Transportation Intelligence

Volume 1 Number 7

December 2003

Safety
Rumbling Toward Safety
The drift-off-road crash is defined as drivers who drift off the road due to drowsiness, inattention, or distraction. A Michigan study finds that the most severe run-off crash is the drift-off and that rumble strip design and placement significantly reduce these crashes. (Public Roads, September/October 2003, p. 28-33)

Pavements
Creating Friction Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Microtexture and macrotexture of pavements play an important role in creating friction between a vehicle’s tires and the pavement, giving drivers the ability to start, and what is more important, to stop, according to the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University. (Better Roads, October 2003, p. 30-37.)

Management
Cost optimization of concrete bridge infrastructure
This paper presents a review of publications on cost optimization of concrete bridge components and systems and then continues with a review of the state-of-the-art in life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis and design of concrete bridges. The main objective of the paper is to encourage bridge engineers to move towards the increased use of advanced analysis and design optimization methods. (Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, October 2003, p. 841-849)

Winter Maintenance
Safer Winter Maintenance The Iowa State University Center for Transportation and Education conducted two surveys to determine what departments of transportation are currently using in their moving work zones. While guidelines for fixed work zones are well established guidance for a moving work zone, such as snow removal or ice control, is less clear. (Better Roads, October 2003, p. 38-43) Prewetted salt versus brine on motorway Methods to prevent slippery roads during hoar frost and snow situations on the major road system in Denmark have moved from the spreading of sand/gravel, to the spreading of dry salt, and then to the predominant method used today, the spreading of prewetted salt. The Danish Ministry of Environmental Protection has subsidized studies comparing respectively prewetted salt and brine in slippery roads control. (Danish Road Directorate, January 2003, 37 p.) Back to Top

Winter Maintenance

Safer Winter Maintenance
The Iowa State University Center for Transportation and Education conducted two surveys to determine what departments of transportation are currently using in their moving work zones. While guidelines for fixed work zones are well established guidance for a moving work zone, such as snow removal or ice control, is less clear. (Better Roads, October 2003, p. 38-43)

Prewetted salt versus brine on motorway
Methods to prevent slippery roads during hoar frost and snow situations on the major road system in Denmark have moved from the spreading of sand/gravel, to the spreading of dry salt, and then to the predominant method used today, the spreading of prewetted salt. The Danish Ministry of Environmental Protection has subsidized studies comparing respectively prewetted salt and brine in slippery roads control. (Danish Road Directorate, January 2003, 37 p.)

Maintenance

Seismic repair and rehabilitation of a shear-failure damaged circular bridge column using carbon fiber reinforced plastic jacketing
In this paper, the analytical and experimental results of tests on a benchmark and a damaged circular bridge column are presented. The benchmark column is a 40% scale reinforced concrete circular bridge column damaged as a result of shear failure during a cyclic-loading test; the benchmark column was then repaired by epoxy and non-shrinkage mortar and rehabilitated by carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) after the cyclic-loading test. (Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, October 2003, p. 819-829).

Edge-Joint Sealing as a Preventative Maintenance Practice
Joint sealing studies involve measuring changes in edge drain outflow and base moisture content in response to precipitation events. The Minnesota Road Research test facility constructed concrete test sections and longitudinal edge drains. Data was collected before and after edge joints were sealed on concrete sections. (Minnesota Department of Transportation Report 2003-26, July 2003, 20p).

Management
Paying the Value Price State Departments of Transport are looking at value pricing, or using toll pricing strategies, to reduce traffic congestion, improve the environment, and provide funds to improve highway facilities. (Public Roads, September/October 2003, p. 43-47). Le péage urbain de Londres (London's Urban Toll) Since 17 February 2003 the "Central London Congestion Charging" toll has been collected for those driving through or parking in a zone of almost 21 square kilometers in London. The purpose of the toll was to diminish congestion in the city core and encourage drivers to use public transit. (Transport Environnement Circulation #178, septembre-octobre 2003, p. 13-17)(Request this item from TIS) Urban Safety Management Guidelines Traditionally, road safety in towns and cities has been approached on a piecemeal basis, tackling individual problems as they arise. But towns and cities do not work like this. Traffic and pedestrian movement is part of the essential way that a place lives. Urban Safety Management (USM) looks at whole communities and sets a vision and strategy for road safety management which becomes proactive rather than reactive. (UK Department for Transport Report, September 2003, 32 p.). Back to Top

Management

Paying the Value Price
State Departments of Transport are looking at value pricing, or using toll pricing strategies, to reduce traffic congestion, improve the environment, and provide funds to improve highway facilities. (Public Roads, September/October 2003, p. 43-47).

Le péage urbain de Londres (London's Urban Toll)
Since 17 February 2003 the "Central London Congestion Charging" toll has been collected for those driving through or parking in a zone of almost 21 square kilometers in London. The purpose of the toll was to diminish congestion in the city core and encourage drivers to use public transit. (Transport Environnement Circulation #178, septembre-octobre 2003, p. 13-17)(Request this item from TIS)

Urban Safety Management Guidelines
Traditionally, road safety in towns and cities has been approached on a piecemeal basis, tackling individual problems as they arise. But towns and cities do not work like this. Traffic and pedestrian movement is part of the essential way that a place lives. Urban Safety Management (USM) looks at whole communities and sets a vision and strategy for road safety management which becomes proactive rather than reactive. (UK Department for Transport Report, September 2003, 32 p.).

