TY - SER AN - 01605752 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Young Drivers PY - 2016/05 SP - 7p AB - In 2014, there were 1,717 young drivers 15 to 20 years old who died in motor vehicle crashes, an increase of 1 percent from 1,697 in 2013. Additionally, an estimated 170,000 young drivers were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2014, a decrease of 4 percent from 177,000 in 2013. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds, according to the most recent data available (2014) from the National Center for Health Statistics. There were 214.1 million licensed drivers in the United States in 2014. Young drivers accounted for 5.5 percent (11.7 million) of the total, a 7-percent decrease from the 12.6 million young drivers in 2005. Population for this age group decreased from 2005 to 2014 by 0.9 percent. This fact sheet presents information on young driver fatalities 2005-2014; involvement in fatal crashes by gender, 2005 and 2014, and by age group, 2014; restraint use; motorcycle fatalities and injuries; alcohol involvement in fatal crashes; and fatalities by state. KW - Age groups KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash rates KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Seat belt use KW - Teenage drivers KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812278 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415847 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605695 AU - Sommer, Daniel T AU - Cox, Amanda L AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Saint Louis University AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Erosion Control Blanket Properties and Test Criteria for Specification and Design PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 164p AB - A research project to investigate the product approval, design process, and ongoing product evaluation of erosion control blankets (ECBs) for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) was conducted. An overview of federal and state environmental construction laws was performed noting the significance of ECBs on construction sites. Standardized erosion control testing, product approval, and design processes utilized by other state departments of transportation and those recommended by the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program were researched for further insight to typical ECB applications. A field investigation was established to study the effectiveness of two ECBs on a MoDOT construction site. MoDOT completed construction sites, which utilized ECBs, were also included in the investigation to evaluated how well vegetation was sustained and ongoing blanket degradation following site acceptance in accordance with the MoDOT Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). In addition to field site evaluations, surveys were developed and administered to record contractor and MoDOT employee ECB experiences and identify common problems and successful practices using ECBs. Recommendations for ECB approval procedures and a design process for conditions representative of Missouri were developed using insight gained through the study of common ECB product acceptance and design, the field site investigation, evaluation of completed construction sites, and the surveys of ECB experiences. The National Transportation Product Evaluation program’s (NTPEP) ASTM standardized testing was recommended as the basis for product approval. For ECB design, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was recommended and used to establish minimum performance requirements for both product acceptance and design. Digital maps were developed using ArcGIS for Missouri’s representative hydrologic and geologic conditions for use in the RUSLE. The ECB approval procedures and design process, which were developed specifically for the state of Missouri, are recommended for implementation into the MoDOT Engineering Policy Guide (EPG). An ongoing product evaluation system was also developed for ECBs to document field performance and assist in identifying ECBs that should be removed from the approved products list. KW - Construction sites KW - Design KW - Design standards KW - Drainage blankets KW - Erosion control KW - Evaluation KW - Field studies KW - Missouri KW - National Transportation Product Evaluation Program KW - Specifications KW - Surveys KW - Vegetation UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201509/cmr16-016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415401 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605682 AU - Carter, Nicole AU - Jenkins, Andrew AU - Meggers, David A AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Curling and Warping of Concrete Pavement: An Investigation and Proof of Concept Study PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 55p AB - This project focuses on characterization of pavement behavior as it undergoes short-term curling and warping. Curling and warping cause slab deflections due to a temperature gradient and moisture gradient, respectively; this can result in excessive cracking and reduce the quality and lifetime of the pavement. In this study, one test section consisting of three panels was analyzed for early-age curling, warping, and shrinkage behavior. Deflection readings were taken on all three panels of the test section and one panel was instrumented with strain gages and moisture sensors. This procedure was a successful proof of concept in which the researchers were able to determine that a relationship exists between strain, moisture, and deflection, indicating a relationship with curling and warping. Although data collected corresponds with the expected behavior, the amount of error produced from the test equipment and operators makes it difficult to accurately calculate deflection due to curling versus that due to warping. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Curling KW - Deflection KW - Moisture content KW - Pavement performance KW - Shrinkage KW - Test sections KW - Warpage UR - http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/docpop.aspx?clienttype=html&docid=9611516 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414691 ER - TY - SER AN - 01605615 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Bicyclists and other Cyclists PY - 2016/05 SP - 9p AB - In 2014, there were 726 pedalcyclists killed and an additional 50,000 injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Pedalcyclist deaths accounted for 2 percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities and made up 2 percent of the people injured in traffic crashes during the year. The number of pedalcyclists killed in 2014 is 3 percent lower than the 749 pedalcyclists killed in 2013. The decrease in 2014 is the first decrease after 3 years of increases in pedalcyclist fatalities. Additional statistics presented in this fact sheet include: pedalcyclist fatalities 2005-2014; fatality time of day and day of week, 2014; age and gender, 2014; alcohol involvement, 2005 and 2014; fatalities by state and fatalities by city, 2014. KW - Age groups KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Cities KW - Crash injuries KW - Cyclists KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Periods of the day KW - States KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812282 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415846 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605614 AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - 2016 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics PY - 2016/05 SP - 60p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) 2016 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics highlights the Agency’s role in enforcement and in collecting and analyzing crash data and statistics to support its mission to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. Sections include: The Motor Carrier Management Information System; Large trucks and buses overview; Roadside inspections and violations; Investigations; Crashes; Data quality; Grant programs; and Agency resources. KW - Bus crashes KW - Buses KW - Compliance KW - Crash characteristics KW - Data quality KW - Fatalities KW - Inspection KW - Motor Carrier Management Information System KW - Motor carriers KW - Statistics KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59189/2016_Pocket_Guide_to_Large_Truck_and_Bus_Statistics.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415694 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605575 AU - Wilson, Bryan AU - Mukhopadhyay, Anol AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alternative Aggregates and Materials for High Friction Surface Treatments PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 159p AB - The State of Florida has used high friction surface treatments (HFSTs) since 2006 to reduce wet weather crashes on tight curves and intersections and to maintain bridge decks; however, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has reported issues related to premature failure of the treatment. The scope of this project was to: (1) Review the literature and interview industry experts on the state of the practice of HFST; (2) Document all existing HFST projects in Florida and analyze their performance based on distress, skid resistance, and crash reduction; (3) Perform field testing on six projects, evaluating their present performance and conducting forensic analyses as needed; (4) Perform laboratory tests on different aspects of HFST materials and construction practices to improve durability and reduce costs; and (5) Develop a revised HFST specification for Florida and an HFST Guidelines booklet. The research findings include historic costs, project performance histories, identification of failure mechanisms, crash rate reductions for various applications, benefit-cost analyses, trends between aggregate loss and both resin binder type and mil thickness, thermal compatibility measurements, resin binder gel times under non-ideal situations, an HMA design using calcined bauxite, and comparisons of a few high friction aggregates. The researchers recommended many ways to improve the design, construction, and quality control of HFST. These are reflected in the proposed specification Section 333. A new user-friendly booklet, titled “High Friction Surface Treatment Guidelines: Project Selection, Materials, and Construction,” was created to assist contractors and FDOT inspectors to implement the new specification. KW - Aggregates KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash rates KW - Durability KW - Field tests KW - Florida KW - Friction course KW - Laboratory tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Pavement performance KW - Skid resistance KW - Specifications KW - State of the practice KW - Surface treating UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SMO/FDOT-BDR74-977-05-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415259 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605543 AU - Tison, Julie AU - Chaudhary, Neil K AU - Connolly, Joyce W AU - Preusser, David F AU - Hutchinson, Kimberly AU - Preusser Research Group, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Functional Outcomes for Older Adults Injured in a Crash PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 19p AB - This project explored long-term health and quality-of-life implications of crashes among older and middle-age motor vehicle occupants in Connecticut and Indiana. Analysts compared outcomes of a sample of older (65+) injured occupants with those of a sample of similarly involved yet uninjured older occupants in Connecticut. The results, as measured by the eight SF-36 Health Survey scales, indicated that the injured had substantial health decrements approximately two years following the crash. Analyses of cases from Indiana included older (65+) injured occupants as well as middle-age (40-55) injured occupants. Both groups showed continuing health decrements approximately 15 months following the crash, particularly among occupants whose injuries required hospitalization. Although older and middle-age injured occupants showed similar physical effects, the middle-age group showed greater quality-of-life decrements. KW - Age groups KW - Aged KW - Connecticut KW - Crash injuries KW - Health KW - Indiana KW - Injury severity KW - Quality of life KW - Vehicle occupants UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812288-FunctionalOutcomesOlderAdults.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415850 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604942 AU - Swain, Kristen Alley AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk Framing of U.S. Intermodal Transportation Hazardous Spills in News and Social Media PY - 2016/05 SP - 29p AB - This study explores how freight companies publicly responded to serious hazardous spills through the systematic analysis of: the social media presence and online influence of all 2,782 carrier companies and all U.S. newspaper coverage of 5,555 serious spills between 2001 and 2012. The study examined the social media (SM) presence/influence of the 2,782 transportation companies involved in the serious spills, using Klout influence, TweetReach exposure, and HowSociable magnitude scores. U.S. newspaper coverage of the accidents was coded if stories appeared within five days of each “serious” accident between 2001 and 2012. These data were compared with descriptive secondary data for the same accidents in the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration database. Three coders analyzed the entire universe, which consisted of 267 stories in 87 newspapers, covering 54 accidents. This means 95.2% of the 5,555 most serious spills in a decade received no news coverage. Story variables included transportation mode, publication, geographic location, spill impacts, spill damage, accident causes, source types, source attribution, crisis responses, news coverage over time, story play (placement, length, graphics), what was spilled, health effects, risk to public and workers, public safety advice, and blame. Most freight companies had no SM presence. Few companies communicated regularly about anything, through any SM channels. Companies with fewer accidents were more likely to have SM accounts, while those with the most accidents typically had no SM presence. No companies communicated directly about any of the 5,555 spills. This pattern contradicts conventional public relations practice of “getting out in front” of a crisis. Only 22% had a Klout score over 25, 16% had a Twitter account, less than 1% had a Facebook page, only 0.1% had a LinkedIn page, and none had a Youtube account. The companies with higher SM scores had the most damaging and expensive accidents. Train companies typically had higher Klout scores, while trucking companies typically had midrange Klout scores. Companies with mass explosion hazards or high-threat cargo spills – including radioactive materials and flammable gas – had a very low or non-existent SM presence. Companies with the strongest SM presence were significantly more likely to have accidents involving fatalities, gas dispersion, evacuations, fires, hazardous waste, and closure of major roads. Some companies with dangerous track records had no SM account or did not use them to inform the public about spills. Companies with higher Klout scores were significantly more likely to have accidents involving fatalities and injuries. Companies with higher TweetReach scores were more likely to have accidents involving a fire, explosion, or hazmat fatality. U.S. newspaper coverage of serious transportation spills was almost non-existent. Spills were more likely to be covered when journalists had access to authoritative sources, when the perceived risk to citizens was higher, when someone was blamed, or when the spill involved an unusual chemical or situation. Although the spills posed serious threats including potentially fatal outcomes, invisible risks such as a gas leak, and involuntary exposure, most spills involving fatalities, injuries, toxic inhalation, gas dispersion, fires, explosions, water contamination and environmental damage received little coverage. Spills involving extremely dangerous materials including radioactive materials, poisonous gas, or mass explosion hazards were not more likely to receive coverage. Spills with a stronger visual element such as derailment or objective severity/threat were less likely to receive attention. Access to police, fire/EMS reports did not promote news coverage. High-impact events such as spills causing injuries, evacuations, toxic gas leaks and road closings were not more likely to receive attention. Social amplification of risk appeared to have little, if any, effect on the news coverage. This study raises additional questions about whether the dearth of public communication about freight spills has caused damage beyond the cost of the spills, and how transportation companies should weigh the risk of reputational harm vs. societal benefits of improved communication about spills. KW - Freight transportation KW - Hazardous materials KW - Information dissemination KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mass communication KW - News KW - Newspapers KW - Risk KW - Safety KW - Social media KW - Spills (Pollution) UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-29FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416959 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604941 AU - Sanders, Jenna AU - Puryear, Steve AU - Walden, Clayton T AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Grenada Railway Intermodal Alternatives Assessment PY - 2016/05 SP - 30p AB - This study focused on identifying and evaluating Mississippi manufacturing companies to determine potential for establishing business partnerships with the Grenada Railway. Grenada Railway transportation services evaluated during this study included direct-to-rail connections, storage-on-rail opportunities, and intermodal transport prospects. These companies were identified using Mississippi World Trade Center data and assigned numerical values based on a scoring matrix established by the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension personnel conducting the study. Criteria and weight of each criterion were evaluated and presented to Iowa Pacific representatives for approval. Once approved, Mississippi manufacturers were scored and the companies identified with the best potential for establishing symbiotic relationships with Grenada Railway were reported in this study. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Freight transportation KW - Grenada (Mississippi) KW - Industries KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Partnerships KW - Railroads UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-05FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416965 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604937 AU - Fuller, Sara AU - Puryear, Steve AU - Walden, Clayton T AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Port Utilization Measurement of Mississippi’s Intermodal Ports PY - 2016/05 SP - 21p AB - This project focused on enhancing the transportation efficiency within Mississippi’s intermodal transportation industry. This was accomplished by developing a port assessment tool that identified current methods and data used at each port in Mississippi to record its operating statistics. The assessment tool was tested on two ports in order to gauge its adequacy in measuring port capacity and utilization of operation. Port participants were asked a series of quantitative questions dealing with port activities and current measures being used. The ultimate goal was to enhance the region’s economic competitiveness through greater efficiency across transportation modes. The project targeted over $25,000 in tangible economic impact annually, which will fully return the federal award. The need for a set of common measures for port activities was recognized during a previous Mississippi State University project funded by the Mississippi Economic Council. Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) concurred with the need, but was unable to undertake the project at that time. This project determined what reporting is done currently, what information is being reported (or gathered), and what information is deemed most needed by the ports and MDOT in its role as overseer of the Mississippi ports. The project resulted in a reporting tool that may be utilized at all of Mississippi’s intermodal sites in future projects. Mississippi State University (CAVS – Extension) personnel conducted this research. KW - Economic impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mississippi KW - Port capacity KW - Port operations KW - Ports KW - Reporting KW - Statistics UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-06FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416966 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604935 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Macro-level Intermodal Capacity Modeling PY - 2016/05 SP - 71p AB - This report is presented in two parts: modeling and testing. In part 1, a summary of existing capacity models and speed/volume functions is presented. An effort is made to organize it in a systematic and consistent way for easy reading and understanding. A critique of certain existing capacity models and relationship functions, where further development is possible, is also presented. This report aims to demonstrate the comprehensive model that was discussed in the previous tasks to estimate the capacity of intermodal freight transportation. The estimation of capacities is conducted according to the previous proposed formulas for different transportation modes for freight transportation. Moreover, the model is going to be demonstrated in the case study of freight transportation analysis in the Hampton Roads Area. The optimization of freight assignment and routing in this region should reflect the validity of the model. The model identifies the bottlenecks in an intermodal network, as well as strategies to increase system-wide capacity for increased freight movement demand. Besides the current state analysis, this model is applied to forecast the necessity of expansion and improvement for specific choke points in order to face increased traffic volume after the expansion of the Panama Canal. Finally, this study uses what-if analysis for the condition that a few central links were disrupted in the transportation. The robustness of transportation system is evaluated for the Hampton Roads Area in part 2. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Capacity models KW - Case studies KW - Forecasting KW - Freight capacity KW - Freight transportation KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Service disruption KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic volume KW - Transportation disruptions KW - Transportation system capacity UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-02FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416952 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604931 AU - Mullen, Chris AU - Ervin, Elizabeth AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Detecting Weakened Highway and Railroad Bridge Substructures at Deck Level PY - 2016/05 SP - 57p AB - The ability to detect damage in substructures of highway and railway bridges using modal vibration techniques performed at the superstructure deck level is investigated as a means to improve nondestructive testing evaluation in cases where visual inspection is difficult or impossible. Methodology initiated in a 2012 NCITEC project is extended here first through a limited experimental study of lab scale models of substructure subsystems in a variety of configurations. Tests are conducted on a shake table to assess variations in frequency and temporal dynamic response characteristics for the different configurations, and frequencies are compared with those obtained by simplified finite element analysis of the subsystems. Detailed finite element analysis is then performed to characterize the dynamic characteristics of two full scale three-span highway bridges accessible to the project team. The two bridges have similar superstructures consisting of composite steel girder decks but lie in different geologic formations such that one was designed with a deep foundation system and the other with a shallow one. Fixed base models highlight the significant difference in fundamental frequencies for the two structural systems even when the different foundations are not considered. Soil-structure interaction models are developed to incorporate the soil and foundation elements and account for scour conditions that are the subject of a recently completed 2013 project. The deep foundation or flexible system is used to characterize the effect of soil-structure interaction and the influence of damage scenarios on the dynamic characteristics. Damage scenarios are considered that consist of material deterioration in the form of softening modeled as reductions of the elastic modulus in various substructure elements of one of two central piers. By virtue of the companion study, a damage scenario is also considered in which symmetric scour of a stream bed occurs between the two central piers. The material deterioration scenarios do not produce noticeable changes in the modal frequencies of the flexible system whereas the scour scenario produces changes in modes involving horizontal movement of the deck mass that are potentially significant enough to be detectable by measurements made at deck level. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge foundations KW - Bridge substructures KW - Finite element method KW - Highway bridges KW - Horizontal displacement (Structures) KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Railroad bridges KW - Scale models KW - Scour KW - Shaking table tests KW - Soil structure interaction UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-26FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416958 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604582 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - US Forest Service TI - White River National Forest Hanging Lake Capacity Study PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 22p AB - Due to overcrowding at Hanging Lake, the Volpe Center performed a capacity study for the White River National Forest. This capacity study examines the visitation and environmental constraints of Hanging Lake parking lot, trail, and site to develop three scenarios which the U.S. Forest Service staff will use to determine the appropriate level of use at the site. Using data gathered from various data sources, the capacity study compares actual conditions during the 95th percentile week to reductions in visitation using a proposed capacity management system. The analysis includes a series of videos that demonstrate the flow of visitors to the site. KW - Crowds KW - Environmental protection KW - Glenwood Canyon (Colorado) KW - Hanging Lake Rest Area (Glenwood Canyon, Colorado) KW - Parking KW - Shuttle service KW - Trails KW - Transportation management KW - Visitors KW - White River National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59238/USFS_Hanging_Lake_Capacity_Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414862 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604095 AU - Miller, Christopher M AU - Schneider, William H AU - Kennedy, Marla J AU - University of Akron AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Procedures for Waste Management from Street Sweeping and Stormwater Systems PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 151p AB - Street sweeping and storm water system cleaning activities are conducted regularly by Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements and to ensure roadway safety. Once collected, these materials are classified as solid waste and require cost-effective and sustainable management. This research report summarizes tools for tracking and quantifying the volume of material collected and associated management costs, comprehensive analytical testing of solid waste materials from multiple locations, design and construction of a prototype decanting facility, metal adsorption media testing at the prototype decanting facility, and the development of standard operating procedures to operate the new facility. Detailed analysis shows the solid waste disposal cost is less than 5% of the management activity and management priorities should focus on cost-effective collection and management versus disposal cost. Multiple factors were utilized to rank decanting facility location options for each District in Ohio. Metal adsorption media testing showed significant removal of many heavy metals and operational observations at the new prototype facility showed promise for effectively managing these waste materials. KW - Adsorption KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Costs KW - Maintenance facilities KW - Materials tests KW - Ohio KW - Runoff KW - Street cleaning KW - Waste management KW - Water quality management UR - http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getdownloaditem/collection/p267401ccp2/id/13890/filename/13898.docx/title/Procedures%20for%20waste%20management%20from%20street%20sweeping%20and%20stormwater%20systems/mapsto/showLink UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1413295 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603829 AU - Circella, Giovanni AU - Fulton, Lew AU - Alemi, Farzad AU - Berliner, Rosaria M AU - Tiedeman, Kate AU - Mokhtarian, Patricia L AU - Handy, Susan AU - University of California, Davis AU - National Center for Sustainable Transportation AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - What Affects Millennials’ Mobility? Part I: Investigating the Environmental Concerns, Lifestyles, Mobility-Related Attitudes and Adoption of Technology of Young Adults in California PY - 2016/05 SP - 119p AB - Recent research has highlighted significant modifications in travel demand, suggesting a “VMT Peak”, and a peak in car ownership among young adults in California and the rest of the United States. In order to investigate this topic, and the motivations behind these trends, this study will undertake a detailed investigation of travel behavior and the propensity to purchase a car among young adults (aged 18-30) in California. Through the assistance of a commercial vendor, the authors will develop a representative sample of the population of young adults in California, and administer an online survey developed as part of the project. The research will explore the impact of a range of factors, including personal attitudes and preferences (e.g. about travel, the adoption of technology, the adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles, social, economic and environmental issues), lifestyles, the urban form, the individual’s living arrangements, the influence of peers and online social networks. The study will build on other studies and provide critical insights into the motivations affecting young persons’ travel behavior and car-ownership aspirations, and will allow researchers and policy-makers to better understand likely future trends in travel demand and the potential responses to policies designed to increase transportation sustainability KW - Attitudes KW - Life styles KW - Mobility KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Young adults UR - http://www.dot.ca.gov/research/researchreports/reports/2016/CA16-2825_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://itspubs.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/themes/ucdavis/pubs/download_pdf.php?id=2630 UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5324hkb/1/producer%2F2016-UCD-ITS-RR-16-01.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5hf2hdv/1/producer%2FCA16-2825.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412918 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603665 AU - Shupe, Todd AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improvements to Highway Guardrail Assemblies PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 48p AB - Highway guardrail assemblies play an important role in enhancing the safety of motorists. Guardrail assemblies contain three main components: (1) galvanized steel guardrail, (2) posts, and (3) blockouts. The purpose of the blockout is to increase the spacing between the rail and the post and thereby reduce the interaction of the vehicle with the post. It is essential that the blockouts are durable so that the guardrail assembly can function properly. The goal of this study was to explore the feasibility of using recycled chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood to produce a composite blockout. This study had three tasks: (1) determine the properties of the raw materials, (2) production and testing of molded guardrail blockouts, and (3) conduct finite element analyses and design optimization. Decommissioned blocks were chemically analyzed and found to contain residual CCA that is consistent with over 10 years of service. The used bocks were shredded to particles, combined with polypropylene plastic, and used to make composite blockouts with varying amounts of wood, plastic, block density, and resin. Group 1 yielded superior results: internal bond strength, IB, (108 psi), modulus of rupture, MOR, (2,536 psi), modulus of elasticity, MOE, (440,250 psi), linear expansion, LE, (0.632 in.), and thickness swelling, TS, (12.6%). A finite element analysis conducted on this group revealed that a guardrail assembly comprised with wood/plastic blockouts should perform similar to one with solid wood blockouts. The development of the composite blockout will provide the motoring public and taxpayers a low-cost, high-performance blockout and enhance environmental stewardship. The success of the overall project will lead to the development of a durable, green composite blockout. KW - Composite materials KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - Optimization KW - Recycled materials KW - Wood UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/14-1TIRE.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411147 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603662 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Voigt, Gerald F AU - Ferrebee, Eric TI - Dowel Basket Anchoring Methods: Best Practices for Jointed Concrete Pavements PY - 2016/05 SP - 6p AB - Dowels are the most common form of load transfer in concrete pavements. They come in various sizes, shapes, and materials, but to perform optimally over the course of the pavement life, they need to be oriented appropriately and within tolerable location limits in the slab. Proper placement ensures optimal load transfer with minimal added stress to the pavement. For this reason, attention to dowel placement during paving is important, and ensuring that dowel placement accuracy is maintained through paving is a necessary quality control activity. Dowel basket fasteners, such as basket clips and stakes, are commonly used to secure dowel baskets for the paving process. This tech brief summarizes the purpose and recommendations for ensuring that dowels placed using baskets maintain their position and elevation through the paving process. Additional details can be found in the Guide to Dowel Load Transfer Systems for Jointed Concrete Roadway Pavements (Snyder 2011). KW - Best practices KW - Concrete pavements KW - Dowels (Fasteners) KW - Load transfer KW - Pavement joints KW - Paving KW - Recommendations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410847 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603641 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Pickrell, Timothy M AU - Li, Hongying (Ruby) TI - Motorcycle Helmet Use in 2015—Overall Results PY - 2016/05 SP - 6p AB - Use of Department of Transportation (DOT)-compliant motorcycle helmets was 60.7 percent in 2015, statistically unchanged from 64.3 percent in 2014. This result is from the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), the only survey that provides nationwide probability-based observed data on motorcycle helmet use in the United States. The 2015 survey also found the following: (1) Helmet use among motorcyclists in the northeastern States increased significantly to 77.2 percent, up from 56.1 percent in 2014. (2) Use of non-compliant motorcycle helmets increased significantly to 10.6 percent, up from 4.8 percent in 2014. (3) Helmet use continued to be significantly higher in States that require all motorcyclists to be helmeted than in other States. (4) Helmet use among motorcyclists traveling in moderately dense traffic decreased significantly to 53.6 percent, from 72.8 percent in 2014. KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Motorcyclists KW - National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) KW - State laws KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812275.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410831 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603632 AU - Davis, David AU - Jimenez, Rafael AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Next Generation Foundations for Special Trackwork - Phase III PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 100p AB - Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) conducted a series of tests, funded by the Federal Railroad Administration, which evaluated the potential beneficial effects of various configurations of high angle frogs and frog foundations on wheel-rail vertical forces and frog performance. The tests were conducted under 315,000-pound cars with nominal 39-ton axle loads at the High Tonnage Loop of the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado. Results from previous phases of this project were used to develop this testing plan, and the project had previously determined that track stiffness, track damping and frog flexibility (i.e., the capability for differential vertical movement between opposite sides of the frog across the flangeway) affects wheel-rail vertical forces. A prototype crossing diamond was built using an existing design that offered the potential for increasing frog flexibility, while the commercially available straight rail reversible design was modified to add rail seat pads of various configurations above the frog platework. Additionally, the team developed options for joining the four castings that make up each frog. These options allowed assessment of frog flexibility on wheel-rail forces and frog performance. A total of 14 frog configurations were evaluated over about 70 MGT. KW - Axle loads KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Flexibility KW - Frogs (Railroads) KW - Prototype tests KW - Rolling contact KW - Tie pads UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15785 UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15785 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409631 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603629 AU - Chase, S B AU - Adu-Gyamfi, Y AU - Aktan, A E AU - Minaie, E AU - Pennoni Associates Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Synthesis of National and International Methodologies Used for Bridge Health Indices PY - 2016/05 SP - 56p AB - Bridge performance measures are important components of any successful Bridge Management System. Different types of performance measures have been developed for various purposes. The types of performance measures are usually a reflection of an agency’s goals. The bridge health or condition index is a type of performance measure used by agencies interested in preserving the condition of bridge structures. Bridge condition index is very attractive because it provides a single index for assessment of the structural and or functional health of a bridge based on the condition of the bridge’s structural elements and the services provided by the bridge. As outlined in the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) Long-Term Bridge Performance Program, the development of condition indices should be driven by more objective and quantitative data to help bridge managers make informed decisions. This work reviews the state-of-the-art with respect to bridge condition indices being used to assess performance of bridges in the United States and other countries. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Condition surveys KW - Countries KW - Long-Term Bridge Performance Program KW - Methodology KW - Performance measurement KW - State of the practice KW - Structural health monitoring KW - United States UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/15081/15081.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409558 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603620 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Webb, Caitlin TI - Estimating Lives Saved by Electronic Stability Control, 2010-2014 PY - 2016/05 SP - 4p AB - In 2014 an estimated 1,580 lives were saved by electronic stability control (ESC) among passenger vehicle (PV) occupants. These lives saved consisted of 681 passenger car (PC) occupants and 899 light-truck and van (LTV) occupants. The estimated 1,580 lives saved in 2014 is an increase over the estimated lives saved in previous years, 1,366 lives saved in 2013, 1,225 lives saved in 2012, 896 lives saved in 2011, and 682 lives saved in 2010. Added together ESC has saved more than 4,100 lives during the 5-year period from 2010 to 2014. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) estimates of effectiveness for ESC have been updated in the technical report, Updated Estimates of Fatality Reduction by Electronic Stability Control (Kahane, 2014) which is discussed in the Background section of this Research Note. KW - Crash data KW - Electronic stability control KW - Fatalities KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Stability (Mechanics) KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812277.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410513 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603604 AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Claros, Boris AU - Zhu, Zhongyuan AU - Brown, Henry AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - System-wide Safety Treatments and Design Guidance for J-Turns. PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 76p AB - In an effort Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) initiated this research project to develop guidance on treatments that can reduce crashes and fatalities. The project first synthesized the literature and state of practice on system-wide safety treatments and documented their effectiveness. In particular, the objective was to examine those treatments that have not been already implemented in Missouri. The safety effectiveness, implementation guidelines, limitations, costs, and concerns of the treatments were documented. The identified safety treatments work in conjunction with the ‘Necessary Nine’ strategies identified in Missouri’s Blueprint. Accordingly, the synthesis covered three areas: 1) Horizontal curves, 2) Intersections, and 3) Wrong way crashes. The reviewed treatments included signing, geometric and access management, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), pavement markings, and signal control enhancements to improve safety. In the last few years, MoDOT has replaced several high crash intersections on rural highways in the state with J-turns. Given their safety effectiveness and low cost the J-turn has become a preferred alternative to replace high crash two-way stop-controlled intersections on high speed highways. Unfortunately, national guidance on the design of J-turns is very limited. This project addresses this gap in practice by developing guidance on spacing and acceleration lanes. A thorough examination of crashes that occurred at twelve existing J-turn sites in Missouri was conducted. The crash review revealed the proportions of five crash types occurring at J-turn sites: 1) major road sideswipe (31.6%), 2) major road rear-end (28.1%), 3) minor road rear-end (15.8%), 4) loss of control (14%), and 5) merging from U-turn (10.5%). The crash rates decreased with the increase in the spacing to the U-turn, for both sideswipe and rear-end crashes; J-turns with a spacing of 1500 feet or greater experienced the lowest crash rates. A calibrated simulation model was used to study various volume scenarios and design variables. For all scenarios, the presence of acceleration lane resulted in significantly fewer conflicts. Thus, acceleration lanes were recommended for all J-turn designs, including lower volume sites. Second, while spacing between 1000 feet and 2000 feet was found to be sufficient for low volume combinations, spacing of 2000 feet was recommended for medium to high volume conditions. KW - Acceleration lanes KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash rates KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - J turns KW - Missouri KW - Rural highways KW - Simulation KW - Spacing KW - Traffic volume KW - Turning traffic KW - U turns UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/system-wide_safety_treatments_and_j-turns_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201510/cmr16-013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410245 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603601 AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Hosteng, Travis AU - Wang, Xuhao AU - Phares, Brent AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation and Testing of a Lightweight Fine Aggregate Concrete Bridge Deck in Buchanan County, Iowa PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 52p AB - Internal curing is a relatively new technique being used to promote hydration of portland cement concretes. The fundamental concept is to provide reservoirs of water within the matrix such that the water does not increase the initial water/cementitious materials ratio to the mixture, but is available to help continue hydration once the system starts to dry out. The reservoirs used in the US are typically in the form of lightweight fine aggregate (LWFA) that is saturated prior to batching. Considerable work has been conducted both in the laboratory and in the field to confirm that this approach is fundamentally sound and yet practical for construction purposes. A number of bridge decks have been successfully constructed around the US, including one in Iowa in 2013. It is reported that inclusion of about 20% to 30% LWFA will not only improve strength development and potential durability, but, more importantly, will significantly reduce shrinking, thus reducing cracking risk. The aim of this work was to investigate the feasibility of such an approach in a bridge deck. KW - Bridge decks KW - Buchanan County (Iowa) KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Field tests KW - Fine aggregates KW - Laboratory tests KW - Life cycle costing KW - Load tests KW - Mix design KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Shrinkage UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/200/ UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/22239 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/projects/detail/?projectID=420075554 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59276/viewcontent.cgi_article_1199_context_intrans_reports.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59277/viewcontent.cgi_article_1109_context_intrans_techtransfer.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410178 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603597 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Children PY - 2016/05 SP - 12p AB - There were 61 million children in the United States, 19% of the total U.S. population. Of the 32,675 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States, 1,070 (3%) were children. Child motor vehicle traffic fatalities declined 7% from 1,152 in 2013 and 45% from 1,955 in 2005. An estimated 167,000 children were injured in traffic crashes, a 3% decrease from 172,000 in 2013 and a 28% decrease from 234,000 in 2005. On average, 3 children were killed and an estimated 458 children were injured every day in the United States in traffic crashes. Of the 1,070 child motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2014—72% (774) were occupants and 28% (296) were nonoccupants (pedestrians, pedalcyclists, and other). Additional statistics provided in this report include: child motor vehicle traffic fatalities 2005-2014; child motor vehicle traffic fatalities by state and age group, 2014; passenger vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes, by survival status, age group, and restraint use; child pedestrian fatalities; child pedalcyclist fatalities; and child fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. KW - Age groups KW - Child restraint systems KW - Children KW - Cyclists KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Injury rates KW - Pedestrians KW - States KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812271.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411465 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603589 JO - TRAFFIC TECH PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Older Occupants' Recovery From Crash Injuries PY - 2016/05 SP - 2p AB - The goal of this study was to provide better understanding of the consequences of older adults’ crash injuries on their health and functional performance – their ability to carry out normal activities – by addressing these research questions: What are the differences in measures of self-reported health and performance between: (1) People 65 and older who were injured in crashes, and those of similar age who were in crashes but not injured? and (2) People 65 and older and people 40 to 55 who were injured in crashes? Researchers reviewed police crash reports from Connecticut and Indiana from 2009 to identify potential participants who fit into one of the groups of interest for this study. KW - Age groups KW - Aged KW - Connecticut KW - Crash data KW - Crash injuries KW - Health KW - Indiana KW - Injury severity UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812281-OlderOccupantsRecoveryTT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410830 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603579 AU - Phares, Brent M AU - Deng, Yaohua AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of the Impact of Dual-Lane Axle Spacing on Lateral Load Distribution PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 88p AB - The spacing of adjacent wheel lines of dual-lane loads induces different lateral live load distributions on bridges, which cannot be determined using the current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) or Load Factor Design (LFD) equations for vehicles with standard axle configurations. Current Iowa law requires dual-lane loads to meet a five-foot requirement, the adequacy of which needs to be verified. To improve the state policy and AASHTO code specifications, it is necessary to understand the actual effects of wheel-line spacing on lateral load distribution. The main objective of this research was to investigate the impact of the wheel-line spacing of dual-lane loads on the lateral load distribution on bridges. To achieve this objective, a numerical evaluation using two-dimensional linear elastic finite element (FE) models was performed. For simulation purposes, 20 prestressed-concrete bridges, 20 steel bridges, and 20 slab bridges were randomly sampled from the Iowa bridge database. Based on the FE results, the load distribution factors (LDFs) of the concrete and steel bridges and the equivalent lengths of the slab bridges were derived. To investigate the variations of LDFs, a total of 22 types of single-axle four-wheel-line dual-lane loads were taken into account with configurations consisting of combinations of various interior and exterior wheel-line spacing. The corresponding moment and shear LDFs and equivalent widths were also derived using the AASHTO equations and the adequacy of the Iowa DOT five-foot requirement was evaluated. Finally, the axle weight limits per lane for different dual-lane load types were further calculated and recommended to complement the current Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) policy and AASHTO code specifications. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Axle loads KW - Bridges KW - Finite element method KW - Iowa KW - Load transfer KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Spacing KW - Specifications KW - Wheels UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/201 UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/22240 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/projects/detail/?projectID=2103633094 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59272/viewcontent.cgi_article_1200_context_intrans_reports.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410177 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603577 AU - Tavera, Eduardo A AU - Burnworth, Gabriel H AU - Rix, Glenn J AU - Jung, Jongwon AU - GeoStellar Engineering, LLC AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Calibration of Region Specific Gates Pile Driving Formula for LRFD PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 566p AB - This research project proposes new Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) pile driving formulas for pile capacity verification using pile driving blow counts obtained at either end-of-initial driving (EOID) or at the beginning-of-restrike (BOR). The pile driving formulas were developed using a regional database containing 252 static load tests and 934 dynamic load tests (DLT) collected from DOTD projects. The DLTs were conducted on blow counts taken at EOID (183 Case Pile Wave Analysis Program (CAPWAPs)) and BOR (751 CAPWAPs). The pile driving formulas were developed by conducting a nonlinear regression analysis of the generic Gates formula. The Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) resistance factors (ɸ) were calibrated using the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method for the Strength I limit state with a reliability index (βT) of 2.33 as recommended for pile groups in American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) specifications. The current LADOTD pile driving formula (Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Gates Formula) used to evaluate blow counts taken at EOID was evaluated; results show a best fit ratio of 0.80 with a resistance factor of 0.67—higher than the AASHTO specifications resistance factor (ɸ) of 0.40 for the same pile driving formula. The new EOID LADOTD Modified pile driving formula has a best fit ratio 0.91 with a resistance factor of 0.59. This study recognizes pile capacity setup can significantly affect pile driving formulas ability to predict pile capacity when using blow counts obtained at BOR. Pile capacity setup was evaluated by computing the Skov-Denver pile setup factors (AQ) using total pile capacity (Q). A minimum of two pile setup categories (A and B) were identified in Louisiana. Pile setup category A is located in the coastal marshes along the gulf coast of Louisiana with setup factors (AQ) ranging from 0.135 to 0.428. Pile setup category B was assigned to the remainder of the state with AQ pile setup factors ranging from 0.021 to 0.108. An evaluation of the pile setup curves using the Skov-Denver model indicates that more than 90% of the long-term pile capacity (load test conducted at t = 14 days) can be obtained at t ≥ 6 days for pile setup category A and t ≥ 3 days for pile setup category B. A BOR pile driving formula was developed for setup category A with restrikes conducted at t ≥ 1 days with a best fit ratio of 0.93 and a corresponding resistance factor (ɸ) of 0.64. A different BOR pile driving formula was developed for pile setup category B with restrikes conducted at t ≥ 1 days with a best fit ratio of 0.92 and a corresponding resistance factor (ɸ) of 0.605. Recommendations on the implementation of these EOID and BOR pile driving formulas have been included in this study. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Calibration KW - Implementation KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Louisiana KW - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development KW - Monte Carlo method KW - Pile driving KW - Recommendations KW - Regression analysis UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_561.pdf UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_561_Appendix.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411148 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603548 AU - Brown, Henry AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Rahmani, Roozbeh AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Assessment Tool for Construction Zone Work Phasing Plans PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 137p AB - The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) is the compilation of national safety research that provides quantitative methods for analyzing highway safety. The HSM presents crash modification functions related to freeway work zone characteristics such as work zone duration and length. These crash modification functions were based on freeway work zones with high traffic volumes in California. When the HSM-referenced model was calibrated for Missouri, the value was 3.78, which is not ideal since it is significantly larger than 1. Therefore, new models were developed in this study using Missouri data to capture geographical, driver behavior, and other factors in the Midwest. Also, new models for expressway and rural two-lane work zones that barely were studied in the literature were developed. A large sample of 20,837 freeway, 8,993 expressway, and 64,476 rural two-lane work zones in Missouri was analyzed to derive 15 work zone crash prediction models. The most appropriate samples of 1,546 freeway, 1,189 expressway, and 6,095 rural two-lane work zones longer than 0.1 mile and with a duration of greater than 10 days were used to make eight, four, and three models, respectively. A challenging question for practitioners is always how to use crash prediction models to make the best estimation of work zone crash count. To solve this problem, a user-friendly software tool was developed in a spreadsheet format to predict work zone crashes based on work zone characteristics. This software selects the best model, estimates the work zone crashes by severity, and converts them to monetary values using standard crash estimates. This study also included a survey of departments of transportation (DOTs), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) representatives, and contractors to assess the current state of the practice regarding work zone safety. The survey results indicate that many agencies look at work zone safety informally using engineering judgment. Respondents indicated that they would like a tool that could help them to balance work zone safety across projects by looking at crashes and user costs. KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Expressways KW - Freeways KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Missouri KW - Risk assessment KW - Rural areas KW - Software KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Time duration KW - Two lane highways KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zones UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/203 UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/22264 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/smartwz/projects/details.cfm?projectID=110 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59269/viewcontent.cgi_article_1202_context_intrans_reports.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410395 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603537 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Hein, David K AU - Schaus, Lori TI - Permeable Concrete Pavements PY - 2016/05 SP - 11p AB - This Tech Brief presents an overview of two types of permeable concrete pavement systems and their use. Information is provided on the structural and hydrological design, factors for successful construction and maintenance, and the performance of these systems. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Drainage KW - Infiltration KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving KW - Permeability KW - Porous pavements UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410848 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603531 AU - Steve, Kenneth AU - Parker, Julie AU - Reschovsky, Clara AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2014 Highlights of Ferry Operations in the United States PY - 2016/05//Special Report SP - 9p AB - Based on information provided by operators who responded to the 2014 National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO), the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) conservatively estimates that ferries in the United States carried just over 115 million passengers and over 30 million vehicles in 2013. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (Public Law 114-94, section 1112) set aside $80 million for each fiscal year from 2016 to 2020 for the maintenance and improvement of the Nation’s ferry system. It also required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to use BTS’ NCFO data as input for the formula for allocating Federal ferry funds. This report highlights the findings of the 2014 NCFO, which collected the operational characteristics of ferry operations in calendar year 2013. Data includes: Passenger and Vehicle Boarding Estimates by Census Region; Terminals by Census Region; Route Miles by Census Region; Passengers, Vehicles and Route Miles by State; and Route, Fleet, and Terminal Characteristics. KW - Ferries KW - Ferry service KW - Ferry terminals KW - National Census of Ferry Operators KW - Passenger traffic KW - States KW - Statistics KW - United States UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Special%20Report%20NCFO%202016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411564 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603525 AU - Deng, Yaohua AU - Phares, Brent M AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of the Effect of Speed on the Dynamic Impact Factor for Bridges with Different Entrance Conditions PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 53p AB - The dynamic interaction of vehicles and bridges results in live loads being induced into bridges that are greater than the vehicle’s static weight. To limit this dynamic effect, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) currently requires that permitted trucks slow to five miles per hour and span the roadway centerline when crossing bridges. However, this practice has other negative consequences such as the potential for crashes, impracticality for bridges with high traffic volumes, and higher fuel consumption. The main objective of this work was to provide information and guidance on the allowable speeds for permitted vehicles and loads on bridges. A field test program was implemented on five bridges (i.e., two steel girder bridges, two pre-stressed concrete girder bridges, and one concrete slab bridge) to investigate the dynamic response of bridges due to vehicle loadings. The important factors taken into account during the field tests included vehicle speed, entrance conditions, vehicle characteristics (i.e., empty dump truck, full dump truck, and semi-truck), and bridge geometric characteristics (i.e., long span and short span). Three entrance conditions were used: As-is and also Level 1 and Level 2, which simulated rough entrance conditions with a fabricated ramp placed 10 feet from the joint between the bridge end and approach slab and directly next to the joint, respectively. The researchers analyzed and utilized the field data to derive the dynamic impact factors (DIFs) for all gauges installed on each bridge under the different loading scenarios. Based on the calculated DIFs and the change trends for the associated important factors, the conclusions were as follows: (1) The DIF increases with the increase of truck speed, entrance condition level, and bridge span length; (2) For all investigated bridges under Level 1 and Level 2 entrance conditions, the DIFs exceeded 0.3; under the As-is entrance condition, the DIFs were less than 0.3 for the steel and concrete girder bridges and less than 0.1 for the concrete slab bridges; (3) The empty dump truck induced the greatest impact factors, followed by the full dump truck and then the semi-truck; (4) To limit the DIF to no more than 0.1, for all bridge types, the allowable truck speeds are 30 mph for As-is entrance conditions and crawl for bridges with Level 1 and Level 2 entrance conditions; and (5) The researchers recommend that currently collected road roughness information be examined for use as an indicator of entrance condition. If successful, the international roughness index (IRI) data could then be used to determine the speed limitation to put in place as well as which DIF values to use in permitting analysis. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Dynamic loads KW - Field tests KW - Highway bridges KW - Iowa KW - Speed KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle characteristics UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/202 UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/22246/ UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/projects/detail/?projectID=497844737 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59270/IADOT_Intrans_14_521_Investigation_Effect_Speed_Dynamic_Impact_Factor_Bridges_Final_2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59271/IADOT_Intrans_14_521_Investigation_Effect_Speed_Dynamic_Impact_Factor_Bridges_Tech_Transfer_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409577 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603520 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Large Trucks PY - 2016/05 SP - 9p AB - In 2014 there were 3,903 people killed in crashes involving large trucks, a 2-percent-decrease from 2013. An estimated 111,000 people were injured in crashes involving large trucks in 2014—an increase of 17 percent from an estimated 95,000 in 2013. Fatalities in crashes involving large trucks declined by 2 percent from 3,981 in 2013 to 3,903 in 2014. Over a 10-year period there was a 26-percent decrease in the total number of people killed in large-truck crashes, from 5,240 fatalities in 2005 to 3,903 fatalities in 2014. Of the fatalities in 2014: 73 percent were occupants of other vehicles, 17 percent were occupants of large trucks, and 10 percent were nonoccupants (pedestrians, pedalcyclist, etc.). Additional information is provided in this report including: crash characteristics; proportions of drivers in fatal crashes with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher; previous driving records; and fatalities by State. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Fatalities KW - Injury rates KW - States KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck drivers KW - Trucks KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812279.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410514 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603518 AU - Nast, Thomas AU - Baker, Jennifer AU - Ramos, Aaron AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Positive Train Control Radio Desense Mitigation Test: Research Phase 1 PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 94p AB - Final report for Positive Train Control (PTC) Desense Mitigation Test Research project includes description of Northeast Corridor (NEC) PTC deployments, PTC radio desense scenarios, PTC radio desense mitigation approaches, PTC radio desense mitigation trade study, and recommendations. The trade study identified adaptive interference canceller (AIC) technology and radio frequency (RF) filters, hardened to withstand locomotive environmental conditions, as solutions with the potential to mitigate each of the PTC radio desense scenarios affecting locomotives operating on the NEC, with minimal impact of existing PTC system hardware and software. Signal cancellation via phased antenna placement was identified as a method that can be used in conjunction with either AIC technology or RF filters to enhance PTC radio desense mitigation performance. KW - Locomotives KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Positive train control KW - Radio frequency interference KW - Recommendations UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15787 UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15787 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410337 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603508 AU - Harvey, John AU - Lea, Jeremy AU - Kim, Changmo AU - Coleri, Erdem AU - Zaabar, Imen AU - Louhghalam, Arghavan AU - Chatti, Karim AU - Buscheck, Jeffrey AU - Butt, Ali AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - University of California, Davis TI - Simulation of Cumulative Annual Impact of Pavement Structural Response on Vehicle Fuel Economy for California Test Sections PY - 2016/05 SP - 133p AB - This report presents the preliminary results of a study of the effects of pavement structural response on excess fuel consumption (EFCS), which is defined as the additional fuel required to propel a vehicle on an “imperfect” pavement compared to the amount required on an “ideal” pavement. The study compared EFCS for a set of asphalt-surfaced test sections with a pavement with no structural response as well as with the effects of roughness and macrotexture on EFC. EFCS was calculated using three different models for a factorial that included seventeen asphalt-surfaced pavement field sections on the California state highway network with different structure types that were characterized by their viscoelastic properties. The results of the modeling were used to simulate annual EFCS for a factorial of vehicles, traffic flows, speed distributions, and climate regions typical of California. The sensitivity of EFCS to the variables in the factorial was analyzed, and the effects of structural response on EFC were compared with those of roughness and macrotexture to determine whether structural response is sufficiently important to warrant a second phase of the project to validate and calibrate the models using field test sections and instrumented vehicles. It is recommended to complete models for concrete pavements in addition to asphalt-surfaced pavements, to consider multiple layers in the asphalt, particularly near the surface to better evaluate the effects of rubberized asphalt surface materials, and to check the effects of full dynamic pavement modeling (inertial effects in the pavement) on more than the one section analyzed. It is also recommended to begin field validation and calibration of the models and rerun the simulations with the improved and calibrated models for all pavement surface types. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - California KW - Climate KW - Fuel consumption KW - Macrotexture KW - Rolling resistance KW - Roughness KW - Simulation KW - Speed distribution KW - Test sections KW - Traffic flow UR - http://www.ucprc.ucdavis.edu/PDF/UCPRC-RR-2015-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410515 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01603052 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Doughtery, Michael TI - Nailing the Cheats PY - 2016/05 VL - 79 IS - 6 AB - Fuel taxes are used to construct and maintain roads and bridges in addition to helping fund mass transit projects. In 2014, these taxes amounted to more than $80 billion. That revenue could be even greater, if taxation agencies can find a way to put an end to fuel tax evasion. This article describes a research effort at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to use various technologies to prevent adulteration by nontaxed liquids and to track the movement of tankers to ensure the proper delivery location. KW - Fuel taxes KW - Law enforcement KW - Motor fuels KW - Oak Ridge National Laboratory KW - Software KW - Theft UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16mayjun/03.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409731 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01603049 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Redmon, Tamara TI - Leading the Charge for Safer Streets PY - 2016/05 VL - 79 IS - 6 AB - Despite a decrease in overall roadway fatalities in recent years, injuries and fatalities of pedestrians and bicyclists have been generally increasing since 2009. In fact, from 2011 to 2012, pedestrian deaths rose 8 percent, and bicyclist fatalities went up more than 7 percent. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx has introduced a comprehensive initiative that addresses infrastructure safety, education, vehicle safety, and data collection.The initiative is aimed at reversing the recent rise in deaths and injuries among the growing number of Americans who bicycle or walk to work, to reach public transportation, and to other important destinations. KW - Bicycling KW - Countermeasures KW - Cyclists KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Safety campaigns KW - Transportation policy KW - Walking UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16mayjun/02.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409730 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01603044 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Leli, Janet TI - A Sidekick for Rural Safety PY - 2016/05 VL - 79 IS - 6 AB - Although only about 20 percent of the U.S. population resides in rural areas of the country, crashes on rural roads account for more than half of all roadway fatalities. Current statistics indicate that even with the national number of fatalities decreasing, the fatality rate in rural areas is 2.4 times higher than the fatality rate in urban areas. The National Center for Rural Road Safety, established in 2014, covers both rural and surface transportation, with an emphasis on rural. The Center's team will access and leverage FHWA’s expertise and training resources and will integrate, coordinate, and accelerate the knowledge transfer of safety solutions. KW - Highway safety KW - National Center for Rural Road Safety KW - Public information programs KW - Rural highways KW - Stakeholders KW - Technology transfer UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16mayjun/04.