - Females KW - Pedestrians KW - Public participation UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1034-womens-representation-california-bicycle-advisory-committees.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139672 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379009 AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - Sears, Justine AU - Dowds, Jonathan AU - Hines, Paul AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Spatial Analysis of Travel Demand and Accessibility in Vermont: Where will EVs work? PY - 2012/04 SP - 35p AB - The suitability and charging requirements of electric vehicles (EVs) may differ in rural areas, where the electrical grid may be less robust and daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) higher. Although other studies have examined issues of regional power requirements of EVs, none have done so in conjunction with the spatial considerations of travel demand and accessibility. The authors use three datasets to forecast the future spatial distribution of EVs, as well as to assess these vehicles’ ability to meet current daily travel demand: the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), geocoded Vermont vehicle fleet data, and an E911 geocoded dataset of every building statewide. The authors consider spatial patterns in existing daily travel and home-based tours to consider EV charging locations, as well as area-types that are unsuited for widespread electric vehicle adoption. The authors also consider how built environment attributes, including residential and commercial density and retail accessibility, affect travel demand and thus future EV energy requirements. The authors found that existing hybrid vehicles were more likely to be located near other hybrids than conventional vehicles were. This clustering of current hybrid vehicles, in both urban and rural areas, suggests that the distribution of future EVs may also be clustered. The analysis suggests that between 69 and 84% of the state’s vehicles could be replaced by a 40-mile range EV, and 96-99% could be replaced by a 100-mile EV, depending on the availability of workplace charging. The authors did not find a strong relationship between land-use and travel demand, perhaps due to the low number of urban data points, the highly variable nature of rural travel, and the limitations of using a one-day travel log dataset. The results suggest EVs are a viable option to serve existing travel demand by rural residents but may require special consideration for power supply and vehicle charging infrastructure. KW - Accessibility KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Rural areas KW - Spatial analysis KW - Travel demand KW - Vehicle miles traveled KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-007.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45200/45211/UVM-TRC-12-007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146641 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376329 AU - Kassem, Emad AU - Masad, Eyad AU - Awed, Ahmed AU - Little, Dallas AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Friction Loss and Compactability of Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2012/04//Technical Report SP - 97p AB - This study aimed to develop prediction models for friction loss and laboratory compaction of asphalt mixtures. In addition, the study evaluated the effect of compaction level and compaction method on skid resistance and the internal structure of asphalt mixtures. The predictive model for friction loss was developed based on parameters that describe aggregate texture and angularity before and after polishing, aggregate gradation, and polishing cycles in the laboratory. Squared-shape slabs of asphalt mixtures were prepared in the laboratory using a linear kneading compactor and polished using a wheel-polishing device. The frictional characteristics were measured after different intervals of polishing cycles. Mixtures with coarser aggregate gradation were found to have better skid resistance than those with fine aggregate gradation. The friction loss model was found to correlate very well with the experimental measurements. The predictive model for laboratory compaction of asphalt mixtures was developed based on parameters that describe aggregate shape characteristics, aggregate gradation, binder content, and binder properties at compaction temperatures. The researchers executed intensive laboratory experiments to quantify the effect of these parameters on the compaction of asphalt mixture in the laboratory. Two models that describe slope and intercept of the laboratory compaction curves of asphalt mixtures were developed. These models showed strong correlations between the predicted values and the measured ones. These models provide essential inputs to quantify the compaction effort needed to compact asphalt mixtures. In the last phase of this study, the researchers evaluated the effect of compaction level and compaction method on skid resistance and internal structure of asphalt pavements. The vibratory roller was found to yield a smoother surface than the static roller. In addition, the results confirmed that the vibratory roller was more effective in reducing the air voids than the static roller. Moreover, the test sections compacted using the vibratory roller had more uniform air void distribution compared to the test sections compacted using the static roller. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Binder content KW - Compactibility KW - Friction KW - Internal structure (Materials) KW - Laboratory tests KW - Polishing (Aggregates) KW - Skid resistance KW - Vibratory compaction UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00025-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376189 AU - Rahman, Syeda AU - Grasley, Zachary AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Predicting Damage in Concrete Due to Expansive Aggregates: Modeling to Enable Sustainable Material Design PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 139p AB - A poroelastic model is developed that can predict stress and strain distributions and, thus, ostensibly damage likelihood in concrete under freezing conditions caused by aggregates with undesirable combinations of geometry and constitutive properties. Sensitivity of the stress distributions to the aggregate and matrix constitutive parameters are assessed to allow improved concrete design. The proposed model does not account for the viscoelastic stress relaxation and may over-predict the stress results. The model is evaluated experimentally through acoustic emission analysis under freeze-thaw cyclic loading, which reveals that air-entrained concrete may undergo durability cracking (D-cracking) if deleterious materials are present. It is determined that high-porosity, low-permeability aggregates with fine pore structure are the most vulnerable to D-cracking in non-air-entrained concrete, and the destructive tensile stress is generated at the aggregate boundary by the Mandel-Cryer effect. On the other hand, low-porosity, high-permeability aggregates relax the pore liquid pressure rapidly and prove to be beneficial for the non-air-entrained concrete. Reduction in aggregate size is found to be effective in quickly relaxing the tensile tangential stress, which eventually helps mitigate D-cracking of concrete. The difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the coarse aggregate and the matrix in which they are embedded should not be too high since it may cause tensile stress at the aggregate boundary or interfacial transition zone. Low water-to-cement mass ratio and addition of pozzolans help increase the bulk modulus, reduce the porosity of the porous body, and improve durability. It is also observed that increase in cooling rate decreases concrete durability under freezing temperatures through the reduction in time available to relax pore pressure buildup and the related tangential stresses in the aggregate and matrix. KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Bulk modulus KW - Coefficient of thermal expansion KW - Concrete KW - Concrete aggregates KW - D cracking KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Mathematical models KW - Permeability KW - Porosity KW - Pozzolan KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00027-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144030 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376185 AU - Moore, Devin AU - Ramani, Tara AU - Norboge, Nicolas AU - Turnbull, Katherine AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures for Metropolitan Planning Organizations PY - 2012/04//Technical Report SP - 80p AB - Performance measurement is a topic of increasing importance to transportation agencies, as issues with funding shortfalls and concerns about transportation system efficiency lead to a shift in how transportation decision making is carried out. In addition to the increased emphasis on performance-based management and accountability, the role of the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) has also gained much significance. MPOs are unique in their role in bridging the gap between various stakeholders in the transportation planning process, and in the expertise and input they provide for transportation decision making. Thus, MPOs play a very important coordinating role in the transportation planning process. However, individual MPOs differ vastly from one another and often do not have the authority to raise revenue or allocate funds. MPOs often lack the resources to identify and use performance measures. By the use of proper performance measures, MPOs can help guide the local transportation planning process toward achieving higher-level transportation goals. The aim of this project is to consolidate available knowledge and provide guidance to transportation agencies, specifically MPOs, to help them incorporate performance measurement relating to transportation planning and operations. This research includes a survey of agency practices and agency needs, development of guidance on effective performance measurement and allied issues of strategic planning, goal setting, and data collection. KW - Case studies KW - Coordination KW - Decision making KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Performance measurement KW - State of the practice KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161004-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144024 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376183 AU - Yi, Qi AU - Chen, Xiaoming AU - Li, Da AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Warrants for Installation of Dual Right-Turn Lanes at Signalized Intersections PY - 2012/04//Research Report SP - 116p AB - Right-turn lanes provide space for the deceleration and storage of right-turn vehicles, and separate turning vehicles from through movements. Dual right-turn lanes are increasingly used at urban intersections primarily for two reasons: (1) to accommodate high right-turn demands and avoid turn-pocket overflows, and/or (2) to prevent right-turn vehicles that exit from a nearby upstream freeway off-ramp (on the left of the roadway) from abruptly changing too many lanes toward the right-turn lane at the intersection. In addition, a number of other factors may affect the decisions on the installation of dual right-turn lanes. However, warrants for dual right lane installation are almost non-existent, leaving traffic engineers to rely on engineering judgment. This research aims to develop warrants for installation of dual right-turn lanes at signalized intersections. Both the operational and safety benefits/costs were analyzed by surveying traffic engineers and by conducting traffic simulation-based analysis. Microscopic traffic simulation model, VISSIM, was used to quantify the operation benefits and Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) developed by Siemens was used to analyze the safety gains due to installation of dual right-turn lanes. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Dual right turn lanes KW - Microsimulation KW - Right turn lanes KW - Signalized intersections KW - Surrogate Safety Assessment Model KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic simulation KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Warrants (Traffic control devices) UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161141-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144014 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375865 AU - Hong, Paul AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Global Supply Chain Management/Transportation Building a Global Network of Scholars and Educators, Phase II PY - 2012/04 SP - 24p AB - From March 8-10, 2012 University of Toledo faculty and doctoral students attended the 5th Conference on International Supply Chain Management in Tokyo, Japan. This paper provides the conference program, lists of papers presented, and profiles of panelists and moderators. KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - International trade KW - Logistics KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/ututc/docs/UTUTC-SC-8%20Final%20Hong.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44721/UTUTC-SC-8_Final_Hong.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143544 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375838 AU - Carrion, Carlos AU - Levinson, David AU - Harder, Kathleen AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Value of Travel-Time Reliability: Commuters’ Route-Choice Behavior in the Twin Cities – Phase 2 PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 158p AB - Travel-time variability is a noteworthy factor in network performance. It measures the temporal uncertainty experienced by users in their movement between any two nodes in a network. The importance of the time variance depends on the penalties incurred by the users. In road networks, travelers consider the existence of this journey uncertainty in their selection of routes. This choice process takes into account travel-time variability and other characteristics of the travelers and the road network. In this complex behavioral response, a feasible decision is spawned based on not only the amalgamation of attributes, but also on the experience travelers incurred from previous situations. Over the past several years, the analysis of these behavioral responses (travelers’ route-choices) to fluctuations in travel-time variability has become a central topic in transportation research. These have generally been based on theoretical approaches built upon Wardropian equilibrium, or empirical formulations using Random Utility Theory. This report focuses on the travel behavior of commuters using Interstate 394 (I-394) and the swapping (bridge) choice behavior of commuters crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. The inferences of this report are based on collected Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking data and accompanying surveys. Furthermore, it also employs two distinct approaches (estimation of Value of Reliability [VOR] and econometric modeling with travelers’ intrapersonal data) in order to analyze the behavioral responses of two distinct sets of subjects in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul (Twin Cities) area. KW - Commuters KW - Econometric models KW - Global Positioning System KW - Route choice KW - Travel time KW - Travel time reliability KW - Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minnesota) KW - Value of reliability UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=925 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44700/OTREC-RR-11-12_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142951 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375509 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Goldman, Todd AU - Hannaford, Nancy AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Shared-Use Bus Priority Lanes on City Streets: Case Studies in Design and Management PY - 2012/04 SP - 214p AB - This report examines the policies and strategies governing the design and, especially, operations of bus lanes in major congested urban centers. It focuses on bus lanes that operate in mixed traffic conditions. Four key questions are addressed: 1. How do the many public agencies within any city region that share authority over different aspects of the bus lanes coordinate their work in designing, operating, and enforcing the lanes? 2. What is the physical design of the lanes? 3. What is the scope of the priority use granted to buses? When is bus priority in effect, and what other users may share the lanes during these times? 4. How are the lanes enforced? Detailed cases were developed on the bus lane development and management strategies in seven cities: Los Angeles, London, New York City, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, and Sydney. The paper examines the range of practices in use and highlights innovative practices that contribute to bus lanes’ success, such as mechanisms for integrating or jointly managing bus lane planning and operations across agencies. KW - Bus lanes KW - Bus priority KW - Bus transit KW - Case studies KW - Design KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2606-shared-use-bus-priority-lanes-city-streets.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44674/2606-shared-use-bus-priority-lanes-city-streets.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139719 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375506 AU - Mathur, Shishir AU - Smith, Adam AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Decision-Support Framework For Using Value Capture to Fund Public Transit: Lessons from Project-Specific Analyses PY - 2012/04 SP - 200p AB - Local and state governments provide 75 percent of transit funds in the United States. With all levels of governments under significant fiscal stress, any new transit funding mechanism is welcome. Value capture (VC) is one such mechanism. Based on the “benefits received” principle, VC involves the identification and capture of public infrastructure-led increase in land value. While the literature has extensively demonstrated the property value impacts of transit investments and has empirically simulated the potential magnitude of VC revenues for financing transit facilities, very little research has examined the suitability of VC mechanisms for specific transit projects. This report aims to fill this research gap by examining five VC mechanisms in depth: tax-increment financing (TIF), special assessment districts (SADs), transit impact fees, joint developments, and air rights. The report is intended to assist practitioners in gauging the legal, financial, and administrative suitability of VC mechanisms for meeting project-specific funding requirements. KW - Assessments KW - Case studies KW - Decision support systems KW - Fees KW - Financing KW - Public transit KW - Taxes KW - Transportation policy KW - Value capture UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1004-decision-support-framework-value-capture-public-transit-funding.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139720 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375501 AU - Jenkins, Brian Michael AU - Trella, Joseph AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Carnage Interrupted: An Analysis of Fifteen Terrorist Plots Against Public Surface Transportation PY - 2012/04 SP - 78p AB - This report examines 13 terrorist plots against public surface transportation that were uncovered and foiled by authorities between 1997 and 2010 and two failed attempts to carry out attacks. The plots and failed attempts were selected on the basis of what is known about them and the accessibility of information. Seven of the 15 plots took place in the United States, and four occurred in the United Kingdom. Although more than 47 percent of all attacks on public surface transportation are directed against buses, bus terminals, and bus stops, all of the terrorist plots discussed here were directed against major city metro and commuter rail systems. Intelligence was a key factor in foiling most of the plots and most were interrupted at an early stage. KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Law enforcement KW - Passenger security KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Security checkpoints KW - Terrorism UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2979-analysis-of-terrorist-plots-against-public-surface-transportation.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44639/2979-analysis-of-terrorist-plots-against-public-surface-transportation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139723 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375256 AU - Dumbaugh, Eric AU - Zhang, Yi AU - Li, Wenhao AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Community Design and the Incidence of Crashes Involving Pedestrians and Motorists Aged 75 and Older PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 38p AB - Contemporary community design practice has focused on strategies intended to make communities safe for families with children. Comparatively little attention has been given to its effects on older adults. This study employs a series of negative binomial regression models to understand how urban form may affect the incidence of total and killed-or-severely-injured (KSI) crashes involving older drivers and pedestrians. Intersections, strip commercial uses, big-box stores, and arterial thoroughfares pose crash hazards for older motorists, while big-box stores and arterials are problematic for older pedestrians. A network of lower-speed streets was found to be associated with reductions in crashes involving older motorists and pedestrians. KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Arterial highways KW - Commercial strips KW - Communities KW - Highway design KW - Intersections KW - Land use planning KW - Negative binomial regression KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Traffic safety KW - Urban design UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Dumbaugh_11-03-67.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142362 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374586 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Report to the U.S. Congress on the Outcomes of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, SAFETEA‐LU Section 1807 PY - 2012/04 SP - 105p AB - Section 1807 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) P.L. 109-59 established the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) in August 2005. Over the span of 4 years, the NTPP provided roughly $25 million annually in contract authority allocated equally among four pilot communities (Columbia, Missouri; Marin County, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Sheboygan County, Wisconsin) “to construct … a network of nonmotorized transportation infrastructure facilities, including sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian and bicycle trails, that connect directly with transit stations, schools, residences, businesses, recreation areas, and other community activity centers.” From its inception, the NTPP was designed as a demonstration program to gather statistical information on transportation mode share shifts before and after the implementation of nonmotorized transportation infrastructure and educational or promotional programs. The program was intended to “demonstrate the extent to which bicycling and walking can carry a significant part of the transportation load, and represent a major portion of the transportation solution, within selected communities.” Throughout the program to date, the four communities, each with unique physical and demographic characteristics, identified and implemented a locally devised strategy to significantly increase the use of nonmotorized transportation, along with the accompanying safety, environmental, and health benefits. This report represents the culmination of that initial implementation and analytical effort. KW - Before and after studies KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Bicycling KW - Bikeways KW - Columbia (Missouri) KW - Demonstration projects KW - Highway facilities for nonmotorized users KW - Marin County (California) KW - Minneapolis (Minnesota) KW - Modal split KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pilot studies KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - Sheboygan County (Wisconsin) KW - Sidewalks KW - Trails KW - Walking KW - Walkways UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/ntpp/2012_report/final_report_april_2012.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44750/final_report_april_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142315 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372455 AU - Hallmark, Shauna AU - Oneyear, Nicole AU - McDonald, Tom AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Toolbox of Countermeasures to Reduce Red Light Running PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 46p AB - Red light running (RLR) is a problem in the US that has resulted in 165,000 injuries and 907 fatalities annually. In Iowa, RLR-related crashes make up 24.5 percent of all crashes and account for 31.7 percent of fatal and major injury crashes at signalized intersections. RLR crashes are a safety concern due to the increased likelihood of injury compared to other types of crashes. The research team developed this toolbox for practitioners to address RLR crashes. The Four Es—Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency Response—should be used together to address RLR problems. However, this toolbox focuses on engineering, enforcement, and education solutions. The toolbox has two major parts: 1. Guidelines to identify problem intersections and the causes of RLR at intersections; 2. Roadway-based and enforcement countermeasures for RLR. KW - Countermeasures KW - Highway safety KW - Iowa KW - Red light running KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic engineering KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Traffic safety education UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/RLR_toolbox_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44680/RLR_toolbox_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372422 AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Imran, Md Shah AU - Abro, Abdul Muqueet AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impacts of Transit in a Complete-Streets Context PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 95p AB - The recent interest in smart growth, livable communities, and sustainability creates new opportunities for the adoption, expansion, and enhancement of transit services in communities across the U.S. Given that promoting livability and alternative modes is a key priority in the US DOT’s agenda, research on economic impacts from integration of transit is both timely and essential. This is important as many of the possible gains from such integration are not fully understood and properly measured to date, such as the related health and quality of life benefits. This project analyzes the economic impacts from the implementation of a transit improvement project in a community. The project plan includes expansion and re-design of transit routes to better serve local needs, necessary provisions to accommodate transit user needs (such as a central station terminal, stops, shelters, etc.), as well as supporting infrastructure design changes to maximize access to public transportation and to encourage transit ridership in mixed-use residential/commercial areas. The project presents a detailed transit improvement plan and then identifies associated costs and benefits from the investment for the users and community as a whole. This analysis is expected to help transportation planning, transit, and health professionals better coordinate their efforts to create a more “livable” environment in the community studied and to serve as a model for other communities that are interested in considering viable alternatives which can offer citizens healthier and more sustainable transportation choices. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Complete streets KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Health KW - Quality of life KW - Transit oriented development UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44727/UTCA_Project__11206.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368413 AU - Shaheen, Susan AU - Martin, Elliot AU - Finson, Rachel AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Ecodriving and Carbon Footprinting: Understanding How Public Education Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Use PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 148p AB - Ecodriving is a collection of changes to driving behavior and vehicle maintenance designed to impact fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in existing vehicles. One strategy to improve ecodriving is through public education with information on how to ecodrive. This report offers a literature review of previous work and programs in ecodriving across the world. Interviews with experts in the field of public relations and public message campaigns were conducted to ascertain best practices for public campaigns. Further, the study also completed a set of focus groups evaluating consumer response to a series of websites that displayed ecodriving information. Finally, researchers conducted a set of survey assessing the effectiveness of static ecodriving web-based information. Exposure to ecodriving information influenced people’s driving behavior and some maintenance practices. The experimental group’s distributional shift was statistically significant, particularly for key practices including: lower highway cruising speed, driving behavior adjustment, and proper tire inflation. Within the experimental group (N = 51), fewer respondents significantly changed their maintenance practices (16%) than the majority that altered some driving practices (71%). This suggests intentionally altering driving behavior is easier than planning better maintenance practices. KW - Demographics KW - Driving KW - Ecodriving KW - Education KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Public information programs KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Vehicle maintenance UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2808-ecodriving-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fuel-use-public-education.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44676/2808-ecodriving-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fuel-use-public-education.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360992 AU - Strong, Kelly C AU - Shane, Jennifer S AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk Mitigation Strategies for Operations and Maintenance Activities PY - 2012/04//Final Report SP - 152p AB - The objective of this research was to investigate the application of integrated risk modeling to operations and maintenance (O/M) activities, specifically moving operations, such as pavement testing, pavement marking, painting, snow removal, shoulder work, mowing, and so forth. The ultimate goal is to reduce the frequency and intensity of loss events (property damage, personal injury, and fatality) during O/M activities. This report includes a literature review that identifies the current and common practices adopted by different state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies for safe and efficient highway O/M activities. The final appendix to the report includes information for eight innovative O/M risk mitigation technologies/equipment and covers the following for these technologies/equipment: Appropriate conditions for deployment; Performance/effectiveness, depending on hazard/activity; Cost to purchase; Cost to operate and maintain; and Availability (resources and references). KW - Fatalities KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highway operations KW - Injuries KW - Maintenance practices KW - Property damage KW - Risk analysis KW - Snow removal KW - State departments of transportation KW - Work zone safety UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/tr-627_risk_mit_w_cvr3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126919 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431178 AU - Lawphongpanich, Siriphong AU - Yin, Yafen AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nonlinear Road Pricing for Congestion and the Environment PY - 2012/03/30/Final Report SP - 42p AB - Under nonlinear road pricing (or tolling), the price charged is not strictly proportional to the distance travelled inside a tolling area, the generalized travel cost is not link-wise additive, and finding a user equilibrium distribution is typically formulated as a complementarity problem. The latter is a difficult problem to solve in mathematical programming. In this report, the authors use piecewise linear functions to determine tolls and show that finding a user equilibrium distribution with such functions can be formulated as a convex optimization problem that is based on path flows and solvable by traditional algorithms such as simplicial decomposition. For area-based and two-part pricing schemes, the tolling function consists of only one linear piece and finding a user equilibrium distribution reduces to a convex optimization problem formulated in terms of link flows and solvable by any software for linearly constrained convex programs. To find an optimal pricing scheme, e.g., one that maximizes the social benefit, the authors formulate the problem as a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints, an optimization problem that is generally non-convex and difficult to solve. However, it is possible to use search algorithms to find an optimal scheme because the number of parameters in the piecewise linear function is few. To illustrate, the authors use a coordinate search algorithm to find an optimal two-part pricing scheme for a small network with randomly generated data. KW - Algorithms KW - Distributions (Statistics) KW - Link flows KW - Optimization KW - Programming (Mathematics) KW - Road pricing KW - Tolls KW - User equilibrium UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/lawphongpanich_cms_2010-016_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45654/lawphongpanich_cms_2010-016_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1196496 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577983 TI - Biosolar Conversion of CO₂ and H₂O into Myrcene by Engineered Cyanobacteria AB - No summary provided. KW - Bacteria KW - Biomass fuels KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Energy conversion KW - Engineering KW - Hydrocarbons KW - Solar energy KW - Water UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371349 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577833 TI - Development of Logisitics Systems for Sustainable Supply of Herbaceous and Woody Feedstocks AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Logistics KW - Plants KW - Supply KW - Sustainable development KW - Wood UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370889 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577735 TI - Distributed Production of DME Based Fuels using Microwave Technology and Direct Catalytic Synthesis AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Catalysis KW - Ethers KW - Microwaves KW - Production KW - Synthesis (Chemistry) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370797 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01576008 TI - Low Moisture Anhydrous Ammonia (LMAA) Pretreatment Process of Corn Stover for Production of Butanol and Integration with Long Term Storage AB - No summary provided. KW - Ammonia KW - Butane KW - Corn KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369877 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575842 TI - Torrefaction and Pyrolysis of Grasses and Related Biomass to Fungible Fuels AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Grasses KW - Heating KW - Pyrolysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368765 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01490775 TI - Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Study for "Robust Anti-Texting Law Enforcement System (RATLES)" AB - This project is an interagency agreement with the Volpe National Transportation Research Center for project administration services in support of Phase I of the study on developing "New technologies to better enforce anti-texting laws for commercial motor vehicle drivers" under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. KW - Innovation KW - Project management KW - Small business KW - Text messaging KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1260545 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431189 AU - Wu, Di AU - Yin, Yafeng AU - Lawphongpanich, Siriphong AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Protecting Public Interests in Public-Private-Partnership Arrangements for Highway Improvement Projects PY - 2012/03/16/Final Report SP - 41p AB - Engaging private investors and entrepreneurs through public-private partnership (PPP) in constructing and operating transportation facilities has emerged as one of the viable options to meet the challenges of funding the development and maintenance of transportation systems. PPP developments lead to additional capacities without (directly) using public funding, faster delivery of projects, risk sharing with the private sector and more efficient operations and management of facilities. However, the profit-maximizing private sector may compromise public interests by, e.g., imposing higher toll rates or failing to offer high quality of service. A rigorous up-front analysis is needed to better protect public interests prior to entering into a PPP arrangement. This report considers the problem of selecting highway projects for the PPP development with the objective of improving the social benefit while ensuring the marketability of those selected. The problem has a structure of a tri-level leader-follower game and is formulated as a mixed integer program with equilibrium constraints. Without solving the associated problem, the authors show that optimal tolls and travel times on selected PPP highway projects can be determined from their attributes under mild assumptions. This leads to an efficient heuristic algorithm for solving the project selection problem. KW - Algorithms KW - Financing KW - Heuristic methods KW - Highway projects KW - Market assessment KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Project selection KW - Public private partnerships KW - Social benefits KW - Tolls KW - Travel time UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/yin_cms_2010-002_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45651/yin_cms_2010-002_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1193682 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431187 AU - Michalaka, Dimitra AU - Hale, David AU - Simmerman, Tom AU - Yin, Yafeng AU - Washburn, Scott AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing CORSIM for Simulating High Occupancy/Toll Lane Operations PY - 2012/03/15/Final Report SP - 69p AB - Congestion pricing has been advocated as an efficient way to mitigate traffic congestion since the 1920s. A prevalent form of congestion pricing in the U.S. is high occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes. The operating objective of HOT lanes is to improve the throughput of the whole freeway segment while ensuring a superior level of service on HOT lanes. To achieve this, ideally tolls should vary in response to real-time traffic conditions. Microscopic simulation has been used to evaluate pricing schemes or operation strategies of managed lanes. As a trustworthy traffic simulation tool, CORSIM has a very limited capability of simulating dynamic tolling strategies and drivers’ lane choice behaviors in the presence of tolls. This research enhanced CORSIM and developed a CORSIM-based simulation platform to evaluate the impacts of a variety of pricing strategies on managed-lane operations. KW - Congestion pricing KW - CORSIM (Traffic simulation model) KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Level of service KW - Managed lanes KW - Microsimulation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/yin_CMS_2010-005_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45652/yin_CMS_2010-005_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1194168 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370134 AU - Coffman, Richard AU - Boga, Ashique Ali Raffique AU - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance of Flexible Pavement Systems Containing Geosynthetic Separators PY - 2012/03/13/Technical Report SP - 372p AB - Base course drainage, strength, and modulus are important parameters that must be considered in the design of a roadway system. Pavement service life is maintained if the base course is permeable, strong, and rigid. Two recent MBTC projects have focused primarily on the rigidity of pavement systems. MBTC Project 2027 focused on the strength, permeability, and rigidity of quarry obtained, preplaced, Class 7 base course using laboratory tests; while MBTC Project 3013 is investigating the effects of geosynthetic separators, geosynthetic reinforcement, and base course thickness on pavement system rigidity. To tie both projects together, the base course at the Marked Tree test site will be analyzed (permeability, strength, grain size, Atterberg limits) to determine if geosynthetic separators have prevented plastic “clayey” fines from migrating into the base layer from the prepared subsoil. The in-situ fines content at the Marked Tree site will also be compared with the preplaced quarry obtained fines content to determine if additional fines are created during transportation, placement, and use of the roadway base. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Flexible pavements KW - Geosynthetics KW - Pavement performance KW - Permeability KW - Reinforcing materials KW - Separators KW - Sieve analysis KW - Triaxial shear tests UR - http://arkansastrc.com/MBTC%20REPORTS/MBTC%203020.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138925 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01565922 TI - Bicycles, Transportation Sustainability, and Quality of Life AB - Research in sustainable transportation systems has increasingly recognized the quality of life. Although in popular discourse bicycles have gained a reputation for enhancing quality of life, little systematic research exists on the actual relationships between bicycles, transportation sustainability, and quality of life. This research aims to develop a conceptual framework for assessing the relationship between quality of life, transportation sustainability, and bicycle transportation, and to evaluate the opportunities and limitations of distinct methodological tools useful for understanding that relationship. In particular, it asks: What relevance does the quality of life concept, and its specific variations (such as "Transport Quality of Life") have for understanding the motivation, practice, perceptions, and experience of transportation cycling? What attributes of bicycle transportation enhance or detract from subjective perceptions and objective measures of quality of life, and how might those be studied? Using a mixed methods approach, this project develops a variety of objective and subjective quality of life indicators for bicycle transportation. The interdisciplinary team, which includes researchers from Economics, Transportation Planning, Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Studies, will develop quality of life indicators specific to bicycle travel and a conceptual map linking those indicators with the motivation, practice, perceptions, and experience of transportation cycling. This work will be useful to researchers, planners and policy-makers seeking to increase mode shifts from automobile to non-motorized transportation. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Modal shift KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Quality of life KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/bicycles-transportation-sustainability-and-quality-of-life/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356561 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01539973 TI - Estimating Future Flood Frequency and Magnitude in Basins Affected by Glacier Wastage AB - Infrastructure, such as bridge crossings, require informed structural designs in order to be effective and reliable for decades. A typical bridge is intended to operate for 75 years or more, a period of time anticipated to exhibit a warming climate and, consequently, hydrologic changes (IPCC 2007). An understanding of present and future possible hydrologic conditions is necessary to avoid damage to critical infrastructure and costly disruptions to Alaska's transportation network. Changes in glacier extent in response to climate warming and/or altered precipitation regimes have the potential to substantially alter the magnitude and timing as well as the spatial variation of watershed-scale hydrologic fluxes. The dominant goal, as highlighted by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) Bridge Section Hydraulic Squad, is to improve estimates of peak flow frequency and magnitude at bridges crossing glacierized basins. This requires an understanding of the coupled hydologic system (glacier to overall watershed), and therefore a quantification of the role of glaciers on present watershed-scale runoff before we can estimate how climate warming may affect basin-wide discharge regimes. The project approach will include analysis of a) historic hydrologic data sets and b) complementary field measurements and model simulations to provide refined products that meet ADOT&PF needs. This project's primary objective is to compare estimates of future flood magnitude and frequency between traditional statistical methods, which sole utilize historic runoff measurements, to physically-based hydrologic model projections. KW - Alaska KW - Bridges KW - Flood frequency KW - Glaciers KW - Hydrologic cycle KW - Structural design KW - Watersheds UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-12-739439-Liljedahl-Anna-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326499 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01538099 TI - Production of Renewable Diesel Fuel from Biologically Based Feedstocks AB - Current petroleum-based transportation fuels are becoming increasingly expensive as petroleum is extracted from deeper waters, depleted fields, and politically unstable countries. In addition, these fossil fuels are identified as a significant source of carbon dioxide (CO2) which is responsible for global climate change. Alternative fuels produced from renewable biological sources are attractive options for displacing some of the petroleum-based fuels. The objective of the project is to develop a model process to produce hydrocarbon fuels from triglyceride feedstocks such as vegetable oils and animal fats. These hydrocarbons are miscible with conventional gasoline and diesel fuel. They are different from conventional biodiesel because they are not monoalkylesters, so they do not have the chemical composition required to comply with the ASTM specification for biodiesel. However, they still qualify for existing existing government incentive programs that are intended to reduce petroleum imports. In fact, the combination of federal excise credits and sale of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) has provided a total federal subsidy of $2.70/gallon for advanced biofuels. The renewable diesel fuel produced by this process will qualify as an advanced biofuel. The fuel has advantages over conventional biodiesel in that insoluble reaction products are not produced, the cold flow properties are better, and because oxygen has been removed, the energy density is higher. A secondary objective is to determine whether the production technology for these compounds, which has mainly been focused on large petroleum refining facilities, can be implemented on a smaller scale. If this can be done, existing biodiesel production facilities could retrofit their plants with this technology. The fuel is expected to be easier to integrate into the existing fuel infrastructure than biodiesel. Although the primary focus of this project is on fuels that can be added to the diesel fuel stream to displace petroleum, the technology is applicable to production of bio-based jet fuel and gasoline. The project will be developing a pilot facility at the University of Idaho (UI) that can be used to further develop the technology and evaluate competing processes. Specifically, the project will be optimizing the process conditions for the decarboxylation and catalytic cracking that will occur inside of the reactor and evaluating new approaches such as using methyl esters (biodiesel) as the feed for the reactor and using a diluents flow to control reaction temperature. The project will also be educating a graduate student to enter the field of renewable fuels. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Diesel fuels KW - Feedstocks KW - Gasoline KW - Technology UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-15-739436-Van-Gerpen-Jon-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324548 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01485879 TI - A Decision Support Model to Understand Route Choice Decisions and Siting of Facilities in Emergency Evacuation AB - The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) annually present official figures of the number of natural disasters and their impacts. Statistics from recent years show that the number of disasters has been increasing significantly. These events, and their devastating consequences, have highlighted the need for an efficient and responsive humanitarian supply chain that relieves the adverse impacts of disasters. In essence, a humanitarian supply chain consists of all parties involved, directly or indirectly, in preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery activities related with disasters. One way to deal with the response time is by improving preparedness. Preparedness involves the activities intended to help communities respond for any possible disaster. One of these activities requires the adequate location of distribution centers and facilities that will enhance the response time and ensure coverage of the affected region. The optimal location of these sites is expected to significantly improve the distribution of critical goods and save human lives. To this end, the project will focus on identifying a strategic set of locations for a pre-specified number of facilities. These facilities could be used as distribution centers for critical supplies (food, water, medicine, among others) in an area, with enough capacity to assure coverage and minimize response time in case of a disaster. The objective of this research is to develop a systematic methodology to locate shelters considering both transportation and social factors in the aftermath of disasters. When anticipated demands for hurricane evacuation shelter spaces exceed existing capacity as defined by the preceding standards, there is a need to utilize less preferred facilities. It is critical that shelter selection decisions be made carefully considering both accessibility and facility conditions, and in consultation with local emergency management and public safety officials. While Red Cross and other relief agencies propose strategies to locate shelters, they currently do not consider how evacuees choose facilities based on accessibility to shelters and the in-facility congestion. This was evident in recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and Rita where some of the smaller shelters turned out to be inaccessible or unsafe for evacuees to use. KW - Decision support systems KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency response time KW - Evacuation KW - Route choice UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/understanding-route-choice-decisions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1255104 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01485878 TI - The Use of Large Scale Datasets for Understanding Traffic Network State AB - The goal of this proposal is to develop novel modeling techniques to infer individual activity patterns from the large scale cell phone datasets and taxi data from New York City (NYC). As such this research offers a paradigm shift from traditional transportation modeling by using large scale, disaggregate data and provides an unique perspective to understand the complex interactions among human behavior, urban environments and traffic patterns. The proposed research will develop a model of dynamic activity pattern using the geo-location data to understand where, when and how long people participate in activities in a given day. The research will contribute to the understanding of activity schedule development and traffic prediction on a traffic network. In addition, it has the potential to contribute to traffic forecasting, predictive traveler guidance, urban event planning and management and disaster preparedness. KW - Activity choices KW - Cellular telephones KW - Data collection KW - New York (New York) KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Traffic network KW - Transportation modeling UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/understanding-traffic-network-state UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1255103 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467833 TI - Using Mobile Computers to Automate the Inspection Process for Highway Construction Projects AB - Construction projects are characterized by the large amount of data that needs to be collected, processed, and exchanged among the different project participants. Collection of construction inspection data, in particular, allows field personnel to monitor project performance with the ultimate goal of improving productivity and lowering costs. The accomplishment of these two goals could lead to better construction project management and performance that could in turn reduce the time required for project delivery. Current practices for recording and filing of field inspection data are mainly paper-based. This manual process using paper forms is a time consuming and tedious task. Not only is the clerical expense of this process very high, but also the organization and review of the information commands an inordinate amount of time by a project manager, of which most managers posses very little. Continuous evolvement and improvements of mobile computing such as iPADs and Android Tablets, software technologies, including more powerful processors, smaller storage devices, higher quality displays, and wide availability of third party application software, have made it possible for these devices to become stand alone systems with powerful functional capabilities. Because of their high mobility characteristics due to their small size and lightweight, these mobile devices can be used in the construction field to perform various tasks including recording of inspection data. The use of such mobile devices in construction processes seems to be the next logical step. This proposal intends to develop a mobile computing application for automating the collection process of field inspection data using iPADs or Android Tablets. The development of this application could result in faster transfer of information between the parties in a construction project, therefore improving the current communication process. In addition, by automating the inspection process and subsequent reporting and information transfer flow this could results in improvements in the overall process and shortening in the overall project delivery cycle. Once the application has been developed, the research team will test it in a highway construction project to verify its suitability and changes needed. KW - Construction projects KW - Data collection KW - Field data KW - iPad (Computer) KW - Mobile computing KW - Project delivery KW - Project management UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/mobile-computers-for-highway-construction-projects UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236069 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467832 TI - Metrics, Models and Data for Assessment of Resilience of Urban Infrastructure Systems AB - Over the past century, our nation has experienced dramatic changes in demographics, and existing socio-technical systems have become more complex and increasingly networked. To complicate matters, our cyber-physical infrastructure has not been maintained, causing unexpected vulnerabilities and cascading failures (ASCE, 2009; AWWA, 2001). As extreme events frequency and magnitude of resulting disasters have increased, emergent behavior, unexpected performance response, and lack of resilience have been noted (Sanford Bernhardt and McNeil, 2008). While there is success in modeling complex response and predicting behaviors of our urban socio-technical networks under stress, the models have grown so complex that data is not available to validate the model predictions (NRC 2009). It is clear that we need to understand our socio-technical system dynamics and resilience at a fundamental level. Resilience is defined as the ability (sufficient capacity and/or flexibility) of a system to experience unexpected shocks or perturbations, and to respond and recover functionality at some acceptable level of performance or action. There is an urgent need for improved understanding of the genesis and evolution of resilience, in particular in urban transportation systems. This will allow the building and enhancement of social and ecological capital and community resilience, as well as to increase system adaptive capacity (including self-organization) and improve the cost-effectiveness of investments in infrastructure systems. An interdisciplinary approach is needed that captures attributes of the complex systems in a region. This requires assembling varied and deep information reflecting current and future conditions, response and usage so that we can expand our knowledge and validate the discoveries and predictions for system performance response. There is a to assemble and create information and modeling resources, develop a framework of variables and relationships that will support a cross-disciplinary and cross-sector exploration of resilience, and build knowledge as test theory and models are developed. In the long term, this will allow the answer to important questions including: What observations (evidence) can we make (identify) to indicate qualitatively whether a specific system or network will demonstrate resiliency? What metrics can be used to evaluate the capacity of a system or network for resilient response? How does resilience response develop, and what factors control or influence the development? Is it a process with thresholds, tipping points, state changes, or is it a continuous function? What can we understand about when investment or adaptive management is warranted to improve resiliency of a system or networks of interdependent systems? The research proposed here will focus on identifying the basic metrics and models that can be used to develop representations of performance response that can be used to define resilience in urban environments, and to bring together data resources that can be investigated to understand and validate the interactive behavior of our complex transportation infrastructure systems. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Infrastructure KW - Modelling KW - Perturbations KW - System capacity KW - Urban transportation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/metrics-models-and-data-assessment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236068 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466814 TI - Development of a Comprehensive Inventory Management System for Underground Fiber Optic Conduits AB - Major State Departments of Transportation such as the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) operate and maintain networks of thousands of miles of conduits, many carrying fiber optic cables that are vital to State communication systems. These conduits are located alongside highways and frequently must be located and marked to avoid damage from digging or boring resulting from construction. These conduits are part of a complex maze of facilities which include junction boxes where fiber optic cables get re-routed from one conduit segment to another. The New Jersey inventory system included sections of conduits with varying lengths sometimes changing materials and unknown intermediate numbers, types, and locations of segments and junction boxes. In a previous study (January 1, 2010 to February principal investigator (PI) in collaboration with other Principal investigators from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) an evaluation and comparison of various methods for locating fiber optic conduits was undertaken, leading to a method for identifying preferred location techniques under various soils and surface cover conditions. As a result of this study, recommendations were made to further the goal of inventory accuracy. One of the recommendations was to start the development of a computerized inventory system for fiber optic conduits, in order to enable the definition of relationships between segments and junction boxes within the network. A project was thus undertaken during the summer of 2011, leading to a prototype inventory system that enables the conversion of the section-level conduit inventory data in the existing system to a more accurate system including segments and junction boxes, and defined a more accurate representation of cross-referenced conduit segments and junction boxes. This first prototype enabled the transition of the conduit section records to a more network-based model of segments and junction boxes. However, in order to develop a true network model which includes cables flows and routing through conduits, it is necessary to expand the data model to include cables and their markings within each segment and other nodes such as junction boxes, along with their routing from one segment to another. The key thrust of the proposed work is therefore to expand the previous data model to enable the coverage of all inventory data, including all pipe segments and junction boxes through the development of a detailed dynamically updated inventory of all Segment- Level conduits (Junction Box to Junction Box) and the Junction Boxes, and interior cable elements with a focus on comprehensive network connectivity. This expanded database is a high priority pre-requisite for the implementation of a rational fiber optic (and other) cable location program, and as a core inventory system for all construction and asset management activities in the network. KW - Communication systems KW - Conduits KW - Control systems KW - Fiber optics KW - Inventory KW - Junction boxes KW - New Jersey KW - Underground conduits UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/underground-fiber-optic-conduits UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235049 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626604 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Planning Practices: Metropolitan Transportation Plans PY - 2012/03 SP - 78p AB - This report examines the critical role Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs) can play as the cornerstone of metropolitan area transportation planning processes—linking regional visions to financially realistic plans for multimodal transportation systems, and providing strategic direction for the investment decisions in Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs). The hypothesis for this research is that MTPs can and must play this pivotal role in effective planning processes. MTPs often fall short, either providing a direction that is not embraced and implemented by partner agencies, elected officials and the public; instead, piecing together modal and jurisdictional plans without providing a coherent regional and system level direction, or missing the opportunity to consider transportation within a broader context that can include economic development, land use, energy, or environmental concerns. This report describes how “best practice” MTPs meet these planning challenges in different ways for different types of Transportation Management Areas (TMAs). This report is intended to provide a resource for peer Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) nationally, to assist them to strengthen their MTPs, and ultimately, metropolitan area planning processes and the quality of resulting decisions. This report is organized into five sections, each of which should serve as a tool for MPOs to create MTPs that can best guide their transportation planning processes. The first section contains an introduction and overview of the study. The second section describes observations and trends from the MTP research across all 30 MPOs studied. The third and fourth sections provide detailed findings and recommendations for MPOs and a synthesis of key lessons from the case studies. The fifth section contains the seven case studies, with background, innovative elements, and lessons learned from each MTP. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Investments KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation Improvement Programs KW - Transportation planning UR - https://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/BestPlanningPractices_MTP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1447139 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01516437 AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Mejias, Luis AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluation Report – Region 2 PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 49p AB - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Volpe Center conducted a regional alternative transportation evaluation (RATE) in Region 2, which is comprised of Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas, to ensure effective consideration and integration of alternative transportation systems (ATS) into the goals and recommendations of the Region 2 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Working with Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD), Region 2 is scheduled to commence work on its LRTP in early 2012. Accordingly, this RATE served as an informal kick-off of the region’s LRTP work to assist with identifying future needs. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Arizona KW - National Wildlife Refuge System KW - New Mexico KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Oklahoma KW - Public transit KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service KW - Water transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/50000/50800/50871/RATE_Region2_Mar_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1290555 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472477 AU - Casavant, Ken AU - Simmons, Sara AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Economic and Environmental Impacts of the Columbia-Snake River Extended Lock Outage PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 85p AB - This report’s main objective is to analyze the change in rates and modal costs for shippers, commodity industries and ports prior to, during and after the fifteen week lock outage and to determine the impacts on the environment in the form of energy consumption and emissions production prior to, during and after the lock outage. Waterborne movements are one of the more economical and cost-efficient methods of transport among all modes of transportation, comprising a key component of the Pacific Northwest multimodal transportation system. Commodity shipments moving through this river system were recently halted for 15 weeks during the winter of 2010-2011 for an unprecedented extended lock outage. The specific research objectives and methodology for the entire study as well as economic and environmental impacts are reviewed in Section 1. Section 2 summarizes the four phases of the study and includes data and sections from those commentaries. Additional tables are available in Appendix A. Section 3 reviews the economic costs of the lock outage for major commodity industries, shippers and ports. Section 4 discusses the environmental impacts of the lock outage. This section begins with a review of literature of energy intensity coefficients and emissions coefficients for various transportation modes. Then energy used via different modes prior to and during the lock outage are calculated and discussed. The same is done for emissions produced during these time periods. Section 5 provides a summary of the entire study and describes the value of the river. KW - Barges KW - Columbia-Snake River Waterway KW - Economic impacts KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Pollutants UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46253/TNW2012-01_Economic_and_environmental_impacts_of_the_Columbia-Snake_River.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239153 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470013 AU - Dissanayake, Sunanda AU - Kotikalapudi, Siddhartha AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large-Truck Crashes (Phase II) – All Crashes PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 111p AB - Statistics clearly demonstrate that large-truck crashes contribute to a significant percentage of high-severity crashes. It is therefore important for the highway safety community to identify the characteristics and contributory causes of these types of crashes. The first phase of the current research endeavor examined fatal crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database. In the second phase, presented in the current report, truck-crashes of all severity levels were analyzed with the intention of understanding characteristics and contributory causes, as well as identifying factors contributing to increased severity of truck-crashes. This goal could not be achieved by analyzing fatal crashes alone. Various statistical methodologies such as cross-classification analysis and severity models were developed using Kansas crash data. This study identified the characteristics, contributing causes, and specific factors related to the occurrence and increased severity of large-truck-crashes. By understanding these issues, countermeasures might be developed to mitigate the number and severity of truck crashes. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Crash severity KW - Fatalities KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Kansas KW - Oversize loads KW - Statistical analysis KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety UR - http://files.library.northwestern.edu/transportation/online/unrestricted/2012/MATC-KSU-352.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46669/Dissanayake_352_LargeTruckCrashesPhaseII_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225860 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457037 AU - Li, Ruipeng AU - Steven Cramer AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Parametric Study PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This study focuses on assessing the robustness of the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG v 1.1) for rigid pavement design projects in Wisconsin. The primary tasks conducted in this study included performing sensitivity analysis on MEPDG’s inputs for jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) design, evaluating the practicality of each input parameter’s sensitivity, determining the effects of using different concrete materials and different hierarchical levels of inputs on predicted JPCP performances, and identifying the limitations of the current MEPDG. It was found that the coefficient of thermal expansion and modulus of rupture had a strong impact on MEPDG predictions and these outcomes appeared consistent with conventional wisdom. The adverse effects of the concrete unit weight and the positive benefits of the widened concrete slab were suspected to have been overestimated by the MEPDG. It was verified that MEPDG predictions were significantly different depending on the concrete materials and hierarchical levels of inputs chosen. Therefore, the pavement designer was recommended to select the proper design strategy. The limitations of MEPDG were illustrated in that it did not account for the effects brought by the supplementary cementitious materials on the pavement design and it erroneously restrained the permissible range for concrete modulus of rupture input. Although a significant number of material inputs are possible with level 1 implementation of the MEPDG, these inputs are often used in a narrow context and are largely independent from other inputs and material properties. It cannot be presumed that the change in one input will lead to a full set of parametric changes that such a change would actually induce in practice. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Modulus of rupture KW - Pavement design KW - Rigid pavements KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Thermal expansion UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0324.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224986 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457025 AU - Lin, Zhibin AU - Zhao, Jian AU - Tabatabai, Habib AU - University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Overweight Vehicles (with Heavy Axle Loads) on Bridge Deck Deterioration PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 221p AB - Bridge deck slabs develop compressive stresses from global flexural deformation and locally from high-level wheel loads when it is subjected to overweight trucks. This study quantified the impact of overweight vehicles with heavy axle loads on bridge decks using laboratory tests and numerical simulations. The laboratory tests focused on evaluating the impact of combined mechanical stresses and freeze-thaw cycles on the durability of air-entrained concrete. Concrete cylinders, after being cured in saturated limewater for 28 days, were subjected to various levels of compressive loads and then exposed to 300 freeze-thaw (F/T) cycles. Rapid chloride ion penetrability tests were conducted to evaluate the chloride permeability of the concrete samples. The laboratory test results indicated that the mechanical loading combined with freeze-thaw cycles significantly increased the permeability of air-entrained concrete and may accelerate the deterioration of concrete elements such as bridge decks. The observed permeability increase was due to the fact that higher compressive loads caused more extensive microcracks in concrete, and the damaged concrete further degrades under freeze-thaw cycles, which may have further opened and interconnected the microcracks. Bridge deck analyses were conducted to investigate stress distributions and stress levels in typical concrete bridge decks subjected to high axle loads. The numerical analyses using the idealized bridge models indicated that the normal stress in bridge decks in the transverse direction can be significantly affected by the thickness of bridge deck, the girder spacing, and the magnitude of the wheel loads. The analyses results also indicated that the normal stresses in the longitudinal direction may be calculated as the summation of the stresses due to global bending of the bridge superstructure under the truck loads, which can be estimated using typical design/rating procedures and the stress elevations near the wheel loads. The proposed equations may be used, in addition to the typical design/rating calculations, to capture the adverse stresses in bridge decks subjected to overweight trucks. KW - Axle loads KW - Bridge decks KW - Design KW - Deterioration KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Microcracking KW - Overweight loads KW - Trucks UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0406.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224988 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456894 AU - Adams, Teresa AU - Kleinmaier, Dan AU - Marach, Alex AU - Helfrich, Greg AU - Levine, Joshua AU - Bittner, Jason AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Longer Combination Vehicles: An Estimation of their Benefits and Public Perception of Their Use PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) are able to carry more freight than conventional single trailer trucks. As a result, these trucks can increase efficiencies and benefits for freight movements as less fuel and less labor is used per ton of cargo. However, LCVs are allowed in only 19 U.S. states primarily due to concerns over safety and infrastructure costs. This study investigates these concerns, performs a Cost-Benefit Analysis of operating LCVs, talks to private and public sector experts regarding their use, and completes a public survey to gauge the public’s perception of the use of LCVs in terms of both their concerns and the public’s prioritization of the potential benefits of using LCVs. Overall, this study finds there are sufficient benefits to consider the expansion of LCV operations. The per vehicle mile benefit ranges from $0.45 to $0.75 in 2011 dollars. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Freight transportation KW - Longer combination vehicles KW - Public opinion KW - Trucking safety UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_05-01_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224992 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454018 AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - Ban, Hoki AU - Im, Soohyok AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Truck Loading on Design and Analysis of Asphaltic Pavement Structures-Phase III PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 67p AB - This study investigated the impact of the realistic constitutive material behavior of asphalt layer (both nonlinear inelastic and fracture) for the prediction of pavement performance. To this end, this study utilized a cohesive zone model to consider the fracture behavior of asphalt mixtures at an intermediate temperature condition. The semi-circular bend (SCB) fracture test was conducted to characterize the fracture properties of asphalt mixtures. Fracture properties were then used to simulate mechanical responses of pavement structures. In addition, Schapery’s nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model was implemented into the commercial finite element software ABAQUS via a user defined subroutine (user material, or UMAT) to analyze asphalt pavement subjected to heavy truck loads. Extensive creep-recovery tests were conducted at various stress levels and multiple service temperatures to obtain the stress- and temperature-dependent viscoelastic material properties of asphalt mixtures. Utilizing the derived viscoelastic and fracture properties and the UMAT code, a typical pavement structure was modeled that simulated the effect of material nonlinearity and damage due to repeated heavy truck loads. Two-dimensional finite element simulations of the pavement structure demonstrated significant differences between the cases: linear viscoelastic and nonlinear viscoelastic modeling with and without fracture in the prediction of pavement performance. The differences between the cases were considered significant, and should be addressed during the process of performance-based pavement design. This research demonstrates the importance of accurate and more realistic characterizations of pavement materials. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Axle loads KW - Finite element method KW - Fracture properties KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Trucks KW - Viscoelasticity UR - http://files.library.northwestern.edu/transportation/online/unrestricted/2012/MATC-UNL-427.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46172/Kim_AsphaltStructures_Phase_III_427_COMBINED_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218612 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444364 AU - Darbha, S AU - Quadrifoglio, L AU - Park, M AU - Oberlin, P AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multiple Depot Vehicle Routing with Applications to Paratransit and Rural Transportation PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 46p AB - As the demand for paratransit services increases, there is a constant pressure to maintain the quality of service provided to the customers while minimizing the cost of operation; this is especially important as the availability of public funding for paratransit services has been on the decline. Key tasks in accomplishing this objective are efficiently allocating vehicles to service trips and adjusting the schedules of vehicles dynamically in response to calls received by the service providers from the customers on the day of the service. For many paratransit services, capacity of vehicles is not a binding constraint. This is especially so in rural applications. For this reason, the authors will focus on dealing with routing vehicles that are not subject to any passenger capacity constraints. In this report, the authors consider two important relaxations of this problem, which may be considered as problems of independent interest and significance. The first problem deals with relaxing all the constraints associated with the order in which the vehicles must visit pickup and delivery locations of the passengers as well as the time window constraints. The second relaxation additionally imposes ordering requirements. Both problems are combinatorially hard problems, and the authors provide formulations and algorithms for finding sub-optimal solutions along with an estimate of their quality. In the last section of this report, the authors consider the time window constraints for pickup and delivery of customers and provide a heuristic to find feasible solutions. The authors corroborate the results numerically with small, randomly generated instances of the paratransit scheduling problem. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Paratransit services KW - Passenger pickup/dropoff areas KW - Quality of service KW - Routing KW - Rural areas KW - Schedules and scheduling UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1198455 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379984 AU - Silver, Steven AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Importance and Satisfaction with Factors in Intermodal Work Commuting PY - 2012/03 SP - 50p AB - Users of multiple-mode public transportation were compared to users of privately owned vehicle (POV) transportation in commuting to work within two different travel corridors of Santa Clara County, California. In the first corridor, high tech companies were the source of questionnaire respondents; in the second corridor, the respondents were predominately municipal and county office employees. Most intermodal travel in the first corridor was with multiple buses. In the second corridor, commuters who used a bus and light-rail combination were studied. The differences in results in the comparisons across public transportation commuters and POV commuters in each sample strongly suggest that independent studies of travel corridors with different travel mode alternatives can be informative and have different managerial implications, even when they are within the same county. KW - Commuting KW - Customer satisfaction KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Public transit KW - Travel time KW - Trip length KW - Uncertainty UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1033-factors-in-intermodal-work-commuting.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139671 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379181 AU - Lee, Young-Jae AU - Morgan State University AU - National Center for Transportation Management, Research and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mathematical Modeling for Optimizing Skip-Stop Rail Transit Operation Strategy Using Genetic Algorithm PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 37p AB - With skip-stop rail transit operation, transit agencies can reduce their operating costs and fleet size, and passengers can experience reduced in-transit travel times without extra track and technological improvement. However, since skip-stop operation does not serve all the stations, passengers at exclusive stopping stations can possibly experience increased access time, waiting time, total travel time, and transfer. Only when the stopping stations are carefully coordinated can skip-stop services benefit passengers and transit agencies. This research developed an optimization model using a Genetic Algorithm that coordinated the stopping stations for skip-stop rail operation. Using the flexibility of the Genetic Algorithm, this model included many realistic conditions, such as different access modes, different stopping scenarios, different collision constraints, different objective functions, and etc. For this research, the Seoul Metro system’s line No. 4 was used as an example. With skip-stop operation, total travel time became about 17-20 percent shorter than with original all-stop operation, depending on the stopping constraints. In-vehicle travel time became about 20-26 percent shorter due to skipping stations, although waiting, transfer, and additional access times increased by 24-38 percent. KW - Genetic algorithms KW - Mathematical models KW - Rail transit KW - Rail transit operations KW - Rail transit stations KW - Skip stop (Rail transit) KW - Travel time UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44360/Mathematical_Lee_1112.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146611 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376188 AU - Motamed, Arash AU - Bhasin, Amit AU - Izadi, Anoosha AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fracture Properties and Fatigue Cracking Resistance of Asphalt Binders PY - 2012/03//Research Report SP - 62p AB - Several different types of modifiers are increasingly being used to improve the performance of asphalt binders or to achieve desired mixture production characteristics (e.g., Warm Mix Asphalt). However, current Superpave performance specifications do not accurately reflect the performance characteristics of these modified binders. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the inherent fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt binders in the form of a matrix with rigid particle inclusions. The underlying rationale for this approach was to subject the binders to a state of stress that is similar to the one in a full asphalt mixture. This was achieved by fabricating and testing composite specimens of the asphalt binders and glass beads with a specified gradation. Four asphalt binders with similar true temperature grades but different modifiers were used in this study. The viscoelastic and fatigue cracking characteristics of the binders were measured using the glass bead-binder composite specimens in a dynamic shear rheometer at an intermediate temperature. The results demonstrate that the four asphalt binders modified using different methods had different damage characteristics despite the fact that these four binders were rated to have a similar performance grade based on the Superpave specifications. Fatigue cracking characteristics of the glass bead-binder test specimens used in this study were qualitatively very similar to the fatigue cracking characteristics of full asphalt mixtures using the same binders. The rank order of fatigue cracking resistance for the four glass bead-binder mixtures compared reasonably well to the rank order of fatigue cracking resistance for the full asphalt mixtures that incorporated these asphalt binders. KW - Asphalt modifiers KW - Bituminous binders KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Fracture properties KW - Glass beads KW - Laboratory tests KW - Viscoelasticity UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161122-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144032 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376187 AU - Burris, Mark AU - Larsen, Lisa AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Equity Evaluation of Vehicle Miles Traveled Fees in Texas PY - 2012/03//Research Report SP - 177p AB - The Texas state gas tax has been 20.0 cents per gallon since 1991, and the federal gas tax has been 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993. The gas tax is not only stagnant, but depreciating in value due to inflation. One proposed alternative to the gas tax is the creation of a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee; with equity being a crucial issue to consider. This research used 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) Texas data to consider the equity impacts surrounding four VMT fee scenarios. Data were filtered and weighted to reflect results representative of Texas vehicle-owning households in 2008. Each scenario was run both statically and dynamically under the assumption that the VMT fee would replace the state gas tax. Results indicate that all of the VMT fee scenarios are essentially as equally vertically equitable as the current state gas tax system. KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Forecasting KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highway user taxation KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Texas KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161105-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144018 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376181 AU - Zhang, Ming AU - Mulholland, Katie AU - Zhang, Jane AU - Gomez-Sanchez, Ana J AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Getting the Parking Right for Transit-Oriented Development PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 154p AB - Increasingly metropolitan planning organizations in Texas are incorporating Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) or similar concepts into their long-range plans for the purpose of achieving sustainable transportation. One major challenge to implementing these TOD-type strategies is parking. The conventional parking policies likely produce excessive parking, undermining the expected community benefits of TOD and could even cause the TOD initiative to fail. Getting the parking right is essential to ensure the desirable form and functionality of TOD. There are few studies of the topic on Texas cities. The main objective of this study is to report the state-of-the-knowledge on parking regulations and practice influencing the planning, design, and implementation of TOD. The report first offers a narrative review of the published works on TOD-Parking. Based on the review findings it then presents a matrix of best parking practices for TOD. Finally, the report provides an annotated bibliography of TOD-Parking studies. Appendix 1 assembles parking regulations and practice policies in selected cities in the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Parking KW - Parking regulations KW - Policy KW - Texas KW - Transit oriented development UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161027-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376111 AU - Molders, Nicole AU - Tran, Huy N Q AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Fairbanks North Star Borough AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of the Contribution of Traffic Emissions to the Mobile Vehicle Measured PM2.5 Concentration by Means of WRF-CMAQ Simulations PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 50p AB - The Alaska adapted version of the Weather Research and Forecasting and the Community Modeling and Analysis Quality (WRF-CMAQ) modeling systems was used to assess the contribution of traffic to the PM2.5-concentration in the Fairbanks nonattainment area and to develop an algorithm to interpolate mobile measurements into areas without any observations. Simulations were performed with WRF-CMAQ with and without consideration of traffic emission for two episodes in winter 2009/10 and 2010/11. Comparison of the simulation results with observations showed that the Alaska adapted WRF-CMAQ has relatively good performance in simulating meteorological quantities and PM2.5-concentrations. Comparison of the simulations with and without consideration of traffic emissions revealed that emissions from traffic contributed to about 10% on average to the total PM2.5-concentration in the Fairbanks nonattainment area during the two episodes. The interpolation algorithm was developed based on the WRF-CMAQ results of the first episode and its performance was demonstrated by the results of the second episode. The algorithm can be used in the future to produce spatial distributions of PM2.5-concentrations over the nonattainment area based on the limited observation made by the instrumented vehicle. The interpolated distributions can be visualized and put onto the web to serve as a tool to provide spatially differentiated air quality advisory to the public. KW - Air quality KW - Air quality management KW - Alaska KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental policy KW - Exhaust gases KW - Geographic information systems KW - Mobile sources KW - National Ambient Air Quality Standards KW - Particulates KW - Pollutants KW - Simulation KW - Uncertainty UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2012/05/Assessment-of-the-Contribution-of-Traffic-Emissions.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142120 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376098 AU - Agrawal, Anil K AU - Liu, Huabei AU - Imbsen, Roy A AU - Zong, Xin AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seismic Design Considerations, Volume I: Technical Approaches and Results and Volume II: Appendices II - VIII PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 604p AB - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has adopted “AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design” approved by the Highway Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures in 2007. The main objective of research presented in this report has been to resolve the following issues for an effective implementation of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications: (i) AASHTO Guide Specifications don’t provide any specific guidelines for classification and performance requirements for critical bridges. This issue is resolved by proposing performance requirements and classification criteria for critical bridges in New Jersey. (ii) Guide Specifications present displacement based approach, which is significantly different than the force-based approach in previous versions of seismic guidelines. Nine examples of reinforced concrete and steel bridges of different characteristics (spans, skew, etc.) illustrating the use of newly adopted seismic guide specifications have been developed for training of engineers in New Jersey. (iii) NJDOT maintains an extensive electronic database of soil boring logs for the State of New Jersey. A zip-code based soil site map for New Jersey has been developed by analyzing soil boring data and other available New Jersey soil information. This map can be used for a rapid seismic hazard evaluation for the entire state or for a network of bridges in the state. (iv) AASHTO Guide Specifications introduce seismic design categories based on local seismicity and soil properties. Using the seismic soil map and zip code based seismic spectra provided in the AAHSTO Guide Specifications, seismic design category maps for critical and standard bridges in New Jersey have been developed. A detailed analysis has also been carried out to develop liquefaction potential maps for the state of New Jersey. These maps can be used to determine the need for a detailed liquefaction analysis for a particular bridge site. A detailed guideline on developing site-specific spectra has also been developed, since AASHTO Guide Specifications recommend site-specific spectra for critical bridges. (v) Existing bridges in New Jersey are required to be retrofitted on the basis of the 2006 Edition of the “Seismic Retrofitting Manual for Highway Structures: Part 1 – Bridges”. Simplified guidelines for seismic retrofit of existing bridges, that are consistent with guidelines for the design of new bridges in AASHTO Guide Specifications, have been developed. KW - AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design KW - Bridge design KW - Bridges KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - New Jersey KW - Performance measurement UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2010-006.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46249/FHWA-NJ-2010-006_Seismic_design_considerations.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143244 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375508 AU - Haas, Peter J AU - Hernandez, Paul D AU - Estrada, Katherine AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Estimating Workforce Development Needs for High-Speed Rail in California PY - 2012/03 AB - This study provides an assessment of the job creation and related education and training needs associated with the California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) network. A needs assessment is achieved by analyzing current high-speed rail specific challenges pertaining to 220mph trains; using a more accurate and robust “bottom-up” approach to estimate the labor, education, skills, and knowledge needed to complete the CHSR network; and assessing the current capacity of railroad-specific training and education in the state of California and the nation. Results indicates that although the education attained by the design engineers of the system signifies the most advanced levels of education in the workforce, this group is comparatively small over the life of the project. There are vast training needs for the construction workforce and higher education needs for a managerial construction workforce while an extremely limited capacity exists for such training and education. KW - California KW - Education and training personnel KW - Employment KW - High speed rail KW - Labor force KW - Training UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1027-california-high-speed-rail-workforce-needs.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139718 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375505 AU - Holian, Matthew J AU - Kahn, Matthew E AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of Center City Economic and Cultural Vibrancy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation PY - 2012/03 SP - 90p AB - Urban planners and scholars have focused a great deal of attention on understanding the relationship between the built environment and transportation behavior. However, other aspects of the urban environment – including the vibrancy and quality of life in urban areas – have received little attention. This report seeks to close this gap by analyzing the effects of both land use and urban vibrancy on transportation patterns. Analysis of data from a variety of sources suggests that in addition to the built environment, the vibrancy of the urban environment also affects transportation behavior. Moreover, vibrancy affects land use patterns. By integrating objective measures of center-city quality of life into transportation choice models, this new statistical results inform public policy. Specific public policy options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing public transit use are discussed. KW - Central business districts KW - Driving KW - Environmental policy KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use KW - Public transit KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Statistical analysis KW - Travel behavior KW - Urban sprawl KW - Walking UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1002-Center-City-Economic-Cultural-Vibrancy-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions-Transportation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139669 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375503 AU - Rodier, Caroline AU - Spiller, Margot AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Model-Based Transportation Performance: A Comparative Framework and Literature Synthesis PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 122p AB - In an era of limited resources and a proliferation of data, there is increasing pressure to conduct careful evaluations of the economic, environmental, and equity effects of investments and policies that influence transportation and land use systems. This report compares performance measures and reviews the literature to determine the degree to which these measures have been implemented and what they indicate about the relative effectiveness of land use, transit, and automobile pricing policies. Despite the variation in methods and performance measures implemented, the synthesis of study results suggests the direction and relative magnitude of change resulting from different types of policies, as well as potential biases introduced by omitting the representation of the land use and transportation interaction. Overall, the performance measures indicate that carefully designed transit, land use, and automobile pricing policies may improve travel, economic, environmental, and equity conditions for communities. However, transit and peak-period automobile pricing policies can, in some situations, lead to negative performance outcomes across some or all measures, as illustrated in studies that explicitly represent the land use and transportation interaction. KW - Automobiles KW - California KW - Land use models KW - Literature reviews KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Performance measurement KW - Pricing KW - Transportation policy KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2805-Model-based-transportation-performance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139606 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375500 AU - Loukaitou-Sideris, Anastasia AU - Cuff, Dana AU - HIggins, Harrison AU - Wei, Wenbin AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Planning for Complementarity: An Examination of the Role and Opportunities of First-Tier and Second-Tier Cities Along the High-Speed Rail Network in California PY - 2012/03 SP - 223p AB - The coming of California High-Speed Rail (HSR) offers opportunities for positive urban transformations in both first-tier and second-tier cities. The research in this report explores the different but complementary roles that first-tier and second-tier cities along the HSR network can play in making California more sustainable and less dependent on fossil fuels while reducing mobile sources of greenhouse gas emissions and congestion at airports and on the state’s roadways. Drawing from case studies of cities in Northern and Southern California, the study develops recommendations for the planning, design, and programming of areas around California stations for the formation of transit-supportive density nodes. KW - California KW - Case studies KW - Design KW - High speed rail KW - Large cities KW - Railroad stations KW - Small cities UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1030-complementarity-cities-high-speed-rail-california.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139717 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375244 AU - Lomax, Tim AU - Turner, Shawn AU - Eisele, Bill AU - Schrank, David AU - Geng, Lauren AU - Shollar, Brian AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Refining the Real-Timed Urban Mobility Report PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 204p AB - The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is considered a national leader in providing congestion and mobility information. The Urban Mobility Report (UMR) is the most widely quoted report on urban congestion and the associated costs in the nation. The report measures system delay, wasted fuel, and the annual cost of congestion in all U.S. urban areas. In 2011, researchers also produced the Congested Corridors Report (CCR) which focused on traffic congestion along 328 corridors across the U.S. The CCR is the first report to include travel reliability statistics on a nationwide basis. In recent years, the UMR/CCR researchers partnered with a private-sector historical speed provider—INRIX—to obtain nationwide speed data to generate the best possible estimate of mobility conditions across the nation. The data that are available from this partnership continue to allow the UMR/CCR methodology to evolve. While much more is understood about freeway operations and mobility, the INRIX data are allowing researchers to take a closer look at arterial street operations and mobility. This report describes a methodological improvement in the UMR arterial street congestion calculations, including a change in the definition of “free-flow speed,” which is used for delay calculations on arterial streets. This research improves the estimates of congestion and its costs, and maintains TTI’s position as the most authoritative source of mobility and congestion information. KW - Arterial highways KW - Costs KW - Highway corridors KW - Mobility KW - Statistics KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic delays KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Lomax_11-06-73.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142361 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372876 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights PY - 2012/03 SP - 116p AB - The San Diego International Airport (FAA three-letter identifier code “SAN”) is located in the northwest portion of the downtown area of San Diego, California. The airport is bounded by North Harbor Drive and San Diego Bay to the south, the Navy water channel and Liberty Station to the west, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot to the north, and Pacific Highway and Interstate 5 to the east. The airport is operated by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (SDCRAA). At 661 acres, SAN is one of the smallest major airport sites in the U.S. The airport has a single 9,401-foot-long, 200-foot-wide runway running east-west, and is the busiest single runway commercial airport in the nation. A visual guidance lighting system is an important safety feature at many airports. The term “visual guidance lighting system” is used to identify, as a type of facility, those configurations of lights located on and in the vicinity of an airfield providing pilots with a visual reference for guidance purposes while operating an aircraft during an approach for landing. These facilities are vital visual aids to the pilot and may be used with or without electronic landing aids, such as an Instrument Landing System (ILS). An approach lighting system (ALS) is a configuration of signal lights disposed symmetrically about the extended runway centerline, starting at the landing threshold and extending outward into the approach zone. This system provides pilots with visual information regarding runway alignment, height perception, roll guidance and horizon references. The ALS at SAN is a Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR). This report describes the lighting system at SAN. KW - Airport runways KW - Alignment KW - Landing aids KW - Lighting systems KW - San Diego International Airport KW - Visual aids UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44608/Medium_Intensity_Approach_Lighting.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1140728 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372283 AU - Park, Myoungkuk AU - Oberlin, Paul AU - Rathinam, Sivakumar AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Darbha, Swaroop AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Algorithms for Routing Vehicles and Their Application to the Paratransit Vehicle Scheduling Problem PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 46p AB - As the demand for paratransit services increases, there is a constant pressure to maintain the quality of service provided to the customers while minimizing the cost of operation; this is especially important as the availability of public funding for paratransit services has been on the decline. Key tasks in accomplishing this objective are efficiently allocating vehicles to service trips and adjusting the schedules of vehicles dynamically in response to calls received by the service providers from the customers on the day of the service. For many paratransit services, capacity of vehicles is not a binding constraint. This is especially so in rural applications. For this reason, the authors will focus on dealing with routing vehicles that are not subject to any passenger capacity constraints. In this report, the authors consider two important relaxations of this problem, which may be considered as problems of independent interest and significance. The first problem deals with relaxing all the constraints associated with the order in which the vehicles must visit pickup and delivery locations of the passengers as well as the time window constraints. The second relaxation additionally imposes ordering requirements. Both problems are combinatorially hard problems, and the authors provide formulations and algorithms for finding sub-optimal solutions along with an estimate of their quality. In the last section of this report, they consider the time window constraints for pickup and delivery of customers and provide a heuristic to find feasible solutions. They corroborate the results numerically with small, randomly generated instances of the paratransit scheduling problem. KW - Algorithms KW - Heuristic methods KW - Paratransit services KW - Routing KW - Scheduling UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Darbha_09-15-13.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1140053 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371315 AU - McDonald, Garry V AU - Mack Blackwell National Rural Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Development of Novel and Non-Invasive Germplasm Selections Native to Arkansas for Highway Re-Vegetation Projects PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 15p AB - Re-vegetation strategies and programs for highway rights of way in both rural and urban areas are an important component of any highway construction project. Vegetation is used to stabilize soils to prevent sheet and gully erosion and to help in soil remediation in disturbed sites. Vegetation is also used as filter strips to protect sensitive wetlands from sedimentation caused by stormwater runoff. Additionally, vegetation can be used in highway beautification projects to enhance the visibility of many highway projects and to promote seasonal tourism in rural areas such as driving tours of fall tree color. Vegetation can also act as visual and sound barriers in urban built up areas. Many plant species used for highway re-vegetation projects have shown to be invasive or unsustainable over time. Kudzu in the southeast United States and Bradford Pear in Arkansas damage native habitats and are expensive and difficult to control. Techniques and methodology using sustainable landscape system principles are currently under development for use in natural and built environments, but much is still unknown particularly in planting and establishment guidelines and in plant propagation and production practices. The objective of this proposed research is to develop novel plant germplasm that is regionally native, adapted, and non-invasive and useful for rural and urban highway re-vegetation projects.This particular component will be accomplished by traditional plant selection methods via the collection of native and regional plant materials (seeds, cuttings, etc.) and evaluation under simulated roadside conditions. Another major objective of this proposed research is to develop science-based best management practices guidelines for using native plants in Arkansas for re-vegetation projects by investigating best methods for transplanting and establishment along simulated roadsides. Interactions with fertility applications and herbicide use will be studied. Expected outcomes include the development and release of novel germplasm useful for re-vegetation projects along rural and urban highways in the State of Arkansas, new knowledge on the production of these species using sustainable propagation methods, and finally the generation of best management practices and guidelines for the use of any native plants and make the information accessible to vegetation managers and highway project planners. KW - Arkansas KW - Environmental quality KW - Germplasms KW - Native plants KW - Revegetation KW - Roadside flora KW - Rural highways KW - Urban highways UR - http://www.arkansastrc.com/MBTC%20REPORTS/MBTC%203027.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44399/MBTC_DOT_3027.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139546 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371302 AU - Firestine, Theresa AU - Guarino, Jenny AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Decade of Change in Fuel Prices and U.S. Domestic Passenger Aviation Operations PY - 2012/03//Special Report SP - 10p AB - Over the past decade, significant events have impacted U.S. domestic passenger aviation operations. These events include, but are not limited to the following: 1. March to November 2001 and December 2007 to June 2009 economic recessions; 2. September 11, 2001 terrorist acts; 3. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002; 4. Airline mergers, including: American with Trans World (TWA) in 2001, US Airways with America West in 2005, Delta with Northwest in 2008, United with Continental in 2010, and Southwest with AirTran in 2011; 5. Adoption of new technologies such as the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) flight guidance technology to fly more direct routes and thereby reduce fuel requirements; 6. Streamlining of operations, including but not limited to the replacement of older aircraft with newer, more fuel efficient aircraft; and 7. Upward trend in the cost of fuel. This report looks at changes in U.S. domestic passenger aviation operations that have occurred during the same time frame as the events listed above, with particular focus on those related to fuel price increases. Major findings include: 1) Fuel price increases over the past decade coincided with reduced profits and, in many cases, operating losses among carriers. Operating costs include, but are not limited to, flying operations, maintenance, and passenger service. 2) Airfares trended downward despite an upward trend in fuel costs. The downward trend in airfares coincided with increased decoupling of airfares with services, such as baggage check, reservation changes, and food and drink purchases, all of which accounted for a larger portion of total revenue in 2010 than in 2000. 3) Carriers reduced capacity on many routes when the cost of fuel was high. 4) Carriers improved the number of available seat miles (ASMs)1 flown per gallon of fuel (fuel productivity) and the number of gallons consumed per block hour (fuel efficiency).2 This improvement coincides with airlines using newer and more fuel efficient jets. KW - Air travel KW - Aviation fuels KW - Costs KW - Domestic transportation KW - Fares KW - Operating costs KW - Prices KW - Profits KW - United States UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/special_report/2012_03_33/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139384 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370385 AU - Monsere, Christopher M AU - Lim, Myenwoo AU - Dai, Chengxin AU - Wu, Xiaowei AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of the Oregon Traffic Safety Data Archive: Phases 1 and 2 PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 50p AB - This report describes the preliminary work to develop the Oregon Traffic Safety Data Archive (OrTSDA). The mission of OrTSDA is to “build the knowledge base of traffic safety data in Oregon”. The archive hopes to become a valuable traffic safety data resource with researchers, practitioners, and community supporters. As envisioned, the archive will provide current and historical versions of related data, encompass complete documentation, and contain an online interface to the variety of traffic safety related data. The report also includes a brief review of other online highway safety data portals. This review highlights that interactive crash portals are restricted to a handful of state agencies or research university partners. KW - Crash records KW - Data banks KW - Data collection KW - Highway safety KW - Oregon KW - Traffic data UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=914 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138943 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370206 AU - Farzaneh, Reza AU - Novak, Kristen AU - Baker, Richard T AU - Goodin, Ginger AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Performance Measurement to Include Air Quality and Energy into Mileage-Based User Fees PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 173p AB - Road pricing is an increasingly popular tool for achieving a number of transportation policy related goals and objectives. Addressing environmental concerns is a common goal of road pricing systems in Europe but is less common in the U.S., and frameworks supporting their deployment are less developed. The development of more technologically advanced pricing systems, such as mileage-based user fees (MBUFs) provides platforms for more detailed charging and the achievement of more specific air quality related goals and objectives. This research project is aimed at establishing a framework for levying MBUFs designed to achieve various air quality improvement policy objectives. This research presents the first step toward a pricing framework based on the concept of performance measurement that systematically defines and incorporates potential air quality goals. The process of developing the proposed framework included defining the interactive role of user fees and pricing in roadway transportation operations and identifying air quality performance measures for determining the appropriate vehicle mileage fee price. This framework will be invaluable in more effectively monitoring the air quality and greenhouse gas reduction and mitigation performance of vehicle mileage fee systems. KW - Air quality KW - Energy consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Performance measurement KW - Road pricing UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Farzaneh_10-25-50.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138614 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370068 AU - Chu, Xuehao AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Assessment of Public Transportation Markets Using NHTS Data PY - 2012/03//Final Report SP - 147p AB - This study assesses a range of public transit markets for Florida and the U.S. as a whole. Data from the 2009 National Household Travel Survey are used. The public transit markets are defined with trip purpose and seven personal, household and travel characteristics of persons in these transit markets, including driver status, immigration status, existence of medical conditions that make it difficult to travel out of the house, household income, vehicle availability, race and ethnicity, and monthly frequency of transit use. Based on an approach of cross tabulations, this study assesses these transit markets from five perspectives: 1. Market Size - how the overall transit market is distributed across these transit sub-markets. 2. Modal Share - how people within each transit market travel using various modes, including transit. 3. Attitudes - how people within each transit market feel about a set of transportation issues 4. Socio-Demographics - personal, household, location, and travel characteristics of transit markets 5. Trip Characteristics - transit-specific and general trip characteristics of transit markets. The assessment of Florida is limited to the first three perspectives due to sample size issues. The results presented are useful to operating agencies for strategic planning and to other government bodies for developing policies and funding programs for improving mobility of those who are transportation and economically disadvantaged and for improving the transportation system in general. KW - Attitudes KW - Demographics KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Florida KW - Markets KW - Modal split KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Strategic planning KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Travel behavior KW - Trip purpose KW - United States UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-17_rpt.pdf UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-17_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368421 AU - Butterworth, Bruce Robert AU - Dolev, Shalom AU - Jenkins, Brian Michael AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Security Awareness for Public Bus Transportation: Case Studies of Attacks Against the Israeli Public Bus System PY - 2012/03 SP - 104p AB - This report presents 16 case studies of attacks planned or carried out against Israeli bus targets, along with statistical data on the number, frequency, and lethality of attacks against bus targets that have taken place in Israel since 1970. The statistical data come from the Mineta Transportation Institute's Database on Terrorist and Serious Criminal Attacks Against Public Surface Transportation. The report also includes an analysis of the effectiveness of different improvised explosive devices and methods of delivering them and raises questions for future discussion. The case studies of bus attacks were selected not because they are statistically representative, but because they provide a variety of interesting observations. They include both lethal and nonlethal attacks, attacks in which security measures were effective or were not followed or were ineffective, and attacks in which the attackers’ tactics and/or devices were lethal or failed or reduced the lethality of the attack. The cases and the accompanying analysis may increase understanding of what can happen and of what can deter, prevent, and/or mitigate the occurrence of terrorist attacks against public bus systems. KW - Bus transit KW - Case studies KW - Explosives KW - Israel KW - Passenger security KW - Security KW - Security checkpoints UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2978-israeli-bus-public-transportation-attacks.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134659 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01565952 TI - Improving Freight System Performance in Metropolitan Areas AB - Many of the challenges affecting the freight system, from congestion to development conflicts to community acceptance, arise in metropolitan areas. They are often hubs in the supply chain and intermodal operations. Yet, the conditions in metropolitan areas present higher costs and elevated risks to the provision of service. The lack of knowledge and experience with freight in metropolitan planning agencies has often precluded an effective response to the challenges, despite the direct economic importance of freight systems to the metropolitan areas and their sensitive positions in global supply chains. These challenges require practical solutions, some of which need to be newly developed, and all of which must be effective for the community and governing organizations, and benefit the freight system. The objective of the research is to develop a regional public planning guide that identifies potential strategies and practical solutions for public and private stakeholders to improve freight movement system performance in diverse metropolitan areas. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Freight traffic KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Port operations KW - Supply chain management UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3124 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356814 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368700 AU - Wei, Heng AU - Liu, Hao AU - Lu, Mingming AU - Yi, Ping AU - University of Cincinnati AU - Ohio Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrating Traffic Operation with Emission Impact using Dual-loop Data PY - 2012/02/22 SP - 47p AB - The goal of this research project was to develop a methodological framework for integrating the improved dual-loop models and the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) emission model to estimate the emission impact of traffic flow operation by utilizing the data source available at dual-loop monitoring stations in highways. The presented framework is validated using video based vehicle trajectory data. The traffic parameters generated by the framework have the same pattern as it is revealed by the video based ground truth data. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the presented framework. It is found that the impact of traffic flow operation on vehicle emission along a specific roadway section can be associated with three quantified traffic flow variables, i.e., operating mode distribution, traffic volume, and traffic fleet composition. On the other hand, the data analysis shows that traffic flow phase can be mathematically featured with those traffic parameters. The connection between traffic operation and vehicle emission impact has been established through the application of the three traffic parameters. This study makes it feasible for a project level mobile source emission impact study to be performed by using microscopic real-world traffic data. In the future, more comprehensive ground truth data are needed to further validate the proposed methodology. It is also desirable to expand the methodology in order to take advantage of other similar traffic data sources such as radar data and video detection data sources. KW - Case studies KW - Dual loop detectors KW - Exhaust gases KW - Microscopic traffic data KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic volume KW - Vehicle mix KW - Vehicle operating modes UR - http://www.otc.uakron.edu/docs/UC%202011%20OTC%20Final%20Report[1].pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137375 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01587417 TI - Analysis of Movable Bus Stop Boarding and Alighting Areas AB - The goal of this project is to explore the feasibility of creating movable bus stop boarding and alighting areas for Florida transit agencies. The specific objectives to be accomplished to achieve this goal include: Researching the state-of-the-practice and issues involved in meeting bus stop Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements; Developing design alternative(s) for movable/reusable/relocatable boarding and alighting pads, considering their relation to other bus stop amenities such as benches and shelters; Performing life-cycle cost analysis of each design alternative; and Recommending one or more alternatives that are acceptable to both transit agencies and riders with disabilities. KW - Americans with Disabilities Act KW - Boarding and alighting KW - Bus stops KW - Design KW - Florida KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Ridership KW - Shelters KW - State of the practice UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/2014/05/analysis-of-movable-bus-stop-boarding-and-alighting-areas/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396053 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457305 AU - Marayong, Panadda AU - Yeh, Harry H AU - Coronado, Edgar AU - Ganji, Vinay AU - Chaudhari, Avadhut AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California State University, Long Beach AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Computer-Aided Container Handling Assistance for Ergonomic Crane Operation PY - 2012/02/16 SP - 23p AB - Efficient container handling systems at ports leads to reduced ship waiting time, increased productivity, cost reduction, and fewer emissions. Terminal operators use information from the ships to streamline containers that move from the vessel through cranes to the truck or the rail, and finally transport out of the terminal gate. To improve crane safety and port productivity, an assistive user interface is proposed to integrate visual and haptic (force) feedback to assist crane operators during container handling process. In this phase, the work focuses on the design and construction of a scaled testbed with visual and force feedback system to provide motion guidance. The visual feedback is provided by a camera and the force feedback is provided through a force-feedback joystick, which are integrated in MATLAB/Simulink. The motion guidance is provided as a force cue to alert the operator of surrounding objects and avoid possible collision. A preliminary experiment was conducted and initial results indicate the potential of the system in preventing collision and improved ergonomics. KW - Container handling KW - Ergonomics KW - Gantry cranes KW - Stress (Psychology) KW - Test beds UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/11-24_Marayong.final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225231 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01373105 AU - Hayden, Larry AU - Schoep, Gary AU - Krohn, Justin AU - Hufford, Joseph AU - Parker, Robert AU - Galarus, Douglas AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 4W1746 Communication Briefcase PY - 2012/02/15/Final Report SP - 85p AB - The purpose of this project was to design and implement a prototype “communications briefcase” for transportation applications in remote rural areas. The original concept was to develop a briefcase that would serve as a gateway to the Internet, providing access to multiple users via a cellular data connection. The concept was changed to investigate instead the potential for multiple devices to provide mesh networking capabilities in similar remote rural areas. An off-the-shelf, consumer-grade router was selected as the primary component for the system, with an enclosure to support the router, as well as a power management system that was custom-developed to manage a set of rechargeable batteries within the enclosure. Flexibility was provided by using various external antennas, including magnetic mount antennas for vehicular operation. The resulting units were called “MeshBoxes” and 10 units were constructed for research and demonstration purposes. The MeshBoxes were demonstrated to transportation professionals at several venues and were well received, although they represented only a first prototype. The principal demonstration of the MeshBoxes occurred during a Department of Homeland Security funded project to demonstrate a mobile, ad-hoc network (MANET) to public safety officials from Wyoming. In conjunction with a rockslide scenario, the MeshBoxes were used to provide connectivity among several simulated and real public safety vehicles. Video was served over the network along with several collaborative applications. Internet access was provided via a satellite connection. During the Wyoming demonstration it was discovered that there was noticeable variation in the performance of the MeshBoxes despite the fact that they were configured identically. Subsequent testing was conducted to determine viable link distances for node-to-node communication. Additional factors such as antenna type were taken into consideration. Ultimately it was determined that much of the observed variability could be attributed to the use of consumer-grade equipment and the battery power of the MeshBoxes. Unfortunately, no industrial equipment was available at the time to provide the same flexibility for research and development in an open, Linux-based system, so there was no apparent alternative. Commercial proprietary mesh networking systems are available, and these could be considered for production deployments. This project demonstrated that there is applicability of mesh networks to transportation and public safety in remote rural areas. Possible applications include remedies for problems with fixed infrastructure such as sensor networks, as well as a variety of mobile applications. KW - Communication systems KW - Prototypes KW - Rural areas KW - Safety KW - Vehicular ad hoc networks (Computer networks) UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/documents/reports/4W1746_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141211 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495447 TI - Bridge Monitoring AB - This project proposes an approach to bridge structural monitoring that combines the advantages of a robust structural health monitoring paradigm with those of decentralizing the monitoring apparatus to fleets of vehicles that can continuously store or send data. The objective is to provide accurate, rapid, nearly continuous, and cost-effective assessments of several bridges. The new methodology envisions a set of moving vehicles equipped with sensors (which most of them already possess) able to capture the dynamic interaction between the vehicles and the bridge. As this interaction depends also on the modal characteristics of the bridge, the project hypothesizes that changes in the dynamic interaction can be inferred from damage-related features of the bridge. The methodology couples the sensing system to multi-resolution signal processing and pattern recognition algorithms to capture, locate, and classify variations in structural dynamic properties, e.g. resonant frequencies, mode shapes, or localized stiffness. The proposed approach can be considered as indirect, since it acquires information about the bridge from sensor-equipped vehicles moving over the bridge. This approach needs no installation of equipment on the bridge or any traffic control measurements, being highly distributed and mobile. A key aspect of this project is to assess different classification techniques for determining the presence or absence, and extent of damage. KW - Bridges KW - Monitoring KW - Moving vehicles KW - Sensors KW - Signal processing KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/projectitem.asp?ID=49 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1265129 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01482605 TI - Shortest Path Tomography: A Tool for Optimizing Public Transit Networks, Phase I AB - The goal of the proposed project is the development of a software application for optimizing urban transit and transportation systems. The application will implement a novel network theoretic technology that: 1) interactively reveals structural features in complex urban transit and transportation networks; 2) facilitates the optimization of operation of these systems; and 3) quantifies the effect of anticipated modifications and unexpected disruption of normal operation modes. The technology will implement algorithms recently developed in the principal investigator's (PI's) lab that are based on network shortest path trees and shortest path tomography (SPaTo). The proposed technology seeks to improve the service planning process in transit systems. SPaTo is designed to visualize and analyze large scale network data and can extract essential and salient features in network data. It offers an interface for hands-on service planning with the goal to increase overall ridership. This technology accomplishes two general goals of network theory in applications: 1) it bridges the gap between local and global network perspectives by providing a novel view of entire transit networks from a user specified perspective; and 2) it is designed to reveal and visualize hidden structures in complex, multi-scale and time-dependent transit networks. The synergy of node-centric views and extraction of meaningful network substructures offers a novel technique to address some of the key questions that transit agencies are confronted with. The effect of adding/removing service to specific locations or adding and removing routes can be tested on the fly and interactively. The approach is exemplified by a key component of the technology: SPaTo provides an operational approach to plausible geographic or spatial subdivisions and transit induced effective borders that are implicitly generated by a given network, that are typically masked by the networks' high degree of complexity, and that do not necessarily coincide with subdivisions based on administrative or census related subdivision. Effective subdivisions can be mode-specific or time-dependent. The anticipated software application will implement the full SPaTo-technology, starting with a prototype that is operational in the PI's lab and has been applied to multi-scale, complex networks in various applications. The prototype will be developed to a sophisticated, scalable and platform-independent computational software application tailored for urban transportation and transit systems and in compliance with transit data specifications, e.g. General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS). A pilot study and application benchmark will be the transportation networks operated by the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA). KW - Optimization KW - Ridership KW - Route planning KW - Service disruption KW - Shortest path algorithms KW - Software packages KW - Transit networks UR - http://www.ccitt.northwestern.edu/research/projects/Brockmann_Y6-01.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251485 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01476709 TI - Evaluation of the Cooperative Multi-Carrier Delivery Initiatives AB - In the last several years there has been a surge of interest in fostering more sustainable logistical operations in urban areas. Under the umbrella of the generic term City Logistics, these initiatives try to take advantage of the coordinating power of a municipal government to convince urban delivery companies to participate in collaborative schemes that, by reducing truck trips, increasing the utilization of trucks, or both, may reduce the negative externalities associated with urban truck traffic. For the most part, the bulk of the research on this topic has focused on: analyses of real life trials (Kohler, 2001; 2004; Hayashi et al., 2006); the use of routing models to assess potential benefits and costs (Thompson, 2003; Yamada and Taniguchi, 2005); policy issues and national programs in City Logistics (Kohler, 2001; Patier, 2006), among other topics. Unfortunately, not much research has been conducted to understand the behaviors of urban carriers and freight receivers in response to the cooperative multi-carrier delivery initiatives to assess its impact on a disaggregate level. One exception is the behavioral modeling work conducted by Holguín-Veras (2010), using data from New York City (Holguín-Veras, 2006; Holguín-Veras et al., 2006a; 2006b). The results show that 15%-18% of the urban carrier industry would be either highly or extremely likely users of either joint delivery services (JDS) or a joint staging area (JSA). Company size and tour length are negatively correlated with the likelihood of participating in the JDS concept, implying that engaging small and mid-size companies is more likely to succeed than convincing large or very large carriers to participate in JDS. It was also found that there are industry segments that have an innate inclination to participate in cooperative multi-carrier delivery initiatives. Carriers delivering food products to both Manhattan and Brooklyn were found to have a statistically significant higher propensity to join the service. Companies that identify themselves as "distributors," chemical carriers and household good carriers tend to have a higher propensity to collaborate with a JDS to make deliveries to Manhattan. Similarly, manufacturers, textile carriers and plastic carriers expressed a higher interest in participating with the JDS to make deliveries to Brooklyn. Taken together, these findings clearly suggest that City Logistic projects should target the industry segments more likely to participate in the proposed concepts. This is bound to significantly reduce implementation costs and, at the same time, increase success rates and collective welfare. This project attempts to build on the behavioral models established by Holguín-Veras (2010) and further evaluate the benefits, costs and impact of the cooperative multi-carrier delivery Initiatives. Based on the behavior simulation, the impact of cooperative multi-carrier delivery initiatives on freight trips will be analyzed. Its further impact on carriers, receivers and society at large will also be assessed. KW - Cooperatives KW - Delivery service KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Logistics KW - Motor carriers KW - New York (New York) KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/cooperative-multi-carrier-delivery-initiatives UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246549 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370148 AU - Vaynman, S AU - Fine, M E AU - Chung, Y-W AU - Northwestern University, Evanston AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation and Application of Super-Tough Steel for Use in Tank Cars Transporting Cryogenic Liquids PY - 2012/02/01 SP - 6p AB - The goal of this project was to further develop and market advanced 70-ksi-yield strength super-tough steel (designated as NUCu70ST in the text) for use in tank cars transporting cryogenic liquids, like chlorine, for example. Fracture of these tanks resulted in a number of industrial accidents. One in 2005 in Graniteville, South Carolina led to 9 deaths and at least 250 injuries. In preliminary mechanical and fracture studies performed at Northwestern University, Union Tank Car Company and its contractors, NUCu70ST was shown to significantly outperform all other steels tested, including steels currently used in tank-cars as well as other high-performance steels on the market. KW - Chlorine KW - High strength steel KW - Industrial accidents KW - Safety KW - Tank cars UR - http://www.ccitt.northwestern.edu/documents/2012_FinalReport_Vaynman_CryoSteel.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137233 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554183 AU - Alexiadis, Vassili AU - Armstrong, April AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integrated Corridor Management Modeling Results Report: Dallas, Minneapolis, and San Diego PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 328p AB - This executive summary documents the analysis methodologies, tools, and performance measures used to analyze Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) strategies; and presents high-level results for the successful implementation of ICM at three Stage 2 Pioneer Sites, including 1) the U.S. 75 corridor in Dallas, Texas; 2) the I-15 corridor in San Diego, California; and 3) the I-394 corridor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The executive summary provides an overall summary of benefits, followed by brief descriptions of the corridors, operational conditions and ICM strategies, analyzed, and summaries of estimated benefits for each corridor. It also provides a summary of the analysis methodology employed in the three sites, including model calibration methodology, analysis for different operational conditions, performance measures, analysis plans, and calculation of ICM benefits. Reports providing detailed summaries of analysis approaches used at each of the sites, and benefits, are also provided. KW - Analysis KW - Benefits KW - Calibration KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Implementation KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Methodology KW - Minneapolis (Minnesota) KW - Performance measurement KW - San Diego (California) KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54300/54346/ICM_Modeling_Results_Report__FHWA-JPO-12-037_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342217 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01498010 TI - Assessment of Information and Communication Technologies in Transportation AB - Introduction of advanced control and communication technologies on US roadways and vehicles is likely to have a variety of impacts to be considered. Congestion, emissions, and accident rates could all be affected. Any reduced congestion in the system will alter travel demand decisions, often reducing the net effect of the new technologies. Moreover, combinations of new technologies may have synergies that affect assessments. The project will estimate the collective impact of different technologies in a traffic simulation model to help the design and implementation of the new technologies. Improving the design and implementation of the new advanced control and communication technologies will improve their safety and efficiency impacts. We will review and assess the costs and benefits, including accident costs, congestion and environmental costs and benefits (measured by air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions) of a range of new information and communications technologies, using a consistent set of emission factors and analysis boundaries. The project will identify potential technologies and combinations of technologies, and develop a region-specific tool to aid local decision-makers in assessing benefits and costs and in choosing between and designing technologies. Our tools will be available for widespread use, and will contribute to the growing interest in "smart growth" guidelines and standards. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Communication systems KW - Crash rates KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Safety KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/projectitem.asp?ID=52 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1277081 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01494505 AU - Kang, Thomas H-K AU - Kim, Woosuk AU - Hufnagel, Amy AU - Ibrahim, Moustapha Ary AU - Huang, Yu AU - Choi, Dong-Uk AU - Lee, Chin Yong AU - Holliday, Lisa AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Repair and Retrofit of Concrete Bridge Girders Using Hybrid FRP Sheets PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 83p AB - The use of carbon fibers (CF) and glass fibers (GF) were combined to strengthen potentially non-ductile flexural members. Based on tension tests of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) rovings and sheets, as well as theoretical research on hybrid FRP, a volume ratio of (GF/CF) was determined to be about (8.8/1) to produce synergistic hybrid effects and pseudo-ductility. The (8.8/1) ratio was used to fabricate hybrid carbon-glass FRP sheets, and this optimal combination was verified through four-point loading tests of plain and reinforced concrete beams strengthened with single or multiple plies of FRP sheets. The increased flexural strengths were evaluated using available design procedures in conjunction with a proposed force-strain relationship for hybrid carbon-glass FRP sheets. Additionally, data of tensile tests of 94 hybrid carbon-glass FRP sheets and 47 carbon and glass fiber rovings or sheets were thoroughly re-examined in terms of tensile behavior. Based on thorough comparisons between the rule of mixtures for fibrous composites and test data, positive hybrid effects were clearly identified for almost all (GF/CF) ratios. In contrast to the rule of mixtures, the hybrid sheets with relatively low (GF/CF) ratios also produced pseudo-ductility. From the calibrated results obtained from experiments, a novel analytical model for the stress-strain relationship of hybrid FRP sheets was proposed. The effect of various epoxy resins, impregnating degree and specimen grips on the tensile behavior was minimal. KW - Carbon fibers KW - Concrete bridges KW - Deformation curve KW - Ductility KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Flexural strength KW - Girders KW - Glass fibers KW - Repairing KW - Retrofitting KW - Tension tests UR - http://www.oktc.org/otc/files/finalReports/OTCREOS10.1-21-F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1262834 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01493868 AU - Ley, Tyler AU - Sudbrink, Bryan AU - Aboustait, Mohammed AU - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater AU - Oklahoma Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Procurement of Novel Microanalysis Equipment for Construction Materials PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 22p AB - The equipment procured (i.e. an Orbis micro X-ray Fluorescence (MXRF) and an APSEX “personal” Scanning Electron Microscope (PSEM)) is part of the next generation of micro analytical equipment. These tools have the ability to make large volumes of observations with very little human interaction. This ability to make these educated observations will make huge impacts in the future of materials research. These instruments combine recent improvements in computing power, image analysis, automation, optics, and signal intensities to investigate samples autonomously while using higher signal intensities that minimize sample preparation. Within the first year of owning this equipment it has been highlighted in grants that have totaled almost $600K in external grants. These major projects were funded by the Oklahoma DOT and the National Science Foundation. In addition, several seed grants have been obtained that will hopefully turn into future funding. Several technology transfer efforts from this project have been completed. An award winning poster was presented at the ODOT research day. In addition a website (http://oktcml.okstate.edu/) has been launched that describes these microscopes and shows their abilities. Results and findings from two different research efforts are presented and summarized. KW - Building materials KW - Electron microscopes KW - Materials tests KW - Microanalysis KW - Testing equipment KW - X ray fluorescence UR - http://www.oktc.org/otc/files/finalReports/OTCES10.2-06-F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1262837 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488698 AU - Chadde, Joan AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Great Lakes Maritime Education Program for K-12 Teachers, Year 2 PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 28p AB - Michigan Technological University has led an educational/outreach effort for the Great Lake Maritime Research Institute since 2006. Despite Michigan Tech’s relative isolation and long distance from most locations in the Great Lakes Basin, every state in the Basin has been touched with some aspect of the outreach program. The overall goal of the project is to increase K-12 teachers’ understanding of shipping on the Great Lakes, and increase their ability to teach their students about Great Lakes Maritime Transportation in the core subjects of science, math, language arts, and social studies. KW - Education KW - Elementary school students KW - Great Lakes KW - High school students KW - Middle school students KW - Shipping KW - Teachers KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0505.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257306 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488184 AU - Chadde, Joan AU - Michigan Technological University, Houghton AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Great Lakes Maritime Education Program for K-12 Teachers PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 25p AB - Michigan Technological University has led an educational/outreach effort for the Great Lake Maritime Research Institute since 2006. Despite Michigan Tech’s relative isolation and long distance from most locations in the Great Lakes Basin, every state in the Basin has been touched with some aspect of the outreach program. The overall goal of the project is to increase K-12 teachers’ understanding of shipping on the Great Lakes, and increase their ability to teach their students about Great Lakes Maritime Transportation in the core subjects of science, math, language arts, and social studies. KW - Education and training KW - Great Lakes KW - Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute KW - Shipping KW - Teachers UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_04021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257068 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481192 TI - SEPTA GIS: Visualization and Analysis of Railway Safety Incidents AB - The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) s one of the largest metropolitan transit systems in the world, with an annual ridership of nearly 340 million. A major concern with such a large transportation system is safety: each year, many safety incidents occur on SEPTA transit systems, particularly the Regional Rail Lines. This work focuses on the implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to be used by SEPTA. To analyze this data. So far, the group has shown progress and completed the bare bones functionality of the web application. After multiple back and forth communications with SEPTA's safety department, SEPTA has compiled and sent past incident data to our group dating all the way back to 2002. The group successfully plotted more than 3000 incidents on a map of the Greater Philadelphia Area. KW - Crash data KW - Geographic information systems KW - Incident detection KW - Railroad safety KW - Ridership KW - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250262 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481191 TI - Automatic Recognition and Understanding of the Driving Environment for Driver Feedback AB - A smart driving system must include two key components to be able to generate recommendations and make driving decisions that are effective and accurate: 1) The environment of the car and 2) the behavior of the driver. The project will investigate advanced concepts for both. The long-term goal is to develop techniques for building internal models of the vehicle's static environment (objects, features, terrain) and of the vehicle's dynamic environment (people and vehicle moving in the vehicle's environment) from sensor data, which can operate online and can be used to provide the information necessary to make recommendations, to generate alarms, or to take emergency action. The overall approach is to combine recent progress in machine perception with the rapid advent of onboard sensors, and the availability of external data sources, such as maps. KW - Decision making KW - Driver information systems KW - Driving environments KW - Feedback control KW - Maps KW - Recognition (Acknowledgment) KW - Sensors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250261 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481195 TI - Sensory Augmentation for Increased Awareness of Driving Environment AB - The goal of this project was to develop a a lateral localization framework for autonomous driving in urban areas. Vehicle location is significant information for the controller, planner and behaviors systems. Lateral location is extremely important for safe and reliable self-driving, due to dense traffic, small lane width and varying road geometry. Though real time kinematic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS) has centimeter- level accuracy output in open areas, it can have half-meter lateral error in urban areas, which is extremely dangerous for urban driving. It is therefore desirable to precisely identify the lateral position by combining with other sensors. KW - Augmentation systems KW - Driving environments KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Sensors KW - State of the art KW - Traffic safety KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250265 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477103 AU - Hunter, Michael AU - Fujimoto, Richard AU - Henclewood, Dwayne Anthony AU - Suh, Wonho AU - Huang, Ya-Lin AU - Li, Ying AU - Stebar, Brian AU - Chari, Prashant AU - Georgia Transportation Institute University Transportation Center (GTI-UTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real Time Estimation of Arterial Travel Time and Operational Measures Through Integration of Real Time Fixed Sensor Data and Simulation PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 188p AB - A wide variety of advanced technological tools have been implemented throughout Georgia’s transportation network to increase its efficiency. These systems are credited with reducing or maintaining freeway congestion levels in light of increasing travel demands. In Georgia these benefits are primarily gained through the Traffic Management Center’s (TMCs) freeway monitoring and quick response in ridding the roadway of any obstacles that may reduce freeway service levels. There have been a number of efforts to leverage the work done by TMCs to provide travelers with more current traffic information such as Georgia 511 and Navigator. In addition, private efforts and partnerships have made the TMC’s information more accessible to travelers, aiding their traveler decisions. The effort presented in this report aims to compliment real-time freeway information by addressing the more limited availability of real-time arterial performance measures. This research project explores the feasibility of integrating real-time data streams with an arterial simulation to support an arterial performance monitoring system. Such information will facilitate increased efficiency in facility utilization by enabling more informed decisions in the use and management of Georgia’s transportation facilities. This objective was accomplished by undertaking the following tasks: (1) Describe the current state of practice concerning the estimation of real-time arterial performance measures. (2) Develop a federated (integrated) simulation test-bed for testing procedures and algorithms. (3) Determine the feasibility of integrating point sens or data with simulation to create a data-driven, on-line simulation tool. (4) Develop procedures and algorithms to calibrate an on-line simulation tool that estimates of travel time and other performance measures in real-time. (5) Determine any potential improvements in travel time estimation resulting from sensors placed in atypical locations, such immediately downstream of an intersection. (6) Field-test the data-driven, on-line arterial simulation tool on a target corridor. (7) Devise method(s) to deliver travel time and other operational characteristics to Georgi Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the general public. KW - 511 (National Travel Information Number) KW - Arterial highways KW - Georgia KW - Level of service KW - Performance measurement KW - Real time information KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic control centers KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utc.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/projects/reports/hunter_guin_real_time_estimation_of_arterial_travel_time_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246698 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470767 AU - Rohde, John AU - Terpsma, Ryan J AU - Zhu, Ling AU - Dickey, Benjamin J AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Socketed Foundation for Cable Barrier Posts – Phase I PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 75p AB - Four socketed foundation designs were evaluated for use as a new reusable base for high-tension, cable barrier systems. Each foundation was a reinforced concrete cylindrical shape. The top of the foundation had an open steel tube to accept the post during installation. The four foundation designs were installed in sand and subjected to dynamic component testing in order to simulate a weak/saturated soil and evaluate maximum displacements during impact events. An S4x7.7 (S102x11.5) post was selected for each test assembly after a review of the current Federal Highway Administration-accepted, high-tension cable barrier systems revealed the section to be the strongest and most critical post. Both the 24 in. (610 mm) and 36 in. (914 mm) deep foundations rotated through the soil and were deemed too shallow to prevent excessive deformations. The other two assemblies, both 60 in. (1,524 mm) deep, fractured during the impact event. As a result, the 60 in. (1,524 mm) deep configurations were deemed too weak to sustain the full load capacity of the S4x7.7 (S102x11.5) post. Further, the displacement for the 60 in. (1,524 mm) deep foundations could not be determined due to premature fracture. Therefore, none of the four socketed foundation configurations was found to be acceptable and further development and testing was recommended. KW - Cables KW - Footings KW - Foundations KW - Guardrails KW - Impact loads KW - Median barriers KW - Posts KW - Socket connection UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Rohde_DevelopmentosaSocketedFoundationforCableBarrierPosts-Phase1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238457 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457130 AU - Stewart, Richard D AU - Lautala, Pasi Tapio AU - Ogard, Elizabeth AU - Pouryousef, Hamed AU - Vartiainen, Janne AU - Siers, Alan AU - Chong, Kenneth AU - University of Wisconsin, Superior AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Log Transportation with Data Based Monitoring and Analysis in Northern Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula of Michigan PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Minimizing transportation cost is essential in the forest products industry. Logs and wood chips are relatively low value. Logs are a dense heavy weight product to transport, while chips are light and bulky. These handling characteristics along with low value create a supply chain where transportation costs represent a large portion of the final delivered product price. The Midwest forest products industry competes in a global market and the region's value proposition is highly dependent on an affordable and efficient transportation system. Understanding of system efficiencies requires sufficient data, but while most individual forest products companies collect data on truck trip origin and destination, little is known about the actual daily truck activity within the region. One method to collect data on continuous truck movements is with global positioning systems (GPS) data receivers. Since the cell phone coverage in the region is very sparse and unreliable, using satellite based GPS transponders is a logical alternative, but the use of such devices has been limited in the forest products industry, partially due to the high cost of devices and partially due to the fact that the financial benefits of these tracking systems haven's been demonstrated for many owner-operators, not has this data been required for payment for freight invoices. The primary objective of this research effort was to provide transportation time and movement data for actual shipments of logs and chips to gain insights on how to improve system efficiency. Data on actual movements can be used to identify and evaluate the choke points on the system and compare against the anecdotal data by industry stakeholders. While the objective of system improvements is to reduce costs and provide overall economic benefit to the supply chain, the research team was not provided with commercial rate data or cost information to make economic conclusions, but rather concentrated in technical analysis of actual truck movement data. KW - Data collection KW - Global Positioning System KW - Logging trucks KW - Michigan KW - Monitoring KW - Optimization KW - Traffic data KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0410.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224989 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380496 AU - Adams, Teresa M AU - Juni, Emil AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Compass 2010 Data Analysis and Reporting PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 84p AB - The Compass Reports created in this project are issued annually to provide information on the maintenance condition of Wisconsin’s highways. The information in these reports is being used to help understand trends and conditions, prioritize resources, and set targets for future condition levels of the highway system. As more information is gathered, the reports will also be used to illustrate and understand the consequences of funding and policy shifts, and to demonstrate accountability to decision-makers at Wisconsin Department of Transportation and in the legislature. KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Data analysis KW - Drainage KW - Maintenance KW - Pavements KW - Road shoulders KW - Wisconsin UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45596/FR_0504.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147988 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376247 AU - Ge, Yuning Louis AU - Rosenblad, Brent L AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Coal Fly Ash and Other Waste Products in Soil Stabilization and Road Construction-Including Non-Destructive Testing of Roadways PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 109p AB - An extensive laboratory testing program was performed on subgrade soils stabilized using fly ash and lime kiln dust. The laboratory program included measurements of: compaction curves, small strain elastic moduli, resilient modulus (Mr), Briaud Compaction Device (BCD) modulus, and unconfined compressive strengths of subgrade soils mixed with various amounts of Class C fly ash and lime kiln dust (LKD). The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify changes with time in subgrade modulus and strength from soil stabilization and (2) evaluate potential nondestructive quality control (QC) methods. The amount of improvement in subgrade modulus varied with soil type and soil stabilizer. Increases in Mr values by a factor of five or more were observed in some cases. Relative changes in resilient modulus with time were compared to changes in modulus values measured from small-strain velocity measurements and the BCD (both of which can be applied in the field for QC) with mixed results. In many cases, the trends in modulus change were in good agreement, but in other cases significant differences were observed. Short-term tracking of wave velocity of stabilized soil showed increases of about 20 to 40% (relative to the unstabilized soil) within 1-hr after compaction. Future studies should focus on evaluation of these NDT methods under field conditions. KW - Fly ash KW - Laboratory tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Quality control KW - Road construction KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade materials KW - Waste products UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R270%20-%20R271.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143791 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376238 AU - Chou, Eddie Y AU - Salari, Ezzatollah AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Informatics: An Image Analysis System for Managing Transportation Facilities – Phase II PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 28p AB - One of the most important tasks in maintaining transportation facilities such as highways and streets is the evaluation of the existing condition. Visual evaluation by human inspectors is subjective in nature, therefore has issues of consistency and the speed and frequency of evaluation is limited due to the manual process. Automated evaluation using modern digital image processing and pattern recognition techniques can increase the efficiency and accuracy and decrease the costs of condition evaluation. Several automated condition evaluation systems have been developed, but these systems commonly require special devices such as strobe light, laser beams, etc, which increase the cost and limit the system to certain applications. In this study, a low cost automatic pavement distress evaluation approach is presented. This method can provide real-time pavement distress detection as well as evaluation results based on color images captured from a camera installed on a survey vehicle. The entire process consists of two main parts: pavement surface extraction followed by pavement distress detection and classification. In the first part, a novel color segmentation method based on a feed forward neural network is employed to separate the road surface from the background. In the second part, a segmentation technique based on probabilistic relaxation is used to separate distress areas from the road surface. The geometrical parameters obtained from the detected distresses are then fed to a neural network based pavement distress classifier in which the defects are classified into different types. Simulation results are given to show that the scheme presented in this report is both effective and reliable on a variety of pavement images. KW - Condition surveys KW - Image analysis KW - Neural networks KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Surface course (Pavements) UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/ututc/docs/Chou%202012%20Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143789 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376186 AU - Zeng, Xiaosi AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Potential Connected Vehicle Applications to Enhance Mobility, Safety, and Environmental Security PY - 2012/02//Research Report SP - 83p AB - The connected vehicle research initiative is the core of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s intelligent transportation system research program. The initiative is beginning to gain momentum in the research community because of the development of a promising wireless communications technology—dedicated short-range communications. Connected vehicle technology has the potential to transform the transportation industry and significantly improve the quality of life of drivers. This study aims to explore the potential uses of connected vehicle technology in real-world settings. Researchers first conducted a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art of connected-vehicle research and technologies. Once researchers had a thorough understanding of the technology, they focused on selecting and developing the near-term practical applications that use connected vehicle technology. The research team then sought expert opinions from the Texas Transportation Institute working group during two brainstorming sessions, which produced two lists of potential applications and prioritized the applications based on deployment feasibility. In particular, a total of five applications were selected for development of the full concept of operations, including two in safety, two in mobility, and one in environmental security. These applications address various problems, including wrong-way driving and unprotected-grade-crossing crashes (safety); work-zone merge efficiency and safety, and freeway speed harmonization (mobility); and slippery-pavement-related crashes (environmental security). KW - Connected vehicle technologies KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - State of the art KW - Weather conditions KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161103-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144026 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375253 AU - Farzaneh, Reza AU - Ramani, Tara AU - Krishnan, Anupama AU - Zietsman, Josias AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures for Sustainable Freight Movement PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 88p AB - Freight movement by road and rail is a cornerstone of the economy of the United States. However, the movement of freight in the U.S. is increasingly impacted by congestion, overburdened infrastructure, and economic issues. Thus, there is a need to emphasize and improve sustainability of the freight system, by both enhancing the benefits of a robust freight system and minimizing the negative impacts freight movement can have on transportation corridors. In general, sustainability refers to providing for environmental stewardship, economic efficiency and social equity in the present as well as into the future. This project developed a framework and methodology to address the issues of freight sustainability at the transportation corridor level, i.e., for highways and rail facilities. Steps included defining the goals and objectives of sustainability pertaining to freight movement and developing appropriate performance measures that reflect progress toward these goals. A set of performance measures were developed to accommodate the specific needs of both urban and rural corridors. This research also developed a methodology for evaluating individual performance measures for a specific transportation corridor and combined them into an aggregate sustainability indicator. This process enables users to compare results for different corridors or for alternate development scenarios for a specific corridor. This project included a case study for a major freight corridor. The resulting tools provide an analysis methodology for departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and other private- and public-sector officials to use in planning, project development, operations, and other aspects of their businesses. KW - Case studies KW - Economic efficiency KW - Environmental stewardship KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Zietsman_09-37-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142365 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374403 AU - Ice, Ronald C AU - Bauer, Jocelyn K AU - Loudon, William R AU - Fehon, Kevin AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - R.C. Ice and Associates AU - DKS Associates AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Applying a Regional ITS Architecture to Support Planning for Operations: A Primer PY - 2012/02 SP - 100p AB - This primer offers transportation planners and operations managers a menu of opportunities for applying the regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) architecture to enhance planning for operations. It provides specific entry points for leveraging the regional ITS architecture in integrating operations into the planning process. This primer centers on the use of an objectives-driven, performance-based approach to planning for operations; an approach that can leverage regional ITS architectures given the approach’s emphasis on operational objectives and performance measures and the architecture’s use of data and services to address operational needs. Additionally, the primer leads planners and operators through techniques to make a regional ITS architecture relevant and more accessible to practitioner needs in planning for operations. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - ITS program applications KW - Regional ITS architecture KW - Technology UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12001/fhwahop12001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141585 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01373029 AU - Bickford, Erica AU - Holloway, Tracey AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - University of Wisconsin, Madison AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainable Freight Infrastructure to Meet Climate and Air Quality Goals PY - 2012/02 SP - 43p AB - This report examines the potential for freight modal shift from truck-to-rail in the upper Midwestern U.S. to improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions. Two scenarios were generated, one focusing on intra-regional freight movements within the Midwest and the second on through-freight movements into, out of, and through the region. Freight truck and rail emissions inventories were generated corresponding to each scenario and input to a regional air quality model (CMAQ). Results showed the intra-regional scenario had little impact on Midwest air quality, however the through-freight scenario greatly reduced concentrations of NO2 and EC near roadways (up to 27% for NO2 and up to 16% for EC), with corresponding increases near railways. The through-freight scenario also reduced CO2 emissions 31% compared to baseline trucking. Reductions in PM2.5 and O3 were modest, up to 3%. The authors conclude that while truck-to-rail modal shift does improve regional air quality, the motivation for advocating rail over truck lies principally in reduced human exposure to near-roadway pollution, as well as reduction of carbon emissions. KW - Air quality KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Freight traffic KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Modal shift KW - Pollutants KW - Railroad transportation KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Trucking UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0209.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44400/44492/FR_0209.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1140043 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371310 AU - Boyles, Stephen D AU - Saha, Promothes AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Optimization Model for Roadway Pricing on Rural Freeways PY - 2012/02 SP - 67p AB - The main objective of rural roadway pricing is revenue generation, rather than elimination of congestion externalities. This report presents a model that provides optimum tolls accounting for pavement deterioration and economic impacts. This model contains multiple components, because imposing tolls creates “ripple effects” on traffic flow: changing traffic movements, which changes pavement deterioration rates, maintenance schedules, and spending in local economies. The model described here also allows differential pricing for different types of vehicles. Due to the discontinuity of the formulation, simulated annealing is used to find tolls on selected roadway arcs. This model is demonstrated on a network representing the state of Wyoming, along with some discussion of the issues raised by the model’s recommendations. KW - Deterioration KW - Economic impacts KW - Freeways KW - Optimization KW - Road pricing KW - Rural highways KW - Tolls KW - Traffic flow KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC12-246.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139603 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371307 AU - Chi, Junwook AU - Matthews, Justin AU - Weddington, Jessica AU - Hamilton, Pamela AU - Rahall Appalachian Transportation Institute AU - West Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Potential Economic Benefits of Public-Private Partnership (P3s) on Reclaimed Mine Sites in the Construction of the I-73/74 NHS Corridor PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 181p AB - A public private partnership (PPP or P3), according to the FHWA, "…is a contractual agreement between a public agency and a private entity for private sector participation in the delivery of transportation projects". One of the most innovative aspects of the King Coal Highway (KCH) is the P3s which have developed and continue to develop. These consist of using surface mine sites as locations for portions of the KCH roadbed. Under this form of P3, after extraction of the coal by surface mining, instead of returning the property to as near as possible its original contour, the mining company agrees to build a section of rough roadbed. When completed, the roadbed will be turned over to the WVDOT for further development. Further, the company which extracted the coal proceeds as a construction company to build the rough road bed on adjacent property. The coal company is allowed to remove all coal located within the right of way. The sale of the coal extracted is used to reduce the cost to the public sector of building the roadbed. This project examines the potential for the expansion of P3 in the construction of the KCH. The analysis also includes an estimation of the possible economic benefits of using P3s along the route of the KCH and the economic development which could result. KW - Coal mines KW - Economic benefits KW - Financing KW - Public private partnerships KW - Regional economics KW - Road construction KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Waste products UR - http://www.njrati.org/wp-content/plugins/research_projects/reports/211085.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139550 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371298 AU - Fine, Philip R AU - Heaton, Karen AU - Stavrinos, Despina AU - Hanowski, Richard AU - McGwin, Gerald AU - Vance, David AU - Foster, P Jeffrey AU - Franklin, Crystal AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U33: Impact of Distraction and Health on Commercial Driving Performance PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 99p AB - This study examined the interaction of the cognitive and technological aspects of distracted driving as well as physical health among commercial drivers. Participants (n=55; 5 of which were excluded from analyses) were recruited from Alabama-based trucking companies. After Informed Consent was obtained from participants, baseline health, driving, anthropometric, and demographic data were collected. Participants then completed cognitive testing, and drove an 88-mile simulated trip while engaging in one of four secondary tasks (no secondary task, cell phone conversation, texting interaction, and email interaction) in a commercial truck driving simulator. Participants had a mean age of 40.5 years, were mostly male (98.0%), and had, on average, 8.6 years of experience as a commercial truck driver. During the simulation, compared to the no secondary task condition, the emailing and texting conditions were associated with increased collisions, lane deviations, and eye glances off of the road; the cell phone condition was associated with a decreased rate of eye glances off of the road and an increased rate of riding the clutch. Driver characteristics were not associated with driving violations, although increased sleep time was associated with decreased collisions and fewer instances of speeding 15+ miles over the posted speed limit, and increased mean reaction time was associated with a slight increase in the collision rate. Findings from this study impact multiple stakeholders and will contribute to the development of future, large intervention studies targeting driver distraction and health factors in commercial drivers. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Driving simulators KW - Health KW - Sleep KW - Text messaging KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck drivers KW - Trucking safety UR - http://www.ntrci.org/Uploads/Files/ResearchReports/U33%20Impact%20of%20Distraction%20and%20Health%20on%20Commercial%20Driving%20Performance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139549 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370384 AU - Margerum, Richard D AU - Brody, Susan AU - Parker, Robert AU - McEwen, Gail AU - University of Oregon, Eugene AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Transportation and Land Use Decision Making in Metropolitan Regions: Findings from Four Case Studies PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 190p AB - Throughout the United States, metropolitan regions face increasingly complex issues related to transportation and land use. The diffuse nature of decision making creates a need to better coordinate land use and transportation to address issues such as: congestion, infrastructure costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Key players in this decision making are regional metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) with transportation planning authority, regional planning responsibilities, and in some cases regional land use planning authority. The goal of this study was to describe and assess efforts by regional agencies to coordinate land use and transportation. Policies and processes in four key topic areas were examined: Governance - formal and informal decision making approaches; Coordination - strategies used to coordinate land use and transportation; Growth Centers - policies to encourage development in higher density centers; and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) - policies to incorporate smart growth criteria in TIP funding decisions. KW - Case studies KW - City planning KW - Coordination KW - Decision making KW - Land use KW - Land use planning KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Regional planning KW - Smart growth KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation Improvement Programs UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=917 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370195 AU - Bryson, John M AU - Crosby, Barbara C AU - Stone, Melissa M AU - Saunoi-Sandgren, Emily AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Dynamics of Cross-Sector Collaboration: Minnesota’s Urban Partnership Agreement from Start to Finish PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 80p AB - The problems faced by today's public managers are often too large to be solved by a single entity, and require collaboration across government, nonprofit, and business sectors. As new technologies and systematic approaches transform the transportation field, cross-sector collaboration has become an increasingly important policy development and implementation approach. Particularly within the transportation field, an assemblage of technologies is often critical to implementing system-wide strategies aimed at, for example, mitigating traffic congestion. In many cases, designers and implementers of effective transportation policies must combine a variety of technologies with deft relationship building and management. Through the development of comparative case studies of the Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) initiatives, this research study will complete the examination from start to finish of the Minnesota UPA, and provide additional comparative information from other UPA sites to enhance the certainty of conclusions, and to develop sound lessons for practitioners. KW - City planning KW - Cooperation KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Technology KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1646 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137412 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369381 AU - Amdal, James R AU - Jayawardana, Jay AU - Swigart, Stanley L AU - University of New Orleans AU - Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Incorporating Lower Mississippi Port Assets into Emergency Preparedness and Response Initiatives PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The Lower Mississippi River (LMR) and its 5 deep water ports represent a significant national asset as well as a critical portion of a major transportation corridor from the heartland of the country to the Gulf of Mexico. The lower portion of the Mississippi River is particularly subject to major disruptions caused by both manmade and natural disasters. In light of recent events of national significance (Hurricane Katrina of 2005 and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill of 2010) researchers at the University of New Orleans Transportation Institute (UNOTI) questioned: 1) what assets at the LMR ports are available to respond to these events; and 2) what agreements either exist or are needed to access them during emergency or disaster situations. UNOTI conducted extensive on-site interviews with port officials to determine their existing assets and United State Coast Guard (USCG) officials to determine if these assets are included within their various plans for emergency or disaster response. What the authors discovered is that a variety of assets do exist but, to date, they are not an integral part of any regional or national response plan. In times of disaster affecting the LMR all assets may be called into service. Depending in the magnitude of the event, regardless of the specific plans being utilized, contingency measures call into play all conventional and unconventional assets to deal with the after effects. This was the case in both Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The responses to these events can be used to improve the ability to respond in a more comprehensive and “all hands - all assets - all responses” manner. Appendix A of this report provides the USCG and other organizations with a current inventory of port assets that can be incorporated into their emergency response plans, most specifically the USCG’s Area Contingency Plan (ACP) and identifies what agreements currently exist to access these assets in times of disaster. KW - Assets KW - Contingency planning KW - Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, 2010 KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency management KW - Hurricane Katrina, 2005 KW - Hurricanes KW - Inventory KW - Lower Mississippi River KW - Oil spills KW - Ports KW - United States Coast Guard UR - http://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=unoti_pubs UR - http://www.evaccenter.lsu.edu/pub/11-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137970 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368812 AU - Benden, Mark AU - Fink, Rainer AU - Stafford, James AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Teen Driver Cell Phone Blocker PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 54p AB - This study was a randomized control intervention to measure the effectiveness of a cellular phone control device that communicates with the vehicles of teen drivers to deny them access to their phone while driving for the purpose of reducing distraction-related negative driving events. Investigators developed and manufactured working samples of the patent-pending cell phone disabling device from the Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC). The intention was to provide 100 of the devices to families with a newly licensed teen driver. Half of the devices were to be distributed in an urban area (Houston) and the other half in a rural area (Brenham). The 50 participating families and teenagers in each group were to be compared to 50 of their peers (newly licensed teen drivers) who did not receive and install the cell phone disabling device. In total, there were to be 200 teen drivers participating in the project with 100 participants per group: 50 with the device and 50 without the device. Following unforeseen development cost issues and dramatic changes in the target cellular phone market, the HSC device was abandoned for a commercial device already on the market. The comparison with this device was conducted using pre- and post-surveys of parents regarding driving records of teens in both the control (n = 26) and treatment (n = 72) groups. The project analyzed vehicle, crash, and moving violation data. Qualitative data were collected in the form of surveys and analyzed using statistical software. Post-surveys of parents and teens were taken at inception and 1 year after the teen entered the study. Surveys inquired about teen involvement in traffic crashes, awareness of performance decrements, attitudes toward the device, issues with usability and quality, and marketability of the device. Due to technology problems, dramatic dropout rates (54% at 12 months), and low initial participation rates, results were limited to conclusions related to the strong resistance of this market to cell phone inhibiting devices and the challenges associated with implementing them on a large scale. KW - Accident prone drivers KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Highway safety KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Surveys KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Benden_10-15-47.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44283/Benden_10-15-47.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137365 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368807 AU - Strathman, James G AU - Kwon, Sung Moon AU - Callas, Steve AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Extraboard Performance: TriMet Case Study PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 36p AB - This paper examines extraboard operations and management at TriMet, the transit provider for the Portland Oregon metropolitan area. The extraboard consists of a pool of operators who fill open work resulting from absences and other causes. The paper first examines the general performance of the extraboard in filling open work, drawing on seven years of daily operations data from three bus garages. It then presents statistical analyses focusing on open work patterns and the effects of selected work rules on operator utilization and service delivery. Lastly, suggestions are made for improving the efficiency of extraboard operations. KW - Buses KW - Extraboards KW - Operations KW - Performance evaluations KW - Statistical analysis KW - Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon KW - Utilization UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=540 UR - http://otrec.us/project/318 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44400/44406/OTREC-RR-11-14_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137271 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367790 AU - Cao, Xinyu (Jason) AU - Liu, Henry AU - He, Xiaozheng (Sean) AU - Xu, Zhiyi AU - Huang, Yan (Arthur) AU - Munnich, Lee AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Benefit and Cost Analysis of the I-394 MnPASS Program PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 47p AB - In this report, the authors explored the benefits and costs associated with converting the I-394 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes to High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. The study focused on the I-394 corridor, with a 10-year timeframe from 2006 to 2015. The benefits included travel time savings, safety benefits, and vehicle operating cost savings, and the costs consisted of capital costs and annual operating costs. Where applicable, the implementation of this study followed the benefit-cost analysis guidance of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). This study considered the benefits of both travel time savings and travel time reliability and the valuations of travel time savings and reliability were derived from econometric models for individual drivers’ behavior. HOT lane users choose the lanes because of travel time savings and/or the reliability of the lanes whereas previous studies considered only travel time savings and exclusively relied on standardized economic value of travel time. This study estimated safety benefits from crash reduction using the Empirical Bayes method. Previous studies scarcely considered the safety benefits resulting from the conversion of HOV lanes to HOT lanes. This study also showed that “naive” approaches tended to overstate safety benefits, which highlighted the importance of using a sound methodology. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Econometric models KW - Empirical Bayes method KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Highway safety KW - Minnesota KW - Travel time UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1632 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136484 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367556 AU - Parvin, Azadeh AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Use of Sustainable Materials for Quick Repair of Aging Bridges, Phase II Final Report PY - 2012/02//Phase II Final Report SP - 15p AB - Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping of concrete columns is an ideal technique to increase the strength and ductility of these structural elements. In this project, the performance of scaled-down as-built and FRP-wrapped circular concrete columns have been investigated using ANSYS nonlinear finite element analysis software program at Ohio Supercomputer Center to gain insight into the behavior of such columns. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Bridges KW - Columns KW - Concrete KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Repairing UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/ututc/docs/Parvin%20IU-22_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136374 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367555 AU - Elahinia, Mohammad AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reducing Noise and Vibration of Hydraulic Hybrid And Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (Phase IV) PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The University of Toledo University Transportation Center (UT-UTC) has identified hybrid vehicles as one of the three areas of the research. The activities in this research are directed towards the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) solutions for hybrid vehicles. The soaring fuel prices require imperious steps in developing alternate propulsion technologies. The design and development of hybrid vehicles is a critical issue for an economy dependent on an efficient, fast, and secure transportation system. To date, better fuel economy has been mainly achieved by combining two propulsion sources (hybridization) and/or by developing better managing algorithms for the internal combustion engines. Examples for the hybridization are the plug-in hybrid electric and the hydraulic-hybrid vehicles. An example of managing internal combustion engines is the cylinder on demand as a solution that Honda has recently introduced. One common problem with these solutions is excessive noise and vibration that is caused by switching between the propulsion sources and propulsion modes. To mitigate this problem there is a need to develop vibration isolation devices that can provide isolation over a wide range of frequencies. This research sought to study the NVH problem of the hybrid vehicles and to introduce isolation mounts to overcome these issues. Hydraulic and elastomeric mounts are generally used to dynamically isolate engines and power trains from the chassis, while statically holding these elements together. Hydraulic mounts overcome some of the drawbacks of the elastomeric mounts. The stiffness and damping of the hydraulic mounts varies with frequency and amplitude of vibration. It is possible to design a hydraulic mount that has a significantly larger static stiffness, compared to an elastomeric mount, and has a much smaller dynamic stiffness at a specific frequency. To achieve low vibration transmissibility, the mount can be tuned to the primary frequency of the vibration source. On the other hand, to isolate the high frequency vibration of the engine, the mount should have low stiffness and low damping, which is not possible to achieve. This project consisted of four phases with the overall goal of developing a semi-active mount, which was successfully realized. It was shown that the semi-active mount improved the existing hydraulic mounts. This semi-active mount was developed through adding a magnetorheological (MR) fluid element. In response to magnetic fields, MR fluids change their viscosity, which can be harnessed in a variable stiffness and damping mount. The resulting mount provides shock and vibration isolation over a wide range of frequencies. This extended isolation frequency range is achieved through the variable dynamic stiffness of the MR portion of the mount. This solution makes it possible to improve the noise and vibration characteristic of hybrid vehicles with alternative propulsion systems. KW - Electric vehicles KW - Engine mounts KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Hydraulics KW - Magnetorheological fluid KW - Noise control KW - Vibration control KW - Vibration isolation UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/ututc/docs/Elahinia%20Final%20Report%2002-2012.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44331/Elahinia_Final_Report_02-2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136396 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366503 AU - Osland, Asbjorn AU - Anderson, Eric AU - Brazil, John M AU - Curry, Melanie AU - Czerwinski, David E AU - Dean, Jay AU - Faeth, Peter AU - Fergason, LeeAnne AU - Johnson, Camille S AU - Kransky, Gerik AU - Larson, Carl AU - Mennesson, Marqaux AU - Noll, Stephanie AU - Omweg, John W AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety PY - 2012/02 SP - 160p AB - When cycling is encouraged and the number of cyclists increases, safety can improve. This report focuses on an overview of the risks associated with cycling to emphasize the need for safety. The structure of the Five Es -- education, engineering, enforcement, encouragement and evaluation -- is used to organize information with particular emphasis on engineering and education. A series of case studies gives first hand information about bicycle safety. Education in relation to safety is the focus in San José;, California; engineering and evaluation in Berkeley, California; engineering, education, and enforcement in Davis, California; and education and encouragement in the Portland, Oregon area. KW - Berkeley (California) KW - Bicycle commuting KW - Bicycle safety KW - Bicycling KW - Case studies KW - Davis (California) KW - Education KW - Evaluation KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - Safety engineering KW - San Jose (California) KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2927-bicycle-commuter-safety.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44294/2927-bicycle-commuter-safety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134479 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366438 AU - Nuworsoo, Cornelius AU - Cooper, Erin AU - Cushing, Katherine AU - Jud, Eugene AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integration of Bicycling and Walking Facilities into the Infrastructure of Urban Communities PY - 2012/02 SP - 148p AB - Several manuals, handbooks and web resources exist to provide varied guidance on planning for and designing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, yet there are no specific indications about which of the varied treatments in these guides work well for users. This project highlights best practices and identifies program characteristics associated with high levels of non-motorized travel, with an emphasis on bicyclists and pedestrians. It highlights practices in the California communities of Davis, Palo Alto and San Luis Obispo. The case studies are used to illustrate how urban communities have integrated non-motorized transportation modes into the physical infrastructure and worked to educate community residents and employees. The most salient themes that emerged from this study are linked to the following user preference: (a) distance to desired land uses and activities; (b) route directness; (c) route connectivity; (d) the separation of motorized and non-motorized transportation modes; (e) safety; (f) convenience; and (g) education and outreach. The aforementioned themes are integrated into key guiding principles that correspond to the trip-making cycle, from the decision to engage in an activity through the choice of route to arrival at the destination. KW - Best practices KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycling KW - California KW - Case studies KW - Complete streets KW - Infrastructure KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Route choice KW - Safety KW - Walking UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2906-Bicycling-and-Walking-Facilities-Urban-Communities.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44279/2906-Bicycling-and-Walking-Facilities-Urban-Communities.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134477 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366364 AU - Chandrashekhara, K AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Soy-Based UV Resistant Polyurethane Pultruded Composites PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 14p AB - Aliphatic polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites were synthesized using organically modified nanoclays. X-Ray diffraction results confirmed good exfoliation of nanoclay particles in the PU resin system. With the addition of just 1% of nanoclay in the base resin, PU nanocomposites showed significantly higher strength and modulus. Soy-PU resin system with increased soy content (30% Soy- PU) was obtained from Bayer MaterialScience. Neat resin samples were manufactured using the aliphatic and aromatic 30% Soy-PU resin system. Results show that there is no significant change in the glass transition temperature for the Soy-PU with 30% soy content when compared to the 20% Soy-PU and base PU resin systems. Glass fiber reinforced polyurethane composites were manufactured using aromatic 30% Soy-PU resin system and modified pultrusion process. Low velocity impact tests were conducted on the pultruded PU composites. Results indicate that increase in the soy content in PU resin system does not result in the degradation of composite properties. Incorporation of pigments during the pultrusion of PU composites was also studied. Pigments such as zinc oxide and zinc sulphide (ZnS) were studied to obtain the required “white” coloration to the PU composites. ZnS was chosen for the pultrusion process due to its low corrosive property. Pigmented pultruded composites were manufactured using the base PU resin and ZnS. Soybased, pigmented pultruded PU composites manufactured during this study will have higher UV resistance and comparable mechanical properties when compared to the conventional PU pultruded composites. These Soy-based composites will find numerous applications in the automotive, marine and housing industries. KW - Composite materials KW - Manufacturing KW - Mechanical properties KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Polyurethane resins KW - Pultruded composites KW - Soy-based resins UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R263%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134962 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366322 AU - Long, Suzanna AU - Quine, Ruwen AU - Elmore, Curt AU - Ryan, Tom AU - Schmidt, Sean AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LED Roadway Luminaires Evaluation PY - 2012/02//Final Report SP - 117p AB - This research explores whether LED roadway luminaire technologies are a viable future solution to providing roadway lighting. Roadway lighting enhances highway safety and traffic flow during limited lighting conditions. The purpose of this evaluation study is to determine the feasibility of transitioning from standard high pressure sodium (HPS) roadway luminaire to LED roadway luminaire on the MoDOT maintained highway system. This study includes performance evaluations, a feasibility analysis and a potential transition replacement program. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Luminaires KW - Missouri KW - Performance measurement KW - Street lighting UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R269.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135043 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01470604 TI - Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) for Railroad Wheels AB - The purpose of this project is to enable the use of Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) in railroad wheels. It is hypothesized that ADI wheels might provide considerable benefits to the railroad industry, as ADI railroad wheels have the potential to be 10% lighter than steel wheels with greater damping, higher wear resistance, and lower cost. Both cast steel and ductile iron rail wheels are heat treated, but ADI has 20% lower cost due to better castability, reduced melting temperature (due to the higher carbon level), and lower heat treating cost. In addition to reduced maintenance due to wear resistance, ADI wheels could provide increased loading capacity for freight railroads without any changes in car design. For higher speed passenger equipment, they might provide better train performance due to lighter structures. However, thermal cycles due to braking may cause thermal degradation of the ADI microstructure leading to premature failure. This project will first characterize the temperature profile of rail wheels in service, and then characterize thermal stability of existing ADI grades. Based on literature data, chemical composition and production parameters of ADI will be optimized to stabilize the ausferrite microstructure during exposure to rail wheel thermal cycling. This project will cover the development of ADI specifications that will allow ADI wheels to enter qualification trials in accordance with AAR standards. Evaluation of existing grades of ADI will be completed first, followed by alloy and heat treatment adjustments as necessary. The project will not progress to full qualification of the material, as individual wheel producers do that testing. Characterization will include differential thermal analysis to determine the start temperature for microstructure degradation. Further, material properties will be tested at various times and temperatures to determine when mechanical properties of ADI wheels fail to meet standard requirements. New alloys will be modeled thermodynamically, cast in the Michigan Tech foundry, characterized microstructurally, and tested in tension. KW - Alloys KW - Bearing capacity KW - Braking KW - Degradation (Thermodynamics) KW - Durability KW - High speed rail KW - Iron KW - Rolling contact KW - Wheelsets (Railroads) UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238751 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379011 AU - Kolodinsky, Jane AU - Roche, Erin AU - DeSisto, Thomas AU - Sawyer, William AU - Propen, David AU - Conte, Faye AU - Putnam, Matthew AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Seasonality, Mobility, and Livability PY - 2012/01/31 SP - 49p AB - This project investigates the effects of weather, season, built environment, community amenities, attitudes, and demographics on mobility and quality of life (QOL). A four season panel survey examined these variables through an in depth survey and a 24-hour travel log. After the first phase (season) the potential to co-investigate health effects within the context of mobility and QOL was realized. Therefore, in the second phase of the study a health module was added that allowed for investigation of food choice, exercise, and weight status. Unserved travel demand has been shown to decrease quality of life. Faced with a combination of severe weather, dramatic seasons, low population density and aging infrastructure, northern rural communities are particularly challenging environments in which to provide transportation options and ensure that people can get to where they want and need to go. The climate and seasonality of rural northern communities makes the provision of public transit, whether local, regional, or inter-regional, particularly challenging and often cost-prohibitive. Important amenities and services, i.e. grocery stores, employment, and places you can walk to, are also considered less available and less accessible in rural areas, given lower population sizes and densities. Rural populations, in general, also have more poor and elderly residents. Using a 2009 database of residents of Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire, this study examines the issues which cause unserved travel demand and how these issues impact the QOL of residents of northern New England. KW - Aged KW - Demographics KW - Mobility KW - New England KW - Quality of life KW - Rural areas KW - Rural transit KW - Seasons KW - Surveys KW - Travel demand KW - Weather UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-002.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45200/45212/UVM-TRC-12-002.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146633 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431179 AU - Classen, Sherrilene AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Validity and Usability of a Safe Driving Behaviors Measure for Older Adults: Strategy for Congestion Mitigation PY - 2012/01/30/Final Report SP - 86p AB - Statistics project that crash/injury/fatality rates of older drivers will increase with the future growth of this population. Accurate and precise measurement of older driver behaviors becomes imperative to curtail these crash trends and resulting congestion. The Comprehensive Driving Evaluation (gold standard test) is highly valid and reliable, but limitations include being time-consuming, providing limited access, and holding an element of threat (mandatory/ ethical reporting upon failing). Self-report is a means to identify older adults’ safe driving behaviors, increase driving safety awareness/ knowledge, and promote behavior change and safer driving outcomes. Existing measures are limited in accurately assessing older driver behaviors due to length, respondent burden, and inadequately representing driving constructs (i.e. person, vehicle, environment). Current self-report measures fall short of providing meaningful descriptions of driving ability level, and do not contribute to targeting risk reduction or increasing driving safety strategies. In contrast, item response theory or IRT methods are particularly useful to offer precise measurement of driving behaviors. Understanding a driver’s “level” of safe driving behaviors is a critical step towards providing an entry point for logical and effective interventions, identifying optimal training parameters, and predicting future driving ability. To that end the author proposes the further development of such a measure. The author's research objectives, scope of study, and findings are presented in this report. KW - Aged drivers KW - Behavior KW - Crash rates KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Item response theory KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/classen_cms_2010-012_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1198436 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01375502 AU - Jenkins, Brian M AU - Fernandez, Nuria AU - Pryor, Robert AU - Farmer, Tom AU - Budd, Christopher AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rail Security: Critical Insights and Applications PY - 2012/01/22 SP - 7p AB - A workshop on rail security was held in conjunction with the Transportation Research Board's 2012 Annual Meeting. This paper provides very brief synopses of the keynote and presentations. KW - Rail transit KW - Security UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1261-rail-security-insights-applications.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139722 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01468637 TI - Effectiveness of Social Media Among Transportation Providers in the New York City Region AB - This research will investigate the interactions of social media and transportation in the New York City Region, conducted both by public agencies and private companies. Transportation providers must disseminate often urgent messages about delays or incidents, and in light of the explosion of social media throughout public and private industries (approximately 800 million people are on Facebook#), it is essential that they seek out their audience where it is, rather than the converse. In 2011, the top three searches on Google in New York City were "MTA," "NJ Transit," and "Hopstop," respectively, indicating that, most likely, the information people need is not reaching them where they are. As such, travel information is limited, resulting in confusion, bottleneck, and overall stunting of potential area economic and social activity. This research will evaluate the social media use, responsiveness and innovativeness of the New York City Region's transportation providers, both public and private, including: Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City (NYC) Department of Transportation, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, NY State Department of Transportation, New Jersey Transit, JetBlue Airways, and American Airlines. Research will be conducted through analysis of social media output and interaction over a specified number of months, workshops and literature reviews. Through assessment of current social media practices, consideration of barriers to use, and investigation of best practices in other cities and regions, this report will culminate in proposed policies and recommendations for New York City-area transportation agencies in using social media, including: best channels for communication with local residents optimal tone, timing and levels of engagement recommendations for overcoming barriers to use incorporating feedback into services community building tools KW - Best practices KW - New York Metropolitan Area KW - Social media KW - Transportation departments KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/social-media-among-transportation-providers-NYC UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236980 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376084 AU - Holguín-Veras, José AU - Reilly, Jack AU - Aros-Vera, Felipe AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - New York City Park and Ride Study PY - 2012/01/13/Final Report SP - 118p AB - This study reviewed existing practices in Park and Ride planning, developed a methodology for evaluating candidates, and applied the methodology to the commuter market in New York City. The team identified a set of candidates based on availability for Park and Ride use and transit connectivity. The candidates were evaluated using potential demand, savings, market share, and present value of benefits as performance measurements. KW - Location KW - Market share KW - New York (New York) KW - Park and ride KW - Parking facilities KW - Public transit KW - Savings KW - Urban areas UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-07-66_Final%20Report%20NYC%20PR%20Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143492 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530521 TI - Integrating Safety in Developing a Variable Speed Limit System AB - Variable speed limit (VSL) systems have been widely used in the U.S. and European countries. They represent a vital component of an Active Traffic Management System (ATMS), which has been suggested by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as the next step in tackling the U.S. freeway congestion problem. VSL systems have been employed nationwide on freeways to: 1) reduce recurrent congestion; 2) address adverse weather impacts on freeways; 3) improve traffic safety; and 4) improve air quality. This research will be one of the first attempts to develop a VSL algorithm based on real-time safety risk estimation. KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Air quality KW - Highway traffic control KW - Real time information KW - Risk assessment KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic safety KW - Variable speed limits KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316156 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530520 TI - Reducing Service Interruptions in Linear Infrastructure Systems (Transportation and Water/Sewer) by Synchronizing Schedules for Selected Maintenance Activities AB - Lifeline systems are those facilities that provide the main utility or transportation services to a community (e.g., electric and portable water transmission and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, highways, railroads, seaports and inland waterway ports). The extent of interdependency of the lifeline system plays a significant role in the vulnerability of a community--as one or more systems beginning to fail leads to a domino effect that could result in a major shut down, resulting in both economic and social impacts. Increasing population density and increased vulnerability of the coastal areas to hurricanes have created major challenges for communities especially with increasing awareness after recent disasters (i.e., Katrina and Rita). Lifeline interruption events are linked by time and dynamic interactions among the systems. This research will demonstrate the infrastructure limitations (design and operation) of lifeline facilities for coastal communities, identify critical bottlenecks in service quality and show how failure will propagate through the system. Analysis will be conducted for two case studies to answer the following questions: (1) What are the similarities in service interruption profiles in integrated lifeline systems (transportation, water/sewer)? (2) How do the stages, steps, phases or events relate to one another? (3) What happens if an event does not take place? What is the final outcome? (4) How can we establish check points? (5) How can agencies develop coordinated maintenance schedules to minimize (or reduce) service interruptions and increase maintenance cost effectiveness? KW - Electric utility facilities KW - Highways KW - Infrastructure KW - Inland waterways KW - Interrupted flow KW - Lifelines KW - Maintenance practices KW - Risk assessment KW - Seaports KW - Service interruptions KW - Sewage treatment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316155 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489476 TI - A Multimodal Approach to Meeting Older Adult Transportation Needs AB - America is graying. The aging of the population will require rethinking everything. Transportation infrastructure, vehicles and future demand must respond to the aging of the nation's largest generation. This study will conduct an assessment of current demographic trends as well as secondary analysis of transportation studies to better understand the changes needed, potential shortfalls and opportunities to ensure that an older America remains a nation on the move. KW - Aged KW - Demographics KW - Infrastructure KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Needs assessment KW - Transportation planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258525 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01546020 TI - Making Trucks Count: Innovative Strategies for Obtaining Comprehensive Truck Activity Data AB - Currently, there is no public dataset that continually tracks how much freight activity is taking place on the nation's highways. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) collected quarterly information on for-hire tonnage and ton-miles as part of its regulatory mandate. However, the sunsetting of the ICC has resulted in fewer and less frequent sources of information on for-hire trucking. In-house (private carrier) freight trucking statistics are rarer still. The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) estimates for-hire and in-house data for a 1-year period every 5 years. Consultants and industry groups do some estimation of freight trucking trends, but these data sources and practices are not generally available.Other freight modes have information available on a regularly scheduled basis, such as air carrier data from the Office of Airline Information and inland waterways data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Trucking accounts for a large share of freight transportation, but data on trucking activity is consistently recognized as a significant gap in studies (Transportation Research Board (TRB) Special Report 304: How We Travel: A Sustainable National Program for Travel Data). The lack of verifiable freight trucking information creates a data gap when tracking activity over time. For example, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Statistics Table 1-49 shows estimated freight ton-miles for "Intercity Truck" through 2003, but data in subsequent years have to be labeled as unavailable. Furthermore, because this data series is no longer available, a national total for all modes cannot be published. The BTS Transportation Services Index uses a proprietary index for the for-hire trucking component, but actual tonnage estimates are not made. Creative, cost-effective approaches are needed to collect comprehensive trucking activity data. The objective of this research is to develop and assess strategies for obtaining comprehensive trucking activity data for making more informed public policy decisions at the national and regional levels. Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks: (1) Briefly describe the state of the practice in the United States and other countries for obtaining and reporting truck activity data used for public policy decisions at the national and regional levels.(2) Describe reliability and gaps in data availability in the United States. Discuss data issues and limitations, including data accuracy, privacy, anti-trust concerns, and other constraints. Illustrate how improved data could be used to better inform public policy decisions. (3) Investigate, develop, and assess strategies to obtain comprehensive trucking activity data for use in the United States, with possible application in Canada and Mexico. Data should include, but not be limited to, tons, ton miles, and vehicle miles traveled. Additional factors such as seasonality, geography, and components of the trucking sector should also be included. New and innovative methodologies to obtain trucking activity data should be identified. Describe how the data could be combined into a complete picture of trucking activity, and how the proposed methodologies relate to the concepts in National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) Report 9: Guidance for Developing a Freight Transportation Data Architecture. Propose specific strategies or combinations of strategies to further describe in Task 5, and provide an outline of how that information will be presented. (4) Six months after contract award, submit an interim report documenting the results of Tasks 1 through 3. (5) Upon NCFRP approval of the strategies, describe in detail how the selected strategies could be implemented in practice. Include a sample and layout of the data and a thorough discussion of specific mechanisms required to collect and record the data. Detail the barriers and opportunities to successful implementation of the strategies.(6) Submit a final report that develops and assesses strategies for obtaining comprehensive trucking activity data for making more informed public policy decisions at the national and regional levels. KW - Data collection KW - Public policy KW - State of the practice KW - Trucking KW - United States UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3125 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332972 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530518 TI - Full-Scale Wall of Wind Testing of Variable Message Signs (VMS) Structures to Develop Drag Coefficients for AASHTO Supports Specifications AB - The use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies on highways is an attractive option for traffic facility operators. Variable Message Signs (VMS) are the cornerstone of ITS infrastructure as they relay messages to motorists for warnings of hazards ahead such as fog, traffic congestion, accidents, construction, and lane closings. VMS messages are of paramount importance in ensuring safety and avoiding fatal crashes (such as the multi-vehicle accident and fatalities along I-75 of Gainesville, Florida, in January 2012 when drivers were blinded by a combination of fog and smoke caused by a nearby brushfire). The objective of this project is to develop accurate drag coefficients for incorporation in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Supports Specifications to foster safer and more economic design of VMS structures. The research will: (1) perform full-scale wind (and rain) testing of VMS structures (or portions thereof) at the 12-fan Wall of Wind facility (WoW) of Florida International University (FIU) and measure drag, gust effects, system responses, and failure modes (if any) under a range of service level and extreme wind conditions; (2) compare WoW data to available field measurements for fatigue wind velocities; (3) develop drag coefficients for both fatigue and extreme wind (and rain) conditions; (4) determine fatigue behavior and extreme event failure of connections, members, and foundations subjected to WoW test-based data using dynamic finite element modeling at the University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB); (5) quantify possible economic benefits gained when using separate drag coefficients for fatigue and ultimate strength design and assess the impact of new coefficients on the design of structural supports; and (6) develop new specifications for AASHTO by stipulating separate drag coefficients to use with fatigue and extreme wind loading for design of VMS structures. KW - Design KW - Drag KW - Failure KW - Fatalities KW - Finite element method KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Sign supports KW - Variable message signs KW - Warning devices KW - Wind UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316153 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431184 AU - Peng, Zhong-Ren AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Needs Assessment of Land Use Modeling for FSUTMS, Phase 1 PY - 2012/01/06/Final Report SP - 38p AB - In Florida, the transportation demand modeling process is done through the Cube software, following the statewide modeling system (Florida Standard Urban Transportation Model Structure or FSUTMS). Other states and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are exploring the use of land use models in this process. The University of Florida, at the request of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) administered a survey regarding the needs of land use and transportation modeling. This research seeks to better understand current land use models, modeling practices and future needs in Florida. The research was part of a greater project on Land Use Modeling with the University of Florida and FDOT. An open-ended and multiple choice survey was administered online to current FDOT and MPO modelers. The responses were then analyzed and future needs examined. Survey results show that 95% of surveyed FDOT and MPO modeling coordinators see the need of an integrated land use and transportation model in Florida and would like to see FDOT take a lead to develop such models. The survey also indicated that most FDOT and MPO coordinators are willing to participate in the development of such a model in land use modeling advisory committee or in a land use modeling pilot project. Furthermore, the survey participants further suggested what features should be included in the model such as sensitive to the interaction of land use and transportation, GIS-based, being able to estimate the impacts of transit oriented development (TOD) on land use, the impacts of land use on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and the ability to forecast land use changes at the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level, as well as user friendly interface and training programs. KW - Air quality KW - Florida KW - Florida Standard Urban Transportation Modeling Structure KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Integrated models KW - Land use models KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Surveys KW - Traffic analysis zones KW - Transit oriented development KW - Travel demand UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/peng_cms_2009-013_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45649/peng_cms_2009-013_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1189564 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01519046 TI - FHWA Traffic Noise Model: Version 3.0 Software Development AB - The objectives of the Federal Highway Administration Traffic Noise Model (FHWA TNM) Version 3.0 Software Development are to: 1) Enhance the graphical user interface (GUI). 2) Correct known software bugs. 3) Enhance functionality. KW - Configuration management KW - Development KW - Graphical user interfaces KW - Software maintenance KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/384 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302747 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571990 TI - Improve the Environment for a Livable Community: Advance the AERIS Program by Developing and Testing Eco-Traffic Signal System Applications AB - The main goal of this project is to improve the environmental performance of arterial system operations through developing and testing eco-traffic signal system control strategies. The project is also aimed at enhancing the modeling and evaluation tools for estimating transportation system environmental-based performance measures. It also aims at developing a framework for arterial system operations that addresses more reliable and rigorous techniques to model and assess the impact of signal control strategies on fuel consumption and emissions on signalized arterials. The ability of existing signal timing modeling tools to accurately and reliably estimate the impact of signal timing on fuel consumption and vehicular emissions will be examined as part of the project. Guidelines on how to integrate emission estimation tools with traditional traffic modeling and optimization tools to develop and test various signal timing strategies for arterial management will be developed. The impact of several eco-traffic signal system operational strategies, specifically those strategies developed and tested as part of the FHWA's ARIES program will be tested though microscopic simulation modeling environment. The research outcome should provide transportation professionals with a highly practical set of guidelines to improve signal timing procedures and arterial operations to reduce fuel consumption and vehicular emissions. KW - Arterial highways KW - Environmental protection KW - Fuel consumption KW - Highway operations KW - Pollutants KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/dtrt12gutc17-ui-klk901 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363596 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571807 TI - A Systematic Evaluation of the Impacts of Traffic Condition Information on the Reduction of On-road Mobile Emissions AB - With the development of traveler information system questions raised: how much does the technology impact travel behavior, and what is its effectiveness of mitigating traffic congestion and thus reducing transportation-related emissions. Even though the evaluation of traveler information systems has been performed in several studies, they have not been fully investigated towards different format of information. In addition, although the technology is designated to improve traffic condition and air quality, very few studies have been performed to investigate the impacts of the technology on traffic flow and therefore few systematic methodologies or models have been proposed to measure its effectiveness in improving the performance of the transportation system. The goal of this research project is to evaluate the impacts of traffic condition information on the reduction of on-road mobile emissions. To this end, this research will: (1) review and synthesize the evaluation studies on the traveler information systems; (2) investigate the travel behavior change in the presence of pre-trip and en-route traveler information; and (3) develop models to estimate the benefits of traveler information on traffic-flow improvements and transportation-related emissions reduction. KW - Air quality KW - Pollutants KW - Traffic conditions KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Travel behavior KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/niatt/tranlive/projects/2012/a-systematic-evaluation-of-the-impacts-of-traffic-condition UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363416 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571806 TI - Use the Driving Simulator to Synthesize the Related Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) for Emission and Fuel Consumption Estimations AB - Vehicle emissions are highly related to the operation of vehicles, which is partially reflected in the speed and acceleration profiles and results in different Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) and operating modes. In the real world, it is very difficult to arbitrary change a control strategy. This research uses the advanced driving simulator to test the resulted speed and acceleration, and thus the vehicle emissions. Various traffic control scenarios will be prepared and a group of subjects that represents the populations in gender, driving experiences, age, etc. in the region will be recruited for simulator lab testing. The operational variables such as speed and acceleration rate for each participant under each control scenario will be recorded and finally retrieved from the system. VSP and operating mode under different traffic control scenarios will be calculated, and the resulted vehicle emissions and fuel consumptions will be estimated. Finally the impacts of different traffic control strategies to vehicle emissions and fuel consumption will be synthesized, and the results can be used as a reference to field engineers and policy makers. KW - Driving simulators KW - Exhaust gases KW - Fuel consumption KW - Policy making KW - Pollutants KW - Traffic control KW - Vehicle specific power UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/dtrt12gutc17-driving-sim UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363415 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571805 TI - Develop an Integrated Data Management System at the Microscopic, Mesoscopic, and Macroscopic Levels to Assess the Environmental Impacts of Transportation Systems AB - Vehicle emission and associated transportation activity data (e.g. volume, speed, and acceleration) are essential resources in the development and calibration of emission models, and in the optimization of traffic control strategy for livable environment. During the past decade, several institutions within the proposed University Transportation Center (UTC) such as Virginia Tech (VT) and Texas Southern University (TSU) have collected significant amounts of vehicle emission and transportation activity data by using equipments such as the portable emission measurement systems (PEMS) and Global Positioning System (GPS). This is a valuable source for transportation environmental studies, which is however never integrated and unified. In this research, an integrated data management system containing a mega data bank will be established by utilizing resources from all relevant new UTC institutions at micro, meso, and macro levels. KW - Data collection KW - Data management systems KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Global Positioning System KW - Pollutants KW - Portable emission measurement systems KW - Traffic control KW - Transportation systems UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/niatt/tranlive/projects/2012/develop-an-integrated-data-management-system UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363414 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571804 TI - Develop Multi-Scale Energy and Emission Models AB - The proposed project develops a tool for the assessment of short-term and medium-term effects of network-level traffic-flow improvement projects on energy consumption and environment. Current state-of-the-art models estimate vehicle fuel consumption and emissions based on simple vehicle trip characteristics. While this approach has been widely utilized by transportation planners/engineers for the evaluation of network-wide impacts on energy consumption and environment, it is not efficient for the evaluation of energy and environmental impacts of short-term and medium-term effects of network-level traffic-flow improvement projects, including Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications. This tool can be utilized to evaluate the energy and environmental impacts of alternative transportation-related projects prior to their implementation in the field and possibly reduce the adverse impacts of transportation projects on energy consumption and environment. KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Highway improvement projects KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Traffic flow KW - Transportation planning KW - Trip characteristics UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-003-data-management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363413 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571803 TI - Enhancing TSM&O Strategies Through User Cost Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment AB - One of the primary objectives of Transportation Systems Management and Operation (TSM&O) strategies is to optimize the capacity of existing transportation infrastructure by reducing congestion. Over the past decades, agencies and researchers investigated the use of various strategies such as deployment of advanced traveler information systems, ramp metering, surveillance through closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and synchronized signals to achieve this objective. Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of various alternative strategies has received particular attention to identify the strategy with the lowest cost. However, increasing concerns over the impacts of transportation systems on nearby communities as well as the environment are urging decision makers to consider the environmental impacts of various TSM&O strategies in addition to user costs. Vehicle emissions are affected by various factors such as vehicle's speed, idling time, and acceleration, which in turn depend on the traffic activities of other vehicles and level of congestion. Changes in highway capacity and pavement condition have an impact on the level of user costs incurred by commuters. There is a lack of decision support systems that would allow decision makers to simultaneously compare environmental, social and economic impacts of TSM&O strategies over their life cycle. The aim of this study is to address this gap in research. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Exhaust gases KW - Highway capacity KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Transportation system management KW - User costs UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-004-tsmo UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363412 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571802 TI - Contamination of Urban Surface Water by Vehicle Emissions AB - Urban water management has been compromised by the addition of impervious surfaces as development spreads from central cities out to suburban areas. Many streams, rivers, and lakes are now sinks for stormwater that previously permeated into soils and recharged groundwater supplies. The problem is twofold. First, the quantity of stormwater runoff has increased due to the increasing size of developed catchment areas that include parking lots, roads, and other impermeable surfaces. Second, the quality of stormwater runoff has degraded as contaminants emitted from vehicles are washed from these surfaces into storm sewers and ultimately reach bodies of water without treatment. This project estimates the impact of vehicles on the quality of stormwater runoff using Syracuse as a case study. The project will obtain information on vehicle miles traveled in sections of the Syracuse metropolitan area and the amounts of various contaminants emitted and deposited on surfaces in the urban area. The project will use this information with precipitation intensity and frequency data to model the amount of each contaminant in stormwater runoff. The model results will be compared with concentration measurements for surface runoff collected in areas where input data are known. To the extent possible, a special effort will be made to use known markers of vehicle emissions to determine the contribution of local vehicles to the mix of mobile and stationary source emissions as well as long range transport of contaminants. The environmental pathways followed by vehicle contaminants in a watershed such as the Harbor Brook Watershed in Syracuse. Note that the contaminants are transferred from one environmental medium to another and may change form in the process. For example, a chemical species may be emitted from a vehicle as a particle, partially evaporate or degrade in the atmosphere before it deposits onto a surface, and then dissolve in storm water runoff. Hence following a contaminant moving through the environment may not necessarily be straightforward. KW - Contaminants KW - Drainage basins KW - Exhaust gases KW - Groundwater KW - Runoff KW - Syracuse (New York) KW - Water quality KW - Watersheds UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-004-contamination UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363411 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01506483 TI - Reducing Energy Use and Emissions through Innovative Technologies and Community Designs: Methodology and Application in Virginia AB - This project aims to quantify the impacts of growth and technology strategies at the regional level by using modeling, simulation, and visualization tools, with the overall goal of enhancing livability and sustainability. The most important research outcome is the creation of a modeling and simulation system capable of addressing interactions between land use, transportation, and emissions as the foundation for research on sustainable urban development strategies (e.g., compact growth and eco-friendly transportation information delivery). Such systems will be of interest to state and regional planning agencies as they attempt to reduce gasoline consumption and emissions. The noticeable outcomes of the project will include the development of a modeling framework for evaluation of strategies that encourage alternative mode usage and provide eco-information to travelers. The framework will be applied to a test-case (Hampton Roads region in Virginia), and the results will be documented in a technical report, academic papers, and presentations at transportation conferences. The outcomes of the project include planning tools that encourage the consideration, evaluation and implementation of more robust growth and eco-friendly transportation strategies. KW - Fuel consumption KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Land use planning KW - Mode choice KW - Pollutants KW - Quality of life KW - Sustainable development KW - Technological innovations KW - Urban development UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/dtrt12gutc17-energy UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1290684 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01625156 TI - Spatial Disaggregation of California Freight Demand AB - In recent years the role of statewide freighting forecasting models has been expanded to much finer levels of analysis than regional or even county levels, those being the most disaggregate spatial levels for which public freight data sources are typically available. In partnership with other state agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Intelligent Transportation System Irvine (ITSIrvine) has completed development for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) of the California Statewide Freight Forecasting Model (CSFFM). A critical challenge was to provide a framework for organic integration between the CSFFM and a finer spatial level such as that in the new California Statewide Travel Demand Model (CSTDM) to meet Caltrans and MPO needs. Factoring methods are currently largely used for disaggregating freight demand. Such methods cannot adequately capture the complex structure and behavior of freight movements, advances in logistics, information technology, and relocating infrastructure at the MPO level. One advantage of the CSFFM, modal path-based origin-destination (OD) representation, cannot be fully utilized by MPOs because factoring methods tend to break the chains of modal path-based information in the conversion to tripbased information. This research initially sought to explore and develop truck tour-based models for disaggregating CSFFM from an aggregate Freight Analysis Zone (FAZ) level to the more disaggregate Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) level in CSTDM, by using truck GPS data from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). Expected results included new and improved insights into the spatial and temporal operations of trucks at the urban and MPO level, contribution to the statewide-related component of urban freight modeling, and an evaluation of traffic and environmental impacts of state-level policies and air pollution mitigation strategies. However, after detailed investigation of the ATRI GPS data it was concluded that several problems with the data made it inadequate for disaggregating a CSFFM truck matrix for about 200 FAZs to the CSTDM 5000 TAZ level. Therefore, a new approach was developed. It involved estimation of a direct demand model at the CSFFM FAZ level using as inputs only independent variables readily available at CSTDM's level of aggregation and, as dependent variables, the final truck matrices estimated by CSFFM. CSFFM outputs can then be applied to CSTDM's zoning system with the resulting estimates being appropriately scaled. KW - California Department of Transportation KW - Forecasting KW - Freight traffic KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Logistics KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Origin and destination KW - Traffic analysis zones KW - Travel demand KW - Truck traffic UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1448967 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571800 TI - Develop Multi-Scale Energy and Emission Models for Arterial Traffic Systems AB - This research is to develop a tool for the assessment of short-term and medium-term effects of network-level, traffic flow improvement projects, including Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications, on the transportation network energy consumption and environment. This tool can be utilized to evaluate the energy and environmental impacts of alternative transportation-related projects to their implementation in the field, thus significantly reduce the energy and environmental impacts of transportation projects KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Intelligent transportation systems programs KW - Pollutants KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-003-energy-emission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363409 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571799 TI - Improve the Environment for a Livable Community: Advance the AERIS Program by Developing and Testing Eco-Traffic Signal System Control Applications TSU AB - The objective of this project is to: (1) establish rational relationships between environmental factors such as emissions and traffic signal system operations; (2) develop the means to acquire and process vehicle and traffic information relevant to arterial traffic signal control; and (3) provide environmentally sensitive response to traffic signal strategies and traveler information systems. Information required of vehicles and traffic sensors will support emissions estimation with two endeavors in mind. KW - Driver information systems KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Livable communities KW - Pollutants KW - Sensors KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-003-environment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363408 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566724 TI - Kendall Square:  Lessons Drawn from its Past Development to Guide its Future AB - This proposal examines Kendall Square development process  thanks to geographic information system (GIS) analyses, an accessibility and demand model  of the area  and  a System Dynamics approach, to gauge the impact of the system constraints. Several  parameters will be established to examine its economic contribution, and employees social costs, while providing as well some relevant Well-­Being indicators. The ultimate goal is to draw lessons to inform further development to this important area, which is part of the Massachusetts Avenue Living Laboratory (MALL).   KW - Accessibility KW - Development KW - Economic development KW - Geographic information systems KW - Massachusetts KW - Travel demand UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358370 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566723 TI - Urban Transportation Optimization: A Multi-modal Simulation-based Approach AB - The goal of this project is to enhance the livability of urban communities by mitigating urban congestion, as well as their sustainability by reducing city-wide energy consumption. The approach of this project is to develop simulation-based optimization (SO) techniques that identify multi-modal urban mobility strategies, which improve traditional congestion metrics (e.g. trip travel times, link densities), while also reducing energy consumption at the urban scale. This project embeds state-of-the-art multi-modal microscopic traffic simulators within novel SO techniques. These SO techniques are then used to address transit signal priority (TSP) problems for congested urban networks. Firstly, the project addresses traditional TSP problem. Secondly, the project integrates the traffic simulator with mode- and vehicle-specific energy consumption simulators. The integrated model is then used to address an energy-efficient TSP problem, where the derived signal plans improve both travel times and city-wide energy consumption patterns. By operating the transportation system in a more integrated manner, e.g. by accounting for multi-modal synergies and interactions, the project can enhance the use of the existing transportation infrastructure as well as the travel experience of its users. KW - Energy consumption KW - Mobility KW - Mode choice KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Sustainable development KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation KW - Transit signal priority KW - Urban transportation UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358369 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566192 TI - Travel Importance and Strategic Investment in Vermont's Transportation Assets AB - Studies of the stated preferences of travelers indicate that different travelers value trips differently and suggest that non-discretionary trips should be treated differently from discretionary trips. The current Network Robustness Index (NRI) calculation treats all trips as equally valuable and equally important. While treating all trips as equally important can be considered a socially-equitable approach and it is the approach that is most common in practice, this project argues that the inclusion of trip-importance with respect to the reason for a trip is needed to move toward a more efficient modeling approach which provides information that is useful for strategic re-investment and strategic disinvestment. This project proposes to include consideration of the reason for travel, and the monetary value of different trip purposes, into the NRI methodology. Including trip values in the modeling approach will allow decision-makers to examine the impacts of travel-time delays to both discretionary and non-discretionary passenger trips on the entire network. In addition, consideration will be given to how delays to freight may affect the network. The types of decisions that are affected include prioritization of maintenance and improvement projects, influencing of route-choices and emergency-routes, and the need for development of communications infrastructure. KW - Decision making KW - Discretionary trips KW - Network Robustness Index KW - Passenger transportation KW - Travel time KW - Travelers KW - Trip purpose UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/travel-importance-and-strategic-investment-in-vermonts-transportation-assets/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357363 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566190 TI - Work Zones and Travel Speeds: The Effects of Uniform Traffic Officers Speed Management Measures AB - Speeding is a significant contributing factor to crashes and injuries in work zones. The primary objective of this research is to assess the effectiveness of Uniform Traffic Officers (UTOs) and other speed mitigation measures used in work zones on maintaining safe travel speeds. Specifically, this project will examine at least three different types of work zone speed management scenarios: (1) Use physical traffic calming measures only (i.e., without any enforcement); (2) Employ UTOs when work zones are active; and (3) Perform targeted enforcement at selected periods. The travel speeds will be measured before, during, and after these scenarios to examine the effects of the interventions. KW - Highway safety KW - Speed control KW - Speed management KW - Speed measurement KW - Traffic calming KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Work zones UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/statistical-analysis-of-weigh-in-motion-data-to-validate-use-of-hl-93-aashto-vehicle-live-load-for-bridge-design-in-vermont/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357361 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566189 TI - Statistical Analysis of Weigh in Motion Data to Validate Use of HL-93 AASHTO Vehicle Live Load for Bridge Design in Vermont AB - The AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications prescribe the use of a design vehicular live load, designated as HL-93, consisting of a combination of a "design truck" plus a "design lane" or "design tandem" plus a "design lane" whichever creates the worst effect. These are not intended to represent any specific truck loading, or specific loading condition, but rather to provide a level of structural demand (in terms of bending moments, shears, deflections, etc.) such that it envelopes most vehicle loads that the bridge will be required to carry during its service life. The overall objective of the proposed research is to validate the use of the AASHTO HL-93 design vehicular live load for bridge design and rating in Vermont. The research methodology involves collecting/transferring/classifying data from WIM stations, statistical analysis of WIM truck data, high performance computing for stochastic structural analysis simulations and computation of the probability of exceedance of structural demands with respect to the LRFD HL-93 vehicular loading. At the end of the project, we will have a quantifiable estimate of the resulting structural reliability of bridges in Vermont if the HL-93 design load is adopted. KW - Bending moments KW - Bridge design KW - Deflection KW - Live loads KW - Shear strength KW - Vermont KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/statistical-analysis-of-weigh-in-motion-data-to-validate-use-of-hl-93-aashto-vehicle-live-load-for-bridge-design-in-vermont/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357360 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556674 TI - Big Data During Crisis: Lessons from Hurricane Irene AB - This project aims to evaluate the potential of leveraging big social data during a disaster or emergency to characterize transportation issues and monitor the dynamic needs of the affected population. The research is based on an in-depth case study of Hurricane Irene, where flooding severed transportation links to isolate communities from critical supplies. The project plans to engage agencies and organizations at the federal, state, municipal and grassroots levels to understand the needs of decision makers and define analytical requirements to leverage big data. The projects anticipates two primary contributions based on the in-depth case study of Hurricane Irene: (1) to characterize the potential of big data from social networks to complement sensor networks in creating actionable information in a crisis and (2) to further develop methodologies such as Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze these sources of big data. KW - Crisis management KW - Data collection KW - Decision making KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency management KW - Floods KW - Hurricane Irene, 2011 KW - Information dissemination KW - Social networking UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345953 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530512 TI - Efficient Utilization of The Existing ITS System and The Viability of A Proactive Traffic Management System for The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority System AB - There are a wide range of vehicle detection devices in use than ever before on freeways and expressways, starting from the popular inductive loops and magnetometers to videos and radar-based detectors. The Central Florida Expressway System utilizes Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system for Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) as well as for the provision of real-time information to motorists within the ATIS. Data are gathered using AVI tag readers that are installed for the purpose of toll collection and additional tag readers installed solely for the purpose of estimating travel times. The advent of the new ETC systems changed the way toll roads are designed and operated. ETC systems have the ability to easily support other value-added services on the same technology platform. These services might include but not be limited to fleet management systems, emergency response services, congestion pricing pay-as-you-drive insurance services and navigation capabilities. The aspect of tolling (a distance-base, a flat-rate or a congestion-base) and the type of facility and access (freeway, expressway or conventional road) play an important role in the structure and the spacing of the tag readers. The main objective of this research is to investigate the viability of using the AVI traffic data in the identification of freeway real-time "hot-spots" in a proactive traffic management framework. Guidelines will be provided to adapt the existing structure of the AVI system (e.g. locations, spacing, and archiving system) to provide more useful data. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Loop detectors KW - Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority KW - Real time information KW - Traffic data KW - Vehicle detectors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316147 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01517417 TI - Evaluation of Long Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete to Mitigate Earthquake Damage of Infrastructure Components AB - The proposed study involves investigating long carbon fiber reinforced concrete as a method of mitigating earthquake damage to bridges and other infrastructure components. Long carbon fiber reinforced concrete has demonstrated significant resistance to impact and blast loading. The carbon fibers will potentially reduce spalling and the degree of cracking during an earthquake event as well as increase the overall structural capacity. The scope of the research project includes testing of carbon fibers, development of a fiber-concrete composite material, and dynamic testing to evaluate the response of the material. KW - Blast loads KW - Carbon fibers KW - Composite materials KW - Cracking KW - Dynamic tests KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Spalling UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R288%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301310 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503467 TI - Seismic Performance of SCC Bridge Columns AB - Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is a specially proportioned hydraulic cement concrete that enables the fresh concrete to flow without segregation. Because of its high workability, SCC flows into narrow spaces and form corners, and around closely-spaced steel reinforcement without the need for mechanical vibration. In seismic regions such as Utah and part of Colorado in Transportation Region 8, the need for a large amount of confinement reinforcement to provide the required ductility often results in columns and joint regions with excessive steel congestion. Steel congestion hinders the placement and proper consolidation of conventional concrete. There are also cases when concrete repair and/or replacement are needed to fix localized damage in bridge structural elements following a seismic event. Highly flowable, yet non-segregating, concrete would be needed to perform the repairs. The high flowability and robustness of SCC make it ideal for the construction and repair of bridge columns and joints designed to meet seismic detailing. There is an evident lack of research to investigate the ductility and shear strength of SCC bridge columns and joints under seismic loads. In this proposed study, experimental and analytical work will be performed to evaluate the ductility and shear strength of columns and joints under reversed inelastic deformations. The objectives of this research projects are: (1) Develop a stress-strain model for SCC under uniaxial compressive stress; (2) Evaluate the ductility and shear capacity of SCC bridge columns under inelastic load reversal; and (3) Evaluate the ductility and shear capacity of SCC bridge columns-beam joints under inelastic load reversal. KW - Bridge columns KW - Bridges KW - Ductility KW - Seismicity KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear strength UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_402.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285594 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503187 TI - Thinking Outside the (Half-Mile) Circle: Using the Real Estate Market to Establish Variations in Light Rail Station Catchment Areas AB - This research empirically evaluates the extent of catchment zones for transit-oriented development (TOD) around light rail station areas using hedonic and spatial modeling techniques. Using a longitudinal approach, an assessment is conducted of how the real estate market capitalizes transit station proximity for retail and office land uses, as well as single-family and multi-family dwellings in Salt Lake County, Utah. The use of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) allows for an understanding of how this value capitalization varies not only by land use type, but also by station location and typology. The results of this work may reframe the planning of TODs, often constrained to within a half-mile circle around transit stations. An understanding of if and how the value of transit access extends beyond this half-mile circle into surrounding areas will be gained. Implications will be offered for how transit station and land-use planning can be improved to take better advantage of market opportunities. KW - Land use KW - Land use planning KW - Light rail transit KW - Location KW - Rail transit stations KW - Real property KW - Salt Lake County (Utah) KW - Transit oriented development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285237 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01501220 TI - Street Standards as Parking Policy: Identifying Residents' Willingness to Pay AB - Local governments in the United States adopt the minimum street width requirement which is wide enough to provide one or two parking lanes on residential streets, making it a de facto parking policy. Such a parking mandate produces wide residential streets with a large amount (between 740 million and 1.5 billion) of free parking spaces, costing trillions of dollars of extra investments in roads, while encouraging urban sprawl, reducing the water infiltration rate, increasing the heat island effect, degrading ecosystems, increasing the cost of infrastructure and housing, encouraging dependency on automobiles, and contributing to increasing congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite all the externalities, the rationale of the parking mandate in street standards remains largely undefined. The preliminary research suggests that technical or safety concerns (fire, traffic, accidents, emergent vehicles, etc.) are unlikely to be the true motivation of the policy. Another explanation might be that residents like street parking and therefore are willing to pay for it. This viewpoint is partly supported by the fact that many residents choose to park on streets when have multiple options, and/or use garages for storage purposes. Although sufficient willingness to pay (WTP) is not an excuse to justify (and the lack of WTP is not an excuse to invalidate) government intervention, a clear depiction of WTP could help evaluate street standards as a parking policy. If WTP exceeds the cost of providing street parking, the parking mandate in street standards may represent an efficient government regulation in the parking market, while the deregulation of street parking mandate (as seen in private communities) may lead to market failure (under-supply of street parking). As such, the parking mandate should be sustained. However, if WTP is less than the cost of street parking provision, this parking mandate may represent the excessive government regulation that forces developers to over-supply and residents to over-consume parking, which distorts both the housing and parking markets. If this is the case, street parking should be unbundled from street standards and become optional to residential developments. This proposed research is a follow-up of the earlier work and will quantify the WTP through direct surveys of residents in Las Vegas. The targeted survey pool is 6,000 households randomly selected from all households in Las Vegas. Both contingent valuation (CV) and stated preference (SP) methods will be used to capture the WTP. Discrete choice models and interval regression will be used to understand the determinants of WTP for residential street parking. KW - Heat island effect KW - Las Vegas (Nevada) KW - On street parking KW - Parking KW - Parking facilities KW - Parking policy KW - Standards KW - Stated preferences KW - Streets KW - Surveys KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/street-standards-parking-policy UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1280105 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497116 TI - Using Flocculation to Reduce Turbidity of Construction Site Runoff AB - The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is in the process of developing a new regulation on turbidity for the stormwater runoff from construction sites. Construction of highways usually requires large areas of land disturbance which may result in accelerated soil erosion. The stormwater runoff from highway construction sites typically contains a large amount of fine silt and clay particles that are difficult to remove using conventional best management practices (BMPs) such as silt fences, mulching, and sedimentation basins. It is crucial to develop technologies that can effectively reduce the turbidity of runoff from highway construction sites in order to meet future regulations and protect natural water resources. Polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculation has been demonstrated to be a cost-effective and practical BMP for erosion and sediment control. The application of PAM in construction sites requires an evaluation of specific soil types and climate conditions. The goal of this research is to determine the effectiveness of PAM flocculation to reduce the runoff turbidity level for highway construction sites in South Dakota. KW - Best practices KW - Erosion control KW - Flocculating agents KW - Road construction KW - Runoff KW - Sedimentation KW - Silt fence KW - South Dakota KW - Turbidity UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-436.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266467 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497115 TI - Fiber Reinforced Concrete for Structure Component AB - Deterioration of concrete is one of the major causes for poor performance and shortened life expectancy of road way infrastructures nationwide. Transportation departments are challenged to extend the service life of PCC (Portland cement concrete) structural components such as columns, bridge decks, and abutments in light of budget constraints. Because traditional concrete material has very poor resistance to tensile stress, reinforced structures often experience cracking and spalling, leading to accelerated corrosion of imbedded reinforcement, failure under severe loading, and lack of durability. One technology that may generate promising solution to this longevity problem is applying fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) material to these dynamically loaded structural components. Originated in the 1950's, concrete material reinforced with steel (SFRC), glass (GFRC), and synthetic fibers such as polypropylene fibers has been used in many structural engineering applications for several decades. It has a solid reputation for superior resistance to crack development and abrasion. Studies also indicated improvement on strength, ductility, resistance to dynamic loading, and resistance to freeze-thaw effects. Because of these improved properties, FRC has been used in many forms including bridge deck, repair, and building beam column connections. Currently, there is a wide variety of FRC products available for engineering applications, the applicability and cost-effectiveness of different products has not been evaluated systematically for the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) in the past. There are many variables in the adoption of FRC products. Micro-synthetic or larger (macro) fibers are manufactured from polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon and other synthetic materials such as carbon, aramid and other acrylics. Depending on fiber type and application, dosage rates may range from 0.03 to 0.2% by volume of concrete (0.5 to 3.0 lb/y3). Engineers find it challenging to interpret performance claims by manufacturers based on unstandardized testing procedures and what seem to be high fiber dosage recommendations. KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Polypropylene KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Service life KW - South Dakota KW - Structural analysis KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-437.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266466 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497114 TI - Calibration of HSM Predictive Methods on Rural State and Local Highways AB - Defining safety performance expectations is a challenge for transportation agencies. The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) provides guidance for safety analysis using scientific and statistically sound methods. Given the expense of engineering studies and limited funding, safety reviews based on expected safety performance are a useful way to identify hot spots in a highway network as well as sight-specific safety problems. Predictive crash models, as formulated in Equation 1, pinpoint sites with great promise for crash reduction on the basis of decades of safety research and statistical analysis. KW - Crash reduction factors KW - Guidelines KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Rural highways KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-438.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266465 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497113 TI - Precast Bridge Girder Details for Improved Performance AB - Many bridges on the local highway system need replacement. Local governments rely on the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) to help replace the deficient bridges. With limited resources, SDDOT can only help replace about 30 bridges statewide each year, causing a backlog of local bridges in need of replacement. The current standard bridge used in these replacements is the double tee precast girder bridge for its relatively low construction cost, outsourced design, and short construction duration. The expected design life of these bridges was 50 to 70 years, but some built less than 40 years ago already need replacement. The most common problem is that longitudinal joints become damaged over time, most likely due to inadequate shear transfer between the girders, allowing water and debris to enter the joints. It is only a matter of time before the joint begins to spall, creating a path for moisture to reach the prestressing steel, initiate corrosion, and degrade the structural capacity of the bridge. It should also be noted that the double tee should be designed for girder continuity, often achieved by a reinforced concrete overlay or transverse posttensioning. Many local bridges are not designed for girder continuity, however, resulting in longitudinal joint deterioration and a non-redundant structure. KW - Deterioration KW - Girder bridges KW - Longitudinal joints KW - Posttensioning KW - Precast concrete KW - Service life KW - South Dakota KW - Spalling UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-439.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266464 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497112 TI - Tolerances for Placement of Tie Bars in Portland Cement Concrete Pavements AB - Tie bars provide load transfer along longitudinal joints and prevent lane separation in jointed concrete pavements. Tie bars are normally located within the middle third of the pavement thickness and span the longitudinal joint of two slabs. Tie bars are placed by staking or by using tie bar baskets prior to the placement of the concrete or during paving via automatic inserters. Inspection of South Dakota pavements after construction using ground penetrating radar (GPR) has revealed that many bars were misaligned or missing. More bars were reported missing or misaligned when automatic inserters were used. Many states, including South Dakota, have banned the use of automatic inserters based on a lack of confidence regarding the placement of tie bars. The long-term effect on the pavement from misaligned or missing bars is unknown, but it can be assumed that additional maintenance costs and reduced pavement life are both possible. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Longitudinal joints KW - Misalignments KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Service life KW - South Dakota KW - Tie bars UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-440.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266463 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497111 TI - Developing a Pavement Management System for Small Communities AB - Transportation infrastructure (such as road, bridges, bicycle path, and pedestrian walks) plays a big role in the city public works since it is directly related to community planning and public safety. There is an obvious need that an efficient management tool should be developed for resource allocating, decision making and long-range planning. Significant advances have been made during the last decade in developing infrastructure asset management systems. However, municipal cities have difficulties in implementing asset management systems for various reasons, including inadequate staff and limited usage of condition and inventory data, a lack of training, and others. A small city, for example, might have a limited budget for infrastructure maintenance and a shortage of manpower and technical resources. Therefore, research is needed to review the current practice on transportation asset management at county and municipal levels and provide useful recommendations to local government agencies. Pavement management is a concept that involves the coordination, scheduling, and accomplishment of all activities performed by a highway agency in the process of providing adequate pavements for the public. The system approach to pavement management is a rational, highly structured process that attempts to achieve the best value possible for the public funds expended to provide pavements. Of course, management decisions are made each day in the course of normal operations of highway agencies. The purpose of a pavement management system (PMS) is to improve the efficiency of this decision-making process, expand its scope, provide feedback regarding the consequences of decisions and the results of activities, and ensure the consistency of decisions made at different levels within the same organization. KW - Asset management KW - Condition surveys KW - Decision making KW - Local government agencies KW - Pavement management systems KW - Recommendations KW - Resource allocation KW - Small communities UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-441.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266462 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01497109 TI - Bridge Structure Alternatives for Local Roads AB - South Dakota local governments own 1,959 bridges 40 feet or less in length and nearly half need replacement soon. The South Dakota Department of Transportation's (SDDOT)Local Government Assistance office provides local government access to federal funding, technical expertise, and administrative assistance with bridge replacement projects, but current funding limits only allow assistance with approximately 30 bridge replacements statewide per year. Local government bridge replacement projects funded with federal aid must comply with current SDDOT design standards and federal regulations. Some federal requirements significantly increase a project's construction time and cost, but if federal funds are not used, short span bridge projects could waive some requirements and potentially have significantly lower cost without compromising safety, structural capacity, or durability. Due to current federal funding limitations and increasing replacement needs, local governments are forced to make selective replacement decisions and delay many other bridge replacements by imposing load limits and closing bridges. Once the Local Government Assistance office has helped program a local bridge in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), there is up to a ten year wait before a bridge will be replaced. Many bridges cannot wait for replacement without forcing local government decision makers to post load limits or close bridges. Local governments have an immediate need for low life-cycle cost bridge replacement alternatives. KW - Bridges KW - Construction projects KW - Federal government KW - Life cycle costing KW - Load limits KW - Regulations KW - Replacement (Bridges) KW - South Dakota UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2013-mpc-443.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266460 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01496999 TI - Structural Health Monitoring of Highway Bridges Subjected to Overweight Trucks, Phase I - Instrumentation Development and Validation AB - State departments of transportation (DOTs) in the West are under increasing pressure to permit and route overweight trucks transporting machinery and equipment for the energy sector through their state and interstate highway systems. DOT engineers are called upon daily to rate their bridges for overweight trucks to determine appropriate truck routing and to assess the impacts of the trucks on bridge safety and durability. Many of these overweight trucks have nonstandard configurations, which further complicates the rating and permitting process. Hence, it is critical that bridge engineers in the DOTs develop confidence that their bridge analysis and rating software accurately predicts the response of bridges to overweight trucks, especially for those bridges on the most frequently traveled routes. This confidence can be gained through the proposed project, in which software analysis and rating results for overweight trucks will be correlated to direct field measurements of the response of bridges when loaded by those same trucks. KW - Highway bridges KW - Interstate highways KW - Load factor KW - Overweight loads KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Trucks UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_366.