TY - RPRT AN - 01173911 AU - van Schalkwyk, Ida AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Enhancements to Pavement Marking Testing Procedures PY - 2010/08//Final Report SP - 136p AB - The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) requires performance and durability testing of all pavement marking materials before they can be applied on construction projects on state highways. Manufacturers apply materials on a two-year test deck where the product is evaluated regularly until a determination can be made regarding the suitability of the marking material. If it is determined that the material is suitable, it is included on the Qualified Products List (QPL). The testing and evaluation on ODOT test decks are limited to measuring the thickness of the marking material; assessing dry weather retroreflectivity; and subjective evaluations of appearance and durability. It was determined that a review of pavement marking testing procedures especially those followed in states with climatic conditions similar to Oregon could be useful. The research project includes recommendations to enhance the pavement marking testing and selection process. The recommendations relate to application procedures, monitoring and evaluation, and final selection of products. Proposed minimum retroreflectivity requirements are discussed. KW - Durability KW - Oregon KW - Qualified Products List KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road marking materials KW - Test procedures KW - Thickness UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/Pavement_Marking_Testing.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173909 AU - Hanson, Elyse M AU - Connolly, Nicholas J AU - Janssen, Donald J AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating and Optimizing Recycled Concrete Fines in PCC Mixtures Containing Supplementary Cementitious Materials PY - 2010/08//Final Research Report SP - 66p AB - Portland cement concrete (PCC) is used throughout transportation infrastructure, for roads as well as bridges and other structures. One of the most effective ways of making PCC more “green” is to replace a portion of the portland cement (the portion of a PCC mixture with the greatest carbon footprint) with a supplementary cementitious material such as flyash or ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). Since these supplementary cementitious materials are waste byproducts, they can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of PCC. A consequence of using these materials, however, is that they can reduce the rate of early PCC strength gain. This reduced rate of strength gain can cause problems, especially in urban areas where user costs from delayed construction must be considered when evaluating a project’s overall cost. Previous work (Janssen, et al., 2006) demonstrated that the use of recycled concrete fines could offset some or all of the delayed strength‐gain effects from cement‐GGBFS blends. Current work appears to indicate that the use of such fines could allow for increased cement replacement with no additional reduction in early strength gain. Unfortunately, recycled concrete fines can be quite variable from batch to batch. To effectively utilize recycled concrete fines to offset delayed strength gains associated with the use of supplementary cementitious materials, a procedure must be developed that: 1) evaluates the effectiveness of a specific recycled concrete fines source, and 2) determines PCC mixture proportions that utilize the recycled concrete fines to offset reduced strength‐gain effects associated with the use of supplementary cementitious materials as cement replacement. This procedure must be rapid and inexpensive so that ready‐mix concrete producers could easily perform the procedure whenever a new recycled concrete fines source is obtained. KW - Early strength (Concrete) KW - Granulated slag KW - Mix design KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Recycled concrete KW - Recycled materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33900/33992/TNW2010-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934646 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173907 AU - Strathman, James G AU - Bronfman, Lois Martin AU - Dong, Hongwei AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety in Oregon PY - 2010/08//Final Report SP - 96p AB - This study addressed the primary functions of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s(ODOT’s) Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP), which is administered by the Motor Carrier Transportation Division (MCTD). The study first documented Oregon’s MCSAP enforcement performance in relation to its counterparts in other states. Cluster analysis was then employed to identify Oregon’s peer states with respect to MCSAP enforcement performance and a variety of other factors related to the motor carrier travel and safety environments. Structured interviews of peer state MCSAP personnel were then conducted to identify performance-improving strategies and practices that could potentially be implemented in Oregon. The feasibility of implementing these strategies and practices was then assessed against selected criteria. KW - Cluster analysis KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Highway safety KW - Interviewing KW - Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program KW - Motor carriers KW - Oregon KW - States KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/CommercialVehicleSafety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934645 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173853 AU - Sheffield, John W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Missouri S&T Hydrogen Transportation Test Bed Equipment & Construction PY - 2010/08//Final Report SP - 22p AB - Investments through the National University Transportation Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology have really scored on the Center’s mission areas and particularly Transition-state fuel vehicle infrastructure leading to a hydrogen economy. Already this investment has produced three programs, Hydrogen Fueling Station, the EcoCAR Garage and the Renewable Energy Transit Depot, that have led to a new 2008 Missouri S&T major strategic theme. Chancellor Carney calls it “E3=C” Challenge, i.e., Energy, Environment, and Education equals Civilization. With the strong start empowered by NUTC funds, a new transportation test bed at Missouri S&T, coined “E3 Commons,” is being constructed to develop, demonstrate and deploy hydrogen vehicles and supporting infrastructure including hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. Another round of investment is needed to keep this momentum going and to capitalize where success has grown much more than anticipated. The hydrogen transportation test bed serves as a focal point for the Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety - National University Transportation Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology, focusing on the overarching goals of collecting and evaluating the real-world performance and utility of hydrogen-powered vehicles and benchmarking issues related to the safety, operation, and maintenance of hydrogen-powered vehicles with other alternative fuel-powered vehicles. NUTC funds, along with specific project matches, have allowed Missouri S&T to accomplish Phase I. Tackling Phase II requires complementary capabilities for these three program areas and the Commons: EcoCAR Garage, Hydrogen Fueling Station, Renewable Energy Transit Depot, and the E3 Commons as a whole. KW - Construction KW - Equipment KW - Hydrogen fueled vehicles KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Hydrogen infrastructure KW - Hydrogen production KW - Missouri KW - Performance KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Test beds KW - Vehicle infrastructure UR - http://utc.mst.edu/documents/RE254_CR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/930620 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173844 AU - Liang, Yu-chang AU - Zhang, Weiping AU - Xi, Yunping AU - University of Colorado, Boulder AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Strategic Evaluation of Different Topical Protection Systems for Bridge Decks and the Associated Life-Cycle Cost Analysis PY - 2010/08//Final Report SP - 73p AB - Bridge decks deteriorate faster and require more maintenance and repair than any other structural components on highway bridges. Topical protection systems act as barriers to protect bridge decks from corrosion damage by preventing water, oxygen, and chloride ions from reaching the reinforcement. This study evaluated topical protection systems commonly used on highway bridge decks in Colorado, including low-permeability concrete overlays and waterproof membranes with asphalt overlays. Five bridges were selected for inspection in the project. Concrete cores were taken from the selected bridge decks, and chloride concentration profiles were obtained at various depths. Chloride concentration is an important indicator for the corrosion damage of rebars in concrete deck. The inspection results showed that all five bridge decks are currently in good shape, which means the protection systems used on the selected bridges are effective. In order to predict future performance of the protection systems, a model was developed to predict the corrosion initiation time for rebars based on the current inspection results. The main feature of the prediction model is that the effect of deterioration of the concrete on its chloride permeability can be taken into account by using the current and future inspection results, and the deterioration could be due to environmental and/or traffic loadings. The prediction model for corrosion initiation time will be a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of topical protection systems. To better predict the future performance of bridge decks and the effectiveness of the topical protection systems, more inspection data are required for more reliable information on the deterioration rates of the bridges. KW - Bridge decks KW - Colorado KW - Corrosion KW - Corrosion protection KW - Life cycle costing KW - Maintenance practices KW - Reinforcing bars UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2010/topicalprotection.pdf/at_download/file UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2010/topicalprotection.pdf/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934311 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173811 AU - Guarino, Jenny AU - Firestine, Theresa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effects of the February 2010 Snowstorms on Airline Performance PY - 2010/08//Special Report SP - 5p AB - Several snowstorms in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast during February 2010 disrupted air travel not only at airports blanketed with snow but at airports across the United States and its territories. Altogether, more than 20,000 flights, or 4.2 percent of all flights scheduled during the month, were canceled due to weather. This was the highest weather cancellation rate for any month since the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) began collecting data on the extent and causes of cancellations in June 2003. In looking at the impacts of weather on on-time airline performance in February 2010, this report uses BTS Airline On-Time Performance data. Analysis shows: (1) February 2010 had the greatest proportion of weather-related cancellations on record, with 4.2 percent of flights canceled (20,206 flights). The previous record was 2.8 percent (15,872 flights) in February 2007. (2) On the peak day, February 10, 23 percent of all scheduled flights (3,932 flights) were canceled nationwide due mainly to the near or complete closure of several large Northeastern hub airports. (3) Cancellations from storms over the entire month are estimated to have cost $80–100 million. KW - Airlines KW - Flight cancellations KW - On time performance KW - Schedule maintenance KW - Snowstorms KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/ UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/special_report/2010_07/html/entire.html UR - http://www.bts.gov/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/special_report/2010_07/pdf/entire.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35300/35388/Snowstorms.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934608 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172537 AU - Cherrington, Linda AU - Edrington, Suzie AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Estimated Impacts of the 2010 Census on the Texas Transit Funding Formula: Summary Report on Findings PY - 2010/08 SP - 118p AB - The purpose of this report is to document the impact of the projections for the 2010 Census on federal and state funding for rural transit districts and the impact on state funding for eligible urban transit districts for the state of Texas. This report consists of four chapters. The first chapter is an introduction to the report. Chapter 2 documents the change in population and land area by transit district for existing rural and urban transit districts; identifies how new urbanized areas will affect current rural transit districts; and identifies the development of three population scenarios to reflect the possible impacts of new urbanized areas. Chapter 3 applies each of the population scenarios to the current Texas transit funding formula to identify the impacts on funding by transit provider. Chapter 4 provides discussion of the findings and key policy implications based on the information provided in the previous chapters. The Appendices to this report include information to support the research methodology. KW - 2010 Census KW - Financing KW - Impacts KW - Population KW - Public transit KW - Rural transit KW - Texas KW - Urban transit UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6199-P1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34600/34600/0-6199-P1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34600/34617/0-6199-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933407 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172536 AU - Turner, Shawn AU - Carson, Jodi AU - Zimmerman, Carol A AU - Wilkinson, Joseph M AU - Travis, Cathy AU - Battelle Memorial Institute AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Traffic Monitoring In Recreational Areas PY - 2010/08//Final Report SP - 48p AB - Traffic monitoring in recreational areas is often challenged by distinct traffic and roadway characteristics and the multitude of agencies responsible for the management of Federal lands and/or the collection of supporting traffic data. These challenges are exacerbated by a lack of consistent procedural guidance; existing national traffic monitoring guidelines lack sufficient direction and detail for recreational travel. In an effort to improve/lend consistency to traffic monitoring in recreational areas, the Coordinated Technology Implementation Program tasked the Office of Federal Lands Highway-Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with conducting an assessment of the nationwide practices for recreational traffic data collection. A review of pertinent literature related to recreational traffic data collection was conducted. A targeted survey of various State and local agencies responsible for traffic monitoring was administered. A workshop focused on traffic monitoring in recreational areas was also conducted. Key findings from these activities are briefly described herein. KW - Data collection KW - Forests KW - Literature reviews KW - National parks KW - Recreation KW - Recreational traffic KW - Surveys KW - Traffic counting KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Workshops UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/FHWA-WFL-TD-10-003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933403 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167045 AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Tufte, Kristin AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Oregon Freight Data Mart PY - 2010/08//Final Report SP - 64p AB - Increasing freight volumes are adding pressure to the Oregon transportation system. Monitoring the performance of the transportation system and freight movements is essential to guarantee the economic development of the region, the efficient allocation of resources, and the quality of life of all Oregonians. Freight data is expensive to collect and maintain. Confidentiality issues, the size of the datasets, and the complexity of freight movements are barriers that preclude the easy access and analysis of freight data. Data accessibility and integration is essential to ensure successful freight planning and consistency across regional partner agencies and planning organizations. In relation to Internet-based mapping technology in freight data collection and planning, the main objectives of this project are: (a) address implementation issues associated with data integration, (b) present a system architecture to leverage existing publically-available interfaces and web applications to accelerate product development and reduce costs, (c) describe an existing web-based mapping prototype and its capabilities, (d) state lessons learned and present suggestions to streamline the integration and visualization of freight data, and (e) discuss load-time and display quality issues associated with the visualization of transportation data on internet-based mapping applications. The strategies and methodologies described in this report are equally applicable to the display of areas such as states or counties as well as linear data such as highways, waterways, and railways. Despite data integration challenges, Internet-based mapping provides a cost effective and appealing tool to store, access, and communicate freight data as well as enhance our understanding of freight issues. Institutional barriers, not technology, are the most demanding hurdles to widely implementing a freight data web-based mapping application in the near future. KW - Data accessibility KW - Data files KW - Data integration KW - Data mapping KW - Data marts KW - Freight data KW - Freight transportation KW - Implementation KW - Institutional issues KW - Internet KW - Oregon KW - System architecture KW - Visualization UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/131 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927668 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370136 AU - Ashour, Mohamed AU - Ardalan, Hamed AU - University of Alabama, Huntsville AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Road Embankment and Slope Stabilization PY - 2010/07/31/Final Report SP - 88p AB - This report and the accompanying software are part of efforts to improve the characterization and analysis of pile-stabilized slopes using one or two rows of driven piles. A combination of the limit equilibrium analysis and strain wedge (SW) model technique is employed to assess the stability of vulnerable slopes before and after using driven piles to improve the slope stability. This report focuses on the entry of input data, interpretation of the output results, and description of the employed technique. In addition to a comparison study with a full-scale load test, the finite element (FE) analysis using a general-purpose FE package, “PLAXIS,” is performed to verify the results. The characterization of lateral load induced by slipping mass of soils can be accomplished using the modified SW model technique. The SW model for laterally loaded pile behavior is a new predictive method (recommended as an alternative method by AASHTO [2007]) that relates the stress-strain behavior of soil in the developing three-dimensional passive wedge in front of the pile (denoted as the strain wedge) under lateral load to the one-dimensional beam-on-elastic foundation parameters. Two failure scenarios are employed in the developed computer program to include pile stabilization for 1) existing slip surface of failed slope and 2) potential failure surface. The two scenarios evaluate the distribution of the soil driving forces with the consideration of the soil flow-around failure, soil strength, and pile spacing. The developed procedure can also account for the external pile head lateral load and moment along with the driving force induced by the sliding mass of soil. The developed computer program is a design tool in which the designer can select an economic pile size to stabilize slopes. In addition to the external lateral loads applied at the pile head, the presented research work determines the mobilized driving force caused by sliding mass of soil that needs to be transferred via installed piles to stable soil layers below the slip surface. The side and front interaction between piles and sliding mass of soil is one of the main features of this project. The work presented also evaluates the appropriate pile spacing between the piles in the same pile row (wall) and the spacing between the pile rows. The computer program provides a flexible graphical user interface that facilitates entering data and analyzing/plotting the results. The finite element analysis (using PLAXIS) was used to investigate the results. A field test for pile-stabilized slope is used to validate the results obtained from the finite element analysis and the developed technique. KW - Computer programs KW - Deformation curve KW - Embankments KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Slope stability UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44000/44095/09305_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1136641 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01349501 AU - Gransberg, Douglas AU - Zaman, Musharraf AU - Riemer, Caleb AU - Pittenger, Dominique AU - Aktas, Bekir AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantifying the Costs and Benefits of Pavement Retexturing as a Pavement Preservation Tool PY - 2010/07/31/Final Report SP - 112p AB - The objective of the study is to build on the research done overseas and conduct a comparative field evaluation of various methods used to restore pavement skid resistance by retexturing the existing surface with either a surface treatment, chemical treatment or a mechanical process. In Phase 1, 16 field test sections were constructed on State Highway 77 between Oklahoma City and Norman. Monthly microtexture and macrotexture measurements were taken over a period of 22 months. The field data was reduced to create deterioration models based on loss of both micro and macrotexture over time. The models were then used to calculate effective service lives for each treatment which was then used as input for a life cycle cost analysis. A new lifecycle cost analysis model for pavement preservation treatments based on equivalent uniform annual cost rather than net present value was developed and is used to process the pavement texture change data. This will allow pavement managers to have the required information to be able to make rational engineering design decisions based on both physical and financial data for a suite of potential pavement preservation tools. Each treatment alternative has been evaluated under the same conditions over the same period of time by an impartial research team. The project will continue for a third year under the Phase 2 OTCREOS9.1-21 contract. Upon its completion, a pavement preservation treatment toolbox for a total of 23 different treatments will be developed and furnished to ODOT for use by its division maintenance engineers in the state-wide pavement preservation program. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Life cycle costing KW - Macrotexture KW - Microtexture KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Preservation KW - Skid resistance KW - Texture UR - http://www.oktc.org/otc/files/finalReports/OTCREOS7.1-16-F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1107981 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01349481 AU - Khoury, Charbel AU - Miller, Gerald A AU - Abousleiman, Younane N AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effect of Suction Hysteresis on Resilient Modulus of Fine-Grained Cohesionless Soil PY - 2010/07/31/Final Report SP - 101p AB - The mechanical behavior of subgrade soil is influenced by the seasonal variations in moisture content. To better understand this behavior, it is crucial to study the relationship between soil moisture content and matric suction known as the Soil Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC). This relationship is hysteretic, i.e., at a given suction the moisture content differs depending on the drying and wetting paths. Research described in this report represents the beginning effort to understand the relationship of the SWCC to resilient modulus of subgrades. The behavior of the SWCC has been widely studied and various models have been developed to capture this hysteretic behavior, but limited experimental data are available under different applied stresses. The lack of SWCC experimental data is due to the long testing time required for unsaturated soils. A new procedure was developed to shorten equilibrium time and obtain SWCC data as fast as possible. This new approach was used and SWCC tests under different stress states on silty soil specimens under drying, wetting, secondary drying, and along scanning curves were performed. Results from this study helped improve and validate existing models briefly described in this report. The primary focus of this study was the effect of hydraulic hysteresis on the resilient modulus (Mr) of a cohesionless silty soil. Suction-controlled Mr tests were performed on compacted samples along the primary drying and wetting, secondary drying and wetting paths. A relationship between resilient modulus (Mr) and matric suction identified as the resilient modulus characteristic curve (MRCC) was developed. MRCC results indicated that Mr increased with suction along the drying curve. On the other hand, results of tests along the primary wetting curve indicated higher Mr than along the primary drying and the secondary drying curves. A new model to predict the MRCC results during drying and wetting (i.e., hydraulic hysteresis) is proposed based on the SWCC hysteresis. The model predicted favorably the drying and then the wetting results using the SWCC at all stress levels. KW - Fine grained soils KW - Granular soils KW - Hysteresis KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Soil suction UR - http://www.oktc.org/otc/files/finalReports/OTCREOS7.1-27-F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1108014 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463811 TI - Day-Sim-TRANSIMS Integrated Model Enhancement AB - The objective of this task order is to establish methods for integrating advanced disaggregate transportation demand and supply models for the purposes of advancing modeling, community understanding, and to use the existing DaySim-TRANSIMS integrated model system operating in Sacramento. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Integrated systems KW - Public transit KW - Sacramento (California) KW - Supply KW - TRANSIMS (Computer model) KW - Travel demand UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232038 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01576042 TI - Development of a Field Prototype for the Inspection of Culverts AB - The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) J. Sterling Jones Hydraulics Research Laboratory has been working with the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to develop a system prototype for inspecting culverts. The prototype system consists of an ultrasonic-based tethered system designed to display the images of culverts, and works both in air and in water. The work has been funded through the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program. The initial proof-of-concept phase of the project was completed on August 4th, 2011 with the demonstration of technology to a wide audience at the TFHRC J. Sterling Jones Hydraulics Research Laboratory. Phase II development of field prototype unit was completed on April 30, 2013. KW - Culverts KW - Environmental impacts KW - Inspection KW - Maintenance KW - Prototypes UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-11-0104 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369987 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464207 TI - Incorporating Pavement Preservation into the MEPDG AB - Pavement preservation provides a means for maintaining and improving the functional condition of an existing highway system and slowing deterioration. Although pavement preservation is not expected to substantially increase structural capacity, it generally leads to improved pavement performance and longer service life and, therefore, should be considered in the pavement design process. The American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) interim edition of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Manual of Practice (MEPDG) and related software (see Special Notes A and B) developed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) provides methodologies for the analysis and performance prediction of different types of flexible and rigid pavements. However, these methodologies and related performance prediction models focus on new design and structural rehabilitation and do not explicitly consider the contributions of pavement preservation treatments to the overall pavement performance. There is a need to identify approaches for considering the effects of preservation on pavement performance and to develop procedures that facilitate consideration of pavement preservation treatments in the MEPDG analysis process. Such procedures will ensure that the contributions of preservation to performance and service life are appropriately considered in the analysis and design process. The objective of this research is to develop procedures for incorporating pavement preservation treatments into the MEPDG analysis process. For the purpose of this research, preservation treatments are treatments applied to preserve an existing roadway, slow future deterioration, and maintain and improve its functional condition (without substantially increasing structural capacity). KW - Data collection KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Preservation KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2704 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232435 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464202 TI - Performance of WMA Technologies: Stage I--Moisture Susceptibility AB - Recently, interest in warm mix asphalt (WMA) has dramatically increased. WMA is now seen as an alternative to hot mix asphalt (HMA) offering the potential to lower energy demand during production and construction, reduce emissions at the plant and the paver, and increase allowable haul distances. However, there are still questions about the long-term performance and durability of WMA pavements. One key issue is the moisture susceptibility of WMA pavements. Concerns about WMA moisture susceptibility include the possibility that aggregates will be inadequately dried at lower production temperatures and the fact that several WMA technologies introduce additional moisture in the production process. The moisture susceptibility of HMA is evaluated by a variety of standard laboratory tests. The results of these tests on WMA indicate that WMA may be more susceptible to moisture damage than HMA. However, more limited data suggest that the resistance of WMA to moisture damage improves with time and may ultimately be equivalent to that of HMA. In some situations, anti-strip agents are added to WMA to address the issue of moisture susceptibility. However, as is the case with HMA, anti-strip agents may not always be compatible or work effectively with WMA. The objectives of this research are to (1) assess whether WMA technologies adversely affect the moisture susceptibility of flexible pavements and (2) develop guidelines for identifying and limiting moisture susceptibility in WMA pavements. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Binders KW - Cracking KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Georgia KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - In place density KW - Mix design KW - Moisture content KW - Pavement performance KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2710 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232430 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449579 AU - Hazirbaba, Kenan AU - Cox, Brady R AU - Wood, Clinton M AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Shear Wave Velocity Profiling in High Seismicity Areas of Cold and Warm Permafrost PY - 2010/07/22 SP - 149p AB - This work was performed in support of the Alaska University Transportation Center project “Utilization of Screw Piles in High Seismicity Areas of Cold and Warm Permafrost” under the direction of Dr. Kenan Hazirbaba. Surface wave testing was performed at 30 sites in the City of Fairbanks, Alaska from August 9-13, 2009 by personnel from the University of Arkansas. The goal of the testing was to develop shear wave velocity profiles at selected research sites and at various areas of cold and warm permafrost. The shear wave velocity profiles provide a key parameter in determining the dynamic response of piles and soil-pile interaction under dynamic loading. The Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW) method (Stokoe et al., 1994) was used to determine shear wave velocity profile at each site to a depth of between 30 and 60 meters. KW - Dynamic loads KW - Fairbanks (Alaska) KW - Permafrost KW - Rayleigh waves KW - S waves KW - Seismicity KW - Shear wave velocity KW - Soil-pile interaction KW - Spectral analysis of surface waves KW - Spectrum analysis KW - Surface wave tests UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2012/10/309031.UAR_.Cox-AUTC-Shear-Wave-Velocity-FinalReport7.23.10-ineautc1112.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46147/309031.UAR_.Cox-AUTC-Shear-Wave-Velocity-FinalReport7.23.10-ineautc1112.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217180 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464182 TI - Renewable Energy Guide for Highway Maintenance Facilities AB - In the face of rising energy costs, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are striving to reduce the energy requirements for heating, cooling, and maintaining their facilities. In addition to the customary options of oil, gas, and electrical energy, alternative sources of energy, including wind power, solar power, and ground-source heating and cooling, are being evaluated for their cost effectiveness and reliability. While none of these alternatives to conventional energy sources may be effective alone in all situations, together they may provide appreciable savings in energy use for some facilities. In the future, energy conservation guidance for state agency facilities may mandate increased efficiencies in facility energy consumption. This research will evaluate active energy options including wind power, solar power and ground-source heating and cooling, as well as passive building and site modifications to reduce energy use. The objectives of this research are to identify and evaluate effective, implementable means of energy conservation for maintenance and other state DOT facilities. The following tasks are anticipated to accomplish these objectives: (1) assess alternative energy options currently employed at DOT-managed facilities; (2) assess potential areas/sites where alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar, and ground-source heating/cooling may be effective; (3) assess maintenance area sites where passive site and building modifications have the most probability of reducing energy use; (4) prioritize a short list of sites where alternative energy sources and passive energy reduction measures would have the most potential for being effectively employed in the near-term (within 10 years); (5) using currently available technology for the three alternative energy options and passive site and building measures, develop preliminary, detailed plans for installation of one option at each of four selected sites reflecting differing climatic and physiographic regions within one or more states; (6) develop cost performance measures for evaluation of reduced energy use and related cost effectiveness for each of the four options employed; and (7) in partnership with a DOT, construct and maintain applicable structures and measures for the four options and monitor effectiveness for two years in accordance with the established performance measures.
KW - Alternate fuels KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Energy conservation KW - Energy consumption KW - Fuel costs KW - Heating, cooling and ventilation equipment KW - Maintenance facilities KW - Solar energy KW - Solar power generation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Wind power generation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2731 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232410 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465047 TI - Support Multimodal Passenger Travel AB - Since the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act in 1991, a significant number of State Highway agencies have started to develop and implement State-wide travel demand models to meet policy and legislative development needs. Current and future multimodal freight flows are available from the Freight Analysis Framework, developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for national freight policy analysis. However, on the passenger travel front, multimodal interregional origin/destination data are still lacking. This multimodal inter-regional passenger travel origin/destination data development project is an attempt to create the needed database for the base year 2008, and to forecast the future year of 2040. KW - Forecasting KW - Freight flow KW - Freight transportation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Passenger transportation KW - Policy making KW - Travel demand UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233280 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457799 AU - McCullouch, Bob AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Snow and Ice Removal and Anti-Icing Synthesis Study : Summary Report PY - 2010/07/19/Summary Report SP - 41p AB - This study started in 2000 with the original purpose to assist INDOT Snow and Ice Operations by collecting information on practices, equipment, and materials used for snow and ice removal and anti-icing strategies, materials and costs. Research and studies performed by states and federal groups have been plentiful in this area. SHRP and AASHTO have published reports as well as other states in the Midwest area. Also, associated costs will be collected for these various methods and activities. Indiana has a wide range of snow and ice potential between Laporte, Seymour and Vincennes Districts. Over a period of 10 years the study was extended in scope to include other topics relative to these operations. All these additional activities were directed by the Winter Operations Team (WOT) group at INDOT. This report describes these activities. It discusses District anti-icing comparisons, ice ban testing, caliber analysis, geomelt analysis, weather services analysis, Y-Chute analysis, Indiana Winter Severity index, and the Total Storm Management Manual. KW - Anti-icing KW - Highway maintenance KW - Indiana KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Snow and ice control KW - Snow removal KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314254 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218720 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461806 TI - Defining and Measuring Aircraft Delay and Airport Capacity Thresholds AB - Average aircraft delay is often cited as an indication of airport capacity or used as a measure of when to build new runways or other improvements. Airport planners and modelers may deem a certain number of minutes to be "acceptable delay" to help define capacity. Airline delays are reported to the Department of Transportation (DOT) every month by the major carriers and reported publicly as "on-time performance," comparing the airlines' ability to provide a certain level of customer service. The term "Delay" often refers to the amount of extra time experienced by an aircraft or flight. However, they are defined very differently and have different applications to airport planning. At the same time, very little guidance exists as to what amount of delay should be used for determining airport improvements (for many years, the NPIAS suggested four to six minutes of delay at large airports, but that statement is no longer included). Without strong guidelines on airport delays, the general public and airport decisionmakers can have difficulty understanding why just a few minutes of average delay warrant spending millions for capacity enhancements. For the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), most flight delays are not reported until they reach at least 15 minutes. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) reports airport delays from the FAA's Aviation System Performance Metric (ASPM) database, including taxi-in, taxi-out, and airborne delays. Evaluation of proposed airport development projects identified in individual Airport Master Plans or Environmental Impact Statements rely on evaluations of delay as an indicator of constraints on the airport system. Usually, delay is expressed as a function of Annual Average Delay (AAD) against Annual Service Volume (ASV). While the use of this annual metric works as an indicator of the efficiency of the airfield, it is sometimes too simplistic and may mask the causes of airfield inefficiencies. Many other metrics are available. However for planning and environmental specialists who are not expert in this area, there is no readily available source summarizing each of the metrics along with their strengths and weaknesses, and the appropriate uses. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook that (1) describes various types of aircraft/flight delays and how the measures are calculated through a synthesis of the major delay metrics and (2) offers guidance about when each delay metric should be used and what specific measures can be used to evaluate airport improvements. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Airport operations KW - Airport runways KW - Aviation System Performance Metrics KW - Flight delays KW - Integrated systems KW - National Plan of Integrated Airports Systems UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2801 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230026 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461803 TI - Integrating Aviation and Passenger Rail Planning AB - The Federal government is actively pursuing the expenditure of billions of dollars on intercity passenger rail (ICPR) projects. However, it is not clear that there is a solid set of standardized, agreed-on methodologies for public leaders to use when complicated questions are asked about the impacts of intercity passenger rail on issues such as airport capacity. There is a lack of agreed-on tools to use in documenting the interrelationship between these public modal investments. Most important, there is a lack of an informed public debate about the potential of the complementary investments in aviation and rail systems in the United States. In many parts of the world, rail and air investments are seen as complementary elements of a larger multimodal and intermodal public policy. For example, scarce airport operational 'slots' in Frankfurt are available for profit-making international flights because those slots are not being used for short connections. In the United Kingdom, advanced planning is now under way that would link approval of a third runway at Heathrow to new intercity passenger rail service to the north. The two processes--approval of new runway capacity and planning for the connecting rail--are seen as part of one larger public policy debate. The Northeast Governors are keenly aware that intercity passenger rail, particularly the extensive Northeast Corridor Network and its high-speed passenger rail service is part of a larger transportation system that needs modal balance. Efficient use of this multi-state network dramatically affects the overall viability of the highway, aviation, freight, and commuter rail transportation networks that serve the region and the nation. Therefore the CONEG Policy Research Center and transportation policymakers from the northeast states are exploring policy and program options in which rail investments are seen as part of larger coordinated strategies to get the optimal output out of both air capacity improvements and rail capacity improvements--a goal which the northeast states and the CONEG Center have been advocating and working toward for over two decades. However, planning processes are often "siloed". This research would determine how to (1) integrate planning methods to better facilitate and support an enlightened public debate about what the two modes can and cannot accomplish together and (2) determine the data and analytic processes necessary to understand the benefit of undertaking integrated rail/air projects. The objective of this research is to create publically available tools and methods that would support a new level of multimodal transportation analysis to take place. KW - Air transportation KW - Air transportation facilities KW - Airport capacity KW - Airport congestion KW - Airport operations KW - Airport planning KW - Intercity passenger rail KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2804 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01208114 AU - Wiebelhaus, Mitch J AU - Terpsma, Ryan J AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Reid, John D AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Rohde, John R AU - Sicking, Dean L AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Temporary Concrete Barrier to Permanent Concrete Median Barrier Approach Transition PY - 2010/07/15/Final Report SP - 184p AB - The objective of this research was to design a transition from temporary concrete barriers to a permanent concrete barrier for median application. The researchers at Midwest Roadside Safety Facility utilized a combination of free standing and tied down Kansas Temporary Barriers and a dual nested thrie beam for the transition to the single slope permanent barrier as well as a transition cap. Two full-scale vehicle crash tests were performed on the system. The first was with a ½-ton pickup truck which impacted the temporary barriers 56 d in. (1,432 mm) upstream from the permanent barrier, at a speed and angle of 62.4 mph (100.7 km/h) and 24.7 degrees, respectively. The second crash test was performed also using a ½-ton truck which impacted the temporary barriers 54 ft - 6 ¾ in. (16.6 m) upstream from the permanent barrier, at a speed and angle of 62.2 mph (100.1 km/h) and 26.2 degrees, respectively. Both tests were conducted and reported in accordance with requirements specified in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) and were determined to be acceptable according to the Test Level 3 (TL-3) evaluation criteria. KW - Concrete construction KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Median barriers KW - Temporary barriers UR - http://books.google.com/books/about/Development_of_a_Temporary_Concrete_Barr.html?id=W31gYgEACAAJ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968688 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463880 TI - Alternate Bidding of Pipe Materials AB - Traditionally, transportation agencies have developed design and materials specifications, design processes, and construction methods that are driven by describing the type of material and the method of placement and procurement. This development should be enhanced by the opportunity to open up alternate materials to be included in the project development and delivery process, including implementation. The proposed research will develop guidance and performance indicators to the states that allows for alternate bidding practices in which different pipe materials can be assessed during the bidding process. The objective of this research is to develop guidance that will allow for multiple pipe materials to be included in the bidding process. The research will account for design, materials and construction specifications, and practices that provide for multiple materials to be included in the bidding process for each project and compare each pipe material against each other through a competitive process. The project will develop model performance specifications that describe performance parameters, measures, and tests or verification strategies, and will provide measures to ensure that performance goals are met. The guidance will work within the framework of various procurement and contracting methods.KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Competitive bidding KW - Contract administration KW - Guidelines KW - Materials KW - Pipe KW - Procurement UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2964 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232108 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463879 TI - Improving Access to Transportation Information AB - Transportation researchers, practitioners, and policy makers need a reliable information pipeline that captures relevant information in a consistent, comprehensive manner, with planned redundancy. Federal and state transportation agencies invest an enormous amount of time and money in generating information, but researchers and practitioners consistently report difficulties in finding and accessing it. Studies show employees spend 15-35% of their time searching for information. As much as 75% of an organization's information may be unstructured and unmanaged, resulting in wasted funds, lost opportunities, and duplication of effort. The transportation community currently shares information in a variety of ways. The most common method is to create a report or manual that is printed on paper, published on the internet, or both. Some of these reports are also submitted to major collections (such as TRIS or a transportation library) that enter them into bibliographic databases and preserve them. Transportation data is also shared in a variety of ways, and some may be found in central repositories and listings in data clearinghouses. One of the challenges to finding and managing transportation information is the limited use of common metadata and indexing terminology within the transportation community. Indexing and metadata standards do exist and are used but they are limited in scope and application. For example, the Transportation Research Thesaurus (TRT) is used by most transportation libraries, but the terminology does not yet address all of the terms needed and is not used to organize data resources or agency records. Data providers apply metadata standards, but the actual terms used are quite variable. Web pages use tags that are frequently established by the Web master. Record and document management systems use organizing structures based on the needs of current users of the resources, but it can be difficult to find information for another need. Image indexing systems are highly variable, from no system to strategic metadata and file names. There is no enterprise or industry-wide approach that addresses the broad user need for rapid access to relevant information. Within most transportation agencies, management of information resources is usually handled by the office creating the information, with no central point of contact to coordinate resources produced by diverse offices. This results in an inconsistent pattern of information capture and storage. While the practices applied may address the immediate need of the office creating the information, they may not support the broader agency information need (such as performance management resources or policy decisions) or the broader information needs of the transportation community (such as research and consideration of national policy). Common challenges within agencies include reports and data not being distributed beyond the issuing department; lack of attention to final disposition of data collected for projects, so that data remain with the private contractor and are not readily accessible to the agency; and information published only on the internet, where changing URLs may make the material hard or impossible to find and deletions occur because of data storage space limits or policy changes. Looking beyond single agencies, challenges include lack of institutional and financial support for joint-use information repositories; difficult and time-consuming efforts required to develop and reach consensus on terminology, information and data formatting, storage, and maintenance standards across the transportation community; and variations in sophistication and resources available to ensure interoperability for information deposit and access across agencies. The transportation community has made efforts to improve information management, for example producing a business plan for developing Transportation Knowledge Networks (TKN), the TRT, and TransXML. Further research is needed. The objective of this research will be to investigate feasible and effective practices for capturing information resources within transportation agencies, organizing these resources to enhance their availability, and facilitating their use within and among agencies to support decisionmaking, policy development, performance management, research, and other information uses. The research to accomplish this objective might include the following tasks: (1) review current practices and identify best practices for capture, preservation, and retrieval of transportation information; (2) compile a resource base of terminology and categorization schemes for transportation information resources, including thesauri, taxonomies, glossaries, and ontologies, including those drawing on related fields (for example, public safety, engineering, and environment); (3) develop a toolkit of resources and practices for agencies to use in more effectively managing their information resources; and (4) identify strategies for expanding the use of effective information capture, preservation, and retrieval practices within the community of transportation agencies. KW - Accessibility KW - Best practices KW - Data collection KW - Information dissemination KW - Information systems KW - Information technology KW - Internet KW - Manuals KW - Pipelines KW - Policy making KW - Transportation KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2981 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232107 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461851 TI - Assessing Aircraft Noise Conditions Affecting Student Learning AB - Community concerns over the effects of noise on children's learning present potential barriers to airport expansion and can contribute to delays in capacity improvements. Considerable evidence demonstrates that chronic exposure to noise is associated with reading deficits in children. Recent research conducted for the European Union (EU) suggests that a 5dB-increase in noise exposure translates to a 2-month delay in reading scores. Furthermore, a pilot study for the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise (FICAN) found that low-performing students' test scores were more likely to improve after their schools were insulated against aircraft noise. An important remaining question is the level at which learning impacts occur. In FY07, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded $56.5 million in grants to insulate public buildings--mostly schools--often based on a criterion of Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) 65 dB. There has been no research to date to identify whether this criterion is appropriate for identifying noise impacts on schools. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) Science and Metrics Standing Committee of the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) has proposed metrics to the EWG Policy Standing Committee for consideration in their preparation of the EWG environmental targets. The Working Group has proposed that JPDO use as a metric the number of students exposed to noise levels that affect learning, but has also identified a need for further development of this metric. The objective of this research is to collect and summarize current research on the impacts of noise on learning and relate this information to aviation noise and airports. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aviation KW - Impacts KW - Learning KW - Noise KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2797 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230071 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461813 TI - Incorporating Sustainability into Traditional Airport Projects AB - There is increasing attention to and awareness of "green" and "sustainable" initiatives in design and construction, not only in commercial and residential properties, but in airport improvements as well. There is widespread belief that incorporating these initiatives into projects may have higher initial costs, but there is little knowledge as to what the benefits may be. In some cases, lack of understanding and perception of increased costs has inhibited the implementation of these concepts and technologies into traditional (i.e., those projects not planned and designed with sustainability in mind) airport projects. Airport decision makers need to have a better understanding of the social, economic, and environmental benefits of incorporating sustainable design concepts and technologies into projects. They also need a process to evaluate and determine achievable, sustainable design concepts and technology alternatives that can be incorporated into traditional projects. As such, research is needed to develop a process for evaluating sustainable design concepts and technology alternatives in the planning and design phases of airport project development. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook that airports can use to assist them in evaluating sustainable design and technology alternatives during the planning and design phases of airport project development. KW - Airport operations KW - Airport runways KW - Construction management KW - Environmental policy KW - Green KW - Greenhouse effect KW - Pavement design KW - Permeability KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2793 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230033 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461804 TI - Addressing Uncertainty about Future Airport Activity Levels in Airport Decision Making AB - Forecasts of airport activity levels are essential to airport planning and financing decisions. In recent years, however, the ability of traditional forecast techniques to produce reliable estimates has been a growing concern. There are numerous examples of situations where unforeseen events and developments have had a significant effect on realization of airport development plans. Many parameters essential for preparation of air traffic forecasts (e.g., economic growth, fuel costs, and airline yields) have recently become more volatile. For example, the extreme fuel price rises experienced in 2008 led air carriers to cut air service. This price increase was followed by a sharp economic downturn which, in turn, put additional pressure on airline yields, traffic levels, and air carrier viability. In addition, concerns around shock events (e.g., terrorism or health pandemics) have magnified the degree of uncertainty involved in producing reliable air traffic forecasts. The effects of changing economic conditions on air cargo demand, airline mergers and bankruptcies, and airline decisions concerning routes and hubbing activities have also impacted the reliability of air traffic forecasts. The traditional approach to handling uncertainty has been to supplement base case forecasts with high- and low-case forecasts to account for a range of potential outcomes. This approach, however, provides only a cursory understanding of the risk profile and provides no detail on how unforeseen events and developments actually affect forecasts and resulting decisions. It is important to incorporate a comprehensive analysis of risks and opportunities into those airport management plans that rely on air traffic forecasts. In an operating environment subject to a great deal of uncertainty, airports need to generate and incorporate accurate measures of numerous factors (e.g., fuel prices, economic growth, and industry structure) in their long-term forecasts in support of physical and financial planning. An effective and systematic analysis framework will assist airport managers in meeting this requirement. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook and an associated reproducible and transparent systems analysis methodology to help airport management make decisions in the face of uncertain futures, recognizing and addressing risks and opportunities as input to facility planning and development. This research will assess how various external factors (e.g., fuel price, user taxes, airline strategies, regulations, social and demographic change, technology change, environmental change, and changing market and financial conditions) affect airport activity levels as measured by number of origin, destination, and connecting passengers; number of aircraft operations; aircraft fleet mix; and air cargo volume. The guidebook and associated systems analysis methodology should (1) examine ways to identify and characterize risks and opportunities, including their plausibility and magnitude, and how to consider them as elements of comprehensive airport planning and development strategies; and (2) enable airport management to address risks and opportunities in their business models, so as to avoid surprise and need for belated action. KW - Air traffic KW - Air transportation facilities KW - Computer models KW - Forecasting KW - Guidelines KW - Research projects KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Uncertainty UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2803 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230024 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463953 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Problems. Topic 42-05. Long-term Performance of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls AB - An increasing number of state transportation agencies have developed highway structure inventories of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. The long-term performance of these walls depends on various factors. This project will study these data to learn how states predict, measure, and track the performance of MSE walls. The results of this study may lead to better design, construction, monitoring, and maintenance of these important structures. KW - Bridges KW - Earth walls KW - Highway structures KW - Performance KW - Retaining walls UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2941 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232181 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461809 TI - Aircraft Taxi Noise Database for Airport Noise Modeling AB - The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Integrated Noise Model (INM) is the agency's required tool for NEPA-related studies and FAR Part 150 studies. The transition of INM into the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) is a prime example of the commitment of FAA to improving aviation environmental assessment computational capabilities. The AEDT program will achieve an important milestone in integrating FAA legacy tools and improving on their accuracy and functional capability to assess airport noise. For instance, improvements include changes in acoustic, emissions, and performance modeling capabilities, as well as improvements to noise-power-distance (NPD) curves, lateral attenuation algorithms, and relative-humidity absorption. ACRP recently contributed a key improvement to the noise modeling tools through Project 11-02/Task 8, "Enhanced Modeling of Aircraft Taxiway Noise." The objective of this scoping project was to determine the best way to model airport noise from aircraft taxi operations and to create a plan for implementing a taxi noise prediction capability into INM in the short term and AEDT in the longer term. One of the outcomes of the project revealed that the primary weakness for taxi noise modeling is related to a definition of engine source noise characteristics--level, spectra, and directivity. Currently, there is no direct noise database for taxiing operations--within the current INM/ AEDT models; source noise is obtained through an approximate extrapolation of NPD data. For long-term requirements it was suggested that additional measurements be made for taxi operations where synchronized noise and engine operating parameters can be obtained, so as to determine the noise sensitivity at low thrust settings and allow a realistic evaluation of breakaway thrust impact. This would require a considerable field measurement effort with extensive coordination with cooperating airlines. A short-term solution to the problem, suggested in the ACRP Project 11-02/Task 8 report, is to develop a noise, spectral class, and directivity database for a nominal taxi state by processing existing measurement data from a study conducted at Madrid Barajas International Airport. Although comprehensive, this measured dataset does not address all aircraft in common use at U.S. airports and needs to be supplemented with additional measurements for specific aircraft types. These measurements will record a sufficient number of taxi operations in order to develop statistically valid nominal taxi operating state source characteristics. The resulting database will remove the weakness in the current INM noise database and allow for much improved taxi noise estimates. The objective of this research is to use existing measured data, supplemented by a modest measurement program, to develop a comprehensive database of Noise/Spectral Class/Directivity characteristics for commercial aircraft operating at U.S. airports. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Databases KW - Environmental design KW - INM (Integrated Noise Model) KW - Research projects KW - Taxiways UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2798 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230029 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465049 TI - Research Truck Technology Efficiency Assessment AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues contract with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to undertake a truck technology efficiency assessment in order to demonstrate how cutting edge technologies can be used to define real world driving conditions for advanced power train systems research. Building on past investments by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, this study will support existing research to increase automobile efficiency and safety and introduce new capabilities for advanced transportation for universities, the government and industry. Using these cutting edge technologies to test various combinations of engine components before building a prototype vehicle will save time and money in developing our nation's next generation of trucks, buses, military vehicles and passenger cars. KW - Buses KW - Military vehicles KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Power trains KW - Technological innovations KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233282 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464106 TI - Performance-Related Specifications for Pavement Preservation Treatments AB - Quality assurance specifications that specify end product quality have often been used by transportation agencies as a means for assuring construction quality of highway pavements. However, agencies are increasingly incorporating performance-related specifications (PRS) in construction contracts to specify quality in terms of parameters related to desired performance over the long term. These PRS also provide a means for accounting for the value lost or gained by the variances of these parameters from the specified target values. Although such PRS have been used for the construction of pavements, their use for pavement preservation treatments has been limited. There are no widely accepted guidelines for PRS for pavement preservation treatments that correlate fundamental engineering properties to construction quality characteristics. Research is needed to develop guidelines for PRS for pavement preservation treatments that provide a direct relationship between key quality characteristics and performance. These guidelines will help highway agencies specify an optimum level of quality that represents the best balance of costs and performance. The objective of this research is to develop guidelines for use in preparing performance-related specifications (PRS) for pavement preservation treatments. The research shall deal with preservation treatments for all pavement types. For the purpose of this research, preservation treatments are treatments applied to preserve an existing roadway, slow future deterioration, and maintain and improve its functional condition (without substantially increasing structural capacity). KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving KW - Performance related specifications KW - Preservation KW - Quality assurance KW - Road construction UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2713 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232334 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463881 TI - System Performance of Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) Connections in Moderate-to-High Seismic Regions AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and many state Departments of Transportation (DOT) are actively promoting accelerated bridge construction to minimize construction related impacts to the traveling public and to enhance work-zone safety. Many successful applications of ABC techniques have been recently realized, largely in regions of low seismic activity. A number of these ABC applications are documented in the FHWA Connection Details for Prefabricated Elements and Systems Manual published in 2009. However, utilization of ABC techniques has been more limited in seismic regions of the country. A key factor in successful implementation of this initiative lies in the connections between prefabricated elements. Providing reliable connections to ensure ductile performance is essential to developing designs capable of performing to the specifications required in seismic-prone areas. Several prefabricated connection details used for recent ABC projects in seismic regions hold significant promise for more widespread application, but they have not been fully tested for seismic loading. In addition, by testing these details and developing an improved understanding of their ultimate performance, these details could be used for potential ABC application throughout the country for other extreme event hazards. The objective of this research is to synthesize the available information related to connection details recently used or under development for potential use on ABC bridges with promise for more widespread application in seismic regions. KW - Accelerated construction KW - Base isolation KW - Bridge construction KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Prefabricated structures KW - Seismicity KW - Structural connection KW - Traffic delays KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2966 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232109 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465305 TI - Separation Management - Closely Spaced Parallel Runway Ops (CSPO) AB - This project initiative will accelerate activities to provide increased arrival, departure and taxi service to closely spaced parallel runways in all weather conditions. This initiative will also enhance procedures to allow dependent operations to closely spaced parallel runways or converging approaches to runways closer than 2,500 feet, and independent operations to parallel runways between 2,500 and 4300 feet. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft separation KW - Airport runways KW - Arrivals and departures KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Taxiing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233538 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463886 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 286. Finalization of a New AASHTO Drainage Manual - Volume 1, Policy; Volume 2, Procedures AB - The development of a national guidance for selecting pipe materials that is based on scientific methods is essential for optimizing state department of transportation (DOTs') investments in durable and safe infrastructure. The national standard would be an independent and objective guide for the selection of a better product that is both safe and economical. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Drainage KW - Drainage structures KW - Guidelines KW - Manuals KW - Procedures KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2864 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232114 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463884 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 302. Develop Pilot Value Analysis for Lead States Team for Linear Referencing Systems AB - The objective of this research project is to develop a Value Analysis Study Report and supporting products to quantify linear referencing system implementation impact on cost savings, time savings, performance/cost value index, and return on investment. Tasks anticipated in this project include the following: (1) Provide a Certified Value Specialist (CVS) team leader to lead a value analysis through the value methodology specified in the SAVE International Body of Knowledge. (2) Provide VA study documentation following the requirements of SAVE International Body of Knowledge. (3) Provide a pre-study meeting and VA Workshop. (4) Develop a Value Analysis Study Summary Report to quantify performance improvements derived from implementation of a linear referencing system in terms of cost and time savings and in terms of cost benefit ratio and return on investment. (5) Provide a Value Video to document the value of linear referencing system technology. This video will be used for marketing purposes and should highlight the advantages of the technology with real case examples.
KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Damage (Guardrails) KW - End treatments KW - Guardrail terminals KW - Guardrails KW - Guidelines KW - Highway maintenance KW - Maintenance KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2983 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232128 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463898 TI - Quantifying Long-Term Performance of Draped and Flexible Fence Rockfall Protection Systems AB - Rockfall protection systems have been in service along roadways in Europe and the United States for more than 40 years. Rockfall protection systems utilizing steel netting to control the rockfall include ring-net barrier fences, cable-net barrier fences, draped cable-net, draped wire-mesh, and attenuators. Many of the systems are proprietary. These systems are intended to control rockfall and/or reduce the potential for rock debris to fall within highway alignments. The protection systems include components such as wire rings, wire rope, wire rope nets, wire mesh, posts, pins, fasteners, and breaking elements. These components are usually designed and rated based on testing in terms of energy capacity or energy reduction of a single rockfall event with some consideration for serviceability after specific impacts. However, the long-term performance and maintenance issues of these systems are a growing concern since many departments of transportation that have installed these systems are faced with significant maintenance, repair and/or replacement costs once a rockfall event occurs. The objective of the research is to provide owners and manufactures of rockfall systems with guidelines to evaluate vulnerability and maintenance issues associated with rockfall protection systems that use steel netting. The report will also provide estimates for design life expectancies of various systems. The design guidelines should also include a method to determine when to replace and upgrade these types of rockfall protection systems. Initiation of this work is urgent. The payoff from this research includes a safer highway system, improved prioritization of funds, reduced maintenance and clean-up costs, and reduced life-cycle costs associated with design, construction, and maintenance of rockfall hazard protection systems. Results of the research will be useful to transportation agencies charged with managing rockfall hazards. In the United States, thousands of rockfalls occur annually along highways; consequently, rockfall protection systems have become an important component of highway safety. Often these protection systems are placed along scenic sections of highways carrying large volumes of traffic, particularly during tourist season and for seasonal recreation destinations. Products from this research, which include a recommended practice for inspection and review of the service life, are needed for better selection of materials and components incorporated into rockfall protection systems. Currently, there are no well-defined provisions or protocols for condition assessment and service life modeling of rockfall protection systems. The recommended practice developed as part of this research would be in a format consistent with AASHTO requirements.
KW - Debris removal KW - Europe KW - Fences KW - Mitigation measures (Rockfalls) KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Rockfall protection systems KW - Rockfalls KW - United States KW - Wire mesh UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2985 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232126 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463897 TI - Travel Impacts and Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Rural and Smaller Community Land Use Strategies AB - Decision-makers need reliable information on the travel, greenhouse gas (GHG), and other benefits of land use policies in order to support effective decisionmaking on what is often a very controversial issue. While there has been considerable research on the travel and other impacts of land use policies, nearly all of this research has focused on metropolitan areas--especially larger metropolitan areas where rail transit systems either exist or are proposed to complement and support more compact development patterns. Recent efforts to estimate the nationwide GHG benefits of land use policies all focus exclusively on benefits within metropolitan areas. While the majority of the U.S. population lives in larger metropolitan areas, about 20 percent of the U.S. population currently lives outside of metropolitan areas, and another 5 percent lives in small metropolitan areas of less than 200,000 population. Particularly with the recent focus on land use as a GHG mitigation strategy, there is a pressing need for an evaluation of potential policies to create more efficient land use patterns in smaller communities and rural areas, and the potential GHG and other benefits and impacts of applying such policies in these areas. The primary objective of this research would be to estimate the potential impacts on vehicle travel and associated fuel consumption and GHG emissions that might be achieved by applying coordinated land use strategies and transportation to reduce vehicle travel in small communities and rural areas. The research would examine the impact of land use and development patterns on key aspects of travel behavior, including trip-making, mode choice, and trip lengths, controlling for potential influencing factors such as income, household composition, attitudes/preferences, etc. This research would be of use to many potential audiences--state DOT planning staff, transportation analysts, federal, state, and local-level decisionmakers (in both the transportation and land use arenas), and other stakeholders involved in transportation and land use planning and decisionmaking in non-metropolitan communities--to better inform transportation and land use policy development.
KW - Decision making KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use planning KW - Metropolitan areas KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Policy making KW - Pollutants UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2987 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232125 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463896 TI - Managing Rights-of-Way for Biomass Generation and/or Carbon Sequestration AB - Right-of-way vegetation management is a major responsibility of state departments of transportation (DOTs). Traditionally, roadside vegetation has been managed for a variety of purposes important to the public, especially safety, but also roadway integrity, habitat, native plant restoration, invasive plant reduction, aesthetics, water quality, and erosion control. Increasingly however, the DOTs are now being asked to also manage their roadsides to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Biomass production and carbon sequestration are the two most likely ways that DOTs would approach this issue--through planting and management of potential bio-fuel inputs, on the one hand, or through long-term management of vegetation for maximum carbon storage, on the other (although these two goals are not necessarily mutually exclusive). Biomass production and carbon sequestration, when combined with the traditional right-of-way management objectives, will create a huge challenge for DOT vegetation managers. If the challenge is to be met, vegetation mangers will need improved lists of native and non-invasive plants appropriate for roadside use; the latest physical, chemical, and biological control techniques that are safe and effective; the latest technology and equipment; ways to supplement the maintenance and operations records that are currently kept; and updated training. For example, in some cases, reducing emissions through modified management practices, such as reduced mowing, can contribute more to meeting GHG goals than carbon sequestration. Finally, the study will develop a measurement technique to assess the ability of highway landscape management to sequester carbon and provide strategies for good native roadside biomass production techniques that will maximize the eventual carbon credits. This may be accomplished through the following tasks: (1) Conduct a search of existing programs or specific cases of management for biomass production or carbon sequestration on transportation rights-of-way nationally and internationally. (2) Preliminarily assess the issues relative to biomass production and/or carbon sequestration in the right-of-way. Identify issues to be explored, including calculation of baselines and determination of DOT efforts. (3) Submit an interim report to the panel detailing the results of Phase I research. Submit a Phase II research plan for NCHRP review and approval. Review both documents at an interim meeting. (4) Conduct a search for native and non-invasive species information and identify those that are most appropriate for biomass production and/or carbon sequestration on transportation rights-of-way. (5) Search the literature for information on the carbon sequestration capabilities of those species identified in item #4, including how the carbon capturing capability is measured, and for information on potential for biomass/biofuel production. In the case of carbon sequestration, also look at combinations of species/ecosystem management techniques that are likely to produce the highest carbon sequestration. (6) Assess the capability of the selected species in meeting the traditional functions of roadside vegetation (e.g., safety, esthetics, erosion control, native revegetation, avoiding the spread of invasive species). (7) Assess the pros and cons of biomass production and/or carbon sequestration in the right-of-way relative to other avenues of carbon reduction in maintenance at DOTs, looking at published models and approaches, such as Caltrans. (8) Identify how to supplement the maintenance and operations records that are currently kept. Examples include land ownership records, fuel purchases, electricity usage, and mowing statistics. Land ownership records are important in determining the number of acres under the DOT's control and thus potentially available for carbon sequestration. Data such as fuel purchases and electricity usage are important because evidence of emissions reductions can be used to meet GHG goals outlined in a contract with a carbon market. (9) Determine the availability of information on carbon sequestration offset protocols and guidelines for the land-use types (e.g., grassland, native forest) and management techniques that are likely to apply to rights-of-way, to provide GHG benefits in addition to existing practice, and to qualify for carbon credits, which will speak to the marketability of emission reductions. (10) Develop a final report which recommends ecosystem based plant lists appropriate for biomass production and which include the carbon sequestration capabilities of each species (or combination of species). The report will also contain recommended methods for measuring sequestration and possible scenarios for claiming carbon credits. Such a process would hinge on a systematic approach that establishes a baseline level of carbon currently being sequestered in the soils, grasses, and woody shrubs of the right-of-way. Other physical characteristics of the right-of-way, such as precipitation, soil moisture, and standing crop, can help predict how much carbon can be sequestered. (11) Determining carbon credits will require use of a qualifying accounting methodology by each state DOT project which addresses various established GHG protocol steps and existing guidelines. Offset protocols provide detailed guidance for a project developer on how to: (1) determine if the project meets all eligibility criteria, including regulatory screens, additionally assessments, and other criteria including project duration and location; (2) define the project boundary (e.g., physical location, GHG accounting, and temporal boundaries); (3) select and quantify a baseline, based on existing quantification methodologies and calculation tools; (4) quantify and monitor project GHG emissions and calculate GHG reductions; and (5) meet other protocol requirements such as permanence and leakage measures. Other elements of the protocol may include guidelines for project start dates and duration, and verification and reporting requirements. Establishing acceptable baselines and monitoring procedures for land-use offset projects, especially those involving soils and biomass production, often proves particularly challenging. For example, soil carbon sequestration and emissions are extremely variable and are dependent on rainfall, temperature, crop type, past crop types, soil moisture and organic matter content, soil type, and other factors. Baseline establishment is a difficult and critical step, as is the establishment of rigorous monitoring procedures. Under a national "cap-and-trade" system, which is an emissions reduction policy that would impose a national emissions ceiling (or cap) that is reduced over time, participation (trading) in a carbon market would help reduce compliance costs for those entities with emissions greater than an established threshold. Under cap-and-trade, these entities are required to either reduce emissions or purchase carbon allowances or carbon offsets to meet the threshold. Various state and multi-state initiatives have set targets and established policy commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Ten northeastern and mid-Atlantic states have formed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and several western states and two provinces of western Canada have formed the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). As state agencies, DOTs are likely to be asked to participate in these efforts and biomass production and carbon sequestration in the right-of-way is one answer, given the large amount of land area DOTs manage. In order to efficiently and effectively ascertain the costs and the benefits, stakeholders including DOT CEOs/CAOs, maintenance managers, project development and construction managers, and front-line staff such as landscape architects require the described research.
KW - Air quality management KW - Biomass KW - Carbon KW - Carbon sequestration KW - Greenhouse gases KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Pollutants KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Roadside flora KW - State departments of transportation KW - Vegetation control UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2988 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232124 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461925 TI - Airport Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Inventory and Emission Reduction Strategies AB - Increased levels of demand at airports in the United States have resulted in a growth in surface congestion and an associated increase in airport surface emissions. This problem is likely to worsen with the projected future increase in air transportation. Efforts are underway to decrease surface congestion. Local air quality and global climate change concerns, regulatory pressures, and the desire to be environmentally responsible have resulted in a growing number of airport programs around the United States to assess and reduce airport emissions. Although much is known about aircraft fleets, operations, and emissions, comparatively little is known about aircraft ground support equipment (GSE), a major part of airport ground operations and infrastructure and a manageable emissions source. What national GSE data are available are outdated and unreliable. Accurate GSE data are needed by the FAA and airport sponsors to plan adequately and to balance the growing air quality demands of the international community, States, regulatory agencies, and communities with the need for future airport system improvements. Although airport expansion plans to enhance system capacity in order to meet the increased demand may decrease delays and mitigate surface congestion, they will most likely exacerbate the problem of surface emissions. On the other hand, proactive strategies that limit surface emissions may help airports. This research intends to determine the locations and status of the most successful programs to limit or decrease emissions. Research will (1) identify operational approaches that have been implemented at various airports around the nation to reduce non-aircraft surface emissions and also implications of these approaches on LTO aircraft emissions; (2) examine the intended and realized benefits of these approaches within the context of present conditions and future aviation growth projections; and (3) develop strategies to address identified gaps or challenges. This project will also initiate a comprehensive and accurate GSE inventory to help the airport-industry assess the contribution of GSE to air quality impacts at airports. This information is critical to improved understanding and planning for future opportunities to convert conventionally fueled equipment (i.e., gasoline and diesel) to cleaner technology using alternative fuels. This information will be collected on an aggregated level to support national goal-setting, policymaking, and incentives-based low-emission programs, while protecting the proprietary interests of GSE owners and operators, including air carriers, FBOs, and ground handling companies. Note: Preparing an accurate and comprehensive inventory will require cooperation with third-party GSE owners and operators to undertake the labor-intensive process of identifying, categorizing, and inventorying GSE at airports across the country and putting into place a mechanism to ensure the accuracy of the data collected. Such voluntary support from GSE owners and operators may be difficult to obtain, given the current economic climate and limited resources available to devote to this volunteer effort. KW - Air quality management KW - Air transportation KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Airport capacity KW - Airport congestion KW - Airport ground transportation KW - Airport operations KW - Alternate fuels KW - Ground support equipment KW - Pollutants UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2787 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230145 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461317 TI - 3rd Infantry Division Highway AB - The objective for this initiative is to perform the tasks required to produce a report to Congress on the steps and funding necessary to designate and construct a route for the 3rd Infantry Division Highway. Task deliverables include: Inventories of existing information and initial spatial data; Establishment and subsequent maintenance and operation of an expert working group; Provision of website content to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); Determination of control points for the segments; Recommendations for public involvement; Determination of study alignments and design levels; Detailed spatial database; Draft estimates of costs and steps to complete construction; and Recommendations for selected sub-studies. KW - Data collection KW - Highway design KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highways KW - Reports KW - Road construction KW - United States Congress KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01165290 AU - Collura, John AU - Heaslip, Kevin AU - Knodler, Michael AU - Ni, Daiheng AU - Louisell, William C AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Khanta, Raju AU - Moriarty, Kevin AU - Wu, Francis AU - University of Massachusetts, Amherst AU - New England Transportation Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation and Implementation of Traffic Simulation Models for Work Zones PY - 2010/06/18/Final Report SP - 30p AB - As the National Highway System reaches the end of its serviceable life, transportation agencies increasingly need to focus on the preservation, rehabilitation, and maintenance of these roads. In light of significant increases in the amount of work zone activity, transportation officials and contractors are challenged with finding ways to reduce the negative impacts on driver mobility. The key to addressing this challenge is to recognize potential impacts well in advance. One major tool used for this purpose is computer simulation. There are many simulation models in existence, some of which are designed specifically for work zone analysis. Examples of these models include QUEWZ, QuickZone, CORSIM, and CA4PRS. The purpose of this paper is to present case studies that illustrate and evaluate these models in terms of their ease of use, data requirements, and ability to simulate and assess work zone strategies, shedding light on the relative reliability and accuracy of these simulation models as well as their user-friendliness and data requirements. This paper compares simulation results to actual work zones conditions in eight locations across New England. The results of this evaluation will be of interest to state and local transportation engineers responsible for planning and designing work zone strategies. This research has shown that some simulation models provide a low-risk, low-cost environment in which to test and analyze a variety of work zone alternatives. For example, QUEWZ and QuickZone were able to provide reasonable order of magnitude queue length estimates on interstate highways comparable to observations made in the field. In addition, such estimates required little data including hourly volume and roadway geometry information. KW - CA4PRS (Computer model) KW - Case studies KW - CORSIM (Traffic simulation model) KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - New England KW - QUEWZ (Computer program) KW - QuickZone (Computer program) KW - Simulation KW - Traffic models KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.netc.umassd.edu/netcr80_05-8.pdf UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/pdf/netc/netcr80_05-8.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925623 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01160011 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Information Security and Privacy Controls Over the Airmen Medical Support Systems PY - 2010/06/18 SP - 31p AB - This report presents the results of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General's (OIG's) review of the information security and privacy controls over the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airmen Medical Support Systems (MSS). FAA requires airmen to hold a medical certification of their medical and mental fitness to operate aircraft. MSS currently stores more than 18 million medical records supporting the medical assessment of over three (3) million airmen. To ensure aviation safety and protect the privacy of airmen, it is critical that this medical information be secure. Also, coordination with other Federal agencies may improve aviation safety by identifying airmen who are receiving disability benefits and may not have disclosed potentially disqualifying medical conditions. This review was requested by the Chairmen of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Subcommittee on Aviation. The objectives of OIG's audit were to (1) determine if airmen’s personally identifiable information (PII) is properly secured from unauthorized use or access, and (2) assess FAA’s progress in establishing mechanisms to identify airmen holding current medical certificates while receiving disability pay. Briefly, the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical data, and other PII of airmen are not properly secured to prevent unauthorized access and use. OIG found serious security lapses in FAA’s management of AMEs private medical support staff access to the system. FAA has made limited progress in identifying airmen who receive disability benefits while holding medical certificates. While FAA has a draft matching agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to reconcile data in MSS and SSA’s disability benefits system, it has yet to establish a target date for completing the interface. Further, FAA has yet to coordinate with other benefits providers, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor. KW - Access KW - Air navigators KW - Air pilots KW - Disability evaluation KW - Flight personnel KW - Medical records KW - Privacy UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/5351 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920472 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461923 TI - Guidelines for Integrating Alternative Jet Fuel into the Airport Setting AB - Virtually all of the fuel currently used in aviation operations is derived from petroleum. Petroleum fuel supply and associated pricing (both level and volatility) are key business challenges for the industry. In addition, concerns about environmental impacts compound challenges facing the aviation sector as it continues to meet demand. "Drop-in" alternative jet fuel (see Special Note A.) provides great promise for the aviation industry from an environmental, energy security, and economic perspective. Several demonstration flights during the past year have shown that technology is available to produce alternative jet fuel that can be used to safely fly existing aircraft. Key challenges to moving forward with commercial use of alternative jet fuel include formation of an effective business plan addressing production at marketable prices and quantities, deliverable at the appropriate point in the supply chain. One concept that has received significant industry interest is to locate an alternative fuel production facility on, adjacent to, or with access to an airport to take advantage of known demand. Access to a known demand at an airport could encourage investment by an alternative fuel producer in aviation fuel. In order to provide a path forward for siting an alternative fuel production facility, and associated infrastructure, research is needed to evaluate the legal, financial, environmental, and logistical considerations and opportunities associated with launching such a project. The objective of this research is to prepare a handbook for airport operators and others associated with "drop-in" jet fuel production and delivery that summarizes issues and opportunities associated with locating (on or off-airport) an alternative jet fuel production facility, and its storage and distribution requirements. The handbook will identify potential benefits; address legal, financial, environmental, and logistical considerations and opportunities; and aid in evaluating the feasibility of providing this capability. KW - Aircraft KW - Airport operations KW - Alternate fuels KW - Economic benefits KW - Fuel storage and delivery devices KW - Jet engine fuels KW - Production KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2789 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230143 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463905 TI - Safety Evaluation of the 13 Controlling Criteria for Design AB - The objectives of the research are to (1) compile what has been learned about the relationship of the 13 controlling criteria to safety; (2) identify key knowledge gaps and conduct research to fill those gaps; (3) based on safety knowledge, recommend whether changes are needed in the list of design elements that are considered as controlling criteria; and (4) recommend whether the list of design elements considered as controlling criteria should vary between roadway types. The tasks that should be undertaken in the research are as follows: (1) Review safety research literature to establish what is known about the relationships of the 13 controlling criteria to safety. This review should include safety research results assembled for the forthcoming AASHTO Highway Safety Manual; (2) with the exception of structural capacity and vertical clearance, determine which of the 13 controlling criteria have safety effects that are well understood; (3) for any of the 13 controlling criteria with safety effects that are not well understood, formulate research plans to determine those safety effects; this could potentially include investigations of bridge width, vertical alignment, cross slope, and/or horizontal clearance; (4) execute the research plans developed above; and (5) based on the safety information in the literature and the research results, recommend whether changes are needed in the list of design elements that are considered as controlling criteria and whether the list of design elements considered as controlling criteria should vary between roadway types. KW - Design KW - Design criteria KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Knowledge KW - Literature reviews KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Research KW - Safety KW - Safety management UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2977 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232133 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463904 TI - Consideration of Roadside Design and Roadside Features in the Highway Safety Manual AB - In the project development process, transportation engineers assess the effect of roadside designs and features on crashes. The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) provides scientifically sound information to support this decision making through accident modification factors (AMFs), which analyze the safety effect of specific design elements known to have an influence on the frequency or severity of crashes. Few roadside AMFs exist, and those that do are not typically of the statistical quality deemed appropriate for inclusions in the first edition of the Highway Safety Manual. The Roadside Design Guide (RDG) provides a probability of encroachment model to quantify the safety of a roadside design and compare the design against other designs. Software support for the HSM is provided through the IHSDM CPM and through RSAP for the RDG. This project will review the two methods; document inconsistencies in predicting the frequency and severity of run-off-road crashes; update the models to provide consistency and provide guidance to practitioners on the successful implementation of each method at various planning, highway design, and operations stages; explore the possibility of incorporating RSAP with the IHSDM; and identify a critical set of AMFs that would support the quantification of changes to the roadside and the installation or modification of roadside features at the identified stages of the project development process, eliminating the need for the use of subjective hazard ratings. This project will develop these AMFs for inclusion in a future edition of the Highway Safety Manual. It is expected that the methods used to develop these AMFs will meet the scientific protocol acceptable for inclusion in the Highway Safety Manual and FHWA AMF clearinghouse as an excellent quality AMF. The development of the improved roadside AMFs has data needs met from the NCHRP Project 17-22 and 17-43 databases and other identified databases. An outcome of this project will be improved roadside safety decision-making tools for transportation agencies. PHASE 1, Comparison of RDG and HSM Tasks: (1) Conduct a literature review of the development of the HSM, the RDG, RSAP, and the IHSDM methods for the analysis of roadside crashes used by these two different approaches. (2) Survey practitioners, researchers, design consultants, and transportation agencies to assess the current needs as they relate to roadside safety during the planning stage, the design stage, and the management of assets. The survey shall also ask for input about specific roadside concerns or areas of need regarding more AMFs. (3) Identify a minimum of five example problems for analysis using the two methods. (4) Document inconsistencies between the two methods and opportunities to provide consistency through updating data sources, base models, or modification factors. (5) Assess available data sources from completed and ongoing NCHRP projects, as well as other state and federal research or databases. Possible data sources include NCHRP 17-22 and 17-43. (6) Develop a prioritized list of roadside AMFs which should be evaluated for development and inclusion in future versions of the HSM. (7) Review RSAP and IHSDM methods and coding for the possible inclusion of RSAP as a module in the IHSDM. (8) Recommend if it's appropriate to consider both methods for continued parallel development for the safety assessment of the roadside or if one method should be chosen for future development efforts. (9) Document findings in an interim report. The report shall include guidance based on the findings of this phase, about the appropriate inclusion of each analysis method into the planning and design process as well as the life-cycle management of the highway network. PHASE 2, Development of Roadside AMFs Tasks: (1) Review the protocols for Highway Safety Manual AMF development. (2) Develop AMFs for the base conditions outlined in parts C and D of the Highway Safety Manual. AMFs shall be developed using the data available from the 17-22 and 17-43 projects as well as other identified sources. Additional data gathering is not anticipated. The prioritized list of AMFs developed in phase 1 shall be reviewed in consultation with the panel. A list of AMFs for development under this project will be produced based on the data available. (3) Develop a list of additional data needs for the NCHRP 17-43 "Ongoing Data Collection" panel's or other data collection projects' consideration of inclusion. (4) Depending on the outcome of phase 1, task 8, inclusion of these findings may be necessary in the RSAP encroachment model as well. (5) Document findings in a final report. This research will provide a document which will supplement the soon-to-be-released HSM and the existing RDG as a means to determine under which circumstances the designer should employ which method to predict crashes, evaluate the potential benefit of safety improvements for the roadside, and provide more AMFs to supplement those provided in the first edition of the HSM. The urgency is high since there is potential for introducing considerable confusion to the design profession by having two methods for similar purposes that may yield conflicting results. Furthermore, the First Edition of the HSM does not provide AMFs to address most of the typical changes of roadside designs and features that agencies currently undertake and subsequently does not support the quantification of the effect of the roadside on crashes and crash severity within the project development process.
