Transportation Intelligence

Volume 1 Number 3

April 2003

New Section! See "Recent Reports" for new publications of special interest to transportation professionals.

Design & Construction
Pavements
Development & Management
Urban
Traffic Control
Safety
Recent Reports
Feedback

Design & Construction
Geometric Design Practices for European Roads
This scanning tour reviews European procedures and practices in roadway geometric design and context sensitive design. The U.S. group visited sites in Sweden, Denmak, the Netherlands, England, and Germany. (FHWA International Program Report FHWA-PL-01-026)

Development & Management
Strategies for Improving Public Transportation Access to Large Airports
This TCRP Report provides practical information on how to plan and improve public transportation ground access to large airports. (TCRP Report 83, 2002)

Safety
Driving After Dark
Researchers at FHWA are striving to improve nighttime visibility, making roads safer for motorists and pedestrians. Approximately half of all fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes occur at night, even though the traffic volume is substantially less. (Public Roads, January/February 2003, p. 22-25).

Pavements
Superpave Meets SMA, Attracts International Interest
A municipal resurfacing project in Mississauga, ON combines Superpave and Stone Mastic Asphalt on a road that sees up to 14 000 vehicles a day. (Aggregates and Roadbuilding, December 2002, p. 20-21)

 

Design & Construction

Bridge Resurfacing Using Rosphalt 50 - Construction Report
Rosphalt 50 is a proprietary asphalt additive, developed by Royston Laboratories, that combines with HMA to seal Reinforced Concrete Portland Cement decks. The product will be tested on three bridges in Maine over the next five years for Skid Resistance, Permeability, Durability, and Cost Effectiveness. (Maine DoT Technical Report 03-1, January 2003)

Making Edge Drains Work
Longitudinal edge drains can enhance pavement longevity, if properly maintained. This article describes the construction of edge drains, and the signs of a malfunctioning system. (Better Roads, January 2003, p. 42-48)

New and Successful Water Sealing Method
The 1260 m long Storhaug road tunnel has been excavated to improve the environment of the old part of the city of Stavanger. Part of the tunnel is situated below buildings founded on bog. Drainage of the bog could cause severe settlement injuries to the old buildings. A maximum leakage of 0.03 l / min / m tunnel was allowed for the most vulnerable 150 m part of the tunnel. (Nordic Road and Transport Research, No. 3, 2002, p. 6-7)

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Pavements

Determination of Insitu Material Properties of Asphalt Concrete Pavement Layers from Nondestructive Tests
This research presented the results of field and laboratory investigations designed to address the need to identify suitable methods for determining the insitu material properties of AC pavement layers. This helps engineers with the selection and design of appropriate rehabilitation strategies. (NCHRP Research Results Digest 271, December 2002)

Complete Pothole Patching Guide
The combined research of the Strategic Highway Research Program and the Long-Term Pavement Performance study provides guidance on planning, completing, and monitoring pothole repairs. (Better Roads, February 2003, p. 30-32)

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Development & Management

Owner Controlled Insurance Programs
Complex projects combined with management role changes have created ambiguity in responsibilities, especially those concerning safety. This synthesis examines Owner Controlled Insurance Programs (OCIPs) as a risk control mechanism. (NCHRP Synthesis of Highway Practice 308, 2002)

Contract Administration: Technology and Practice in Europe
A U.S. team visited Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and England to examine alternative contract administration procedures, and came away with examples of procurement, contract types, and payment mechanisms that can be directly and immediately applied.(FHWA International Program Report FHWA-PL-03-002) (Borrow this item from TIS)

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Urban

Support for Fundamental Change in Public Transportation
This digest addresses major dimensions of fundamental change; illustrates changes that are being pursued by transit organizations; and calls attention to opportunities to support and sustain fundamental change in the U.S. transit industry. (TCRP Research Results Digest 55, December 2002)

How can road tolls serve urban policy? (Comment les péages urbains peuvent-ils satisfaire une politique d'agglomération?)
This paper evaluates the extent to which urban road pricing schemes are able to satisfy the objectives of urban policy with regard to three constraints: funding, the environment, and social equity. (Recherche Transports Sécurité, no. 76, 2002, p. 173-189) (Request this item from TIS)