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1266299 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01492606 TI - Transportation Model in the Boston Metropolitan Area from Origin Destination Matrices Generated with Big Data AB - Origin destination matrices (OD) constitute the basic representation of the travel demand in cities; they are crucial for traffic assignment, decisions about commercial and residential planning, as well as quantifying the usage of road infrastructures. OD calibrated models are a classical example of a challenge due to the lack of data. This is because ODs are currently based on travel surveys that are limited in size, get outdated and are very expensive to generate. The aim of this proposal is to augment current travel demand models of the Great Boston Metropolitan Area with the mobility information of 680,000 mobile phone users collected over several months, and to develop transportation applications for the region. The first specific goal is to use this information to augment current travel models of the region and explore the impact of this data transfer into the conventional models. Second, we will use the big data generated ODs to develop a study of the resilience of road networks. Additionally, we will investigate urban mobility choices related to point of interests (POIs) in the city and the social network of the same mobile phone users that generate the ODs. KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Mode choice KW - Origin and destination KW - Points of interest KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic data KW - Travel demand KW - Travel surveys UR - http://utc.mit.edu/research-4 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261849 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01492605 TI - Technology Adoption and Use Across the Lifespan: The Impact of Typeface on Driver Distraction AB - Fonts are a critical design element of any user interface that portrays a style and identity. In safety critical applications such as driving an automobile, basic readability and the ability to quickly target and identify information of interest is critical to reducing workload and preventing distraction. The importance of providing a driver with a visual user interface in which controls can be rapidly identified and information easily read appears self-evident. It appears that the fonts commonly used in vehicle interfaces may not provide an optimal level of legibility for the glance based viewing requirements of an in-vehicle display. While significant investment has been placed on typeface optimization in respect to the driver vehicle interfaces (e.g. ISO 15008, 2009) these standards are informed by traditional stamped media and primarily focus on the extrinsic characteristics of the font's display (size, weight color, etc.), not the intrinsic characteristics of the font's individual letter forms and the characteristics of modern electronic display. This project aims to assess a select set of hypotheses on aspects of typeface design and its impact on driver behavior. The overall goal of this work will be to assess the impact of font legibility on driver behavior and the potential reduction in driver distraction. KW - Distraction KW - Sign legend typefaces KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic signs KW - Variable message signs KW - Visibility UR - http://utc.mit.edu/research-4 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261848 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01492604 TI - t-HUB: Connecticut Public Transport Data Hub AB - Accurate prediction of traffic congestion is essential for efficient highway operations and planning studies. Prevalent data collection and monitoring relies on human operators or fixed sensors, and hence, cannot systematically acquire dynamic information about vehicle behaviors such as acceleration, deceleration, and steering necessary for detailed modeling and analysis. We propose to investigate the use of smart phone technology to facilitate dynamic data collection. The smart phone application will be initially tested on the transportation network surrounding the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs. To demonstrate the potential for technology transfer to highway monitoring, the portion of Interstate 84 running through Hartford will then be targeted for data collection. The smart phone application will securely transmit trip data over the Internet to servers hosted at UConn for statistical analysis and model development. The proposed models will be validated against real data feeds provided by our collaborators at Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT). This research will enable real-time data fusion for efficient operation of transportation networks, a major focus of the t-HUB living laboratory at UConn. The smartphone application will be made available to t-HUB partners to promote a deeper understanding of regional demand, which will enhance regional transportation monitoring and planning efforts. KW - Data collection KW - Hartford (Connecticut) KW - Highway operations KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic surveillance UR - http://utc.mit.edu/research-4 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261847 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489804 TI - Spoken Dialog Planning to Reduce User Distraction in Mobile Environments AB - This project proposes to explore dialog strategies that can be employed by conversational human-machine interfaces to minimize user distraction in driving or pedestrian scenarios. The project proposes to develop and evaluate dialog strategies that pay attention to contextual information available from the vehicle or smartphone to learn effective strategies for interacting with the user. If successful, these methods will enable the user to more effectively pace the flow of the interaction, resulting in less distraction from their primary cognitive task. The project will evaluate these mechanisms in the context of a sophisticated conversational interface in both a driving simulator and in a pedestrian navigation through the Massachusetts Avenue Living Laboratory. KW - Cognition KW - Distraction KW - Driving simulators KW - Flow KW - Information dissemination KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Smartphones UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259275 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489803 TI - Capturing the Relationship between Motility, Mobility and Well-Being Using Smartphones AB - Understanding and incorporating measures of travel well-being in transportation research is critical for the design and evaluation of policies aiming at enhancing well-being. In recent years several efforts have been made to quantify travelers' subjective well-being using travelers' self-reported state of happiness while participating in various activities or travel patterns. But, in line with Amartya Sen's capability approach, it is argued that the well-being of a person is derived not only from what a person actually does or is (i.e. a person's achieved functionings) but also from his/her capabilities, i.e. the feasible alternative forms of functionings that he/she could have achieved or could have been. So far, a very limited number of studies have been conducted specifically in the field of transportation to measure well-being of travelers derived from their potential of mobility (can be related to accessibility in a broader sense) i.e. from motility. The limitations of conventional survey methods to collect uninterrupted and comprehensive information about the activities and travel spaces of people have primarily restricted the number of such studies. In this research, the investigators propose to conduct surveys and measure mobility patterns using smart phone technology (enabled with GPS, GSM, Wi-Fi and accelerometer) which will overcome the limitations of conventional surveys and will assist in developing novel measures of well-being based on a traveler's mobility potentials i.e. from motility. It is anticipated that by providing travelers with feedback about their own travel choices and the travel choices of their peer group, the project will be able to influence travelers to make conscious decisions which will ultimately contribute to enhancing their travel well-being and encourage them to shift towards more sustainable transport behavior. This proposal contributes to the University Transportation Center (UTC) theme of development of livability performance measures. KW - Accessibility KW - Global Positioning System KW - Mobility KW - Policy making KW - Smartphones KW - Travel patterns KW - Travel surveys KW - Travelers KW - Well-being KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259274 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489799 TI - Determining Performance Measures to Evaluate the Effect of High Speed Rail on Communities' Livability AB - The experience in Europe and Asia has proven that high-speed rail (HSR) could play a key role in the integration and enhancement of different communities. The success of HSR depends on effective planning: Connecting HSR with other transportation modes, especially commuter rail, and considering its relation to land policy, will enable the creation of mega-regions in which networks of communities are linked to provide greater mobility options and access to economic opportunity. However, it is difficult to evaluate these impacts using traditional transportation performance measures, which are usually mode- or sector-specific. This project will address the choice of adequate performance measures that are able to capture these effects. These performance measures will provide a framework under which decision makers will be able to evaluate different transportation alternatives in a multimodal and land-use context. In order to do that, a representation of the main subsystems involved in community transportation planning will be developed. A set of performance measures will then be proposed, aimed at capturing the main interactions between different subsystems. The performance measurements will also be considered in relation to the institutions and agencies likely to implement them, as well as the data necessary to support them. As a proof-of-concept, these performance measures will be used to evaluate different HSR implementation alternatives in the Northeast Corridor (NEC) of the US, to demonstrate their ability to capture the effects of interest and guide decision-making. KW - Communities KW - Community livability KW - Decision making KW - High speed rail KW - Land use planning KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Performance measurement KW - Railroad commuter service UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259270 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489798 TI - Disaster Recovery for Transportation: China's Wenchuan Earthquake of 2008 and Japan's Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 AB - Two major countries in East Asia have recently experienced catastrophic natural disasters: the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan province in the People's Republic of China, and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake/tsunami in eastern Japan. Each severely disrupted transportation infrastructure and services. Given the need both for emergency transportation to bring assistance to survivors and begin the task of reconstruction and recovery and for restoration of regular transportation service, the governments of both countries gave significant priority to the large task of restoring and/or reconfiguring transportation infrastructure and operations in the disaster-affected regions. This project examines decision-making and implementation of policies to restore transportation. It gives particular attention to the tension between simply replicating infrastructure/services that previously existed and using the opportunity of the disaster to rethink the nature of the transportation network and operations in order to make choices appropriate for current and future needs in the region. In doing so, the project will consider the politics of transportation decision making, including contention over a vision of the region's future, among different stakeholders and between local and central government policy makers; the economics and budget issues in restoring infrastructure; and the operational and management challenges of transportation recovery. Where appropriate, comparisons will be made to parallel experiences in the United States, as described in the professional literature. KW - China KW - Decision making KW - Disasters KW - Earthquakes KW - Economics KW - Emergency transportation KW - Implementation KW - Infrastructure KW - Japan KW - Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, Japan, 2011 UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259269 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489795 TI - A Decision Support System to Assess Disruptive Impacts of Alternative Transportation Financing Approaches AB - Central to the development and preservation of a safe and efficient multimodal transportation system is the establishment of a comprehensive set of financing approaches to ensure that proper transportation system investments are made on a continuing and systemic basis. The objective of this research is to initiate the development of a decision support system (DSS) to assist State Departments of Transportation in the formulation and evaluation of alternative transportation financing approaches. Such approaches include user based approaches such as tolls, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees, restructured fuel tax schemes, and transit fares, and where necessary and appropriate such approaches employ innovative pricing strategies and disruptive technologies including infrastructure based, in-vehicle, telecommunication, and personal digital technologies and devices. KW - Decision support systems KW - Driver information systems KW - Fares KW - Financial analysis KW - Fuel taxes KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259266 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489794 TI - Moving Map Displays: Using CTIL and Eye Tracking Technologies to Measure Distraction in Locomotive Cabs AB - Distraction is more and more of a problem in the cabs of modern locomotives. The train crash in California in 2008 points all too clearly to the dangers of distraction inside the cab, texting in this case. While many distracting activities associated with personal electronic devices can be outlawed, there are good reasons to consider introducing into the cab advances in technology such as Positive Train Control (PTC) that, despite their obvious benefits, can also potentially increase distraction. The Cab Technology Integration Laboratory (CTIL) at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center represents a unique opportunity to study the extent to which advanced locomotive cab displays are distracting. With this in mind, the project is proposing to develop a general protocol for identifying whether an interface inside the cab distracts engineers and, if so, just how much of an increase in risk it creates. The project will use a moving map display as a prototype for an interface (parts or all of which will be in future PTC displays). This research, and the research of others, indicates that the distribution of the glance durations away from the forward view is the key to understanding distraction. As such, the project will measure the eye movements of experienced engineers on a commuter run from Providence to Boston (or equivalent) where various events occur which require the engineer's full attention. The project will determine whether the percentage of especially long glances of the engineers using the moving map display is significantly greater than the same percentage of glances of the engineers without access to this display. The project will determine whether the engineers using the moving map display are more likely to miss critical events. KW - Cabs (Vehicle compartments) KW - Distraction KW - Eye movements KW - Maps KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad crashes KW - Technological innovations KW - Text messaging UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259265 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489793 TI - A Person-based Comparison of Transit Preferential Treatments on Signalized Arterial Corridors AB - The need for efficient and sustainable management of multimodal transportation systems is steadily increasing due to growing demand in urban networks that are already reaching capacity. Transit preferential treatments are promising strategies for reducing delays for transit vehicles and improving person mobility. However, the exact impact of such strategies, individually or combined, on the person carrying capacity and person delay of signalized arterial corridors are yet to be determined. The proposed research aims in developing a methodology for evaluating the impact of transit preferential treatments on the person carrying capacity and person delay of a signalized arterial corridor. Transit preferential treatments include both changes in the facility design, such as exclusive bus lanes and intermittent bus lanes, and in the signal control design, such as transit signal priority strategies. The proposed methodology will be evaluated analytically and validated through simulation on a ten-intersection signalized arterial. In addition to the methodology that will be developed, the outcomes of the proposed research are general guidelines on preferential treatments or combinations of treatments that can improve person mobility under different traffic and transit operating characteristics. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bus lanes KW - Highway capacity KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259264 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489792 TI - Hybrid NFC and Vision Based Navigation System in Subways for the Blind and Visually Impaired AB - 61 million Americans are considered to be at high risk of serious vision loss if they have diabetes, had a vision problem, or are over the age of 65. Among the range of public spaces through which the visually impaired must travel, subway stations present unique challenges which impede independent travel, significantly reducing the ability of the visually impaired to work and travel, seriously affecting their quality of life. This research will contribute to the conceptualization, development and overall realization of ubiquitous intelligence in subway environments, which will constitute a stepping stone for developing a novel subway navigation system for visually impaired users. The system can be used by visually impaired persons independently, without the assistance of another individual. Therefore, the system has significant promise to increase the independence of persons who are blind and thus to increase their life quality. KW - Accessibility KW - Navigation KW - Quality of life KW - Subways KW - Vision disorders KW - Visually impaired persons UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259263 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489791 TI - A Spatial Learning Model for the Micro-Simulation of Travel Dynamics AB - The objective of this project is to develop and calibrate a computational process model of spatial learning through navigation, for the micro-simulation of travel dynamics where individual travelers' decision-making is simulated. Travel decisions are usually made in large spatial environment, and therefore spatial knowledge is an important moderator in the decision-making process. Prior research in environmental psychology, geography and artificial intelligence has shown that spatial knowledge is usually incomplete, distorted, and idiosyncratic depending on personal experience. The assumption of complete and precise spatial knowledge in all current travel micro-simulation models is thus problematic. This project aims at closing the gap between theory and practice by enhancing and calibrating an existing computational process model of spatial learning (Gopal et al., 1989) using smartphone tracking data over a multi-month period. The model, once incorporated in an overall travel micro-simulation framework, can potentially improve the realism and policy sensitivity of the simulation. KW - Data collection KW - Decision making KW - Learning KW - Smartphones KW - Spatial analysis KW - Tracking systems KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259262 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489790 TI - Cognitive Maps for Route Choice Modeling AB - The objective of this project is to investigate the utility of cognitive maps in modeling route choice behavior. Cognitive map is the knowledge of spatial objectives and relations stored in human beings' long-term memory, which is the basis for spatial reasoning (e.g., where one is) and decision-making (e.g., where to conduct a given activity, and how to go from one place to another). It is a long-researched area in environmental psychology, geography and artificial intelligence, and has been shown to be incomplete, distorted, and idiosyncratic (depending on travel history and personal traits). The current travel behavior and traffic network modeling literature however almost unanimously assumes a cartographic map (complete and precise spatial knowledge) for individual travelers. It seems that this is not due to ignorance, but the lack of suitable mechanisms to operationalize cognitive maps in travel behavior modeling (Golledge and Garling, 2004). This research thus contributes to the state-of-the-art by (1) presenting a methodology to externalize cognitive maps and use them in an econometric route choice model, and (2) providing empirical evidence on the virtue of cognitive map in terms of providing more accurate route choice predictions under both normal and disrupted traffic conditions. KW - Behavior KW - Cognition KW - Decision making KW - Highway operations KW - Mapping KW - Route choice KW - Travel behavior UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259261 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489789 TI - Robust Performance of Transportation Networks Using Quantile Metrics AB - State of the art in transport network modeling is based on the estimation of travel demands between origins and destinations (O-D matrices) by various techniques. The analysis culminates with a network assignment procedure that generates the volumes and costs associated with those volumes on the links and paths of the network. This study will develop new metrics for transport network assessment by taking explicit account of demand variability and uncertainty. The metrics consist of the calculation of quantile network costs. The assessment methodology can lead to improved decision-making in transport planning and operations and can be used to develop management and control strategies that result in more robust network performance. Innovative contributions consist of: (1) Characterization of O-D demand variability using living laboratory data. (2) Development of p-quantile metrics for network performance. (3) Computational procedures to assess performance using p-quantile metrics. (4) Calculation of robust controls using different strategies. KW - Decision making KW - Networks KW - Origin and destination KW - Quantiles KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259260 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489788 TI - Evaluating the Effects of Integrated Training on Minimizing Driver Distraction AB - Distracted driving is estimated to contribute to over 22 percent of all crashes and near-crashes and is directly involved in the deaths of nearly 6,000 individuals each year. This total will only get worse as in-vehicle technologies proliferate. There are three different types of distraction: distraction which is caused by glances away from the forward roadway inside the vehicle, distraction which is caused by glances away from the forward roadway at objects outside the vehicle, and distraction which occurs when the driver's eyes, but not the driver's mind, is attending to the road ahead. Research, some in the lab, shows that novice, inexperienced drivers are much more likely to be distracted than older, experienced drivers. The project has developed PC-based training programs that reduce both the likelihood that novice drivers are distracted by secondary tasks inside the vehicle (FOCAL) and the likelihood that drivers will fail to anticipate hazards while attending to the forward roadway (RAPT). The training programs have been evaluated in the field immediately after training and up to a year after training and both prove to be effective. This project is proposing a program of research in which the project will develop a PC-based training program that addresses all three forms of distraction and introduce it into the driver education curricula of ten driving schools throughout Massachusetts. The comprehensive training program will take only 90 minutes to complete. The New England University Transportation Center has been working with driving schools in western Massachusetts for some 15 years and all have expressed an interest in using the program to be developed in their curricula. The evaluation approach will be twofold. Initially the project will gather and analyze crash and citation data on some 300 trained and 300 untrained novice drivers up to 12 months after training. Additionally, the project will separately evaluate approximately 10 percent of participants (30 trained and 30 untrained) and measure their performance with regards to distraction-related elements during an instrumented drive. KW - Crash data KW - Distraction KW - Driver information systems KW - Driver training KW - Integrated systems KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259259 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489787 TI - Modeling Drivers' Lateral Motion Control AB - Vehicle lateral motion including lane change, merging, and turning is a major contributor to traffic accidents. Realistic modeling of drivers' lateral motion control can not only improve the understanding of the mechanisms that trigger these accidents but also permit the design of advanced systems that are capable of warning drivers of potential hazard during lateral movements. Departing from conventional, descriptive approach to modeling vehicle lateral motion which fits statistical models to field data, this research takes an explanatory approach by capturing the mechanism that underlies drivers' lateral motion control. A clear understanding of what factors are involved in driver lateral control and how these factors function in driver decision-making will lead to the formulation of Lateral Control Model. This model will incorporate lane changing and gap acceptance decisions into a single model and apply to both highways and intersections. This research responds to the Grant Theme of Safety. In particular the research focuses on not only human factors research as it relates to elderly drivers but also technology-related research which leads to better traffic simulators and on-board lateral collision warning systems. KW - Crash causes KW - Decision making KW - Drivers KW - Gap acceptance KW - Lane changing KW - Merging traffic KW - Traffic crashes KW - Warning devices UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259258 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489786 TI - Reducing Older Driver Crashes: Technology, Training and Livable Communities AB - Adults seventy years old and older are at a greatly inflated risk of crashing at intersections. This problem will only worsen as the number of baby boomers swells the ranks of older adults. Recent studies have identified advances in technology that make it possible to reduce the unsafe behaviors that lead to these crashes and provide customized feedback and training to older drivers. In one such study, older drivers' vehicles were equipped with cameras that could be used to determine whether drivers scanned in intersections for potential threats from the side or in front. They did so in only 40% of the intersections. Those who were filmed were then assigned to one of two training groups. Individuals in the active training group were (a) shown examples from his or her own video in which the individual failed to look at intersections for threat vehicles and (b) allowed to practice looking for threat vehicles at intersections on an advanced driving simulator. Those in the passive training group were given only a lecture in which they were told explicitly that they needed to look for potential threat vehicles at intersections. Evaluated two years later, the active training group looked for potential threats at 80% of the intersections, up from 40% before training. The passive training group continued to look for threat vehicles only 40% of the time. This project is proposing a program of research in which to develop and evaluate both iPad and low-cost driving simulator-based training programs that can be freely and widely disseminated, eliminating the need for videotaping in the field and high-cost driving simulators. The project will evaluate 63 older adults in the field before and after training using an eye tracker to record glance behavior at intersections. Crash and citations records will be gathered as well. The modules are designed to complement broader older driver training programs like those developed by the AAA or the AARP. KW - Accident prone drivers KW - Aged drivers KW - Behavior KW - Driver training KW - Driving simulators KW - Eye movements KW - Intersections UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259257 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489785 TI - ITS Equipment Placement for Safety and Mobility AB - This proposal will present an optimization model for placing variable message signs (VMS) on an integrated freeway-arterial network based on safety and mobility criteria. Compared with existing models, the proposed model represents a well-balanced compromise between computational efficiency required to solve problems of realistic size, and model realism to ensure the quality of solutions. The goal of this project is to provide state agencies with a decision support model that supplements the state-of-the-art practice of mostly relying on the experience and judgment of professionals. KW - Arterial highways KW - Best practices KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Safety KW - State of the art KW - Variable message signs UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259256 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489784 TI - Security & Privacy Breaches in ETPS: Problem Survey & Case Study of I-90 AB - Electronic Transportation Payment Systems, ETPS, generate increased revenues that finance transportation infrastructure. Additionally, ETPS installments often create increased traffic operational efficiency and environmental benefits. As long as ETP systems are secure and protect user privacy, they will continue to increase in popularity. However, there may be a price to pay for increased security. Adoption of security algorithms on electronic transponders, for instance, may affect traffic operations negatively. Congestion, queuing and delay may be a consequence of added algorithms that increase payment transaction times. This research has a twofold purpose. First, investigators will determine the extent and severity of the security and privacy breaches on electronic transportation payment systems. An online survey reporting ETPS breach events occurring worldwide over the last ten years will be developed. Frequency of occurrence for each of the 10 types of security and privacy breaches will be monitored. In addition, researchers will investigate one case study, the ETPS on the I-90 Massachusetts Turnpike. Plaza traffic during the peak rush hour will be simulated using VISSIM traffic software. Real data such as approach volumes and vehicle and plaza characteristics will serve as input. Simulations with and without added transaction times will be created at several plazas. The impact on traffic operations due to the added transaction times in a range of milliseconds as well as seconds will be investigated. KW - Automatic fare collection KW - Highway operations KW - Interstate 90 KW - Massachusetts KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Privacy KW - Security KW - Surveys KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic simulation KW - Transponders UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259255 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489782 TI - Automated Congestion Prediction with Smart Phones AB - Accurate prediction of traffic congestion is essential for efficient highway operations and planning studies. Prevalent data collection and monitoring relies on human operators or fixed sensors, and hence, cannot systematically acquire dynamic information about vehicle behaviors such as acceleration, deceleration, and steering necessary for detailed modeling and analysis. The project proposes to investigate the use of smart phone technology to facilitate dynamic data collection. The smart phone application will be initially tested on the transportation network surrounding the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs. To demonstrate the potential for technology transfer to highway monitoring, the portion of Interstate 84 running through Hartford will then be targeted for data collection. The smart phone application will securely transmit trip data over the Internet to servers hosted at UConn for statistical analysis and model development. The proposed models will be validated against real data feeds provided by our collaborators at ConnDOT. This research will enable real-time data fusion for efficient operation of transportation networks, a major focus of the t-HUB living laboratory at UConn. The smartphone application will be made available to t-HUB partners to promote a deeper understanding of regional demand, which will enhance regional transportation monitoring and planning efforts. KW - Data collection KW - Highway operations KW - Real time data processing KW - Smartphones KW - Statistical analysis KW - Technology transfer KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel demand UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259253 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489781 TI - Investigation of Road and Roadside Design Elements Associated with Elderly Pedestrian Safety AB - This project will investigate factors associated with senior pedestrian crash severity relative to non-seniors and the extent to which observations of conflict severity between senior pedestrians and vehicles are adequate indicators of the actual crash severity. The project will also explore the sensitivity of the findings to the size of sample drawn from a large database consisting of all crashes involving pedestrians in Connecticut from 1995 to 2011. The project will draw several repeated random samples of crashes involving senior pedestrians and non-senior pedestrians from the large crash database, merge each of these samples against a database containing the road and roadside characteristics, fit suitable regression, and then use meta-analysis methods to combine information from the repeated samples to obtain a robust covariate selection. Conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles will be observed using a variation of the Swedish Traffic Conflicts Technique, and classified by estimated age of the pedestrian and the severity of the conflict. Observations will be made at locations specifically targeted for having characteristics found to be associated with senior pedestrian crash severity relative to non-seniors. The project proposes a statistical test of association between conflict severity and crash severity based on data obtained through the field observation and sampled from the crash database. The project also proposes a hierarchical regression of crash severity on road and road characteristics as well as conflicts severity, where conflicts severity is itself modeled as a function of relevant predictors. The project will acquire data from the Connecticut Crash Data Repository now being developed at the University and share results with the users of the Repository through a Living Laboratory arrangement. KW - Aged KW - Connecticut KW - Crash severity KW - Databases KW - Highway design KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Regression analysis UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259252 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489780 TI - Transportation System Modeling in the Information Era AB - In the transportation arena, technology today has afforded individuals with freely available up to date information about opportunities and network conditions. The prevalence of information has changed how people plan and execute their activity-travel agendas. In particular, the advent of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) has altered how people navigate networks and pursue activities. Most ITS applications provide corridor level information and there is a move to provide system wide information. The implementation of a system wide traveler information services requires a comprehensive modeling analysis quantifying the impacts of such services. However, there are very limited modeling tools that accurately capture the cascading impacts of information services on individual activity-travel agendas without compromising on individual behaviors. In the implementations that capture the cascading impacts, scheduling heuristics are implemented to satisfy consistency constraints and do not reflect true rescheduling behaviors. The research proposed in this effort is aimed at exploring travel survey data to characterize dimensions of rescheduling behavior and identify schedule adjustment heuristics. Additionally, the observed behaviors will be implemented in a software prototype of a transportation system modeling tool and applied to the Hartford metropolitan region as a case study. KW - Hartford (Connecticut) KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Real time information KW - Technological innovations KW - Travel surveys KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259251 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489779 TI - Elderly Pedestrian Safety and Driver Distractions AB - Elderly people walk slower than other pedestrians. Therefore, when they are crossing high-speed, wide streets, it is often the automobile driver rather than the elderly pedestrian that ensures safe interactions. For this to be possible, it is important that the driver is concentrated on the task of driving rather than having their attention focused somewhere else. The objective of this study is to look at how pedestrian safety for elderly people in particular can be improved in spite of motor-vehicle drivers having more and more 'distracters' in their vehicles. This project will give information that can be used by decision makers on how different roadway widths, existence of refuge islands, speed limits and typical speeds, and other geometric variables influence safety of pedestrians of different ages. The focus of the study will be to look at how the pedestrians interact--with respect to safety margins, misunderstandings, short post-encroachment times, conflicts, etc--with motorists who are being distracted to different degrees and in different ways, for example by using cellular phones. Pedestrian distractions, such as the pedestrian talking on a mobile phone, will also be covered. The research will confirm/refute whether or not automobile drivers while using cellular phones--handheld as well as hands-free ones--or other 'distracters' are significantly less observant with respect to pedestrians crossing streets in marked and unmarked crosswalks, and how special crosswalk warning systems such as in-street lights and overhead flashing lights influence this. KW - Aged KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Speed limits KW - Warning systems UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259250 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489778 TI - Regional Credit Trading: Economic and GHG Impacts of a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard AB - This research examines the economic implications of different designs for a national low carbon fuel standard (NLCFS) for the road transportation sector based on the regional availability of low carbon fuels, carbon intensities and costs. A NLCFS based on the average carbon intensity (CI) of all fuels sold generates an incentive for fuel suppliers to reduce the measured CI of their fuels. A NLCFS will build on and encompass the existing and regional low carbon fuels standard in California and the proposed systems for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. The economic impacts are determined by the availability of low carbon fuels, estimates of which can vary widely. Also important are the compliance path, reference level CI, and the design of the credit system, particularly the opportunities for trading and banking. To quantitatively examine the implications of a NLCFS, the project will adapt the Transportation Regulation and Credit Trading (TRACT) Model to allow for regional differences. TRACT models national-level low carbon credit trading among profit maximizing fuel suppliers for the United States light- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel use from 2015 - 2035. This research proposes to estimate the economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of regional factors on a NLCFS with a particular focus on low carbon fuel supply and carbon intensity in the New England region. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Credit KW - Economic impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Low carbon fuels KW - Pollutants UR - http://utc.mit.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259249 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489776 TI - Assessing Alternative Transportation Options for Older Users AB - With the aging of the population comes increased societal challenges, including maintaining mobility for older adults. Modes of transportation are the means to the end of mobility. Mobility enables older adults to do the things they need to do, such as shopping or medical appointments, as well as the things they want to do, such as socializing with friends and family. In the US, the majority of people of all ages prefer to travel by personal vehicle. As the population of older adults grows, so too does the projected number of older drivers; in the US the number of drivers over age 65 is expected to grow dramatically over the coming decades, with drivers over age 65 making up an increasing percentage of all drivers (Highway Loss Data Institute 2012; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2010). For many older adults, however, the driving mode is not just a means to an end, but an end in and of itself: the act of driving is central to their senses of identity and autonomy (Donorfio et al. 2008b). Driving gives the individual the ability to make choices about the timing of trips and the order of stops and the overall sense of control over one's life. Much work on older adults and transportation has focused on driving, much of it around driving self-regulation: older adults' voluntary reduction of when and where they drive in order to stay safe (e.g., Donorfio et al. 2008a; Molnar et al. 2010; Owsley, Stalvey and Phillips 2003; Ross et al. 2009). The work has explored strategies and patterns of self-regulation. Other work has looked at driving cessation, such as what prompts it or what the effects of cessation are (e.g., Edwards et al. 2010; Marottoli et al. 1997; Marottoli et al. 2000). Less work has explored how older adults think about their transportation alternatives. This study proposes a qualitative exploration of older adults' assessments of alternatives to the personal vehicle. In particular, the study will compare older adults aging in place in an urban environment with those in a suburban environment to understand how older adults view their transportation choices. In both contexts transit is available. The study will uncover the transportation alternatives older adults see in different contexts, as well as reasons why they would or would not be likely to use these alternatives. The study will also provide an opportunity to examine why some alternatives for transportation are less visible to some older adults. Finally, the study will explore how likely older adults might be to develop a transportation network for themselves through rides with family and friends. This research will provide insight into the barriers that prevent older adults for using some alternative forms of transportation, as well as an understanding of which forms do not even figure in older adults' transportation calculus. It will also provide insight into how the living context may figure into older adults' perspectives on transportation alternatives, and how feasible they see aging in place to be without alternatives to driving. KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Driving cessation KW - Mobility KW - Mode choice KW - Self-regulation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259247 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489775 TI - Development of a "Universal" Residential Public Transportation Pass as Part of a Comprehensive Multi-modal Approach to Urban Parking AB - The City of Cambridge administers a unique Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM) Ordinance which requires developers to implement a series of measures to reduced single occupant vehicle (SOV) commuting by 10% below 1990 levels. The relationship between the PTDM ordinance and other city regulations that affect parking supply is not yet clear, and neither is the impact of the PTDM ordinance on commuter behavior and mode share. A better understanding of these relationships can be ascertained by examining the decade of PTDM monitoring data. Cross-sectional analysis will be important to compare the outcomes in PTDM versus non-PTDM sties, and a longitudinal approach can help reveal the extent to which the different stages of parking supply regulation are interconnected (from planning to design to implementation) and how and/or if the City's permitting and program design processes have evolved through time based on observing past outcomes. KW - Commuters KW - Monitoring KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Parking KW - Parking facilities KW - Passes (Transportation) KW - Single occupant vehicles KW - Urban areas UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259246 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489773 TI - AGNES & Livable Communities AB - Previous work using 'empathy' to inform transportation students and professionals produced insights to improve public transportation or at least identify 'friction points' in an otherwise accessible system. This project will assess the 'age-readiness' of communities as to their livability for an aging America. Using Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT's) Age Gain Now Empathy System or AGNES, researchers and students will seek to better understand everyday movements and friction points using sidewalks, retail environments, housing, and other pedestrian accessible destinations. KW - Accessibility KW - Aged KW - Empathy KW - Housing KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Sidewalks KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://utc.mit.edu/research-4 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259244 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489772 TI - Transportation Wellbeing, Age & Safety AB - Transportation decisions influence mobility patterns as well as overall quality of life. Mobility patterns of older adults and the factors that influence those patterns may predict well-being in old age. This study seeks to address transportation decision making by older adults (defined as 50+) and their impact on wellbeing. Using the Gallup-Healthways Well-being Index this study will assess the impact of home location, mode choice and region and their combined impact on the subjective well-being of people 50 and older nationwide. KW - Aged KW - Mobility KW - Mode choice KW - Residential location KW - Safety KW - Travel patterns KW - Well being UR - http://utc.mit.edu/research-4 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259243 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489475 TI - Development of an Older Adult Empathy System to Assess Transit & Livability AB - The majority of older adults choose to drive to meet their transportation needs. However, driving may not be a lifelong option for many. Consequently, public transportation must be more than simply accessible, it must be easy to use and an attractive option. This project will develop and apply an empathy approach to better understand the experience of older users in a transit environment, including rail and bus. Using Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT's) Age Gain Now Empathy System, or AGNES, researchers will seek to identify and map the friction points for older users accessing public transportation. KW - Accessibility KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Bus transit KW - Empathy KW - Quality of life KW - Rail transit KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258524 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489473 TI - Alternative Transportation Options, Well-Being & Livable Communities AB - Transportation is critical to everyday activities but also the underpinning of well-being. How does transportation and selected community design elements affect well-being, especially among disadvantaged populations such as the elderly. This project will examine the Gallup-Healthways Well-being Index a survey of 1000 Americans everyday over an ongoing 25 year period to identify the possible impact of transportation and community on well-being, e.g., walkability, access to parks, public transportation options, etc. KW - Accessibility KW - Aged KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Quality of life KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Transportation planning KW - Walkability KW - Well-being UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258522 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489163 TI - Data Driven Performance Measures for Effective Management of Complex Transportation Networks AB - In the past transportation data was collected through the limited deployment of infrastructure-based sensors of manual spot counts and surveys. Data collection is still extensively using these "planning oriented data collection" approaches. However with the advent of Intelligent Transportation Systems, increasing amount of on-line operational transportation data for every component of a transportation system is becoming readily available. From probe based data captured by freely roaming cars and buses to electronic payment systems that can practically capture every detail of a trip of every commuter using car, bus or train, these new technologies provide brand new opportunities for better monitoring and management of complex transportation systems. This is because we can now use this on-line data that is practically being collected on a 24/7 basis to quantify a number of realistic "performance measures" that will allow transportation agencies to make timely and proactive decisions. Among the major categories of performance measures identified by recent research are: (1) Preservation of assets mainly dealing with infrastructure conditions. (2) Mobility and accessibility. (3) Operations and maintenance. and (4) Safety Clearly, the past focus on using performance measure has been on the development of long-term plan. On the other hand on-line transportation data has been historically used for short-run operational decisions such as for running traffic adaptive signal systems or real-time management of traffic incidents. This project proposes integration of this new on-line operational data with performance measures not only to make long-term strategic planning decisions but also relatively short-term tactical decisions. Among this myriad of new on-line transportation data sources, traffic flow and safety data are the two important categories that can be used to assess system performance and make better tactical decisions on a day-to-day basis. For example, if there is data about day-to-day traffic conditions and accidents while a major construction project is active on a given section of a network, tactical performance measures about the number of accidents around the work zone and time it takes to clear them along with travel times can be used to re-adjust the work zone configuration and the incident response operations to minimize delays and improve reliability. This is a real tactical approach to assess the behavior of the transportation system through the use of short-term performance measures and on-line data. On the other-hand, mid-term and long-term decisions can also be made using the same approach of integrating right performance measures with on-line data. KW - Data collection KW - Decision making KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic delays UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/data-driven-performance-measures UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258157 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483297 TI - Effectiveness of Advisory Letters in Preventing At-Risk Teen Driver Crashes: Pilot Project AB - Reducing crashes, in particular those that result in injury or fatality, is an on-going struggle for agencies tasked with reducing crashes and making our roads safer. Any ability to predict these crashes would allow the agencies tasked with traffic safety to develop an intervention targeting these drivers to change their behavior and ultimately reduce the number of crashes. Teen drivers are ideally suited for this type of intervention for several reasons. They are disproportionately over-represented in crashes, with teens accounting for only 4% of the driver population, but accounting for 10% of crashes. Also, a large share of teen crashes occurs within the first year after licensure due to a lack of driving experience. Lastly, the learning curve at this point in their driving history is still large, which makes teen drivers more susceptible to these interventions. Using North Dakota driver's licensing data and crash data, logistic regression modeling identifies gender, traffic convictions, rural/urban, and involvement in previous property damage only (PDO) crashes as markers that are significant in predicting injury and fatal crashes in teen drivers. According to the model, living in an urban area increases your risk of being in an injury or fatal accident within the first year after attaining your license by 2.5 times compared to drivers who live in rural areas. Drivers involved in a previous PDO crash are 25 times more likely to be involved in an injury or fatal crash than those not involved in a previous PDO crash. While graduated licensing and other population-based driver improvement programs have shown promise as tools for reducing teen crash risk, a real-time performance-based intervention such as this offers an important supplemental for targeting the highest risk teen drivers. Crash risk markers, or predictors, may be used in a preventative intervention such as an advisory letter to parents or warning letters to teen drivers who exhibit the risk markers, hopefully, altering their behavior and reducing their likelihood of being involved in an injury or fatal crash. Specific training or education requirements attached to licensure may also be an intervention strategy, but would be beyond the bounds of administrative agency authority in most cases. The goal of this project is to determine if some type of intervention letter will be effective in reducing teen crashes. The first step will be to develop several letters that offer different message strengths and target either the teen drivers or their parents. Several approaches, including possibly one for rural versus urban or male versus female, may also be developed to test a range of interventions in an attempt to find one or more effective interventions. KW - Crashes KW - Graduated licensing KW - Intervention KW - Regression analysis KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_368.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252146 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483292 TI - Small Railroad Capital Investment Needs and Financial Options AB - Congress seeks to make informed judgments of our national transportation system. This project will provide Congress with a summary of small railroad capital investment requirements and the financial options available to meet those needs. This research will directly respond to Congress, via the Federal Railroad Administration, and provide current investment and financial market information. This research is particularly important to understanding the capital investment issues for small railroads in rural and agricultural areas. Rural and agricultural area small railroads are vital for maintaining the connectivity of the national economy. In addition to the summary of small railroad investment needs, the analysis of non-Federal government capital sources will respond to these questions: (1) What funding sources are available, (2) How much funding is available, (3) Is any funding process limiting to small railroad participation, and (4) Are small railroads needs being met? KW - Agricultural industry KW - Capital investments KW - Financing KW - Railroads KW - Rural areas KW - Small cities UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_375.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252141 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483291 TI - Improved Understanding of Pavements Impacts and Cost-Effective Designs Based on Mechanistic-Empirical Methods AB - The specialized trucks used in the oil industry today are vastly different from the traditional ones used to transport grain and other commodities produced in rural regions. The continuous operation of heavy trucks poses great challenges to the state of good repair, especially in areas of suboptimal soils and freeze-thaw cycles. Roads designed to last for 20 years under traditional truck traffic are lasting five years under intense oil-related movements. Oilfield pavement analyses conducted thus far have utilized adjustments to traditional design procedures (e.g., AASHTO 1993) based on equivalent single axle load (ESAL) factors originally derived from road test. Several studies have been claimed that traffic is a controversial parameter in the 1993 AASHTO Guide. The fact that the guide relies on a single value (e.g. ESAL) to represent the overall traffic spectrum is questionable have found that ESAL, used to quantify damage equivalency in terms of serviceability or even deflections in the 1993 AASHTO Guide, is not enough to represent the complex failure modes of flexible pavements. Today it is widely accepted that load equivalency factor is not a sufficient technique for incorporating mixed traffic into design equations. In addition, the trucks used during the AASHTO road tests are modest in comparison to the trucks utilized in the oil industry today. To address some of the limitation of its original design guide, AASHTO developed a new Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). It combines mechanistic and empirical methodologies by making use of calculations of pavement responses such as stress, strain, and deformation using site specific inputs from climate, material and traffic properties. Moreover, it allows incorporating traffic changes into the MEPDG procedure by adjusting and validating the calibration coefficients to consider the potential traffic change. With the new guide, various implementation challenges must be overcome by agencies wanting to use it. The primary objective of this project is to facilitate the implementation of the newly developed MEPDG so that roads serving the energy industry can be designed to carry the very heavy and unique traffic associated with drilling activities. In addition, regional strategies for mitigating the impact of drilling activities on local roads will be investigated. Initiating a regional effort of this type will ensure more effective allocation of limited resources to impacted local governments. In addition, ensuring the adequacy of local roads will provide oil and gas industries with the means to get equipment to drilling sites and deliver their products efficiently to markets year round. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Equivalent single axle loads KW - Flexible pavements KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Oil industry KW - Pavement design KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_376.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252140 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483290 TI - MEMS Sensors for Transportation Structures AB - Non-destructive infrastructure monitoring includes the capability to remotely determine local or global changes in the fundamental character of transportation structures. These changes are nearly always negative and usually occur because of (1) changes in geometry or material continuity from usage distress, and (2) degradation in material properties from corrosion or other environmental factors. Deploying micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices at strategic points within the structure can provide real-time behavioral characteristics of variables including quasi-static deflection, vibration frequency, or wave propagation speed. It has been rather common to accomplish indirect detection of structural character by measuring and interpreting induced motion or vibration of the structure as a result of outside forcing functions. The most common method for doing so has been to use conventional piezoelectric accelerometers, which link mechanical motion to induced electric response, directly wired to data acquisition systems. The challenges of this sort of system are nearly all related to cost: (1) the initial installation and instrumentation, including the necessary wiring, (2) the cost to maintain the system over a reasonable period of time, and 3) the up-front costs of the required equipment. There are alternatives. MEMS cantilevered devices at the micron scale, when optimized to detect these measure associated with structural response, will provide real-time information collected at remote hubs for analysis and synthesis with other health monitoring devices. This approach removes the need for frequent manual inspections and prioritizes decision-making for the most cost-effective remedy. Existing MEMS research focuses on combining these devices with radios and energy harvesting systems to form wireless mesh communications networks for uploading the sensor data, and removing the reliance on batteries. However, such wireless networks place a heavy burden on the integrated device cost and size due to the need for long communications distance and high energy harvesting rates. This proposed effort removes most existing burdens by utilizing connected vehicles as a mobile gateway between the sensors and the remote processing units. Sensors need only communicate across several feet instead of hundreds of feet, which reduces their transmission power, antenna size, energy harvesting requirement, and overall cost. To reduce energy consumption even further, sensors transmit available data only when the excitation from moving vehicles awakens the radio circuits. Implanted MEMS devices monitor structural health factors but may not necessarily measure the impact of pavement roughness on moving vehicles. Therefore, vehicles equipped with GPSvibration sensors to monitor pavement conditions may combine surface roughness measurements with the received MEMs data from their GPS-tagged location. This effort develops the analytical framework and proof-of-concept for utilizing such a combined system of in-situ MEMS sensors and dynamic pavement condition monitoring within a connected vehicle environment. Assessing the effectiveness of this solution will lead to further MEMS design refinement, implementation, and field-testing. KW - Corrosion KW - Global Positioning System KW - MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) device KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Remote sensing KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_378.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252139 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483288 TI - Plastic-Aluminum Composites in Transportation Infrastructure AB - Nearly all transportation structures in the United States have been built over the past decades on the basis of stiffness, strength, and longevity. To this end, the use of common structural materials, including but not limited to metals (usually structural steel), concrete, and wood, has been standard practice, and the existing transportation infrastructure reflects this practice. However, with changes in manufacturing processes, an increase in available material choices, and a shift in design priorities to minimize environmental impacts, the use of structural composites as main elements in statewide or nationwide transportation networks will likely play an increasing role. In this study, a specific class of structural composite is investigated for use in a wide array of applications in transportation infrastructure. Composite sections comprised of aluminum sections (with high relative modulus and strength) embedded within a plastic matrix provide excellent alternatives to common structural materials with an important distinction: they are completely recyclable with very little effort. This class of building material is not yet well understood but has tremendous potential for use in everything from guard rails and bridge decking up to structural beams and columns. There have been very few structural materials that have been added to the array of choices of the structural designer for transportation structures in the past 50 years, but these new materials have tremendous potential benefits over existing materials. The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility and any limitations associated with using plastic-aluminum structural composites as an alternative for many if not most structural elements in transportation infrastructure. This study will combine numerical modeling of the basic mechanics (including structural performance and thermal behavior) along with basic testing of these elements. Comparisons of performance will be measured against common engineering materials, especially those used in rural areas that of the most interest to the Mountain-Plains Consortium (MPC) institutions. Small scale testing of individual elements will be combined with environmental testing (primarily UV exposure and heat/cold cycling). Expected outcomes include strength, stiffness, and durability data that should provide a necessary foundation for future development of this class of material. KW - Aluminum KW - Plastics KW - Recycled materials KW - Service life KW - Stiffness KW - Structural materials KW - Transportation infrastructure UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_379.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252137 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483283 TI - Seismic Performance of Highway Embankments AB - Resilient transportation networks are essential component for post-earthquake relief and recovery missions. Large emphasis is placed on roads, highways, and bridges to provide rescue team with access to disastrous areas where essential needs including medical care can be provided to those affected. Currently, the general approach for conducting a consequences based seismic risk assessment (SRA) hinges on assessing the degree at which bridges in the region in question are damaged due to a seismic event. The approach includes selecting a region and a route to be investigated, identifying bridges that exist in the route, evaluating their performance under earthquake loading, assigning a level of functionality of the route based on bridge performance, and finally using a simulated traffic flow for assessing losses. In other words, the current approach solely depends on bridge damage in determining whether or not a particular route can be utilized for post-earthquake relief and recovery missions. Evidence has shown earthquakes to cause large damage and failure of road embankments. As a result of such, both the resiliency and reliability of a particular transportation network is impaired. It is therefore essential to assess the seismic resistance of highway embankments such and integrate the information in a planning for post-earthquake missions. The objective of this study is to develop an approach for assessing the performance of embankments under seismic loads. The project seeks to highlight the various observed failures in highway embankments and the importance of including their behavior in post-earthquake recovery and relief missions. Finite element models of highway embankments will be developed and used to conduct nonlinear dynamic time-history analysis. The result of the analysis will be compared against specific performance levels. A methodology will be proposed for estimating the potential and degree of damage to highway embankments, which can be used by decision makers in determining if a particular route can be utilized for post-earthquake relief and recovery missions. KW - Bridges KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Embankments KW - Risk assessment KW - Seismicity UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_383.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252132 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483282 TI - Seismic Behavior of Steel Bridges with Fatigue-prone Details AB - Steel bridges (with reinforced concrete substructures and steel superstructures) are generally considered to have a superior performance under earthquakes when compared to their reinforced concrete counterpart. Such performance reputation stems from the fact that few steel bridges have been subjected to strong ground motion in the last decade in North America as opposed to the inherent capacity of the bridges. In addition to the lack of seismic exposure of the bridges, research on the seismic performance of steel bridges' superstructure is limited to a handful of studies. Noteworthy that none of the previously conducted studies addressed the behavior of fatigue details in the bridge superstructure, which are designed for traffic loading, under earthquake loading. In the superstructure, fatigue is often the most prevalent problem, which contributes to approximately 90% of existing cracks. The cracks are a result of the repeated traffic cycles that are exerted on the bridge (fatigue cracks under traffic loads are termed high-cycle fatigue). For existing bridges, achieving satisfactory fatigue performance under traffic loading requires correct identification of the fatigue-prone details, coupled with well-planned inspection routines and the implementation of effective repairs. For existing bridges, the most recent changes to code design procedures and guidelines have proven to greatly minimize or even eliminate the main fatigue concerns. Designing a new bridge superstructure and/or retrofitting an existing bridge to alleviate present fatigue cracks accounts only for traffic loading. The performance of the fatigue-prone details, designed for service loads, under earthquake ground motions demand is yet to be investigated. The objectives of this research project are to: (1) Conduct literature review on the fatigue performance of steel bridge' superstructures under seismic loading. (2) Conduct analytical studies to assess the low and ultra-low cycle fatigue life of the details in question and evaluate if current high-cycle design and retrofit methodologies are effective for seismic loading. (3) Provide practical guidelines for retrofitting existing fatigue prone details to withstand seismic demand. KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Failure KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Steel bridges KW - Traffic loads UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_382.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252131 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483281 TI - Design and Construction Monitoring of Surcharged Embankment AB - Preserving the health of pavement and bridges, particularly on the National Highway System (NHS) is critical to the structural integrity, functionality, and cost effectiveness of the Nation's transportation system (DRAFT DOT Strategic Plan 2010-2015). In areas along the urban Wasatch Front in Utah, soft, clayey deposits can cause excessive differential settlement and premature pavement damage at bridge approaches resulting from secondary consolidation settlement of the foundation soils. Such settlement is long-term in that it accumulates over many years and can produce a significant bump at the bridge approach. In some cases, the approach fills need to be reconstructed, or frequently maintained using asphalt overlays in the damaged area. Surcharging of the embankment is a common strategy used by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to reduce secondary consolidation settlement of the underlying foundation soils. Surcharging entails the construction of additional embankment above the final design subgrade in order to overconsolidate the foundation soils. Such surcharging must be sufficiently high and left in place for sufficient duration to overconsolidate the foundation soils effectively; hence reducing the amount of secondary settlement. Unfortunately, design and monitoring of surcharged embankment is not well understood by local geotechnical practice and is often misapplied. The research proposes to develop guidance for the design, monitoring and release of surcharged fills. Determining the amount of surcharge and the corresponding time that such surcharge should remain in place is paramount to accelerated bridge construction on soft ground. Often, the surcharge duration time strongly affects or even controls the construction schedule; hence this aspect of the construction monitoring is vital to timely project delivery for accelerated construction. No such guidance for developing and controlling this process exists in the geotechnical literature or within UDOT design guidance. The objectives of this research projects are to: (1) Develop design guidance for determining the amount of surcharge required in terms of settlement performance goals and pavement life-cycle-cost. (2) Recommend the appropriate type of geotechnical laboratory testing to support surcharge design. (3) Recommend in situ geotechnical methods that may be coupled with laboratory testing to develop the design and reduce the cost of the geotechnical evaluations. (4) Develop methods to monitor and release surcharge fills that are consistent with the design data, project performance goals and field monitoring data. (5) Evaluate the consequences of underestimating the amount of primary consolidation settlement when surcharging is used as a method to accelerate primary consolidation without the aid of PV drains. (6) Develop a technical report to assist UDOT and its consultants in applying these methods to future projects. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Design KW - Foundation soils KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Ground settlement KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pavement distress KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Surcharge (Soils) KW - Utah UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_390.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252130 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483280 TI - Use of Travel Time, Travel Time Reliability, and Winter Condition Index Information for Improved Operation of Rural Interstates AB - The Interstate 80 corridor between Cheyenne and Laramie experiences extreme weather conditions that result in a large number of crashes and frequent road closures. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT)  has invested considerable resources in implementing Intelligent Transportation System Technology in this corridor to address safety concerns and the provision of traveler information is a major component of the intelligent transportation system (ITS) system. Previous work has been done on improving the credibility, reliability, and quality of the traveler information provided by WYDOT but there is still a need to provide travelers with a better idea of the travel conditions they could encounter. Discussions with frequent traveler focus groups have identified a desire for a "rating system" for conditions. Currently many travelers delay travel only when a "No Unnecessary Travel" advisory is posted and view all other messages as representing minor hazards. Travel times and travel time reliability information have gained widespread use over the last five to ten years as a way of conveying congestion-related information to travelers in urban areas but has not been previously used in a rural setting to describe weather-related travel information. However, on rural freeways, there is a greater diversity of user types, which require the study of additional travel time and reliability measures to ensure usefulness to all travelers. For instance, long-distance freight operators, out-of-state recreational travelers, and local residents all have substantially different needs regarding the form and location of travel information. Identifying one or more metrics, and methods of presenting new types of information in the most beneficial manner, will be the core tasks of this research. The I-80 Corridor between Cheyenne and Laramie is an ideal corridor to research the applicability of applying these techniques to a rural setting since the corridor is already heavily instrumented and there is an advanced traveler information system in place. The research problem will address the applicability of travel time and travel time reliability measures from the perspective of both passenger car and heavy vehicle travelers that are either frequent or first time users of the corridor. WYDOT's Intelligent Transportation System Program currently utilizes extensive use of speed sensing equipment, most commonly non-invasive side fired radar equipment. This research will investigate the applicability of using speed sensor equipment as well as vehicle monitoring devices such as blue tooth or wi-fi signal readers to calculate corridor travel times. Bluetooth and wi-fi signal (sometimes referred to as differential RF) readers sense devices in vehicles that emit Bluetooth or wi-fi communication signals and read the unique Media Access Controller (MAC) address that these devices have to match up vehicle observations at different points along the roadway. While these MAC addresses are unique to the device they do not contain identification information to the specific vehicle or driver so they are not considered invasive to personal privacy. Travel times will be estimated using each of these device types as well as a combination of both to determine the technology that provides the best travel time estimates. There is likely a cost advantage of using Bluetooth or wi-fi reader technology over speed sensor technology for the calculation of travel times as well as a potential for more accurate travel time calculations. A travel time estimation algorithm for both the interstate and highway corridors will be developed using one or both technologies, depending on the results of the field tests for both technology types. An alternative technology that could be considered in place of the Bluetooth reader would be automated license plate readers but this technology is viewed by many to be to invasive of privacy. The objective of this research work is to investigate the applicability of traveler information on travel time and travel time reliability measures to a rural interstate corridor for use in making travel decisions by passenger car and heavy vehicle travelers. One or more metrics will be identified, considering usefulness to different traveler classes, including commercial and private trip purposes, and differing familiarity with local freeway and weather conditions. The use of a travel or winter condition index based on travel times will also be investigated to see if this is more intuitive metric to rural drivers. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Cheyenne (Wyoming) KW - Decision making KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Laramie County (Wyoming) KW - Road closures KW - Rural highways KW - Travel time KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_386.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252129 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483277 TI - Evaluation of Spliced Sleeve Connections for Precast Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers AB - Connections between precast concrete elements must be able to withstand significant stresses and deformations in earthquakes. The splice sleeve connection is being considered for connecting such elements in Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). There is limited data for use of this connection in bridges located in moderate to high seismic regions. The proposal aims at performing cyclic tests to verify the capacity of the splice sleeve connection for precast concrete elements such as columns connected to footings or bent cap beams. A recent study has developed a different connection than the one proposed for bent cap systems in seismic regions. A recent state-of-the art review has determined that there is an urgent need for research that would provide substantiation of the design, construction, and seismic performance of bar coupler systems such as grouted sleeves. The objectives of this proposal are: (1) to perform quasi-static cyclic tests of precast concrete column to footing connections using a splice sleeve connection, and precast concrete column to bent cap beam connections using a mechanical sleeve connection, and (2) to evaluate to what extend the sleeve connections behave in a manner consistent with the earthquake resisting elements that would be expected with traditional construction methods, as described in the AASHTO Guide Specification for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design. KW - Bents KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge piers KW - Cyclic tests KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Precast concrete KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_392.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252126 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483276 TI - Accelerated Bridge Construction in South Dakota: Pilot Study for Implementation Strategy AB - Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) is a construction philosophy that seeks to minimize traffic interruption through reduced construction time, primarily through the use of prefabricated elements. The concept is gaining the momentum to become a recommended practice for bridge work on existing routes especially for bridges on heavily traveled corridors. Several research and implementation initiatives have been set in action around the U.S. including multiple projects in Utah, Washington, California, etc. An ABC research center has been established recently at Florida International University. All these demonstrative projects on critical bridge sites had been very successful in minimizing traffic interruption to a level that is not possible with traditional construction methods (e.g. removal and replacement of a major bridge in a week). A number of ABC applications are documented in Connection Details for Prefabricated Elements and Systems, published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2009. A summary of current ABC applications and experiences was presented in an "ABC Manual" [10] published recently by FHWA. The ABC methodology is quite general and can also be applied to relatively small scale projects and very typical high way bridge systems, as it was demonstrated in an Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) project (bridge over Keg Creek near Council Bluffs, Iowa) as part of the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2). In order to achieve the time savings, implementation of ABC will involve pre-manufacture of modular bridge components and need additional resources and special planning considerations during construction (such as special equipment and site management plan). These requirements tend to drive up the cost of the project when compared to traditional construction. Thus ABC is most beneficial when the potential traffic volume affected by the project is high. It is hypothesized in this study that given the project condition and current viable ABC techniques, there exist a threshold traffic volume and composition that must be exceeded in order to reap benefit from ABC implementation. This threshold value will depend on the nature of the traffic, significance of the road corridors, and the availability of immediate detour options. For most areas in South Dakota, it is very likely that this threshold traffic will not be exceeded. Thus the implementation of ABC in South Dakota must be planned carefully to ensure cost efficiency. Currently there have been guidelines used by other DOT's to assess the necessity of ABC (e.g. ABC rating system used by Utah DOT). But the effectiveness of these procedures has not been fully investigated. A quantitative approach to support decision making on ABC implementation in South Dakota has not been developed. The objectives of this research projects are to: (1) Identify a quantified benefit indicator to represent ABC implementation cost-benefit ratio considering project constraints such as traffic volume and site condition. (2) Develop a procedure that can be followed to evaluate ABC implementation benefit indicator for candidate bridges on the South Dakota highway system. (3) Using the proposed procedure to develop recommendations for representative sites (identified by SDDOT) in South Dakota for ABC implementation. KW - Accelerated construction KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge replacement projects KW - Demonstration projects KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - South Dakota KW - Traffic disruption KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_395.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252125 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483273 TI - Extent, Severity, and Location of Chip Seal Loss on the South Dakota State Road Network AB - The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) typically applies chip seal surface treatments to non-Interstate asphalt pavements within two years of paving and successively when needed. Both experience and the literature have shown that chip seals provide a new wearing course, help extend pavement life by as much as five years or more, increase skid resistance, and increase performance. Low-cost chip sealing is an essential treatment to preserve the state road network. Research Project 1999-09: "Interstate Asphalt Pavement Maintenance" recommended standardized practices to improve the design and construction of chip seals by the SDDOT. However, in recent years, some chip seals have not performed adequately after one season of service. SDDOT does not record surface treatment loss as a distress in its pavement management database, therefore the location, extent, and severity of chip seal loss on the state road network is unknown. It was originally assumed that snowplows were removing the chip seals during winter maintenance activities. Chips seals appeared to be scraped off to varying degrees, ranging from very little along centerline to all material being removed from the roadway. However, chip seal loss could be caused from multiple mechanisms or possibilities. These could range from construction methods, date of placement, environmental conditions during and after placement, materials, winter maintenance activities, or design of the chip seal. To date only anecdotal evidence exists to support any conclusion. If the chip seals are damaged every year, pavements do not benefit from added years of life as well as the lost resources from material loss. Determining the location, extent, and severity of chip seal loss on the state road network will allow SDDOT to determine if additional measures need to be implemented to mitigate this problem and to save resources by continuing to preserve and maintain the existing state road network. Three main objectives will be addressed in this study: (1) Determine the extent, severity, and location of chip seal loss on the South Dakota state road network. The work will be initiated with a thorough search of the available literature on chip seal performance since the SD1999-09 research project was completed in 2001. Although the literature review will rely on the work conducted as part of SD1999-09, recent advances in assessing chip seal performance will be included. Information on chip seal location and age will also be collected from the SDDOT pavement management database; however chip seal performance (distress) will be obtained specifically for the purposes of this study. Integral to this research goal is collecting detailed information on chip seals applied to the state road system in the last five years. This information will be provided by SDDOT Area Engineers and Maintenance Supervisors as appropriate. Details are contained within the research proposal. (2) Determine to what extent the recommendations in research project SD1999-09 have been implemented. Details on design specifications, construction, environmental conditions during construction, chip seal design parameters, fog seal application, winter maintenance activities, and performance will be collected as part of the research. This will allow for the research team to determine the extent to which the recommendations of SD1999-09 have been implemented. (3) Identify potential relationships of chip seal loss to design specifications, construction, recommendations from SD1999-09, and winter maintenance practices. Once detailed data on chip seals and weather data have been compiled for the research project, the data will be analyzed and summarized in an attempt to identify possible causes of chip seal distress. The data will also be compared to the recommendations of SD1999-09 as part of this work. The primary objective is to identify trends or causes that are likely contributing to chip seal distress as well as success. KW - Chip seals KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement management systems KW - Service life KW - South Dakota KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_396.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252122 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483268 TI - Evaluation and Mitigation of Vehicle Impact Hazard for Overpass Bridges in South Dakota AB - With the increase in heavy truck traffic resulting from the oil industry in the northern plains, the probability of a significant impact load on a bridge pier resulting from a truck collision will increase. Collision loads, intentional or accidental, could potentially cause partial or total collapse of highway bridges. Catastrophic failure of bridges may result in significant loss of life and adverse socio-economic impact. Bridges in the northern plains are especially vulnerable to impact loads since they were and are not designed for any significant lateral load levels such as earthquake or blast loads. Studies are needed to develop risk assessment and management strategies to reduce the risk of collision loads in Region 8 states to a level that is economically feasible. Although not commonly occurring, collision of heavy vehicles on to highway overpass bridge piers had happened in the past and paralyzed traffic on both the overpass and the highway below. The 2003 Nebraska bridge collapse accident on I-80 was caused by a truck collision and halted the traffic in that section for 3 days. This type of hazard can be categorized as an extreme event that has a low probability of happening, but carries very significant consequences, which justifies certain preventive measures if proven to be cost effective. The robustness of the overpass pier and the preventive measures to slow down the vehicle before collision are the keys to mitigate the impact of the accident. The cost for increasing the robustness of pier structure to the level compatible to impact loading may not be justifiable especially for existing structures. Thus it is assumed in this study that the most cost effective mitigation measure for this type of hazard is to effectively reduce the speed of the accident vehicle before the collision or to retrofit deficient bridge column to increase. This study will evaluate the impact resistance for typical bridge columns on South Dakota Interstate system and provide practical recommendations to reduce vehicle speed under the collapse threshold and to retrofit deficient bridge columns. The objectives of this research project are: (1) Evaluate the risk of bridge collapse caused by vehicle collision impact for South Dakota highway system. (2) Based on impact resistance of existing bridge columns, propose practical mitigation measures to reduce the accident vehicle speed approaching the column in order to reduce the risk of bridge collapse due to vehicle impact. (3) Provide recommendations for the design of bridge columns in future bridges. KW - Bridge columns KW - Bridge design KW - Crashes KW - Overpasses KW - South Dakota KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_397.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252117 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483233 TI - Educational and Workforce Development Proposal: STEM Outreach at Colorado State University AB - Colorado State University (CSU) recently launched the CSU STEM Center. This center is devoted to enhancing teaching at the K-12 and undergraduate levels, with a great deal of emphasis placed on the preparation of teachers in STEM fields. As part of the Mountain-Plains Consortium (MPC) activities at CSU, we will partner with the STEM Center to teach teachers about transportation, so they in turn can reach many K-12 students. Undergraduate students in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will be hired to help prepare activities related to the importance of transportation infrastructure (based in part on the research projects conducted at CSU) for K-12 teachers to use in their classrooms. The CSU STEM Center will help us ensure that the activities developed meet Colorado curricular requirements so that they can be readily adopted by teachers. The activities will be designed in an active learning style, and will include simple physical demonstrations and assignments to promote critical thinking by students. The project plans to develop activities appropriate for students in elementary and secondary schools. The STEM Center will help us reach audiences of teachers (pre-service teachers working on their licensure and working teachers in the region) to ensure that the activities are widely disseminated. The STEM Center can also provide evaluation efforts for these K-12 outreach components to ensure they are effectively reaching students. These activities will help increase the awareness of transportation careers in elementary and secondary school children, and ensure that transportation is associated with STEM activities in schools. The activities will be designed to ensure that they are relevant and interesting to both boys and girls, in an effort to promote greater future representation of women in transportation. By involving undergraduate students to help prepare the activities the project will be 1) helping these students themselves learn more about transportation fields and career paths, and 2) teaching the undergraduate engineers about the importance of outreach. KW - Education KW - Elementary school students KW - High school students KW - Licensing KW - Teachers KW - Transportation careers UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/?view=2012-13 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252082 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483230 TI - Evaluation of Ice Loads on Bridge Piers in South Dakota-Yrs 2 & 3 (Continued Project) AB - Ice load on bridge structure is one of the major components for extreme event load combinations specified in the AASHTO Code. In seismic inactive regions such as South Dakota, ice load can be the predominant lateral load that governs the design of bridge substructures. Accurate estimation on the magnitude of ice forces that act on bridge piers and abutments in northern climates is a major concern in the design of new bridges and in the evaluation of existing bridges. While empirical equations were provided by AASHTO to calculate the design ice load based mainly on effective ice strength and thickness, these formulas were developed assuming thick ice formation which is quite different from the "ice cakes" that form on South Dakota rivers. Thus even with very accurate ice strength and thickness values, ice load calculated based on AASHTO formulas may still be inaccurate. This inaccuracy will lead to inappropriate pier designs that may cost the public in the long run. Field measurement of ice load is the most direct and accurate approach to obtain local pier-ice interaction data and has seen its applications in several cold region bridges. The proposed work focuses on directly measuring ice load at critical sites in South Dakota and comparing the actual load statistics with codified load values. Combined with existing studies on ice conditions formerly conducted within the state, the information gathered in this study will provide the bridge designers with more accurate and confident ice load values for new bridge design as well as existing bridge evaluation. KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge substructures KW - Design load KW - Field studies KW - Ice KW - Loads KW - South Dakota UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_400.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252079 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483225 TI - The Effect of Multi-tasking on Self-Assessments of Driving Performance Center for the Prevention of Distracted Driving AB - Research from the Center for the Prevention of Distracted Driving at the University of Utah has demonstrated that cell phone use contributes to accidents, slower reactions, and more dangerous driving patterns. Further studies have shown that cell phone conversation disrupts visual scanning and change detection, and causes a form of inattention blindness whereby observers fail to see information that falls directly in their line of gaze. Although a great deal is known about the detrimental effects of cellular communication on driving, little is known about why people engage in this dangerous behavior. Drivers persist despite overwhelming evidence documenting the hazards associated with such use. Ironically, there is often wide spread support for regulating the use of wireless devices while driving, in many cases by individuals who regularly engage in these activities. People appear to be sensitive to the risks of others' cell phone use, but blind to the risks associated with their own use. The project hypothesizes that the cognitive distraction caused by the use of a cell phone impairs drivers' ability to notice their own impaired driving. That is, cell phone use may induce a form of inattention blindness that not only diminishes drivers' ability to detect important information in the driving environment but that also impairs their ability to self-regulate their driving performance. Drivers generally monitor their performance to ensure that they are driving safely. However, when they are distracted by the mechanics of using their phones and conversation, they may be less cognizant of the errors and mistakes they make on the road. Consequently, they may maintain the illusion they can drive safely while talking on the cell phone and continue to engage in this risky multi-tasking activity. Because their ability to monitor their driving is impaired, their performance assessments are likely to be guided by their beliefs and expectations rather than actual observations. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crashes KW - Distraction KW - Reaction time KW - Safety KW - Visual scanning UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_407.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252074 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483224 TI - Risk- and Reliability-Based Approaches to Analyzing Road Geometric Design Criteria AB - Federal and state transportation agencies set goals related to surface transportation system performance. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO's) Strategic Plan, for example, includes goals to cut fatalities in half by 2030, create a congestion free surface transportation system, and improve system performance (AASHTO, 2009). Policies and procedures that explicitly consider performance goals at all organizational levels in transportation agencies will maximize the likelihood they are achieved. Performance measures are being used to increase accountability for how highway funds are being spent (FHWA, 2012). Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) establishes a performance-based Federal highway program, where investment decisions are made through performance-based planning and programming. States are expected to invest resources in projects that achieve performance targets and collectively contribute to achieving national performance goals. Once funds are allocated, road design activities and decisions should be consistent with performance goals set during planning and programming. A performance-based design approach would be a significant contribution to achieving performance objectives and making well-informed design decisions. FHWA has recently formed a task force to explore the transition from a criteria-based road design to performance-based road design. The Transportation Research Board's (TRB's) Operational Effects of Geometric Committee (AHB65) created a Subcommittee on Performance-Based Analysis to investigate processes and procedures to incorporate safety and operational performance prediction into the project development process. Current highway geometric design processes require establishment of fundamental design controls (e.g. area type, terrain, functional classification, design vehicle, traffic volume) and selection of design speed. The process then becomes dimensionally-based, with minimums, maximums and ranges in design values directly derived from tables, charts and equations. Acceptable performance in terms of mobility and safety is presumed to result from proper application of design criteria. The variability in factors influencing design criteria (e.g., driver performance, road conditions, and vehicle performance) is often large and is addressed implicitly by using "conservative" values. This can lead to performance outcomes that are different than intended (Porter et al., 2012). The relative likelihoods (or probabilities) that design alternatives will meet transportation performance goals throughout their life cycles are not explicitly or quantitatively evaluated. A risk and reliability-based highway geometric design approach is a possible solution to address these gaps. This idea has received national interest, evident from an invited TRB podium session at the 2012 annual meeting, "Risk and Reliability Analysis in Geometric Design of Highways and Streets." Design approaches based on levels of risk (the probability of an event occurring and the impact that the event will have on the achievement of design, project or agency objectives) and reliability (the ability of a system to consistently do what it was expected or designed to do) are currently used in several engineering/technical disciplines (e.g., structural design, hydrology and hydraulics, systems engineering and management). This project will provide a strategic step towards development of road design processes that: 1) explicitly consider and quantify the variability and uncertainty in factors that influence design criteria and design decisions; and 2) explicitly incorporate expected performance outcomes and the uncertainty of performance predictions into design decisions. KW - Design speed KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Mobility KW - Performance measurement KW - Risk analysis UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_406.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252073 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483223 TI - Seismic Performance of Concrete Filled Steel Tube (CFST) Bridge Columns For Accelerated Bridge Construction AB - This study will evaluate the seismic performance of concrete filled steel tube (CFST) bridge columns for potential use in emergency or accelerated bridge construction (ABC) projects. The main goal of the study is to determine whether CFST columns can be designed to perform adequately under gravitational loads and seismic hazard before the concrete reaches its design strength. The project will need to investigate the effect of reduced seismic loading for this temporary condition on the CSFT limit states of interest, such as serviceability and ultimate limit state. Columns used for ABC are usually precast components that can be rapidly installed on-site. One of the main challenges with these columns is to keep their weight within a practical weight range for transporting and handling. Special care is also needed when designing splices to connect the foundation to precast piers in high seismic hazard zones. The use of CFST columns largely reduces these problems because the steel tubes are erected prior to pouring the concrete, and can be easily connected to the foundation. Composite columns may be advantageous for ABC because the steel components can be designed to withstand the gravitational deck loads and a reduced seismic hazard. The total seismic capacity of the component is obtained once the filled concrete reaches the design concrete strength. Thus, the bridge performance needs to be analyzed under a seismic hazard for temporary conditions. Several studies have assessed the possibility of reducing seismic hazard for shorter system exposure times. For instance, Amin et al. (1999) developed a methodology for computing reduced seismic loads for nuclear power plant components subjected to temporary conditions. Olson et al. (1994) developed a quantitative procedure for using available site-specific annual seismic hazard curves to determine an acceleration level for evaluating temporary conditions. Application of this procedure for a sample site resulted in seismic accelerations for compliance periods of one month that were about 33% of the design basis. Boggs and Peterka (1992) developed a procedure for specifying the design recurrence interval for a temporary structure such that the probability of failure is the same than that of permanent structures. However, Hill (2004) considered that temporal structures should have the same ability to sustain loads than permanent systems, independently of the exposure time. Cornell and Bandyopadhyay (1996) identified several challenges when applying reduced seismic loads that will be considered in this study, such as the definition of temporal loads, and license renewal of systems exposed to temporal loading. Regarding the performance of CFST columns, Marson and Bruneau (2004) tested composite columns under axial and lateral loads. The diameters of these columns were 324 and 406 mm, with a D/t ratio ranging from 34 to 64. The columns reached drifts of 7% before a significant loss in moment capacity. Strength deterioration after the maximum strength was reached was slow until fracture occurred during cycling at 7% drift. They indicated that CFST columns provide an effective mechanism to dissipate seismic energy, and can be effective for bridge columns in seismic regions, although they indicated that further research is needed for larger components. Han et al. (2011) also concluded that circular CSFT columns have excellent seismic resistance and confirmed that the lateral load-carrying capacity and ductility decreased as the axial load level in the column increased. Recent studies have performed limited tests to evaluate the effect of concrete strength on the ultimate capacity of CSFT columns. For instance, An et al. (2012) showed that the capacity of CFST columns can be more than twice that of hollow tubes. As expected, the tube's capacity increases as the concrete strength increases, and the concrete strength contribution to CSFT capacity is less significant for columns of large slenderness ratio. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge piers KW - Columns KW - Concrete KW - Concrete filled steel tubes KW - Earthquake resistant design UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_404.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252072 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483222 TI - Web-based Decision Support Tool for Traffic Management and Work Zone Analysis AB - Traffic congestion mitigation is one of the key challenges transportation planners and operations engineers face when planning for construction and maintenance activities. Several tools are available for analyzing work zone impacts, including CA4PRS, QuickZone, and VISUM. However, these analysis tools may not fully capture the dynamic nature of drivers' responses to traffic management techniques and significant changes in the transportation network. In this case, performing analyses with a Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) engine, or a similar traffic estimation method, may meet this need while providing additional analysis details (e.g. network, path, origin/ destination [OD], and link analyses) for local engineers to justify their decisions/actions. At the same time, technical expertise, data management, and software licensing often become significant barriers to entry for incorporating this type of analysis into every-day operations. To address these issues, this research will develop a simple, open source Google Maps/Google Earth interface for scenario-based traffic simulation analysis, primarily focused toward traffic management and work zone analysis. Engineers may use the simplified interface to prepare different scenarios without interacting with the calibrated model input data, which will be prepared in this project by the local metropolitan planning organization (MPO). Input data will be hosted remotely, and the simulation engine is offered as a web-application/service to simplify data preparation and improve computational efficiency. This work is an important step toward implementing online DTA for Advanced Travel Demand Management in daily practice. First, providing the traffic estimation tool as a backend computational engine can significantly shorten analysis time. Offering a simple user interface in a familiar software package like Google Maps or Google Earth makes it easier to perform this type of analysis, and their built-in visualization tools may be extremely useful for interpreting analysis results and preparing presentations/reports for decision-makers and stakeholders. Additionally, storing the planning and traffic sensor data sets at a remote host reduces the time and effort spent preparing input data and requires less training for engineers using the software. KW - CA4PRS (Computer model) KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Highway traffic control KW - QuickZone (Computer program) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic data KW - Travel demand KW - VISUM KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_403.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252071 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01483221 TI - Seismic Retrofit of Spliced Sleeve Connections for Precast Bridge Piers AB - There is a great need for research on suitable connections between precast concrete elements which will be able to withstand significant stresses and deformations in earthquakes. The splice sleeve connection is being considered for connecting such elements in Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). There is limited data for use of this connection in bridges located in moderate to high seismic regions. This proposal aims to extend the current pooled fund study project. There is a great need to be able to retrofit bridge piers that will use the spliced sleeve connections. Structural Managers at the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) after a recent scanning tour conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have recommended that such a study be conducted. The project will be carried out by performing cyclic tests to verify the capacity of the retrofitted splice sleeve connection for precast concrete elements such as columns connected to footings or bent cap beams. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge piers KW - Cyclic tests KW - Deformation KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Retrofitting KW - Seismicity UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2012_mpc_405.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1252070 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01477321 TI - Towards Socially and Economically Sustainable Urban Developments AB - The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of road pricing plan, land-use policy and investments on transportation infrastructure on urbanized region and to help select the appropriate policies that foster socially and economically sustainable urban development. Most current road pricing research and practice have focused on the function of road pricing to manage congestion and to raise revenue. However, little is known about the effects of road pricing and land-use policies on the sustainability of an area over time. This can raise enormous concerns with respect to social equity and the political acceptability of policies among motorists, researchers, policy makers and urban economic entities. This project aims to construct an scenario based integrated transport land use model to investigate how road pricing policies and revenue-based local investments affect the efficiency of transportation systems and equitable and sustainable developments of urban or suburban communities focusing on the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan region. Among three constituent parts of sustainable development that are environmental protection, economic development, and social development, this project contributes to improving economic and social sustainability in terms of modeling initiative. This project will mainly deliver methodologies and tools that facilitate the design and implementation of sustainability-oriented policies. In particular, this project will, for the first time, initiate a spatially disaggregate PECAS type transportation land-use model combined with travel demand models to forecast and evaluate the impact of road pricing for the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan region. The results of this research will advance our understanding on how policy decisions for vehicular networks and urban land-use affect the entire economy of the region and the sustainability of its local communities. This research will provide researchers, regional planning communities, and policymakers with new modeling, algorithmic and simulation foundations to address the equity and sustainability concerns from the general public. Since this research will be verified and tested with a real-world case involving Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan region, the results will have considerable potential to be applied in practical planning. The research findings will be disseminated via journal articles and conference presentations. KW - Buffalo (New York) KW - Congestion management systems KW - Land use models KW - Niagara Falls (New York) KW - Road pricing KW - Sustainable development KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/socially-and-economically-sustainable-urban-developments UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246920 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01476710 TI - Improving Seasonal Adjustment Factors for Better AADT Estimation using Network AB - Annual average daily traffic (AADT) values play an important role in transportation design, operation, and planning. Each year, transportation agencies spend a significant amount of resources collecting this information. However, AADT values are mostly rough estimates based on the closest short-period traffic counts, factored up using adjustment factors derived from permanent continuous count stations. For example, in New York State, the unadjusted AADT obtained from the short period traffic counter is adjusted by the seasonal adjustment factors and the axle adjustment factor. Thus the accuracy of AADT relies heavily on the precision of adjustment factors. New York State calculates the seasonal adjustment factors using the average of three years' continuous count data. The factors are then grouped into three categories based on road segment locations and functions: urban, suburban and recreational. (NYSDOT, 2010) Although convenient to use, such factor categorization leads to aggregate and arbitrary estimates. For example, in the transitional areas between suburban and recreational sites, it is often difficult to determine which group of factors should be used. Different land use types and demographic distribution in the surrounding neighborhood may also lead to different temporal fluctuation. For example, though both in "urban" areas, roads along commercial development tend to have peak volume during weekends of holiday seasons while those within residential development normally have lower volume in the same time period. This research develops a method that will generate site-specific seasonal adjustment factors based on (1) site conditions such as the number of lanes, road functional classification and surrounding neighborhood information, and (2) the spatial dependence of traffic flows over road network. That is, in addition to the consideration of various site-specific variables, each road segment will also obtain its unique adjustment factor based on its spatial connections to the surrounding permanent continuous count stations. The theoretical foundation of such method is Tobler's first law of geography: "Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things." The proposed model is built on the Kriging method, which presumes spatial autocorrelation in unobserved factors as a function of distance. This study further advances the standard Kriging approach by utilizing network connectivity indicators instead of Euclidean distance. The indicators to be evaluated include network distance, network topology and equilibrium flow sensitivity. The validated model will be applied to the whole road network in the State of New York and yields a continuous adjustment factor map. The proposed research is of significant importance to the region. With the proposed method and the resulted adjustment factor map, the New York State will get more reliable AADT estimates, which are crucial to the planning and management of transportation systems. The approach also provides a promising way to explore spatial relationships across a wide variety of network-based data sets, including, for example, pavement conditions, traffic speeds, percentages of trucks, land values, and trip generation rates. All of these are critical components of the transportation system. In short, the proposed research will provide means to utilize the geographic information, develop new directions to solve traditional problems, and lead to significant impact on the efficient management of transportation systems in New York State. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Data collection KW - New York (State) KW - Seasonal activity patterns KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic flow rate KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/improving-seasonal-adjustment-factors UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246550 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01471231 TI - Rapid Repair of Severely Damaged Reinforced Concrete Columns AB - Damage to bridge structures during an earthquake can have devastating social and economic consequences, particularly for bridges located along key routes critical for emergency response and other essential functions. According to ATC 18, damage to important bridges should be repairable within three days. Thus rapid and effective repair methods for varying levels of damage are needed to enable quick opening of these bridges and to minimize impact on the community. The subject of this study is the rapid repair of severely-damaged concrete bridge columns under combined loading effects. The term "rapid" in the context of this study refers to a 3-day time period as defined in the literature. Research in this field is currently limited to the repair of columns with slight to moderate damage levels; thus this research will fill in a critical gap in the literature with respect to the severe damage level. In this study, one-half scale concrete bridge columns that have been tested to failure as part of a separate ongoing study are repaired using externally-bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wrap. The repaired columns are then tested under the same loading regime as the original columns, combined action of bending, shear, torsion, and axial effects, and the behavior is compared directly with the original response. Since the current literature contains little information with respect to repair of columns subjected to torsion, the inclusion of torsion in the combined loading is a significant contribution to the state of knowledge, and represents a more comprehensive and realistic loading condition than without. Results will serve as the basis for and add credibility to future proposals on rapid repair of bridge columns, with high potential for collaboration with leading researchers in this field. KW - Bending stress KW - Columns KW - Concrete bridges KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Repairing KW - Seismicity KW - Torsion UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/research/r289/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239630 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01471035 TI - Modeling Traffic Flow at Merge Bottlenecks Considering Merging Location Choice AB - Merge bottlenecks, such as lane drops, junctions with entry ramps, and freeway-to-freeway merges, are the most common places where traffic congestion initiates. These are the places where drivers compete for reduced road space and are forced to interact. Furthermore, merge junctions are also fundamental building blocks of networks, hence their models are essential components of network traffic models widely used in dynamic traffic assignment and other network applications. Despite recent renewed interest and progress made in modeling merge bottlenecks, the understanding of and ability to model them is far less mature than those related to traffic on homogeneous road sections, partly due to the complexity of merge dynamics and partly insufficient observations. In this research, the project will attempt to gain a better understanding of traffic system behavior at merge bottlenecks through careful studies of vehicle trajectories from on-ramp junctions, and use this understanding to develop more realistic merging traffic flow models that takes into account the choice of merging locations. It is expected that this research can help build a solid foundation of network traffic flow theory by addressing an essential component of this theory, namely merging traffic dynamics, which in turn can help the design of more effective traffic control strategies to reduce traffic congestion caused by merge bottlenecks. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Merging traffic KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239207 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01471034 TI - Evaluating the Travel and Physical Activity Impacts of the Exposition (Expo) Light Rail Line; Leveraging Transit Investments for Community Livability and Regional Sustainability AB - This research will support analysis of data collected in California's first experimental-control, before-and-after evaluation of a major light rail transit (LRT) investment, the Exposition (Expo) line from downtown to the westside of Los Angeles. The region's ambitious LRT construction campaign will support Senate Bill SB375 goals for greater integration of transportation and land use planning, but little is known about whether and to what degree new LRT is associated with reduced private vehicle travel and increased transit usage. In Fall 2011, the data collected geographically detailed 7-day travel data for 285 households along the corridor using daily trip and vehicle odometer logs and supplemental global positioning system (GPS) based location tracking. The project will collect comparable "after" data for the same households in Fall 2012 after the Expo line service begins in Spring 2012. The current proposal will support data coding, processing, and analysis and will inform transit planning and community development by (1) assessing the impact of Expo service on nearby private vehicle travel, transit ridership, and physical activity, (2) identifying neighborhood factors which could enhance the potential positive effects of transit proximity on bus ridership and walking, and (3) demonstrating methods for evaluating the sustainability, travel, and community impacts of major transportation projects. KW - Data collection KW - Land use planning KW - Light rail transit KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Ridership KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel surveys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239206 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01471033 TI - Bounded Acceleration and Capacity Drop at Merging Bottlenecks AB - The objective of this research is to prove the conjecture that bounded acceleration rates of vehicles can lead to capacity drop inside a merging area. Capacity drop is one of the most puzzling traffic phenomena occurring near such bottlenecks as lane-drop and merges. While it has been suspected that such a capacity drop is caused by drivers' acceleration behaviors inside various bottleneck areas, there have been no systematic studies on the relationship between drivers' acceleration process and the magnitude of capacity drop. In this research the aim is to develop, calibrate, and validate a macroscopic model of acceleration behaviors inside a merging bottleneck and quantify their impacts on capacity drop. From observed vehicles' trajectories, the project will calibrate acceleration rates and distances inside such an acceleration zone and calculate the magnitude of capacity drop using the macroscopic acceleration behavior model. The result will be compared with the observed capacity drop from loop detector data. Such a research can improve our understanding of the mechanism and magnitude of capacity drops at freeway bottlenecks. The knowledge can then be employed towards improving ramp metering, variable speed limits, and other control strategies to reduce congestion and vehicle emissions in a road network. KW - Acceleration rates KW - Bottlenecks KW - Lane drops KW - Merging area KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic congestion KW - Variable speed limits KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239205 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01471031 TI - Moving from Interesting to Implementable Models for Efficient Transportation Systems Management - Breaking Through the Computing Barrier AB - This research proposes to extend a decade or more of research in parallel and distributed computing architecture to work on transportation problems falling into the general category of network design, but with time scales that range from real-time to quasi-real time to quarterly or annual planning. It is proposed to extend this work to many other operational problems. KW - Computer architecture KW - Computer models KW - Design KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Real time data processing KW - Transportation planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239203 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01471022 TI - ECO-Driving Technology and Behavior Research for Heavy-Duty Trucks AB - Heavy-duty trucks are a critical component of the U.S. goods movement system; however, these trucks consume a large amount of fuel and emit significant pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. The trucking industry is always looking for any measure to improve their operations and reduce fuel consumption, including improving how the truck is driven. In recent years, there has been a big push for promoting "eco-driving" mainly for light-duty vehicles as a cost-effective means of saving fuel and reducing CO₂. In general, eco-driving can be defined as fuel-efficient operation of a vehicle to achieve better fuel economy and lower tailpipe emissions while not compromising the safety of oneself and other road users. The core of eco-driving programs is to provide drivers with a variety of advice and feedback to reduce fuel consumption. The advice and feedback can be provided through various means including websites, classes or training, and in-vehicle driving feedback systems. Evaluations of eco-driving programs for light-duty vehicles in Europe and Asia have shown fuel economy improvements on the order of 5 to 15%]. To date, there have not been any significant studies addressing eco-driving for heavy-duty trucks. In this project, it is proposed to develop and evaluate heavy-duty truck eco-driving technology and to study the behavioral impact eco-driving may have on truck drivers. This truck-based eco-driving research will build upon University of California Riverside's (UCR) current research in eco-driving technology for light duty vehicles. This proposed work also pulls in the heavy-duty truck research being carried out by researchers at Cal State San Bernardino (CSUSC) and makes use of their recently acquired unique driving simulators. By combining these two neighboring research organizations (i.e., UCR and CSUSB), this valuable eco-driving study can be successfully carried out, providing important insight on how better fuel economy and lower CO₂ emissions can be achieved in the goods movement arena. KW - Behavior KW - Driving simulators KW - Energy consumption KW - Freight traffic KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Sustainable transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239194 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467849 TI - Computational Modeling of Driver Speed Control with its Applications in Developing Intelligent Transportation Systems to Prevent Speeding-Related Accidents AB - Speeding - exceeding posted speed limits, driving too fast for conditions or racing - is the leading contributing factor in fatal motor vehicle accidents in New York (NY) State. More than 34 percent of all fatal accidents were due to unsafe speed in 2009 (Summary of Motor Vehicle Accidents, NY State Department of Motor Vehicles, 2009). Understanding and modeling speeding and speed control is one of major challenges in human performance modeling which involves: (a) the modeling of several aspects of human cognitive system: perception, decision making and motor control as well as their interaction with the vehicle model; (b) individual differences in speed control and prediction of speeding in real time. However, few of existing computational models is able to cover all of these important aspects together. To address this problem, the main objective of this project is to build a new mathematical driver speeding behavior model and apply it to develop an intelligent speeding control system. Multi-disciplinary approaches will be used to build the mathematical model of driver speeding behavior, integrating methods in operations research (Queuing Network-Model Human Processor, QN-MHP) and theories in psychology (Rule-Based Decision Field Theory, RDFT) to predict driving speed, pedal angle, acceleration, the time when drivers exceed the speed limit, and the magnitude of speeding. The model not only quantifies an average driver's speed control behavior, but also models individual drivers' decision making references and impulsiveness. A human driver experimental study will be conducted to validate the prediction of the model. The model will also be implemented in a real-time intelligent speeding control system, which will provide warnings to drivers to prevent speeding proactively. The intelligent system will online monitor the pedal behavior of a driver, calculate the probability of speeding for that driver in the next few seconds, and proactively provide necessary warnings to that driver to prevent his or her speeding behavior in real-time. This project will produce a mathematical model of driver speeding, consisting of four major components: speed perception, decision making (setting a target speed), motor control (foot movement for pedal control) and a vehicle mechanical model. It will not model all of speed control behavior of human driver, but focus on the prediction of speeding behavior and the design of human-machine interface (HMI) to present warning message to driver before the speeding behavior actually occurs. It is potentially helpful for Region II to reduce number of traffic accidents due to speeding, and both undergraduate and minority students will be involved in this project. KW - Computational models KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Human machine interface KW - Mathematical models KW - Speeding UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/computational-modeling UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236085 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467848 TI - Effects of New Jersey's Cell Phone/Text Ban AB - With the amount of wireless communication technology available today, its use while driving has become a significant issue around the country as it relates to crashes, injuries and deaths on the nation's roadways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported over 6000 deaths and over 500,000 injuries in 2008 attributed to distracted driving. Distracted driving has been defined as any non-driving activity that takes the driver's attention away from the safe operation of their vehicles. Three types of driver distraction have been identified: visual, manual, and cognitive, with talking and texting emerging as the most significant forms of distracted driving. The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is making considerable efforts to encourage states' to enact legislation to ban use of devices while driving as well as efforts to educate the public on the dangers of this type of activity. As of September 2010, 8 states and the District of Columbia have banned hand-held cell phone use for all drivers and 30 states have banned texting for all drivers. The USDOT has provided some early support to states with sample legislation, pilot programs for high-visibility enforcement efforts, and a Distracted Driving Information Clearinghouse. Since March 1, 2008 there has been a ban on the use of wireless telephone and electronic communication devices while operating a motor vehicle in New Jersey. But from general observation on any roadway, it appears that there are still a significant amount of drivers who are talking on their phones or texting while driving. From 2006 to 2009, NJ crashes, injuries, and deaths for hand-held devices averaged 1837, 769, and 6, respectively, while hands-free averaged 1570 crashes, 659 injuries, and 3 deaths. It is generally believed that the number of crashes attributable to phone or text use is under-reported as drivers will rarely admit to their use and enforcement normally does not witness the crash event. Additionally, law enforcement resources may be limited and issuing citations for phone or text use may be competing with other enforcement priorities. While legislation has been enacted to combat this type of behavior, actually enforcing it and reporting it present some challenges. The efforts for this research proposal are aimed at pre- and post legislation data analysis on actual crash and citation information as well as understanding the challenges posed with the collection of this type of information. A key component as well is surveying driver attitudes toward this legislation and gaining an understanding of the components for compliance and in this case non-compliance. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Education KW - Highway safety KW - Laws and legislation KW - New Jersey KW - Text messaging UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/new-jersey%E2%80%99s-cell-phone-and-text-ban UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236084 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467846 TI - Light Trucks and Highway Fatalities: The Role of Network Effects AB - Highway fatalities in University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) Region II fell steadily from the 1970s through the 1990s, but levels have since rebounded slightly and have remained flat for more than a decade. The stagnation in progress on fatalities has been attributed by some analysts to the prevalence of light trucks, such as sport utility vehicles (SUVs), on American roads. Because light trucks are taller, heavier, and more rigid than cars, they pose greater danger to the occupants of cars, as well as to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. Despite increased fuel costs in recent years, large vehicles continue to make up a large percentage of the vehicle mix. One important factor in the ongoing light-truck trend may be the interrelationship among individual motor vehicle purchase decisions: specifically, a consumer's choice between a large and small vehicle may be influenced by the current mix of large and small vehicles on the roads. The proposed research project hypothesizes a "network effect," whereby increases in the number of light trucks increase the consumer's propensity to purchase a truck as a means of protection against heightened accident risks posed by the greater incidence of these vehicles on the roads. The project will measure this effect and examine its relationship to highway fatalities over the period 1997 through 2008. It will use an economic metric called the demand elasticity, which will allow for integration of network effects with effects on vehicle consumption from a host of influences, including prices and policy variables. The principal investigator (PI) will manage a graduate student in collecting data to complete and extend a data set I have previously compiled of household- and state-year-level variables relevant to the analysis. The PI will employ the data in estimating a binary vehicle choice model (car versus light truck) and use the results to calculate measures of the network effect in each year. The PI then estimate the network effect's role in highway fatalities, its effect on potential public policies for addressing the vehicle mix, and its role in manufacturer incentives with respect to light-truck safety. The project will generate two deliverables: a final paper to be published in a top economics or public policy journal, and a research brief summarizing the results in non-technical language. KW - Consumer preferences KW - Crash exposure KW - Elasticity (Economics) KW - Fatalities KW - Sport utility vehicles KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/light-trucks-and-highway-fatalities UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236082 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467845 TI - Estimating Multi-class Truck Origin-Destination Flows Through Data Fusion from Multiple Sources AB - Efforts to manage truck flows in congested urban areas have important implications not only for congestion relief, but also for air quality improvement and reductions in energy use. A vital input to these flow management efforts is knowledge of the origin-destination (O-D) movement patterns for various classes of trucks, and this presents a substantial challenge. The problem of estimating O-D tables from observed data (usually link counts) has been studied since the 1970's, and there are effective methods for a single-class (i.e., passenger cars) problem under assumptions of deterministic user equilibrium flow patterns in the network. There has also been some work on extending the ideas to conditions reflecting stochastic user equilibrium. Relatively little work has been done on the multi-class problem, which is of particular concern for estimating truck flows in different size classes. Furthermore, as more advanced traffic surveillance technologies become available, data beyond simple link counts can be used in the estimation process. Finally, the transition from estimating a static O-D pattern to estimating dynamic O-D flows creates additional challenges. The purpose of this project is to test a newly developed method for estimating multi-class O-D tables for trucks, using more comprehensive observable data than link counts, and reflecting the uncertainty inherent in network flows by using a stochastic equilibrium formulation, rather than a deterministic one. The model formulation uses a bi-level optimization, for which a specialized solution method has been developed. In this project, the solution method will be tested using a set of networks of varying character and data of varying types. The result of this project will be a validated method for improving the estimation of multi-class truck origin-destination flows, based on a fusion of data from various sources and reflecting the uncertainty in network flow patterns. This is a key step in moving toward the ability to better manage truck flows in real time to reduce congestion, reduce energy consumption, and improve air quality in urban areas. KW - Air quality KW - Energy consumption KW - Origin and destination KW - Traffic congestion KW - Truck flow KW - Trucks UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/multi-class-truck-origin-destination UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236081 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541519 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Eco-Logical Successes PY - 2012/01//Second SP - 7p AB - In 2006, leaders from eight Federal agencies signed the interagency document Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects. Eco-Logical is a document that outlines a shared vision of how to develop infrastructure projects in ways that are more sensitive to terrestrial and aquatic habitats, promoting advanced mitigation and early consideration of critical environmental resources. The eight Eco-Logical signatory agencies are: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service, National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In January 2011, FHWA published the first Eco-Logical Successes document. The document featured at least one of each signatory agency’s strategic environmental programs, projects, and efforts that are either directly related to or share the vision set forth in Eco-Logical and identified potential joint projects and opportunities for collaboration among the agencies. This, the second edition of Eco-Logical Successes, focuses on two agency programs: BLM’s Landscape Approach and USFWS’s Strategic Habitat Conservation Framework and Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, and provides a more in-depth discussion of these two programs and their linkages to Eco-Logical. KW - Bureau of Land Management KW - Conservation KW - Environmental policy KW - Federal government agencies KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Infrastructure KW - Sustainable development KW - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service UR - http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/successes/second_edition.asp UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/48000/48300/48343/EcoLogical_Successes_II.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327140 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481198 TI - ProtoDrive: An Experimental Platform for Electric Vehicle Energy Scheduling and Control AB - This project is developing Protodrive, an experimental platform enabling rapid prototyping and simulation of electric vehicle powertrains. The powertrain is modeled at the small-scale in hardware, making it low-cost and compact enough to fit on a desk. It consists of a physical model of an electric vehicle powertrain coupled to an active dynamometer, making it possible to run the powertrain through its full speed and torque range. The fact that this system has been constructed in hardware allows it to capture intricacies in vehicle operation that may be missed by simulation in software alone. KW - Dynamometers KW - Electric vehicles KW - Experiments KW - Power trains KW - Prototypes KW - Simulation UR - http://protodrive.blogspot.com/2012/04/demo-day.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250268 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481197 TI - Visual Navigation with Android Tablets AB - The goal of this project is to develop a visual navigation system for use in vehicles using Android tablets. Current vehicle navigation techniques rely solely on static road maps and noisy global positioning system (GPS) data. This approach is prone to errors where GPS information is not available, such as urban canyons. The project proposes to use a windshield mounted, Android tablet as a sensor platform for augmenting in-vehicle navigation. The project begins by detecting and tracking salient features over time from the color camera images. Combined with the accelerometer and gyroscope data, we can distinguish between static (background) and dynamic (foreground) features in the images. The static features are then used to compute the visual odometry (motion of the vehicle) and produce a 3D model of the environment. This information can then be used to augment the navigation system with local, real-time information and overlays. KW - Driver information systems KW - Global Positioning System KW - Navigation systems KW - Real time information KW - Tablet computers KW - Visualization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250267 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481111 TI - AutoMatrix: A Large-scale Traffic Congestion Modeling Tool to Investigate Anytime Algorithms for Multi-core Computing Architectures AB - This project is designing AutoMatrix, a traffic congestion simulation platform for large-scale traffic modeling, routing and congestion management. AutoMatrix is currently capable of simulating over 16 million vehicles on any US street map and executing traffic estimation, prediction and route assignment algorithms with high-throughput. This research has the potential to extend real-time scheduling on massively parallel Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) architectures to attack a variety of data-driven, interactive and dynamical algorithms with timely operation. KW - Algorithms KW - Congestion management systems KW - Real time control KW - Routing KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic models UR - http://utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/projectitem.asp?ID=44 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250156 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01480477 TI - AutoPlug: An Automotive Test-bed for Remote Electronic Controller Unit Diagnostics, Testing, and Verification AB - This project is developing AutoPlug, an automotive Electronic Controller Unit (ECU) test-bed to diagnose, test, update and verify controls software in a vehicle. AutoPlug consists of multiple ECUs interconnected by a CAN bus, a vehicle driving simulator which behaves as the plant model and a vehicle controls monitor in Matlab. As the ECUs drive the simulated vehicle, the physics-based simulation provides feedback to the controllers in terms of acceleration, yaw, friction and vehicle stability. This closed-loop platform is then used to evaluate multiple vehicle control software modules such as traction, stability and cruise control. With this test-bed the project aims to develop ECU software diagnosis and testing to evaluate the effect on the stability and performance of the vehicle. Code updates can be executed via a smart phone so drivers may remotely "patch" their vehicle. This closed-loop automotive control test-bed allows the automotive research community to explore the capabilities and challenges of safe and secure remote code updates for vehicle recalls management. KW - Automobile navigation systems KW - Cruise control KW - Electronic controllers KW - Feedback control KW - Onboard computers KW - Simulation KW - Test beds UR - http://www.nae.edu/Publications/Bridge/67677/67759.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249382 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477801 AU - Helwany, Sam AU - Ghorbanpoor, Al AU - Alizadeh, Vahid AU - Oliva, Mike AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Novel Abutment Construction Technique for Rapid Bridge Construction: CLSM with Full-Height Concrete Panels PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 78p AB - One of the major obstacles facing rapid bridge construction for typical span type bridges is the time required to construct bridge abutments and foundations. This can be remedied by using the controlled low strength materials (CLSM) bridge abutment. The CLSM bridge abutment comprises full-height precast concrete panels attached to a CLSM backfill via epoxy-coated steel anchors. The main objective of this study is to examine the application of the CLSM bridge system in typical span type bridges used in railroad and highway situations. To do so, an instrumented, large-scale laboratory test was performed on a CLSM bridge abutment to investigate its performance due to the application of a monotonically increasing sill (foundation) pressure. The test results show that the CLSM bridge abutment, with a relatively short cure time of 7 days, is capable of carrying bridge loads with a reasonably large safety margin, and with minimal deformations. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge construction KW - Concrete bridges KW - Flowable fill KW - Laboratory tests KW - Panels UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0312.