KW - Accident modification factors KW - Crash severity KW - Design KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Roadside KW - Roadside improvement UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2979 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232132 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461930 TI - Asset and Infrastructure Management for Airports AB - Asset and facility management is commonly used by organizations around the world to coordinate and oversee safe, secure, and environmentally sound operation and maintenance of these assets in a cost-effective manner aimed at long-term preservation of the asset value. Often, airports operate on a reactive maintenance philosophy where either (1) assets are run to failure, at which point they become a priority and are budgeted to be repaired; or (2) maintenance activities are underfunded, resulting in much more costly unplanned than planned maintenance events. The management of physical assets (their selection, maintenance, inspection, and renewal) can be key in determining the operational performance and profitability of those industries that operate assets as part of their core business. The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook for a proactive approach to airport asset management. The research will identify and define best management practices used by aviation and other industries to help formulate and develop asset management programs at various sized airports. The guidebook should encourage a proactive long-term way of thinking about facility development and ownership; focus on total cost of facility ownership, linking capital and operating costs; improve decision-making skills based on clear data and well-defined objectives; minimize economic waste; and combine environmental and financial performance. KW - Air transportation KW - Air transportation facilities KW - Airport operations KW - Asset management KW - Coordination KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Facility management KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2782 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230150 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159754 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Timely Actions Needed To Advance the Next Generation Air Transportation System PY - 2010/06/16 SP - 33p AB - The National Airspace System handles almost 50,000 flights per day and more than 700 million passengers per year. Historically, steadily increasing levels of air traffic have resulted in increasing delays. While the current demand for air travel is down, it is expected to return, which will require better air traffic management to reduce congestion and decrease delays. To meet this anticipated demand, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to replace the current ground-based air traffic control system with a satellite-based system. FAA’s goal for NextGen—to create a system that will handle up to three times more air traffic and reduce FAA operating costs—is ambitious and involves multibillion-dollar investments from both the Government and the airline industry. Since the effort began in 2005, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG) has repeatedly reported on the cost and schedule risks and operational and management challenges NextGen faces. These concerns prompted OIG to identify NextGen as one of the Department’s top management challenges. The Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Subcommittee on Aviation requested that OIG examine FAA’s progress in transitioning to NextGen. This report provides the results of OIG's review. Specifically, it addresses (1) key actions needed to successfully implement NextGen, (2) FAA and partner agencies’ progress in leveraging resources and budgets, and (3) FAA’s efforts to engage the private sector in shaping NextGen policy issues. In addition, OIG was asked to report on FAA’s progress in implementing OIG's past NextGen-related recommendations. Briefly, a number of critical actions are still needed to move NextGen from planning to implementation. FAA has yet to establish firm requirements to help guide cost and schedule estimates for adjustments to existing projects or new acquisitions. FAA also faces challenges in developing an integrated budget to help ensure it leverages the right resources, pursues realistic goals, and secures adequate funding for projects. While FAA has made some progress in engaging the private sector to develop NextGen and shape NextGen policy issues, several challenges remain. For example, FAA is working with a Government/industry task force to gain consensus on NextGen operational improvements that can be achieved in the midterm (2012 to 2018), but significant policy issues remain unresolved. KW - Air traffic control KW - Budgeting KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Plan implementation KW - Private enterprise KW - Scheduling KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/WEB%20FILE_%20NextGen%20Report%20issued%20June%2016%20(2).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920191 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463918 TI - Performance-Based Specification for Binders Used in Chip Seals (and other Surface Treatments) AB - Historically, emulsion specifications have been parochial, as the availability (i.e. type of asphalt available and local suppliers capabilities) has generally driven the specifying agencies' decision on which emulsions to specify. As suppliers, sources, etc. change, new emulsion specifications are developed and promulgated. Today's technology has brought more manufacturing choices and capability to agencies whereby a "performance-based" specification is desired. Binder specifications for chip seal applications and other surface treatments include emulsions and hot applied liquids. These specifications do not incorporate standard performance grading for the base asphalt. Most emulsion specifications continue to use viscosity-graded asphalt binders or penetration-based specifications. A specification that incorporates a standard grading system will serve to more uniformly describe asphalts and base asphalt for asphalt emulsions specified by federal, state, and local agencies. Applying a more uniform grading system may reduce testing, increase the collaboration between states, and improve the ability to compare actual field performance to this "performance" graded specification. This new specification needs to address testing at temperatures normally seen by surface treatment applications such as chip retention, fatigue at room temperature, ability to penetrate cracks of varied widths, and adhesion at high and low temperatures, and include climate and traffic in the binder selection process. A chip seal and surface treatment binder specification should be applied to both hot-applied binders and emulsion residues. Asphalt emulsion requirements must include a mechanism for acquiring the emulsion residue such that this residue is representative of the binder on the road. KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Asphalt grading KW - Binders KW - Chip seals KW - Cracking KW - Cracking of asphalt concrete pavements KW - Field tests KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Performance based specifications KW - Surface treating UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2962 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232146 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463917 TI - A Guidebook for Construction Manager-at-Risk Contracting for Highway Projects AB - State departments of transportation (DOTs) continue to experience pressure to deliver highway projects faster, better, and at less cost. This pressure has been recently exacerbated by the demands of the 2009 "Economic Stimulus Bill" which requires that projects be advertised and awarded in extremely short periods of time. SEP-14 authorized a number of experimental project delivery approaches which have successfully been implemented across the nation. One of those was design-build (DB) contracting. The 2006 Report to Congress on the effectiveness of DB showed that approximately 35 states had authorized their DOTs to try DB under the SEP-14 authorization. Many of them subsequently passed legislation that generally authorized the use of DB based on the pilot project outcomes. However, NCHRP Synthesis 376 found that 63% of the states had only completed one to three projects. Some states, like Ohio, have decided to severely restrict DB usage, and roughly 15 states are not able to utilize it because they do not have the necessary enabling legislation. It can be speculated that those states that are not currently authorized to use DB will probably not be authorized to in the future. Therefore, those DOTs are severely limited in their ability to accelerate their projects and to accrue the other benefits that were found in the SEP-14 Report. The major criticisms of DB cited in NCHRP Synthesis 376 were the DOT's loss of control over the details of design as well as the perception that permitting the construction contractor to have a fiduciary relationship with the designer was inappropriate. The major reasons for using DB contracting found in several recent TRB studies have been the ability to compress the schedule, the early involvement of the contractor in the design process through constructability reviews, and the single point of responsibility for both design and construction achieved in a DB contract. Research has found that traditional project delivery creates additional problems for DOTs when they try to accelerate project delivery. Techniques like the California DOT's design-sequencing method have not proven to be altogether satisfactory. Thus, DOTs that are unable to use DB need a project delivery method that permits them some of the benefits of DB without giving up control over the design. Construction manager-at-risk (CMR), which is also called construction manager as general contractor (CM/GC), appears to provide just that. In a CMR contract, the owner contracts separately with the project's designer and builder. The design contract is modified to create contractual obligations for the designer to proceed with its work in a manner that facilitates the CMR process. The contractor is usually selected on the basis of qualifications and past performance, though some DOTs with CMR experience also include a price function in their selection process. The CMR is awarded a preconstruction services contract which directs it to perform services such as constructability reviews, project estimates and schedules, coordination with third parties, and making input to the design through value engineering and market analysis. At some point the CMR and DOT negotiate a guaranteed maximum price (GMP), and the CMR begins bidding out subcontractor and material supplier work packages. Many agencies allow the CMR to lock in construction prices for features of work with volatile material pricing before the final GMP is established. NCHRP Synthesis 402, Construction Manager-at-Risk Project Delivery for Highway Programs, found that 30% of the state DOTs it surveyed responded that they had either never heard of CMR or did not understand how it worked. Four states with authorization had not tried it because they had no guidance or experience from which to begin. CMR furnishes a much less radical procurement culture shift than DB because the owner still holds the design contract and hence retains control of the design details. However, the contractor is selected based on its qualifications and is able to influence the design through its preconstruction services contract. One DOT project manager interviewed in NCHRP Synthesis 402 stated: "CMR allows us to get all the benefits of DB without giving up control of the design." Therefore, the outcomes from NCHRP Synthesis 402 clearly show the need to develop a set of uniform guidelines that individual agencies can use to either implement CMR project delivery or to revise their current procedures to take advantage of lessons learned by DOTs and other transportation sectors such as transit and airports. The main research objective is to capture the CMR experience available from the eight state DOTs, numerous city and county engineering, and streets departments and public transportation agencies in transit and airport. This study will then assemble a set of best practices and develop a guidebook that can be utilized by agencies wishing to implement CMR contracting in their highway construction programs. KW - CM-At-Risk KW - Construction management KW - Construction manager at risk KW - Design build KW - Design build contracting KW - Handbooks KW - Highway projects KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Project delivery KW - Project management KW - Risk management KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2963 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232145 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463916 TI - Development of System Fracture Analysis Methods for Fracture Critical Steel Bridges AB - The development of high performance steel (HPS) has prompted the use of fewer beams in a typical steel bridge superstructure. As the number of beams decreases, the redundancy of the system is reduced, thereby increasing the possibility of system-wide failures. This trend has brought about renewed discussion regarding the traditional definition of fracture critical bridges or members. Designers and owners have differing opinions on the definition of fracture critical bridges, and many owners will not allow new fracture critical bridges in their jurisdictions even though they are allowed by the AASHTO code (with the appropriate design, construction, and inspection procedures). Interestingly, bridges that would be traditionally classified as fracture critical are often some of the most economical structural configurations. The AASHTO code does not give guidance on the appropriate methods for system wide fracture analysis. Individual designers have developed methods for this issue; however there is no consensus on the loadings, the approach, and what constitutes failure. Some of the most common debates about fracture critical redundancy are with respect to continuous-span twin trapezoidal box girder ramp bridges, and continuous span two and three girder bridges. These structure types have been used in the past; however, most owners avoid them due to concerns about redundancy. Questions do arise with respect to redundancy or nonredundancy of existing and even newer bridges which were built using superior steels (especially using any type of HPS), subjected to advanced NDT techniques, and fabricated using higher quality welding procedures than in the past. In addition, those fabricated using the fracture control plan (FCP) are also supposed to be of superior quality than their cousins built prior to the introduction of the FCP. Modern steel bridges are also built with a composite deck slab and are inherently more capable of carrying redistributed loads through alternate paths. Two-girder curved bridges, especially those built since the early 1980s, almost always contain heavy transverse cross-frames capable of carrying significant load from one girder to another. The proposed system analysis methods will provide answers to system redundancy or nonredundancy quantitatively. The proposed research will focus on the development of defined fracture analysis methods for steel bridge systems. The research will involve the following tasks: literature research of past studies on system-wide redundancy and fracture; study of the effects of energy release at the time of fracture, how this is can be accounted for in the analysis, and development of realistic definitions of failure that are tied to the use of the bridge; determination of the appropriate live load models that need to be applied to the bridge at the time of fracture; determination of the appropriate live load models that should be applied to the bridge after the fracture; determination of the appropriate load factors that should be employed; and development of AASHTO specifications for system-wide fracture analysis for new and existing bridges, including an updated fracture critical member (FCM) definition in context to the findings of this study. For new bridges, the efficient use of new high-performance steels is being hampered by the concerns of owners and designers about the fracture critical designs. In many cases, more beams are added to spans to improve the redundancy, which make the bridge less efficient and therefore more costly. In several states, multi-span continuous trapezoidal box girder ramp bridges are avoided due to concerns about fracture redundancy. Existing bridges that are categorized as fracture critical require additional inspections that are costly to owners. Removal of a fracture-critical designation on existing bridges will result in fewer inspections over the lifetime of the bridge. If a system-wide analysis method is developed, many new bridges and many more existing bridges can be classified as non-fracture critical. This will save owners significant monies in design, construction, and inspection. KW - Beams KW - Bridge inspection KW - Bridge members KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Fracture critical members KW - Fracture mechanics KW - Girders KW - High performance steel KW - Inspection KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Steel beams KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural analysis UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2965 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232144 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463915 TI - Development of New AASHTO LRFD Tunnel Design Specifications AB - There is limited experience in the state departments of transportation (DOTs) with new tunnel design. Most agencies rely on consultants who specialize in tunnel work for design and construction assistance. In addition, The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established a goal to have federally funded projects for "structures other than bridges," like tunnels design by load rating factor design (LRFD), by October 1, 2010. The objective of this proposal is to develop specifications, commentary, and guidelines for tunnel design. The proposal focuses on design standards for structural design, geotechnical design, ventilation, fire control and suppression, and public signing. Very little design guidance is provided in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications for Tunnels in Section 12, Buried Structures and Tunnel Liners. The material on tunnels will be removed and included in a new section. Additional specifications and guidance must be developed and included in the new section. It is expected that the contractor will use existing guidelines, especially those developed by FHWA and the National Fire Prevention Association, to prepare the specifications, commentary, and guidelines. This strategic research need is identified in the AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures' 2005 Strategic Plan for Bridge Engineering, as part of Grand Challenge 4, Advancing the AASHTO Specifications, Grand Challenge 1, Extending Service Life, and Grand Challenge 2, Optimizing Structural Systems. The objective of the proposed research is to improve the design of highway tunnels by developing specifications and guidelines for road tunnel design. The research will produce a draft design specification and commentary in the format of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. There is an urgent need to develop and improve the current methods of tunnel design, operation, and rehabilitation. These improved methodologies will increase the reliability and effectiveness of highway tunnel operations, leading to improved tunnel safety and more effective operation and management of tunnels in state and local tunnel inventories. The results of this research will provide guidelines suitable for implementation by state DOTs. It is anticipated that the research results will be presented to the AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures, T-20 Technical Committee on Tunnels, for consideration and adoption into the LRFD Specifications. The technical committee will work with FHWA and NHI to develop training as needed based on the new specifications. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Fires KW - Guidelines KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Service life KW - Specifications KW - Tunnel design KW - Tunnel fires KW - Tunneling UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2967 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232143 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463914 TI - Quantify the Information Necessary to Guide Bridge Preservation Decisions AB - Bridge preservation is a systematic proactive effort to significantly extend the service life of a bridge or bridge elements, usually at the least possible cost. Many transportation departments may have a significant amount of largely empirical data on experiences with bridge preservation and have developed conclusions on the effectiveness of bridge preservation based on those experiences. However, few systematic studies have been done to measure, evaluate, and document the short- and long-term results and effects of bridge preservation actions. No attempts have been made to gather and collate high-quality data, properly analyze the data, and draw conclusions about the costs, effectiveness, and longevity of the preservation action. It is difficult to examine such issues as how long the service life of the bridge/bridge element is extended or what the effects of the various, commonly used preservation actions are on the life cycle costs of bridges. Most conclusions reached by bridge practitioners are on the basis of intuition or simple common sense backed up by some experience. It is difficult to translate these conclusions into coherent and convincing arguments that will persuade legislatures and agency upper management to support and adequately fund aggressive and well planned programs of bridge preservation. The collection of the data necessary to support analysis of the effectiveness and economics of bridge preservation activities should be addressed in a logical sequence, starting with short-term studies of existing data and moving to future data collection that is targeted at specific elements of the performance of bridge preservation actions. The material collected will be organized into a handbook for bridge owners to use as a guide to the most efficient and effective decisions for the maintenance and preservation of bridges. Recommendations will be made on how this guidance should be included in existing or new AASTHO specifications or guidance. The objective of the proposed research is to improve the decision process for setting bridge preservation activities and preparation of guidelines. The research will produce recommendations and a handbook for possible adoption by AASHTO. KW - Bridge members KW - Bridge preservation KW - Data collection KW - Guidelines KW - Life cycle costing KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Preservation KW - Service life UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2968 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232142 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463913 TI - Convincing the Stakeholders: Developing a Guide for Communicating Maintenance and Preservation Needs AB - As transportation budgets remain stagnant or fall and tax dollars become scarcer, legislatures search for ways to reduce spending while preserving public support for government programs. The trend of funding maintenance and preservation operations last has lead to a nationwide deterioration of our highway system. Maintenance and preservation of bridges, pavements, and other roadway appurtenances have been shown by some agencies to have an enormous effect on the performance and life of the transportation infrastructure, saving millions of dollars in reconstruction and traveler delays. Being able to communicate these effects more effectively to elected officials, decision makers, other stakeholders, and the public would lead to better understanding of these programs. There is an opportunity to communicate more effectively the impacts of maintenance and preservation of the nation's infrastructure to elected officials, decision makers, other stakeholders and the public and thereby build support for funding to maintain the nation's highway infrastructure. Some examples of such communication may be found in the literature (for example, work done at Iowa State University and by the Portland, Oregon, Office of Transportation.) This research to be undertaken would address such issues as improving communications about the technical/economic impacts of maintenance and system preservation between agency staff, elected officials, and the public using simple-to-understand principles which convey the message; developing guides with graphics and photos which display condition data and the consequences of delayed response to maintenance concerns; preserving institutional knowledge within agencies through documentation of treatment types and benefits, training of methods to track and report condition as well as training on methods of treatments and best practices and succession planning; establishing a guide of best practices on how to maintain or improve communication between local, state, and federal government agencies, toll authorities, and other highway owners; identifying industry organizations such as contractors, consultants, and trade associations that can help to communicate the message of maintenance and preservation activities to the public; educating engineering consultants and other designers on the benefits of including maintenance and preservation techniques in design and maintenance of roadway assets; and promoting development of transportation system preservation to the academic community. The objective of this research would be to develop a guide to best practices on how to maintain or improve communication with local, state, and federal government agencies; toll authorities; and other highway owners. The research to accomplish this objective might include the following tasks: (1) identify best practices and successes in communicating the message of maintenance and preservation, studying marketing strategies that exist throughout the United States and around the world as part of asset management, including various infrastructure assets; (2) develop a guide on how to market maintenance and preservation treatments including case studies, pictures, and illustrations of successful marketing campaigns, and recommendations on reaching senior agency executives, legislators, contractors, consultants, trade organizations, academics, and the general public; (3) deliver training workshops on marketing practices, including examples from successful case studies, and develop a mechanism to evaluate workshop effectiveness; (4) develop guidelines on how an agency can create succession planning and preserve institutional knowledge about maintenance and preservation in an agency through documentation of treatment types and benefits, and training of methods to track and report condition; include best practices on training methods for preservation treatments types. KW - Bridge maintenance KW - Economic impacts KW - Financing KW - Highway maintenance KW - Maintenance practices KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Preservation KW - Public transit KW - Stakeholders KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2969 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232141 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463912 TI - Guidelines/Methodology for Developing Cost Effective and Cost Efficient Levels of Service AB - State departments of transportation (DOTs) are beginning to evolve to the asset management principles of (1) establishing high-level policy goals and objectives, (2) developing performance measures to accomplish the agencies' goals and objectives, (3) using analysis of options and tradeoffs for investment strategies, (4) using quality information and data to support decisions, and (5) monitoring outcomes to provide accountability and feedback. A key component of this strategy is the development of performance measures and the establishment of level of service for each measure. The setting of level of service(s) by DOTs has for the most part, relied on expert opinion of the highway owner and infrastructure manager. The purpose of this research is to develop a methodology that can be used by highway owners and agencies to determine the appropriate LOS(s) for the assets under their authority, based on factors such as customer input, economics, cost effectiveness, user cost, and/or other pertinent factors to augment "expert opinion." The anticipated outcome of this research is the development of a guide and methodology that state DOTs can use to determine the LOS that is appropriate for their agency based on factors like customer input, safety, economics, cost effectiveness, user cost, and expert opinion, among other things. It is anticipated that the research will include contacting state DOTs that have established LOSs, conducting interviews with those agencies to understand the process they used, and investigating other non-DOT agencies and/or industries to solicit best practices. Based on that research, a guide and methodology a DOT can use to establish LOS will be prepared. KW - Asset management KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Customer satisfaction KW - Decision support systems KW - Economics KW - Expert opinion KW - Level of service KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Performance measurement KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2970 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232140 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463911 TI - Update of the TRB Access Management Manual AB - In 2003, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) published the first national Access Management Manual. Since that time, the Manual has remained the most accepted and comprehensive national resource on the state of the practice in access management. It has been widely cited by state, regional, and local government transportation agencies updating their access management practices and is increasingly a resource to other nations as well. For example, it was recently translated and published in Chinese under a copyright agreement with TRB. Since it was published, approximately 3,000 copies of the Manual have been sold, and a second reprint of 2,000 copies is underway. The editorial staff of TRB has indicated that based on the current rate of sales, the new stock will be exhausted by 2012. At that time, it is essential that a second edition be ready for publication. A second edition needs to be produced because the state of the practice has advanced significantly in the years since the production of the first edition of the Manual, several major research projects have been completed and will represent an important upgrade of the current Manual, the Manual is the text for the revised National Highway Institute (NHI) Access Management Course and should contain current and up-to-date information regarding research and access management practices, and the TRB Committee on Access Management (AHB70) has identified gaps in the material covered in the Manual. The objective of this research activity is to develop a revised and updated Access Management Manual. This objective will be accomplished by assembling research reports and papers published since preparation of the first edition, obtaining additional examples relative to access management programs and practices of state DOTs and local governments, proposing a revised structure and contents for the new manual, and preparing and submitting a draft of a revised and updated Access Management Manual for TRB's consideration, approval, and publication. Studies done over the last 30 years show access management is one of the most compelling strategies to improve safety on our roadways. Access management is also a cost-effective way to extend the useful life of the existing system of roads and highways. As such, access management practices are essential to a sustainable and energy-efficient transportation system. With reduced funding of transportation and an increased emphasis on highway reconstruction to address growing transportation needs, advancing access management practices is a critical step. The Access Management Manual provides the most comprehensive resource to enable transportation agencies to achieve a sustainable, energy efficient, and safe transportation system, at every level of government. The Access Management Manual advances innovation through technical support, training, and education. Technical support is provided to transportation professionals at the state, regional, and local governments as well as to consultants in the development of access management plans, regulations, design standards, and access management practices and procedures. It helps guide access-related decisions during the development and redevelopment of property abutting the nation's major roadways. Education and training functions are addressed through use of the Manual as the text for NHI Course No. 133078. (The course is typically taught eight to ten times per year, with up to 30 participants per course offering.) KW - Access control (Transportation) KW - Development KW - Highway design KW - Interchanges KW - Long range planning KW - Methodology KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Policy KW - Policy making KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic impact analysis KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2971 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232139 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463910 TI - Mobile LiDAR Standards for Transportation Agencies AB - Mobile LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology has many promising benefits to transportation agencies as a tool for project planning, development, and construction. Several states, including Washington, Oregon, and California, have independently explored using mobile LiDAR on limited applications in order to understand the technology. Currently there are no standards available for states to use in evaluating this technology. This has the potential of creating duplication of effort as well as inconsistent methods in testing, evaluation, and applying the data produced. This research would provide guidance to DOT's program managers, project engineers, and other professional staff on how the technology could be utilized in a range of business practices. The objective of this research is to create data collection and storage standards as well as hardware and software evaluation standards for states to use in testing, evaluating, and applying mobile LiDAR technology. Having national standards will ensure that the states have guidelines to follow for evaluating this technology for specific applications, resulting in more consistent data for use in national research efforts. KW - Construction KW - Development KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Laser radar KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Standards KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2972 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232138 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463909 TI - Noteworthy Practices in Crash Reporting and Safety Programs on Indian Tribal Reservations AB - Safety is a major concern for roadway practitioners across the United States. In many states, Native American population is disproportionately represented in fatalities and crash statistics. Statistics show that in South Dakota for 2005 only 52 crashes out of 737 crashes were reported to the state. The largest number of crashes reported included fatalities. Because less than 15% of identified crashes were reported to the state in 2005, the tribes in South Dakota did not receive adequate attention from state and federal programs that identify and target transportation safety issues. This lack of attention to tribal transportation safety problems will continue until tribal transportation crashes are adequately reported to the state(s). It is suspected that this issue is not confined to reservations and tribes located in South Dakota but is the norm for tribes in most states. It is therefore imperative to identify tribal crash reporting systems that do report a high percentage of the total crashes on their reservations to their respective state(s). The methods, equipment, and software used and the training provided to those responsible for writing, filing, and reporting the tribal crash reports to the state(s) need to be identified. There exist a number of noteworthy tribal crash reporting programs being used by various tribal governments across the nation. These programs need to be identified to be used as model programs for the rest of the tribes in the nation. None of these programs have been showcased at tribal meetings or through the media. A documentation compiling these programs as case studies with facts, stories, and lessons learned would serve as a valuable tool to assist tribal entities in addressing the tribal crash reporting issues on tribal lands. Native Americans particularly have the highest risk of motor-vehicle related death of all ethnic groups; for this group with ages between 4 and 44, motor-vehicle related injuries are the leading cause of death. During the time period between 1982 and 2002, according to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 65 percent of Native American fatal crashes involved alcohol, as opposed to 47 percent nationwide during this same time period. In addition, it was found that from 1999 to 2004, 50 percent of Native American drivers in fatal crashes were over the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit. There exist a number of noteworthy DUI prevention programs being implemented by various tribal governments across the nation. These programs have targeted different tribal age groups, presented under a variety of formats, and implemented in conjunction with different events or independently. Many of these programs have been showcased at tribal meetings, through the media, and casual conversations. A documentation compiling these programs as case studies with facts, stories, and lessons learned would serve as a valuable tool to assist tribal entities in addressing the DUI issues, a major cause of fatalities on tribal lands. This document will also be useful to non-tribal local entities, where applicable, that also have been stricken by the DUI problem. The objective of this research is to develop a document that compiles various effective tribal crash reporting programs and DUI prevention programs that have been implemented successfully on Indian reservations. These programs should be diverse in terms of what they entailed, how they were implemented, who were involved, and where they were implemented geographically and culturally. The project should include the following tasks: (1) Review implemented programs, (2) develop selection criteria, (3) compile a list of programs that meet or exceed the criteria, and (4) coordinate with the programs' authors/champions to obtain permission to use programs as case studies and to obtain further information for report. KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash reports KW - Crashes KW - Fatalities KW - Indian reservations KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Native Americans KW - South Dakota KW - Statistics KW - Tribal government UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2973 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232137 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463908 TI - Lead States Initiative for Implementing the Highway Safety Manual AB - After a substantial development effort, funded largely from NCHRP research, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) expects to publish the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) in the spring of 2010. The HSM will provide new concepts for application by state highway agencies throughout the safety management process and particularly in the estimation of the safety benefits of proposed highway improvement projects. HSM Part B will provide new approaches to each step of the safety management process, including: network screening to identify potential safety improvement project locations, diagnosis of existing crash patterns, selecting of appropriate countermeasures, performing economic analyses, establishing project priorities, and evaluating the effectiveness of completed projects. HSM Part C will provide predictive methods that can be used to estimate the safety benefits of proposed highway improvement projects. Estimating the effect of proposed projects or of several project design alternatives on crash frequencies and severities can now become a routine part of the project development process and will allow safety to be considered on a quantitative basis in project development as other factors such as traffic operations, air quality, noise, and cost are considered. The predictive methods make extensive use of safety performance functions (SPFs) and accident modification factors (AMFs). HSM Part D provides quantitative values for AMFs that represent the expected crash reduction effectiveness for a broad range of countermeasures with the potential to improve safety. These AMFs are intended for use in the procedures of HSM Parts B and C and may also be useful to highway agencies in many other ways. The HSM has the potential to bring about major changes in the accuracy and completeness of safety analyses conducted by highway agencies. However, like any new analysis tool, the HSM will only be effective if it is implemented by highway agencies. Recent experience has shown that one of the best ways to encourage highway agencies to implement new approaches is to show examples of other agencies that are taking a lead role in implementation. A lead states initiative was used successfully as part of NCHRP Project 17-18 in implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan, and peer exchanges are becoming an increasingly common approach to disseminating new information that is ready for implementation by highway agencies. This research problem statement recommends the organization of a lead states initiative for implementing the HSM. This initiative will bring together representatives of 10 to 12 states that are taking the lead in implementing the HSM in two peer-exchange meetings. These states will benefit directly from the peer exchange and, to provide information and examples to other highway agencies, a user guide for the HSM will be developed based on the experiences of the lead states. The recommended lead states initiative will help to ensure that highway agencies reap the benefits available from NCHRP's investment in the HSM, most recently in NCHRP Project 17-36, "Production of the First Edition of the Highway Safety Manual." NCHRP Project 17-38, "Highway Safety Manual Implementation and Training Materials," has developed briefing materials and a training course to assist highway agencies in understanding the HSM. This new project will help ensure that highway agencies are implementing the HSM effectively and benefiting from the experiences of other highway agencies. KW - Accident modification factors KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash records KW - Crash severity KW - Highway improvement projects KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Improvements KW - Injury severity KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Safety performance functions KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2974 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232136 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463907 TI - National Strategic Highway Safety Plan Support- Toward Zero Deaths: A National Strategy and Vision AB - The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), with the help of many highway safety stakeholders, developed and adopted a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) in 1997, and updated this plan in 2005. Each state has its own strategic highway safety plan, as do many safety stakeholder organizations. However, there does not exist one plan that unites all of these common efforts. The U.S. Department of Transportation (specifically through the Federal Highway Administration) and AASHTO have initiated an effort to develop a National Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The national SHSP will be data-driven and will incorporate education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency medical services. Unlike this earlier AASHTO plan, this national SHSP will not be "owned" by any one organization. The national SHSP can be utilized as a guide and framework by safety stakeholder organizations to enhance current state and local safety planning and implementation efforts. AASHTO and the other national organizations representing state safety agencies have adopted a goal of reducing highway fatalities by half within 20 years. The Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety (SCOHTS) Subcommittee on Safety Management has reorganized to focus on this goal, and on development and implementation of a national SHSP. With the Safety Management Subcommittee and all of its task groups focused on AASHTO's national safety goal, the development of a comprehensive and complete national SHSP is crucial to achieving the national vision toward zero highway deaths. This will involve a wide range of safety stakeholders and significant effort on the part of the volunteers on the subcommittee. The existing funding for this effort will allow for development of an outline for the national SHSP and a work plan for the development, adoption, and implementation of the national SHSP, but will not provide for additional development and support of the national SHSP. KW - AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan KW - Emergency medical services KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Implementation KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2975 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232135 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463906 TI - Research to Improve the Structure, Process, and Outcomes of the Strategic Highway Safety Plans through Well Designed and Documented Peer Exchanges AB - SAFETEA-LU required all states to develop and implement a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), and all states and the District of Columbia accomplished this by October of 2007. The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) reauthorization proposal suggests that all states should engage in a peer exchange during the reauthorization period to invite advice and guidance on improving and implementing their plans. However, a template or model for developing, implementing, and evaluating an SHSP does not currently exist. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has developed the Implementation Process Model (IPM), but it is only now being pilot tested, and an evaluation design has yet to be developed. Because large investments are supporting SHSP implementation, it is timely to identify an explicit process to guide the peer exchanges to ensure they are consistent, science-based, and effective. Several peer exchanges have been held over the past few years. These events have been large scale, involving all states and focused broadly on SHSP development and implementation strategies. The SHSP peer exchange envisioned in this research would be requested by an individual state; invited peers would constitute a panel that provides consultation and assists the host state in moving forward with SHSP updates, implementation, and evaluation. In this case, the invited "peers" would be identified and recognized for their depth of experience and expertise to ensure the exchange is based on best practice, is fruitful, and is provided onsite to SHSP champions and stakeholders. Guidance documents would include the Federal Highway Administration's IPM, A Champion's Guide to Saving Lives, and other reports and guidelines. Research is necessary to develop templates for quickly and efficiently conducting peer exchanges that are in-depth, high quality, and user friendly. This project will identify likely peer exchange panel candidates, necessary state participants, documents needed for preparation, templates for questioning witnesses and reporting, and other supporting materials. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has deep experience in conducting these peer exchanges or assessments. However, the agency also experiences frustration because the reports often sit on the proverbial shelf and lack implementation plans. Thus, the SHSP peer exchanges must build in implementation planning, follow-up monitoring, evaluation of the process itself, and a feedback mechanism for improving the process and products. This research will develop and pilot test a model template for conducting an SHSP peer exchange. The template will include the type of expertise required of participants, criteria for selecting expert panel participants or invited peers, documentation that is necessary to prepare participants for the peer exchange, an outline to use to document the process, implementation recommendations, and follow-up requirements. Many states began implementing their SHSPs in 2007 or earlier and, in some cases, the motivation and effectiveness of their implementation efforts have begun to wane. Peer exchanges provide new and more effective ideas and methods for overcoming barriers. They are designed to identify continuing opportunities for improvement. Providing a methodology for conducting effective, productive peer exchanges is timely and needed. The primary users of the research results are the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the state DOTs, SHSOs, MCSAPs, elected officials, the MPOs and regional planning organizations, and local transportation and land use planners and engineers. The SHSP peer exchange methodology once developed and pilot tested can be used by all state and local transportation safety coalitions to improve their SHSPs and other regional safety planning processes. Improving the effectiveness of SHSP investments and procedures could have a substantial impact on driving down motor vehicle related fatalities and serious injuries. KW - AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan KW - Documentation KW - Guidelines KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Peer exchange KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - Stakeholders KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2976 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232134 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353555 AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Educating the Public on Climate Change Issues: DOT and MPO Best Practices PY - 2010/06/15 SP - 17p AB - This document summarizes outreach activities and public education initiatives used around the country by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to educate the public on transportation-related climate change issues. Best practices were gathered from a review of online documents, outreach materials, and telephone interviews. The purpose of this document is to highlight outreach approaches that Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Division staff can use to engage the public and other stakeholders such as elected officials on climate change issues. KW - Best practices KW - Climate change KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Outreach KW - Public education KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/resources_and_publications/educating_the_public/educate.