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409732 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01602932 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Hansen, Alan R AU - Lester, Emily AU - Olmsted, Steven TI - Investing in Today and Tomorrow PY - 2016/05 VL - 79 IS - 6 AB - Sustainability best management practices can help State and local public agencies improve use of their economic, social, and environmental resources. However, integrating sustainability best practices into State departments of transportation procedures can be daunting. This article describes efforts of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to move from identifying sustainable strategies to implementing and operating a Sustainable Transportation Program within its core administrative, planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance activities. ADOT conducted trials of INVEST, an FHWA-developed web-based tool that employs multidisciplinary criteria to evaluate sustainability practices. KW - Arizona KW - Arizona Department of Transportation KW - Environmental protection KW - Planning KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Web applications UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16mayjun/05.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409733 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01602828 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Weingroff, Richard F TI - Celebrating a Double Anniversary PY - 2016/05 VL - 79 IS - 6 AB - Looking back 100 years to the creation of the Federal-aid highway program in 1916 and 60 years ago to the launch of the interstate construction program in 1956, it is easy to forget that these landmark laws that shaped the agency, its legacy, and the United States were not foregone conclusions. This article traces the history of the program from the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 and the Federal Highway Act of 1956 and describes the many policy and economic issues involved. KW - Federal aid highways KW - History KW - Interstate highways KW - Legislation KW - Taxation KW - Transportation policy UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16mayjun/01.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409729 ER - TY - SER AN - 01602601 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Crash Stats PB - National Center for Statistics and Analysis AU - Chen, Yuan Yan AU - Webb, Caitlin TI - Seat Belt Use in 2015—Use Rates in the States and Territories PY - 2016/05 SP - 2p AB - In 2015 seat belt use in the United States ranged from 69.5 percent in New Hampshire to 97.3 percent in California and Georgia. Nineteen States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands achieved belt use rates of 90 percent or higher. These results are from probability-based observational surveys conducted by 50 States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. KW - Seat belt use KW - States KW - Statistics KW - United States KW - United States Territories KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812274.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412566 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01602600 AU - Scarborough, Alfretia L AU - Broach, Dana AU - Civil Aerospace Medical Institute AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Studies of the Next Generation of Air Traffic Control Specialists II: Job and Career Expectations PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 12p AB - This study compared the job expectations of two cohorts of air traffic controllers, one hired in the period 1986–1992 (“Post-Strike” controllers; N=13,227) and the other hired in the period 2007–2014 (“Next Generation” controllers; N=5,622). Job expectations were compared using Z-tests for independent proportions on data collected during their initial training at the FAA Academy. Overall, the Next Generation controllers had much higher expectations than Post-Strike controllers on eight factors (e.g., expect to be challenged by job, expect job to provide good pay, benefits, job security, and opportunity for advancement). However, a smaller proportion of Next Generation controllers expected the job to be equally challenging five years from entry on duty compared to Post-Strike controllers. Despite the differences in proportions, examination of a cross-plot of expectations found the two generational cohorts were more similar than different. These results and those of a previous study by Cannon and Broach (2011) show that the two generations of controllers have similar motivations for and expectations of their employment. Longitudinal research assessing the degree to which initial job and career expectations of the controllers have or have not been met is suggested. KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Expectations KW - Generational differences KW - Jobs KW - Personnel motivation KW - Training UR - https://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201604.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412810 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01602590 AU - Pierce, Linda G AU - Byrne, Cristina L AU - Manning, Carol A AU - Civil Aerospace Medical Institute AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - An Examination of the Success of Developmental Air Traffic Controllers Transferring to Lower-Level Facilities PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 11p AB - Air traffic control specialists (ATCSs) in training (developmentals) must successfully complete field qualification training at an air traffic control (ATC) facility to become a certified professional controller at that facility. If a developmental is unsuccessful in field training but shows potential in controlling air traffic, the developmental may be allowed to transfer to a less complex, lower-level ATC facility for training. The authors assessed training outcomes of developmentals allowed to transfer to a lower-level facility following training failure at a first facility. Type and level of facility to which the retained developmentals were transferred had an impact on success in training. Developmentals succeeded significantly more often if transferred to a small (Level 4-6) or medium (Level 7-9) airport traffic control tower (ATCT) facility than if assigned to any level of a combined ATCT/tower radar approach control (TRACON) facility, whether transferring from an en route or a terminal ATC facility. Developmentals allowed to transfer to small and medium ATCT facilities did as well as developmentals assigned to these facilities as a first facility, but again, did less well at combined facilities. Thus, the likelihood that transferred developmentals will succeed at a second terminal facility is significantly higher at ATCT facilities than at combined facilities. The primary difference between ATC skills needed at an ATCT or ATCT/TRACON facility is the use of radar-based control procedures. It is possible that, in many instances, the transferred developmentals were unable to master radar-based ATC. Perhaps an explanation may be the age of the transferring developmental. Researchers have consistently found an inverse relationship between age and training success in ATC. The authors believe that if age is considered in making second facility assignments for transferred developmentals, field qualification training outcomes for these developmentals will improve. However, considering age in second facility assignments could have implications for career progression policies in which developmentals progress from lower- to higher-level facilities. An examination of age and success in field qualification training at a second ATC facility may be required. KW - Age KW - Air traffic control facilities KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Airport control towers KW - Terminal radar approach control (TRACON) KW - Training UR - https://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201602.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412808 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01602589 AU - Kratchounova, Daniela AU - Civil Aerospace Medical Institute AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - The Case for Crew Interspace: Conceptual Framework PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 10p AB - Pilots’ awareness of the flight deck as a shared space is intrinsic and they interact with each other freely and naturally in it. However, these pilot-to-pilot interactions bear little resemblance to the pilot-aircraft interactions which are constrained within instrument panel areas where the majority of pilot interfaces currently reside. The inherent spatial characteristics of the flight deck afford the notion of an interspace. The interspace can be an environment where: (a) the pilots interact with technology in a multimodal fashion such that the actions in one modality complement, and collaborate the input from the others, producing a well-choreographed user experience; and (b) the spatial organization, temporal synchronization, and semantic collaboration of control input devices reflect the integration patterns characterizing people’s use of different modalities. Thus, the key to an effective design paradigm shift is contingent on successfully emulating these naturally occurring modality communication and cooperation patterns within the intended interspace. KW - Air pilots KW - Design KW - Flight decks KW - Multimodal input controls KW - Spatial interaction UR - https://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201603.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412809 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600773 AU - Turkan, Yelda AU - Laflamme, Simon AU - Tan, Liangyu AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Terrestrial Laser Scanning-Based Bridge Structural Condition Assessment PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Objective, accurate, and fast assessment of a bridge’s structural condition is critical to the timely assessment of safety risks. Current practices for bridge condition assessment rely on visual observations and manual interpretation of reports and sketches prepared by inspectors in the field. Visual observation, manual reporting, and interpretation have several drawbacks, such as being labor intensive, subject to personal judgment and experience, and prone to error. Terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) are promising sensors for automatically identifying structural condition indicators, such as cracks, displacements, and deflected shapes, because they are able to provide high coverage and accuracy at long ranges. However, limited research has been conducted on employing laser scanners to detect cracks for bridge condition assessment, and the research has mainly focused on manual detection and measurement of cracks, displacements, or shape deflections from the laser scan point clouds. This research project proposed to measure the performance of TLS for the automatic detection of cracks for bridge structural condition assessment. Laser scanning is an advanced imaging technology that is used to rapidly measure the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of densely scanned points within a scene. The data gathered by a laser scanner are provided in the form of point clouds, with color and intensity data often associated with each point within the cloud. Point cloud data can be analyzed using computer vision algorithms to detect cracks for the condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures. In this research project, adaptive wavelet neural network (WNN) algorithms for detecting cracks from laser scan point clouds were developed based on the state-of-the-art condition assessment codes and standards. Using the proposed method for crack detection would enable automatic and remote assessment of a bridge’s condition. This would, in turn, result in reducing the costs associated with infrastructure management and improving the overall quality of infrastructure by enhancing maintenance operations. KW - Algorithms KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Cracking KW - Flaw detection KW - Lasers KW - Performance measurement KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/199 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/TLS-based_bridge_assessment_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59239/viewcontent2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409218 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600765 AU - Sharp, Stephen R AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Electrochemical Chloride Extraction and Associated Repairs to Extend the Beneficial Life of Reinforced Concrete Substructures PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 68p AB - One of the biggest causes of bridge deterioration is corrosion of the reinforcement in concrete structures. Therefore, repair techniques that mitigate corrosion and extend the service life of reinforced concrete are of great value to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). One such technique is electrochemical chloride extraction (ECE), which is a temporary in situ restoration method for removing chlorides from reinforced concrete structures that are deteriorating because of corrosion. The results of this study are based on historical and current data gathered during the evaluation of substructure elements in Virginia, i.e., the 5th Street Extended Bridge in Albemarle County and two I-95 bridges in Richmond, and on information from the literature about the earliest bridge substructure treated with ECE, i.e., the Burlington Bay Skyway in Burlington, Ontario, Canada,. Early ECE work on the Burlington Bay Skyway showed favorable results upon reassessment of the treated area after 9 years. With regard to the ECE-treated structures in Virginia, the study determined that if additional service life beyond that provided by ECE alone is desired, the structure must be protected against the reintroduction of chlorides to the repaired elements. Further, the use of ECE techniques should be accompanied by repair or removal of overhead deck expansion joints that exposed the concrete elements to salt-laden water and application of a waterproofing sealer such as silane, methacrylate, or epoxy to the substructure elements. ECE provided an additional 15 to 20 years of service life when a post-treatment silane sealer was also applied. The study also found that in the project specification, the criterion used for determining when to terminate ECE is often the amount of charge passed but difficulties in the field might result in unforeseen construction delays as a result of the attempt to meet this criterion. Therefore, contracts should specify that chloride concentration at the level of the reinforcing bar can be used as an alternative criterion for determining when the ECE is complete, particularly when treatment times become excessive. Specifications should also require that all ECE connections to the steel be completely removed or embedded after completion of the treatment and a highly resistive cementitious repair material should be used to patch any holes. Another valuable outcome from this study was the discussion on how combining electrochemical techniques, such as cathodic protection and ECE, could theoretically provide additional life beyond that provided by the use of one of these techniques alone. This study gathered baseline data to assess this option. The two I-95 bridges in Richmond, one over Hermitage Road and the other over Overbrook Road, should allow a comparison of how much galvanic anode cathodic protection can extend service life beyond that of ECE treatment alone. The study recommends that VDOT’s Structure and Bridge Division incorporate the lessons learned from assessing the restoration of the substructures of the 5th Street Extended Bridge and the two I-95 bridges. In addition, the Virginia Transportation Research Council should continue to monitor the I-95 bridges to determine the value of combining different electrochemical mitigation techniques to extend service life. KW - Corrosion KW - Electrochemical chloride extraction KW - Electrochemical processes KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Literature reviews KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Repairing KW - Service life KW - Specifications KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r16.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59282/16-r16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409270 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600761 AU - Barker, Susan F AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Consortium of Accelerated Pavement Testers (CAPT) PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and a group of State Departments of Transportation from nine of the 14 US Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) facilities have proposed the creation of a joint or pooled funded program to encourage coordination among the various facilities and provide resources and management for collaborative studies. The main objective of the Consortium of Accelerated Pavement Testers (CAPT) Pooled Fund is to develop technical deliverables unique to APT facilities and to accelerate technology transfer among APT owners. The scope of work was to organize and structure a program that identifies and produces key technical deliverables; provide a means to define, support, and share APT technology of mutual interest; develop a longer-range plan of collaboration (strategic plan), including potential cooperation with international community; and provide for special studies, investigations, research, and training. KW - Accelerated tests KW - Consortium of Accelerated Pavement Testers (CAPT) KW - Coordination KW - Pavements KW - Research projects KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Technology transfer KW - Test facilities UR - http://dmsweb.ksdot.org/AppNetProd/docpop/docpop.aspx?clienttype=html&docid=9574970 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59224/FHWA-KS-16-07_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408787 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600746 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Older Population PY - 2016/05 SP - 8p AB - In 2014 there were 5,709 people 65 and older killed and an estimated 221,000 injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Older people made up 17% of all traffic fatalities and 9% of all people injured in traffic crashes during the year. Compared to 2013, there was very little change, less than 1%, in the numbers of both fatalities and those injured in the older age group. In 2014 some 46.2 million people — about 14.5% of the total U.S. resident population — were 65 and older. Over the past decade the fatality rate per 100,000 population of older people has steadily declined from 17.8 in 2005 to 12.3 in 2014. Some notable changes among the 65-and-older age group, over the most recent the last 10 years of data (2005 to 2014), include: (1) The population increased by 26% (males increased by 32% and females by 22%); (2) Motorcyclist fatalities, though a relatively small number, increased by 88% (males increased by 87% and females increased by 113%); (3) Driver fatalities among the older population declined by 10% (decreased for males by 8% and for females by 13%); and (4) Older pedalcyclist fatalities increased by 35% overall (increased for males by 38% and for females by 13%). Additional statistics provided in this report include: Age and Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes; Fatal Crashes by Age and Gender; Pedestrian Fatalities by Age Group and BAC; and Driver Involvement in Fatal Traffic Crashes by State and Age Group. KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - States KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812273.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409214 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600201 AU - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration TI - Failure Investigation Report: Plains Pipeline, LP, Line 901, Crude Oil Release, May 19, 2015, Santa Barbara County, California PY - 2016/05 SP - 510p AB - At approximately 10:55 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on May 19, 2015, the Plains Pipeline, LP (Plains), Line 901 pipeline in Santa Barbara County, California, ruptured, resulting in the release of approximately 2,934 barrels (bbl) of heavy crude oil. An estimated 500 bbl of crude oil entered the Pacific Ocean. Line 901 is a 24-inch diameter buried, insulated pipeline which extends approximately 10.7 miles in length and transports heated crude oil from Exxon Mobil’s storage tanks in Las Flores Canyon westward to Plains’ Gaviota Pumping Station. On May 21, 2015, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, issued a Corrective Action Order (CAO) that required the operator to shut down Line 901. Concurrent with the issuance and implementation of the CAO, PHMSA conducted an investigation to identify causal factors that contributed to the occurrence and size of the crude oil release. As the failure investigation progressed, the CAO was amended to address additional safety concerns that were identified. On June 18, 2015, Line 901 was purged and filled with inert nitrogen to enhance safety during the investigation and development of a remedial action plan. No fatalities or injuries occurred as a result of this rupture and release. The spill resulted in substantial damage to natural habitats and wildlife. PHMSA’s findings indicate that the proximate or direct cause of the Line 901 failure was external corrosion that thinned the pipe wall to a level where it ruptured suddenly and released heavy crude oil. PHMSA’s investigation identified numerous contributory causes of the rupture, including: (1) Ineffective protection against external corrosion of the pipeline; (2) Failure by Plains to detect and mitigate the corrosion; and (3) Lack of timely detection of and response to the rupture. KW - Corrosion KW - Failure analysis KW - Oil spills KW - Pipeline safety KW - Santa Barbara County (California) UR - http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/PHMSA_Failure_Investigation_Report_Plains_Pipeline_LP_Line_901_Public.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408287 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600171 AU - Carnegie, Jon AU - Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Cost of Roadway Construction, Operations and Maintenance in New Jersey: Phase 1 Final Report PY - 2016/05 SP - 53p AB - New Jersey’s transportation systems comprises a vast array of infrastructure, The costs associated with planning, constructing, operating and maintaining New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure is significant and can vary significantly from year to year. On average, 59 percent of total transportation-related expenditures in the New Jersey are for activities not directly associated with planning, constructing, operating, and maintaining roads and bridges under New Jersey Department of Transportation's (NJDOT’s) jurisdiction. The primary research objective for Phase I of this study was to estimate how much it costs on average to plan, construct, operate and maintain the roadways and bridges under NJDOT jurisdiction. Costs averaged around $1.5 billion annually. This equates to an average cost of $183,757 per lane mile, excluding debt service, to plan, construct, operate and maintain the roadways and bridges under NJDOT jurisdiction. When interest payments on bonds is added in, the total cost increases to an average of $212,927 per lane mile. These results provide a baseline understanding of average aggregate costs associated with NJDOT roadways and bridges. Additional analysis will be conducted as part of Phase II of the study in order to understand more completely the factors that influence cost efficiency of specific NJDOT projects and programs, and the costs associated with planning, constructing, operating and maintaining roadways under the jurisdictions of New Jersey toll road Authorities. KW - Bridges KW - Construction KW - Costs KW - Expenditures KW - Highways KW - Maintenance KW - New Jersey KW - Operations UR - http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/publicat/2016studyconopmaint.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408290 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599874 AU - Frost, J David AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - “JOB SEEKER” (Job Shadowing for Employee Engagement through Knowledge and Experience Retention) PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 124p AB - The main objective of this study was to explore how to optimally use the particular knowledge retention/transfer technique of “job shadowing” as an informal method for knowledge capture and transfer as well as increasing communication and employee engagement. Some of the pertinent conclusions from this study are: (1) Job shadowing is a very effective mechanism for transfer of tacit (i.e., experiential) knowledge, which is often difficult to capture; (2) It can facilitate creation and/or transfer of explicit (i.e., formal or codified) knowledge; (3) It is an “informal” mechanism, which allows incorporation of other Knowledge Management (KM) techniques such as story-telling, coaching, mentoring, etc.; (4) It is a motivational and networking tool for personnel development, which helps to develop relationships, generate employee interest, and increase engagement; (5) It works well in a variety of environmental conditions, which in turn makes it a well-suited strategy for knowledge transfer in a diverse organization such as the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT); (6) A job shadowing program, program guidelines, and training materials have been developed for GDOT, which incorporate important factors that are critical for successful job shadowing. KW - Georgia Department of Transportation KW - Knowledge KW - Personnel development KW - Training UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/13-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407827 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599868 AU - Barna, Lynette A AU - Smith, Charles E AU - Bernier, Andrew AU - Smart, Aaron AU - Scholz, Ann M AU - U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center AU - New Hampshire Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessment of Asphalt Concrete Reinforcement Grid in Flexible Pavements PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 91p AB - This report investigated the application of accepted methods of pavement structural evaluation to independently assess the potential structural benefit of asphalt geogrid reinforcement of an operational flexible highway pavement. The asphalt interlayer consisted of an elastomeric polymer coated fiberglass grid with an open configuration. The reinforcing grid was installed in the asphalt layer during construction of a maintenance overlay and has been subjected to trafficking for several years. The structural evaluation included a geotechnical investigation and nondestructive testing using a falling weight deflectometer. Field testing was conducted when both air temperatures were above 50°F and no recent precipitation events had occurred. Standard testing methods were applied during the field data collection and back-calculation procedure. The back-calculation results showed no clear quantifiable benefit from including the reinforcing grid in the asphalt layer, but this study developed a methodology to test and evaluate in situ flexible pavements with asphalt grid reinforcement. The authors recommend that a future structural evaluation be completed to monitor any changes in the pavement’s performance. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Field tests KW - Flexible pavements KW - Geogrids KW - Methodology KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Pavement performance KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Structural analysis UR - http://acwc.sdp.sirsi.net/client/en_US/search/asset/1049726 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60552/1049726.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407826 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599867 AU - Trent, Robert AU - Prabhakaran, Anand AU - Brabb, David AU - Sharma, Vinaya AU - Sharma and Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Full-Scale Tank Car Rollover Tests – Survivability of Top Fittings and Top Fittings Protective Structures PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Full-scale rollover crash tests were performed on three non-pressure tank carbodies to validate previous analytical work and determine the effectiveness of two different types of protective structures in protecting the top fittings. The tests were performed with three different tank cars: 1) an unprotected base case car, 2) a base case car with an added protective skid weldment, and 3) a base car with an added protective bolt-on sleeve on the unloading nozzle with a reinforcing cone. Test conditions such as the impacting speed and angle were controlled by pivoting the carbodies in a fixture about a fixed axis and the fittings (or protective structures) impacted a concrete target pad. Before each test, proper test conditions and parameters were determined by Dynamic Finite Element analysis. These tests establish that the skid and bolt-on sleeve concepts are efficient and practical methods for protecting top fittings on non-pressure cars from failure (and lading release) during rollover derailments. The demonstrated concepts can be developed into application-specific designs by tank car builders and implemented on tank cars as appropriate. KW - Derailments KW - Finite element method KW - Fittings KW - Impact tests KW - Rollover crashes KW - Tank cars KW - Vehicle design KW - Weldments UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15777 UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15777 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407785 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599768 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2005-2014 Data: School-Transportation-Related Crashes PY - 2016/05 SP - 5p AB - A school-transportation-related crash is a crash that involves, either directly or indirectly, a school bus body vehicle or a non-school bus functioning as a school bus, transporting children to or from school or school-related activities. In this fact sheet school-age children are defined as children 18 and younger. This fact sheet includes 10 years of data, from 2005 to 2014. Information on school-transportation-related crashes is presented as follows: Overview; Person Type; Age Group; School Age Fatalities by Time of Day; School Bus Occupant Fatalities by Impact Point and Crash Type; School Bus Occupant Fatalities; and Vehicle Maneuver and Pedestrian Fatalities. KW - Age groups KW - Crash types KW - Fatalities KW - Pedestrians KW - Periods of the day KW - School bus drivers KW - School bus passengers KW - School buses KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812272.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407790 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599766 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Summary of Motor Vehicle Crashes PY - 2016/05 SP - 4p AB - In this fact sheet, the overview of 2014 data is presented as follows: Overview; Trends: 2005 to 2014; and Economic Cost. Motor vehicle travel is a major means of transportation in the United States, providing an unparalleled degree of mobility. Yet for all its advantages, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for age 11 and every age 16 to 24 in 2014. The mission of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes. KW - Costs KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Losses KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812263.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407794 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599320 AU - De la Varga, Igor AU - Graybeal, Benjamin A AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dimensional Stability of Grout-Type Materials Used as Connections for Prefabricated Bridge Elements PY - 2016/05 SP - 74p AB - The research presented in this report focuses on addressing performance concerns related to dimensional stability (primarily early age shrinkage) of 11 commercially available grout-type materials. Some of these grouts, especially those classified as “non-shrink grouts,” have been observed to display significant dimensional instability when deployed in connection details during bridge construction projects. The test methods used to evaluate dimensional stability are those described in the ASTM C1107 test method. After an initial evaluation, it was observed that the test methods used for evaluating dimensional stability described in this standard specification consider several parameters simultaneously (e.g., chemical expansion and shrinkage, autogenous and plastic shrinkage, etc.), thus providing a qualitative approach that is only useful for comparative purposes. To more completely assess this variety of parameters, volume changes were assessed from a fundamental point of view, measuring pure expansion/shrinkage deformations via test methods such as ASTM C157 and ASTM C1698. The results show that most of the grouts evaluated in this research seemed to perform well in terms of dimensional stability when tested in accordance with ASTM C1107. However, separate testing to specifically assess autogenous and drying deformations (shrinkage and expansion) demonstrated that ASTM C1107 is not necessarily an appropriate means to capture the full range of critical dimensional stability behaviors. Given the fact that most of the cement-based grouts commonly exhibit shrinkage, this research also included additional tests focused on the partial shrinkage mitigation by including internal curing through the use of prewetted lightweight aggregates. In summary, this research demonstrates the types of shrinkage performance that can be expected from these types of grouts, the shortcomings of the commonly used test methods, alternative test methods that may better demonstrate real world performance, and an innovative way of reducing part of the shrinkage observed in some of the grouts. KW - Bridge members KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Grout KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Shrinkage KW - Stability analysis KW - Structural connection KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/16008/16008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407250 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599307 AU - Nordback, Krista AU - Kothuri, Sirisha AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Phillips, Taylor AU - Gorecki, Carson AU - Schrope, Andrew AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of Bicycle and Pedestrian Continuous and Short Duration Count Technologies in Oregon PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 157p AB - While motorized traffic counts are systematic and comprehensive, bicycle and pedestrian counts are often unknown or inaccurate. This research presents recommendations to increase bicycle and pedestrian count accuracy while integrating bicycle and pedestrian counting with existing Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) traffic counting. Three bicycle counting technologies – pneumatic tubes, inductive loops and thermal cameras – were tested in a controlled environment as well as mixed traffic condition. Test results indicate that all bicycle counting technologies are adequate to count bicycles under controlled, favorable conditions. However, in mixed traffic conditions only the pneumatic tubes were able to count bicycles with less than 20% error. Bicycle counts in mixed traffic conditions with pneumatic tubes are more accurate when bicycle-specific vehicle classification schemes are used and when counting bicycle traffic within 10 feet tube length of the counting device. Two pedestrian counting technologies – passive infrared and pedestrian phase actuations – were tested and attained satisfactory results. KW - Accuracy KW - Bicycle counts KW - Bicycles KW - Data collection KW - Infrared detectors KW - Loop detectors KW - Oregon KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pneumatic equipment KW - Recommendations KW - Thermal imagery KW - Traffic counts KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR772_Bicycle_PedestrianTechnologies.pdf UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR772_Guidebook_AppendixFINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407800 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599305 AU - Nast, Thomas AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Employee-In-Charge Portable Remote Terminal Phases 3 and 4 Summary Report PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 24p AB - Under Federal Railroad Administration Task Order 257, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. partnered with BNSF Railway Company to complete Builds 1 and 2 of the Employee-In-Charge (EIC) portable remote control (PRT) application software and to successfully integrate and test the EIC PRT Build 2 application with Electronic Train Management System. The EIC PRT system provides an EIC of maintenance of way workers with an interface to the host Positive Train Control (PTC) system to enforce the train entry into protected work areas and speed of trains operating within work areas. The EIC PRT Build 1 application, completed in Phase 3, implemented a minimum set of functions. EIC PRT Build 2, completed in project Phase 4a of the project, expanded the function set to improve usability by roadway workers. Project Phases 3 and 4a included systems engineering, safety engineering, and software engineering tasks. KW - BNSF Railway KW - Communication systems KW - Employees KW - Maintenance of way KW - Occupational safety KW - Portable equipment KW - Positive train control KW - Remote control UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15776 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406944 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599304 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Kim, Kun-Ho E AU - Andrawes, Bassem O AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Load Rating and FRP Retrofitting of Bridge Abutment Timber Piles PY - 2016/05//Phase II Final Report IS - 16-012 SP - 88p AB - This report details Phase II of the study titled Strengthening of Bridge Wood Piling Retrofits for Moment Resistance. Phase I of the research (project R27-082) was focused on developing a load rating method for timber piles under eccentric load and examining fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting of pier piles. However, Phase II focused first on numerically assessing the state of the practice of timber pile retrofitting in Illinois. The study next focused on investigating load rating and FRP retrofitting of abutment timber piles as well as studying the long-term performance of FRP-wrapped timber piles. Historically, timber piles have been designed for axial loads only. Under this assumption, conventional load rating procedures considered only the effect of dead and live loads in determining the capacity of a timber pile. Unlike pier timber piles, abutment piles must resist significant lateral forces from earth pressure and surcharge loads in addition to dead and live loads. Currently, there does not exist a separate load rating procedure for abutment timber piles. In this study, a load rating method was developed specifically for abutment timber piles. The combined loading effects were accounted for by using the allowable stress P–M interaction equation in the National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS). In addition, a method was developed to account for the effect of FRP retrofits in the load rating. The results showed that deterioration levels as low as 10% could lead to unsatisfactory load ratings for abutment timber piles depending on the backfill soil type and equivalent fluid pressure assumed. FRP retrofitting, however, increased the load rating of deteriorated abutment timber piles by at least 17%. FRP retrofitting techniques for abutment piles were also examined experimentally. Three full-size timber pile specimens with different levels of deterioration were tested. A nondestructive stress wave timing method was used to assess the condition of each specimen. FRP retrofits were designed for two of the specimens based on the results of the condition assessment. The piles were load tested in the axial direction. First, a specified eccentric load was applied to induce a bending moment, then a concentric axial load was applied until the proportional limit. Each pile was tested under a series of eccentric loads varying from 10 kips to 35 kips. Timber condition normalized test results showed that the FRP retrofit was able to at least restore the properties of the piles to their undeteriorated condition properties. Finally, the long-term performance of FRP-wrapped timber piles was studied by examining their performance in uniaxial compression after exposure to long-term degradation. Field-extracted red oak pile specimens with different degrees of initial deterioration were used in the study. The initial condition of the timber was assessed through stress wave timing. To simulate natural degradation in unretrofitted and retrofitted timber piles caused by environmental exposure in a short period of time, an accelerated aging procedure was used. The number of FRP layers and type of resin used (polyester, standard epoxy, and moisture-tolerant epoxy) were varied. Results showed that accelerated aging induces significant deterioration in unretrofitted timber piles but the effects are relatively minor in the FRP-wrapped specimens. It was also proven that FRP composite can significantly improve the performance of timber piles in terms of peak stress and ductility, even after being subjected to extreme degradation. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Deterioration KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Illinois KW - Load factor KW - Load tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Retrofitting KW - State of the practice KW - Timber UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=4931 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407016 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599302 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Analysis of Grade Crossing Accidents Resulting in Injuries and Fatalities PY - 2016/05 IS - RR 16-10 SP - 4p AB - In 2015, 277 individuals died at railroad crossings. This figure is down from 294 in 2014 and 290 in 2013. Nearly all of these deaths are preventable, as 94 percent of train-vehicle collisions can be attributed to driver behavior or poor judgment. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issues and enforces regulations on grade crossing safety and sponsors research aimed at reducing grade crossing accidents and fatalities. A better understanding of human behavior in the highway vehicle during these incidents could significantly improve the strategies employed to reduce grade crossing incidents. FRA’s Office of Research, Development & Technology provided funding to Sharma & Associates (Sharma) to conduct a two-phase study on the human factors issues related to grade crossing accidents. This report describes trends and correlations resulting from an in-depth analysis of highway-rail grade crossing accidents between 2005 and 2014. A future report will describe the incorporation of these analyses into a predictive model of grade crossing accidents. KW - Behavior KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash rates KW - Drivers KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15767 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407337 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599300 AU - Garcia, Greg AU - Welander, Lucas AU - Rummel, Ward AU - Gonzalez, Francisco AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Probability of Detection Evaluation Results for Railroad Tank Cars PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 94p AB - The Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) used the approach developed for the National Aeronautics and Space Association to determine the probability of detection (POD) for various nondestructive test (NDT) methods used during inspection of railroad tank cars. The Federal Railroad Administration and TTCI, along with industry participation, have performed NDT PODs on tank car circumferential butt welds, longitudinal fillet welds and leak test samples requiring inspection under the Code of Federal Regulations. This report provides the quantitative results obtained during this research effort, which addresses system safety and risk analysis during handling and transportation of railroad tank cars that carry hazardous materials. KW - Defects KW - Detection and identification KW - Evaluation KW - Inspection KW - Leak tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Probability KW - Risk analysis KW - Tank cars KW - Welds UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15778 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407806 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599285 AU - Bertini, Robert L AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Application Roadmap for Oregon as Part of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicle/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenarios PY - 2016/05//Task 5 Report SP - 139p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume contains the connected vehicle roadmap for Oregon. Included is a review of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) connected/automated vehicle research roadmap, and additional context through an update on recent federal transportation initiatives related to connected and automated vehicles. Also included is a review of the ongoing vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) deployment coalition. Other state DOT actions are also summarized; including the AASHTO pooled fund study and work being done in California, Michigan, Texas and Virginia. A spatial analysis of ODOT roadside devices for potential V2I adaptation is also included. The connected vehicle roadmap contains 94 recommended actions under a total of 12 categories: DSRC and Backhaul Communications, Education and Outreach, Policy and Communications/Collaboration, Benefits/Business Case, Data Management and Strategies, Applications, Try Things, Research Questions/Challenges, Planning and Equity, Multimodal, Design and Construction, Operations and Maintenance. Each recommended action is ranked according to its priority, timing and cost. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Recommendations KW - Research projects KW - Spatial analysis KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR764_Task_5_DevConnectedVehicleApplication_050416.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406846 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599273 AU - Sullivan, Jaime AU - Clouser, Karalyn AU - Albert, Steve AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - MDT Special Events Planning Synthesis Final Report PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 152p AB - Planned special events such as sporting events and festivals draw large crowds and limit the capacity of a transportation network built for daily traffic. To alleviate some of the transportation challenges, local and state governments generally adopt a broad range of special event traffic management strategies to improve transportation options, operations, and mobility. In Montana, traffic management practices have typically been done on a case-by-case basis and have not been documented for adaptation and use by other communities. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) initiated this project to document existing special event management practices in Montana, to identify the best management practices used in other states, and to provide MDT and local governments with recommendations for improving traffic management strategies. The project consisted of three principal tasks: a literature review, an assessment of MDT’s current practices (including meetings, surveys, and interviews with MDT personnel), and a survey of local stakeholders (city staff and event organizers) regarding their practices and experiences managing special events. KW - Best practices KW - Highway traffic control KW - Literature reviews KW - Montana KW - Recommendations KW - Special events KW - Stakeholders KW - States KW - Surveys UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/research/docs/research_proj/special_event_traffic/Final_Report_May15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407003 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599210 AU - Stuedlein, Armin W AU - Barbosa, Andre R AU - Li, Qiang AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Torsional Load Transfer for Drilled Shaft Foundations PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 159p AB - Despite the prevalence of the use of drilled shafts for the support of traffic signal and signs along state highways, relatively little is known about the torsional load transfer between the structure and soil providing its support. A review of literature indicated that just three full-scale torsional loading test series have been conducted, and these did not report the observation of the torsional load transfer. To help address this gap in knowledge, two instrumented test shafts, which were designed to support signal pole type SM3 based on Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Standard Drawing TM653, were constructed to evaluate the torsional capacity and load transfer of these shafts at full-scale at the Oregon State University (OSU) Geotechnical Engineering Field Research Site (GEFRS). Two shafts were constructed: one shaft designated as the torsion test drilled shaft with production base (TDS) was constructed using the dry method, whereas another shaft designated as the torsional drilled shaft with frictionless base (TDSFB) was constructed by placing bentonite chips at the bottom of the cavity to create near-zero base shear condition. Monotonic, quasi-static and cyclic loading tests were performed using two hydraulic actuators and a displacement couple. The imposed rotation and corresponding torque was monitored using stringpotentiometers and load cells, respectively. Embedded strain gages were installed on both test shafts over five depths to measure shear strains and reveal the load transfer of the drilled shafts in torsion. The torsional load transfer is back-calculated from the instrumentation data and described in detail. Existing design procedures for predicting torsional capacity of drilled shafts were investigated. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Design Method and the Florida District 7 Method, both of which can treat layered cohesive and cohesionless soils, were selected to estimate the torsional capacities of the test shafts and compared with the test results. However, these design methods appeared to over- and under-predict the torsional capacity, respectively, indicating the need for the development of improved methods for assessing torsional capacity. KW - Drilled shafts KW - Foundation soils KW - Foundations KW - Load tests KW - Load transfer KW - Oregon KW - Shear strain KW - Sign supports KW - Torque KW - Torsion UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR304-701TorsionalLoadTransfer.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599198 AU - Bertini, Robert AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Wahid, Merih AU - Abdulsattar, Harith Mohammed AU - Carstens, Kevin AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Inventory of Connected Vehicle Applications as Part of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicle/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenario PY - 2016/05//Task 3 Report SP - 253p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume contains a detailed inventory and literature review of a set of 64 connected vehicle/cooperative system end user applications (with a focus on the U.S.) that are mature enough for deployment in the context of total fleet penetration. Each application was analyzed across a range of criteria including benefits, impact, maturity, interface and infrastructure requirements, vehicle component requirements, applicability to Oregon, as well as communications and data requirements. The inventory of connected vehicle/cooperative systems was performed in the context of ODOT/statewide goals, and in response to applications and initiatives being developed by U.S. Department of Transportation, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the private sector. Comparisons to European applications are also included in this volume. KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR764_Task_3_InventoryConnectedVehicles.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406703 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590508 AU - Lee, Sunghoon AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real Option Analysis to Value Managed Lanes Using Big Data PY - 2016/05 SP - 205p AB - Managed lanes (MLs) provide a backup option for travelers even when they do not use MLs. For example, travelers have the option to use MLs when they encounter unexpected congestion. The option value of MLs refers to travelers’ willingness to pay for having the ML option for possible use in the future. Despite the potential benefit of MLs, earlier studies have only considered the actual use benefits of MLs, such as travel time savings. This research used detailed travel data from both MLs and general purpose lanes (GPLs) of the Katy Freeway (I-10) in Houston. From these data, revealed preferences between MLs and GPLs of all travelers with a transponder in 2012 were identified. This research examined two potential definitions of travelers who valued MLs as a travel option. These definitions included 1) travelers who used MLs at least once in 2012 and 2) all travelers with transponders (even those who never used MLs). This research found that the travelers who never used the MLs in 2012 were extremely unlikely to use the MLs in all of 2013. Thus, this research recommends ML option users to be defined as only those travelers who used MLs at least once in 2012. This research used the Small-Rosen log sum method (1981) and the Black-Scholes option pricing method (1973) to estimate the option value of MLs. The log sum method estimates the option value by measuring change in consumer surplus between the situation where both MLs and GPLs are available and the situation where only GPLs are available. The Black-Scholes method was originally developed to price options in stock markets and was modified to estimate the option value of MLs in this research. This research found that the log sum method frequently provided a poor estimate of the option value. Thus, this research recommends the Black-Scholes method to estimate the option value of MLs. The option value of the MLs was found to be similar to the value of travel time savings from the MLs for the ML option users. Thus, the option value of MLs is an important component of the total value of MLs. KW - General purpose lanes KW - Katy Freeway (Houston, Texas) KW - Managed lanes KW - Revealed preferences KW - Travel time KW - Valuation KW - Value of time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00036-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397176 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603598 AU - Schmidt, Jennifer D AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Reid, John D AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Continued Development of a Non-Proprietary, High-Tension, Cable End Terminal System PY - 2016/04/29/Final Report SP - 90p AB - A non-proprietary, cable guardrail system is currently under development for the Midwest States Pooled Fund Program. A cable guardrail end terminal was necessary to accompany the cable guardrail system. The objective of this research project was to develop design recommendations for the cable end terminal. Bogie testing that was previously completed on a design concept indicated delayed cable release, which was an undesired performance that led to vehicle instabilities. Several design changes were recommended for better end terminal performance and to reflect the changes made to the cable median barrier. An LS-DYNA model of the modified cable end terminal was developed. Simulations of 0- and 15-degree impacts on the end of the cable anchor bracket with a bogie model indicated that the cables would release easily and not induce vehicle instabilities. This behavior still needs to be verified through bogie and full-scale crash testing. Simulations of a 25-degree reverse impact between post nos. 2 and 3 with small car models indicated that cables did not release easily and may interlock around the car resulting in excessive vehicle decelerations or instabilities. Simulations of various line post designs found that the Midwest Weak Post (MWP) and weakened MWP have lower forces and energies during impact than the S3x5.7 posts used in previous three-cable end terminals. This finding would suggest improved performance with respect to vehicle override and instability. However, vehicle simulations with multiple line posts impacted were inconclusive. Further design modifications, evaluation, and testing are recommended. KW - Cables KW - Design KW - Guardrail terminals KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - LS-DYNA (Computer program) KW - Posts KW - Recommendations KW - Simulation UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/TRP-03-332-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411142 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603509 AU - Winkelbauer, Bradley J AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Reid, John D AU - Schmidt, Jennifer D AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Phase I Evaluation of Selected Concrete Material in LS-DYNA PY - 2016/04/29/Final Report SP - 506p AB - Numerous roadside safety systems are configured with reinforced concrete materials, such as bridge railings, median barriers, and roadside parapets. The analysis and design of these structures may involve impact simulation with finite element software, like LS-DYNA, which includes multiple concrete material models. This Phase I study investigated the viability and performance of existing concrete material models to simulate unreinforced components subjected to common loading conditions, such as compression, tension, shear, and bending. For this study, five material models were evaluated – CSCM, K&C, RHT, Winfrith, and CDPM. Initially, single-element simulations were conducted in order to gain a basic understanding of material model performance. Next, small components with multiple elements were simulated to evaluate different loading conditions. Physical test data was obtained from several external experimental testing programs with unreinforced concrete in three basic load cases - compression, tension, and shear. The CSCM and K&C concrete material models provided adequate simulation results when compared to the experimental test results. Experimental tests with unreinforced concrete were conducted to obtain more results to compare with simulations. Concrete cylinder compression tests, dog-bone specimen tension tests, and four-point bend tests which created either flexure or shear failures were conducted. The CSCM and K&C material models showed promise in predicting peak forces and damage patterns in simulations of the experimental tests. Further investigation is recommended for the five selected concrete material models when used in combination with steel reinforcement. KW - Bend tests KW - Compression tests KW - Evaluation KW - Load tests KW - LS-DYNA (Computer program) KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Shear tests KW - Simulation KW - Tension tests UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/TRP-03-330-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411145 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613852 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bicycle Network Planning & Facility Design Approaches in the Netherlands and the United States PY - 2016/04/26 SP - 16p AB - This report explores similarities and differences in the approach to bicycle network planning and facility design in the Netherlands and the United States. A very brief historical overview is provided as context for a discussion about bicycle planning and design approaches and physical infrastructure “on the ground,” as observed during a visit to the Netherlands in August 2015. Following a high level discussion of respective design approaches, this report highlights four specific areas, or themes, observed in practice in Holland that are applicable to transportation practice in the U.S. KW - Best practices KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Design KW - Netherlands KW - Transportation planning KW - United States UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/network_planning_design/network_planning_design.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424206 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01612658 TI - General Aviation Runway Incursions AB - No summary provided. KW - Airport operations KW - Airport runways KW - Aviation safety KW - General aviation aircraft KW - General aviation airports KW - Runway incursions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406680 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01596611 TI - Pavement Surface Properties Consortium - A Research Program at the Virginia Smart Road Phase II AB - The main objective of this pooled-fund program has been to conduct applied research focused on enhancing the level of service provided by the roadway transportation system by optimizing pavement surface characteristics. Phase 2 of the program is expected to continue to support the members' effort to produce high-quality surface property measurements, evaluate new technologies, disseminate research findings, and facilitate technology transfer activities. This second phase will focus on addressing some of the emerging challenges in the evaluation of pavement surface properties and the changes needed to best support the next generation of pavement asset management systems, including support for Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP21) related initiatives. It will also seek participation of industry through traditional membership or an industrial affiliate program. KW - Asset management KW - Information dissemination KW - Level of service KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Pavement performance KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Technology transfer KW - Virginia UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/594 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404718 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599863 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FRA Lacks Guidance on Overseeing Compliance with Bridge Safety Standards PY - 2016/04/21/Audit Report SP - 25p AB - As required by law, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a rule on Bridge Safety Standards in 2010 that requires railroad track owners to implement bridge management programs that include procedures for determining bridge load capacities and inspecting bridges. In light of congressional interest and because public and railroad employee safety depends on the structural integrity of bridges, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit. The objective was to assess FRA’s oversight for ensuring that track owners’ bridge management programs comply with FRA’s rule on bridge safety. Specifically, OIG examined FRA’s processes for (1) prioritizing track owners for bridge safety reviews, and (2) conducting bridge safety reviews and following up on identified issues of non-compliance. To conduct this work, OIG visited bridge sites; interviewed FRA and track owners’ officials; and examined bridge management programs and supporting documents. OIG contracted with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to provide expert technical support and review aspects of track owners’ bridge safety practices. OIG analyzed statistical samples of track owners and bridges, but OIG is not making projections regarding the universe of regulated entities or structures. OIG found that FRA has not developed guidance on prioritization of track owners for bridge safety reviews nor developed guidance for its specialists on conducting bridge safety reviews. Six recommendations are included to improve FRA’s oversight of railroad bridge safety. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridges KW - Compliance KW - Oversight KW - Railroads KW - Recommendations KW - Safety KW - Standards KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FRA%20Oversight%20of%20Railroad%20Bridge%20Safety_Final%20Report%5E4-21-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408158 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613823 AU - Timmel, Christopher AU - Regan, Terry AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Planning Processes: A TPCB Peer Exchange PY - 2016/04/20/Final Report SP - 34p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and noteworthy practices identified at “Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Planning Processes” Peer Exchange held on September 9-10, 2015 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This event was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The peer exchange was hosted by the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT). Peer agencies included Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). KW - Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department KW - Best practices KW - Maryland Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation KW - Recommendations KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - West Virginia Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59881/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424915 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01604611 TI - National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP); Special Studies, Reviews, Conferences, and Special Projects AB - The purpose of this task order is to provide research on the topic of Field Evaluation of Reflected Noise from a Single Noise Barrier. The research objectives are as follows: (1) determine the noise level magnitude, and in particular, the fractional octave-band frequency spectrum of the overall noise in the presence of a single reflective noise barrier for positions on the opposite side of the highway; (2) compare through use of equivalent site analysis and/or simultaneous measurements, the difference in overall noise level and frequency distribution (3) compare cases with both reflective barriers and to include data based on standard highway noise metrics that would contribute to an overall understanding of the perception of this reflected sound; (4) use the quantitative analyses to determine if the degree/magnitude and /or composition of the noise level actually changes; (5) help state departments of transportation (DOTs) gain a better understanding of when it may be necessary to use absorptive surfaces on noise barriers or other structures such as retaining walls; and (6) produce insight and data to help serve as a validation tool and be incorporated into future version of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model to enhance implementation of reflection calculation algorithms in the program. KW - Algorithms KW - Noise barriers KW - Reflection KW - Sound absorption KW - Sound barrier KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415608 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598925 AU - Nash, Logan AU - Timmel, Christopher AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Road 151, Santa Fe National Forest: Observations, Considerations, and Recommendations from the Interagency Transportation Assistance Group (TAG) PY - 2016/04/18/Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) documents the observations and findings of a transportation assistance group (TAG) study of Forest Road 151 on the Santa Fe National Forest near Abiquiu, New Mexico. Over the course of a three day site visit, TAG participants from the USFS, U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center, and the Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Division observed conditions and engaged with stakeholders to take a comprehensive look at the entire 13.5 mile road in order to collaboratively think through and prioritize potential management options to address issues and challenges, such as ensuring public safety, improving road conditions, and balancing maintenance needs with the environmental and cultural significance of the corridor. The report concludes with recommended phases and funding options to implement actions. KW - Abiquiu (New Mexico) KW - Condition surveys KW - Cultural resources KW - Environmental protection KW - Financing KW - Forest roads KW - Highway maintenance KW - Maintenance management KW - Recommendations KW - Safety KW - Santa Fe National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59126/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59126/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-03.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405322 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597294 AU - Block, David AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for University Transportation Center PY - 2016/04/18 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards, planning and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. The EVTC bridges the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system. This reporting period the EVTC authored 17 publications and 9 presentations, attended 8 workshops and conferences, held or participated in 23 STEM events, and published 2 newsletters. Researchers in Hawaii also applied for a provisional patent. The EVTC Research and Development (R&D) agenda identified 22 projects and respective teams have been conducting detailed research. A summary of results for each project are presented in this report. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Technology transfer UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/EVTCPPPR5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403990 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618019 AU - Casey, Colleen AU - Mattingly, Stephen AU - Li, Jianling AU - Williams, James AU - University of Texas, Arlington AU - University of Texas, Arlington AU - Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Developing Public Health Performance Measures to Capture the Effects of Transportation Facilities on Multiple Public Health Outcomes PY - 2016/04/15/Final Report SP - 241p AB - Increasingly, federal transportation and public health agencies are working together to identify transportation investments that improve public health. Investments in transportation infrastructure represent one method to utilize transportation to improve public health outcomes. The ideal transportation investment is one that not only provides safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders, but it also promotes more utilitarian or recreational trips for walking and biking in an environment of safe air quality. However, public health objectives can be at conflict when designing transportation infrastructure to support active commuting. For example, infrastructure investments may be made that promote physical activity through utilitarian commuting, yet at the same time, the investment may be made in an area that is characterized by poor air quality or creates an unsafe condition. The purpose of the research is to identify potential performance measures that can foster improved decision making around these investments. The key research contribution is the development of performance measures that can be used in the field to evaluate multiple public health concerns and improve decision making. Secondly, it advances strategies to effectively capture the dimension of safety and physical activity in a manner that considers the conditions under which pedestrian and bicycling activity is likely to increase. The objectives of the project are accomplished through the use and integration of multiple methods, including student-based project learning, expert surveys, content analysis and quantitative statistical techniques. KW - Air quality KW - Cyclists KW - Decision making KW - Infrastructure KW - Investments KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Performance measurement KW - Public health KW - Transportation safety UR - http://www.wmich.