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224930 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477102 AU - Ross, Catherine AU - Woo, M AU - Boston, T AU - Georgia Transportation Institute University Transportation Center (GTI-UTC) AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impact of Regional SPLOST on County Infrastructure PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 240p AB - In response to fiscal constraints on transportation funding and the need to address transportation problems and create regional solutions, Georgia is proposing a 1% regional Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). To accommodate this initiative, Georgia created 12 Special Tax Districts that will affect all Georgia counties. This research (1) provides information on the challenges that other regional initiatives have faced and the strategies utilized in gaining voter support for such initiatives; (2) identifies possible implications that arise from the relationship between existing county SPLOSTs and the proposed regional SPLOSTs; and (3) provides strategies for the successful implementation of this regional initiative by estimating the likelihood that county-specific sales tax referenda for transportation will succeed and by identifying the factors that influence voting outcomes. The research identifies multi-jurisdictional initiatives across the U.S. which use transportation sales taxes as an alternative funding mechanism to derive the possible impacts a regional transportation sales tax might have on the ability of individual counties to secure county-specific sales taxes for transportation. Although there have been multicounty transportation sales tax initiatives undertaken across the U.S., none compare to the scale proposed in Georgia. The case studies in the report are a review of voter approval in other states of county-specific transportation sales tax initiatives occurring while a previous regional sales tax was in place, or vice versa. The voting process is examined through the use of models to identify major factors associated with the success of Georgia SPLOSTs. Separate models were run based on the purpose of SPLOSTs. Also, each special tax district is examined using SPLOST data to determine which districts and counties historically support SPLOSTs when the purpose is considered. The results show that the new regional SPLOSTs may bring minimal or no negative effect on county level transportation projects, since some of the proceeds from the regional SPLOSTs will also be earmarked for local transportation projects. However, the regional SPLOSTs, which propose only transportation projects, may negatively impact other new capital outlay project s at the local level, particularly when both education SPLOSTs and regional SPLOSTs are active in the same county. This implies that the competitive purposes of SPLOSTs will be more critical than those between county-specific and regional SPLOSTs. KW - Financing KW - Georgia KW - Incentives KW - Infrastructure KW - Regional planning KW - Sales tax KW - Specialized training UR - http://www.utc.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/projects/reports/ross_and_elliott_impact_of_regional_splost_final_report_regional_splost_clr_07062012_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246697 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472543 AU - Rochat, Judith L AU - Hastings, Aaron L AU - Read, David R AU - Lau, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) Pavement Effects Implementation Study: Progress Report 1 PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 110p AB - The Volpe Center Acoustics Facility, in support of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), investigated the implementation of pavement effects in the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM). Three options were considered, resulting in the recommendation of two options: 1) implementation of user-defined pavement-specific emission levels (REMELs), with proof of adequate data; and 2) implementation of on-board sound intensity (OBSI)-adjusted tire/pavement noise source levels, implemented as a large database in the FHWA TNM and also as a user-defined option. Each option would also include adjusting for the pavement sound absorption by applying pavement-specific effective flow resistivity (EFR) values. KW - On Board Sound Intensity KW - Pavements KW - Reference Energy Mean Emission Level (REMEL) KW - Sound absorption KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46466/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-12-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239139 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457369 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Best Practices in Geographic Information Systems-Based Transportation Asset Management PY - 2012/01 SP - 71p AB - This report provides background on geographic information systems (GIS) and transportation asset management (TAM), describes how public agencies have been integrating the two, and identifies benefits and challenges to doing so. The information presented is gleaned from a literature review and interviews with several state departments of transportation (DOTs) and one county agency. The report also identifies some leading industry trends and new, innovative approaches to using GIS for TAM. KW - Asset management KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Geographic information systems KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.gis.fhwa.dot.gov/documents/GIS_AssetMgmt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225457 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456881 AU - Wittwer, Ernie AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Minnesota Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - North/West Passage Corridor-Wide Commercial Vehicle Permitting – Phase 2 PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 48p AB - The efficient movement of freight is a key to the economic success of any state, region or nation. Rising transport costs will tend to make products from the region more expensive and less competitive in the national and global markets. This trend can be addressed by adding capacity, a very expensive and long-term solution; improving the management of the highway and rail systems; and by easing the regulatory burden on carriers. Some states have organized themselves into compacts or coalitions to issue permits for these routine loads on a regional basis. While permitting is one of the issues often raised by truckers as a costly and frustrating process, a number of concerns over exactly how individual state rules can be harmonized to facilitate regional permitting must be resolved before multi-state agreements can be put into place. To better understand the nature of regional permitting processes, existing compact or agreements must be reviewed and their rules, processes and administrative procedures documented. In addition, members of those compacts must be interviewed to measure their perceptions of the costs and benefits entailed in regional agreement. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Northwest Passage KW - Overweight loads KW - Permits KW - Regional planning KW - Regulations UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_05-02_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224993 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448522 AU - Schonfeld, Paul M AU - Kim, Myungseob AU - Cheong, Seonyeong AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integration of Fixed and Flexible Route Public Transportation Systems, Phase I PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 34p AB - To provide efficient public transportation services in areas with high demand variability over time, it may be desirable to switch vehicles between conventional services (with fixed routes and schedules) during peak periods and flexible route service during low demand periods. The authors call this possibility a variable-type service. In this research project the authors compare conventional, flexible and variable-type service alternatives optimized for various conditions in order to explore when variable-type bus services might be preferable to pure ones. The optimization models used for purely conventional or flexible services are adapted from previous studies. These models are integrated into a new model for optimizing variable-type bus services. The results of sensitivity analyses show how the demand variability over time and other factors affect the relative effectiveness of conventional, flexible and variable-type bus services. Additional details on the problem and its formulation, solution methods, and obtained results, are provided in this report. KW - Bus transit KW - Fixed routes KW - Flexible routes KW - Off peak periods KW - Optimization KW - Peak periods KW - Public transit KW - Schedules and scheduling KW - Service demand KW - Travel demand management KW - Variable demand UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2009-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46070/UMD-2009-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214984 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448517 AU - Schonfeld, Paul M AU - Kim, Myungseob AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integration of Fixed and Flexible Route Public Transportation Systems, Phase II PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 23p AB - Conventional bus service (with fixed routes and schedules) has lower average cost than flexible bus service (with demand-responsive routes) at high demand densities. At low demand densities flexible bus service has lower average costs and provides user-friendly door-to-door service. Bus size is interrelated with service type since large buses have lower average cost per passenger than small buses at high demand densities, and vice versa. The service type and vehicle size decisions are jointly optimized here for a bus transit system connecting a major terminal to local regions. Bus sizes, conventional route spacing and flexible service area are the decision variables in a proposed algorithm which optimizes a multi-dimensional nonlinear integer optimization problem. Numerical analysis shows how the proposed Variable Mode & Multiple Fleets Operation can reduce total cost compared to a Single Fleet & Single Mode Operation. The sensitivity of results to important parameters is explored. Additional details on the problem and its formulation, the solution methods employed, and the results obtained are provided in this report. KW - Algorithms KW - Bus transit KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Fixed routes KW - Flexible routes KW - Optimization KW - Public transit KW - Vehicle size UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2010-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46071/UMD-2010-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214986 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446032 AU - Lau, Michael AU - Senzig, David AU - Bevillard, Paul AU - Boeker, Eric R AU - Roof, Christopher J AU - Samiljan, Robert AU - Tyndall, Charles AU - Scarpone, Christopher AU - Kim, Michael AU - Lee, Cynthia AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Floatplane Source Noise Measurements: Summary of Measurements, Data and Analyses for the Cessna 182S Skylane and De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 100p AB - In September 2010, the Volpe Center measured source noise for two floatplane aircraft that have been identified as participating in commercial air tour operations over National Parks: Cessna 182S and De Havilland Canada DHC-2. This document describes the planning and execution of the noise study, overviews the data reduction procedures, and presents final data adjusted to standard conditions. KW - Air tours KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft noise KW - Cessna 182 aircraft KW - De Havilland aircraft KW - Floatplanes KW - National parks KW - Noise UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44330/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-11-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212599 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380507 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Minnesota Department of Transportation AU - Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities Area TI - Twin Cities Metro Freight Initiative: The Story of Freight in the Twin Cities PY - 2012/01 SP - 52p AB - The Twin Cities metropolitan (metro) region (the “region”) is the center of trade and business activity in the northwestern area of the U.S. Midwest. It is third in total size behind only Chicago and Detroit for the entire Midwest and accounts for almost three-quarters of the gross domestic product (GDP) of the state of Minnesota. The region is home to numerous Fortune 500 industries and businesses; it is also the birthplace of a host of national and global companies. The region is the head of navigation for the Mississippi River system. Located within the region are transcontinental rail routes, two Interstate highways, numerous pipelines and refineries, and two air express hubs. These facilities and others make the region a critical part of many global supply chains. Additionally, the region’s two major rail container intermodal yard operations make it a crucial hub for containerized freight traffic moving across the multi-state area. The region’s natural resources, including timber, wheat, and minerals, supported the growth of robust transportation networks and services over time. Access to plentiful energy and a constantly evolving system of abundant, efficient transportation for goods and passengers also made it possible for manufacturing and milling businesses to develop in the region. As in other areas throughout the country, the region is grappling with challenges that significantly impact the freight system, such as congestion, aging infrastructure, capacity limits, environmental concerns, population and employment shifts, land use conflicts, and funding uncertainties. While some challenges exist, a well-developed system of multi-modal freight connections and robust distribution options has evolved in the region that supports a vital, competitive economy and a high quality of life for about 3 million people. The region also boasts numerous examples of unique and effective movement of commercial goods, from loaded grain barges and unit trains of coal, ethanol, and containers to overnight emergency outbound shipments of artificial hearts and inbound shipments of hi-tech consumer goods and exotic foods. While transportation has historically supported the region’s industries, it continues to be a major business in its own right, including the newly emerged area of global logistics management. The public sector plays an important role in influencing the region’s freight transportation system although the private sector owns and operates a large portion of this system. By working together in specific ways, the public and private sectors ensure that the system is safe, efficient, and continues to support the region’s economic vitality and high quality of life. The purpose of this document is to highlight the importance of the region’s freight transportation system to businesses and residents, particularly in terms of its contributions to regional economic development and quality of life. KW - Economic development KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Gross domestic product KW - Hubs KW - Quality of life KW - Supply chain management KW - Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minnesota) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44774/Twin_Cities_Metro_Freight_Initiative_Story_of_Freight_December_2011__2_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147328 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379216 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alternative Uses of Highway Right-of-Way : Accommodating Renewable Energy Technologies and Alternative Fuel Facilities PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 101p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this research to learn more about the current state of the practice, challenges State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have faced, and lessons learned in accommodating alternative energy technologies and alternative fuel facilities in highway right-of-way (ROW). Dissemination of the information in the report should better enable State DOTs and local public agencies to evaluate the feasibility of accommodating renewable energy technologies and alternative fuel facilities in the ROW and to identify effective practices for implementing such projects. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Right of way (Traffic) KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Technology UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44749/altusesreport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146823 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376326 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Arthur, Grace AU - Onyejekwe, Sandra AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reviewing, Analyzing and Updating Marketing Strategies to Increase Public Transit Ridership PY - 2012/01 SP - 48p AB - Ridership in the United States has been fluctuating over the last decade. With fuel prices increasing, urban and suburban communities growing and global warming and environmental impact getting special attention, it is important to increase our knowledge of best marketing practices to attract riders to public transit as a better alternative to the use of their own car. Houston METRO is adding roughly 30 miles of light rail, offering new quick line bus routes and in general improving efficiency and reducing costs. But in order to move people out of their cars for all or some of their travel, a deeper analysis of the decision variables and a strategy to promote public transit is required. KW - Bus transit KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Light rail transit KW - Marketing KW - Public transit KW - Ridership KW - Strategic planning UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00050-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376182 AU - Paleti, Rajesh AU - Eluru, Naveen AU - Bhat, Chandra R AU - Pendyala, Ram M AU - Adler, Thomas J AU - Goulias, Konstadinos G AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Design of a Comprehensive Microsimulator of Household Vehicle Fleet Composition, Utilization, and Evolution PY - 2012/01//Research Report SP - 46p AB - The report describes a comprehensive vehicle fleet composition, utilization, and evolution simulator that can be used to forecast household vehicle ownership and mileage by type of vehicle over time. The components of the simulator are developed in this research effort using detailed revealed and stated preference data on household vehicle fleet composition, utilization, and planned transactions collected for a large sample of households in California. Results of the model development effort show that the simulator holds promise as a tool for simulating vehicular choice processes in the context of activity-based travel microsimulation model systems. KW - Automobile ownership KW - California KW - Choice models KW - Forecasting KW - Households KW - Microsimulation KW - Revealed preferences KW - Stated preferences KW - Types of vehicles KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161120-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371631 AU - Sadek, Adel W AU - Wang, Qian AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Prototype Decision Support System for Optimally Routing Border Crossing Traffic Based on Predicted Border Crossing Times PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The economic vitality of the “Golden Horseshoe”, a densely populated and industrialized region which encompasses Southern Ontario, Canada and parts of New York State including the Buffalo-Niagara Region, is heavily dependent upon the ability to move goods freely and efficiently across the Canadian-US border. This highlights the critical importance of the Niagara Frontier International border crossing, one of North America’s busiest portals for travel and trade. This study had two primary objectives. The first objective was to develop a forecasting method for the on-line, short-term prediction of hourly traffic volumes at the Niagara Frontier border crossings. The second objective of the study was to develop queuing models which would use the predicted traffic volume to estimate the future border delay. As a case study, the project considers the Peace Bridge border crossing, which is one of the busiest Niagara Frontier border crossings, serving over 4.76 million cars annually. For the short-term prediction of hourly volumes at the Peace Bridge, a novel method was developed, which combines forecasts from traditional time series analysis, specifically the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model, with forecasts made by Support Vector Regression (SVR). The two models’ forecasts are combined using: (1) a simple fixed weight procedure; and (2) the fuzzy adaptive variable weight method, based on the Fresh Degree Function. Based on an analysis of the diurnal distribution of traffic volumes, six separate classes are defined and individual models are developed for weekdays (Monday - Thursday), Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and game days. The evaluation results for that part of the study appear to confirm the hypothesis that, while the SARIMA model does a good job capturing the linear characteristics of the data (e.g., seasonality and trend), SVR appears to outperform SARIMA in modeling the data’s nonlinear aspects. The study also shows that combining forecasts from the two models, especially using the fuzzy adaptive variable weight method, yields excellent prediction performance, with values for the Mean Absolute Percent Error in the predictions of only about 7%. For estimating future border delay, the study built and solved an inverse M/M/c queuing model, where it was assumed that arrivals followed a Poisson distribution, service times followed an exponential distribution, and that the system had c service stations open. An inverse model was needed because the hourly volumes predicted from the first part of the study were outgoing volumes (i.e. volumes leaving the border customs and inspection stations), and not incoming volumes. The report includes an example to demonstrate how the inverse queuing model may be solved to estimate the expected average delay. KW - Decision support systems KW - International borders KW - Niagara County (New York) KW - Peace Bridge (New York and Ontario) KW - Routing KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Traffic queuing KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel time KW - United States-Canada Border UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/assets/198/FinalReportMultimodelforecastingbordercrossing1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370212 AU - Hans, Zachary AU - Hawkins, Neal AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Smart Work Zone Deployment Initiative AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Utilization of Remote Traffic Monitoring Devices for Urban Freeway Work Zone Assessment PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 208p AB - The objective of this project was to promote and facilitate analysis and evaluation of the impacts of road construction activities in Smart Work Zone Deployment Initiative (SWZDI) states. The two primary objectives of this project were to assess urban freeway work-zone impacts through use of remote monitoring devices, such as radar-based traffic sensors, traffic cameras, and traffic signal loop detectors, and evaluate the effectiveness of using these devices for such a purpose. Two high-volume suburban freeway work zones, located on Interstate 35/80 (I-35/I-80) through the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area, were evaluated at the request of the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). KW - Des Moines (Iowa) KW - Freeways KW - High volume roads KW - Remote sensing KW - Road construction KW - Suburbs KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Urban highways KW - Work zone traffic control KW - Work zones UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/reports/small_work_zone_remote_traffic_monitoring_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138022 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369783 AU - MacArthur, John AU - Mote, Philip AU - Ideker, Jason AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Lee, Ming AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Region X Consortium TI - Climate Change Impact Assessment for Surface Transportation in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska PY - 2012/01//Final Research Report SP - 286p AB - The states in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska region share interconnected transportation networks for people, goods, and services that support the regional economy, mobility, and human safety. Regional weather has and will continue to affect the physical condition and serviceability of these networks, yet the nature of climate changes and their potential impacts on the regional transportation system and its use are very poorly understood. The world’s leading climate scientists, such as the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, have reached consensus that global climate changes are being observed and will continue into the future, particularly increasing temperatures. Given this fact, the widely diverse topography, climate regimes, and localized variability of impacts within the region complicate efforts to understand and plan for adapting to the potential impacts of climate change on the regional transportation system. The rising costs of building and maintaining reliable transportation infrastructure place tremendous pressure on transportation planners, engineers, researchers and policy makers to deliver resilient transportation systems and maximize return on investment. As such, there is an urgent need to synthesize information to characterize the regional impacts of climate change to support the development of economical and resilient adaptation strategies. The objective of this research project was to conduct a preliminary vulnerability assessment of the risks and vulnerabilities climate change poses to the surface transportation infrastructure system in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska region. The report synthesizes data to characterize the region’s climate; identifies potential impacts on the regional transportation system; identifies critical infrastructure vulnerable to climate change impacts; and provides recommendations for more detailed analysis and research needs as appropriate to support managing risks and opportunities to adapt multimodal surface transportation infrastructure to climate change impacts. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Alaska KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Global warming KW - Ground transportation KW - Infrastructure KW - Pacific Northwest UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2012/03/Climate-Change-Asses.Surface-Trans.-in-PNW-AK.pdf UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/772.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46148/Climate-Change-Asses.Surface-Trans.-in-PNW-AK.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138714 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369384 AU - Fields, Billy AU - University of New Orleans AU - Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Active Transportation Measurement and Benchmarking Development: New Orleans Pedestrian and Bicycle Count Report 2010-2011 PY - 2012/01//Final Report; Technical Report SP - 92p AB - Over the last decade, there has been a surge in bicycle and pedestrian use in communities that have invested in active transportation infrastructure and programming. While these increases show potentially promising trends, many of the cities that have shown the highest growth are geographically concentrated in the northern tier of the country. Communities in the South have tended to lag behind the northern and western cities in terms of active transportation use. The Active Transportation Measurement and Benchmarking Development: New Orleans Case Study aims to improve the policy making and planning framework by creating a comprehensive set of active transportation indicators on current usage and safety trends in New Orleans. New Orleans is significantly expanding the scope of active transportation facilities, moving from under 5 miles of bicycle facilities before Katrina to over 40 miles in 2010. The research in this report by the Pedestrian Bicycle Resource Initiative (PBRI) at the University of New Orleans uncovers for the first time the growing demand and use of active transportation in New Orleans. Analysis of bicycle and pedestrian count data shows that New Orleans is emerging as a regional leader in active transportation. In addition to analyzing the trends uncovered through the Census data, this report analyzes primary bicycle and pedestrian count data collected at 17 locations around New Orleans, including data on pedestrian and cyclist behaviors and demographics, as well as seasonal fluctuations in facility use, revealing several key hurdles that must be addressed for New Orleans to become a recognized national leader in active transportation. KW - Bicycle counts KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycling KW - Case studies KW - Demographics KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Policy making KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Walking UR - http://www.evaccenter.lsu.edu/pub/11-05Part%202.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369378 AU - Fields, Billy AU - University of New Orleans AU - Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Active Transportation Measurement and Benchmarking Development: New Orleans State of Active Transportation Report 2010 PY - 2012/01//Final Report; Technical Report SP - 103p AB - Over the last decade, there has been a surge in bicycle and pedestrian use in communities that have invested in active transportation infrastructure and programming. While these increases show potentially promising trends, many of the cities that have shown the highest growth are geographically concentrated in the northern tier of the country. Communities in the South have tended to lag behind the northern and western cities in terms of active transportation use. The Active Transportation Measurement and Benchmarking Development: New Orleans Case Study aims to improve the policy making and planning framework by creating a comprehensive set of active transportation indicators on current usage and safety trends in New Orleans. New Orleans is significantly expanding the scope of active transportation facilities, moving from under 5 miles of bicycle facilities before Katrina to over 40 miles in 2010. The Pedestrian/Bicycle Resource Initiative at the University of New Orleans surveyed bicycle and pedestrian plans from around the country to determine best practices for monitoring trends in walking and bicycling. The "State of Active Transportation: New Orleans" report provides an overview of key indicators that trace existing conditions for walking and bicycling in New Orleans, which are designed to identify needs through an examination of current conditions and trends for walking and bicycling in New Orleans, and to prioritize policies designed to improve conditions. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycling KW - Case studies KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Performance indicators KW - Policy making KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Walking UR - http://www.evaccenter.lsu.edu/pub/11-05Part%201.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137966 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369373 AU - Hassan, Marwa AU - Okeil, Ayman AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field and Laboratory Investigation of Photocatalytic Pavements PY - 2012/01//Final Report; Technical Report SP - 35p AB - In spite of the importance of the national transportation network, there is a growing recognition that highway operations have major environmental impacts during construction and service. High traffic volumes cause high concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air, which have been linked with serious health hazards to the public. These pollutants may also travel long distances to produce secondary pollutants such as acid rain or ozone. Photo-catalysis compounds such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) can trap and degrade organic and inorganic particles in the air removing harmful air pollutants such as NOx and VOC in the presence of UV light. Current research and applications of this technology are limited to concrete pavement surfaces, which only represent 6% of the national road network. About 94% of the road network in the US is surfaced with hot-mix asphalt, which supports directing future research towards the use of TiO2 coating in flexible pavements. To address the aforementioned problem, this research project will investigate the possibility of integrating TiO2 on the surface of asphalt pavements to develop a photo-catalytic asphalt pavement capable of oxidizing traffic pollutants. The photo-catalytic properties of TiO2 asphalt pavement as well as its environmental properties will be characterized using a novel environmental laboratory setup. The proposed research is cutting edge and has not been attempted in the US. A recent study attempted to apply the photo-catalytic compound as part of a water-based emulsion in Italy. The mixing of TiO2 with an asphalt binder at a 6% content of the binder weight was also attempted in China and was used in the construction of an open-graded friction course. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Catalysis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Photochemical reactions KW - Pollution control KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Titanium dioxide KW - Ultraviolet light KW - Volatile organic compounds UR - http://www.evaccenter.lsu.edu/pub/11-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137570 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367547 AU - Johnson, Steven L AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of Independent Contractor Status: A Survey of Owner-Operators’ Opinions and Rationale PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 62p AB - Commercial truck drivers range from company drivers that are employees of a carrier to independent owner-operators that operate under their own authority. From the driver’s perspective, there are both benefits and drawbacks of being an independent contract driver. The objective of this effort was to develop, administer and analyze a comprehensive survey to provide reliable, valid and useful information as to why drivers choose or do not choose to be an independent contractor. In addition to the advantages and disadvantages, the survey investigated the methods that independent contractors use to capitalize on the benefits and accomplish the responsibilities associated with being independent. A combination of face-to-face interviews (at 19 truck stops from California to Connecticut) and a web-based survey were used to obtain and validate the opinions. Thirteen organizations (including trucking companies and trade organizations) provided telephone and email contact information for participants. The results and conclusions of the study provide valuable information related to the driver’s opinions as to the advantages and challenges of being an independent contractor, as well as the rationale behind those opinions. The information can be used to both understand and improve the experience of both independent contract drivers and the carriers for whom they drive. KW - Attitudes KW - Contractors KW - Owner operators KW - Surveys KW - Truck drivers KW - Truck lines UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/47000/47800/47878/MBTC_20DOT_203026.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135983 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367259 AU - Dissanayake, Sunanda AU - Shaheed, Mohammad Saad AU - Kansas State University, Manhattan AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Motorcycle Safety in Kansas PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 156p AB - Over the past several years, motorcycle fatalities have increased at an alarming rate in the United States. Motorcycle safety issues in Kansas are no different from the national scenario. Accordingly, this study attempted to investigate motorcycle crashes in Kansas to identify critical characteristics and to evaluate the effect of those on motorcycle crash injury outcomes. State-level motorcycle rider fatality rates were investigated while considering various factors including helmet laws using generalized least-squares regression modeling. A detailed characteristic analysis was carried out for motorcycle crashes using Kansas crash data. Comparisons were made between several aspects of motorcycle crashes and other vehicle crashes. Analysis using logistic regression was performed on Kansas motorcycle crash data to identify factors affecting fatal motorcycle crashes. In addition, a survey was conducted focusing on identifying motorcycle rider behaviors, helmet usage patterns, perception towards helmet laws in Kansas, potential problems, crash contributory factors, and difficulty levels of executing different motorcycle maneuvers. Ordered probit modeling was used to identity factors contributing to increased injury severity of Kansas motorcycle riders involved in crashes. Results from state-level modeling showed statistically significant relationships between motorcycle fatality rates in a given state as well as several other factors. These factors included weather-related conditions, helmet laws, per capita income, highway mileage of rural roads, population density, education, demographic distributions, and motorcycle registrations in the state. The study showed that states with mandatory helmet laws had 5.6% fewer motorcycle fatalities per 10,000 registrations and 7.85% fewer motorcycle fatalities per 100,000 population. Characteristic analysis of motorcycle crashes in Kansas revealed that motorcycle maneuvers such as overtaking, motorcyclists being older than 40 years, not using motorcycle helmets, daytime riding, crashes occurring on roadside shoulders, and being under the influence of alcohol at the time of crashes had a higher risk of ending up as a fatal motorcycle crash in Kansas. Results from the survey conducted among motorcycle riders in Kansas revealed that 71% of respondents thought drivers of other vehicles were the single biggest threat to their own safety. Survey results also revealed that 64% of respondents opposed a mandatory law requiring motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets in Kansas. Results from the ordered probit modeling of motorcycle rider injury severity showed that overturned and fixed-object motorcycle crashes, helmet nonuse, younger motorcycle riders, speeding, presence of alcohol impairment among motorcycle riders, and good weather contributed to increased injury severity of motorcycle riders involved in crashes in Kansas. KW - Behavior KW - Crash characteristics KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Helmet laws KW - Injury severity KW - Kansas KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Motorcyclists KW - Ordered probit models KW - Surveys UR - http://transport.ksu.edu/files/transport/imported/Reports/2009/KSU091_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/doccontent.dll?LibraryName=PublicDocs^dt00mx38&SystemType=2&LogonId=8dce6520d0be762f8dcba291194a2520&DocId=003814302 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367253 AU - Somasundaram, Guruprasad AU - Morellas, Vassilios AU - Papanikolopoulos, Nikolaos AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Deployment of Practical Methods for Counting Bicycle and Pedestrian Use of a Transportation Facility PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 35p AB - The classification problem of distinguishing bicycles from pedestrians for traffic counting applications is the objective of this research project. The scenes that are typically involved are bicycle trails, bridges, and bicycle lanes. These locations have heavy traffic of mainly pedestrians and bicyclists. A vision-based system overcomes many of the shortcomings of existing technologies such as loop counters, buried pressure pads, infra-red counters, etc. These methods do not have distinctive profiles for bicycles and pedestrians. Also most of these technologies require expert installation and maintenance. Cameras are inexpensive and abundant and are relatively easy to use, but they tend to be useful as a counting system only when accompanied by powerful algorithms that analyze the images. The authors employ state-of-the-art algorithms for performing object classification to solve the problem of distinguishing bicyclists from pedestrians. They detail the challenges that are involved in this particular problem and propose solutions to address these challenges. The authors explore common approaches of global image analysis aided by motion information and compare the results with local image analysis in which they attempt to distinguish the individual parts of the composite object. The authors compare the classification accuracies of both approaches on real data and present detailed discussion on practical deployment factors. KW - Algorithms KW - Bicycle counts KW - Cameras KW - Computer vision KW - Deployment KW - Image analysis KW - Pedestrian counts UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1644 UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1644 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136078 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366529 AU - Ferrell, Christopher E AU - Mathur, Shishir AU - Meek, Justin AU - Piven, Matthew AU - San Jose State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Neighborhood Crime and Travel Behavior: An Investigation of the Influence of Neighborhood Crime Rates on Mode Choice – Phase II PY - 2012/01 SP - 88p AB - Little work has been done on the effects of neighborhood crimes on mode choice. While the threats posed by possible criminal activity in one’s neighborhood can play a major role in the decision to drive, take transit, walk or ride a bicycle, little empirical evidence guides public infrastructure investments, land use planning, or the allocation of police services. This report finds that high crime neighborhoods tend to discourage residents from walking or riding a bicycle; the odds of walking decrease by 17.25 percent for work trips and 61 percent for non-work trips. For transit access to work trips, the odds of choosing walking or biking to a transit station over driving decrease by almost half. On the other hand, high crime neighborhoods appear to encourage transit use. The odds of taking transit over choosing auto increase by 17.25 percent for work trips and 164 percent for non-work trips. Two possible explanations for the increase in transit use were explored: the mode choice models do not adequately account for the interplay between urban form and crime levels and mode choice; or, people who ride in cars or take transit may feel more protected when riding in a vehicle (the “neighborhood exposure hypothesis”). The report provides evidence that high crime neighborhoods encourage driving to transit stops and discourage walking or bicycling, lending support to the neighborhood exposure hypothesis. KW - Bicycling KW - Choice models KW - Crimes KW - Driving KW - Mode choice KW - Multinomial logits KW - Neighborhoods KW - Public transit KW - Safety KW - Travel behavior KW - Walking KW - Work trips UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2802-Neighborhood-Crime-Travel-Mode-Behavior.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56233/2802-Neighborhood-Crime-Travel-Mode-Behavior.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134473 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366372 AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural Polyurethane Foam Infill for Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bridge Deck Panels PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 8p AB - Although still in their infancy, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridges have shown great promise in eliminating corrosion concerns and providing bridges that meet or exceed the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) goal of 100-year life spans. Although cost effective in terms of life cycle analyses, first costs have limited the application of FRP bridges, as most state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have limited funds to meet ever increasing demands. One area that has shown some headway is the use of FRP bridge decks, the location where the majority of corrosion-related damage normally occurs. However, first costs still hamper their widespread use. The objective of the proposed research was to develop, test, and evaluate fiber-reinforced, polyurethane foams to replace the costly honeycomb construction currently used to manufacture FRP bridge deck panels, thus making them more cost effective and a viable alternative to reinforced concrete. KW - Bridge decks KW - Composite materials KW - Corrosion protection KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Polyurethane foams UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/Final_Report_R264.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135040 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366367 AU - Podhorsky, Nichole AU - Sneed, Lesley AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation Of The Orientation Of 90° And 180° Reinforcing Bar Hooks PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 172p AB - This report describes test results of a study initiated to evaluate the potential influence of hook tilt angle of standard reinforcing hooks on the bond strength of concrete. The topic of the evaluation of the orientation of 90 and 180 degree reinforcing bar hooks in concrete members was identified by the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) as high-priority for the reinforcing steel industry. In the test program conducted, a series of single bar and multiple bar specimens was designed and tested to examine bar behavior and potential group effects that may exist in wide flexural members with multiple bars, such as a slab or footing. Using beamend specimens, 90 and 180 degree standard reinforcing hooks were placed at varying angles to compare the angle of tilt and to compare the two hook types. Twelve single bar specimens and twelve multiple bar specimens, each containing either No. 5 or No. 8 standard reinforcing bars,were tested by axially loading the reinforcing bar(s) in tension. Measuring the bar displacement and strain at varying locations along the bar, load-displacement curves obtained were utilized in the analysis of hook tilt. Based on the results, design recommendations for tilted hooked bar anchorages were made. For No. 5 bars and smaller with concrete compressive strength, f’c, greater than 4500 psi, spacing between 0.5 and 2 times the hook length, A, and concrete cover equal to or exceeding the values used in this study, tilting reinforcing hooked bars from vertical at any angle did not compromise the structural integrity. For No. 5 bars and smaller with concrete compressive strength less than 4500 psi, spacing less than 0.5 times the hook length,A, or concrete cover less than the values used in this study, further study is needed. Additionally, further study is needed for bars larger than No. 5. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Structural analysis UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R257%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135045 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366353 AU - Das, Austin AU - Liou, Frank AU - Isanaka, Sriram Praneeth AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design Of Metallic Bipolar Plates for Pem Fuel Cells PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 43p AB - This project focused on the design and production of metallic bipolar plates for use in PEM fuel cells. Different metals were explored and stainless steel was found out to be best suited to the authors' purpose. Following the selection of metal, it was calculated that to produce 0.7 W of power, the bipolar plate should have an active surface of 25cm2. The bipolar plates were designed with different flow field patterns and manufactured. Different flow field patterns that were used were the straight design, serpentine, multiple serpentine, pintype, interdigitated design and other custom designs. These plates were then assembled along with MEA, gaskets and the end-clamp plates to construct a single-cell PEMFC which was then tested on a fuel cell test station. Different prototypes were designed with respect to the bipolar plates and the end plates to improve sealing and fuel cell performance. Appropriate loading was done on the single fuel cell to obtain the required power from the fuel cell. KW - Bipolar plates KW - Design KW - Electrochemical processes KW - Fuel cells KW - Polymer electrolyte membranes UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R231_Isanaka.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135044 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366350 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pocket Guide to Transportation 2012 PY - 2012/01 SP - 59p AB - This booklet provides a statistical guide on the state of transportation in the United States. Covering highway, air, rail, maritime, urban transit and pipeline, the contents include transportation topics such as transportation infrastructure use and condition; safety; security; mobility and livability; economic competitiveness; and environmental sustainability. A glossary of terms is provided. KW - Condition surveys KW - Economic indicators KW - Environmental impacts KW - Infrastructure KW - Mobility KW - Quality of life KW - Security KW - Statistics KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation safety KW - United States UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/pocket_guide_to_transportation/2012/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135037 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366323 AU - Dutta, Neelanjana AU - Kotikalapudi, Raghavendra AU - Saxena, Abhinav AU - Chellappan, Sriram AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Multi-tiered Architecture for Content Retrieval in Mobile Peer-to-Peer Networks PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 9p AB - In this paper, the authors address content retrieval in Mobile Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Networks. They design a multi-tiered architecture for content retrieval, where at Tier 1, they design a protocol for content similarity governed by a parameter α that trades accuracy with search overhead. At Tier 2, they introduce a novel concept called Chained Bloom Filters and design a protocol where popular search items are linked with popular content at each node in an efficient manner for subsequent retrieval. Extensive analysis and numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of their techniques. KW - Information retrieval KW - Mobility KW - Peer-to-peer communication UR - http://web.mst.edu/~chellaps/papers/mdm_2011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135042 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363011 AU - Concas, Sisinnio AU - Winters, Philip L AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Estimating Costs and Benefits of Emissions Reduction Strategies for Transit by Extending the TRIMMS Model PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 70p AB - This study details the development of a series of improvements to the Trip Reduction Impacts Mobility Management Strategies (TRIMMS™) model. TRIMMS now estimates a wider range of emission pollutants and incorporates a new module that evaluates the impact of land use strategies on transit patronage. TRIMMS uses the emission inventory of the Environmental Protection Agency Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES2010a), which makes it suitable to run official State implementation air quality plan (SIP) and regional emissions analyses for transportation conformity purposes. This model enables the Florida Department f Transportation (FDOT), transit agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) and local communities to conduct cost-benefit assessments for most of the strategies identified in the FDOT-sponsored Transit Ozone-Reduction Strategies Toolbox, without the cost and expertise required by more sophisticated models. KW - Air quality management KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Ozone KW - Pollutants KW - Travel demand management KW - Trip Reduction Impacts of Mobility Management Strategies (TRIMM™) UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-27_rpt.pdf UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-27_UserManual.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43600/43635/FDOT_BDK85_977-27_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131534 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363009 AU - Sperry, Benjamin R AU - Morgan, Curtis A AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intercity Passenger Rail: Implications for Urban, Regional, and National Mobility PY - 2012/01//Final Report SP - 100p AB - Recent policy and regulatory actions by the U.S. government have revived interest in intercity passenger rail among transportation planners, policymakers, and the general public. As part of a fully integrated multimodal intercity corridor, passenger rail can provide a number of measurable impacts on urban, regional, and national mobility. This research examines these impacts using the Milwaukee-Chicago Hiawatha Service intercity passenger rail route as a case study. In addition to providing competitive travel times with automobile travel and frequent daily service, rail passengers can also seamlessly connect to airline service via a station at the Milwaukee airport. Two data sources—an on-board survey of Hiawatha Service passengers and a more detailed survey of air-rail transfer passengers at the Milwaukee airport—were used to identify the mobility impacts of rail service. If the rail service did not exist, most Hiawatha Service passengers would travel via personal vehicle, which indicates that the Hiawatha Service is providing congestion relief for the highways parallel to the route. The airport link allows for sustainable ground access to the Milwaukee airport and also extends the market area for the airport into the Chicago region, providing those residents with greater choices in air travel. The findings of this project provide unique insight into the mobility impacts of intercity passenger rail and can be used by state department of transportation rail planners and other public agency staff to develop rail service plans and administer state passenger rail programs throughout the U.S. KW - Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee Corridor KW - Hiawatha Light Rail Line KW - Intercity passenger rail KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Policy making KW - Public transit UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Morgan_11-10-75.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43483/Morgan_11-10-75.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131537 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362984 AU - Thompson, Gregory AU - Brown, Jeffrey AU - Bhattacharya, Torsha AU - Jaroszynski, Michal AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Transit Ridership Demand for a Multi-Destination, Multimodal Transit Network in an American Metropolitan Area: Lessons for Increasing Choice Ridership While Maintaining Transit Dependent Ridership PY - 2012/01 AB - This study examines the factors underlying transit demand in the multi-destination, integrated bus and rail transit network for Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta provides an opportunity to explore the consequences of a multi-destination transit network for bus patrons (largely transit-dependent riders) and rail patrons (largely choice riders). Using data obtained from the 2000 Census, coupled with data obtained from local and regional organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area, several statistical models that explain the pattern of transit commute trips across the Atlanta metropolitan area are estimated. The results of the study offer new insights into the nature of transit demand in a multi-destination transit system and provide lessons for agencies seeking to increase ridership among different ridership groups. More direct transit connections to dispersed employment centers, and easier transfers to access such destinations, should lead to higher levels of transit use for both transit-dependent and choice riders. The results also show that the central business district remains an important transit destination for rail riders but not for their bus rider counterparts. Certain types of transit-oriented development (TOD) also serve as significant producers and attractors of rail transit trips. KW - Bus transit KW - Employment centers KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Mode choice KW - Rail transit KW - Ridership KW - Transit oriented development KW - Travel demand UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1003-multi-destination-multimodal-metropolitan-area-transit-riders.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43500/43527/1003-multi-destination-multimodal-metropolitan-area-transit-riders.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127088 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593937 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Transportation Atlas Databases 2012 PY - 2012 AB - The National Transportation Atlas Databases 2012 (NTAD2012) is a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, transportation networks, and associated infrastructure. These datasets include spatial information for transportation modal networks and intermodal terminals, as well as the related attribute information for these features. Metadata documentation, as prescribed by the International Organization of Standards (ISO), is also provided for each database. The data supports research, analysis, and decision-making across all modes of transportation. They are most useful at the national level, but have major applications at regional, State, and local scales throughout the transportation community. All data included here are in shapefile format. KW - Databases KW - Geographic information systems KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Metadata KW - Spatial analysis KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation, hydraulic and utility facilities UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/national_transportation_atlas_database/2012/index.html UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56698/NTAD_2012.zip UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400282 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526376 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2012 Eco-Logical Grant Program: Annual Report PY - 2012 SP - 45p AB - In 2006, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and its partners published Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects (Eco-Logical). The publication sets forth an approach to, and tools for, building infrastructure that is more sensitive to sustaining natural resources. The vision is to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts of this development through integrated, ecosystem-scale planning. FHWA’S Eco-Logical grant program, started in 2007, provides the financial and technical support agencies need to apply the ecosystem-scale planning principles outlined in the 2006 publication. Grant recipients are encouraged to develop novel approaches to integrate planning across agency boundaries and to work with partners to mitigate the ecological effects of infrastructure development. Since 2007 the Eco-Logical grant program has funded 15 projects nationwide; twelve grant recipients completed their projects prior to 2012, two grant recipients completed their projects in the 2012 calendar year, and one anticipates finishing its project in 2013. This annual report summarizes the progress and lessons learned from all 15 grant recipients from January through December 2012, the fifth year of the Eco-Logical grant program. KW - Annual reports KW - Construction projects KW - Ecology KW - Ecosystems KW - Environmental impacts KW - Grant aid KW - Infrastructure KW - Land use planning KW - Natural resources KW - Sustainable development KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51600/51603/report2013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1310481 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518942 AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Long Island North Shore Helicopter Route Environmental Study PY - 2012 SP - 7p AB - This report presents the results of the noise and emissions analysis of helicopter operations along the North Shore Helicopter Route of Long Island, New York performed by the Federal Aviation Administration, with the assistance of the Volpe Center’s Environmental Measurement and Modeling group. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Helicopter transportation KW - Helicopters KW - Long Island (New York) KW - Noise KW - Pollutants UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51000/51023/U_S_DOT_FAA_-_NY_N_Shore_Noise_Emissions_Evaluation_3-21-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302156 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01501334 AU - Fung, Archon AU - Luberoff, David AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Harvard University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Transparency PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 3p AB - Public transit agencies have employed intelligent systems for determining schedules and routes and for monitoring the real-time location and status of their vehicle fleets for nearly two decades. But until recently, the data generated by daily operations in the transit system were only available to managers and engineers inside agencies. Transit riders could only consult static information when planning trips, primarily through printed or online timetables or maps. Where dynamic train or bus arrival predictions were accessible, riders could only see this information on fixed signs at transit stations or stops. With the popular adoption of smartphones and other mobile technologies transit riders gained the capacity to access information anywhere and at anytime. Some transit agencies have responded by publicly releasing disaggregated data files for schedules and real-time feeds of vehicle locations. These agencies have thus empowered civic entrepreneurs to innovate in delivering transit information to riders through mobile applications and other technologically-assisted means. This study examines the process by which transit agencies in the U.S. disclosed their operations data to the public and analyzes how constituencies for that data, particularly software developers and transit riders, used that information. KW - Disclosure KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Passenger information systems KW - Public transit KW - Real time information KW - Schedules and scheduling KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit riders UR - http://agelab.mit.edu/files/finalreports/HVDR22_11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1279151 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01493478 AU - Dowding, Charles H AU - Kotowsky, M AU - Meissner, D AU - Koegel, T AU - Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - MEMS: Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems for Wirelessly Monitoring the Health of Transportation Related Structures PY - 2012 SP - 91p AB - This project report begins with this overarching summary of the project and is followed by full reports of the details of the five principal phases of the project. Each of these phase reports begins with a summary that describes the objective, context, work and the major findings. The longer, full phase reports contain detailed findings and supporting information. References are presented at the end. This report on Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) describes the development of small, wireless systems to monitor the response of cracks for structural health monitoring on and near transportation related structures. Developed were two types of wireless structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to record characteristics of cracks over long periods of time: Autonomous Crack Monitoring (ACM) and Autonomous Crack Propagation Sensing (ACPS). ACM seeks to correlate changes in widths of cosmetic cracks in structures to nearby blasting or construction vibration activity for the purposes of litigation or regulation. ACPS seeks to track growth of cracks in steel bridges, supplementing regular inspections and alerting stakeholders if a crack has grown. The ever decreasing size and increasing performance of computer technology suggest that expensive, labor-intensive, and intrusive wired SHM systems may be replaced by a similarly capable, easier to install, yet less expensive and intrusive wireless SHM systems based on existing, commercially available wireless sensor networks. The implementation of a wireless SHM system with all the functions of a standard, wired, AC powered system, no requirement for an on-site personal computer for system operation, a small enough footprint such that it will not disturb residents of the instrumented structure, or interfere with the operation of a transportation related structure, a sensor suite that can be operated with minimal power use, and system operation for at least six months without a battery change or any other human intervention, is fraught with obvious and non-obvious challenges. KW - Bridges KW - Cracking KW - Maintenance KW - Microelectro-mechanical systems KW - Microelectronic materials KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Wireless sensor networks UR - http://iti.northwestern.edu/publications/utc/safetea-lu/FR-5-Dowding.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01493465 AU - Corr, David J AU - Shah, Surendra P AU - Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design and Application of High Volume Fly Ash Self Consolidating Concrete with the Incorporation of Nanoparticles PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 90p AB - Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, has been used in Portland cement concrete for decades, and is widely accepted in the industry as a replacement for cement in amounts up to approximately 20% by mass. Addition of fly ash reduces the environmental impact of concrete by simultaneously consuming an otherwise unused waste product and by replacing cement, which is the most polluting and energy intensive component of concrete (an estimated 5% of all manmade CO2 emissions are due to cement production). Fly ash also improves the properties of concrete in several ways: improved fluidity during mixing and placing, higher strength, improved dimensional stability, and increased longevity of concrete structures. In spite of these improvements, challenges associated with the use of fly ash have prevented its cement replacement level from increasing beyond 20%. Currently, only about 40% of the fly ash that is available is used by the concrete industry; the remainder is stored in large landfill-type enclosures. In 2008, one such enclosure at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)’s Kingston Fossil Plant ruptured and spilled approximately 5.4 million cubic yards of impounded coal fly ash slurry onto the surrounding land and into the adjacent Emory River. It was the worst environmental disaster of its kind in United States history. Public opinion is often shaped by disasters of this type, which in this case highlight the seemingly negative impacts of fly ash use. It is incumbent upon leaders of research in infrastructure, construction, and materials science to highlight the benefits of fly ash, to facilitate its maximum use, and to communicate its importance to the wider community. Therefore, the goal of this proposed research is to reduce the environmental impact of concrete construction through innovative materials use and production techniques, resulting in dramatic increases in the percentage of fly ash used in widespread construction. One of the most promising avenues for maximizing the use of fly ash is to incorporate it into self-consolidating concrete (SCC), which requires a relatively large amount of fine particles to produce. Studies have shown that with proper mix design, high-volume fly ash (HVFA) SCC mixes (cement replacements with fly ash of 30 – 70% by mass) can exhibit comparable workability and compressive strength development to conventional SCC, and even increased durability and decreased drying shrinkage. It is hypothesized that nanoparticles (e.g. nanosilica and nanolimestone) will facilitate the use of fly ash by maintaining early-age strength gain while nanoclays will facilitate the use of HVFA-SCC for cast-in-place applications by developing green strength. Fresh-state and early-age properties will be closely evaluated, where fresh-state is considered before set while early-age is after set. With proper proportioning of fly ash, clays, and nanoparticles, the authors expect to develop a material with the potential to revolutionize cast-in-place SCC applications from both a construction and sustainability standpoint. Specific objectives include the following: 1. Evaluate the influence of clays on HVFA-SCC so as to effectively use them to tailor its rheological properties; 2. Explore test methods to appropriately characterize HVFA-SCC; and 3. Evaluate the fresh-state and early-age properties of HVFA-SCC. KW - Concrete construction KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fly ash KW - High volume fly ash concrete KW - Mix design KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Properties of materials KW - Rheological properties KW - Self compacting concrete UR - http://iti.northwestern.edu/publications/utc/safetea-lu/FR-5-CorrShah.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261333 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491334 AU - Bayless, Steven H AU - Neelakantan, Radha AU - Guan, Adrian AU - Intelligent Transportation Society of America AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Assessment: Vehicle Electrification and the Smart Grid: The Supporting Role of Safety and Mobility Services PY - 2012 SP - 55p AB - The report recognizes that the key technologies that may ensure electric vehicles' (EVs') further success in the marketplace are battery attribute improvements – improved energy densities, recharging times, and durability – that lower the cost and improve the range, efficiency and powertrain performance of the vehicle. Absent improvements in the battery, the approach the auto industry is likely to take is a transitional one, eschewing large-scale production of battery electric vehicles for hybrid-electric ones that can bridge the gap in range and performance between EVs and gasoline vehicles. Over the long term, new battery chemistries may improve range and performance of battery EVs to equal that of gasoline-powered light vehicles. In the meantime, the continued roll out of connected charging infrastructure may also improve the range and performance of all types of EVs. New Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations may significantly improve the prospects of electric vehicles, and drive the "light-weighting" or downsizing of some vehicle categories to achieve fuel economy requirements over the long run. The light-weighting of vehicles may push automakers to incorporate more active safety, or collision avoidance features. Crash avoidance, particular communications-based Vehicle-to-Vehicle systems, may be important in building the consumer confidence in smaller, lighter weight electrified vehicles and motorcycles. KW - Batteries by chemical elements KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Electric batteries KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Performance KW - Smart grid KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://connectedvehicle.itsa.wikispaces.net/file/view/Vehicle+Electrification+and+the+Smart+Grid+Publication+FINAL+2012+ITSA.pdf/376146040/Vehicle%20Electrification%20and%20the%20Smart%20Grid%20Publication%20FINAL%202012%20ITSA.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259533 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488565 AU - Kang, Jee E AU - Recker, Will W AU - University of California, Irvine AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Strategic Hydrogen Refueling Station Locations with Scheduling and Routing Considerations of Individual Vehicles PY - 2012 SP - 37p AB - Set covering problems find the optimal provision of service locations while guaranteeing an acceptable level of accessibility for every demand point in a given area. Other than reliance on static, exogenously imposed accessibility measures, these problems either exclude substantive infrastructure-vehicle interactions or only include fragmented infrastructure-vehicle interactions related to the routing considerations of households seeking refueling service as a requirement of performing routine, daily activities. Here, we address this problem by coupling a Location-Routing Problem (LRP) that uses the set covering model as a location strategy to the Household Activity Pattern Problem (HAPP) as the mixed integer scheduling and routing model that optimizes households’ participation in out-of-home activities. The problem addressed includes multiple decision makers: the public/private sector as the service provider, and the collection of individual households that make their own routing decisions to perform a given set of “out-of-home activities” together with a visit to one of the service locations. A solution method that does not necessarily require the full information of the coverage matrix is developed to reduce the number of HAPPs that needs to be solved. The performance of the algorithm, as well as comparison of the results to the set covering model, is presented. Although the application is focused on identifying the optimal locations of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle (HFCV) refueling stations, this proposed formulation can be used as a facility location strategy for any service activity that is generally toured with other activities. KW - Algorithms KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Location KW - Location theory KW - Refueling KW - Routing KW - Scheduling KW - Sets UR - http://www.its.uci.edu/its/publications/papers/ITS/UCI-ITS-WP-12-2.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm5m90ddd/1/UCI-ITS-WP-12-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1248353 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488556 AU - Kang, Jee E AU - Chow, Joseph Y J AU - Recker, Will W AU - University of California, Irvine AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - On Activity-Based Network Design Problems PY - 2012 SP - 31p AB - This paper examines network design where OD demand is not known a priori, but is the subject of responses in household or user itinerary choices that depend on subject infrastructure improvements. Using simple examples, we show that falsely assuming that household itineraries are not elastic can result in a lack in understanding of certain phenomena; e.g., increasing traffic even without increasing economic activity due to relaxing of space-time prism constraints, or worsening of utility despite infrastructure investments in cases where household objectives may conflict. An activity-based network design problem is proposed using the location routing problem (LRP) as inspiration. The bilevel formulation includes an upper level network design and shortest path problem while the lower level includes a set of disaggregate household itinerary optimization problems, posed as household activity pattern problem (HAPP) (or in the case with location choice, as generalized HAPP) models. As a bilevel problem with an NP-hard lower level problem, there is no algorithm for solving the model exactly. Simple numerical examples show optimality gaps of as much as 5% for a decomposition heuristic algorithm derived from the LRP. A large numerical case study based on Southern California data and setting suggest that even if infrastructure investments do not result in major changes in itineraries the results provide much higher resolution information to a decision-maker. Whereas a conventional model would output the best set of links to invest given an assumed OD matrix, the proposed model can output the same best set of links, the same OD matrix, and a detailed temporal distribution of activity participation and travel, given a set of desired destinations and schedules. KW - Activity choices KW - Choice models KW - Location theory KW - Mathematical models KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Network design problem KW - Optimization KW - Routing KW - Shortest path algorithms UR - http://www.its.uci.edu/its/publications/papers/ITS/UCI-ITS-WP-12-3.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm5gm8c2d/1/UCI-ITS-WP-12-3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1248467 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486733 AU - Kang, Jee E AU - Recker, Will W AU - University of California, Irvine AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Location Selection Problem for Household Activity Pattern Problem PY - 2012 SP - 43p AB - An integrated destination choice model based on routing and scheduling considerations of daily activities is proposed. Extending the Household Activity Pattern Problem (HAPP), the Location Selection Problem (LSP-HAPP) demonstrates how location choice is made as a simultaneous decision from interactions both with activities having predetermined locations and those with many candidate locations. A dynamic programming algorithm, developed for PDPTW, is adapted to handle a potentially sizable number of candidate locations. It is shown to be efficient for HAPP and LSPHAPP applications. The algorithm is extended to keep arrival times as functions for mathematical programming formulations of activity-based travel models that often have time variables in the objective. KW - Activity choices KW - Algorithms KW - Choice models KW - Dynamic programming KW - Location KW - Routing KW - Scheduling UR - http://www.its.uci.edu/its/publications/papers/ITS/UCI-ITS-WP-12-1.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm5r2153p/1/UCI-ITS-WP-12-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1248351 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486045 AU - Xing, Yan AU - University of California, Davis AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Contributions Of Individual, Physical, And Social Environmental Factors To Bicycling: A Structural Equations Modeling Study Of Six Small U.S. Cities PY - 2012 SP - 211p AB - Previous research has established an association between environmental factors and bicycling. However, empirical knowledge about the influences on bicycling, and relative importance to bicycling, of the physical and social environments as well as individual factors is limited. Additionally, the majority of bicycling in the US is for recreation rather than transportation purposes but few studies have examined the question of bicycling purpose. We use data from an online survey conducted in 2006 in Davis, CA, which has a high bicycling level, and five comparison small cities in the western US to examine the contributions of physical and social environments to bicycling. The study employs Structural Equations Modeling to assess the complex relationships between bicycling and environment while controlling for socio-demographics, travel constraints, and attitudinal factors. KW - Bicycling KW - Davis (California) KW - Demographics KW - Land use KW - Mode choice KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Structural equation modeling KW - Travel behavior UR - http://pubs.its.ucdavis.edu/download_pdf.php?id=1732 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247840 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486044 AU - Lovejoy, Kristin AU - University of California, Davis AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mobility Fulfillment Among Low-car Households: Implications for Reducing Auto Dependence in the United States PY - 2012 SP - 194p AB - There is widespread interest in reducing vehicle-miles of travel as a policy goal. Any progress toward that goal requires a better understanding of the potential for incremental reduction in vehicle use in the context of ubiquitous ownership and auto-oriented communities, as we have in the United States today. A key to incremental reductions in vehicle use may be new paradigms for using cars only sometimes, by sharing cars and rides. To explore this potential, this dissertation examines the use of cars outside of conventional ownership, among members of no-car and low-car households in the United States. The National Household Travel Survey is used to characterize the volume and nature of car use by levels of car ownership nationwide. A method for estimating benchmark mobility levels based on demographic attributes, in order to evaluate overall mobility fulfillment among non-car-owners, is developed. Comparing fulfillment levels among different subgroups helps to identify circumstances in which nonownership does and does not indicate hardship. A qualitative examination of the experiences of a particular subpopulation with limited vehicle access, recent immigrants to California from Mexico participating in focus group interviews, supplements this. Collectively the results characterize most likely circumstances, social contexts, practical logistics, and overall mobility outcomes for those using cars outside of the context of conventional ownership. The findings point to circumstances in which innovative sharing enabling services might be adopted more readily. They also point to the circumstances in which services or policies might provide the most added value, filling important gaps, improving nonowner quality of life, and complementing overall vehicle-reduction goals. KW - Automobile ownership KW - Choice models KW - Logits KW - Mobility KW - Traffic estimation KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Trip purpose KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://pubs.its.ucdavis.edu/download_pdf.php?id=1725 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247841 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482567 AU - Hanley, Paul AU - Sikka, Nikhil AU - Yu, Hai AU - Ma, Suyun AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Advanced Decision Modeling for Real Time Variable Tolling – Development and Testing of a Data Collection Platform PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 45p AB - Our current ability to forecast demand on tolled facilities has not kept pace with advances in decision sciences and technological innovation. The current forecasting methods suffer from lack of descriptive power of actual behavior because of the simplifications used in current economic decision models. These simplifications are in part due to the historical limitations on data collection. Today, we are seeing advances in the data collection technology that captures naturalistic behavior and this study is seeking to develop and test such technology. This will be the first phase of a naturalistic driving study on the topic of variable road tolling and decision making. This investigation extends the state of knowledge of decision modeling under risk and ambiguity by developing a mobile data collection platform for the capturing of naturalistic choice outcomes, associated environmental states, decision makers’ self-articulated perceptions of risk and assessments of ambiguity, and socio-economic attributes. This software/hardware development is the first step in advancing our ability to forecast future revenue sources in transportation. The data collection platform will be used in an extending study and will allow the study team to obtain insights for developing, testing and implementing new behavioral models that explicitly describe how we use imprecise information—in this case, ambiguous information signaled by variable toll lane charges—that are superior to those obtained to date. To support the empirical observations of driver choice of diverting to high occupancy toll (HOT) or non-HOT lanes in real-time, this study documents the development and testing of an in-vehicle perception acquisition device. The device is based on smartphone technology and its software is designed using the latest IOS release. Drivers will be able to upload the software application onto their existing smartphone or tablet. The widespread acceptance and use of smartphones and tablets allows the collection and transmission of decision data collected in real-time without installing or altering the drivers’ vehicles in any manner. This both increases the convenience—and perhaps the use of the application—and reduces the cost of data collection. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Decision making KW - Mathematical models KW - Naturalistic driving research KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Travel behavior KW - Variable tolls UR - http://files.library.northwestern.edu/transportation/online/unrestricted/2012/MATC-KU-361.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251178 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475807 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Results of the Clarus Regional Demonstrations: Evaluation of Enhanced Road Weather Forecasting PY - 2012 SP - 2p AB - The Clarus Initiative is a research effort of the U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office and the Federal Highway Administration’s Road Weather Management Program to develop and demonstrate an integrated weather observation data management system that can reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions on surface transportation. Under this initiative, a data management system was developed to accept, quality check, and disseminate the weather and road condition data collected by environmental sensor stations installed along the nation’s roads. This flyer summarizes the results of an independent evaluation of Enhanced Road Weather Forecasting. In particular, the evaluation explored the impact of Clarus data on the following weather and road condition forecasting tools: Local Analysis and Prediction System (an analysis tool used to initialize weather forecast models); Weather Research and Forecasting Models; Road Condition Forecasting Models; and Pavement Precipitation Accumulation Estimation System (a precipitation estimation tool). KW - Clarus KW - Data collection KW - Data communications KW - Precipitation (Meteorology) KW - Road weather information systems KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46041/FHWA-JPO-12-014_Results_of_Clarus_Demo-Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244613 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472473 AU - Atwood, Don AU - Cunningham, Keith AU - University of Alaska Fairbanks AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Testing & Evaluation of Close-Range SAR for Monitoring & Automatically Detecting Pavement Conditions PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 14p AB - The ImSAR company is the maker of the world’s smallest Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems. Two of their products, an X-band SAR and a Ku-band SAR were believed to be particularly well suited for the detection of imperfections in road pavement. Experiments consisted of controlled experiments on the ImSAR premises as well as detection of identified cracks in roads and sidewalks in the environs of the ImSAR facility. These latter investigations were conducted with the ImSAR sensors mounted on a vehicle and flown in a Cessna 172N aircraft. In the sub-sections that follow, the report will 1) provide background on why SAR might be an effective method for detecting cracks, 2) outline the experiments conducted in Springville, Utah, 3) summarize the results, and 4) provide conclusions and make recommendations to the Department of Transportation regarding the future of this endeavor. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Concrete pavements KW - Condition surveys KW - Detection and identification KW - Pavement cracking KW - Radar KW - Sensors KW - Synthetic aperture radar UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46500/46599/UAF_DOT_Final_Report.docx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239010 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01471002 AU - Keskin, Burcu B AU - University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Advanced Patrol Routing with On-Call Response for Effective Resource Management PY - 2012 SP - 24p AB - A hot spot (HS) is defined as a certain stretch of highway with high frequency of crashes of different severity over a given time period. In this problem, we are interested in finding the right start and stop locations (temporary stations) for state troopers at the beginning and end of their shift, respectively, as well as the patrol routes to visit time-critical HSs. Our overall goal is to maximize the visibility of state troopers during the hot times of the HSs while minimizing the costs associated with utilization of state troopers, traveling from one HS to another, and potential fees for temporary stations. Therefore, we tackle a bi-criteria (benefit maximization and cost minimization) optimization problem. KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Incident management KW - Mathematical models KW - Resource allocation KW - Routes KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Traffic patrol UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2013/01/11113-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238785 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01456592 JO - Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings on the Web PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Turnbull, Katherine F TI - Improving Roadway Safety Programs Through University–Agency Partnerships: Summary of a Conference, November 2-3, 2011, Washington, D.C. PY - 2012 IS - 8 SP - 116p AB - The purpose of this conference was to review new safety tools and concepts, highlight current successful university–transportation agency safety partnerships, identify current and potential capabilities to fully utilize these new tools and concepts, and explore collaborative approaches by transportation agencies and universities to improve highway safety. These proceedings consist of summaries of presentations from the general sessions and summaries of key topics discussed in the breakout groups. Through a series of presentations, panels, breakout discussion groups, and poster sessions, conference attendees and panelists considered case studies, research needs, and the challenges and opportunities associated with improving roadway safety. On the basis of expert panels and facilitated discussion, attendees identified promising directions for research that could help implement the state of the practice and advance the state of the art. U1 - Improving Roadway Safety Programs Through University–Agency Partnerships ConferenceResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationTransportation Research BoardWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20111102 EndDate:20111103 Sponsors:Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Transportation Research Board KW - Case studies KW - Conferences KW - Highway safety KW - Partnerships KW - Research needs KW - Safety programs KW - State of the art KW - State of the practice KW - Transportation departments KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/168223.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224983 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01454133 AU - Markos, Stephanie H AU - Shurland, Melissa AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Comparison of the U.S. and European Approaches to Passenger Train Fire Safety PY - 2012 SP - 13p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approach to passenger rail equipment fire safety requires the use of primarily small-scale flammability and smoke emission tests and performance criteria for interior materials, such as seats and wall and ceiling panels; and fire endurance tests for structural components such as floors. The individual test methods measure one or more different fire performance characteristics: ignition resistance, flame spread, and smoke emission. In addition, FRA regulations include a requirement for conducting a fire safety analysis for new and existing equipment, and requirements for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire safety related equipment. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has developed a Technical Specification, CEN TS 45545, based primarily on existing fire safety requirements for passenger railway rolling stock from the International Union of Railways (UIC) and individual European countries, as well as additional research sponsored by CEN. This paper describes the results of a preliminary comparison of fire safety and related emergency systems requirements of CEN TS 45545 with current FRA regulations. U1 - FIVE (Fires in Vehicles) 2012Chicago,IL,United States StartDate:20120927 EndDate:20120928 KW - Europe KW - European Committee for Standardization KW - Fire safety KW - Passenger trains KW - Regulations KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration KW - United States KW - Vehicle fires UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46109/Markos_ComparisonFires.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218608 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01454128 AU - Meltzer, Neil R AU - Ayres, Gregory AU - Truong, Minh AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis: The Causes, Frequency, and Severity of Motorcoach Fires in the United States PY - 2012 SP - 12p AB - This study collects and analyzes information from government, industry, and media sources on the causes, frequency, and severity of motorcoach fires in the United States, and identifies potential risk reduction measures. Volpe Center analysts only considered fires that were mechanical or electrical in origin, and that were neither the result of a collision nor arson. This study establishes an integrated incident database, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of risk trends and patterns, and provides recommendations that could result in fewer motorcoach fires and, in turn, safer roads and lives saved. Some of the key findings from the study include: motorcoach fires have occurred with an approximate frequency of 160 per year; although a single catastrophic motorcoach fire resulted in 23 fatalities and 15 injuries, approximately 95 percent of the reported fires over the study period resulted in no direct injuries and fatalities; the most frequently identified location of fire origin was the engine compartment, followed closely by wheel wells; the most frequently specified points of ignition were the brakes, turbocharger, tires, electrical system, and wheel/hub bearings; and the frequency of fires on motorcoaches of model years 1998–2002 relative to older models was disproportionately greater than their relative populations. U1 - FIVE (Fires in Vehicles) 2012Chicago,IL,United States StartDate:20120927 EndDate:20120928 KW - Buses KW - Fire causes KW - Motor carriers KW - Passenger transportation KW - Risk analysis KW - United States KW - Vehicle fires KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46068/FIVE_Conference_Motorcoach_Fires_Safety_Analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218606 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01454110 AU - Pearlman, Jonathan AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Risk of Commercial Truck Fires in the United States: An Exploratory Data Analysis PY - 2012 SP - 11p AB - Large trucks are involved in only 8% of fatal crashes per year, but 17% of fatal fires. The scope of the current body of research is limited. Studies have treated truck fires generally as a subset of vehicle fires or in their own right on a smaller scale, confined to a limited pool of data. This study expands the current body of research to collect and analyze information from government, industry, and media sources on the magnitude, trends, and causes of truck fires in the United States and to identify potential risk-reduction measures. This study found that commercial motor vehicle fires are most common among Gross Vehicle Weight Rating Class 8 trucks with the frequency of truck fire fatalities six times greater than that of other motor vehicles. This figure is high, but when examined in conjunction with crash, inspection, and vehicle data, it offers insight into new areas of research. For example, analysis indicates that truck fires occur more often in the days following a crash. Trucks with compliance issues are also much more susceptible to fires. The truck is the striking vehicle in the majority of fatal fires. This portrait of truck fires may have significant implications for the future direction of truck fire safety. U1 - FIVE (Fires in Vehicles) 2012Chicago,IL,United States StartDate:20120927 EndDate:20120928 KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Fire causes KW - Risk analysis KW - Trucks KW - United States KW - Vehicle fires KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46069/Pearlman__Commercial_Truck_Fire_Risk.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218607 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454091 AU - Benvenuto, Mark A AU - Baker, Stokes AU - Rihana-Abdalla, Alexa AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - From Phyto-Remediation to Phyto-Mining: Maximizing Value in Producing Bio-diesel From Pennycress PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 11p AB - Pennycress appears to be an untapped source as both a feedstock of biodiesel and a remediator of lead or other heavy metals from soil. In addition, pennycress is not a food crop, and thus production of biodiesel from it does not compete with food for humanity. In this project, a series of pennycress seeds were germinated hydroponically in solutions spiked with varying amounts of lead (II) nitrate. Uptake of the lead into the roots and stalks of the plants was examined via Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF). Results and findings show promise for larger scale use of this phyto-remediation technique and the use of EDXRF to quantify it. It appears that the use of pennycress can be scaled up to real world applications, meaning that pennycress could be planted in brownfield areas, grown, harvested for the seeds and their biodiesel, and the lead extracted from the stems. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry KW - Heavy metals KW - Lead compounds KW - Phytoextraction KW - Phytoremediation KW - Plants KW - Soil remediation UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/af-42/pdf/MIOH_UTC_AF42_2012-Final_Rpt_From_Phyto-Remediation_to_Phyto-Mining_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46120/MIOH_UTC_AF42_2012-Final_Rpt_From_Phyto-Remediation_to_Phyto-Mining_etc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218638 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01453903 AU - Dutta, Utpal AU - Patel, Nishita AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of Energy Efficient Vehicles on Gas Tax (Highway Trust Fund) and Alternative Funding For Infrastructure Construction, Upgrade, and Maintenance PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 55p AB - Road construction, upgrades, and maintenance have largely been financed by a gas tax since the first tax on fuel was instituted by the federal government in 1932. Monies from the gas tax and other sources are deposited in the Highway Trust Fund to handle the country’s transportation infrastructure needs. States also tax fuel to varying degrees. As a result the average fuel tax paid by U.S. drivers is 48.8 cents per gallon. However, the taxes have failed to keep up with inflation and need. The country’s crumbling transportation infrastructure is the result. Further, as the researchers have detailed, based on current conditions and forecasts the funding gap is likely to worsen significantly. One alternative to the gasoline tax is a system based on miles traveled. The Mileage Based User Fee (MBUF) charges drivers based the actual amount of road use, not on fuel consumption. Research shows the implementation of a MBUF system offers significant potential benefits including: (1) Fairness--all drivers pay for the true use and therefore the actual benefits derived from the use of the highway system. (2) Stability of revenue--as gas prices increase there is a corresponding increase in the use of more fuel efficient cars and trucks, hybrids, and even electric vehicles. Less fuel is used resulting in lower gas tax collection even though the mileage traveled remains relatively constant. With an MBUF system revenue remains relatively constant. (3) Flexibility--additional factors such as time of day, congestion, and vehicle weight can be built into the fees charged to road users. (4) Higher revenue yield possible--value-added options, improved roads, and a direct correlation between benefit received and fee incurred will make the public more willing to accept higher user fees. The project team has identified potential concerns and areas requiring additional research in order to implement MBUF. The project team also proposed a Mileage Based Vehicle Registration (MBVR) as a tool to implement MBUF. It is to be noted that MBVR is not the perfect mechanism to implement MBUF but it is a feasible and dependable means to add additional dollars to the state’s highway fund without further delay. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highway Trust Fund KW - Mileage Based User Fee KW - Road construction KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-51/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS51_2012-Final_Rpt_Impact_of_Energy_Efficient_Vehicles_on_Gas_Tax_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46268/MIOH_UTC_TS51_2012-Final_Rpt_Impact_of_Energy_Efficient_Vehicles_on_Gas_Tax_etc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1219514 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01453836 AU - Al-Holou, Nizar AU - Mohammad, Utayba AU - Arafat, Mohammad AU - Tamer, Malok Alamir AU - Abdul-Hak, Mohamad AU - Mahmud, Syed Masud AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Wayne State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Multi-Dimensional Model for Vehicle Impact On Traffic Safety, Congestion, and Environment” PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 44p AB - The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) has recently received great attention in the research community. It offers a revolutionary vision of transportation, in which a full-scale communication scheme between vehicles (V2V) and vehicles and infrastructure (V2I) is introduced. The ITS vision reflects three main areas of transportation improvement: enhancing the traffic flow and mobility of vehicular transportation, improving the active and passive safety of vehicles through V2V and V2I communication, and providing a platform that can address the environmental challenges of transportation systems from a macroscopic perspective. To implement this vision research has to be conducted on two layers: the communication layer and the application layer. The former is concerned with providing proper V2V and V2I communication at the physical, MAC, and network layers, while the latter is concerned with using the communicated data in V2V and V2I interactions to achieve the aforementioned three-point vision of ITS systems. This research targets special cases at both the communication and application layers. In chapter 1, an adaptive traffic light application that improves mobility and safety is developed. This application adopts Webster’s equation as a basis to determine the red and green time cycles. It integrates the dynamic traffic information into Webster’s calculations and extends the green time or shortens the red time of traffic lights at an intersection to maximize the traffic flow at the corresponding junction. The developed system is simulated and evaluated against the conventional pre-timed traffic lights and smart pre-timed traffic lights, and the results show great improvement in controlling delay times, travel times, and traffic flow volume. In chapter 2, an environment-friendly vehicle routing application is developed. This application introduces a new methodology to collect traffic data through the ITS communication scheme, and utilize this data to route vehicles in the most collectively fuel-efficient way. The estimated fuel consumption over road segments is used as the main criteria to calculate the best route for a vehicle, and is updated continuously through ITS message exchanges. The new routing method is evaluated through simulation and is proven superior to the conventional static fastest path routing methods in terms of waiting times, travel times, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. Finally, chapter 3 targets the Medium Access Control at the communication layer of ITS. It introduces an Intersection Warning Channel Access Priority (IWCAP) protocol that would guarantee warning drivers of possible collisions as they approach an intersection. This protocol utilizes one omni-directional antenna per vehicle and one dedicated short range communications (DSRC) channel for the intersection warning system. It provides priority and fairness for all vehicles approaching the intersection to transmit their conditions to other vehicles. The protocol analysis shows that drivers can avoid a collision if a warning message is received within 240 m from an intersection given a communication range of 500 m and a speed of 96 Km/h on a wet pavement, if the warning message is received within 0.2 s after joining the wireless network. KW - Adaptive control KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic signal preemption KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-45/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS45_2012-Final_Rpt_A_Multi-Dimensional_Model_for_Vehicle_Impact_On_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46267/MIOH_UTC_TS45_2012-Final_Rpt_A_Multi-Dimensional_Model_for_Vehicle_Impact_On_etc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218700 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01450076 AU - Chinnam, Ratna Babu AU - Murat, Alper E AU - Wayne State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing JIT Freight Logistics Impacted by Transportation System Projects Under ITS PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 18p AB - The authors developed an analysis methodology to support effective planning of JIT freight logistics in transportation networks impacted by system improvement projects. Currently, shippers and carriers do not have the necessary tools to predict and account for the traffic congestion impact of construction projects. Existing models used by shippers/carriers rely on historical traffic flow/congestion data from ITS and other sources. There is need for predictive tools that can be used for assessing the congestion and traffic flow impact of construction projects. These predictive tools are integrated within route planning models of shippers/carriers. The authors designed practical, scalable tools that use readily available and up to date traffic flow data from ITS operators such as Traffic.com and Michigan Intelligent Transportation Systems (MITS) Center. The flow data is used to estimate OD matrices at the source/sink nodes of the network under consideration. Given the transportation improvement project scope and extent/corridor, the authors use estimated OD matrices for estimation of the future state of network traffic flows through equilibrium/traffic assignment models. The methods are designed for seamless integration into existing JIT freight planning models/tools. KW - Construction projects KW - Freight transportation KW - Just in time production KW - Logistics KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Origin and destination KW - Supply chain management KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/sc-42/pdf/MIOH_UTC_SC42_2012-Final_Rpt_Enhancing_JIT_Freight_Logistics_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46007/MIOH_UTC_SC42_2012-Final_Rpt_Enhancing_JIT_Freight_Logistics_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46121/MIOH_UTC_SC42_2012-Final_Rpt_Enhancing_JIT_Freight_Logistics_etc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217172 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447513 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Planning and Environment Linkages Program Annual Report Fiscal Year 2011 PY - 2012///Annual Report SP - 7p AB - This report highlights the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) program activities for Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11). The PEL program’s purpose is to provide transportation agencies with tools and resources to introduce environmental considerations early in planning and to use documented planning information to inform the environmental review process. The goal of PEL is to develop a more seamless decision-making process that minimizes duplication of effort, promotes environmental stewardship, and reduces delays in project implementation. Through the PEL initiative, FHWA provides state and local transportation and resource agencies with decision-making strategies, analytical tools, and technical assistance to link the transportation planning and environmental planning and review processes. In FY11, FHWA focused on two primary avenues to promote PEL: 1. Technical assistance and training: Advancing the adoption of PEL initiatives nationwide through focused state or regional technical assistance. 2. Outreach and communication: Increasing the development and dissemination of resources for stakeholders to use in understanding and implementing PEL activities. KW - Decision making KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Information dissemination KW - Strategic planning KW - Technical assistance KW - Transportation departments KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45400/45435/PEL_FY11_Annual_Report_final_1_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214404 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446523 AU - Dutta, Utpal AU - Patel, Kartik AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovative Contracting Methods and Construction Traffic Congestion PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 22p AB - Increasing travel demand and lack of sufficient highway capacity are serious problems in most major metropolitan areas in the United States. Large metropolitan cities have been experiencing increased traffic congestion problems over the past several years. The total delay that drivers experience has increased from 0.7 billion hours in 1982 to 3.7 billion hours in recent years. Combining the 3.7 billion hours of delay and 2.3 billion gallons of fuel consumed due to congestion, leads to a total congestion cost of $63 billion dollars for drivers in 85 of the largest metropolitan areas of the nation. In spite of the implementation of many demand management measures, congestion in most urban areas is still increasing. In many areas congestion is no longer limited to two peak hours in a day; it is extended to two to three hours in the morning, afternoon and evening. Thus, the congestion experienced on urban and suburban freeways and arterial streets results in delays to the motorist, excess fuel consumption and a high level of pollutant emission not only during the peak hours in a day, but also for several hours throughout the day. Road construction and duration of construction are considered to be factors responsible for a significant portion of traffic congestion. Innovative contracting approaches (such as A+B, Lane Rental, Incentive/disincentive (I/D) etc. methods) have been in use by various State Departments of Transportation (DOT) to reduce construction duration. As a part of this approach, the contractor is paid an incentive to complete a project earlier than the time specified in the contract. If the contractor completes the project later than the time allowed, a penalty is charged by contractual agreement where disincentive money is subtracted from the payment due to the contractor. The use of an incentive may be cost effective in certain projects but may not be effective in other projects. Its use must be justified by comparing the cost of the incentive with savings in Road Users Costs (RUC) value. Michigan Department of Transportation has been using the innovative contracting approach for a number of years. In order to determine the effectiveness of the innovative contracting approach, a model was developed to establish a functional relationship between construction duration and construction cost using Michigan’s construction data. Two Measure of Effectiveness (MOEs) variables, “Project Time Crashing Index (TCI)” and “Project Cost Increment Index (CII)”, were established as a part of this research. Regression technique was used to correlate CII and TCI. The final model was a non-linear model. Also as a part of this effort, a road user cost computation template and a screening template to determine the suitability of a project to be considered for the innovative approach were designed. These two templates should assist state DOTs in computing construction incentive dollars as well as in determining the candidacy of a project for the innovative approach. KW - Construction projects KW - Contracting KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Incentives KW - Innovation KW - Mathematical models KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Road construction KW - Traffic congestion UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-42/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS42_2012-Final_Rpt_Innovative_Contracting_Methods_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213709 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446515 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - State Transportation Statistics 2011 PY - 2012///9th Edition SP - 148p AB - This document is a statistical profile of transportation in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It presents transportation information from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, other federal government agencies, and other national sources. It is divided into nine sections that cover infrastructure, safety, freight transportation, passenger travel, registered vehicles and vehicle-miles traveled, economy and finance, energy and environment, information on data sources, and appendices and glossary. Modes of transportation include highway transportation, public transit, walking (pedestrians), air travel, water transportation, railroad transportation, and pipelines. KW - Economics KW - Energy KW - Environment KW - Finance KW - Freight transportation KW - Infrastructure KW - Passenger transportation KW - Registrations KW - States KW - Statistics KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation safety KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/state_transportation_statistics_2011/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213702 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446366 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Government Transportation Financial Statistics 2012 PY - 2012 SP - 58p AB - Government Transportation Financial Statistics (GTFS) consists of transportation revenues and expenditures for Federal, state and local governments. In addition, the GTFS contains data by revenue source, expenditure type, and by mode of transportation. Tables categories include: highway, transit, railroads, air, water, pipeline and general support. KW - Budgeting KW - Expenditures KW - Federal government KW - Financing KW - Local government KW - Revenues KW - State government KW - Tables (Data) KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/government_transportation_financial_statistics/2012/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213916 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446363 AU - Murat, Alper E AU - Chinnam, Ratna Babu AU - Wayne State University AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Ohio-Michigan Regional Airports for Air Cargo Transportation: Freight Forwarders Perspective PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 67p AB - This project addresses the efficient utilization of the infrastructure for multimodal air freight shipment that directly affects the competitiveness of the freight forwarders and airports in the Ohio-Michigan (OH-MI) region. This project focuses on multimodal air-road transportation of the freight originating from OH-MI region and investigates the factors contributing to utilization of the regional airport facilities. The air freight multimodal transportation activity involves airports, carriers, freight forwarders, and shippers. The interest area of this study is North West Ohio and South East Michigan with regional airports Detroit Metropolitan (DTW) and Toledo Express (TOL). This project considers air freight shipments, mostly identified by the freight forwarders included in the study, and are any of the four carrier types, namely, dedicated (all-cargo), mixed (belly carriers), combination, and integrators. The proposed objectives of this study are: conduct a regional survey to measure and document the current decision making process of air freight forwarders and their desired service levels from the existing local transportation infrastructure (airport facilities and road network) with primary focus on alternative access airport decisions; develop an alternative access airport and flight selection decision support tool for the freight forwarders; and quantify the relative air freight attraction levels of OH-MI region's airports by developing an air cargo shipment demand simulation system for the OH-MI region. KW - Air cargo KW - Air freight forwarders KW - Airport access KW - Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport KW - Freight forwarders KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Michigan KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Ohio KW - Origin and destination KW - Regional airports KW - Toledo Express Airport KW - Trucking UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45632/Murat_OH-MI_Airports_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213890 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01421301 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Transportation Statistics 2012 PY - 2012 SP - 509p AB - This document presents information on the U.S. transportation system, including its physical components, safety record, economic performance, energy use, and environmental impacts. National Transportation Statistics is a companion document to the Transportation Statistics Annual Report, which analyzes some of the data presented here, and State Transportation Statistics, which presents state level data on many of the same topics presented here. The report has four chapters and five appendices. Chapter 1 provides data on the extent, condition, use, and performance of the physical transportation network. Chapter 2 details transportation's safety record, giving data on accidents, crashes, fatalities, and injuries for each transportation mode and hazardous materials. Chapter 3 focuses on the relationship between transportation and the economy, presenting data on transportation's contribution to the gross domestic product, employment by industry and occupation, and transportation-related consumer and government expenditures. Chapter 4 presents data on transportation energy use and transportation-related environmental impacts. Appendix A contains metric conversions of select tables. Appendix B contains a Glossary. Appendix C contains a list of acronyms and initialisms. Appendix D provides modal profiles and Appendix E contains data sources and accuracy statements. KW - Economic factors KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Statistics KW - Transportation infrastructure KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation safety KW - United States UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/ UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1163273 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380473 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Results of the Clarus Regional Demonstrations. Evaluation of Four Decision Support Tools PY - 2012 SP - 4p AB - The Clarus Initiative is a research effort of the U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) to develop and demonstrate an integrated weather observation data management system that can reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions on surface transportation. Under this initiative, a data management system was developed to accept, quality check, and disseminate the weather and road condition data collected by Environmental Sensor Stations (ESS) installed along the nation’s roads. This system is called Clarus. In a complementary effort to explore the value of the data disseminated from the Clarus system, four innovative application tools were developed, deployed, and independently evaluated between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation focused on the way in which selected state departments of transportation (DOT) used the tools in an operational environment. The four tools included enhanced road weather content for travel advisories, the seasonal load restriction tool, the non-winter maintenance decision support tool, and the multistate control strategy tool. KW - Clarus KW - Decision support systems KW - Environmental sensor stations KW - Road Weather Management Program KW - Spring load restrictions KW - State departments of transportation KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45601/FHWA-JPO-12-013_Results_of_the_Clarus_Regional_Demonstrations_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147996 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372435 AU - Murat, Alper E AU - Chinnam, Ratna Babu AU - Khasnabis, Snehamay AU - Wayne State University AU - Wayne State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Value of ITS Information for Congestion Avoidance in Inter-Modal Transportation Systems PY - 2012///Final Report SP - 80p AB - This Year 4 Final Report focuses on infrastructure utilization in the study of intelligent transportation system (ITS) information for congestion avoidance in intermodal transportation systems. In this report, intermodal freight refers to the shipment of freight involving more than one mode of transportation (road, rail, air, and sea) during a single, seamless journey. Three major milestones were addressed in year 3: (1) Compare the performance of static and dynamic models through the case studies; (2) Develop extensive scenarios based on loading levels at inter-modal facilities and transportation network, disruption and incident states, and fidelity of realtime information, etc.; (3) Apply Static and Dynamic models for the different scenarios in a simulation test-bed to perform cost/benefit analysis. In Section A of this report, the authors consider a freight forwarder's operational implementation of alternative access airport policy in a multi-airport region for air cargo transportation to evaluate static and dynamic routing policies. Given a set of heterogeneous air cargo customers and their air-cargo characteristics, the forwarder's problem is to simultaneously select air cargo flight itineraries and schedule the pickup and delivery of customer loads to the airport(s) such that the cargo is delivered to the airport on-time for the assigned flight itineraries. This problem is formulated as a novel pickup and delivery problem, where the delivery cost is both destination and time dependent. An efficient solution method based on Lagrangian decomposition and variable target method with backtracking is developed. Results of computational experiments and a practical case study in the Southern California demonstrate the merits of the model and show that the proposed algorithm is very efficient and obtains near-optimal solutions. In section B, the authors consider disruptions in intermodal facilities used by a company to transport its freight. Facing a disruption scenario, the company re-allocates the flow of goods through those facilities that survive as well as resort to emergency alternatives (e.g., expediting). For this problem, the authors present a novel hybrid method, swarm intelligence based sample average approximation (SIBSAA), for solving the capacitated reliable facility location problem (CRFLP). The CRFLP extends the well-known capacitated fixed-cost facility problem by accounting for the unreliability of facilities. The standard SAA procedure, while effectively used in many applications, can lead to poor solution quality if the selected sample sizes are not sufficiently large. With larger sample sizes, however, the SAA method is not practical due to the significant computational effort required. The proposed SIBSAA method addresses this limitation by using smaller samples and repetitively applying the SAA method while injecting social learning in the solution process inspired by the swarm intelligence of particle swarm optimization. The authors report on experimental study results showing that the SIBSAA improves the computational efficiency significantly while attaining same or better solution quality than the SAA method. The results of computational experiments also indicate that the benefit of having flexibility in the inter-modal transportation system increases with increasing failure likelihood and severity. The authors also note that the flexibility levels depend on the capacity as well as various cost factors such as recourse costs. KW - Congestion avoidance KW - Dynamic models KW - Forecasting KW - Freight transportation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Real time information KW - Static models KW - Supply chain management KW - Traffic congestion UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/ututc/docs/UTUTC-IU-17%20Final%20Murat.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141066 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01372327 JO - Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings on the Web PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Turnbull, Katherine F TI - Transportation Systems for Livable Communities: Summary of a Conference PY - 2012 IS - 6 SP - 170p AB - This conference, Transportation Systems for Livable Communities, is the fifth in a series of spotlight conferences funded by the U.S Department of Transportation's University Transportation Centers Program. This document is a factual summary of what occurred at the conference. Implementers of livability projects joined faculty, students, and researchers to explore transportation approaches for livable communities. The conference also considered the unique role that the university transportation centers can play in undertaking research to advance transportation for livable communities. Through a series of presentations, panels, and discussion groups, conference attendees and panelists considered case studies, research needs, and the challenges of incorporating livability into transportation programs and projects. On the basis of expert panels and facilitated discussion, attendees identified promising directions for research that could help implement the state of the practice and advance the state of the art. This summary of the proceedings consists of presentation summaries from the opening sessions and panels and summaries of key research needs and possible performance measures identified in the discussion groups. An appendix contains short summaries of the poster session presentations. U1 - Transportation Systems for Livable CommunitiesResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationTransportation Research BoardWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101018 EndDate:20101019 Sponsors:Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Transportation Research Board KW - Case studies KW - Conferences KW - Land use planning KW - Livable communities KW - Research KW - Research needs KW - State of the art KW - State of the practice KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation planning KW - University Transportation Centers Program UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/167225.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141020 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366314 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Transportation Atlas Databases 2011 (NTAD2011): A Collection of Spatial Data for Use in GIS-based Applications PY - 2012 SP - n.p. AB - This DVD contains a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, transportation networks, and associated infrastructure. These datasets include spatial information for transportation modal networks and intermodal terminals, as well as the related attribute information for these features. Metadata documentation, as prescribed by the Federal Geographic Data Committee, is also provided for each database. NTAD2011 contains only data. To take full advantage of this product, the user requires a Geographic Information System (GIS). KW - Databases KW - Geographic information systems KW - Mapping KW - Spatial analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135035 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371175 AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - Goel, Prem K AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Public Transit Market Share and Other Passenger Travel Variables on CO2 Emissions: Amassing a Dataset and Estimating a Preliminary Statistical Model PY - 2011/12/31/Final Report SP - 21p AB - Policies that encourage the use of more efficient transportation modes are considered beneficial, in terms of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In support of developing such policies, the impacts of various transportation demands, supply, and regulation variables on passenger travel related CO2 – the predominant greenhouse gas (GHG) – emissions are investigated. A methodology for integrating data from multiple sources in a consistent manner is conceived and implemented, producing a dataset consisting of 146 of the largest urbanized areas in the U.S. A preliminary model for CO2 emissions per capita, in terms of various explanatory variables in this dataset, is developed; future improvements are suggested. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Data collection KW - Data files KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Market share KW - Pollutants KW - Public transit KW - Statistical models KW - United States UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20035.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137473 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371173 AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - Goel, Prem K AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimal Condition Sampling for a Network of Infrastructure Facilities PY - 2011/12/31/Final Report SP - 24p AB - In response to the developments in inspection technologies, infrastructure decision-making methods evolved whereby the optimum combination of inspection decisions on the one hand and maintenance and rehabilitation decisions on the other are determined based on an economic evaluation that captures the long-term costs and benefits. Recently, sample size has been included in inspection, maintenance, and rehabilitation (IM&R) decision-making as a decision variable when considering a single facility. While the question of dealing with a network of facilities in making IM&R decisions has been addressed in the literature, this treatment does not consider condition sampling, whereby each facility could require a different set of sample sizes over time. This report presents an overview of the methodology developed to address the network level problem, whereby the uncertainty due to condition sampling is captured and its related decision variables included in the IM&R decision-making process. An example application is described and results and insights are presented. The parameters of the example of interest are determined by drawing upon various cases reported in the literature to arrive at a realistic base scenario for analysis. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis is also conducted to explore the effect of various factors on the optimal solution. KW - Condition surveys KW - Decision making KW - Infrastructure KW - Inspection KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Sampling KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Transportation facilities KW - Transportation system management UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20034.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137470 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363230 AU - Mishalnai, Rabi G AU - McCord, Mark R AU - Goel, Prem AU - NEXTRANS AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Smart Campus Transit Laboratory for Research and Education PY - 2011/12/31/Final Report SP - 79p AB - A joint effort by the Ohio State University (OSU) Transportation and Parking Services, OSU College of Engineering, OSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science, and Clever Devices has recently succeeded in equipping the OSU Campus Area Bus Service (CABS) with state-of-the-practice sensing, communications, and passenger information technologies that have achieved operational status. CABS serves over four million passengers annually on a fleet of approximately thirty buses and operated six interconnected routes during the academic year 2009-2010. In addition to improving level of service for passengers, the technologies installed on the CABS system provide extensive data on operating performance and ridership characteristics. Because of the relatively complex campus bus transit system, the advanced technologies in operational use, the physical proximity of the system to researchers, educators, and students, the good working relations that have developed over the past decade between CABS managers and transportation researchers and course instructors, and the desire for CABS to support “the academic mission” of the university, the CABS physical and institutional infrastructure has formed the foundation of the OSU Campus Transit Lab (CTL). The objective of this project was to take advantage of this living campus lab for research, education, and outreach activities related to bus transit planning and operations. KW - Bus transit KW - Campus transportation KW - Level of service KW - Passenger information systems KW - Ridership KW - State of the practice UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43500/43550/Final_Report_032.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131870 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01365353 AU - Dyer, Michael G AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Fire Island National Seashore. Alternative Transportation Study PY - 2011/12/30/Planning Report SP - 84p AB - As part of its General Management Plan (GMP) process, Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) seeks to develop a long-term management model to protect Fire Island’s resources, while facilitating a safe, rewarding, and relevant experience for the public. As part of this management model, the Seashore is seeking the best and most appropriate methods for moving people, goods, and services to, from, and along Fire Island. The transportation challenge addressed by this report is to balance the many kinds of vehicle use on the Island with the Seashore’s resource protection mission and the desire of residents and visitors to preserve the Island’s “roadless” nature. The existing conditions section characterize the diverse transportation systems currently in use on Fire Island, many of which have evolved to function in line with the island's roadless character. The opportunities section focuses on vehicle use reduction and enhanced use of water transportation, as well as ideas aimed at general improvement of the efficiency and function of the whole transportation system on and around Fire Island. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Fire Island National Seashore KW - National parks KW - Vehicles KW - Water transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43600/43689/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-12-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1133951 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503736 TI - Polyurethane Foam Infill for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Bridge Deck Panels AB - Although still in their infancy, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridges have shown great promise in eliminating corrosion concerns and meeting (or exceeding) the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) goal of 100-year life spans for bridges. While FRP bridges are cost-effective in terms of life cycle analyses, the combination of higher first costs and limited state DOT budgets has restricted their use. One area that has shown some headway is the use of FRP for bridge decks, focusing on the location where the majority of corrosion-related damage normally occurs. However, first costs still hamper widespread use of this approach. FRP bridge deck panels offer superior corrosion resistance, at one-fifth the weight of reinforced concrete. However, current FRP bridge deck panels typically rely on an intricate geometric honeycomb system between the top and bottom layers of the sandwich panel. This labor-intensive honeycomb construction doubles the cost of FRP panels compared to reinforced concrete. Although cost-effective in terms of longevity of the bridge and overall reductions in weight, the lower first cost of reinforced concrete precludes the use of FRP bridge decks in the majority of situations. Closed-cell, high-density polyurethane foams lower first cost, offering a cost-effective alternative to the complex honeycomb construction. Structural sandwich panels with a polyurethane foam infill are well established in other commercial applications, such as automobiles, aircraft, and prefabricated buildings. Several recent advances in polyurethane foam formulations have resulted in a material that can resist the localized compressive stresses and fatigue loading beneath a truck wheel, making this type of sandwich panel construction a viable alternative for bridge decks. Once these panels can compete against reinforced concrete on a first-cost basis, their significantly longer life expectancies will save considerable money for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the residents of Missouri. The first step in establishing FRP sandwich panels as a viable option will be to examine the potential of using them to replace the precast, stay-in-place forms currently used to construct reinforced concrete bridge decks. The sandwich panel will serve as formwork for the concrete placement and act compositely with the hardened concrete under subsequent dead and live loading. As part of the sandwich panel development, Missouri University of Science and Technology will evaluate polyurethane foam formulations, panel configurations (overall shape, jointing, end bearing), panel fiber architecture, panel durability, and methods of developing composite action with the concrete. KW - Bridge decks KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Polyurethane foams KW - Sandwich panels KW - Service life UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/research/r295/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1286100 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383579 AU - Flood, Gerry AU - Granger, Jeff AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Parks of New York Harbor TI - National Parks of New York Harbor Traveler Information System: Functional Requirements PY - 2011/12/23/Final Report SP - 30p AB - The purpose of this planning project is to analyze alternatives and design a Traveler Information System (TIS) that will enhance the experience of visitors to the National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) parks and other sites managed by federal, state and local partners. The system will provide information to the traveler that will promote increased use of existing and future alternative transportation systems in the New York City metropolitan area that service the parks and other sites. While the alternative transportation systems in the area are highly developed and very efficient, they can be confusing and intimidating for visitors. This TIS will be designed to improve that situation by providing better pre-trip planning and enhanced real time assistance while in the area. A successful TIS will result in increased use of alternative transportation, increased visitation to NY harbor attractions and substantially improved visitor experience. KW - National parks KW - National Parks of New York Harbor KW - Public transit KW - Transportation planning KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Trip planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45555/NPNH_TIS_Functional_Requirements_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148387 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383557 AU - Flood, Gerry AU - Granger, Jeff AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Parks of New York Harbor AU - National Park Service TI - National Parks of New York Harbor Traveler Information System: Concept of Operations PY - 2011/12/23/Final Report SP - 52p AB - The purpose of this planning project is to analyze alternatives and design a Traveler Information System (TIS) that will enhance the experience of visitors to the National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) parks and other sites managed by federal, state and local partners. The system will provide information to the traveler that will promote increased use of existing and future alternative transportation systems in the New York City metropolitan area that service the parks and other sites. While the alternative transportation systems in the area are highly developed and very efficient, they can be confusing and intimidating for visitors. This TIS will be designed to improve that situation by providing better pre-trip planning and enhanced real time assistance while in the area. A successful TIS will result in increased use of alternative transportation, increased visitation to NY harbor attractions and substantially improved visitor experience. KW - National parks KW - National Parks of New York Harbor KW - Public transit KW - Transportation planning KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Trip planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45554/NPNH_TIS_Concept_Operations_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148389 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467835 TI - Corrosion Damage Assessment of Post-Tensioned Concrete Structures AB - The goal of this project is to design and implement an innovative monitoring system for corrosion damage assessment of steel tendons in post-tensioned structures. The monitoring system is based on embedded arrays of piezo-composite transducers to generate and receive Guided Ultrasonic Waves (GUW) throughout the tendon. Advanced algorithms will be developed to enable the monitoring of the corrosion evolutionary path including: 1) initiation of corrosion damage (micro-scale), 2) loss of mass (macro-scale) of the steel strand, and 3) the failure of the strand. The proposed array will be able to operate in a dual monitoring mode: 1) Real-time continuous, and 2) Routine-based inspections. Corrosion of the built environment has a very significant impact on society, affecting nearly every aspect of daily life in our nation. In monetary terms, corrosion degradation consumes at least 2-4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product every year. The proposed research will have a positive impact on our society by enhancing public safety through early detection of corrosion damage and enabling planning and implementation of remedial measures to structures. The research plan is divided into two phases. Phase I, Development of Statistical Algorithms for Corrosion Damage Assessment, in which algorithms capable of monitoring the evolutionary path of corrosion will be developed. Phase II, Implementation of the proposed system in accelerated corrosion laboratory tests, in which experimental simulations will be conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed system and to propose strategies for implementation in new and existing structures. The work, exploiting low cost and robust piezo-composite transducers, will enable the development of a "smart strand" with sensing capabilities to inform decision makers on the need for repair to ensure safe and reliable structural performance. The uniqueness of this research resides in the development of embedded arrays of piezo-composite transducers with increased robustness, conformability to curved surfaces, and better performance in harsh environments than traditional monolithic piezoelectric transducers (PZT). The proposed activities will also fill gaps in the theoretical understanding of guided ultrasonic waves in a loaded 7-wires strand excited by embedded arrays of piezo-composite transducers. Accelerated corrosion testing will provide insights on the underlying corrosion mechanisms and the expected corrosive environment including temporal variations in the features of a GUW. The proposed work will significantly advance scientific and engineering knowledge in the area of corrosion prognosis and enhance our nation's ability to detect early corrosion damage in infrastructure and to perform robust insitu condition assessments. KW - Algorithms KW - Corrosion KW - Damage assessment KW - Embedded data collectors KW - Monitoring KW - Posttensioning KW - Statistical analysis KW - Steel structures UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/corrosion-damage-assessment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236071 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01483687 AU - McCord, Mark R AU - Goel, Prem AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Incorporating Image-Based Traffic Information for AADT Estimation: Operational Developments for Agency Implementation and Theoretical Extensions to Classified AADT Estimation PY - 2011/12/18/Final Report SP - 24p AB - Average annual daily traffic (AADT) is perhaps the most fundamental measure of traffic flow. The data used to produce AADT estimates are typically collected by in-highway traffic counters operated by state Department of Transportation (DOT) traffic monitoring crews who must cover thousands of highway segments in their statewide systems on a continual basis. In-highway traffic counters can be dangerous to traffic crews and disruptive to traffic. In addition, the availability of limited resources, coupled with the large number of highway segments spread across the expansive geographic regions of the state, requires that the state DOTs can only collect short-term, sample volumes for the majority of the highway segments. Moreover, not all segments can be sampled every year, and some traffic counts will have been collected several years before the AADT of the segment is estimated. In a first year project, results of empirical studies demonstrated more accurate AADT estimation when using a proposed method to combine older, traditionally collected traffic count data with traffic information contained in more recently obtained air photos. Software components were also developed to allow many of the calculations to be performed automatically. Additional empirical studies were conducted this year, a refinement to the estimation of an important input value using image-based traffic information was developed, and proof-of-concept software was installed and used at the Ohio Department of Transportation. KW - Aerial photography KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Data collection KW - Image analysis KW - Ohio Department of Transportation KW - Software KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic counting KW - Traffic flow UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20project%20031OY02%20Incorporating%20Image-Based%20Traffic%20Information%20for%20AADT%20Estimation%20Operational%20Developments%20for%20Agency%20Implementation%20and%20Theoretical%20Extensions%20to%20Classified%20AADT%20Estimation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251982 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491404 AU - Bayless, Steven H AU - Intelligent Transportation Society of America AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Trends in Machine-to-Machine Communications: An overview of M2M technology and potential for the transportation sector PY - 2011/12/15 SP - 11p AB - This report describes Machine-to-Machine service architecture and how it is evolving over the next several years. Nearly 50 billion Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices are predicted to be deployed by all sectors by 2025. The largest impediment to M2M deployment in the transportation sector is largely life cycle cost, which is driven by stringent design and certification processes. This paper speculates that a "service-oriented" architecture, one that allows any M2M device to be securely accessible to any application, would be desirable for faster market growth. This report is part of the Connected Vehicle Technology Scan and Assessment project. This two year scanning series of Connected Vehicle Insight reports will assess emerging, converging and enabling technologies outside the domain of mainstream transportation research. ITS America seeks technologies that will potentially impact state-of-the-art or state-of-the-practice in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployment over the next decade, with an emphasis on the "connected vehicle." The Technology Scan Series notes trends, technologies, and innovations that could influence, or be leveraged as part of, next-generation intelligent transportation systems within the next five to seven years. The series’ focus is on developments in applied science and engineering and innovation in data acquisition, dissemination, processing, and management technologies and techniques that can potentially support transportation. KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Technological innovations KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/research/pdf/Tech%20Scan%20M2M.