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118325 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01160584 AU - Sullivan, James AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - Novak, David AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Application of the Network Robustness Index to Identifying Critical Road-Network Links in Chittenden County, Vermont PY - 2010/06/14 SP - 21p AB - A pilot application of the Network Robustness Index (NRI) for the Chittenden County Regional Transportation Model was conducted. Using the results, improvements to the method to increase its effectiveness for more widespread use will be made. The test described here consisted of a real-world application, coupled with a careful analysis of the results. The road network of the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) provided a suitable opportunity to test a real-world application of the NRI. The CCMPO represents the 18 municipalities of the Chittenden County, Vermont region. Serving about 145,000 people (approximately 25% of the state's population), the CCMPO is Vermont's only MPO. KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Network Robustness Index KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-10-009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/921475 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466166 TI - Collecting Accurate Motorcycle Travel Data to Reduce Rising Fatalities on the Nation's Highways AB - Motorcycle fatalities and the related fatality rates have been significantly increasing over the last 10 years based on total registrations as a proxy for volumes and usage/exposure. This has become a serious safety issue for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). According to available proxy data, between 1996 and 2005, motorcyclist fatalities increased more than 110 percent and currently account for more than 10 percent of all motor vehicle traffic crash fatalities. The best measure of exposure risk for motor vehicle crashes is fatality rate based on actual vehicle volumes and vehicle-miles traveled (VMT), therefore it is critical that timely, complete, and accurate volume and VMT data are collected and reported in order to determine accurate incident and fatality rates and to monitor trends. VMT data (and particularly motorcycle VMT) have been the focus of discussions at recent Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) reassessment workshops documented in the HPMS Reassessment Safety Issue Paper indicating the importance of research on accurately determining VMTs at the national level. To date, there has not been significant research into the accurate detection of motorcycles. Most current detection systems primarily focus on the collection and classification of trucks and automobiles. These systems frequently misclassify motorcycles or miss them altogether, making the data unacceptable for mandated reporting purposes. Research is needed to identify and analyze detection methodologies that are currently and may potentially be used to obtain accurate motorcycle volume and VMT-related data, with special attention given to accuracy, installation, and operation of available equipment. It should also contain an analysis of the methodologies available to assist transportation professionals in calculating incident and fatality rates when less than comprehensive motorcycle volume and VMT data is available and should potentially focus on the adjustment factors available for use in related calculations. The document should also contain analyses of ongoing detection efforts; both those that have been or continue to be successful and those that have not. The results of the proposed research would be used by transportation agencies at all levels to assist them in determining the policies and decisions necessary to improve the safety of the transportation system for all, thereby saving lives and reducing incident-related delay and improving mobility. KW - Fatalities KW - Highway Performance Monitoring System KW - Highway safety KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycling KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic data KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2956 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234401 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463931 TI - Effect of Geosynthetics on Structural Pavement Design AB - Properly installed geosynthetics have been proven to generate cost savings and improved performance of aggregate base courses used in highway pavement construction. Other advantages include the ability to extend pavement service life without increasing pavement thickness and without sacrificing performance. While many agencies are currently using geosynthetics, there is a significant lack of understanding of the fundamental properties of these materials; thus, designers are often forced to rely on conservative estimates when considering the contribution of geosynthetics in the performance of the pavement structure. A deeper understanding of the interactions between geosynthetics and aggregate base courses is needed, as well as a more fundamental method for incorporating the properties of geosynthetics into existing pavement design practices. To this end, the effects of geosynthetics should be quantified with respect to (1) the improvement of subgrade and/or base stiffness (i.e., resilient modulus) and (2) the improvement in tensile capacity of unbound materials. Several ongoing studies are currently in progress to establish the material properties of geosynthetic materials. A number of readily available test methods exist for the purpose of characterizing geosynthetics and their interactions with aggregate base materials. Geosynthetic-aggregate interface properties are most often measured using pullout methods or direct shear tests, which focus on the conditions at failure. However, such properties have not been adequately characterized for typical service conditions, resulting in relatively conservative empirical relationships. While a national guide of practice has not yet been established for geosynthetics, a number of AASHTO and ASTM methods exist and are generally used for this purpose, although the current AASHTO guidelines acknowledge that insufficient information is available at this time for a complete characterization. A 2007 FHWA publication includes guidance for the use of geosynthetics in roadways and pavements, and includes recommended minimum standards for the properties of ultimate multi-rib tensile strength and ultraviolet (UV) stability. While junction strength is also acknowledged as an important property, sufficient data was not available to recommend firm specifications. Additionally, minimum tensile modulus values were not included. The objective of this research is to develop a design methodology and guidelines on when, where, and how to use geosynthetic materials within a pavement structure. The guidelines will target design engineers and practitioners in the pavements and materials engineering community, with a focus on the most basic engineering properties of geosynthetics as they relate to structural pavement design. It is anticipated that the design principles contained in the guidelines could be readily incorporated into the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). The initial task of this research effort will include a thorough review of available literature regarding geosynthetics, their laboratory-measured properties, and documented field performance. Because many "best practices" for the use of geosynthetics have been documented in previous research, the lessons learned from these efforts should be considered prior to developing the detailed laboratory work plan for characterizing geosynthetics. Additionally, a number of studies have demonstrated the field performance of geosynthetics; these findings should be incorporated into the scope of the work as appropriate, with additional field trials performed to validate the initial conclusions developed. A large portion of the work will revolve around the development of specific techniques for considering the effects of geosynthetics on the pavement performance prediction models contained in the MEPDG. The results of this research will provide a solid engineering basis for estimating the structural effects (benefits) of geosynthetics when properly placed within a pavement structure, effectively replacing the "rule of thumb" design procedures currently used. By more accurately characterizing the effects of geosynthetics, pavement structures may be constructed more efficiently while also providing a greater degree of design reliability. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Geosynthetics KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Service life KW - Structural analysis KW - Thickness UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2949 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232159 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463929 TI - Support for the AASHTO IntellDrive Strategic Plan AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) IntelliDrive program is focused on advancing connectivity among vehicles and roadway infrastructure in order to significantly improve the safety and mobility of the U.S. transportation system. The program is working toward a future vision where vehicles and infrastructure are connected to enable crashless vehicles, and where access to real-time data on the status of both vehicles and the roadway transforms transportation system management and operations to dramatically improve performance. IntelliDrive is being developed through coordinated research, testing, demonstration, and deployment. The federal research investment is targeted to areas that are unlikely to be accomplished through private investment because they are too risky or complex. Other stakeholders, including the states, the automotive industry and its suppliers, and consumer electronics companies, also are researching and testing IntelliDrive technologies and applications so that the transportation community can realize the full potential and vision of IntelliDrive. The IntelliDrive program is a major initiative of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Programs Office (JPO) at DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). The ITS JPO's goal is to advance the program to a deployment readiness state by 2014. In order for state transportation departments to fully benefit from this effort, AASHTO has formed an IntelliDrive technical working group that developed a strategic plan and action plan for the development and deployment of IntelliDrive. A pooled fund project has been established to begin work on the plan. The objective of this project is to support the AASHTO IntelliDrive Technical Working Group in developing and deploying the IntelliDrive system and augment the funds in the IntelliDrive pooled fund project. KW - Connectivity KW - Highway operations KW - Highway traffic control KW - IntelliDrive (Program) KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Real time information KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2951 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232157 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463928 TI - Auxiliary Turn Lane Design Guidance and Policy Upgrades AB - There are approximately 6 million traffic crashes annually (2006). Fifty-three percent of these occur at intersections (3.1 million crashes). Auxiliary turn lanes have been clearly identified as a significant countermeasure to address these crashes. The draft Highway Safety Manual (HSM) suggests that 64.6 percent of rural intersection crashes are susceptible to remedy by auxiliary lane. i.e. those crashes that involve another vehicle in a maneuver other than a rear-end crash. Additionally, the HSM suggests that 66 percent of urban multilane stop control and 55 percent of fatal and injury intersection crashes are susceptible to remedy by auxiliary lane. Auxiliary turn lanes at intersections generally have a traditional or offset design. The design components of a traditional turn lane consist of the length needed to store an appropriate number of waiting vehicles, a vehicle deceleration area, and the taper needed to develop the full lane width. Offset turn lanes have similar components but they are developed in a manner different from traditional designs. The guidance and practice used throughout United States for traditional and offset turn lane designs and application also vary by intersection location (e.g., rural or urban), traffic control (e.g., stop-control or signal-control), and/or turn lane type (e.g., right- or left-turn). The AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (Green Book) contains criteria for geometric design of auxiliary turn lanes. While acceptable for current practice, the basis for the design and policy elements of these features is recognized as needing more support. There is, therefore, a general need to confirm, update, and/or expand upon the operational and safety assumptions and basis for the design of traditional turn lanes that are in the AASHTO Green Book. The soon-to-be-published HSM includes the overall safety basis for left and right turning lanes at intersections but does not identify crucial aspects of positive offset, angled vs. parallel auxiliary lane design, etc. In addition, it may also be appropriate to propose or update guidance for when and where left- or right-turn lanes are justified from both an operational as well as a safety basis. Finally, similar guidance or policies and detail are needed for offset right- and left-turn lane design. There is a high level of variability in the application of offset turn lanes in the United States. An investigation and proposal of acceleration and deceleration speed change lane design guidance may also be appropriate. It is expected that the results of this research will be used directly in an update to the AASHTO Green Book and therefore be made directly available to practitioners across the country. The objective of the research is to confirm, strengthen, and/or update the current design guidance for turn lanes at both unsignalized and signalized intersections in urban and rural areas. KW - Auxiliary lanes KW - Geometric design KW - Guidelines KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Intersections KW - Multilane highways KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2952 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232156 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463927 TI - Update of the Traffic Signal Timing Manual AB - Based on the acknowledged need for consistent national guidance on developing and maintaining effective signal timing, the 2008 Traffic Signal Timing Manual (STM) provided a basic synthesis of signal timing practices in the U.S. The manual covers fundamental signal timing as related to intersection design, vehicle detection, and coordination of signalized intersections. The STM is an important first step, but there are many advanced concepts that need to be addressed in greater detail that are not well documented. These require some research and evaluation to provide substantive direction that will take practice to the next level. The current manual acknowledges some of these in its last chapter, 'Advanced Signal Timing Concepts", discussing traffic signal priority, traffic responsive control, and weather considerations, among others. Improvements due to signal timing are not always quantified because the applications are not always fully documented by before-and-after studies. This is true for topics such as traffic signal priority, emergency vehicle preemption, and special controller functions such as conditional service and simultaneous gap out logic. Despite better detection equipment, microscopic traffic simulation, and signal control logic, associated benefits have not been adequately captured in the literature. The proposed research would incorporate advanced applications and their quantified performance into the STM, moving the industry from current application to state-of-the-art practice. The objective of the research is to develop a guide for advanced signal timing concepts that will expand the scope and depth of the STM. Research and evaluation will be conducted to address the following topics relating to operating traffic signals: detector design, pedestrian treatment, improved coordinated operation, oversaturated conditions, overlaps, and diamond interchanges, plus advanced applications including traffic signal priority, weather impacts, adaptive signal control, and performance monitoring and management. Material developed will be applicable to automobile, truck, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian operations in a signalized arterial environment. The revised guide should consider the pedestrian walking speed requirements of the new Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and present new strategies for accommodating pedestrians at traffic signals. The revised guide should be suitable for publication as an AASHTO guide. Several key issues that need to be considered by the research are: (1) Assessment of non-motorized user needs (pedestrians and bicyclists); (2) Detection designs that maximize versatility in operation, monitoring, and maintenance of the signalized intersections; (3) Effective use of overlaps to facilitate the movement of compatible approaches and movements; (4) Timing diamond interchanges and alternative intersection designs to improve efficiency and safety; (5) Monitoring the performance of signalized intersections; (6) Discussion of new pedestrian/vehicle detection and tracking technologies and their impact on signal timing plans; (7) Use of the controller as a data collection device; (8) Emission-focused policy for signal operations; (9) Surrogates of safety in designing timing plans; (10) Discussion of advanced timing topics: transit focused timing plans, traffic responsive control, adaptive control, and dealing with weather impacts; (11) Railway-highway traffic signal interconnection and design of preemption (physical layout, time/phase plans to assure clear crossing at train arrival); (12) Signal preemption for emergency vehicles (time/phase plans avoiding yellow traps in preemption transition). KW - Arterial highways KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intersections KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Millennium Edition KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signal preemption KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Traffic signals UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2953 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232155 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463926 TI - Guidelines for Guide Sign Visibility AB - A frequent dilemma facing highway agencies is deciding how to most effectively provide visible overhead guide signs. There are no guidelines that agencies can reference to help decide how to provide sufficient visibility of overhead guide signs. For instance, it seems that there is a general belief that it is adequate to turn off guide sign lighting in rural areas with flat terrain if highly retroreflective sheeting materials are used. However, there is little consensus in other areas such as suburban and urban areas where the visual background and roadway geometries are more complex. The only official national guidance in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which states "All overhead sign installations should be illuminated unless an engineering study shows that retroreflection will perform effectively without illumination. There are many factors that must be considered such as: (1) capital and maintenance costs of fixed sign lighting; (2) lighting technologies, lighting levels, lighting characteristics (e.g., SPDs); (3) retroreflective sign sheeting materials and colors; (4) visual complexity of the surrounding roadside environment; (5) presence and amount of roadway lighting; (6) traffic volumes; (7) sign position with respect to the approaching traffic; (8) roadway geometry; (9) minimizing unused uplighting; and (10) sign detection and sign legibility. Other influences that need to be considered include vehicle headlamp aim as newer headlamps provide less illumination to overhead guide signs, an increasingly older driver population, mixed vehicle types, sign spacing less than desirable (800') due to closely spaced interchanges, weather such as snow, dew, and fog, etc. Currently, agencies rely on unsubstantiated information or conduct non-scientific nighttime demonstrations with agency personnel. Because of the lack of guidelines, many agencies repeat these efforts in order to make decisions. There is typically little documentation provided and little control over the efforts. Research is needed to develop a set of guidelines that can be used by agencies trying to determine the most effective way to provide visible overhead guide signs (and overhead street name signs). The guidelines should be a comprehensive stand-alone document that agencies can use to assess the visibility of guide signs (and overhead street name signs) with currently available options and future technologies. The guidelines should be independent of material properties and related to luminance or some other measure of visual performance. To the extent possible, the guidelines should be supported with relevant crash data and life cycle costs. To accomplish this objective, the following tasks are recommended: (1) conduct a literature review to document any state or other national guidelines and research regarding guidelines, legislation, policies, and practices regarding efforts to establish guidelines for visible overhead guide signs (including overhead street name signs); (2) assess the available measures of visual performance; (3) draft a summary report of the results of the literature reviews, providing an objective overview of the status of overhead guide sign visibility concerns and considerations, to include a recommended research plan for the second phase of the research that outlines the preliminary guidelines and identified research needs to complete the guidelines; (4) conduct the approved research plan to support the completion of the guidelines, including field testing with full scale signs with and without lighting, sign visibility, sheeting type and the interaction of sheeting type and lighting; (5) develop a metric for assessment of the sign performance; (6) develop recommended guidelines for visible overhead guide signs; and (7) develop a final report with revised guidelines and suggested updates to AASHTO's lighting policies. KW - Guide signs KW - Guidelines KW - Lighting KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Overhead traffic signs KW - Policy making KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Visibility UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2954 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232154 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463925 TI - Methods to Improve Physical Conditions for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Along Existing Roads AB - Conditions for pedestrians along existing roads have wide-ranging impacts on whether public transportation services are used, whether students walk to school, whether people walk to local services; and, perhaps most importantly, whether people walk for general health. In addition, walking is frequently not a choice, i.e. a person does not have any option that does not include being a pedestrian along (or on) a roadway. With the almost exclusive reliance on the automobile for decades, pedestrian accommodations were not given a high priority. During this time period, sidewalks were not included on many arterial, collector, or even local roads. These and other factors resulted in lack of pedestrian accommodations on a large portion of the road network in the United States. In addition, sidewalk segments along roadways are often not connected; i.e., the sidewalk network is fragmented. The absence of sidewalks along existing roads is the most obvious missing accommodation. Further examples are missing accommodations for safe crossings, for those waiting for transit services, for students walking to school, etc. When needs are addressed with limited resources, the basic steps to fulfilling these needs include identifying the problem, quantifying the problem, identifying cost-effective solutions, prioritizing needs, securing funding, and ensuring implementation. These steps are well established for highway improvements on the federal, state, and local levels, where well-developed methodologies, processes, and dedicated funding sources exist to address problems with the highway network to serve vehicular traffic. Such processes and funding are rarely in place for improving conditions for pedestrians. In addition, walking and biking needs are often considered together and frequently the same group or professional deals with both modes within an organization. Therefore, there is a need to establish formal processes for planning and programming pedestrian improvements along existing roadways. The objective of this research is to identify and analyze institutional barriers to improving physical conditions for pedestrians along roadways. In the first phase of the research, the most critical institutional arrangements relating to improving pedestrian accommodations will be identified and described. Key topics include: (1) ownership of pedestrian issues at the federal, state, and local levels, (2) methods to identify problems with pedestrian accommodations, (3) methods to prioritize needs, and (4) frameworks for funding and implementation. The second phase of the research will evaluate how effective current practices are in addressing conditions for pedestrians. In this phase, the magnitude of the problems will be quantified. In addition, best practices will be identified and documented. Finally, recommendations for improving institutional environments to support improved accommodations for pedestrians will be developed.
KW - Bicycle travel KW - Improvements KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Sidewalks KW - Walking UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2955 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232153 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463924 TI - Real-Time Information: Quantifying Traveler Benefits and Effects on Transportation Demand AB - One approach to mitigating traffic and the resulting strains on the transportation system is to shift focus from supply to demand. When provided with good information and sufficient motivation, users of a transportation system can make decisions that will result in reduced demand on the system, decreased gridlock, increased transit ridership, and reduced need for additional lanes. A range of information systems provide travelers with the real-time data to influence travel demand. Information on traffic and weather conditions is accessible pre-trip via phone, Internet and other sources. Data provided to travelers while en route via 511, roadside message signs, and onboard information systems can have an even more immediate impact on travel behavior. Consensus among transportation agencies is that these and other real-time traveler information systems can be an effective tool to reduce transportation demand and provide direct benefits to transportation users. Still lacking, though, are the quantified benefits of such systems. Several research questions remain to be addressed. The proposed research will evaluate the value of traveler information services and address if the value can be quantified. The research will also evaluate the benefit of collecting, processing, and sharing real-time data given limited transportation agency budgets. The results of this research are expected to be immediately implementable, providing transportation agencies with the critical information needed to perform benefit-to-cost analysis, to analyze expected impacts on demand, and ultimately to justify investment in new or continued deployment of real-time traveler data systems. Transportation agencies will have assurance that they are targeting their limited funds toward technologies that are most likely to improve the nation's highway system and deliver maximum benefit to travelers. KW - Highway safety KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Real time information KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic lanes KW - Travel demand KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Variable message signs UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2957 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232152 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463923 TI - Analytical Travel Forecasting Approaches for Project Level Planning and Design AB - As transportation professionals seek to address future transportation needs, they are often faced with complex issues that necessitate a rich understanding of those factors likely to impact travel choices--often with limited insights available from observed data. Analytical tools must then be developed and applied at a suitable level of spatial and temporal detail to help inform investment decisions. Areas that lack demand-based models are faced with a different set of challenges, where observed counts are often used as the primary basis for generating facility-specific forecasts in the future. The emergence of post-processing techniques during the 1970s and 1980s adequately supported planning and project development needs for mobility-enhancing projects, where the most pressing analytical questions centered on facility usage levels. But with the saturation levels of congestion on existing roadway systems, the focus especially in urban areas seem to be more on managing travel demand and operational efficiency. The temporal aspect of the extent of congestion is difficult to capture with existing techniques. For heavily congested urban study areas and corridors, it is important to capture the effects of peak spreading at a project level. There also seems to be a need to develop post-processing tools to evaluate residual demand and peak spreading. Study of unconstrained demand and effect of capacity constraints on travel demand is another added layer of information that needs to be analyzed to develop purpose and need justifications for transportation projects as well as land use density changes. More recently, increasingly restrictive funding environments for transportation projects coupled with an emerging interest in the contribution of transportation to climate change have resulted in a heightened consideration of transportation alternatives that better manage travel demand and contribute to operational efficiency. Corresponding improvements in transportation methods are needed that are capable of providing plausible, defensible forecasts to support planning and project development for transportation projects while providing a sound analytical basis for describing transportation impacts that may not be adequately addressed with current post-processing methods. The specific objectives of the project are: (a) conduct a national review of project traffic forecasting guidelines established at the federal, state, and local level and identify the strengths, limitations, and examples of their application, and update current methodology guidelines, such as NCHRP 255, based on findings; (b) expand the project traffic forecasting methodology guidelines to incorporate appropriate new data sources and system level methods such as geographic information system (GIS), Origin-Destination (OD) matrix estimation, dynamic traffic assignment, and network simulation, etc. for the purposes of addressing common project development purposes, needs, and impacts with particular attention to land development and congestion; and (c) develop guidelines to factor peak-spreading, diurnal distribution of travel, and capacity constraints for project level planning.
KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Geographic information systems KW - Mode choice KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Origin and destination KW - Planning and design KW - Project management KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2958 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232151 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463922 TI - The Comprehensive Economic Effects of Highway-Rail At-Grade Crossing Crashes AB - Most analysis of the need to invest federal-aid safety funds into safety improvements at highway-rail at-grade crossings has focused on preventing fatalities, injuries, and property damage at specific priority locations. Little information has been developed about the quantifiable overall financial and social impacts of a crash involving a train and one or more motor vehicles at an at-grade crossing. Lacking such information, highway and rail system decision-makers cannot effectively consider the economic benefits of public investments to improve or eliminate at-grade crossings. While the number of at-grade crossings crashes and fatalities is a small fraction of the number of crashes and fatalities on the roadway system overall, the literature shows that a fatality is at least 20 (often more than 40) times more likely than in other crashes, and costs directly associated with the motor vehicle occupants are substantial. Other costs also accrue, such as damage to rail equipment and infrastructure and injuries to rail employees and passengers; damage to goods, especially intermodal and containerized shipments; investigative costs borne by public agencies and railroad operators; delays to transport on both affected railroads and roadways resulting from temporary, accident-caused closures, including damaged right-of-way; and clean-up of hazardous materials spills. The magnitudes of these additional costs are not well known. The 20th century highway system was laid mostly at grade on top of a 19th century rail system which has been adapted to the 21st century, leaving thousands of modal intersections that would be unjustifiable and inconceivable were the systems built in the 21st century. Recent reductions in rail track mileage, increases in rail traffic volumes, and changes in the operating strategies of freight railroads have resulted in more and longer trains concentrated on fewer route miles, slowed rail freight movement, obstacles to highway movement, increased safety risks, and bifurcation of communities, all exacerbating urban traffic circulation problems and leading to increased motorist non-compliance with warning devices and harmful outcomes. Because the entire transport system is now highly interdependent, maintaining its fluidity is a local, regional, state, and national goal. In addition to direct costs, there can be substantial indirect costs resulting from necessitated, unplanned changes in transport systems and rerouting of goods. Shipments can be transferred via trucks to highways or passengers to private automobiles and buses as an alternative when the transport system has been compromised. The National Highway Safety Administration and Federal Railroad Administration regularly provide reports which contain estimated (perhaps underestimated) costs resulting from crashes. Additional economic literature examines the potential savings from intermodal rail shipments and just-in-time deliveries. However, the lack of comprehensive understanding of the costs arising from vehicle-train collision impedes estimation of cost-effectiveness of grade-crossing changes such as elimination of a crossing, installation of active warning systems, and grade separation. Research is needed to provide a broader examination of costs associated with continued grade-crossing crashes and develop a cost model that takes into account direct costs from multiple perspectives that accrue as the result of a vehicle-train collision. The objective of this research will be to conduct such an examination and develop a usable model for evaluating the benefits of crossing changes intended to reduce crash costs. These costs must include those stemming directly from delays to rail and highway shipments along with societal costs resulting from these delays. Additionally, attention needs to be given to the role of hazardous materials incidents along with increased pollution resulting from delays and rerouting. The cost model will be helpful in making decisions regarding upgrading or eliminating at-grade crossings. The research to accomplish this objective might include the following tasks: (1) review of pertinent literature on costs of crashes and economic effects of interruptions in shipments of goods; (2) identification of the components of a crash that produce costs including (a) direct costs of damages and injuries to vehicles, trains, and goods carried, (b) costs of investigations to rail carriers and the public sector, (c) indirect costs resulting from injuries, and (d) time and costs resulting from delays; (3) development of a model that recognizes these costs and provides a simplified method of incorporating them into cost-benefit analyses of highway-rail grade crossing upgrades; (4) determination of how the model can be used specifically to enhance the Federal Highway Administration crossing-improvement resource allocations; (5) application of the model to a set of specific but typical incidents to show how the model can be used by decision makers; and (6) preparation of a summary report documenting the research findings.
KW - At grade intersections KW - Crash injuries KW - Economics KW - Fatalities KW - Freight traffic KW - Indirect costs KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad transportation KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2959 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232150 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463921 TI - Long Distance and Rural Travel Transferable Parameters for Statewide Travel Forecasting Models AB - In the last 15 to 20 years, many state departments of transportation have undertaken the development of statewide transportation planning demand models. To date, over 30 states have developed or are developing such models. These models are often used to help formulate policies, to prioritize projects, and to identify the potential revenue streams from toll road, intercity rail, and other major transportation investments. Some of these models can provide input to urban models due to their ability to capture market segments not well represented in urban area forecasting tools. Because these models play such a significant role in the planning process, careful and thoughtful evaluation of how well statewide models reproduce existing travel markets as well as their sensitivity to major market segments and behavioral responses is an increasingly important consideration for state and federal DOTs. Most of these statewide models are built upon practices originally developed for urbanized area forecasting. In the context of statewide forecasting, rural trip making and long-distance intercity travel constitute important market segments; much more so than in urban models. Information describing these markets, and how they vary from state to state, are sparse, and many states do not have the resources to initiate original data collection to develop a set of model parameters. Yet these same states have a pressing need to have confidence in reasonable data for rural and long-distance travel. Furthermore, for the states where local data collection has occurred, they have little basis to assess how reasonable their findings are compared with findings from other states. A research project is necessary to develop and document transferable parameters for long-distance and rural trip making for statewide models. It is envisioned that this document would act as a supplement to the NCHRP "quick response" guidance on model parameters and highlight reasonable sets of parameter ranges for rural and long-distance trip making. It will be widely used by state departments of transportation and consultants developing statewide travel forecasting models. This research project shall complete the following tasks. (1) Identify several roadside origin-destination surveys conducted by state DOTs, obtain survey data and/or study reports, and analyze long-distance trip patterns. (2) Explore 2008 NHTS data once available to see how differences in rural and long-distance trip making occur in various states and identify any explanatory variables that could be used to adjust average values and reflect conditions in a particular state. (3) Obtain access to all ATS data sets and identify trip purposes, average trip lengths, vehicle occupancies, and other statistics typified by long-distance travelers. (4) Explore existing statewide model data sources and likely ranges of rural/intercity travel market parameter values. (5) Identify and summarize non-traditional data sources for rural/intercity travel markets. (6) Document findings. KW - Long distance travel KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Origin and destination KW - Rural areas KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Travel demand KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip purpose UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2960 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232149 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463920 TI - Capacity Modeling Guidebook for Shared-Use Passenger and Freight Rail Operations AB - In February 2009, at the urging of President Barack Obama, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provides $8 billion in all-federal funding to states, groups of states, compacts, and public agencies for intercity and high-speed rail development. High-speed rail development has become a signature element of Obama's transportation vision. In April, President Obama released the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) high-speed rail strategic plan, "Vision for High-Speed Rail in America", which outlines the administration's strategy for ARRA passenger rail funding. This document defines four categories of high speed rail service, and shared-use, passenger, and freight corridor operations predominate in three of the four categories. The ARRA high-speed rail funding flows through the program structure established in the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) enacted in October 2008. The PRIIA legislation reauthorizes Amtrak and puts states in a key implementation role for the first time by providing significant grant funding with an authorized level of $3.4 billion in state grant funds over 5 years. States have responded to the new ARRA high-speed rail program by submitting over $57 billion in applications for the $8 billion in funding currently available. The great majority of these funding proposals involve the introduction and expansion of passenger rail service on shared-use corridors. The PRIIA legislation and ARRA high-speed rail funding guidelines call for states and underlying freight railroads on shared-use corridors to reach "arms length" agreements regarding access, the proper level of infrastructure improvements, and other issues before federal project funding is provided. The aim is to attempt to ensure that adequate infrastructure for passenger trains is in place at or near the time when passenger service begins in order to maximize track capacity to accommodate the passenger trains and to provide consistent on-time performance. Capacity models are often used by freight railroads and passenger operators to identify capacity issues in a given shared-use corridor and to determine the level of track, signal, and structure improvements that are required to add additional passenger service in a manner that does not degrade freight operations. These models have the potential to simplify time-consuming negotiations between states operating intercity passenger rail systems, commuter agencies, and freight railroads. Capacity models are designed to mimic passenger and freight and passenger movements in a given corridor. They are complex in their application, require large amounts of data, require great cooperation on behalf of the host freight railroad, and demand a great deal of experience and understanding to properly interpret outputs derived from them. While there has been experience on the freight rail industry side, states in most cases have not had the time to develop the expertise to fully understand the proper application of these models, even with the assistance of consultants. The methodolgy and ground rules for using these models can vary greatly depending on the consultant, the railroad, and the specifics of the corridor and proposed project. At this point in time, there is not a good understanding of the methodology for calibrating and applying these models to equitably address capacity and related infrastructure issues in a manner that protects the public interest while at the same time providing private freight railroads a reasonable incentive for entering into an agreement with a state or commuter agency as required by law. The objective of this research is to develop a detailed guidebook on capacity modeling techniques for state transportation agency staff and other public entities. This research will require a multi-disciplinary team with extensive and hands-on experience in capacity modeling applications for shared-use passenger and freight corridors. The team should have backgrounds in freight and passenger operations, engineering, and finance, as well as capacity modeling techniques. The study will need to have the active involvement of the major stakeholders, including the states, freight railroads, Amtrak, and commuter operators. To support and illustrate capacity modeling applications in the guidebook, case studies will be desirable to demonstrate their application. The case studies should be designed to cover the spectrum of geographic areas, freight densities, passenger service operating speeds, infrastructure improvement programs, and ownership-configurations. This work is continuing effort and outgrowth of work begun under NCHRP Report 657: Guidebook for Implementing Passenger Rail Service on Shared Passenger and Freight Corridors. This report addresses the need for capacity modeling but it does not go into detail on capacity modeling methodologies. In developing the capacity modeling guidebook, there are a number of issues that should be addressed: (1) How should the capacity modeling effort be structured to provide the most information to states on the proper level of infrastructure to be provided on shared-use corridors?(2) What is the public policy and economic rationale and basis for application of capacity models in shared-use corridors? (3) How can the model be best used to determine what amount of infrastructure will be required for a proposed passenger service? This includes: track and tie improvements, new shared-use or dedicated track in freight-owned rights-of-way, passing sidings, crossovers, signals, highway grade crossing improvements and warning devices, culverts, bridges, and drainage improvements. (4) What types of infrastructure improvements generate the greatest capacity improvement per dollar spent? (5) Should these improvements be designed for current capacity needs, future capacity needs, or both? How should costs be allocated if future capacity benefits both freight and passenger rail operations? (6) How can the federal statutory requirements for Amtrak-operated services regarding new services, adding frequencies, and increasing speeds be incorporated and properly modeled? (7) What level of freight growth should be incorporated? How can this best be done? (8) If an incremental improvement for passenger rail service, such as a new parallel track, provides significant capacity benefits for freight rail, should freight rail cost sharing be expected or otherwise accounted for? (9) How can the modeling process be used to best allocate infrastructure costs between the passenger and freight operations? (10) How will operational benefits to the freight railroad be accounted for? How should freight railroad operating rules that affect capacity, especially if there is no easily discernible benefit to passenger rail from those rules, affect cost allocation? (11) What benefits should flow to freight railroads as an incentive to participate in public-private partnerships to provide passenger or commuter rail service? (12) What are the data requirements for such models and how can data best be obtained from the freight railroad or other sources? (13) How should the freight railroad be involved in the modeling process? Is it possible to arrive at a "best practice" in terms of designing a process for modeling? (14) What should be the expectation regarding the cost of such a modeling exercise? How can the modeling effort be structured to minimize these costs? (15) How should the base case be structured? What is the proper test(s) to determine whether the base case has been fully calibrated? (16) What are the limitations of capacity models? Are there capacity models in use now that have been found not to work and that should no longer be used? (17) How can considerations not included in a formal model-based analysis be properly addressed? Is it conceivable to someday arrive at a consistent analysis that would be uniform for all freight railroads hosting KW - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 KW - Capacity models KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Guidelines KW - High speed rail KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Passenger transportation KW - Railroad tracks KW - Railroad transportation KW - Shared tracks UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2961 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232148 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461309 TI - Strategies for Livable Communities AB - The objective of this task order is to hold workshops and develop tools for use by practioners and the general public such as brochures, training materials, a research paper and any other materials to support and develop strategies to incorporate and promote the Department of Transportation (DOT) Livable Communities Initiative and the Housing & Urban Development (HUD)/DOT/Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. KW - Livable communities KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Planning and design KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable development KW - Training programs KW - Workshops UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01342758 AU - Chandler, Brian AU - Beasley, Kari Adkins AU - Rephlo, Jennifer AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Evaluation of the SafeTrip-21 Initiative: I-95 Corridor Coalition Test Bed, Final Evaluation Report: North Carolina Deployment of Portable Traffic-Monitoring Devices PY - 2010/06/11/Final Evaluation Report SP - 26p AB - The purpose of this document is to present the findings of the national evaluation of the deployment of portable traffic monitoring devices (PTMDs) at a variety of locations in North Carolina conducted under the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT’s) SafeTrip-21 Initiative. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) tested the use of PTMDs in work zones. During this testing, the USDOT conducted an evaluation to gain an understanding of the technical and institutional issues associated with using these types of devices. The purpose of the evaluation is both to learn how highly portable, temporary traffic sensors with a small footprint can provide real-time traffic conditions in work zones and to determine how that information can be used effectively by State Departments of Transportation (DOT) to improve safety and mobility in work zones. Based on their experience during this test, NCDOT personnel reported that the PTMDs were easy to install and maintain. The devices enabled them to focus their activities on the areas that needed the most attention while still monitoring areas that needed less active involvement. Based on the findings from NCDOT users interviewed about PTMDs, the devices appear to be a cost-effective, safe, and flexible means for an agency to monitor traffic conditions on their roadways remotely. KW - Highway safety KW - North Carolina KW - Portable equipment KW - Portable traffic monitoring devices KW - Real time information KW - SafeTrip-21 KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control KW - Work zones UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/36000/36000/36061/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/36000/36000/36061/ptmd_nc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1104511 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463975 TI - Scan to Identify Scientific or Technological Advances Having Implications for State DOTs 30 to 50 Years in the Future AB - In 2008, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) initiated Project 20-83, "Long-Term Strategic Issues Facing the Transportation Industry," and subsequently selected seven projects that are examining the affects of relevant domestic and global megatrends on state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the future. Collectively, this research will look forward 3 to 5 decades and develop plausible scenarios that describe the factors that may drive or influence state transportation agencies' delivery of transportation services. The research will identify opportunities for agencies to be proactive in how they monitor and respond to pending social, economic, environmental, and technological factors affecting these scenarios. Research conducted in this series of projects considers the following two goals: (1) anticipating the future issues that may be approaching so that transportation agencies are better prepared to respond to new and emerging challenges and (2) exploring visions of what the future should look like, so that transportation agencies can help shape the future through their decisionmaking. The seven active projects include: (01) Potential Changes in Goods Movement and Freight in Changing Economic Systems and Demand; (02) Framework for Advance Adoption of New Technologies to Improve System Performance; (03) Approaches to Enhance Preservation, Maintenance, and Renewal of Highway Infrastructure; (04) Effects of Changing Transportation Energy Supplies and Alternative Fuel Sources on Transportation; (05) Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Transportation Infrastructure and Operations, and Adaptation Approaches; (06) Effects of Socio-Demographics on Travel Demand; and (07) Sustainable Transportation Systems and Sustainability as an Organizing Principle for Transportation Agencies. These projects represent a significant effort to understand a number of issues and opportunities that DOTs may face, but they may not capture all important possibilities. NCHRP is considering whether to initiate additional projects in this series and is interested in conducting outreach in scientific and technological arenas that are not being addressed directly by the ongoing research. The objective of this research is to conduct a scan to identify scientific or technological advances occurring in non-transportation fields that may have implications for state DOTs 30 to 50 years in the future. The scan should also identify the factor(s) that might influence the pace and degree of relevant scientific and technological innovation and change, and the nature and strength of their impact on state DOTs. The research agency will present the results of this scan at a 1½-day interactive seminar on December 8-9, 2010, for American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Standing Committee on Research members, NCHRP Project 20-83 principal investigators, and invited others. The seminar will provide a forum to discuss whether there is a need to create new NCHRP 20-83 projects, and it will facilitate coordination between the active NCHRP 20-83 projects. Working with the project advisory panel and NCHRP staff, the research agency will also assist in designing the seminar and will facilitate the seminar. KW - Economic and social factors KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Maintenance KW - Strategic planning KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2934 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232203 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173906 AU - Bennion, Michael Dean AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Comparison of Operational Performance: Washington State Ferries to Ferry Operators Worldwide PY - 2010/06/10 SP - 72p AB - This project compares eight measures of performance related to transit service quality (e.g. trip reliability, on-time departures) and cost-efficiency (e.g. farebox recovery, subsidy per passenger) between Washington State Ferries (WSF) and 23 ferry operators worldwide. The project will discuss how setting targets and/or benchmarks for performance can progress government accountability for public services provided. The purpose was to use operational characteristics such as asset and traffic data to demonstrate where WSF ranks amongst peers in the ferry industry and to provide a reproducible basis for future comparisons. Contact information and data was inputted into spreadsheets using e-mail questionnaires, phone interviews and extensive data mining. A profile will detail WSF and include a background of ferry transportation on the Puget Sound and the policy environment surrounding its current operations. Several peers in the industry, including British Columbia Ferries and the Alaska Marine Highway System, will be identified further with their respective policy and operational strategies discussed and 2009 performance analyzed. The project will find top ten annual rankings that include vessels and terminals operated and passengers and vehicles transported, and will analyze the results of the performance measures chosen. KW - Benchmarks KW - Ferries KW - Operations KW - Performance KW - Public transit KW - Washington State Ferries KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/750.