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/u883/2016/Final__Report_TRCLC_14_02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60476/Final__Report_TRCLC_14_02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1435142 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608578 AU - Rakha, Hesham A AU - Chen, Hao AU - Almannaa, Mohammed AU - Kamalanathsharma, Raj Kishore AU - El-Shawarby, Ihab AU - Loulizi, Amara AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Testing of Eco-Speed Control Using V2I Communication PY - 2016/04/15/Final Research Report SP - 45p AB - This research focused on the development of an Eco-Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (Eco-CACC) System and addressed the implementation issues associated with applying it in the field. The Eco-CACC system computes and recommends a fuel-efficient speed based on Signal Phasing and Timing (SPaT) data received from the traffic signal controller via vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. The computed speed profile can either be broadcast as an audio alert to the driver to manually control the vehicle, or, implemented in an automated vehicle (AV) to automatically control the vehicle. The proposed system addresses all possible scenarios, algorithmically, that a driver may encounter when approaching a signalized intersection. Additionally, from an implementation standpoint, the research addresses the challenges associated with communication latency, data errors, real-time computation, and ride smoothness. The system was tested on the Virginia Smart Road Connected Vehicle Test Bed in Blacksburg, VA. Four scenarios were tested for each participant: a base driving scenario, where no speed profile data was communicated; a scenario in which the driver was provided with a “time to red light” countdown; a manual Eco-CACC scenario where the driver was instructed to follow a recommended speed profile given via audio alert; and finally, an automated Eco-CACC scenario where the AV system controlled the vehicle’s longitudinal motion. The field test included 32 participants, and each participant completed 64 trips to pass through a signalized intersection for different combinations of signal timing and road grades. The analyzed results demonstrate the benefits of the Eco-CACC system in assisting vehicles to drive smoothly in the vicinity of intersections, thereby reducing fuel consumption levels and travel times. Compared to an uninformed baseline drive, the longitudinally automated Eco-CACC system controlled vehicle drive resulted in savings in fuel consumption levels and travel times of approximately 37.8% and 9.3%, respectively. KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Field tests KW - Fuel consumption KW - Implementation KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal phases KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Rakha_Field-Testing-of-Eco-Speed-Control-Using-V2I-Communication_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418192 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598929 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Timmel, Christopher AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Pikes Peak Conceptual Shuttle Study: Visitation Trends and Scenario Planning PY - 2016/04/15/Final Report SP - 18p AB - This study for the U.S. Forest Service provides a preliminary analysis and set of recommendations to support the agency’s work moving forward to implement a shuttle system at Colorado’s popular Pikes Peak in Pike and San Isabel National Forests. The purpose of this project is to manage visitation when the Summit House and parking area are closed for reconstruction in the next few years. This report provides an analysis on recent visitation trends, followed by a presentation of two proposed shuttle scenarios: a mandatory service during construction, and a voluntary service after construction. Proposed scenarios includes a vehicle recommendation, description of possible staging areas, and preliminary cost estimates. The report concludes with an initial timeline for implementation and recommended next steps. KW - Cost estimating KW - Pikes Peak Region (Colorado) KW - Shuttle buses KW - Shuttle service KW - Staging areas KW - Tourism KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59125/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59125/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-02.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405321 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01611981 AU - Wilson, Bruce AU - Tyrell, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Reducing the Harm in Rail Crashes: Analysis of Injury Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies PY - 2016/04/12 SP - 11p AB - Twenty-three commuter and inter-city passenger train accidents, which occurred over the past twenty years, have been analyzed. Three types of accidents were analyzed: train-to-train collisions, derailments, and grade-crossing collisions. The analysis has assessed the potential effectiveness of various injury mitigation strategies. Four categories of mitigation strategies were considered: train crashworthiness, wayside structure crashworthiness, fire safety, and emergency preparedness. The strategies with the greatest potential to increase passenger safety are interior occupant protection, coupler integrity, end structure integrity, side structure integrity, and glazing system integrity. The researchers recommend that these strategies be researched further. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash injuries KW - Crashworthiness KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59464/JRC2016_-_Injury_Mechanisms.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422142 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610882 AU - Tyrell, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Liquefied Natural Gas Tender Crashworthiness in Train-to-Train Collisions PY - 2016/04/12 SP - 10p AB - Research to facilitate industry efforts to safely use natural gas as a locomotive fuel is being directed by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) Office of Research, Development, and Technology. This research is being conducted cooperatively with the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The research results are being shared with the AAR’s Natural Gas Fuel Tender Technical Advisory Group (NGFT TAG), which includes AAR, Member Railroads, and FRA, with support from ARA and Volpe Center. The NGFT TAG is developing industry requirements, including crashworthiness requirements, for revenue-service natural gas fuel tenders. Five accident scenarios have been drafted by the NGFT TAG: a train-to-train collision, a grade-crossing collision, rollover, shell impact, and head impact. Each scenario includes a description of the equipment, the impact conditions, and the prescribed outcome. The focus of the NGFT TAG discussions has expanded to include alternative static requirements. This paper focuses on technical information to help support development of alternative static requirements for the train-to-train collision scenario. The goal of the static requirements is to provide the same level of crashworthiness as the dynamic requirements under discussion by the NGFT TAG. Tender features capable of providing the desired level of performance are proposed. These features have been selected such that a tender with these features would be crashworthy-compatible with a wide range of new and existing locomotive structural designs. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Crashworthiness KW - Design standards KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad trains KW - Train components UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59463/JRC2016-5752_-_LNG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422143 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599290 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FTA Monitored Grantees’ Corrective Actions, but Lacks Policy and Guidance to Oversee Grantees with Restricted Access to Federal Funds PY - 2016/04/12/Audit Report SP - 16p AB - In fiscal year 2015, Congress provided the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with over $10 billion for grant funding to State, local, and tribal governments; public and private transit operators; and other grantees to support public transit infrastructure and operations. More than 2,000 urban and rural transit operators receive FTA grants funds and technical assistance. After awarding a grant, FTA is responsible for ensuring grantees meet the terms of the grant agreements and conduct grant activities in accordance with Federal laws and regulations. If FTA becomes aware that a grantee has a significant internal control weakness or does not comply with Federal requirements, the Agency can temporarily restrict the grantee’s access to Federal grant funds. From October 2010 through March 2014, FTA restricted access to Federal funds for 35 grantees for a variety of reasons, including unauthorized funding sources and inadequate competition for major procurements. In fiscal year 2013, these 35 grantees received over $1.7 billion in FTA grant funding. Given the higher risks posed by grantees on Federal funding restrictions, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) assessed whether FTA has effective oversight procedures to ensure that at-risk transit agencies take corrective actions to address internal control weaknesses identified in financial management reviews. To conduct the audit work, OIG assessed FTA’s policies and procedures for overseeing grantees, restricting at-risk grantees’ access to Federal funding, monitoring and closing grantee corrective actions, and following up on grantees after FTA lifts their Federal funding restrictions. For the review, OIG selected 3 of the largest grantees—Chicago Metra, Miami-Dade Transit (MDT), and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)—out of the universe of 35 grantees that FTA placed under Federal funding restriction between October 2010 and March 2014. OIG also interviewed FTA officials, FTA’s oversight contractors, and the three selected grantees. KW - Grant aid KW - Oversight KW - Policy KW - Public transit KW - Risk management KW - U.S. Federal Transit Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FTA%20Oversight%20of%20At-Risk%20Grantees%5E4-12-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406499 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01612657 TI - Center of Excellence Student Outreach AB - The Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability (PEGASAS) is the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s) Center of Excellence for General Aviation. As the name indicates, one of the themes of PEGASAS is “accessibility”, and the FAA’s solicitation for the Center of Excellence for General Aviation described the need to implement outreach efforts. The set of tasks described in this proposal use general aviation-related outreach activities to reach students at various levels. This aligns directly with both the PEGASAS theme of making general aviation accessible and with the FAA desire to have Centers of Excellence implement outreach efforts. The PEGASAS Center of Excellence Student Outreach project will be split into multiple tasks that may be started at differing times dependent upon funding availability. The objective of this project is to provide various mechanisms for students at all levels Pre-K through graduate school, including undergraduate and graduate students working on PEGASAS projects, to engage with PEGASAS and the FAA. These outreach activities will provide for dissemination of PEGASAS research findings and activities, will allow General Aviation to motivate school-aged children towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education and career paths, and will allow PEGASAS students to work alongside FAA colleagues. KW - Accessibility KW - Aviation safety KW - General aviation KW - Outreach KW - Research projects KW - Science, Techology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) KW - Students KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608577 AU - Galgano, Steve AU - Talas, Mohamad AU - Benevelli, David AU - Rausch, Robert AU - Sim, Samuel AU - Opie, Keir AU - Jensen, Mark AU - Stanley, Chris AU - New York City Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program Phase 1, Concept of Operations (ConOps) - New York City PY - 2016/04/08/Final ConOps SP - 123p AB - This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC) Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment (CVPD) Project. This ConOps describes the current state of operations, establishes the reasons for change, and defines the future system in terms of functions/features and supporting operations. It is the first of several planning documents for The Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program, Phase 1 project funded by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). Other planning documents, developed under this project phase, that influence this ConOps include the Security Management Operational Concept, Performance Measurement and Evaluation Plan, Safety Management Plan, and Human Use Approval. KW - Highway operations KW - Implementation KW - Mobile communication systems KW - New York (New York) KW - Performance measurement KW - Pilot studies KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59360/FHWA-JPO-16-299.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418792 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610834 AU - Orlov, Alexander AU - Stony Brook University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Nitrogen Dioxide Sequestration Using Demolished Concrete and its Potential Application in Transportation Infrastructure Development PY - 2016/04/04/Final Report SP - 23p AB - Achieving environmental sustainability of the US transportation infrastructure via more environmentally sound construction is not a trivial task. The proposal, which addresses this critical area, is aiming at transforming concrete, the material of choice for many transportation projects, into less environmentally harmful and better performing component of the US infrastructure. This will be extremely relevant to construction of pavements, bridges, tunnels, airports, marine installations and other transportation projects. Simultaneously, the project will address one of the most pressing public health issues, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emissions from cement kilns, by developing new applications of crushed concrete aggregates (CCA), which are already contributing to resource conservation and elimination of solid waste disposal issues. NO₂ emissions can cause various environmental and health problems. They contribute to the formation of acid rain, atmospheric particles, and various other toxic substances resulting in health problems, visibility reduction, eutrification and global warming. One of the most prevalent problems with NO₂ emissions is the formation of ground level ozone, which is produced by NOx (NO+NO₂) reacting with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and CO in the presences of sunlight. Ground level ozone can damage lung tissue and reduce lung function. It is a significant problem nationwide as millions of Americans live in areas that do not meet the health standards for ozone. Among many sources of NOx emissions cement kilns are very significant contributors. They emit over 219,000 tons/year of NOx, which amounts to approximately 20% of all industrial emissions. High temperatures reached in cement kilns are favorable for NOx emissions and cannot be avoided. The authors propose an innovative approach of utilizing a waste concrete material which, based on the preliminary studies, can offer a new way of removing NO₂ from flue-gas in a cheap and sustainable way. After all, more than 140 million tons of crushed concrete aggregate are produced in the US with 41 states utilizing it for transportation infrastructure applications. This can be potentially a viable way to offset emissions from cement manufacturing factories (as well as other industrial installations) thereby minimizing their environmental impacts. Moreover, this project will explore the new paradigm of employing waste material and turning it into a useful product. The NO₂ sequestered demolished concrete (NSDC) can be potentially recycled in new concrete either as a set accelerating admixture or as a corrosion inhibitor. The use of recycled concrete as aggregates for new concrete by itself is a big leap towards better sustainability, given that it conserves valuable natural resources and reduces landfill waste. The synergic effect of capturing NOx and using the NSDC as a corrosion inhibitor will further increase the positive impact on the environment and the longevity of the new reinforced concrete structures. KW - Cement kilns KW - Concrete KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Corrosion resistant materials KW - Environmental impacts KW - Nitrogen dioxide KW - Pollutants KW - Recycled materials KW - Waste products UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Nitrogen-Dioxide-Sequestration.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422153 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605637 AU - Long, S K AU - Qin, R AU - Konur, D AU - Leu, M AU - Moradpour, S AU - Wu, S AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Work Zone Simulator Analysis: Driver Performance and Acceptance of Alternate Merge Sign Configurations PY - 2016/04/04/Final Report SP - 99p AB - Improving work zone road safety is an issue of great interest due to the high number of crashes observed in work zones. Departments of Transportation (DOTs) use a variety of methods to inform drivers of upcoming work zones. One method used by DOTs is work zone signage configuration. It is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of different configurations, by law, before implementation of new signage designs that deviate from national standards. This research presents a driving simulator based study, funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that evaluates a driver’s response to work zone sign configurations. This study has compared the Conventional Lane Merge (CLM) configurations against MoDOT’s alternate configurations. Study participants within target populations, chosen to represent a range of Missouri drivers, have attempted four work zone configurations, as part of a driving simulator experience. The test scenarios simulated both right and left work zone lane closures for both the CLM and MoDOT alternatives. Travel time was measured against demographic characteristics of test driver populations. Statistical data analysis was used to investigate the effectiveness of different configurations employed in the study. The results of this study were compared to results from a previous MoDOT to compare result of field and simulation study about MoDOT’s alternate configurations. KW - Demographics KW - Driver performance KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Geometric configurations and shapes KW - Merging traffic KW - Missouri KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic signs KW - Travel time KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201512/cmr16-014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415403 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610818 AU - Wilson, Jessica M AU - Manhattan College AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Environmental Impacts of Oil and Gas Brine Applications for Dust and Ice Control in New York PY - 2016/04/01/Final Report SP - 34p AB - Transportation agencies are required to treat roads for dust and ice control to ensure adequate safety for travelers. This is commonly achieved through application of solid and liquid chemicals. These materials can be conventional rock salt, brine from rock salt, natural brine, or oil and gas brine. Due to the high cost of treating roads for the removal of snow and ice, in States with active oil and gas wells such as New York, the potential for using this brine to control dust or ice on roads is currently being explored. Environmental concerns exist over the use of conventional oil and gas brines due to their potential high total dissolved solids and metals concentrations They can also be elevated in organic compounds and can contain certain chemical additives. If conventional or unconventional oil and gas brine is applied to roadways for dust or ice control, there is the potential for runoff to impact receiving water or roadside soil. The environmental impact of the leaching of chemical components from soil impacted with oil and gas brine applied for transportation purposes is unknown. The goal of this work was to determine the potential for components found in oil and gas brine to leach from soil to groundwater. The potential for components found in other alternative brines (agricultural based and plant based) was also investigated. Three brines were characterized based on their physical and chemical parameters. Toxicity characteristic leaching potential (TCLP) tests were conducted to compare the potential for the release of metals from three brines commonly applied for dust and ice control in New York. Results show that the plant-based brine has the least potential to leach metals from a soil/brine mixture, while the oil-based brine has the highest potential to impact the environment through the leaching of metals. Results from the leaching tests for all experiments show that the concentrations of certain metals would be found in groundwater that are elevated above the maximum contaminant levels set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). KW - Brines KW - Deicing KW - Dust control KW - Environmental impacts KW - Leaching KW - Metals KW - New York (State) KW - Runoff KW - Toxicity UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Environmental-Impacts-of-Oil-and-Brine.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422217 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598884 AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Bucci, Greg AU - Raut, Alex AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Impact Assessment of Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations Evaluation Plan and Addendum PY - 2016/04/01 SP - 160p AB - This document details the process that the Volpe Center intended to follow in evaluating the impacts of the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) prototype demonstration in Columbus, Ohio and Central Florida. The document also includes the addendum to the original plan, which reflects the changes that occurred based on the changes to the demonstrations. The set of IDTO impacts was evaluated based upon a series of hypothesis tests governing travel behavior and strategies enacted by participating organizations. These tests related to usage of the IDTO technological bundle, changes in travel demand, changes in travel time, changes in operational costs, and changes in inter-organizational cooperation. Each of the hypotheses were tested based upon information provided by the prototype developer and participating organizations, as well as analysis conducted by the Impacts Assessment team. In the final step of the analysis, the estimated impacts of the demonstration and analysis formed the basis of a projection of monetized benefits. KW - Central Florida KW - Columbus (Ohio) KW - Cooperation KW - Demonstration projects KW - Impact studies KW - Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) KW - Interorganizational relations KW - Prototypes KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59000/59016/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-12.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60242/FHWA-JPO-15-143.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405320 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596731 AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Micro Unmanned Aircraft Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC): ARC Recommendations PY - 2016/04/01/Final Report SP - 19p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chartered the Micro Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (the “ARC”) to provide recommendations to the FAA Administrator on a regulatory framework for the classification and operation of micro UAS. The FAA charged the ARC with the following three objectives: (1) Develop recommendations for a performance-based standard for the classification of micro UAS; (2) Identify means-of-compliance for manufacturers to show that unmanned aircraft meet the performance-based safety requirement; and (3) Recommend operational requirements for micro UAS appropriate to the recommended performance-based safety requirement. The ARC met during a 3-day period from March 8 - March 10, 2016, for the purpose of education and information gathering, and a second 3-day period from March 15 - March 17, 2016, for discussions and deliberations. This document includes the ARC's recommendations to the FAA. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Aviation safety KW - Classification KW - Drone aircraft KW - Performance based specifications KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations UR - http://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/uas_regulations_policy/media/Micro-UAS-ARC-FINAL-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403169 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618839 AU - Beresheim, Sara AU - Johnson, Steven AU - Kreuger, Gregory AU - Waggoner, Joe AU - Frey, Robert AU - Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority AU - Department of Transportation TI - Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program Phase 1, Safety Management Plan – Tampa (THEA) PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 39p AB - This document presents the Safety Management Plan for the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment. The THEA CV Pilot Deployment goal is to advance and enable safe, interoperable, networked wireless communications among vehicles, the infrastructure, and travelers’ personal communications devices and to make surface transportation safer, smarter, and greener. The purpose of this document is to identify the major safety risks associated with the implementation of the THEA CV Pilot Deployment and lay out a preliminary plan to promote the safety of the participants and surrounding road users including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. The plan describes the potential safety risk scenarios identified related to the system and applications proposed, assesses the level of risk for each safety scenario using the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) process defined by ISO 26262, and provides the safety operational concept for the THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment, including the functional safety requirements for the system and applications, the safety management proposed, and response plans. KW - Connected vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pilot studies KW - Risk analysis KW - Risk management KW - Safety management KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59129/FHWA-JPO-16-313.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440288 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01617697 AU - Sadeghi, Leila AU - Zhang, Yaguang AU - Balmos, Andrew AU - Krogmeier, James V AU - Haddock, John E AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Algorithm and Software for Proactive Pothole Repair SN - 9781622604142 PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 34p AB - Potholes are a common pavement distress, particularly appearing during the spring freeze-thaw period in northern climates. Potholes reduce ride quality, and if left unrepaired can lead to rapid pavement deterioration. Typically, when a pothole appears a repair crew is dispatched to place patch mixture in the hole with the hope that the patch will last until such time as a more permanent repair can be made. This reactive approach to potholes can often be too late to prevent further pavement damage and also makes it difficult for repairs crews to be scheduled in the most cost effective manner. In this study, the relation between traffic loads combined with weather records, such as temperature, freeze-thaw cycles and the numbers of potholes requiring patching was investigated in an attempt to develop a model to predict pothole formation and distinguish the routes which are prone to pothole formation before the potholes begin to form. If pothole prediction were possible, this proactive approach would enable agencies to plan and schedule maintenance activities more cost and time effectively thus increasing ride safety and mobility. To achieve the objective, four years of maintenance data from Indiana routes were collected and statistically analyzed to develop a model to estimate the probability of occurrence of a pothole due to annual average daily traffic and climate. The model indicates how significant traffic loads combined with weather condition influence the pothole. Also, although traffic loads and weather conditions are the essentials for potholes to form, the effect of pavement condition on the initiation of new potholes cannot be disregarded. Additionally, this study began the development of a basic roadway distress evolution model by employing several standard statistical tools, such as, the empirical cumulative distribution functions (CDF) and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS), to a pavement condition dataset. The goal of the model was to predict and rank areas of probable future concern by likelihood and severity. The resulting analysis showed promise but the data resolution was too low to achieve predictions on the desired fine scale. KW - Algorithms KW - Forecasting KW - Indiana KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Potholes (Pavements) KW - Software KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic loads KW - Weather UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316337 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1434925 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616250 AU - Chatti, Karim AU - Haider, Syed W AU - Eisma, Joseph H AU - Michigan State University, East Lansing AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Mechanistic-Empirical Approach for Evaluating the Effect of Diamond Grinding and Thin Overlay on Predicted Pavement Performance PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 140p AB - Advancements in pavement management practice require evaluating the performance of pavement preservation treatments using performance-related characteristics. However, state highway agencies face the challenge of developing performance-based relationships between quality characteristics of pavement preservation treatments and expected pavement performance. The objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a mechanistic-empirical procedure which can be used to relate the performance of surface smoothing pavement preservation treatments to a roughness-related, profile-based index. The profiles for pavement sections treated with diamond grinding and thin overlay treatments were obtained and the impact of these treatments on roughness was evaluated using the International Roughness Index (IRI) and the Dynamic Load Index (DLI). The effects of these treatments on the pavement profile, the dynamic loads experienced by the pavement, and predicted pavement performance were also observed. Using the proposed mechanistic-empirical procedure, the results of this study demonstrate that is possible to relate changes in IRI and DLI, as a result of surface smoothing treatments, to the expected pavement performance. The performance-based relationships obtained from this procedure can be used in the development of performance-related specifications. KW - Diamond grinding KW - Dynamic loads KW - International Roughness Index KW - Mechanistic-empirical evaluation KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavement preservation KW - Surface smoothing KW - Thin overlays UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-MSU1-2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60409/CHPP-Report-MSU1-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429188 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616243 AU - Park, Jaehyun AU - Yuan, Chenxi AU - Cai, Hubo AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Long-Term Pavement Performance Indicators for Failed Materials SN - 9781622603954 PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 145p AB - State Transportation Agencies (STAs) use quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) specifications to guide the testing and inspection of road pavement construction. Although failed materials of pavement rarely occur in practice, it is critical to have a sound decision framework to assist in making data-driven, informed decisions regarding failed materials because such decisions have profound impacts on the long-term performance of the pavement and the operation and maintenance costs of the responsible highway agencies. A performance-related specification (PRS) is a quality acceptance (QA) specification that specifies the acceptable levels of key acceptance quality characteristics (AQCs) that are directly related to fundamental engineering properties, which in turn, determine the long-term performance of the constructed end products. Two PRS tools, PaveSpec for Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) and Quality Related Specification Software (QRSS) for QC/QA Hot Mixed Asphalt (HMA) pavement, were investigated in this study to develop decision frameworks for PCCP and HMA pavement to assist the decision-making regarding failed materials at Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). A large number of simulations of various scenarios in the context of INDOT pavement construction were conducted to fully develop and implement the decision framework. For PCCP, the newly developed decision framework based on PaveSpec was validated using data from an INDOT construction project. The framework is readily implementable to assist INDOT in making informed decision regarding failed materials for PCCP. For QC/QA pavement, it was found that QRSS is not an appropriate PRS tool to estimate the long-term performance because of its limitations, the misalignment between QRSS process and INDOT practice, and erroneous simulation results. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Concrete pavements KW - Decision making KW - Failure KW - Indiana KW - Materials KW - Paving KW - Performance based specifications KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Simulation UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316333 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429184 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01614959 AU - Catalá, Martin AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - FTA Open Data Policy Guidelines PY - 2016/04 SP - 81p AB - This project identifies and documents best practices from transit agencies that have implemented open data practices to improve operational efficiency and increase customer satisfaction and to provide guidance to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding measures it could take to encourage open source data to the entire transit industry. The mechanisms used to identify best practices were a conference workshop and two webinars where presenters provided information, experiences, practices, and lessons learned from their unique perspectives. The results of the workshop and webinars are consolidated in this report, which is intended to serve as a guidebook for transit agencies desiring to make their data open to the public. Agencies did not report a cost-benefit analysis to justify the effort required; rather, the focus was on a shift in mindset toward liberating the data to improve customer interaction and leveraging technological advancements to extend the agencies’ reach to potential customers. KW - Best practices KW - Guidelines KW - Open data KW - Policy KW - Transit operating agencies KW - U.S. Federal Transit Administration UR - https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Report_No._0095.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427203 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613993 AU - Vasudevan, Meenakshy AU - Thompson, Kathy AU - Jacobi, Amy AU - Mercer, Michael AU - Brooks, Michael AU - Lawrence, Stephanie AU - Vickery, Daniel AU - Sakai, Koichi AU - Watanabe, Ryoichi AU - Kanoshima, Hideyuki AU - Mawatari, Shingo AU - Tsukiji, Takahiro AU - Machek, Eli AU - Thompson, Dale AU - Noblis, Incorporated AU - Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism AU - Department of Transportation TI - US-Japan Collaborative Research on Evaluation Tools and Methods: Comparison of Evaluation Tools and Methods Used in the United States (U.S.) and Japan PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 165p AB - The United States (U.S.) and Japan have similar transportation challenges, and share a common belief that cooperative systems can deliver significant societal benefits for road users, especially in terms of safer, more energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly surface transportation. The two regions recognize that coordinated research can reduce costs and accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption of cooperative systems. The report is an outcome of the U.S.-Japan bi-lateral collaborative research on evaluation tools and methods. The report includes: Case studies of cost-benefit evaluations, including performance indicators, and measurement methods, of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and cooperative systems in the U.S. and Japan; Comparison and assessment of existing evaluation methods used for evaluating ITS and cooperative systems in the U.S. and Japan; Consistent glossary of terms for evaluations for use in the U.S. and Japan; and Consistent categorization and organization of performance indicators and measurement methods. The following are the key lessons learned from the assessment: Evaluations should be performed by an independent party who has no vested interest or stake in the project itself to eliminate potential bias; More rigorous experimental design is needed to better isolate benefits of cooperative systems or ITS implementations; Consistent dollar values should be applied when monetizing benefits; Acceptance of cooperative systems based on short-term exposures can be misleading; and Longer-term impact of cooperative systems should be examined prior to large scale deployment. The following are some opportunities for future collaboration between the U.S. and Japan, including: Development of consistent methodology for evaluations; and Application of the consistent methodology to evaluate a cooperative system deployment, either in the U.S. or in Japan (or one each in both nations). KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - Cooperation KW - Definitions KW - Evaluation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Japan KW - Methodology KW - Performance indicators KW - Research KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60123/FHWA-JPO-16-326__2_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1426741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613790 AU - Khattak, Aemal J AU - Iranitalab, Amirfarrokh AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Safety Management System Needs Assessment PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The safety of the traveling public is critical as each year there are approximately 200 highway fatalities in Nebraska and numerous crash injuries. The objective of this research was to conduct a needs assessment to identify the requirements of a statewide safety management system for Nebraska. When fully operational, the envisioned system will allow staff from different Nebraska public agencies to remotely access the system and input and output crash data, identify and analyze high crash locations, identify countermeasures, conduct economic analysis, provide project implementation priority, and evaluate implemented solutions. To achieve the objective, the available literature on traffic safety management systems and software packages were reviewed first. Next, identification of the safety management system stakeholders in Nebraska was conducted, which resulted in the consideration of all Nebraska counties and cities as stakeholders. An online questionnaire was then designed for a survey in which the stakeholders were invited to participate. In this survey, stakeholders were asked about the possible needs they have in a traffic safety management system, and their responses were used to compile their needs. Based on the results of the survey, a conceptual design of a highway safety management system was prepared. This system is based on a database and a set of analysis modules that public agencies can use to improve public safety in their affiliated counties and cities. KW - Databases KW - Literature reviews KW - Nebraska KW - Needs assessment KW - Safety management KW - Software KW - Stakeholders KW - Surveys KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.roads.nebraska.gov/media/5839/finalreportm025.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425033 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613748 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council Scenario Planning Workshop PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 32p AB - This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council, on April 19-20, 2016, in Buffalo, New York. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this event as part of its Scenario Planning Program and in connection with the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program jointly run by FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration. KW - Best practices KW - Buffalo-Niagara Metropolitan Area KW - Forecasting KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59875/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-19.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424914 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612148 AU - Wilson, Frederick K AU - Owolabi, Oludare AU - Willoughby, Arthur AU - Whitney, James AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Validation of Source Approval of HMA Surface Mix Aggregate Using Spectrometer PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 127p AB - The main focus of this research project was to develop methodologies for the validation of source approval of hot mix asphalt surface mix aggregate. In order to further enhance the validation process, a secondary focus was also to create a spectral library. Two methodologies were developed as part of this project: Chemometrics, using GRAM/IQ software and Neural Network (NN). Spectra of aggregate samples from 19 quarries were extracted, using the portable ASD FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer (FS4). Because the aggregate samples when placed in a petri dish form heterogeneous surfaces, it was necessary to utilize specialized equipment (ASD FS4 Turntable) which converts the surface of the aggregate samples in the petri dish to a homogeneous surface and enhances the spectra extraction process. Ten spectra were extracted from each aggregate sample and then averaged to produce one spectrum. In all, three spectra were extracted per aggregate sample, which ensures representativeness of the aggregate samples. All the spectra were collected in reflectance unit and the data were exported into ASCII for further analyses. Results for both methodologies were encouraging. The Chemometrics was also able to discriminate limestone based on the quarry locations. It also correctly classified 100% of aggregate samples that were not from the aggregate sample population and explained the frictional and physical variability of aggregates within a given quarry over a period of time, making it useful as a diagnostic tool to validate aggregate source. The NN, which relies heavily on the variance of the training set, was able to provide outstanding parameter estimations. Thus the NN is a viable solution for providing quick parameter estimations, based solely on the optical spectrographic measurement of the aggregate sample. KW - Aggregate sources KW - Aggregates KW - Chemometrics KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Neural networks KW - Quarries UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MSU-2014-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610887 AU - Agrawal, Anil AU - Xu, Xiaochen AU - City College of New York AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Finite Element Simulation of Truck Impacts on Highway Bridge Piers PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 47p AB - Recent studies show that the dynamic forces because of truck impacts may be significantly higher than the 600kips force recommended by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Hence, there is a need to carry out detailed investigations on vehicular-bridge collision for a reliable evaluation of an existing bridge subject to impact by trucks and design of new bridges with more redundancy for vehicular impacts. In this research, an extensive investigation on the impact of a three-span steel girder bridge with reinforced concrete piers by a medium weight truck running at different speeds has been carried out using finite element models of bridge and the truck in LS-DYNA. The performance of the critical highway bridge components during vehicle collision and the factors causing damage/failure of the typical bridge components have been identified. KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge piers KW - Failure KW - Finite element method KW - Girder bridges KW - Impact loads KW - LS-DYNA (Computer program) KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Simulation KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Finite-Element-Simulation-Truck-Impacts-on-Highway-Bridge-Piers.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422219 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610860 AU - Ross, Catherine L AU - Kumar, Amit AU - Wang, Fangru AU - Hylton, Peter AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Freight Movement, Port Facilities, and Economic Competitiveness – Supplemental Task : County-to-County Freight Movement (National and State Level) PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 62p AB - While commodity movement data is available from several sources, notably from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Freight Analysis Framework (FAF), origins and destinations are heavily spatially aggregated into FAF zones, which comprise multiple counties. This makes it difficult to use FAF data for freight studies below the national level, including at the megaregion level, whose boundaries differ from FAF zones. This study disaggregates FAF3 data from the FAF zone level to the county and traffic analysis zone (TAZ) levels. The study uses data from multiple sources for this purpose that includes economic and sociodemographic data from the 5-year American Community Survey and the Decennial Census, transportation network locations from the U.S. Department of Transportation, tonnage-truck conversion from the Southern California Association of Governments, and geospatial boundaries from a variety of sources. The majority of these data have the advantage of being publicly available. The study employs regression analysis to establish relationships between commodity or truck trip productions and attractions, and logically related variables. These relationships are determined at the known level using ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression or spatial regression models depending on the level of autocorrelation. The regression results are then applied to the disaggregation level to obtain each area’s share of known productions and attractions. The study generates origin-destination (O-D) tables (available as a separate file) explaining the number of truck trips between US counties and TAZs of Georgia. KW - Commodity flow KW - Competition KW - Counties KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight traffic KW - Georgia KW - Origin and destination KW - Ports KW - Regression analysis KW - Traffic analysis zones KW - Truck traffic KW - United States UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/13-27.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422690 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610858 AU - Amirkhanian, Serji AU - Xiao, Feipeng AU - Corley, Mary AU - Tri-County Technical College AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Estimation of Low Temperature Properties of RAP Binder Without Extraction PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 411p AB - In recent years, the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as a component of asphalt mixtures has become a common practice. For many years, researchers and Department of Transportation (DOT) officials have questioned the adverse effects, if any, of using solvents to extract and recover the binder. Therefore, researchers have been investigating new methods, without extraction techniques, of estimating the RAP binder properties, especially with respect to the low-temperature characteristics of binders and the mixtures. The major goal of this research project was to determine if the low-temperature properties of the aged asphalt binder in RAP could be obtained by using the fines (-#50 to +#100) generated from sieved RAP materials rather than from the binder extracted from the RAP. In addition, the low-temperature characteristics of several mixtures containing RAP were studied and evaluated for any correlation with the binder properties. Several samples were made with different RAP sources, different percentages of RAP content, various low temperatures (i.e., 0, -6, -12, and -18 °C), and at many states (i.e., virgin, Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO), and Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV)). In addition, some of the RAP sources were obtained after one year and bending beam rheometer (BBR) testing was conducted. Other testing procedures and specifications such as indirect tensile strength and semicircle bending (SCB) were used and evaluated. KW - Bituminous binders KW - Fines (Materials) KW - Flexural strength KW - Low temperature KW - Mechanical tests KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - South Carolina KW - Tensile strength UR - http://www.scdot.scltap.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SCDOT-Draft-Final-Report-Low-Temp-project-final-5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610522 AU - Chipman, Tim AU - Costin, Aaron AU - Yang, Donghoon AU - Eastman, Charles AU - National Institute of Building Sciences AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bridge Information Modeling Standardization Report, Volume I – Information Exchanges PY - 2016/04 SP - 74p AB - Bridge Information Modeling Standardization is a multi-volume report that analyzes options for standardized approaches for modeling bridges across their life cycle. The goal of the Report is to identify and evaluate candidate open standards that can be used to document all aspects of bridges to identify viable standards that can be used by bridge owners to specify information delivery requirements and by software providers to meet those requirements. After evaluation of the viable available options, the Report goes on to provide an in-depth analysis based on test cases of real bridge projects of the viable alternative. Accompanying the Report is a comprehensive exchange specification to assist software developers to implement the recommended alternative to the benefit of bridge owners. This volume, Exchange Analysis, the second of four volumes, evaluates process models for the bridge life cycle developed in a previous Federal Highway Administration project, in use by industry in other domains and represented by existing requirements from state Departments of Transportation, and then recommends a new process map built on the best practices identified in the analysis. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge information modeling KW - Information exchange KW - Maintenance management KW - Standardization UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/pubs/hif16011/hif16011b.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423247 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610515 AU - Chipman, Tim AU - Yang, Donghoon AU - National Institute of Building Sciences AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bridge Information Modeling Standardization Report, Volume III – Component Modeling PY - 2016/04 SP - 104p AB - Bridge Information Modeling Standardization is a multi-volume report that analyzes options for standardized approaches for modeling bridges across their life cycle. The goal of the Report is to identify and evaluate candidate open standards that can be used to document all aspects of bridges to identify viable standards that can be used by bridge owners to specify information delivery requirements and by software providers to meet those requirements. After evaluation of the viable available options, the Report goes on to provide an in-depth analysis based on test cases of real bridge projects of the viable alternative. Accompanying the Report is a comprehensive exchange specification to assist software developers to implement the recommended alternative to the benefit of bridge owners. This Volume, Component Modeling, the fourth of four volumes, describes the modeling of specific components of bridges to the level of detail as conveyed on design contract plans, using two real-world case studies and three candidate schemas, to identify methodologies that would be valuable in a national bridge information modeling standard and to evaluate the viability of one of those schemas, buildingSMART Industry Foundation Class (IFC), as a candidate for a bridge modeling standard. KW - Bridge components KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge information modeling KW - Data structures KW - Maintenance management KW - Schema KW - Standardization UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/pubs/hif16011/hif16011d.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423250 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610514 AU - Chipman, Tim AU - Eastman, Charles AU - Liebich, Thomas AU - Yang, Donghoon AU - National Institute of Building Sciences AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bridge Information Modeling Standardization Report, Volume II – Schema Analysis PY - 2016/04 SP - 143p AB - Bridge Information Modeling Standardization is a multi-volume report that analyzes options for standardized approaches for modeling bridges across their life cycle. The goal of the report is to identify and evaluate candidate open standards that can be used to document all aspects of bridges to identify viable standards that can be used by bridge owners to specify information delivery requirements and by software providers to meet those requirements. After evaluation of the viable available options, the Report goes on to provide an in-depth analysis based on test cases of real bridge projects of the viable alternative. Accompanying the Report is a comprehensive exchange specification to assist software developers to implement the recommended alternative to the benefit of bridge owners. This volume, Schema Analysis, provides background and evaluation of standardization efforts underway nationally and internationally, analyzes the viable schemas produced by these efforts, recommends one of those schema, the buildingSMART Industry Foundation Class (IFC) model for further evaluation and identifies its applicability and potential shortcomings. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge information modeling KW - Data structures KW - Maintenance management KW - Schema KW - Standardization UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/pubs/hif16011/hif16011c.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423249 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01609737 AU - Thomas, F Dennis AU - Blomberg, Richard D AU - Dunlap and Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Evaluation of Kansas and Missouri Rural Seat Belt Demonstrations PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Research has shown seat belt use is lower in rural areas of the United States, which may be one reason fatalities are higher in these areas. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored two State-level demonstration projects to increase seat belt use in rural areas of Kansas and Missouri. During the study, both Kansas and Missouri had secondary seat belt laws. Kansas used multiple media and enforcement waves, and Missouri employed a month-long media and enforcement campaign. Evaluations demonstrated increases in seat belt usage in many of the rural counties participating in the project, but some counties showed no change or even a decrease in seat belt use. Despite variations by county, Kansas showed an overall increase in seat belt use, going from 61 percent use in the baseline to 70 percent use after the second intervention. Missouri showed increases in belt use in some of the 10 counties; these increases, however, were offset by decreases or no change in the other counties that ultimately limited the observed overall increase in belt use to 2.8 percentage points when data from all counties were combined. Both States also showed increases in exposure to seat belt messages after the campaign activities. In Kansas for example, when asked, “Have you recently read, seen or heard anything about seat belt enforcement?” 78 percent answered “yes” during the baseline survey, and 85 percent answered “yes” for all subsequent surveys combined. Similarly in Missouri, when asked, “In the past month, have you seen or heard about police enforcement focused on seat belt use?” about 51 percent answered “yes” during the baseline while about 62 percent answered “yes” during the post-rural initiative measurement wave. Results from the evaluations support the conclusion that the supplemental efforts of the demonstration projects produced positive results in the target counties and also benefited the total occupant protection programs in the States. KW - Before and after studies KW - Demonstration projects KW - Evaluation KW - Kansas KW - Missouri KW - Rural areas KW - Safety campaigns KW - Seat belt use KW - Surveys KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812268-EvaluationKansasMissouriDemo.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420913 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01609446 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2015 Urban Congestion Trends: Communicating Improved Operations with Big Data PY - 2016/04 SP - 8p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2015 Urban Congestion Trends Report provides the current state of congestion and reliability in the largest urban areas in the United States. This report also highlights relevant successful operational strategies and performance management approaches implemented by State and local transportation agencies. Overall, congestion has slightly decreased from 2014 to 2015. Hours of congestion declined by 23 minutes from 5:03 (2014) to 4:40 (2015) and the planning time index declined slightly from 2.68 (2014) to 2.65 (2015). The travel time index increased one point from 1.33 (2014) to 1.34 (2015). This report marks the second year of calculating congestion and reliability metrics with the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS). This report includes highlights of innovative ways States and local agencies throughout the United States have implemented effective operations and measured the impacts of congestion. The report concludes with a discussion of the importance of traffic volume data when aggregating performance measures. KW - Highway operations KW - Implementation KW - Performance measurement KW - States KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic data KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16032/fhwahop16032.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420803 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608624 AU - Cooper, Samuel B AU - King, William "Bill" AU - Kabir, Md Sharear AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Testing and Analysis of LWT and SCB Properties of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 71p AB - Currently, Louisiana’s Quality Control and Quality Assurance (QC/QA) practice for asphalt mixtures in pavement construction is mainly based on controlling properties of plant produced mixtures that include gradation and asphalt content, voids filled with asphalt, air voids, moisture susceptibility tests (Modified Lottman), and roadway parameters such as pavement density. These controlling properties have served Louisiana well, yet with growing interest in considering alternative paving materials such as rubber modified asphalts, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), recycled shingles, and warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technologies, there is a pressing need to implement laboratory mechanical testing capable of ascertaining an asphalt mixture’s ability to resist common distresses. This research presents an evaluation of Loaded Wheel Tester (LWT) and Semi-Circular Bend (SCB) tests for rutting and cracking evaluation of commonly produced mixtures from around the state. This research also presents the results of a balanced mixture design methodology being developed by Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). A total of 51 mixtures were evaluated with both the SCB and LWT tests. With respect to LWT Testing, 46 of the 51 mixtures evaluated (90%) passed the criteria specified for acceptable rutting resistance. The criteria (10 mm at 20,000 passes for unmodified binder; 6 mm at 20,000 passes for polymer-modified binder) currently being utilized by DOTD appears to be appropriate for mixtures being produced. With respect to Semi-Circular Bend Testing, the percent of mixtures passing this criterion for mixtures containing PG 64-22, PG 70-22M, PG 76-22M and PG 82- 22CRM is 38, 68, 91, and 20 respectively. For the mixtures designed according to the DOTD proposed balanced mixture design specifications, 7 out of 11 met or exceeded the cracking criteria and rutting criteria. The comparison of field and laboratory compacted specimens shows there may be an effect of specimen type on the computed Jc. This relationship would need to be further investigated before using field cores for quality assurance practices. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Bend tests KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Loaded wheel tests KW - Louisiana KW - Mix design KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Rutting UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_536.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417655 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608620 AU - Sandt, Laura AU - Combs, Tabitha AU - Cohn, Jesse AU - Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Pursuing Equity in Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning PY - 2016/04 SP - 27p AB - Improving the ability of traditionally underserved communities to travel safely and conveniently via walking or wheeling is essential to achieving a sustainable, equitable transportation system that can provide options in how people access jobs, schools, health care services, faith entities, social gatherings, and other destinations. Numerous studies have shown that enhancing the ability of traditionally underserved populations to travel via nonmotorized modes can potentially lead to improved outcomes in public health, safety, and economic development; promote resource efficiency; strengthen inclusive neighborhood relations; and bolster public transit services. These benefits are not limited to underserved and disadvantaged populations but have been shown to have positive impacts community-wide. The purpose of this paper, intended for transportation practitioners and decision-makers, is to: (1) Define transportation equity-related terms in the context of planning for bicycle and pedestrian facilities and programs; (2) Synthesize and highlight recent research findings related to the travel needs of traditionally underserved populations and the role of pedestrian and bicycle planning in addressing equity concerns; and (3) Share strategies, practices and resources to address bicycle and pedestrian planning inequities. KW - Best practices KW - Bicycling KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Research projects KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Transportation planning KW - Walking UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/resources/equity_paper/equity_planning.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417814 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608595 AU - Higgins, Laura AU - Manser, Michael AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Older Driver Support System PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 31p AB - A significant factor impinging on older drivers’ ability to maintain safe and efficient mobility as they age is the decline in behavioral, cognitive, and perceptual functions. Declines in vision, hearing, cognitive processing, physical strength, and flexibility can increase the likelihood of crash involvement. This project developed and demonstrated a system to provide real-time safety information to older drivers. Background information on perceptual, cognitive, and physical limitations that can affect older drivers was used to identify potential information and warnings that might be provided to older drivers to address and mitigate some safety related behaviors. Additional input was solicited from Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (CDRS) who regularly work with older drivers to identify common types of information and driving feedback provided to improve driving performance. The older driver feedback system was developed at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and a demonstration version of the system was pilot tested with CDRSs and older drivers. The pilot test participants’ comments on the demonstration version, including their responses to evaluation questions, will be incorporated into future iterations of the feedback system. KW - Aged drivers KW - Cognition KW - Driver performance KW - Driver support systems KW - Mobility KW - Pilot studies KW - Real time information KW - Warning devices UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-Center-Final-Research-Report-Manser-Higgins-ATLAS-2016-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417657 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605798 AU - Wilson, Frederick K AU - Owolabi, Oludare AU - Willoughby, Arthur AU - Whitney, James AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Highway Runoff Stormwater Management Potential (HRSMP) Site Characterization Using NASA Public Domain Imagery PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 52p AB - The focus of this research project was the development of geospatial technology (GST) methodology to characterize and evaluate highway runoff stormwater management potential (HRSMP) sites in order to reduce their impact on properties, save lives and cut operational costs. Reduction of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), an important initiative of the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), could undoubtedly be achieved through the development and use of GST (remote sensing, geographic information system (GIS), and differential global positioning system (DGPS)). Field activities and groundtruthing were conducted at selected Best Management Practices (BMP) sites to better understand their conditions and the land use/land cover (LULC) types currently present at these sites. Landsat images were assessed for quality-related issues including cloud cover and downloaded from the United State Geological Survey (USGS). Based on the outcome of the image assessment, 5 Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and 1 Landsat OLI_TIRS images which span from 1990 to 2015 were processed and analyzed using the Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI) software. LULC and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) images were created. Both LULC and NDVI values for the selected BMP sites, which were ranked by the SHA from I (Good) to IV (Failed), were extracted and analyzed to determine their relationship with the performances. The results from the LULC analyses suggested that vegetation was a major factor affecting the performance of the BMP facilities; poor and failed sites showed the excessive overgrowth of vegetation. Analysis of NDVI did not show definitive results, which might have been due to the relatively low spatial resolution of the TM images. Use of higher spatial resolution such as IKONOS multispectral images in the future could help resolve these inconsistencies. KW - Best practices KW - Field studies KW - Geospatial analysis KW - Image analysis KW - Land use KW - Landsat satellites KW - Location KW - Maryland KW - Remote sensing KW - Runoff KW - Spatial analysis KW - Vegetation UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-16-SHA-MSU-4-3_Highway-Runoff-Stormwater-Management_Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1413826 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605607 AU - Mohammad, Louay N AU - Cooper, Samuel B AU - Elseifi, Mostafa AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Shell Oil USA AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of the Performance of HMA mixtures containing Thiopave additives PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 56p AB - The objective of this study was to compare the laboratory mechanistic properties of sulfur-modified warm mix asphalt (WMA) to conventional asphalt mixtures. Three mixtures, two hot mix asphalt (HMA) and one WMA, were prepared. The first mixture included an unmodified asphalt binder classified as PG 64-22, the second mixture contained a styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) elastomeric modified binder classified as PG 70-22, and the third mixture was a WMA that incorporated a sulfur-based mix additive and PG 64-22 binder. A suite of tests were performed to evaluate the rutting performance, moisture resistance, fatigue endurance, fracture resistance, and thermal cracking resistance of the three mixtures. Results of the experimental program showed that the rutting performance of sulfur-modified WMA was comparable or superior to conventional mixes prepared with polymer-modified and unmodified asphalt binders. Results of the modified Lottman test showed that the moisture resistance of the sulfur-modified mixture was comparable to conventional mixes. Additionally, fracture and fatigue properties, as measured by the semi-circular bend (SCB) and beam fatigue tests, show that the sulfur-modified WMA mixture possessed stiffer properties than that of a conventional polymer-modified mixture. Thermal stress restrained specimen test (TSRST) test results showed that the sulfur-modified WMA had a greater fracture stress than the polymer-modified mixture. However, there was no statistical significance between the average fracture temperatures for the mixes tested. KW - Asphalt additives KW - Bituminous binders KW - Cracking KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mechanical properties KW - Pavement performance KW - Rutting KW - Sulfur asphalt KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_500.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416534 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605601 AU - Shaheen, Susan AU - Cohen, Adam AU - Zohdy, Ismail AU - Kock, Beaudry AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Smartphone Applications to Influence Travel Choices: Practices and Policies PY - 2016/04 SP - 90p AB - This primer provides an overview of current practices in this emerging field and looks toward the future in the evolution and development of smartphone applications for the transportation sector. The primer provides an introduction and overview smartphone applications (known as “apps”); discusses the background, evolution, and development of smartphone apps; reviews the types of smartphone applications promoting transportation efficiency and congestion reduction; discusses transportation apps and their impacts on traveler behavior; examines current challenges; and concludes with guiding principles for public agencies. KW - Mobile applications KW - Mobility KW - Policy KW - Smartphones KW - State of the practice KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16023/fhwahop16023.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415732 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605546 AU - Shaheen, Susan AU - Cohen, Adam AU - Zohdy, Ismail AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Shared Mobility: Current Practices and Guiding Principles PY - 2016/04 SP - 120p AB - This primer provides an introduction and background to shared mobility; discusses the government’s role; reviews success stories; examines challenges, lessons learned, and proposed solutions; and concludes with guiding principles for public agencies. The primer provides an overview of current practices in this emerging field, and it also looks toward the future in the evolution and development of shared mobility. KW - Government agencies KW - Mobility KW - Policy KW - Ridesharing KW - State of the practice KW - Transportation planning KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16022/fhwahop16022.