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259534 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491397 AU - Bayless, Steven H AU - Intelligent Transportation Society of America AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Fourth Generation Wireless - Vehicle and Highway Gateways to the Cloud: An evaluation of Long Term Evolution (LTE) and other wireless technologies’ impact to the transportation sector PY - 2011/12/15 SP - 22p AB - This paper examines how next generation wide-area cellular such as fourth generation (4G) will be able to support vehicular applications, and how transportation infrastructure may mesh with wireless networks. This report is part of the Connected Vehicle Technology Scan and Assessment project. This two year scanning series of Connected Vehicle Insight reports will assess emerging, converging and enabling technologies outside the domain of mainstream transportation research. ITS America seeks technologies that will potentially impact state-of-the-art or state-of-the-practice in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployment over the next decade, with an emphasis on the "connected vehicle." The Technology Scan Series notes trends, technologies, and innovations that could influence, or be leveraged as part of, next-generation intelligent transportation systems within the next five to seven years. The series’ focus is on developments in applied science and engineering and innovation in data acquisition, dissemination, processing, and management technologies and techniques that can potentially support transportation. KW - Cloud computing KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Technological innovations KW - Telematics KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/research/pdf/Tech%20Scan%204G%20Wireless%20(final)%20.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491340 AU - Guan, Adrian AU - Bayless, Steven H AU - Neelakantan, Radha AU - Intelligent Transportation Society of America AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Trends in Computer Vision: An overview of vision-based data acquisition and processing technology and its potential for the transportation sector PY - 2011/12/15 SP - 17p AB - This report foresees imaging technology rapidly advancing in applications that require simple object detection, such as vehicle collision avoidance and advanced traffic management systems. The paper speculates that future advances, such as improved object detection algorithms, machine learning and “augmented reality” may influence a number of transportation applications in the automotive, industrial, and infrastructure sectors. This report is part of the Connected Vehicle Technology Scan and Assessment project. This two year scanning series of Connected Vehicle Insight reports will assess emerging, converging and enabling technologies outside the domain of mainstream transportation research. ITS America seeks technologies that will potentially impact state-of-the-art or state-of-the-practice in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployment over the next decade, with an emphasis on the "connected vehicle." The Technology Scan Series notes trends, technologies, and innovations that could influence, or be leveraged as part of, next-generation intelligent transportation systems within the next five to seven years. The series’ focus is on developments in applied science and engineering and innovation in data acquisition, dissemination, processing, and management technologies and techniques that can potentially support transportation. KW - Active safety systems KW - Computer vision KW - Imaging systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Technological innovations UR - http://connectedvehicle.itsa.wikispaces.net/file/view/Computer_Vision_Report_May_2012_posted.pdf/336577828/Computer_Vision_Report_May_2012_posted.pdf UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/research/pdf/TechScan%20computervision%20ITSA.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259535 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01481138 TI - Development of Traffic Performance Metrics Using Real-Time Traffic Data AB - New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) over the past few years has been upgrading its Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) infrastructure. Specifically NYCDOT has been installing Advanced Solid State Traffic Controllers (ASTC), a city wide wireless network (NYCWiN), and a sophisticated Traffic Control System (TCS) in the Traffic Management Center (TMC). Capitalizing on the deployment of these advanced technologies, NYCDOT Instituted the "Midtown in Motion" (MIM) project to enhance multimodal mobility in the Midtown Core of Manhattan, a 110 square block area or "box" from 2nd to 6th Avenues, 42nd to 57th Streets. MIM was announced by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on July 18, 2011. The MIM Project utilizes "active traffic management (ATM)" and the full capabilities of the NYCDOT Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure. The signal-timing measures applied by MIM complement other efforts by the City to improve traffic operations. As part of this project E-ZPass tag readers were installed to provide travel time data, and microwave sensors were deployed to provide flow/occupancy, both in real time. The ATM is based on a two level control strategy to improve mobility using both travel time and flow/occupancy data. The real time data is being archived by NYCDOT and serves as a large and rich data warehouse. This supplements other efforts by NYCDOT of building a data warehouse of routine traffic data (counts, volumes, speeds, etc) collected as part of DOT and other agency projects. Also, NYCDOT Division of Planning and Sustainability (P&S) has developed a large-scale model of Manhattan as a macro/meso/micro level called the "Manhattan Traffic Model" (MTM). In addition, the P&S division has an agreement with the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to have access to GPS trip information (start/end) of all yellow medallion taxi trips (metered trips) in New York City. The availability of the MIM, MTM, and the taxi GPS database provide an excellent opportunity to perform data mining/analysis for investigating trends and constructing metrics. NYCDOT has a cooperative agreement with Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) to provide the data. Professor Emeritus McShane will be involved in working with NYCDOT on the adaptive control/learning (MIM) and directing efforts that make extensive use of the database. Professor Falcocchio will direct an effort at NYU-Poly to investigate how to develop metrics and performance measures from the available database. Several PhD students at NYU-Poly are already involved in the beginnings of this initiative. Also, NYCDOT will provide reviews and serve in a guidance role as part on its ongoing services. KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Multimodal transportation KW - New York City Department of Transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Real time information UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/traffic-performance-metrics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250183 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01505751 AU - Oswald, Michelle AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Ames, David AU - Mao, Weifeng AU - Delaware Center for Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Delaware’s Transportation Adaptation in Response to Climate Change PY - 2011/12/03/Final Report SP - 47p AB - A growing concern facing the transportation sector in the United States is the potential impact of climate change on land transportation. The advanced infrastructure along the east coast combined with the impending threat of climate change and rising sea levels has led many to prepare for the potential impacts. This research investigates three studies of adaptation planning for the state of Delaware. The first application focuses on using spatial representation and analysis capabilities of computer based geographical information systems (GIS) to explore possible flooding impacts on railroad corridors in New Castle County, Delaware. The second application explores the impact of sea level rise (SLR), including storm surge, on the I-95 corridor in Delaware transportation infrastructure, land use, and population. The third application is a case study of the Climate Change Adaptation Tool for Transportation: Mid-Atlantic focused on a Metropolitan Planning Organization in Delaware (WILMAPCO) that evaluates impacts related to temperature, sea level rise and precipitation specific to New Castle County, Delaware from a planning perspective. These three applications serve as examples to promote the integration of adaptation practices into transportation planning. KW - Case studies KW - Climate change KW - Countermeasures KW - Delaware KW - Floods KW - Geographic information systems KW - Interstate 95 KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Railroads KW - Sea level KW - Storm surges KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/downloads2013/Ames_McNeil_FinalReport_ClimateChange.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285404 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01490376 TI - Decision-Making on Transportation Mega-projects: An Interpretative Analysis AB - Over the last several decades population and economic growth in urban areas has intensified the need for more efficient transportation, including the expansion of existing transportation networks, or the construction of new transit projects. In either case, these infrastructure investments require careful prioritization and selection among available alternatives, and are subject to budgetary and other resource constraints. As the New York metropolitan area is facing major present and future investment decisions, the associated challenges related to infrastructure investment decision-making become obvious. The Trans-Hudson Passenger Rail Tunnel project, terminated in October 2010, or New York's Second Avenue Subway project, are telling illustrations of the tensions between the need for improved transportation, and the multiple challenges decision-makers face. A rich transportation-economic literature has been developed to assist analysts and decision makers in the selection of investments. In practice, however, decision-making rarely seems to follow a rational process. This can be seen in massive cost over-runs and demand over-estimates that characterize many transportation investment projects. While more recent research on transportation mega-projects attempts to account for political considerations, to date no research has established the types, nor the range of factors, which explain the decision-making processes of transportation investment. Against this background, this research explores why inferior transportation projects are implemented, when they are defined as investments and do not meet acceptable transportation economic criteria. KW - Capital investments KW - Decision making KW - Infrastructure KW - Investments KW - Megaprojects KW - New York Metropolitan Area KW - Strategic planning KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/transportation-mega-projects-interpretative-analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259863 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01489661 TI - Compression and Querying Multiple GPS Traces for Transportation Planning AB - These days, a large number of vehicles are equipped with global positioning system (GPS) devices, and these devices generate huge volumes of trace data. Information extracted from these traces could significantly help transportation planners with routine tasks and special studies. However, extracting information from trace data is a challenging problem because of the proliferation of GPS devices and the rate at which trace data is generated. The proposed research investigates methods to effectively extract accurate and timely information from large volumes of GPS trace data. The specific tasks which will be considered during the 2012 calendar year are as follows. Task 1: Develop efficient techniques for compressing and storing multiple GPS traces. Such compression techniques must ensure that (1) the resulting representation uses significantly less storage than the original traces; (2) the information loss due to compression is as small as possible; and (3) the query processing algorithms that extract information from the compressed representation are not adversely affected. Task 2: Develop a language framework that can be used to express queries on compressed traces and identify techniques to process such queries efficiently. An important goal here is that the framework must facilitate the formulation of queries that are beneficial to transportation planners. Further, query processing algorithms must exploit the compressed representation of the traces. Potential long term benefits of the proposed research include the development of effective methods for storing large volumes of trace data and new software tools that can be used by transportation planners to obtain information from the trace data. The deliverables of this project include software tools, research reports, papers submitted to conferences/journals, a research brief suitable for distribution to policy makers and data sets generated as part of the work. These deliverables will be made available to the research community through an appropriate website. The areas of expertise of the researchers involved in this project include geographic information systems (GIS), various aspects of transportation, data mining, real-time data stream processing, algorithm design and software system development. KW - Algorithms KW - Data mining KW - Geographic information systems KW - Global Positioning System KW - Real time information KW - Software KW - Traffic data UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/multiple-GPS-traces-for-transportation-planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258891 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01482608 TI - A Framework for Estimating Emissions of Freight Transport Operations AB - In recent years, corporations have shown increasing interest in measuring their environmental impacts, especially pollutant emissions. Business interests, e.g., preparing for imminent regulation, motivate this trend as much as ethics. Investors and customers factor environmental impact into their business decisions, and sustainable companies have a competitive advantage. For companies with large distribution systems, emissions from transport operations constitute a significant portion of their environmental impact. Many models have been developed to estimate vehicle emissions, though the focus in research and in practice has been on automobiles, as opposed to trucks and other heavy vehicles. In addition, there is a lack of standards governing emissions reporting. Wide variations and lack of documentation make comparisons between companies or years difficult. The goal of this project is, therefore, to develop a rigorous, flexible, and practical framework for estimating the emissions of freight transport operations. It will be based on simple, yet defensible and reliable economic models of marginal emissions contributions from individual shipments, and it will be implemented as an online tool. The initial focus will be on trucking, but extensions for other freight modes are possible. The proposed framework will provide several practical advantages over currently available methods. In particular, the framework will: (1) Be based on data that are commonly available from freight carriers; (2) Provide error bounds, describing the precision of emissions estimates; (3) Provide quantitative support for strategic shipping and supply-chain decisions; and importantly, (4 Allow for consistent comparison among companies and across years. The proposed framework and online implementation will be validated with data from the transportation operations of two Fortune 500 companies that have established relationships with the Nevada University Transportation Center (NUTC) and Center for the Commercialization of Innovative Transportation Technology (CCITT). KW - Air quality management KW - Corporations KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Pollutants KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.ccitt.northwestern.edu/research/projects/Durango-Cohen_Y5-05.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251488 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467847 TI - Incorporating Mobile Technology into the GPS/Web-GIS Method for Travel Survey and Research AB - Traditional paper and phone travel surveys are expensive, time consuming, and have problems of missing trips, illogical trip sequences, and imprecise travel time. Global positioning system (GPS) based travel surveys can avoid many of these problems and are becoming increasingly popular in major cities worldwide. However, there is GPS signal loss or degradation in high-density cities such as New York City (NYC) where urban canyon effects are significant, underground subway and commuter rail travels are extensive, GPS cold/warm start problems are obvious, and mixed land use is common. This project proposes to develop application software of using smartphones to combine GPS/GIS/Internet/mobile technologies for travel survey and research. It will put together the geographic information system (GIS) algorithms and Web GIS developed in the past few years to produce efficient results for the University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) funding. Using smartphones has many advantages over using handheld GPS loggers in collecting travel survey data. In addition to satellite signals, smartphones can use WiFi and assisted GPS provided by cell phone carriers to log locations. Smartphones with Internet connections allow survey respondents to interact real time with the GIS server to verify results from the GIS algorithms, answer questions about trip purposes, and provide photos of activity stops if necessary. Smartphones are typically equipped with accelerometers that can output acceleration measurements to help mode detection underground. Logistically, since smartphones are becoming very popular, using smartphones can eliminate costs associated with purchasing, distributing, and collecting GPS loggers. The application software developed from this project will be useful for future travel surveys in this region and to provide accurate data for updating the New York Best Practice Model. The research approach can be applied elsewhere as well. The two principal investigators (PIs) in this project are mid-career and junior faculty members in the UTRC consortium. They adopted this multi-disciplinary and multi-college approach to tackle a problem in applying innovative GPS/GIS/Internet/mobile technologies to meet the needs of travel demand forecasting and transportation planning. The graduate students hired for this project will particularly benefit from this unique approach and have the chance to gain skills and experience of using new technologies. The results from this project will also be used by the PIs in the education of students in transportation and GIS research at both Hunter College and City College. KW - Accelerometers KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Travel surveys UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/incorporating-mobile-technology-into-GPS/Web-GIS-Method UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236083 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467839 TI - An Analysis of the Agglomeration Benefits of Transit Investment AB - Transit investments can affect the clustering of economic activity within a region, due to the changes in accessibility that transit can provide, either by increasing firm-based access to the central business district or increasing effective labor market size. This clustering can lead to what are known as agglomeration benefits that increase overall economic productivity and are external to the decisions taken by individual firms. Cost-benefit analysis of transit investments rarely account for such external benefits. Agglomeration benefits work through several mechanisms. Two mechanisms most likely relevant to transit are knowledge spillovers enabled by firm clustering near rail stops and better labor matching, due to higher labor market access caused by expansions of transit networks. The actual linkages are complex and are not well captured by simple econometric models. The researchers propose to examine these linkages using a structural equations modeling framework that can account for the direct and indirect effects of transit investment on external productivity benefits within a region. This work will build upon a Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) funded study that the research team has been engaged in. As part of this work, the researchers have developed two large datasets to examine agglomeration impacts. The first is a nationwide dataset of metropolitan areas with measures of GDP, average wages, city size, central city and urbanized area employment density, transit capacity, road capacity, and human capital. The researchers analyzed this dataset using a two-step path analysis, relying on standard cross-sectional econometric techniques to account for endogeneity. They found potentially large and significant effects of transit capacity upon agglomeration and hence productivity. The main shortcoming of this work to date is the lack of control for various other potentially confounding variables that could influence population growth and employment density and may cause inaccurate coefficient estimates for transit capacity. The researchers' theoretical framework could alternatively be implemented using structural equation modeling to account for both direct and indirect effects, providing stronger evidence of a causal relationship from transit capacity to agglomeration and from agglomeration to productivity. The second dataset consists of firm-level data for two metropolitan regions with large and growing rail transit systems: Portland, Oregon, and Dallas, Texas. Analysis of these data has found interesting differences in how transit investments in the two regions are correlated with the distribution and density of employment by industrial classification. Current analysis has aggregated firm data to the block-level rather than analyzing specific firm-level data; this will be extended by developing models at the firm level to investigate firm births and deaths, within-firm growth, and other more detailed phenomena that enable a clearer understanding of dynamics associated with agglomeration near rail stops in the two regions. Although the dataset does not include explicit productivity measures such as revenues or wages, this analysis will enable a focus on industry structure and the process by which agglomeration can lead to new firm formation, a key indicator of potential increased productivity. The researchers expect both strands of the research to provide informative results that will greatly increase the value of the work they have already completed. Assessing the costs and benefits of proposed transit infrastructure investments depends on a better understanding of how regional and firm-level productivity might be affected. The research will also have implications for decisions about funding high-speed rail service. For the New York metropolitan region in particular, investigating how regional and firm-level productivity is affected by major transit improvements is a critical missing piece for quantifying the benefits of key links such as the ARC/Gateway project. KW - Agglomeration KW - Capital investments KW - Econometric models KW - Economic impacts KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit stations UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/agglomeration-benefits-of-transit-investment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236075 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467838 TI - Accelerating the Construction Process of Highway Bridges AB - Functional obsolescence and structural deficiencies of highway bridges are posing significant threats to commuters and transportation agencies throughout the United States. Recently, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) classified approximately one quarter of its bridges as functionally obsolete and one-eighth as structurally deficient. Highway bridges located in urban areas are especially at high risk of functional obsolescence, as the aging highway systems in these areas face significant increases in traffic volumes. As a result of increasing needs associated with upgrades and repairs, the decision makers are urged to determine the best use of limited resources. In addition to mitigating risks that emerge from ordinary operating conditions, agencies also need to determine appropriate methods to reduce the impact of natural disasters and accidents as part of an emergency response system. Employing traditional construction methods for repair or upgrade activities may cause lengthy traffic disruptions, which result in high user costs and environmental impacts, raising the issues of safety and congestion. Accelerated construction refers to project delivery methods that combine innovative construction techniques and contracting methods in order to reduce the environmental and socio-economic impacts of construction activity and to reduce the downtime of highway bridges. The objective of this study is to investigate opportunities to reduce the negative impacts of bridge closures due to repair and upgrade activities by: 1) Exploring various alternative construction materials and methods such as use of prefabricated/precast systems, and innovative contracting methods such as A+B bidding, incentive/disincentive contract, and lane rental that can be used to accelerate construction activities of bridges; 2) Identifying important factors - both qualitative and quantitative - which affect the decision-making procedures for selecting the most appropriate upgrade or repair strategy; 3). Providing a decision support framework that will allow evaluation of alternatives. In order to fulfill these objectives, a comprehensive review of the available literature will be performed with a focus on accelerated construction methods and contracts, emergency response procedures, and factors affecting decision-making procedures for selection of appropriate bridge upgrade and repair methods and contracting approaches. In addition, a national survey of state departments of transportation (DOTs) will be conducted, in order to determine the current state of practice throughout the United States. The decision support framework that will be developed in this study will provide a systematic procedure for comparing various upgrade and repair strategies; thus, decisions regarding selection of appropriate upgrade/repair methods and contracting approaches will be more objective and justifiable. KW - Accelerated construction strategies KW - Building materials KW - Construction management KW - Highway bridges KW - Innovation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/accelerating-construction-process-highway-bridges UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236074 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466857 TI - Vulnerability of Transportation System and Evacuation Plan for Coastal AB - Global warming and climate change are reshaping our world in many ways. Recent studies show that global warming will cause the sea level along the northeastern U.S. coast to rise almost twice as fast as global sea levels during this century, putting metro New York City at greater risk for catastrophic events under hurricanes and winter storms. Combined coastal surge flooding and land runoff flooding along coastlines in climate change perspectives is such an event. There is an increasing awareness that the coastal flooding may affect the resilience of the transportation infrastructure and services. However, it is currently difficult for transportation agencies to incorporate information about potential flooding into transportation planning and investment processes. The capability to predict coastal region flooding considering climate change becomes extremely valuable to develop plans reacting foreseeable disasters, which will save lives and make our transportation infrastructure more sustainable. The project proposes to predict flooding nearby coastal regions considering various scenarios due to climate change, such as sea level rise, precipitation increase, and its impact on transportation network and reaction plans, utilizing available techniques and recently developed tools. In particular, the tasks to be conducted include: (1) establishing a hybrid hydrologic and hydrodynamic flood modeling system to predict coastal flooding due to storm surge flooding and inland runoff flooding under projected global warming effects. Research will be made to achieve high resolution and high accuracy desired to resolve streets, traffic roads, and related transportation infrastructures. (2) Developing with analytical/numerical approaches to evaluate evacuation plans and to estimate minimum evacuation time based on forecasted demand under various levels of flooding conditions. (3) Application of the proposed methods and models to a selected region along the Tri-State coastline as a showcase to demonstrate their capabilities in forecasting coastal flooding and impact on transportation systems and optimizing evacuation plans. The expected deliverables are: (1) A showcase with an executable computer code and result movie/animation for a selected flood location at the Tri-State region to predict coastal flooding evolution under climate change circumstances such as sea level rise, heavy rainfall, and tide and its impact on transportation network, and to estimate evacuation related issues. (2). Reports and refereed journal and conference articles to describe concepts, theories, and schemes developed in this project. This proposal addresses coastal flooding and transportation issues due to global warming, its approach is based on the PIs' expertise and recent developed capabilities, and its team consists of junior and senior faculty and students from multiple areas and schools. KW - Climate change KW - Coastal zone management KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Evacuation KW - Floods KW - Global warming KW - New York (New York) KW - Northeastern United States KW - Sea level UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/actproj.php?viewid=244 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235092 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543898 AU - Pinarowicz, Jill AU - Cade, Jessica AU - Lange, Robin AU - Hedman, Briana AU - Bondanza, Allison AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identification of Barriers to the Recruitment & Retention of Women Intermodal Transportation Workers PY - 2011/12 SP - 15p AB - The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of 2009, women comprised 46.8 percent of the total United States labor force. The female workforce is projected to account for 46.9 percent of the total labor force in 2018 and is expected to contribute the majority 51.2 percent of the increase in total labor growth between 2008 and 2018 (United States Department of Labor Women’s Bureau). However, there are sectors of labor in which gender inequality on the account of women is still prevalent. Women comprise only 24.5 percent of the transportation industry. As of 2008, only 10.4 percent of all civil engineers in the United States were women. In transportation and modal occupations, which includes baggers and stock handlers to positions of bus driver and pilots, the percentage of full-time employed female transportation workers totaled only 13 percent in 2009 (Department of Labor Bureau). In the present year of 2011, men still greatly disproportionally hold the jobs within the transportation industry. Within the next 15 to 20 years, the transportation industry is projected to face a staffing shortage at all levels of the industry due to an aging workforce and failure to recruit new employees at the rate of projected retirement (Sussman, 1999). Most administrators agree that there is a necessity to attract and develop highly qualified professionals in order to address these needs. Based on demographic surveys it is clear that women are underrepresented in the transportation industry and are potentially an untapped resource for future labor. For unknown reasons, women are reluctant to start or maintain a career in the transportation industry. This study was based on the notion that an in-depth exploration of their experience might enlighten industry professionals about what approaches are best for recruiting and retaining women in the transportation industry. In addition, this study is to determine how women in the transportation industry experience the workplace and what, if any barriers they encounter in a male dominated industry. Understanding what keeps women in their current positions or what misgivings they may have had about entering the transportation industry will be necessary to market entry into the field to a new generation of women. KW - Barriers (Challenges) KW - Females KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Labor force KW - Personnel retention KW - Personnel shortages KW - Professional personnel KW - Recruiting UR - http://www.ncit.msstate.edu/NCIT%20Reports/2008_10_Pinarowicz%20Cade%20-%20Barriers%20to%20women%20in%20transportation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332050 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477800 AU - Silva, Jessica M S AU - Anderson, Marc A AU - Oliva, Michael G AU - Tejedor, M Isabel AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nanoporous Thin-film Additives to Improve Precast Concrete Construction of Transportation Facilities PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The national transportation network contains a significant number of highway and railway bridges. This research is intended to transform the use of precast/prestressed materials in the transportation infrastructure. Specifically it examines how nanoporous thin-films create a new jointing mechanism between precast concrete bridge components. Mechanical testing was conducted from which it was determined that these thin-films can increase the bonding strength of grout in joints. Preliminary durability testing was performed and showed these thin-films help strengthen the jointed area. Lastly, scanning electron microscopy was used to help better define the mechanism by which the thin-films improved the bonding strength of grout to hardened concrete. KW - Admixtures KW - Bonding KW - Bridge members KW - Durability KW - Grout KW - Joints (Engineering) KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Precast concrete KW - Strength of materials UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0313.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224931 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472479 AU - Kim, Yong-Woo AU - El-Anwar, Omar AU - Ahmed, Kamal M AU - Houston, Michael AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Relationship Between Delivery Processes and Transportation Projects Performance PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 41p AB - Close collaboration among stakeholders has long been recognized as an important factor of a successful project. In today’s climate of heightened focus on sustainability, collaboration needs to be taken to a new level in the design and construction process. This research investigates the issue of collaboration in light of project delivery system for transportation projects. The research tested three different methods (i.e., multi-regression, generic algorithm, and step-wise method) to identify relationship between project delivery process and project outcomes. Taking into account r-square and p-value the authors concluded that the step-wise method with significant variables provided reliable results on environments and community results. The expertise and alignment of objectives among project delivery process factors were the most significant input variables for a successful Environmental outcome in this model. The analysis also shows that contractor’s involvement and information sharing are important for successful community projects. Researchers developed best practices with associated factors and outcomes using above-mentioned qualitative as well as quantitative analysis. The best practices are (1) Alignment of cultures amongst organizations is key to achieving environmental goals and (2) Engaging stakeholders, particularly the General Contractor, early in the project process results in effectively managed projects. The associated factors used in the quantitative analysis with relevant project outcomes were identified on each of two important practices identified in the qualitative analysis. Through the research findings, researchers learned that some factors and associated best practices have statistical relations with project outcomes (i.e., environments and community results). The research results may provide clients of public transportation projects an insight on practices and areas to be improved and enriched toward more environmental-friendly as well as community-friendly projects. KW - Algorithms KW - Best practices KW - Construction projects KW - Contractors KW - Cooperation KW - Infrastructure KW - Project delivery KW - Project management UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46257/TNW2012-06_Understanding_collaboration_environments__Relationship_between_delivery.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239166 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470842 AU - Darrow, Margaret M AU - Huang, Scott L AU - Obermiller, Kyle AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Study of Unstable Slopes in Permafrost Areas: Alaskan Case Studies Used as a Training Tool PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 14p AB - This report is the companion to the PowerPoint presentation for the project “A Study of Unstable Slopes in Permafrost: Alaskan Case Studies Used as a Training Tool.” The objectives of this study are 1) to provide a comprehensive review of literature on unstable soil and/or weathered rock slopes in permafrost areas, and 2) to summarize three case studies of key historic and/or ongoing unstable soil slopes in permafrost in the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities’ Northern Region. KW - Alaska KW - Case studies KW - Erosion KW - Literature reviews KW - Permafrost KW - Rock slopes KW - Slope failure KW - Slope stability KW - Unstable soil UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2013/01/UnstableSoilSlopes_FINAL_REPORT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238502 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456905 AU - Appiah, Justice AU - Rilett, Laurence R AU - Wu, Zifeng 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 - Evaluation of NDOR’s Actuated Advance Warning Systems PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 123p AB - Driver behavior within the dilemma zone can be a major safety concern at high-speed signalized intersections. The Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) has developed and implemented an actuated advance warning (AAW) dilemma zone protection system. Although these systems have received positive reviews from the public, and commercial vehicle operators in particular, there has been no comprehensive analysis of their effects on safety and traffic operations. The focus of this research was to conduct a quantitative study to ascertain the efficacy of the NDOR advance warning system. First, crash records from before and after the implementation of the system at 26 intersections were compared. In addition, 29 control intersections were used to compare crash rates over time, and a fully Bayesian technique was employed to ensure that no exogenous variables affected the study. Results of the safety analysis were promising (a 43.6% reduction in right-angle crashes) and suggested that the use of the system should be encouraged as an effective safety treatment for the dilemma zone problem at high-speed signalized intersections. Second, a non-intrusive data collection system was used to monitor traffic and to collect a continuous stream of data up to 1,000 ft upstream of the stop line at two high-speed signalized intersections equipped with the system. The results suggested that the system was effective at alerting drivers to the impending end of the green signal; approximately 78% of drivers observed in this study either maintained their speeds or slowed down when the signs began to flash. It was also found that the number of vehicles in their dilemma zones when the signal indication changed from green to amber was 77.2% smaller than the number that would have been expected if the NDOR AAW system had not been installed. Finally, a modeling framework was developed that could be used to perform consistent, detailed analyses of these systems. Results from two demonstration studies indicated that the proposed procedure had potential for studying these systems in a microsimulation environment. KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash rates KW - Dilemma zone KW - Highway safety KW - Nebraska KW - Right angle crashes KW - Signalized intersections KW - Warning systems UR - http://drivingassessment.uiowa.edu/DA2005/PDF/49_TalleahAllenformat.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224018 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454106 AU - Hulsey, J Leroy AU - Horzdovsky, Jacob E AU - Davis, Duane AU - Yang, Zhaohui Joey AU - Li, Qiang AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - University of Alaska, Anchorage AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Seasonally Frozen Soil Effects on the Seismic Performance of Highway Bridges PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 178p AB - Permafrost degradation in regions of high seismic activity increases the potential for soil liquefaction, which can be a serious threat to transportation and utility infrastructure, as many professionals observed during the November 2002 Denali Earthquake (magnitude Mw 7.9). This project conducted laboratory studies to investigate the liquefaction resistance of frozen and seasonally frozen ground. Researchers examined how soil liquefaction is influenced by freeze-thaw cycles throughout the year, and how liquefaction is influenced by temperature distribution in degrading permafrost. The results of this study will help establish criteria for liquefaction susceptibility in melting permafrost and soils that regularly undergo freeze-thaw cycles. KW - Alaska KW - Freeze thaw cycles KW - Frozen soils KW - Highway bridges KW - Liquefaction KW - Permafrost KW - Seasonally frozen ground KW - Seismic performance KW - Seismicity UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2011/03/YangSlides_SeasonalFrost_Fall2009.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46194/107014.-Hulsey-Yang.Dec_.2011.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46469/107014._Hulsey-Yang.Dec.2011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218387 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446296 AU - Standridge, Charles R AU - Khasnabis, Snehamay AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Grand Valley State University AU - Wayne State University AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Traffic Simulation in Regional Modeling: Application to the Toledo Sea Port PY - 2011/12//Interim Report SP - 13p AB - A small team of university-based transportation system experts and simulation experts has been assembled to develop, test, and apply an approach to assessing road infrastructure capacity using micro traffic simulation supported by publicly available data in partnership with personnel of the Toledo Sea Port and the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments. Application activities focused on the arterial road infrastructure connecting the Toledo Sea Port to the interstate highway system via Interstate 280. Data was gathered from the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and the Ohio Department of Transportation. A micro traffic simulation model was developed using the commercial software product AIMSUN. Multiple simulation experiments were conducted to find and propose relief for traffic bottlenecks. Simulation results showed that publicly available data was sufficient to support modeling and assessment activities. The road infrastructure was seen to have sufficient capacity to support truck movement between Interstate 280 and the seaport. The primary bottleneck was identified as the single entrance lane at the seaport security post. Adding a second lane would relieve the entrance bottleneck but cause a new bottleneck at the exit security post. The latter could be relieved by a second lane as well. In addition, additional truck unloading and loading capacity could be required under small, approximately 30%, increases in volume. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bottlenecks KW - Highway capacity KW - Interstate 280 KW - Toledo Sea Port KW - Traffic simulation KW - Truck traffic UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-41/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS41p1_2011-Interim_Rpt_Traffic_Simulation_in_Regional_Modeling.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213869 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376090 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Zohdy, Ismail AU - Du, Jianhe AU - Park, Byunghkyu (Brian) AU - Lee, Joyoung AU - El-Metwally, Maha AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Signal Control Enhancements Under Vehicle Infrastructure Integration Systems PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 94p AB - Most current traffic signal systems are operated using a very archaic traffic-detection simple binary logic (vehicle presence/non presence information). The logic was originally developed to provide input for old electro-mechanical controllers that were developed in the early 1920s. It is currently in urgent need to improve the performance of traffic control devices. With the development of automatic controls, sensors, and devices, it is now possible to design advanced intersection control systems that can fully utilize advanced technologies of detection and communication as well as the high quality data acquired by such technologies. One example of such systems is Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII). VII links vehicles, drivers, and surrounding infrastructure (which includes roadways, traffic controls, etc.) to improve the efficiency of traffic systems and promote transportation safety. It promises to “bridge the gap” between the infrastructure and individual drivers. The purpose of this research is to: 1) investigate the potential to utilize VII data to characterize system operation and estimate system-wide measures of performance, and 2) develop advanced signal timing procedures that can capitalize on VII data and enhance the operations of traffic signal system operations.. Three advanced traffic signal control systems are developed and tested in this research. The advantages of such systems were tested in terms of time savings, the environment, and system improvements. KW - Measures of effectiveness KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/mautc-2008-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142313 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376064 AU - Chang, Gang Len AU - Cirillo, Cinzia AU - Serulle, Nayel R J Urena AU - Hetrakul, Pratt AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Integrated System Model for Evaluating the Impact of the Dynamic ICC Toll Policy on the Regional Network Mobility PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 32p AB - Road pricing has historically been advocated as an efficient travel demand management to alleviate congestion. More specifically, dynamic toll pricing has received greater interest among policy makers and public agencies due to its potential for lowering energy costs for society. Some analytical studies have found that dynamic toll pricing generally yield greater efficiency gains than static toll pricing because the former reduce queuing delays by altering travelers’ departure times as well as routes. The construction of the Inter-county Connector (ICC) has certainly offered the prospect of reducing travel time between the I-270 and I-95 corridors, and may potentially alleviate congestion on the I-270 and I-495. Given that the ICC relies on dynamic toll pricing scheme, its daily traffic volumes are governed by individual trip-makers’ perceived time and cost saving in the term of value of travel time (VOT). Moreover, the ability to realistically capture trip-makers’ responses to time-varying road charges in term of willingness to pay (WTP) for toll is essential for predicting network flows and network equilibrium assignment models. These behavioral characteristics of users vary across individuals. Therefore capturing the heterogeneity of users in this regard is critical in predicting the impact of dynamic pricing schemes. This study proposes the model that enables practitioners to integrate user response to dynamic toll pricing. The analysis accounts for cost and time savings perceived by regional drivers and the users’ response to time-varying road charges. More specifically, the study captures difference in behavioral characteristics of the willingness to pay (WTP) for toll across users socioeconomic and trip related characteristics such as time of day, and trip purpose. The analysis is expected to be useful for transportation agency responsible for the ICC operations. KW - Highway operations KW - Integrated systems KW - Intercounty Connector (Maryland) KW - Maryland KW - Mobility KW - Rates, fares and tolls KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel costs KW - Travel time UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2009-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372845 AU - Hatcher, Greg AU - Bunch, James AU - Noblis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Deployment Estimate of the Metropolitan ITS Infrastructure: Updated with 2010 Deployment Data PY - 2011/12//7th Revision SP - 28p AB - The purpose of this report is to provide a summary and back-up information on the methodology, data sources, and results for the estimate of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) capital expenditures in the top 75 metropolitan areas as of FY 2010. It is the 7th in a series of estimates that are derived from an initial forecast of the full deployment cost for ITS in Metropolitan areas across the United States, and subsequent ITS Deployment Survey results. From 1997 to 2010 the ITS deployment among the 75 largest metropolitan areas has increased 185% or $12 billion from $6.5 billion to $18.5 billion (and $3 billion since 2005). This highlights the significant and steady growth in ITS expenditures that has occurred since the first ITS deployment survey was conducted in 1997. The deployments made through 2010 represent 41.9% of the estimated total costs for full ITS deployment in these areas. In other words, the average market penetration of deployed ITS is about 42% in the typical large metropolitan area of the United States. From 2005 through 2010 roughly $600 million per year was invested on average by the largest 75 metropolitan areas. On average this equates to about $8.0 million per year per large metropolitan area without any special deployment program. This includes investments from all sources including federal, state, local and private funding. Note, this work provides a conservative estimate of the ITS deployment since it does not include ITS investments in small and medium urban or rural areas. Nor does it capture reinvestment and the evolution of ITS systems to the next generation of technologies once the initial deployment has been made. KW - Deployment KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Expenditures KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Statistics UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44619/FHWA-JPO-12-015_Natl_Deploy_Estimate_of_the_Metro_ITS_Infrastructure_2010_update_FINAL_508.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1140740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371319 AU - Gutkowski, Richard M AU - Miller, Nathan J AU - Radford, Donald W AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Application of Z-Spike Rejuvenation to Salvage Timber Railroad Bridges PY - 2011/12 SP - 95p AB - The technique of rejuvenating wood and timber members by shear spiking (vertically inserting fiberglass reinforced polymer rods into deteriorated members) evolved over several years of laboratory research at Colorado State University (CSU). Specimens, including layered or split nominal 2 x 4 members, full-scale wood railroad ties, intentionally damaged individual railroad bridge stringers, a full-scale three span bridge chord, and deteriorated/damaged bridge stringers and chords obtained from the field were successfully enhanced in stiffness by the application. The successful stiffening of such members in the laboratory led to the need to examine the application of the technique in actual bridges in the field. This report details the outcomes of shear spiking two open-deck, timber trestle railroad bridges and examining the effectiveness under applied loading. The bridges were made available to the researchers by the Union Pacific Railroad and were located in their Southern Region. The first site was located in the vicinity of Houston, Texas, specifically in Eagle Lake – a region of typically hot, humid climate, albeit being cool, damp, and sometimes rainy, conditions at the time of the study. The second site was located in the vicinity of Midland, Texas, specifically Stanton, Texas – in an extremely hot, dry climate at the time of the study. Each bridge was multi-span, but only one span was shear spiked in each case. Also, each was located along an in-service mainline railroad track and, due to rated physical condition, were scheduled to have their stringers replaced, making them available for experimentation but on a relatively fast-fuse basis. KW - Fiber composites KW - Load tests KW - Maintenance practices KW - Railroad bridges KW - Spiking KW - Stiffness KW - Wooden bridges UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-245.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139602 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370201 AU - Han, Lee D AU - Hargrove, Stephanie AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U27: Real-Time Commercial Vehicle Safety & Security Monitoring PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 57p AB - Accurate real-time vehicle tracking has a wide range of applications including fleet management, drug/speed/law enforcement, transportation planning, traffic safety, air quality, electronic tolling, and national security. While many alternative tracking technologies have been developed in the recent years, license plate recognition (LPR) technology is still the simplest and readily available means for uniquely identifying vehicles in more circumstances. LPR technology has gone through quite a bit of research and development since the 1970’s. While the video-imaging based approach was novel, promising, and even effective for license plate identification in the early days of the technology, accuracy of the technology has not improved much largely because of the thousands of different designs of license plates in the U.S. This study takes an entirely different path with LPR. Realizing even when a plate is read incorrectly, certain amount of useful information may still exist in the misread result. For example, when a plate of “ABC 123” is read as, say, “ABC I23,” instead of just admitting defeat, we recognize that: 5/6 of characters were read correctly; the incorrectly read character is very similar to the correct; character, the sequence of the characters are in the right order; the number of characters are correct, etc. By using this information cleverly, one can address the plate-matching and vehicle-tracking problem with much better results. In real-time operational condition, one would not know if a plate reading of “ABC I23” is correct or not and if not which character or characters were incorrect. So a challenging and complex mathematical challenge ensues here. This study boils down to the development of an algorithm for solving this problem and, for this phase particularly, demonstrating the algorithm in the field. Aided by the generous assistance of Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Tennessee Department of Safety (TDOS), and PIPS Technology, three state-of-the-art LPR machines are installed for capturing real-world license plates strategically located on the Interstate highways. Using 3G cellular data network, license plate information is collected from all LPR sites and processed instantaneously for real-time plate matching, vehicle tracking, and, real-time speed monitoring. This study marks the most significant advancement in LPR technology in decades. The results can improve the utility of new and already deployed LPR units and significantly increase the license plate matching rate (from less than 40% to over 98%) without the need for unified license plate system, further LPR hardware enhancement, per-vehicle technology investment (e.g. transponder and RFID), or significant legislative changes. KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic license plate readers KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Monitoring KW - Real time information KW - Security KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Trucking safety KW - Vehicle tracking UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44237/U27-_RealTime_Safety_and_Security_Monitoring.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136686 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370174 AU - Adams, Teresa AU - Kleinmaier, Dan AU - Marach, Alex AU - Helfrich, Greg AU - Levine, Joshua AU - Bittner, Jason AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U28: Longer Combination Vehicle’s Impact on Improving Operational Efficiency, Freight Flows and Traffic Congestion PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 60p AB - Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) are able to carry more freight than conventional single trailer trucks. As a result, these trucks can increase efficiencies and benefits for freight movements as less fuel and less labor is used per ton of cargo. However, LCVs are allowed in only 19 U.S. states primarily due to concerns over safety and infrastructure costs. This study investigates these concerns, performs a Cost-Benefit Analysis of operating LCVs, talks to private and public sector experts regarding their use, and completes a public survey to gauge the public’s perception of the use of LCVs in terms of both their concerns and the public’s prioritization of the potential benefits of using LCVs. Overall, this study finds there are sufficient benefits to consider the expansion of LCV operations. The per vehicle mile benefit ranges from $0.32 to $0.61 in 2011 dollars. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Freight traffic KW - Longer combination vehicles KW - Surveys KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Traffic congestion KW - Trucking safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44238/U28-Longer_Combination_Vehicles_Impact_on_Improving_Operational_Efficiency__Freight_Flows_and_Traffic_Congestion.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136699 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370127 AU - Burton, Mark AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U30: Evaluation of Freight Vehicles in Short-Haul Intermodal Lanes PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 68p AB - Intermodal rail-truck transportation is often cited as a potential remedy to a number of congestion-related issues. However, intermodal’s effectiveness in this role is dependent on the ability to use this freight alternative in relatively “short-haul” situations. The current analysis reviews the history of intermodal transport, current intermodal operations, and available suites of intermodal equipment in order to evaluate the potential for increased short-haul intermodal applications. The analysis includes simulations of shipper alternative choices developed through use of the Federal Railroad Administrations Intermodal Transportation and Inventory Cost (ITIC) modeling platform. These simulations consider both endogenous and exogenous changes in intermodal service costs. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Containers KW - Flat cars KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Railroads KW - Short haul KW - Trucking UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44239/U30-Evaluation_of_Freight_Vehicles_in_Short-Haul_Imtermodal_Lanes__FINAL_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136442 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368088 AU - Agrawal, A K AU - City College of New York AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bridge Vehicle Impact Assessment PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 168p AB - Bridges in New York State have been experiencing close to 200 bridge hits a year. These accidents are attributed to numerous factors including: improperly stored equipment on trucks; violation of vehicle posting signs; illegal commercial vehicles on parkways, etc. This report describes the work done to achieve the following objectives: (i) review and identify major factors contributing to bridge impacts, (ii) provide recommendations to the NYSDOT about effective measures for reducing the likelihood of future bridge hits, (iii) provide long term, feasible and economical recommendations to reduce the likelihood of bridge hits, (iv) review and comment on the NYSDOT Collision Vulnerability Assessment Procedure and provide recommended improvements and (v) develop a computer program for analyzing the bridge hits occurrences as new bridge hits data become available. The focus of the research has been on commercial overheight vehicles hitting superstructures of bridges. This study doesn’t address water vessels or trucks colliding with highway bridge piers. KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Bridges KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash investigation KW - Crashes KW - High risk locations KW - New York (State) KW - Overheight trucks KW - Truck traffic UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C_07_10_final%20report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46338/Final_Report_-_Bridge_Vehicle_Impact_Assessement.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136589 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367393 AU - Khan, Mobashwir AU - Kockelman, Kara AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Predicting the Market Potential of Plug-in Electric Vehicles Using Multiday GPS Data PY - 2011/12 SP - 45p AB - Detailed Global Positioning System (GPS) data for a year’s worth of travel by 255 households from the Seattle area were used to investigate how plug-in electric vehicle types may affect adoption rates and use levels. The results suggest that a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) with 100 miles of range should meet the needs of 50% of one-vehicle households and 80% of multiple-vehicle households, if those households fully charge their BEVs just once a day and are willing to use a different vehicle or mode of transport just 4 days a year or less (to serve daily travel distances above 100 miles). Moreover, the average one-vehicle household in the Seattle region relies on its vehicle for 23 miles per day and should be able to electrify close to 80% of its miles using a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with 40-mile all-electric-range. Households owning two or more vehicles can electrify 50 to 70% of their household miles using a PHEV40, depending on how they assign the vehicle across their drivers each day. Cost comparisons between the average single-vehicle household owning a Chevrolet Cruze (regular gasoline vehicle) versus a Chevrolet Volt PHEV suggest that when gas prices are $3.50 per gallon and electricity rates at the U.S. average of 11.2 ct per kWh, the Volt will save the household $535 per year in operating costs. Similarly, the Toyota Prius PHEV, when compared to the Toyota Corolla, will provide an annual savings of $538 per year. KW - Chevrolet Cruze KW - Chevrolet Volt KW - Electric vehicles KW - Electricity KW - Gasoline KW - Operating costs KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Prices KW - Range (Vehicles) KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Toyota Corolla KW - Toyota Prius KW - Trip length UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161123-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136118 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367391 AU - Sperry, Benjamin R AU - Morgan, Curtis A AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - How Fast Is a Fast Train? Comparing Attitudes and Preferences for Improved Passenger Rail Service among Urban Areas in the South Central High-Speed Rail Corridor PY - 2011/12//Research Report SP - 89p AB - High-speed passenger rail is seen by many in the U.S. transportation policy and planning communities as an ideal solution for fast, safe, and resource-efficient mobility in high-demand intercity corridors between 100 and 500 miles in total endpoint-to-endpoint length. As the nation moves forward with a significant investment to improve its intercity passenger rail system, a number of planning and policy barriers still exist, making it difficult to fully realize the anticipated benefits of high-speed passenger rail. Using data from an Internet-based survey of residents in three communities in Central Texas—Waco, Temple, and Hillsboro—this research project examined the potential impacts of new intercity passenger rail service on small- or medium-sized communities located in the intermediate area between two larger urban areas that form the endpoints of a federally designated intercity high-speed rail corridor. Responses from more than 1,000 surveyed residents found that residents’ attitudes toward new intercity passenger rail service are generally favorable and that trains could be used instead of automobiles for some intercity trips. The project’s findings provide a foundation for later investment-grade ridership studies in the corridor and have potential applications in planning for intercity passenger rail and transportation policy development. KW - Attitudes KW - High speed rail KW - Hillsboro (Texas) KW - Intercity transportation KW - Medium sized cities KW - Passenger rail KW - Small cities KW - Surveys KW - Temple (Texas) KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation policy KW - Waco (Texas) UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161003-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136119 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366631 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Changing Tide of U.S.-International Container Trade: Differences Among the U.S. Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific Coasts PY - 2011/12//Special Report SP - 6p AB - This BTS special report examines historical U.S. maritime trends, changes in U.S. trading partners, and current U.S. marine trade patterns. More specifically, it compares container vessel calls, container vessel capacity, and the average deadweight tonnage of vessels calling at U.S. Pacific Coast seaports and, increasingly, along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. The report highlights the typical container port and terminal construction projects recently completed along the Pacific Coast by the United States, China, and other U.S. trading partners. In addition, the report shows the U.S. population center, which has a historical relationship with the location and cargo flow of major U.S. seaports. KW - Atlantic Coast (United States) KW - Container traffic KW - Containerships KW - Gulf Coast (United States) KW - International trade KW - Pacific Coast (United States) KW - Trade KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/special_report/2011_12_32/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135182 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366349 AU - Reich, Stephen L AU - Kolpakov, Alex AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Tracking Costs of Alternatively Fueled Buses in Florida PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 29p AB - The goal of the current project is to establish a recording and reporting mechanism for collecting field data on the performance and costs of alternatively fueled public transit vehicles operating in Florida in order to assist policy makers with their decisions regarding maintenance resources and future vehicle acquisitions. In addition, this project aims to establish cost estimating guidance for the modification of transit maintenance facilities to make them suitable for servicing alternatively fueled buses. Over the course of this project repeated data requests were sent to 21 fixed-route transit agencies and 12 paratransit operators. Despite the challenges in data collection and low response rate, enough data was collected to represent 70 percent of the Florida fixed route fleet and perform valid analysis of costs. No meaningful cost data was available for demand response vehicles, limiting the extent of the analysis of the paratransit fleet. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Costs KW - Electric buses KW - Fixed routes KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Natural gas buses KW - Paratransit vehicles KW - Transit buses UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-18_rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/77927-final-report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1135030 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01365965 AU - Li, Frank X AU - Perera, Graciela C AU - Detwiler, Ben AU - Youngstown State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-Time Stress Monitoring of Highway Bridges with a Secured Wireless Sensor Network PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 19p AB - This collaborative research aims to develop a real-time stress monitoring system for highway bridges with a secured wireless sensor network. The near term goal is to collect wireless sensor data under different traffic patterns from local highway bridges. The long term goal is to build a non-destructive structural health monitoring system and derive a structural health index to predict the remaining life span of a highway bridge in order to save human lives, avoid costly failure, provide timely restoration, prevent unnecessary reconstructions, and minimize disruptions of traffic. The following tasks have been completed: a wireless sensor node was modified by adding a vibration sensor; the PCB boards for the analog filters and the vibration sensors were designed and built; a security protocol based on the Diffie-Hellman protocol for wireless sensor networks was developed; and embedded software on each wireless sensor node to relay the sensor data from neighboring sensor nodes was developed. KW - Data collection KW - Highway bridges KW - Real time information KW - Security KW - Sensors KW - Software KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Wireless communication systems KW - Wireless sensors UR - http://stem.ysu.edu/gen/stem_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/Final_Report_12_20111_revised.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364063 AU - Levecq, Charles AU - Kuhn, Beverly AU - Jasek, Debbie AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Best Practices and Outreach for Active Traffic Management PY - 2011/12//Final Report; Technical Report SP - 66p AB - Continued growth in travel on congested freeway corridors and limited public funding for expansion and improvement projects are limiting agencies’ abilities to provide sufficient roadway capacity in major metropolitan areas. Focusing on trip reliability, active traffic management (ATM)—widely deployed for decades in Europe but in its early stages in the United States— maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the facility and increases throughput and safety through integrated systems with new technology, including the automation of dynamic deployment to optimize performance quickly. This congestion management approach consists of a combination of strategies that, when implemented in concert, fully optimize the existing infrastructure and provide measurable benefits to the transportation network and the motoring public. These strategies include speed harmonization, temporary shoulder use, junction control, and dynamic signing and rerouting. By providing transportation agencies across the United States with crucial information on best practices for deployment and operation of ATM strategies, this project can have a positive impact on transportation networks where ATM is deployed. This report provides a summary of the research conducted during a project sponsored by the University Transportation Center for Mobility™ related to ATM. This document includes a literature review related to ATM, an inventory of ATM deployments both overseas and in the United States, a summary of best practices and general guidelines for the deployment of ATM, information on the development of an ATM website, and the delivery of a webinar to present the project results to increase the awareness of ATM within the transportation profession. KW - Active traffic management KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Best practices KW - Congestion management systems KW - Guidelines KW - Highway traffic control KW - Implementation UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Kuhn_10-01-54.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362974 AU - Panero, Marta AU - Botha, Jan L AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Nature of Context-Sensitive Solutions, Stakeholder Involvement and Critical Issues in the Urban Context PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 97p AB - This study examines the issue of conflicting demands in developing projects in a timely manner while involving stakeholders in the context of a relatively new policy framework – Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) – which supports the early integration of stakeholders into the planning process. CSS is a relatively new process and not consistently interpreted or applied across states and/or agencies. Findings suggest that the extent to which public agencies apply the CSS framework and involve and respond to stakeholders depends on each agency’s interest in engaging the public in the planning process to find the best-fit project for a community. Agency staff need to understand the benefits flowing from community involvement, including gaining constituents’ buy-in and support for project financing. A movement toward standardizing CSS policies and directives across the country will facilitate a public discussion about the benefits of engaging communities into the project design phase and away from solely expert-based designs. KW - Context sensitive design KW - Context Sensitive Solutions KW - Government agencies KW - Planning methods KW - Public participation KW - Regional planning KW - Stakeholders KW - Transportation planning KW - Urban highways UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2610-Context-Sensitive-Solutions-Stakeholder-Involvement-Urban-Context.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43500/43530/2610-Context-Sensitive-Solutions-Stakeholder-Involvement-Urban-Context_bf.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127097 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362900 AU - Ye, Zhirui Jared AU - Kack, David AU - Chaudhari, Jaydeep AU - Ewan, Levi AU - Montana State University, Bozeman AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Montana's Intercity Bus Services Study PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 127p AB - Intercity bus service funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA’s) Section 5311(f) program is a part of the larger 5311 program known as Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas. The S.5311(f), requires that 15% of the total 5311 program funds given to the state be used to develop and support ICB service. This 15% can be waived if the governor certifies that the intercity bus transportation needs are being met within the state. The goal of this project was to provide the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) with a current assessment of intercity bus services within the state, and provide a methodology that can be used by MDT to determine if needs are being met and, if not, a process to identify potential new routes/services and how to allocate funding for the new services. To achieve this goal, the research team first conducted an extensive literature review of intercity bus service studies in other states. Following that, a survey of peer states, with characteristics similar to Montana’s rural/frontier nature was performed to understand funding practices and perceive barriers of intercity bus service. Two additional surveys were distributed to intercity bus riders and the general public in Montana to provide insight into the use of intercity bus services and the attitudes toward the services. The research team then examined the connectivity of current intercity bus services with local public transportation providers in Montana, as well as other transportation modes. In addition, a survey of local transit agencies in Montana was conducted. The results from the network connectivity analysis and the survey were used as a basis to help define “meaningful connections” for intercity bus services in Montana. Finally, this research provided a methodology that can be used by MDT to determine intercity bus service needs are being adequately met. The methodology consists of an annual process to support existing intercity bus services and a triennial process to determine if there is the need for new services. KW - Bus transportation KW - Connectivity KW - Financing KW - Literature reviews KW - Montana KW - Needs assessment KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/intercity/final_report_dec11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128473 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362892 AU - Vedenov, Dmitry V AU - Fuller, Stephen W AU - McCarl, Bruce A AU - Attavanich, Witsanu AU - Ahmedov, Zafarbeck AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effect of Climate Change on Crop Production Patterns with Implications to Transport Flows and Inland Waterways PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 86p AB - This project analyzed the demand for transportation capacity and changes in transportation flows on inland waterways due to shifts in crop production patterns induced by climate change. Shifts in the crop production mix have been observed in recent years in response to changing climate. The primary exhibited trend is that of a northward shift resulting, for example, in increased corn production in historically wheat-producing regions. Given differences in the typical destinations and volumes of corn and wheat shipments, such changes have the potential to alter the pattern, composition and seasonality of grain flows toward and along the Mississippi River. As a result, bulk cargo traffic patterns, transportation flows, and demand for transportation capacity and facilities in the Mississippi River basin may change dramatically in the near future. The project analyzed these changes using a U.S. agricultural sector model and an international grain transportation model. The former predicts shifts in production patterns due to climate change, while the latter analyzes the effect of predicted production shifts on transportation flows. The results will help planners in forecasting demand for Mississippi River transport facilities and capacity. KW - Agricultural industry KW - Climate change KW - Crops KW - Demand KW - Grain KW - Inland water transportation KW - Mississippi River KW - Traffic flow UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Vedenov_10-54-51.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128286 ER - TY - SER AN - 01362885 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Ngamdung, Tashi AU - Carroll, Anya A AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Data Analysis of Grade Crossing Incidents PY - 2011/12 SP - 4p AB - Incidents and fatalities at highway-rail grade crossing in the United States have declined significantly over the past two decades despite a significant increase in both train and vehicle traffic. Therefore, to provide a more realistic comparison of safety performance over the years, it is important to include both train and vehicle traffic when calculating incident rates at highway-rail grade crossings. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) tasked the USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) to review an exposure metric called traffic moment (TM), which is currently used by European nations, and to apply it to U.S. data. There were two objectives to this research: (1) to review the grade crossing exposure metric used by European nations and to analyze the ability to "fit" the U.S. data into that method for all U.S. public crossings; and (2) to apply the same exposure metric to public active and passive crossings to compare the trends in incident rate between active and passive crossings. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Crash data KW - Crash rates KW - Highway traffic KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad traffic UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/123 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362864 AU - Wang, Ming-Heng AU - Schrock, Steven D AU - Bai, Yong AU - Rescot, Robert A AU - University of Kansas, Lawrence AU - Kansas State University Transportation Center AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Innovative Traffic Safety Devices at Short-Term Work Zones PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 137p AB - The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the usage and effectiveness of innovative traffic control devices that can be used in short-term work zones. Any device to be used in short-term work zones should command the respect of drivers, be durable, have an easily understood meaning, be low cost, be quick and easy to install and remove, and be reusable. This study was conducted in three sections: a literature review of previously published research, a nationwide usage survey, and a field test for a selected device, portable plastic rumble strip (PPRS). PPRSs, which have been tested on a closed course, were found to be a device potentially suitable for use at short term work zones. This field study was to investigate the effects of the PPRSs and drivers’ response to them at three short-term maintenance work zones in Kansas. The results showed that the effect of PPRSs in speed reductions was more significant on cars than on trucks. The PPRSs reduced car speeds by 4.6 to 11.4 miles per hour. They also created 5.0 to 11.7 miles per hour mean speed reduction for trucks, but the reductions were only at two test sites. It was observed that 30 to 80 percent of truck drivers activated their brakes (indicated by brake light illumination) when they approached the PPRSs. In addition, about five percent of car and truck drivers swerved around the PPRSs. This indicates that additional signage or other supplemental traffic devices would be needed when the PPRSs are implemented. KW - Field tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Rumble strips KW - Surveys KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003813661 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43300/43383/KU095_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128241 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362851 AU - Peterson, Karl AU - Sutter, Lawrence L AU - Anzalone, Gerald AU - Michigan Technological University AU - University Transportation Center for Materials in Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure (MISTI) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reduction of Minimum Required Weight of Cementitious Materials in WisDOT Concrete Mixes PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 66p AB - This project was designed to explore the feasibility of lowering the cementitious materials content (CMC) used in Wisconsin concrete pavement construction. The cementitious materials studied included portland cement, fly ash, and ground granulated blast furnace slag. For the first phase, mixtures were prepared using the current WisDOT aggregate grading specification. For the second phase, mixtures were prepared using an optimized (e.g. Shilstone) gradation. A variety of tests for fresh and hardened concrete were conducted to determine the viability of low CMC mixtures for use in concrete pavement. The research resulted in several successful low CMC concrete mixtures in terms of workability, strength, and durability. Many unsuccessful low CMC concrete mixtures were also produced. The analysis of the data suggests a practical minimum CMC of 5.0 sacks/yd3 for concrete. However, successful mixtures containing fly ash were achieved at the CMC levels of 4.0 sacks/yd3 and 4.5 sacks/yd3. The same minimum CMC limits were established in both the first and second phases of the research, regardless of the change in aggregate gradation. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Cementitious materials KW - Concrete pavements KW - Fly ash KW - Portland cement KW - Slag KW - Wisconsin Department of Transportation UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/WisDOT-WHRP-project-0092-08-08-final-report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44500/44588/WisDOT-WHRP-project-0092-08-08-final-report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128292 ER - TY - SER AN - 01362850 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Evaluation of Education and Outreach Programs PY - 2011/12 SP - 4p AB - Education and outreach are acknowledged, if only anecdotally, for contributing to an overall safer rail environment. The use of education and outreach programs as a means to improve highway-rail safety has expanded over the years since 1970 and the inception of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. These programs are commonly used to supplement safety measures, especially where engineering solutions are not feasible or less effective. Other than small-scale case studies, the effectiveness of education and outreach programs on highway-rail grade crossing safety has not been thoroughly researched. Evaluation of education and outreach programs can quantify the benefits of the programs, lead to identifying areas of improvement, and justify the value of the program. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has sponsored the USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to investigate education and outreach evaluation strategies and methods. The purpose of this research is to identify strategies and methods that have been used successfully in evaluating education and outreach programs in other transportation modes or countries or other industries. The study covers the potential applications, benefits, limitations, and success stories. The intent is that this research will provide direction and assistance to those who wish to implement a rail safety education or outreach program and to measure the effects of the program. KW - Education and training methods KW - Highway safety KW - Performance measurement KW - Railroad safety KW - Safety education UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/125 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362837 AU - Perk, Victoria A AU - DeSalvo, Joseph S AU - Rodrigues, Tara A AU - Versoza, Nina M AU - Bovino, Steven C AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Value of Travel Time Savings Estimation for More Effective Transportation Project Evaluation PY - 2011/12//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Estimates of value of time (VOT) and value of travel time savings (VTTS) are critical elements in benefit-cost analyses of transportation projects and in developing congestion pricing policies. In addition, differences in VTTS among various modes of transportation can provide information to planners and others on the likely success of diverting trips from single-occupant vehicles to alternatives. The goal of this research is to present an improved estimation of VTTS. By using information from the first survey to collect trip-specific data on the 95 Express corridor in Miami, Florida, it was found that the estimated VTTS of those travelers is approximately 49 percent of their hourly wage based on annual household income, with a range of $2.27 to $79.32 per hour and a mean of approximately $32.00 per hour. This result is in the range of estimated values for VTTS found in the recent literature and represents actual behavior of the survey respondents rather than the more commonly found stated preferences. While the primary objective of this research is to estimate VTTS using revealed preference data from the 95 Express corridor, a significant secondary objective is to provide a synthesis of managed lane operations in the United States. The report contains information on several existing projects around the country as well as information on cities that have been named part of the federal Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) or Congestion Reduction Demonstration (CRD) program. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Interstate 95 KW - Managed lanes KW - Miami (Florida) KW - Revealed preferences KW - Surveys KW - Value of time UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-21_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128287 ER - TY - SER AN - 01362829 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Hellman, Adrian AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Low-Cost Warning Device Industry Assessment PY - 2011/12 SP - 4p AB - Virtually all of the grade crossing train detection and warning systems in the United States use a variant of the track circuit technology developed over a century ago. Track circuits have evolved through the years, but the design and principles of operation have changed little. Although highly reliable, track-circuit–based train detection systems are costly to install and maintain. Systems that leverage low-cost, nontraditional technologies are an attractive alternative at low-usage grade crossings. The challenge for the railroad industry is to develop systems that are low in cost and safe. In response, the Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Railroad Policy and Development directed the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) to conduct a technology assessment of low-cost active warning devices for application at passive highway-rail grade crossings. The purpose of this research was to present an objective assessment of the available low-cost warning device technologies and to recommend a migration path that could be implemented in the United States. The Volpe Center performed a survey and assessment of the progress in low-cost warning device research. The following topics were considered: (1) the technologies that were selected for evaluation, (2) the criteria used to evaluate the technologies, (3) the implementation challenges and how they were resolved, (4) the benefits associated with the technologies, (5) the feasibility of leveraging the results of the previous research, and (6) lessons learned. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - Lessons learned KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Technological innovations KW - Warning devices UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/124 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131064 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431185 AU - Sheng, Y Peter AU - Davis, Justin R AU - Figueiredo, Renato J AU - Pardalos, Panos M AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Multimodal Transportation Educational Virtual Appliance (MTEVA) to Study Congestion during Extreme Tropical Events PY - 2011/11/28/Final Report SP - 54p AB - In this study, a prototype Multimodal Transportation Educational Virtual Appliance (MTEVA) is developed to assist in transportation and cyberinfrastructure undergraduate education. This initial version of the MTEVA provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to a modeling system which couples a storm surge and inundation model with congestion models for emergency situations in a simple hypothetical domain. As part of the development process, a preliminary suite of educational content is developed based on interactive simulations which can be performed using the coupled system. Finally, a group of graduate students is surveyed about their attitudes about the MTEVA. Analysis of the survey responses showed that the participants believe that the MTEVA significantly aids in their understanding of key science topics: storm surge and inundation, optimization and transportation engineering. KW - Coastal inundation KW - Computer models KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Education and training KW - Evacuation KW - Graphical user interfaces KW - Hurricanes KW - Nonrecurrent congestion KW - Storm surges KW - Storms UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/cms_2009-012_final_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45647/cms_2009-012_final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1189077 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01516417 AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluation Report – Region 3 PY - 2011/11/16/Final Report SP - 28p AB - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Volpe Center conducted a regional alternative transportation evaluation (RATE) in Region 3, which is comprised of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin, to ensure effective consideration and integration of alternative transportation systems (ATS) into the goals and recommendations of the Region 3 long-range transportation plan (LRTP). Staff from the Volpe Center, FWS Region 3, and Eastern Federal Lands Highways (EFLH) met in Bloomington, Minnesota, in June 2011, to discuss alternative transportation needs and constraints in the region and to develop an ATS Questionnaire. This RATE team then visited Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Upper Mississippi NWR – La Crosse District, Necedah NWR, Genoa National Fish Hatchery, and Leopold Wetland Management District to identify specific opportunities for ATS in these stations. The RATE also provided insights and lessons on how ATS may be instituted more broadly across Region 3. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Illinois KW - Indiana KW - Iowa KW - Michigan KW - Minnesota KW - Missouri KW - National Wildlife Refuge System KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Ohio KW - Public transit KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service KW - Water transportation KW - Wisconsin UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/50000/50800/50873/RATE_Report_R3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1290556 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01377340 AU - Southworth, Frank AU - Gillett, Jessica AU - Georgia Transportation Institute University Transportation Center (GTI-UTC) AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Trucking in Georgia: Freight Performance Measures PY - 2011/11/16 SP - 82p AB - This report provides a review of the recent literature on the development of truck freight performance measures, and specifically measures that can assist the Georgia Department of Transportation in assessing, and in tracking from year to year, how well the state’s freight highways support trucking movements within the state. While an efficient trucking sector is essential to Georgia’s economic prosperity, the recent and projected growth in long haul truck miles of travel is going to place a growing burden on the State’s highways, in terms of both pavement maintenance and repair costs, and congestion-induced traffic delays. Such delays can prove costly to the trucking companies themselves, as well as to the companies who ship and also the customers who receive the goods they are carrying. Planning effectively for such trucking activity requires measuring and tracking current and future system performance. Measuring transportation system performance on a periodic basis offers at least two important benefits to planners and policy makers. First, it provides quantitative evidence of how well the system is performing and whether travel conditions have been improving or getting worse over time. Second, it offers useful benchmarks against which the success of the transportation planning process can be assessed, and possibly re-directed where a particular trajectory needs adjustment. The performance measures reviewed in this report support a quantitative analysis of long-haul truck freight movements within the state, and are specifically meant for assessments of the performance of high volume truck freight highway corridors. KW - Freight Performance Measures KW - Freight traffic KW - Georgia KW - Georgia Department of Transportation KW - Literature reviews KW - Long haul carriers KW - Trucking KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.utc.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/projects/reports/southworth_trucking_in_georgia_rpt_10-16_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144058 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362880 AU - Catala, Martin AU - Dowling, Samuel AU - Hayward, Donald AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Expanding the Google Transit Feed Specification to Support Operations and Planning PY - 2011/11/15/Final Report SP - 65p AB - The development of Google’s free online transit trip planner has been one of the most exciting developments in transit for many years. Transit agencies that store trip information into a specific file format (the General Transit Feed Specification) and forward the data to Google’s transit team will have a robust, recognizable online trip planner for free. But perhaps equally exciting is the impact of the open data architecture, which is not hidden under the veil of proprietary software and has spurred many other developments, including extending the usefulness of the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) through the development of applications that leverage the GTFS data to further benefit transit agencies. This project identified opportunities to use GTFS data to support service planning and operational activity. The opportunities are limited to service‐level evaluations, given the static nature of the GTFS data. Nonetheless, GTFS data can be used to support service planning efforts. Furthermore, the project identified opportunities to supplement the GTFS with performance‐related information and developed a prototype application that integrated GTFS data with an automatic passenger counter (APC). KW - General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) KW - Geographic information systems KW - Google KW - Open systems architecture KW - Performance measurement KW - Public transit KW - Transit trip planners KW - Transit vehicle operations UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT_BDK85_977-15_rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/77902.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127545 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01493464 AU - Dowding, Charles H AU - Kosnik, David E AU - Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Interpretation of Event Response Through Web-Based Archival of TDR Signals PY - 2011/11/13/Final Report SP - 11p AB - As remote geotechnical or structural monitoring of transportation facilities becomes more common, the amount of raw data available to infrastructure owners and engineers is increasing. However, acquisition of more and more data does not necessarily increase the amount of actionable information available for owners and engineers to make decisions. The Northwestern University Infrastructure Technology Institute (NU-ITI) has developed a Web-based data management system to improve the utility of remote monitoring measurements by autonomously transmitting data from the field to the laboratory, storing it in a searchable database, and making automatically-generated data plots and tables available to practitioners and researchers via a password-protected Web site. The three critical questions for continuous remote structural or geotechnical monitoring for a transportation facility are 1) How can meaningful performance data be collected from the facility in question? That is, what engineering quantities should be measured, and by what types of instruments and data acquisition equipment? 2) How should the data be transmitted from the field to the laboratory or office? For a variety of reasons, it is often impractical to frequently dispatch an engineer or technician to download data manually at a field site. Robust methods are needed to transmit data reliably to a central location for analysis. 3) How should the data be stored and displayed for interpretation? More informally, once the data reaches the office, what does one do with it? How can the raw data be distilled into actionable information? This paper describes the development of methodologies to address the second and third questions above, with emphasis on the third, in the context of a live field deployment along a section of Interstate highway threatened by subsidence due to an abandoned coal mine. KW - Coal mines KW - Data sharing KW - Data storage KW - Database management systems KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Information management KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Subsidence (Geology) KW - Time domain reflectometers KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://iti.northwestern.edu/publications/utc/safetea-lu/FR-4-Dowding-TDR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261334 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472580 AU - Yu, Huanan AU - Shen, Shihui AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Investigation of Dynamic Modulus and Flow Number Properties of Asphalt Mixtures In Washington State PY - 2011/11/11/Final Report (Draft) SP - 123p AB - Pavement design is now moving toward more mechanistic based design methodologies for the purpose of producing long lasting and higher performance pavements in a cost-effective manner. The recent Mechanistic-Empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) is a product under such direction and is making progresses in improving current design methods. Dynamic Modulus is proposed by the MEPDG as an important material characterization property and key input parameter which correlates material properties to field fatigue cracking and rutting performance. Washington State has strong background and has put many efforts in moving toward the M-E based design procedures. In addition, Washington State has developed comprehensive pavement management system (PMS) database which makes it possible to use local pavement performance data to calibrate design models and optimize pavement design. However, there is still one important thing missing in this implementation step, which is a comprehensive local material database. Given the limited resources (equipment and time), such database will help the designer to select material properties that are more applicable to local materials and thus develop more reasonable level III design. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to conduct dynamic modulus (E*) tests on asphalt mixtures most popularly used in the State of Washington under different climate conditions, generate material database for the implementation of MEPDG design procedure in Washington State, and provide an evaluation method for recommending potential performing mixes by correlating E* test results to field rutting performance using Washington State PMS data. Both lab prepared mixtures based on designs typically used in Western, Central, and Eastern Washington region, and field cored samples from representative field sites will be measured for dynamic modulus over a wide time-temperature domain. Results will be correlated to pavement performance, so that desirable material properties and E* values can be recommended for Washington material and climate conditions. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Climate KW - Databases KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Flow number KW - Local materials KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving materials KW - Rutting KW - Washington (State) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46255/TNW2012-02_An_investigation_of_dynamic_modulus.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239158 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01548238 TI - Guidebook for Assessing Evolving International Container Chassis Supply Models AB - The United States is unique in that international container chassis are provided primarily by ocean carriers and, to a lesser degree, leasing companies, railroads, motor carriers, and other entities. For ocean carriers, it is a non-revenue-generating service. The global recession in 2009 resulted in large ocean carrier financial losses. Ocean carriers were forced to look for ways to reduce costs and divest themselves of non-revenue-generating operations such as chassis supply. Concurrently, in December 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released new requirements for intermodal equipment providers and motor carriers and drivers operating intermodal equipment. Ocean carriers, railroads, chassis pool operators, and other Intermodal Equipment Providers (IEPs) are now subject to FMCSA regulation. As a result of the enactment of these new safety-focused chassis roadability rules, IEPs are required to establish a systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance program and mark all equipment with U.S. DOT identification numbers or other unique identifiers to ensure intermodal chassis roadworthiness for truckers and provide a means for draymen to report mechanical defects. These regulations and the ocean carrier chassis divestiture strategies are spurring the introduction of new approaches to international chassis supply and management. Efforts include the use of neutral chassis pools and the establishment of off-terminal depots. Alternatively, some ocean carriers, following a model prevalent in the rest of the developed world, are moving to abolish their chassis fleets and transfer chassis supply responsibilities to other parties within the supply chain. Given these developments, research is needed that provides a thorough description of the changes taking place throughout the industry and an analysis of the international container chassis supply models to minimize negative impacts to stakeholders. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook for beneficial cargo owners, public officials, and other transportation stakeholders that describes the historical and evolving models of international container chassis ownership and management, and the factors unique of each, in order to inform stakeholder decisionmaking for the efficient and cost-effective movement of containerized freight, both import and export, in the United States. Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks: (1). Describe the functions and uses of international container chassis in freight movement and the factors driving the chassis supply model changes. (2). Identify and describe the current chassis supply models (e.g., ocean carrier supplied, trucker supplied, pools) by region and terminal operating mode (e.g., wheeled, grounded, or hybrid) used in the United States. (3). Within 2 months of contract award, conduct a conference call with NCFRP to present the results of Tasks 1 and 2.(4). Identify and describe the stakeholders and how they influence and/or are affected by each chassis supply model. Identify and quantify the positive and negative aspects, including any unintended consequences, of each chassis supply model for each stakeholder. Enumerate the cost elements and drivers for each element of the various chassis supply models and identify the key metrics to measure the performance of each chassis supply model. Describe methods to improve the implementation and operation of each chassis supply model. Provide a matrix that guides each stakeholder to evaluate chassis supply models. (5). Within 7 months of contract award, submit (a) an interim report summarizing the results of Tasks 1 through 4; (b) a list of 35 key private stakeholders and a list of 25 public stakeholders to invite, respectively, to two separately recorded webinars in Task 7 that present the results of the research; and (c) an outline of the contents of the webinars. (6). Meet with NCFRP to review the Task 5 deliverables. (7). Conduct the recorded webinars, gather feedback, and summarize the feedback.(8). Prepare a final report documenting the entire research effort and the guidebook for beneficial cargo owners, public officials, and other transportation stakeholders that describes the historical and evolving models of international container chassis ownership and management, the factors unique of each, in order to inform stakeholder decisionmaking for the efficient and cost-effective movement of freight, both import and export, in the United States. KW - Cargo handling KW - Chassis KW - Containerization KW - Decision making KW - Handbooks KW - International KW - Stakeholders KW - Supply chain management UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3129 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335989 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467837 TI - Barriers of Resource Coordination for Multi-Modal Evacuation Planning AB - Extreme events that require mass evacuation are a great concern for disaster planners and emergency mangers. Most state and local municipalities are ill prepared to handle mass evacuations from urban areas. A lesson repeatedly learned from previous disasters (such as Hurricane Katrina) is that residents without access to automobiles and residents in need of special assistance are more likely to lack the means to evacuate independently. Developing integrated plans for jurisdictions and agencies to share resources (i.e., vehicles, equipment, communication networks, drivers and other personnel) for high-capacity evacuation methods and modes is difficult because of insurance liability and other legal and contractual matters. For example, during the evacuation of New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina, unused high-capacity vehicles were left behind in the city because inter-agency cooperative agreements were not in place and there was a lack of drivers to operate buses. Disaster planners must learn from these experiences and implement policy changes to strengthen community resiliency against predicted and unpredicted events (Hess and Arendt 2006; Quarantelli 1985). This research examines a unique combination of elements: disaster planning, large-scale urban evacuation, and coordination of volunteer transportation professionals. The project will identify, evaluate, and assess transportation management approaches for promoting enhanced resource coordination for multi-modal planning. The research will gather transportation providers and their legal representatives, transportation logistics experts, and emergency planners from the New York City metropolitan area and across New York State to explore alternative management approaches for transportation resources coordination for multi-modal evacuation. These key informants will participate in interviews and roundtable discussions with the research team to shed light on important issues related to multi-modal mass evacuation planning and resource coordination: First, the research will identify barriers to cooperative sharing agreements--among facilities, agencies, and governments--for vehicles and personnel. Second, proposed action steps and implementation strategies for overcoming those barriers will flow from the expert knowledge gathered during the interviews and focus groups. Third, the research will explore the feasibility of establishing a regional Transportation Reserve Corps--modeled after a Medical Reserve Corps that can assemble thousands of trained and licensed medical volunteers in the case of a catastrophic disaster--to mobilize trained transportation coordinators and drivers to conduct evacuations of buildings, neighborhoods, districts, cities or even entire metropolitan regions. This research is both interdisciplinary and transformative in that it examines, integrates, and extends knowledge about three distinct and emerging fields of inquiry (transportation planning for "carless" households, multi-modal evacuation, and coordinated volunteerism) as they relate to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. KW - Collaborative transportation management KW - Coordination KW - Evacuation KW - New York (New York) KW - New York (State) KW - Resource sharing KW - Transportation departments KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/multi-modal-evacuation-planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236073 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467836 TI - Energy Harvesting from Railway Track Vibrations AB - Railroad transportation, including the commuter rail and subway, plays a very important role in the economy and quality of life for the people in the University Transportation Research Center.Region 2 area (UTRC2). About two-thirds of all U.S. passenger rail riders, and one in every three U.S. mass transit users, ride trains in the New York Metropolitan Region. To facilitate policy makers and transportation agencies to make informed decisions on operating and managing the region's transportation system, electric infrastructures are needed along the railway tracks, such as the signal lights, road crossing gates, wireless communication, train and track monitoring, positive train control, etc. Unfortunately, the cost-effective and reliable power supply needed for the electrical infrastructures remains a challenge, particularly for the UTRC2 region since a significant portion of the rails are in underground tunnels, on bridges, or in relatively remote areas where the energy needed to power electric infrastructure is uneconomical to install and maintain. This absence of cost-effective electrical supply leads to the absence or failure of railway electrical infrastructures, resulting in service disruptions, inefficient transportation management, or severe train accidents. This project aims at developing an advanced technology of energy harvesting from railway track vibrations to meet the regional and industry-wide need of access to cost-effective and reliable power supply for the trackside electrical infrastructures of rail transportation. The proposed method is to systematically design and integrate an innovative motion mechanism, flywheel, electric generator, power electronics and energy storage to produce high-quality direct current (DC) power of up to 200 watts average from the irregular and pulse-like track deflections. The project focuses on the technical innovations of (1) changing the up-and-down vibration into unidirectional rotation of the electrical generator, and (2) creatively integrating the flywheel into the energy harvesting system to ensure high-efficient energy conversion and stable power output. The proposed study offers a game-changing technology for energy harvesting, with significant advantages over the traditional energy harvesting for railway applications, including (1) directly generating high-quality DC power without electrical rectifier in the vibration environment; (2) enabling the electrical generator to work in a more efficient speed region; (3) changing the negative influence of motion inertia into positive, thus reducing mechanical stress and increasing system reliability. The proposed motion transmission is essentially a "mechanical rectifier" and the flywheel and other inertia corresponds to the electrical capacitor used in the power regulator. Such a design enables the full use of the pulse-like features of track vibration: high vertical velocity in short intermittent durations when the wheels roll over the track. Junior faculty Professor Lei Zuo at Stony Brook University will lead a team composed of graduate and undergraduate students in the research. The technical concept has been verified in a proof-of-concept small prototype recently developed by the principal investigator (PI). Through collaboration with transportation agency MTA New York City Transit and a private company, Electric Truck LLC, the team plans to develop and demonstrate the innovative energy harvesting technology to produce long-term savings, safety, operation and management benefits to transit and rail transportation in UTRC Region 2 and nationwide. KW - Electric power generation KW - Railroad tracks KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Technological innovations KW - Vibration UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/energy-harvesting-railway-track-vibrations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491359 AU - McGowen, Patrick AU - Chaudhari, Jaydeep AU - Church, Brian AU - Booth, Janelle AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Montana Fuel Tax Refunds PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 113p AB - The primary source of funding for transportation infrastructure is the taxes that are imposed on motor fuels. One aspect of fuel tax collections is the process that requires consumers to apply for refunds of taxes paid on fuels used for tax-exempt purposes. Few studies on fuel tax evasion have focused on the refund process. The Montana Department of Transportation has expressed concern over the possibility of fraud, errors and inefficiencies in the current fuel tax refund process. This report summarizes a project that focused on estimating the current level of fraud and errors and examining the current laws and processes for motor fuel tax refunds in Montana. The project focused primarily on three refund types; agriculture, power take-off units (PTO) and refrigeration units (reefer). The project included a literature review, a survey of peer states in the region, development of a model to estimate what portion of the state’s fuel consumption might reasonably be considered tax exempt, a review of over 500 refund claim forms, and recommendations for improving the tax refund process in Montana. KW - Fraud KW - Fuel taxes KW - Legislation KW - Literature reviews KW - Montana KW - Recommendations KW - Surveys UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/refunds/final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257427 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458032 AU - Long, Suzanna AU - Qin, Ruwen AU - Gosavi, Abhijit AU - Wu, C H AU - Ryan, Tom AU - Noll, Casey AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LED Traffic Signal Replacement Schedules: Facilitating Smooth Freight Flows PY - 2011/11 SP - 96p AB - This research details a field study of LED traffic signals in Missouri and develops a replacement schedule based on key findings. Rates of degradation were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results of this research will provide a methodology for engineering managers in state departments of transportation and local communities in identifying best practices and replacement standards for LED traffic signal technology. These findings will facilitate smooth freight flows through the use of more efficient technologies. KW - Best practices KW - Equipment replacement KW - Freight traffic KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Missouri KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic signals UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46634/Long_442_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225563 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447868 AU - Berman, Jeffrey W AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Gusset Plate Safety in Steel Truss Bridges PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 85p AB - Failure of the I-35 truss bridge in Minneapolis has been attributed to failure of a gusset plate, necessitating evaluation of gusset plate safety on bridges across the county. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Publication IF-09-014 provides state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) with important guidance for gusset plate evaluation; but the methods are unnecessarily complex, requiring the use of point-in-time demands which are cumbersome to calculate, and do not investigate the likelihood of plate yielding under service loads, which may compromise plate safety. With support from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and FHWA, the PI’s are developing a simpler and consistent evaluation method using finite element analyses (FEAs). The resulting Triage Evaluation Procedure (TEP) improves the speed, consistency and safety of gusset plate evaluation by predicting the onset gusset plate yielding, which permits evaluation of the likelihood of inelastic response under service conditions using envelope loads, thereby decreasing computation time while maintaining an appropriate level of conservatism. The TEP will save time and money relative to the FHWA method, while predicting safety. This proposal addresses research needed to evaluate gussets identified as potentially unsafe by the TEP, the likelihood of rivet yielding or failure, and the impact of corrosion. First, a practical, but more refined evaluation procedure (REP) will be furthered to evaluate gusset plates that fail the TEP, in lieu of impractical detailed finite element modeling. The REP will be grounded in mechanics and verified by comparison with detailed FEA results for many gusset plate configurations. Second, the strength of older rivets will be investigated by reviewing experimental results from the literature; the rivet strengths specified in the FHWA Guide are conservative, which may result in unnecessary and costly rivet replacement. Third, the correct application of TEP and REP to corroded gusset plates, a common problem with national impact, will be investigated. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Failure analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Gusset plates KW - Minneapolis Bridge Collapse, 2007 KW - Safety KW - Steel bridges KW - Test procedures KW - Truss bridges KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Washington State Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46259/TNW2012-08_Evaluation_of_Gusset_Plate_Safety_in_Steel_Truss_Bridges.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213875 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447866 AU - Shen, Shihui AU - Burton, Maria AU - Jobson, Bertram AU - Haselbach, Liv AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pervious Concrete with Titanium Dioxide as a Photocatalyst Compound for a Greener Urban Road Environment PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 79p AB - With the rapid development in transportation related activities and the growth of population density in urban and metropolitan area, the United States is now facing significant challenges in controlling air pollution and the associated problems in human health and living environment. The diesel engine vehicle fleet, in particular trucks and buses, have much lower fleet turnover times and therefore integration of newest pollution control technology into the diesel engine fleet is slower that than of passenger cars. A method of removing these pollutants at the street level once they are emitted to the atmosphere is an attractive air quality management device. Similar to plant photosynthesis, photocatalytic compounds such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles can be used to trap and absorb organic and inorganic particles in the air, removing (degrading and mineralizing) harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) into CO2, H2O and harmless inorganic compounds in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light (sunlight) [1, 2]. TiO2 is one of the most investigated semiconductors in the field of chemical conversion and storage of solar energy given its distinguished properties as [3]: (a) low cost; (b) fast reaction at ambient operating conditions (room temperature, atmospheric pressure); (c) a wide spectrum of organic contaminants can be converted to water and CO2, and (d) no chemical reactants must be used and no side reactions are produced. TiO2 works as a catalyst and does not undergo change; so it can theoretically be used indefinitely [4]. Road infrastructure materials have extensive areas in contact with the air and vehicle exhaust emissions, Therefore, treating the surface of a pavement with TiO2 can be a very promising approach to degrading harmful air pollutants, and improving the quality of the air. However, uses of TiO2 in infrastructure engineering, especially pavement engineering, are still limited because of several technical difficulties. First, direct interaction of TiO2 with UV light is very critical for the photocatalytic effect. This explains why mixing of TiO2 into traditional concrete can only have limited NOx reduction effectiveness. The process was observed to improve after the concrete material was abraded (some cement paste was peeled off and more TiO2 was exposed at the surface) [5, 6]. The durability of the photocatalytic effect becomes another challenge if TiO2 is applied to highly trafficked highways through surface material adhesion. The dynamic tire-pavement interaction under shear and abrasion impact can easily take off the loose coated TiO2 particles at the surface, leaving untreated pavements. Therefore, to maximize the effect of air purification in pavement engineering through the TiO2 photocatalytic reaction, the researchers need to find better (more efficient and reliable) application methods and appropriate substrate materials to adhere TiO2 to, while at the same time ensuring durability of the attached TiO2 under traffic loading and environmental weathering. KW - Chemical compounds KW - Concrete pavements KW - Exhaust gases KW - Pervious concrete KW - Photocatalysts KW - Pollution control KW - Roads KW - Surface treating KW - Titanium dioxide KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46252/TNW2011-18_Pervious_concrete_with_titanium_dioxide.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213872 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444337 AU - Ndubisi, Forster AU - Dumbaugh, Eric AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing an Interdisciplinary Certificate Program in Transportation Planning, Phase 2: The eCertificate PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 47p AB - This proposal extends the delivery of the recently developed graduate Certificate in Transportation Planning to a wider audience through the establishment of an Executive Certificate Program by distance (eCertificate). While the need for an interdisciplinary approach to transportation is widely recognized by the professional community, there are few educational programs that address the field of transportation in a truly comprehensive, interdisciplinary manner. Texas A&M University’s (TAMU’s) university-wide graduate Certificate in Transportation Planning was established in August 2008 to address this need. This program has proved to be very successful. A limitation of the existing certificate program is that it is available only to graduate students at TAMU in College Station. The eCertificate program extends the delivery of the existing certificate to a wider audience of professionals interested in transportation in selected metropolitan areas in Texas. Preliminary indications suggest that an audience for the certificate exists in major metropolitan areas in Texas, especially Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The certificate will increase access, expand Texas A&M’s transportation curriculum, and enhance the university’s position as a national leader in transportation education. KW - Certification KW - Continuing education KW - Curricula KW - Distance learning KW - Graduate study KW - Interdisciplinary studies KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Professional personnel KW - Texas KW - Texas A&M University KW - Transportation planning UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Ndubisi_10-02-56.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45743/Ndubisi_10-02-56.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431186 AU - Blanco, Andres G AU - Steiner, Ruth L AU - Kim, Jeongseob AU - Chung, Hyungchul AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Effects of Impact Fees in Urban Form and Congestion in Florida PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 123p AB - This study analyzes the effect of impact fees in urban form and congestion through a combination of methods including econometric analysis, geographic information system (GIS) techniques, and interviews with planning officials. The results show that there is some evidence that impact fees might be reducing congestion by creating disincentives for overall development and job creation. However, direct evidence of a negative effect of impact fees in development and job growth was not found. There is no evidence that the difference of impact fees between central cities and outer areas is sufficient to promote more compact urban form. Likewise, there is no evidence that more road impact fees are decreasing congestion through more investment in infrastructure. This might be because impact fees usually finance local roads but congestion is concentrated in freeways and arterials, or because there is a spatial, temporal or financial mismatch between impact fee revenues and the costs of infrastructure. There is a clear, significant and substantial positive relationship between density and congestion suggesting a weak increase in transit use in denser environments or a potential increase in automotive travel through higher trip frequency. However, other urban form variables related to the distribution of that density have a negative effect in congestion indicating that certain urban configurations could decrease congestion. Finally, changes in congestion are negatively correlated with the congestion levels at the beginning of the period suggesting that congestion is increasing faster in those areas that used to be less congested. KW - Econometric models KW - Florida KW - Geographic information systems KW - Impact fees KW - Population density KW - Traffic congestion KW - Urban development KW - Urban form UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/blanco_cms_2010-013_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1195576 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383548 AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Cotton, Ben AU - Holder, Kirsten AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Fort Stanwix National Monument: Alternative Transportation Study PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 88p AB - As a follow-up to Volpe's 2006 Transportation Summary Report, this project addresses a number of specific transportation concerns in Fort Stanwix National Monument. In addition to an update of the 2006 existing conditions report to reflect recent changes that have occurred in and around Fort Stanwix, this report focuses on five areas of primary interest to the fort: (1) nonmotorized trail connections, (2) vehicular signage and wayfinding, (3) parking, (4) pedestrian access, and (5) shuttle feasibility. KW - Fort Stanwix National Monument KW - Guide signs KW - National parks KW - Parking facilities KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Shuttle service KW - Trails KW - Transportation planning KW - Wayfinding UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45553/NPS_FOST_2010_AT-Study__3_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148390 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376068 AU - Buehler, Ralph AU - Hamre, Andrea AU - Sonenklar, Dan AU - Goger, Paul AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Alexandria AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Trends and Determinants of Cycling in the Washington, DC Region PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 46p AB - This report analyzes cycling trends, policies, and commuting in the Washington, DC area. The analysis is divided into two parts. Part 1 focuses on cycling trends and policies in Washington (DC), Alexandria (VA), Arlington County (VA), Fairfax County (VA), Montgomery County (MD), and Prince George’s County (MD) during the last two decades. The goal is to gain a better understanding of variability and determinants of cycling within one metropolitan area. Data on bicycling trends and policies originate from official published documents, unpublished reports, site visits, and in-person, email, or phone interviews with transport planners and experts from municipal governments, regional planning agencies, and bicycling advocacy organizations. Part 2 of the report presents a multiple regression analysis of determinants of bike commuting based on data of 5,091 workers from the Washington, DC region. A series of logit, probit, and relogit (Rare Events Logistic) regressions focus on the role of bike parking, cyclist showers, and free car parking at work as determinants of the decision to cycle to work, while controlling for socio-economic factors, population density, trip distance, bikeway supply, and season of the year. The report finds that cycling levels and cyclist safety have been increasing in the Washington region. However, cycling appears to be spatially concentrated in neighborhoods of the urban core jurisdictions. Compared to national averages for urbanized areas a larger share of bicycle trips in Washington, DC is commute or work related (41% vs. 17%). Area cyclists are predominantly male, between 25 and 40 years old, white, and from higher income groups. Bicycle planning in the region has its roots in the 1970s, experienced a hiatus in the 1980s, but has witnessed a ‘renaissance’ since the (late) 1990s. Initially bicycle policies focused on the provision of off-street paths—often shared with pedestrians. Since the late 1990s, jurisdictions have greatly expanded their on-street bicycle lanes and implemented other innovative programs. The regression analysis appears to support the expansion of the bike network, since bikeway supply is a significant predictor of bike commuting. Moreover, bike parking and cyclist showers at work are associated with more bike commuting. Free car parking at work is associated with less bike commuting; and transit commuter benefits were not a significant predictor of bike commuting. KW - Bicycle commuting KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Bicycle parking KW - Bicycle travel KW - Bicycling KW - Bikeways KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Policy KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2009-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142249 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376060 AU - Cirillo, Cinzia AU - Hetrakul, Pratt AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mixed Logit and Latent Class Model for Railway Revenue Management PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 30p AB - In this paper advanced demand modeling approaches are proposed to study intercity passenger booking decision and to segment preferences; all the models are calibrated on internet booking data. Modeling formulations considered include multinomial logit, mixed logit, and latent class models; markets are segmented on trip distances: long, medium, and short. The results show that the following variables: fare price, advance booking (number of day before departure), and departure day of week, can be used as determinants affecting ticket booking. Mixed logit and latent class models are then applied to account for taste heterogeneity. The results indicate that mixed logit model provides the best statistical fit for the long distance and medium distance markets, while the latent class model provides the best statistical fit for the short distance market. Results also indicate that segmenting passengers by booking period provides better fit than segmenting passengers by socioeconomic information. Results from this study prove that advanced demand models can be estimated on internet booking data and that market segmentation can be obtained even with limited knowledge of socio-demographic characteristics of the population. A number of directions could be considered for future research. First, the proposed choice model could be integrated into an optimization algorithm for maximizing revenues. Second, the proposed model is based on a static approach where decisions are made at a single point in time. Dynamic discrete choice models are expected to provide a significant improvement in prediction accuracy by offering the possibility to account for the evolving characteristics of the market over time and for sequential purchasing decisions. Third, the modeling approach applied here to railway revenue management could be applied to other problems for which just internet booking data are available (i.e. shippers, or couriers selling their services online). KW - Consumer behavior KW - Data collection KW - Electronic commerce KW - Internet KW - Logits KW - Passenger traffic KW - Railroad travel KW - Revenues KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2010-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367383 AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Chandra, Shailesh AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Effect of Street Network Connectivity on First/Last Mile Transit Performance PY - 2011/11 SP - 64p AB - This study defines a novel connectivity indicator (CI) to predict transit performance by identifying the role that street network connectivity plays in influencing the service quality of demand responsive feeder transit services. This new CI definition is dependent upon the expected shortest path between any two nodes in the network, includes spatial features and transit demand distribution information, and is easy to calculate for any given service area. Simulation analyses over a range of networks are conducted to validate the new definition. Results show a desirable monotonic relationship between transit performance and the proposed CI, whose values are directly proportional and therefore good predictors of the transit performance, outperforming other available indicators typically used by planners. This study also presents a methodology to identify and locate critical links in a grid street network system of any size for feeder transit services. A critical link can be defined as that link that when eliminated from or appended to an existing network would cause the largest change in the network connectivity and consequently transit performance. Easily computable formulas are provided and validated by simulation analyses. Useful insights indicate a monotonic decrease in link criticality as we depart from the centrally located links to those located at boundaries. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Feeder services KW - Highway design KW - Links (Networks) KW - Public transit KW - Quality of service KW - Simulation UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161106-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136117 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01366476 AU - Newell, Josh AU - Rahimi, Mansour AU - University of Southern California, Los Angeles AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Moving Containers Efficiently with Less Impact: Modeling and Decision-Support Architecture for Clean Port Technologies PY - 2011/11 SP - 147p AB - Broadly framed, this study assesses environmental impacts, at the global and regional scales, associated with port container movement and models the roles of alternative routes and clean technologies (i.e. electrification) in making this movement more environmentally efficient. At the multinational scale, Chapter 2 models three factors (emissions, cost, and time) associated with the transport of a typical twenty foot equivalent (TEU) container from manufacturing facility in China to various destination zip codes. Through varying routing scenarios (eg Panama Canal vs. Port of Los Angeles) to these destinations, the model illustrates how emissions, cost, and time are affected. Chapter 5 incorporates these modeling results by presenting the initial architecture for an internet-based goods movement decision-support tool. Fully developed, this tool will allow stakeholders to improve supply chain efficiency by enabling them to identify optimal container movement routes based on user preferences, specifically carbon emissions, time, and cost. Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the regional scale by evaluating the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction benefits of electrification of container movement equipment. Chapter 3 provides a comparative life cycle analysis (LCA) between diesel and electric yard tractors. The research reveals the even with aggressive port electrification strategies, due to an increase in container throughput the Port of Los Angeles (POLA)’s legislated reduction targets are not achievable by the target year of 2030. Chapter 4 focuses on electrification of container ships through the Alternative Marine Power (AMP) Program, using LCA-based energy emissions accounting to assess its effectiveness as a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions strategy for the Port of LA. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Carbon dioxide KW - China KW - Containers KW - Decision support systems KW - Electric power KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Mathematical models KW - Modal shift KW - Port of Los Angeles UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/10-06_Newell_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134471 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01365314 AU - Pace, David AU - West, Rachel AU - Hagemann, Garrett AU - Minnice, Paul AU - Spiro, Arlen AU - Radin, Sari AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - An Analysis of the Factors Influencing ITS Technology Adoption and Deployment PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 353p AB - This study analyzes the factors influencing the adoption of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies in the U.S. amongst state and local transportation agencies. Using data from the ITS Deployment Tracking survey, insight is provided on how economic and demographic factors influence ITS adoption/deployment, the role safety or mobility problems play in the decision to adopt/deploy ITS technologies, and how policy can affect ITS adoption/deployment. In addition, this study examines the historical adoption patterns of ITS technologies as they entered the market place. Results indicate ITS markets are primarily made up of imitators (as opposed to innovators) and at the aggregate level the markets examined are mature. Key factors affecting the adoption and deployment of ITS include agency funding levels and the presence of a regional architecture. Based on these results, policy recommendations are presented on how best the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) might target its efforts to influence the pattern of ITS adoption. These recommendations include support for additional funding for state and local agencies, requirement of regional ITS architectures, knowledge sharing programs and continue to provide evidence, through operational and evaluation tests, of the effectiveness of ITS technologies. KW - Demographics KW - Deployment KW - Economic factors KW - Financing KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Policy UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44100/44189/FHWA-JPO-12-002_Deployment_Tracking_Task_2_2_Final_2_9_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1133933 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363336 AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - Evans, Bart AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Implementation of the WRRSP (Wyoming Rural Road Safety Program) PY - 2011/11 SP - 86p AB - SAFETEA-LU contains language indicating that State Department of Transportation (DOTs) will be required to address safety on local and rural roads. It is important for state, county, and city officials to cooperate in producing a comprehensive safety plan to improve statewide safety. This legislation provides an opportunity to implement a more cohesive and comprehensive approach to local road safety in Wyoming. The Wyoming Local Technical Assistant Program (LTAP) coordinated an effort in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT), Wyoming Division of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), as well as Wyoming counties and cities to identify low-cost safety improvements on high-risk rural roads in Wyoming. Crash data was obtained from the WYDOT CARE program which includes all reported crashes on all rural county roads. Wyoming rural roads have relatively small numbers of crashes. Therefore, longer analysis periods were needed to identify high-risk locations. The Wyoming Rural Road Safety Program (WRRSP) obtained data over a 10-year period to conduct crash data analysis. The combined crash data and field safety evaluation procedure will result in the identification of high crash locations where specific safety countermeasures are recommended. The proposed benefit/cost analysis will insure that only cost-effective measures will be selected for funding. WYDOT approved the WRRSP and recommended statewide implementation in 2008. In addition, WYDOT and the FHWA Division office approved the WRRSP for eligibility to receive funding from the High Risk Rural Road (HRRR) Program. Three Wyoming counties were included in the initial study, and nine additional counties have participated since the initial study. Three additional counties have already requested help to implement this program in the near future. The statewide implementation was launched in 2009. Safety projects funded by the WRRSP included: Installation of advance warning signs, delineators, and guard railing, pavement striping; widening of shoulders; relocation of mail boxes from inside of right of way (ROW); installation of culvert and cattleguard extensions; relocation of fences, and improving horizontal and vertical alignments. A statewide sign program was also implemented with the WRRSP. This report summarizes the implementation of the WRRSP in Wyoming. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Crash analysis KW - High risk locations KW - Highway factors in crashes KW - Implementation KW - Rural highways KW - Safety programs KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-244.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132225 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362764 AU - Kim, Anita AU - Kniss, Valerie AU - Ritter, Gary AU - Sloan, Suzanne M AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Approach to Communications Security for a Communications Data Delivery System for V2V/V2I Safety: Technical Description and Identification of Policy and Institutional Issues PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 45p AB - This report identifies the security approach associated with a communications data delivery system that supports vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. The report describes the risks associated with communications security and identifies approaches for addressing those risks. It also identifies and describes the policy and institutional issues that require focus in support of implementation and operations, as well as the balance needed among the priorities of security and safety with cost, privacy, enforcement, and other institutional issues. The approach described in this report is a first step in identifying the technical and policy requirements that will form the basis for a prototype model that will be tested during the 2012-2013 Safety Pilot Model Deployment, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The prototype will be tested along with draft policies and procedures. Results of the test will inform the requirements, specifications, and guidelines for implementing an operational system. KW - Communication systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Privacy KW - Security KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43500/43513/FHWA-JPO-11-130_FINAL_Comm_Security_Approach_11_07_11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131372 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361739 AU - McMullen, B Starr AU - Eckstein, Nathan AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Relationship Between VMT and Economic Activity PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 74p AB - Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the U.S. have exhibited an upward trend over time similar to that observed for gross domestic product (GDP) and personal income (PI). While conventional wisdom suggests that economic growth leads to more driving and thus higher VMT, it is theoretically possible that the causation could also be the other way around. If causation is from VMT to GDP, then legislation such as the Federal Surface Transportation Policy and Planning Act of 2009’s directive to annually reduce national per capita VMT could potentially have an adverse impact on overall economic activity. This study uses times series techniques to empirically test for Granger causality between VMT and various measures of national economic activity over time. In most circumstances the causal relationship is found to be from economic activity to VMT, confirming conventional wisdom and suggesting that exogenous shocks to VMT would not negatively impact national GDP. The relationship between national VMT and GDP is found to be dependent on the stage of the business cycle, in particular GDP leads VMT in economic upturns or normal times, but VMT tends to lead GDP recessions. For the 98 urban areas included in this study no significant causal relationship was found between VMT and economic activity in either direction. A derived demand analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between VMT and economic activity on a more micro level to determine where potential adverse impacts from VMT reduction policies might arise and how policy could be formulated to mitigate those impacts. Factors found to significantly contribute to the demand for VMT in urban areas, included lane miles, personal income, population density, fuel cost, transit use, and the percent of employment in the construction or wholesale sectors. Both transit use and population density were found to be negatively related to VMTPC and per capita VMT was found to be higher the more western and the larger the population size of an urban area. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic growth KW - Gross domestic product KW - Income KW - Travel demand KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=3003 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127465 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361732 AU - Chang, Heejun AU - Lafrenz, Martin AU - Jung, Il-Won AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Melgoza, Rolando AU - Ruelas, David AU - Platman, Deena AU - Pederson, Cindy AU - Portland State University AU - Portland State University AU - Portland State University AU - Portland Metro AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Future Flooding Impacts on Transportation Infrastructure and Traffic Patterns Resulting from Climate Change PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 48p AB - This study investigated potential impacts of climate change on travel disruption resulting from road closures in two urban watersheds in the Portland metropolitan area. The authors used ensemble climate change scenarios, a hydrologic model, stream channel survey, a hydraulic model, and a travel forecast model to develop an integrated impact assessment method. High-resolution climate change scenarios are based on the combinations of two emission scenarios and eight general circulation models. The Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System was calibrated and validated for the period 1988-2006, and simulated for determining the probability of floods from 2020-2049. The authors surveyed stream cross sections at five road crossings for stream channel geometry and determined floodwater surface elevations using the HEC-RAS model. Four of the surveyed bridges and roadways were lower in elevation than the current 100-year floodwater surface elevation, leading to relatively frequent nuisance flooding. These roadway flooding events will become more frequent under some climate change scenarios in the future, but climate change impacts will depend on local geomorphic conditions. While vehicle miles traveled were not significantly affected by road closure, vehicle-hours delay demonstrated a greater impact from road closures, increasing by 10 percent in the Fanno Creek area. Results indicate that any cost analysis is extremely sensitive to the occurrence of human fatalities or injuries and fairly insensitive to delay costs. In addition, this research presents a comprehensive classification of flooding costs, identifies preventative measures, and makes short- and long-term recommendations. The authors' research demonstrated the usefulness of the integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches in climate change impact assessment, and the need for spatially explicit modeling and participatory planning in flood management and transportation planning under increasing climate uncertainty. KW - Climate change KW - Floods KW - Highway operations KW - Highway travel KW - Hydrology KW - Impacts KW - Portland Metropolitan Area (Oregon) KW - Street closure KW - Traffic delays KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Watersheds UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=3004 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127457 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361730 AU - Schnabel, Jeff AU - Brasseur, Tristan AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Capping Case Study: Integrating Freight Rail into a Community Setting PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 48p AB - This investigation seeks to explore specific design solutions that could potentially enhance the capabilities of heavy rail facilities while increasing their safety and reducing their environmental and community impacts. Using Portland's Brooklyn Rail Yard as the study site, this case study explored the potential of structural platforms (caps) built above the existing rail yards to provide development space for expanding rail capacity and rail related activities. The potential for capping to reduce /eliminate conflicts between rail and non-rail uses will also be investigated. Finally, the various designs were presented for caps at the rail yard. Capping projects (the development of air rights above an existing use) have been successfully employed over other forms of transportation. Duluth Minnesota, Barcelona Spain, and Seattle Washington have each employed capping strategies to mitigate the impact of freeways on the urban fabric. This study will explore the potential of caps to address the specific conditions of a privately held freight rail facility. Key stakeholders will be identified including Union Pacific Railroad, TriMet, Portland Development Commission, Brooklyn Neighborhood Association, Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood Association and Reed Neighborhood Association. The stakeholders will be interviewed to identify the needs and impacts of freight rail on this particular site. Consultants with expertise on the mitigation of the identified impacts will be interviewed and their input documented. Precedents for potential solutions will be identified and documented. Sites in the Brooklyn Rail Yard will be selected as areas for additional study based upon their potential to illustrate the impact of the proposed solutions. Once the sites are selected a master plan will be generated that reflects input from the stakeholders, consultants, and precedent investigations. The master plan will be presented to stakeholders and consultants for their response to the proposed solutions. KW - Air rights KW - Capping KW - Freight transportation KW - Railroad yards KW - Rapid transit UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=3002 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127470 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361237 AU - Finley, Melisa D AU - Jasek, Debbie AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Creating the Next Generation of Transportation Professionals PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 30p AB - The transportation industry, like every other profession that relies heavily on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, faces a growing shortage of professional engineers. The purpose of this project was to investigate new methods for conducting educational outreach activities for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K–12) students and compare the effectiveness of various implementation methods. During this project, Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) researchers developed two in-class educational outreach modules and several displays that they could easily transport and exhibit at various educational outreach activities. The first in-class module introduces intermediate school students to the world of transportation and transportation engineering and teaches students about the principle of retroreflectivity. The second in-class module teaches kindergarten students about sign shapes and colors. TTI researchers also participated in 12 educational outreach activities. These activities included: four in-school events; four field trips to TTI facilities; three summer activities; and one engineering day event. The students participating in these activities ranged from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The educational outreach activities conducted introduced the fields of transportation and engineering to over 2000 students. KW - Education KW - Labor force KW - Outreach KW - School children KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineers KW - Vocational guidance UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Finley_11-00-62.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127150 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361201 AU - Eisele, Bill AU - Schrank, David AU - Lomax, Tim AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Congested Corridors Report - 2011 PY - 2011/11 SP - 94p AB - Congestion is a significant problem in America’s urban areas. This is well documented in the Texas Transportation Institute’s Urban Mobility Report (1). Powered by 2010 INRIX traffic data, the 2011 Congested Corridors Report includes analysis along 328 specific (directional) freeway corridors in the United States. These corridors include many of the worst places for congestion in the United States, and the detailed data allow for more extensive analysis and a better picture of the locations, times and effects of stop-and-go traffic. The report doesn’t list every bad location for congestion, but the issues explored here advance the understanding of when, how and where congestion occurs. KW - Analysis KW - Freeways KW - Highway corridors KW - Traffic congestion KW - United States UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/corridors-report-2011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127162 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360971 AU - Johnson, Robert AU - Hosten, Akyiaa M AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Implementation of the Concrete Maturity Meter for Maryland PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 49p AB - The process of waiting for concrete to attain its desired strength for certain construction applications can pose one of two problems. The concrete strength may be overestimated, which creates a safety concern for workers and the general public. The concrete strength may also be underestimated, which incurs extensive costs because of delays due to the curing of the concrete. The maturity method takes into account the combined effects of temperature and time on the curing of concrete. Furthermore, when used in concert with accepted ASTM standards, the maturity method serves as a tool to determine when the desired strength is achieved so that appropriate testing can be carried out at that time. This investigation evaluated the maturity method for use in Maryland pavement applications and provides guidelines for its use. KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete curing KW - Concrete pavements KW - Maryland KW - Maturity (Concrete) KW - Maturity meters KW - Strength of materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43200/43287/MD-11-SP708B4K_Implementation_of_the_Concrete_Maturity_Meter_for_MD_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126742 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358949 AU - Wang, Kelvin C P AU - Gong, Weiguo AU - Tracy, Terry AU - Nguyen, Vu AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated Survey of Pavement Distress Based on 2D and 3D Laser Images PY - 2011/11 SP - 24p AB - Despite numerous efforts in recent decades, most information on pavement surface distresses cannot be obtained automatically, at high-speed, or at acceptable precision and bias levels. This research provided seed funding to produce a functional prototype, and the research team developed a prototype with line lasers and 3D cameras that overcame many existing limitations. The prototype has the capability of obtaining 3D pavement surface models at true 1mm resolution with full-lane coverage, and is capable of conducting real-time analysis on rutting and cracking. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Condition surveys KW - Image analysis KW - Lasers KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Prototypes KW - Real time data processing KW - Sensors KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Three dimensional displays UR - http://www.arkansastrc.com/MBTC%20REPORTS/MBTC%203023.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43000/43091/MBTC_DOT_3023.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358946 AU - Soerens, Thomas S AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Biodiesel Waste Products as Soil Amendments – Evaluation of Microbial, Biological, and Plant Toxicity PY - 2011/11//Final Report SP - 54p AB - During biodiesel production, about 200 lbs of glycerol, commonly called glycerin, is produced for every 1 ton of biodiesel. As the biodiesel industry grows, so does the need to dispose of this waste product. While potential uses for glycerin exist, such as in food, industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals, surplus glycerin from large recent increases in production is disposed of by incineration. Application of glycerin to soil for dust control or as a beneficial soil amendment is an alternative that has advantages. This approach could be more carbon neutral than burning as some of the carbon may be sequestered in the soil, and also can enhance soil quality by increasing soil organic matter. Potential issues regarding application of glycerin to soils include its effects on soil microbial activity, biological systems, and plants. The objectives of this research project were to evaluate the toxicity and growth effects of methanol-stripped glycerol from biodiesel waste on microbial, biological, and plant systems in soils. Three tests were used: 1. Activated sludge respiration inhibition test; 2. Earthworm toxicity; and 3. Plant toxicity. Results of the respirometry studies suggest that there is no microbial inhibition due to the glycerol. Microbial activity was observed in a wide range of glycerol amounts applied to soils. In plant studies, there was inhibition of growth and germination with glycerol quantities above 1% by weight. Lower levels of glycerol did not appear to inhibit plant germination or growth and in fact appeared to be beneficial to growth. In worm assays, glycerol concentrations above 1% were fatal on contact with earthworms due the glycerol absorbing water and desiccating the worms. Worms survived when exposed to glycerol in lower concentrations. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Environmental impacts KW - Glycerin KW - Organic materials KW - Production KW - Soil amendments KW - Soil science KW - Toxicity KW - Waste disposal KW - Waste management KW - Waste products UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43100/43153/MBTC_DOT_3025.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124065 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358919 AU - Root, Sarah AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Large-Scale Transportation Optimization Course PY - 2011/11 SP - 24p AB - In this project, a course was developed to introduce transportation and logistics applications of large-scale optimization to graduate students. This report details what similar courses exist in other universities, and the methodology used to gather literature for the course. Details about the learning objectives and structure of the course are given, as well as lessons learned from the initial offering of this course in Fall 2009. Course feedback and outcomes as well as suggestions for future offerings of the course are discussed. KW - Education KW - Graduate study KW - Logistics KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Operations research KW - Optimization KW - Transportation planning KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43100/43154/MBTC_DOT_9312.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124084 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478301 AU - Metz, Paul AU - Taylor, Mark AU - Brigham, Tom AU - Larocque, Stephane AU - Pierce, Jana AU - Arledge, Ashleigh AU - Calvin, Jim AU - Harrington, Erin AU - Miller, Scott AU - Lingwood, Bob AU - Marshall, Dave AU - Watts, Teresa AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Alaska Marine Highway System Analysis: Phase I: Establishment of System Baseline (Chapters 1-7, with Updated Chapter 5); Phase II: Alternatives Analysis (Chapter 8); Phase III: Public Involvement and Analysis (Chapter 9) PY - 2011/10/31 SP - 248p AB - The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) service has grown and evolved since its inception. Today 11 vessels serve 32 ports transporting more than 300,000 passengers, 100,000 cars and 3,400 freight vehicles annually. Routes stretch over 3,700 miles serving Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound, Kodiak Island and the Aleutian Islands. AMHS plays an important role in the economies of these regions and in Alaska’s transportation system. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) contracted with a team of consultants, led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, to conduct a comprehensive analysis of AMHS and make recommendations that will further its mission and objectives. The analysis has involved: A comparative analysis of British Columbia Ferry Services and AMHS historical financial, passenger and service offering data; a comprehensive, life cycle costing of six service options and associated socio-economic analysis; and a public involvement program. This document includes: Phase 1: Establishment of System Baseline; Phase 2: Alternatives Analysis; and Phase 3: Public Involvement and Analysis. KW - Alaska KW - Alaska Marine Highway System KW - Alternatives analysis KW - British Columbia Ferry Services, Inc. KW - Economic analysis KW - Ferry service KW - Life cycle costing KW - Surveys UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2013/04/amhs_systems_analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247225 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376089 AU - Major, David C AU - Zimmerman, Rae AU - Falcocchio, John AU - Jacob, Klaus AU - Horton, Radley AU - O’Grady, Megan AU - Bader, Daniel AU - Gilbride, Joseph AU - Tomczyszyn, Taylor AU - Columbia University AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation Strategies into New York State Department of Transportation’s Operations: Final Report PY - 2011/10/31 SP - 118p AB - This study identifies climate change adaptation strategies and recommends ways of mainstreaming them into planned actions, including legislation, policies, programs and projects in all areas and at all levels within the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). In accomplishing its goal, the study team relied on: a literature review; discussions with key NYSDOT personnel based on a Climate Risk Information Summary worksheet; information from other ongoing and completed projects in climate change adaptation, especially those in the New York region; and advice and guidance from the NYSDOT‘s Technical Working Group and Columbia‘s Advisory Working Group for the project. The results of the project are presented (following the Introduction) in terms of: the current understanding of climate change science and climate futures for New York State (NYS); climate change impacts and vulnerabilities to transportation in NYS; adaptation strategies and best practices; potential adaptation strategies for mainstreaming climate change into the NYSDOT‘s operations and investment, including the detailed results of climate risk management discussions with personnel from 2 Divisions, 12 Offices, and 1 Region; and a communications and technology transfer plan. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Climate change KW - Decision making KW - Environmental policy KW - New York (State) KW - Planning methods KW - Risk management KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation policy UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-08-09_synthesisfinalReport1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44737/C-08-09_synthesisfinalReport1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142360 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361734 AU - Anastasopoulos, Panagiotis C AU - Volovski, Mathew AU - Pradhan, Satyajeet AU - Islam, Mouyid AU - Labi, Samuel AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Highway Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Operations PY - 2011/10/31/Final Report SP - 106p AB - In the context of transportation, a Public-private Partnership” (PPP) is a contractual agreement established between a public agency and private sector entity often to allow for greater participation of the latter in the delivery of a transportation product (project or service). Traditionally, private sector participation has been limited to separate planning, design or construction contracts on a fee-for-service basis to deliver the product according to the public agency’s designs and specifications. As demonstrated in past research and practice, there are several advantages associated with PPPs that can be tapped to enhance product delivery in the highway sector. However, as stewards of public assets, public agencies need to back any decision to enter a PPP arrangement, with justification that is defensible, comprehensive, and transparent. At the current time, most agencies do not have a set of rational guidelines to help decide, for a given project, whether to adopt PPP and which type of PPP to adopt. A decision support framework is then needed to help highway agencies choose the best innovative PPP contracting approach under a given set of project attributes. It is desired that the best approach should be selected on the basis of criteria whose relative weights can be adjusted by the decision-maker, thus indicating the need for flexibility in the decision support framework. Also, it is useful for any such framework to be demonstrated using at least one evaluation criterion. This study first develops a multiple criteria evaluation framework for contracting approach selection, and then uses cost savings as the evaluation criterion in a case study to demonstrate the contracting approach evaluation framework. To estimate the cost savings associated with each contracting approach, the study uses statistical and econometric techniques to model the empirical statistical relationships between cost savings on one hand, and the characteristics of contracts on the other hand. KW - Contracting KW - Decision making KW - Econometric models KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway operations KW - Public private partnerships KW - Reconstruction KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Road construction KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20045.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127405 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374274 AU - Lockheed Martin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Core System: Standards Recommendations Report PY - 2011/10/28 SP - 27p AB - This document describes a set of high-level information objects that comprise the critical interfaces for the Core System and should be considered for standardization by the stakeholder community as they pursue the deployment and implementation of the Core System as part of the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT's) next generation integrated transportation system. The Core System supports a distributed, diverse set of applications that use both wireless and wireline communications. KW - Communication systems KW - Deployment KW - Implementation KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - Recommendations KW - Standardization KW - Standards KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/docs/CoreSystem_StdsRecommendations_RevA.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141929 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374273 AU - Lockheed Martin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Core System: System Requirements Specification (SyRS) PY - 2011/10/28 SP - 162p AB - This document describes the Requirements of the Core System for the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT's) next generation integrated transportation system. It describes the requirements at the system level and at the subsystem level as identified in the Core System ConOps. Each system requirements is traceable to Needs in the ConOps. Requirements are also traceable to functional objects in the Core System System Architecture Document (SAD). The USDOT initiated this Systems Engineering (SE) project to define the ConOps, requirements, and architecture for a system that will enable safety, mobility, and environmental applications in an environment where vehicles and personal mobile devices are connected wirelessly, hereafter referred to as the connected vehicle environment. The ConOps is a prerequisite to this document and is recommended reading prior to the SyRS. The ConOps describes the characteristics of the Core System from the system user’s viewpoint. The SyRS builds upon those concepts, particularly the User Needs, to document the required functionality, performance, interfaces, and other required characteristics for the Core System. KW - Concept of operations KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - Specifications KW - System architecture KW - System requirements KW - Systems engineering KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/docs/CoreSystem_SE_SyRS_RevF.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141896 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374270 AU - Lockheed Martin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Core System: Risk Assessment Report (RAR) PY - 2011/10/28 SP - 33p AB - This document describes a set of high-level risks that could affect deployment or implementation of the Core System as part of the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT's) next generation integrated transportation system. It describes a set of risks and provides a subjective analysis of their potential impact to the system. These are in addition to risks and issues presented and discussed in other connected vehicle program documents. KW - Deployment KW - Implementation KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - Risk assessment KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/docs/CoreSystem_RiskReport_RevB.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141928 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374266 AU - Lockheed Martin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Core System: Concept of Operations (ConOps) PY - 2011/10/24 SP - 179p AB - This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) of the Core System for the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT's) next generation integrated transportation system. It includes a list of Needs for the Core System, a description of the Core System’s 8 subsystems and their high level relationships, and a set of operational scenarios. The USDOT initiated this Systems Engineering (SE) project to define the ConOps, requirements, and architecture for a system that will enable safety, mobility, and environmental applications in an environment where vehicles and personal mobile devices are connected wirelessly, hereafter referred to as the connected vehicle environment. This ConOps is a user-oriented document describing characteristics of a to-be-delivered system from the user‘s viewpoint. It includes a detailed description of how an operational concept is applied, with corresponding interactions and information flows between system elements and actors. It identifies the functions carried out by the system, users that interact with the system, and user roles and responsibilities. KW - Concept of operations KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - Needs assessment KW - Systems engineering KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/docs/CoreSystemConOpsRevE2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141803 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361731 AU - Issariyanukula, Apichai AU - Labi, Samuel AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Financial and Technical Feasibility of Dynamic Congestion Pricing as a Revenue Generation Source in Indiana – Exploiting the Availability of Real-Time Information and Dynamic Pricing Technologies PY - 2011/10/19 SP - 116p AB - Highway stakeholders continue to support research studies that address critical issues of the current era, including congestion mitigation and revenue generation. A mechanism that addresses both concerns is congestion pricing which establishes a direct out-of-pocket charge to road users thus potentially generating revenue and also reducing demand during peak hours. Congestion pricing (CP) is based on the classical economic laws of supply of demand: the different prices imposed by CP for highway use at non-peak and peak periods can help regulate demand and manage congestion even with relatively little or no increases in supply. At times of peak demand, road users impose costs on each other. By making these users pay for the costs associated with the additional congestion they create, CP can encourage the redistribution of travel demand in space or in time, or both. Thus, CP harnesses the power of the market to reduce the waste associated with traffic congestion and ultimately helps to achieve more efficient use of transport infrastructure. Introducing CP on highway facilities discourages overuse during rush hours by motivating trip-makers to travel at other times of the day or to shift to other modes. By removing even a fraction of vehicles from a congested roadway, CP enables the system to flow much more efficiently, allowing more cars to move through the same physical space. A review of the literature on CP theory and practice indicates that congestion pricing can and does result in substantial benefits including congestion mitigation, modal shifts, revenue generation, and decrease in energy consumption and air pollution. Worldwide, roadway CP has been applied at London, Milan, Singapore, and Stockholm. The report traces the evolution of the concept of CP over the past millennium; explains why CP implementation continues to be limited at the current time; establishes user cost functions and traffic equilibrium conditions associated with the static and dynamic models, for a number of implementation scenarios including 1-free-route only, 1-free-and-1-tolled route, and 2-tolled-routes; applies these models in a case study that uses data from a congested 6-mile section of Interstate 69 in Indianapolis; uses the case study to evaluate the benefits of CP at the selected corridor; and assesses the CP economic efficiency on the basis of capital costs, operating and maintenance costs, and toll revenue. KW - Air pollution KW - Congestion pricing KW - Demand KW - Economic impacts KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Implementation KW - Indiana KW - Modal shift KW - Real time information KW - Revenues KW - Supply KW - Traffic mitigation UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20044.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127403 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361737 AU - Zhou, Xuesong AU - Sharma, Sushant AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Mobile Probe-Based Traffic Data Fusion and Flow Management Platform for Innovative Public-Private Information-Based Partnerships PY - 2011/10/17/Final Report SP - 100p AB - Under the aegis of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), real-time traffic information provision strategies are being proposed to manage traffic congestion, alleviate the effects of incidents, enhance response efficiency after disasters, and improve the multimodal/intermodal travel experience of travelers. Currently, most of the real-time traffic information provision and control systems infrastructure is deployed and maintained by public agencies. Given the projected growth and profitability due to the evolution of the information services market in the near future, the potential for new innovations and significant investments from the private sector in emerging technologies and applications related to real-time traffic information can foster new businesses. This study aims to exploit the synergy due to innovative data collection, traffic management, and road pricing/credit mechanisms that can encourage mutually beneficial information-sharing under innovative partnerships (public-private sector, private-private sector, public–public sector partnerships). There were three major objectives identified to be accomplished by this study: i) development of a unified data mining system that can synthesize different data sources to estimate traffic network states; ii) identification of existing deficiencies in data quality, coverage and reliability in an existing DOT traffic sensor network and development of an information gain theoretic model for optimal sensor location that can take into account uncertainty; iii) measuring and understanding the benefits of real-time traffic information to the commuter by investigating the physical and psychological benefits of real-time traffic information systems and development of reliable traveler behavior models that can be used to predict costs and benefits for deployment of such systems to stakeholders. KW - Data mining KW - Data quality KW - Innovation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Public private partnerships KW - Real time information KW - Sensors KW - Traffic data UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20040.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127397 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361735 AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Hernandez, Salvador AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling of Collaborative Less-than-truckload Carrier Freight Networks PY - 2011/10/17/Final Report SP - 97p AB - Less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers, which operate on thin margins, have significant negative impacts due to empty trips, idled capacity on lots, and rising energy costs. The impacts can cascade to other industries; for example, empty trips may affect global food prices. Recent advances in Internet and information communication technologies (ICT) foster the possibility of innovative new business and operational paradigms within the small- to medium-sized LTL industry to address these concerns. One promising innovation is the concept of LTL carrier-carrier collaboration, which provides opportunities for LTL carriers to exploit synergies in operations (such as excess capacity), reduce costs associated with fleet operation, decrease lead times, increase asset utilization (power units), and enhance overall service levels. LTL carrier-carrier collaboration is a relatively unexplored concept within the freight domain, where past studies have focused on collaboration within the truckload (TL) carrier, liner shipping, airline, and rail industries. This research seeks to understand and develop LTL collaborative paradigms from the supply and demand perspectives, thereby filling a key gap in the current freight collaboration literature. KW - Business practices KW - Cooperation KW - Freight transportation KW - Less than truckload traffic KW - Motor carriers KW - Truck lines KW - Trucking UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20042.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127399 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457081 AU - Stewart, Richard D AU - University of Wisconsin, Superior AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regulations and Policies that Limit the Growth of the U.S. Great Lakes Cruising Market PY - 2011/10/16 SP - 24p AB - The worldwide cruise industry has seen remarkable growth since the 1990s. The cruise market on the Great Lakes has lagged the worldwide growth and compared to historical records, has fallen far short of its full potential. This paper reviews the history of the cruise industry on the Great Lakes with particular focus on the U.S. flag segment. Market studies and business ventures to restore the cruise industry in the region are examined. The policy issues are investigated and their impediments to the growth of the cruise industry on the Great Lakes are discussed. The specific impact of current and future cabotage, gambling, security, pilotage and environmental laws on Great Lakes cruise ship operations are explored. Specific recommendations are made regarding policy changes to improve the economic climate of U.S. flag cruise ships operating on the Great Lakes. KW - Cabotage KW - Cruise lines KW - Great Lakes KW - Markets KW - Pilotage KW - Policy KW - Security UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FinalPaper_CFIRE0221.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224414 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577986 TI - Biorefinery Lignins as Stabilizers of Emulsions for Power Generation AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Electric power generation KW - Emulsions KW - Lignin KW - Stabilizers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371353 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01374268 AU - Lockheed Martin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Core System: System Architecture Document (SAD) PY - 2011/10/14 SP - 305p AB - This document describes the System Architecture of the Core System for the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT's) next generation integrated transportation system. It describes the architecture of the system from five viewpoints: enterprise, functional, connectivity, communications, and information. It is consistent with the Core System Concept of Operations (ConOps) and Core System System Requirements Specification (SyRS). The USDOT initiated this Systems Engineering (SE) project to define the Concept of Operations (ConOps), requirements, and architecture for the Core System that will enable safety, mobility, and environmental applications in an environment where vehicles and personal mobile devices interact wirelessly, hereafter referred to as the connected vehicle environment. The intended purpose of this System Architecture Document (SAD) is to describe the system architecture of the Core System by following Standard 1471-2000 of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the IEEE Recommended Practice for Architectural Description of Software-Intensive Systems. KW - Concept of operations KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - System architecture KW - Systems engineering KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.its.dot.gov/docs/CoreSystemArchitectureDoc_revC.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1141837 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369919 AU - Sullivan, Jim AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vermont Travel Model 2010 - 2011 (Year 3) Report PY - 2011/10/13 SP - 54p AB - This report was prepared under Task 1 of the “Maintenance, Operation and Evaluation of the VTrans Statewide Transportation Model” contract with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans). The objective of the task was to update the VTrans Statewide Travel-Demand Model using new data and information. This report documents the update activities which were completed in 2010-2011 (Year 3) of the contract. The report contains a thorough description of the Vermont Travel Model, including its history and its current functional capabilities, a description of the data used in this update, a description of the methods used to process the data for use in the Model, and a summary of the results of the update. KW - Data collection KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic models KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel patterns KW - Travel surveys KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-11-009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138416 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537431 AU - Wang, Jianmin AU - Su, Tingzhi AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Leaching Behavior of Coal Combustion Products and the Environmental Implication in Road Construction PY - 2011/10/07/Final Report SP - 114p AB - This project assessed the physical and chemical characteristics of fly ashes produced from trona injection plants (used for SO₂ emission control), and investigated the leaching of a group of concerned inorganic contaminants from these fly ashes. A protocol was developed to quantify the availability and stability of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in raw bituminous fly ash under various field conditions. The effectiveness of EDTA-washing in remediating fly ash was also studied. KW - Arsenic KW - Bituminous mixtures KW - Coal combustion products KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fly ash KW - Leaching KW - Road construction KW - Selenium UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R266_Final_Report_Complete.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322152 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380271 AU - Ge, Yu-Ning AU - Chen, Genda AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Validation on the Mechanical Models of Asphalt Pavement Structures with Field Measured Data Associated with Increasing Freight Movements PY - 2011/10/05/Final Report SP - 56p AB - This study is aimed at better understanding the effects of heavy trucks on the performance of asphalt pavements. As the U.S. freight movements are dominated by truck transportation, the addition of new roadway lane-miles in Region VII have not kept pace with the increase in truck volume. As such, existing highway pavements must be effectively preserved under heavy truck loads. The key to the success of infrastructure preservation is to accurately predict the behavior of pavement structures. To this end, it was necessary for the study to collect sufficient field performance data. The data were used to validate the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) and the finite element method (FEM), in terms of the impact of heavy truck loading on pavement performance. Actual roadway sections in Missouri were selected and monitored several times over the project period. Pavement performance-related data such as traffic information, asphalt material properties, and subgrade condition were collected and used for various analyses. The study provides insights into effective implementation of the MEPDG into the design and analysis of pavements in Region VII. The study’s findings provide necessary information for the development of the next generation of a rigorously mechanics-based MEPDG. The outcome of the study led to better understanding of the pavement structure designs; which can result in long lasting transportation infrastructure and improve public safety. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Field tests KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Traffic loads KW - Traffic volume KW - Truck traffic UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45595/Combined_Ge_ValidationMechanicalModels.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147594 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577140 TI - Experimental Evolution and Metabolic Engineering of Fusarium Graminearum PH-1 and Colletotrichum Navitas Cn09 for the Enhanced Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Cellulose KW - Energy conversion KW - Experiments KW - Fungi KW - Genetics KW - Lignin KW - Metabolism KW - Optimization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370387 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575451 TI - The Development and Evaluation of a Cost Effective Catalyst for the Treatment of Syngas Tars Produced from a Woody Biomass AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Catalysts KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Tar KW - Wood waste UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367620 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01493118 TI - Voluntary Systematic Roadside Drug Testing AB - The goal of this project is to perform a voluntary systematic roadside drug test to more accurately measure the current illegal drug usage by Commercial Drivers License drivers than is provided by the current Department of Transportation voluntary employer sample reporting of positives and failures for employer-based drug tests. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Drug tests KW - Drug use KW - Drugged drivers KW - Sobriety checkpoints UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1262811 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548502 AU - Savolainen, Peter T AU - Ghosh, Indrajit AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Freeway Operations in Metro Detroit PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 45p AB - Traffic incidents are the primary cause of non-recurrent congestion in urban areas, resulting in reductions in roadway capacity due to crashes, vehicle breakdowns, and other events. In addition to contributing to congestion and delay, incidents can result in significant safety hazards to other motorists, as well as first responders. In response to these adverse impacts, many communities have initiated incident management programs that detect and respond to incidents and restore freeways to full capacity by clearing the incident scene as soon as possible. Such programs play an important role in the operation of the transportation system and require collaboration and efficient communication among various agencies, including fire and rescue, police, towing and recovery, transportation engineers, and freeway service patrols. In the Detroit metropolitan area, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) operates a Freeway Courtesy Patrol (FCP) program as part of its larger freeway incident management program from the Michigan Intelligent Transportation Systems (MITS) Center in downtown Detroit. The MITS Center maintains a series of databases that detail freeway operations, as well as the activities of the FCP. This report details the activities from the second year of a two-year study aimed at assessing freeway operations in metropolitan Detroit. During the first year of this study, a software interface was developed to combine data from these various sources. These data include traffic flow information obtained from roadside microwave sensors, incident response data collected by FCP operators, and roadway geometry data. This research involves the development of a series of duration models to assess how various factors affecting the time required to clear freeway incidents. Various model formulations are compared and the transferability of model results across freeway segments is assessed. KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Freeway service patrols KW - Freeways KW - Highway operations KW - Incident management KW - Time duration KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic flow KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/NEXTRANS_Final_Report%20Savolainen%20Investigation%20of%20Freeway%20Operations%20in%20Metro%20Detroit.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334824 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537437 AU - Anderson, Neil AU - Myat, Maung AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Geophysical Investigation, Lake Sherwood Dam Site, East-Central Missouri PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 9p AB - Electrical resistivity and self potential (SP) data were acquired across selected segments of the Lake Sherwood earth-fill dam and in designated areas immediately adjacent to the dam. The 2-D electrical resistivity profile data were acquired with the objectives of imaging the subsurface to depths on the order of 60 ft and identifying constructed keyway. The SP data were acquired with the objective of identifying active seepage/flow pathways in the subsurface. KW - Earth dams KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Geophysical imaging KW - Geophysical prospecting KW - Missouri KW - Seepage KW - Subsurface anomalies UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R223.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322357 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537410 AU - Anderson, Neil AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Interpretation of Reflection Seismic Data Acquired for Knight Hawk Coal, LLC PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 10p AB - The Missouri University of Science and Technology geophysical crew acquired approximately 3000 lineal feet of reflection seismic data along five separate traverses (1-5) at the PEUG South mine site. The objective was to determine if any of the traverses overlie previously mined ground. The interpretation of the acquired reflection seismic data suggests that the five traverses probably do not overlie previously mined ground, with the possible exception of a segment of traverse 1. KW - Data analysis KW - Geophysical prospecting KW - High resolution data KW - Mining KW - Missouri KW - Seismic profiles KW - Subsidence (Geology) KW - Underground anomalies UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R256-cr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322157 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449679 AU - Alam, Ashraful AU - Haselbach, Liv AU - Cofer, William AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Finite Element Evaluation of Pervious Concrete Pavement for Roadway Shoulders PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 79p AB - Stormwater quantity control is an important issue that needs to be addressed in roadway and ancillary transportation facility design. Pervious concrete has provided an effective solution for storm runoff for parking lots, sidewalks, bike trails, and other applications. It should be readily adaptable for use on roadway shoulders. Being a relatively new material for use in pavement for roadways, there is a lack of knowledge of the strength and behavior of pervious concrete slabs. While standard procedures for rigid pavement design with Portland cement concrete have been recommended, there are fundamental differences with pervious concrete pavement. These include a variation in concrete strength and stiffness through the depth of a slab and differences in the subgrade. Also, the main concern for a shoulder is the need to withstand wheel loadings from encroaching truck traffic. Both the strength of the pervious concrete pavement and the interface with the mainline pavement must be evaluated. Typically, tiebars are used at the interface to connect the shoulder and mainline slabs. The capacity and durability of pervious concrete at the tiebars is unknown, and steel reinforcing may not be an option with pervious systems. While full-scale testing of pervious concrete pavement is desirable, a preliminary evaluation can be performed quickly and economically through computer simulation. The Finite Element Method is a proven technique for the evaluation of solids and structures. With this approach, a number of loading scenarios can be applied to various pavement configurations to determine pavement capacity and evaluate the importance of connections with tiebars. The results of these analyses can be used to guide a full-scale testing program and help develop design procedures. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability tests KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Finite element method KW - Pavement design KW - Pervious concrete KW - Road shoulders KW - Simulation KW - Strength of materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46258/TNW2012-07_Finite_Element_Evaluation_of_Pervious_Concrete_Pavement_for_Roadway_Shoulders.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213874 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380415 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Minnesota Department of Transportation AU - Metropolitan Council of Twin Cities TI - Twin Cities Metro Freight Initiative: Performance Management Framework PY - 2011/10 SP - 19p AB - As the demand for freight and passenger transportation continues to increase faster than our ability to manage current transportation facilities or provide new ones, we can expect increased congestion and lower mobility, as well as degradation of safety, environmental and other factors by which we evaluate freight transportation quality. Consequently, freight performance measures and indicators become important by enabling us to understand freight system problems better. At the same time, they help us generate more viable solutions to address root causes when we organize them in a framework for: (1) balancing competing goals and objectives, (e.g., safety, mobility, environmental quality); and (2) setting priorities among alternative actions to resolve freight issues. The following framework is intended as a reference for Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Met Council as they develop the details of and seek input on a strategy for improving the Twin Cities’ freight system. The project leaves as a future step the identifying of a core set of measures and indicators on which to focus in terms of data collection, data analysis, as well as planning and policy application. Such a core set could be the basis for a dashboard to reference in managing the Twin Cities’ freight system. KW - Data collection KW - Environmental quality KW - Freight Performance Measures KW - Freight transportation KW - Mobility KW - Safety KW - Transportation planning KW - Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minnesota) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44700/44775/Twin_Cities_Metro_Freight_Initiative_Performance_Management_Framework_October_2011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147323 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380355 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developments in Weather Responsive Traffic Management Strategies. Summary Report: 1st National Workshop and Stakeholder Meeting on Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM), October 6-7, 2011, Portland, Oregon PY - 2011/10//Summary Report SP - 27p AB - The first national workshop and stakeholder meeting on weather responsive traffic management (WRTM) was held on October 6-7, 2011 in Portland, Oregon, following up on the Traffic Management Center Pooled Fund annual meeting held at the same location. Invited participants discussed the state of the practice and future directions in traffic and transportation management during adverse weather. The WRTM workshop was planned and conducted to achieve the following objectives: (1) create and sustain an engaged and diverse stakeholder group to support and champion WRTM; (2) disseminate research results, available tools, and best practices in WRTM; (3) identify gaps, challenges and issues with implementing WRTM strategies; (4) gather research, development and deployment needs and identify ways that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) can effectively support State and local needs for implementation; and (5) encourage adoption of WRTM practices, tools and techniques by stakeholders. The participants included private contractors, researchers, and representatives from FHWA, state departments of transportation, city agencies, and a turnpike authority. This report summarizes the discussions, key themes and the twelve action items emerging from the workshop. KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Road weather information systems KW - State of the practice KW - Weather conditions KW - Workshops UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/group/sysreliability/files/2011/11/WRTM_Workshop-Summary-Report_FINAL_v2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148124 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01369372 AU - Syrrakou, Christina AU - Pinder, George AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Numerical Modeling and Experimental Investigation of the Local Hydrology of a Porous Concrete Site PY - 2011/10 SP - 86p AB - Although porous pavement use has been accepted as a successful stormwater management practice in warm climates, application in regions with colder climates, like New England, is still under investigation. The Randolph Park and Ride Site, which is the area of interest of this specific study, is the first porous concrete site constructed in Vermont. The site, which was built in 2008 and is under use up to today, is quite unique in terms of the geology of the underlying materials and also the extensive instrumentation that has been applied in the field. The purpose of building this site was in part commercial, to provide the town of Randolph with a public parking lot, and part experimental, aimed at giving insight to the optimal design of porous pavements in New England. This study focuses on the experimental use of the site. The study initially aims at investigating the interaction between porous concrete utilization and local hydrology at porous concrete sites in New England. With this part achieved, a mathematical model can be developed and used prior to construction as a design tool for other porous concrete sites. It is also a secondary goal of this study to combine the mathematical model created with an optimization algorithm that will allow for optimal design of porous concrete sites in terms of minimal expense. KW - Algorithms KW - Hydrology KW - Least cost design KW - Mathematical models KW - New England KW - Optimization KW - Parking lots KW - Pavement design KW - Porous pavements KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-11-008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138041 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367794 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - USDOT Connected Vehicle Research Program: Vehicle-to-Vehicle Safety Application Research Plan PY - 2011/10 SP - 13p AB - The connected-vehicle research program is a major initiative under USDOT’s Connect Vehicle Research Program and includes both vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure research activities. The goal of the Vehicle-to-Vehicle Safety Application Research Plan is to describe the research needed to support this decision. The objectives of the research plan are to determine if vehicle-to-vehicle communication safety applications meet a safety need, are practicable technologically and economically, have objectively measurable compliance, have driver acceptance, and are effective. This research plan only reflects the V2V communication research portion of the connected-vehicles program. The research plan provides background, vision, goals and objectives, and an overview, as well as a detailed roadmap and summary descriptions of the major research tracks that make up the V2V safety application research activities. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Research KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811373.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136513 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367389 AU - Lewis, Sharon AU - Travare, Papa S AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Alternative Transportation Fuels Update: A Case Study of the Developing E85 Industry PY - 2011/10 SP - 55p AB - As the United States imports more than half of its oil and overall consumption continues to climb, the 1992 Energy Policy Act established the goal of having “alternative fuels” replace at least ten percent of petroleum fuels used in the transportation sector by 2000, and at least thirty percent by 2010. Currently, alternative fuels consumed in Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) account for less than one percent of total consumption of gasoline. This paper examines how alternative fuel E85 can be used to reverse that trend. In addition, this research paper will take a look at some of the ongoing government decisions concerning the use of the alternative fuel E85, and will discuss what policy makers might hold for the future in terms of the supply and demand of alternative fuels in the United States. This case study will be useful to all stakeholders involved in the transportation industry, including, but not limited to the government, policy makers, automakers, motorists, and researchers, eager to find a just balance with both a better transportation system and a healthy and clean environment. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Energy Policy Act of 1992 KW - Environmental impacts KW - Ethanol KW - Fuel consumption KW - Fuel mixtures KW - Policy KW - United States UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/167360-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136116 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01365968 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - D'Souza, Kelwyn A AU - Eastern Seaboard Intermodal Transportation Applications Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling and Predicting Traffic Accidents at Signalized Intersections in the City of Norfolk, VA PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 93p AB - This research project was an extension of a previously completed study of accident-patterns in the City of Norfolk, Virginia. The objectives of this research were to develop comprehensive statistical exploratory and predictive models for intersection accidents in the City of Norfolk. The research analysis was conducted in three phases. First, a linear regression model was developed using the same techniques applied in the previous study. This was done to establish a baseline model for a comparison of results. At the second stage, an exploratory data analysis technique (two-step cluster method) was used in which the study sample of 58 intersections was divided into two separate groups of clusters according to the type of roads meeting at the intersection arterial, collector and/or local roads. The first cluster consisted of the intersections between a major arterial road and a collector or local road, whereas the second cluster was made up of intersections of a major arterial road with another arterial or a large collector road. Two separate linear regression models were developed for each cluster. During the third phase, an independent sample of 15 intersections was used for validation of these regression models. All models showed about 15% to 21% variation between actual and predicted accident rate values. In each case, however, the deviation between actual and predicted accident values was statistically insignificant. The second cluster deviation was the least, suggesting that the regression model for the intersections between major arterial roads or large collector roads had a somewhat better predictive power than the model for intersections between major arterial roads and collector or local roads. KW - Cluster analysis KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Mathematical models KW - Norfolk (Virginia) KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic crashes KW - Validation UR - http://biz.hamptonu.edu/esitac/docs/Investigation_of_Accident_Data_City_of_Norfolk.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134961 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01365966 AU - Nodine, Emily AU - Lam, Andy AU - Stevens, Scott AU - Razo, Michael AU - Najm, Wassim AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS) Light Vehicle Field Operational Test Independent Evaluation PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 156p AB - This report presents the methodology and results of the independent evaluation of a prototype integrated crash warning system for light vehicles as part of the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems initiative of the United States Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation System program. The system integrates rear-end crash, curve-speed warning, lane change crash, and lane departure warning functions. The goals of the independent evaluation are to assess the safety impact, gauge driver acceptance, and characterize the capability of the integrated safety system. The evaluation is based on naturalistic driving data collected from a field operational test using 108 subjects who drove 16 passenger vehicles equipped with a prototype integrated safety system and a data acquisition system. The test subjects accumulated over 213,000 miles during a 12-month period throughout parts of southeast Michigan. For each driver, the test period was divided into a 12 day baseline condition with the system disabled and a 28 day treatment condition with the system enabled to compare the effect of the system on driving performance. The results of the analysis suggest that driving with the integrated safety system improves driver behavior and increases driver safety, that drivers feel that the system provides a safety benefit, and that the system alerts had a high degree of accuracy. This report delineates the methodology of the different analyses and discusses their results. KW - Collision warning systems KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Field tests KW - Integrated Vehicle Based Safety Systems (Initiative) KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Naturalistic driving data KW - Onboard warning systems KW - Prototypes KW - Vehicle safety KW - Warning systems UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811516.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134964 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363784 AU - Sriraj, P S AU - Metaxatos, Paul AU - Figler, Scott AU - Midwest Regional University Transportation Center AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Scoping Data Access and Integration Needs to Facilitate Better Management of Research Innovation PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 65p AB - Public agencies are charged with the difficult task of balancing the interests on each side of the data sharing equation. On one side are the users: private consultants, researchers, and other public entities. Proper planning and evaluation of public assets by these groups requires the best information available. The objective of this research is to understand the data access experience of one group of users, i.e., the researchers who have had a history of data requests made to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and provide recommendations to WisDOT for improving their data sharing practice and protocol. The report is divided into a literature Review documenting the theory and practice of data sharing in public agencies followed by the results of a Survey of researchers. The results of the survey are then used to identify a group of respondents who form the core for Case Studies involving their individual experiences in requesting data from WisDOT. The report concludes with a set of recommendations to the Wisconsin DOT; and some broad conclusions. The survey reflected that identifying the appropriate contact person was a major challenge, while the data processing time was the single biggest factor once the data was acquired. This also seemed to have an impact on the research findings with poor data quality leading to a compromised research effort. The respondents also seemed to agree that the WisDOT needed to have an integrated database or approach towards data dissemination or data sharing. KW - Data collection KW - Data quality KW - Data sharing KW - Researchers KW - Transportation KW - Wisconsin UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/WisDOT-WHRP-project-0092-07-16-final-report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362945 AU - Willemsen, Peter AU - University of Minnesota, Duluth AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Snow Rendering for Interactive Snowplow Simulation – Supporting Safety in Snowplow Design PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 61p AB - During a snowfall, following a snowplow can be extremely dangerous. This danger comes from the human visual system’s inability to accurately perceive the speed and motion of the snowplow, often resulting in rear-end collisions. For this project, the researchers' goal is to use their understanding of how the human visual system processes optical motion under the conditions created by blowing snow to create a simulation framework that could be used to test emergency lighting configurations that reduce rear-end collisions with snowplows. Reaction times for detecting the motion of the snowplow will be measured empirically for a variety of color set-ups on a simulated snowplow that slows down while driving on a virtual road with curves and hills. The simulated driving environment will utilize a head-mounted, virtual reality display to render an improved snow cloud model behind the snowplow. This driving simulator environment will serve as the basis for testing the effects of color and lighting alternatives on snowplows. The results of this work will move the researchers closer to determining optimal color and lighting configurations on actual snowplows. KW - Driving simulators KW - Reaction time KW - Rear end crashes KW - Snowplows KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle design KW - Vehicle lighting KW - Virtual reality KW - Visibility UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1594 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127561 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362902 AU - Wu, Ximing AU - Chang, Meng-Shiuh AU - Fuller, Steven AU - Zhang, Yu Yvette AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Statistical Analysis of Vessel Waiting Time and Lockage Times on the Upper Mississippi Rivers PY - 2011/10//Final Draft Report SP - 40p AB - This project uses statistical methods to analyze traffic congestion of the upper Mississippi and the Illinois Rivers, in particular, locks 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, and 25 on the upper Mississippi and the Lagrange and Peoria locks on the Illinois River. The main purpose of this project is identifying and evaluating non-structural alternatives (those not requiring construction, but rather procedural or policy changes, for instance, congestion fee, excess lockage time charges, helper boats, switch boats, deck winches, and moorings) that might be employed to offer nearby congestion relief. The first objective of this study was to carry out statistical analysis on locking activity at each lock site for each locked vessel to gain insight on forces that affect congestion and to examine the possibilities for congestion mitigation through nonstructural alternatives. The second objective was to measure the effect of inland waterway congestion on barge transportation rates as well as other costs associated with the predetermined lock chokepoints and develop methodology increasingly appropriate for such measures. KW - Illinois River KW - Inland waterways traffic KW - Lift gates (Locks) KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Mississippi River KW - Statistical analysis KW - Vessel operations KW - Waiting time UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Wu_09-16-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128285 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362844 AU - Schooley, Benjamin AU - Horan, Thomas A AU - Hilton, Brian AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Claremont Graduate University AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - ITS and Transportation Safety: EMS System Data Integration to Improve Traffic Crash Emergency Response and Treatment - Phase III Report PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 73p AB - The transportation safety and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) literature has called for the development of better information system tools to support EMS to aid in reducing the human impact of medical emergencies. Building upon previous research by the researchers, this project seeks to advance a prototype of a mobile and web-based information service, known as CrashHelp, designed for use by various emergency medical practitioners involved in the end-to-end continuum of emergency patient care. The broad objective in this report was to examine the potential to provide – through a geographic information system (GIS)-based visual and interactive platform -- an easy to use analytical tool that can provide a holistic view of crash information (such as distance, age, severity of crash) that can better serve practitioners and agencies in planning for and responding to traffic crashes. The specific research objectives were to: (1) collect and examine information regarding the potential for using the CrashHelp system in the state of Idaho as a case-study; (2) identify and develop aggregate performance metrics for end-to-end EMS responses to automobile crashes for inclusion in CrashHelp; and (3) expand the CrashHelp prototype to include aggregate level clinical and operational performance metrics that would provide valuable decision-level information for planners and practitioners. KW - Case studies KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Emergency medical services KW - Geographic information systems KW - Idaho KW - Internet KW - Traffic crashes KW - Web applications UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1598 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128510 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362643 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Transportation Indicators PY - 2011/10 SP - 36p AB - This document presents economic indicators for multimodal transportation. It reports on the transportation services index, various transportation related prices, ridership for different transportation modes, revenue, and expenditures. Freight transportation and passenger transportation are both covered, and transportation system performance is described. KW - Economic indicators KW - Expenditures KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Performance KW - Prices KW - Revenues KW - Ridership UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/multimodal_transportation_indicators/october_2011/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127547 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361216 AU - Carolan, Michael AU - Jacobsen, Karina AU - Llana, Patricia AU - Severson, Kristine J AU - Perlman, Benjamin AU - Tyrell, David AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Technical Criteria and Procedures for Evaluating the Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection Performance of Alternatively Designed Passenger Rail Equipment for Use in Tier I Service PY - 2011/10 SP - 177p AB - Criteria and procedures have been developed for assessing crashworthiness and occupant protection performance of alternatively designed trainsets to be used in Tier I (not exceeding 125 mph) passenger service. These criteria and procedures take advantage of the latest technology in rail equipment crashworthiness and include aspects that are fundamentally different from current regulations, such as the scenario-based train-level requirements, which have no counterpart in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)‘s current Tier I regulations. Numerical values of the pass/fail criteria have been selected to provide an equivalent level of crashworthiness as the current Tier I regulations. For example, while the occupied volume integrity requirements have been relaxed from the current regulations, the criteria for preservation of the occupied volume for a collision with a locomotive-led train have been added to compensate. In other cases, such as roof integrity, the existing regulations can be applied to alternative equipment. KW - Crashworthiness KW - Equipment KW - Multiple unit trains KW - Passenger trains KW - Procedures KW - Railroad safety KW - Regulations KW - Standards KW - Technological innovations KW - Waivers UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/90 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43000/43066/DOT_FRA_ORD-11_22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126770 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361153 AU - Burris, Mark AU - Huang, Chao AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Short-Run Impact of Gas Prices on Toll Road Use PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 124p AB - One of the primary functions of transportation planning is to predict future travel behavior. Using estimated travel patterns, planners can then help decision makers select the array of projects that will best suit the needs of their community. Travel behavior is a function of many variables, with cost being among the most important. Recent fluctuations in the price of gas provide an excellent opportunity to observe the impact of the price of gas on travel behavior. This project goes a step beyond looking at the elasticity of travel with respect to gas price by examining how recent changes in gas prices have impacted travel on specific facilities: toll facilities. Data from around the US was used to examine how traffic levels on toll roads have been affected by fluctuations in gas prices over the last several years. This study developed models that account for the many other exogenous factors influencing toll road use (such as local economy, population, and toll rates), and provide an elasticity of toll road demand with respect to gas price independent of those other factors. This study will provide planners and toll road authorities with valuable information on how travelers react to increasing cost of travel when already selecting a mode with an added cost (the toll). The research findings indicated that travel demand elasticity estimates with respect to gas price were inelastic and mostly negative. Elasticities found here for the period from 2000 to 2010 ranged from −0.36 to +0.14, similar to those found in the literature for non-toll facilities. However, the average value of the elasticities found here were much smaller (closer to −0.06) than those found for non-toll facilities. KW - Elasticity (Economics) KW - Fuel prices KW - Gasoline KW - Impact studies KW - Toll roads KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel costs KW - Travel demand KW - Travel patterns UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Burris_09-01-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127144 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359616 AU - Jeihani, Mansoureh AU - Ardeshiri, Anam AU - Ighodaro, Osas AU - Mazloomdoost, Gholamhossein AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - National Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cumulative Impact of Developments on the Surrounding Roadways’ Traffic PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 79p AB - In order to recommend a procedure for cumulative impact study, four different travel demand models were developed, calibrated, and validated. The base year for the models was 2005. Two study areas were used, and the models were run for three periods (AM peak, PM peak, and average daily traffic). The models were developed based on the two regional models of the Baltimore- Washington, D.C. area. The calibrated models were utilized to forecast traffic for the years 2010, 2020, and 2030. The 2010 forecast results were compared to the ground counts. In total, 72 different models were developed and run. It was concluded that the Sub-TAZ model forecasted traffic more realistically and this model was best suited for the cumulative impact study. It was recommended that the base regional model should be zoomed-in by the Sub-TAZ model for the study area, in order to conduct a cumulative impact study. The Sub-TAZ model can also simply be applied to the regional model. The researchers also investigated the feasibility of using TRANSIMS to develop an Activity- Based regional model. The research team developed and calibrated TRANSIMS Trip-Based (Track 1) and Activity-Based (Track 2) for one study area. The research team concluded that the regional Activity-Based model can be developed and calibrated in three steps, transitioning from a Four-Step model to Sub-TAZ, then to TRANSIMS Track 1, and finally to TRANSIMS Track 2. KW - Baltimore-Washington Corridor KW - Impact studies KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Traffic impact analysis KW - TRANSIMS (Computer model) KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.morgan.edu//Documents/ACADEMICS/CENTERS/NTC/Cumulative_Jeihani_1112.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43100/43105/Cumulative_Jeihani_1112.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125539 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359273 AU - Pruden, Sean AU - Vijayaraghavan, Krishna AU - Rajamani, Rajesh AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancement and Field Test Evaluation of New Battery-Less Wireless Traffic Sensors PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 110p AB - This project focused on the enhancement of a previous battery-less wireless traffic flow sensor so as to enable it to provide weigh-in-motion (WIM) measurements and provide enhanced telemetry distance. The sensor consists of a 6-feet-long device which is embedded in a slot in the road flush with the pavement. As a vehicle travels over the sensor, vibrations are induced in the sensor. Using piezoelectric elements, energy is harvested from the vibrations and used to power the electronics in the sensor for signal measurements and wireless transmission. The sensor’s performance was evaluated by embedding it in a slot in concrete pavement and driving various vehicles of known weight over it at a number of different speeds on different days. The sensor was found to meet the specification of 500 feet telemetry distance. It was able to provide WIM measurements with an accuracy of better than ±15% in the absence of vehicle suspension vibrations. However, much of the WIM data during the latter period of sensor testing was obtained in the presence of significant suspension vibrations. The project also evaluated the use of 4 consecutive WIM sensors in the road to remove the influence of suspension vibrations. KW - Energy transfer KW - Field tests KW - Measurement KW - Piezoelectric transducers KW - Sensors KW - Traffic flow KW - Weigh in motion scales UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1590 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125319 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358939 AU - Rainwater, Chase AU - Milburn, Ashlea AU - Gwaltney, Jeff AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rail Transportation Models for Rural Populations PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 50p AB - Population growth in rural areas has led to new interest in rail transportation. Planning a passenger rail system involves numerous difficult decisions, most representing a trade-off between customer service and cost. In this work, the authors attempt to integrate many of these planning decisions. Strategic decisions such as station location and vehicle procurement, as well as tactical issues that include vehicle scheduling are considered. The integrated model exploits the linear network structure that best suits many rural American communities, including Northwest Arkansas. Due to the intractability of the integrated rail planning problem, a customized heuristic approach to solve real world instances is developed. The model and solution methodology is applied in a case study to investigate the possibility of implementing a passenger rail system in Northwest Arkansas. This work represents the first steps in a passenger rail feasibility study for Northwest Arkansas, while providing new mathematical modeling and solution methodology contributions to the area of transportation research. KW - Arkansas KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Rail transit KW - Rural areas KW - Rural development KW - Rural transportation KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.arkansastrc.com/MBTC%20REPORTS/MBTC%203024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358512 AU - Douma, Frank AU - Aue, Sarah AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - ITS and Locational Privacy: Suggestions for Peaceful Coexistence PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 42p AB - Continuing developments in the fields of transportation technology and privacy law present an abundance of opportunities for conflict. Without knowledge of the legal framework that applies to emerging technology, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) developers set themselves up for frustration as ideas that appear flawless in an engineering office may become controversial when they reach the implementation stage. From the legal perspective, advocates of comprehensive privacy law struggle to update existing law at a pace that keeps up with innovative advancements in technology. This paper reviews several cases where implementation of transportation technologies has raised civil liberties arguments, examining them from legal and political perspectives. The understanding of privacy both as a political concept and a legal protection provides the foundation for future ITS progress, allowing new technologies to be developed in ways that can withstand these types of challenges or avoid them altogether. KW - Case studies KW - Civil liberties KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Law KW - Legal factors KW - Location KW - Political factors KW - Privacy KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1592 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44100/44179/CTS11-21.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1123869 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358510 AU - Callow, Michael AU - Austin, Nathan K AU - Morgan State University AU - National Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Mediating Role of Motorists’ Evaluation of Current Roadway Conditions in Determining Their Willingness to Pay for Future Improvements PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 54p AB - America’s transportation infrastructure significantly impacts the autonomy, mobility, and economic well-being of its citizens. However, there is growing concern for the vitality of the nation’s highways given the dwindling balances in the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Researchers have begun to focus on the citizens’ evaluation of various revenue-generating initiatives. This study adds to the existing literature by focusing on attitudinal, demographic, and behavioral criteria for segmenting the user base. A survey of Maryland residents was used to test the mediating role of motorists’ evaluation of current roadway conditions in determining their willingness to pay for future improvements. A total of 450 surveys were completed from a random sample of 4,300 residents. Though there were significant differences in opinion among the various segments, overall there was favorable opinion for three revenue-generating initiatives: (1) variable rates for inspection and licensing fees, (2) increases in registration and licensing fees, and (3) General Obligation Bonds. There were neutral opinions towards toll-related initiatives and increasing the state gas tax, and negative evaluations of non-road usage fees, sales tax increases, and a mileage fee. The findings also suggest that dissatisfaction with roadway conditions, pollution, safety, and congestion are important determinants for shaping motorists’ preferences for these alternatives. Even though there is a general level of dissatisfaction with current roadway conditions, motorists tend to be reluctant to support revenue-generating initiatives, unless it is clear that the additional revenue will be used for projects aimed at improving important roadway concerns. KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - Bonds KW - Demographics KW - Fees KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highways KW - Improvements KW - Maryland KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Road conditions KW - Sales tax KW - Surveys KW - Tolls KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://cdm16064.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p266901coll7/id/3671 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43000/43003/TheMediating_Callow_1112.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1123488 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357986 AU - Hastings, Aaron AU - Pollard, John K AU - Garay-Vega, Lisandra AU - Stearns, Mary D AU - Guthy, Catherine AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Quieter Cars and the Safety of Blind Pedestrians, Phase 2: Development of Potential Specifications for Vehicle Countermeasure Sounds PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 156p AB - This project performed research to support the development of potential specifications for vehicle sounds, (i.e., audible countermeasures) to be used in vehicles while operating in electric mode in specific low speed conditions. The purpose of the synthetic vehicle sound is to alert pedestrians, including blind pedestrians, of vehicle presence and operation. The project developed various options and approaches to specify vehicle sounds that could be used to provide information at least equivalent to the cues provided by ICE vehicles, including speed change. Acoustic data from a sample of ICE vehicles was used to determine the sound levels at which synthetic vehicle sounds, developed as countermeasures, could be set. Psychoacoustic models and human-subject testing were used to explore issues of detectability, masking, and recognition of ICE-like and alternative sound countermeasures. Data were used to develop potential options that could be pursued to develop specifications for synthetic vehicle sounds. Project results indicate that vehicle detectability could potentially be met through various options including: recording(s) of actual ICE sounds; synthesized ICE-equivalent sounds; alternative, non-ICE-like sounds designed for detectability; and a hybrid of the options listed above. KW - Auditory perception KW - Blind persons KW - Countermeasures KW - Detectability KW - Electric vehicles KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Sound KW - Traffic noise UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811496.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42800/42888/DOT-VNTSC-NHTSA-11-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357319 AU - Dusicka, Peter AU - Roberts, Jeffery AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bridge Damage Models for Seismic Risk Assessment of Oregon Highway Network PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 110p AB - The highway transportation network of the United States relies on the health and integrity of major infrastructure elements such as bridges. Frequently traveled parts of Oregon are within the seismically active Pacific Northwest and many of the bridges were designed and built to lateral demands that were assumed to be less than the current expectation, a deficiency caused by our growing awareness of seismic hazard and our enhanced understanding of the non-linear response of bridges. This vulnerability to damage from earthquakes can result in not only immediate damage, but also in potentially lingering economic impact caused by the disruption to traffic and freight mobility. Using analytical methods, fragility curves were constructed assuming lognormal capacity and demand distributions. Probability of failure was determined for the four damage state conditions of slight, moderate, extensive, and complete levels of damage. These statistical values were compared to the median and dispersion values proposed by other researchers, in addition to those calculated using guidelines from the HAZUS Technical Manual. Older multiple-span Oregon bridges were found to be significantly more fragile than the HAZUS models. As a result of this modeling and analysis effort, the relative fragility of the modeled typical 3-span and 5-span bridges was determined and quantified. Possible causes of the relatively high fragilities were also considered. KW - Bridge design KW - Bridges KW - Damage models KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Failure probability KW - Fragility KW - Multispan bridges KW - Oregon KW - Risk assessment KW - Structural analysis UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2013 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/148 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122762 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357314 AU - Jay, David A AU - Pan, Jiayi AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Maintaining Safe, Efficient and Sustainable Intermodal Transport through the Port of Portland PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 60p AB - About $15 billion of freight passes annually through the Lower Columbia River (LCR) navigation channel to reach Portland and Vancouver, where most of it connects with land transport. This commerce plays a vital role in sustaining the regional economy and connecting Oregon to the global economy. The timely connection of truck and rail transport with vessels is vital, especially for export traffic. This link is susceptible to disruption if water depths in the navigation channel are shallower than expected, leading to delays and/or draft limitations. Moreover, ship drafts have increased in recent decades, 25% of the vessels calling in the river sail with a draft close to the channel depth at low water, and these carry roughly 70% of the cargo. A large vessel may have as little as 0.6 m bed clearance when it passes through a low-tide point in the river, which each vessel in transit must do. Thus, prediction and real-time communication of water level to vessels is vital to safety as well as efficiency. This has been implemented through the LOADMAX system, consisting of telemetered water-level gauges and a forecast model. Moreover, the dilemma has been made more critical by changes in the river – low water levels in the river channel between Wauna and Vancouver have decreased 0.3-1.2 m since 1940. The rate of decrease depends on location and riverflow, but appears to have accelerated in the last decade. The reasons for this decrease are not understood. For perspective, an ongoing 0.9 m channel deepening will cost about $150 million when completed, so unintended decreases in water depths are expensive as well as potentially dangerous. Lower water levels in the river also increase carbon emissions, because smaller loads mean more land and vessel transport trips. Further, navigation and salmon habitat restoration are closely connected. Dredging is used to maintain the channel, and habitat restoration is an integral part of the channel deepening. New dredging strategies are needed to maintain the newly deepened channel, but dredging that removes material permanently from the river may further lower water levels, limiting possibilities for habitat restoration and reducing bed clearance for large ships. These problems will be exacerbated by future decreases in summer river flows due to climate change. KW - Channel deepening KW - Channels (Waterways) KW - Climate change KW - Columbia River KW - Deep draft ships KW - Depth KW - Dredging KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Low water conditions KW - Maritime safety KW - Port of Portland (Oregon) KW - Restoration ecology KW - Salmon KW - Streamflow KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2012 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/226 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122743 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356745 AU - Bradner, Chris AU - Schumacher, Thomas AU - Cox, Daniel AU - Higgins, Chris AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Large-Scale Laboratory Observations of Wave Forces on a Highway Bridge Superstructure PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 170p AB - The experimental setup and data are presented for a laboratory experiment conducted to examine realistic wave forcing on a highway bridge superstructure. The experiments measure wave conditions along with the resulting forces, pressures, and structural response of a 1:5 scale, reinforced concrete model of a typical section of the I-10 Bridge over Escambia Bay, Florida that failed during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. A unique feature of this model is its roller and rail system which allowed the specimen to move freely along the axis of wave propagation to simulate the dynamic response of the structure. The data are analyzed to study the relative importance of the impulse load versus the sustained wave load, the magnitudes of the horizontal to vertical forces, and their time histories to identify the modes of failure. The thesis examines the relationship between measured forces and wave momentum flux. The measured forces are also compared to recently published AASHTO guidelines. The author evaluates the distribution of forces under random wave conditions and proposes a method that calculates design loads based on exceedance probabilities. KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Design load KW - Dynamic response (Structures) KW - Escambia Bay (Florida) KW - Escambia Bay, Florida, Bridge Collapse, 2004 KW - Highway bridges KW - Hurricanes KW - Laboratory tests KW - Scale models KW - Water waves KW - Wave forces KW - Wave motion UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2011 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/161 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122219 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356744 AU - Scott, Michael H AU - Zhu, Minjie AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Combined Seismic Plus Live-Load Analysis of Highway Bridges PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 44p AB - The combination of seismic and vehicle live loadings on bridges is an important design consideration. There are well-established design provisions for how the individual loadings affect bridge response; structural components that carry vertical live loads are designed to remain well within the linear-elastic range, while lateral load carrying components are designed to yield under large seismic excitations. The weight of the bridge superstructure is taken into account as dead load in structural analysis for seismic loads; however, the effects of additional mass and damping of live loads on the bridge deck are neglected. To improve the design of highway bridges for multi-hazard effects of seismic plus live load, many questions arise and are addressed in this project via numerical simulations of short span bridges. Further extensions of this research can be extended to long span bridges whose seismic response is more heavily influenced by vehicle mass on the bridge deck. KW - Bridge design KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Highway bridges KW - Live loads KW - Seismic loads KW - Short span bridges KW - Simulation UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2009 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/261 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122217 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356743 AU - Carrion-Madera, Carlos AU - Levinson, David AU - Harder, Kathleen AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Value of Travel-Time Reliability: Commuters’ Route-Choice Behavior in the Twin Cities PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 156p AB - Travel-time variability is a noteworthy factor in network performance. It measures the temporal uncertainty experienced by users in their movement between any two nodes in a network. The importance of the time variance depends on the penalties incurred by the users. In road networks, travelers consider the existence of this journey uncertainty in their selection of routes. This choice process takes into account travel-time variability and other characteristics of the travelers and the road network. In this complex behavioral response, a feasible decision is spawned based on not only the amalgamation of attributes, but also on the experience travelers incurred from previous situations. Over the past several years, the analysis of these behavioral responses (travelers’ route choices) to fluctuations in travel-time variability has become a central topic in transportation research. These have generally been based on theoretical approaches built upon Wardropian equilibrium, or empirical formulations using Random Utility Theory. This report focuses on the travel behavior of commuters using Interstate 394 (I-394) and the swapping (bridge) choice behavior of commuters crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. The inferences of this report are based on collected Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking data and accompanying surveys. Furthermore, it also employs two distinct approaches (estimation of Value of Reliability [VOR] and econometric modeling with travelers’ intrapersonal data) in order to analyze the behavioral responses of two distinct sets of subjects in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul (Twin Cities) area. KW - Commuters KW - Econometric models KW - Global Positioning System KW - Route choice KW - Surveys KW - Travel time KW - Travel time reliability KW - Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minnesota) KW - Value of reliability UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2010 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/130 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42800/42823/OTREC-RR-11-21_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122218 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356725 AU - Kim, David S AU - Porter, J David AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Green and Economic Fleet Replacement Modeling – Part I PY - 2011/10//Final Report SP - 62p AB - The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how equipment replacement decisions are supported with data collection and quantitative models at state departments of transportation (DOTs), and to determine if models found in the research literature offer any better decision support when applied to realistic fleet usage and cost data. This study also addressed the current state of equipment replacement at state DOTs with respect to using measurable “green” criteria in replacement decisions, and the development of new quantitative replacement models utilizing such criteria. The responses from 25 state DOTs indicate that there is little consistency in the criteria used by state DOTs to support replacement decisions and the way that these criteria are used. There are also no measurable “green” criteria utilized. However, most state DOTs maintain an information system where cost and usage data are recorded, stored, and utilized as part of the replacement process. To investigate if a particular modeling approach offers better performance than the variety of approaches used in practice, a simulation study was conducted. Simulation models were used to evaluate the effectiveness of replacement models for prioritizing equipment replacement. The models evaluated come from the research literature and were compared to a simple replacement model that is similar to those used by state DOTs. Results indicate that the simple models used in practice provide similar results to the best model from the research literature. KW - Construction and maintenance equipment KW - Cost data KW - Decision making KW - Decision support systems KW - Equipment replacement KW - Fleet management KW - Mathematical models KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2005 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/305 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122181 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376415 AU - Lyons, William AU - Morse, Lindsey AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Transit at the Table III: A Guide to Effective Participation in Statewide Decision-making for Transit Agencies in Non-Urbanized Areas PY - 2011/09/63/Final Report SP - 56p AB - This report draws upon eight State case studies to identify processes, experiences, and results of transit participation in statewide planning with a focus on non-urbanized or rural areas. Transit at the Table III is intended as a resource for organizations directly or indirectly involved in providing rural transit–state departments of transportation (DOTs), regional planning organizations (RPOs), rural transit agencies, and their partners, including business, universities, Tribes, federal land management units,healthcare providers, and others. This study is the third in the “Transit at the Table” series on successful participation by transit agencies in federally-required metropolitan area and statewide transportation planning processes. This report consists of a synthesis of the case studies, a discussion of observations and challenges, a section on the role of transit in rural livability, a self-assessment checklist for transit operators, and a list of resources. This report is a product of the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program and can be found at www.planning.dot.gov along with case studies of each of the eight States. KW - Case studies KW - Regional planning KW - Rural transit KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44500/44596/TAT_III_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144182 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01372799 AU - Lyons, William AU - Morse, Lindsey AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Transit at theTable III: A Guide to Effective Participation in Statewide Decisionmaking for Transit Agencies in Non-Urbanized Areas PY - 2011/09/30/Final Report SP - 56p AB - This report draws upon eight State case studies to identify processes ,experiences, and results of transit participation in statewide planning with a focus on non-urbanized or rural areas.Transit at the Table III is intended as a resource for organizations directly or indirectly involved in providing rural transit–state departments of transportation (DOTs), regional planning organizations (RPOs), rural transit agencies,and their partners, including business, universities, Tribes, federal land management units, health care providers, and others. This study is the third in the “Transit at the Table” series on successful participation by transit agencies in federally-required metropolitan area and statewide transportation planning processes. This report consists of a synthesis of the case studies, a discussion of observations and challenges, a section on the role of transit in rural livability, a self-assessment checklist for transit operators, and a list of resources. This report is a product of the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program and can be found at www.planning.dot.gov along with case studies of each of the eight States. KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Regional planning KW - Rural transit KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44500/44596/TAT_III_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1140789 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363342 AU - Li, Qiang AU - Mills, Leslie AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Delaware Center for Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Implications of Climate Change on Pavement Performance and Design PY - 2011/09/25/Final Report SP - 123p AB - Pavements are designed based on historic climatic patterns, reflecting local climate and incorporating assumptions about a reasonable range of temperatures and precipitation levels. Given anticipated climate changes and the inherent uncertainty associated with such changes, a pavement could be subjected to very different climatic conditions over the design life and might be inadequate to withstand future climate forces that impose stresses beyond environmental factors currently considered in the design process. This research explores the impacts of potential climate change and its uncertainty on pavement performance and therefore pavement design. Two tools are integrated to simulate pavement conditions over a variety of scenarios. The first tool, MAGICC/SCENGEN (Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse‐gas Induced Climate Change: A regional Climate Scenario Generator), provides estimates of the magnitude of potential climate change and its uncertainty. The second tool, the Mechanistic‐Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software analyzes the deterioration of pavement performance. Three important questions are addressed: (1) How does pavement performance deteriorate differently with climate change and its uncertainty? (2) What is the risk if climate change and its uncertainty are not considered in pavement design? and (3) How do pavement designers respond and incorporate this change into pavement design process? This research develops a framework to incorporate climate change effects into the mechanistic-empirical based pavement design. Three test sites in the North Eastern United States are studied and the framework is applied. It demonstrates that the framework is a robust and effective way to integrate climate change into pavement design as an adaptation strategy. KW - Climate change KW - Deterioration KW - Environmental impacts KW - Mechanistic design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/20110926_FinalReport_Pavement_ClimateChange.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131916 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01493120 TI - Commercial Driver Training Survey AB - The goal of this project is to examine the relationship between amount (i.e., training hours) and types of entry-level commercial motor vehicle training programs and measurable safety outcomes KW - Commercial drivers KW - Driver training KW - Training programs KW - Trucking safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1262813 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361009 AU - Hill, John D AU - Brooks, Colin AU - Erickson, Tyler AU - Kazoil, Ben AU - Endsley, K Arthur AU - Michigan Technological University, Houghton AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrating Clarus Weather Station Data and State Crash Data Into a Travel Decision Support Tool PY - 2011/09/23/Final Report SP - 28p AB - 2009 crash data from the State of Michigan was combined with weather data from four Clarus weather stations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Crashes were monitored within a 50 mile radius and associated with weather conditions at the Clarus station. From this data, a series of regression models were then created based on critical tipping points of weather data, as well as continuous weather observations. This provides an algorithm consisting of seven risk equations which are used under differing weather conditions. The crash risk algorithm was then combined with a time based algorithm in order to recommend a route. The relative weighting of crash risk and time is established by the user. Using an open source geospatial routing tool and open source road network software, a recommended route is defined. KW - Clarus KW - Crash data KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Michigan KW - Regression analysis KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43200/43280/FHWA-JPO-11-162_FINAL__PDF_Version_.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44380/FHWA-JPO-11-162_FINAL__PDF_Version_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126435 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445986 AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - Burger, Charlotte AU - White Mountain National Forest AU - Appalachian Mountain Club AU - Plymouth State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - White Mountain National Forest Alternative Transportation Study PY - 2011/09/22 SP - 141p AB - The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is one of the most visited federal lands for recreation in the country, attracting 1.7 million visitors annually. But growth in visitation to the WMNF is increasingly affecting the visitor experience and the WMNF’s natural resources. This report documents a planning effort to improve car-free travel options in and around the forest. It documents visitor use trends and transportation issues, explores partnership opportunities for alternative transportation implementation; and identifies options for additional alternative transportation planning or implementation projects. It concludes with recommendations and possible future scenarios for alternative transportation systems. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Implementation KW - National parks KW - Passenger transportation KW - Recommendations KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation planning KW - White Mountain National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43100/43132/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-11-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212597 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537873 AU - Mills, Joshua B AU - Fricker, Jon D AU - Purdue University AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Regional Economic Impacts of Bypasses: A Longitudinal Study Incorporating Spatial Panel Econometrics and Multilevel Modeling PY - 2011/09/21/Final Report SP - 101p AB - This paper describes an integrated approach to documenting and quantifying the impacts of bypasses on small communities, with a focus on what economic impacts, if any, occur, and how these impacts change over time. Two similarly sized communities in Indiana, a subset of twelve communities analyzed in a previous report (Fricker and Mills 2009), are discussed in this report. One of these communities has had a bypass in place for 40 years, and the other community has been a candidate for a bypass for several years. The socioeconomics impacts on the community with the bypass are documented in terms of (1) the decisions made by public officials as learned through case study interviews, and (2) the changes in employment in various industry sectors, as quantified by the development of random effects statistical models. The long-term impacts and lessons learned concerning the bypassed community are then used to offer suggestions on how communities could benefit from a bypass. The integrated approach of combining case studies with advanced statistical methodologies was found to be helpful in painting a clearer picture of how communities with bypasses were impacted. KW - Bypasses KW - Case studies KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Indiana KW - Small towns KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/059PY03%20final%20report%20The%20Regional%20Economic%20Impacts%20of%20Bypasses%20A%20Longitudinal%20Study%20Incorporating%20Spatial%20Panel%20Econometrics%20and%20Multilevel%20Modeling.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323832 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447100 AU - Mills, Joshua B AU - Fricker, Jon D AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation and Socioeconomic Impacts of Bypasses on Communities: An Integrated Synthesis of Panel Data, Multilevel, and Spatial Econometric Models with Case Studies PY - 2011/09/21/Final Report SP - 101p AB - Bypasses, which redirect through traffic around a community‟s downtown area, could have substantial impacts. Identifying these impacts and attributing these impacts solely to the presence of a bypass has posed a challenge to decision makers and researchers. The economic impacts have the potential to be long term and far reaching. Because impacts take place over a long period of time, and because these impacts cannot be easily isolated due to economic externalities (such as recessions), researchers have found it difficult to establish a standard estimation framework for determining bypass impacts. Recent studies have used econometric and other quantitative methods to determine the extent of these economic impacts. This study will use longitudinal mixed-effects models to study the economic impacts of eight bypasses located in north central Indiana. KW - Bypasses KW - Case studies KW - Communities KW - Econometric models KW - Economic impacts KW - Impacts KW - Indiana KW - Panel studies KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20029.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214516 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467644 TI - Life-Cycle Progression Study For Tractors, Trailers and Motorcoaches in North American Fleets AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) intends for this project to improve the safety of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) by investigating the life cycle of commercial vehicles: tractors, trailers and motor coaches. By quantifying the life cycle progression of commercial vehicles in the North American market, better and more accurate assessment of cost-benefits for numerous on-board safety systems can be performed. By providing relevant and accurate cost benefit information to CMV stakeholders, the transfer of safety technologies to CMVs will be increased. Several factors create a broad range in the average age of commercial vehicles in service: type of owner (independent, fleet, lease), geographic location, vocation, vehicle type. A better understanding of the needs and the realities of this equipment could lead to a better assessment of high priority focus areas for the agency. In particular, the ability to detect when a carrier that has lost its operating authority moves their vehicles to a reincarnated 'chameleon' carrier. State vehicle registration databases are the potential source of information suggested for this study. The ability and potential costs to access the data as well as the format are not fully known. It is desired that many years of registration data be made available for analysis. Furthermore, data from as many states as possible shall be compiled because registration locality of these vehicles may change over the lifetime of these vehicles. KW - Buses KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Data collection KW - Highway safety KW - Life cycle analysis KW - North America KW - Trucks UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235880 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494913 TI - Testing and Evaluating Close-Range Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for Monitoring and Automatically detecting Pavement Conditions and Improve Visual Inspection Procedures AB - The objective is to evaluate the use of synthetic apeture radar (SAR) for monitoring pavement conditions, and in particular, understand if pavement cracking can be automatically detected using SAR. KW - Inspection KW - Monitoring KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavements KW - Radar KW - Synthethic aperture radar UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264147 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01492311 TI - Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Study for "Automated Trailer VIN Number Identification and Sequencing System" AB - This program is an Interagency Agreement with the Volpe National Transportation Research Center for project administration services in support of Phase I of the study on developing "New technologies to transmit trailer vehicle identification numbers to the powered unit" under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. KW - Automatic vehicle identification KW - Automation KW - Small business KW - Technological innovations KW - Trailers KW - Vehicle identification numbers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261343 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01490774 TI - Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Study for "Effectively Enforce Anti-texting Rules on Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers" AB - Interagency Agreement with the Volpe National Transportation Research Center for project administration services in support of Phase I of the study on developing "New technologies to better enforce anti-texting laws for commercial motor vehicle drivers" under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Motor carriers KW - Project management KW - Small business KW - Technological innovations KW - Text messaging KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1260544 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01486025 TI - Promoting Best Practices on Transportation and Livability Linkages AB - This project will develop a series of pilot projects focused on comprehensive multimodal mobility planning for gateway communities. The pilot program will consist of identifying unique needs of the gateway communities, identifying the needs of Federal Lands Management Agencies that are adjacent to these gateway communities, and the current state of transportation planning and infrastructure. Based on these elements a pilot action plan will be developed to: (1) look at the current planning practices in mitigating congestion; (2) mitigate environmental impacts to the resource; and (3) develop a planning pilot program that will advance a multimodal transportation system to minimize impacts to the resource. KW - Best practices KW - Environmental impacts KW - Federal Land Management Agencies KW - Gateways KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Pilot studies KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1255646 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370164 AU - Sanddal, Teri L AU - Sanddal, Nels D AU - Ward, Nicolas AU - Stanley, Laura AU - Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation, Inc. AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rural EMS Driver Safety Research Program: A Phase I Feasibility Study, Executive Summary PY - 2011/09/14/Executive Summary SP - 3p AB - As a pilot study, the project work plan focused on the feasibility of (a) gathering baseline data on EMS driving behaviors associated with rural ambulance crashes as well as (b) measuring the potential safety benefits of onboard driving quality feedback systems (QFS) within a rural ambulance fleet. Four out of the 6 original tasks have been completed. This summary reports on the progress of the 6 original tasks. KW - Ambulances KW - Driving KW - Emergency medical services KW - Highway safety KW - Performance KW - Rural areas KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/download.ashx?file=documents/reports/4W2008_Exec_Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136564 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01486021 TI - Transborder Freight Data AB - The objective of this project is to support BTS transborder freight data program and development of annual export weight estimates. Ongoing support for special data projects from the Census Bureau to support FAF estimates and border program apportionments. KW - Data collection KW - Exports KW - Freight traffic KW - International borders KW - Transborder data flow KW - Weight UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1255642 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467642 TI - Motorcoach Safety App for Passengers AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) intends for this project to improve the safety of commercial motor vehicles by providing the general public with a mobile device application (App) that provides safety rating information on passenger/motor coach companies. KW - Applications KW - Buses KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Highway safety KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235878 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368791 AU - Vandervalk, Anita AU - Snyder, Dena AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-Time Data Capture and Management Evaluation and Performance Measures - Evaluation Framework PY - 2011/09/06 SP - 61p AB - Through connected vehicle research, the U.S. DOT Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) is leading an effort to assess the potential for systematic and dynamic data capture from vehicles, travelers and the transportation system infrastructure to enhance current operational practices and transform future surface transportation systems management. The crosscutting Real-Time Data Capture and Management (DCM) Program is the vehicle for this important effort. The purpose of the Real-Time Data Capture and Management Evaluation and Performance Measures project is twofold: 1) To identify a set of performance measures that can be used to evaluate data sets and data environments that are developed during Phase II (Research) of the DCM program; and 2) To develop an evaluation framework to quantify the benefits of the data sets and data environments developed through the program. This project will support the evaluation of quantitative and qualitative benefits from research conducted as part of Phase II the DCM Program. The measures and framework may be refined in Phase II (Research) and further tested in Phase III (Implementation) of the DCM Program. KW - Data capture KW - Ground transportation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Performance measurement KW - Real time data processing KW - Travelers UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44329/Real-Time_Data_Capture__Management_Evaluation_and_Performance_Measures-Evaluation_Framework_Report__FHWA-JPO-11-136___November_2011_508.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137358 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577867 TI - Design of a Catalytic-Cone Reactor for Direct Conversion of Woody Biomass to Transportation Fuels AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Biomass fuels KW - Catalysis KW - Energy conversion KW - Wood UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371122 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575995 TI - Selective Catalytic Deoxygenation of Carbohydrates AB - No summary provided. KW - Carbohydrates KW - Catalysis KW - Oxygen content UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369385 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575591 TI - Bioprospecting for Enzymes to Break Lignin-Hemicellulose Bonds AB - This research project will do the following: (1) Elucidate the synthetic pathways to models of non-glycosidic ether bonds between lignin and hemicellulose; (2) Isolate 3-5 potential sources of an enzyme that can specifically cleave those bonds and facilitate their identification; (3) Increase the efficiency in biofuel production from lignin-hemicellulose based biomass; and (4) Increase environmental friendliness of biorefineries. KW - Biomass KW - Biomass fuels KW - Cellulose KW - Environmental impacts KW - Lignin KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368245 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575505 TI - Selective Catalytic Deoxygenation of Carbohydrates AB - No summary provided. KW - Carbohydrates KW - Catalysis KW - Oxygen content UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367879 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01568914 TI - Rapid Field Detection of Moisture Content for Base and Subgrade AB - Water content in pavement materials plays a critical role both in construction and performance. During the construction phase, the water content influences compaction; in performance, water content significantly influences strength, modulus, and permanent deformation characteristics. While efforts exist to link design and construction by accepting compacted materials based on modulus, these efforts historically have been hindered due to the dependence of modulus on water content. For modulus-based acceptance to be implementable, companion water content measurements are necessary at the time of acceptance testing. Although the nuclear gauge can provide water content measurements in the field, restrictions and licensing requirements make the use of that gauge somewhat burdensome to agencies; test procedures are needed using rapid, accurate, non-nuclear moisture-measurement methods. To make the possibility of modulus-based acceptance an implementable reality by including nonnuclear moisture measurement, this project will: (1) Evaluate and rank non-nuclear techniques for measuring water content in soils and bases used in pavement construction. (2) Develop test procedures in the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) format for measuring water content with non-nuclear methods. (3) Produce a training workshop and training materials. (4) Produce a training DVD. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Compaction KW - Measurement KW - Moisture content KW - Pavement performance KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/research/new-research/0-6676/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359409 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01568913 TI - Improving Fracture Resistance Measurement in Asphalt Binder Specification with Verification on Asphalt Mixtures Cracking AB - The current performance grading (PG) specification for asphalt binders was developed during the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), it is based primarily on the study of unmodified asphalt binders. Over the years experience has proven that the PG grading system, while good for ensuring overall quality, fails in some cases to guarantee good rutting and cracking performance, particularly as it applies to modified binders. Specifically, recent studies on mixes with highly modified binders from out of state (Minnesota) found that the MnRoad mixes have substantially improved cold weather cracking properties than mixes currently used in Texas, while still passing Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) Hamburg rutting requirements. To eliminate this type of apparent discrepancy AASHTO has adopted a new PG grading system based on the Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery (MSCR) test which is claimed to encourage the adoption of binders which are softer but still retain the required rut resistant. The benefits of the new grading system have not been verified for Texas asphalt binders and mixes. The major objectives of project 0-6674 are: (1) Determine if the new AASHTO MSCR-based binder grading system is superior to the current TxDOT binder grading system; (2) Identify/develop a simple test method or methods to characterize fracture and adhesive properties of asphalt binders and associated tentative specification limits; (3) Determine if the asphalt binders not currently used in Texas would potentially improve overlay performance, if so conduct an associated cost-benefit analysis; (4) Identify optimal asphalt binder/aggregate combinations for different environmental zones in Texas; (5) Develop and initially populate a catalogue of all these measured (binder, binder/fine aggregate mastic, and asphalt mix) properties with relevant information that can be used to track the field performance of pavements constructed using these asphalt binders. KW - Asphalt KW - Binders KW - Fracture mechanics KW - Multiple Stress Creep Recovery KW - Pavements KW - Rut resistance KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/research/new-research/0-6674/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359408 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566291 TI - Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel in Chittenden County Vermont: Part III AB - In the first part of this project, a Transportation Research Center (TRC) team gathered automated hourly pedestrian counts from a sidewalk in downtown Montpelier, Vermont to determine if temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and wind affect the number of walkers. The researchers found that, after adjusting for time of day and day of week, weather and seasonal variables explained 30 percent of the variations in pedestrian volume -- and that bad weather such as cold temperature or precipitation consistently affected walking traffic, but by only a moderate amount (less than 20 percent). For the next part of this project, hourly distributions of non-motorized traffic data at 9 locations along shared-use paths in Chittenden County, Vermont were investigated for a linkage between total daily volumes, daily distributions, and surrounding land-use. The analysis failed to reveal significant variations in the hourly distributions relative to the land-use proximate to the count location. The findings were then used to identify temporal and spatial gaps to provide a robust, heterogeneous data set for non-motorized travel modeling and exposure estimation. Additional regression analyses was also conducted on a separate set of intersection-based non-motorized traffic counts to determine more generally if a connection exists between pedestrian and biking volumes and proximate land use. A geographically-weighted regression was performed which was sensitive to spatial autocorrelation in the dependent and independent variables. The University of Vermont (UVM) TRC is currently developing a new method of collecting non-motorized travel counts in rural locations, using a closed-circuit camera. This new method is being used to collect counts at the 18 new locations in support of the calculation of total bike and pedestrian miles of travel (BPMTs) in the County. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Intersection elements KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Walking KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.uvm.edu/trc/university-transportation-center/utc-current-project-list/bicycle-and-pedestrian-travel-in-chittenden-county-vermont-part-iii-work-plan/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357468 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01534221 TI - The NASP Bond Test as a Predictor of Strand Bond, Transfer Length, and Development Length-Phase 2 AB - The research team hypothesized that the North American Strand Producers (NASP) test could be used to evaluate bond of prestressing strand in concrete. Specifically, that the test would predict transfer and development lengths of strand in different types of concrete, such as self-consolidating concrete and high-volume fly ash concrete. The researchers found a reasonable correlation between the NASP test and measured transfer and development lengths, but because of the cost of full-scale specimen tests, the number of tests are limited. To provide additional data, the research team will model the bond of prestressing strand in concrete using finite element analyses. The purpose of the analyses is to perform parametric studies on the different variables to determine if a stronger correlation exists between the NASP test and transfer and development lengths of prestressing strand. Dr. K. Chandrashekhara - Curators' Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering - has significant expertise in analytical modeling of complex material behavior and will be added to the project to provide this expertise and strengthen this additional phase of the project. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Finite element method KW - Fly ash KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Prestressed strands KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Testing KW - Transfer length UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/research/r319/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319700 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01485994 AU - Zhang, Michael AU - Qian, Sean AU - University of California, Davis AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Work Zone Traffic Management PY - 2011/09/01/Final Report SP - 89p AB - Nonrecurrent traffic congestion caused by construction work constitutes a large proportion of traffic congestion on highways. In a previous project a comprehensive work zone traffic impact assessment procedure was developed using a series of state-of-the-art dynamic network analysis tools as building blocks and implemented it into a work zone traffic impact assessment software package called NetZone. This software package is capable of estimating time-dependent travel demand based on link counts, estimating demand reduction in response to work zone delay and various traffic management measures, showing traffic congestion level in the network over time, and providing network-wide traffic performance measures. In this project, the modeling functions of NetZone were improved with additional modeling elements such as HOV lanes. A full scale application of the improved NetZone, the evaluation of the Fix-I5 reconstruction project in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, is presented. This demonstrates that one can use NetZone to study a large network in a fraction of the time needed to use a micro-simulation package for the same network. The developed methods and tools can help better plan and operate construction activities on highways, and more effectively manage traffic to reduce travel delays. KW - Case studies KW - Microsimulation KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Road networks KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic models KW - Travel demand KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.dot.ca.gov/newtech/researchreports/reports/2011/netzone_final_report_r.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm55b068f/1/UCD-ITS-RP-11-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247836 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01482606 TI - Integration of Real-Time Mapping Technology in Disaster Relief Distribution AB - Vehicle routing in humanitarian logistics, such as disaster relief distribution, involves many challenges that distinguish these problems from those in commercial settings, given the time sensitive and resource constrained nature of relief activities. While operations research approaches can improve the effectiveness of relief routing, these challenges must be addressed in routing models in order to realize the potential of the approaches. There have been many promising advances in the literature on relief routing, and aid organizations have been collaborating with academic researchers to increase the practicality of such models. Increases in the availability and use of information technology in the wake of disasters can further the effectiveness of routing models for aid distribution. Presently, challenges still remain to make routing models more applicable to humanitarian aid delivery and more integrated with new streams of imagery, mapping, and crowd-sourced real-time data. The proposed research focuses on dynamic routing models for the distribution of relief supplies in humanitarian settings. The project will focus on the potential to improve these models, and thus improve the effectiveness of humanitarian relief, by using new mapping technologies and real-time information to mitigate the effects of dynamic changes during humanitarian crisis and disasters and the significant uncertainty that exists in these settings. The proposed work will evaluate the improvements from these technologies for relief organizations in the field and develop a set of test cases for the research community to better design and test their routing models and solution approaches. To facilitate wide implementation and potential commercialization of the work, the developed test cases will be available online to practitioners and academicians, through a server dedicated to Humanitarian and Non-Profit Logistics at Northwestern University. KW - Disaster relief KW - Dynamic routing KW - Information technology KW - Mapping KW - Real time information KW - Vehicle routing problem UR - http://www.ccitt.northwestern.edu/research/projects/Dolinskaya_Y5-04.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251486 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01480742 TI - MIT Employee Commuter Behavior Trial AB - This project seeks to investigate the impact of deploying disruptive technologies (specifically, "real-time" location-aware mobile phone applications and individual web-based incentives for choosing alternative modes) to address a disruptive environment issue (namely, the reconstruction of nearly all of the Charles River crossings and other major highway infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) that is estimated to reduce roadway capacity across the Charles River by 15-25% over the next ten years. The project will be undertaken in parallel with a foundation-funded effort to develop and deploy on a trial basis a customized "MIT centric" mobile phone application that will simultaneously provide real-time ridesharing opportunities among MIT subscribers as well as real-time "next bus and train" information that integrates information from an MBTA server, providing both bus stop and Red Line rapid transit station arrival predictions, along with similar information on MIT's private shuttle bus arrivals. In addition, these mobile technologies will be introduced along with a new state-sponsored, web-based reward incentive program (from NuRide, Inc.) for all MIT commuters who choose to commute by any mode other than single-occupant auto. The MIT research team will initially help design the roll-out of these innovations to the community and subsequently monitor and analyze the commuter behavioral response to the alternative mode campaign. KW - Charles River KW - Commuting KW - Employees KW - Massachusetts Institute of Technology KW - Real time information KW - Ridesharing KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation information UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249815 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01474836 TI - Transportation Mega-Project Decision-Making: The Case of NY 2nd Ave Subway AB - Increasing population and economic activity in urban areas have intensified the need for more efficient public transportation. Such efforts include the expansion of existing transportation systems and the construction of new infrastructure projects. Either way, such investments require careful prioritization, evaluation and selection among competing project alternatives. But the decision-making processes seem far from rational, as attested by commonly observed overextended project planning, cost over-runs and demand over-estimates. Research on transportation mega-projects hypothesizes political considerations as well as irrational decision-making processes. Yet, to date not much research has been carried out to establish analytically and empirically the key factors which underlie such decision-making practices. The scant research on the subject points to political motivation, interest groups and funding availability as dominant factors. Yet, the statistical validity and significance level of these factors have yet to be ascertained using established research methods. Against this background the main objective of the proposed research is to examine methodically how economic, organizational and political factors affect decision-making on transportation mega-projects investment. To this end the project will seek to analyze a comprehensive database of international transportation mega-projects. In the New York (NY) metropolitan area, heavily dependent on public transport, an insufficient and aging public infrastructure is a particularly problematic, yet transportation solutions seem very slow. The proposed paper seeks to make sense of this dilemma by comparing the case of the New York Second Avenue Subway to a comprehensive data base of currently 55 international transportation mega-projects, expansion pending. It includes information on projects' history, planning, politics, economic and finance, and projects' cost and demand results. Subsequently the project will use statistical methods to elicit the key factors which determine the selection of transportation mega-projects. Once the project establishes these factors the project next would like to determine how well they can explain the decision to carry out the NY City Second Avenue Subway mega-project. This project cannot be explained on the basis of conventional social cost-benefit rationale, but rather on the basis of the political and organizational factors discovered by the preceding analysis of the database. The project will further test for the hypothesis that common phenomena such as costs over-run is not just the results of project delays and technical risks but rather the outcome of the non transportation-economic decision process such as that of the 2nd Avenue subway. There are several reasons to choose the Second Avenue Subway project. First, prior research projects endowed us with some in-depth knowledge about this particular metropolitan transportation effort. Second, it is one of the projects for which only an incomplete cost-benefit analysis has been done, and arguably the "real" costs and benefits have not been sufficiently proved. Located in the New York metropolitan area, the project will argue that it is a quite typical urban project, which illustrates major associated nuances and problems of projects in dense urban and metropolitan areas. A comparison with other projects in the data base will also allow to evaluate whether it fits the patterns of large-scale infrastructure projects more generally, independent of their context. KW - Cost overruns KW - Decision making KW - Megaprojects KW - New York (New York) KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Public transit UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/transportation-mega-project-case-ny-2nd-ave-subway UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1245434 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467914 TI - Innovative Freight Logistics Partnering in the Material Reuse Sector AB -