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/928586 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464196 TI - Consequences of Delayed Maintenance AB - Various maintenance treatments are employed by highway agencies to slow deterioration and restore condition of highway pavements, bridges, and other physical assets. However, budget constraints and other factors have often led to delaying or eliminating the application of these treatments. Such actions are expected to adversely influence the condition and performance and lead to a reduced level of service, to early deterioration, and eventually to the need for costly rehabilitation or replacement. Analytical tools are currently available to quantify the consequences of delayed application of maintenance treatments for highway pavements, bridges, and other assets. However, processes for using these tools to demonstrate the potential savings and performance enhancement resulting from applying maintenance treatments at the right time are not readily available. Research is needed to develop such processes. This information will help highway agencies better assess the economic benefits of maintenance actions and their role in enhancing the level of service of the highway system. In addition, incorporating these processes in asset management systems would provide a means for optimizing the allocation of resources. The objective of this research is to develop a process for quantifying the consequences of delayed application of maintenance treatments. The process shall be applicable to highway pavements, bridges, and other physical assets. Consequences shall be expressed in terms of performance indicators (e.g., distress and level of service), costs to owners and road users, and other relevant factors. Delayed maintenance applications may be defined by (1) the inability to meet the agency-defined application schedule or (2) the available budget relative to an unconstrained budget (i.e., availability of the funds required to perform all needed maintenance). KW - Bridge maintenance KW - Delay costs KW - Delayed KW - Highway maintenance KW - Maintenance KW - Maintenance practices KW - Preservation KW - Risk analysis KW - Schedule maintenance UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2717 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232424 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01322739 AU - Miccio, Claire Elisabeth AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Barriers to Implementing Low Impact Development Approaches in Washington State Roadways and Highways PY - 2010/06/04/Research Report SP - 38p AB - Low impact development (LID) is an approach to stormwater management that seeks to mimic the natural hydrologic functions of stormwater runoff prior to development. In general, LID techniques emphasize infiltration and evapotranspiration to remove pollutants and attenuate flows from urban runoff. As the largest land developer in Washington State, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is interested in better understanding the challenges of applying LID techniques to a highway setting and learning ways to address those challenges. This report identifies barriers to implementing LID approaches in a state roadway setting and provides recommendations on how WSDOT can overcome those barriers. This research question stems from a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System municipal stormwater permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) to WSDOT in February 2009. Barriers were identified through a literature review, Ecology LID advisory committee meeting discussions, and interviews with people who are involved in stormwater management in a variety of capacities throughout Washington State. KW - Drainage KW - Highway design KW - Hydraulics KW - Infiltration KW - Low impact development KW - Pollutants KW - Runoff KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/756.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34600/34622/756.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1084074 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464198 TI - Highway Bridge Fire Hazard Assessment AB - Fires can cause major disruption to highway operations. Major bridge fires resulting in serious structural damage or collapse are infrequent but are often highlighted in special reports and news articles. There is also an undocumented number of smaller bridge fires occurring throughout the United States each year that cause varying degrees of disruption, repair actions, and maintenance cost. These incidents appear to stem primarily from vehicle (often truck) fires, but bridges have also been damaged by fires in adjacent facilities and from other causes. The recent bridge fires in California, Michigan, and New York have highlighted the need to understand the frequency and severity of these incidents as well as to review available information on mitigation strategies, damage assessments, and repair techniques. Research is needed to provide highway bridge owners with mitigation strategies, post event assessments, and repair techniques associated with bridge fires. Such research could lead to American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines for planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and inspecting highway bridges; guidelines for emergency management; and guidelines for a risk-based management approach for bridge safety inspection and maintenance. The objectives of this research are to (1) investigate the susceptibility of highway bridges to fire damage (e.g., by material and design types, geometry, and fire load); (2) develop guidance for damage assessment and repair techniques; and (3) develop guidance for reducing the risk of fire damage. The research should include a comprehensive literature survey and the critical review of standards, technology, and other information. No physical testing is anticipated. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridge structures KW - Fires KW - Hazard analysis KW - Highway bridges KW - Service life KW - Traffic incidents KW - Vehicle fires UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2715 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232426 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461927 TI - Guidebook for Selecting Methods to Monitor Airport and Aircraft Deicing Materials AB - The management of deicer runoff at airports is an industry-wide concern. Effective management requires the ability to obtain on-site measurements of various parameters such as Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), ammonia (NH3), pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), water temperature, and glycols (propylene, ethylene). In addition, measurements need to be taken at multiple locations, at differing frequencies, and across a wide range of deicer concentrations. These measurements are needed for internal runoff management as well as to meet regulatory requirements. Accurate and reliable on-site measurements also have the potential to reduce operating and infrastructure costs. Although a wide range of on-site monitoring options are available, and more are being developed, there is a relatively high degree of uncertainty regarding the potential performance of individual instruments and methods. This uncertainty makes it difficult for airports to make informed decisions regarding the selection of the most appropriate monitoring techniques to meet operational and compliance requirements. Pending environmental regulations make this issue both timely and important. Accordingly, research is needed to review and evaluate on-site monitoring options to assist in the decision-making process. The objective of this research is to prepare a guidebook to enable airports to identify, compare, and select practical on-site methods (i.e., instruments, technologies, techniques, etc.) for monitoring deicing materials in water. KW - Airports KW - Best practices KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Drainage KW - Monitoring KW - Runoff UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2785 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230147 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461808 TI - Operational and Business Continuity Planning for Prolonged Airport Disruptions AB - As an integral part of the national and global infrastructure, airports have a major impact on the economic viability of not only the jurisdiction and region in which they are located, but that of all the markets they serve. In addition, hub airport closures can hamper and degrade service in all markets served by the carriers that use the facility. Airports are experts at emergency response as required by FAR 139. Most incidents experienced by airports last less than one operational period/day. However, if an airport were to experience a catastrophic event that would last several days or weeks, the impact on the local, regional, and national economy would be great. In a prolonged recovery, several weeks to possibly months, alternate business processes, work locations, alternate passenger handling facilities, and other business and operational considerations would be necessary. Given that most models of business continuity plans are based on an information technology format, it has been difficult for airport operators to translate the key roles, critical processes, and other elements to the airport environment. Elements such as alternate facility locations, remote access to critical business functions, and succession planning are among the issues that require in-depth, critical consideration. Research is needed to build a guide for airports that will allow them to consistently and effectively plan for recovery from a prolonged disaster. This guidebook would be the logical next step for airports in a comprehensive emergency and recovery plan. The objective of this project is to develop a guidebook that airport officials can use to effectively prepare and plan for the sustained ability to operate during and after a catastrophic event. KW - Airport operations KW - Business recovery KW - Continuity of operations KW - Economic development KW - Economic factors KW - Emergency response time KW - Guidelines UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2799 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230028 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467634 TI - North American Fatigue Management Program, Phase IV AB - The North American Fatigue Management Program Steering Committee has been developing a comprehensive approach to managing fatigue in a motor carrier operating environment. The research will address corporate culture, education and training, sleep disorders screening and treatment, scheduling and tools, and fatigue monitoring and management technologies. KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Driver monitoring KW - Drivers KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Motor carriers KW - Sleep disorders KW - Truck drivers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235870 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577884 TI - Community Germination Studies for Bioenergy Feedstocks in New York State: an Outreach Module for Student-Driven Authentic Research in High School Science Classrooms AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Communities KW - Cultivation KW - High school students KW - High schools KW - New York (State) KW - Outreach KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371190 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01576038 TI - Influence of Varietal Differences in Shrub Willow Crop Biomass Composition on Biochemical Conversion Yield AB - No summary provided. KW - Biochemistry KW - Biomass KW - Grasses KW - Shrubs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369880 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575944 TI - Miscibility of Lignins Isolated from Different Feedstock Types AB - No summary provided. KW - Biomass KW - Lignin UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368979 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466230 TI - Mitigation of Corrosion in CRC Pavement AB - none KW - Condition surveys KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Research projects KW - South Dakota UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234465 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466190 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Problems. Topic S10-06. Investigating Safety Impacts of Energy Technologies on Airports and Aviation AB - As the federal government increases its support for alternative energy sources such as solar panel arrays, wind turbines, and power plants, the impact of these technologies on the operational safety of airports is coming under renewed scrutiny. Solar energy is one of the more affordable and adaptable alternative energy technologies. Despite its accepted use adjacent to airports, there are numerous misconceptions that continue to preclude its development at many GA airports. There are two potential safety concerns frequently expressed regarding solar panels. The first is glare reflecting off of the panels, the second is the proper placement of the panels. Solar panel placement practice at GA airports to avoid airfield hazards, to avoid land use compatibility conflicts, and to facilitate future airport expansion is needed. There is literature on the impacts of wind turbine height published in Federal Aviation Administration Regulation Part 77. Synthesizing existing information on the extent of radar interference occurrences between wind turbine farms and various types of air traffic control radar systems would help dispel concerns and promote interagency planning collaboration. States and local governments are seeing an increase in the number of applications to locate power plants adjacent to airports. Exhaust plumes have the potential to create in-flight hazards that affect the control and maneuverability of aircraft. However, the literature that supports efficient siting of newer technology plants near airports is not available in one location in a concise format for use by airport operators, aviation land use planners, and regulators. The objective of the synthesis project is compile existing research literature and current practice on how these developing energy technologies can and do coexist with safe operations at airports. The intended audience for the report is airport operators, planning managers, and regulators responsible for considering aviation safety while facilitating alternative energy production and developing energy technologies. The synthesis report would serve as a useful tool for those involved in locating power plants generating thermal plumes, wind turbines, or solar arrays in the vicinity of airports. The report would compile the effects of solar, wind turbine, and power plant siting on airports, and assemble reviewed literature and undertake survey or case study of appropriate, Federal and state aviation agencies and other relevant organizations in order to identify common practices. Of particular interest is practice related to reflective glare from solar panels, electromagnetic interference and turbine height, and exhaust plumes from power plants, which all have the potential to interfere with a pilot's operation of an aircraft, including general aviation aircraft. KW - Airport operations KW - Alternate fuels KW - Energy KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - General aviation KW - Research projects KW - Solar power generation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234425 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464079 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Task 64. Feasibility Study of Using Solar or Wind Power for Transportation Infrastructure AB - The purpose of this research is to provide departments of transportation (DOTs) with technical and case study data on the use of solar or wind power as an alternative power source for across a wide variety of transportation infrastructure settings. The research will consider what technologies exist or are about to become commercially viable that have not been applied to transportation settings but with some thought/creativity could have a transportation application. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Case studies KW - Environmental impacts KW - Solar power generation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Wind power generation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2846 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232307 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464078 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Task 69. Identification of Tools and Techniques to Define Community Context as Part of the Transportation Project Planning and Development Process AB - This project seeks to inventory and evaluate the effectiveness of community context tools and techniques that are being used as part of the project planning and development processes. These tools should assist with understanding community interests and needs (i.e. visions and goals for improved quality of life) for the benefit of effective and efficient decision-making that leads to community-valued transportation projects. In addition, these tools should not only be useful to practitioners that specialize in socio-economic and cultural resource assessments, but also for those that are non-specialists such as project managers, designers, executive leadership and others that need to understand community context. The focus of this research is to glean effective practices from the inventory to help transportation professionals develop and deploy community context tools for different types and scales of transportation projects and understand which tools are most effective for different circumstances. The research will also identify future needs in the area of context tool development. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Planning and design KW - Project management KW - Quality of life KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2847 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232306 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462139 TI - Climate Change Impact on Coastal River Estuaries in Oregon AB - The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will monitor the physical processes and the roadway features of the Salmon River Estuary to better understand the effects of changes to ODOT's facilities and various restoration efforts as well as sea level rise and climate change. The proposed data will targeted to form the foundation for ODOT's efforts to maintain the function of the coastal roadway system and to fulfill our obligation as environmental stewards. The Salmon River Estuary has been selected from the many estuaries crossed by ODOT highways because of the existence of past monitoring and changes that are already planned for the highway. KW - Climate KW - Coast and river protective works KW - Environmental impacts KW - Estuaries KW - Monitoring KW - Research projects KW - Sea level UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ActiveProjectsIV.shtml#SPR_719 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230360 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461928 TI - Application of Enterprise Risk Management at Airports AB - Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is the process by which threats to and opportunities for an organization are identified, evaluated, and integrated across all disciplines in order to determine how to exploit opportunities, and mitigate, transfer, or avoid threats. Airports are conducting risk management activities, but they often aren't being coordinated on an enterprise level so that information gleaned through the process can be used in the strategic planning process, the decision-making process, and the allocation of limited resources. Other industries have implemented ERM and realized many benefits. From these experiences there are many lessons learned that can be applied at airports. ERM is not a one-time process that produces a report for the CEO or the executive management team, but rather a paradigm shift in the entire operation of an airport. Research is needed to help airport CEOs understand ERM, how it can be applied, and how to put it into practice. The objectives of this research are to develop (1) a guidebook for airport CEOs and their executive team on the application of enterprise risk management (ERM) to airports and (2) an electronic tool that can be used to prepare a risk classifications matrix. The guidebook should (a) define ERM; (b) examine the benefits, costs, and risks of implementation; (c) describe the process to implement ERM; (d) describe how the ERM process integrates with an organizational strategic planning process; and (e) describe how the information gathered through the ERM process can be used in airport organization's decision-making process. The guidebook should include forms and worksheets that can be used to implement ERM at airports. KW - Airport operations KW - Best practices KW - Decision making KW - Financial analysis KW - Guidelines KW - Hedging (Finance) KW - Risk management KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2784 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230148 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461805 TI - Developing and Maintaining Support for New Airport Capacity AB - Successful delivery of new airport capacity projects (including new runways and runway extensions, airspace improvements, terminal expansion, and ground access improvements) can take many years. Such projects are most likely to succeed with steady support from airport sponsors, political constituencies, airport users, interest groups, regulatory agencies, and nearby communities. Not only is it critical for project proponents to identify, mobilize, maintain, and broaden support, they also need to deal constructively with project opposition. These efforts should start early and occur at every critical stage (i.e., conception, planning, design, regulatory approval, and financing) to the point at which project development is assured. Research is needed to examine some of the many past and ongoing airport capacity projects to identify useful lessons on developing and maintaining project support and to provide guidance for airports based on these lessons. The objective of this research is to prepare a guidebook for airports that provides strategies for developing and maintaining stakeholder support when undertaking new airport capacity initiatives. The guidebook should contain specific suggestions and checklists that can be used by airports to develop and maintain such stakeholder support. KW - Airport capacity KW - Airport operations KW - Airport runways KW - Best practices KW - Implementation KW - National Plan of Integrated Airports Systems UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2802 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230025 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461754 TI - Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Problems. Topic S06-02. Airport Self-Inspection Procedures and Training Practices AB - Self-inspection to promote airfield safety is a primary responsibility of the airport operator. Typically, self-inspections are conducted by airport employees to detect existing and potential hazards. Self-inspection is considered a critical component of airport operations, are regularly scheduled, and include the following: daily airfield inspection; continuous surveillance of certain airport activities (e.g., fueling, construction, maintenance); periodic evaluation for surveying obstructions, approach slopes and other facilities and activities not requiring daily inspection; and special inspection resulting from weather, complaints, wildlife activity, or construction activities. FAR Pt 139.303 requires personnel with access to the movement and safety areas be trained to perform duties in compliance with the requirements of the Airport Certification Manual. FAR Pt 139, Section 327 stipulates self-inspection, including timing and requirement to keep self-inspection records. Staff training to inspect, use checklists generated by the airport operations executives, report results and remedy deficiencies varies widely among airports. There are tools available to conduct training of self-inspection procedures for purchase/hire, and some airports have developed tools in-house. The objective of this synthesis project is to collect and document common self-inspection conditions reporting training practices across North America for the range from large carrier airport to general aviation airport. The target audience is airport operations managers and staff. The synthesis report will provide airport operators with the range of self-inspection conditions reporting training operation, including low tech to high tech, hired/purchased versus in-house. Note that the National Academies does not endorse products. The research will highlight common practices in training and will document the range of reasons that different airports choose the options that each has implemented. KW - Airport operations KW - Airport terminals KW - Aviation safety KW - Inspection KW - Monitoring KW - Research projects KW - Safety inspections KW - Training UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2906 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229974 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461323 TI - The Effect of Learning through the Arts on Transportation Knowledge and Skills of Elementary School Students, University Students and Classroom Teachers - Phase 2 AB - The purpose of this study is to enhance knowledge of geographic concepts, particularly transportation, through the lens of dance and theater. Students and their teachers will gain knowledge through an interdisciplinary approach that combines the teaching of geography with the arts. This project will benefit current and future educators, artists, and geography researchers. The participants will include elementary and middle school students attending schools in Newark, Delaware, their teachers, and University of Delaware students with expertise in the arts and geography. This project will build on the work of the previous grant cycle, by adapting and augmenting curricula for middle school students. KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - Elementary school students KW - Geography KW - Knowledge KW - Learning KW - Middle school students UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229542 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01365269 AU - Steiner, Ruth L AU - Srinivasan, Siva AU - Provost, Russell E AU - Mackey, Jessica AU - Arafat, Abdulnaser A AU - Anderson, Nicole AU - DeLarco, Lauren AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - VMT-Based Traffic Impact Assessment: Development of a Trip Length Model PY - 2010/06/01/Final Report SP - 69p AB - This report develops models that relate the trip-lengths to the land-use characteristics at the trip-ends (both production- and attraction-ends). Separate models were developed by trip purpose. The results indicate several statistically significant and intuitively reasonable effects of land-use patterns. High residential densities and a good mixing of complementary land-uses are associated with shorter trips. Larger establishments attract longer trips and the home-based other (HBO) trip lengths decrease with increased number of convenient-commercial land-use parcels in the neighborhood. The connectivity provided by the roadway network and the urban-form of the area (measured in terms of number of intersections and cul-de-sacs) also affect trip lengths. In addition to the local land-use characteristics, the trip lengths also vary significantly by the location of the neighborhood with the region. All these results hold even after controlling for several trip and traveler characteristics. Trip length models are applied within a regional, neighborhood and project context to estimate trip lengths of a hypothetical development. Two simplified tools are presented that utilize the proposed models within an Excel and Geographical Information System environment that enable a user to estimate trip length as a metric of demand on the transportation network from a proposed project. KW - Land use KW - Neighborhoods KW - Travel demand KW - Trip length KW - Trip purpose KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/Steiner_CMS_2008-007_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44100/44184/Steiner_CMS_2008-007_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45643/Steiner_CMS_2008-007_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1134189 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173253 AU - Puckett, Darryl D AU - Vickich, Michael J AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bluetooth®-Based Travel Time/Speed Measuring Systems Development PY - 2010/06/01/Final Report SP - 56p AB - Agencies in the Houston region have traditionally used toll tag readers to provide travel times on freeways and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, but these systems require large amounts of costly and physically invasive infrastructure. Bluetooth is a widely used technology embedded in cellular telephones and in-vehicle applications for exchanging data over short distances. The initial demonstrations of wireless address matching were primarily designed to prove the ability for Bluetooth technology to produce matches between two points on a roadway outfitted with the proper Bluetooth reader equipment, with a resulting travel time and speed calculated. Costs for Bluetooth travel time measurement systems are one to two orders of magnitude below costs for traditional toll tag reader equipment, depending on the application. This cost advantage could significantly lower the threshold for hundreds of agencies and private entities to enter the travel time measurement market, but there is little guidance on the application. Development and testing of various prototype software and hardware platforms were conducted to use the anonymous Media Access Control (MAC) address from each Bluetooth device to measure and report real-time traffic conditions. Several issues were examined and resolved in order to develop a true first generation “product.” The development of this method and process is pending patent approval. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Cellular telephones KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Infrastructure KW - Media access control addresses KW - Real time information KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel time KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33764/Puckett_09-00-17.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933259 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560867 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Concept of Operations – Dallas Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Demonstration Project PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 143p AB - This concept of operations (Con Ops) for the US-75 Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Program has been developed as part of the US Department of Transportation Integrated Corridor Management Initiative, which is an innovative research initiative that is based on the idea that independent, individual, network-based transportation management systems—and their cross-network linkages—can be operated in a more coordinated and integrated manner, thereby increasing overall corridor throughput and enhancing the mobility of the corridor users. This document provides a high-level Con Ops for the US-75 Corridor in Dallas consisting of freeway, arterial, bus and rail networks, and serving a central business district. The purpose of this Con Ops is to answer the questions of who, what, when, where, why and how for the application of an Integrated Corridor Management System (ICM) within this corridor. Given that an ICM is a “system of systems” involving multiple agencies and stakeholders, this document also defines the roles and responsibilities of the participating agencies and other involved entities. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bus transit KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Freeways KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Stakeholders KW - Transportation corridors KW - Transportation operations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54130/US-75_ICMS_Concept_of_Operations_-_Demo_Phase_FINAL_Formatted.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339961 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554396 AU - Zutz, Aaron C AU - Jahren, Charles T AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Electronic Construction Collaboration System – Phase II PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 76p AB - During the first year of research, work was completed to identify Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) needs for web-based project management system (WPMS) and evaluate how commercially available solutions could meet these needs. Researchers also worked to pilot test custom developed WPMS solutions on Iowa DOT bridge projects. At the end of the first year of research, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was developed and issued by the Iowa DOT for the selection of a commercial WPMS to pilot test on multiple bridge projects. During the second year of research, the responses to the RFP issued during the first year of research were evaluated and a solution was selected. The selected solution, Attolist, was customized, tested, and implemented during the fall of 2009. Beginning in the winter of 2010, the solution was implemented on Iowa DOT projects. Researchers worked to assist in the training, implementation, and performance evaluation of the solution. Work will continue beyond the second year of research to implement Attolist on an additional pilot project. During this time, work will be completed to evaluate the impact of WPMS on Iowa DOT bridge projects. KW - Bridges KW - Construction projects KW - Cooperation KW - Implementation KW - Iowa Department of Transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Pilot studies KW - Project management KW - Software KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/18675/1/IADOT_InTrans_Zutz_Electronic_Construction_Collaboration_System_phase_II_2010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342436 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544563 AU - Fournier, B AU - Thomas, M D A AU - Folliard, K J AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Bibb Graves Bridge Arch in Wetumpka, Alabama: Petrographic Evaluation and Recommendations PY - 2010/06 SP - 30p AB - This report presents the findings of the petrographic examination of concrete cores extracted from two arches of the Bibb Graves Bridge in Wetumpka, Alabama. The evaluation mainly consisted of the Damage Rating Index (DRI), a method that provides a semiquantitative assessment of the damage in concrete based on a count of petrographic features of deterioration generally associated with alkali-silica reaction (ASR). KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Arch bridges KW - Bibb Graves Bridge KW - Cores (Specimens) KW - Evaluation KW - Petrography KW - Recommendations KW - Wetumpka (Alabama) UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/asr/petrographic/alabama.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330357 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478106 AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Littleton, Paul AU - Hoffman, Gary AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Minnesota Demonstration Project: Reconstruction of Trunk Highway 36 in North St. Paul PY - 2010/06//Draft Final Report SP - 43p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies to deliver a $30.7 million project in less time than conventional construction. This report documents the use of full closure to reconstruct a four-lane, 2-mile (approximate) section of Trunk Highway 36 in North St. Paul. The finished project has enhanced transportation safety and reduced travel times by eliminating six at-grade intersections. Local transportation has been improved with newly constructed crossover bridges and a pedestrian bridge. This report discusses the use of full closure on a major highway reconstruction project, which until now has not been used on a main thoroughfare in Minnesota. The project incorporated A+B contract bidding, a locked incentive date specification, and lane rental as an innovative approach to minimize traffic disruption by getting the highway rebuilt and open to traffic as early as possible. The result was that the newly reconstructed roadway was completely open to traffic in 145 days, 65 percent sooner than if traditional staged construction had been used. During full closure, traffic was diverted to detour routes, which presented the opportunity to use an intelligent transportation system, integrated with the existing Mn/DOT traffic monitoring system, to route motorists around the construction. Mn/DOT also explored the use of intelligent compaction equipment to expedite site work and lightweight deflectometers for acceptance testing, a first for Minnesota. While not a recent innovation, machine control using Global Positioning System technology was used extensively on this project and was a key component in streamlining grading operations. Completely closing the highway to traffic, even for a short time, increased costs associated with diverting motorists, but it reduced overall costs that would have been incurred with traffic impacts over a longer period. The alternate staging plan to get the project built was cost prohibitive and would have been unacceptable to roadway users. The high level of user satisfaction with the speed of project delivery attests to the project's success. The successes and knowledge gained on this project will encourage Mn/DOT to consider full closure as a viable alternative to traditional staged construction on future projects. KW - Deflectometers KW - Detours KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Lane closure KW - Lane rental KW - Road construction KW - Saint Paul (Minnesota) KW - Traffic diversion KW - Traffic surveillance UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdfs/mn_060110.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247040 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01477338 AU - Boisvert, Denis M AU - New Hampshire Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alternative Approach Slab Reinforcement PY - 2010/06//Evaluation Report SP - 28p AB - The upper mat of reinforcing steel, in exposed concrete bridge approach slabs, is prone to corrosion damage. Chlorides applied to the highways for winter maintenance can penetrate this concrete layer. Eventually chlorides reach the steel and begin the corrosion process. The objective of this research project was to investigate the performance of approach slabs constructed with structural fibers to replace the top mat of reinforcing steel. The research studied whether the performance of approach slabs reinforced with structural fibers would be equivalent to traditionally reinforced approach slabs. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) Materials & Research Bureau technicians performed standard quality acceptance tests on the fresh concrete at the time of placement. Technicians also fabricated three freeze/thaw prisms for each mix. The specimens survived freeze/thaw testing with only minor physical deterioration, consisting of slight scaling and pitting. The Civil Engineering Department of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was contracted to perform laboratory testing. The beam samples were tested for First Crack Strength and Average Residual Strength in accordance with ASTM C 1018 and C 1399, respectively. An independent testing laboratory extracted two cores from each approach slab to evaluate the air matrix within the concrete. Comparisons of the laboratory test results show that compressive and flexural strengths are similar for both mixes. The plots resulting from the residual strength testing show that the fiber-mix had greater strength after cracking than the normal mix. Periodic visual observations of the approach slabs were made to evaluate field performance by comparing crack size, frequency and scaling. After more than three and half years in service, the two approach slabs have performed similarly and well. The expected advantages of a thicker concrete cover over steel reinforcement will not be seen for many years. The epoxy-coated steel in the conventional slab construction should also delay damage from corrosion. Based on the performance observations to date, fiber-reinforced concrete is recommended for use in this and other applications where delaying the effects of steel corrosion is of interest. The NHDOT has implemented the use of fiber-reinforced concrete for all approach slabs as a result of this study. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Bridge decks KW - Compressive strength KW - Corrosion KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Flexural strength KW - Freeze thaw tests KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Residual strength KW - Slabs UR - http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/materials/research/projects/documents/FHWA-NH-RD-13733H.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246588 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472159 AU - Chen, Mei AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Travel Time Based Congestion Measures for Freeway Corridors PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Travel time based mobility measures have been increasingly used in highway performance analyses. Among them, Travel Time Index (TTI), Planning Time Index (PTI), percentage of travel under congestion (PTC), and buffer index (BI) have been identified as measures of particular interests in Kentucky. The objectives of this study are: (1) Calculate TTI, PTI, PTC, and BI for freeways within the TRIMARC coverage; and (2) Explore potential correlation between the reliability measures and incident characteristics (e.g., number of incidents, duration, severity, etc.). These analyses were performed for the years 2006-8 for each monitored segment and freeway corridor as well as for the entire freeway system. KW - Freeways KW - Highway corridors KW - Incident management KW - Reliability (Statistics) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2013/01/KTC_10_08_PL_18_09_1F-Travel-Time-Based-Congestion-Measures-for-Freeway-Corridors.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1243474 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457313 AU - Liu, Juanyu AU - Li, Peng AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Characterization of Asphalt Treated Base Course Material PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 103p AB - Asphalt-treated bases (ATB) are often used in new pavements; the materials are available and low-cost, but there is little data on how these materials perform in cold regions. This study investigated four ATB types (hot asphalt, emulsion, foamed asphalt, and reclaimed asphalt pavement) popular for treating base course materials. The research team collected data on stiffness, fatigue, and permanent deformation characteristics under different temperatures. This study produced a detailed literature review, including information from ongoing research projects, to compile the latest information concerning ATB characterization. Also completed were resilient modulus tests of ATB material commonly used for Alaska’s northern and central regions, as well as rutting tests using a Georgia Loaded Wheel Test apparatus. Researchers conducted resilient modulus tests on specimens of foamed asphalt-treated base material, fabricated in ADOT&PF labs, in all three Alaska regions; an additional test was performed in the central region using different binder contents and soaked conditions. Statistical analysis of the effects of aggregate properties on the resilient modulus were completed and incorporated into the finalized model. Study recommendations noted that based on the predicting equations for resilient modulus (MR), the moduli of treated base course materials can be calculated according to treatment technique, ambient temperature, aggregate properties, and binder content. KW - Alaska KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Flexible pavements KW - Foamed asphalt KW - Frigid regions KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Pavement design KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2011/09/Characterization-of-Asphalt-Treated-Base-Course-Material-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225282 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456680 AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Malchose, Donald AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - North Dakota Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - What Can Crash Data Tell Us About Older Drivers in North Dakota? PY - 2010/06 SP - 42p AB - Older drivers are a growing segment in North Dakota’s driver population. The natural aging process brings about diminished visual, cognitive, and physical skills needed for driving tasks. Crash record analysis was conducted to highlight elements that may be used to reduce risk for older drivers. Results show that older drivers are at relatively high risk for crash involvement and injury considering incidence ratios and travel exposure. Crash propensity, based on quasi-induced exposure measures, shows older drivers are also more likely to be at fault in these crashes. Among drivers 70 years and older, a significant increasing trend is found for driver error along with a confounding declining trend in driver evasive maneuver in crashes. The risk to other drivers is also a concern, since older driver crashes are nearly twice as likely to involve multiple vehicles. The ability to navigate these more complex driving scenarios, such as intersections and left turns, becomes increasingly problematic moving across older driver age groups. Older drivers require special consideration given their growing presence and crash injury propensity. Findings here may used in vetting a combination of education, engineering, policy, and enforcement measures that can be used to reduce older driver risk for crash injury and death both in terms of crash involvement and injury severity. KW - Aged drivers KW - Crash data KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash rates KW - High risk drivers KW - Human factors in crashes KW - North Dakota UR - http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP227.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224404 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454883 AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Georgia Forest Highway Long Range Transportation Plan, 2010-2030: A Transportation Policy Plan to Articulate a Vision, to Guide Investments and to Enhance Georgia Forest Highways PY - 2010/06//Technical Report SP - 60p AB - The Georgia Forest Highway (FH) program was created to provide safe and adequate transportation access to, within, or adjacent to National Forests or Grasslands as well as to help promote tourism, travel, and economic growth in rural communities. It is administered jointly by the Tri-Agency of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS), and the US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD). To be considered for inclusion in the Forest Highway system, a roadway must lie wholly or partially within or adjacent to National Forest System (NFS) lands and provide access to the NFS and its resources. KW - Economic growth KW - Georgia KW - Grasslands KW - Highways KW - Long range planning KW - National Forest System KW - Rural areas KW - Tourism KW - Transportation planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223330 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454087 AU - Baus, R L AU - Stires, N R AU - University of South Carolina, Columbia AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Implementation PY - 2010/06 SP - 108p AB - The recently introduced Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) and associated computer software provides a state-of-practice mechanistic-empirical highway pavement design methodology. The MEPDG methodology is based on pavement responses computed using detailed traffic loading, material properties, and environmental data. The responses are used to predict incremental damage over time. Design is an iterative process using analysis results based on trial designs postulated by the designer. A trial design is analyzed for adequacy against user input performance criteria. These criteria are established by policy decisions and represent the amount of distress or roughness that would trigger some major rehabilitation or reconstruction activity. The output of the computer software is a prediction of distresses and smoothness against set reliability values. If the predictions do not meet the desired performance criteria at the given reliability, the trial design is revised and the evaluation is repeated. The MEPDG method provides for three hierarchical levels of design inputs to allow the designer to match the quality and level of detail of the design inputs to the level of importance of the project (or to best utilize available input data). In addition to inputs required to quantify a trial pavement structure, the MEPDG requires over 100 inputs to characterize traffic loading, material properties, and environmental factors. Currently, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) designs flexible and rigid pavement structures using AASHTO regression equation methodology (1972 and later with some modifications). Implementation of the MEPDG will require a substantial effort. This report summarizes an initial study undertaken to: 1) gain an understanding of the new methodology, required inputs, and limitations; 2) conduct preliminary input sensitivity studies and review sensitivity studies performed by others; and 3) summarize implementation strategies undertaken or planned at other state highway agencies. Based on this investigation, general recommendations for SCDOT MEPDG implementation are proposed. KW - Implementation KW - Mechanistic design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Recommendations KW - Software KW - South Carolina KW - South Carolina Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46242/SPR_671.