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604938 AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Codjoe, Julius AU - Mousa, Saleh AU - Jenkins, Syndney AU - Bonnette, Jennifer AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Counting Using Existing Video Detection Cameras PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 126p AB - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the video detection technologies currently adopted by the city of Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The main objective is to review the performance of Econolite Autoscope cameras in terms of their ability to detect data, ease of use, accessibility to data, security issues and cost. The final goal of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of this video detection technology in traffic data collection at signalized intersections in Baton Rouge and to judge the reliability of integrating the traffic count data from the Autoscopes into a database that could be used to supplement traffic count information at any time. In order to accomplish these tasks, a sample of intersections was selected for analysis from an inventory detailing each site’s traffic volume, lighting conditions, turning movements, camera mounting type, technology used, and geometric characteristics. Volume counts from the video detection technology (camera counts) were statistically compared against ground truth data (manual counts) by means of Multiple Logistic Regression and t-tests. Using these data, the capabilities of the existing video detection system was assessed to determine the quality of the data collected under various settings. The results of this research indicate that the performance of the Solo Terra Autoscopes was not consistent across the sample. Of the 20 intersections sampled, eight locations (40%) proved to show significant statistical differences between the camera and manual counts. The results of the regression analysis showed only lane configuration, time of day, and actual traffic volumes were statistically affecting the performance of the Autoscopes. According to supplemental t-test analysis on the time of day, the least accurate counts were recorded during the morning and afternoon peak hours and late at night. When testing based on traffic volume, the camera performance worsened as the traffic volume increased; when considering lane configuration, there were statistical differences for the through lanes, right lanes, and shared right/through lanes. Due to the fact that 60% of the sampled intersections (the remaining 12 out of the 20) provided reliable performance under high traffic volumes and during the same study period and weather conditions, the research team attributed the poor performance of some of the cameras to poor calibration and maintenance of the system. It was concluded that the recalibration of the Econolite Autoscopes can significantly enhance the performance of the video detection system, and it can therefore be considered a reliable means for traffic counting. KW - AUTOSCOPE (Video vehicle detection system) KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Data quality KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Louisiana KW - Signalized intersections KW - T test KW - Traffic counting KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-44FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416963 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603656 AU - Donnell, Eric AU - Wood, Jonathan AU - Eccles, Kimberly AU - VHB AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Continuous Green T Intersections PY - 2016/04 SP - 86p AB - The continuous green T (CGT) intersection is characterized by a channelized left-turn movement from the minor street approach onto the major street, along with a continuous through movement on the major street. The continuous through movement typically has a green through arrow indicator to inform drivers that they do not have to stop. Past research has consistently shown that there are operational and environmental benefits to implementing this intersection form at three-leg locations when compared with a conventional signalized T intersection. These benefits include reduced delay, fuel consumption, and emissions. The safety effects of the conventional signalized T intersection are less clear. Past research has been limited to a small sample of intersections in a single State and considered only comparisons in reported crashes between adjacent lanes on the major street approach (continuous flow versus the opposing through lanes). The study designs used in past safety research were limited to simple statistical comparisons using reported crash data. The present study overcomes past safety research evaluations by using a propensity scores-potential outcomes framework to compare the safety performance of the CGT with conventional signalized T intersections using 30 treatment and 38 comparison sites from Florida and 16 treatment and 21 comparison sites from South Carolina. The results showed that the expected total, fatal and injury, and target crash (rear-end, angle, and sideswipe) frequencies were lower at the CGT intersection relative to the conventional signalized T intersection (CMFs of 0.958 (95 percent confidence interval (CI) = 0.772–1.189), 0.846 (95 percent CI = 0.651–1.099), and 0.920 (95 percent CI = 0.714–1.185), respectively). Further, the benefit-cost analysis indicated that the CGT intersection is a cost-effective alternative to the traditional, signalized T intersection. The results of the safety evaluation were not statistically significant, likely due to a small sample of treatments. When considered in combination with the operational and environmental benefits, the CGT intersection appears to be a viable alternative intersection form, although anecdotal feedback from South Carolina and Florida indicate that some non-motorized users (pedestrians and bicyclists) find it challenging to cross the continuous flow through lanes on the major street approach when traffic volumes limit the number or size of available gaps. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash rates KW - Crash severity KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Florida KW - Green interval (Traffic signal cycle) KW - Signalized intersections KW - South Carolina KW - T intersections KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/16036/16036.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409559 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603651 AU - Theiss, LuAnn AU - Ullman, Gerald AU - Moinet, Amy AU - Battelle AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guide to Project Coordination for Minimizing Work Zone Mobility Impacts PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Under the Every Day Counts (EDC) program, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is promoting technologies and practices that can shorten the project delivery process, enhance durability and safety, reduce congestion, and improve environmental sustainability. The focus is on providing efficiency through technology and collaboration. This includes strategies for Project Coordination (PC) which can be applied to a single project, or more commonly, among multiple projects within a corridor, network, or region, and possibly across agency jurisdictions, to minimize work zone impacts and produce time and cost savings. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on implementing PC in the planning, design, and delivery phases of projects. It summarizes key steps for successfully implementing PC, using a systematic approach to meet a specific set of clearly defined objectives. The steps include: (1) establishing the PC vision, (2) developing details of how PC will occur, (3) educating and informing personnel and stakeholders, (4) implementing the PC process, and (5) refining the process. Two case studies are included to demonstrate successful application of the approach. KW - Case studies KW - Construction projects KW - Coordination KW - Implementation KW - Mobility KW - Project delivery KW - Stakeholders KW - Work zones UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16013/fhwahop16013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410338 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603648 AU - Nolan, Katie AU - Dietrich, Tom AU - McCabe, Mark AU - Gruver, Kathryn AU - Gresham, Smith and Partners AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Final Cost Benefit Analysis for Culvert Replacement PY - 2016/04 SP - 39p AB - Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) culvert database contains in excess of 83,000 culvert records, and ODOT needs to determine how best to use the culvert data to support cost-benefit decisions on appropriate replacement methods. Phase I (already completed) and Phase II (proposed) of this research will assist ODOT with implementing culvert replacement methods, and the cost-benefit analysis will be applied to the culvert database to assist with answering the following for ODOT: (1) What culverts in the database can be replaced by what method? (2) What was the process used to determine the replacement method? (3) What are the cost-benefits for each replacement methodology? KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Culverts KW - Databases KW - Maintenance practices KW - Ohio KW - Ohio Department of Transportation UR - http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p267401ccp2/id/13748 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411468 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603633 AU - Brookshire, Kristen AU - Sandt, Laura AU - Sundstrom, Carl AU - Thomas, Libby AU - Blomberg, Richard AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Advancing Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety: A Primer for Highway Safety Professionals PY - 2016/04 SP - 101p AB - Communities across the country are encouraging walking and biking to meet safety, health, livability, equity, and mobility goals. This primer is intended for highway safety professionals, including State Highway Safety Officials, as well as their partners and grantees, as a reference for an integrated and comprehensive effort to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and support broader transportation-related goals. The primer summarizes the most promising infrastructure treatments and behavioral programs available for addressing specific safety problems and highlights how these approaches can be combined and implemented. It identifies opportunities for various agencies to collaborate and combine their respective approaches and funding for a more comprehensive program. It also offers real-world examples of what States and local jurisdictions are doing to address pedestrian and bicycle issues in a comprehensive manner. Finally, the primer includes descriptions of key concepts and definitions of common terms and acronyms to help readers understand the essentials of pedestrian and bicycle safety issues when discussing and collaborating with diverse partners to develop comprehensive programs. KW - Bicycle safety KW - Case studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash data KW - Cyclists KW - Implementation KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812258-Peds_Bike_Primer.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603602 AU - Markiewicz, Alexandra AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Cooperative Freight Mobility Planning in the Greater Charlotte Region: A Regional Models of Cooperation Peer Exchange Summary Report PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This report summarizes the presentations, key themes, and recommendations identified at a Regional Models of Cooperation ( “Planes, Trains, & Semis: Keeping a Dynamic Economy on the Move: Greater Charlotte Regional Freight Mobility Plan”) peer exchange on November 13, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. With support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Planning, the Centralina Council of Governments (CCOG) hosted peers from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) in Cincinnati and the Broward County Metropolitan Planning Organization (Broward MPO) in South Florida. The purpose of the peer exchange was to share best practices in cooperative regional freight planning in order to inform the development of the Greater Charlotte Freight Mobility Plan. Regional Models of Cooperation is a program of the FHWA Every Day Counts 3 (EDC-3) initiative, co-led by the FHWA Office of Planning and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Office of Planning. KW - Best practices KW - Charlotte (North Carolina) KW - Cooperation KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Mobility KW - Peer exchange KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59174/RMOC_PeerExchange_Charlotte.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409716 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603592 JO - Technical Brief PB - Bureau of Transportation Statistics AU - Firestine, Theresa TI - Bike-Share Stations in the United States PY - 2016/04 SP - 5p AB - A total of 3,378 bike-share stations operate in 104 U.S cities. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS’) Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database (IPCD) provides the locations of U.S. bike-share stations and their connectivity levels to scheduled public passenger transportation modes. Of the 3,378 bike-share stations, 77.0 percent (2,600) connect to another scheduled public transportation mode within 1 block. These connections extend the transportation network by offering a means for reaching places with scheduled public transportation and a means for reaching destinations not served by scheduled public transportation. Transit bus is the most typical connection, with 74.9 percent (2531) of bike-share stations located a block or less from a transit bus stop. This document also looks at bike-share stations' connectivity to commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, and transit ferry. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database KW - Location KW - Passenger transportation KW - Public transit KW - United States KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Bike-Share%20Data_1.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412907 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603576 AU - Monty, Chelsea AU - Miller, Christopher M AU - Rodriguez, Alvaro AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - University of Akron TI - Evaluation of Cost Effective Protective Coatings for ODOT Snow & Ice Equipment PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 287p AB - Current estimates suggest that the United States loses over $220 billion dollars due to corrosion each year. The research results from this project further Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) effort to implement a corrosion prevention strategy that will increase public safety by preventing unexpected snow and ice equipment failures, decrease downtime, and provide cost savings through reduction in rust-related maintenance. Protective coatings could increase equipment lifetime and decrease maintenance costs, however, there is limited corrosion resistance performance data available. In this work, laboratory and in field testing were used in combination with cost-benefit analysis to identify cost-effective, field-tested coating systems. Based on these results, a draft standard operating procedure for coating equipment was developed proposing that extra features added to any new assembled dump truck should be painted with either Raptor or LCCOAT as a protective coating. Some of the parts to be coated include the rear hitch plate, hydraulics attachment plate assembly, front plow hoist/ frame/ bumper assembly, liquid deicer tank mounting hardware, and bed hoist subframe. Parts may be galvanized. Trucks in need of refurbishment should be stripped down (sandblasted, prepared and primed to industry standards) and painted to the specifications of the coating system. Trucks in no need of refurbishment should be maintained using visual inspection and coating reapplication where coating breakdown (exposed metal) occurs, in order to avoid the need for total refurbishment. Extra care should be taken to inspect the truck frame (front to back), bed hoist subframe, front plow hoist, front plow frame, front bumpers, rear hitch plate, liquid deicer tank mounting hardware, and hydraulics mounting plate assembly. KW - Anticorrosion coatings KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Dump trucks KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Maintenance equipment KW - Ohio KW - Rust prevention KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getdownloaditem/collection/p267401ccp2/id/13855/filename/13866.docx/title/Evaluation%20of%20cost%20effective%20protective%20coatings%20for%20ODOT%20snow%20&%20ice%20equipment/mapsto/showLink UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412565 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603542 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Digest of Impaired Driving and Selected Beverage Control Laws. Twenty-Ninth Edition. Current as of December 31, 2014. PY - 2016/04//29th Edition SP - 515p AB - This digest reports the status of State laws concerned with impaired driving offenses and alcoholic beverage control for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It is designed to be an easily accessible reference to all States’ current laws on alcohol and other issues related to impaired driving. The digest contains a selection of the most important laws pertaining to impaired driving. Each State entry includes: Basis for a DWI Offense; Chemical Breath Tests for Alcohol; Adjudication of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Charges; Sanctions; Pre and Post DWI Conviction Administrative Licensing Actions; Ignition Interlock; Sobriety Checkpoints; Homicide by Vehicle; DWI Offenses and Commercial Motor Vehicles; Driving While License Suspended for DWI; Habitual Traffic Offender Law; Other State Laws Related to Alcohol Use, including Minimum Age Alcohol Laws; Dram Shop and Social Host Laws; Establishments Serving Alcohol; Happy Hour Laws; Open Container Laws; and Alcohol Exclusion Laws. KW - Adjudication KW - Alcohol breath tests KW - Alcohol ignition interlock devices KW - Commercial drivers KW - Drinking establishments KW - Drunk drivers KW - Drunk driving KW - Legal drinking age KW - Sanctions KW - Sobriety checkpoints KW - State laws KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812267_2014-ImpairedDrivingDigest.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409637 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603503 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Ozer, Hasan AU - Al-Qadi, Imad AU - Harvey, John TI - Strategies for Improving the Sustainability of Asphalt Pavements PY - 2016/04 SP - 28p AB - This Tech Brief summarizes guidance to the pavement community on sustainability considerations for asphalt pavement systems, as presented in greater detail in the recently published Towards Sustainable Pavement Systems: A Reference Document (Federal Highway Administration 2015b). Sustainability considerations throughout the entire pavement life cycle are examined (from material extraction and processing through the design, construction, use, maintenance/rehabilitation, and end-of-life phases) and the importance of recognizing context sensitivity and assessing trade-offs in developing sustainable solutions is emphasized. This Tech Brief focuses exclusively on sustainability considerations associated with asphalt-surfaced pavement structures and the materials used in their construction. For the purposes of this document, all permanent surfaces constructed with asphalt concrete are generically referred to as “asphalt” pavements. The primary audience for this document is practitioners doing work within and for government transportation agencies, and it is intended for designers, maintenance, material and construction engineers, inspectors, and planners who are responsible for the design, construction and preservation of the nation’s highway network. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Environmental impacts KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Paving KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability/hif16012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410849 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603496 AU - Selezneva, O I AU - Ayres, M AU - Hallenbeck, M AU - Ramachandran, A AU - Shirazi, H AU - Von Quintus, H AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - MEPDG Traffic Loading Defaults Derived from Traffic Pooled Fund Study PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 210p AB - As part of traffic loading inputs, the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), Interim Edition: A Manual of Practice requires detailed axle loading information in the form of normalized axle load spectra (NALS), number of axle per truck class and axle group types, and axle spacing inputs. These data are obtained from weigh-in-motion (WIM) sites. The objective of this project was to evaluate the applicability of the existing MEPDG global traffic loading defaults and to use research-quality WIM data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Specific Pavement Studies (SPS) Traffic Data Collection pooled fund study to revise and improve the global default axle loading values. This report provides an assessment of the original MEPDG axle loading defaults, describes WIM data selection criteria, including data reliability assessment, presents findings from the LTPP SPS traffic pooled fund study traffic data review, describes a methodology to generate new MEPDG traffic loading defaults, and provides a description of the new traffic loading defaults and recommendations for their use. The report also discusses a sensitivity analysis of MEPDG pavement performance models to NALS. Significant differences found in the MEPDG outcomes support the need for axle loading characterization beyond a simple default value for heavy trucks that dominate vehicle class distributions, especially for class 9 trucks. The effect of WIM accuracy on axle weight measurements, NALS estimates, and the associated MEPDG outcomes was also investigated. It was found that drift in WIM system calibration leading to over 5 percent bias in mean error between true and WIM-measured axle weight could lead to significant differences in MEPDG design outcomes. In addition, two new statistical parameters were developed in this study: (1) a summary statistic used to describe traffic loads for comparison and grouping of similar NALS called the relative pavement performance impact factor and (2) a parameter used to quantify errors associated with NALS and to assess NALS reliability called the pooled weighted load error. KW - Axle loads KW - Data quality KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Methodology KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Specific Pavement Studies (LTPP) KW - Traffic loads KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/13090/13090.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409560 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600780 AU - Kevern, John AU - Rupnow, Tyson AU - Mulheron, Matt AU - Collier, Zachary AU - Icenogle, Patrick AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of the Fatigue and Toughness of Fiber Reinforced Concrete for use as a New Highway Pavement Design PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 74p AB - Concrete pavement design is currently centered on steel reinforcement, whether that reinforcement be in the form of dowel bars, as is the case in jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP), or in the form of continuous rebar reinforcement, continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). The use of steel in concrete pavements presents durability problems due to the corrodibility of steel. This study evaluates the use of polypropylene fibrillated, polypropylene macro, carbon, and steel fibers as primary reinforcement in concrete pavements. Results showed that fiber reinforcement can be used to improve both the fatigue and toughness performance of concrete. When post-cracked strength or toughness is the concern, concrete containing more fibers and fibers with higher tensile strength are desirable. Carbon fibers maintained greater load-carrying capacity at lower deflections than the steel fibers, which produced the greatest ductility. However, toughness and fatigue performance did not correlate for small deflections, suggesting that polypropylene macro fibers may be adequate for repeated, low stress loading. This study also found that when repeated low deflections are a concern, such as many pavements, there must be sufficient fibers across a crack to maintain a tight crack. Conversely, too many fibers prevent adequate consolidation and aggregate interlock, which negatively influences performance. When considering the precracked fatigue performance of fiber reinforcement, the fibers needed to have sufficient length to reach across the crack and bond with the concrete, and that higher fiber dosages increase the fatigue performance of the concrete. The resulting pavement design, continuously fiber reinforced concrete pavement (CFRCP), will provide an alternative to JPCP and CRCP in highway pavement design that is not susceptible to durability problems associated with corrosion of the reinforcement. KW - Deflection KW - Durability KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Fatigue tests KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement design KW - Toughness UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_559.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409216 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600776 AU - Axiom Corporation AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2011 PY - 2016/04 SP - 140p AB - As the first in a series of evaluations, the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Innovative Public Transportation Workforce Development Program report will evaluate award recipients in federal fiscal year 2011. As a component of the current Administration’s Ladders of Opportunities initiative, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and FTA have made workforce development a central area of focus. With the ever-increasing deployment of new technologies and an aging workforce, transit operators across the U.S. are faced with a human capital and knowledge capacity gap. This evaluation report will help provide an overview of the first round of FTA-funded workforce projects, providing important best practices and lessons learned for other transit operators. KW - Best practices KW - Education and training KW - Evaluation KW - Grant aid KW - Labor force KW - Personnel development KW - Public transit KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Report_No._0094.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409211 ER - TY - SER AN - 01600772 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Snyder, Mark B AU - Van Dam, Tom AU - Roesler, Jeff AU - Harvey, John TI - Strategies for Improving the Sustainability of Concrete Pavements PY - 2016/04 SP - 28p AB - This Tech Brief summarizes guidance to the pavement community on sustainability considerations for concrete pavement systems, as presented in greater detail in the recently published Towards Sustainable Pavement Systems: A Reference Document (Federal Highway Administration 2015). Sustainability considerations throughout the entire pavement life cycle are examined (from material extraction and processing through the design, construction, use, maintenance/rehabilitation, and end-of-life phases) and the importance of recognizing context sensitivity and assessing trade-offs in developing sustainable solutions is emphasized. This Tech Brief focuses exclusively on sustainability considerations associated with concrete-surfaced pavement structures and the materials used in their construction. For the purposes of this document, all permanent surfaces constructed with hydraulic cement concrete are generically referred to as “concrete” pavements. The primary audience for this document is practitioners doing work within and for government transportation agencies, and it is intended for designers, maintenance, material and construction engineers, inspectors, and planners who are responsible for the design, construction and preservation of the nation’s highway network. KW - Admixtures KW - Best practices KW - Concrete pavements KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Paving materials KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability/hif16013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408864 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600771 AU - Roelofs, Tina AU - Preisen, Linda AU - Helgeson-Athey, Carla AU - Athey Creek Consultants AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Measures and Reporting for International Border Crossings PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 64p AB - There are several international borders shared among the ENTERPRISE Pooled Fund Study members (Washington State Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Michigan Department of Transportation, Ministry of Transportation Ontario, and Texas Department of Transportation). These agencies had a shared interest in learning the roles, practices, and technologies for managing traffic in relation to performance measures at international border crossings. To accomplish the objectives of the project, an online search of organizations involved with managing border crossings was conducted. A summary of the current status of U.S. national goal areas were also documented related to border crossings. ENTERPRISE members’ roles in and practices with performance management at international border crossings were explored. Online research and interviews were conducted to document ENTERPRISE members’ performance management roles, practices, and needs at border crossings including how they currently interact with federal agencies and other entities that deal with transportation management at borders. This also included investigating intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies, such as wait time measurement systems and traveler information mechanisms, used for performance management at border crossings. In addition, coordination opportunities to share project findings with border crossing organizations were identified and documented. KW - Coordination KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - International borders KW - Performance measurement KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - http://enterprise.prog.org/Projects/2013/performancemeasures/ENT_PerfMeasatBorderCrossings_FINALReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59241/ENT_PerfMeasatBorderCrossings_FINALReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409377 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599880 AU - Chien, Steven AU - Zhao, Liuhui AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating the Effectiveness of Traffic Diversion and Managed Lanes on Highway Work Zones PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Temporary work zones (TWZs) have become the second largest contributor to the non-recurring delay of U.S. highways, causing nearly 24 % of all non-recurring delay and 10 % of overall delay. Efficient traffic management in vicinity of a TWZ may greatly reduce the total cost attributed to this delay, including user and agency costs. Therefore, it is desirable to develop an accurate model to assist in evaluating the impact of traffic diversion and managed lanes (i.e. the use of road shoulders) and alternatives for mitigating congestion. The objective of this study is to develop a mathematical model that can be used to quantify impacts of planned traffic diversion and managed lanes for TWZs on multi-lane highways, considering prevailing road capacity, and time-varying traffic volumes. The findings of this study would be useful in developing decision support guidance on alternative strategy selection to mitigate traffic congestion caused by a work zone. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway capacity KW - Managed lanes KW - Mathematical models KW - Multilane highways KW - Traffic diversion KW - Traffic volume KW - Work zone traffic control UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-051-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407828 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599878 AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated TI - Operationalizing Sustainable Transportation and FHWA’s INVEST Operations & Maintenance Implementation – 2nd Annual Arizona Department of Transportation Sustainable Transportation Program Final Report PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 126p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST) to aid transportation agencies in integrating environmental, economic, and social sustainability objectives into programs and projects. The tool, which as stated in its name is voluntary, scores agencies based on adherence to a set of best practices across different disciplines. It includes four modules: Systems Planning, Project Development, and Operations and Maintenance (OM). This report focuses solely on the OM module. As part of a pilot application, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) conducted scoring workshops for the 14 sustainability criteria constituting the OM module. The criteria, which are detailed subsequently, cover both internal operations and infrastructure operations and maintenance. For each criterion, the ADOT project team facilitated discussions with relevant ADOT subject matter experts. Generally, the dozens of participants were the most senior practitioners within their respective subject areas. The discussions—most of which were held in person at ADOT Headquarters in Phoenix—involved from one to five participants and typically required one hour. This report summarizes the estimated scores for each criterion, based on the aforementioned discussions and includes brief scoring explanations. ADOT achieved an independently scored 142 points out of a possible 210—sufficient to achieve Platinum status, INVEST’s highest rating. The exercise further strengthened ADOT’s understanding of sustainability best practices and helped identify opportunities for improvement. This report also summarizes resulting recommendations aimed at further enhancing the sustainability of ADOT’s OM activities and provides suggestions to FHWA for enhancing and improving INVEST, which is an evolving tool. KW - Arizona Department of Transportation KW - Best practices KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - Infrastructure KW - Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST) KW - Maintenance KW - Operations KW - Recommendations KW - Sustainable transportation UR - https://www.sustainablehighways.org/files/3447.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408159 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599866 AU - Gautreau, Gavin P AU - Abu-Farsakh, Murad AU - Cooper, Samuel B AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Evaluation of Roller Integrated Intelligent Compaction Monitoring PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 520p AB - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) conducted a demonstration project evaluating intelligent compaction (IC) technology. The project selected a project site and developed specifications, which allowed and incorporated the IC rollers on the project. The research shadowed the normal acceptance process, collecting roller integrated compaction monitoring (RICM) data from each pavement layer as measurement passes (soil) and compaction passes for hot mix asphalt (HMA). Standard specifications and quality assurance acceptance testing governed the project. Research testing supplemented the standard acceptance testing conducted by District 03. The DOTD IC specification went through the competitive bidding process and produced a wide range of cost numbers. The item for the soil roller had a range of bids from $15,000 to $95,000. The item for the asphalt roller had a range in bids from $7,000 to $100,000. The range may be attributed to the knowledge and familiarity (or lack of) within Louisiana regarding the intelligent compaction technology. This project sought to increase the knowledge base in Louisiana. Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC) therefore hosted a Showcase on the pilot project, which provided presentations from researchers, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and manufacturers. The project was well attended and well received. Manufacturer equipment and software training/support are critical to the success of an IC project, which includes good communication throughout. In this case, the contractor had relationships with each roller manufacturer, and LTRC was able to interact with roller and manufacturer. Initial setup of roller and global positioning system (GPS) connections was a challenge with both project rollers, as LTRC local roller representatives and the contractor were generally learning about the details of the technology for the first time. National roller representatives were helpful, but could not be on site at all times. The contractor’s survey staff became proficient in the two systems; and needed GPS knowledge; capable, accurate, and reliable GPS equipment; as well as the ability to connect properly and effectively with the rollers’ on-board software. Contractor roller operators can adjust patterns and time based on real-time reactions, and the roller display can show and track coverage, passes, and compaction effort (measurement values) hopefully speeding production and assisting with quality control. Weak areas can be identified for rework. Departments of Transportation benefit from continuous coverage records (vs. point tests at roughly 1000-ft. spacing), and accelerated construction through the contractor’s IC use (appropriate passes/energy). The technology promotes consistent and uniform pavement layers that can be visually verified. The recommendations include (1) recommend that the contracting community examine and evaluate the benefits of each IC roller system, and hopefully utilize a system to increase confidence, consistency, quality, and efficiency in production; (2) continue to promote the technology to the contracting community will help spread knowledge regarding these systems and the potential benefits they offer; (3) reevaluate the specification in the future as the technology becomes more mainstream; and (4) delay implementing quality assurance and acceptance standards via DOTD through the use of these rollers in Louisiana, but consider additional projects and presentations to increase knowledge within the contracting community. KW - Compaction KW - Contractors KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Intelligent compaction KW - Louisiana KW - Recommendations KW - Rollers KW - Specifications KW - Technology assessment UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_555.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408161 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599763 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Speeding PY - 2016/04 SP - 7p AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers a crash to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if a police officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. In this fact sheet the 2014 information on speeding-related data in fatal crashes is presented in the following order: Overview; Driver Characteristics; Alcohol; Restraint Use; Environmental Characteristics; and Speeding-Related Fatalities by State. KW - Age groups KW - Drivers KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Seat belt use KW - Speeding KW - States KW - Traffic crashes KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812265.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407791 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599761 JO - Traffic Safety Facts PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: State Alcohol-Impaired-Driving Estimates PY - 2016/04 SP - 13p AB - This fact sheet contains estimates of driver alcohol involvement in fatal crashes for the United States and individually for the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Estimates for Puerto Rico are not included in the national estimates. Data from the current year (2014) and 10 years ago (2005) are presented for comparison. These estimates are based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). In this fact sheet, the 2005 and 2014 State alcohol-impaired-driving estimates are presented as follows: Alcohol-Impaired Definitions and Explanations; Missing FARS Alcohol Data; and State-by-State Data Tables. The State-by-State Data Tables are as follows: (1) Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities, by State and Highest Driver BAC in the Crash, 2005; (2) Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities, by State and Highest Driver BAC in the Crash, 2014; (3) Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes, by State and BAC of the Driver, 2005; (4) Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes, by State and BAC of the Driver, 2014; (5) BAC Test Status for Drivers Involved in Fatal Traffic Crashes, by State, 2005 and 2014; (6) Driver Fatalities, by State and BAC Test Status, 2005; (7) Driver Fatalities, by State and BAC Test Status, 2014; (8) Surviving Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes, by State and BAC Test Status, 2005; (9) Surviving Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes, by State and BAC Test Status, 2014; and (10) Percentage of Fatalities in Alcohol-Impaired-Driving Crashes and Percentage of Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes with BACs of .08 or Higher, by Region and State, 2005 and 2014. KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Drunk drivers KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - Puerto Rico KW - States KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812264.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407792 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599327 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2014 Data: Occupant Protection PY - 2016/04 SP - 7p AB - When seat belt use is examined for the Nation, not limited to fatal crash data, the use rate was 87 percent in 2014. In 2005 the national seat belt use rate was 82 percent. This information comes from the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) which is the only survey that provides nationwide probability-based observed data on seat belt use in the United States. In 2014, there were 21,022 occupants of passenger vehicles killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of these 21,022 occupants, 9,958 (51%) were known to be restrained. Looking at only occupants where the restraint status was known, 49 percent were unrestrained at the time of the crash. Restraint use was not known for 1,679 occupants. The proportion of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes has decreased from 2005 to 2014. Among passenger vehicle occupants killed, when restraint use was known, the percentage of unrestrained deaths decreased by 6 percentage points from 55 percent in 2005 to 49 percent in 2014. Additional data presented in this report includes restraint use and age, gender, seating position, and vehicle type. Additional sections include: seat belt use and benefits, child restraint use and benefits, frontal air bag use and benefits, belt use by State and restraint use laws. KW - Age groups KW - Air bags KW - Child restraint systems KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Seat belt use KW - State laws KW - States KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812262.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407000 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599321 AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Construction Stormwater Field Guide SN - 9781560516125 PY - 2016/04 SP - 97p AB - Construction sites can be a source of sediment and other pollutants to waterways. Best management practices (BMPs) are devices and activities that reduce or eliminate pollution sources and can include silt fences, settling basins, and even training. This guide is a quick reference for inspectors and resident engineers in construction on topics related to installation, maintenance, and inspection of common BMPs. Using this guide helps departments of transportation (DOTs) stay in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations for improving stormwater quality and provides guidance where local publications may currently be lacking. This publication includes discussion of BMPs, organized by their use. Categorization of BMPs may vary from state to state; however the basic recommendations for field implementation remain consistent. The information presented in this guide is based on techniques and control measures considered generally effective in many areas of the country. This guide is not meant to be a design manual or pollution prevention plan, nor is it meant to supersede, substitute, or make more stringent well-defined practices or regulatory standards. KW - Best practices KW - Construction sites KW - Handbooks KW - Inspection KW - Installation KW - Maintenance KW - Runoff KW - Water quality management UR - http://environment.transportation.org/pdf/field_guides/field_guide_construction_stormwater.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406457 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599287 AU - Scopatz, Robert A AU - Zhou, Yuying AU - VHB Engineering NC, P.C. AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Effect of Electronic Device Use on Pedestrian Safety: A Literature Review PY - 2016/04 SP - 67p AB - This literature review on the effect of electronic device use on pedestrian safety is part of a research project sponsored by the Office of Behavioral Safety Research in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). An extensive literature review was conducted and summarized into three sections: pedestrian distraction, driver distraction, and pedestrian-vehicle interactions. Within each section, the findings were further divided into several subsections based on the study methodologies, such as naturalistic observations, simulation, laboratory, or crash database analysis. It was discovered that a very limited number of studies have investigated the effect of electronic device use by pedestrians and drivers on pedestrian safety. Even fewer naturalistic observation studies have been performed. Furthermore, most previous studies focus primarily on cell phone use, but the discussion regarding other types of electronic devices is missing. In conclusion, the review illustrates that there is a need to conduct naturalistic observations of the effect of electronic device use on pedestrian distraction and safety. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Literature reviews KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Traffic conflicts UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812256-EffectElectronicDeviceUsePedestrianSafety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406500 ER - TY - SER AN - 01599284 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tack Coat Best Practices PY - 2016/04 SP - 17p AB - This Technical Brief provides an overview of tack coats and their vital role bonding multiple asphalt layers into one monolithic system. Poor tack coat techniques result in compromised bonding of the asphalt layers. This leads to pavement distresses. Possible slippage cracking and delamination are associated with poor bonding. Additionally, poor bonding can lead to structural distresses, namely fatigue cracking and potholes. Often this lack of sufficient bonding is not recognized as the source of failures. This document includes a literature review and sections on structural design, tack coat costs, tack coat materials, best practices, application calculations, and contract language. KW - Best practices KW - Bonding KW - Contract administration KW - Costs KW - Literature reviews KW - Materials KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Tack coats UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/asphalt/pubs/hif16017.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406845 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599272 AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Risk Factors in Severity of Rural Truck Crashes PY - 2016/04 SP - 38p AB - Trucks are a vital part of the logistics system in North Dakota. Recent energy developments have generated exponential growth in the demand for truck services. With increased density of trucks in the traffic mix, it is reasonable to expect some increase in the number of crashes. Analysis shows however, that the crash-injury risk associated with trucks cannot be explained solely with the traffic growth. Recent crash data has been analyzed to better understand characteristics and contributing factors in truck-involved crash events. Comparisons of truck-involved crashes to those not involving trucks show aspects of the crashes differ. In addition, multivariate models of three driver groups were defined, including truck drivers in multiple-vehicle crashes, other vehicle drivers in multiple-vehicle crashes, and truck drivers in single-vehicle crashes. Results reveal several predictors significantly associated with an increased likelihood for severe driver injury outcomes. Seat belt use was a significant predictor for severe injury likelihood in all models. Failure to stop or yield, rollover event, multiple truck involvement, curves and intersections were associated with increased likelihood for severe injury to truck drivers. Severe injury to other drivers in truck-involved crashes was associated with alcohol or drug involvement, head-on and sideswipe collisions, rollover event, weather and distracted driving. Findings largely were consistent with previous findings indicating some differences among driver group injury predictors. Understanding factors associated with increased likelihood for severe injury by driver group can encourage targeted interventions and countermeasures, which will them improve safety by reducing incidence of severe injury crashes involving trucks. Insight into truck crashes may allow drivers and businesses to identify areas for safety performance improvement. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash data KW - Crash severity KW - Data analysis KW - Drivers KW - Injury severity KW - Multiple vehicle crashes KW - North Dakota KW - Rural areas KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - Truck crashes UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc16-308.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59354/mpc16-308.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599270 AU - Bertini, Robert L AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Borkowitz, Todd M AU - Wong, Derek H AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2015 Automated Vehicle Literature Review as Part of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicle/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenarios PY - 2016/04//Task 2 Report SP - 132p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume contains a literature review and annotated bibliography regarding policy and technical questions about the potential for introducing automated vehicles in the state for research and testing purposes. This includes a discussion of the history and development of automated vehicles for highway use as well as a discussion of the relationship between automated and connected vehicles and the potential for integrating the two technologies. The review also includes an analysis along twelve Oregon-specific dimensions related to specific question about the potential introduction of automated vehicles in Oregon. These dimensions include: liability, implementation, privacy, cyber security, governance, risk, certification, data, legislation, deployment approach, financing and sustainability. KW - Bibliographies KW - History KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Policy KW - Recommendations KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR764_Task2_Lit_Review_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407017 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599258 AU - Phares, Brent AU - Hosteng, Travis AU - Greimann, Lowell AU - Pakhale, Anmol AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of Techniques for Accelerating the Construction of Bridge Deck Overlays PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 94p AB - Use of bridge deck overlays is important in maximizing bridge service life. Overlays can replace the deteriorated part of the deck, thus extending the bridge life. Even though overlay construction avoids the construction of a whole new bridge deck, construction still takes significant time in re-opening the bridge to traffic. Current processes and practices are time-consuming and multiple opportunities may exist to reduce overall construction time by modifying construction requirements and/or materials utilized. Reducing the construction time could have an effect on reducing the socioeconomic costs associated with bridge deck rehabilitation and the inconvenience caused to travelers. This work included three major tasks with literature review, field investigation, and laboratory testing. Overlay concrete mix used for present construction takes long curing hours and therefore an investigation was carried out to find fast-curing concrete mixes that could reduce construction time. Several fast-curing concrete mixes were found and suggested for further evaluation. An on-going overlay construction project was observed and documented. Through these observations, several opportunities were suggested where small modifications in the process could lead to significant time savings. With current standards of the removal depth of substrate concrete in Iowa, it takes long hours for the removal process. Four different laboratory tests were performed with different loading conditions to determine the necessary substrate concrete removal depth for a proper bond between the substrate concrete and the new overlay concrete. Several parameters, such as failure load, bond stress, and stiffness, were compared for four different concrete removal depths. Through the results and observations of this investigation several conclusions were made which could reduce bridge deck overlay construction time. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete curing KW - Iowa KW - Laboratory tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/198/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406456 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599246 AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Maintenance Stormwater Field Guide SN - 9781560516330 PY - 2016/04 SP - 68p AB - Highways and other transportation-related sites can be a source of sediment and other pollutants to rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Best management practices (BMPs) can be used by maintenance workers to reduce the discharge of pollutants from highway storm drain systems. The intent of this guide is to be a quick reference for maintenance staff on topics related to BMP inspection and common operational practices. Good housekeeping and other pollution source control measures are presented. Using the tips in this guide will help in complying with federal and state regulations for stormwater quality. It will also help achieve a greater level of environmental stewardship. This guide is not a design manual or a substitute for a pollution prevention plan. This publication includes descriptions of BMPs and how to maintain them. It is organized based on common highway and facility operational practices. Oftentimes a single BMP can be used for many different operations (e.g., street sweeping can be part of normal road maintenance, cleanup required after winter application of sand, and specialized bridge maintenance practices). The information presented in this guide is based on techniques and control measures considered generally effective in many areas of the country. Local conditions may require that the practices discussed in this guide be altered, or used with other measures. This guide may also be augmented by Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to provide more information to suit local practices and field conditions. The information provided for each BMP includes maintenance frequencies and performance standards. In all cases, this information is to provide guidance specific to highway and DOT facility operation. In no case is such information meant to supersede, substitute for, or make more stringent well-defined practices or regulatory standards. KW - Best practices KW - Handbooks KW - Inspection KW - Maintenance KW - Regulations KW - Runoff KW - Water quality management UR - http://environment.transportation.org/pdf/field_guides/field_guide_maintenance_stormwater.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406458 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599240 AU - Bertini, Robert L AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Vogt, Rachel AU - Wahid, Merih AU - Rios, Elizabeth AU - Carstens, Kevin AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Internal ODOT Survey on Attitudes and Readiness for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles as Part of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicles/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenarios PY - 2016/04//Task 1 Report SP - 71p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume summarizes the results of a detailed internal-only assessment and inventory of current technical and “cultural” status of ODOT activities and gain sense of interest and readiness for potential alignment with potential applications and the future of connected and automated vehicles. A survey was distributed to agency staff in order to gauge perception of connected and automated vehicle technology. The empirical results of the survey are described in detail. In general, most respondents had heard of these technologies and were in favor of their application. However, many had concerns about cyber security and system failure having catastrophic consequences. Likewise, many voiced concerns about ODOT’s preparedness for connected or automated vehicles. ODOT and other agencies can use these findings to help prepare for a better future of connected and automated vehicles. KW - Attitudes KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Surveys UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR764_Task_1_Report_032816.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407018 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599238 AU - Lane, Susan AU - Kleinhans, Danielle AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Concrete Bridge Council TI - FHWA LTBP Summary—National Changes in Bridge Practices for Reinforcing Bars PY - 2016/04//Summary Report SP - 12p AB - This study was conducted as part of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program in conjunction with the National Concrete Bridge Council. The LTBP Program is a long-term research effort, authorized by the U.S. Congress under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users to collect high-quality bridge data from a representative sample of highway bridges nationwide that will help the bridge community better understand bridge performance. The LTBP Program is collecting field data from bridges constructed from 1960 to the present. Nationally, bridge technologies have changed, and new innovations have arisen so that the state-of-the-art for bridge engineering has advanced. It is important to record when these innovations and changes in bridge technology occur in order to better interpret and understand why the performance data may differ for bridges built from 1960 to the present. This summary report discusses the changes in bridge practice— both technology changes and innovations—for reinforcing steel for concrete bridge members. KW - Bridge members KW - Concrete bridges KW - History KW - Long-Term Bridge Performance Program KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/ltbp/16012/16012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407252 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599235 AU - Nair, Harikrishnan AU - Ozyildirim, Celik AU - Sprinkel, Michael M AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Bridge Deck With Shrinkage-Compensating Concrete PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 31p AB - Concrete bridge decks are susceptible to premature cracking and to corrosion of reinforcing steel. Low-permeability concrete does not always ensure durability if the concrete has excessive cracks that facilitate the intrusion of aggressive solutions. Cracks in concrete can occur when a restrained mass of concrete changes volume including drying shrinkage because of water loss. These types of shrinkage cracks can be counteracted with the use of shrinkage-compensating concrete (SC concrete). SC concrete is expansive cement concrete that when properly restrained by reinforcement can expand an amount equal to or slightly greater than the anticipated drying shrinkage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of SC concrete using Type K expansive cement in reducing cracks in bridge decks. The bridge deck on the Route 613 Bridge over the South Fork Shenandoah River in Warren County in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Staunton District was selected for study. Restrained length change bar specimens showed expansion until the 7-day moist curing period (when tested in accordance with ASTM C878). The results showed that a bridge deck with fewer transverse cracks than typically found in decks constructed with Type I/II cement can be constructed with Type K cement concrete. There were several longitudinal cracks (reflective cracks) caused by the differential movement of the beams at the keyway that could not be prevented by the use of SC concrete. No special construction equipment or techniques are required for satisfactory placement of SC concrete, but slump loss under hot weather conditions is a more serious problem in SC concrete than in normal portland cement concrete. Hence, for successful placement of Type K cement concrete, sufficient prior planning and proper mix design development are needed. Another concern is the availability and cost of Type K cement since it is not routinely used. KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation KW - Expansive concrete KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r15.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59285/16-r15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406694 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599225 AU - Watkins, Kari E AU - LeDantec, Chris AU - Misra, Aditi AU - Asad, Mariam AU - Mingus, Charlene AU - Bearn, Cary AU - Poznanski, Alex AU - Guo, Anhong AU - Ammanamanchi, Rohit AU - Gentry, Vernon AU - Gooze, Aaron AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Using Crowdsourcing to Prioritize Bicycle Network Improvements PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 217p AB - Effort to improve the bicycle route network using crowdsourced data is a powerful means of incorporating citizens in infrastructure improvement decisions, which will improve livability by maximizing the benefit of the bicycle infrastructure funding and empowering citizens to be more active in transportation decisions. This research developed a free, GPS-enabled smartphone application to collect socio-demographic and route data of cyclists in Atlanta. The crowdsourced data were then used to model the factors influencing bicycle route choices of different types of cyclists as defined by their perceived safety and comfort with a facility. Finally, this research refined a quality-of-service measure for bicyclists based on the perceived level of traffic stress (LTS) that the users attach to the facility. The developed quality-of-service measure can be used by transportation professionals to compare alternative roadway and bikeway designs using quantifiable variables such as speed limit, traffic volume, and number of through lanes. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Crowdsourcing KW - Cyclists KW - Data collection KW - Decision making KW - Demographics KW - Global Positioning System KW - Mobile applications KW - Route choice KW - Transportation planning UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/14-39.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406655 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599221 AU - Tsai, Yichang (James) AU - Wang, Zhaohua AU - Georgia Institute of Technology AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Remote Sensing and GIS-Enabled Highway Asset Management System PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 463p AB - The objective of this project is to validate the use of commercial remote sensing and spatial information (CRS&SI) technologies, including emerging 3D line laser imaging technology, mobile LiDAR, image processing algorithms, and global positioning system/geographic information system (GPS/GIS) technologies, to improve the transportation asset data collection, condition assessment, and management. Traffic sign asset and pavement asset were used for validation. For sign asset, an enhanced procedure for sign inventory was proposed; a large-scale case study was conducted on I-285; a preliminary study has been done to evaluate sign retroreflectivity using mobile LiDAR; and a prototype GIS-based sign management system was developed. The research results show that using the automatic image-processing-based sign detection and recognition algorithms and the LiDAR-based sign detection can improve the current time-consuming image-based traffic sign data collection process. For pavement asset, comprehensive validation has been done on network-level rutting measurement and isolated rutting detection; an innovative method was developed to evaluate the performance of an automatic crack detection algorithm; comprehensive lab and field tests have been done to validate the capability of 3D laser data for asphalt pavement crack detection; and a crack propagation study has also been done using the long-term monitoring data. Based on the research results, conclusions were made and recommendations were suggested. KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Flaw detection KW - Geographic information systems KW - Georgia KW - Global Positioning System KW - Image processing KW - Laser radar KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Remote sensing KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Rutting KW - Traffic signs UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/10-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407014 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599216 AU - Hale, Mark AU - Koros, Anton AU - CSSI, Incorporated AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Wildlife Surveillance Concept-Avian Radar Knowledge Elicitation Activity 1 PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 75p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Concept Development and Validation Branch held a Knowledge Elicitation Activity (KEA) for the Wildlife Surveillance Concept (WiSC) in February 2014. The purpose of this activity, which was funded by the FAA Airport Technology Research and Development Branch, was to elicit information from stakeholders. The researchers convened a panel of certified professional controllers, front line managers, and commercial airline pilots to learn how they currently handle bird threat information and their perspectives on the potential introduction of supplemental bird threat information into the air traffic control (ATC) environment via airport avian radar systems. This KEA served as the first in a series of research activities aimed at maturing the WiSC and gathering information to prepare the Concept of Operations document. The purpose of this report is to provide an in-depth summary of the KEA and its findings. Participants reviewed and validated five common operational situations depicting how bird threat information is managed and disseminated today and the changes that might be anticipated with the introduction of more precise and timely bird threat information. In addition, participants provided feedback on notional graphical and textual display options for providing this supplemental information on ATC displays. All participants confirmed the value of integrating more timely and precise supplemental bird threat information into the ATC environment. In addition, they identified areas requiring further investigation. For example, they suggested research is needed to quantify the potential benefit of supplemental bird threat information on aviation safety, to ensure that controller and pilot workload levels and performance are not adversely impacted by the new information, and to ensure that the new information is optimally integrated into the ATC operational environment. KW - Air pilots KW - Air traffic control KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Aviation safety KW - Bird strikes KW - Birds KW - Information display systems KW - Information dissemination KW - Information management KW - Stakeholders UR - http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=4eedc8ad-1665-4b30-a651-d56b7ffd9a22&f=TC-16-28.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407019 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599208 AU - Gopu, Vijaya AU - Balaguru, P N AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Repair of Morganza Spillway Bridge Bent Pile Cap Using Carbon Fiber Reinforcement (CFR) PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 59p AB - The pile cap of an end bent of the Morganza Spillway Bridge suffered extensive damage at the girder bearing locations, particularly on the side where the pounding of the girders by the adjacent concrete deck located on the approach side of the bent. The primary repair of the damaged pile cap and the replacement of the bearing plates were completed by the contractor working on the project. Structural grade high-adhesive material epoxy concrete was utilized to patch the damaged areas of the pile cap. In similar repairs conducted earlier, the repair under the bearing plates delaminated. Therefore, the repaired areas of the pile cap, namely the bearing plate locations, were strengthened by preventing delamination of the repair material by confining it with high modulus carbon composite wrapping. An inorganic polymer coating that provides UV protection and prevention of deterioration was applied to the entire pile cap surface. This coating also has self-cleaning properties that will prevent and eliminate the growth of any mold or mildew and deposits of organic materials. The project was conducted to demonstrate the application of high strength composites for rehabilitation of transportation infrastructure. Overall, the project was a complete success. The systems cured within 24 hours and rain on the second day of the repair process had no ill effects on the system. There was no distress of any kind in either the repair zone or the coating during the entire two-year monitoring period. Because the system is inorganic, it is expected to function properly for 10 to 30 years. This composite has shown long-term durability as the first application was 20 years ago and is still performing well with no distress. Even debris that came through the construction expansion joint did not scratch or damage the coated surface. This project also provided an opportunity to demonstrate the self-cleaning properties of the coating. The uncoated surface (behind the scaffolding during the repair) was covered with mold and mildew growth, whereas the coated surface was completely clean. Preparation of the resin and placement of the carbon reinforcement was easily carried out by students and therefore trained personnel, such as Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) maintenance crews, can easily use this coating and resin systems for future applications. KW - Composite materials KW - Durability KW - Fiber composites KW - Louisiana KW - Pile caps KW - Plastic coatings KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Repairing UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_552.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407004 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599191 AU - Silvestri-Dobrovolny, Chiara AU - Prodduturu, Harika Reddy AU - Arrington, Dusty AU - Schulz, Nathan D AU - Rupp, Jonathan AU - Hu, Jingwen AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Project Investigation on Correlation between Roadside Safety Hardware and Vehicle Safety Standards Evaluation Criteria PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 148p AB - Roadside safety devices are designed to protect vehicle occupants from injuries. As the purpose of roadside safety hardware is to be functional while minimizing the risk of occupant injury, the occupant risk criteria are vital to the assessment of these devices. The Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) specifies guidelines for crash tests and gives evaluation criteria for safety devices. Per MASH, the risk of injury to the occupant is assessed based on the concept of flail space model. The occupant impact velocity and occupant ridedown acceleration are used for assessing the injury criteria of an occupant. It is assumed that the model is an unrestrained point mass that can move as a free missile. There is growing use of restraints such as seatbelts and airbags. Hence, attempts are made in this study to assess real-world occupant injury risk associated with current MASH criteria using crash tests performed with instrumented anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) and comparing them with injury criteria provided by U.S. New Car Assessment Program (US-NCAP) regulations. Finite element models for a passenger car, passive restraint systems (seatbelt and airbags), and ATDs were calibrated against a full-scale frontal crash test. The crash test was conducted with a passenger car impacting a rigid wall at a 90-degree angle and with 35 mph impact speed. The vehicle was instrumented according to MASH requirements, and an instrumented ATD was included as required by US-NCAP standards. The full-scale crash test was designed to replicate to the maximum extent possible testing criteria from MASH and US-NCAP testing standards. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Crash injury research KW - Dummies KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Finite element method KW - Impact tests KW - New Car Assessment Program KW - Occupant protection devices UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-Center-Final-Research-Report-Silvestri-ATLAS-2016-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406531 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599178 AU - Wang, Zhaohua AU - Tsai, Yichang (James) AU - Georgia Institute of Technology AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Exploration of Using GDOT’s Existing Videolog Images and Pavement Surface Imaging Data to Support Statewide Maintenance Practices PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 101p AB - Videolog and pavement imaging data is a valuable asset that has supported the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and enable it to fulfill the requirements of its Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS). To maximize the return on investment, GDOT is seeking to utilize the existing videolog and pavement imaging data for extracting roadway asset data that is indispensable for supporting the statewide asset management and maintenance programs. For this purpose, this research project explored the utilization of GDOT’s existing videolog and pavement imaging data for extracting guardrails, rumble strips, and traffic signs. Image-processing-based algorithms were developed, which were tested using both GDOT’s videolog images and the data collected by using the Georgia Tech Sensing Vehicle (GTSV). In the meantime, through the comprehensive investigation and analysis of GDOT’s existing data and the exploration results, suggestions were made for data specification and data quality control that can be added to GDOT’s existing requirements for future outsourcing contracts. Therefore, the data could be better utilized to support the statewide asset management and maintenance in the future. KW - Algorithms KW - Asset management KW - Data quality KW - Georgia KW - Guardrails KW - Highway maintenance KW - Image analysis KW - Image processing KW - Rumble strips KW - Traffic signs KW - Video UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/14-22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407013 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598930 AU - Stewart, Monique AU - Parker, Lloyd AU - T. White Parker Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Railroad Industry Modal Profile: An Outline of the Railroad Industry Workforce Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities - Update PY - 2016/04//Technical Report SP - 41p AB - In 2011, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) published the first edition of the “Railroad Industry Modal Profile: An Outline of the Railroad Industry Workforce Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities” in response to the Department of Transportation (DOT) National Transportation Workforce Initiative. The profile provided a comprehensive assessment of the railroad workforce and identified six key workforce challenges facing the industry at that time. Since the initial publication, the profile has been widely used as a source of information and insight regarding railroad industry workforce development. Thus, the FRA Office of RD&T determined that it should be updated periodically to reflect the latest industry trends, issues, and best practices. Recently, the FRA Office of RD&T conducted another analysis to gauge the current and future state of the industry’s workforce based on available quantitative employment data and industry stakeholder dialogs, which led to the identification of the following key workforce challenges. Although it is not the FRA’s intent to solve these challenges, the FRA continues to foster industry collaboration to increase the visibility of key issues and innovative workforce development initiatives. KW - Age KW - Diversity in the workplace KW - Labor force KW - Personnel retention KW - Railroads KW - Recruiting KW - Training KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Workforce data KW - Workforce development UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15714 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405369 ER - TY - SER AN - 01598928 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration TI - C³RS is Implementing Corrective Actions and Expanding Within the Railroad Industry PY - 2016/04 IS - RR 16-08 SP - 4p AB - As the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) implements the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C³RS), FRA has been sponsoring a Lessons Learned Team (LLT) that seeks to answer three questions: 1. What conditions are necessary to implement C³RS successfully? 