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Traffic Control

Guidance for Using Red Light Cameras
The rapid deployment of red light cameras across the United States has not been accompanied by research and guidance on how to most effectively implement a successful program. This FHWA document promotes consistent and proper implementation procedures taken from across the U.S. (FHWA Online Guidance Document, March 2003)

Cameras Led to a Speed Reduction
This Norwegian study provides increased data about the effects of speed cameras on driving speeds. A before-and-after analysis of three road sections in Norway equipped with speed cameras shows an average speed reduction of 4-6 km/h. (Nordic Road and Transport Research, #3, 2002, p. 16-17)

 

A new rerouting control system which is based on fuzzy logic
Many rerouting systems aim to minimise the overall costs within the system by means of the recommended route. The fuzzy logic system described here used the advantages of the human decision-making process but standardizes and automates it. Simulations show the system has potential for improving traffic flow, but with the driver, not the road system, as the focus. (Traffic Engineering and Control, vol. 44 #2, February 2003, p.44-50).(Request this item from TIS)

Evaluation of Radar Activated Changeable Message Sign for Work Zone Speed Control
The Maine Department of Transportation has tested a radar-activated, trailer mounted changeable message sign to help reduce speeding in construction work zones. (Maine DoT Technical Report 01-16, January 2002)

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Safety

Making Two-Lane Roads Safer
The Federal Highways Administration has just released the 2003 edition of the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM), a suite of software analysis tools to evaluate safety and operational effects of geometric design decisions. (Public Roads, January/February 2003, p. 16-21)

Highway Safety - Work Zones, Law Enforcement, Motorcycles, Trucks, Older Drivers, and Pedestrians
This collection of 20 papers deals with safety issues for virtually all modes of transport, including motor vehicles, bicycles, and walking. Intermodal points are also discussed. (Transportation Research Record 1818, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 142 p.) (Borrow this item from TIS)

 

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Recent Reports

Design & Construction

Construction 2002
Transportation Research Record 1813, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 321 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)
Design of Structures 2002
Transportation Research Record 1814, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 261 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)

Pavements

Pavement Management, Monitoring, and Accelerated Testing 2002
Transportation Research Record 1816, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 155 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)
Bituminous Binders 2002
Transportation Research Record 1810, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 77 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)
Revêtements en enrobés à froid: premières experiences Belges
Centre de Recherches routières, Compte rendu de recherche CR 40/03, 143 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)

Development and Management

Transportation and Public Policy
Transportation Research Record 1812, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 227 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)
Guidebook for Developing a Transit Performance-Measurement System
TCRP Report 88, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 368 p.
Design-Build Transit Infrastructure Projects in Asia and Australia
TCRP Research Results Digest #53, Transportation Research Board, November 2002, 31 p.

Urban

A Guide for HOT Lane Development
FHWA ITS Division Report FHWA-OP-03-009, March 2003, 116 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)
Strategies for Increasing the Effectiveness of Commuter Benefits Programs
TCRP Report 87, Transportation Research Board, 2003, 140 p.
Improving Public Transit Options for Older persons: Volume 1 - Handbook, Volume 2 - Final Report
TCRP Report 82, Transportation Research Board, 2002.
 

Traffic Control

Advanced Traffic Management Systems for Freeways and Traffic Signal Systems 2002
Transportation Research Record 1811, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 176 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)
Long-Term Pavement Marking Practices
NCHRP Synthesis of Highway Practice 306, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 154 p.
Feasibility Study for an All-White Pavement Marking System
NCHRP Report 484, Transportation Research Board, 2002, 130 p.

Soils and Materials

Soil Mechanics 2002
Transportation Research Record 1808, Transprtation Research Board, 2002, 191 p. (Borrow this item from TIS)

Environment

Surface Transportation Environmental Research - A Long-Term Strategy
Transportation Research Board Special Report 268, 2002, 236 p.

 

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