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1220259 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444838 AU - Cambridge Systematics, Inc. AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - SHSP Implementation Process Model – Supplement Number 1: Case Studies PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 62p AB - This document supports the Strategic Highway Safety Plan Implementation Process Model (IPM). It features case studies derived from the experiences of states that were used as models during the development of the IPM. Each case study describes a noteworthy practice actually used by the state, the results achieved, and key accomplishments. Users can obtain additional information by calling or e-mailing the contact person identified within each case study. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Highway safety KW - Implementation KW - Safety management KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic Highway Safety Plan KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation safety UR - http://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/noteworthy/pdf/FHWASA10025_ipm_casestudies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212435 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360656 AU - Sharif, Hamid AU - Hempel, Michael AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Study of RF Propagation Characteristics for Wireless Sensor Networks in Railroad Environments PY - 2010/06//Final Research Report SP - 79p AB - The freight railroad industry in North America is exerting efforts to leverage wireless sensor networks (WSN) to monitor systems and components on railcars. This allows fault detection and accident prevention even while a train is moving. Railcars, constructed mostly of ferrous materials such as steel, are expected to severely impact signal propagation. To better understand this effect, the authors first evaluated the signal characteristics when sensor nodes are placed in various locations around railcars. They used EM-Field modeling and evaluation techniques to obtain these results and found that node placement selection is critical for the nodes communication distance. As a second research area, the authors therefore aimed at understanding the protocol requirements and limitations of current WSN technologies. Based on the results of the study, the authors found ZigBee to be inadequate for freight WSNs and developed a solution that remedies the observed problems. The evaluation of this new multi-tier approach shows a significant performance and network lifetime gain, making freight train wireless sensor networks feasible. KW - Computer network protocols KW - Fault monitoring KW - Freight trains KW - Nodes (Networks) KW - Radio frequency KW - Radio frequency interference KW - Radio wave propagation KW - Railroad cars KW - Sensors KW - Steel KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/finalreports/Sharif_PropagationCharacteristicsWirelessSensorNetworks.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125853 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358030 AU - Llaneras, Robert E AU - Neurauter, M Lucas AU - Perez, Miguel AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Evaluation of Enhanced Brake Lights Using Surrogate Safety Metrics: Task 2 & 3 Report: Development of a Rear Signaling Model and Work Plan for Large Scale Field Evaluation PY - 2010/06 SP - 84p AB - This report documents efforts undertaken as part of a larger program of research involving a series of inter-related studies and research projects intended to reduce the frequency and severity of rear-end crashes via enhancements to rear-brake lighting. It outlines current efforts leading to the development of a rear signaling model to estimate the relative safety benefits of various enhanced braking signal approaches on the incidence of rear-end crashes, as well as the development of a detailed work plan for conducting a Field Operational Test of candidate rear signaling systems. This preliminary model is a first effort designed to see if enhanced rear signaling systems can provide safety benefits. This model is not comprehensive, nor does it model any of the system costs. The results from this preliminary model found that use of brake signal configurations which simultaneously flash the brake lamps (both outboard and CHMSL units) at 5 Hz were found to be effective, reducing the crash rate by as much as a 5.1% (95% confidence interval: 3.5%-6.7%), equivalent to 21,723 fewer annual rear-end crashes. The model also found that effectiveness of the simultaneous flashing signal was moderated by both 1) signal luminance (and brightness) and 2) activation, or triggering criteria. Additional efforts are needed to increase model reliability by gathering additional data to populate model parameters, and to validate model outputs to ensure predictions are generally reflective of real-world performance. A research work plan is also presented for implementing a large-scale Field Operational Test intended to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of one or more rear signaling system implementations. KW - Brake lamps KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash rates KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Flashing brake lamps KW - Highway safety KW - Rear end crashes KW - Rear lighting KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2010/811329.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122820 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358024 AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) Second Annual Report PY - 2010/06//Annual Report SP - 47p AB - The Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) Project was initiated in September 2007. The project is being conducted by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP) CIB Consortium, which consists of Continental, Delphi Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz. The project is sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through NHTSA Cooperative Agreement No. DTNH22 05 H 01277, Project Order 0002. From inception to completion, the project is scheduled to run for 32 months. This report presents a summary of the work performed during the second year of the project. The objectives of the CIB Project are to develop test methods for evaluating crash imminent braking systems and to establish benefits estimation methods for assessing their potential effectiveness at reducing the severity of injuries in vehicle crashes. KW - Benefits KW - Braking KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Driver support systems KW - Estimating KW - Highway safety KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2010/811341.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122817 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357988 AU - Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) First Annual Report PY - 2010/06//Annual Report SP - 40p AB - This report documents the work completed by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP) Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) Consortium during the first year of the project titled “Objective Tests for Imminent Crash Automatic Braking Systems.” The project is being conducted by the CIB Consortium which is comprised of Continental, Delphi Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation and Mercedes-Benz. The purpose of the project is to define minimum performance requirements and objective tests for crash imminent braking systems and to assess the harm reduction potential of various system configurations and performance capabilities. The project is sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This report presents a summary of the work performed during the first year of the project. KW - Braking KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Driver support systems KW - Highway safety KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2010/811340.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122841 ER - TY - SER AN - 01357971 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Vehicle Safety Research Notes PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Development of a Simulation Model to Assess Effectiveness and Safety Benefits of Enhanced Rear Brake Light Countermeasures PY - 2010/06 SP - 4p AB - This Vehicle Safety Research Note is a summary of the technical research report: Evaluation of Enhanced Brake Lights Using Surrogate Safety Metrics. Task 2 & 3 Report: Development of a Rear Signaling Model and Work Plan for Large-Scale Field Evaluation (DOT HS 811 329). Rear-end crashes account for more than 29 percent of all crashes; these types of crashes often result from a failure to respond (or delays in responding) to stopped or decelerating lead vehicles (NHTSA, 2007). The work described here is part of a larger program of research intended to develop and evaluate rear signaling applications designed to reduce the frequency and severity of rear-end crashes by redirecting drivers’ visual attention to the forward roadway (for cases involving distracted drivers), and/or increasing the saliency or meaningfulness of the brake signal (for attentive drivers). A computer-based model was developed under this effort to derive estimates of safety benefits associated with various rear signal approaches for avoiding rear-end crashes. The model was implemented in Matlab and relied on empirical data to model lead-vehicle-braking conflicts and estimate the impact of various system designs, including signal type and triggering criteria. KW - Attention KW - Benefits KW - Brake lamps KW - Braking KW - Countermeasures KW - Rear end crashes KW - Rear lighting KW - Simulation KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2010/811331.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122819 ER - TY - SER AN - 01357964 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Vehicle Safety Research Notes PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Assessing the Attention-Getting Capability of Brake Signals: Evaluation of Candidate Enhanced Braking Signals and Features PY - 2010/06 SP - 4p AB - This Vehicle Safety Research Note is a summary of the technical research report, Evaluation of Enhanced Brake Lights Using Surrogate Safety Metrics. Task 2 & 3 Report: Development of a Rear Signaling Model and Work Plan for Large Scale Field Evaluation. (DOT HS 811 329). Rear-end crashes account for more than 29 percent of all crashes; these types of crashes often result from a failure to respond (or delays in responding) to stopped or decelerating lead vehicles (NHTSA, 2007). The work described here is part of a larger program of research intended to develop and evaluate rear signaling applications designed to reduce the frequency and severity of rear-end crashes by redirecting drivers’ visual attention to the forward roadway (for cases involving distracted drivers), and/or increasing the saliency or meaningfulness of the brake signal (for attentive drivers). This study quantified the attention-getting capability of a set of candidate rear brake lighting configurations, including proposed approaches from automotive companies. This study was conducted to provide data for use in a simulation model to assess the effectiveness and safety benefits of enhanced rear brake light countermeasures. KW - Attention KW - Brake lamps KW - Braking KW - Countermeasures KW - Rear end crashes KW - Rear lighting KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash%20Avoidance/Technical%20Publications/2010/811330.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122818 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01357948 AU - Gonzalez, Richard AU - Seifert, Colleen AU - Yoon, Carolyn AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - The Social Psychology of Seatbelt Use PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 13p AB - Two studies examined interventions to increase compliance with seat belt laws. Both studies included physical reminder objects and social influence elements. The first study with a lower base rate (and lower socioeconomic status (SES) profile) showed a 20% improvement in compliance in the 2 weeks following the intervention. The second study had a higher initial base rate (85%), which increased to approximately 90% in the 2 weeks following the intervention. The improvement was significant for the larger (white) samples in the study, but only for drivers (not passengers). Because the physical reminder objects were rarely present in the cars on subsequent observation, it appears the social influence manipulations were responsible for the increase in compliance. Further study is needed to determine whether knowledge of future monitoring for the behavior, or simply knowledge of social comparison information, is responsible for these effects. KW - Behavior KW - Compliance KW - Highway safety KW - Laws KW - Seat belts KW - Social norms KW - Social psychology KW - Utilization UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/86095 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1122719 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354329 AU - Mazur, George D AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Local Transportation and Land Use Coordination: Tools and Gaps PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 150p AB - The effective coordination of transportation and land use planning decisions is vital to Montana's long-term economic growth and fiscal well being. Toward this end, this research project entailed a best practices study of land use and transportation planning across the United States, with a particular focus on issues and strategies relevant to Montana. The resulting Montana Transportation and Land Use Resources for Growing Communities is drawn from the information developed through the study as well as surveys and discussions with land use planners and transportation professionals across the State. The intent of this online resource is to provide information about off-the-shelf policies, practices, analytic methods, data sources, and software that can help officials in Montana's growing communities coordinate transportation and land use decisions. Development of the online resource centered around four research objectives to facilitate coordinated transportation and land use planning in growing Montana communities: development and extension of local street networks; local transportation system financing; assessment of development impacts on local and state roads; and directions for multimodal and transit development. Finally, the research identified promising but underdeveloped planning approaches worthy of further research and/or development in subsequent efforts. KW - Best practices KW - Communities KW - Coordination KW - Development KW - Financing KW - Land use planning KW - Local transportation KW - Montana KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Smart growth KW - Streets KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/smart_trans/final_report.pdf UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/planning/smart_trans.shtml UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45856/final_report78.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1119069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353619 AU - Cotter, Alisa AU - Muench, Stephen T AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Studded Tire Wear on Portland Cement Concrete Pavement in the Washington State Department of Transportation Route Network PY - 2010/06//Research Report SP - 77p AB - Studded tires are legal in Washington State and are typically allowed to be used each winter between the months of November and April. They are known to cause accelerated wheelpath wear resulting in additional pavement preservation costs. While studded tire use rates are hard to quantify, the volume of studded tire equipped vehicles is rather consistent across Washington State. This report uses Washington State Pavement Management System (WSPMS) data to explore studded tire wear on Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) roads. The average Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavement wears at about 0.01 in. per 1 million studded tire vehicle passes. The highest wear rates are near 0.5 mm/yr on I-90 in the Spokane area, while the lowest wear rates are in the range of 0.04-0.09 mm/yr in many locations. Stud wear rates are generally higher in the first 5 years of PCC pavement life and much less thereafter. While excessive stud wear problems are limited and not a widespread issue, specific locations with high stud wear rates are alarming. While several strategies have been attempted to limit stud wear, none outside of diamond grinding has proven effective. There are a few new materials (resin modified pavements, PCC surface texture techniques) that may yet prove effective. Tests to determine the susceptibility of aggregate sources to stud wear are generally not reliable, however, the Micro-Deval seems to be the most favorably rated. The WSDOT current practice of designing in an extra inch of pavement to account for future thickness loss associated with diamond grinding is sound policy and should be continued. As more PCC pavement in Washington State is due for replacement, WSDOT should consider a hardness specification program like Alaska’s in order to prevent the use of susceptible aggregate sources. KW - Aggregate hardness KW - Aggregates KW - Concrete pavements KW - Diamond grinding KW - Interstate 90 KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Studded tires KW - Thickness KW - Washington (State) KW - Wear UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Research/Reports/700/744.3.htm UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/744.3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118378 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353058 AU - Croope, Silvana AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Deliberty, Tracy AU - Nigg, Joanne AU - Delaware Center for Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Resiliency of Transportation Corridors Before, During, and After Catastrophic Natural Hazards PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 153p AB - The Nation’s capability for maintaining and improving infrastructure systems and assuring continued critical infrastructure systems’ services has received special attention in the United States of America, largely due to recent disasters with significant impacts. A large number of research and policy studies have been conducted to develop methods to improve protection of critical infrastructure. One approach is to reduce the vulnerability of places and infrastructure systems through mitigation strategies that increase system resilience or resistance to the stresses imposed by disasters. Improving resiliency requires a systems approach because of its complexity. Critical infrastructure not only responds to the needs of society for the smooth daily continuation of activities, but also provides the basis on which society exists and relies. To address this complex problem a decision support system to develop critical infrastructure resilience strategies is needed. One such decision support system analyzes the problem using system dynamics. The Critical Infrastructure Resilience Decision Support System (CIR-DSS) developed in this research recognizes the impact of disasters, including damage and disruption to critical infrastructure and loss of life. CIR-DSS development involves: a) understanding the operations and management of critical infrastructure, b) development of a framework to capture these processes, c) development of the model framework, d) development of the model, e) development of the model’s interface, and f) the communication of the model results including risk and a cost benefit analysis of alternative strategies. A case study is used to test and validate the approach of the CIR-DSS framework. The CIR-DSS development takes advantage of existing software such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Hazards U.S. Multi-Hazard (HAZUS-MH), a tool to assess the impacts of natural hazards, and Structural Thinking, Experiential Learning Laboratory with Animation (STELLA), a tool to build Systems Dynamics models. The case study used to test and validate the CIR-DSS approach is based on a real disaster that occurred in Sussex County, Delaware in 2006. The case study demonstrates: 1) the wide range of data and resources required in supporting decision making, 2) how the concepts can be integrated into a decision support system, and 3) the insights gained in using system dynamics to structure this CIR-DSS complex problem. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - Critical infrastructure KW - Decision support systems KW - Disasters KW - Infrastructure KW - Risk analysis KW - Strategic planning KW - Sussex County (Delaware) KW - System dynamics KW - Systems analysis KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://www.ce.udel.edu/UTC/Croope_McNeil_Deliberty_Nigg_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117583 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01349714 AU - Steimetz, Seiji S C AU - Yamarik, Steven J AU - Malatesta, Christopher AU - University of Southern California, Los Angeles AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California State University, Long Beach AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Accident Rates and Safety Policies for Trucks Serving the San Pedro Bay Ports PY - 2010/06//Draft Final Report SP - 36p AB - This study estimates three distinct measures of truck-related accident risk for several California urban highways. The risk measures are average risk (the number of accidents divided by total traffic volume), marginal risk (the change in average risk resulting from a marginal increase in truck traffic volume), and external risk (the product of marginal risk and total traffic volume). Special attention is paid to comparisons of these risk measures between "drayage routes", which carry the highest concentrations of drayage traffic, and other urban routes. This is done to investigate the notion that drayage trucks present a greater threat to highway safety than do other types of heavy commercial trucks. Estimation results suggest that drayage routes are indeed relatively hazardous in terms of average risk. The marginal and external risks exhibited by these routes, however, are considerably smaller than those of several other urban routes. These latter findings suggest that the exclusive targeting of drayage routes, and the trucks that travel them, may not offer the most effective approach to designing highway safety policies that target heavy commercial truck traffic. KW - California KW - Crash rates KW - Drayage KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Highway safety KW - Risk analysis KW - Routing KW - Truck traffic KW - Trucks UR - http://www.csulb.edu/~ssteimet/papers/METRANS%2009-01%20-%20Steimetz%20Yamarik%20-%20Draft%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42500/42543/09-01_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1108752 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01343583 AU - Sears, Justine AU - Glitman, Karen AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantifying Vermont Transportation Safety Factors: Young Drivers and Departure from Lane PY - 2010/06 SP - 24p AB - In Vermont, between 1999 and 2003, 25 to 30% of major crashes involved young drivers under the age of 21 years. Young drivers are at increased risk for crashing due to their inexperience driving and propensity for risky behavior. In this research the authors identify factors which increase the likelihood of young drivers being at fault and those factors which contribute to more severe (fatal or incapacitating) crashes involving young drivers. The authors combined all drivers from single vehicle crashes and all at fault drivers involved in head-on collisions in Vermont to create a departure from lane crash dataset for 2003-2008. Because departure from lane crashes often involve vehicles colliding with fixed objects, this crash type is associated with a high degree of severity and is thus a priority for safety research. The research objective was to identify factors that impact departure from lane crash severity. Driver distraction is assumed to be an important factor in many crashes, including departure from lane. Addressing the effect of distracted driving, in addition to other contributing factors, on departure from lane crash severity was the second primary objective of this study. KW - At-fault drivers KW - Crash severity KW - Data files KW - Distraction KW - Frontal crashes KW - Lane departures KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Safety factors KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - Teenage drivers KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-10-011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1105592 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01340428 AU - James, Robert S AU - Cooley, L Allen AU - Ahlrich, R C AU - Burns Cooley Dennis, Incorporated AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Summary of Lessons Learned from the MDOT MEPDG Materials Library Study PY - 2010/06 SP - 44p AB - From 2004 to 2009, Burns Cooley Dennis, Inc. (BCD) participated in two important research studies designed to populate the materials library for implementation of the new Mechanistic-Empirical pavement design method (MEPDG) in Mississippi. The purpose of this report was to capture the experiences BCD obtained with the resilient modulus test during the conduct of these important studies. Observations made during the course of testing the various materials for developing the materials library for typical Mississippi materials were documented during Task 1. Observations about sample preparation, test methods and potential test method improvements were deemed important. The second task was designed to provide discussion on the materials that were selected within the two studies. In order to populate the materials library, it was deemed important to encompass the extremes of material properties found in Mississippi. However, whenever a finite amount of time and funding are available for a project, all possible materials could not be fully characterized. Also included within this task was a critical review of test results. Task 3 was designed to discuss any differences in Mississippi resilient modulus test results and typical national results for similar materials. If differences were found, discussion on why the differences occurred was also to be provided. In order to assist MDOT and other pavement designers in Mississippi transition to the MEPDG, tables for typical resilient modulus values for AASHTO, USCS and MDOT classifications were developed within the final task. KW - Materials tests KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Mississippi KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Paving materials KW - Properties of materials KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.gomdot.com/Divisions/Highways/Resources/Research/pdf/Reports/InterimFinal/SS224.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37830/SS_No_224_Summary_of_Lessons_Learned_from_the_MDOT_MEPDG_Materials_Library_Study__2_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1101884 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01337329 AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Strategic Highway Safety Plan Implementation Process Model PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 73p AB - This document describes the components necessary for successful Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) implementation. It features discussions on the four fundamental elements (leadership, collaboration, communication, and data collection and analysis) and the four steps for successful implementation (emphasis area action plans; linkage to existing plans; marketing; and monitoring, evaluation, and feedback). For each element and step, the document provides a list of key strategies as well as a checklist for practitioners to use to assess their implementation efforts. The document is contained on a CD-ROM which can be run in an interactive mode to review case studies or learn about resources and checklists. KW - Highway safety KW - Implementation KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/shsp/fhwasa10024cd/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1097329 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01337285 AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - Murphy, Michael AU - Harrison, Robert AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Interim Report and Presentation for the TxDOT Administration PY - 2010/06//Technical Report SP - 112p AB - This report presents four documents created by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Multi-Tier Pavement Management Workgroup. These documents are as follows: Multi-Tier Pavement Condition Goals, White Paper, February 2010; Multi-Tier Pavement Condition Goals: Issues and Concerns, Interim Report #1, April 2010; Multi-Tier Pavement Condition Goals: DOT MTG Survey Summary, Interim Report #2, May 2010; and Initial Meeting of the Multi-Tier Pavement Management Workgroup, PowerPoint Presentation, March 2010. KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement preservation KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6655_CT_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1097590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01337281 AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Theodoulou, Gregoris AU - Lim, Yu Yik AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Modeling Hurricane Evacuation Traffic: Evaluation of Freeway Contraflow Evacuation Initiation and Termination Point Configurations PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Over the last five years, the departments of transportation in 12 coastal states threatened by hurricanes have developed plans for the implementation of contraflow traffic operations on freeways during evacuations. Contraflow involves the use of one or more inbound travel lanes for the movement of traffic in the outbound direction. It is a logical and cost effective strategy because evacuation traffic can be loaded into underutilized inbound lanes, thereby significantly increasing outbound capacity without the need to construct additional lanes. This report presents the results of two closely related studies to evaluate the implications of contraflow evacuations on freeways. The research focused on what are widely regarded to be the most critical locations of contraflow segments, the initiation and termination points. The termini configurations are important because they effectively dictate the capacity of these segments because they control how many vehicles can get in and out. In the research, traffic simulation models were developed to simulate the operation of planned configurations under varying levels of traffic demand to assess their operating characteristics. The results showed that many of the current designs of the initiation and termination points will likely restrict the ability of these segments to be used to their maximum effectiveness. Another key finding was the extent to which the spatial and/or temporal spreading of traffic demand can yield significant benefits to the overall effectiveness of contraflow freeway evacuations. With an increased awareness of these issues, these findings can be used to enhance the effectiveness of existing evacuation plans. KW - Contraflow lanes KW - Emergency management KW - Evacuation KW - Hurricanes KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_400_summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1097646 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01335374 AU - Vazquez, Christian G AU - Aguiar-Moya, Jose P AU - Smit, Andre de F AU - Prozzi, Jorge A AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Influence of Operational Tolerance (Acceptance Criterion) on Performance of Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete PY - 2010/06//Technical Report SP - 106p AB - The performance of flexible pavements relies heavily on the final quality of the hot-mix asphalt concrete (HMAC) as it is produced and placed in the field. To account for production and construction variability while ensuring the quality of the HMAC, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has established a set of relevant operational tolerances, which are incorporated into the 2004 Standard Specifications for Construction and Maintenance of Highways, Streets and Bridges. In particular, Items 340/341, 342, 344, and 346 provide acceptance criteria for all HMA mixes used by the Department. The operational tolerances for a series of key control variables that affect performance are given as a guideline in quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) practices. However, the relationship between these tolerance levels and mixture performance is not well known. This research project will establish this relationship: how do the operational tolerances affect the expected performance of the HMAC? Once this relationship is quantified, recommendations will be developed that indicate, if necessary, how the current tolerances should be modified. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of variability in key mix design factors, such as asphalt content, gradation, and density, on the laboratory performance of different hot-mix asphalt samples that were mixed and compacted in the laboratory. Variability was kept within specified limits by the allowable operational tolerances, and performance was addressed through the evaluation of the results obtained from volumetric properties and laboratory tests, such as flexural fatigue test, Hamburg wheel-tracking test, and overlay tester. A series of statistical analyses was conducted to develop relationships between the key mix design factors and the observed laboratory performances of each type of mixture. From the analysis, the effects of the main variables on the results of the performance tests used in this study were found. Finally, a statistically-based sensitivity analysis was conducted to reveal the relationship between different tolerance levels and mixture performance for the individual mixtures types. This research facilitates, for both TxDOT personnel and contractors, the evaluation of asphalt mixture performance under different tolerance levels, which will be performance-based and supported by a rigorous and sound statistical analysis. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Asphalt content KW - Density KW - Flexible pavements KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Performance based specifications KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6045_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1098298 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01333783 AU - Capar, Ismail AU - Narayanan, Arunachalam AU - Natarajarathinam, Malini AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Transportation System for Asian Goods to U.S. via Mexico: An Analysis PY - 2010/06 SP - 29p AB - U.S. shares more than 2000 miles of international border with Mexico. Texas has more number of border crossing ports than any other state in the U.S. The transit time for the goods to reach the U.S. west coast from Asia is around 12.3 days and the west coast alone handles 75% of the goods from Asia. The major ports of entries to the U.S. in the west coast are Los Angeles/ Long Beach ports. Due to increase in the volume of imports these ports are facing challenges in handling the goods. It is predicted that by 2020 these ports would receive around 40 million containers. This would increase the lead time, transportation cost and lead to congestion in the highways in the state of California. The problem can be solved if other ports in the west share a portion of the total imports. The ports along the west coast of Mexico are capable to handle the imports from Asia. It is highly essential to analyze the advantages of these ports and their intermodal capabilities to handle the increased volume of imports. KW - Asia KW - Container terminals KW - Freight traffic KW - Imports KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mexico KW - Ports KW - Shipments KW - Texas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35500/35578/Eksioglu__B__Capar_I_Narayanan_A____2010__Asian_Goods_to_Mexico_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1094746 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01333275 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Gulf Coast Ports Surrounding the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill PY - 2010/06 SP - 4p AB - This fact sheet provides a snapshot of two major seaports (New Orleans, LA, and Mobile, AL) and summary tables of other Gulf coast seaports close to the Deepwater Horizon mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) explosion and oil spill. New Orleans is approximately 132 miles from the site, and Mobile is approximately 136 miles from the site. KW - Coast and river protective works KW - Deepwater harbors KW - Environmental impacts KW - Harbors KW - Mobile (Alabama) KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Oil spills KW - Port operations KW - Seaports UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35300/35383/Gulf_Coast.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1097257 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01333146 AU - Martin, Elliot W AU - Shaheen, Susan A AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Special Programs Administration TI - Greenhouse Gas Emission Impacts of Carsharing in North America PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 128p AB - This report presents the results of a study evaluating the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission changes that result from individuals participating in a carsharing organization. The principle of carsharing is simple: individuals gain the benefits of private vehicle use without the costs and responsibilities of ownership. Carsharing is most common in major urban areas where transportation alternatives are easily accessible. Individuals typically access vehicles by joining an organization that maintains a fleet of cars and light trucks deployed in lots located within neighborhoods, public transit stations, employment centers, and colleges/universities. In this study, the authors conducted a survey of carsharing members across the country to develop a robust estimate of GHG emission impacts resulting from carsharing. The results illustrate the annualized change in GHG emissions among members within the largest carsharing organizations across Canada and the United States. GHG emissions from transportation are lower due to carsharing. The average change in emissions across all respondents is -0.58 t GHG per household per year for the observed impact, and -0.84 t GHG per household per year for the full impact. However, it is important that this result is understood in the context of the broad diversity of carsharing impacts. While carsharing does facilitate lower emissions, the reduction is not generalizable across all members or even a majority of members. Rather, carsharing as a system facilitates large reductions in the annual emissions of some households, which compensate for the collective small emission increases of other households. The results also show that respondent households exhibit significant reductions in vehicle ownership after joining carsharing. KW - Canada KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Emissions reduction KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Market assessment KW - Market development KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35300/35341/Carsharing_and_Co2__6.23.2010_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1097256 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01330477 AU - Sullivan, Andrew J AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Surhabi, Suman Reddy AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impacts of Signal System Timings on Rain Related Congestion PY - 2010/06 SP - 38p AB - It is known that inclement weather can affect traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, speed variance, saturation flow rates, and sometimes discharge rates from traffic signals. These parameters in turn can have a significant impact on the efficiency of traffic signal timing plans. Timing plans developed for dry conditions with good visibility may not be as effective under wet conditions with poor visibility, even for the same traffic volumes. Previous studies have looked at the effects of poor weather on traffic signal efficiency but they have focused primarily on winter weather conditions involving snow and ice, which have much more dramatic impacts on traffic flow. In regions like the South, rain is the primary adverse weather event and even though its effects on traffic flow may be smaller than snow or ice, its impacts can still be seen. This study sought to assess the impact of rain on traffic flow and determine whether there can be a meaningful benefit to developing and implementing signal timing plans specifically for rain events. Using simulations for two study corridors in Birmingham, Alabama, it was found that moderate and heavy rain events do impact traffic flow, increasing stops and average delays up to 6% compared to dry conditions. Signal timing plans optimized for wet conditions were found to reduce these delays, though in absolute terms the benefits were modest. It was found, however, that the effectiveness of rain-specific timing plans depended to a large extent on prevailing traffic volumes. An evaluation of potential costs and benefits resulting from rain-optimized signal timing plans found that the net benefits, at least in the two study corridors, are questionable. The analysis found that projected costs over a five-year life cycle would significantly exceed potential benefits. Rain-specific timing plans may have useful applications in certain corridors but the potential benefits and costs should be carefully evaluated beforehand. KW - Highway traffic control KW - Rain KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2011/09/Final-Report-07211.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1090980 ER - TY - SER AN - 01330120 JO - MTI Report AU - Rohlich, Nina AU - Haas, Peter J AU - Edwards, Frances L AU - San Jose State University AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - Exploring The Effectiveness of Transit Security Awareness Campaigns in the San Francisco Bay Area PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 60p AB - This research looks at how transit operating agencies seek to make transit security awareness campaigns effective and explores how effectiveness is measured, if at all. The case study data are comprised of descriptions of the types of security awareness campaigns employed by five major transit agencies in the San Francisco Bay Region, the goals of the campaigns, and how they seek to make their campaigns effective, as well as whether and how these agencies measure and determine the effectiveness of their campaigns. The organizations are consistent in addressing the need for passenger awareness but none measures the effectiveness of their campaigns. While they all have a similar goal of increasing passenger awareness about security issues, little evidence exists confirming to what extent they are achieving this goal. Suggestions are made for using outcome measurements to provide a reasonable indication of a campaign’s effectiveness by capturing the public’s response to a campaign. KW - Passenger information systems KW - Public information programs KW - Public transit KW - Security KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit riders UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/2914_09-19.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1084124 ER - TY - SER AN - 01330117 JO - MTI Report AU - Da Silva, Nancy AU - Virick, Meghna AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Facilitating Telecommuting PY - 2010/06 SP - 48p AB - Many factors can help or hinder the adoption of telecommuting by employees. This study explores the attitudes and behaviors of telecommuters and non-telecommuters. It looks at supervisor attitudes and human resources practices and policies. It also considers how the number of days per week an employee telecommutes affects employee satisfaction. Telecommuters were found to be more committed to the organization and expressed greater life satisfaction than non-telecommuters. There were no differences in the two groups in terms of job satisfaction or likelihood to leave the organization. Findings indicate that moderate levels of telecommuting may be the best strategy for organizations seeking to implement large scale telecommuting. KW - Employees KW - Families KW - Hours of labor KW - Human resources management KW - Job satisfaction KW - Management KW - Psychological aspects KW - Silicon Valley (California) KW - Telecommuting UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/2803_09-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1084126 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01329752 AU - Watts, Richard AU - Belz, Nathan AU - Fraker, Joseph AU - Gandrud, Lauren AU - Kenyon, Jennifer AU - Meece, Melissa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Increasing Carpooling in Vermont: Opportunities and Obstacles PY - 2010/06 SP - 25p AB - Growth in car ownership, dispersed land settlement patterns, highway investments, travel behavior and socio‐economic changes have all contributed to a dramatic increase in automobile use in the U.S. over the last 80 years. The resulting health, environmental and energy impacts related to automobile dependence are of concern to policy‐makers in the US and Vermont. Proposed solutions range from increasing the use of public transportation, walking and biking, shifting vehicle fuels from petroleum to other sources or even encouraging changes in the built environment to reduce car trips. One proposed solution is to increase the number of people in each vehicle which does not require extensive investment of public capital, relying instead on the existing infrastructure and already owned private automobiles. Carpooling can increase personal mobility, access to services, reduce environmental and infrastructure impacts, reduce individual transportation costs and save energy. For example, average vehicle occupancy rates in the US for work trips are about 1.1 per vehicle, down from 1.3 in 1977. Slight increases in the number of people per vehicle could provide the same energy savings as switching to an alternative fuel, without building new fueling stations or making any new additional investments. However, the percentage of commuters carpooling has significantly decreased since 1980 both nationally and in Vermont. Factors in that decline include increasing car ownership, decreases in household size, changes in travel behavior, the relatively low cost of energy and other sociodemographic changes. The purpose of this research is to examine potential obstacles and opportunities to increasing carpooling for the journey‐to‐work commute in Vermont and provide research‐based information for state policy‐makers regarding programs and policies designed to increase carpooling in Vermont. KW - Carpools KW - Commuters KW - Travel demand management KW - Vehicle occupancy KW - Vermont KW - Work trips UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-10-010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1089802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01329735 AU - Roisman, Richard I AU - Kennedy, Sean M AU - Spielberg, Frank AU - McCollom, Brian AU - Southern, Valerie J AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Transit at the Table II: A Guide to Participation in Metropolitan Transportation Decisionmaking for Transit Agencies in Small- and Medium-Sized MPOs PY - 2010/06 SP - 76p AB - The purpose of the Transit at the Table II project is to answer the question, “Why should transit agencies in small- and medium-sized urban areas (population < 200,000) participate in the metropolitan planning process?” This report discusses the observations, perspectives, and recommendations of regional decisionmakers regarding transit agency participation in metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). It details how transit agencies secured strategic positions in the metropolitan planning process and the results they obtained in an effort to educate and energize transit agencies in small- and medium-sized areas taking a seat at the MPO “table.” The report examines how to win policy and program support for transit services at the MPO level and provides specific examples of benefits realized by transit operators in small- and medium-sized metropolitan areas. It also discusses the benefits gained by small- and medium-sized MPOs by actively including transit in their activities. This effort builds on a previous study that focused on MPOs representing the largest urbanized areas (population >200,000). The report also identifies commonalities and differences between the “transit at the table” experiences of operators in large metropolitan areas and those in small- and medium-sized ones. KW - Decision making KW - Medium sized cities KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Public transit KW - Small cities KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/TransPlanning/TransTableII.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1090890 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01328188 AU - Negulescu, Ioan I AU - Mohammad, Louay N AU - Daly, William H AU - Chiparus, Ionela AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Use of DMA to Characterize the Aging of Asphalt Binders PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 62p AB - This report presents issues associated with long-term aging of polymer modified asphalt cements (PMACs) as reflected by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) data. In this study a standard SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer) polymer modified asphalt cement containing 3% copolymer (PMAC) meeting LADOTD specifications for PAC-40HG and PG 76-22M was selected and subjected to accelerated laboratory aging. Procedures were developed for simulation of long term aging of asphalt binders using multiple pressure aging vessel (PAV) operations in the absence and in the presence of water. Three, five and seven year old field aged asphalt samples originally of similar PMAC composition as that of PG 76-22 listed above were recovered from a wearing course mixture located on interstate I-55 near Granada, MS. All binders were characterized with respect to their composition and rheological properties. The extent of oxidation of both laboratory- and field-aged aged samples was estimated from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis and non-aqueous potentiometric titration data.. Changes in the molecular mass of the asphalt cement components were estimated from gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements. Aging determined a drastic reduction of molecular mass of SBS species and an increase in the content of large molecular species (LMS) asphalt components. Dynamic viscoelastic properties were determined using a high torque instrument. The asphalt architecture has been simulated with that of a gel. The cross-over temperature at which G” equals G’ at a frequency of 10rad/s as temperature increases was considered as the critical temperature, Tc, and chosen as a criterion to assess the advancement of hardening (aging). Oxidative aging in the presence of water promoted an increase in the carbonyl content of aged samples, primarily as acid groups, but the high humidity aging reduced the extent of asphalt hardening. Critical temperature of the field 3 year old I-55 paving sample correlated better with the laboratory wet 0.5xPAV aged PMAC sample, Tc of the field 5 year sample was intermediate between Tc of the dry 0.5xPAV and that of the dry 1.0xPAV laboratory aged PMAC samples and Tc of the field 7 year old sample correlated better with the laboratory dry 1.0xPAV aged PMAC sample. This type of correlation was used to determine if a binder extracted from the damaged LA 3234 Hwy road pavement was excessively aged after three years of service. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Asphalt cement KW - Bituminous binders KW - Dynamic analysis KW - Fourier transforms KW - Gel permeation chromatography KW - Mechanical analysis KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Rheology UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37862/fr_461.