2. What is the impact of C³RS on safety and safety culture? 3. What factors help sustain C³RS over time? Participants in the pilot program include Union Pacific Railroad (UP), Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), New Jersey Transit (NJT), and Amtrak. Each railroad’s study is five years long. The LLT is publishing Research Results Reports that provide the public with the evaluation’s findings. This report contains findings from across the sites using these data sources: (1) interviews with stakeholders and (2) redacted C³RS program data. KW - Amtrak KW - Canadian Pacific Railway Company KW - Close calls KW - Confidential Close Call Reporting System KW - Implementation KW - Lessons learned KW - New Jersey Transit KW - Railroads KW - Safety KW - Safety culture KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration KW - Union Pacific Railroad UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15713 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405370 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598883 AU - Canter, Garrison AU - Klass, Jennifer AU - CSRA International, Incorporated AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Evaluation of Enhanced Visual Cues for Runway Approach and Runway Safety Areas PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 160p AB - In an effort to increase situational awareness among pilots and vehicle operators at U.S. civil airports, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Safety and Standards Airport Engineering Division has proposed updating its standards for runway approach hold position signage and marking based on recommendations proposed by the FAA Approach Hold Workgroup. The Airport Safety Research and Development Branch at the William J. Hughes Technical Center was tasked with evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the recommended signs and markings. Operational evaluations were then conducted at three airports: Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Nashville International Airport, and Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport. It was found that a majority of aircraft and ground vehicle operators agreed that inclusion of the departure runway increased situational awareness and that the signs were understandable at an adequate distance. However, some aircraft and ground vehicle operators did report the additional information made the signs more difficult to understand. This indicates the meaning of the proposed signage and surface marking may not be intuitive for some aircraft and ground vehicle operators without additional training and familiarization. It was found that the level of air traffic control (ATC) workload initially increased at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport after the signage was installed but decreased over time as aircraft and ground vehicle operators became more accustomed to the changes. The survey data show the proposed signage and Pattern B marking increased awareness that stopping at approach hold locations was conditional on explicit ATC instructions rather than mandatory. It is recommended that this signage be installed as a pair of separate sign units with full-sized legend text. The energy and maintenance costs for airport operators are projected to be proportional to the size of the proposed signs installed. It is advised that extensive pilot and vehicle operator education and outreach be conducted prior to the proposed changes going into effect. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport runways KW - Alertness KW - Approach control KW - Chicago O'Hare International Airport KW - Cleveland Hopkins International Airport KW - Education and training KW - Field studies KW - Nashville International Airport KW - Runway safety areas KW - Runway surface markings KW - Signs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405283 ER - TY - SER AN - 01598811 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Taylor, Peter TI - Effective Quality Assurance for Concrete Paving Operations: Best Practices for Concrete Pavements PY - 2016/04 SP - 6p AB - This tech brief looks at the elements needed to implement an effective quality assurance (QA) program for concrete paving operations. The benefit of a good QA program far outweighs the costs for both the agency and contractors. The topic of QA can be intimidating, but all of us make quality-based judgments in our lives every day. This tech brief aims to outline the basics of an effective quality system for concrete pavements using new technologies. Recent years have seen some major advances in the concrete testing arena. Several new tests are now available that are more practical, faster, more economical, easier to implement in the field, and measure properties that are related to actual concrete and pavement quality. KW - Best practices KW - Concrete pavements KW - Paving KW - Quality assurance KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif16002.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405059 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598810 AU - Bertini, Robert L AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Application Prioritization Process and Stakeholder Outreach as Part of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicle/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenarios PY - 2016/04 SP - 89p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume contains the results of a comprehensive stakeholder inventory and outreach effort. The research team worked with the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and ODOT staff to identify an agreed-upon set of stakeholders to engage within ODOT on the topic via a workshop. The connected and automated vehicle application prioritization workshop included a priority mapping exercise, a discussion of the connected vehicle concept, and an initial mapping of goals and applications. Breakout groups further refined the connected vehicle applications in terms of their potential impacts and benefits and according to the amount of effort (cost) to implement. The successful workshop identified seven near term priority applications for ODOT; 12 applications that ODOT will monitor and possibly collaborate with others on in the future; and 8 applications that ODOT will monitor but will be led by others. KW - Cooperative systems KW - Deployment KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon KW - Outreach KW - Stakeholders KW - Workshops UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR764_Task_4_StakeholderInventory_and_Outreach_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405233 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598806 AU - Klein, Katelyn F AU - Reed, Matthew P AU - Rupp, Jonathan D AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Development of Geometric Specifications for a Small Female Anthropomorphic Test Device Pelvis PY - 2016/04 SP - 16p AB - Target surface geometry for the small female anthropomorphic test device pelvis was predicted by a statistical pelvis geometry model developed through analysis of medical imaging data. The resulting geometry was compared to the Hybrid III small female pelvis geometry and an estimate of female pelvis geometry obtained by length scaling the midsize male pelvis based on bispinous breadth. Differences were found in the shape of the pubic rami, ischial tuberosities, and anterior superior iliac wings between the small female pelvis model and the Hybrid III pelvis, which may affect interactions with seat belts and vehicle structures. KW - Anthropometry KW - Anthropomorphic test devices KW - Dummies KW - Females KW - Geometry KW - Pelvis KW - Seat belts KW - Specifications KW - Vehicle design UR - https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/117574/103243.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405108 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598804 AU - Bertini, Robert L AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Borkowitz, Todd M AU - Wong, Derek H AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Literature Review and Desk Scan: Task 2 of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicle/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenarios PY - 2016/04 SP - 133p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume contains a literature review and annotated bibliography regarding policy and technical questions about the potential for introducing automated vehicles in the state for research and testing purposes. This includes a discussion of the history and development of automated vehicles for highway use as well as a discussion of the relationship between automated and connected vehicles and the potential for integrating the two technologies. The review also includes an analysis along twelve Oregon-specific dimensions related to specific question about the potential introduction of automated vehicles in Oregon. These dimensions include: liability, implementation, privacy, cyber security, governance, risk, certification, data, legislation, deployment approach, financing and sustainability. KW - Cooperative systems KW - Deployment KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon KW - Policy KW - Strategic planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59900/59946/SPR764_Task2_Lit_Review_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405231 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598792 AU - Tran, Nam AU - Turner, Pamela AU - Shambley, James AU - National Center for Asphalt Technology AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Enhanced Compaction to Improve Durability and Extend Pavement Service Life: A Literature Review PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This literature review was conducted to provide information to support the Federal Highway Administration Asphalt Pavement Technology Program strategic direction on extending pavement service life through enhanced field compaction. The results from the past studies clearly indicate the effect of low in-place air voids on the fatigue and rutting performance of asphalt pavements. A 1% decrease in air voids was estimated to improve the fatigue performance of asphalt pavements between 8.2 and 43.8% and the rutting resistance by 7.3 to 66.3%. In addition, a 1% reduction in in-place air voids can extend the service life by conservatively 10%. Based on these results, a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) was conducted on two alternatives in which the exact same asphalt overlay would be constructed to 93% and 92% densities to illustrate the effect of in-place air voids on the life cycle cost of asphalt pavements. The LCCA results show that the user agency would see a net-present-value cost savings of $88,000 on a $1,000,000 paving project (or 8.8%) by increasing the minimum required density by 1%. Due to its significant effect, the cost of providing increased in-place density can be significantly less than the operation, maintenance, and road user cost savings realized due to extended service life of the pavements. In an AASHTO survey of state agencies' targets for field compaction conducted in 2007, the majority of states responding to the survey had a compaction target of 92%, but over one-third of the responding agencies had compaction targets less than 92%. Most of these in-place density requirements currently adopted by states were determined based on what levels of in-place density could be achieved in the past using prior construction technologies. Since in-place density has a significant impact on the performance of asphalt pavements, agencies may consider implementing a higher in-place density requirement that can be achievable by following best practices and adopting new asphalt pavement technologies and knowledge gained from recent research. Some of these technologies and knowledge, including warm mix asphalt, intelligent compaction, improved construction joints, and improved agency specifications to incentivize achieving higher in-place densities, are briefly discussed in this report. KW - Air voids KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Compaction KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - In place density KW - Life cycle costing KW - Literature reviews KW - Rutting KW - Service life UR - http://eng.auburn.edu/research/centers/ncat/files/reports/2016/rep16-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404151 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598787 AU - Finley, Melisa D AU - Balke, Kevin N AU - Rajbhandari, Rajat AU - Chrysler, Susan T AU - Dobrovolny, Chiara Silvestri AU - Trout, Nada D AU - Avery, Paul AU - Vickers, David AU - Mott, Cameron AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Conceptual Design of a Connected Vehicle Wrong-Way Driving Detection and Management System PY - 2016/04//Technical Report SP - 214p AB - This report describes the tasks completed to develop a concept of operations, functional requirements, and high-level system design for a Connected Vehicle (CV) Wrong-Way Driving (WWD) Detection and Management System. This system was designed to detect wrong-way vehicles, notify the traffic management entities and law enforcement personnel, and alert affected travelers. To accomplish the project goals, the research team reviewed the state of the practice regarding intelligent transportation systems and CV technologies being applied as WWD countermeasures and the WWD crash trends in Texas from 2010 to 2014. The research team also identified the user needs associated with the implementation of a CV WWD system and preliminary ways to connect with law enforcement. The research team conducted one-on-one surveys to assess motorist understanding of wrong-way driver warning messages that were designed to be displayed on dynamic message signs. The research team also investigated the use of roadside alert (RSA) messages to provide warning to CVs about approaching wrong-way drivers. The research team recommended the development of a proof-of-concept test bed at an off-roadway location before implementing a model field deployment of the system on an actual roadway in Texas. The purpose of the test bed is to provide an offline location for the research team to test and fine-tune the system components and operations prior to installing them on the open roadway. A need also exists to conduct additional human factors studies to determine motorist needs, comprehension, and interpretations of RSA data elements in a WWD context. It is also important to understand how motorists will respond to the information contained in potential RSAs. The lessons learned from the deployment in the test bed environment would be used by the research team to determine the design considerations for a model field deployment of the system. KW - Countermeasures KW - Detection and identification KW - Highway traffic control KW - Mobile communication systems KW - State of the practice KW - Test beds KW - Texas KW - Variable message signs KW - Wrong way driving UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6867-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404691 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598399 AU - Miller, John S AU - O'Leary, Amy A AU - Goldstein, Hillary D AU - Barkley, Aidan S AU - Smith, Benjamin D AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - How Might Virginia Age and Grow by 2040? PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 153p AB - The development of Virginia’s Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan for 2040, also known as “VTrans 2040,” requires the identification of population forecasts, employment forecasts, and changes in population-related factors that might influence future travel demand. The research documented in this report fulfills that requirement. Key findings are that Virginia’s population is forecast to grow over roughly a quarter century from a 2012 population of 8.2 million to a 2040 population of 10.5 or 11.7 million, depending on the forecast source. The 14% difference between these two population forecasts is a degree of uncertainty that would be expected given previous comparisons of actual and forecast populations. The forecast growth varies by age group: the number of people age 65+ is projected to almost double over this period, with the fastest growing cohort within this age group being those age 85+. The forecast growth varies by location, with 4 of Virginia’s 21 planning district commissions accounting for between 77% and 81% of the forecast growth from 2012-2040. Employment is forecast to grow by about 60% over this period. Changes in other population-related factors that influence travel demand include density (about one-half of Virginia’s growth from 2012-2040 is projected to be in areas that will by 2040 have a transit-compatible population density), the use of alternative fuel vehicles, and vehicle ownership (which is not expected to increase). These forecasts do not necessarily suggest a single policy response for all Virginia locations. For example, decreasing rates of licensure might suggest increased use of public transportation; however, this impact would presumably be less in areas with lower population density. As shown by the two sample stakeholder input exercises developed in Appendix D, a variety of responses to transportation policies is possible. Because knowledge of the forecasts noted in this report may help inform consideration of diverse transportation alternatives, it is recommended that the material available in the report continue to be shared with Virginia planners. KW - Age groups KW - Alternate fuels KW - Automobile ownership KW - Employment KW - Forecasting KW - Population density KW - Population forecasting KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405371 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598398 AU - Consolazio, Gary R AU - Kantrales, George C AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Determination of Barge Impact Probabilities for Bridge Design PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 119p AB - Waterway bridges in the United States are designed to resist vessel collision loads according to design provisions released by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). These provisions provide detailed procedures for calculating design vessel impact loads within the context of a comprehensive risk assessment. One of the primary subcomponents of this process is the calculation of probabilities that estimate the likelihood that a barge-to-bridge impact event will occur. However, the expressions used to predict the frequency of barge-to-bridge collisions were developed from a limited number of data sets. Furthermore, the technology employed by the maritime industry at the time the original AASHTO provisions were developed—in the early 1990s—has been significantly improved in subsequent decades. As a consequence of these factors, current estimates of barge-to-bridge collision probabilities may differ from presently-employed AASHTO estimates. The focus of the research described in this report was the development of a revised barge impact probability expression particularly applicable for the design of bridge structures located on Florida waterways. Specifically, the existing AASHTO expression for the base aberrancy rate (BR)—used to estimate the likelihood that a barge flotilla will stray from the intended transit path—was recalibrated and updated. Barge flotilla traffic data and barge-to-bridge collision (casualty) data for Florida bridge locations were collected and used to compute historical barge-to-bridge collision probabilities. These probabilities were then utilized in conjunction with additional supplementary parameters specified in AASHTO—quantified using bridge site-specific information—to back-calculate BR values for each bridge location. A subset of BR estimates from several bridge sites were then utilized to produce a single design value of BR that may be used in risk assessments for new and existing bridge structures. Based on results from the recalibration process, the updated BR estimate was 55% smaller than the current value prescribed by AASHTO. To demonstrate the effect of the recalibrated BR parameter, annual frequency (AF) of collapse values from risk assessments of two previously-investigated bridge structures—the Bryant Grady Patton Bridge (Apalachicola Bay, FL) and the LA-1 Bridge (Leeville, LA)—were recomputed using the updated BR expression. Despite the reduction in BR, values of AF estimated using University of Florida/Florida Department of Transportation (UF/FDOT) methods and the updated BR expression remained high relative to AF estimates produced by existing AASHTO methods. It was noted in this study that bridge locations with low volumes of barge traffic corresponded to high estimates of BR. This finding was a consequence of utilizing less data in the statistical calibration process, which reduced the accuracy of the resulting predictions. Consequently, only Florida bridge locations with significant levels of barge flotilla traffic were utilized to produce the recommended design value of BR. However, additional out-of-state locations exist with more highly trafficked bridge locations, as well as a more comprehensive source of barge traffic data. Inclusion of such locations in a similar recalibration effort could result in a lower design value of BR. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Barges KW - Bridge design KW - Calibration KW - Crashes KW - Florida KW - Impact loads KW - Probability KW - Risk assessment KW - Water transportation crashes UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_STR/FDOT-BDV31-977-21-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405323 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597302 AU - Hankey, Jonathan M AU - Buckley, Michael G AU - Pursley, Sarah T AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Summary of Projects Funded by the Federal Highway Administration for the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence from July 2006 to June 2014 PY - 2016/04 SP - 82p AB - This report summarizes the research projects undertaken at the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence (NSTSCE) under funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). FHWA was an important founding member of NSTSCE in 2006 and chaired the original stakeholders committee for several years. They maintained membership in NSTSCE until June 2014. With their guidance and financial contribution, 58 projects were conducted that support NSTSCE’s mission of developing and disseminating advanced transportation safety techniques and innovations in both rural and urban communities. The report is organized according to NSTSCE’s five research focus areas: enhancing driver performance, examining roadway lighting and delineation, addressing age-related issues, addressing issues of fatigue, and providing outreach. Each project contains a brief, general description about its methods and findings and identifies any deliverables. KW - Aged drivers KW - Driver performance KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Highway safety KW - National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence KW - Outreach KW - Research projects KW - Street lighting KW - Teenage drivers KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/16014/16014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403994 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597286 AU - Ong, Say Kee AU - Wang, Kejin AU - Ling, Yifeng AU - Shi, Guyu AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pervious Concrete Physical Characteristics and Effectiveness in Stormwater Pollution Reduction PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 60p AB - The objective of this research was to investigate the physical/chemical and water flow characteristics of various pervious concrete mixes made of different concrete materials and their effectiveness in attenuating water pollution. Four pervious concrete mixes were prepared with Portland cement and with 15% cementitious materials (slag, limestone powder, and fly ash) as a Portland cement replacement. All four pervious concrete mixtures had acceptable workability. The unit weight of the fresh pervious concrete mixtures ranged from 115.9 lb/yd³ to 119.6 lb/yd³ , while the 28 day compressive strength of the pervious concrete mixes ranged from 1858 psi (mix with 15% slag) to 2285 psi (pure cement mix). The compressive strength generally increased with unit weight and decreased with total porosity (air void ratio). The permeability of the four mixes generally decreased with unit weight and increased with total porosity. The permeability coefficients ranged from 340 in./hr for the pure cement mix to 642 in./hr for the mix with 15% slag. The total porosities of the four pervious concrete mixes ranged from 24.00% (mix with 15% slag) to 31.41% (pure cement mix) as measured by the flatbed scanner test method, while the porosities ranged from 18.93% (mix with 15% slag) to 24.15% (pure cement mix) as measured by the RapidAir method. The total porosities of the four pervious concrete mixes measured by the flatbed scanner method were higher than those measured by the Rapid Air method, but the specific surface areas measured by the flatbed scanner method were all lower than those measured by the Rapid Air method. For the pollution abatement experiments, mixes with fly ash and limestone powder removed about 30% of the input naphthalene concentration, while the mix with slag only removed 0.5% of the influent naphthalene concentration. The water volume balance showed that less than 1% of the water added was retained in the experimental column setup. KW - Admixtures KW - Compressive strength KW - Permeability KW - Pollution control KW - Porosity KW - Porous pavements KW - Portland cement KW - Runoff KW - Waste products KW - Workability UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/197/ UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/pervious_concrete_in_stormwater_pollution_reduction_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59228/viewcontent1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404917 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596817 AU - Nair, Harikrishnan AU - Ozyildirim, Celik AU - Sprinkel, Michael M AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Lightweight Concrete for Reducing Cracks in Bridge Decks PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 23p AB - Cracks in bridge decks can be due to many factors related to environmental effects, chemical reactions, and structural loads. Careful selection of materials and mixture proportions can minimize cracking to some degree. To reduce cracking, shrinkage must be reduced; however, cracking also depends on other factors such as modulus of elasticity, creep, tensile strength, and restraint. A low modulus of elasticity and high creep help to minimize cracking. Lightweight concrete (LWC) has a lower modulus of elasticity, higher inelastic strains, a lower coefficient of thermal expansion, a more continuous contact zone between the aggregate and the paste, and more water in the pores of aggregates for continued internal curing when compared to normal weight concrete. These properties tend to reduce cracking in the concrete and are highly desirable in bridge decks. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has been successfully using LWC in bridge structures. In most of these bridges, the coarse aggregate has been lightweight and the fine aggregate normal weight natural sand. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of LWC in reducing cracks in bridge decks. Seven bridges from six VDOT districts were included in the study. Three bridge decks each were constructed in 2012 and 2013, and one was constructed in 2014. The results showed that bridge decks with fewer cracks than were typical of decks constructed with normal weight aggregate over the past 20 years or no cracks can be constructed with LWC mixtures. The study recommends that LWC with a maximum cementitious content of 650 lb/yd³ be used in VDOT bridge deck concrete mixtures. KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Lightweight concrete KW - Shrinkage KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403557 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596781 AU - McMullen, B Starr AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Ke, Yue AU - Vogt, Rachel AU - Dong, Shangjia AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Road Usage Charge Economic Analysis PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 80p AB - The overall objective of this research is to provide Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) with up to date information on the economic impact of various Road User Charge (RUC) alternatives on the stakeholders in the state of Oregon. Of particular concern to policymakers were the perceived differences the implementation of a RUC might have on different regions of the state. Oregon Senate Bill 810 (SB 810) creates a program that allows drivers to pay a mileage based RUC of 1.5 cents per mile rather than the current 30-cent per gallon state fuel tax. Major concerns over the adoption of this RUC are that it could increase costs for rural households relative to urban households and that the costs would fall disproportionately on lower income groups. Further, there could be significant differences due to locational distinctions other than simply the urban/rural split. Previous work in the area was limited by the small Oregon sample of households included in the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data set at either the statewide level or using a broad urban/rural distinction. The newly available Oregon Household Travel Survey (OHAS) data set provides detailed information that permits impacts to be assessed using regional/geographic definition that are more relevant for policymakers in Oregon. Alternatives to the flat RUC of 1.5 cents per mile applied to all vehicles included were: (1) A fee of 1.5 cents per mile applied to only vehicles with >30, >40 and >50 MPG (four different scenarios) while retaining the fuel tax for all others and, (2) A fee of 1.5 cents per mile applied only to new vehicles in the OHAS data set (defined to be 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2012 model year vehicles) while retaining the fuel tax for all others. Results using the OHAS data show that on average, statewide households will pay 5 cents more daily under a RUC than the current fuel tax (since the 1.5 cent per mile RUC actually would produce more gross revenue than the current fuel tax). However, the increase for rural regions is less than the statewide average while regions with more urban areas will pay slightly more than the statewide average. Further, the authors find that the distributional impact of imposing this at 1.5 cent RUC on all households in the OHAS data set differs depending on the region of the state examined. Appendix C reproduces the results using a revenue neutral per-mile fee. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Fuel taxes KW - Households KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Oregon KW - Oregon Household Travel Survey KW - Regions KW - Travel surveys UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR774_RoadUsageCharge_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403463 ER - TY - SER AN - 01596761 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Distracted Driving 2014 PY - 2016/04 SP - 6p AB - The Department of Transportation works to reduce the occurrence of distracted driving and raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. This risky behavior poses a danger to vehicle occupants as well as nonoccupants such as pedestrians and bicyclists. Driver distraction is a specific type of driver inattention. Distraction occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task to focus on some other activity. Oftentimes, discussions regarding distracted driving center around cell phone use and texting, but distracted driving also includes other activities such as eating, talking to other passengers, or adjusting the radio or climate controls, to name but a few. A distraction-affected crash is any crash in which a driver was identified as distracted at the time of the crash. Ten percent of fatal crashes, 18 percent of injury crashes, and 16 percent of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2014 were reported as distraction-affected crashes. In 2014, there were 3,179 people killed and an estimated additional 431,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Ten percent of all drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the crashes. In 2014, there were 520 nonoccupants killed in distraction-affected crashes. This report presents data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES). KW - Age groups KW - Crash data KW - Crash injuries KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - General Estimates System KW - National Automotive Sampling System KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812260.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596711 AU - Stufflebeam, Daniel L AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Manual for Research, Development and Technology Program and Project Evaluations PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 59p AB - This manual provides the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) a framework, standards, and procedures for planning, conducting, reporting, and using sound evaluations of RD&T’s projects for improving railroad safety. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Manuals KW - Project management KW - Railroad safety KW - Research management KW - Stakeholders KW - Standards KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15703 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403765 ER - TY - SER AN - 01596709 JO - TRAFFIC TECH PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - System Analysis of Automated Speed Enforcement Implementation PY - 2016/04 SP - 2p AB - Speeding is a major factor in a large proportion of traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the United States. Automated speed enforcement (ASE) is one effective countermeasure for reducing speeding and crashes. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) co-published the Speed Enforcement Camera Systems Operational Guidelines (2008) to assist State and local agencies to plan and operate ASE systems as a component of comprehensive speed management programs. This survey, conducted in 2011-2012, examined the protocols and practices of U.S. law enforcement agencies in the deployment and implementation of ASE, public perceptions of fairness, and the nature of communication by communities regarding any positive outcomes of ASE operations. It also examined the alignment of existing ASE programs with FHWA/NHTSA Guidelines. The authors identified 107 U.S. jurisdictions with ASE programs as of October 2011, located in 12 States and the District of Columbia (91 currently active, 15 discontinued, and 1 agency that had both currently active and discontinued components of their ASE program). The authors mailed each of the 107 jurisdictions a questionnaire with follow-ups conducted by mail, e-mail, phone, and site visit. Completed questionnaires were received from 90 agencies (84% response rate). Highlights from the findings are presented in this document. KW - Automated enforcement KW - Implementation KW - Public opinion KW - Speeding KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Systems analysis KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812259-TT-AutomatedSpeedEnforcement.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596704 AU - Van Alstine, Daniel G AU - Montgomery, David T AU - Caterpillar, Incorporated AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Investigation of an Anti-Knock Index and Hydrocarbon Emissions of Various Natural Gas Blends PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The North American rail industry is examining the use of natural gas to reduce fuel costs for locomotives that are powered by dual fuel engines. This report evaluates the ability of an existing methane number algorithm to predict rapid combustion in a dual fuel engine. The Methane Number index, which quantifies the propensity of a gaseous fuel to autoignite, has the ability to well-characterize engine knock in spark-ignited combustion. However, the ability of the methane number, which was originally developed for spark-ignited engines, to predict a fuel’s “knock” behavior in dual fuel combustion is not fully understood. Specialized natural gas fuel blends are tested in a dual fuel engine and induced to rapid combustion. For fuels that should exhibit similar knock behavior, the transitions to rapid combustion occurred at significantly different conditions. This demonstrated that the existing methane number algorithm, while excellent for spark-ignited engines, did not fully predict the propensity for rapid combustion to occur in a dual fuel engine within the scope of this study. In its current form, a methane number algorithm can be used to conservatively rate dual fuel engines. It is possible that a new reactivity index for dual fuel combustion might allow ratings to be less conservative. KW - Algorithms KW - Combustion KW - Dual powered locomotives KW - Engine knock KW - Hydrocarbons KW - Locomotives KW - Natural gas KW - Pollutants UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15704 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403764 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596694 AU - Amekudzi-Kennedy, Adjo AU - Ashuri, Baabak AU - Amoaning-Yankson, Stephanie AU - Cao, Yang AU - Boadi, Richard AU - Brodie, Stefanie AU - Mostaan, Kia AU - Georgia Tech Research Corporation AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effective Utilization of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) in Alternative Delivery Projects: Strategies and Resources to Support the Achievement of DBE Goals PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 115p AB - This synthesis is a comprehensive review of the best knowledge and practices for stimulating effective utilization of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) in the procurement and execution of transportation projects, using design-build and other alternative delivery methods. The study also identifies ways in which the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program can be enhanced and provides recommendations on effective practices for involving DBEs in Design-Build (DB) and other alternative delivery projects. This is done by conducting a cradle-to-grave review of DBE involvement in DB and other alternative project delivery systems, and synthesizing existing best practice strategies in State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). The research team identified three main challenges: (1) Identifying and communicating pre-award opportunities, (2) Diversifying DBE opportunities, and (3) Achieving the desired behavior in order to attain program goals. Eight recommendations along with targeted companion strategies were made to address these challenges and strengthen the agency’s existing DBE program including the following: developing an interactive web-based database; setting sub goals in contracts; ensuring monitoring and compliance; enhancing communication between DBE staff and project planners; encouraging unbundling of work packages in DB manual; and using explicit language in project documents. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Construction projects KW - Design build KW - Disadvantaged business enterprises KW - Georgia Department of Transportation KW - Project delivery KW - Recommendations KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/14-42.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403256 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596680 AU - Barron, Paul AU - Doyle, Charlene AU - Radja, Greg AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - 2011 National Child Restraint Usage Special Study User’s Coding Manual PY - 2016/04 SP - 475p AB - The National Child Restraint Usage Special Study (NCRUSS) provides data on the level of child restraint use and misuse for children up to 8 riding in passenger vehicles (i.e., automobiles, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), vans, and light trucks). Data was collected from June 2011 to August 2011 in the 24 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) in the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS CDS) at five different site types: day care centers, libraries, recreation centers, fast food stores, and “big box” stores/chains/retail stores for infant and toddler products (e.g., Babies R’ Us). The data for each of the sampled children is weighted to represent children being transported in passenger vehicle. This user’s coding manual is the primary documentation supporting the NCRUSS data file. KW - Child restraint systems KW - Children KW - Computer program documentation KW - Data collection KW - Drivers KW - Information processing KW - National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System KW - Passenger vehicles KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812254.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403175 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596002 AU - Nodine, Emily AU - Lam, Andy AU - Yanagisawa, Mikio AU - Najm, Wassim AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Naturalistic Study of Truck Following Behavior PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Volpe conducted the Naturalistic study of truck following behavior to gain a better understanding of how trucks follow other vehicles in the real world, with the ultimate goal of supporting the Federal Highway Administration in the development of automated truck platooning applications. Using two naturalistic heavy truck data sets collected from previous related research, Volpe quantified heavy truck following behavior in the following categories: how closely trucks follow other vehicles on freeways, how following behavior varies by road condition, weather and visibility, following distances at which cut-in events occur, and the safety impact of different headways. Key results from this 2015 study showed tractor trailer trucks follow passenger cars at shorter distances and headways than they follow heavy trucks at distances under 60 mph, but follow other heavy vehicles at shorter distances and headways at speeds greater than 60 mph; truck drivers generally follow other vehicles at much shorter headways (around 2 seconds) than are recommended in Commercial Driver License (CDL) driver handbooks; vehicles rarely cut-in between two trucks who are following at a distance of 40 m or less; and crash risk increases considerably when trucks follow other vehicles at headways of less than 1 s. KW - Behavior KW - Car following KW - Following distance KW - Headways KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Highway safety KW - Naturalistic studies KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Traffic platooning KW - Truck drivers KW - Truck following UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56891/Truck_Platooning_Final_Report_Publication_Update.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400024 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610518 AU - Wadoo, Sabiha AU - New York Institute of Technology AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Prediction Using Wireless Cellular Networks PY - 2016/03/31/Final Report SP - 30p AB - The major objective of this project is to obtain traffic information from existing wireless infrastructure. In this project freeway traffic is identified and modeled using data obtained from existing wireless cellular networks. Most of the previous research on freeway traffic control assumes the availability of traffic parameters like vehicle velocity and density. Such data are available only at a few locations on major highways where sensor nodes have been pre-deployed. In practical terms, to build a comprehensive network of sensors for this purpose is prohibitive in terms of the cost involved. However, an existing cellular network of a large wireless provider can be used for collecting traffic parameter information. As mobile devices have become very common, these devices can not only provide traffic parameter data but can also be used to receive real time traffic information using mobile applications. This project uses information obtained from mobile networks to formulate traffic density models. KW - Cellular communications KW - Data collection KW - Freeways KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Traffic models KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Traffic-Prediction-Using-Wireless-Cellular-Networks.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423087 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603572 AU - Choi, Saerona AU - Park, Byungkyu Brian AU - Lee, Joyoung AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Implementation Feasibility Study of Cumulative Travel-Time Responsive Intersection Control Algorithm under Connected Vehicle Technology PY - 2016/03/31/Final Research Report SP - 62p AB - This project utilized the Connected Vehicle (CV) environment, which provides two-way wireless communications between vehicles and infrastructure, to (1) improve the Cumulative Travel-time Responsive (CTR) Intersection Control Algorithm under low CV market penetration by utilizing Bluetooth technology, and (2) assess potential benefits of the CTR algorithm by examining mobility, energy, and greenhouse emissions measures. The project team developed and evaluated a hardware-in-the-loop simulation to ensure that the developed CTR algorithm will work with an existing traffic controller on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed. The team enhanced the CTR algorithm and evaluated its impact to verify the feasibility of field implementation. Two prediction techniques, a standard Kalman filter (SKF) and an adaptive Kalman filter (AKF), were applied to estimate cumulative travel time for each phase in the CTR algorithm. In addition, traffic demand, the market penetration rate (MPR), and the types of available data were also considered in evaluating CTR algorithm performance. The Lee Highway and Nutley Street intersection on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed was selected for a case study and simulated within VISSIM. The results showed that the CTR algorithm’s performance depends on the MPR, as the information collected from CVs is a key CTR algorithm-enabling factor. However, this study found that the MPR could be relaxed (1) when the data were collected from both CV and infrastructure sensors, and (2) when an AKF was adopted in the CTR algorithm. The minimum MPRs required to outperform the current actuated traffic signal control were empirically found for each prediction technique and types of available data—data from both Connected Vehicle and infrastructure sensors, or Connected Vehicle’s data only. Even without the infrastructure sensors, the CTR algorithm could be considered for implementation at an intersection with high traffic demand and a 50% to 60% MPR. As the MPR for this field evaluation was around 14%, much lower than the minimum 20% required with an AKF incorporated, the project team could not implement the proposed algorithm. Instead, the team developed an implementation plan that can be easily adopted by traffic engineers once the MPR reaches 20% or higher. KW - Algorithms KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Fuel consumption KW - Implementation KW - Kalman filtering KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pollutants KW - Simulation KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Travel time UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Choi_Field-Implementation-Feasibility-Study-of-Cumulative-Travel-Time-Responsive-Intersection-Control-Algorithm-under-Connected-Vehicle-Technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596726 AU - Etyemezian, Vicken AU - Nikolich, George AU - Givens, Chris AU - Sudderth, Alex AU - Desert Research Institute AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Early Warning Sensor and Network for Brown-out Conditions PY - 2016/03/31/Final Report SP - 20p AB - Brownout conditions on motorways are caused by windblown dust and sand from upwind areas where soils are susceptible to wind erosion. This project focused on developing a ground based early warning system. This report covers the first year of research on this subject. The work effort during this first year included modifying a prototype platform for sending sand movement to be better suited for automated operation upwind of roads that are predisposed to brownouts, inclusion of a sensor for the measurement of airborne dust (separate from ground level sand movement), and preliminary testing of a low-power wireless communication network. KW - Dust KW - Highway safety KW - Prototypes KW - Sand KW - Sensors KW - Warning systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Etyemezian%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403108 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596789 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FTA Did Not Adequately Verify PATH’s Compliance with Federal Procurement Requirements for The Salt Mitigation of Tunnels Project PY - 2016/03/28/Audit Report SP - 18p AB - In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage to the transportation infrastructure in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States. In response, Congress enacted the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (DRAA) and appropriated over $10 billion to the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (ERP), which is intended to help States and public transportation systems fund recovery, relief, and resiliency efforts in response to an emergency, such as a hurricane. In June 2014, FTA awarded a grant to the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH)— a rapid transit railroad serving northern New Jersey and Manhattan, NY—for a variety of repair, recovery, and resiliency projects. To date, the total value of the grant, including amendments, is $678 million—including about $310 million for the Salt Mitigation of Tunnels Project, which aims to repair salt water damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. As part of the DRAA mandate to support oversight of FTA’s Hurricane Sandy relief funds, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated whether FTA’s oversight was adequate to verify that PATH’s procurement practices for the Salt Mitigation of Tunnels Project comply with Federal requirements. To conduct this work, OIG reviewed contract files for all 20 of PATH’s Salt Mitigation Project awards issued between October 4, 2013, and June 24, 2015, which totaled $16.8 million. OIG also assessed FTA’s criteria and guidance for its ERP and Hurricane Sandy grant funding; evaluated FTA’s oversight reviews of PATH and the Salt Mitigation Project; and interviewed staff at FTA Headquarters, FTA Region 2, Port Authority, and PATH. It was determined that FTA did not adequately verify that PATH’s procurement practices for the Salt Mitigation Project complied with FTA and other Federal requirements. KW - Compliance KW - Contract administration KW - Disaster Relief Appropriations Act KW - Grant aid KW - Oversight KW - Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation KW - Procurement KW - Project management KW - Rapid transit KW - Regulations KW - U.S. Federal Transit Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/16-3-28_Salt_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403663 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603595 AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Lingenfelter, Jessica L AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Reid, John D AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Cable-to-Post Attachments for Use in Non-Proprietary High-Tension Cable Median Barrier – Phase III PY - 2016/03/24/Final Report SP - 122p AB - The objective of this study was to reevaluate and improve the existing cable-to-post attachment hardware that is utilized in the non-proprietary cable barrier being developed at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF). The study focused on redesigning the bolted, tabbed bracket (V10) to eliminate the bolt, reduce the number of components per bracket, eliminate the need for tools during installation, and reduce the number of small parts. Three attachment concepts were selected for evaluation through dynamic testing: (1) the key plate attachment; (2) the wire lock pin attachment; and (3) the pinned back attachment. Each attachment prototype was subjected to two vertical and two lateral dynamic component tests to evaluate the release loads and fracture mechanisms of the brackets. Test results were compared to previous tests on the bolted tabbed bracket (V10). None of the three bracket attachment designs were found to satisfy all of the design criteria for an alternative bracket. The lack of fixity in the connection between the brackets and the post led to a variable position of the tabs within the keyway which frequently caused unsatisfactory release loads. Therefore, none of the three alternative attachment brackets were recommended for use within the prototype non-proprietary cable barrier. KW - Brackets KW - Cables KW - Design KW - Evaluation KW - Highway safety KW - Load tests KW - Median barriers KW - Posts KW - Prototype tests UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/TRP-03-323-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411143 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596799 AU - Department of Transportation TI - The Volpe Center’s Information Technology Infrastructure is at Risk for Compromise PY - 2016/03/22/Audit Report SP - 17p AB - The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe)—operating under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology—provides research, development, and information technology (IT) services to Federal and State agencies, local entities, and partners abroad. In order to prevent unauthorized access to its customers’ data and its own, Volpe’s information network must be properly protected. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) therefore conducted this self-initiated audit of the Center’s information system security controls. The objectives were to determine whether: (1) Volpe’s local area network (LAN) and Web sites are secure from compromise, and (2) security weaknesses exist in Volpe’s IT infrastructure. OIG reviewed Volpe’s network documentation and security policies and performed assessments of Volpe’s entire network, including penetration tests, vulnerability scans, and manual tests. Volpe personnel were also interviewed. It was found that Volpe’s LAN is not secure from compromise. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides agencies guidance on protecting their networks from intrusions. However, OIG was able to gain access to many devices on Volpe’s LAN because it did not follow NIST and DOT requirements. Recommendations to assist the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology in securing Volpe’s IT Infrastructure are included. KW - Computer security KW - Data management KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Information technology KW - John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center KW - Local area networks KW - Recommendations KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/Volpe%20Center%20IT%20Security%20Controls_Final%20Report%5E3-22-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403222 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01594561 TI - Evaluation of Low Cost Safety Improvements AB - The goal of this research is to develop reliable estimates of the effectiveness of the safety improvements that are identified as strategies in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 500 Guides. These estimates are determined by conducting scientifically rigorous before-after evaluations at sites in the U.S. where these strategies are being implemented. KW - Before and after studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - Improvements KW - Measures of effectiveness KW - United States UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/332 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401711 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01594341 TI - TRB Core Program Services for a Highway RD&T Program - FFY 2016 (TRB FY 2017) AB - To provide a mechanism for State transportation departments to support the the Transportation Research Board's (TRB's) Core Program and Services. KW - Financing KW - Highways KW - Research KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation Research Board UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/591 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401703 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01594340 TI - Roadside Safety Research for MASH Implementation AB - The objective of the Roadside Safety Pooled Fund Program is to provide a cooperative approach to conducting research on roadside safety hardware. Emphasis will be placed on assisting State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) with their implementation of Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) and addressing other roadside safety needs of common interest. Another objective of this pooled fund research to provide each participating state an opportunity to send a representative to an annual meeting to collaborate with other state DOT safety engineers to assess best practices, new regulatory issues, risk management strategies, and other matters pertaining to roadside safety. Participation in this meeting is funded through the state's annual program contribution. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Best practices KW - Cooperation KW - Highway safety KW - Implementation KW - Manuals KW - Risk management KW - Roadside hazards KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/592 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401702 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604575 AU - Cardosi, Kim AU - Lennertz, Tracy AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Progression of Human Factors Considerations for the In-Trail Procedure PY - 2016/03/16 SP - 20p AB - The In-Trail Procedure (ITP) is one of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) applications in the NextGen program. The Federal Aviation Administration, in partnership with United Airlines, is conducting an operational evaluation of the ADS-B ITP on revenue flights between the West Coast of the United States and various Pacific destinations. Part of this evaluation is a human factors assessment of the equipment and procedures from the users’ perspective. Here, the authors provide an update to the human factors issues identified in 2013 and show that pilots’ and controllers’ acceptance of the ITP maneuver has improved. Pilots see the ADS-B traffic display as a valuable tool for situation awareness and use it to increase flight efficiency/safety. While more interactive ITP training was suggested, pilots are comfortable interacting with the display and provided insights as to why ITP requests are so infrequent. Controllers are no longer confusing ADS-B ITP with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract Climb/Descend Procedure and are no longer reluctant to approve a valid ITP request. Controllers’ concerns have been largely addressed with training and/or will be addressed with changes to the automation platform. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast KW - Aviation safety KW - Human factors KW - In-Trail Procedure (ITP) KW - NextGen (United States) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59357/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-16-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414857 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608534 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Yang, Hao AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Freeway Speed Harmonization Systems PY - 2016/03/15/Final Report SP - 28p AB - The capacity drop phenomenon, which reduces the maximum bottleneck discharge rate following the onset of congestion, is a critical restriction in transportation networks that causes additional traffic congestion. Consequently, preventing or reducing the occurrence of the capacity drop not only mitigates traffic congestion, but can also produce environmental and traffic safety benefits. To address this issue, this project developed and evaluated a speed harmonization (SH) algorithm based on a bi-level feedback control system with the assistance of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. The algorithm computes advisory speed limits for individual vehicles to prevent the breakdown of downstream bottleneck discharge by regulating traffic flow approaching the bottleneck, which in turn reduces traffic stream delay, emissions and fuel consumption levels. To assess the benefits of the algorithm, a section of Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia was simulated with the INTEGRATION microscopic traffic simulation model, and five trailers were installed on the road to collect real-time traffic data for each vehicle equipped with V2I communications to implement the SH algorithm. The simulations demonstrated that the algorithm significantly mitigated road congestion when a capacity drop occurred at a bottleneck. Also, the study results showed that higher market penetration rates (MPRs) of vehicles equipped with the SH algorithm led to higher SH algorithm benefits. In particular, at 100% MPR, the bottleneck discharge flow rate increased by up to 1.5%, and the vehicular delay decreased by about 22%. Moreover, with the SH algorithm, CO2 and fuel consumption levels were reduced by up to 3.5%. A 100% MPR is the best-case scenario. However, the results also demonstrated that an MPR of even 10% is sufficient to produce overall emission and fuel consumption savings. KW - Algorithms KW - Bottlenecks KW - Freeways KW - Fuel consumption KW - Highway capacity KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pollutants KW - Speed limits KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic speed KW - Virginia UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Rakha_Connected-Vehicle-Freeway-Speed-Harmonization-Systems_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418038 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603619 AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Babiceanu, Simona AU - Kluger, Robert AU - Smith, Brian AU - Recht, David AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Connected Vehicle–Enabled Virtual Dynamic Message Sign System Demonstration and Evaluation on the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed PY - 2016/03/15/Final Research Report SP - 60p AB - Dynamic message signs (DMSs) are widely used to deliver traveler information. While these have proven to be effective, key limitations exist: (1) the locations of DMSs are fixed, (2) reading a DMS message is distracting to drivers, and (3) installation and maintenance of DMSs is expensive. To address these limitations, a smartphone-based virtual DMS (VDMS) application was developed in the first round of Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center (CVIUTC) projects. This application used smartphones to provide audible “reading” of DMS messages to drivers. This project built upon previous work to develop a more advanced, second generation of the VDMS system, that is fully integrated in the Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) environment of the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed. The highlights of the enhanced VDMS system include (1) use of four of 40+ DSRC-based roadside equipment units (RSEs) on the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed, and (2) software (VDMS Manager) that has the capability to virtually “build” new DMSs and to create modified and new messages for those DMSs. To evaluate the VDMS system as an information dissemination tool to support advanced traffic management, operational testing (including three surveys, entrance, post-incident, and exit) was carried out with actual operators at the McConnell Public Safety and Traffic Operations Center. It was observed that operators preferred the VDMS system due to its capability of providing more detailed and customized messages at more appropriate locations for motorists. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Information dissemination KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Smartphones KW - Surveys KW - Variable message signs UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Park_VDMS-Demonstration-and-Evaluation_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410368 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608538 AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - Thomas, Anthony AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Health in Transportation Working Group 2015 Annual Report PY - 2016/03/14/Final Report SP - 16p AB - The Health in Transportation Working Group 2015 Annual Report provides an overview of the Working Group’s activities and accomplishments in 2015, summarizes other U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) health-related accomplishments, and documents its progress toward the recommendations laid out in the 2014 Annual Report. The report also offers recommendations based on the Working Group’s self-assessment KW - Annual reports KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Health KW - Health in Transportation Working Group KW - Recommendations KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59387/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-17.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417888 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605604 AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Garcia, Vince AU - Ragan, Ali AU - English, Tony AU - Zumpf, Shane AU - Young, Rhonda AU - Ahmed, Mohamed AU - Kitchener, Fred AU - Serulle, Nayel Ureña AU - Hsu, Eva AU - ICF International AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Trihydro Corporation AU - McFarland Management, LLC AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program Phase 1, Security Management Operational Concept – ICF/Wyoming PY - 2016/03/14/Final Report SP - 71p AB - The Wyoming Department of Transportation’s (WYDOT) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment Program is intended to develop a suite of applications that utilize vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication technology to reduce the impact of adverse weather on truck travel in the I-80 corridor. These applications support a flexible range of services from advisories, roadside alerts, parking notifications and dynamic travel guidance. Information from these applications are made available directly to the equipped fleets or through data connections to fleet management centers (who will then communicate it to their trucks using their own systems). The pilot will be conducted in three Phases. Phase I includes the planning for the CV pilot including the concept of operations development. Phase II is the design, development, and testing phase. Phase III includes a real-world demonstration of the applications developed as part of this pilot. This document presents the Security Management Operating Concept. This document provides guidance material and operating concept in regards to security and privacy for the ICF/Wyoming Deployment Pilot. The document is presented based on identifying the impacts of security breaches regarding confidentiality, integrity, and availability along with the potential threats. Additional security analyses are included to cover V2V security, the Security Credential Management System (SCMS), and CV application security needs. Major challenges such as SCMS integration and security for a complex system of systems are described. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Computer security KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pilot studies KW - Privacy KW - Risk assessment KW - Security KW - Technological innovations KW - Truck traffic KW - Trucking safety KW - Weather conditions KW - Wyoming Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59237/FHWA-JPO-16-288.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415697 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608673 AU - Campbell, Robert AU - Alexiadis, Vassili AU - Krechmer, Daniel AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Impacts on Transportation Planning: Analysis of the Need for New and Enhanced Analysis Tools, Techniques and Data—Briefing for Traffic Simulation Models PY - 2016/03/11/Final Report SP - 33p AB - The principal objective of this project, “Connected Vehicle Impacts on Transportation Planning,” is to comprehensively assess how connected vehicles should be considered across the range of transportation planning processes and products developed by states, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and local agencies throughout the country. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a summary of a larger report that identified the need generated by Connected and Automated vehicle (C/AV) technology for new or enhanced tools, techniques, and data to support various C/AV planning activities and approaches for how to meet those needs. It focused on identifying enhancements to existing transportation analysis data and tools used in transportation planning that will be needed to extend those tools to accommodate C/AV impacts and outcomes in the future. This report focuses on the research and activities that will need to take place in order to adapt existing transportation models for use in analyzing Automated and Connected Vehicles. This report includes a summary of existing data, tools and products currently used in transportation planning processes. The next area includes an evaluation of the suitability of existing simulation models for C/AV analysis with respect to input/output interfaces, usability, modeling features and calibration requirements. Following is a gap analysis that identifies the limitations of current simulation models for use in analysis of C/AV technologies. The results show that simulation models used in traditional transportation planning, analysis and design would potentially be modified or overhauled to accommodate analyses of connected vehicle applications and technology. The ability to incorporate data provided through Connected and Automated vehicle demonstration projects will be especially important in these modifications. Finally a roadmap/research plan is provided that summarizes research topics to target these needs and gaps, identifies which agency would be best suited for addressing these needs, establishes priority levels for each topic and a draft schedule, and discusses the expected availability of potential data sources to inform those topics. KW - Analysis KW - Calibration KW - Data collection KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Traffic simulation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59249/FHWA-JPO-16-412.