New York City's Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability issued an updated version of PlaNYC, the city's comprehensive long range plan to improve the environment and quality of life for future New Yorkers, in April 2011. Among many goals stated in the plan, the city aims to divert 75 percent of solid waste from landfills by 2030. A primary initiative identified to achieve this goal is to increase material reuse in the city. Materials that are no longer needed by individuals and businesses can be redistributed to others in need rather than placed in a landfill. Having recognized the potential for material reuse in the city, the Department of Sanitation established the New York City (NYC) WasteMatch service in 1997. WasteMatch, which is operated by the NYC Materials Exchange Development Program (MEDP) at the City College of New York, provides a web-based matching service to find potential users for donated materials. Currently, the MEDP includes 53 non-profit and for-profit partner agencies, and since its inception, WasteMatch has diverted more than 25,000 tons of material from landfills. A broad range of diverted materials include books, computers, bicycles, office furniture, and building materials. The potential for continued growth in the volume of diverted material is severely constrained by logistical challenges in transporting donated goods. Materials can only be donated for reuse if: (1) a secondary user can be identified, (2) that secondary user has available transportation resources to move a load, and (3) the secondary user can meet the sometimes strict time constraints of the donating agency to make an exchange. The transportation options available to reuse agencies vary considerably. While a few agencies have their own fleet of trucks available for goods exchange, many others with limited staff and monetary resources are required to hire commercial carriers, to rent vehicles, or even to rely on volunteer drivers to pick up donated goods. Smaller agencies, whose pick-up needs are infrequent or irregular, are often required to hire a carrier or vehicle for an individual movement at the last minute, usually at a high cost. If vehicles or drivers are not available at the necessary time, the opportunity for reuse is lost. At the same time that material reuse agencies are in need of freight capacity, there are a large number of commercial trucks operating in the city with excess capacity. According to the NYC Department of Transportation, more than 100,000 freight deliveries are made every day in Manhattan alone. Many of the trucks delivering goods to city destinations return to their origin empty, leading to inefficient operations for the carrier as well as for the city's highway network. This empty backhaul capacity could potentially be utilized to meet the needs of the material reuse sector without increasing the total volume of freight traffic on New York City's streets. The goal of this research is to explore the opportunity for innovative partnering between material reuse agencies and commercial carriers to leverage available freight capacity to enable material exchange. This project will examine potential individual or joint contracting structures to allow for more reliable freight availability to reuse agencies, as well as potential incentives to encourage commercial carriers to offer low cost or even no-cost freight transportation services to these agencies. A survey of the reuse agencies currently participating in WasteMatch will be performed to characterize the transportation needs of the reuse sector. A second survey of commercial carriers will also be performed to explore the availability of freight capacity, to identify appropriate incentives, and to examine any operational or regulatory barriers that might inhibit potential partnering structures. The transportation needs of the material reuse sector have been relatively unexplored in academic literature. This study will provide a synthesis of the state of the practice for transportation logistics in the material reuse sector and will provide an analysis of feasible alternatives for partnering between commercial carriers and material reuse agencies. Ultimately, the results of this study will serve as a source of information for cities looking to increase material reuse and as a basis for development of a pilot partnership program here in New York City.

KW - Building materials KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Landfills KW - Logistics KW - Long range planning KW - Materials KW - New York (New York) KW - Urban goods movement KW - Wastes UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/innovative-freight-logistics-partnering UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236150 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467856 TI - Conduct Urban Agglomeration with the Baton of Transportation - RPI AB - The goal of this study is to identify transportation planning strategies that will lead to envisioned smart growth patterns. In pursuit of this goal, the study aims at achieving two objectives: (1) understand the dynamic working process of planning strategies and (2) design efficient transportation policies and investment plans that will result in optimal agglomeration patterns. Most urban areas today are either experiencing notable deagglomeration or agglomeration. The former leads to sprawl into suburbia and loss of vibrancy in downtown areas while the latter suggests increasingly high population density and overload of infrastructure systems. Realizing consequences of such trends, planners are now eager for "smart growth", which aims at stimulating optimal urban agglomeration patterns, hence sustainable and livable communities. Unfortunately, despite the existence of numerous sophisticated models on urban systems, designing the optimal planning strategies remains a challenge. One major reason is the intrinsic nature of current predictive models: they are designed to address the after-effects of certain strategy. The implication is that residents respond to given stimuli by either relocating or changing their activity patterns until the system achieves new equilibrium. The predictive models only address the static status of this new equilibrium. Such framework has several limitations. First, even with exhaustive data collection and rigorous modeling, the findings still cannot be directly transferred to future scenarios because of the rapid changes of technology and people's value systems. It thus has little real "predictive" power. Second, it is unable to describe the transitioning process from the original equilibrium to the new one, which means it disregards the interactions between planners and residents once the strategy is implemented. In reality, planners are often willing and able to take more proactive roles to make adjustments based on residents' reactions, making the planning a dynamic process. This study will establish a framework that addresses the interactions between all stakeholders and the transition process caused by the implementation of planning strategies. Dynamic transportation planning strategies will thus be designed to induce the agglomeration gradually to the desired pattern. The study will build on the combination of urban economic models and experimental economic approaches: First, factors influencing urban agglomeration will be summarized based on previous studies. "Homogeneous communities" will then be defined and used as the basic units: Tiebout Sorting suggests that people sharing similar socio-economic characteristics will naturally aggregate to get public goods of their common interests. Therefore, demographic characteristics, residence and employment locations may be used to define such "homogeneous communities". These communities will be used as the basic units because their members respond similarly to certain incentives. This smart way of aggregation allows for enough analysis accuracy without suffering from the computational efficiency problems encountered by disaggregate agent-based models. The third step is to extend the classic urban economic models into irregularly-shaped urban areas in geographic information systems (GIS). This step will establish a theoretical framework that links influential factors to every "homogeneous community" across the urban area. The last step is experimental economic analysis based on this theoretical framework. The economic connections between stakeholders will be mimicked by players with simulated interactions. Through experiments, the working process of different transportation planning strategies can be observed, and the most efficient one will be selected. This proposed study will contribute significantly to integrated land use-transportation studies. Especially for the State of New York, where unfavorable deagglomeration and agglomeration are observed in different parts of the state, designing dynamic transportation planning strategies to stimulate "smart growth" is more than necessary. From this perspective, the proposed study directly addresses University Transportation Research Center's (UTRC's) mission of planning, management, and responses to change. KW - Activity patterns KW - Agglomeration economies KW - Demographics KW - Predictive models KW - Smart growth KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/urban-agglomeration-baton-transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236092 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467852 TI - Prediction of Impact on Transport System due to Coastal Flooding under Climate Change AB - Global warming and climate change are reshaping our world in many ways. One of their most obvious evidences is sea level rise due to melting of polar glaciers and arctic ice. It is estimated that global sea level rise is at an alarming rate of 0.18cm/yr during 1961-2003, it is even higher at 0.3cm/yr during 1993-2003, and research estimates that sea level could range from 0.8 to 2 m by 2100 under glaciological conditions. Another important consequence of global warming is pattern change and increased variance of precipitation around the world; precipitation increasing and hurricanes becoming stronger and more frequent in high latitudes (Northern Hemisphere). The Northeast region is projected to see an increase in winter precipitation on the order of 20 to 30 percent. Combined effects from sea level rise and increase of variance of precipitation could result in catastrophic coastal flooding under hurricanes and winter storms, putting many major transportation infrastructures, including highways, bridges, and railroads at great risk. The Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) initiated a national study on potential impacts of climate change on U.S. transportation infrastructures. Coastal flood evolution involves multi-physics/multi-scale phenomena and currently there is no appropriate modeling tool to predict impact of coastal flooding on transportation systems. In prediction of flooding at transportation systems, two crucial issues have to be addressed: 1) desired accuracy and resolution in time and space for flooding at transportation systems, 2) modeling of storm surges with sharp fronts (such as the Tsunami in Japan on March, 2011). In view of current status of conditions, the most promising and feasible approach is hybrid method that couples different well-tested models designed for individual water flows. Recently developed were brand new hybrid methods implemented into a framework that couples different models and also applied it to coastal flooding at Cape May, NJ under projected climate change conditions. The framework provides attention to actual transportation systems that will also be examined. It is expected that the results will be published in a prestigious journal. unprecedented platform to predict and resolve flooding at transportation systems. This project is to study the hybrid methods and validate the developed modeling framework previously proposed in [6-9] on rigorous foundations. In particular, theoretical analysis such as order of accuracy and stability of the framework and systematical numerical experiments on its performance in aspect of solution quality will be made. Feasibility and strategies for its application to actual transportation systems will also be examined. It is expected that the results will be published in a prestigious journal. KW - Cape May County (New Jersey) KW - Climate change KW - Floods KW - Flow capacity (Water flow) KW - Impact assessment KW - Storm surges KW - Transportation infrastructure UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/prediction-of-impact-on-transport-system UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236088 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463450 TI - The Effects of Learning through the Arts on Transportation Knowledge and Skills of Elementary School Students, University Students and Classroom Teachers-Phase 3 AB - The purpose of this study is to enhance knowledge of geographic concepts, particularly transportation, through the lens of dance and theater. Students and their teachers will gain knowledge through an interdisciplinary approach that combines the teaching of geography with the arts. This project will benefit current and future educators, artists, and geography researchers. The participants will include 4th and 5th grade students attending elementary school in Newark, Delaware, their teachers, and University of Delaware students with expertise in the arts and geography. KW - Cultural resources KW - Education KW - Elementary school students KW - Geography KW - Interdisciplinary studies KW - Newark (Delaware) UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/Overby_The%20Effects%20of%20Learning.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231676 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463449 TI - Investigation of Load-Path Redundancy in Aging Steel Bridges- Phase 2 AB - A key factor affecting the resiliency of transportation infrastructure is aging. Furthermore, the current age of the nation&rsquo;s transportation infrastructure relative to the financial resources available for infrastructure investments causes aging to be one of the biggest challenges facing civil engineers in the coming years. As a result of these demands, the project entitled &quot;Investigation of Load-Path Redundancy in Aging Steel Bridges&quot; was initiated in 2010 to systematically quantify the actual system capacity of steel bridges as a function of deterioration of the concrete bridge deck. The aim of the proposed work is to extend these results into a rating procedure that can be readily applied by bridge owners. This will be accomplished by first incorporating the influences of load path redundancy into the existing American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) rating format and then refining this approach based on the aging effects that were quantified in Phase 1. The ultimate result of the project is a systematic and quantified procedure that will allow the aging structures that are in greatest need of rehabilitation or replacement to be better identified. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Bearing capacity KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge maintenance KW - Bridges KW - Maintenance KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural analysis UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/McConnell_Investigation%20of%20Load-Path%20Redundancy-Phase2.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231675 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463448 TI - Research Resilient Cartography: Using Interactive Online Mapping to Represent Corridor (Aero)mobilities - Phase 2 AB - Most maps that influence our everyday mobility decisions privilege representations of space over those of time. Maps and Cartograms providing spatiotemporal information are used primarily to identify and track patterns of change in the past and predict future occurrences in the future. But they also have potential for use by transportation researchers and the traveling public. New approaches to corridor resilience require innovative cartographic approaches that call attention to the travel time takes. This project proposes to implement two such approaches to create two sets of maps for use by corridor airport users, transportation policy-makers and regional researchers. The purpose of the first set of maps is to reinforce and demonstrate the idea that travel-duration within urban areas throughout the corridor network is highly contingent on mode and location. The second set of maps demonstrates the change over time in the relationship of the corridor to domestic and international aeromobility networks. Based on these maps, the project will develop and report on cartographic methods for representing uneven (aero)mobilities and the relative position of corridor transportation nodes to one another as well as to those at the national and global scales. As the second phase of a University of Delaware-University Transportation Center (UD-UTC) project, the proposed project builds upon and extends the cartographic methods of Phase I to account for nested scales, more variable and historical-data interactivity, thereby providing a richer illustration of the rapidity and redundancy properties of regional resiliency. KW - Cartography KW - Computer online services KW - Digital mapping KW - Mapping KW - Policy making KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/Tuttle_Resilient%20Cartography-Phase%202.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231674 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463447 TI - Development of Rapid Assessment Tools for Structural Parts after Extreme Events Using Stress Wave Methods AB - Recent extreme events such as earthquakes and hurricanes have shown the need for improved rapid structural assessment tools. It has been recognized that successful recovery missions greatly rely on the reliability and safety of the existing transportation infrastructure. In particular, bridges represent crucial parts of an infrastructure network and authorities need to know whether they can rely on the bridges that survived an extreme event&nbsp;in order to plan their recovery missions. This research will develop tools for rapid inspection of critical structural parts after extreme events using stress wave methods. Tests on small steel parts in conjunction with numerical stress wave simulation will be used to establish quantitative analysis tools that can objectively detect flaws. The developed tools will increase the resilience of the infrastructure after an extreme event and enable a faster recovery. KW - Earthquakes KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Flaw detection KW - Hurricanes KW - Infrastructure KW - Stresses KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural damage UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/Schumacher_%20Development%20of%20Rapid%20Assessment%20Tools..html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231673 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463446 TI - Research of Transportation Policy for Low-Cost, Intercity Express Bus Industry within the Northeast Corridor AB - Intercity bus service is now the fastest growing mode of intercity transportation in the United States-outpacing air and rail transportation. However, despite the rapid growth in this mode of transportation, intercity bus industry operation raise a number of policy questions as well. Transportation policy issues that need to be studied include the industry's unregulated environment, lack of intermodal linkages, operating inconsistencies among carriers, level of service vs. demand for service, impact on federally-supported transportation modes and competition among other intercity modes within the Northeast transportation corridor. Because intercity bus travel is important to the resiliency of the Northeast corridor and the overall transportation network, it merits further attention and discourse among transportation planners, stakeholders and policy makers. The objective of this project is to research transportation policy issues for the low-cost, intercity express bus industry within the Northeast corridor- from Washington D.C. to New York City. To accomplish this objective, research tasks include conducting a literature review and data collection on the intercity bus industry, a field assessment of curbside operations in the Philadelphia metropolitan areas, and a workshop of stakeholders. Research results will be summarized in a hard-copy and online-briefing paper. KW - Bus transportation KW - Competition KW - Intercity transportation KW - Intercity travel KW - Level of service KW - New York (New York) KW - Transportation policy KW - Travel demand KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/Scott_%20Research%20of%20Transportation%20Policy%20Issues.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231672 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522305 AU - Lee, Cynthia AU - MacDonald, John AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Mount Rainier National Park: Acoustical Monitoring Report 2009 PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 54p AB - During the summer (July – September 2009), baseline acoustical data were collected for approximately one month at two sites deployed by National Park Service (NPS) personnel in Mount Rainier National Park (MORA). The purpose of the monitoring effort was to supplement prior ambient data collected by NPS in 2006-2007. The data will help park managers and planners estimate the effects of future noise impacts and will help to inform future park planning objectives such as creating soundscape management plans, as well as the development of an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP), which provides for the regulation of commercial air tours over National Parks. This report provides a summary of results of these measurements, representing MORA’s summer season. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Ambient noise KW - Mount Rainier National Park KW - National parks KW - Noise sources KW - Sound level UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51100/51161/MORA_AcousticalMonitoringReport_Sept2011_nrss.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1303919 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491284 AU - Oliva, Michael G AU - Rajek, Gregory AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Toward Improving the Performance of Highway Bridge Approach Slabs PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The objective of this study was to quantify the amount of rotation that could develop between an approach slab, after base settlement, and a bridge abutment. A better approach-bridge transition could then be developed by using a ductile concrete to directly connect the approach slab with a bridge deck and lessen or eliminate the annoying “bump” as well as maintenance problems associated with approach slab deterioration. In the future, acceleration bridge construction could then use high quality precast approach slabs directly connected to the bridge with a ductile concrete strip. To quantify the problems associated with approach slabs, particularly cracking and rotations, an extensive analytical study was conducted. Parameters included in the study were: approach slab length, slab material, subgrade soil type, abutment height, and possible settlement trenches that may develop under the slab near its support on the abutment. From the analyses it was concluded that end rotation of the approach slab near the abutment varied depending on geometry of the approach slab, trench and abutment as well as with the stiffness of the soil and concrete used in the analyses. A maximum rotation of 0.0045 radians was computed from the analyses in a situation with a loose soil and a 4 ksi concrete approach slab but 0.002 radians could be used for normal design. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge approaches KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Differential settlement KW - Highway bridges KW - Rotation UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0310.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257319 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486730 AU - Wang, Fei AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimize Pollutant Emissions through Adaptive Highway Management PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 20p AB - This project investigated the possibility of reducing green house emission (mainly CO2) from urban highways using adaptive ramp metering control. QUADSTONE PARAMICS software was used to build a microscopic traffic model for a 4-lane highway section containing on/off ramps. A mathematical model of CO2 emission as a function of vehicle speed and acceleration was also developed. The total emissions for a simulated highway section were calculated under a variety of ramp metering control scenarios and traffic densities. Due to the non-linear behavior of the rate of emissions, it is possible to optimize greenhouse emission through smart speed and mobility control. A test model of a 1.5-mile 4-lane highway section with one on-ramp and one off-ramp was developed. A fixed time ramp meter simulated the model at different scenarios by adjusting the red interval of the meter. In light or moderate traffic senarios, the optimal red interval increases with traffic density. When traffic becomes jammed, the optimal red time actually decreases. Simulation also shows the overall emission decreases with highway speed limit. The fact that the red interval needs to be reduced under heavy traffic in order to reduce CO2 emission indicates a trade-off between improving highway throughput and reducing CO2 emission: optimization plans solely aimed at higher throughput may increase emissions in some cases. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Exhaust gases KW - Paramics (Computer program) KW - Ramp metering KW - Red interval (Traffic signal cycle) KW - Traffic density KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic speed KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/10-25_Wang_final_0_0.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42500/42588/METRANS_10-25_Optimize_Pollutant_Emissions_through_Adaptive_Highway_Management.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247845 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01485777 AU - Pultar, Edward AU - University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Role of Geography in Social Networks: CouchSurfing as a Case Study PY - 2011/09 SP - 145p AB - This research examines travel behavior using an Internet-based website, CouchSurfing, which provides free lodging with local residents. Increases in computing power and accessibility have led to novel e-travel techniques and the users of such systems utilize an amalgamation of social networks, transportation networks, and data communication networks. Thus the focus is on how the geographical spread of people in a modern, digital social network influences the travel choices of each individual in the network. A general model is presented that describes traveler behavior using a cost-free lodging network. Also presented for this type of travel behavior is an information representation and visualization methodology utilizing time-geographic dimensions. One survey explored factors that affect the number of times an individual participates in an activity in the network: being a host or guest, while a second examines social capital and how it is influenced by geography and the distinct roles a person can play within the social network. Survey results suggest that ties with individuals at longer distances have more of an influence on overall social capital than connections at shorter distances. KW - Demographics KW - Geography KW - Location KW - Mobility KW - Social networking KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.uctc.net/research/UCTC-DISS-2011-06.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3a%2f13030%2fm50005vn/1/UCTC-DISS-2011-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249651 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457373 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Geographic Information Systems Applications for Climate Change Decision-Making Peer Exchange Summary Report, Atlanta, Georgia, September 26-27, 2011 PY - 2011/09 SP - 21p AB - On September 26-27, 2011, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Planning sponsored a 1.5 day peer exchange in Atlanta, Georgia focusing on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to support transportation related climate change decisions. The Atlanta Regional Commission hosted the peer exchange. Participants included staff from the Maine Geological Survey, Maryland State Highway Administration, New England Environmental Finance Center, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, Washington Department of Transportation, FHWA Headquarters, and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. The purpose of the peer exchange was to allow participants to: share their knowledge and experiences with each other; discuss lessons learned and challenges; and Identify ways to improve agencies' abilities to develop and manage GIS/climate change applications, share geospatial data, and support public outreach through GIS technologies. This report provides overviews of the presentations given at the peer exchange and the associated questions and answers. It concludes with a summary of the roundtable discussions. KW - Climate change KW - Geographic information systems KW - Peer exchange KW - State of the practice KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.gis.fhwa.dot.gov/documents/GIS_for_Climate_Change_Proceedings.htm UR - http://www.gis.fhwa.dot.gov/documents/GIS_for_Climate_Change_Proceedings.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225458 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456661 AU - Oliva, Michael G AU - Rajek, Gregory AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Innovative Focus on Highway Bridge Approach Slabs PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The objective of this study was to quantify the amount of rotation that could develop between an approach slab, after base settlement, and a bridge abutment. A better approach-bridge transition could then be developed by using a ductile concrete to directly connect the approach slab with a bridge deck and lessen or eliminate the annoying “bump” as well as maintenance problems associated with approach slab deterioration. In the future, acceleration bridge construction could then use high quality precast approach slabs directly connected to the bridge with a ductile concrete strip. To quantify the problems associated with approach slabs, particularly cracking and rotations, an extensive analytical study was conducted. Parameters included in the study were: approach slab length, slab material, subgrade soil type, abutment height, and possible settlement trenches that may develop under the slab near its support on the abutment. From the analyses it was concluded that end rotation of the approach slab near the abutment varied depending on geometry of the approach slab, trench and abutment as well as with the stiffness of the soil and concrete used in the analyses. A maximum rotation of 0.0045 radians was computed from the analyses in a situation with a loose soil and a 4 ksi concrete approach slab but 0.002 radians could be used for normal design. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge approaches KW - Bridge design KW - Highway bridges KW - Innovation KW - Precast concrete KW - Settlement (Structures) KW - Slabs UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0310.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224929 ER - TY - SER AN - 01456589 JO - University of California, Davis. Institute of Transportation Studies. Research report PB - University of California, Davis AU - Morrison, G AU - Stephens, T S AU - University of California, Davis AU - Argonne National Laboratory AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The US Transportation Sector in the Year 2030: Results of a Two-Part Delphi Survey PY - 2011/09 SP - 67p AB - A two-part Delphi Survey was given to transportation experts attending the Asilomar Conference on Transportation and Energy in 2011. The survey asked respondents about trends in the US transportation sector in 2030, including alternative vehicles, high speed rail construction, rail freight transportation, average vehicle miles traveled, truck versus passenger car shares, vehicle fuel economy, and biofuels in different modes. Responses varied considerably, with respondents agreeing most strongly that rail infrastructure in 2030 would be similar to what exists today. Variations in responses reflect the fact that questions addressed complex issues which are subject to many uncertain factors. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Forecasting KW - Freight trains KW - High speed rail KW - Surveys KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://pubs.its.ucdavis.edu/download_pdf.php?id=1494 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134792 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376119 AU - Yin, Weihao AU - Murray-Tuite, Pamela AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Falls Church AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Estimation and Prediction of Origin-Destination Matrices for I-66 PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 62p AB - This project uses the Box-Jenkins time-series technique to model and forecast the traffic flows and then uses the flow forecasts to predict the origin-destination matrices. First, a detailed analysis was conducted to investigate the best data correction method. Four spatial correction procedures were examined for non-incident related detector data. The first approach, temporal correction, exploited the inherent temporal trend of historical traffic. The spatial correction based on linear regression (LR) - a proposed modification of a previous approach - uses the relationship between the individual detector flow and station flow. The third approach proposed in this study is also a spatial correction method. A unique feature of the proposed spatial correction procedure was incorporation of lane use percentage into the correction process through kernel regression (KR). As a comparison benchmark, the correction method based on lane distribution (LD) developed by previous researchers was included as the fourth method. To comprehensively compare the correction procedures, both systematic evaluation and random-error evaluation were conducted. After the results of systematic evaluation were analyzed, it was found that adaption was needed for the KR and LD approaches. Specifically, the individual lane flows provided by the detectors on particular general purpose lanes produced more accurate estimates. The two correction procedures (kernel regression and lane distribution) were revised in light of this finding and their station flow estimates were compared to those of the temporal correction and the LR approach at five error levels, which was considered as the random-error evaluation. KW - Driver information systems KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Origin and destination KW - Real time information KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic estimation KW - Travel patterns UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2009-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142247 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367863 AU - Ahmed-Zaid, F AU - Bai, F AU - Bai, S AU - Basnayake, C AU - Bellur, B AU - Brovold, S AU - Brown, G AU - Caminiti, L AU - Cunningham, D AU - Elzein, H AU - Hong, K AU - Ivan, J AU - Jiang, D AU - Kenney, J AU - Krishnan, H AU - Lovell, J AU - Maile, M AU - Masselink, D AU - McGlohon, E AU - Mudalige, P AU - Popovic, Z AU - Rai, V AU - Stinnett, J AU - Tellis, L AU - Tirey, K AU - VanSickle, S AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report: Appendix Volume 3 Security PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 682p AB - The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the third volume set of appendices for the Final Report of the VSC-A Project which contains technical content for the Security Protocols and Implementation Results, Security Network Simulations, and Analysis of Infrastructure and Communications Requirements for V2V PKI Security Management. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway safety KW - Security KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811492D.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136550 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367862 AU - Ahmed-Zaid, F AU - Bai, F AU - Bai, S AU - Basnayake, C AU - Bellur, B AU - Brovold, S AU - Brown, G AU - Caminiti, L AU - Cunningham, D AU - Elzein, H AU - Hong, K AU - Ivan, J AU - Jiang, D AU - Kenney, J AU - Krishnan, H AU - Lovell, J AU - Maile, M AU - Masselink, D AU - McGlohon, E AU - Mudalige, P AU - Popovic, Z AU - Rai, V AU - Stinnett, J AU - Tellis, L AU - Tirey, K AU - VanSickle, S AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report: Appendix Volume 2 Communications and Positioning PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 339p AB - The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the second volume set of appendices for the Final Report of the VSC-A Project which contains technical content for the Communications Power Testing, Multi-Channel Operations, Relative Positioning Software Performance Analysis, GPS Service Availability Study Literature Review and Final Report, and Multiple-OBE Scalability Testing Results. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway safety KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811492C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136548 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367860 AU - Ahmed-Zaid, F AU - Bai, F AU - Bai, S AU - Basnayake, C AU - Bellur, B AU - Brovold, S AU - Brown, G AU - Caminiti, L AU - Cunningham, D AU - Elzein, H AU - Hong, K AU - Ivan, J AU - Jiang, D AU - Kenney, J AU - Krishnan, H AU - Lovell, J AU - Maile, M AU - Masselink, D AU - McGlohon, E AU - Mudalige, P AU - Popovic, Z AU - Rai, V AU - Stinnett, J AU - Tellis, L AU - Tirey, K AU - VanSickle, S AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 102p AB - The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the final report of the VSC-A Project. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway safety KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811492A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136544 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367859 AU - Ahmed-Zaid, F AU - Bai, F AU - Bai, S AU - Basnayake, C AU - Bellur, B AU - Brovold, S AU - Brown, G AU - Caminiti, L AU - Cunningham, D AU - Elzein, H AU - Hong, K AU - Ivan, J AU - Jiang, D AU - Kenney, J AU - Krishnan, H AU - Lovell, J AU - Maile, M AU - Masselink, D AU - McGlohon, E AU - Mudalige, P AU - Popovic, Z AU - Rai, V AU - Stinnett, J AU - Tellis, L AU - Tirey, K AU - VanSickle, S AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report: Appendix Volume 1 System Design and Objective Test PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 276p AB - The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the first volume set of appendices for the Final Report of the VSC-A Project which contains technical content for the DSRC+Positioning and Autonomous Safety System Analysis, Test Bed System Development, Path History Reference Design and Test Results, Minimum Performance Requirements, Objective Test Procedures and Plan, and Objective Testing Results. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway safety KW - System design KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811492B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136547 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367392 AU - Yi, Qi AU - Salehi, Yasamin AU - Wang, Yubian AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigate Existing Non-Intrusive (NII) Technologies for Port Cargo Inspections PY - 2011/09 SP - 62p AB - The quantity of cargo handled by United States ports has increased significantly in recent years. Based on 2004 data, almost 2.7 billion tons of cargo passed through the ports in one year. To protect the U.S., all of this cargo must be inspected by U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP) officials in the most effective manner possible. Existing non-intrusive inspection (NII) technologies have significant strengths, but they also have some weaknesses, such as a low detection rate and a long inspection time. Fortunately, there are newer and more advanced technologies that can be used to inspect cargo with higher accuracy and less delay. The goal of this research was to identify the most effective and efficient combination of NII technologies for inspecting cargo arriving at U.S. ports. For this purpose, a discrete-event simulation model was developed to simulate the cargo inspection procedure. By simulating the operations of different combinations of NII technologies, the effectiveness and efficiency of the various combinations were evaluated. This information was used to provide recommendations about the most effective and efficient combinations of NII technologies for detecting a wide range of contraband. The results of this research are helpful in making decisions concerning the appropriate choices of NII technologies for use in inspecting cargo that is entering U.S. ports. KW - Decision making KW - Freight security KW - Inspection KW - Non-intrusive detectors KW - Ports KW - Simulation KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161042-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136115 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367390 AU - Zhou, Xue AU - Damnjanovic, Ivan D AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Managing Commodity Risks in Highway Contracts: Quantifying Premiums, Accounting for Correlations Among Risk Factors, and Designing Optimal Price-adjustment Contracts PY - 2011/09 SP - 174p AB - It is a well-known fact that macro-economic conditions, such as prices of commodities (e.g. oil, cement and steel) affect the cost of construction projects. In a volatile market environment, highway agencies often pass such risk to contractors using fixed-price contracts. In turn, the contractors respond by adding premiums in bid prices. If the contractors overprice the risk, the price of fixed-price contract could exceed the price of the contract with adjustment clauses. Consequently, highway agencies have opportunity to design a contract that not only reduces the future risk of exposure, but also reduces the initial contract price. The main goal of this report is to investigate the impact of commodity price risk on construction cost and the optimal risk hedging of such risks using price adjustment clauses. More specifically, the objective of the report is to develop models that can help highway agencies manage commodity price risks. In this report, weighted least square regression model is used to estimate the risk premium; both univariate and vector time series models are estimated and applied to simulate changes in commodity prices over time, including the effect of correlation; while genetic algorithm is used as a solution approach to a multiobjective optimization formulation. The data set used in this report consists of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) bidding data, market-based data including New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) future options data, and Engineering News-Record (ENR) material cost index data. The results of this report suggest that the optimal risk mitigation actions are conditional on owners’ risk preferences, correlation among the prices of commodities, and volatility of the market. KW - Commodities KW - Construction costs KW - Contracts KW - Genetic algorithms KW - Materials KW - Mathematical models KW - Price adjustment KW - Prices KW - Risk management KW - Road construction UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161104-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136111 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367388 AU - Price, Anthony AU - Goodwin, Gwendolyn C AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Senior Automobile Crashes and Fatalities in Texas: Are Older Texas Drivers Safe? PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 35p AB - Many factors can contribute to a senior being involved in a traffic accident, i.e., poor vision, declining health, roadway hazards, and declining driving skills, etc. Throughout the U.S., laws are being enacted to ensure that seniors can continue driving without harming themselves or the general public. Katie’s Law (H.B. 84) represents an attempt to make roadways safer for senior drivers in Texas. Katie’s Law requires that elderly persons age 79 and over must renew their licenses in person at Department of Safety offices. This study examines data from Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT’s) accident records during 2003-2008, to determine if enacting Katie’s law resulted in a decrease in senior fatalities. Finally, the study ends by looking at additional senior friendly transportation initiatives. KW - Aged drivers KW - Crash causes KW - Driver licensing KW - Fatalities KW - State laws KW - Texas KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00049-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136112 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367385 AU - Carroll, Todd AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Opportunities and Challenges for High-Speed Rail Corridors in Texas PY - 2011/09//Research Report SP - 189p AB - Texas features a growing economy and population. The state boasts a large and well-developed network of roads, freight railroads, and air facilities, which make the state a vital link in the movement of people and goods. However, as the state continues to grow in population and economic significance, these systems are straining to meet state, national, and even global needs. It is increasingly obvious to residents and state officials that Texas should consider implementing alternative modes of transport, including development of passenger rail, for which Texas currently lags behind many of its peer states. Passenger rail provides quantifiable benefits in displacing less energy-efficient and higher pollutant-emitting air and automobile modes while generating potential positive economic impacts and enhancing consumer choice and multimodalism. Conveniently, renewed national interest in rail has invigorated research measuring the applicability of passenger rail services to many different regions of the United States, with the possibility that future national transportation visions will include passenger rail as an essential element. This thesis seeks to clarify the potential for passenger rail specifically in Texas through comparison and contrast with other regions and nations in the midst of new national-level knowledge and the changing transportation opportunities and challenges facing the state. Some of the ideal characteristics of successful international passenger systems exist in Texas, including optimal city spacing and a well-established rail network, which have fueled ongoing interest demonstrated by various system proposals for high-speed intercity transportation in Texas over the last four decades. Despite these characteristics, the state presents a number of barriers to rail transport rooted in low transit use coupled with generally lower density and ambivalent support from politicians and residents when officials present realities of eminent domain and land use changes. However, with revitalized national rail interest and new federal rail planning requirements, the state may yet be able to work through these challenges to exploit the opportunities the state possesses. KW - Barriers to implementation KW - Eminent domain KW - High speed rail KW - Land use planning KW - Passenger rail services KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00076-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136113 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367381 AU - Kim, Seok AU - Damnjanovic, Ivan AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing Infrastructure for Interconnecting Transportation Network and Electric Grid PY - 2011/09//Research Report SP - 121p AB - This report is primarily focused on the development of mathematical models that can be used to support decisions regarding a charging station location and installation problem. The major parts of developing the models included identification of the problem, development of mathematical models in the form of bilevel and stochastic programming problems, and development of a solution approach using a meta-heuristic method. The plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) parking building problem was formulated as a bilevel programming problem in order to consider interaction between transportation flow and a manager's decisions, while the charging station installation problem was formulated as a stochastic programming problem in order to consider uncertainty in parameters. In order to find the best-quality solution, a genetic algorithm method was used because the formulation problems are NP-hard. In addition, the Monte Carlo bounding method was used to solve the stochastic program with continuous distributions. The results of this study provide managerial implications for developers and operators of parking buildings. KW - Decision support systems KW - Electric power supply KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Genetic algorithms KW - Infrastructure KW - Location KW - Mathematical models KW - Monte Carlo method KW - Parking facilities KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Stochastic programming UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161006-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136114 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364048 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Chaudhuri, Piyali AU - Tasic, Ivana AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - Pedersen, Tristan AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Incident Management State of the Art Review PY - 2011/09 SP - 53p AB - Traffic incident management (TIM) is a critically important piece of every transportation network management program. It should be considered in all stages of developing and implementing a network management and operations program as a key to reducing congestion. TIM programs have existed for more than 20 years. For the purpose of this paper, the definition of traffic incident is “any non-recurring event that causes a reduction of roadway capacity or an abnormal increase in demand.” This definition will provide the necessary broadness for types of traffic incidents that are going to be addressed here and for the adjustment to new ways of defining traffic incidents. Activities related to incident management are one of the major responsibilities of traffic and transportation engineers. This report is focused on tools and strategies implemented in the area of Traffic Incident Management (TIM). Definitions and classifications of traffic incidents are presented at the beginning of the report. Stages in TIM are presented based on the most detailed approach in the available literature. Finally, this report explains the application of Variable Message Signs (VMSs), 511 Service, Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), and ramp metering in TIM process. KW - 511 (National Travel Information Number) KW - Highway advisory radio KW - Incident management KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic incidents KW - Variable message signs UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC10-229B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132251 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364047 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Chaudhuri, Piyali AU - Tasic, Ivana AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - Pedersen, Tristan AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Learning Network: New Approach to Traffic Operation Center Operator Training PY - 2011/09 SP - 50p AB - This report is a summary of work performed by the Utah Traffic Lab (UTL) to develop training programs for Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Traffic Operations Center (TOC) operators. The report includes training materials that are already in service and those additionally developed, at both basic and advanced levels. The entire training material is now a part of Transportation Learning Network — a new learning tool for the TOC operators presented in the final part of this report. The basic training is designed to train operators in the basic knowledge, skills, and ability to work as traffic operators. It was performed at the UTL and the TOC in a concise two-week training course. A military approach is applied to develop individual training tasks for the operators. The UTL uses the unique approach of focusing training on the regional transportation network and branching off into other relevant topics when appropriate. The UTL found that understanding the local and regional transportation network was the single most important factor in efficient incident management. The advanced training program is designed to develop the knowledge, skills, and ability of traffic operators to identify and solve advanced traffic management and operation problems encountered at the TOC. It supports incident management instruction at the highest level and utilizes the advantages of traffic operators who work 24/7 and continually monitor the traffic network through closed circuit television. Transportation Learning Network (TLN) is a new learning tool that goes beyond the existing training programs by adding some new topics to both basic and advanced training levels. The report explains how to use TLN and presents the benefits of online accessible training material. This report also provides methods of training program testing and evaluation and offers a critical overview of all training methods developed by the UTL to date. KW - Highway operations KW - Highway traffic control KW - Operators (Persons) KW - Training programs KW - Utah UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC10-229C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132257 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364046 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Chaudhuri, Piyali AU - Tasic, Ivana AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Freeway Incidents: Simulation and Analysis PY - 2011/09 SP - 169p AB - This report presents an analysis of freeway incidents on the Salt Lake Valley freeway network. Different types of incidents at the most common/difficult locations are analyzed through traffic microsimulation using VISSIM simulation software. The analysis focuses on incident induced freeway delays, but it also looks into other parameters, such as vehicle throughput, travel times and network-wide delays. The goal of this project is to develop a set of incident management strategies that would help TOC operators to make decisions that will optimize their response in terms of time and resulted delay, and minimize users’ cost due to delay on the freeway network. KW - Freeway operations KW - Incident management KW - Microsimulation KW - Salt Lake Valley (Utah) KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC10-229D.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132259 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362862 AU - Bittner, Jason AU - Fuchs, Patrick AU - Baird, Tim AU - Smith, Adam AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Addressing Elderly Mobility Issues in Wisconsin PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 166p AB - The aging of baby boomers poses significant challenges to Wisconsin’s existing transportation infrastructure and specialized transit programs. From 2010 to 2035, the number of elderly Wisconsinites is projected to grow by 90 percent, an increase of 702,760 persons. By 2035, residents age 65 and over will comprise nearly a quarter of the population of Wisconsin, as every county in the state will experience growth in the elderly share of their population over the next 25 years. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2003 National Household Travel Survey found that personally-owned vehicles account for over 90 percent of trips taken by elderly residents; the extrapolation of this data suggests an overwhelming majority of Wisconsin’s future elderly residents will be accustomed to driving. Because elderly persons are vulnerable to a decline in visual, cognitive, and psychomotor skills, a dramatic increase in the number of elderly drivers has serious safety implications for the state. Elderly drivers are more likely to have crashes on a per-mile basis, more likely to be at fault in a multicar crash, and more likely to be killed or injured than are younger people in a crash of comparable magnitude. When elderly drivers are forced to stop driving or self-regulate in response to declining abilities and safety concerns, they face increased isolation from social, family, and civic activities and decreased access to medical services. These safety and social ramifications demand an examination of the state’s current driver licensing and education practices, infrastructure design protocols, and specialized and public transit efforts. This report provides analysis of Wisconsin’s existing services, coordinated by the DOT and other State agencies, collects information from elderly residents, and reviews national and international best practices to allow the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to better manage approaching demographic challenges. Recommendations are provided that include changes in internal structure to address older residents’ mobility concerns, education and outreach opportunities, and development of incentives to provide off prime hour services. KW - Accessibility KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Best practices KW - Driver education KW - Driver licensing KW - Highway design KW - Mobility KW - Public transit KW - Travel surveys KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_04-05_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43500/43568/CFIRE-0092-10-19-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127559 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362807 AU - Lau, Michael C AU - Senzig, David A AU - Samiljan, Robert AU - Ahearn, Meghan AU - Scarpone, Chris AU - Roof, Christopher J AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Acoustic and Fuel Consumption Effects Resulting from the Installation of Spiroid Winglets on Aircraft PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 125p AB - The Volpe National Transportation System Center’s Environmental Measurement and Modeling Division (Volpe Center), is supporting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in implementing its Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Program. The objective of the NextGen Program is to design and implement an air transportation system capable of accommodating an expected tripling in required capacity over the next 25 years. As part of this initiative, the Volpe Center participated in a study to determine the potential fuel saving and noise reduction benefits of installing experimental spiroid winglets on an aircraft. KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft noise KW - Flight tests KW - Fuel consumption KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Winglets UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43600/43629/spiroid-faa-11-12_1_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131370 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362691 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - Chaudhuri, Piyali AU - Tasic, Ivana AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - PTV Traffic Platform PY - 2011/09 SP - 137p AB - This report presents an overview of the PTV TrafficPlatform software, which is designed as a tool to help in the training process of traffic operations center (TOC) operators. TrafficPlatform is based on an integration of VISSIM microsimulation, VISUM macrosimulation, SQL database, and a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI). It is designed to allow for implementation of incident management strategies by the user (trainee) and a presentation of outputs from these strategies. It also allows for an off-line analysis of different types of incidents and incident management strategies. In addition to off-line data, TrafficPlatform has abilities to receive real time on-line data from traffic monitoring stations via VISUM Online underlying software and to use these data for traffic analysis. KW - Incident management KW - Software KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic simulation KW - Training KW - Training simulators UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC10-229E.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127575 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362686 AU - Seedah, Dan AU - Harrison, Robert AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Megaregion Freight Movements: A Case Study of the Texas Triangle PY - 2011/09//Research Report SP - 81p AB - U.S. population growth is predicted to substantially increase over the next 40 years, particularly in areas with large regional economies forecasted to contain over two-thirds of the national economic activity. In Texas, population growth from 2000 to 2040 is predicted to increase around 72% and produce a diverse population of some 36 million. This will comprise 12% rural and 88% urban, much of it in the 26 metropolitan areas. These population and economic estimates stimulated the exploration of appropriate planning strategies to address the needs of serving such growth, including a macro approach encapsulated in the term megaregions. Although some planners are skeptical about whether this concept enhances traditional planning, it does merit examination in the freight transportation sector, which tends to get less emphasis in community and regional planning. Texas has at least one megaregion, and the largest—The Texas Triangle, comprising Dallas/Fort Worth-San Antonio-Houston—generates over 60% of the gross state product. The project will consider the Texas Triangle with an emphasis on maintaining efficient future freight movement and will offer multimodal solutions to moving freight to, between, and within the metropolitan economies of the megaregion to 2050. KW - Economic development KW - Freight traffic KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Regional planning KW - Regional transportation KW - Regions KW - Texas Triangle megaregion KW - Transportation planning UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00075-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362680 AU - Zhang, Ming AU - Chen, Binbin AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Emerging Commuting Trends in a Weekly Travel Decision Frame--Implications for Mega Region Transportation Planning PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 67p AB - National transportation statistics have shown the rise of long-distance, trans-regional commute (LDC/TRC) in the US. Four societal factors contribute to the trend: increase in dual earner households, advance in information and communications technologies, new concept of arranging work time weekly, and people's changing attitude towards travel. In the field of urban transportation planning, commuting has been studied in individual metropolitan areas in a one-day time frame. LDC/TRC traverse multiple metros and the commuting behavior cannot be better understood without going beyond the one-day convention. Studying LDC/TRC corresponds to the growing interest worldwide in planning for megaregions. Up to date, the phenomenon of weekly commuting has been explored only by a few European researchers in the fields of geography and sociology. This study analyzed LDC/TRC using national datasets available in the US. They are American Travel Survey, National Household Travel Survey, and Census Transportation Planning Package. Further detailed analyses were conducted for the Texas Triangle megaregion. The national travel surveys are helpful in portraying large pictures of LDC/TRC but limited in offering insights into LDC/TRC behavior. Based on the preliminary study, the next phase of the study will conduct qualitative research by interviewing selected LDC/TRC individuals in the Texas Triangle megaregion. KW - Commuters KW - Commuting KW - Regional planning KW - Texas Triangle megaregion KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel behavior KW - Trip length UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161127-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128178 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362616 AU - Hall, Kadijah AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Testing Information to Improve Communication with Communities and Decision Makers PY - 2011/09 SP - 29p AB - This work focuses on important concepts in making information available to decision makers and the public, specifically focused on the Transportation Industry. The emphasis is on the PowerPoint presentation and enhancing the message through this medium. Critical elements include adhering to the assigned time limit, incorporating animation, font size, including images, techniques, and preparation. While much information is available on-line about presentations, audiences at too many transportation meetings view substandard presentations, which likely negatively affect understanding and decision-making. Blending available information, focus group feedback and observations yield a foundation for transportation planners in improving presentations to constituents. KW - Decision making KW - Information dissemination KW - Technology transfer KW - Transportation planning KW - Visual presentations UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/473700-00055-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128160 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362614 AU - Liu, Wenxing AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Prioritization of Highway Maintenance Functions Using Multi-Attribute Decision Making with Fuzzy Pairwise Comparison PY - 2011/09 SP - 69p AB - As is the case for most of the Departments of Transportation in the U.S., the Texas Department of Transportation has been experiencing fluctuations of budget for maintaining and preserving its highway infrastructure over the recent years. If the maintenance budget shortfall lasts for an extended period of time, the condition of the highway network would be harmed directly or indirectly since some maintenance work would be deferred or cancelled. Thus, in order to control and minimize the risk caused by maintenance budget reductions, it is important for highway agencies to adjust their maintenance and rehabilitation policies to accommodate budget fluctuations. This report presents a methodological framework that helps highway agencies quantify the risks to highway networks, and revise the highway routine maintenance work plans to minimize the impact of budget fluctuations. The proposed methodology aims to assist highway agencies in prioritizing and selecting maintenance functions according to the risk of not performing a specific maintenance activity. Also, this methodology considers the subjective nature of decision makers’ assessments, allowing different levels of confidence and different attitudes toward risk to be captured as the uncertainty and imprecision involved in the decision making process. In the case study, the proposed methodology is tested with a set of data obtained from the Texas Department of Transportation. The result is compared with the outcome obtained from the crisp Analytical Hierarchy Process using the same set of data. The outcomes from the two methodologies are very close, validating the effectiveness of prioritizing highway maintenance functions using Multi-Attribute Analysis with Fuzzy Pairwise Comparison. KW - Budgeting KW - Fuzzy logic KW - Highway maintenance KW - Multiple criteria decision making KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161128-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128158 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361736 AU - Dixon, Michael P AU - Islam, Mohammad Rabiul AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An External Logic Architecture for Implementing Traffic Signal System Control Strategies PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 86p AB - The built-in logic functions in traffic controllers have very limited capability to store information, to analyze input data, to estimate performance measures, and to adopt control strategy decisions. These capabilities are imperative to support traffic signal control research. In this research, a microcontroller was proven to be capable of filling this need in the form of an external logic processor for a network of traffic signal controllers. This research demonstrates this capability by addressing queue spillback congestion on a network of signalized intersections. In this study, the Rabbit 3000 microcontroller takes on the role of an external logic processor and is networked with multiple ASC/3 traffic controllers to prove the concept. Both the Rabbit and the traffic controllers support Ethernet connectivity and data exchange using the NTCIP standard. The findings show that the proposed architecture is capable of collecting data from multiple traffic controllers, calculating performance measures, and implementing control strategies in one or more traffic controller(s) that improves performance. KW - Feedback control KW - Logic circuits KW - Performance measurement KW - Traffic signal controllers UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK717_N11-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127392 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361115 AU - Chen, Suren AU - Chen, Feng AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk-Based Advisory Prevention System for Commercial Trucks Under Hazardous Conditions PY - 2011/09 SP - 33p AB - In adverse driving conditions, such as inclement weather and complex terrain, large trucks are often involved in single-vehicle (SV) accidents in addition to multi-vehicle (MV) accidents. Although the absolute number of SV accidents is often lower than that of MV accidents, SV accidents usually result in more serious injury and fatality. Ten-year accident data involving trucks on rural highway from the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) are studied to investigate the difference in driver-injury severity between SV and MV accidents using multinomial logit models. Injury severity from SV and MV accidents involving trucks on rural highway is modeled separately and their respective critical risk factors, such as driver, vehicle, temporal, roadway, environmental, and accident characteristics, are evaluated. The study shows that there is substantial difference between the impacts from a variety of variables on the driver-injury severity in MV and SV accidents. By conducting the injury severity study for MV and SV accidents involving trucks separately, some new or more comprehensive observations, which have not been covered in the existing studies, can be made. As a result, the complex interactions of variables and the nature of truck-driver injury are able to be disclosed in a better way. Based on the improved understanding on the severity of truck drivers' injuries from truck-involved accidents, it is expected that more rational and effective injury prevention strategy may be developed for truck drivers under different driving conditions in the future. Based on the model developed for injury studies of truck drivers, risk-based prevention strategy can be realistically developed. KW - Crash data KW - Crash injury research KW - Highway Safety Information System KW - Injury prevention KW - Injury severity KW - Multiple vehicle crashes KW - Prevention KW - Risk management KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-242.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126662 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361095 AU - Goodin, Ginger AU - Wood, Nicholas AU - Baker, Richard T AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The 2011 Mileage-Based User Fee Symposium PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 22p AB - The fuel tax is rapidly losing its ability to support system needs. Federal environmental regulations and the escalating price of fossil fuels have created a strong incentive to develop and utilize more fuel-efficient vehicles, which will drive down fuel tax revenues relative to use of the nation’s roadway network. Given the challenges associated with the declining sustainability of the fuel tax, the likely successor is a road user fee largely based on actual usage. This project sponsored the third annual two-day Symposium on Mileage-Based User Fees that brought together professionals in the field of mileage-based fees for the purpose of sharing information on current applications and exploring their potential as a supplement or replacement for the fuel tax. KW - Fossil fuels KW - Fuel efficient cars KW - Fuel taxes KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Revenues KW - Road user charges KW - User charges UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Goodin_11-00-64.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126745 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360951 AU - Chen, Suren AU - Chen, Feng AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reliability-Based Safety Risk and Cost Prediction of Large Trucks on Rural Highways PY - 2011/09 SP - 52p AB - The primary causes of accidents involving large trucks on rural highways were found to be excessive speed and adverse driving conditions. Different from passenger vehicles, it is known that the safety performance of large trucks in adverse driving conditions greatly depends on the specific terrain and local weather conditions. By integrating both historical data analysis and simulations, a multi-scale investigation is conducted to evaluate the traffic safety of large trucks on mountainous interstate highways. Firstly, the ten-year historical accident records are analyzed to identify the accident-vulnerable-locations (AVLs) and site-specific critical adverse driving conditions. Secondly, a simulation-based single-vehicle assessment is performed for predicting the large-truck accident risks with the combination of given weather, topographical, road, and vehicle information at those AVLs along the entire corridor. A framework of a reliability-based assessment model of vehicle safety under adverse driving conditions is developed. Such a framework is built based on the advanced transient dynamic vehicle simulation models, which can consider the coupling effects between vehicles and adverse driving conditions, such as wind gust, snow-covered or icy road surfaces and/or curving. The single-vehicle safety index is introduced to provide rational assessment of accident risks by considering uncertainties of critical variables. Finally, geographic information system (GIS) maps with topographic conditions embedded are generated. By displaying the data on the GIS-based map, different accident risk indices can easily be displayed and compared on the GIS map. A typical mountainous highway in Colorado is studied for demonstration purposes. KW - Colorado KW - Crash records KW - High risk locations KW - Mountain roads KW - Rural highways KW - Speeding KW - Traffic safety KW - Trucks KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-243.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126763 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359283 AU - Lim, Alvin AU - Bevly, David AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U29: Commercial Vehicle Secure Network for Safety and Mobility Applications PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 88p AB - The main objective of this project is to develop a secure, reliable, high throughput and integrated wireless network for Vehicle-To-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-To-Infrastructure (V2I) and intra-vehicle communications. Novel techniques and communication protocols were developed to ensure that safety messages are transmitted reliably, securely and efficiently. The secure network protocols using IEEE 802.11i authentication and anti-jamming dynamic channel hopping protocol were implemented and the results show an improved performance. These security mechanisms will avoid not only attackers from disrupting critical vehicle communication but also enable high connectivity and performance even in the presence of benign transmissions that may interfer with the vehicle network transmissions. The adaptive multi-hop routing ensures end-to-end connectivity by considering the connectivity of each wireless links. These protocols demonstrated how to transmit high priority urgent messages reliably. The rate adaptation algorithm was implemented and the results show improved performance since it avoids packet collisions and tolerates channel fading in the harsh vehicle environment. The precise vehicle positioning technique is integrated with the wireless vehicle networks that provide reliable, secure and high throughput transmissions of GPS messages. The results of the authors' studies on the integrated wireless vehicle networks for V2V, V2I and intra-vehicle networks show that the integrated network can satisfy the security, reliability and throughput performance requirements of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems and other connected vehicle safety applications. The demonstration of the intra-vehicle wireless networks on the commercial tractor trailers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track for supporting ESC systems showed that this is feasible in real-world vehicle networks under normal operating conditions. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Computer network protocols KW - Driver information systems KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Mobility KW - Packet switching KW - Safety KW - Transmission techniques KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42900/42999/U29-Commercial_Vehicle_Secure_Network_for_Safety_and_Mobility_Applications.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125079 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359279 AU - Victor, Trent AU - Hickman, Jeff AU - Camden, Matthew AU - Jarlengrip, Johan AU - Larsson, Christian AU - Morgan, Justin AU - Tidwell, Scott AU - Toole, Laura AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U34: Driver Distraction: An Inattention-Mitigation Component for Behavior-Based Safety Programs in Commercial Vehicle Operations (IM-BBS) PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 181p AB - The aim of this research was to develop a comprehensive inattention mitigation component of a behavior-based safety program (IM-BBS) in commercial motor vehicle operations that increases road safety. A key focus was on the use of real-time inattention monitoring technologies to provide real-time feedback to the driver and back-office post-trip summary reports. Furthermore, effective performance feedback and incentive strategies were developed. The use of simulator-based attention training in this context was also investigated. Results suggest the need to easily integrate the IM-BBS program into existing training programs and existing back office infrastructure. Behavioral feedback, goal setting, driver coaching and incentive/reward programs should be developed around the IM-BBS to encourage drivers to reduce inattention behind the wheel. Finally, the inclusion of simulator-based driver training is suggested to provide effective and efficient inattention training within a safe setting. The overview, tips, and strategies provided in this report are meant as a starting point for Safety Managers to develop a simulator-based driver inattention training approach that can be implemented in an existing fleet safety program with minimal challenges and provide an additional means of improving the overall safety of their CMV drivers. KW - Attention KW - Attention lapses KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Distraction KW - Feedback KW - Highway safety KW - Real time information KW - Training simulators KW - Truck drivers KW - Trucking safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42900/42996/U34-Driver_Distraction_An_Inattention-Mitigation_Component_for_Behavior-Based_Safety_Programs_in_Commercial_Vehicle_Operation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359278 AU - Pape, Doug AU - Arant, Michael AU - Brock, Wayne AU - Delorenzis, Damon AU - LaClair, Tim AU - Lim, Alvin AU - Petrolino, Joseph AU - Spezia, Anthony AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U31: Vehicle Stability and Dynamics Electronic Stability Control PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 198p AB - A team led by NTRCI is working to improve the roll and yaw stability of heavy duty combination trucks through developing stability algorithms, assembling demonstration hardware, and investigating robust wireless communication. Modern electronic stability control (ESC) products automatically slow a vehicle rounding a corner too quickly or apply individual brakes when necessary to improve the steering characteristics of a vehicle. Air brake systems in North America provide no electronic communication between a tractor and semitrailer, limiting the degree to which control systems can be optimized. Prior research has demonstrated stability improvements where dynamic measurements and control commands are communicated between units of a vehicle. Three related activities were undertaken: (1) Develop an algorithm for the optimum yaw and roll control of a combination vehicle. Vehicle state parameters needed to control the vehicle and the proper brake response were determined. An integrated stability control for the tractor and semitrailer requires communication between the two units. Dynamic models were used to assess the algorithm. (2) Implement the ESC algorithm in the laboratory. Hardware components suitable for the harsh environment for measurement, sensor-to-controller communication, and semitrailer-to-tractor communication and brake actuation were specified and assembled as a working system. The goal was to collect the needed vehicle state information, transmit the information to the ESC system, and then actuate the brakes in response to controller commands. (3) Develop a wireless network with the data rate and reliability necessary to communicate dynamic signals for a vehicle stability control system. Adaptive connectivity-aware, multi-hop routing was selected because it can perform in the harsh environment where packet collisions and fading often will exist. The protocol is to give high priority to urgent messages. KW - Algorithms KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Computer network protocols KW - Electronic stability control KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Rolling KW - Rollover crashes KW - Stability (Mechanics) KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Trucking safety KW - Wireless communication systems KW - Yaw UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42900/42998/U31-Vehicle_Stability_and_Dynamics-Electronic_Stability_Control.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359276 AU - Bittner, Jason AU - Day-Farnsworth, Lindsey AU - Miller, Michelle AU - Kozub, Rosa AU - Gollnik, Bob AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Maximizing Freight Movements in Local Food Markets PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 38p AB - The past several years have seen a rising interest in all things sustainable, from energy efficient homes and vehicles, to alternative energy sources, to increasing focus on recyclable and renewable material usage. This trend has also been accompanied by an increased examination by consumers of where our goods come from and how they reach us. Decades of globalization have drastically altered supply chains. Along with consumer goods, the distance in which food travels to reach its markets has grown exponentially. This research will identify how the local food supply and distribution system functions in Upper Midwest States and means by which local food transportation movements can become more efficient. KW - Distance KW - Food miles KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Local food KW - Logistics KW - Markets KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_04-23_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125122 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359274 AU - Pape, Doug AU - Arant, Michael AU - Brock, Wayne AU - Broshears, Eric AU - Chitwood, Caleb AU - Colbert, Jameson AU - Hathaway, Richard AU - Keil, Mitchel AU - LaClair, Tim AU - Patterson, Jim AU - Petrolino, Joseph AU - Pittro, Collin AU - Spezia, Anthony AU - Wafer, David AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U32: Vehicle Stability and Dynamics - Longer Combination Vehicles PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 446p AB - This study investigated the safety and stability of longer combination vehicles (LCVs), in particular a triple trailer combination behind a commercial tractor, which has more complicated dynamics than the more common tractor in combination with a single semitrailer. The goal was to measure and model the behavior of LCVs in simple maneuvers. Example maneuvers tested and modeled were single and double lane changes, a gradual lane change, and a constant radius curve. In addition to test track data collection and a brief highway test, two computer models of LCVs were developed. One model is based on TruckSim®, a lumped parameter model widely used for single semitrailer combinations. The other model was built in Adams software, which more explicitly models the geometry of the components of the vehicle, in terms of compliant structural members. Among other results, the models were able to duplicate the experimentally measured rearward amplification behavior that is characteristic of multi-unit combination vehicles. KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Longer combination vehicles KW - Stability (Mechanics) KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42900/42997/U32-Vehicle_Stability_and_Dyanamics-Longer_Combination_Vehicles_1_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125077 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359019 AU - Edwards, Frances L AU - Goodrich, Daniel C AU - Mineta Transportation Institute AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Department of Homeland Security AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Continuity of Operations Plans for Transportation Agencies PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 684p AB - This report covers the research conducted to determine how to integrate Continuity of Operations/ Continuity of Government Plan (COOP/COG) into the overall National Incident Management System (NIMS) approach to emergency management for a state-level transportation agency. It provides an approach to align the COOP/COG element of the state DOT with the state DOT's emergency operations center (EOC). It provides checklists that show the primary functions of each state-level transportation agency EOC position. It provides training materials on the system and the relationships among EOC positions. KW - Continuity of operations KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - State departments of transportation KW - State government agencies KW - Training UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2976-COOP-COG-DHS.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124548 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357978 AU - Polzin, Steven AU - Chu, Xuehao AU - Bunner, Rodney AU - Pinjari, Abdul AU - Catala, Martin AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - TBEST Model Enhancements - Parcel Level Demographic Data Capabilities and Exploration of Enhanced Trip Attraction Capabilities PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 99p AB - FDOT, in pursuit of its role to assist in providing public transportation services in Florida, has made a substantial research investment in a travel demand forecasting tool for public transportation known as Transit Boardings Estimation and Simulation Tool (TBEST). TBEST incorporates supporting databases that allow users to model transit services for purposes of determining future needs and optimizing current resource deployments by targeting the best markets and route configurations. This research effort is designed to explore enhancements to TBEST to increase its predictive capability and further enhance its value to transit planners. Two key and related areas are targeted. First, the project explores model calibration with parcel-level data. This involves increasing the geographic precision of transit ridership modeling by using parcel-specific data on land use to understand the activity at the parcel level, and hence, the potential for transit ridership. Second, the project explores strategies to more robustly address the issue of special generators. The project determined that transitioning to a parcel-based model is a promising improvement for TBEST. It enables a more precise capturing of the accessibility of transit stops, which has been shown to be critical to transit use. In addition, it accommodates a shift to a trip production/attraction-based data framework that enhances the information on which one can base a transit forecast. In summary, increased computing power, improved databases such as the parcel property inventory, and a strong understanding of factors that influence transit use have enabled the development of more powerful tools to support transit planning. While transit ridership remains highly variable at the stop level and hence difficult to model, great strides are being made, and the full deployment of parcel-level transit models seems inevitable as a logical advancement in the state of the practice. KW - Land use KW - Needs assessment KW - Public transit KW - Ridership KW - Transit demand modeling KW - Transportation planning KW - Trip generation UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/77801.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122333 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357938 AU - Schrank, David AU - Lomax, Tim AU - Eisele, Bill AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - American Road & Transportation Builders Association AU - American Public Transportation Association AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2011 Urban Mobility Report PY - 2011/09 SP - 147p AB - Congestion is a significant problem in America’s 439 urban areas. And, although readers and policy makers may have been distracted by the economy-based congestion reductions in the last few years, the 2010 data indicate the problem will not go away by itself – action is needed. First, the problem is very large. In 2010, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.8 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 1.9 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $101 billion. Second, 2008 was the best year for congestion in recent times; congestion was worse in 2009 and 2010. Third, there is only a short-term cause for celebration. Prior to the economy slowing, just 4 years ago, congestion levels were much higher than a decade ago; these conditions will return with a strengthening economy. There are many ways to address congestion problems; the data show that these are not being pursued aggressively enough. The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses, manufacturers, commuters and travelers. There is no rigid prescription for the “best way”—each region must identify the projects, programs and policies that achieve goals, solve problems and capitalize on opportunities. KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobility KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic mitigation KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/mobility-report-2011-wappx.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122263 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356709 AU - Wittwer, Ernie AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures for Evaluating Multi-State Projects PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 36p AB - Freight transportation projects require an analytic process that considers the impacts of geographic and industry distribution of project benefits, intermodal impacts, and reliability, as well as the traditional benefits of time savings, safety enhancements, and environmental benefit. This report outlines a method by which this analysis could be done. It uses the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) project as a case study. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE) KW - Freight transportation KW - Investments KW - Performance measurement KW - Transportation projects UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_MAFC-11_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122153 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01355175 AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Ripplinger, David AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Marginal Cost Pricing and Subsidy of Transit in Small Urban Areas PY - 2011/09 SP - 44p AB - This study analyzes economies of scale and density as a rationale for subsidizing transit agencies in small urban areas. A long-run cost model is estimated using data from 2006 to 2009 for 168 transit agencies that directly operated fixed-route bus service in small urban areas. Using vehicle revenue miles as transit output, results show that small urban transit agencies experience economies of scale and density. A full cost model is estimated that includes the addition of external costs and benefits. External benefits result from reduced waiting times following an increase in service frequency. Results are then used to estimate the optimal fare, which is equal to marginal social cost of service. The needed subsidy is calculated as the difference between the revenue generated by the optimal fare and that needed to maintain efficient levels of production. The rationale for subsidies is an important issue as many agencies have experienced recent reductions in operational funding. A survey was conducted that found that close to half of transit agencies in small urban areas have either reduced service or increased fares over the last two years, and the main reason for these actions has been a decrease in operational funding. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Bus transit KW - Cost modeling KW - Economies of scale KW - Fixed routes KW - Operating revenues KW - Ridership KW - Small cities KW - Subsidies KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-241.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119235 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354670 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Duych, Ronald TI - What Is New with the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey? PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 7-10 AB - The 2005 Transportation Research Board Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) Conference provided many excellent ideas for enhancing the 2007 CFS. Several creative and practical ways to leverage the data and information were presented and a variety of observations were offered for immediate short-term actions while others were more strategic. Suggestions were divided into three general categories: coverage, survey methods, and data products. This report summarizes the suggestions that were implemented and the results of those implementations. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - 2007 Commodity Flow Survey KW - Commodity flow KW - Data files KW - Freight transportation KW - Survey methods KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119137 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354669 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Lawson, Catherine AU - Nampoothiri, Sreekumar AU - Peters, Omar J TI - A Freight Data Architecture Application at the Local Level Using Commodity Flow Survey Data PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 34-35 AB - The need for a freight data architecture has prompted several major studies, including National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) Project 12, Specifications for Freight Transportation Data Architecture. The establishment of such an architecture will make it possible to link together a variety of existing freight data and other related datasets in order to create a more robust understanding of freight activities. Previous research, using a special tabulation of the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), revealed a set of associations between the four-digit North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes and the five-digit Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) codes. These associations were found to be very simple, simple, complex and very complex. For those industry groups where the association between industry group (NAICS) and commodities (SCTG) is very simple, or simple, it should be possible to “crosswalk” the NAICS–SCTG codes to the Land Based Classification Standards (LBCS) system and provide local planning agencies with a clearer picture of freight activity at the local level. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - 2007 Commodity Flow Survey KW - Commodity flow KW - Data files KW - Data linkages KW - Freight data KW - Freight transportation KW - Land Based Classification Standards KW - Local government KW - North American Industrial Classification System KW - Standard Classification of Transported Goods KW - Surveys KW - System architecture KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119220 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354668 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Mesenbourg, Thomas TI - The Role of the Commodity Flow Survey in Understanding the U.S. Economy PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 5-6 AB - The Census Bureau’s mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy. The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), as an important component of the Economic Census, provides much needed information about the structure and performance of the U.S. economy, including benchmark statistics about transportation flows and the functioning of the transportation sector. This comprehensive snapshot of commodity flows and other key components of the transportation system every 5 years helps businesses, policy makers, and analysts assess the overall health of the economy. The CFS program is a joint project between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Census Bureau that serves as the primary source of information on the transportation of goods. The CFS provides detailed commodity information as well as information on mode of transport for different levels of subnational geography. As the survey name suggests, the CFS also estimates the volume of freight moving from one geographic area to another by mode of transport and by commodity. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data quality KW - Economics KW - Freight transportation KW - National economy KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119132 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354667 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Liu, Qing AU - Tolliver, Denver TI - How to Utilize and Improve Commodity Flow Databases in National Supply Chain Model PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 36-37 AB - This study utilizes Freight Analysis Framework–Commodity Flow Survey (FAF–CFS) databases to determine a typology or systematic classification of supply chains and their relationships to commodity flows. Freight flow models like FAF predict freight flows among regions based on commodity forecasts. The commodity forecasts and predicted flows may reflect many different supply chains—some global and some domestic. A better understanding of supply chain factors will help in understanding the forces underlying trade and product flows and mapping commodity forecasts to interregional freight flows. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Databases KW - Forecasting KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight transportation KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Regional analysis KW - Supply chain management KW - Surveys KW - Trade UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119221 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354666 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Jaeger, Derek TI - Freight Knows No Bounds: The Issue of Cross-Border Metropolitan Areas and the Accuracy of Freight Activity Data PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 41-43 AB - Data from the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) of the United States is a helpful tool for understanding metropolitan-level freight movement. The survey data provide information not readily available elsewhere, such as dollar value of shipments by commodity. Further, as a Bureau of Census product, the data are widely recognized as legitimate, giving analysis using the data credibility. CFS data, though collected on a very detailed geographic level, is richest at the national level. As one moves toward the metropolitan areas, data availability begins to limit the usefulness of the CFS. Often, when cell sizes are small, data are suppressed. Further, data released by the Census breaks metropolitan areas on state boundaries and ignores economic realities. Thus the issue of cross-border metropolitan areas is created and the accuracy of freight activity data for cross-border metropolitan areas is in question. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data accuracy KW - Freight data KW - Freight transportation KW - Interstate commerce KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Surveys KW - United States UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119223 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354665 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Duych, Ron AU - Ford, Chester AU - Sanjani, Hossain TI - 2007 Commodity Flow Survey Hazardous Materials Report Highlights PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 49-50 AB - When the U.S. Secretary of Transportation finds that the transportation of a particular quantity and form of a material poses a certain level of risk to the safety or property of the public, these types of commodities are designated as a hazardous material (hazmat). The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) compiles a robust dataset of hazmat shipment estimates by asking hazmat shippers to enter a four-digit United Nations/North America identification code on the CFS questionnaire. These data allow for the identification of hazmat flows and the quantification of exposure—the risk proportionate to the level of activity—by mode of transportation. CFS hazmat data are used in policy development, the rule-making process, and program planning. CFS hazmat data are the only publicly available source of hazmat flow data available for the highway and air modes. Other uses of hazmat data from the CFS include addressing public safety concerns by providing denominator data for conducting risk analyses, conducting security assessments, and identifying emergency response and preparedness needs. The CFS hazardous materials data are the only publicly available source of hazmat flow data available for the highway and air modes. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - 2007 Commodity Flow Survey KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Freight transportation KW - Hazardous materials KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119227 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354664 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Duych, Ronald AU - Barrett, John TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop: Workshop Summary - Scope, Classification, and Geography PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 16-18 AB - A panel consisting of Gregory A. Harris from the University of Alabama, Huntsville, and Frank Southworth from Oak Ridge National Laboratory was provided with the following points to consider: (1) Identify any gaps or inaccuracies that currently exist in the scope, geography, and classification systems of the CFS and propose solutions to address them; (2) Determine what operational aspects of current transportation and logistical practices are affecting the scope, geography, and classification of the CFS and how we can better understand them in the next cycle; and (3) Determine what modifications can be implemented to the CFS scope, geography, and classification systems to better use CFS in performance measures and other quantitative metrics being proposed and developed to measure the effectiveness and justify transportation programs. This report summarizes the panel discussion as well as comments and questions from workshop attendees. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Business practices KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Freight transportation KW - Gaps in coverage (Commodity Flow Survery) KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Performance measurement KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119145 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354663 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Digre, Brad AU - Berndt, Mark AU - Bingham, Paul TI - Commodity Flow Survey Findings in FAF2.2 Results and FAF3 Update for Phase 2 of the I-70 Dedicated Truck Lanes PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 32-33 AB - Congestion along the four-state portion of I-70 has lead to a study of alternatives for new capacity, including truck lanes. Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) 2.2 and now FAF3 analysis summaries are, in part, being used to help profile and quantify freight movements to, from, within, and across the corridor region. The context of these summaries includes the corridor region in its entirety, as well as from the context of unique metropolitan areas that intersect the I-70 corridor. These regions are defined by selected aggregations of FAF zone geographies. The flow summaries and related map output allows the visualization of directional proportional flow volumes in terms of value and tonnage, by commodity, mode, and combinations thereof. This information is deemed important to better understand, visualize, and contribute to the quantification of need, capacity, and sustainability of developing and maintaining a successful dedicated truck lane system along the I-70 corridor. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight transportation KW - Highway capacity KW - Interstate 70 KW - Surveys KW - Tonnage KW - Traffic congestion KW - Truck lanes UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119158 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354662 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Lambert, Bruce TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop - Introduction PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 1-2 AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) represents one of the largest primary data collection efforts for national and regional freight activities, including the only publicly available data source of freight moving on highways, which is the largest freight transportation mode in the United States. This workshop was convened to identify potential improvements for the 2012 CFS. The workshop used three types of interactions: (1) panel presentations from key stakeholders intimately involved with the CFS, (2) interactive sessions focused on discussing potential improvements to the design for the 2012 CFS and its products, and (3) an opportunity to see current applications through a poster session. This report contains prepared statements, summaries of poster sessions, and reports on panel discussions. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Freight transportation KW - Workshops UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119125 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354661 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Appel, Peter TI - Understanding Freight Transportation and the Role of the Commodity Flow Survey PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 3-4 AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) provides a solid base for transportation decision making across both the private and public sectors. The current CFS has been in existence for several iterations since its 1993 release. It is continually being reevaluated and improved with the goal of obtaining the best possible high-quality data using the best tools in the most cost-effective way. This workshop is the most recent effort to solicit important feedback from the user community as plans for the next survey proceed. Input from this workshop in combination with results and lessons learned from the 2007 CFS provides the basis for these improvements. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Data quality KW - Decision making KW - Freight transportation KW - Surveys KW - Workshops UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119131 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354660 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Harris, Gregory AU - Anderson, Michael D TI - Using Aggregated Federal Data to Model Freight in a Medium-Size Community PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 45-46 AB - The efficient movement of freight within and through a region is vital to its growth and economic development. Transportation planning involves the development of travel demand models to support a region’s infrastructure investment decisions, but modeling professionals face limitations in obtaining accurate freight data. This problem originates from issues with gathering and utilizing data that are at the appropriate granularity. Freight data at the local level are considered proprietary and companies are reluctant to share. One approach in overcoming this limitation is to use a nonproprietary, national freight flow database. However, the high level of aggregation of the national freight flow data presents challenges for determining freight movements at the substate level. The publicly available data have to be supplemented by local information to provide reliable transportation demand forecasts suitable for planning purposes. Investigating future freight flows requires a deep understanding of the economic and industrial base of a region. For Alabama, this includes major manufacturing industries, agriculture, logging, and mining. Retailing, wholesaling, and warehousing activity also creates freight traffic. The base year for the economic database is 2002, the year corresponding to the Freight Analysis Framework 2 (FAF2) and also when the U.S. Census Bureau surveyed industries for its series of state economic censuses. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Alabama KW - Commodity flow KW - Economics KW - Forecasting KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight data KW - Freight transportation KW - Industries KW - Medium sized cities KW - Surveys KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119225 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354659 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Ciannavei, Paul TI - Validating the Commodity Flow Survey with TRANSEARCH PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 47-48 AB - TRANSEARCH is an independent, proprietary database of national freight flows that can be used to validate the findings of the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). While TRANSEARCH does make some limited use of CFS information in its annual construction, the 2007 version was developed and completed 2 years ago, well before the most recent CFS. Consequently, the results can serve as a completely independent cross-check. TRANSEARCH has a time-proven methodology that was established over 30 years ago, and has been refined and utilized on an annual basis over this entire time span. While the overall nature of the two datasets is quite similar, portraying market-to-market freight flow volumes by mode and commodity, there are differences in scope, coverage, commodity, and modal identification that need to be accounted for in order to make accurate comparisons. Preliminary findings show that there appears to be a very high level of correlation between the two sets of freight flow volume data, with the correspondence being more pronounced at more aggregate levels of geographic market and commodity detail. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Freight data KW - Freight transportation KW - Surveys KW - TRANSEARCH KW - Transportation modes KW - Validation UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119226 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354658 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Frittelli, John AU - Drumm, Scott TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop: Workshop Summary - Product Tools and Functionality PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 19-20 AB - A panel consisting of Donna Hambric and Andrew Hait from the U.S. Census Bureau was provided with the following points to consider: (1) Which predefined 2007 tools and functionality are the most useful and how should the tools and functionality be changed for the 2012 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS)? (2) Which American FactFinder (AFF) 2007 tools and functionality are the most useful and how should the tools and functionality be changed for the 2012 CFS? and (3) How should the organization of data be modified? This session focused on how to make the CFS data more accessible to users. This report summarizes the panel discussion and the comments and questions from workshop attendees. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data accessibility KW - Data files KW - Freight transportation KW - Survey methods KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119147 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354657 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Wallace, Mark E AU - Bertini, Robert AU - Schmitt, Rolf TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop: Workshop Summary - Concluding Remarks PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 27-29 AB - Mark E. Wallace comments that from the perspective of the Census Bureau, the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) Workshop has been very effective in reaching CFS users, providing information about why the CFS is important, how it is used in practice, understanding how effectively it meets user needs, and identifying opportunities for improving the CFS. Robert Bertini sees the CFS Workshop as an important means whereby the user community can communicate the importance of this foundational freight survey. He views the collection and analysis of quality freight data as essential to understanding how and where freight moves as well as for measuring the performance of those movements. Rolf Schmitt comments that, while participants of this workshop have discussed many problems, potential additions, and changes to the CFS, it is important to remember how far this effort has come. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data quality KW - Freight transportation KW - Future KW - History KW - Improvements KW - Surveys KW - Workshops UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119153 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354656 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Anderson, Michael AU - Harris, Gregory TI - Development of Statewide Freight Plan for Alabama Using Integrated Freight Planning Framework PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 38-40 AB - The need to integrate freight traffic into transportation planning has become more prominent in recent years, although its inclusion in most transportation plans and models has predominantly been limited in scope. The Alabama Department of Transportation (DOT) recognizes the need for research in freight transportation and the associated interrelationships between economic growth and transportation infrastructure. Identifying freight related constraints and potential improvements to the state’s transportation system can facilitate freight mobility. This in turn may support economic development initiatives at the state and local level. To this end, Alabama DOT initiated the Alabama Statewide Freight Study and Action Plan in April 2009. Current and future multimodal freight movements into and out of the state, as well as the condition, operations and safety of the multimodal system, were analyzed. All modes of freight movement—truck, rail, air, and water—were examined as a part of this study. Freight transportation operations are unique in that they are composed of both public and private system ownership supporting a multimodal network. Of the four modal elements, only highway infrastructure falls under the direct responsibility of Alabama DOT. Due to its significance with regard to share of overall freight movement and impact on the general traveling public, truck freight movement underwent analysis at an additional level of detail. This study reviewed freight movements and commodities that travel Alabama’s Interstates and major freight routes. A review of specific commodities and routes taken is helpful in understanding deficiencies along a route. Similarly, using criteria to determine congestion, safety and truck concentrations on the Alabama highway network assists in identifying deficient locations in the freight highway network. Understanding the total character of freight movements along a corridor—its prevalent commodities and potential safety and operational constraints—is helpful in refining possible suggestions and improvements for increasing system efficiency and safety. Alabama DOT has a proactive program of projects in its Comprehensive Project Management System (CPMS), with projects identified for many locations where freight system deficiencies were found. Freight is a primary customer of the highway network and the state’s program to improve safety and intermodal connections is reflected in the current program of projects that address many of the freight transportation needs. In locations where rail, ports and inland river ports, and air cargo facilities are located in proximity to highways, there is additional opportunity to consider highway improvements to facilitate intermodal freight options and/or mode switch. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Alabama KW - Alabama Department of Transportation KW - Commodity flow KW - Economic growth KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Highway safety KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119222 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354655 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Sharp, Joy AU - Margreta, Michael TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop: Workshop Summary - Content and Uses PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 13-15 AB - A panel consisting of Daniel F. Beagan from Cambridge Systematics, Inc., and Rolf R. Schmitt of the FHWA was given the following points to consider: (1) Provide a better understanding of the core items in the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), how survey content has changed over the years, and identify possible new areas of information gathering in future collections; (2) In view of new Department of Transportation (DOT) goals and reauthorization legislation, identify potential CFS questions that could be of benefit in assisting state DOTs and policy makers in developing performance measures or answering new policy questions; and (3) To understand the changing complexity of freight transportation logistics, identify areas that might require revision, updating, or offer an opportunity to collect new data. This report summarizes the panel discussion as well as comments and questions from workshop attendees. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data collection KW - Freight transportation KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119142 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354654 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Sprung, Michael AU - Southworth, Frank AU - Davidson, Diane AU - Hwang, Ho-Ling AU - Peterson, Bruce AU - Chin, S-M AU - Vogt, David AU - Li, J-M TI - Overview of the FAF3 Freight Flow Matrix Construction Process PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - p 44 AB - The Freight Analysis Framework 3 (FAF3) is a Federal Highway Administration freight data product which provides a national origin-destination (O-D) matrix of commodity flows to, from, and within the United States. FAF3 freight flows are reported in terms of both annual tons and annual dollars of freight moved by mode of transportation. Based largely on the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), FAF3 utilizes domestic freight flow characteristics, geographic regions, and the Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) commodity coding system from CFS. However, many freight flows were not captured by the 2007 CFS due to scope and sample size limitations. Approximately 100,000 establishments were sampled out of some 754,000 freight moving establishments in 2007 and imports are out of scope entirely. To estimate missing data values, the approach taken in FAF3 was to use a combination of a novel Log-linear modeling approach (LLM) with an iterative proportional fitting (IPF) routine that also uses additional data inputs to fill in the missing pieces. The complete FAF3 O-D–Commodity–Mode database is made up of 131 Origins x 131 Destinations x 43 Commodity Classes x 8 Modal categories, for annual tons and dollars. This study illustrates how the 2007 CFS data were integrated with several additional data sources using LLM and IPF to create a comprehensive FAF3 national freight flow matrix. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - 2007 Commodity Flow Survey KW - Commodity flow KW - Data integration KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight transportation KW - Iterative proportional fitting KW - Log-linear models KW - Missing data KW - Origin and destination KW - Standard Classification of Transported Goods KW - Surveys KW - Trip matrices KW - United States UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119224 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354653 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Margreta, Michael AU - Dipo, M Adhi TI - Improvements to the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey Data Quality: Mileage Estimation of Shipping Distances PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 30-31 AB - The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) continues to seek improvements to the quality of the information produced from its flagship vehicle for data collection, the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). A critical measurement, calculated from the CFS data, is the mileage traveled by each shipment, used in estimating modal ton-miles of freight. BTS developed an innovative software tool, called GeoMiler, to calculate the distance traveled by mode, in miles to one decimal place, from the origin to the destination of any given shipment for which valid and consistent origin, destination, and modal information were provided by the CFS respondent. If for any reason modal mileage calculations are not obtainable for a given shipment, GeoMiler includes the ability to set prearranged codes that explain the problem(s) for possible correction. This new tool for distance estimation uses geographic information system (GIS) technology and a robust spatial data network to create a unique and effective routing tool. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data quality KW - Distance KW - Freight transportation KW - Geographic information systems KW - Geospatial data KW - Improvements KW - Mileage KW - Routing KW - Shipping KW - Software KW - Surveys KW - Ton miles KW - Transportation modes UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119157 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354652 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Ludlow, Donald TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop: Workshop Summary - Key Observations on Improving the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - pp 21-26 AB - The 2010 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) workshop was designed to facilitate a discussion of experiences among CFS users and to serve as a forum on potential future improvements. The workshop organizers recruited panelists to provide key insights on the ability of the CFS to respond to emerging transportation industry trends and the data needs of business leaders and policy makers. Reacting to these objectives, the workshop panelists and participants provided valuable and detailed insight on the state of the CFS—its history, its relevance, and its future. This report summarizes the key themes of the workshop proceedings and culminates with some ideas that could shape the future of the CFS program. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data needs KW - Freight transportation KW - Future KW - History KW - Improvements KW - Surveys UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119151 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01354651 JO - Transportation Research E-Circular PB - Transportation Research Board TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop, November 16, 2010, Washington, D.C. PY - 2011/09 IS - E-C158 SP - 70p AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is a key data source for a myriad of freight planning activities. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) standing Committee on Freight Data initiated a workshop to provide a forum for discussion and input to the next application of the survey. The workshop, convened after the release of detailed CFS data and coinciding with planning for the 2011 CFS, offered an interactive format for a diverse set of users to engage in productive dialogue. These proceedings consist of individually attributed summaries. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey WorkshopTransportation Research BoardResearch and Innovative Technology AdministrationWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20101116 EndDate:20101116 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Research and Innovative Technology Administration KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Freight transportation KW - Surveys KW - Workshops UR - http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/166010.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119124 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354606 AU - Hallmark, Shauna L AU - Oneyear, Nicole AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Electronic Speed Limit Signs on US 30 PY - 2011/09//Tech Brief SP - 8p AB - This study documents the speed reduction impacts of two dynamic, electronic school zone speed limit signs at United Community Schools between Ames and Boone, Iowa. The school facility is situated along US Highway 30, a rural four-lane divided expressway. Due to concerns about high speeds in the area, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) decided to replace the original static school zone speed limit signs, which had flashing beacons during school start and dismissal times (Figure 1), with electronic speed signs that only display the reduced school speed limit of 55 mph during school arrival and dismissal times (Figure 2). The Center for Transportation Research and Education (CTRE) at Iowa State University (ISU) conducted a speed evaluation study one week before and 1 month, 7 months, and 14 or 15 months after the new signs were installed. Overall, the new dynamic school zone speed limit signs were more effective in reducing speeds than the original static signs with flashing beacons in the 1 month after period. During the 7 and 14 month after period, speeds increased slightly for the eastbound direction of traffic. However, the increases were consistent with overall speed increases that occurred independent of the signs. The dynamic, electronic signs were effective for the westbound direction of traffic for all time periods and for both start and dismissal times. Even though only modest changes in mean and 85th percentile speeds occurred, with the speed decreases, the number of vehicles exceeding the school speed limit decreased significantly, indicating the signs had a significant impact on high-end speeders. KW - Dynamic signing KW - Flashing beacons KW - Iowa KW - Rural highways KW - Schools KW - Speed control KW - Speed limits KW - Speed signs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42400/42462/US30_report_tech_brief1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118361 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353856 AU - Osland, Asbjorn AU - Clinch, Nanette AU - Ramsay, Lauren AU - Wells, Pamela AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Wellness Lessons from Transportation Companies PY - 2011/09//Final Report SP - 64p AB - The purpose of this report is to describe wellness programs and offer two suggestions for improving how they are delivered to commercial drivers and operators. It is not a large sample empirical study from which generalizations can be made. Rather, the Mineta Transportation Institute commissioned brief case studies of transportation companies to show what several organizations have done. Stress, nicotine use, sleep apnea, obesity and lack of information are significant barriers to wellness in commercial drivers/operators. Many wellness programs ask the individual driver/operator to lose weight; exercise more; and monitor blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and other such indicators of health. However, little is done to change the environment or adopt structural interventions such as forbidding nicotine use, as is possible in 20 states. Other structural interventions include those possible at the levels of the company and community, including access to healthy food rather than the junk food drivers often can find on the road. At the societal level, more public transit that gets people walking and out of their cars, cities designed for people to walk and cycle in rather than drive from work to a sprawling suburb, and encouraging food manufacturers to make healthy food (rather than a toxic mix of sodium, fat and sugar to boost one’s craving for a particular food) are just a few measures that could improve the health and well being of the public. The Union Pacific Corporation (rail transportation), and Con-way Freight (trucking) are included because they were willing to share information and are large publicly traded companies. The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is included because other transit authorities recommended it to the authors, as it has a long history in wellness as part of local government and it too chose to participate. Two issues are discussed: the first is the importance of using the mitigation of erectile dysfunction in the promotion of wellness programs to commercial drivers/operators and the second issue is to urge employers to consider banning tobacco use, both on and off the job, where legal. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Erectile dysfunction KW - Exercise KW - Nicotine KW - Obesity KW - Public health KW - Sleep disorders KW - Stress (Psychology) KW - Tobacco use KW - Wellness programs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42400/42421/1028-wellness-transportation-companies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118854 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376422 AU - Parker, John AU - Anstrom, Joel AU - Cleary, Timothy AU - Markovich, Bryan AU - Roser, Richard AU - Poston, C AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Alloy Surfaces Company, Incorporated AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Hydrogen Plant Module (HPM) And Vehicle Fueled by Same PY - 2011/08/29/Final Report SP - 16p AB - The goal / objective of the project was to design and fabricate hydrogen plant module (HPM) that is capable of producing hydrogen fuel onboard a vehicle and that obviates one or more of the present issues related to compressed hydrogen fuel storage onboard a vehicle, such as high pressure, weight, volume, cost, and conformability. To achieve this goal / objective, the project began with constructive simulations of HPM and vehicle, modeled entirely in software. Constructive simulation results guided construction of a standalone hardware model HPM as well as the hydrogen fueled vehicle. Once constructed, the standalone hardware model HPM was tested using hardware-in-the-loop simulation methodology, whereby simulated hydrogen demand data was uploaded dynamically to a hydrogen mass flow controller. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation results demonstrated ability of HPM to meet expected hydrogen demand of the vehicle. The vehicle was also driven, with hydrogen supplied by a temporary compressed gas tank source, to confirm that actual hydrogen demand of the vehicle was reasonably close to expectation. Finally, the standalone hardware model HPM was modified to be integrally retrofit to the vehicle. The HPM and vehicle fueled by the same were then tested in idle mode of operation, and then again in drive mode of operation, at a driving speed of 15.31 mph (i.e., equal to 30kW power requirement set forth by project advisor). Goal / objective of the project was achieved, having designed and fabricated HPM, having demonstrated its capability to produce hydrogen fuel onboard a vehicle, and having clearly demonstrated obviation of at least one of the present issues related to compressed hydrogen fuel storage onboard a vehicle – that issue being high pressure. Note, HPM pressure was nominal 125 psig at all times during operation, whereas the total amount of hydrogen producible by the HPM, if stored onboard as compressed gas, would have required storage at 2000 psig. Now that HPM has been designed and fabricated, future efforts can be directed to further obviation of present issues related to compressed hydrogen fuel storage onboard a vehicle. KW - Fuel cell power plants KW - Fuel storage KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Hydrogen fueled vehicles KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Hydrogen storage KW - Pressure UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2008-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144184 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361143 AU - Ban, Xuegang Jeff AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York Metropolitan Transportation Council AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk Neutral Second Best Toll Pricing PY - 2011/08/28 SP - 28p AB - The authors propose a risk-neutral second best toll pricing scheme to account for the possible no uniqueness of user equilibrium (UE) solutions. The scheme is designed to optimize for the expected objective value as the UE solution varies within the solution set. The authors show that such a risk-neutral scheme can be formulated as a stochastic program, which complements the traditional risk-prone second best toll pricing (SBTP) approach and the risk-averse SBTP approach the authors developed recently. The proposed model can be solved by a simulation-based optimization algorithm that contains three major steps: characterization of the UE solution set, random sampling over the solution set, and a two-phase simulation optimization step. Numerical results illustrate that the proposed risk-neutral design scheme is less aggressive than the risk-prone scheme and less conservative than the risk-averse scheme, and may thus be more preferable from a toll designer's point of view. KW - Algorithms KW - Programming (Mathematics) KW - Road pricing KW - Simulation KW - Stochastic programming KW - Theory of second best KW - Tolls KW - Traffic equilibrium KW - User equilibrium UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1127149 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364039 AU - Min, Hokey AU - Bowling Green State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Building a Model-Based Decision Support System for Solving Vehicle Routing and Driver Scheduling Problems under Hours of Service Regulations PY - 2011/08/27/Final Report SP - 29p AB - In principle, hours-of-service (HOS) regulations are intended to help truck drivers ensure that they get adequate rest and perform safe operations. The new HOS regulations, however, may lead to substantial cost increases for regional common carriers which have already been hit hard by rising fuel prices and declining shipping demands. In addition, the new HOS regulations complicate driver schedules by not only restricting the driver’s consecutive driving hours, but also expanding off-duty hours. To deal with this complex challenge, the author proposes a model-based decision support system (DSS) that helps to determine the truck driver’s working hours, rest periods, and his/her assigned truck’s schedules and routes under HOS regulations. As a core of this model-based DSS, the author developed a mixed-integer programming model and a simulated annealing (SA) meta-heuristic for solving it. This model was also integrated with a geographical information system (GIS) and relational database management system (RDBMS) to enhance interfaces between the model and its parametric data using spatial, graphical displays. The practicality and robustness of the proposed model-based DSS were validated with its successful application to the real-world problem encountering a regional common carrier in the United States. KW - Decision support systems KW - Geographic information systems KW - Hours of labor KW - Relational databases KW - Routing KW - Scheduling KW - Truck drivers UR - http://files.library.northwestern.edu/transportation/online/unrestricted/2011/UTUTC-SC-9.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132244 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354223 AU - Smith, Julia M AU - Sullivan, James AU - Grover, Rebecca AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Application of the Network Robustness Index to Identify Critical Links Supporting Vermont's Bulk Milk Transportation PY - 2011/08/18 SP - 22p AB - The food supply chain is an interwoven network consisting of producers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers. With the exception of direct marketing or community-supported agriculture systems, some or all of these intermediaries are involved. In all cases, links between each member of the supply chain are subject to disruption. A disruption in transit of goods between any of these points, be it a detour, poor road condition, theft, accident, or major disruption caused by natural, accidental, or intentional catastrophe can have consequences ranging from reduced efficiency of operations to total loss of value of product (if stolen or highly perishable). Given that the food and agriculture sector was declared a critical infrastructure by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, ways to assess vulnerabilities and prioritize mitigation strategies are needed. One such tool for identifying critical links in a transportation network is the Network Robustness Index (NRI). The NRI provides a system-wide approach to identifying critical links and evaluating transportation network performance. The theoretical framework of the NRI accounts for network-wide demand and traffic re-assignment. It may prove a useful approach for evaluating critical links for freight commodity or any other transportation flows. The objective of this project was to apply the NRI to a real-life data set of freight transportation flows over a real road network. Given the dominant position of dairy in Vermont’s agricultural production and export markets, the flow of bulk milk from farm to first collection point was selected for study. Application of the NRI to Vermont milk transportation networks would help focus attention on links critical to the overall performance of the road infrastructure serving the raw milk supply chain. This report presents the analysis of a data set reflecting milk movements in northwestern Vermont. KW - Agricultural products KW - Commodity flow KW - Data files KW - Food KW - Freight transportation KW - Links (Networks) KW - Network Robustness Index KW - Strategic planning KW - Supply chain management KW - Transportation networks KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-11-006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118984 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01396954 AU - Lawphongpanich, Siriphong AU - Yin, Yafeng AU - Degner, Janet AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovations in Pricing of Transportation Systems: Theory and Practice PY - 2011/08/15/Draft Final Report SP - 69p AB - This report summarizes results from the conference titled “Innovations in Pricing of Transportation Systems” on May 12–14, 2010 at the Royal Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The primary objective of the conference is to bring together practitioners, experts, and researchers worldwide to discuss and share innovative ideas in using market-based approaches to encourage a more efficient use of and to better design a scheme for financing improvements to a multi-modal transportation system. For example, common road or congestion pricing schemes such as High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes and cordon pricing use market-based approaches to manage travel demand and mitigate congestion. However, it is also possible to combine congestion pricing with other forms of revenue generating schemes to promote a more efficient use of a multi-modal transportation system as well as to finance its improvements such as adding additional bus or metro lines and building new roads or adding new lanes to existing ones. KW - Conferences KW - Congestion pricing KW - Financing KW - Improvements KW - Innovation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/lawphongpanich_2009-004.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45644/lawphongpanich_2009-004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1164721 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370210 AU - Uddin, Nasim AU - Zhao, Hua AU - Waldron, Christopher AU - Dong, Li AU - Greer, Amber AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Data for Site-Specific LRFR Bridge Load Rating PY - 2011/08/12/Final Report SP - 24p AB - The live load factors in the Load and Resistant Factor Rating (LRFR) Manual are based on load data from Ontario thought to be representative of traffic volumes nationwide. However, in accordance with the methodology for developing site-specific live load factors in the provisions of the LRFR Manual, live load factors for six locations in Alabama were developed using statistical weigh-in-motion (WIM) data. WIM data were collected from six sites in Alabama, including sites located on state and interstate routes. Data were collected throughout the year and in both travel directions to account for possible seasonal and directional variations. Different WIM data collection windows were also analyzed to determine the minimum required collection window to achieve statistically valid results. WIM records representing truck traffic at each WIM site were categorized based on weight in accordance with the Code of Alabama and Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) practices. This analysis of WIM data in Alabama resulted in lower live load factors for each of the six sites than those presented in the LRFR Manual. It is recommended that ALDOT consider using these lower live load factors to more accurately represent the load rating of bridges across the state. KW - Alabama KW - Bridges KW - Data collection KW - Live loads KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load factor KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2012/01/10204-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136642 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353565 AU - Smilowitz, Karen AU - Dolinskaya, Irina AU - Center for the Commercialization of Innovative Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Decision-making tools for distribution networks in disaster relief PY - 2011/08/05 SP - 53p AB - The devastation caused by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti was compounded by the significant logistical challenges of distributing relief to those in need. Unfortunately this is the case with many disasters. Rapid and efficient distribution of water, food, medication and other essential supplies is crucial to saving lives and rebuilding the region. A research team at Northwestern University leveraged its expertise in supply chain management and vehicle navigation under uncertainty to study design and operational improvements for humanitarian relief chains. This project brought insights from this research to the relief community through the development of decision‐making tools for supply distribution. The report is organized as follows. Chapter 2 describes the survey to better understand relief routing through interviews with aid organizations, reviews of their publications, and a literature review of operations research models in transportation of relief goods. The authors provide an analysis of the use of such models from the perspective of both practitioners and academics. Chapters 3 and 4 describe operations research models based on this work. Chapter 3 introduces the single‐stop relief routing model and Chapter 4 details work in designing enhanced search zones for search and rescue operations. Finally, Chapter 5 presents an overview of future work. KW - Decision making KW - Disaster relief KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Logistics KW - Mathematical models KW - Physical distribution KW - Routing KW - Search and rescue operations KW - Supply chain management UR - http://ccitt.northwestern.edu/documents/Smilowitz_Dolinskaya_DisasterRelief_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118362 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549644 TI - Synthesis of Freight Research in Urban Transportation Planning AB - This project synthesizes information about policies and practices for managing freight activity in metropolitan areas and is based on a comprehensive review of international literature. The primary focus is on "last-mile/first-mile" strategies, but the report also focuses on strategies affecting environmental issues and trading hubs or nodes. The research looked beyond the United States--mostly, but not exclusively, in Europe and the European BESTUFS (Best Urban Freight Solutions) program--for potentially relevant policies and practices that could be used in the United States. The synthesis will be of interest to transportation planners and strategists, particularly those representing the larger urban areas. Commercial transport for the delivery of goods and services is crucial to the modern urban economy, which relies on frequent deliveries and collections (groceries, parcels, trash), express and urgent deliveries (hospitals, businesses), and a fast-growing home delivery market. Trucks and vans provide the "last mile/first-mile" transport, as well as most medium haul freight transport. In metro areas that serve as trade hubs, trucks are a major part of wholesaling, distribution, logistics, and intermodal operations. Truck traffic also generates significant impacts including congestion, emissions, noise, and traffic incidents. Metro areas throughout the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world are seeking ways to better manage truck traffic. Of particular interest is the BESTUFS program that the European Union has funded to bring together experts, projects, research results, and stakeholders to analyze success factors for urban logistics in European cities. The objective of the research was to conduct a synthesis of recent urban freight studies in the United States, the European Union, and elsewhere to identify relevant strategies for managing urban freight transport. The results provide useful guidance and information to transportation planners and strategists interested in urban freight issues. The report provides guidance on the types of research and studies that could be undertaken to contribute further to solutions of urban freight transport in terms of economic, environmental, and social/safety issues. Under National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) Project 36(05), "Synthesis of Freight Research on Urban Transportation Planning," METRANS Transportation Center, University of Southern California examined strategies in three general categories: (1) last mile/first mile, (2) environmental, and (3) trade node. Last mile/first mile strategies focus on reducing congestion on city streets related to local deliveries and pickups. Environmental strategies focus on reducing emissions and noise from trucks and vans. Trade node strategies deal with the particular problems of metropolitan areas serving as hubs for national and international trade. The report concludes with general observations from the literature review and an assessment of the most promising strategies that could be used to better manage urban freight in the US. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Europe KW - Freight traffic KW - Logistics KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic noise KW - Truck traffic KW - United States UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3320 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339873 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577733 TI - Downregulation of Lignin Content in Switchgrass Plants and the Impact on Soil Microbial Communities and Soil Nutrient Cycling AB - No summary provided. KW - Grasses KW - Lignin KW - Soils UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370791 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575947 TI - Metabolic Engineering to Enhance Butanol Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass through Use of an Endogenous Ribozyme and Artificial Non-Coding RNAs in Clostridium AB - No summary provided. KW - Bacteria KW - Biomass KW - Butane KW - Lignin KW - Metabolism KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368981 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575660 TI - Utilization of Biorefinery Lignins towards the Manufacture of Novel Carbon Foams AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Carbon KW - Foams KW - Lignin KW - Manufacturing KW - Refining UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368343 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575553 TI - Enhanced Production of Reactive Intermediates from Cellulosic Biomass for Aqueous-Phase Catalytic Processing to Drop-In Fuels AB - The knowledge portion of this research project includes the following: optimized RS process provides new conditions for higher yields of reactive compounds at lower costs; insight will inform strategies and major new initiatives for making yields economically competitive; new models will better predict performance and aid in the design of novel systems; and results will inform selection of new and plentiful biomass sources in California (including agricultural and forestry residues). The actions portion includes the following: design and implementation of a total alternative fuels system; optimization of the existing transportation fuels infrastructure; selection and wider application of woody and herbaceous energy crops, such as fast growing poplar and switchgrass, in the transportation fuels sector; diversion of major portions of municipal waste to the transportation fuels sector; increased commercial interest in sustainable transportation fuels; increased production of sustainable transportation fuels; and increased use of sustainable transportation fuels. The conditions are as follows: decreased cost of sustainable transportation fuels; increased national energy security and independence; decreased air pollution and slower climate change; fewer and/or less full landfills; promoting diversification and environmental sustainability of agriculture; and increased rural economic growth and job opportunities. KW - Biomass KW - Biomass fuels KW - California KW - Catalysis KW - Cellulose KW - Costs KW - Crops KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368107 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575506 TI - Renewable Hydrocarbon Fuels from Catalytic Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Cellulose KW - Hydrocarbons KW - Pyrolysis KW - Renewable energy sources UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367885 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01522817 TI - Information Gathering Infrastructure Toward Intelligent Transportation AB - Much of the vital transportation-related research going on within the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) faces costly limitations in the way it collects and examines data. On the one hand, such research is constrained by a lack of real-time data analysis. On the other hand, this work typically relies upon privately owned cellular communication towers to relay necessary data at great cost to researchers and the State of Alaska. A new project headed by researcher Jeffrey Miller of the University of Alaska Anchorage will address both of these issues by creating and using independent communication towers to transmit data through a Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) system, allowing for real time city-wide data analysis without costly monthly fees. Never before in ADOT&PF's work has vehicle data been available in real time and exposed through a web interface with data transmitting live over a novel V2I architecture that may operate in perpetuity. Cellular companies have not shown interest in partnering with a vehicle data gathering organization, so there will always be fees associated with each device communicating over the cellular network back to the central infrastructure. To remove this cost, Miller's team is installing independent communication towers that, instead of incurring external monthly fees, rely only upon internal support and maintenance. The project will utilize the On Board Diagnostics (OBD) port of a vehicle to allow data from the vehicle's computer system to be gathered and transmitted over the V2I network. Hosted at the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA), the database server utilizes customized structural components designed using structural, modal and dynamic finite element analysis techniques. Manufactured and fabricated in the UAA machine shop and design studio facilities, its manufacturing and assembly drawings of structural components will be made available to ADOT&PF. While many of the external costs have been removed and covered within ADOT&PF, this system's benefits will serve a variety of other agencies. Miller is designing a protocol through which other agencies and public institutions may access the server with specific guidelines on data-retrieval, request for specific information collection and specifications on scalable interface design for addition to future applications and projects. Scaling and expanding this capacity for future projects remains a major priority for Miller's team. Data such as revolutions per minute (RPM), fuel consumption, acceleration/deceleration rates, engine/cabin/outside temperature, tire pressure and tire rotation may interest a variety of public entities, researchers and planners. KW - Data communications KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Onboard navigational aids KW - Real time information KW - Traffic data KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/projects/information-gathering-infrastructure-toward-intelligent-transporation/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307037 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494564 TI - Remote Sensing of Unpaved Road Conditions through the Use of Remote Sensing AB - The objective of this project is to utilize remote sensing technologies mounted on manned and unmanned aerial vehicles to assess unpaved road conditions. KW - Monitoring KW - Remote sensing KW - Technological innovations KW - Unpaved roads UR - http://www.mtri.org/unpaved/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1263733 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01486762 TI - Geotechnical Asset Management AB - Geotechnical assets--things like rock and soil slopes, shore protection, embankments, retaining walls, material sites, bridge foundations, tieback anchors and more--literally touch or affect every other physical asset owned by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (Alaska DOT&PF). Because of this acute inter-connection, effective management of geotechnical assets is necessary to maintain the level of transportation safety and service required by Alaska DOT&PF clients, a.k.a. people who utilize the transportation system in Alaska. In fact, Alaska DOT&PF recently identified asset management as the second of six key initiatives the department will target in its new strategic plan. Supporting this initiative, new research led by Andrew Metzger at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) seeks to develop a framework for addressing challenges related to geotechnical asset management (GAM) that can be implemented with other asset management systems. Overcoming the several salient challenges GAM brings is integral to any comprehensive asset management approach. For instance, difficulties with maintenance performance, unpredictable service life, and financial accounting complexities are among the proven obstacles to managing geotechnical assets within most infrastructure organizations, and in Alaska. Nonetheless, Metzger and his team expect the GAM project to produce a "road map" for transportation-related GAM in the state of Alaska. This draft program framework will include specific planning recommendations that address the most significant challenges for implementation of GAM across the broad range of geotechnical asset classes owned by ADOT&PF. KW - Accounting KW - Alaska KW - Asset management KW - Financial analysis KW - Maintenance KW - Service life KW - Strategic planning UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/projects/geotechnical-asset-management/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1256513 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467915 TI - Energy, Ride Comfort, and Road Handling of Regenerative Vehicle Suspensions AB - Transportation accounts for 70% of the oil consumed in the United States (DOE data [1]), and 62% of this portion is used by automobiles [1, 2]. However, only 10-16% of the available fuel energy is used to drive the vehicle, i.e. to overcome the resistance from road friction and air drag (DOE and EPA data [3]). Besides engine cycle efficiency, one important mechanism of energy loss in transportation is the dissipation of kinetic energy during vehicle motion and vibration, through braking and suspensions. In the past ten years, energy recovery from braking has achieved great commercialization success in hybrid vehicles. However, regenerative vehicle suspensions, which have the advantage of continuous energy recovery, have not come into practice. The objective of this research paper is to comprehensively assess the potential of energy harvesting from vehicle suspensions and its effect to the vehicle ride comfort and road handling or safety. The researchers will create a integrated modeling of road, vehicle, and harvester, to systematically investigate the road roughness, vehicle speed, tire stiffness, suspension stiffness, absorber damping, sprung and unsprung masses to the energy, comfort, and maneuverability. And, based on this study, a scientific criterion will be set for regenerative suspensions on the energy saving, fuel efficiency improvement, environment benefits, and cost limit for various vehicles ranging from class-8 trucks to passenger cars. Although a few researchers already looked into the regenerative shock absorbers to recover the energy dissipated in the vehicle suspensions [4-9], the fundamental question is still not clear: How much power is available for harvesting in vehicle suspensions. The amount of harvestable power in literature [4-9] varies in a very large range, from negligible 46 watts to unreasonably high 7500 watts. An answer to this question, with scientific confidence, is very critical for transportation agencies, state and federal funding agencies, private investors, and researchers to make decisions on whether or not it is worth of the money and effort to develop the energy harvesting technology for transportation applications. If yes, how much is the cost limit for a reasonable payback time such as three years. A systematical understanding of the road-vehicle-harvester dynamics is also critical for the development of the energy-harvesting suspensions. Due to the lack of such a system-level understanding, most of the energy harvesting shock absorbers either have very low energy efficiency, or have negative effect on vehicle vibration performance. For example, the ball screw mechanism investigated by [9-12] can significantly magnify the vibration motion and has good energy efficiency, but large force will transfer from the wheel to the vehicle chassis and significant ride comfort will loss at high frequency above 7-10Hz, even with active control. This research paper will provide valuable physical insights to guide the design of the energy harvesters by investigating the tradeoff among energy harvesting, ride comfort, and road handling. In addition to the modeling, analysis, and simulation, experimental study based on road tests will also be conducted in this research paper. The energy and environment benefits to the individual vehicle and the whole New York State will be assessed. KW - Comfort KW - Driving KW - Energy consumption KW - Energy recovery systems KW - Power harvesters KW - Ride quality KW - Suspensions KW - Vehicle design KW - Vehicles and equipment UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/regenerative-vehicle-suspensions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236151 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467641 TI - National CVISN Deployment Program AB - The research objective of Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) is to provide technologies and improve efficiency of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspections, productivity of commercial vehicles and carriers, and enhancement of the safety of CMVs. Expanded CVISN Program provides additional functionalities in the areas of improved data quality of the safety information, driver information, electronic screening at virtual weigh stations, and other information technologies and intelligent transportation systems. This initiative will address specific problems: automatic vehicle identification at the roadside, achieving commonalities, standardization and consistencies in real-time information exchange, electronic payment of credentials, identifying the small number of rogue carriers and vehicles among a vast sea of law-abiding carriers and vehicles, and updating the CVISN Architecture and associated standards as the commercial vehicle-related extension of the National Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Architecture. KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - CVISN (Program) KW - Driver information systems KW - Highway safety KW - Information technology KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Real time information UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235877 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01361051 AU - Cuddy, Matthew AU - Kay, Michael AU - Kim, Anita AU - Kniss, Valerie AU - Regan, Terrance J AU - Sloan, Suzanne M AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Environment:: Governance Roundtable Proceedings from June 20, 2011 PY - 2011/08/01/Final Report SP - 34p AB - This report documents a governance roundtable discussion hosted by the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office (JPO) on June 20, 2011 at the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT’s) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This discussion was organized as a first step towards establishing an ongoing process for developing a governance framework for the vehicle to vehicle/vehicle to infrastructure (V2V/V2I) Connected Vehicle environment. The objectives of the discussion were to: 1) gather information from experts on the topic of governance and how it is defined across different industries; 2) identify multiple approaches to evaluating and developing a governance structure or model; and 3) obtain guidance from roundtable experts and observers on a set of next steps. The roundtable was structured as a one-day forum that engaged six experts in a discussion of governance from a non-transportation perspective. KW - Governance KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Roundtables KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43100/43129/GovRoundtableProceedingsFINAL_9_22_11_v4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126771 ER - TY - SER AN - 01554449 JO - Transportation Trends in Focus PB - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Young, Peg TI - Aviation On-Time Performance Trend Stable for Past 2 Years PY - 2011/08 SP - 2p AB - Airline on-time performance, measured by the percent of flights arriving at their destination on time, has attracted growing interest in recent years as the number of air travelers has increased. This report examines recent trends, seasonality, and pattern shifts in monthly on-time performance of the U.S. major air carriers. KW - Air traffic KW - Airlines KW - On time performance KW - Statistical analysis KW - Time series KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/bts_transportation_trends_in_focus/august_2011/pdf/entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341981 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537428 AU - Pickerill, Heath AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program at Missouri University of Science and Technology: Annual Progress Report, January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010 PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 30p AB - This annual report is a summary of the activities during 2010 for the Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program (Missouri LTAP), which is located at Missouri University of Science and Technology. The report highlights Missouri LTAP’s performance and activities over the past year. KW - Annual reports KW - Highway departments KW - Local Technical Assistance Program KW - Missouri KW - Technical assistance KW - Training UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/ETT259_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322155 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522316 AU - Ohman, Jon M AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Compliance Review Effectiveness Model Results for Carriers with Compliance Reviews in Fiscal Year 2007 PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 34p AB - In fiscal year (FY) 2007, Federal and State enforcement personnel conducted more than 15,000 compliance reviews (CRs) on individual motor carriers. It is intended that through education, heightened safety regulation awareness, and the enforcement effects of the CR, carriers will improve the safety of their commercial vehicle operations and, ultimately, reduce the number and severity of crashes in which they are involved. The CR Effectiveness Model measures the direct impact of compliance reviews on carriers that received CRs. The model is based on the individual and cumulative “before and after” changes in the safety performance of carriers that received CRs in a given year. The model compares a motor carrier’s crash rate in the 12 months following an onsite compliance review to its crash rate in the 12 months prior to that review. The model uses crash data reported by the States and power unit data reported by carriers or obtained during CRs to calculate both the before-CR and after-CR crash rates. This report documents the benefits derived from performing CRs on motor carriers in terms of crashes avoided, as well as lives saved and injuries prevented. KW - Before and after studies KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Compliance KW - Crash rates KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety programs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51200/51281/CREM_FY_2007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306384 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491384 AU - Sauerwein, Peter M AU - Smith, Brian L AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of the Implementation of a Probe-Vehicle Based Pavement Roughness Estimation System PY - 2011/08 SP - 95p AB - As roadway systems age and maintenance budgets shrink, a need emerges for timely and roughness data for pavement maintenance decision-making. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) maintains the third-largest state network of roadways in America, with $1.8 billion budgeted for roadway maintenance in 2012. Pavement assessment data in Virginia is currently collected by a contractor using a dedicated sensor platform. Frequency of collection is once per year on the interstate highway system and primary roadways, and once every five years for secondary roadways. Collected data is analyzed to produce indices which are the basis for pavement maintenance decision making. This paper outlines a pavement roughness data gathering system using the connected vehicle program under the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT)’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) initiative. The data-gathering system will increase frequency of pavement roughness data collection on primary, secondary, and interstate roadways, increase the number of lane-miles of monitored roadways, decrease lag time from collection to interpretation, and add to the information available to state transportation agency employees. The technical feasibility and characteristics of three potential system structures are researched and discussed. All three systems use accelerometers and wireless communications to gather pavement roughness data, but differ in technology and approach. One uses ITS and connected vehicle technology, a second uses an installed accelerometer and communications system instrument package, and the third uses mobile communications devices containing accelerometers. The most appropriate system uses smartphone devices to gather data using integrated accelerometers and transmitting data using commercial wireless services. KW - Accelerometers KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Data collection KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Probe vehicles KW - Roughness KW - Smartphones KW - Virginia Department of Transportation KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UVA-2010-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1259558 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486728 AU - Sioutas, Constantinos AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Physical and Chemical Characterization of Personal Exposure to Airborne Particulate Matter (PM) in the Los Angeles Subways and Light-Rail Trains PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - An extensive sampling campaign was conducted to assess personal exposure of particulate matter (PM) for an underground line and a ground-level light rail line of the Los Angeles Metro. Real-time, continuous data from monitors determined personal PM exposure of commuters of both lines, and measured PM concentrations at station platforms and inside the train. Subway commuters were exposed to PM concentrations that were almost double that for light-rail commuters. Regression analysis demonstrated that personal exposure concentrations for the light-rail line are strongly associated with ambient PM levels, while PM concentrations for the subway line are less influenced by ambient conditions. The findings suggest that local emissions (i.e. vehicular traffic, road dust) are the main source of airborne PM for the light-rail line. The subway line has an additional source of PM, most likely generated from the daily operation of trains. From a mass concentration perspective, the L.A. Metro system is relatively cleaner than other subway systems. KW - Light rail transit KW - Los Angeles Metropolitan Area KW - Particulates KW - Public health KW - Subways UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/10-07_Sioutas_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247846 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482562 AU - Bham, Ghulam H AU - Manepalli, Uday R R AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Crash Analysis of I-64 Closure in St. Louis County PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 19p AB - On January 2, 2008, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) closed significant portions of Missouri Interstate 64 (I-64) in St. Louis County for reconstruction. During the planning stages of this project, the proposal to close all lanes of I-64 was met with public concern regarding the possible safety risks associated with diverting I-64 traffic to adjacent roadways. A specific concern was the possibility of increased crash rates on roads designated to receive I-64 traffic flow. The following research was conducted to assess the actual outcomes related to these concerns. Crash analyses and crash rate analysis of 2008 and 2009 crash data were performed. The data were compared to four years of pre-closure crash data. Overall results suggest no evidence of increased crash rates on roadways adjacent to I-64 resulting from the two-year closure period. The study indicated that crash rates on 17 roadways were 8.9% below average in 2008 and 14.7% below average in 2009. Crash rates declined for most freeways, expressways, and major arterials in the surrounding region. Rear-end crashes declined noticeably from 7,757 in 2007 to 6,728 in 2009. KW - Crash rates KW - Interstate highways KW - Missouri KW - Street closure KW - Traffic diversion UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/47000/47300/47350/Bham_341_COMBINED_FINAL_1_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251179 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01480967 AU - Peterman, Robert J AU - Hammerschmidt, Steven F AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Damage Potential in Pretensioned Bridges Caused by Increased Truck Loads Due to Freight Movements (Phase II) PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 107p AB - With aging and deterioration of bridges, evaluation of existing conditions of their structural elements becomes vital to engineers and public officials when deciding how to repair or replace the structures. The ability to obtain necessary information on these conditions is often expensive and time consuming, especially for concrete bridges where the reinforcement is not available for inspection. Employing the surface-strain relief method could allow for accurate evaluation of aged or damaged prestressed members. The surface-strain relief method was developed to measure initial or pre-existing strains in a concrete member. It involves relieving the strain in the member and measuring the change in strain. Two methods were tested in this study—one used a linear electrical-resistance strain gage and a three-inch-diameter diamond concrete core bit to cut around the gage, and the second method used a laser-speckle imaging device and a diamond cutting wheel to create notches perpendicular to the axis of maximum strain. Both methods measured the change in strain and related it to within 10% of the actual fse. The method of cutting notches and the laser-speckle imaging device provided a simpler method to be implemented in the field, while the coring method achieved a higher level of accuracy and precision. KW - Bridge members KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Strain gages KW - Structural analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456624 AU - Guo, Jessica AU - Raith, Walt AU - Gong, Qi AU - Bittner, Jason AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Freight Model Improvement Project for ECWRPC PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 24p AB - In early 2009, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), HNTB and East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Council (ECWRPC) completed the first phase of the Northeast Region Travel Demand Model. While the model includes a truck trip generation based on the quick response freight manual, the model lacks enough truck classification counts and other data to accurately calibrate the model to existing conditions, as well as for future freight demand conditions. Therefore, sufficient data needs to be collected in order to accurately calibrate a model for use in calibrating freight use. This project will calibrate the model through data collection and field verification efforts. This study will provide data to evaluate and improve a model for the truck/freight mode split component of the travel model. Current freight information that could be used to verify and calibrate the model is minimal; therefore, this project will collect the needed data to do so using aerial photography, GIS data, mapping projects, and other data obtained by East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC). The project will complete a land use inventory specific to the freight industry, with documentation and mapping. The research team will also provide staff training and technical assistance. KW - Data collection KW - Freight traffic measurement KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Travel demand KW - Trip generation KW - Truck traffic KW - Vehicle classification KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0308.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224927 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376205 AU - Du, Lianxiang AU - Aboustait, Mohammed B AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Device to Evaluate the Cracking Potential of Concrete Mixtures PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 64p AB - Developments in material technology during past decades, including the introduction of a wide range of concrete mixtures, ingredients, and combinations, led to the development of high-performance concrete (HPC). However, despite advances in technology and practice, concrete bridge decks and pavement still crack often, causing the premature failure of concrete structure. It is important to understand the fundamental behavior of concrete mixtures, where mixture proportions, constituent materials, and environmental factors have decisive effects. This report addresses research conducted to explore the tensile characteristics of HPC, using an innovative, experimental device. Developing such an instrument will help understand HPC characteristics. This device restrains the concrete when the concrete starts to decrease in volume. The restraint inhibits the movement of the concrete, which induces uniform tensile stress in the concrete. Once the tensile capacity (strength or strain capacity) of the concrete has been exceeded, cracking happens. The procedure to conduct this experimental approach and compile its data is described. A pilot laboratory study has been performed and the feasibility of the device to evaluate concrete mixtures confirmed. KW - Cracking of concrete pavements KW - High performance concrete KW - Pavement performance KW - Pilot studies KW - Strain gages KW - Tensile strength KW - Tension tests KW - Test procedures UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2012/06/09207-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143928 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376101 AU - Palomino, Angel AU - Solaimanian, Mansour AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Tensar International Corporation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Special Surface Treatment Aged Using UV, Phase I PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Research was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of Tensar’s specialty polymer cement slurry (coating) in reducing aging of asphalt binders and mixtures. The study was also aimed at evaluating the effect of this material on performance characteristics of asphalt binder and asphalt concrete through laboratory investigation. The plan required preparation and testing materials at different aging levels. The materials included the asphalt binders and mixtures prepared with and without a coating level of Tensar’s coating. Aging was achieved through rolling thin film oven (RTFO), pressure aging vessel (PAV), and Ultraviolet (UV) chamber. Aging in the UV chamber was conducted for 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, and 28 days. Testing for the binder included dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rheometer (BBR), and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Mixture testing was conducted using the third scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3). KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Binders KW - Cement slurry KW - Materials tests KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Surface treating KW - Ultraviolet exposure tests UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2010-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1142251 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01368787 AU - Kawamura, Kazuya AU - Thakuriah, Piyushimita Vonu AU - Sriraj, P S AU - Dirks, Lise AU - Rashidi, Laya AU - Sherburn, Sarah AU - Miodonski, Dan AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Freight-Built Environment Interrelationships PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 131p AB - The main aim of this study is to advance the understanding of interactions among land use, transportation infrastructure, and movement of freight. There are three research thrusts for the study. The first thrust examines the effects of transportation infrastructure on the trucking sector output, employment, and productivity at both state and urban area levels. The second thrust looks at how built environment factors such as intersection and road densities affect consumption of retail goods while accounting for the effects economic and demographic conditions. The third thrust examines the perceptions and knowledge of the stakeholders involved in urban freight movement and commercial real estate development regarding the relationship between land use and freight. While these thrusts do not comprise a complete list of critically important topics in understanding the land use – freight relationships, collecting information and advancing the understanding of these issues will establish a foundation for further studies to build on. KW - Built environment KW - Employment KW - Freight traffic KW - Land use KW - Productivity KW - Transportation infrastructure UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_CFIRE0207_V2.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44400/44426/FR_CFIRE0207_V2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137372 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01367553 AU - Parvin, Azadeh AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Strengthening of Bridge Columns Subjected to an Impact Lateral Load Caused by Vehicle Collision, Phase I Final Report PY - 2011/08//Phase 1 Final Report SP - 13p AB - Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials have gained wide acceptance for repair and retrofit of existing infrastructures or to design new infrastructures due to their desirable properties (high strength to weight ratio, light weight and consequent ease of field placement, corrosion resistance, durability, and low maintenance cost among others). There is a need to strengthen the deficient and aging civil infrastructure or new structures that are identified with certain design flaws against sudden loads including impact, blast, natural disasters, or increased traffic loads over time. The addition of FRP materials to upgrade the deficiencies or to strengthen the structural components prior to collapse can save lives and damage to infrastructure, and reduces the need for their costly replacement. The retrofit with the FRP materials with desirable properties provides an excellent replacement for traditional materials including steel jacket to strengthen the damaged reinforced concrete structural members that are repairable. Additionally, there are a number of accidental vehicle-bridge component collisions reported every year that result in loss of lives and severe property damages. These outcomes suggest that some of these bridges are not impact proof. In this phase of the project, a literature review was performed on the FRP-strengthening of concrete bridge members and structural components to evaluate its use and benefits. In particular, the FRP strengthening of columns for several loading scenarios including impact load is discussed. Various forms of FRP strengthening techniques are also introduced. The existing studies have shown that the use of FRP materials restore or improve the member original design strength and in some cases allow the structure to carry an increased load that it was not designed for. It was also concluded that there is a need for additional research on the columns under impact load. The compiled information will help prepare the ground work for further evaluation of the bridges that are in serious need for repair or replacement either due to accidental impact or deterioration, and to propose an innovative and reliable bridge repair technique that is fast, durable and cost efficient. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Bridges KW - Columns KW - Crashes KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Impact loads KW - Maintenance KW - Retrofitting UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/ututc/docs/Parvin%20IU-18_%20Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44300/44332/Parvin_IU-18__Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136375 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364062 AU - Levecq, Charles AU - Kuhn, Beverly AU - Jasek, Debbie AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - General Guidelines for Active Traffic Management Deployment PY - 2011/08//Interim Report SP - 50p AB - Continued growth in travel in congested freeway corridors and limited public funding for expansion and improvement projects are limiting agencies’ abilities to provide sufficient roadway capacity in major metropolitan areas. Focusing on trip reliability, active traffic management (ATM)—widely deployed for decades in Europe but in its early stages in the United States—maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the facility, and increases throughput and safety through integrated systems with new technology, including the automation of dynamic deployment to optimize performance quickly. This congestion management approach consists of a combination of strategies that, when implemented in concert, fully optimize the existing infrastructure and provide measurable benefits to the transportation network and the motoring public. These strategies include speed harmonization, temporary shoulder use, junction control, and dynamic signing and re-routing. By providing transportation agencies across the United States with crucial information on best practices for deployment and operation of ATM strategies, this project can have a positive impact on transportation networks where ATM is deployed. This document provides an overview of practices to date in ATM deployment as well as general guidelines that can help facilitate ATM implementation. KW - Active traffic management KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Best practices KW - Congestion management systems KW - Guidelines KW - Highway traffic control KW - Implementation UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Kuhn_10-01-54_Interim.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132945 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364053 AU - Lindquist, Peter AU - Schafer, Sarah AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A GIS Connection Between Brownfield Sites, Transportation and Economic Development PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 51p AB - This report outlines the design and development of a web-based data distribution system for brownfield site redevelopment in Toledo-Lucas County, Ohio. The system is designed to advance smart growth initiatives by creating the link between transportation infrastructure, economic development and the sustainable utilization of brownfield sites in the region. Smart growth is part of a new mobility trend to support economic redevelopment and part of a broad national effort to reduce urban sprawl, reduce congestion, and to use public resources with greater efficiency. The Lucas County Brownfield system developed here is a comprehensive data delivery tool that can assist policymakers and stakeholders with capital investment decisions to encourage smart growth within the region through the economic redevelopment of brownfield sites. It is envisioned that this web-based system will be a resource for commercial real estate developers, government officials and other regional brownfield redevelopment stakeholders. KW - Brownfields KW - Economic development KW - Geographic information systems KW - Redevelopment KW - Smart growth KW - Sustainable development UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43476/UTUTC_Brownfields_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132245 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363077 AU - Nims, Douglas K AU - Devabhaktuni, Vijay AU - University of Toledo, Ohio AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Magnetic Sensor for Nondestructive Evaluation of Deteriorated Prestressing Strand--Phase II PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 30p AB - This report gives an account of the execution and achievements in Phase II of the project completed through August 2011. The main objective of this project is to advance the practical development of a nondestructive testing and evaluation method using the magnetic field technique to estimate corrosion in prestressing strands. The importance of developing such a method has been well established. Phase I and the literature review established the proof of concept for a magnetic inspection method. The magnetic technique of induced magnet field (IMF) was developed. The overall goal of this project is to investigate the feasibility of a magnetic sensor to detect in-situ corrosion of prestressing strand in prestressed concrete bridge beams. Corrosion is a slow developing phenomenon which is not adequately detected using sensors currently in service. Despite national studies, no effective nondestructive sensor technology has been identified for prestressing strand corrosion. An effective sensor for corrosion will be able to get a snapshot of the corrosion in time by sensing the corrosion by-products or a direct change in member properties due to corrosion. This is a departure from the typical procedure of measuring a quantity, such as strain, which is a secondary effect of corrosion. The need for the proposed sensor is particularly acute in Ohio where there are many prestressed box girder bridges. KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Deterioration KW - Magnetic detectors KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing steel UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43475/UTUTC_Detriorated_Strand_II_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01363073 AU - Nims, Douglas K AU - Devabhaktuni, Vijay AU - University of Toledo, Ohio AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Magnetic Sensor for Nondestructive Evaluation of Deteriorated Prestressing Strand--Phase I PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 20p AB - This is a report describing the activities and accomplishments in this project, completed through November 30, 2009. The overall goal of this project is to investigate the feasibility of a magnetic sensor to detect in-situ corrosion of prestressing strand in prestressed concrete bridge beams. Corrosion is a slow developing phenomenon which is not adequately detected using sensors currently in service. Despite national studies, no effective nondestructive sensor technology has been identified for prestressing strand corrosion. An effective sensor for corrosion will be able to get a snapshot of the corrosion in time by sensing the corrosion by-products or a direct change in member properties due to corrosion. This is a departure from the typical procedure of measuring a quantity, such as strain, which is a secondary effect of corrosion. The need for the proposed sensor is particularly acute in Ohio where there are many prestressed box girder bridges. Experiments investigated the proposed method of magnetic detection for corrosion in prestressing strands. Two main clear findings are: 1) Magnetic detection can reliably distinguish cross sectional areas and 2) An improved electromagnet design would help in better and more practical detection. The first finding shows that development of a practical sensor can be undertaken with a reasonable prospect of success. The second finding shows that whether the remnant magnetism or the induced magnetic field method is used, it is necessary to achieve magnetic saturation of the samples at a higher level than what is possible with the small DC electromagnet used. A larger electromagnet which can reach a higher level of magnetic saturation and is designed for use with concrete will allow us to get an adequate signature of the remaining strand cross section. Achieving an effective magnetization through concrete requires an understanding of the magnetic properties of concrete and the magnetic fields for objects not in contact with the electromagnet. Based on the work to date, the fundamental difficulties that could be fatal to the sensor development are the need to magnetize the specimen from one side and the need to “see” through concrete. Access to a larger electromagnet designed specifically for this purpose can provide proof of concept resolution for these issues. In addition, the research team has been successful in an initial interaction with a large industrial electromagnet firm, Ohio Magnetics, Inc., to develop a commercial partnership. Overall, the work has highlighted the need for a stronger electromagnet, motivation to strengthen the theoretical basis and has given the team confidence that the core idea of magnetic detection of the prestressing strand area is sound. The design and procurement of an improved electromagnet through Ohio Magnetics has already begun and will be used in the next phase. KW - Concrete bridges KW - Deterioration KW - Flaw detection KW - Inspection equipment KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Reinforcing steel UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43474/UTUTC_Detriorated_Strand_I_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1131576 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362687 AU - Thompson, Melissa AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Operational and Vehicular Strategies for Reducing Fuel Consumption and GHG Emissions from Trucking PY - 2011/08//Research Report SP - 99p AB - Reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is becoming increasingly important in the United States, and new legislation can be expected in the near future that will affect trucks either directly or indirectly. This work is a qualitative examination of operational strategies for reducing fuel consumption from freight trucking, and also compares them with vehicular strategies. A focus is placed on who implements, benefits from, and pays for each strategy, and what type of trucking each strategy is applicable to. KW - Exhaust gases KW - Freight transportation KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Strategic planning KW - Trucking UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00072-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43455/476660-00072-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128187 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362659 AU - Rutzen, Beatriz AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - High Speed Rail: A Study of International Best Practices and Identification of Opportunities in the U.S. PY - 2011/08//Research Report SP - 135p AB - In the United States, passenger rail has always been less competitive than in other parts of the world due to a number of factors. Many argue that in order for a passenger rail network to be successful major changes in service improvement have to be implemented to make it more desirable to the user. High-speed rail can offer such service improvement. With the current administration’s allocation of $8 billion in its stimulus package for the development of high-speed rail corridors and a number of regions being interested in venturing into such projects it is important that we understand the factors and regulatory structure that needs to exist in order for passenger railroad to be successful. This study aims to review how foreign countries have developed their railroad systems to identify key factors that have contributed to their successful implementation. An evaluation of the factors, such as organization structure, operation, administration, development and type of funding, that are common to each of these projects will used as performance measures to identify potential locations and opportunities for high speed rail projects in the U.S. Southwest region. KW - Best practices KW - High speed rail KW - Implementation KW - Industry structure KW - International transportation KW - Passenger trains KW - Regulation KW - United States UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00071-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43454/476660-00071-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128190 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362647 AU - Shi, Qinyi AU - Yu, Lei AU - Texas Southern University AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Mobile Source Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Assessment of Traffic Management Strategies PY - 2011/08//Research Report SP - 85p AB - In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in investigating the air quality benefits of traffic management strategies in light of challenges associated with the global warming and climate change. However, there has been a lack of systematic effort to study the impact of a specific traffic management strategy on mobile source Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This research is intended to evaluate mobile source GHG emissions for traffic management strategies, in which a Portable Emission Measurement System (PEMS) is used to collect the vehicle’s real-world emission and activity data, and a Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) based modeling approach is used as the basis for emission estimation. Three traffic management strategies are selected in this research, including High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, traffic signal coordination plan, and Electronic Toll Collection (ETC). In the HOV lane scenario, CO2 emission factors produced by the testing vehicle using HOV lane and the corresponding mixed flow lane are compared. In the evaluation of traffic signal coordination, total CO2 emissions produced under the existing coordinated signal timing and the emulated non-coordinated signal timing along the same designed testing route are compared. In the study about ETC, total CO2 emissions produced by the testing vehicle around an ETC station and a Manual Toll Collection (MTC) station located on the same toll road segment are estimated and compared. The results demonstrated that HOV lane, well-coordinated signal timing, and ETC are all effective measures to reduce mobile source GHG emissions, although the level of effectiveness is shown to be different for different strategies. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Greenhouse gases KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Highway traffic control KW - Mobile sources KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161142-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128251 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362627 AU - Bienkowski, Bridget N AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Economic Efficiency of Allowing Longer Combination Vehicles in Texas PY - 2011/08//Research Report SP - 77p AB - This paper shows the economic efficiency of allowing longer combination vehicles in Texas. First, an overview of the truck size and weight policies is explained, with an emphasis on those that affect Texas. Next, LCV operations in other countries are described. Then, an LCV scenario for Texas is chosen, with specific routes and vehicle types. Operational costs for these vehicles are calculated on a cost per mile and cost per ton (or cubic yard) mile. The LCV scenario and the current truck base case are analyzed to find the number of truck trips, the number of mile, and the cost per mile for the chosen routes. These are then compared to estimate the change if LCVs were allowed in Texas. KW - Economic efficiency KW - Operating costs KW - Texas KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Trucking KW - Trucks by number of axles KW - Trucks by weight UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00077-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43457/476660-00077-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01362611 AU - Yin, Kai AU - Tian, Chunyu AU - Wang, Bruce X AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Taxiway Aircraft Traffic Analysis at George Bush Intercontinental Airport PY - 2011/08//Research Report SP - 38p AB - Serving one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is among the 10 airports with the longest average taxi-out and taxi-in times. The first part of this report assesses the congestion at IAH by analyzing taxi times and flight data during different hours of the day. The capacity of IAH is investigated by examining the number of departing flights on the ground. It reveals that IAH is operating close to the capacity most of the time. Since increasing airport capacity can mitigate the congestion, the second part of this report develops a surface operation model based on the analyzed results to achieve this aim. A mixed integer programming formulation is proposed to optimize the total taxi times by finding the optimal taxi routes and the related schedules. Afterwards, the model is applied to a sample from real data. KW - Air traffic KW - Airports KW - George Bush Intercontinental Airport KW - Taxiing KW - Taxiways KW - Time duration KW - Traffic characteristics UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00029-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1128247 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360948 AU - Miller, Kathryn AU - Drumwright, Lynette Goodwin AU - Kostreba, Alina AU - Lam, Andrew AU - Mercer, Michael AU - Ryan, Tammy AU - Schneeberger, J D AU - Wesolek, Danielle AU - Noblis, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Applications for the Environment: Real-time Information Synthesis (AERIS): Applications State of the Practice Assessment Report PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 83p AB - Identifying applications that can reduce fuel consumption and emissions from surface transportation is an important strategy in solving transportation’s environmental dilemma. The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) has set out to investigate the problem through several initiatives, one of which is connected vehicle research. The purpose of this report is to document the state of the practice for applications that have demonstrated environmental benefits through intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies, or have the potential to do so, and identify opportunities to leverage existing research. The findings outlined in the report will assist the U.S. DOT in planning and implementing the Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS) Program. The findings will also provide the basis for identifying opportunities to further examine and research applications for improving environmental decisions by public agencies and consumers and for improving environmental outcomes through ITS. KW - Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Ground transportation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Pollutants KW - State of the practice UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43300/43376/AERIS_Applications_SOP_Report_-_FINAL_NTL_Version_12-13-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126419 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01359841 AU - Miller, Kenneth AU - Sylvester, Kathleen AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Shenandoah National Park Traveler Information Coordination Study PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Shenandoah National Park is located in northwestern Virginia, about 60 miles southwest of Washington, DC. The Front Royal Entrance Station is located about 8 miles southeast of the I-81 / I-66 interchange, where approximately 1/3 of visitors enter the park. This report focuses on identifying transportation information solutions to alert visitors approaching Shenandoah from the vicinity of Front Royal about potential park closures due to weather and congestion issues. With the current traveler information systems, most visitors don’t find out about closures until they arrive at the park and it is difficult to alert visitors to alternative routes when congestion occurs, leading to frustrated and disappointed visitors. Integration with 511, variable message signs on major roadways, improvements to the existing phone and web systems and better internal procedures to more smoothly and consistently activate these alert systems are recommended next steps. KW - 511 (National Travel Information Number) KW - National park entrance stations KW - Road closures KW - Shenandoah National Park KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Variable message signs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42800/42885/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-11-22.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42800/42885/Shenandoah_TIS_Final_Report_09-11_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125779 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358020 AU - Bittner, Jason AU - Midwest Regional University Transportation Center AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Library Connectivity Pooled Fund Administrative and Marketing Services PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 26p AB - This report details the activities of a small portion of the Library Connectivity Pooled Fund. It builds upon the 2007 Interim report and that served as a record of the formation, major activities and accomplishments of the Transportation Library Connectivity pooled fund study, TPF-5(105), from its launch in October 2004 through its third annual meeting in September 2007. Two subsequent cycles of the Library Connectivity Pooled Fund have produced other documents. State DOTs, 600 transit agencies and nearly 400 metropolitan planning organizations generate a staggering amount of valuable research, yet the transportation sector lacks a systematic approach to effectively manage this information. The Transportation Library Connectivity pooled fund study was formed against the backdrop of this information challenge. For more information on the Pooled Fund Study, please refer to www.libraryconnectivity.org. This website is currently sponsored by the second generation pooled fund, TPF-5(237) but selected archived material from TPF-5(105) is available on the site at http://libraryconnectivity.org/archive/index.html. KW - Administration KW - Information management KW - Information retrieval KW - Information services KW - Knowledge KW - Libraries KW - Library operations KW - Marketing KW - Transportation libraries UR - http://www.wistrans.org/mrutc/files/LibraryConnectivty_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122385 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357996 AU - Ahmed-Zaid, F AU - Bai, F AU - Bai, S AU - Basnayake, C AU - Bellur, B AU - Brovold, S AU - Brown, G AU - Caminiti, L AU - Cunningham, D AU - Elzein, H AU - Ivan, J AU - Jiang, D AU - Kenny, J AU - Krishnan, H AU - Lovell, J AU - Maile, M AU - Masselink, D AU - McGlohon, E AU - Mudalige, P AU - Rai, V AU - Stinnett, J AU - Tellis, L AU - Tirey, K AU - VanSickle, S AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications VSC-A Second Annual Report January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 PY - 2011/08//Annual Final Report SP - 53p AB - The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) project is a three year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A project is being conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the second annual report of the VSC-A project. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Vehicle positioning systems KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2011/811466.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122505 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357898 AU - Wittwer, Ernie AU - Gollnik, Bob AU - Wagner, Steve AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Develop and Disseminate Outreach Materials for MAFC States PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 24p AB - The general public across the region and the policy makers of the region are generally ill informed on subjects related to freight, its importance to our economy, and the fragility of our freight transportation system. This project was designed to develop creditable, illustrative, understandable materials to assist the general public and policy makers to better understand freight and communicate the importance of freight investments in the region’s economic competitiveness and well-being. It includes written materials of various kinds and data, graphics, and information appropriate for transportation officials to use at speaking opportunities in responding to questions. The project aimed to develop themes and stories that resonate with policy makers at the federal and state levels. These materials are published on the Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC) website: http://midamericafreight.org/outreach/. KW - Competition KW - Economics KW - Education KW - Educational materials KW - Freight transportation KW - Mid-America Freight Coalition KW - Outreach KW - Transportation policy UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/MAFC-08_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1123414 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357201 AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Shen, Chung-Wei AU - Edrington, Suzie AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Use of Transfers for Improving Demand Responsive Systems Adopting Zoning Strategies PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Due to widely dispersed population density over large and sparsely suburban/rural areas, conventional fixed route transit services hardly satisfy the travel needs of their residents. As an alternative, demand responsive transit (DRT) systems have flexible routes and schedules that can provide curb-to-curb/door-to-door services to better meet the needs of rural areas. However, rural DRT services are still extremely costly to operate. In this project researchers consider a variation of the regular demand responsive transit system that adopts the transfer practice to reduce operating costs. This practice has been adopted by some agencies with zoning rules for the whole service area or trips that need to cross jurisdictional districts; however, the pros and cons need to be carefully assessed. Researchers evaluated the effect of different transfer operating policies by developing a simulation model of several plausible scenarios. Available data from Houston METRO were used for testing and modeling purpose. The results indicate that zoning with transfer can provide significant benefits to paratransit operations that are managing zoning structure. However, no-zoning strategies, such as the one currently used by Houston METRO performs better overall on average in terms of efficiency. This study provides decision makers and DRT agencies with information for innovative operating practices to improve the performance and cost efficiency of public transportation systems. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Paratransit services KW - Public transit KW - Rural areas KW - Simulation KW - Suburbs KW - Transfers KW - Zoning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1120905 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356796 AU - Cooper, Joel AU - Yager, Christine AU - Chrysler, Susan T AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Investigation of the Effects of Reading and Writing Text-Based Messages While Driving PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 69p AB - Previous research, using driving simulation, crash data, and naturalistic methods, has begun to shed light on the dangers of texting while driving. Perhaps because of the dangers, no published work has experimentally investigated the dangers of texting while driving using an actual vehicle. Additionally, previous research does not clearly differentiate the dangers associated with reading and writing text messages. To address these issues, 42 participants drove an instrumented research vehicle on a closed driving course. Participants drove under a control, text reading, and text writing condition. Baseline text reading and writing data were also collected outside of the research vehicle. Results indicated that impairment associated with texting while driving may be greater than previously thought. Principally, when reading or writing texts, drivers exhibited reductions in reaction time that were nearly twice as great as previously thought. Drivers also exhibited nearly identical impairment in the reading and writing conditions, suggesting that both reading and writing text messages may be equally dangerous. These results have immediate implications for improving our understanding of the dangers of texting while driving and may be useful for future public policy discussions. KW - Distraction KW - Driving KW - Driving performance KW - Instrumented vehicles KW - Reaction time KW - Text messaging UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00024-1.pdf UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/group/cts/files/2011/10/textingdriving-study-100511.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43400/43452/476660-00024-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122446 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01356728 AU - Weigand, Lynn AU - McDonald, Noreen AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Safe Routes to School Programs: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Parental Decision-Making PY - 2011/08//Research Report SP - 92p AB - In the United States, walking to school declined from 42% of 5-18 year olds in 1969 to 16% in 2001. The U.S. Department of Transportation has responded to this dramatic decrease by funding the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program for $612 million in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The program’s funding emphasizes infrastructure improvements such as completing sidewalks and adding crosswalks by requiring between 70% and 90% of funding be allocated toward infrastructure. However, recent research shows that 2 of 3 children who currently are driven to school, but live close enough to walk, do so because it is more convenient for parents. Currently, policymakers and planners have few tools to estimate the effectiveness of SRTS interventions. This research project fills the research gap by developing a stated preference survey to better understand how SRTS interventions affect rates of walking. The stated preference survey identifies how parental attitudes and time constraints affect intervention effectiveness. A unique aspect of this study is the comparison of the results of the stated preference experiments with on-the-ground evaluations of Portland’s SRTS program which were collected concurrently for a separate project. The second component of the project was a series of focus groups with parents of children at selected schools participating in the SRTS program. Results from the focus groups provide more in-depth information about parental attitudes and time constraints as they affect their decisions about their child’s transportation to school. In addition, results from the focus groups will enhance the program evaluation and provide valuable data to help better target program efforts toward parents. KW - Attitudes KW - Decision making KW - Focus groups KW - Parents KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - Safe Routes to School (Program) KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - School children KW - Stated preferences KW - Surveys KW - Time constraints KW - United States KW - Walking UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=2001 UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/299 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122178 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01355205 AU - Horowitz, Alan AU - Vonderembse, Mark AU - Dobrzykowski, David AU - Lindquist, Peter AU - Kawamura, Kazuya AU - Lin, Jane AU - Ruan, Minyan AU - Guo, Jessica AU - Wittwer, Ernie AU - Adams, Teresa AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Profiles for MVFC Commodities PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Effective planning for freight in the public sector is often hindered by the difficulty in obtaining reliable estimates of the quantity of freight commodities flowing between points in the planning area. In an effort to address this issue, the states of the Mid-America Freight Coalition (formerly the Mississippi Valley Freight Coalition) initiated a project to develop a profile of commodities flowing through the region. To address this challenge, the National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) conducted three separate but related efforts. The University of Toledo conducted the first. It involved developing a case study of the auto industry on the supply chain used. The University of Illinois-Chicago, with help from the University of Toledo, carried out the second. It disaggregated federal Freight Analysis Framework data on commodity flow to yield county-level information. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee led the third element, with help from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, the University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Toledo. It involved the construction of a microsimulation model that yielded truck-based commodity flow information and route assignments at the county level for key commodities within the region. KW - Automobile industry KW - Case studies KW - Commodity flow KW - Counties KW - Disaggregate analysis KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight data KW - Freight transportation KW - Microsimulation KW - Mid-America Freight Coalition KW - Route assignment KW - Transportation planning KW - Trucking UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_MAFC-10_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119700 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01355181 AU - Puckett, Jay AU - Johnson, Rebecca AU - Barker, Michael AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Study of the Effects of Wind Power and Vortex-Induced Vibrations to Establish Fatigue Design Criteria for High-Mast Poles PY - 2011/08 SP - 88p AB - Traffic signal and high-mast poles are used by transportation agencies to control and illuminate intersections; their structural design is governed by national specifications. High-mast poles are luminaire supports located near highway interchanges that range from 80 to 180 feet in height. These tall flexible structures are susceptible to wind vibration which may lead to fatigue cracking near discontinuities and base connections. In a previous related study conducted by the University of Wyoming (Phase I), fatigue cracking of traffic signal poles was determined to be related to the average wind speed (Price 2009). However, high-mast data did not indicate the same direct average wind speed fatigue cracking relationship behavior. In this continuing work, the research goal is to gain a more complete understanding of the relation between wind speed and high-mast pole cracking. Surveys were sent to more state bridge engineers to further the data collection of Phase I. It is hypothesized that the cracking of high-mast poles is caused not as much by direct wind speed, rather it is caused by the resonant displacements of vortex-induced vibrations (VIV). The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) code models VIV and was, therefore, selected to complete Phase II of this research. It was used to create a spreadsheet which predicts amplitudes of vibration of a high-mast pole located in Laramie, Wyoming. The output data were compared to field data of a local pole. This sheet was further used to predict base stresses and fatigue life as a function of local wind data. The Phase II analysis process produced high-amplitude predictions compared with local field data; therefore, self-limiting concepts were studied in Phase III. A self-limiting concept for an oscillating member hypothesizes that the natural properties of the pole and the fluid interaction keep amplifications under a predictable maximum. KW - Fatigue cracking KW - High mast lighting KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Speed KW - Traffic signals KW - Vibration KW - Vortices KW - Wind UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-240.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44100/44182/MPC11-240.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119237 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01355170 AU - Peterson, Del AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Ridership and the Built Environment PY - 2011/08 SP - 40p AB - The built environment consists of everything humanly made, arranged, or maintained (Bartuska and Young 1994). In relation to travel behavior, there has been a focus on improving our understanding of how the built environment influences one’s travel mode choice. Planners need evidence showing how land use matters as they advocate for the adoption of different planning principles. This is especially true in small urban areas where planners seldom utilize innovative land-use principles, such as smart growth, within their planning process (Peterson 2009). The objective of this research is to determine what variables (i.e., residential density, land-use mix) play an important role in determining the built environment/transit ridership relationship in the Fargo-Moorhead community. Socio-economic and level of service variables were also considered. Overall, built environment results indicated that residential density and walkability were significant in predicting transit ridership and performed as anticipated. Land-use mix was also significant, but results were mixed with respect to their influence on transit ridership. Policy makers looking to support land uses that increase both transit use and walkability should consider these implications. Small, medium, and large communities can all benefit from planning techniques that give travelers options rather than car centric neighborhoods that do not provide the needed flexibility to support different transportation modes. KW - Built environment KW - Land use planning KW - Level of service KW - Mode choice KW - Population density KW - Public transit KW - Residential areas KW - Ridership KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Urban areas KW - Walkability UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC11-239.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119233 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354610 AU - Hayes, Caroline AU - Drew, Daniel AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - In-Vehicle Decision Support to Reduce Crashes at Rural Thru-Stop Intersections PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 247p AB - Purpose: Within the context of thru-stop intersections, investigate the feasibility and future promise of warning systems inside the vehicle, where interfaces are best placed, and what modalities are most effective (visual versus haptic). Methods: A driving simulator study was conducted to compare three decision support systems (DSSs): a dynamic traffic sign, a set of displays on the vehicle side mirrors, and a vibrating seat. Dependent variables included measurements of safe driving behavior, and a usability questionnaire. A follow-up focus group study was conducted to gain further feedback on the in-vehicle systems and on ideas for how to improve the systems. Results: The vibrating seat yielded significantly higher results than the dynamic traffic sign on two safety variables. No system clearly outperformed the others in terms of promoting safer driving behavior, nor did any improve driving performance compared to the control condition. The questionnaire and usability data showed that the dynamic traffic sign was most preferred, while the in-vehicle displays were most comprehended. Comments during the simulator studies suggested that participants wanted stronger advisory messages from the systems, and the Focus Group Study confirms this. Conclusions: In-vehicle DSSs appear to be feasible for the purposes of assisting drivers with navigating rural thru-stop intersections. No results of this study indicate that in-vehicle systems are an inherently poor means of presenting traffic gap information to the driver. Results indicate that a visual display would be easier to comprehend than a vibrotactile display when no training or explanation is provided. KW - Countermeasures KW - Decision support systems KW - Driver support systems KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway safety KW - Information display systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intersections KW - Rural highways KW - Tactile perception KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic signs KW - Warning systems UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1558 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42300/42390/CTS11-17.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118311 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354601 AU - Loehr, J Erik AU - Bowders, John J AU - Ge, Louis AU - Likos, William J AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Maerz, Norbert AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engineering Policy Guidelines for Design of Earth Slopes PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 21p AB - These guidelines were developed as part of a comprehensive research program undertaken by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to reduce costs associated with design and construction of bridge foundations while maintaining appropriate levels of safety for the traveling public. The guidelines were established from a combination of existing MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide (EPG) documents, from the 4th Edition of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications with 2009 Interim Revisions, and from results of the research program. Some provisions of the guidelines represent substantial changes to current practice to reflect advancements made possible from results of the research program. Other provisions were left essentially unchanged, or were revised to reflect incremental changes in practice, because research was not performed to address those provisions. Some provisions reflect rational starting points based on judgment and past experience from which further improvements can be based. All of the provisions should be considered as “living documents” subject to further revision and refinement as additional knowledge and experience is gained with the respective provisions. A number of specific opportunities for improvement are provided in the commentary that accompanies the guidelines. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Design KW - Earth walls KW - Embankments KW - Engineering KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Slopes UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy0922/cmr12004.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42500/42533/R242_-_R247_-4_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46972/cmr12004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354599 AU - Loehr, J Erik AU - Bowders, John J AU - Ge, Louis AU - Likos, William J AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Maerz, Norbert AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engineering Policy Guidelines For Design Of Spread Footings PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - These guidelines were developed as part of a comprehensive research program undertaken by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to reduce costs associated with design and construction of bridge foundations while maintaining appropriate levels of safety for the traveling public. The guidelines were established from a combination of existing MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide (EPG) documents, from the 4th Edition of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications with 2009 Interim Revisions, and from results of the research program. Some provisions of the guidelines represent substantial changes to current practice to reflect advancements made possible from results of the research program. Other provisions were left essentially unchanged, or were revised to reflect incremental changes in practice, because research was not performed to address those provisions. Some provisions reflect rational starting points based on judgment and past experience from which further improvements can be based. All of the provisions should be considered as “living documents” subject to further revision and refinement as additional knowledge and experience is gained with the respective provisions. A number of specific opportunities for improvement are provided in the commentary that accompanies the guidelines. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Engineering KW - Guidelines KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Spread footings UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42500/42532/R242_-_R247_-3_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46973/cmr12005.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118338 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354578 AU - Loehr, J Erik AU - Bowders, John J AU - Ge, Louis AU - Likos, William J AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Maerz, Norbert AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engineering Policy Guidelines For Design Of Drilled Shafts PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 77p AB - These guidelines were developed as part of a comprehensive research program undertaken by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to reduce costs associated with design and construction of bridge foundations while maintaining appropriate levels of safety for the traveling public. The guidelines were established from a combination of existing MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide (EPG) documents, from the 4th Edition of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications with 2009 Interim Revisions, and from results of the research program. Some provisions of the guidelines represent substantial changes to current practice to reflect advancements made possible from results of the research program. Other provisions were left essentially unchanged, or were revised to reflect incremental changes in practice, because research was not performed to address those provisions. Some provisions reflect rational starting points based on judgment and past experience from which further improvements can be based. All of the provisions should be considered as “living documents” subject to further revision and refinement as additional knowledge and experience is gained with the respective provisions. A number of specific opportunities for improvement are provided in the commentary that accompanies the guidelines. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge foundations KW - Design KW - Drilled shafts KW - Engineering KW - Guidelines KW - Load and resistance factor design UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy0922/cmr12003.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42500/42531/R242_-_R247_-2_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46971/cmr12003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354576 AU - Loehr, J Erik AU - Bowders, John J AU - Ge, Louis AU - Likos, William J AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Maerz, Norbert AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engineering Policy Guidelines For Design Of Driven Piles PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 26p AB - These guidelines were developed as part of a comprehensive research program undertaken by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to reduce costs associated with design and construction of bridge foundations while maintaining appropriate levels of safety for the traveling public. The guidelines were established from a combination of existing MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide (EPG) documents, from the 4th Edition of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications with 2009 Interim Revisions, and from results of the research program. Some provisions of the guidelines represent substantial changes to current practice to reflect advancements made possible from results of the research program. Other provisions were left essentially unchanged, or were revised to reflect incremental changes in practice, because research was not performed to address those provisions. Some provisions reflect rational starting points based on judgment and past experience from which further improvements can be based. All of the provisions should be considered as “living documents” subject to further revision and refinement as additional knowledge and experience is gained with the respective provisions. A number of specific opportunities for improvement are provided in the commentary that accompanies the guidelines. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Bridge piers KW - Design KW - Driven piles KW - Engineering KW - Load and resistance factor design UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42500/42530/R242_-_R247_-1_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118319 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353872 AU - Gordon, Steve AU - Trombly, Jeff AU - Oak Ridge National Laboratory AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Deployment of ITS: A Summary of the 2010 National Survey Results PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 60p AB - This report presents summary results of the 2010 ITS Deployment Tracking survey, the most recent survey conducted by the ITS Deployment Tracking Project. The U.S. Department of Transportation and its member agencies, including the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, have pursued a research and development agenda, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program, designed to integrate the latest in information technologies to improve the safety, mobility, and reliability of surface transportation modes. Within metropolitan areas, implementation of these advanced technologies has been accomplished by a variety of state and local transportation and emergency management agencies as well as the private sector. In order to measure the rate of ITS deployment within the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, the ITS Deployment Tracking Project has conducted a nationwide survey of state and local transportation and emergency management agencies nearly every year since 1997. The results presented in this report are intended to be a summary of the entire database from the 2010 survey. Access to the complete survey results and previous national surveys are available on-line at http://www.itsdeployment.its.dot.gov. The website also provides access to survey results in the form of downloadable reports, including a survey summary for each survey type and fact sheets. Nearly 1,600 surveys were distributed to state and local transportation agencies in 2010. A total of seven (7) survey types were distributed including: Freeway Management, Arterial Management, Transit Management, Transportation Management Center (TMC), Electronic Toll Collection (ETC), Public Safety – Law Enforcement, and Public Safety – Fire/Rescue. Among other things, the data collection results indicate that ITS has moved from being experimental to mainstream and interest in continuing investments in ITS continues to be very strong. When asked about future deployment plans, one-third to three-fourths of the different agency types report they will expand current deployments and about half are planning to invest in new technologies over the next three years. KW - Arterial highways KW - Automated toll collection KW - Data collection KW - Highway traffic control KW - Information technology KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Tracking systems KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42100/42130/Deploy_of_ITS..._2010_Natl_Survey_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117836 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353867 AU - Edwards, Frances L AU - Goodrich, Daniel C AU - Medigovich, William M AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Department of Homeland Security AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Generic Continuity of Operations/Continuity of Government Plan for State-Level Transportation Agencies PY - 2011/08 SP - 101p AB - The Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20 (HSPD-20) requires all local, state, tribal and territorial government agencies, and private sector owners of critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR) to create a Continuity of Operations/Continuity of Government Plan (COOP/COG). There is planning and training guidance for generic transportation agency COOP/COG work, and the Transportation Research Board has offered guidance for transportation organizations. However, the special concerns of the state-level transportation agency’s (State DOT’s) plan development are not included, notably the responsibilities for the entire State Highway System and the responsibility to support specific essential functions related to the State DOT Director’s role in the Governor’s cabinet. There is also no guidance on where the COOP/COG planning and organizing fits into the National Incident Management System (NIMS) at the local or state-level department or agency. This report covers the research conducted to determine how to integrate COOP/COG into the overall NIMS approach to emergency management, including a connection between the emergency operations center (EOC) and the COOP/COG activity. The first section is a presentation of the research and its findings and analysis. The second section provides training for the EOC staff of a state-level transportation agency, using a hybrid model of FEMA’s ICS and ESF approaches, including a complete set of EOC position checklists, and other training support material. The third section provides training for the COOP/COG Branch staff of a state-level transportation agency, including a set of personnel position descriptions for the COOP/COG Branch members. KW - Continuity of operations KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Emergency training KW - Guidelines KW - Hazards and emergency operations KW - Incident management KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42100/42147/1080-COOP-COG-Transportation-Plan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353866 AU - Sears, Justine AU - Glitman, Karen AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Vermont Transportation Energy Report (2011) PY - 2011/08 SP - 38p AB - This annual report aims to provide policy makers with relevant and timely data on a variety of topics related to transportation energy use in Vermont. Topics include levels of fuel consumption, vehicle purchases, transportation expenditures, and travel behavior in Vermont. This information is intended to form the basis of data-driven policy discussions and initiatives and is a publication of the Vermont Clean Cities Coalition (VCCC), whose mission is to reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels for transportation. The VCCC is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Vermont Transportation Research Center (UVM TRC), which has served as the host of the VCCC since July 2007. Nationwide, there are 87 local Clean Cities Coalitions in 46 states. VCCC stakeholders include fleet managers, state and local officials, auto dealers, students, and academics. The transportation sector remains the largest energy user in Vermont, and thus a primary focus in reducing the state’s energy and fossil fuel use. Vermont’s total energy usage is the lowest of any state and per capita energy usage is ranked 43rd. In the nation as a whole, and in most states, the industrial sector is generally the largest single consumer of energy. This is not the case in Vermont due to the lack of large scale industry. Energy use is closely linked to greenhouse gas emissions. As of 2008, Vermont’s transportation sector was also the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (47%; Figure 1-2). 4 In contrast, nationally, transportation accounts for only 27% of the greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion.5 The large percentage of emissions generated by the transportation sector in Vermont makes it an important policy focus within the state. In this report, we focus on factors that impact transportation energy demand, including trends in vehicle fleet composition and Vermonters’ travel patterns, as well as transportation expenditures. Aviation is excluded because information on energy use by this sector was not available. KW - Emissions reduction KW - Energy KW - Exhaust gases KW - Fossil fuels KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Pollutants KW - Public transit KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Travel behavior KW - Vermont KW - Vermont Clean Cities Coalition UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42400/42431/Vermont_Transportation_Energy_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118823 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353566 AU - Coyle, David D AU - Robinson, Ferrol O AU - Zhao, Zhirong (Jerry) AU - Munnich, Lee W AU - Lari, Adeel Z AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - From Fuel Taxes to Mileage-Based User Fees: Rationale, Technology, and Transitional Issues PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Two national commissions established by the U.S. Congress recommend replacing the current system of funding transportation based on fuel taxes with a new distance-based system of user fees. The State of Oregon has done a pilot project demonstrating a system for transitioning to mileage-based fees by paying the fees at the gas pump. The University of Iowa has conducted pilot tests around the country to determine how drivers respond to a mileage-based fee approach using Global Positioning System (GPS)-based technology. The Puget Sound Regional Council has conducted a test of congestion tolling. Finally, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is testing an approach for collecting mileage-based user charges using commercially available smartphones with built-in GPS devices, in which the charge element is just one of the applications. While there have been discussions among many transportation leaders regarding why fuel taxes are no longer a good way of funding the transportation system, there is by no means a public understanding of why this is so. The public assumes that the taxes they pay at the pump are paying for the system, and that if funding problems exist, they are due to waste and inefficiency. This examination–of the rationale, technology, and transitional issues in shifting from a financing system for surface transportation based on fuel taxes to one that is based on a mileage-based user fee or vehicle-miles traveled fee–sets the stage for a policy discussion on transportation-related user fees and lays the groundwork for an extensive public outreach effort. The discussion includes information on efficiency, equity issues, revenue adequacy and sustainability, environmental sustainability, feasibility, and implementation issues. KW - Distance based fees KW - Environmental impacts KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Implementation KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Outreach KW - Technology KW - Transportation policy KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1560 UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2048 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42300/42392/CTS11-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118358 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353562 AU - Schooley, Benjamin AU - Horan, Thomas A AU - McClintock, Roni AU - Lee, Yoonmi AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Claremont Graduate University AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - ITS and Transportation Safety: EMS System Data Integration to Improve Traffic Crash Emergency Response and Treatment – Phase II Report PY - 2011/08//Final Report SP - 52p AB - This research project examines the linkages between Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), focusing on three elements. The first element relates to the role of ITS in producing timely data on safety dimensions, including its visual representation in geographic information systems and related platforms. The second element examines the use of ITS with emergency medical services (EMS) and the data that can be used from EMS systems for safety planning purposes. The third element includes an analysis of innovative and new practices for capturing, sharing, and visualizing safety information required by emergency healthcare providers for enhanced levels of decision making and planning. KW - Data collection KW - Data integration KW - Data sharing KW - Decision making KW - Emergency medical services KW - Emergency response KW - Geographic information systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Planning KW - Safety information KW - Strategic Highway Safety Plan KW - Traffic crashes KW - Transportation safety KW - Visualization UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2054 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118350 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01351919 AU - Intelligent Transportation Society of America AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sizing the U.S. and North American Intelligent Transportation Systems Market: Market Data Analysis of ITS Revenues and Employment PY - 2011/08 SP - 136p AB - This Market Data Analysis (MDA) Report summarizes the results of a two-phase study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) and conducted by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America). It represents the first systematic attempt to estimate the contribution and impact of ITS on the U.S. and North American economies. In Phase 1, information was collected from two states about their ITS expenditures and staffing and from 53 private sector ITS companies about their ITS revenues and employment. Phase 1 focused on five ITS sectors, tested the methodology, and established an updatable ITS database. For Phase 2, U.S. DOT decided to focus on the supply-side of the ITS equation—leaving the public sector-demand side analysis for a possible future endeavor. In keeping with this focus, ITS America expanded the database to the full range of private sector ITS companies and major suppliers with revenues and employment in North America. The new database information − in combination with econometric modeling – has enabled ITS America to estimate the size of the North American Intelligent Transportation Systems market and provide policy makers with credible numbers for employment strength, private sector revenues, and related ITS employment. With almost 300 ITS companies responding to the survey and 3,000 ITS companies identified, it is expected that the model will be valuable in forecasting future industry growth and impact on the economy. The research attributes almost 180,000 private sector jobs to the U.S. ITS end-use market alone, with a total of 445,000 jobs in the total industry value chain. Projections for the U.S. ITS industry are for continuing growth, with CY 2015 projected end-use revenue increasing by almost 41 percent (over CY 2009) and private sector employment of more than 205,000. Total industry employment—including providers of enabling services and ITS components as well as end-use products and services—is projected to exceed 500,000. U.S. patent statistics likewise point to continued ITS industry growth and innovation, with U.S. ITS-related patent applications growing 17 percent from 2007 to 2008, when overall patent applications were static. While previous studies have examined various aspects of the ITS market, this is the first study to analyze the full and diverse spectrum of ITS, and to link the analysis of the market to 86 identified industrial sub-groups of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) in which ITS business operates. The study further highlights the impact of ITS private sector employment on every state in the U.S. and small business’ significant role in the ITS industry, with 73 percent of U.S. ITS revenues attributable to companies with fewer than 500 employees. The study concludes that−in addition to the $48 billion U.S. ITS end-use products and services market—the rest of North America (Canada and Mexico) contributes another $4 billion in ITS revenues, for a total North American ITS end-use product and services market of $52 billion. KW - Econometric models KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Market assessment KW - Markets KW - North America KW - Private enterprise KW - Revenues KW - States KW - United States UR - http://www.itsa.org/images/MDA/itsa%20mda%20report%20final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1113109 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469958 AU - Fouad, Fouad H AU - Hosch, Ian E AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University of Alabama at Birmingham University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design of Overhead VMS Structures for Fatigue Loads PY - 2011/07/31/Final Report SP - 263p AB - The 2001 edition of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals has been revised in its entirety through a major research project conducted under the auspices of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 17-10). A major part of the revision includes updated provisions and criteria for extreme wind loads and new provisions and criteria on fatigue design. These provisions differ considerably from those in previous editions of the specifications. The impact of the fatigue criteria on the design of highway overhead variable message sign (VMS) support structures has not been evaluated and is not currently being implemented by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). The main goal of the proposed work was to conduct an experimental program to develop realistic loading criteria for the use in fatigue design of bridge-type overhead VMS support structures. The study addressed fatigue loading related to natural wind and truck-induced wind gusts. An efficient step-by-step design methodology was formulated and made available from the established fatigue loading. The data analyses involved fundamental principles related to Structural Dynamics. Design examples with associated commentary are provided that describe the methodology and application of the fatigue loading criteria developed from this study. Recommendations for fatigue design of overhead VMS support structures were made. KW - AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals KW - Design standards KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Overhead traffic signs KW - Structural design KW - Variable message signs KW - Wind UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46700/46719/09203_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236951 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01364040 AU - Anderson, Kenneth AU - Jones, Steven AU - Lindly, Jay AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identifying, Anticipating, and Mitigating Freight Bottlenecks on Alabama Interstates PY - 2011/07/31/Final Report SP - 132p AB - This project established a framework for the creation and maintenance of a statewide strategy for identifying, anticipating, and mitigating freight bottlenecks on interstate highways in the state of Alabama. It used methodology developed by Cambridge Systematics to identify and quantify bottlenecks. This research identified nine freight bottlenecks on Alabama interstates using 2006 traffic data supplied by ALDOT. These include six “capacity” bottlenecks, which are caused by an insufficient capacity in relation to demand (where the ratio of Average Annual Daily Traffic to the capacity of the roadway in passenger cars per hour per lane is greater than 8). The other three bottlenecks are “interchange” bottlenecks, which are similar to capacity bottlenecks except they occur at interchanges involving two or more interstates. The six sections of roadway identified as capacity bottlenecks follow: 1. Interstate 65 from Exit 252 to Exit 259B, 2. Interstate 65 from Exit 238 to Exit 246, 3. Interstate 20/59 from Exit 123 to Exit 130, 4. Interstate 65 from Exit 247 to Exit 250, 5. Interstate 10 from 26A to Exit 27, 6. Interstate 10 from Exit 15B to Exit 17A. The three interchanges identified as interchange bottlenecks follow: (1) Interstate 459 at Interstate 65, (2) Interstate 20/59 at Interstate 65, (3) Interstate 20/59 diverge (into Interstate 20 and Interstate 59). A third type of bottleneck—a “roadway geometry” bottleneck—involves congested roadways that have at least a mile of grade in excess of 4.5%. However, none of these bottlenecks were found on Alabama interstates because there is no stretch of interstate of that length with that steep a grade. Identification of bottleneck locations was made using a GIS database created for this project. This database merged existing databases, including the National Highway Planning Network, the Highway Performance Monitoring System, and the Freight Analysis Framework. The authors estimated the cost of delays for each bottleneck for 2006, 2025, and 2040. This information is useful to planners when selecting sections of interstate highway for upgrade. Similarly, projections of delay cost were calculated for interchanges and sections of interstate classified as bottlenecks from the 2006 data. For example, delays in the George C. Wallace Tunnel in Mobile, which is the capacity bottleneck on Interstate 10 from Exit 26A to Exit 27, cost freight movements roughly $150,000 in 2006, but those costs are expected to rise to $1,836,000 by 2025. That is more than a ten-fold increase. The report also lists methods through which the basic framework established in this report can be improved to provide greater accuracy in bottleneck identification and delay-cost calculations. KW - Alabama KW - Bottlenecks KW - Freight traffic KW - Interstate highways KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Trucking UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2011/12/07110-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1132669 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465845 TI - ROCS - Phase 4 AB - The objective of this fourth phase of the Roadkill Observation Collection System (ROCS) project will be to implement the personal digital assistant (PDA) based version of ROCS from Phase 3 on a Google Android-based smart-phone. KW - Crashes KW - Data collection KW - Global Positioning System KW - Personal digital assistants KW - Smartphones KW - Wildlife UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/research/4w3688.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357437 AU - Mukherjee, Amlan AU - Cass, Darrell AU - Michigan Technological University AU - Michigan Technological University, Houghton AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Carbon Footprint for Hot Mix Asphalt and Portland Cement Concrete Pavements PY - 2011/07/25/Final Report SP - 107p AB - Motivated by the need to address challenges of global climate change, this study develops and implements a project based life cycle framework that can be used to estimate the carbon footprint for typical construction work-items found in reconstruction, rehabilitation and Capital Preventive Maintenance (CPM) projects. The framework builds on existing life cycle assessment methods and inventories. The proposed framework considers the life cycle emissions of products and processes involved in the raw material acquisition and manufacturing phase, and the pavement construction phase. It also accounts for emissions due to vehicular use and maintenance operations during the service life of the pavements. The framework also develops and implements a method to calculate project level construction emission metrics. Finally, the research provides a web-based tool, the Project Emission Estimator (PE- 2) that can be used to benchmark the CO2 footprint of highway construction projects. In conclusion, the research suggests ways of implementing the proposed framework within MDOT to help reduce the CO2 footprint of highway construction projects. KW - Carbon footprint KW - Construction projects KW - Decision making KW - Environmental impacts KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavements KW - Pollutants KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Road construction UR - http://michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Research__Report_RC-1553_363800_7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1120965 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01495226 TI - Use of Mobile Data for Weather-Responsive Traffic Management Models AB - With the rapid advancement in vehicle and communication technologies, transportation professionals will be able to attain important information from moving vehicles to study and address a wide range of issues. With funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are several ongoing activities attempting to define, learn, and collect mobile data that are available currently and in the future. The primary objective of this research is to examine and gain a better understating of mobile data, current and in the future, that can be used to enhance the weather-responsive traffic management models. KW - Data communications KW - Highway traffic control KW - Mobile telephones KW - Real time information KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264623 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360969 AU - Cluett, Chris AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Middleton, Dan AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Clarus Multi-State Regional Demonstrations, Evaluation of Use Case #2: Seasonal Load Restriction Tool PY - 2011/07/19/Final Report SP - 93p AB - This report presents the results of an evaluation of the demonstration of an experimental seasonal load restriction decision support tool. This system offers state departments of transportation (DOTs) subsurface condition forecasts (such as moisture, temperature, and freeze-thaw trends) to support their decisions to place and remove load restrictions in a timely and effective way. The tool has been developed by Meridian Environmental Technology, Incorporated and is being demonstrated in Montana and North Dakota as part of the Clarus Multi-State Regional Demonstration Program under the auspices of the Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The use of this tool was independently evaluated under contract to the RWMP. This evaluation report identifies the hypotheses tested, the approach to data collection and analysis, results from the evaluation, and lessons learned. KW - Clarus KW - Forecasting KW - Freeze thaw tests KW - Load limits KW - Moisture content KW - Montana KW - North Dakota KW - Road Weather Management Program KW - Spring load restrictions KW - Subsurface conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/43000/43100/43178/FHWA-JPO-11-117_Eval_Report_UC-2_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1126421 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01371294 AU - Zia, Asim AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Navigating Trade-Offs in Complex Systems: Deliberative Multi Criteria Decision Analysis of CCMPO Metropolitan Transportation Plan, 2010-2035 PY - 2011/07/15 SP - 33p AB - Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are required by Federal law to develop a long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) at least every five years. This research focuses on assessing the trade-offs between business-as-usual MTP scenario of gasoline driven transportation infrastructure and suburban growth with two alternate sustainable community design scenarios in Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Area (CCMPO). The CCMPO adopted its last long-range transportation plan in 2005 for a temporal horizon of 2005 to 2025 and is currently updating 2025 MTP to 2035 MTP. Three MTP scenarios are evaluated on twelve decision criteria: operational performance, sustainable land-use, safety and accessibility, minimize time and total costs, protect built and natural environs, community development, access and mobility, transportation system efficiency, energy efficiency and conservation, improve alternate travel modes, public education and cost effective and inclusiveness. Research analysis reveals that the underlying expected value functions of all stakeholder representatives in the regional transportation planning network overwhelmingly reject business-as-usual MTP scenario. Instead, a more sustainable, growth contained community design scenario emerges with the highest expected value for all stakeholder groups. Formal implementation of sustainable community design scenario would, however, require CCMPO and regional transportation planning network actors to overcome a series of legal, political and economic challenges. The researchers discuss the implications of these trade-offs, challenges and opportunities on the development and implementation of sustainable community designs. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Communities KW - Long range planning KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/11-005_navigating-trade-offs-in-complex-systems.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1139381 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354581 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Morse, Lindsey AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Perlman, David AU - Poe, Carson AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Framework for Considering Climate Change in Transportation and Land Use Scenario Planning: Lessons Learned from an Interagency Pilot Project on Cape Cod PY - 2011/07/15/Final Report SP - 68p AB - The Interagency Transportation, Land Use, and Climate Change Pilot Project utilized a scenario planning process to develop a multi-agency transportation- and land use-focused development strategy for Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with the intention of achieving a reduction in future greenhouse gas emissions and considering the potential impacts of sea-level rise on the region. This scenario was developed through a process of data collection, scenario development by a consultant and by regional and local government during a workshop, and scenario assessment. The outcomes of this scenario planning process will inform and support the region’s long-range transportation planning and other related efforts, as well as the planning efforts of local, state, and federal agencies. Project members collaborated to document the project’s steps and to offer significant observations and recommendations that can inform future applications. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Cape Cod KW - Climate change KW - Cooperation KW - Exhaust gases KW - Forecasting KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Interagency relations KW - Land use KW - Lessons learned KW - Sea level KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/publications_and_tools/cape_cod/capecod.pdf UR - http://www.volpe.dot.gov/coi/ppoa/publiclands/projects/docs/cape_cod_pilot_finalreport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118446 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01494574 TI - Multi-modal Remote Sensing System (MRSS) for Transportation Infrastructure Inspection and Monitoring AB - Managing the growing population of deteriorated transportation infrastructure systems (i.e. highway bridges) and being able to accurately inspect them in a timely and cost effective manner is a major societal challenge within the United States today. Traditional nondestructive testing/inspection/evaluation (NDT/NDI/NDE) methods for highway bridges cannot currently provide an accurate and rapid evaluation (independent of human biases and interpretation) on a routine basis to prevent deteriorated bridges from sudden collapse. Automated, low-cost, efficient bridge inspection techniques for interrogating critical bridge components are needed. Existing highway bridge inspection techniques include visual inspection, mechanical sounding, rebound hammer, cover meter, electrical potential measurements, and ultrasound which are typically time consuming, labor intensive, and cost inefficient. Safety issue, interference with existing traffic, and subjective evaluation of visual inspection are additional disadvantages in such inspections. The objective of this project is to develop a multi-modal remote sensing system (MRSS) that will be used as the next generation of rapid, distant, interrogation technology for bridge inspection. The proposed MRSS combines advantages of NDT (local inspection) and structural health monitoring (SHM) (global, continuous monitoring), using innovative continuous wave imaging radar (CWIR), digital image correlation (DIC), and fiber optic sensors (FOS) to deliver a cost-effective, robust solution for the inspection and monitoring of critical transportation infrastructure such as highway bridges. MRSS represents the next-generation of portable bridge inspection technology for efficient inspection, evaluation and rating of bridges. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Deterioration KW - Fiber optic sensors KW - Highway bridges KW - Inspection KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Remote sensing KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1263743 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465794 TI - Property Management Research & Regional Roundtables and Research & Peer Exchange AB - The objective of the Property Management Research and Regional Roundtables project is to research current tools and techniques in use to manage real property assets at state Department of Transportation (DOTs) and to develop a template for a model inventory or database for the effective management of real property assets. The objective for the Research and Peer Exchange is to encourage State DOTs to effectively implement Right of Way (ROW) flexibilities to the greatest extent possible, in order to further shorten project delivery times. KW - Assets KW - Databases KW - Property management KW - Real property KW - Right of way KW - Roundtables KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234028 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465793 TI - Every Day Counts Initiative - Flexibilities in Right of Way Deployment Plan AB - The purpose of this order is to develop communication and outreach processes to launch Every Day Counts (EDC) technical assistance, develop a EDC Toolkit that will include the following: checklists, policies and guidance, question and answer (Q & A) fact sheets, power-point presentations, and a strategy plan to launch technical assistance to stakeholders in advancing their implementation plans to shorten project delivery under the Every Day Counts Initiative - Flexibilities in Right of Way. KW - Every Day Counts KW - Information dissemination KW - Outreach KW - Right of way KW - Strategic planning KW - Technical assistance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234027 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554314 AU - San Diego Association of Governments AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-15 Integrated Corridor Management System Requirements PY - 2011/07/11/Final Report SP - 214p AB - This document is intended as a listing and discussion of the Requirements for the I-15 Integrated Corridor Management System (ICMS) Demonstration Project in San Diego. This document describes what the system is to do (the functional requirements), how well it is to perform (the performance requirements), and under what conditions (non-functional and performance requirements). This document does not define how the system is to be built; that is the providence of the design document. This document pulls together requirements from a number of sources including but not limited to the Concept of Operations, the initial Systems Requirements Document and constraints identified by the agencies. This document sets the technical scope of the system to be built for the Demonstration Project. KW - Implementation KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Performance measurement KW - San Diego (California) KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54300/54343/I-15_San_Diego_ICMS_System_Requirements_revised__FHWA-JPO-11-046_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342205 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457126 AU - Lautala, Pasi AU - Pouryousef, Hamed AU - Stewart, Richard D AU - Ogard, Libby AU - Vartiainen, Janne AU - University of Wisconsin, Superior AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analyzing Log and Chip Truck Performances in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with GPS Tracking Devices PY - 2011/07/11 SP - 14p AB - Minimizing transportation costs is essential in the forest products industry, as the relatively low value and high weight of the products causes transportation to account for exceptionally high portion of the overall cost. The Midwest forest products industry competes in a global market, and the region’s value proposition is highly dependent on affordable and efficient transportation system. Understanding of system efficiencies requires sufficient data, but while most individual forest products companies collect data on origins and destinations of truck trips, little is known about the actual aggregate movements alone the route. One alternative to collect data on truck movements is with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data receivers. Since the cell phone coverage in the region is very sparse and unreliable, using satellite based GPS is a logical alternative, but the use of such devices has been limited in the forest products industry, partially due to high cost of devices and the carrier’s reluctance for centralized dispatching. The research, sponsored by National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research & Education (CFIRE), focused on using GPS data recorders on both log and chip trucks operating in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (UP) and analyzed the data to validate trends and to identify potential improvements and savings. A Trine XL data collector was selected for this research effort because it is inexpensive, easy to use and provides the necessary geospatial information to perform truck movement analysis. Since this GPS system doesn’t have real-time tracking capabilities, log sheets were developed for truck drivers to compliment the geospatial data. With combination of GPS data and filled out log sheets, the research team was able to make interpretations of truck movements and activities during stops or idling periods. This paper presents a brief literature review of past truck tracking studies and alternative GPS devices available for tracking purposes. It introduces the three project steps and reviews the outcomes of the project. The research concluded that there are significant similarities between log and chip truck movements. It also validated the fact that the main hindrance for truck productivity involves numerous truck stops required either for loading or unloading, totaling almost fifty percent of the overall operational time. On the other hand, chip trucks had significantly shorter unloading times when compared to the log trucks and they recorded higher average daily mileage. The research did not identify specific inefficiencies in the actions of truck drivers, but it was recognized that trucks experience extensive idle periods during operations. The sensitivity analysis conducted to identify potential savings from reduced idling suggested that several thousand dollars in fuel savings could be realized by each individual truck annually, if idling could be reduced. KW - Data collection KW - Global Positioning System KW - Logging trucks KW - Optimization KW - Origin and destination KW - Tracking systems KW - Upper Peninsula (Michigan) UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FinalPaper_CFIRE0222.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224415 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578137 TI - A Novel Approach to Increase Biomass Yield through Altering Prohibition Expression AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371711 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578005 TI - Assessing and Predicting Switchgrass and High-Biomass Sorghum Yields and Economic Viability AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Economic factors KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Grasses KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371389 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577999 TI - Bioenergy Multimedia Resource Development on eXtension.org AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Resource development KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371381 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577935 TI - Commericialization of Identity Preserved Grain Sorghum with Optimized Endosperm Matrices for Enhanced Bioethanol Conversion and High Lysine DDG Feed and Food Value AB - No summary provided. KW - Acids KW - Biomass fuels KW - Energy conversion KW - Ethanol KW - Grasses KW - Optimization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371261 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577864 TI - Developing Low-Input, High-Biomass, Perennial Cropping Systems to Support a Bioenergy Economy on Marginal Land at Higher Elevations AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Crops KW - Economic factors KW - Land use KW - Mountains UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371105 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577836 TI - Development and Dissemination of a Bioenergy Educational Curriculum for Children AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Children KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Information dissemination KW - Renewable energy sources UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370904 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577834 TI - Development of a Novel Approach for Removing the Three Key Inhibitors, Acetic Acid, Furfural and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, from Lignocellulosic Hyrolysates AB - No summary provided. KW - Acetic acid KW - Cellulose KW - Inhibitors (Chemistry) KW - Lignin KW - Organic compounds UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370890 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577823 TI - Development of Nutrient-Embedded Biochar Pellets as a Slow-Release Fertilizer for Maximizing Bioenergy Crop Production AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Crops KW - Fertilizers KW - Maximization KW - Pellets KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370864 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577819 TI - Discovery of Novel Lignin-Degrading Genes in Bacteria Using Metagenomic and Proteomic Approach for Enhanced Saccharification of Plant Biomass AB - No summary provided. KW - Bacteria KW - Biomass KW - Genetics KW - Lignin KW - Plants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370860 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577728 TI - Effect of Growth Media Chemical Composition on Algal Biomass Properties AB - No summary provided. KW - Algae KW - Biomass KW - Chemical composition KW - Cultivation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370772 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577141 TI - Evaluation of the Potential of Big Bluestem for Biofuel Production AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Evaluation KW - Grasses KW - Production UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370390 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577138 TI - Feasibility and Environmental Impact of Switchgrass Grown for Biofuel on Marginal Quality Lands AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Environmental impacts KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Grasses UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370384 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01576081 TI - Improving Switchgrass Germination through Breeding AB - No summary provided. KW - Cultivation KW - Grasses UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370154 ER -