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1089397 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01328148 AU - Shakoor, Abdul AU - Admassu, Yonathan AU - Kent State University AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Rock Slope Design Criteria PY - 2010/06 SP - 731p AB - Based on the stratigraphy and the type of slope stability problems, the flat lying, Paleozoic age, sedimentary rocks of Ohio were divided into three design units: 1) competent rock design unit consisting of sandstones, limestones, and siltstones that may exhibit discontinuity-related failures; 2) incompetent rock design unit consisting of shales, claystones, and mudstones that may exhibit raveling and gully erosion; and 3) inter-layered design unit consisting of both competent and incompetent rocks where differential weathering may result in undercutting-induced failures. Data regarding geological parameters (stratigraphy, joint orientation, joint spacing, bedding thickness, total thickness of rock unit), geotechnical parameters (point load strength index, slake durability index, plasticity index, geologic strength index, rock quality designation), and geometrical parameters (slope height, slope angle, catchment ditch width, catchment ditch depth) were collected for 26 cut slopes containing the three design units. Twenty three additional sites were later added to the study for a more detailed investigation of undercutting-induced failures within inter-layered rock sequences and the instability caused by raveling of incompetent rock. The data were used to perform slope stability analyses including kinematic analysis using discontinuity data, global stability analysis using the geological strength index (GSI) and the Franklin shale rating system, and an analysis for determining the stable slope angles using the approach described in the Ohio Department of Transportation Geotechnical Bulletin 3 (GB 3). Results show that slopes cut at 0.5H:1V and 0.25H:1V are adequate in minimizing the potential for discontinuity related failures in competent rock design units and second-cycle slake durability index (Id2) values can be used to select stable slope angles for incompetent rock and inter-layered rock design units. Based on Id2 values, these angles range from < 2H:1V to 0.5H:1V. RocFall analysis indicates that either a 13 ft (3.9 m) wide by 1 ft (0.3 m) deep ditch with a 10 ft (3 m) wide flat bottom and a 3H:1V foreslope or 16 ft (4.8 m) wide by 1 ft (0.3 m) deep ditch with a 10 ft (3 m) wide flat bottom and a 6H:1V foreslope would adequately contain at least 95 % of the rockfalls, as long as the slope height does not exceed a certain limit. For higher slopes, either rockfall barriers or wider and deeper catchment ditches will be required. The choice between a rockfall barrier and a catchment ditch will depend on economic considerations and/or space limitations. Based on these results, detailed cut slope designs, including slope angle, catchment ditch and bench design, and stabilization techniques, are recommended for each of the three design units. KW - Design KW - Rock slopes KW - Rockfall catchment areas KW - Rockfalls KW - Slope stability KW - Undercutting UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/3/OHI/2010/12/01/H1291222088817/viewer/file1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1086569 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01328131 AU - Capar, Ismail AU - Narayanan, Arunachalam AU - Natarajarathinam, Malini AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Transportation Systems for Asian Goods to U.S. via Mexico: An Analysis PY - 2010/06 SP - 29p AB - U.S. shares more than 2000 miles of international border with Mexico. Texas has a greater number of border crossing ports than any other state in the U.S. The transit time for the goods to reach the U.S. west coast from Asia is around 12.3 days and the west coast alone handles 75% of the goods from Asia. The major ports of entries to the U.S. in the west coast are Los Angeles/ Long Beach ports. Due to increase in the volume of imports these ports are facing challenges in handling the goods. It is predicted that by 2020 these ports would receive around 40 million containers. This would increase the lead time, transportation cost and lead to congestion in the highways in the state of California. The problem can be solved if other ports in the west share a portion of the total imports. The ports along the west coast of Mexico are capable to handle the imports from Asia. It is highly essential to analyze the advantages of these ports and their intermodal capabilities to handle the increased volume of imports. KW - Asia KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Imports KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mexico KW - Port capacity KW - Ports KW - United States UR - http://ncit.msstate.edu/publications/publications_01.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1086849 ER - TY - SER AN - 01328129 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Asokan, Anand AU - Bared, Joe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crash Impact of Smooth Lane Narrowing with Rumble Strips at Two-Lane Rural Stop-Controlled Intersections PY - 2010/06 SP - 8p AB - According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the proportion of fatal crashes at unsignalized rural intersections constitutes approximately 37 percent of all fatal crashes at intersections nationwide. About 90 percent of these rural unsignalized intersection crashes occur on two-lane roads. As a low-cost remedy to address crashes at unsignalized intersections on two-lane rural roads, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed and evaluated a treatment to reduce approach speeds by narrowing lanes using rumble strips in the median and on the right-lane edge. This narrowing was applied for about 150 ft on the major road approach of two-way stop-controlled (TWSC) intersections on high-speed rural roads. Eight experimental sites were retrofitted between 2007 and 2008 in Missouri, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Maryland. Following the acquisition of at least 2 years of post-implementation crash data, pre- and post-implementation crash analysis was conducted to compare the performance of the new treatments. Results showed a 32 percent reduction in total crashes and a 34 percent reduction in fatal/injury crashes. KW - Before and after studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash rates KW - Highway safety KW - Lane narrowing KW - Rumble strips KW - Rural highways KW - Two lane highways KW - Two way stop controlled intersections KW - Unsignalized intersections UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/10047/10047.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1086318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01328111 AU - Moulden, John AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - State Planning and Research Guide for Peer Exchanges PY - 2010/06 SP - 19p AB - This document provides guidance for the State Planning and Research (SP&R) peer reviews. It contains information about the philosophy and principle of the peer exchanges; the use of peer exchanges to strategically improve research programs; and guidance and resources on conducting peer exchanges. KW - Guidelines KW - Peer exchange KW - Research KW - States KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/spr/10048/10048.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1086317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01324986 AU - Turner, Daniel AU - Lindly, Jay K AU - Kumlachew, Menasse T AU - Hauser, Edd AU - Elmes, Sherry AU - University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Evacuation Planning: Two Case Studies PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 89p AB - This project addresses the transit emergency evacuation of individuals without personal vehicles or the means to acquire them, during coastal extreme events. It is a joint effort of the University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) and the Center for Transportation Policy Studies (CTPS) at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, and uses Mobile, Alabama and Wilmington, North Carolina as simultaneous case studies. The research provided insight into the population most at risk (vulnerable population) and key factors in planning for transit evacuation of that group. Some of the primary contributions of this research were: (1) identification of characteristics of members of the vulnerable population, (2) use of current guidance to estimate the potential size of the transit-dependent population during a major hurricane event, (3) documentation of the large gap between the estimated number of evacuees and the much smaller number that actually evacuated in recent Alabama and North Carolina hurricanes, and (4) providing information on how to effectively communicate with these individuals before, during, and after an emergency evacuation. In addition to conducting these case studies, the authors identified multiple topics that should be resolved to improve transit evacuation of the vulnerable population. These include the need for a research framework to identify and prioritize major issues that hinder transit evacuation, the lack of involvement by emergency communication experts, the lack of evaluation of the effectiveness of evacuation communication plans, and the need for a national clearinghouse of information on communication with and evacuation of the vulnerable population. KW - Case studies KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Evacuation KW - Hurricanes KW - Public transit KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Transportation planning UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=08112 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1086120 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01324886 AU - Chou, Eddie Y J AU - Salari, Ezzatollah AU - University of Toledo AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Novel Image Database Analysis System for Maintenance of Transportation Facility - Phase I PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 29p AB - Transportation is critical to the global economy and plays a particularly vital role in this region’s economic growth. Transportation infrastructures such as highways, streets, and bridges represent one of the largest public investments of many governments. Maintaining and managing the vast and aging transportation infrastructures with limited resources is a most challenging task for nearly all transportation agencies. Monitoring and evaluating the physical condition of the transportation infrastructure and scheduling for timely repair are essential for effective infrastructure management. However, human inspection can be time consuming and prone to inconsistent results due to differences in judgments. Digital imaging technology has been proposed as a viable alternative to human inspection and provides automated inspection, monitoring, and pattern recognition, as the cost of imaging technologies has become more affordable. The objective of this research was to assist transportation agencies efficiently record, monitor and evaluate the conditions of transportation infrastructure assets so as to more effectively managing the needs for maintenance or rehabilitation with minimum total costs and least interruptions of services. The researchers reviewed relevant literature and designed the framework of a prototype imaging system to systematically and automatically extract features from digital images of pavement surfaces. The focus was on processing and transforming the roadway images for analysis, and extracting visible cracking data including crack length, width, and patterns from the processed roadway images. A new crack connectivity algorithm to rebuild the crack pattern after noise reduction was developed and implemented. This study was jointly funded by UT-UTC and MIOH-UTC. Phase II of this project, which continues the development of the prototype and focuses on improved quantification of cracking in terms of its length and width, and uses wavelet transformations to extract and identify different crack patterns in order to match the imaging processing results with human ratings, was subsequently funded by both sponsors. KW - Algorithms KW - Defects KW - Digital images KW - Flaw detection KW - Image analysis KW - Image processing KW - Imaging systems KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavements UR - http://www.utoledo.edu/research/UTUTC/docs/UT-UTC-IU-5_Final_Report_6-201.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1086224 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01322747 AU - Walubita, Lubinda F AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Texas Perpetual Pavements – New Design Guideline PY - 2010/06 SP - 54p AB - Since 2001, the State of Texas has been designing and constructing perpetual pavements on some of its heavily trafficked highways where the expected 20-year truck-traffic estimate of 18 kip ESALs is in excess of 30 million (TxDOT, 2001). To date, there are 10 in-service perpetual pavement (PP) sections. Based on the TxDOT initial design proposals (see Appendix A), a typical Texas PP structure consists of the following (TxDOT, 2001; Walubita et al., 2009a): (1) about 22 inches total thickness of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) layers; (2) at least 8 inches thick treated (lime or cement) base material; and (3) a well compacted in-situ subgrade soil material. In 2005, a research study was initiated to validate, among other objectives, the Texas PP design concept and make recommendations for the future design of Texas PP structures (Walubita et al., 2009a). To achieve these objectives, various research tasks were completed including the following: (1) construction monitoring and compaction quality measurements; (2) extensive laboratory testing and material property characterization; (3) traffic and response measurements for structural evaluations; (4) field testing and periodic performance evaluations; (5) comparative mix-design evaluations; and (6) computational modeling and software evaluations. Based on the findings of the study (Walubita et al., 2009a), this report documents the revised guidelines and recommendations for the future design, construction, and performance evaluation of Texas PP structures. The recommendations include guidelines for structural thickness design, design software, response criteria, mix-design, and layer moduli values. KW - Equivalent single axle loads KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement layers KW - Perpetual pavements KW - Road construction KW - Service life KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Texas KW - Traffic loads UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4822-P6.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34600/34604/0-4822-P6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1084083 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01322471 AU - American Medical Association AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Physician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers, 2nd Edition PY - 2010/06//2nd Edition SP - 246p AB - This Guide was created by the American Medical Association (AMA), with support from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), to help physicians address preventable injuries—in particular, those incurred in motor vehicle crashes. Currently, motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among 65- to 74-year-olds and are the second leading cause (after falls) among 75- to 84-year-olds. While traffic safety programs have reduced the fatality rate for drivers under age 65, the fatality rate for older drivers has consistently remained high. Clearly, additional efforts are needed. Physicians are in a leading position to address and correct this health disparity. By providing effective health care, physicians can help their patients maintain a high level of fitness, enabling them to preserve safe driving skills later in life and protecting them against serious injuries in the event of a crash. By adopting preventive practices—including the assessment and counseling strategies outlined in this guide—physicians can better identify drivers at risk for crashes, help enhance their driving safety, and ease the transition to driving retirement if and when it becomes necessary. KW - Aged drivers KW - Counseling KW - Crash injuries KW - Diseases and medical conditions KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Fatalities KW - High risk drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Physical fitness KW - Physicians KW - Prevention KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/plan/transportation/older-drivers-guide.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1082904 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01322423 AU - Department of Transportation TI - Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan PY - 2010/06 SP - 101p AB - In October 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order (EO) 13514 that sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in environmental, energy and economic performance. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies. Implementation of the Executive Order integrates sustainability goals with agency mission and strategic planning to optimize performance and minimize implementation costs. Each agency must develop and carry out an integrated Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan that prioritizes the agency’s actions toward the goals of the Executive Order based on lifecycle return on investments and identifies the necessary resources to achieve such goals. KW - Energy conservation KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pollutants KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34300/34372/sspp_2010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1082759 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01321160 AU - Sargand, Shad M AU - Figueroa, J Ludwig AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring and Modeling of Pavement Response and Performance PY - 2010/06//Executive Summary Report SP - 3p AB - Mechanistic-empirical (ME) based pavement design procedures are being used by some DOTs to determine the adequacy of layer thicknesses in new and existing AC and PCC pavements and to verify pavement designs with expected material properties, traffic loading, and climatic conditions. Similarly, the influences of weather related factors and construction practices on pavement response and performance have not been sufficiently examined. Harsh weather conditions and/or improper construction techniques may lead to the development of premature functional and structural types of distress that may ultimately affect pavement serviceability. Thus, the need exists to review and verify ME design methods, along with accompanying climatic models, and to document construction processes for perpetual AC pavements, long-lasting PCC pavements, as well as for several types of rehabilitation applied to existing rigid pavement. This includes an investigation of the influence of the mechanical properties of individual material layers on pavement response and performance. The primary objectives of the proposed research are to: (1) Monitor the new perpetual AC and long-lasting PCC pavements in Ohio, the rehabilitated PCC pavements in New York State, and other existing instrumented pavements in both states. (2 Verify ME design procedures for all pavements in the study. (3) Calibrate ME procedures presented in the NCHRP 1-37A AASHTO Pavement Guide for Ohio and New York State. Develop calibration factors for the distress models in the NCHRP 1-37A software. (4) Controlled testing of perpetual pavement systems. . KW - Mechanistic design KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement layers KW - Pavement performance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34000/34078/134287_ES.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1082069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01226730 AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Evaluating the Safety Benefits of a Low-Cost Driving Behavior Management System in Commercial Vehicle Operations PY - 2010/06 SP - 68p AB - Motor vehicle crashes are often predictable and preventable. Yet, many drivers choose to behave in ways that put themselves and others at risk for a vehicle crash and/or serious injuries. Behavioral safety programs are advantageous because they are easy to implement, easy to teach, and may be implemented successfully in the setting where the problem occurs to increase safety-related work behaviors. Almost all prior behavioral safety research has been applied in work settings where employees can systematically observe the safe versus at-risk behaviors of their coworkers. In contrast, commercial truck and bus drivers typically work alone and in relative isolation and thus require alternative strategies. Until recently, the primary problem with implementing behavior-based programs has been getting quality behavioral data on driving behaviors. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration funded this project to provide an independent evaluation of a commercially available low-cost driving behavior management systems (DBMS). Participating drivers drove an instrumented vehicle for 17 consecutive weeks while they made their normal, revenue-producing deliveries. During the 4-week baseline phase, the DBMS recorded safety-related events; however, the feedback light on the event recorder was disabled and safety managers did not have access to the recorded safety-related events to provide feedback to drivers. During the 13-week intervention phase, the feedback light on the event recorder was activated and safety managers had access to the recorded safety-related events (following a recommended coaching protocol with drivers when necessary). The primary analyses in the current report determined the safety benefits of a commercially available low cost DBMS. KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Crash data KW - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations KW - Motor carriers KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Travel behavior KW - Truck traffic KW - Trucking UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51300/51308/FMCSA-RRR-10-032.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/987541 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01226643 AU - Walubita, Lubinda F AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Texas Perpetual Pavements - New Design Guidelines PY - 2010/06 SP - 54p AB - Since 2001, the State of Texas has been designing and constructing perpetual pavements on some of its heavily trafficked highways where the expected 20-year truck-traffic estimate of 18 kip ESALs is in excess of 30 million (TxDOT, 2001). To date, there are 10 in-service perpetual pavement (PP) sections. Based on the TxDOT initial design proposals (see Appendix A), a typical Texas PP structure consists of the following (TxDOT, 2001; Walubita et al., 2009a): (1) about 22 inches total thickness of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) layers; (2) at least 8 inches thick treated (lime or cement) base material; and (3) a well compacted in-situ subgrade soil material. In 2005, a research study was initiated to validate, among other objectives, the Texas PP design concept and make recommendations for the future design of Texas PP structures (Walubita et al., 2009a). To achieve these objectives, various research tasks were completed including the following: 1. construction monitoring and compaction quality measurements; 2. extensive laboratory testing and material property characterization; 3. traffic and response measurements for structural evaluations; 4. field testing and periodic performance evaluations; 5. comparative mix-design evaluations; and 6. computational modeling and software evaluations. Based on the findings of the study (Walubita et al., 2009a), this report documents the revised guidelines and recommendations for the future design, construction, and performance evaluation of Texas PP structures. The recommendations include guidelines for structural thickness design, design software, response criteria, mix-design, and layer moduli values. KW - Guidelines KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving KW - Performance measurement KW - Perpetual pavements KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4822-P6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/987142 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01226623 AU - Williams, James C AU - Mattingly, Stephen P AU - Yang, Chulsu AU - University of Texas, Arlington AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessment and Validation of Managed Lanes Weaving and Access Guidelines PY - 2010/06//Technical Report SP - 130p AB - The goal of this project was to establish spacing requirements for access points to managed lanes with respect to the location of entrance and exit ramps on the general purpose lanes of the freeway. Traffic entering the freeway destined for the managed lane must weave across the general purpose lanes. Traffic exiting the freeway from the managed lane must also perform this maneuver. The results are based on microscopic simulation using the VISSIM model. The simulation model was carefully calibrated using data collected on IH 635 (LBJ Freeway) in Dallas, Texas. A genetic algorithm was used in the calibration. The model was subsequently validated using data collected at a nearby site along IH 635. The weaving was analyzed as a Type C two-sided weave. Capacity was estimated by gradually increasing flow in the general purpose lanes for each set of conditions until the simulation model throughput was less than the input flows, indicating the formation of queues. The specific conditions included ramp flows (500 to 1250 veh/hour), ramp to managed lanes flows (100 to 400 veh/hour), general purpose lanes to managed lane flows (200 to 800 veh/hour), and length of weave (1000 to 4000 feet). The principal determinant for spacing was the weaving flow (ramp to managed lane flow), with a minimum weaving distance of 2000 to 3500 feet for flows from 200 to 400 veh/hour. A desirable minimum distance of 4000 feet was found. All results were for four general purpose lanes. KW - Access KW - Freeway operations KW - Managed lanes KW - Microscopic traffic flow KW - Simulation KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Weaving traffic UR - http://www.uta.edu/ce/faculty/williams/report0-5578-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/982048 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01226622 AU - Walker, Roger S AU - Fernando, Emmanuel AU - University of Texas, Arlington AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Operations Manual for Portable Profiler - Installing and Using the Portable Profiler PY - 2010/06 SP - 31p AB - This manual is divided into two sections. The first is using the UTA-Profiler Program with the portable profiler for generating surface profilers. The second is installing the portable profiler module on a typical van or truck. The calibration and initialization files used by the UTA-Profiler Program are compatible with the standard TxDOT files used with VAMOS and WinTK. Information on, deriving these files are explained in the TxDOT Profiler Operations Manual. The generated profile obtained when using the the UTA-Profiler Program with the portable profiler is consistent with the TxDOT PF9 VNET data file specifications and as such the generated profile can be directly used with current TxDOT and PROVAL application programs. The second section, installing the portable profiler module on a typical van or truck, provides a step by step process for mounting the portable profiler sensor module. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Installation KW - Manuals KW - Operations KW - Profiler van KW - Surface profilers KW - Utilization UR - http://ranger.uta.edu/~walker/Reports/Final_0-6004-P3.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34600/34616/Final_0-6004-P3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/987407 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01226621 AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-70 Dedicated Truck Lanes Feasibility Study Phase I Report: The Business Case for Dedicated Truck Lanes PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The I-70 Dedicated Truck Lanes Feasibility Study is conducted as part of the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) 2007 Corridors of the Future Program. Through this program, FHWA provided matching funding for a Coalition of four states (Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Illinois) to conduct a two-phase feasibility study to determine the need, cost, risk, financing options and practicality to develop dedicated truck lanes (DTLs) on the Corridor. The study corridor is an 800-mile stretch of Interstate 70 (I-70), starting at the Ohio/West Virginia state line, extending west across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, ending just west of Kansas City, Missouri. Phase 1 is to provide an initial assessment of the business case for DTLs, in sufficient detail for the Corridor Coalition to make an informed decision on whether to continue to advance the concept on the Corridor. Phase 2 is intended to provide more detailed analyses of the concept, cost, risks, potential opportunities, financing options, practicality and strategy for the Coalition to continue to jointly study, develop, finance, construct, operate and maintain the I-70 Corridor as a unified facility. This report describes the Phase 1 development and testing of the business case for a dedicated truck lanes corridor in the I-70 study area. For this study, the business case is defined as a proposal that: (1) Identifies a problem or need; (2) Defines a solution; (3) Quantifies how much it will cost to implement the solution; (4) Estimates the return on investment (ROI) or cost avoidance (CA), i.e., reduced current or future costs that will be realized if the solution is implemented; and (5) Assesses the financial feasibility of the solution. KW - Costs KW - Dedicated lanes KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Financing KW - Illinois KW - Indiana KW - Interstate 70 KW - Interstate highways KW - Missouri KW - Needs assessment KW - Ohio KW - Return on investment KW - Risk analysis KW - Truck lanes UR - http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/files/PR_2010_Dedicated_Truck_Lanes_Feasibility_Study-Phase_I_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/981342 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01220485 AU - Houston, Nancy AU - Wiegmann, John AU - Marshall, Robin AU - Kandarpa, Ram AU - Korsak, John AU - Baldwin, Craig AU - Sangillo, Jeff AU - Knisely, Susan AU - Graham, Kevin AU - Easton, Andrea Vann AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - HNTB Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Information Sharing Guidebook for Transportation Management Centers, Emergency Operations Centers, and Fusion Centers PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 144p AB - This guidebook provides an overview of the mission and functions of transportation management centers, emergency operations centers, and fusion centers. The guidebook focuses on the types of information these centers produce and manage and how the sharing of such information among the centers can be beneficial to both the day-to-day and emergency operations of all the centers. Challenges exist to the ability to share information, and the guidebook addresses these challenges and options for handling them. The guidebook also provides some lessons learned and best practices identified from a literature search and interviews/site visits with center operators. KW - Data fusion KW - Data sharing KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Guidelines KW - Traffic control centers UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09003/tmc_eoc_guidebook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/980782 ER - TY - SER AN - 01219957 JO - MTI Report AU - Peck, Michael D AU - San Jose State University AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - Barriers to Using Fixed-Route Public Transit for Older Adults PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 234p AB - Although public transit is available for many older adults, actual and perceived barriers prohibit its use. This study examines what older persons perceive as barriers to using fixed-route public transit. Findings from four focus groups informed the development of a survey sent to 1800 older adults in Erie County, New York and the City of San José, California. Older adults perceive fixed-route public transit as a viable option to their preferred mode of transit, the automobile, but note significant barriers to its use. This report summarizes findings and presents a behavior change model that may be used as an intervention and even a guide to market the strengths of fixed-route public transit while encouraging older adults to use transit. KW - Accessibility KW - Adolescents KW - Aged KW - Fixed routes KW - Public transit KW - Safety and security KW - Transit safety UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/mtiportal/research/publications/documents/2402_09-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/935558 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01208117 AU - Schurr, Karen S AU - Foss, Timothy J AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Research and Special Programs Administration TI - Offset Right-Turn Lanes for Improved Intersection Sight Distance PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 132p AB - Many transportation agencies have started using offset right-turn lanes (ORTLs) at two-way stop-controlled intersections in the hope of improving driver safety by providing intersection departure sight distance triangles that eliminate through roadway right-turning vehicle obstructions. Currently, there are no specific geometric guidelines for key three-dimensional characteristics to allow drivers the optimal use of laterally-shifted right-turn lanes. Results of driver behavior studies at existing locations of offset right-turns lanes indicate that drivers are not performing as expected at parallel-type ORTLs, rendering its presence useless. Tapered-type ORTLs appear to be much more intuitive to driver expectancy and appropriate for the three-dimensional characteristics of all vehicle types. This research project identifies specific negative driver behaviors and recommends appropriate traffic control devices that meet current MUTCD guidelines to mitigate misleading visual cues and accentuate elements that reinforce the intended positive behavior at ORTL intersections for successful use of the laterally-offset right-turn auxiliary lane. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Intersections KW - Offset right turn lanes KW - Right turn lanes KW - Sight distance KW - Traffic control devices UR - http://matc.unl.edu/research/research_projects.php?researchID=345 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968700 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01208063 AU - Miller, Sheryl AU - Kennedy, Jason F AU - Molino, John AU - Emo, Amanda AU - Rousseau, Gabriel AU - Tan, Carol AU - Do, Ann AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Operating Characteristics of the Segway™ Human Transporter PY - 2010/06//F SP - 68p AB - The objective of this research was to examine the operating characteristics of the Segway™ Human Transporter (HT). This final report provides empirical data on Segway™ HT acceleration and stopping distance (both planned and unplanned stops) as well as riders approach speed and clearance distance when navigating around obstacles. Such information can support a rational approach to the incorporation of Segway. HT traffic into regulating, planning, designing, and controlling shared-use paths and roadways. The results of the research described here will provide practitioners and policy makers with data to make informed decisions related to the use of Segway™ HTs on shared-use facilities. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Highway operations KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Segway Human Transporter KW - Sidewalks KW - Stopping distances KW - Traffic speed UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/10025/10025.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968955 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01208047 AU - Bandini, Paola AU - Pham, Hung V AU - New Mexico State University, Las Cruces AU - New Mexico Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transition from Manual to Automatic Rutting Measurements: Effect on Pavement Serviceability Index Values PY - 2010/06 SP - 142p AB - The Pavement Serviceability Index (PSI) is used by New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) to express the serviceability level of a pavement section at the network level. The PSI is calculated with distress ratings (including rutting) and roughness data. Currently, rut depth data collected with two NMDOT-owned 3-point profilometers are not used as an input in the calculation of PSI values. The main goal of this project was to develop and recommend a procedure to substitute automated rut depth for rutting ratings from manual surveys. For planning and reporting purposes, it is important for NMDOT to maintain the consistency of the methods and data used to calculate PSI values and to document any change implemented so that comparisons of current and past conditions and performance evaluations of the network can be made. The transition from using manual survey ratings to automated rut depth measurements should introduce the smallest possible difference in the calculated PSI values and the overall condition rating of the highway network. Three procedures or approaches are presented and discussed. Regression analyses were applied to the rut depth and PSI data. Recommended Approach A proposed preserving the current PSI formulation and factors and converting the automated rut depth data into equivalent rutting ratings. Alternative Approach B proposed minor modifications to the PSI formulation. A third approach (Approach C) was considered and evaluated, but was not recommended. Results of the statistical tests performed on the data and results are also presented. The ratings from manual surveys and automated rut depth data were compared with detailed measurements of transverse profiles to evaluate the data from these two methods. This report includes an implementation plan for the recommended and alternative approaches. KW - Automation KW - Measurement KW - Profilometers KW - Regression analysis KW - Roughness KW - Rutting KW - Serviceability Index UR - http://dot.state.nm.us/content/dam/nmdot/Research/NM08SAF-02%20RUTTING%20FINAL%20REPORT%20DISTRIBUTE%208-2010.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34300/34359/NM08SAF-02_RUTTING_FINAL_REPORT_DISTRIBUTE_8-2010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968879 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01206857 AU - Sargand, Shad AU - Figueroa, J Ludwig AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Monitoring and Modeling of Pavement Response and Performance. Task A: Ohio PY - 2010/06//Technical Report SP - 175p AB - Over the years, the Ohio Department of Transportation has constructed several pavements with a range of designs and materials to study and improve overall statewide performance. These pavements require constant monitoring to determine how they perform over time and what mechanisms are at work to cause distress. One major effort was the DEL-23 Test Road where 40 asphalt concrete (AC) and portland cement concrete (PCC) test sections in the SPS-1, SPS-2, SPS-8 and SPS-9 experiments were constructed for the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). While many sections have been replaced, many other sections remain in service. These remaining sections and seven PCC replacement sections need to be evaluated periodically. Perpetual AC pavement and long lasting PCC pavements were constructed on US-30 in Wayne County to compare the performance of these new designs and to reduce maintenance and the associated traffic delays. ATH-33 was a rigid pavement constructed in Nelsonville using blast furnace slag and fly ash as a partial replacement for cement. Sections with these materials were also cured with membrane and wet burlap to observe any differences in performance. ATH-50 was a rigid pavement with ground granulated blast furnace slag added to the concrete. A few stainless steel tube dowel bars filled with concrete and a few fiberglass dowel bars were installed and compared with standard epoxy coated steel dowel bars. LOG-33 was an AC pavement containing six different bases to determine their effect on performance. MEG-33 was a PCC pavement constructed partially on a clay subgrade and partially on a sandy subgrade. Some of the joints in both sections were sealed and some were unsealed to set up a test matrix of joint sealing and subgrade type. Various testing was performed at these sites, but the most common types of testing were falling weight deflectometer (FWD) and controlled vehicle testing with loaded dump trucks to measure responses to dynamic loading. KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Concrete pavements KW - Dynamic loads KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Flexible pavements KW - Ohio KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Perpetual pavements KW - Rigid pavements KW - Special Pavement Sections (LTPP) KW - Strategic Highway Research Program KW - Test sections UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/664559757/viewonline UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34000/34079/134287_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968062 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173899 AU - Russell, Mark AU - Uhlmeyer, Jeff S AU - Sexton, Tim AU - Weston, Jim AU - Baker, Tom AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Long-Term Pavement Performance and Noise Characteristics of Open-Graded Friction Courses – Project 3 PY - 2010/06//Post-Construction and Performance Report SP - 56p AB - This experimental project is being conducted as a part of WSDOT’s effort to produce pavements that reduce the noise generated at the tire/pavement interface. Experimental sections of open-graded friction courses were built using asphalt rubber and SBS modified binders. A section of conventional Class ½ inch hot mix asphalt (HMA) serves as the control section for the two experimental sections. Sound intensity measurements were conducted using the On Board Sound Intensity (OBSI) method after construction. The most recent OBSI readings taken in December of 2009 indicated that the open-graded asphalt rubber and SBS modified sections were 3.5 to 2.0 decibels, respectively, quieter than the Class ½ inch HMA control section. This experimental evaluation will continue for the useful life of the pavement or a minimum of five years. KW - Asphalt rubber KW - Bituminous binders KW - Friction course KW - Measurement KW - Noise control KW - Onboard equipment KW - Open graded aggregates KW - Pavement performance KW - Rolling contact KW - Sound intensity KW - Styrene butadiene styrene KW - Tire/pavement noise UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/749.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927762 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173893 AU - Longthorne, Anders AU - Subramanian, Rajesh AU - Chen, Chou-Lin AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - An Analysis of the Significant Decline in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2008 PY - 2010/06//NHTSA Technical Report SP - 38p AB - Fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes reached 43,510 in 2005. This was the highest number of fatalities reached since 1990. Since this recent peak, the number of reported fatalities has steadily declined every year, down to 37,261 in 2008. In particular, the number of fatalities reported for 2008, by NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), decreased by almost 10 percent as compared to 2007. The 37,261 fatalities reported for 2008 also represented the lowest level of traffic fatalities since 1961. With fatalities projected to decline again in 2009 (down to 33,963), this would mean that between 2005 and 2009 motor vehicle traffic crash fatalities have declined almost 22 percent. Also in 2008, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reached an all-time low of 1.25. The decline (down 2 percent) in the VMT was much less significant than the decline in the fatalities (down 10 percent). In addition to the sustained benefits from various vehicle and behavioral programs, the objective of this report is to identify areas that contributed to this significant decline in 2008. This report analyzes crash data from FARS and the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (NASS GES), along with data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to provide insight into the recent decline in fatalities. While the recorded number of fatalities is projected to significantly decline again in 2009 (down around 9%), the FARS data will not be available until the fall of 2010 for in-depth analysis. A significant decline from 2007 to 2008, slightly higher than 17 percent, was recorded for fatalities in crashes involving young drivers of passenger vehicles (ages 16-24). In comparison, fatalities in crashes involving passenger vehicle drivers between the ages of 25 to 44 decreased by about 11 percent, those between 45-64 years old decreased by about 10 percent, and those 65 years old and older decreased by about 7 percent. Child fatalities (under 16 years old) decreased by about 20 percent. Other areas of significant declines in fatalities were those that occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes (about 13%), crashes involving large trucks (about 12%), crashes that occurred during the weekend (about 11%) and for occupant fatalities in vehicles that rolled over in multiple-vehicle crashes (19%). Motorcyclist and pedalcyclist fatalities showed an increase in 2008. The long-term declining trend observed in fatalities since reaching a high in the early 1970s has occurred while significant vehicle and occupant safety regulations and programs were being enacted by NHTSA and the States. NHTSA-administered behavioral and vehicle safety programs, both in the crashworthiness and crash avoidance areas, and through the issuing of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards has contributed significantly to the long-term downward trend seen in motor vehicle traffic crash fatalities. Roadway improvements, as well as commercial vehicle programs have also contributed to the decline. In addition to the continued effect of these safety countermeasures, the large drop in fatalities in 2008 and 2009 has also coincided with a recession in the U.S. economy. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash data KW - Demographics KW - Fatalities KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811346.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934337 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173877 AU - Ripplinger, David AU - Brand-Sargent, Bethany AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Technology Adoption by Small Urban and Rural Transit Agencies PY - 2010/06 SP - 83p AB - In this paper, findings from a national survey on technology use by agencies providing transit service to rural areas are presented. The survey collected data on agency use of information and communications technologies, transit-specific technology, as well as characteristics of its manager. The survey targeted organizations that receive Section 5311 funds, a federal grant program, to provide transit service to non-urbanized areas, but that do not provide intercity bus service exclusively. Survey data were joined with financial and operating statistics contained in the recently available Rural National Transit Database (Rural NTD) to allow for further analysis. An econometric analysis to investigate the impact of community, agency, and manager attributes on technology adoption was conducted using discrete choice modeling techniques. The analysis included modeling the individual adoption of four technologies: Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), Computer-Aided Scheduling and Dispatch software (CASD), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) using binary logit techniques. The joint adoption of technology, specifically CASD software in combination with AVL, GIS, or MDTs, was modeled using a multinomial logit framework. Agency size measured by fleet size, budget, and trips delivered are significant factors that impact the adoption of technology by rural transit agencies. Manager education and experience, attendance at national conferences, interaction with technology vendors, and participating in technology training were also found to be significant. Results of the survey and analysis have practical implications for policy and practice. They support participation of agency managers in national conferences and technology-focused training. The results can also be used to determine which agencies might benefit from technology based on community, agency, and manager attributes. Conversely, agencies that do use technology, but are not expected to based on their characteristics, can be identified to determine if and how they benefit from the technologies they use. KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Bus transit operations KW - Computer aided dispatch systems KW - Econometric models KW - Geographic information systems KW - Logits KW - Mobile data terminals KW - Rural areas KW - Scheduling KW - Small cities KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP226.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927767 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173869 AU - Wang, Linbing AU - Druta, Cristian AU - Lane, D Stephen AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Methods for Assessing the Polishing Characteristics of Coarse Aggregates for Use in Pavement Surface Layers PY - 2010/06//Final Contract Report SP - 47p AB - The predominant aggregate resources located in the western parts of Virginia are carbonate rocks. The mineral components of these rocks tend to be relatively soft and subject to abrasive wear under traffic that leads to a fairly rapid smoothing of the aggregate surface and the surface of pavements containing them. This smoothing or polishing leads to a loss of surface friction and thus skid resistance of the pavement, creating potential safety issues. As a consequence, surface courses of pavements are constructed with nonpolishing aggregates, which in the western districts can mean lengthy transport of materials. With rising economic and environmental costs associated with transportation, increasing the use of locally available materials through improved methods to discern subtle differences in polishing tendencies or blending of polishing with nonpolishing aggregates could translate into significant cost savings. In this study, a suite of carbonate aggregates suspected to show a range of polishing characteristics based on previous studies was selected for evaluation along with several sources currently used as nonpolishing aggregates. The aggregates were examined petrographically, and the carbonate sources were tested for insoluble residue and subjected to a dilute acid etch to form the basis for a tentative classification of polishing susceptibility. The aggregates were tested in the Micro-Deval apparatus using both the standard procedure for coarse aggregates and a cyclical A/P procedure with silica sand devised for this study to examine how the various aggregate types responded when subjected to various degrees of wearing under similar conditions. Following abrasion cycles, 2-D digital aggregate images were obtained and analyzed using specialized software to assess their morphological properties with emphasis on angularity and surface texture. These properties were assessed before and after abrasion to determine the degree and rate of change in surface texture as well as the texture distribution within an aggregate sample. In addition, pictures were taken of the exposed surfaces of three experimental pavement sections in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Bristol District containing carbonate rock as the fine aggregate blended with nonpolishing coarse aggregate to visually assess the effect of traffic in the last 3 years. The carbonate rocks evaluated could be grouped according to polishing and wear tendency based on petrographic characteristics and mass loss in the Micro-Deval tests. Although visual distinctions could be discerned, these differences were not identified statistically by the image analysis program, but factors affecting the program were identified. A second phase of work is proposed that focuses on developing an accelerated pavement wearing protocol for assessing polishing tendencies and evaluating various mixtures of carbonate and nonpolishing aggregates. KW - Aggregates KW - Carbonate rocks KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Pavement design KW - Polishing (Aggregates) KW - Skid resistance KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Wearing course (Pavements) UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-cr7.