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418790 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599282 AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Moorhead, William AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bridge Transition Trackbed Behavior Modifications Using Hand Tamping Techniques PY - 2016/03/10/Final Report SP - 22p AB - A common maintenance technique to correct track geometry at bridge transitions is hand tamping. This report presents a non-invasive track monitoring system involving high-speed video cameras that evaluate the change in track behavior before and after hand or pneumatic tamping at a bridge transition zone experiencing reoccurring track geometry deviations. The track monitoring shows significant permanent vertical displacement (settlement) in the transition zone during the first few wheel passes after tamping (~0.6 inches) and a return to the pre-tamping transient behavior after about four train passes. This implies that significant differential settlement occurs between the transition zone and bridge abutment immediately after the first passing train which can result in increased dynamic loads in the transition zone and further deteriorate the transition zone geometry. Methods to reduce the initial settlement are discussed. KW - Before and after studies KW - Bridge approaches KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Maintenance of way KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad tracks KW - Tamping KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59314/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405207 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599259 AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Well-Performing Railway Bridge Transitions - Design and Performance PY - 2016/03/10/Final Report SP - 26p AB - This report presents a review of railroad track transition behavior, causes of undesirable transition performance, and designs that exhibit desirable transition performance based on field measurements. The first focus of the report is reviewing common factors that lead to transition geometry deviations. This involves the inherent problem of a train passing from an earthen and ballasted approach to a nearly rigid bridge structure. The differential movement between the earthen approach and bridge usually results in increased dynamic loads. To avoid these increased dynamic loads, all transient and permanent displacements between the approach and bridge deck should be balanced by reducing ballast and subgrade settlements in the approach and decreasing the stiffness of the bridge. Two well-performing bridge transitions were monitored using non-invasive accelerometers to illustrate design techniques that can balance transition differential movements and thus reduce dynamic loads. Other design techniques and ballast remedial measures are discussed because of their relevance to reducing ballast settlement in the approach. KW - Accelerometers KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Bridge approaches KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Dynamic loads KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405208 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599170 AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vertical Transient Track Displacement Measurements Using Non-Invasive Techniques PY - 2016/03/10/Final Report SP - 22p AB - This report describes a non-invasive monitoring system that measures rail and tie displacements using high-speed video cameras and double-integration of acceleration time histories. The purpose of selecting these instruments is to develop a non-invasive instrumentation system that can monitor track performance under a range of environmental conditions. High-speed video camera have many advantages such as tracking multiple rail and tie locations with a single camera, not needing to be base-isolated, and providing a visual account of the loaded track. Three cameras are used to illustrate rapid changes in rail displacement along short sections of track. Accelerometers are capable of measuring tie displacements and have many advantages such as being able to function if the optical view is blocked, e.g., rain, snow covering, or center of tie, and to measure lateral displacements. KW - Accelerometers KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Instrumentation KW - Measuring methods KW - Rail (Railroads) KW - Railroad ties KW - Time series KW - Train track dynamics KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405210 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612154 AU - Chavis, Celeste AU - Gayah, Vikash V AU - Kim, Myungseob AU - Chen, Linxi AU - Miller-Hooks, Elise AU - Schonfeld, Paul AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integration of Multimodal Transportation Services PY - 2016/03/08/Final Report SP - 95p AB - Flexible route paratransit services may complement as well as compete with conventional public transportation services (that have fixed routes and schedules). Flexible routes are especially suitable for service areas or time periods with low demand densities (and especially rural areas) and may be used to concentrate the low demand for conventional bus and rail services. Excess drivers and vehicles from conventional services can be leveraged to provide higher quality door-to-door services during off-peak periods. In the proposed project, practical methods will be developed for planning and operating integrated multimodal public transportation services. In particular, these methods focus on (a) formulating demand relations for integrated multimodal transportation services, (b) improving the efficiency of algorithms for managing ridesharing and taxi services, (c) improving the coordination of transfers among vehicles from various routes and modes, and (d) exploring the potential benefits of managing demand through service options, pricing and other incentives. KW - Flexible routes KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Off peak periods KW - Paratransit services KW - Ridesharing KW - Rural areas KW - Taxi services KW - Transfers KW - Travel demand management UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424166 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603611 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Nash, Logan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Apache Trail, Tonto National Forest: Observations, Considerations, and Recommendations from the Interagency Transportation Assistance Group (TAG) PY - 2016/03/03/Final Report SP - 38p AB - This report summarizes the observations and findings of an interagency transportation assistance group (TAG) convened June 15 to June 17, 2015, to discuss the long-term future of Arizona State Route 88, also known as the “Apache Trail,” a historic road on the Tonto National Forest. The TAG included staff from the Volpe Center, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Arizona Department of Transportation. Based on a June 2015 site visit to the Apache Trail and subsequent discussions, the Volpe Center outlined a number of potential management actions and scenarios for the road. This report described the background of the road, issues and goals noted in the site visit, as well as the management options and scenarios discussed by the TAG. It concludes by describing the TAG’s recommended scenario for the Apache Trail and potential next steps. KW - Arizona State Route 88 KW - Long range planning KW - Recommendations KW - Scenic highways KW - Tonto National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59163/Apache_Trail_TAG_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409717 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596745 AU - Stich, Bethany AU - Amdal, James R AU - Webb, Peter AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LNG Bunkering for Marine Vessels at the Port of New Orleans: Sitting and Facility Components PY - 2016/03/03/Final Research Report SP - 25p AB - This paper represents the efforts by the Merritt C. Becker, Jr. University of New Orleans Transportation Institute (UNOTI) to assist the Port of New Orleans (PONO) in evaluating the feasibility of equipping the PONO for the storage and shore-side infrastructure needed for fueling vessels powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The report gives the current status of various projects that have been built according to site-specific applications of best practices in the industry and related regulatory agencies. This project was initiated in the summer of 2014 when the Port of New Orleans tasked UNOTI with investigating the feasibility of an LNG bunkering facility within their jurisdiction. Since that time, crude oil prices have been falling significantly. At their peak they were in excess of $115 per barrel. Today, the price per barrel is roughly $37. This is a decrease of $80 over a very short period of time. Consequently, as indicated by an 18 month literature review, key person interviews and discussions with a knowledgeable group of regional stakeholders, the extended duration of depressed oil prices (which continues downward) has the marine fuel component of the maritime industry in a holding pattern regarding the widespread adoption of LNG for marine vessels. KW - Best practices KW - Bunkering KW - Crude oil KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Fuel storage KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Literature reviews KW - Port of New Orleans KW - Ports KW - Ships UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/uno_lng.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402340 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594698 AU - Department of Transportation TI - Multiple DOT Operating Administrations Lack Effective Information System Disaster Recovery Plans and Exercises PY - 2016/03/03/Audit Report SP - 15p AB - Effective disaster recovery planning is critical to maintain information system safety and efficiency for the Department of Transportation (DOT) and its Operating Administrations (OAs). The Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiated this audit to review the effectiveness of DOT’s disaster recovery plans and exercises. The objectives were to determine whether (1) DOT and its OAs have developed adequate disaster recovery plans for their key information systems and (2) DOT and its OAs conduct effective test exercises of these plans to ensure they will work in the event of a disruption. OIG determined that several of the Department’s OAs have not developed adequate disaster recovery plans for restoring key information systems. In addition, the Department’s OAs do not all conduct effective test exercises of their plans to ensure they will work in the event of a disruption. Nine recommendations are suggested to improve the effectiveness of disaster recovery planning and testing for DOT and its OAs. KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Information management KW - Information systems KW - Recommendations KW - System safety KW - Test procedures KW - U.S. Department of Transportation UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/DOT%20Disaster%20Recovery%20Plans%20and%20Exercises%20Final%20Report%5E3-3-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401814 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599229 AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Clarke, David B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Macro Scale Models for Freight Railroad Terminals PY - 2016/03/02/Final Report SP - 30p AB - This project has developed a yard capacity model for macro-level analysis. The authors developed optimization models to investigate three sequencing decisions at the areas inspection, hump, and assembly. The optimization considers multiple engines and inspection groups. The model can be solved by existing commercial optimization solvers for one typical planning horizon, such as 24 hour. Numerical experiments and case study based on historical data from a U.S. Class I railroad demonstrate that the proposed solution method yields better sequences and schedules, as measured by the total dwell time, compared with the practice of static sequencing. Furthermore, the results indicate that the handling capacity should be balanced among different classification steps to maximize the overall yard capacity. Furthermore, the research considers dynamic railcar planning in railroad classification yards. The plan decides the assignment of railcars from inbound trains to outbound trains under various size limitations of outbound trains and allows dynamic sequencing of inbound train classification and outbound train assembly. A mixed-integer program is presented for the problem along with a heuristic algorithm based on the harmony search strategy. Generic simulation models have been built for classification yards to understand the macro-level relationship between volumes and dwell times at yards and define yard capacity. The simulation model has been verified by the historical data from about 10 classification yards with various parameters, such as the number of tracks in each area, humps, hump engines and pull engines. The simulation mode is then used to create a large dataset to fit a general capacity model with the minimum mean square errors. KW - Algorithms KW - Case studies KW - Dwell time KW - Freight terminals KW - Freight traffic KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Railroad yards KW - Scheduling KW - Sequencing KW - Simulation KW - Yard operations UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UTK/NURail2012-UTK-R04_Jin_final_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59304/NURail2012-UTK-R04_Jin_final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405115 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598876 AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Bucci, Greg AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Impact Assessment of Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations Final Report PY - 2016/03/02/Final Report SP - 81p AB - This document details the impact assessment conducted by the Volpe Center for the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) prototype demonstrations in Columbus, Ohio and Central Florida. The prototype is one result of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) program which seeks to enhance and transform future surface transportation systems management. The set of IDTO impacts were evaluated based upon a series of hypothesis tests governing travel behavior and strategies enacted by participating organizations. These tests related to usage of the IDTO technological bundle, changes in travel demand, changes in travel time, changes in operational costs, and changes in inter-organizational cooperation. Each of the hypotheses was tested based upon information provided by the prototype developer and participating organizations as well as analysis conducted by the Impacts Assessment (IA) team. KW - Central Florida KW - Columbus (Ohio) KW - Cooperation KW - Demonstration projects KW - Impact studies KW - Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) KW - Interorganizational relations KW - Prototypes KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59000/59015/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405319 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592559 TI - FAST DASH Safety Technology Evaluation Project #2: Driver Monitoring AB - The objective of this project is to conduct an independent evaluation of a non-video-based onboard monitoring system (OBMS) and to determine if the OBMS system performs reliably, improves safe-driving performance, and improves fuel efficiency in a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operation. Encouraging drivers to make safe choices when driving can save on equipment costs, save on operating costs, and most importantly save lives. Numerous studies have shown the safety benefits of onboard monitoring system (OBMS) use combined with driver coaching and feedback. The second FMCSA's Advanced System Testing utilizing a Data Acquisition System on the Highways (FAST DASH) program evaluation involved a controlled test on the Virginia Smart Road and a naturalistic field test with a CMV fleet. The evaluated monitoring technology varies significantly from other OBMS strategies. Using vehicle kinematic and network data, accelerometers, and a global positioning system (GPS), but no video, the OBMS identifies unacceptable behavior and provides feedback to the driver aiming to correct the offending behavior within a given period of time. Examples of such behaviors include speeding (based on the posted speed limit or other preset criteria), driving aggressively (based on kinematic sensors), and lack of seatbelt use (also based on sensors). If the speed or seatbelt violation is corrected within the allowable period (speed reduced or seatbelt fastened), no violation (i.e., infraction identified by the system) is recorded. The system also monitors idling and approximates fuel usage. The outcome of the project will be a final report. KW - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Data collection KW - Global Positioning System KW - Monitoring KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety equipment KW - Technological innovations KW - Truck drivers UR - www.fmcsa.dot.gov UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400162 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619967 AU - Padfield, Jon AU - Boehm, Ted AU - Handy, Jim AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - INDOT-JTRP LPA Process Improvement SN - 9781622604289 PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 37p AB - The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) administers the INDOT Local Public Agency Program (LPA Program) to provide funds to local public agencies for transportation related improvement projects. The funds distributed through this program are federal funds and they are provided on a reimbursement basis (i.e., LPAs spend their own money on project related expenses then submit an LPA invoice-voucher for reimbursement). LPAs typically receive 80% reimbursement of allowable expenses. This project ran concurrent with a number of changes already taking place within INDOT to improve the LPA Program. The purpose of this project was to take a systematic look at all the factors impacting the overall length of projects and to find additional recommendations to shorten the time from Call for Projects to Letting. In addition, the project also collected feedback from numerous stakeholders around Indiana in an attempt to get an early indication on the effectiveness of changes already underway within the LPA Program. During the initial phase of this project, a series of people with first hand LPA experience were interviewed about specific “good projects” (ones that finished on time or nearly on time) and “bad projects” (ones that were cancelled or finished well beyond their originally scheduled completion date). Following those initial interviews, a series of interviews were scheduled with LPA stakeholders around the state to look for common themes, “pain points,” and improvement ideas. This report documents those common themes and lists a series of recommendations to address the pain points shared by the stakeholders. The recommendations are a combination of many ideas suggested by the people interviewed as a part of this project and discussions of “pain points” analyzed by the interviewers, principal investigator, business owner, and project advisor. KW - Administration KW - Federal funds KW - Financing KW - Indiana KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Local agencies KW - Recommendations KW - Reimbursement KW - Stakeholders KW - Transportation improvement projects UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316351 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60551/viewcontent.cgi_article_3129_context_jtrp.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440066 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618821 AU - Whelton, Andrew J AU - Gill, Jeffrey AU - Song, Li AU - Froderman, Bryce AU - Teimouri, Mahboobeh AU - Cai, Hua AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Lack of Data for Predicting Storm Water Pollutant Removal by Post-Construction Best Management Practices SN - 9781622604210 PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 40p AB - The project objective was to conduct a detailed literature review of storm water pollutants and mitigation technologies and synthesize the information so that the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) can implement project results into standards. Because it is a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), INDOT is required to minimize storm water pollution. A literature review was carried-out to gauge pollutants examined by other transportation agencies, the pollutant’s relevance to Indiana roadways, and the effectiveness of storm water pollution minimization best management practices (BMP). A cost benefit analysis was also conducted for a few BMP devices used in Indiana. Results showed that a variety of databases contained BMP testing studies and the same type of BMP may not perform similarly at different sites. Some BMPs can also generate pollutants. Very little BMP design, cost, and performance data were obtained during this study from INDOT and municipalities contacted due to the organizations being unable to access it. Manufacturer self-reported BMP device performance data found was not corroborated by independent device testing data. Reliance on manufacturer reported data greatly overestimated the device’s cost benefit; field validated device performance data are needed. Based on project results INDOT should consider (1) establishing agency-wide procedures to begin collecting pertinent storm water BMP information from ongoing and planned projects, (2) surveying which and how many BMPs are under INDOT control, (3) applying caution when estimating BMP performance based on manufacturer reported data or BMP performance data from other parts of the U.S., (4) conducting a field investigation to determine pollutant removal effectiveness for select BMPs. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Best practices KW - Construction sites KW - Indiana KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Literature reviews KW - Pollutants KW - Runoff KW - Water quality management UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316332 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60530/viewcontent.cgi.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436767 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01617698 AU - Zou, Yaotian AU - Tarko, Andrew P AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Assessment of Road Barriers in Indiana SN - 9781622604104 PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 82p AB - Road barriers have been used as an effective countermeasure to prevent exposure of errant vehicles to both vehicles travelling in the opposite direction and to roadside hazards. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in-service safety performance of three types of road barriers (concrete barriers, steel W-beam guardrails, and high-tension cable barriers) in Indiana using cross-sectional analysis based on crash data. The quantitative evaluation was comprised of three components: 1) the effect of the road, barrier scenarios, and traffic on the barrier-relevant (BR) crash frequency, 2) the effect of the road and the barrier scenarios on the BR harmful events, and 3) the effect of the BR events and other conditions on the injury outcomes. The introduction of the BR harmful events linked the crash onset with its outcome. The three developed statistical models were connected through their inputs-outputs and followed the sequence of various BR events during the BR crash. This improvement allowed a more comprehensive and insightful analysis of the barriers’ safety effects and a more efficient use of data. The injury outcomes were estimated for all the individuals in a crash rather than for the most severe outcome of a crash. Further improvement of the cost estimates was accomplished by utilizing hospital data. For median barriers, this study found that the total number of BR crashes was higher with the use of median barriers, mostly due to the introduction of collisions with barriers and an increase in the collisions after redirecting vehicles back to traffic. These undesirable effects of barriers were surpassed by the positive results of reducing hazardous events such as cross-median crashes, rollover events, and collisions with roadside hazards, which substantially reduced the number of severe injuries and fatalities. The average (unit) crash costs were estimated for roads without barriers and for roads with various barrier scenarios. The crash costs were reduced by 50% where cable barriers were in medians wider than 50 feet and where concrete barriers or guardrails were in medians less than or equal to 50 feet wide. Roadside barriers (guardrails) reduced the unit crash costs by 20% to 30%. Median cable barriers were found to be the most effective among all the studied barriers due to the smallest increase in the crash frequency and least severe injuries in barrier-relevant crashes. A cable barrier’s offset to the travelled way was also investigated in this study. When considering vehicles moving in one direction, the nearside cable barriers installed at an offset less than or equal to 30 feet performed better than far-side cable barriers with a larger offsets thanks to the better protection they provide for vehicles against rollovers in the median and impact with the median drain. Consequently, the biggest safety benefit can be expected where cables barriers are installed in the median at both edges. The results were implemented through a set of crash modification factors and unit crash costs estimated for 51 road-barrier scenarios. An implementation procedure is provided to quantify the crash costs and the safety benefits for these scenarios. KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Costs KW - Crash rates KW - Evaluation KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - Indiana KW - Injury severity KW - Lane closure KW - Medians KW - Performance measurement KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316335 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1434923 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616939 AU - Behnood, Ali AU - Shah, Ayesha AU - McDaniel, Rebecca S AU - Olek, Jan AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery Asphalt Binder Test and Specifications for Use in Indiana SN - 9781622603930 PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 49p AB - The Superpave specifications and equipment, introduced in 1993, represented a major advancement with respect to offering a better understanding of the behavior and characteristics of asphalt binders based on their rheological properties. However, the Superpave high-temperature test protocol has been shown to be inadequate for characterizing the high-temperature behavior (rutting resistance) of asphalt binders, particularly polymer modified ones. Recently, a specification based on the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) test has been proposed to address the shortcomings of the Superpave high-temperature binder specifications. This study aims to investigate the merits of implementing the MSCR test and specification as a replacement for the conventional high-temperature testing in the Performance Graded (PG) system. A statistical analysis was conducted on a dataset from Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to see how MSCR and PG procedures differ in grading different binders used in the state. In addition, an experimental study was conducted using seventeen different modified and unmodified binders. In addition to binder tests, seven of the binders were selected to conduct asphalt mixture tests such as dynamic modulus and flow number. The results confirm that the MSCR test is a suitable replacement for the current PG high temperature test since it provides a better tool to rank modified asphalt binders as well as unmodified ones. That is, creep compliance from the MSCR test more fundamentally represents binder behavior at high temperatures compared to the PG rutting parameter. In addition, the very simplified approach, known as grade-bumping, used in the current PG system to account for high traffic levels and low speed limits can be eliminated when using the MSCR test. The MSCR test also provides a better coefficient of correlation (at both stress levels) with flow number test results than the PG rutting parameter, again indicating that it more accurately reflects binder performance at high temperatures. KW - Bituminous binders KW - High temperature KW - Indiana KW - Relaxation (Mechanics) KW - Rutting KW - Specifications KW - Statistical analysis KW - Superpave KW - Test procedures UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284316330 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60300/60369/viewcontent.cgi_article_3141_context_jtrp.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428801 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616938 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Gulf Regional Planning Commission Scenario Planning Workshop PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report summarizes noteworthy practices shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the Gulf Regional Planning Commission (GRPC), on March 15-16, 2016, in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this event as part of its Scenario Planning Program and in connection with the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program jointly run by FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration. The workshop introduced the topic of scenario planning to GRPC partners and representatives from local, State, and Federal agencies, and provided an opportunity for GRPC to collect feedback on next steps for using scenario planning to better inform its planning process and leverage existing scenario planning resources and applications. Peer experts participated in the workshop from the Florida Department of Transportation, Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, and Wilmington Area Planning Council. KW - Best practices KW - Florida Department of Transportation KW - Forecasting KW - Gulf Regional Planning Commission KW - Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Wilmington Area Planning Council KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60126/Gulf_regional_planning_commission.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428260 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01614868 AU - Kuciemba, Stephen AU - Swindler, Kathleen AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation Management Center Video Recording and Archiving Best General Practices PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 118p AB - Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are an important tool for transportation agencies who rely on them for incident verification, response preparation, traffic management awareness, special events, weather conditions, and much more. In some instances, these agencies have considered recording all or some of the video feeds—and in many instances agencies are sharing video with other transportation and law enforcement agencies. This report presents a cross section of how different agencies are addressing video recording and sharing topics— drawn from a literature review, online inquiry, interviews, and expert input. Since State and local regulatory, policy, operational, and fiscal environments differ (in some cases quite significantly) it is a challenge to identify one-size-fits-all best practices. Therefore this report presents best general practices for Transportation Management Center (TMC) leaders to consider and in some instances recognizes that several different practices might apply (specific to the needs of an agency or organization). KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Data sharing KW - Literature reviews KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Recording KW - Traffic control centers KW - Transportation departments KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16033/fhwahop16033.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1426165 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610516 AU - Aboutaha, Riyad AU - Zhang, Haotian AU - Syracuse University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Economy of Preventive Maintenance of Concrete Bridges PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 212p AB - The most economical approach to maintain existing concrete bridges is by adopting an active preventive maintenance approach. An in-depth investigation of the combined deterioration effects of various deterioration mechanisms is needed to establish sound thresholds for harmful chemicals in concrete bridge elements. Such established thresholds are critical for cost-effective maintenance of concrete bridges. This study investigated the economy of preventive maintenance for concrete bridges. This report presents an in-depth chemical evaluation and preventive maintenance of existing highway concrete bridges. In addition, it presents implementation of the proposed preventive maintenance approach that is based on quantitative assessment of the material chemical condition of the bridge. This research project involved the following activities: (1) Review of the current bridge inspection manuals for concrete bridges evaluation, (2) Identification of various deterioration mechanisms, (3) Extensive presentation of chemical nondestructive tests (NDTs), (4) Establishment of chloride diffusion coefficient, (4) Required preventive maintenance measures for different levels of harmful compounds found in concrete bridges, (5) cost of various activities presented in items 1-4, (6) Comparison of concrete bridge maintenance costs using the current practice and the proposed preventive maintenance approach. Based on the finding of this study, preventive maintenance may require slightly higher initial cost, however, it leads to long-term cost saving over the service life of bridges. KW - Chloride diffusion KW - Concrete bridges KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Deterioration KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Preventive maintenance UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Economy-of-Preventive-Maintenance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423189 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608700 AU - Swisher, Myron AU - O-Donnell, Cara AU - Symoun, Jennifer AU - Lambert, Julie AU - Leidos AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Congestion Pricing – A PRIMER: EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO STREAMLINING BACK OFFICE OPERATIONS PY - 2016/03 SP - 52p AB - While project managers for congestion pricing strategies and systems are focused on traffic management, technology, toll rates, and design, other critical issues related to operations, policy, and rapidly changing technology tend to arise. In this primer, these challenges are collectively referred to as “Back Office Issues” as they impact operations that are behind the scenes in the “back office.” The following eight such topic areas are discussed in detail in this primer: Policy Decisions Drive Business Rules, Interoperability, Back Office Efficiency, Enforcement, Data Analysis and Warehouse, Transparency, Privacy, and Private Sector Involvement. The primer also includes complete case studies for each topic area describing experiences of implementing agencies. The reader is encouraged to identify elements of the case studies that are similar to what his/her agency may be dealing with on local congestion pricing projects. KW - Case studies KW - Congestion pricing KW - Data analysis KW - Decision making KW - Implementation KW - Interoperability KW - Policy KW - Privacy KW - Private enterprise UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15037/fhwahop15037.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417653 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605785 AU - National Center for Safe Routes to School AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Advancing Safe Walking and Bicycling for Youth: Approaches from the Federal Safe Routes to School Program that Support Broad Safety Benefits for Youth PY - 2016/03 SP - 12p AB - The report "Creating Healthier Generations, A Look at the 10 Years of the Federal Safe Routes to School Program" (ten-year report), prepared by the National Center, documents that much progress has been made in increasing walking and bicycling to school while improving safety. Using the rich data and case studies made possible by the State Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Coordinators and local SRTS practitioners, the ten-year report highlights the many successes of the Federal SRTS Program and examines how the strategies can be applied to the broader benefits of making walking and bicycling safer for all youth. While celebrating the Program’s accomplishments, it is also important to plan for the work that lies ahead. Today, most schoolchildren still do not walk and bicycle to school and in other places children must walk, but do so in unsafe conditions. Broadening the lens further, communities continue to prioritize the movement of vehicles over the safe travel of all road users—whether those are people walking, bicycling, using transit or motor vehicles. There is an urgent need to use the achievements and strategies that have benefited from use in Safe Routes to School programs, to do a better job serving children and youth as they move throughout their communities to parks, friends’ homes, sports venues and other places. Many communities agree that children are the heart of their communities’ futures and now is the time to take action towards that commitment. Using the findings of the ten-year report with input from the State SRTS Coordinators and participants of the Roundtable on Safe Routes to School: Ten Years of Progress, held in October 2015 at the US Department of Transportation (DOT) headquarters, this report offers five ways that SRTS strategies can be used to improve safety beyond the trip to school. KW - Bicycling KW - Children KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Safe Routes to School (Program) KW - Strategic planning KW - United States KW - Walking UR - http://saferoutesinfo.org/sites/default/files/VisionZero_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415852 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605776 AU - Ban, Xuegang (Jeff) AU - Wojotowicz, Jeffrey AU - Li, Wan AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York State Energy Research and Development Authority AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Decision Making Tool for Applying Adaptive Traffic Control Systems PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 76p AB - Adaptive traffic signal control technologies have been increasingly deployed in real world situations. The objective of this project was to develop a decision-making tool to guide traffic engineers and decision-makers who must decide whether or not adaptive control is better suited for a given traffic corridor and/or intersections than the existing actuator control system. The decision-making tool contains a qualitative analysis method and a quantitative analysis method. The qualitative method is a decision tree that lists the critical factors that influence the decision. Traffic analysis on network performance and infrastructure analysis on the required resources could help make decisions step-by-step. The quantitative analysis method is based on big data analysis methods using a large amount of data from various sources such as detectors, 511 systems, weather, and special events. Regression models and support vector machines (SVM) were applied to distinguish “good” and “bad” signal performances, as well as adaptive and actuated control strategies. Results show satisfactory performances of the SVM methods, and a decision-making procedure was developed to guide the deployment of adaptive traffic control. KW - Adaptive control KW - Data analysis KW - Decision support systems KW - Decision trees KW - Performance measurement KW - Regression analysis KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-13-04%20Final%20Report_March%202016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415856 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605759 AU - Riemer, Allison AU - Prozzi, Jolanda AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Texas Freight 2055 Roundtable PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 88p AB - What will an effective, efficient, and safe Texas freight transportation system look like four decades into the future? The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin identified trends that could impact businesses’ requirements for future freight transportation and conducted business interviews to gain an improved understanding of the envisioned future freight transportation system that will meet their business requirements. The study team also hosted a one day workshop to review the study findings and to discuss the role of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in conducting proactive freight planning that will support the future growth of industry and ultimately of the Texas economy. The Freight 2055 Roundtable was held at the North Central Texas Council of Governments in Arlington on Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Participants included representatives from ports, rail, highways, cities, corporations, metropolitan planning organizations, logistics service providers, engineering and planning firms, consulting firms, and academia. Appendix A contains the Freight 2055 Roundtable invitation, Appendix B contains the Roundtable Agenda, Appendix C contains a one page summary that highlights the objectives of the study of which the Freight 2055 Roundtable discussion was a key component, Appendix D contains the Roundtable presentations, and Appendix E contains the group discussions. KW - Businesses KW - Economic growth KW - Forecasting KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Texas KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59190/0-6809-P3_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415763 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605757 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli S AU - Alghazali, Hayder AU - Griffin, Alexander AU - Smith, Kaylea AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) for Infrastructure Elements: Implementation. Report B, Shear Behavior of High-Strength Self-Consolidating Concrete in NU Bridge Girders PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 203p AB - As the nation’s infrastructure continues to age, advanced concrete technologies have been developed to both reduce a structure’s costs and increase its life expectancy. Since the early 1990’s, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has been one of these technologies. Many, however, have been reluctant to implement SCC in highway girders due to the mixture constituents. One of these concerns is the reduced content and size of the coarse aggregate. These differences in the concrete potentially hinder SCC’s mechanical properties and shear resistance. Additionally, for high strength concretes (HSC) with weaker aggregates, shear cracks tend to propagate through the coarse aggregate, reducing the aggregate interlock component of the shear resistance. This study aimed at assessing the web-shear strength both with and without web reinforcement of two precast-prestressed Nebraska University (NU) 53 girders fabricated with high strength self-consolidating concrete (HS-SCC). The results were compared to the American Concrete Institute (ACI) 318 (2011) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) (2012) code estimates, and a finite element model (FEM) package, Response 2000. ATENA Engineering, a finite element analysis (FEA) program, was also used to evaluate the qualitative results, specifically crack patterns and the effect of the coarse aggregate content and size. A prestressed concrete database was also constructed to assess the effect of the reduced coarse aggregate content on the shear capacity of HS-SCC in prestressed concrete members. The mechanical properties of the HS-SCC mix were also tested and compared to relevant empirical equations. The HS-SCC mix investigated in this study proves to be a viable cost-saving alternative for bridge superstructure elements. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Cracking KW - Finite element method KW - Fly ash KW - Girders KW - Highway bridges KW - Implementation KW - Mechanical properties KW - Missouri KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear strength UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201236/cmr16-011B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415406 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605709 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli S AU - Alghazali, Hayder AU - Griffin, Alexander AU - Smith, Kaylea AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) for Infrastructure Elements: Implementation. Report C, Implementation of HVFA Concrete from Laboratory Studies into Bridge Application PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 160p AB - This study was performed to examine the effects of cement replaced by high volumes of Class C fly-ash on durability characteristics of concrete up to 120 days. Specifically, this study investigates possibility of amending American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to allow High Volume Fly-ash (HVFA) concrete to cure until later ages prior to testing instead of 28 days. Five mix designs were compared with varying fly-ash percentages from 0 to 70% (by total cementitious mass). No other additives were present in any of the five mix designs. Water to-cementitious ratio (w/cm) and total cementitious material remained constant as 0.40 and 750 pounds per cubic yard respectively. Both plastic concrete and hardened concrete properties were examined. The replacement of cement by fly-ash resulted in the concrete exhibiting adequate 28 day strength, stiffer moduli, lower chloride permeability, improved resistance to freezing and thawing, and improved abrasion resistance at 50% fly-ash replacement when compared to a baseline mix. At 70% fly-ash replacement, the concrete never reached equivalent properties to the other mixes. As the age and compressive strength of all mixes increased, so did the abrasion resistance and durability factor. Accelerated curing at 100°F (37.8°C), 130°F (54.4°C), and 160°F (71.1°C) proved to be detrimental to the concrete at all fly-ash levels, with higher temperatures causing increased damage. An increase in compressive strength was seen in the first few days prior to a decrease in compressive strength. KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete curing KW - Durability KW - Fly ash KW - Highway bridges KW - Implementation KW - Laboratory studies KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Water cement ratio UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201236/cmr16-011C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415407 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605674 AU - Klim, Terry AU - Giragosian, Anna AU - Newton, Diane AU - Bedsole, Elisabeth AU - Leidos AU - DKS Associates AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integrated Corridor Management and Transit and Mobility on Demand PY - 2016/03 SP - 44p AB - This primer examines how both public transportation and mobility on demand (MOD) can be incorporated into an integrated corridor management (ICM) approach. It also defines the needs for including public transportation and MOD stakeholders in ICM. Additionally, it explores opportunities to effectively integrate transit and other emerging modes of public transportation on institutional, operational, and technical levels. Finally, it also identifies several major challenges to integration, along with potential solutions.The primer also provides real world examples of transit and MOD strategies and services incorporated within the ICM approach. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Mobility KW - Public transit KW - Stakeholders UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop16036/fhwahop16036.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415730 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605670 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli S AU - Alghazali, Hayder AU - Griffin, Alexander AU - Smith, Kaylea AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) for Infrastructure Elements: Implementation. Summary Report PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Because of its unique nature, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has the potential to significantly reduce costs associated with transportation-related infrastructure, benefiting both Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the residents of Missouri. SCC is a highly flowable, nonsegregating concrete that can be placed without any mechanical consolidation, and thus has the following advantages over conventional concrete: decreased labor and equipment costs during concrete placement, decreased potential for and costs to repair honeycombing and voids, increased production rates of precast and cast-in-place (CIP) elements, and improved finish and appearance of cast and free concrete surfaces. In addition to SCC, innovative materials, such as high-volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC), also provide a significant potential to produce more cost effective mix designs for CIP concrete. Since the 1930’s, fly ash – a pozzolanic material – has been used as a partial replacement of portland cement in concrete to improve the material’s strength and durability, while also limiting the amount of early heat generation. From an environmental perspective, replacing cement with fly ash reduces the concrete’s overall carbon footprint and diverts an industrial by-product from the solid waste stream (currently, about 40% of fly ash is reclaimed for beneficial reuse and 60% is disposed of in landfills). The objective of this research was to provide an implementation test bed and showcase for the use of sustainable and extended service life concrete. In this implementation study for Missouri Bridge A7957, a level of 50% fly ash to cement proportions was utilized as well as normal strength self-consolidating concrete (NS-SCC) and high-strength self-consolidating concrete (HS-SCC) in its primary carrying elements to showcase the use of these innovative materials. This study focused on monitoring the serviceability and structural performance, both short-term and long-term, of the bridge in an attempt to investigate the in-situ behavior of the NS-SCC, HS-SCC and also the HVFAC mixtures. Consequently, to compare and demonstrate the potential benefits and savings of using NS-SCC, HS-SCC and HVFAC in the first Missouri DOT large-scale bridge structure, this study undertook ten tasks including the following: Task 1: Pre-Construction Planning and Construction Coordination; Task 2: Development of Bridge Instrumentation Plan & Load Testing Plan (Bridge A7957); Task 3: Mix Design and Quality Control Procedures/Quality Assurance – Trial Mixes; Task 4: Shear Testing and Evaluation of HS-SCC Precast Nebraska University (NU) Girders; Task 5: Precast-Prestressed Plant Specimen Fabrication and Instrumentation; Task 6: Field Cast-In-Place Elements and Instrumentation; Task 7: Hardened Properties of Plant and Field Produced Concrete; Task 8: Bridge Load Testing and Monitoring/Evaluation of Experimental Load Testing Results; Task 9: Reporting/Technology Transfer; Task 10: Value to MoDOT and Stakeholders to Implementing SCC/HVFAC. The final report consists of a summary report and four technical reports. The findings, conclusions and recommendations of the study can be referenced within these reporting components. KW - Cast in place concrete KW - Costs KW - Fly ash KW - Highway bridges KW - Implementation KW - Load tests KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Serviceability KW - Shear tests KW - Structural analysis UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201236/cmr16-011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415404 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605641 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli S AU - Alghazali, Hayder AU - Griffin, Alexander AU - Smith, Kaylea AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) for Infrastructure Elements: Implementation. Report A, Bridge A7957 Fabrication, Construction, and Early Age Properties Behavior of HS-SCC, SCC, HVFAC, and Conventional Concrete (CC) PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 217p AB - Because of its unique nature, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has the potential to significantly reduce costs associated with transportation-related infrastructure, benefiting both Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the residents of Missouri. SCC is a highly flowable, nonsegregating concrete that can be placed without any mechanical consolidation, and thus has the following advantages over conventional concrete: decreased labor and equipment costs during concrete placement, decreased potential for and costs to repair honeycombing and voids, increased production rates of precast and cast-in-place (CIP) elements, and improved finish and appearance of cast and free concrete surfaces. In addition to SCC, innovative materials, such as high volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC), also provide a significant potential to produce more cost effective mix designs for CIP concrete. Since the 1930’s, fly ash – a pozzolanic material – has been used as a partial replacement of portland cement in concrete to improve the material’s strength and durability, while also limiting the amount of early heat generation. From an environmental perspective, replacing cement with fly ash reduces the concrete’s overall carbon footprint and diverts an industrial by-product from the solid waste stream (currently, about 40% of fly ash is reclaimed for beneficial reuse and 60% is disposed of in landfills). The objective of this research is to provide an implementation test bed and showcase for the use of sustainable and extended service life concrete. In this implementation study for Missouri Bridge A7957, a level of 50% fly ash to cement proportions was utilized as well as normal strength self-consolidating concrete (NS-SCC) and high-strength self-consolidating concrete (HS-SCC) in the load carrying elements to showcase the use of these innovative materials. KW - Bridge construction KW - Cast in place concrete KW - Fly ash KW - Highway bridges KW - Implementation KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Properties of materials KW - Self compacting concrete UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201236/cmr16-011A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415405 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605636 AU - Martin, Andrew AU - Wallace, Candice AU - Keathley, Valerie AU - Walton, Jennifer AU - Kentucky Transportation Center AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - CDL Workflow Study PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 54p AB - Kentucky uses federally funded, time-limited (FFTL) employees to handle some of the administrative work necessary to meet federal compliance standards for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has decided not to continue funding FFTLs for these purposes, meaning that states will have to find other ways to meet CDL program requirements and maintain compliance. Given the potential ramifications of losing federal transportation and enforcement funding due to lack of compliance with federal standards, it is imperative that state lawmakers act to ensure Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has the resources to carry out its mandated functions. The study delineates federal and state CDL requirements, current workflow processes, surveys practices in other states, reports on the status of CDL workflow automation and develops three alternative funding mechanisms to stabilize program workflow while developers gather requirements for web-based applications to increase workflow efficiency. It also recommends other changes that would benefit KYTC, particularly the staff responsible for CDL program administration and compliance. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Automation KW - Commercial drivers KW - Compliance KW - Driver licensing KW - Financing KW - Kentucky KW - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet KW - State of the practice KW - States KW - Workload UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2016/06/KTC_16_06_SPR15_512_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416968 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605620 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli S AU - Alghazali, Hayder AU - Griffin, Alexander AU - Smith, Kaylea AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) for Infrastructure Elements: Implementation. Report D, Load Testing and Monitoring of Bridge A7957 Initial In-Service Response PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 101p AB - Bridge A7957 is the first bridge superstructure implementation conducted by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) employing self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and high-strength self-consolidating concrete (HS-SCC) in its primary supporting members. The objective of this research was to perform an in-situ evaluation of Bridge A7957 to establish its baseline response and compare existing differences between the different spans’ behavior (in particular the first and third spans which have same geometrical characteristics). To fulfill this goal, a field load test strategy was elaborated and carried out to evaluate the bridge’s behavior under different static load configurations. During the field load test, embedded vibrating wire strain gauges (VWSGs) recorded strain variations at instrumented sections. In addition, an automated total station (ATS) measured the girders’ vertical deflection at critical sections. Based on field results, the precast, prestressed girders’ response of the different spans was compared, and lateral load distribution factors were obtained from field measurements and using the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications. No significant difference between the spans’ behavior was observed during the live load tests. The load distribution factors estimated from the AASHTO LRFD approach resulted in more conservative values compared to the measured load distribution values. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Fly ash KW - Highway bridges KW - Implementation KW - Load tests KW - Missouri KW - Self compacting concrete UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201236/cmr16-011D.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415408 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604943 AU - Kelle, Peter AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - University of Tennessee, Knoxville AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Simulation Model for Intermodal Freight Transportation in Louisiana PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 72p AB - With increased emphasis on intermodal freight transportation, the issues of how to evaluate an existing intermodal transportation system and how to evaluate the changes in the system have been receiving intensive attention. Because of the high complexity and high variability involved in intermodal transportation, simulation tools need to be applied. The authors built a system-level intermodal simulation model for Louisiana that includes highways, railways, and waterways and also incorporates the connections between the different modes. The research: (1) summarized the existing intermodal freight transportation simulation results; (2) developed a simulation framework based on the ARENA simulation software; (3) developed the simulation model and calculated the mobility, reliability, safety, and environmental performance measures for the existing intermodal freight system of Louisiana; (4) validated the simulation model based on traffic counters at certain locations from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, energy data, safety dataset, etc; and (5) analyzed three different scenarios. In Scenario 1 the potential effects of the Panama Canal expansion have been calculated, in Scenario 2, the effects of traffic disruptions while in Scenario 3, the effects of a potential improvement in highway safety have been calculated. KW - Arena (Computer program) KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Louisiana KW - Simulation UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-42FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416961 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604939 AU - Li, Xiaopeng AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Logistic System Network Design with Expedited Transportation Services PY - 2016/03 SP - 39p AB - A comprehensive network design planning framework is critical to the capacity, efficiency and reliability of a global supply chain system. Most studies on logistics network planning are based on simple and deterministic assumptions of day-to-day supply chain operations. However, the performance of a network logistic system is in fact largely affected by uncertainties in demand rate and transportation lead times. This study proposes a mathematical model for the design of a two-echelon supply chain where a set of suppliers serve a set of terminal facilities that receive uncertain customer demands. This model integrates a number of system decisions in both the planning and operational stages, including facility location, multilevel service assignments, multi-modal transportation configuration, and inventory management, to minimize the expected system cost under uncertainties from both suppliers and demands. The author also considers probabilistic supplier disruptions that may halt product supply from certain suppliers from time to time. The author developed a customized solution approach based on Lagrangian relaxation that can solve these models efficiently and accurately. Numerical examples are conducted to test the proposed model and draw managerial insights into how the key parameters affect the optimal system design. Finally, a user friendly web-based interface is developed for biofuel supply chain network design with graphic interactions. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Demand KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Lagrangian relaxation approach KW - Logistics KW - Mathematical models KW - Network design KW - Suppliers KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-22FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604584 AU - Epstein, Alexander K AU - Segev, Eran AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - City of Cambridge TI - Cambridge Safer Truck Initiative Vehicle-based Strategies to Protect Pedestrians and Bicyclists PY - 2016/03 SP - 88p AB - This report summarizes Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center’s (Volpe’s) research and recommendations for the City of Cambridge for implementing a number of proven vehicle safety strategies, including truck side guards, blind spot mirrors, and other vehicle-based safety enhancements on the city-owned truck fleet. The City intends to install these technologies on heavy-duty vehicles to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling in Cambridge, leading by example in Massachusetts and encouraging private entities to follow suit. Volpe has reviewed international best practices and safety data and has considered both operational and human factors issues in developing the recommendations in this report for: Installing side guards on large trucks to protect bicyclists and pedestrians from being swept underneath a vehicle in a side-impact crash; Installing additional blind spot mirrors, lenses, or cameras intended to increase truck drivers’ field of view and situational awareness of bicyclists and pedestrians; Posting educational messaging inside and/or outside of large trucks intended to increase awareness of all road users about avoiding blind spots and other specific hazards; and Integrating the recommended safety countermeasures into the vehicle bodies and operations of the city’s truck fleet, on up to 50 identified vehicles starting in the fall of 2015. KW - Bicycle safety KW - Blind spots KW - Cambridge (Massachusetts) KW - Cameras KW - Education KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Mirrors KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Recommendations KW - Side underguards KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59356/Cambridge-Volpe_Safer_Truck_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414858 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603661 AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Brown, Henry AU - Nemmers, Charles AU - Claros, Boris AU - Khezerzadeh, Amir AU - Zhang, Mengyuan AU - Nam, Kyoungmin (Andrew) AU - Berry, Jacob AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crash Location Correction for Freeway Interchange Modeling PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 88p AB - The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released a supplement to the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) in 2014 that includes models for freeway interchanges composed of segments, speed-change lanes and terminals. A necessary component to the use of HSM is having the appropriate safety-related data. However, a high percentage, approximately 75 percent, of interchange crashes on the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Transportation Management System (TMS) systems are landed on an incorrect location within an interchange. For example, crashes are frequently placed in the midpoint of the ramp terminal instead of properly assigned to one of the two ramp terminals. Another example is crashes that are assigned to the freeway mainline when the crashes are related to ramps. In order to properly calibrate and use HSM freeway interchange models, the location of crashes needs to be corrected. The crash landing correction involves the visual inspection of crash images compiled by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. A detailed procedure was established along with a reviewer test so that crash correction can be conducted uniformly among multiple reviewers. A total of 10,897 crashes were reviewed, and 9,168 underwent detailed review and correction. Of the total, 1482 were partial cloverleaf crashes, 5086 were diamond interchange crashes, 780 were ramp crashes, and 1820 were speed-change lane crashes. The crash location correction process helped to eliminate the error rate of 69% associated with interchange crash locations. Any analyst can correct crash locations by following the procedure detailed in this report. KW - Crash data KW - Crash locations KW - Data collection KW - Freeways KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Information processing KW - Interchanges KW - Missouri KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Ramps (Interchanges) UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/crash_location_correction_for_freeway_interchange_modeling_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201504/cmr16-010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411461 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603637 AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Brown, Henry AU - Nemmers, Charles AU - Claros, Boris AU - Khezerzadeh, Amir AU - Zhang, Mengyuan AU - Nam, Kyoungmin (Andrew) AU - Berry, Jacob AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Highway Safety Manual Applied in Missouri – Freeway/Software PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 280p AB - The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO’s) Highway Safety Manual (HSM) facilitates the quantitative safety analysis of highway facilities. In a 2014 supplement, freeway facilities were added to the original HSM manual which allows the modeling of highway interchanges. This report documents the calibration of the most vital freeway interchange facility types in Missouri. These facility types include nine freeway interchange terminals, including diamond, partial cloverleaf, and full cloverleaf interchanges. The non-terminal facilities included entrance and exit speed-change lanes, and entrance and exit ramps. The calibrated facilities applied to both rural and urban locations. For each facility type, sample sites were randomly selected from an exhaustive master list. Four types of data were collected for each site: geometric, annual average daily traffic (AADT), traffic control, and crash. Crash data was especially noteworthy because of the crash landing problem, i.e. crashes were not located on the proper interchange facility. A significant companion crash correction project was undertaken involving the review of 12,409 crash reports, and the detailed review of 9,169 crash reports. Using the corrected data, 44 calibration values were derived for freeway terminal and non-terminal facilities. These values are the first reported freeway interchange calibration values since the release of the 2014 HSM supplement. KW - Calibration KW - Data collection KW - Freeways KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Interchanges and intersections KW - Missouri KW - Ramps (Interchanges) UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201405/cmr16-009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411462 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603571 AU - McDonald, Noreen AU - Steiner, Ruth AU - Palmer, W Mathew AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - School Transportation: Development of an Education Module and Workshops on Multi-modal Costs PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This research project presents a conceptual overview of the policy issue of school siting via an education module and introduces a practitioner tool to support the school siting decision making process. As previous research outlines, school siting, or the physical location of a school, can impact school travel rates and costs. This module and decision support tools enables practitioners to identify and compare the tradeoffs in up-front land costs with ongoing transport costs. The education module, hosted online, was developed for use in graduate courses in urban planning, engineering, and education and continuing education workshops in school siting and pupil transportation. KW - Costs KW - Decision support systems KW - Education and training methods KW - Location KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Schools KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_2013-32S_Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411933 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603565 JO - Asset Management Financial Report Series PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Saadatmand, Nastaran AU - Gaj, Stephen AU - Proctor, Gordon AU - Varma, Shobna TI - Incorporating Asset Valuation into Transportation Asset Management Financial Plans PY - 2016/03 IS - Report 5 SP - 62p AB - Transportation agencies face the challenging task to maintain, preserve and improve infrastructure assets for current and future generations while grappling with limited funding. Because assets such as pavements and bridges have long useful lives, sound asset management requires a long-term approach. This fifth and last report in the financial plan series addresses asset valuation and depreciation. Asset valuation translates infrastructure conditions into monetary terms as public wealth or equity. Its corollary is depreciation. Depreciation captures the cost to public wealth or equity as assets age or deteriorate through use or neglect. Valuation and depreciation help portray infrastructure as part of the public’s “portfolio of wealth” that merits sound management, investment, and preservation. Asset valuation plays a much larger role in asset management in England and Australia than it does in the United States. This report compares and contrasts U.S. practice to that in other countries and it explores the potential for asset valuation to play a larger role in U.S. asset-management efforts. It also explores challenges to expanded use of asset valuation and depreciation. KW - Asset management KW - Countries KW - Depreciation KW - Infrastructure KW - Transportation planning KW - United States KW - Valuation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/plans/financial/hif16009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411100 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603516 AU - Washburn, Scott S AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Signalized Intersection Simulation Program for Education PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 29p AB - In the “Introduction to Transportation Engineering” class, two of the most difficult topics for students to learn are often queuing theory and signal operation and analysis. It is well documented in that the current generation of students are largely ‘visual’ learners and that ‘active learning’ exercises are likely to be a more effective teaching method than the traditional lecture. This learning paradigm for students lends itself well to the use of computer software, particularly traffic simulation programs, to significantly enhance student education in transportation engineering. Software programs can be valuable learning tools, if the program is designed with the focus on education. With a well-designed signalized intersection simulation program that is focused on education and considers pedagogical issues, student interaction with the program through active-learning exercises will allow them to easily visualize the relationship between the various inputs and performance measures, which should lead to more efficient and effective student learning. The result of this Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) project is a signalized intersection microscopic simulation program that can lead to more efficient and effective learning of signalized intersection operation and analysis than traditional commercial simulation programs. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Education and training methods KW - Signalized intersections KW - Software KW - Traffic simulation KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Signal_Education_Final_Report_ias.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411566 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600783 AU - Nazari, Mehdi Honarvar AU - Havens, Eden Adele AU - Muthumani, Anburaj AU - Shi, Xianming AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates AU - Department of Transportation TI - Bio-based Renewable Additives for Anti-icing Applications (Phase I) PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 52p AB - The performance and impacts of several bio-based anti-icers along with a traditional chloride-based anti-icer (salt brine) were evaluated. A statistical design of experiments (uniform design) was employed for developing anti-icing liquids consisting of cost-competitive chemicals such as bio-based compounds (e.g., sugar beet extract and dandelion extract), rock salt, sodium metasilicate, and sodium formate. The following experimentally obtained parameters were examined as a function of the formulation design: ice-melting capacity and ice penetration at 25°F (−3.9°C) and 15°F (−9.4°C), compressive strength of Portland cement mortar samples after 10 freeze-thaw/deicer cycles, corrosion rate of C1010 carbon steel after 24-hour immersion, and impact on asphalt binder’s stiffness. One viable formula (“best performer”) was tested for freezing point depression phase diagram (ASTM D1177-88) and the friction coefficient of asphalt pavement treated by this anti-icing formulation (vs. 23 wt.