Pavement

Measures of Short-Term Effectiveness of Highway Pavement Maintenance
Selecting an appropriate measure of short term maintenance effectiveness and determining its value constitute the first in a three-step process for evaluating maintenance effectiveness in the short term. The second and third steps are to determine if the measured values of effectiveness are significant, and expressing such measured values as a function of pavement or treatment attributes. (Journal of Transportation Engineering, November/December 2003, p. 673-683.).(Request this item from TIS)

Évaluation de la résistance à la fatigue des enrobés bitumineux fondée sur l'évolution de l'endommagement du matériau en cours d'essai : aspects fondamentaux et application à l'enrobé à matrice de pierre (Evaluation of the fatigue strength of the bitumen binders founded on the evolution of the damage of material in the course of testing: fundamental aspects and application to stone matrix asphalt)
Fatigue of bituminous asphalts is one of the main types of pavement destruction. This phenomenon was studied extensively in Europe (RILEM) and in the United States (SHRP). There are no standardized tests in Quebec to assess asphalt fatigue resistance. In France, a new approach based on the determination of damage rates due to fatigue has been developed for a tension–compression test on asphalt core samples to study their fatigue strength. (Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, October 2003, p. 902-913).

Chaussée béton et tunnels: la juste équation (Concrete pavements and tunnels: the right equation)
This paper discusses the advantages of concrete pavements in tunnels and cut-and-cover structures. (Revue Générale des Routes et des Aérodromes #819, juillet-août 2003, p. 33-38)(Request this item from TIS)

Safety

How MnDOT Sets Speed Limits for Safety
Setting the best speed limit to increase road safety is an important part of the Minnesota DOT's safety program. One element is the increased use of speed limits to control vehicle speeds through street and highway work zones. (Better Roads, November 2003, p. 74-81).

Identifying the Best Locations Along Highways to Provide Safe Crossing Opportunities for Wildlife
This document is primarily a manual to aid highway planners and designers in managing wildlife crossing of roadways. Its purpose is to describe the highway and landscape variables that highway planners/designers should consider when choosing the best locations for mitigation that helps medium- and large-sized mammals cross highways safely.(Colorado Department of Transportation Report CDOT-DTD-UCD-2003-9, August 2003, 69 p.)

Age des conducteurs de voiture et accidents de la route - Quel risque pour les seniors? (Driver age and road traffic accidents - What is the risk for seniors?)
This paper adopts a quantitative approach with a view to showing the specific characteristics of elderly drivers as regards travel, accidents and road risk. Towards this end it surveys a number of previous studies and takes advantage of recent data to update some of the findings of these contain. (Recherche Transports Sécurité, Avril-Septembre 2003, p. 107-120.)(Request this item from TIS)

Temporary Rumble Strips
The New York State Department of Transportation recently adopted seven work zone intrusion countermeasures to increase safety of the workers and driving public. Among these countermeasures was the use of temporary rumble strips at work zones to alert drivers of an approaching work zone or a change in the driving pattern or highway condition. (New York Department of Transportation Special Report140, July 2003, 44 p.)

Research

Developing geographic information systems platforms for multijurisdictional transportation analyses: framework and techniques for spatial data sharing
This paper investigates the issues related to GIS-T data sharing, establishes a conceptual framework, develops techniques supporting the framework by solving recurring data-sharing problems, and constructs a number of GIS-T platforms facilitating comprehensive multijurisdictional transportation analyses (Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, October 2003, p. 807-818.)

Application of fuzzy logic to traffic signal control under mixed traffic conditions
Existing research has developed fuzzy logic signal controllers (FLSC) based on non-mixed traffic conditions. This paper describes an FLSC for an isolated four-way intersection suitable for mixed traffic, including a high proportion of motorcycles. (Road and Transport Research, June 2003, p. 3-14)(Request this item from TIS)

Critical Gap as a Function of Waiting Time in Determining Roundabout Capacity
This paper presents a study of two important roundabout performance issues: (1) the impact of the waiting time of drivers on the approach leg, on the critical gap they accept before entering a roundabout and (2) the entry capacity of the approach. The main hypothesis is that an increase in drivers' average waiting times reduces the average accepted gap and, consequently, the critical gap. (Journal of Transportation Engineering, September-October 2003, p. 504-509).(Request this item from TIS)

Recent Reports

Pavement

Distress Identification Manual for the Long-Term Pavement Performance Program (Fourth Revised Edition): Federal Highways Administration Report FHWA-RD-03-031, June 2003, 164 p.
Pavement Subgrade Performance Study Project Overview: US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research Laboratory Report ERDC/CRREL TR-03-5, March 2003, 79 p.
Development of a Formal Forensic Investigation Procedure for Pavements: Texas Department of Transportation Report FHWA/TX-03/1731-3F, 2001, 108 p.

Safety

Young Novice Drivers, Driver Education, and Training: A Literature Review: Swedish VTI Report 491A, 2003, 138 p.