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37808/10-cr7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173863 AU - Russell, Mark AU - Uhlmeyer, Jeff S AU - DeVol, Joe AU - Johnson, Chris AU - Weston, Jim AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Hot In-Place Recycle PY - 2010/06//Post-Construction Report SP - 78p AB - This report documents the construction of hot in-place recycled (HIPR) pavement on SR 542. HIPR is a process by which rehabilitation of the existing HMA pavement occurs on site in one operation. HIPR project selection, mix design, construction and testing are described. The HIPR process successfully rehabilitated the pavement on SR 542 while using less new material than a traditional HMA mill and fill. HIPR was found to reduce initial project cost and traffic disruptions were less than HMA paving. This project will be evaluated for five years at which time a final report documenting the HIPR performance will be produced. KW - Hot in-place recycling KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Recycled materials KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/738.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927765 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173829 AU - Fox, Patrick J AU - Wu, T H AU - Trenner, Brian AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bio-Engineering for Land Stabilization PY - 2010/06 SP - 499p AB - A large number of slopes and embankments throughout Ohio are experiencing shallow slope failures and/or erosion problems. The aim of this study is to identify bioengineering methods to address the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT’s) slope stabilization needs in response to these occurrences. Bioengineering is an ecologically, and often economically, attractive alternative to conventional slope stabilization techniques. The objectives of this research are: 1) to identify important factors that control success or failure of bioengineering methods, 2) to develop installation techniques and designs for successful application of bioengineering methods, and 3) to provide thorough documentation to aid in the development of future design guides for bioengineering work for ODOT. Three field installations were conducted and monitored at demonstration sites located in Muskingum, Logan and Union Counties. Results indicate that biostabilization methods can be effective for the stabilization of shallow (less than 3 – 4 ft.) slides if vegetation can be established. Establishment of vegetation is dependent on local soil and climate conditions, especially during the first growing season after installation. The use of instrumentation (tensiometers, piezometers) can be effective in predicting vegetation survivability. Side-by-side panel comparisons indicated that varying installation techniques do not affect the survivability of live willow poles. The cost of bioengineering stabilization, if properly planned and implemented, is expected to be approximately 25% less than that of conventional methods. KW - Bioengineering KW - Embankments KW - Instrumentation KW - Slope stability KW - Soil stabilization KW - Vegetation UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/3/OHI/2010/09/20/H1284992765368/viewer/file1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934338 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173823 AU - Quinley, Rich AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - WIM Data Analyst’s Manual PY - 2010/06//Technical Manual SP - 186p AB - This manual provides information and recommended procedures to be utilized by an agency’s Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Office Data Analyst to perform validation and quality control (QC) checks of WIM traffic data. This manual focuses on data generated by WIM systems that have the capability to produce high quality data. Many of the recommended data QC procedures are dependent upon data containing wheel loads (in conformance with the Type I WIM system requirements of ASTM E 1318). This manual has been developed to ensure that high quality WIM data is collected and used to produce reliable and representative load spectra for input into the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (M-E PDG) software resulting in reliable and predictable pavement designs. While this is the primary use, there are many other uses including performing checks on data generated by systems that produce only axle load data. KW - Data collection KW - Data quality KW - Manuals KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Quality control KW - Traffic data KW - Weigh in motion KW - Wheel loads UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/wim/pubs/if10018/if10018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927799 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173731 AU - Pullman, Madeleine E AU - Fenske, Robin AU - Wakeland, Wayne AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Food Delivery Footprint: Addressing Transportation, Packaging, and Waste in the Food Supply Chain PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 128p AB - Transportation of food accounts for a significant fraction of the carbon dioxide emissions believed to be adversely impacting climate and the environment. This impact is increasing as food supply chains become longer and more complex, and as food packaging requirements lead to increased waste. Many organizations such as hospitals and upper level education are becoming increasingly concerned about sustainability. In this study, college, university, and hospital food purchasing behavior were assessed using interviews, surveys, and modeling to evaluate the environmental implications of decisions regarding food transportation and packaging. Current purchasing practices, corresponding transportation modes, packaging, recycling, and waste removal were assessed for a representative sample of these institutions. The results of the study compare the most popular institutional purchasing practices for three product categories' carbon footprints. In addition, this study indicates that buyer-customer alignment, buyer-organization alignment, facility flexibility, and contract flexibility are positively related to sustainable practices, which are in turn positively related to a number of outcomes: food waste reduction, packaging reduction, and local/sustainable food increase in percentage of whole. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Carbon footprint KW - Delivery service KW - Environmental impacts KW - Food KW - Hospitals KW - Packaging KW - Sustainable development KW - Universities and colleges KW - Wastes UR - http://www.otrec.us/project/154 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/934617 ER - TY - SER AN - 01173722 JO - MTI Report AU - Edwards, Frances L AU - Goodrich, Daniel C AU - San Jose State University AU - University Transportation Centers Program TI - Emergency Management Training and Exercises for Transportation Agency Operations PY - 2010/06 SP - 36p AB - Various types of exercises are used to evaluate the emergency management preparedness of public agencies and communities: seminars, drills, tabletop exercises, functional exercises, facilitated exercises and full-scale exercises. While police and fire agencies have long used drills and full-scale exercises to evaluate the ability of staff to use equipment, protocols and plans, transit and transportation agencies have seldom been included in these plans, and have little guidance for their participation in the exercises. A research plan was designed to determine whether urban transit systems are holding exercises, and whether they have the training and guidance documents that they need to be successful. There is a consensus that a simple step-by-step guide is needed that makes the role of transit agencies clear vis a vis first responders and provides guidance regarding exercising the operations, joint command and logistics roles. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency management KW - Emergency training KW - Handbooks KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/2910%20-%20Emergency%20Management%20(7.23.2010).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933442 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173177 AU - Cherry (R.G.W) and Associates, Limited AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Trends in Accidents and Fatalities in Large Transport Aircraft PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 34p AB - This study is based on 1036 accidents (of which 672 were survivable) that occurred between 1968 and 2007 involving large transport category turbojet and turboprop western-built aircraft operating in a passenger or passenger/cargo role. Over the study period, there was a marked reduction in the total accident rate both for the world fleet and the combined U.S. and Canadian fleets. This reduction is apparent when the accident rate is measured on a per flight, per passenger, or per revenue passenger mile basis. The survivability of accidents has also shown a marked improvement over the study period with a greater proportion of accidents being survivable and a marked increase in the proportion of occupants surviving an accident. These improvements are apparent in both the world fleet and the combined U.S. and Canadian fleets. It would seem that fatalities attributable to impact represent a larger proportion of the total number of fatalities in survivable accidents than those that are caused by fire. KW - Air transportation crashes KW - Aviation safety KW - Crashes KW - Fatalities KW - Fires KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/pdf/10-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927791 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172520 AU - Garber, Nicholas J AU - Haas, Phillip R AU - Gosse, Conrad AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Safety Performance Functions for Two-Lane Roads Maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 64p AB - In recent years, significant effort and money have been invested to enhance highway safety. As available funds decrease, the allocation of resources for safety improvement projects must yield the maximum possible return on investment. Identifying highway locations that have the highest potential for crash reduction with the implementation of effective safety countermeasures is therefore an important first step in achieving the maximum return on safety investment. This study was undertaken to develop safety performance functions (SPFs) for use in Virginia in conjunction with SafetyAnalyst™, a computerized analytical tool that can be used for prioritizing safety projects. A safety performance function is a mathematical relationship (model) between frequency of crashes by severity and the most significant causal factors of crashes for a specific type of road. Although the SafetyAnalyst User’s Manual recommends four SPFs for two-lane segments, these SPFs were developed using data from Ohio. Because the transferability of these SPFs to other states could not be guaranteed by the developers of the four recommended SPFs, it is necessary to calibrate or develop valid SPFs for each state using appropriate data from the state. In this study, annual average daily traffic (AADT) was used as the most significant causal factor for crashes, emulating the SPFs currently suggested by SafetyAnalyst. SPFs for two-lane roads in Virginia were developed for total crashes and combined fatal plus injury crashes through generalized linear modeling using a negative binomial distribution for the crashes. Models were developed for urban and rural areas separately, and in order to account for the different topographies in Virginia, SPFs were also separately developed for three regions in Virginia. A total of 139,635 sites were identified for use in this study. Each site is a segment of a rural or urban two-lane road without an intersection for which AADT data were available for the years 2003 through 2007 inclusive and no change in facility type had occurred over that period. A comparative analysis based on the Freeman-Tukey R² coefficient was then conducted between the relevant Ohio SPFs suggested for use in the SafetyAnalyst User’s Manual and those specifically developed in this study for Virginia to determine which set of models better fit the Virginia data. In general, the results indicated that the SPFs specifically developed for Virginia fit the Virginia data better. The final step in this methodology was to illustrate the value of SPFs developed through an analysis of sample sites and the need of the sites for safety improvement based on SPFs as compared to crash rates. The results indicated that prioritization using the empirical Bayes method that incorporates the SPFs resulted in a higher potential for reduction in crashes than did prioritization using crash rates. The effective use of SafetyAnalyst will facilitate the identification of sites with a high potential for safety improvement, which, in turn, with the implementation of appropriate safety improvements, will result in a considerable reduction in crashes and their severity. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Calibration KW - Empirical Bayes method KW - Highway safety KW - Rural areas KW - Safety performance functions KW - SafetyAnalyst (Software) KW - Strategic planning KW - Two lane highways KW - Urban areas KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-r25.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933278 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172519 AU - Katicha, Samer W AU - Izeppi, Edgar de Leon AU - Flintsch, Gerardo W AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Multivariate Volumetric Specifications and Dynamic Modulus as a Quality Measure for Asphalt Concrete Materials PY - 2010/06//Final Contract Report SP - 52p AB - The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has worked toward end-result specifications (ERSs) in asphalt concrete since the mid-1960s. As stated by Hughes et al. (2007), true ERSs can lead to a reduction in VDOT’s overall inspection force resulting in considerable savings and allow for the reallocation of inspection resources to key construction and placement processes that cannot be measured upon delivery (e.g., joint tacking and construction platform preparation). The latest efforts toward this end were conducted by Hughes et al. (2007) who suggested expanding the quality measures for asphalt concrete acceptance to include the asphalt concrete volumetric properties of voids in total mix (VTM) and voids in mineral aggregates (VMA), along with the already used asphalt content (AC) and gradation. This report builds on that and further investigates, through the use of the asphalt concrete dynamic modulus, how performance-related ERSs can be introduced into a quality assurance (QA) plan. Specifically, the report 1) documents the current variability of VTM, VMA, and AC; 2) explores different QA specification plans; and 3) develops and applies a method to predict asphalt concrete rutting performance from asphalt concrete dynamic modulus test results using the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG). Contractor volumetric test results (for the years 2006 through 2008) for VTM, VMA, and AC were obtained from VDOT’s central database for production asphalt concrete. Statistical measures of mean, variance and covariance were calculated. The experimental distribution of test results for each of the three volumetric measures was obtained and compared to the normal (Gaussian) distribution. This research used these data and exploratory analysis to present alternative QA plans, which ranged from a simple univariate plan to a multivariate percent within limits (PWL) plan. The choice of a specific plan to implement depends, among other criteria, on the variable—more specifically on the correlation between these variables—that are included as part of this plan. The PWL method for “uncorrelated” variables (in this case VTM and AC) is recommended as it presents a sound statistical approach that avoids the complexities that result from incorporating correlated variables. With advances in mechanistic-empirical pavement design methods (specifically the new MEPDG), a framework for performance-related ERSs is now available. The dynamic modulus as a function of temperature and frequency is the main asphalt concrete material input property in the MEPDG. It has significant influence on distress prediction, which makes it a quality candidate test for performance-related ERSs. A principal technical barrier to using the dynamic modulus test is the time required to perform the test temperature sweep. To address this obstacle, this report presents a method to reduce the required number of tests to characterize asphalt concrete rutting characteristics. It demonstrates that a single dynamic modulus test is sufficient to estimate asphalt concrete rutting potential as calculated by the MEPDG. This is an initial step towards using the dynamic modulus in performance-related ERSs. However, actual implementation still depends on broader acceptance and use of the dynamic modulus testing equipment and procedures, as well as the proper calibration of the MEPDG distress models to reflect observed field performance. If and when this is accomplished, the method can be extended to fatigue cracking. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Air voids KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Asphalt content KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - End result specifications KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Percent within limits KW - Quality assurance KW - Rutting KW - Specifications KW - Voids in mineral aggregate UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-cr8.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37807/10-cr8.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933257 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172518 AU - Fitch, G Michael AU - Roosevelt, Daniel S AU - Moruza, Audrey K AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Determining the Maintenance Superintendent and Facility Needs for Residencies in the Virginia Department of Transportation PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 33p AB - In the spring of 2007, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) began the process of reducing the number of superintendents and facilities dedicated to ordinary maintenance tasks. The need to downsize was the direct result of the requirement in House Bill 667 passed by the Virginia General Assembly in the 2006 session to outsource all normal interstate maintenance. The purpose of this study was to develop a procedure to assist VDOT in determining the number of superintendents needed to oversee and manage maintenance in each residency and the number of facilities needed to support their maintenance operations. Current superintendent (Transportation Operations Manager II)) workloads were quantified and calculated for each VDOT residency based on a limited number of workload parameters and a workload boundary representing the maximum observed workload for any combination of the parameters. Reductions in the number of superintendent positions were then made without exceeding the maximum current workloads for residencies. Deicing chemical storage capacity and maximum travel time to residency limits were determined to be the factors related to the number of necessary facilities. The minimum number of facilities to be retained by each residency was determined using residency-specific data related to these two factors. The procedure for determining the appropriate number of area headquarters superintendents and maintenance facilities was presented to and accepted by Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board in the fall of 2006. Reductions in the numbers of superintendent positions and facilities began taking place in the spring of 2007. Beginning with 213 superintendents at 207 maintenance area headquarters (AHQ) in 2006, the study presented in this report recommended a reduction of 35 superintendents, whereas the final plan issued by VDOT in 2007 called for a reduction of 32 superintendents. Similarly, the study presented here recommended a reduction of 35 AHQ facilities, whereas the final plan issued by VDOT called for a reduction of 31 AHQ facilities. The decisions leading to the differences between the recommended and effected reductions in superintendents and AHQ facilities, resulted from both public comment and internal VDOT comment and are beyond the scope of this study. KW - Downsizing KW - Maintenance facilities KW - Maintenance personnel KW - Managerial personnel KW - Supervisors KW - Virginia Department of Transportation KW - Workload UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-r9.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933267 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172517 AU - Izeppi, Edgar de Leon AU - Flintsch, Gerardo W AU - McGhee, Kevin K AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Performance of High Friction Surfaces PY - 2010/06//Final Contract Report SP - 32p AB - This report describes an evaluation of high friction surface (HFS) systems. The goal of this evaluation was to develop guidance for agencies when considering whether an HFS was an appropriate solution when addressing specific instances of low skid resistance and/or especially high friction demand. HFS systems are specially designed thin surface treatments that provide significant additional skid resistance of pavements and bridge decks without significantly affecting other qualities of the surface such as noise, ride quality, or durability. This report documents the location and climatic conditions where some of these systems are placed, recounts the experiences reported by the agencies that were responsible for their placement, and summarizes key HFS service-level indicators (friction and texture). The agency experiences include a sample benefit-cost analysis from an installation in Wisconsin that justified an HFS application through crash reductions that resulted following the measured increase in skid resistance. Analysis of the service-level indicators included development of the coefficients necessary to obtain the International Friction Index (IFI) values for each of the tested systems. Review of the IFI values suggested that more experiments with different types of wearing surfaces, to include HFS systems as well as more conventional surface treatments, are necessary in order to demonstrate the validity of the speed gradient and friction coefficients recommended by the ASTM standard for the IFI. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Bridge decks KW - Climate KW - Friction KW - Friction course KW - International Friction Index KW - Pavements KW - Skid resistance KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texture UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-cr6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933253 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172516 AU - Miller, John S AU - Garber, Nicholas J AU - Korukonda, Santhosh K AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Causal Factors for Intersection Crashes in Northern Virginia PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 63p AB - Intersection crashes cost the nation more than $40 billion annually, account for more than one-fifth of all highway crash fatalities nationally, and totaled almost 75,000 in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT's) Northern Virginia District for the period 2001 through 2006. Although VDOT maintains several databases containing more than 170 data elements with detailed crash, driver, and roadway attributes, it was not clear to users of these databases how these data elements could be used to identify causal factors for these intersection crashes for two reasons: (1) the quality of some of the data elements was imperfect, and (2) and random variation is inherent in crashes. This study developed an approach to address these two issues. To address the first issue, the completeness and accuracy of the 179 data elements that comprise the VDOT CRASHDATA database were assessed. For the 76 data elements for which the quality of the data was imperfect, eight rules for using these elements were developed. The rules indicate which data elements should be used in certain circumstances; which data elements are incomplete; and how to manipulate the data for certain applications. To address the second issue, classification trees and crash estimation models (CEMs) were developed. The trees showed that specific causal factors, such as the approach alignment or surface condition, successfully indicate whether a given crash was a rear-end or angle crash. By extension, the trees suggested that intersection crashes were not purely random. Accordingly, it was feasible to develop CEMs that for 17 intersection classes predicted the number of crashes for a 1-year period for four crash types: rear-end, angle, injury, and total. The 68 CEMs showed deviance-based pseudo R-square values between 0.07 and 0.74, suggesting that the causal factors explained some, but not all, of the variation in intersection crashes. The CEMs varied by intersection class. Two actions with regard to crash data analysis may be taken as detailed in this report. First, the eight crash data quality rules developed in this study should be considered for use on a case-by-case basis for studies requiring intersection crash data. Second, when they are collected at the crash scene, the variables that successfully classified rear-end and angle crashes may be given increased attention such that every effort is made to ensure these data elements are accurately recorded. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash data KW - Crashes KW - Data quality KW - Intersections KW - Mathematical models KW - Northern Virginia KW - Safety management KW - Trees (Mathematics) UR - http://vtrc.virginiadot.org/PUBDetails.aspx?Id=298127 UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-r22.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37810/10-r22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933269 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172514 AU - Kastenhofer, Ilona O AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - An Examination of Practices for Retrofitting Existing Roads with Sidewalks in the United States PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 34p AB - In Virginia, as in the United States, many roads were built without sidewalks. With steadily increasing efforts to develop a more balanced, multimodal transportation system, missing sidewalks pose a unique connectivity issue. Although the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Policy for Integrating Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations allows for the construction of bicycle and pedestrian facilities separate from highway construction, it does not specifically address the issue of missing sidewalks. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine current practices relating to retrofitting existing roads with sidewalks in order to provide VDOT with guidance on addressing the issue of missing sidewalks in its transportation system. Three tasks were performed to achieve the study objectives. First, a literature review was conducted to identify material that addressed issues relating to retrofitting existing roads with sidewalks. Second, VDOT’s current practices were documented and reviewed based on a survey and interviews of district staff. Third, the practices of state departments of transportation (DOTs) and selected localities were identified based on a survey of the DOT and locality representatives, the literature review, and a search of agency websites. With regard to the literature review, no publication focusing on the topic of missing sidewalks was found. Most of the literature was focused on accommodations for pedestrians along newly constructed roads and on operational issues for existing pedestrian facilities. With regard to VDOT’s current practices, VDOT has no current policy to construct missing sidewalks. No VDOT district has an inventory of sidewalks or missing sidewalks or any “wish-list” for sidewalk connections. Further, there is no prioritization method should more requests for sidewalk connections be received than is possible to accommodate. Although VDOT has completed a limited number of projects to provide missing sidewalks, there is no dedicated funding source to address future requests. Most state DOTs are similar to VDOT in not having a program to construct missing sidewalks. Experiences of localities across the United States show successful sidewalk retrofit programs, which focus on targeted areas with high pedestrian activity. The study recommends that VDOT develop guidelines for identifying, prioritizing, and constructing missing sidewalks. Such guidelines are expected to provide guidance relating to identifying high-priority targeted areas for constructing missing sidewalks, prioritizing needed projects, and identifying funding options. KW - Guidelines KW - Literature reviews KW - Policy KW - Retrofitting KW - Sidewalks KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - United States KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-r4.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37800/37811/10-r4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933261 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167132 AU - Talpins, Steven AU - Ellinger, Nick AU - Mothers Against Drunk Driving AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Prosecutors Working With Victim Advocate Groups PY - 2010/06 SP - 28p AB - The purpose of this monograph is to provide a resource tool that can be used by those in the impaired-driving community; specifically prosecutors, victims, and victim advocates. The monograph focuses on how prosecutors can work with victims and victim advocacy organizations as they prosecute impaired-driving cases. “Prosecutors Working With Victim Advocate Groups” was developed for NHTSA by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), with technical assistance and input from the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) – APRI National Traffic Law Center. MADD is one of the largest advocacy groups in the country. Its members work with prosecutors across the country on a daily basis. These advocates and victims have a unique ability to speak out in ways that prosecutors cannot. The NDAA is the oldest and largest professional organization representing criminal prosecutors in the world. Its members come from the offices of district attorneys, State attorneys, attorneys general and county and city prosecutors with responsibility for prosecuting criminal violations in every State and Territory of the United States. This monograph is based on the knowledge, information, ideas, and suggestions of these two groups, along with input from others within the prosecutorial community. KW - Advocacy groups KW - Drunk drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Mothers Against Drunk Driving KW - Prosecution KW - Traffic crash victims UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811244.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926144 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167130 AU - Han, Lee D AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - License Plate Recognition (Phase B) PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 60p AB - License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology has been used for off-line automobile enforcement purposes. The technology has seen mixed success with correct reading rate as high as 60 to 80% depending on the specific application and environment. This limitation can be, and is often, remedied through human verification after the fact and before a citation is issued. Armed with advanced text-mining algorithms, this study enables LPR technology for real-time enforcement by matching plates whether correctly or incorrectly read at various locations in a network or along a corridor and, hence, tracking the movement and speed of vehicles. The focus of the project is on heavy vehicles as they are required to enter weigh stations, where the LPR tracking information can be used, in real time, for speed enforcement and/or as a triggering factor for other inspection activities. The initial objective of the study was to devise an inexpensive and effective means for helping improve air quality in non-attainment metropolitan areas through speed enforcement. The successful deployment of such a measure can also potentially lead to improved highway safety, fuel efficiency, and national security. It is desirable to deploy this technology in a larger scale to realize the benefits and potential. KW - Air quality management KW - Automatic license plate readers KW - Heavy duty vehicles KW - Real time information KW - Speeding KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Trucking KW - Weigh stations UR - http://www.ntrci.org/ntrci-50-2009-007 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926108 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167123 AU - Westat AU - Dynamic Science Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Motorcycle Crash Causes And Outcomes: Pilot Study PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 233p AB - The number of motorcyclist crash-related fatalities has more than doubled during the past 10 years. In the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) P.L. 109-59, Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive study of the causes of motorcycle crashes. In anticipation of this mandate, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded a contract to conduct a Pilot Study to develop and test a methodology for in-depth motorcycle crash investigation. Using a protocol developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for a multination European study as a guide, the contract had four main goals: (1) develop comprehensive data collection forms, a coding manual, and field protocol for crash investigations; (2) develop data collection forms, a coding manual, and field protocol for the collection of control group data; (3) develop training material that can be used for a future larger scale study; and (4) assess the levels of effort and resources required for each stage of an investigation so that more accurate plans can be made for the future study. This report describes the process used to develop the data collection methods and tools, conduct data collection, and evaluate the results. In addition, it provides estimates of the average cost of completing an in-depth investigation, including the related dropped cases and control group data. Recommendations for modifications to the data forms, coding manuals, training material, and database are included. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash investigation KW - Highway safety KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcyclists KW - Pilot studies UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811280.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33200/33249/811280.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926149 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01166626 AU - Anderson, Jon T AU - Larsen, Randolph K AU - Lacouture, Richard AU - Morgan State University AU - National Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Magnitude of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Loading from Road Surface Runoff and Its Effect on Algal Productivity PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The hypothesis of the study was that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) washing off roads would retard the growth of aquatic life-supporting algae and promote the growth of harmful, toxin-producing algae in estuaries, such as the Chesapeake Bay. Runoff from various road surfaces was tested for PAH concentrations. The tests revealed PAHs but also heavy metals in various concentrations. The research results show that road surface runoff does not seem to affect algae detrimentally after a few days under normal summer conditions. Either the chemicals in the runoff degrade over time or bacteria in the runoff break down the chemical pollutants. In both cases, once the PAHs degrade, they seem to stimulate algal growth. The one exception is Chaetoceros, a beneficial algae, which was negatively affected by both 1 percent and full strength concentrations on newly paved and low traffic asphalt. Since PAH levels were relatively low for those two sites, it is possible that the response was not due to PAHs from these road surfaces but to heavy metals instead. Brackish water algae, such as Chaetoceros, may experience toxicity from the PAHs and heavy metals. Chaetoceros contains significant fat reserves in which PAHs and heavy metals could accumulate. As those algae are consumed by an aquatic organism, such as oysters, the PAHs and heavy metals may become concentrated in the organism. KW - Algae KW - Aquatic life KW - Chesapeake Bay KW - Environmental impacts KW - Estuaries KW - Heavy metals KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons KW - Runoff KW - Toxicity UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44000/44074/Assessing_Anderson_0910.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927274 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01165362 AU - Sillars, David N AU - Scholz, Todd AU - Hallowell, Matt AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of QA Procedures at the Oregon Department of Transportation PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 130p AB - This research explored the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) practice of Independent Assurance (IA), for validation of the contractor’s test methods, and Verification, for validation of the contractor’s Quality Control (QC) data. The intent of the project was to discover whether adjusted or additional processes for comparison between ODOT’s test results and the contractor’s test results may be available to improve confidence regarding whether the contractor’s test results are reliable. It was found that ODOT utilizes a combination IA/Verification process that uses the comparison of single results for its IA and Verification decisions. Based on statistical principles, published literature, FHWA guidance, and a small case study, recommendations were made that ODOT establish the breadth of systematic testing bias and that the IA and Verification processes be enhanced to include statistically-based comparison tests, including the often-used t-test and F-test. KW - Contractors KW - Independent assurance KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/QA-QC.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01165319 AU - Wall, Richard AU - Frenzel, James AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Commercialization and Field Distribution of Smart Pedestrian Call Signals PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 45p AB - The research on this project resulted in a new design for an accessible pedestrian system (APS) that uses Ethernet communications to implement a distributed control system. Present APS designs represent a safety risk factor by APS systems having undetectable failure modes that may play incorrect audible messages. The systems consists of a controller unit housed in the traffic controller cabinet and interfaces to existing NEMA TS1 and TS2 traffic controller cabinets at the field terminals. It supports from one to 16 pedestrian stations. The controller unit uses a Linux based single board computer with dual Ethernet ports. The pedestrian stations use a resource rich NXP processor reducing the number of components and size of circuit board. All configuration and diagnostics is accomplished using a PC with a standard web browser and an Ethernet connection. This interface reduces the size and cost of the unit mounted in the controller cabinet. The web page provides real-time status of all controller inputs and the state of all pedestrian stations and the audio message currently being played. SNMP and STMP custom objects are used in such a way that each communications transaction is verified. A network protocol is implemented that follows the guidelines for NTCIP custom objects. KW - Audible pedestrian signals KW - Distributed control KW - Ethernet KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK715_N09-09_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925100 ER - TY - SER AN - 01165097 JO - MTI Report AU - Niles, John AU - Jerram, Lisa Callaghan AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Special Programs Administration TI - From Buses to BRT: Case Studies of Incremental BRT Projects in North America PY - 2010/06 SP - 96p AB - This study examines five approaches to bus rapid transit (BRT) systems as implemented by public transit agencies in California, Oregon, and Ontario. BRT can be thought of as a discretionary set of elements that can be assembled in many different combinations over time. Every element incrementally adds to the quality or attractiveness of the service. For example, a BRT service can combine operations serving free flowing arterial roads in the fringes of the downtown with dedicated lanes in areas closer to city center where congestion is greatest. Specific BRT components and strategies, such as traffic signal priority and increased stop spacing,can be applied to existing local bus operations as a way to increase bus speeds and reduce operating costs. Elements can be implemented all at once, or in incremental stages. All of the case studies showed ridership increases, but the Los Angeles Metro Rapid bus system illustrates the wide geographic coverage, improved ridership, and moderate cost per new rider that is possible with an approach that includes fewer BRT features spread over more miles of route. Quantitative results suggest that incremental improvements, applied widely to regional bus networks, may be able to achieve significant benefits at a lower cost than substantial infrastructure investments focused upon just one or a few corridors. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Bus lanes KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Case studies KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Los Angeles Metropolitan Area KW - Operating costs KW - Operating speed KW - Ridership KW - System design KW - Traffic signal preemption UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/2704_book%20(6.15.10%20with%20Covers).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925733 ER - TY - SER AN - 01165096 JO - MTI Report AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - What Do Americans Think About Federal Transportation Tax Options? Results From a National Survey PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 50p AB - A national public opinion poll asked 1,545 respondents if they would support various tax options for raising federal transportation revenues. None of the tax options achieved majority support, but three did fairly well: a $.05 sales tax (43 percent support), a $.10 gas tax increase with revenue dedicated to reducing the transportation system’s impact on global warming (42 percent support), and a $.10 gas tax increase spread over five years (39 percent support). The report also compares public support for alternative versions of the mileage and gas taxes. The base cases tested against alternatives were a flat-rate mileage tax of $.01 per mile and a $.10 gas tax with no additional information given about the tax. All variants of these base cases increased support levels, in most cases significantly. Varying the mileage tax by the vehicle’s pollution level increased support by 12 percentage points. For the gas tax, all four alternatives to the base case received higher support. Most notably, spreading the gas tax increase over five years increased support by 16 percentage points, and linking the increase to global warming reduction increased support by a full 19 percentage points. KW - Demographics KW - Fees KW - Finance KW - Fuel taxes KW - Public opinion KW - Revenues KW - Sales tax KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - User charges KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/documents/2928%20-%20Annual%20Trans.%20Survey%20(6.24.2010).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925735 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164860 AU - Battaglia, Irene K AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Concrete Inlay for Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation PY - 2010/06//Final Report SP - 17p AB - In 1996, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) constructed a concrete inlay test section on I‐43 in Manitowoc County. The existing pavement was continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) constructed in 1978 and was badly deteriorated with punch‐outs. In the area of the 2777‐ft test section, the existing pavement was removed, the foundation was replaced with a drained system, and an 11‐in. jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) concrete inlay was constructed. The remainder of the project, including a control section, received CRCP patching and a hot mix asphalt (HMA) overlay ranging in thickness from 3 to 6 in. The pavement was evaluated after 14 years in service. The concrete inlay was in excellent condition. Only isolated slab cracking was noted. The 6‐in. HMA overlay control section had more distresses, most notably transverse cracking. The Pavement Distress Index (PDI) values for the test and control sections were 7 and 43, respectively. A series of life cycle cost analyses (LCCAs) using 1996 construction costs showed that the HMA overlay rehabilitation alternative was more cost‐effective than concrete inlay. Because it is not the most cost‐effective large‐scale pavement rehabilitation alternative, concrete inlay is not recommended for routine use on Wisconsin roadways. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Jointed plain concrete pavements KW - Life cycle costing KW - Manitowoc County (Wisconsin) KW - Pavement Distress Index KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Transverse cracking UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/fep-04-10concreteinlay.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33500/33597/fep-04-10concreteinlay.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925747 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164287 AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - 2010 National State of Good Repair Assessment PY - 2010/06 SP - 35p AB - This report evaluates the level of investment required to bring all U.S. transit assets – including the assets of all urbanized area and rural transit operators – to a state of good repair (SGR). The analysis presented here describes a current national SGR backlog of an estimated $77.7 billion (2009$). It also estimates that an annual average of $14.4 billion in normal replacement expenditures would be required to keep that backlog from getting larger. Section 1 provides information on the study background, scope and approach. Section 2 considers the level of investment required to bring the Nation’s rail transit assets to a state of good repair and presents the assumptions and analysis methods used to develop those estimates. This section also presents forecasts of future transit asset conditions assuming funding levels remain at current levels. Section 3 provides an overview of the asset management processes used by the agencies contacted for the Rail Modernization and National SGR Assessment Studies, with particular emphasis on the methods used to develop the asset inventories provided for these studies. KW - Asset management KW - Assets KW - Bus transit KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Expenditures KW - Forecasting KW - Investments KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit KW - State of good repair UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/National_SGR_Study_072010%282%29.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/924801 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164284 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Transit Signal Priority Strategies for Bus Rapid Transit on 5600 West Street in Salt Lake County, Utah PY - 2010/06 SP - 198p AB - Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a flexible, high performance rapid transit mode that uses buses or specialized rubber tired-based vehicles operating on pavement, and combines a variety of physical, operating, and system elements into a permanently integrated system. Because of its benefits and lower costs, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) has decided to begin BRT implementations in Salt Lake County, where a total of 106 miles of BRT lines are planned for construction and implementation in future years. Transit Signal Priority (TSP) usually supports BRT operations. TSP provides priority for transit vehicles on signalized intersections along a main corridor. Many studies and implementations have proven its efficiency. On the other hand, providing priority along the main corridor has impacts on other vehicular traffic. For each TSP implementation, it is very important that the optimum balance between the priority provided to transit vehicles be weighed against the negative impacts on vehicular traffic. This research evaluates BRT and TSP implementations along 5600 West Street in Salt Lake County through micro-simulation. This road is an important north–south arterial, and it has been chosen for a full phase BRT implementation. The study area consists of a 5-mile corridor with seven signalized intersections along 5600 W that represents the busiest section of the arterial, and where special design changes, with center running BRT lanes, are planned for construction. Evaluations are based on VISSIM simulation models, which were created for this network, based on the real traffic and transit data from the field, and planned design changes and traffic estimations for the target year 2030. Full phase BRT will be implemented along the 5-mile corridor, from 2700 S to 6200 S. It will consist of a dedicated center running BRT guideway and six BRT stations, each direction located near signalized intersections. This study analyzes the effects of the design changes, BRT implementation, and different TSP strategies on general purpose traffic and future transit operations. The study also analyzes two separate TSP strategies, the Green Extension/Early Green and Phase Rotation strategies, and a combination of these two. The final results show that if no action is taken along this corridor, a major worsening in traffic conditions can be expected. Minor improvements bring certain benefits to traffic operations. With the planned design changes and BRT implementation, the negative effects of the No Action alternative will be minimized, especially along the busiest corridor segments. An implementation of the Green Extension/Early Green TSP strategy creates the most benefits for BRT operations, when: 1. The BRT travel times are approximately 7% lower than if no TSP were provided. 2. Intersection delays for BRT are significantly reduced. 3. The impacts on general purpose traffic would be minor to neutral. Some of the methods and techniques applied in this project were used in presentations given at the National BRT Institute Workshop, held June 23, 2009, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Solutions Summit Public Transportation Workforce Development, held September 10, 2009, in Fargo, N.D., and a paper titled Evaluation of Transit Signal Priority in RBC and ASC/3 Software-in-the-Loop Simulation Environment, presented at the 89th TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., January 12, 2010. KW - Bus priority KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Evaluation KW - Salt Lake City (Utah) KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic signal preemption KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Travel time UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC09-213A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923819 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164257 AU - Chen, Suren AU - Wu, Jun AU - Chen, Feng AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Feasibility Study of Mobile Scanning Technology for Fast Damage Detection of Rural Bridge Using Wireless Sensors PY - 2010/06 SP - 63p AB - This research aims at conducting a feasibility study on detecting damage of bridges through using passing vehicles and wireless sensors. As the first step, the finite element program has been compiled and some explorative tests have been conducted. It is found that the damage detection process is affected by the parameters of the vehicles and bridge, such as mass ratio, stiffness ratio, vehicle speed, bridge type, road roughness, etc. The theoretical results showed satisfied results of the proposed approach. Because of the scope and limitation of the testing in this study, however, further study will be needed to validate the applicability of this approach with advanced testing in the future. KW - Bridges KW - Deterioration KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Inspection KW - Rural areas KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Wireless sensors UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC10-219.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923812 ER -