% NaCl) at a certain temperature near 25°F or 30°F after being applied at 30 gallons per lane mile (1 hour after simulated trafficking and plowing). Laboratory data shed light on the selection and formulation of innovative bio-based snow and ice control chemicals that can significantly reduce the costs of winter maintenance operations. This exploratory investigation contributes to more systematic study of optimizing “greener” anti-icers using renewable resources. KW - Anti-icing KW - Cement mortars KW - Coefficient of friction KW - Compressive strength KW - Corrosion KW - Freeze thaw tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Melting KW - Organic materials KW - Waste products KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://cem.uaf.edu/media/172879/finalreportforbioantiicingproject_5-24-2016_fp.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409378 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600775 AU - Yanez-Rojas, Jaime AU - Yu, Jin AU - Oliva, Michael 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 - Wisconsin Study on the Impact of OSOW Vehicles on Complex Bridges PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 170p AB - Special purpose freight vehicles, which may weigh six times the normal legal limit, request special government permits for travel along selected highway routes. It is difficult for transportation agencies to determine the effects of these vehicles on some unique complex bridge structures. Errors in issuing travel permits may impact public safety or impede commerce through long detours. The goal of this study was to identify how complex bridges, unlike normal girder span bridges, respond to normal and oversize truck loading and then to develop methods that might be used for simply evaluating the impact of overweight trucks on bridges as part of the permit issuing process. Some of these results may also be useful in the bridge rating processes. Three long span arch bridges, one rigid frame bridge and two short span opening bascule bridges were examined in detail analytically to investigate their behavior; three of the bridges were also load tested to provide proof of the accuracy of the analytic methods used. KW - Bridges KW - Evaluation KW - Load tests KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Permits KW - Structural analysis KW - Trucks KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0803_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408434 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600755 AU - Yan, Jia AU - Qiu, Jiehong AU - Tan, Xinlong AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates AU - Department of Transportation TI - Optimal Highway Durability in Cold Regions PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 39p AB - The authors develop an empirical tool to estimate optimal highway durability in cold regions. To test the model, the authors assemble a data set containing all highway construction and maintenance projects in Arizona and Washington State from 1990 to 2014. The data set includes information on location, time, type (resurfacing, construction, or lane widening), pavement material and thickness, and total expenditure for these projects. Using the data, the authors first estimate how highway maintenance costs and highway duration depend on pavement thickness and traffic loading. The authors then calibrate the effects of different deicers on highway durability and thus on highway maintenance costs. Finally, the authors demonstrate how the estimated and calibrated model can be used by planners to make optimal decisions for highway pavement and winter operations in cold regions. KW - Arizona KW - Costs KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Durability KW - Economic analysis KW - Frigid regions KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Thickness KW - Traffic loads KW - Washington (State) KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://cem.uaf.edu/media/172542/alaskafinalreport_finalversion_revised.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408784 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599324 AU - Voyiadjis, George Z AU - Cai, Steve AU - Alshibli, Khalid AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integral Abutment Bridge for Louisiana’s Soft and Stiff Soils PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 225p AB - Integral abutment bridges (IABs) have been designed and constructed in a few US states in the past few decades. The initial purpose of building such bridges was to eliminate the expansion joints and resolve the joint-induced problems. Although IABs have been widely accepted due to their satisfying performances, they have not been largely applied in practice. Some of the reasons can be attributed to the uncertainties of the structural and geotechnical behaviors of such bridges under the temperature variations, shrinkage and creep of materials, traffic loads, etc. Recently, the first two full IABs were constructed on soft and stiff soil conditions in Louisiana by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). This report presents the field instrumentation plans and monitoring results for two bridges: Caminada Bay Bridge, constructed on mainly fine sand and silty sand deposit, and Bodcau Bayou Bridge, on a relatively lean and fat clay with low plasticity. Finite element modeling was also conducted to understand and assess the bridges’ performances. Based on the available information of the bridges, with the monitoring results, 3D numerical models were implemented and validated in the study, where the pile-soil and abutment-backfill interaction behaviors were considered. The concerning parameters are varied through a parametric study to further investigate their effects on the bridge thermal performances under the other complicated structural and geotechnical conditions. KW - Backfill soils KW - Clay soils KW - Field studies KW - Finite element method KW - Jointless bridges KW - Louisiana KW - Mathematical models KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Soft soils KW - Soil structure interaction KW - Thermal analysis UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2016/FR_517.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59208/FR_517.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406501 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599315 AU - Porter, C D AU - Eldridge, R J AU - Cook, S AU - Osborne, J AU - Lane, L B AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Toole Design Group AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation Alternatives Program Performance Management Guidebook PY - 2016/03 SP - 143p AB - The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), established under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act and continued under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, provides resources for a variety of eligible transportation alternatives projects. This guidebook assists State Department of Transportation (DOT) and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) program managers in implementing a performance-based approach to ensure that staff and decisionmakers understand program goals, and that program actions are making progress towards achieving those goals. The guidebook includes an overview of the principles of performance-based planning and management; an introduction to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) performance-based planning framework; a discussion of how to implement performance management with limited resources; and a step-by-step roadmap for creating a tailored performance-based planning and programming approach. Appendices present examples of relevant performance measures; information on data sources; examples for a DOT and an MPO; and additional resources. KW - Decision making KW - Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act KW - Handbooks KW - Implementation KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Performance measurement KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/transportation_alternatives/performance_management/guidebook/tap_pm_guidebook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407001 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599309 AU - Mishra, Santosh AU - TranSystems Corporation AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) Radio/ITS Project Final Report PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 75p AB - This report presents findings from the evaluation of the radio and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) deployments at Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) in Cleveland, Ohio. GCRTA implemented an Enhanced Digital Access Communication System (EDACS) voice and data radio system and ITS technologies that include Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/ AVL), Automated Vehicle Announcements (AVA), Automated Passenger Counters (APCs), and Vehicle Component Monitoring (VCM). The system was accepted in 2012 after a deployment process that spanned 10 years. These technologies were deployed to improve operational efficiency, enhance safety, and improve service reliability and customer satisfaction. Based on staff interviews, the evaluation team determined that the overall impact of the deployed technologies was positive. However, quantitative analyses conducted to test evaluation hypotheses were largely inconclusive due to limitations in archived data. GCRTA has taken several steps to improve the data quality since system acceptance in 2012, but the data quality was not adequate to conduct quantitative analyses at the time of evaluation. Thus, findings presented in the report are based primarily on staff interviews and review of historical project documentation provided by GCRTA. KW - Automation KW - Cleveland (Ohio) KW - Data quality KW - Evaluation KW - Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Public transit KW - Radio UR - https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Report_No._0088.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406942 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599294 AU - Abbas, Ala R AU - Nazzal, Munir AU - Subedi, Bijay AU - Quasem, Tanvir AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Optimization of Patching for Spray Injection Equipment PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 187p AB - This study evaluated the performance and durability of various asphalt emulsion and aggregate material combinations to identify the most suitable materials for use with the spray injection method in Ohio. This study included a user survey to document the current spray injection practices in Ohio, laboratory testing of materials to be used with the spray injection method, and field evaluation of various asphalt emulsion-aggregate material combinations that were installed at eight test sites in three Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) districts. Based on the findings of this study, the research team developed asphalt emulsion and aggregate material specifications for use with the spray injection method, provided ODOT with recommendations on storage and handling of asphalt emulsions, and developed an optimized distribution strategy for spray injection materials, including suggestions on the purchase of an asphalt emulsion storage tank. KW - Aggregate mixtures KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Durability KW - Evaluation KW - Handling and storage KW - Laboratory tests KW - Ohio KW - Optimization KW - Patching KW - Potholes (Pavements) KW - Recommendations KW - Specifications KW - Surveys UR - http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p267401ccp2/id/13578 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407005 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599265 AU - Medina, Juan C AU - Shen, Shiyu AU - Benekohal, Rahim F AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Micro and Macro Level Safety Analysis at Railroad Grade Crossings PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 70p AB - To assess the safety and risk of railroad grade crossings, one may utilize macroscopic models derived from regression analysis using data from an entire state or country. Macroscopic analysis is mainly used to study the correlation between crossing characteristics (i.e. conflicting volumes and their physical characteristics) and the past accident frequency, to generate predictions about accidents in the future. A common macroscopic model currently used is the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Accident Prediction Formula, which predicts the annual number of crashes at a given crossing. While this model provides useful information for ranking grade crossings for resource allocation, it was developed in the late 1970s and thus it has potential for improvement. The analysis of macroscopic models is one of the two main topics from this study, where a series of alternative models are explored and compared to the US DOT formula. Through these comparisons, it is possible to understand strengths and weaknesses of the current state-of-practice and also to identify models for future improvements. In addition to macroscopic analysis, the second main topic discussed here is the analysis of accidents from a microscopic perspective, where individual characteristics of accidents at a given location are investigated to determine potential contributing factors. The proposed microscopic analysis is used to discover local trends that could not be identified at a macro scale and may help in assessing the risk at a crossing. Examples for the use of the micro analysis are provided to show the benefits of such a combined methodology and its potential use as a tool for on-site inspection. KW - Analysis KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Risk assessment KW - State of the practice UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2012-UIUC-R02_Final_Report_Benkohal.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59294/NURail2012-UIUC-R02_Final_Report_Benkohal.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405113 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599256 AU - Roberts, Christian AU - Batac, Tiffany AU - Akofio-Sowah, Margaret-Avis AU - WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Asset Management Guide for Small Providers: Focusing on the Management of Our Transit Investments PY - 2016/03 SP - 38p AB - The Federal Transit Administration’s 2012 Asset Management Guide focuses on the management of our nation’s transit investments and provides practical guidance for how individual agencies can apply appropriate asset management business processes to maintain their assets. This Asset Management Guide for Small Providers is a supplemental resource for small transit service providers that have fewer assets and fewer asset classes to maintain than larger agencies and substantially fewer resources to direct towards how their assets are managed. It describes what Transit Asset Management (TAM) means for small providers and is designed to assist in developing TAM plans to improve the management of transit assets while meeting the intent of Federal requirements. The Guide limits descriptions to assets, practices, and requirements that are directly applicable to small providers; allows for tailoring to address inevitable outliers (e.g., rural agencies that maintain sizable fleets) and incorporate related state-level requirements that may differ among states; and provides a master template for small providers to develop TAM plans and offers example strategies and tips that can be applied to increase efficiency of day-to-day operations and maintenance efforts. KW - Asset management KW - Guidelines KW - Maintenance KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Operations KW - Public transit KW - Strategic planning KW - Transit operating agencies UR - https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Report_No._0092.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407788 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599192 AU - Tsai, Yichang (James) AU - Wang, Zhaohua AU - Georgia Institute of Technology AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Next Generation Crack Sealing Planning Tool for Pavement Preservation PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 89p AB - As one of the most popular preventive maintenance methods, crack sealing and filling (CS/CF) has been widely used by state highway agencies. Due to stringent highway budgets and the lack of work forces in state highway agencies, it is urgent that CS/CF, as well as other types of pavement preservation methods, be incorporated in a pavement management system (PMS). For this purpose, this research project proposed a systematic framework to study the cost-effectiveness of CS/CF and incorporate CS/CF planning in a PMS. Three key research objectives have been investigated: 1) to propose an accurate workload estimation method using 3D laser data and automatic crack detection and crack width measurement method, 2) to propose a quantitative methodology to objectively evaluate CS/CF effectiveness, and 3) to propose a Fisher-clustering-algorithms-based pavement segmentation method to partition a pavement network into individual CS/CF projects. The proposed methodology has been evaluated using different case studies and has demonstrated promising results. It is hoped this research project will advance the state-of-good-repair practices for asphalt pavement crack sealing into the next generation to prolong the life of pavements. KW - Case studies KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Evaluation KW - Flaw detection KW - Methodology KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Sealing (Technology) KW - Workload UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/14-37.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407012 ER - TY - SER AN - 01598926 JO - Analysis Brief PB - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Effectiveness of Onsite Focused Investigations PY - 2016/03 SP - 3p AB - This analysis assesses the effectiveness of onsite focused investigations of motor carriers, relative to onsite comprehensive investigations, conducted during calendar years 2011 and 2012. Effectiveness was measured by examining trends in motor carrier Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) scores subsequent to each type of investigation. A table presents a summary of focused and onsite comprehensive investigations conducted during calendar years 2011–12. KW - Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) KW - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations KW - Motor carriers KW - Onsite comprehensive investigations KW - Onsite focused investigations KW - Safety KW - Safety violations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57033/RRA-15-012_Effectiveness_of_Onsite_Focused_Investigations__Final-508C_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405368 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598805 AU - van Schalkwyk, Ida AU - Venkataraman, Narayan AU - Shankar, Venky AU - Milton, John C AU - Bailey, Ted J AU - Calais, Keith AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of the Safety Performance of Continuous Mainline Roadway Lighting on Freeway Segments in Washington State PY - 2016/03//Research Report SP - 84p AB - Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) evaluated continuous roadway lighting on mainline freeway segments in Washington State. An extensive literature review on the safety performance of roadway lighting was completed. As part of this research effort WSDOT developed multivariate random parameter (RP) models with specific lighting variables for continuous lighting on mainline freeway segments. Roadway lighting is often used as a countermeasure to address nighttime crashes and this research evaluates common assumption related to roadway lighting. The models developed for this research use crashes from the end of civil dusk twilight to the start of civil dawn twilight since lighting systems are of limited value outside these timeframes. Natural light conditions were estimated for crashes based on location and time of the crash event. Based on the RP results, the research team concludes that the contribution of continuous illumination to nighttime crash reduction is negligible. In addition to the findings on safety performance, a pilot Light Emitting Diode (LED) project on US101 demonstrated that LED roadway lighting can significantly increase energy efficiency and environmental stewardship (e.g., reducing greenhouse gas emissions) while maintaining safety performance outcomes. The research team recommended modification to WSDOT design policy, including removal of the requirement of continuous mainline lighting and reduction of lighting where segment specific analysis indicates appropriate. KW - Energy efficiency KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freeways KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Nighttime crashes KW - Recommendations KW - Safety performance KW - Street lighting KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/855.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405104 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598789 AU - Kim, Yoo Jae AU - Hu, Jiong AU - Lee, Soon Jae AU - Kotwal, Ashley Russell AU - Dickey, Justin Wayne AU - Texas State University, San Marcos AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Geosynthetic Reinforced Steep Slopes PY - 2016/03//Technical Report SP - 184p AB - Geosynthetics provide a means to mechanically stabilize earth structures by improving strength through tensile reinforcement. When incorporating these polymeric materials in the application of stabilizing steep slopes, geosynthetic reinforcement can accommodate budgetary restrictions and alleviate space constraints. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) currently has limited use of geosynthetics in steep slope construction. Therefore, a synthesis study of geosynthetic reinforced steep slopes has been conducted to enhance the present understanding of this technology. The study summarized the benefits and limitations of utilizing geosynthetic reinforcement and investigated current design and construction methods in order to determine best practices. Additionally, the cost effectiveness of geosynthetic reinforced steep slopes was examined. Case studies were also identified and assessed to determine optimal soil conditions, geometry of the slope, design criteria, construction specifications, and performance measures. The synthesis study summarized best practices, existing methodologies, and recommendations for the use of geosynthetic reinforced steep slopes in Texas. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Construction KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Design KW - Embankments KW - Geosynthetics KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Steep slopes KW - Syntheses KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6792-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404687 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598406 AU - Schmidt, Richard J AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural Health Monitoring of Highway Bridges Subjected to Overweight Trucks, Phase I – Instrumentation Development and Validation PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 59p AB - State departments of transportation (DOTs) in the west have been 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 bridges on the most frequently traveled routes. The long-term objectives of this project were to develop and validate an instrumentation package for structural health monitoring (SHM) of bridges subjected to overweight trucks and to develop plans for field deployment of the instrumentation on a pilot scale. Ultimately, the objective is to accurately correlate long-term field performance data to the behavior of the bridges predicted by analysis and rating software. The field instrumentation package incorporates use of optical fiber sensors, specifically fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), to monitor strains at critical locations in bridges that are considered most vulnerable to overweight truck loads and are most difficult to effectively rate with currently used software. KW - Data collection KW - Highway bridges KW - Instrumentation KW - Optical fibers KW - Overweight loads KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Validation UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc16-307.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405214 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598094 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Hilton, Elizabeth AU - Goodman, Dan TI - Toward More Flexible Design PY - 2016/03 VL - 79 IS - 5 AB - The federal-aid highway program has evolved, especially in the design arena. Engineers need to consider standard roadway characteristics while accounting for economic, environmental and social impacts. In response to the need for greater flexibility in the design process, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently proposed revising the controlling criteria in its highway design policy. FHWA has proposed retaining only two controlling criteria for National Highway System roadways with a design speed of less than 50 miles per hour: design speed and design loading structural capacity. This will allow engineers working on multimodal projects to develop unique solutions that address the specific circumstances of each project. KW - Design load KW - Design speed KW - Design standards KW - Highway design KW - National Highway System UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16marapr/01.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403566 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598083 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Struve, Brooke AU - Doctor, Mark AU - Maifield, Deanna AU - Chen, Shyuan-Ren Clayton TI - The Evolution of Geometric Design PY - 2016/03 VL - 79 IS - 5 AB - Balancing competing demands is essential to providing a safe and reliable system for automobiles, freight carriers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users while reducing environmental impacts and enhancing surrounding communities. To address these challenges and meet transportation goals for the future, State and local departments of transportation are embracing innovative approaches to guide decisionmaking and using emerging tools to achieve performance objectives. This article provides a detailed look at the status of principles and practices affecting geometric design in the United States. KW - Accessibility KW - Context sensitive design KW - Geometric design KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors KW - Performance based specifications UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16marapr/05.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403571 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598070 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Kragh, Brenda C AU - Nelson, Carolyn AU - Groudine, Candace TI - Environmental Justice: The New Normal for Transportation PY - 2016/03 VL - 79 IS - 5 AB - Federal agencies and funding recipients have not always considered the impacts to all affected communities for transportation projects. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) now addresses environmental justice (EJ) by identifying and addressing disproportionately high and adverse effects of the agency’s programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations to achieve an equitable distribution of benefits and burdens. This article describes the agency's approach to EJ,coordination with Title VI Program, supporting implementation, and environmental review. Resources and implementation activities are outlined. KW - Discrimination KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Public participation KW - Transportation policy KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16marapr/02.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403568 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01598062 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Lottes, Steven AU - Kerenyi, Kornel AU - Bojanowski, Cezary TI - The World of Tomorrow Is Today PY - 2016/03 VL - 79 IS - 5 AB - Computational fluid dynamics and computational structural mechanics now are routinely employed in the design of vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The successful application of modern computational mechanics in a wide variety of industries suggests that it can and should be applied to transportation research and development. This article describes several recent and current examples of applied research that illustrate how FHWA and Argonne National Laboratory’s Transportation Research and Analysis Computing Center researchers are using high-performance computer clusters and computational mechanics to help solve transportation infrastructure problems, assess risks, and improve designs. KW - Computer aided design KW - Fluid dynamics KW - Hydraulics KW - Optimization KW - Structural mechanics UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16marapr/03.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403569 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01597982 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Zineddin, Abdul AU - Hallmark, Shauna AU - Smadi, Omar AU - Hawkins, Neal TI - Spotlighting Speed Feedback Signs PY - 2016/03 VL - 79 IS - 5 AB - Roadway departures continue to account for more than half of U.S. highway fatalities annually and nearly 40 percent of serious injuries. Most departure crashes occur on rural two-lane roadways, with a disproportionate number taking place on horizontal curves. The average crash rate at horizontal curves is about three times that of other types of highway segments. Dynamic speed feedback signs are one type of traffic control device that State departments of transportation use to reduce vehicle speeds, and therefore crashes, by giving drivers who are traveling over the posted or advisory speed a targeted message. This article describes a field evaluation to better understand the effectiveness of speed feedback signs in reducing speeds on curves. KW - Countermeasures KW - Evaluation KW - Highway curves KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Speed control KW - Variable message signs KW - Warning signs UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/16marapr/04.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403570 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597460 AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Arambula, Edith AU - Estakhri, Cindy AU - Liu, Wenting AU - Fernando, Emmanuel AU - Harrison, Gerry AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - New Laboratory Design Tools and Field Performance Monitoring Equipment for Permeable Friction Courses PY - 2016/03//Technical Report SP - 76p AB - Permeable Friction Course (PFC) mixes have proven to be excellent mixes that exhibit a number of desirable characteristics: rut resistance, crack resistance, reduced wet weather splash spray, reduced tire noise, and increased visibility of pavement markers during heavy rain. The Texas Department of Transportation pays a premium price for these benefits, which are sometimes short-lived, and several districts have restricted their use because of premature raveling problems. This study was initiated to address these performance issues. It focused on the following three topics: (1) Developing new laboratory test protocols to be used at the design stage to potentially eliminate mixes with stripping susceptibility. (2) Monitoring the performance on sections constructed with new specifications with changes aimed at minimizing performance problems such as the new coarse graded asphalt rubber PFC. (3) Construct an automated splash spray monitoring system to measure how existing PFC pavements are performing, thereby helping to optimize future designs. KW - Asphalt rubber KW - Field tests KW - Friction course KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Pavement performance KW - Porous pavements KW - Specifications KW - Splashing KW - Stripping (Pavements) KW - Test procedures KW - Test sections KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6741-1.pdf UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6741-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597459 AU - Kruse, Jim AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Economic Impact to Barge Operators and Shippers of Closing the GIWW PY - 2016/03//White Paper SP - 18p AB - This task analyzed the effect that the March 22, 2014, collision and oil spill in the Houston Ship Channel had on Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) barge shipments. Because the incident is so recent, the scope of the analysis was somewhat constrained due to data availability. This task report discusses the following topics: (1) The events of March 22, 2014, and the following days; (2) The effect of the incident on barge traffic flows; (3) Transit delays for shipments already on the water and the cost of those delays; (4) Shipments that were postponed because of the channel closure; and (5) Decontamination requirements. KW - Barges KW - Decontamination KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Gulf Intracoastal Waterway KW - Oil spills KW - Shipping KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic flow KW - Water transportation crashes UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6807-WP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404690 ER - TY - SER AN - 01597301 JO - TRAFFIC TECH PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Motivations for Speeding—Additional Data Analysis PY - 2016/03 SP - 2p AB - The National Highway Safety Administration's naturalistic driving study, Motivations for Speeding (Richard et al., 2013), examined motivations and situations conducive to speeding behavior. The study collected data from 88 drivers in Seattle, Washington, and 76 drivers in College Station, Texas, over a 3- to 4-week period to record how fast they drove on different roadways. Personal inventories were also collected from drivers to measure demographic, personality, attitudinal, and risk-taking behaviors. A cluster analysis was conducted using variables that measured the magnitude, duration, variability, and form or shape of the speeding episodes (SEs). The cluster analysis revealed five types of speeding behavior. A cluster analysis was also conducted using the individual drivers’ speeding profiles. In Texas, there were too few SEs to conduct this analysis; however, there were sufficient SEs for Seattle drivers. The analysis identified four speeding driver types. This Traffic Tech outlines the five types of speeding behavior and the four types of speeding drivers. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Cluster analysis KW - College Station (Texas) KW - Drivers KW - Motivation KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Speeding UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812250_TT-Motivations-for-Speeding.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404756 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597298 AU - Murphy, Colin AU - Shared-Use Mobility Center AU - American Public Transportation Association AU - Transportation Research Board AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Shared Mobility and the Transformation of Public Transit PY - 2016/03//Research Analysis SP - 39p AB - Technology is transforming transportation. The ability to conveniently request, track, and pay for trips via mobile devices is changing the way people get around and interact with cities. This report examines the relationship of public transportation to shared modes, including bikesharing, carsharing, and ridesourcing services provided by companies such as Uber and Lyft. The research included participation by seven cities: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC. Some have predicted that, by creating a robust network of mobility options, these new modes will help reduce car ownership and increase use of public transit, which will continue to function as the backbone of an integrated, multimodal transportation system. The objective of this research analysis, which is distilled from a larger forthcoming study on the same topic, is to examine these issues and explore opportunities and challenges for public transportation as they relate to technology-enabled mobility services, including suggesting ways that public transit can learn from, build upon, and interface with these new modes. To accomplish this task, the study draws from several sources, including in-depth interviews with transportation officials, a survey of shared mobility users, and analysis of transit and ridesourcing capacity and demand. Together, these elements provide a snapshot of a rapidly widening mobility ecosystem at an early moment in its evolution. KW - Analysis KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Mobility KW - Paratransit services KW - Public transit KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Surveys KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle sharing KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/APTA-Shared-Mobility.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401765 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596867 AU - White, David J AU - Vennapusa, Pavana K R AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report of the 4th Workshop for Technology Transfer for Intelligent Compaction Consortium PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 86p AB - This document summarizes the discussion and findings of the 4th workshop held on October 27–28, 2015 in Frankfort, Kentucky as part of the Technology Transfer Intelligent Compaction Consortium (TTICC) Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF-5(233)) study. The TTICC project is led by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and partnered by the following state DOTs: California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The workshop was hosted by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and was organized by the Center for Earthworks Engineering Research (CEER) at Iowa State University of Science and Technology. The objective of the workshop was to generate a focused discussion to identify the research, education, and implementation goals necessary for advancing intelligent compaction for earthworks and asphalt. The workshop consisted of a review of the TTICC goals, state DOT briefings on intelligent compaction implementation activities in their state, voting and brainstorming sessions on intelligent compaction road map research and implementation needs, and identification of action items for TTICC, industry, and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on each of the road map elements to help accelerate implementation of the technology. Twenty-three attendees representing the state DOTs participating in this pooled fund study, the FHWA, Iowa State University, University of Kentucky, and industry participated in this workshop. KW - Compaction KW - Implementation KW - Research KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technology transfer KW - Workshops UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/21898/1/IADOT_InTrans_TPF_5_233_4th_Intelligent_Compaction_Consortium_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403216 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596860 AU - Landry, Devin W AU - Hauer, F Richard AU - University of Montana, Missoula AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effects of Backcountry Aviation on Deer (Odocoileus spp.) Stress Physiology PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 24p AB - A study to investigate stress levels on wildlife resulting from backcountry recreational aviation primarily composed of single engine aircraft was conducted in 2014 – 2015 in western Montana and wilderness areas in Idaho. The study focused on white-tailed deer and mule deer because of their ubiquitous distribution and relatively high densities allowing for repeated measures and comparative sampling between airstrip sites and control sites. Fecal deposits were collected from deer and analyzed for fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations as an indicator of stress levels. Samples were collected from a suite of airstrip sites that ranged in use from high frequency of visitors to airstrips with very low frequency of use. Airstrip sites were compared with control sites composed of campgrounds and recreational access sites that were selected to mimic the airstrip sites, but without aircraft takeoffs and landings. Visitor day-use varied among airstrip and non-airstrip control sites, but were similar in the range of variation between site types. There was no significant difference in airstrip and control sites in 2014, with the exception of what the authors believe to be weather related stress levels expressed by deer at the Schafer Meadow Montana airstrip. In 2015, data analysis suggests that stress levels among deer were higher at the non-aviation, control sites than at the airstrip sites, in spite of the fact that two of the airstrip sites had the highest visitor-use among both airstrips and controls. The lowest FGM concentrations among all sites was found at Fish Lake airstrip, which also had the lowest human presence among both airstrip and control sites. Based on the results of our study, the authors concluded that there is no significant increase in stress levels among deer due to recreational aviation activity (e.g., takeoffs, landings, prop noise, camping, human presence) at backcountry airstrips compared to that expressed by deer as a result of similar, but non-aviation recreational activity (e.g., camping, motorized access to campground or trailhead, human presence) at campground and recreation access sites. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airstrips KW - Deer KW - Human beings KW - Idaho KW - Montana KW - Stress (Physiology) KW - Wildlife UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/research/docs/research_proj/backcountry_air/Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403223 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596858 AU - Semler, Conor AU - Vest, Adam AU - Kingsley, Karla AU - Mah, Susan AU - Kittelson, Wayne AU - Sundstrom, Carl AU - Brookshire, Kristen AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - Kittelson & Associates AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidebook for Developing Pedestrian and Bicycle Performance Measures PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 100p AB - This guidebook is intended to help communities develop performance measures that can fully integrate pedestrian and bicycle planning in ongoing performance management activities. It highlights a broad range of ways that walking and bicycling investments, activity, and impacts can be measured and documents how these measures relate to goals identified in a community’s planning process. It discusses how the measures can be tracked and what data are required, while also identifying examples of communities that are currently using the respective measures in their planning process. This report highlights resources for developing measures to facilitate high quality performance based planning. KW - Bicycling KW - Cyclists KW - Handbooks KW - Pedestrians KW - Performance measurement KW - State of the practice KW - Transportation planning KW - Walking UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/performance_measures_guidebook/pm_guidebook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403113 ER - TY - SER AN - 01596847 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Pavement Structural Evaluation At The Network Level PY - 2016/03 SP - 12p AB - This document is a technical summary of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report, Pavement Structural Evaluation at the Network Level (FHWA-HRT-15-074). It addresses the use of traffic speed deflection devices for the structural evaluation of pavements at the network level. Highlights from three major efforts—gathering information to identify viable devices, performing field trials at or near the Minnesota Department of Transportation MnROAD pavement test track facility near Maplewood, MN, to evaluate viable devices, and analyzing data to identify and select the best deflection indices—are presented. Suggestions for implementation of the results within network-level pavement management system (PMS) applications are also provided as well as recommended technology improvements. KW - Data analysis KW - Deflection tests KW - Field tests KW - Implementation KW - Instruments for measuring deformation or deflection KW - Pavement management systems KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Technology assessment KW - Traffic speed UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/15075/15075.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403382 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596846 AU - Phares, Brent AU - Lee, Yoon-Si AU - Brockman, Tim AU - Rooney, Jessica AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of High-Strength Bolt-Tightening Verification Techniques PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The current means and methods of verifying that high-strength bolts have been properly tightened are very laborious and time consuming. In some cases, the techniques require special equipment and, in other cases, the verification itself may be somewhat subjective. While some commercially available verification techniques do exist, these options still have some limitations and might be considered costly options. The main objectives of this project were to explore high-strength bolt-tightening and verification techniques and to investigate the feasibility of developing and implementing new alternatives. A literature search and a survey of state departments of transportation (DOTs) were conducted to collect information on various bolt-tightening techniques such that an understanding of available and under-development techniques could be obtained. During the literature review, the requirements for materials, inspection, and installation methods outlined in the Research Council on Structural Connections specification were also reviewed and summarized. To guide the search for finding new alternatives and technology development, a working group meeting was held at the Iowa State University Institute for Transportation October 12, 2015. During the meeting, topics central to the research were discussed with Iowa DOT engineers and other professionals who have relevant experiences. KW - Bolting KW - Bolts KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Implementation KW - Inspection KW - Literature reviews KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Specifications KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_techtransfer/99/ UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/21889/1/IADOT_InTrans_RB07-014_Phares_Investigation_of_High_Strength_Bolt_Tightening_2016.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/high-strength_bolt-tightening_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403230 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596841 AU - Rodgers, Michael O AU - Hunter, Michael AU - Samoylov, Alexander AU - Gbologah, Franklin AU - Berrebi, Simon AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Current Practice for Illumination at Roundabouts: Safety and Illumination of Roundabouts (Phase I) PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 65p AB - This report is for the first phase of a two-phase research program to develop recommended practices for Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for lighting rural roundabouts. Phase I of the study was designed to improve understanding of the relationship between roundabout illumination and safety, particularly in rural areas. Such information is essential to developing a sound basis for determining if a rural roundabout should, or should not, be illuminated to the current Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) standard and, if not, whether safety objectives can be met with either unlit roundabouts or roundabouts illuminated at reduced levels. The report provides a summary of relevant literature; international practices for rural roundabout illumination, a safety analysis of nighttime roundabout crashes using data from Minnesota and Georgia and provides preliminary results regarding the cost effectiveness of unlit or partially lit roundabouts as rural safety treatments. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Evaluation KW - Georgia KW - Highway safety KW - Illuminating Engineering Society of North America KW - Lighting KW - Literature reviews KW - Nighttime crashes KW - Roundabouts KW - Rural areas KW - State of the practice UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/12-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402150 ER - TY - SER AN - 01596837 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - 2014 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview PY - 2016/03 SP - 6p AB - In 2014, there were 32,675 people who died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States, a 0.7-percent decrease from the 32,894 fatalities in 2013. This decline shows a continuation in the general decline in fatalities that started in 2006, except for the slight increase in 2012, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA’s) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). In 2014, an estimated 2.34 million people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes, compared to 2.31 million in 2013 according to NHTSA’s National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES), an increase of 1.1 percent. The change in the number of injured people from 2013 to 2014 is not statistically significant. KW - Crash data KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - General Estimates System KW - National Automotive Sampling System KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812246.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402107 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596832 AU - Kim, Anita AU - Perlman, David AU - Bogard, Dan AU - Harrington, Ryan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Review of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for Automated Vehicles: Identifying potential barriers and challenges for the certification of automated vehicles using existing FMVSS PY - 2016/03//Preliminary Report SP - 148p AB - The purpose of this work is to identify instances where the existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) may pose challenges to the introduction of automated vehicles. It identifies standards requiring further review - both to ensure that existing regulations do not unduly stifle innovation and to help ensure that automated vehicles perform their functions safely. The Volpe team conducted two reviews of the FMVSS: a driver reference scan to identify which standards include an explicit or implicit reference to a human driver and an automated vehicle concepts scan to identify which standards could pose a challenge for a wide range of automated vehicle capabilities and concepts. In summary, the review revealed that there are few barriers for automated vehicles to comply with FMVSS, as long as the vehicle does not significantly diverge from a conventional vehicle design. Yet, automated vehicles that begin to push the boundaries of conventional design (e.g., alternative cabin layouts, omission of manual controls) would be constrained by the current FMVSS or may not fully meet the objectives of the FMVSS. Many standards, as currently written, are based on assumptions of conventional vehicle designs and thus pose challenges for certain design concepts, particularly for ‘driverless’ concepts where human occupants have no way of driving the vehicle. Some constraints, of course, may be warranted; this work does not assess the merits of potential future requirements for such vehicles. KW - Drivers KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Regulations KW - Standards KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle design KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57100/57104/Review_FMVSS_AV_Scan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402515 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596821 AU - Cooper, Coralie AU - Arthur, David AU - Epstein, Alex AU - Poe, Carson AU - Mangar, Abygail AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Forni, Sara AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Achieving Airport Carbon Neutrality PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 92p AB - This report is a guide for airports that wish to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing buildings and operations. Reaching carbon neutrality typically requires the use of multiple mechanisms to first minimize energy consumption and then maximize renewable energy use. This report provides a flexible, step-by-step outline for planning and achieving airport carbon emissions reduction or neutrality. The steps include: (1) Conducting background research and inventorying airport GHG emissions; (2) Determining the scope of the carbon neutral airport project; (3) Contracting with an energy services company (ESC); (4) Implementing renewable energy; and (5) Communicating project results. KW - Airports KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Energy consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Implementation KW - Pollutants KW - Renewable energy sources UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56886/Achieving_Airport_Carbon_Neutrality.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56886/Appendices_for_Achieving_Airport_Carbon_Neutrality.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402510 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596812 AU - Bertini, Robert L AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Vogt, Rachel AU - Wahid, Merih AU - Rios, Elizabeth AU - Carstens, Kevin AU - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessment of Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Connected Vehicle Position Through Internal Survey/Task 1 of Preparing a Possible Oregon Road Map for Connected Vehicle/Cooperative Systems Deployment Scenarios PY - 2016/03 SP - 71p AB - The goal of this project was to lay the groundwork for Oregon to be prepared to lead in the implementation of a connected vehicle/cooperative systems transportation portfolio, and/or to avoid being caught by surprise as developments in this area evolve quickly. The project assessed Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) internal mechanisms for addressing connected vehicle/cooperative systems, scanned, reviewed and assessed the technical maturity of potential connected vehicle/cooperative system applications, developed preliminary goals, linked to prospective connected vehicle/cooperative systems applications, and refined/ranked/prioritized those that fit with potential ODOT role in advancing/leading these initiatives. The project identified opportunities for linking ODOT’s current programs with national and international connected vehicle/cooperative system research, testing and deployment initiatives, and recommended a final shared vision and “road map” for Oregon's priority connected vehicle/cooperative system applications. This volume summarizes the results of a detailed internal-only assessment and inventory of current technical and “cultural” status of ODOT activities and gain sense of interest and readiness for potential alignment with potential applications and the future of connected and automated vehicles. A survey was distributed to agency staff in order to gauge perception of connected and automated vehicle technology. The empirical results of the survey are described in detail. In general, most respondents had heard of these technologies and were in favor of their application. However, many had concerns about cyber security and system failure having catastrophic consequences. Likewise, many voiced concerns about ODOT’s preparedness for connected or automated vehicles. ODOT and other agencies can use these findings to help prepare for a better future of connected and automated vehicles. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Personnel KW - Recommendations KW - Strategic planning KW - Surveys KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation departments UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR764_Task_1_Report_032816.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402228 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596796 AU - Sutter, Lawrence L AU - Anzalone, Gerald C AU - National Concrete Pavement Technology Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of Deterioration of Joints in Concrete Pavements: Field Study of Penetrating Sealers PY - 2016/03//Technical Report SP - 100p AB - The objective of this research was to assess the efficacy of various waterproofing sealers applied to pavement joints with respect to limiting water ingress. The measure of water ingress was the chloride concentration profile as measured by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The fieldwork was conducted at the MnROAD facility. Cores were retrieved from pavements to assess the before condition. Various silane- and siloxane-based sealers were applied in 2013, and the pavements were exposed to service for two years. After two years, cores were retrieved. The chloride profiles for various pavement sites were compared before and after application of the sealer. No appreciable differences were noted. The lack of measured differences is attributed to the short time span allowed for ingress. The older pavements measured had a considerable degree of chloride ingress and, as such, small changes were difficult to detect. The newer pavement analyzed also showed no appreciable change, but it would be worth re-analyzing after more time has elapsed (e.g., two more years). KW - Before and after studies KW - Concrete pavements KW - Deterioration KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Joint sealers KW - Laboratory studies KW - Pavement joints KW - Permeability UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1190&context=intrans_reports UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/joint_deterioration_penetrating_sealers_field_study_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402184 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596784 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Ingles, Amy AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Wearable Sensors in Transportation—Exploratory Advanced Research Program Initial Stage Investigation PY - 2016/03 SP - 52p AB - This report summarizes an initial stage investigation into wearable sensors for transportation research applications. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has observed significant activity in this area and seeks to obtain an understanding of the breadth of uses that researchers and practitioners envision for this technology, both now and in the future. Staff from the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center prepared this report on behalf of FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research Program. The authors of this report discuss research into air quality, physiological, and activity sensors, which have specific transportation applications and are fairly well-developed. The authors include a summary of observations made by the project team regarding the use of wearable sensors for public sector transportation research. KW - Activity choices KW - Air quality KW - Data collection KW - Physiology KW - Research KW - Sensors KW - Technology assessment UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/16034/16034.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59144/16034.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403110 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596763 AU - Belzowski, Bruce M AU - Cook, Steven J AU - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Connected Driver: Integrated Mobile Observations 2.0 (IMO 2.0), 2014-2015 PY - 2016/03//Project Final Report SP - 33p AB - This project is a continuation of the original Integrated Mobile Observations (IMO 2.0) project that ran from January, 2013 through March, 2014. The Connected Driver: Integrated Mobile Observations, 2014-2015 project ran from April, 2014 through October, 2015. The main goal for the project was to show the applicability and capability of a smartphone based data collection system to provide accurate and timely micro-level road condition data to weather analysts in order to generate road condition warnings for drivers via electronic road signs, website, and mobile phone application (apps). The project employed an Android-based customized smartphone software program called DataProbe to gather information from the phone (date, time, latitude and longitude, altitude, number of satellites, speed, accelerometer data, and compass heading); the vehicle through its controller area network (CAN) (air and coolant temperature, odometer, barometer, tachometer, speedometer, throttle, brakes, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), engine traction control and braking traction control); and through external sensors, Surface Patrol, that measure road surface and air temperature, humidity, and dew point. When looking at the two IMO 2.0 projects combined over 31 months of data collection, vehicle operators drove 901,126 miles (363 gigabytes) and took 99,569 photos (45 gigabytes). Finally, the demonstration project at the 2014 ITS World Congress displayed the ability of University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) researchers to combine the data collected from DataProbe sensors with an NCAR-developed Motorist Advisory Warning (MAW) phone application that delivered timely warnings to drivers of rain, slippery roads, and rough roads on their phone as well as on electronic signs in an area of 400 feet on the test track. This demonstration clearly showed that it is possible to provide micro-level weather reports in a timely manner. Project completion for this phase was October 31, 2015. KW - Data collection KW - Integrated systems KW - Mobile applications KW - Road weather information systems KW - Sensors KW - Smartphones KW - Weather conditions UR - https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/117546/103242.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403226 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596757 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Visual Requirements for Human Drivers and Autonomous Vehicles PY - 2016/03 SP - 46p AB - This initial stage reference search looked for published literature between 1995 and 2013 focusing on determining the quantity and quality of visual information needed under both driving modes (i.e., human and autonomous) to navigate the road safely, especially as it pertains to two-lane, curved, rural roads at night. KW - Drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Literature reviews KW - Machine vision KW - Night KW - Research reports KW - Rural highways KW - Technological innovations KW - Two lane highways KW - Vision KW - Visual perception UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/16038/16038.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402112 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596756 AU - Fernando, Emmanuel G AU - Walker, Roger S AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University of Texas, Arlington AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluate Methodology to Determine Localized Roughness PY - 2016/03//Technical Report SP - 68p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation implements a smoothness specification based on inertial profile measurements. This specification includes a localized roughness provision to locate defects on the final surface based on measured surface profiles. To identify defects, the existing methodology uses the deviations between the average of the left and right wheel path profiles, and its moving average as determined using a 25-ft base length. Stations where the deviations exceed 150 mils in magnitude are considered defect locations. While this methodology provides an objective approach for evaluating localized roughness based on profile data, some districts have introduced an additional step to determine the need for corrective work. Specifically, these districts have used a bump rating panel to select, from among the defects identified using the existing procedure, those bumps and dips that will require correction based on the panel’s opinion of the severity of the defects from a ride quality point of view. Clearly, a standard methodology needs to be developed so that consistency in ride quality assurance testing can be maintained. Otherwise, differences in results of quality assurance tests between projects within a district and between districts can easily arise because of differences in road user perception of ride quality. Consequently, this project examined the existing methodology for evaluating localized roughness to develop recommendations for an improved methodology that engineers can use to objectively decide where corrective work is necessary so as to maintain consistency in quality assurance testing of pavement smoothness. KW - Evaluation KW - Methodology KW - Pavement performance KW - Quality assurance KW - Recommendations KW - Ride quality KW - Roughness KW - Smoothness KW - Texas Department of Transportation UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6610-2.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59180/0-6610-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403380 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596755 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Successful Practices for P3s: A review of what works when delivering transportation via public-private partnerships PY - 2016/03 SP - 74p AB - For many transportation agencies in the United States (U.S.), public-private partnerships (P3s) offer an opportunity to tap new financing sources and transfer certain project delivery risks. These partnerships differ from standard procurement practice wherein the public sponsor controls each phase — design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance – of the project’s lifecycle. In a P3, a single private entity (which may be a consortium of several companies) assumes responsibility for multiple phases, accepting long-term risks in return for prospective rewards. This document focuses on long-term concession agreements where, in addition to project design and construction, the private partner is at least partly responsible for financing and bears most or all responsibility for operations and maintenance, an arrangement typically called Design–Build–Finance–Operate–Maintain (DBFOM). Since the early 1990s, P3 development has produced a body of practice specific both to the U.S. market and to individual States. Among these approaches, some have emerged as “successful practices” in the simple sense that they tend to result in successful project delivery. The goal of this report is to identify these successful practices and the important issues they address. The successful practices included in this document were developed primarily from interviews and discussions with public entities and industry participants in U.S. P3s, and complemented by publicly available sources and published articles on the topic. This document is organized around four phases of P3 program/project development: legislation and policy, project development, procurement, and performance monitoring and oversight. KW - Best practices KW - Infrastructure KW - Oversight KW - Performance measurement KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Procurement KW - Project management KW - Public private partnerships KW - United States UR - https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/P3_Successful_Practices_Final_BAH.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402036 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596716 AU - Beaty, Curtis AU - Ellis, David AU - Glover, Brianne AU - Stockton, Bill AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessing the Costs Attributed to Project Delay During Project Pre-Construction Stages PY - 2016/03//Technical Report SP - 60p AB - This project for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) developed a simple but sound methodology for estimating the cost of delaying most types of highway projects. Researchers considered the cost of delays during the pre-construction phases of project development: planning and scoping, preliminary engineering, final design, and letting. Researchers developed a simplified model that incorporates 16 user-controlled variables and produces estimates of the effect of project delay on personal and commercial travel and the cost to the general economy. While the methodology is simple, there is no rule of thumb because project delay costs depend on several variables, primarily location, traffic, construction costs, and travel speeds. KW - Construction projects KW - Cost estimating KW - Costs KW - Delays KW - Methodology KW - Planning stages KW - Road construction UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6806-FY15-WR3.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59184/0-6806-FY15-WR3.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59346/0-6806-FY15-WR3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403378 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596713 AU - Smith, Scott B AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - AMPO Travel Modeling Working Group Meeting on Dynamic Traffic Assignment PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 18p AB - On December 17-18, 2015, the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) convened a travel modeling working group meeting for the purpose of discussing Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA). Participants discussed the uses of DTA, challenges in using DTA and research needs. Challenges that were discussed included the modeling of transportation supply (the network, including traffic controls), making the appropriate translations from trip-based transportation demand, convergence, calibration and validation. KW - Association of Metropolitan Planning organizations KW - Calibration KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Research KW - Travel demand KW - Validation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57077/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402513 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596712 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Zou, Yajie AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study on Illumination for State Highways PY - 2016/03//Research Report SP - 100p AB - Increasing budget pressures are causing the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to look for ways to reduce costs. WSDOT currently owns and operates illumination fixtures on state freeways and highways with annual operating costs measured in millions of dollars. Given the pressures to reduce the WSDOT budget, it is important to have a complete understanding of the means available to reduce operating and capital costs with the least negative impact on service, safety and sustainability. There are several ways that the WSDOT can reduce expenditures on illumination. One way is to use more efficient lighting technologies. A second is to operate illumination more judiciously. Another option is to install fewer luminaires, remove superfluous luminaires and consolidate luminaires. Executing these options effectively requires the WSDOT to collect additional information regarding current and near future illumination practices and technologies. A natural way in the process of revising and adapting WSDOT’s illumination standards is examining how the WSDOT standards compare to other state DOTs, utilities, cities, counties and other public entities internationally. Given the work required to revise, publish and promulgate a new illumination standard, it is advisable to examine the current state of practice in illumination standards in order to inform comprehensive updates. Toward that end, a comprehensive review of illumination design standards, light-emitting diode (LED) illumination technologies and illumination control systems is useful for revising illumination standards. To address these aspects of illumination operation and design, a thorough literature review of existing illumination products, illumination control systems, and illumination spectrum technologies is conducted. This report reviewed existing public agency illumination standards domestically and internationally and outlined the difference in designing standards. An overview of existing luminaire technology performance, as well as operational and maintenance characteristics are provided. In addition, available illumination control and spectrum technologies for performance characteristics are summarized. The results of this literature review are useful for design and business case decisions regarding illumination installation, maintenance, and operation. KW - Design standards KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Literature reviews KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - Street lighting KW - Technological innovations KW - Washington State Department of Transportation UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/847.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403665 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596706 AU - Nair, Harikrishnan AU - Ozyildirim, Celik AU - Sprinkel, Michael M AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Reducing Cracks in Concrete Bridge Decks Using Shrinkage Reducing Admixture PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Restrained shrinkage cracking of concrete bridge decks creates a significant durability problem. Major admixture suppliers in the United States have introduced a new category of chemical admixtures called shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRAs). SRAs work by reducing the surface tension of pore water and thereby decreasing the capillary stress and shrinkage induced by drying. Several studies have reported that using SRAs in concrete mixtures is one of the most effective ways of reducing shrinkage cracking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of SRAs in reducing drying shrinkage in Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) concrete mixtures and thus reducing cracks in bridge decks. Nine bridges located in VDOT’s Northern Virginia, Staunton, and Fredericksburg districts were selected for study. Three different SRA products were used. With the exception of one mixture, the maximum cementitious content was limited to 600 lb/yd³ . Fresh and hardened concrete properties were determined for each mixture, and field placement details were documented. The results showed that low cementitious concrete with SRA was effective in minimizing bridge deck cracking. The study showed that bridges with fewer and narrower cracks or no cracks can be constructed and that proper construction practices are needed to reduce bridge deck cracking. The study recommends the use of SRA with a lower cementitious content in VDOT bridge deck concrete mixtures. A VDOT special provision was developed for the future use of SRA in concrete mixtures. KW - Admixtures KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete bridges KW - Cracking KW - Recommendations KW - Shrinkage KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r13.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596705 AU - Alhasan, Ahmad AU - White, David J AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Caterpillar, Incorporated AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Earthwork Haul-Truck Cycle-Time Monitoring – A Case Study PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 58p AB - Recent developments in autonomous technologies have motivated practitioners to adopt new technologies in highway and earthwork construction projects. This project set out to (1) identify new and emerging autonomous earthwork technologies and (2) set up a field study to monitor site-level equipment operations at an earthmoving project. The results of the first part of this study are described in a separate report (2015 Conference on Autonomous and Robotic Construction of Infrastructure [CARCI]). The information reported herein presents the results of the site-level monitoring of an earthwork project, where the objective was to quantify haul truck cycle time. The site selected for monitoring was located in Johnston, Iowa, and required grading to build up a residential development. The project involved about 200,000 cubic yards of excavation and placement. Installing a storm sewer and digging a pond were also required for the project. The soils on site were of glacial origin and were generally classified as silty clays. Position tracking devices were installed on the equipment to monitor the time and position of the equipment for several days. Based on statistical analysis (non-parametric) of the haul cycle times for three haul trucks, the results are presented in terms of frequency distributions and accompanying statistical parameters. Recommendations are provided to build on this study so that additional earthwork sites can be evaluated to more broadly quantify the many factors affecting earthwork productivity. KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Automatic vehicle monitoring KW - Case studies KW - Earthwork KW - Excavating equipment KW - Field studies KW - Global Positioning System KW - Iowa KW - Statistical analysis KW - Time duration UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/196/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403673 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596699 AU - Cooper, Coralie AU - Arthur, David AU - Epstein, Alex AU - Poe, Carson AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - U.S. Airport Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories: State of the Practice and Recommendations for Airports PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This document presents highlights from five research reports on airport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories. It presents the most salient findings for policy makers and U.S. airports seeking to better understand and inventory airport GHG emissions. The emphasis in this summary is to provide recommendations on reasonably accurate and low cost methods to inventory airport GHGs.  The first step in reducing GHG emissions is the development of a baseline inventory. Inventorying GHG emissions at airports can help airport officials better understand emissions trends; identify the sources and activities where there are opportunities for GHG reduction; set GHG reductions targets; and track progress toward meeting targets. Information on the usability, affordability, and reliability of various inventory methods is provided to help airports make the most of limited resources. KW - Airports KW - Data collection KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Methodology KW - Pollutants KW - Recommendations KW - State of the practice UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/58000/58000/58012/Airport_GHG_Inventories.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402509 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596698 AU - Hale, David AU - Phillips, Thomas AU - Raboy, Kelli AU - Ma, Jiaqi AU - Su, Patrick AU - Lu, Xiao-Yun AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Dailey, Daniel J AU - Leidos AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Introduction of Cooperative Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Systems to Improve Speed Harmonization PY - 2016/03 SP - 54p AB - This project executed a preliminary experiment of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I)-based speed harmonization in which speed guidance was communicated directly to vehicles. This experiment involved a set of micro-simulation experiments and a limited number of prototype field runs. The simulation experiments produced mixed results in terms of system-wide benefits. The field runs demonstrated that connected and automated vehicles can successfully implement V2I-based speed harmonization and significantly reduce speed oscillations in their vicinity but do not have a significant impact on aggregate average speeds or travel times. KW - Automated vehicle control KW - Field tests KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Microsimulation KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/operations/16023/16023.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402000 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596687 AU - Dunn, L AU - Holliday, A AU - Vegega, M AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Motor vehicle occupant protection facts – Children, youth, young adults PY - 2016/03 SP - 28p AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has produced this booklet since 2002 to explain the need for legislation, enforcement, education, and public awareness campaigns about protecting children, youth, and young adults in motor vehicles. Collectively, this information underscores why protecting young people is so important. The majority of data in this fact book comes from 2013, the most recent year data was available. It has been generated from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the General Estimates System (GES) produced by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) at NHTSA. Data from NHTSA’s 2013 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) is also included. The booklet has five main sections: (1) The national scope of motor vehicle crashes; (2) The need for and importance of appropriately sized restraint systems for each age group; (3) Facts about restraint use for children and youth from birth to 15 years old; (4) Facts about restraint use for young adults 16 to 20; and (5) Biennial telephone survey findings from NHTSA’s 2007 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey (MVOSS) on the behavior, attitudes, and opinions about seat belts and seat belt laws, including those of 16- to 20-year-olds. Three appendices cover State-specific information on fatalities, restraint use, and child restraint laws. KW - Age groups KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - Children KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - General Estimates System KW - Injury rates KW - Laws and legislation KW - Motor vehicles KW - National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Seat belt use KW - Seat belts KW - Surveys KW - Young adults UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812251-YouthFactsBook2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402177 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596679 AU - Bock, David L AU - Kettles, Doug AU - Harrison, John AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated, Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Technology Assessment PY - 2016/03 SP - 17p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and almost every state DOT are showing extreme interest in the application of automated and connected vehicles (ACV). This combined application can significantly reduce crashes, energy consumption, pollution and the costs of congestion which in turn will offer a fundamental change to the U.S. transportation network and system. The objective of this technology assessment project is to evaluate the vehicle technologies, actions, laws and policies that are now in place and to assess their future usage. The assessment also evaluates the highest level of automated vehicles called autonomous or self-driving vehicles. In fact, autonomous vehicles are the area that is receiving the most interest from both the general public and government agencies. The project will also evaluate how electric vehicles (EVs) will participate in this future ACV transportation system. KW - Autonomous vehicle guidance KW - Electric vehicles KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Technology assessment KW - United States UR - http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-2020-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401980 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596088 AU - Schattler, Kerrie L AU - Anderson, Eric AU - Hanson, Trevor AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Flashing Yellow Arrows for Protected/Permissive Left-Turn Control PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 97p AB - In the spring of 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation initiated an areawide implementation of the flashing yellow arrow (FYA) as the display for the left-turn permissive interval at more than 100 intersections operating with protected/permissive left-turn (PPLT) control in the Peoria, Illinois, area. Bradley University researchers evaluated the effectiveness of FYAs on safety at 86 intersections and 164 approaches where no other improvements were made. The effectiveness evaluation was performed using three years of “before FYA installation” crash data and three years of “after FYA installation” crash data using the naïve before and after and empirical Bayes methods for highway safety evaluation. In the “before” condition, the left-turn signals operated with a circular green ball for the permissive interval of PPLT control and a five-section signal head, while in the “after” condition, the FYA was displayed for the permissive interval of PPLT with a four-section signal head. Supplemental traffic signs with text “Left Turn Yield on Flashing Yellow Arrow” were mounted on the mast arm adjacent to the left-turn signal at over half of the FYA installations. This report presents the results of the comprehensive safety evaluation of FYA for PPLT control, focusing on the targeted crash types of left-turn-related crashes, and specifically, left-turn opposing through crashes. Analyses were also performed to assess the effects of the FYA supplemental signs and to assess the effects of the FYA overall on two subsets of drivers: older drivers (age 65+) and younger drivers (age 16 to 21 years). Crash modification factors for statistically significant crash reductions at the FYA approaches based on the empirical Bayes method are provided. The findings of this research, conducted on 164 FYA approaches in the Peoria area indicate that FYAs for PPLT control improve safety for left-turning vehicles. The results of the economic effectiveness of the FYAs yielded a benefit to cost ratio of 19.8 to 1.0. The results of this research may be used to make informed decisions on future installations of the FYA countermeasure to improve safety at signalized intersections. KW - Aged drivers KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash modification factors KW - Empirical Bayes method KW - Exclusive permissive phasing KW - Flashing yellow arrow KW - Highway safety KW - Left turns KW - Peoria (Illinois) KW - Signalized intersections KW - Supplemental signing KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic crashes UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=4814 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401183 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594685 AU - Cuddy, Matthew AU - LaFrance-Linden, Dawn AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Navarro, Santiago AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Building a Foundation for Effective Technology Transfer through Integration with the Research Process: A Primer PY - 2016/03 SP - 20p AB - This primer aims to increase the effectiveness of technology transfer (T2) activity in transportation by describing how T2 practices can be successfully integrated into the research process to capture the potential real-world benefits of the community’s research investment. This primer’s agenda can be summarized as follows: Purpose: To help the transportation research community facilitate effective technology transfer by providing an overview of the activities that are required to transfer most kinds of research results. Audience: Research program directors and others at the executive level in research organizations, research project managers and their supervisors, researchers, and others in the research community. Scope: T2 activities centered on a particular research and development (R&D) project, often defined by a single statement of work or objectives, as opposed to program-level activities that support multiple projects. The emphasis is on applied R&D, though the principles and concepts apply to basic R&D as well. In pursuing this agenda, the primer draws heavily on three recent Transportation Research Board (TRB) publications: Accelerating Implementation of Transportation Research Results, National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 461; Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer, NCHRP Report 768; and Transport Research Implementation: Application of Research Outcomes, Summary of the Second EU-U.S. Transportation Research Symposium, TRB Conference Proceedings 51. KW - Data sharing KW - Implementation KW - Project management KW - Research management KW - Technology transfer UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57400/57403/Transportation_TechTransfer_Primer.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401813 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594607 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Incorporating On-Road Bicycle Networks into Resurfacing Projects PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 66p AB - Installing bicycle facilities during roadway resurfacing projects is an efficient and cost-effective way for communities to create connected networks of bicycle facilities. This workbook provides recommendations for how roadway agencies can integrate bicycle facilities into their resurfacing program. The workbook also provides methods for fitting bicycle facilities onto existing roadways, cost considerations, and case studies. The workbook does not present detailed design guidance, but highlights existing guidance, justifications, and best practices for providing bikeways during resurfacing projects. Chapters include: Resurfacing process and timelines; Methods for including bikeways; and Cost and material considerations. KW - Best practices KW - Bikeways KW - Case studies KW - Costs KW - Implementation KW - Recommendations KW - Resurfacing UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/resurfacing/resurfacing_workbook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401476 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594602 AU - Kweon, Young-Jun AU - Lim, In-Kyu AU - Fontaine, Michael D AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Work Zone Safety Performance Measures for Virginia PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 54p AB - The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is interested in refining work zone safety performance measures so that safety can be better assessed, monitored, and compared over time. VDOT currently uses the number of fatalities and the number of serious injuries in work zone traffic crashes as statewide performance measures. Although these are important direct safety metrics, they do not reflect differences in work zone exposure measures, such as the number of work zones. As a result, it is not always clear whether changes in work zone crashes are being caused by safety problems or changes in the amount of road work. This study developed and improved statewide work zone safety performance measures for Virginia by combining information from two sources in VDOT: the VDOT crash database containing information in police crash reports and the Virginia Traffic Information Management System (VaTraffic) database containing information on incidents, work zones, weather conditions, etc. Count measures, such as the number of fatal work zone crashes, were calculated from the crash database. Exposure measures, such as work zone-hours, were calculated from the VaTraffic database. Combining these two types of measures resulted in rate measures such as number of fatal work zone crashes per 1,000 work zone-hours. Unfortunately, existing databases still have a number of limitations that prohibit the calculation of ideal rate-based performance measures. Based on currently available data, four performance measures were found to be appropriate for monitoring and evaluating the statewide safety performance of work zones, and eight summary measures were identified in order to obtain further insights regarding statewide safety issues at work zones in Virginia. These measures were selected using the results of statistical analyses and input from a technical review panel consisting of work zone coordinators and traffic engineers. An important finding of this study was that work zone safety assessments can change significantly depending on whether exposure measures are included. Based on count measures, work zones on non-interstate highways appear to have safety records equal to or better than those on interstate highways. However, when exposure measures were incorporated, work zones on interstate highways were shown to have better safety records. This study recommends that VDOT immediately begin using the performance measures identified in this study. KW - Crash data KW - Performance measurement KW - Police reports KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic data KW - Virginia KW - Work zone safety UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/16-r10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401348 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594586 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Retrofit Assessment for Existing Motorcoach: A Report to Congress PY - 2016/03 SP - 37p AB - This report, Retrofit Assessment for Existing Motorcoaches, is submitted in response to Section 32703(e)(2) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), enacted on July 6, 2012, and Conference Report Number 112-557, pages 414-416. MAP-21 requires the Secretary of Transportation to issue a report to Congress on the feasibility, costs, and benefits of retrofitting motorcoaches with lap/shoulder belts. On November 25, 2013, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final rule requiring lap/shoulder belts for each passenger seating position in all new over-the-road buses, and in new buses other than over-the road buses with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR) greater than 11,793 kg (26,000 lb), see 78 FR 70416. This report discusses the findings of the final rule, and in addition includes additional analysis of the retrofitting issue in light of the decision of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to increase its value of a statistical life, as well as the subsequent adoption of electronic stability control (ESC) technology in new motorcoaches. Among the findings of the final rule and this report are: (1) The cost of retrofitting motorcoaches with lap/shoulder belts is expected to range from $14,650 to $40,000 per vehicle. (2) Retrofitting would produce a significant burden on the small entities that would be responsible for accomplishing it. (3) Safety benefits are a function of belt use rates. The final rule estimated that if 15 percent of motorcoach passengers wore belts, about 1.5 fatalities and 140 injuries would be prevented annually. If 83 percent of motorcoach passengers wore belts (the then current rate for passenger cars and light trucks), about 8 fatalities and 790 injuries would be prevented. (4) Belt use rates for motorcoaches are much lower than for other passenger vehicles, typically under 10 percent even in countries where usage in passenger vehicles is 90 percent. (5) Given low belt use rates, retrofitting was unlikely to produce substantial safety benefits. (6) After adjusting for a higher value of statistical life and the installation of ESC in new motorcoaches, NHTSA finds that, due to the substantial impact on small entities, the phase-in of lap/shoulder belts on new motorcoaches, and low belt use rates, it would be impractical to require retrofitting on older vehicles. KW - Benefits KW - Buses KW - Costs KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Retrofitting KW - Seat belt use KW - Seat belts KW - Transit safety UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812242.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401094 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593944 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Wildlife Crossing: Web-Connected Cameras Offer Improved Monitoring for Highways PY - 2016/03 SP - 2p AB - This project is the first demonstration of an affordable, accessible remote camera system that continuously streams data through structured Web systems that State agencies can use to study wildlife movement around transportation corridors. At present, remote wildlife camera systems (known as camera traps) are typically checked manually by transportation agency staff, who download the data collected. This is costly for agencies and can be dangerous for workers. Researchers have developed a model system that any transportation agency can use in areas with wired, wireless, or cellular system connectivity, including using the system in conjunction with existing traffic camera infrastructure and adding wildlife monitoring to the data stream. The model system features a Web interface that enables easier transmission and sharing of data across agencies and potentially with the general public as well. Researchers are investigating the use of image analysis software to automate the identification of common wildlife species captured in pictures from the remote cameras, because no such system is currently available for wildlife image analysis. Automated identification would help standardize data collection across transportation agencies and provide significant time savings to agencies. KW - Cameras KW - Data collection KW - Image analysis KW - Internet KW - Monitoring KW - Wildlife KW - Wildlife crossings UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/16033/16033.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400246 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593936 AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Foderaro, Frank AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Law Enforcement Strategies for Preventing Rail Trespassing Risk Factors PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 31p AB - The Volpe Center has investigated law enforcement methods that have successfully prevented trespassing along the railroad right of way. The types of law enforcement strategies currently being used and procedures followed in the field are documented, along with any findings on the effectiveness of these approaches. The end result of this effort is to produce a compilation of available procedures, best practices, data sources and findings to inform effective law enforcement rail trespass prevention programs. KW - Best practices KW - Law enforcement KW - Prevention KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroads KW - Right of way (Land) KW - State of the practice KW - Trespassers UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15647 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57047/Law_Enforcement_Strategies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400245 ER - TY - SER AN - 01593717 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Short Line Safety Institute Pilot Safety Culture Assessment Project: Development of Assessment Tools PY - 2016/03 IS - RR 16-03 SP - 4p AB - The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), with the support of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T), are implementing a Short Line Safety Institute. The ASLRRA and FRA initiated the Institute with a Pilot Safety Culture Assessment Project (Pilot Project), which is focused on short line and regional railroads that transport crude oil. FRA RD&T worked with the University of Connecticut (UCONN) to develop a suite of safety culture assessment tools that included a web-based safety culture survey instrument, field conformance checklists, and interview protocols. This report describes UCONN's process for developing and pilot testing the web-based safety culture survey. KW - Crude oil KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Railroad safety KW - Regional railroads KW - Safety culture KW - Short line railroads KW - Surveys UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15650 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400134 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616941 AU - McKinney, James L AU - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Development of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Railroad Engineering Course and Rail Program Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 23p AB - Professor James McKinney was a participant in the AREMA 2008 Railroad Engineering Education Symposium (REES) held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as the AREMA 2010 REES held at the Johnson County Community College/BNSF's Training Facility in Overland Park, Kansas. Materials and information garnered from the Symposiums was incorporated in CE 481 Transportation Engineering, an undergraduate introductory transportation course for civil engineering students. The 10 week course was offered in the spring quarter of 2010, 2011, and 2012, and contained two weeks of railroad engineering. As a result of the collaboration with the National University Rail Center (NURail) railroad engineering has been greatly expanded on the Rose-Hulman campus. A new multi-discipline railroad engineering course was developed and vetted by Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering faculty. An active AREMA student chapter was organized and conducts a technical meeting each month, as well as a site visit each month. The Indiana Rail Road has been an active participant in railroad engineering on the Rose-Hulman campus sponsoring activities to introduce engineering students to railroad activities, operations and potential career paths. KW - College students KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Engineering societies KW - Railroad engineering KW - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology KW - Transportation careers UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/education-and-outreach/final_reports/RHIT/NURail2012-RHIT-E01_Final_Report_2-29-20161.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427208 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616940 AU - Lovett, Alexander AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Railroad Decision Support Tools for Track Maintenance PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 62p AB - North American railroads spend billions of dollars each year on track maintenance. With expenditures of this level, incremental improvements in planning or execution of maintenance projects can result in either substantial savings or the ability to complete more projects. Decision support tools can enhance maintenance planning efficiency and aid new railroad employees in evaluating alternatives while they gain experience. Beyond the practical applications of support tools, the study of how choices are made will provide insights into the decision-making process. This will include a better understanding of the relationships that need to be considered to make decisions that are efficient, effective, and aligned with the organization’s strategy. The primary purpose of this research is to enable objective evaluation of track maintenance options because the most efficient alternative is not always obvious. To do this, the decision-making process and the costs that should be considered must be understood. Without this understanding, the researchers cannot ensure that the tools are consistent with current practice or find ways to improve either decision making or maintenance costing. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Costs KW - Decision making KW - Decision support systems KW - Evaluation KW - Maintenance of way KW - North America KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2012-UIUC-R14_Final_Report-revised-2016-10-07-R.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60284/NURail2012-UIUC-R14_Final_Report-revised-2016-10-07-R.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427206 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599226 AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Effects of Variable Tie Support at Railway Bridge Transitions PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 32p AB - This report compares the behavior of three different railway bridge transition zones to illustrate how poor tie support affects track performance. The three bridge transitions consist of a high-speed passenger line, a freight line, and a spur track. All bridge transitions were instrumented with accelerometers that allow tie support and track performance to be non-invasively evaluated by analyzing the measured acceleration magnitude and vibration frequencies in the frequency domain. Instrumenting and comparing both well- and poorly supported bridge approaches resulted in the development of a criterion for how railway bridge transition zones ideally should perform and allow evaluation of other track transitions. The desired outcome of this and future investigations is to improve the understanding of the movements and forces generated in poorly-supported track and identify effective track design and remedial measures. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Accelerometers KW - Bridge approaches KW - Evaluation KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks KW - Vibration UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2015-UKY-R09-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405206 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599204 AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Purcell, Macy L AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Monitoring of Well-Performing Bridge Transition Trackbeds Using Accelerometers PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 25p AB - This report presents a review of railroad trackbed transition designs that have performed well, e.g., ballasted bridge decks, hot-mixed asphalt (HMA) sublayer, and concrete wing walls parallel to the track, to guide future design and maintenance of bridge trackbed transitions. Non-invasive techniques, e.g., miniature accelerometers attached to ties, were used to measure and evaluate the response of well-performing trackbed transitions under revenue traffic at two railroad bridges. The results of the tests were related to the composition and design of the trackbed support within the transition areas. KW - Accelerometers KW - Bridge approaches KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2015-UKY-R09-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405205 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594588 AU - Xu, Hao AU - Tian, Zong AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Usage Guidelines of SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data for Nevada PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 84p AB - The second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has sponsored a naturalistic driving study (NDS) with its central goal of addressing driver performance and behavior in traffic safety. With the concern of protecting the personal identification information (PII) of the study volunteers, the NDS data are not a public dataset that can be downloaded for free. Data users need to submit a data request with a clear description of when, where and what data is needed. This project reviewed documentations and reports related to the SHRP 2 NDS data to summarize guidelines of selecting and requesting the dataset. Examples of applying NDS data for traffic safety and other applications were also provided to demonstrate how the NDS data can be used. The guidelines were also based on actual data request and applications of the project research team – the Center of Advanced Transportation Education and Research (CATER), University of Nevada Reno (UNR). The major innovation effort is development of a decision procedure, a decision matrix and ranking tables to compare selected attributes of the six NDS sites and a study region, which will lead to recommendation of the best-matching NDS site for the study area. Therefore, the appropriate NDS data can be selected and requested. Although the guidance is developed as a reference for Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), it can also be used by other states or regions for NDS data selection and request. This project report may also be used as a reference for future driver behavior data collection in Nevada. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Data analysis KW - Data files KW - Decision support systems KW - Driver performance KW - Guidelines KW - Information retrieval KW - Nevada UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Hao%202015%20UTC-USAGE%20GUIDELINES%20OF%20SHRP%202%20NATURALISTIC%20DRIVING%20STUDY%20DATA.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401350 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594600 AU - Hajj, Elie Y AU - Sebaaly, Peter E AU - Habbouche, Jhony AU - University of Nevada, Reno AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Nevada Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Thin Asphalt Concrete Overlays for Pavement Preservation PY - 2016/02/26/Final Report SP - 63p AB - A significant percentage of the existing lane miles of roadways in the United States, and in particular in Nevada, consists of rural roads. Thus, using a cost-effective pavement surface treatment becomes critical and essential in reducing maintenance and preservation costs on rural and low volume roads. The overall objective of this study was to assess the use of locally available materials in Nevada for the development of a durable fine-graded thin hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay mixture for pavement preservation. Accordingly, a comprehensive laboratory evaluation was conducted. The investigation considered establishing two mix designs using typical local materials for the northern and southern part of the state. For each mixture, the determined optimal binder content based on volumetric properties was varied within the allowable tolerances to simulate the potential variation in asphalt binder content during plant production. The performance of the two thin HMA mixtures were then evaluated at the various asphalt binder contents in terms of their resistance to moisture damage, resistance to surface raveling and abrasion, dynamic modulus property, resistance to rutting, and resistance to reflective cracking. Furthermore, the workability of the designed thin HMA overlay mixtures using the locking point concept in addition to the developed interlayer bond strength using the Louisiana Interlayer Shear Strength Tester were evaluated. Overall, both designed fine-graded mixtures showed a very good performance and are expected to perform well when used as a thin HMA overlay in Nevada. In particular, good stability, very good resistance to surface raveling and abrasion, and excellent resistance to reflective cracking were observed for both thin HMA overlay mixtures at all evaluated asphalt binder contents. A cost analysis was also conducted between the thin HMA overlay and a typically used pavement surface treatment. Based on the findings from this study, it was recommended to construct field test sections in various parts of the state to evaluate the field performance of the developed thin HMA overlay mixtures in Nevada. KW - Binder content KW - Costs KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory studies KW - Mix design KW - Nevada KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Rural highways KW - Workability UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Hajj_Thin%20Overlay_Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594587 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FRA’s Oversight of Hazardous Materials Shipments Lacks Comprehensive Risk Evaluation and Focus on Deterrence PY - 2016/02/24/Audit Report SP - 24p AB - Due to the public safety risks that transporting crude oil and other hazardous materials pose, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit to assess the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) enforcement of hazardous materials regulations using inspections and other tools. Specifically, OIG determined whether FRA (1) uses appropriate risk factors to allocate hazardous materials inspection resources; (2) provides sufficient guidance, tools, and training to hazardous materials inspectors; and (3) pursues civil and criminal penalties for violations of hazardous materials regulations. OIG reviewed documentation pertaining to FRA’s hazardous materials oversight activities, risk factors, and data. At three FRA regional offices, OIG observed hazardous materials inspections and facility audits. OIG conducted interviews with two other regional offices, FRA headquarters officials, and representatives from the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. It was determined that FRA has not conducted a comprehensive evaluation of risks associated with hazardous materials transportation that appropriately addresses national level risk. OIG is making recommendations to improve the risk assessments associated with allocating hazardous materials inspection resources, and address concerns about FRA’s use of civil penalties and lack of criminal case referrals to OIG. KW - Crude oil KW - Hazardous materials KW - Inspection KW - Jurisprudence and judicial processes KW - Oversight KW - Railroad transportation KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations KW - Resource allocation KW - Risk assessment KW - Risk management KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FRA%20Oversight%20of%20Hazmat%20by%20Rail_Final%20Report%5E2-24-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401177 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593943 AU - Department of Transportation TI - Additional Efforts are Needed to Ensure NHTSA’s Full Implementation Of OIG’s 2011 Recommendations PY - 2016/02/24 SP - 22p AB - In February 2010, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiated an audit of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) oversight of vehicle safety. This audit was prompted in part by congressional concerns about NHTSA’s handling of the Toyota Motor Corporation’s unintended acceleration recalls. In October 2011, OIG issued their report, which made 10 recommendations to enhance the ability of NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) to identify and address potential vehicle safety defects and ensure it has the workforce and expertise needed to operate effectively. In February 2014, the General Motors Corporation (GM) began recalling vehicles for a defective ignition switch that unexpectedly moved from the “run” or “on” position to the “accessory” or “off” position, shutting down the engine and disabling power steering, power brakes, and air bags. Citing congressional concerns over NHTSA’s handling of the GM recall, the Secretary of Transportation requested in March 2014 that OIG assess NHTSA’s vehicle safety procedures related to the recall. The subsequent review of ODI’s pre-investigative procedures determined that ODI’s inadequate processes for collecting and analyzing vehicle safety data resulted in significant safety concerns being overlooked. Because of the importance of highway safety, OIG took this opportunity to assess NHTSA’s efforts to implement the recommendations from the 2011 report. This report presents the results of OIG's assessment of NHTSA’s efforts to implement its proposed actions to consistently address the 2011 recommendations. KW - Defects KW - Implementation KW - Office of Inspector General KW - Oversight KW - Recall campaigns KW - Recommendations KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration KW - Vehicle safety UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/NHTSA%20Implementation%20of%20OIG%20Recommendations_Final%5E2-24-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400748 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599176 AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Clarke, David B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Network Capacity Analysis for Freight Railroads PY - 2016/02/23/Final Report SP - 19p AB - Rail network capacity analysis should consider all network infrastructures in an integrated way, with the challenges of the nonlinear relationships at each network element, a link or a node, and complexity of the interaction between various network elements. Empirical models have been developed to represent capacities and the relationship between flows and dwell-times at classification yards based on yard features through both simulation and theoretical analysis. In the past, the researchers have also developed several rail freight assignment tools based on links capacity, represented by linear or piece-wise linear functions. There is a need to incorporate the new yard capacity submodel into network analysis tools to identify network bottlenecks. The tools are expected to be able to make capacity expansion recommendations based on systematic benefit-cost analysis under various traffic demand scenarios and help to study which part of the network is a bottleneck. This research mainly uses optimization models and algorithms. Computational burden is a big challenge because of the large network size and nonlinearity of capacity submodels, both at yards and links. This research investigates the trade-off between the simplicity and practicability of models and algorithms and focus on the system integration and developed network flows-based algorithms to address the computational challenge. Furthermore, numerical studies were conducted to identify the yards and links that have large impact on the network capacity. KW - Algorithms KW - Dwell time KW - Freight transportation KW - Infrastructure KW - Links (Networks) KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Optimization KW - Railroad yards KW - Railroads KW - Routing KW - Traffic flow UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UTK/NURail2013-UTK-R05_final_Report_Jin1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59311/NURail2013-UTK-R05_final_Report_Jin1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405093 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619066 AU - Lautala, Pasi AU - Nelson, David AU - Michigan Technological University, Houghton AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Summer Youth Program in Rail and Intermodal Transportation PY - 2016/02/22/Final Report SP - 6p AB - For the past five years, Michigan Technological University has been running a Summer Youth Program (SYP) in Rail and Intermodal Transportation. The program has seen continuous growth along with a diverse group of students, grades 9-11. The structure of the program consists of classwork, tours, and hands on activities. Students have loved the program, “From what I have learned in the program, I am now interested in a future career with the industry.” The mission statement of the program is “a collaboration to attract a new generation.” The Summer Youth Program at Michigan Tech has been a joint venture with the University of Wisconsin – Superior since 2010, and the program has seen continued growth. The growth has been especially strong in years since 2013 when National University Rail Center (NURail) funding picked up half of the student cost, increasing the scholarship level to 100%. Industry funding by gracious supporters has provided half of the cost since the beginning of the program. KW - Education and training KW - High school students KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Michigan KW - Railroad transportation KW - Transportation careers UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60271/NURail2012-MTU-E01_Final_Report_Summer_Youth_Program.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596868 AU - Lingenfelter, Jessica L AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Reid, John D AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) with an Omitted Post PY - 2016/02/22/Final Report SP - 132p AB - The objective of this research study was to evaluate the Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) (31” tall W-beam guardrail) with an omitted post according to the safety performance criteria provided in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). A single full-scale crash test was conducted with the 2270P pickup truck in accordance with MASH test no. 3-11. The small car test, test no. 3-10, was deemed unnecessary as the pickup truck test would result in higher rail loads, a greater propensity for rail rupture, and a greater risk of failure. The test installation utilized standard 6-ft (1.8-m) long steel guardrail posts with 12-in. (305-mm) deep blockouts. A single post was omitted near the center of the 175-ft (53.3-m) long installation. Test no. MGSMP-1 resulted in the guardrail capturing and smoothly redirecting the 2270P vehicle. The vehicle remained upright, and all vehicle decelerations were within the recommended occupant risk limits. As such, the MGS with an omitted post satisfied the TL-3 safety performance criteria found in MASH. Following the full-scale crash testing, implementation guidance and recommendations were provided regarding the omission of a post within various MGS configurations, including MGS adjacent to 2:1 fill slopes, MGS on 8:1 approach slopes, MGS in combination with curbs, wood post MGS, non-blocked MGS, terminals and anchorages, MGS stiffness transition to thrie beam approach guardrail transitions, and MGS long-span systems. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Design KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Implementation KW - Midwest Guardrail System KW - Pickup trucks KW - Posts KW - Recommendations UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/FinalReportSuppl80.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403810 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01590709 TI - Axle and Length Classification Factor Analysis and Effects on Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) AB - Project objectives are as follows: (1) Assemble State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and industry experts to conduct research and statistical analysis on millions of traffic data records in order to provide guidance and understanding on the variability of how axle and length classification data affect Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT), specifically with regard to the creation of axle factors. (2) Gain a quantitative understanding on how length classification traffic data affects the calculation of AADT. Length classification sites are more cost effective than axle classification sites from installation to maintenance. This objective will allow DOTs to fully understand the statistical significance and soundness when using this cost-effective data collection option. (3) Gain a quantitative understanding of how axle and length classification traffic data interact and affect the calculation of AADT. State DOTs that have both these types of continuous classification traffic site installations or State DOTs who are considering including the lesser expensive length classification sites to their continuous program will understand advantages and distinctions of utilizing these combined data sources. Organizational Structure is as follows: TECHNICAL COMMITTEE - State Department of Transportation Agencies Lead State - Wisconsin DOT: (1) Agency proposing the pooled fund; (2) Act as the sponsoring agency; (3) Receive invoices from the selected vendor; and (4) Assist in soliciting new pooled fund partners. Participating States: (1) Review, comment on, and recommend for approval all project proposals generated through their participation on the Technical Committee; (2) Make final decisions of the approval of any project proposal; Participating states, including the lead state, will have one vote on the Technical Committee. Selected Vendor will: (1) Prepare invoices to be sent to Wisconsin DOT for research activities; (2) Plan, coordinate, and facilitate meetings of the Technical Committee using teleconferencing and other available technologies, as well as face-to-face meetings; (3) Prepare draft proposals that include work plans and budgets to be presented to the Technical Committee for review, comment, and approval; and (4) Prepare quarterly reports to be submitted to the Technical Committee and the Wisconsin DOT. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Axles KW - Classification KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Data collection KW - Factor analysis KW - Length KW - State departments of transportation KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic data KW - Wisconsin Department of Transportation UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/589 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398591 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01590708 TI - National Road Research Alliance - NRRA AB - Primary objectives of the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA) are: (1) Conduct structured construction, field testing and evaluation using the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnROAD) cold weather facility; (2) Evaluate pavement materials, equipment and methods under real-world conditions; (3) Establish industry standards and develop performance measure for improving pavement performance; (4) Develop and/or revise specifications and recommendations; (5) Studying and promoting innovative techniques and technologies that will save agencies money, improve safety and increase efficiency; (6) Supporting technology transfer by developing practical field guides, best practices, and training curriculum to promote the results of research projects; (7) Conduct cost-benefit analysis to ensure that new technologies, materials or methods contribute to operational efficiencies; (8) Support the exchange of information and ideas through collaborative research efforts that provide opportunities for public agencies to share experiences. (9) Identify and prioritize common road related research needs to address regional and national issues that are built on existing efforts such as Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) and hot mix asphalt (HMA) Roadmaps as well as the Foundation for Pavement Preservation Roadmap; (10) Fund high priority, readily implementable research projects though research contracts and university partnerships; and (11) Leverage knowledge, skills, and resources from participating partners to advances pavement research and implementation efforts while developing the workforce of the future. Support technology transfer that highlights the implementation of research results and the associated benefits. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Cold weather construction KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Materials KW - Minnesota Department of Transportation KW - National Road Research Alliance KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavements KW - Road construction KW - Standards KW - Technology transfer UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/590 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599251 AU - Dick, C Tyler AU - Atanassov, Ivan AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Spacing and Length of Passing Sidings and the Incremental Capacity of Single Track PY - 2016/02/18/Final Report SP - 7p AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of initial siding spacing and distribution of siding length on the incremental capacity of infrastructure investments on single-track railway lines. Previous research showed a linear reduction in train delay as sections of a single-track line with uniform initial siding spacing and length are converted to double track. This first phase of this project determined if this same relationship was observed on lines with different initial uniform siding spacing. Both homogeneous heterogeneous traffic mixtures were considered. The second phase of this project examined single-track lines that exhibited a more realistic non-uniform distribution of siding spacing. The study of non-uniform siding spacing determined if the linear trend observed previously could be used to infer the incremental capacity of investment in double-track siding connections of different lengths. The third phase of this research investigated the relationship between siding length, train length and capacity of single-track lines. This project investigated the relationship between the proportion of long sidings on a route and the number of long trains it can support (as a fraction of total traffic) for a given level of service. Statistical analysis of RTC simulation software results were used for all phases of this research. KW - Delays KW - Length KW - Railroad trains KW - Sidings (Railroads) KW - Simulation KW - Spacing KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2013-UIUC-R13_Final_Report_2016_02_18-TD1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59310/NURail2013-UIUC-R13_Final_Report_2016_02_18-TD1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405092 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599301 AU - Dick, C Tyler AU - DiDomenico, Giovanni AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Factors Affecting Commuter Rail Energy Efficiency PY - 2016/02/17/Final Report SP - 7p AB - This report investigates factors affecting commuter rail energy efficiency and its comparison with competing passenger travel modes. To accomplish this, data from the National Transit Database were analyzed to demonstrate various methods of quantifying the energy efficiency of commuter rail systems and to identify trends in commuter rail system energy efficiency in the US. In parallel, statistical analyses of simulation results from Rail Traffic Controller show the effects of several operational and infrastructure parameters on passenger rail energy efficiency. The Multimodal Passenger Simulation (MMPASSIM) tool was used to simulate the movements and energy efficiency of several commuter rail case studies to investigate the influence of alternative patterns of train station stops. This tool was also used to investigate the effects of energy-saving technologies and strategies on the commuter rail case study services, and to compare the results to competing passenger travel modes including automobile and bus. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Energy consumption KW - Passenger transportation KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Simulation KW - Statistical analysis KW - Transportation modes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2013-UIUC-R12_Final_Report-2016-02-18-TD1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59308/NURail2013-UIUC-R12_Final_Report-2016-02-18-TD1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608537 AU - Sykes, Kayla AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Human Factors Evaluation of an In-Vehicle Active Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) System PY - 2016/02/15/Final Research Report SP - 138p AB - This research study focused on the development and subsequent evaluation of an in-vehicle Active Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) system deployed on Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia. The ATDM elements inside the vehicle allowed drivers to remain consistently aware of traffic conditions and roadway requirements even if external signage was inaccessible. Forty participants were accompanied by a member of the research team and experienced the following in-vehicle device (IVD) features: 1) dynamic speed limits, 2) dynamic lane use/shoulder control, 3) High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) restrictions, and 4) variable message signs (VMS). This ATDM system was equipped with auditory and visual alerts to notify the driver when relevant information was updated. The research questions addressed distraction, desirability, and driver behavior associated with the system. Participant data was collected from the instrumented vehicle, various surveys, and researcher observation. Several key findings were uncovered related to each research category: 1) the IVD would not be classified as a distraction according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) distraction guidelines, 2) 73% of participants would want the in-vehicle technology in their next vehicle, and 3) the speed limit alert motivated participantsto alter their speed (based on both survey results and actual participant speed data). KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Behavior KW - Distraction KW - Driver information systems KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Human factors KW - Speed limits KW - Variable message signs KW - Virginia UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Sykes_Human-Factors-Evaluation-of-an-In-Vehicle-ATDM-System_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418039 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599886 AU - Kennedy, Adjo Amekudzi AU - Sowah, Margaret Avis Akofio AU - Brodie, Stefanie AU - Xu, Yanzhi (Ann) AU - Leous, Audrey AU - Curtis, Valerie AU - Georgia Tech Research Corporation AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - STEM and Our Future Transportation Leaders PY - 2016/02/10/Final Report SP - 127p AB - Between 2012 to 2022, 40 to 50 percent of the transportation workforce is expected to retire taking valuable knowledge with them.  State Departments of Transportation (DOT) are expected to play a significant role in replenishing the workforce pipeline by raising awareness about transportation careers, providing internship and apprenticeship opportunities, supporting workforce development programs and research, implementing mentoring programs for new workers and emerging leaders, and supporting partnerships with education and workforce organizations.  Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) development is considered a critical priority in the state of Georgia and the nation at large to preserve science and technology efficacy and promote economic competitiveness. This report reviews state DOT involvement in transportation related STEM outreach programs and identifies opportunities to engage kindergarten through high school (K 12) students in STEM programs to enhance their interest in the transportation field.  Both theory and empirical evidence show that STEM has academic and behavioral benefits, and that students exposed to STEM are more likely to choose a career in STEM.  Information on DOT involvement in STEM programs was gathered from the literature, DOT and other websites; a targeted online survey administered to DOTs and University Transportation Centers that have hosted STEM outreach programs; and semi structured phone interviews conducted with selected survey respondents to gather additional information on their programs.  Results show that over 40 percent of state DOTs are involved in K 12 STEM outreach programs: most commonly residential or non residential summer programs, teacher training and curriculum development programs, internship and shadow opportunities, one day STEM awareness events, and periodic employee visits to schools to present on transportation STEM.  A business case analysis conducted shows that agencies will benefit from including both longer term and shorter term alternatives in their STEM programming to cultivate STEM efficacy and build long term relationships with a smaller percentage of students while increasing STEM awareness broadly among K 12 students.   Such strategic programming will contribute to developing a pool of students for future recruitment to replenish the transportation workforce, while enhancing STEM culture within the agency. KW - Education KW - Georgia KW - Literature reviews KW - Outreach KW - Recruiting KW - State departments of transportation KW - Students KW - Surveys KW - Transportation careers UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/14-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408193 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599286 AU - Von Quintus, Harold L AU - Darter, Michael I AU - Bhattacharya, Biplab AU - Titus-Glover, Leslie AU - Applied Research Associates AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation and Calibration of the MEPDG in Georgia PY - 2016/02/09/Task 7 Final Report – Task Order #3 SP - 237p AB - The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) currently uses the empirical 1972 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Interim Guide for Design of Pavement Structures as their standard pavement design procedure. However, GDOT plans to transition to the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for designing new and rehabilitated pavements. As a part of the transition process, GDOT has sponsored an implementation project. One objective of the implementation project was to calibrate the MEPDG global distress transfer functions to local conditions. The Georgia Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) and non-LTPP roadway segments were used for the verification-calibration-validation process. One of the first activities of the implementation project was to verify or confirm that the MEPDG transfer functions and global calibration coefficients derived from National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project 1-40D reasonably predict distresses and smoothness in Georgia. The Task Order 1, Task 2 interim report focused on using the Georgia LTPP test sections to confirm the applicability of the global calibration coefficients. The interim report concluded some of the transfer functions exhibited significant bias between the measured and predicted distress and require local calibration. The Task Order 2, Task 5 Interim Report documented the local calibration of the transfer functions using LTPP and non-LTPP roadway segments. The calibration process followed the procedure presented in the 2010 AASHTO MEPDG Local Calibration Guide. GDOT calibration coefficients were derived to remove bias for the rutting, fatigue cracking, and thermal cracking transfer functions of flexible pavements, and the faulting and fatigue cracking transfer functions of rigid pavements. The global coefficients of the smoothness degradation regression equation for flexible and rigid pavements were also checked and calibrated as needed for their applicability to Georgia conditions. This report summarizes all calibration-validation activities completed within this implementation project. KW - Calibration KW - Georgia KW - Implementation KW - Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance KW - Smoothness KW - Test sections UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/11-17%20Task%20Order%203%20FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608671 AU - Jensen, Mark AU - Tudela, Aldo AU - Row, Shelley AU - Krechmer, Dan AU - Flanigan, Erin AU - Cambridge Systematics AU - Department of Transportation TI - Connected Vehicle Impacts on Transportation Planning: Technical Memorandum #6: Skills and Expertise Required to Incorporate Connected Vehicles into Transportation Planning PY - 2016/02/08/Final Report SP - 31p AB - Professional development and training are essential to the incorporation of connected/automated vehicles (C/AV) into the transportation planning process. In order to guarantee a successful deployment, transportation planning agencies and their stakeholders must understand these technologies well enough to support both planning and operations functions. The objective of this task is to assess and describe how professional development and training programs should be designed to impart the required knowledge and skills. This Technical Memorandum summarizes the results of the work conducted in Skills and Expertise Required to Incorporate Connected Vehicles into Transportation Planning, and documents the results of the following four activities: (1) Benchmark Existing Training Programs—C/AV training programs are defined and categorized including a comprehensive table that summarizes available C/AV training such as courses (in person and online), webinars, workshops, presentations, and special event training (e.g., “hackathons”). Public and private sector programs are identified along with academic/nongovernmental organization (NGO) programs. (2) Conduct Interviews—Interviews conducted with representatives of the public and private sectors, as well as academic and NGO personnel are documented. (3) Synthesize Interview Findings—Interview findings are synthesized and organized according to the four discussion topics. (4) Provide Recommendations and Potential Strategy—Recommendations for C/AV training for the planning community are summarized, organized by training content, audiences, and delivery approaches, and describes a potential strategic approach to developing a training program, along with a range of expected costs, and recommended frequency for delivery. KW - Best practices KW - Education and training methods KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Personnel development KW - Recommendations KW - Stakeholders KW - Training KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59173/FHWA-JPO-16-364.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415696 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616161 AU - Tyner, Wallace E AU - Sarica, Kemal AU - Purdue University AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Policies Aimed at Increasing Use of Natural Gas in the Transportation System PY - 2016/02/02/Final Report SP - 23p AB - In this paper the authors examine the implications of leveling the vehicle fuel choice playing field between plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in the US. Currently, US policy provides a subsidy of $7,500 for most PHEV vehicles but nothing for CNG vehicles. The authors use a modified version of the MARKAL-Macro model to evaluate the impacts on the transportation system, the general economy, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of maintaining only the PHEV subsidy or applying an equivalent subsidy to CNG vehicles. Some very interesting conclusions emerge from the analysis. In 2050 there are 36% more CNG internal combustion vehicles in the fleet if the CNG Light Duty Vehicles (LDV) subsidy is in effect compared with only the PHEV subsidy. On the other hand, if only the PHEV subsidy is in effect, there are 15% more of those vehicles compared to the case with the CNG LDV subsidy as well. Interestingly, the CNG subsidy also results in a reduction in GHG emissions relative to the case with only the PHEV subsidy. Oil imports also decrease with the CNG subsidy. Thus, the authors have documented that if a CNG subsidy were provided as is the case for PHEV. it would have important impacts on the transportation system. KW - Compressed natural gas KW - Crude oil KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Imports KW - Light duty vehicles KW - MARKAL-MACRO (Computer model) KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Subsidies KW - Transportation policy KW - United States UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/new/108PUY2.1%20Analysis%20of%20Policies%20Aimed%20at%20Increasing%20Use%20of%20Natural%20Gas%20in%20the%20Transportation%20System_Final%20Report%20Tyner.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428239 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596015 AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Burkman, Eric AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - NPS Transit System Passenger Boardings Study: Converting Ticket Sales to Passenger Boardings PY - 2016/02/02/Final Report SP - 38p AB - This report examines the reporting of passenger boardings (unlinked passenger trips) by National Park Service (NPS) transit systems that use a ticket sales conversion methodology. By studying and validating the park units' passenger boarding methodology from converting ticket sales, the Volpe Center found that most small systems are applying the correct multiplier, however, large, more complex systems have a more difficult time estimating their multiplier. Through one on-site visit and four qualitative interviews, the Volpe Center summarizes its qualitative and quantitative findings in this report. KW - Data collection KW - National Park Service KW - Public transit KW - Tickets KW - Unlinked passenger trips UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56892/NPS_Ticket_Sales_Estimation_Methodology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400025 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594595 AU - Rizzo, Piervincenzo AU - University of Pittsburgh AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Noninvasive Assessment of Existing Concrete PY - 2016/02/02/Final Report SP - 130p AB - The nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of concrete has been a long-standing challenge. In the last three decades, many NDE methods have been proposed, and some of them resulted in commercial products. The most common method is probably the one based on the measurement of the velocity of bulk ultrasonic waves propagating through concrete. The measurement helps to assess the strength of concrete or to monitor the curing of fresh concrete. Another popular commercial system is the Schmidt hammer that consists of a spring-driven steel hammer that hits the specimen with a defined energy. Part of the impact energy is absorbed by the plastic deformation of the specimen, and the remaining impact energy is rebounded. The rebound distance depends on the hardness of the specimen and the conditions of the surface. As these methods are not universally accepted, much research is still ongoing on the NDE of concrete. In this report, the authors preset an NDE method based on the propagation of highly nonlinear solitary waves (HNSWs) along a 1-D chain of spherical particles in contact with the concrete to be tested. With respect to ultrasonic-based NDE, the proposed approach: 1) exploits the propagation of waves confined within the grains; 2) employs a cost-effective transducer; 3) measures different waves’ parameters (time of flight, speed, and amplitude of one or two pulses); 4) does not require any knowledge of the sample thickness; 5) does not require an access to the sample’s back-wall. Moreover, the method differs from the Schmidt hammer because it can be applied also onto fresh concrete, multiple HNSWs features can be exploited, and it does not induce plastic deformation. In this project, the propagation of HNSWs is used to measure the strength of cured concrete under concrete’s control mix design and under excessive water/cement (w/c) ratio. The objective was the assessment of the modulus of hardened concrete to predict the compressive strength of bridge concrete decks, or other concrete structures. In the work presented here many HNSW-based transducer were used to test concrete cylinders cast with well controlled w/c ratios and short beams cast with a certain w/c ratio but corrupted with excessive water. The latter mimicked rainfall prior, during, and after construction. The authors monitor the characteristics of the waves reflected from the transducer/concrete interface in terms of their amplitude and time-of-flight (TOF). The latter denotes the transit time at a given sensor bead in the granular crystal between the incident and the reflected waves. When a single HNSW interacts with a "soft" neighboring medium, secondary reflected solitary waves (SSW) form in the granular crystal, in addition to the primary reflected solitary waves (PSW). The authors observed that the waves propagating within the transducer are affected by the amount of water present in the mix design. Future studies shall expand the research by including more samples and by conducting field tests in existing bridges. KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete KW - Concrete construction KW - Mix design KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Moisture content KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Ultrasonic tests KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://www.dot7.state.pa.us/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Maintenance/Noninvasive_Assessment_of_Existing_Concrete.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401064 ER -