Transportation Intelligence

Volume 3 Number 3

June 2005

Maintenance

Structures

Pavements

Planning

Safety

Administration

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Safety
Second Train Warning at Grade Crossings (5.1 MB PDF)
A second train incident occurs when pedestrians assume that they can safely traverse an at-grade road-railway crossing, subsequent to the departure of a train, only to be met by a second train in the crossing area. A second train warning system is designed to reduce the risk of collision resulting from this situation. This study was initiated in 1998 to review the benefit and means of deployment of second train warning (STW) systems in Canada. (Transport Canada Report TP 14288E, April 2004, 266 p.)

Traffic Management
National Traffic Signal Report Card - Technical Report
There are more than 260,000 traffic signals in the United States. Traffic signals are owned, operated and maintained by state and local governments and are paid for by taxpayers. Taxpayers deserve to know that a modest investment is needed to raise the D- grade. To gauge traffic signal operations, a national assessment was conducted to develop the first-ever National Traffic Signal Report Card. The Traffic Signal Operation Self Assessment was administered in August 2004, and voluntarily completed by 378 agencies in 49 states, representing about one-third of traffic signals in the United States. (ITE/National Transportation Operation Coalition Study, 2004, 37 p.)

Structures
Identification of the Best Practices for the Design, Construction, and Repair of Bridge Approach Sections (9.7 MB PDF)
Bridge approach settlement and the formation of the bump is a common problem in Iowa that draws upon considerable resources for maintenance and creates a negative perception in the minds of transportation users. This research study was undertaken to investigate bridge approach problems and develop new concepts for design, construction, and maintenance that will reduce this costly problem. (Iowa State University Center for Transportation Research and Education Report TR-481, January 2005, 377 p.)

Maintenance

Fire Performance of FRP Systems for Infrastructure: A State-of-the-Art Report
Widespread deterioration of infrastructure resulting from corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete has led recently to the use of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) in a number of infrastructure applications. A significant research effort over the past fifteen years has shown that FRP materials can be effectively used to reinforce and/or strengthen deteriorated or under strength reinforced concrete structures. However, the performance of FRP materials in fire remains a serious concern, which needs to be addressed before these materials can be used with confidence in applications where fire endurance is a design criterion (i.e. buildings, parking garages, etc.). This report presents a review of the literature with respect to the fire and high temperature behaviour of FRP composites as is relevant to the design and construction of FRP- strengthened or reinforced concrete structures. (NRC Institute for Research in Construction Research Report 179, March 2005, 59 p.)

Development of a Method to Determine Pavement Damage Due to Detours
The research presented in this report provides the basis for the development of a new procedure to be used by the Iowa DOT and cities and counties in the state to deal with detours. Even though the project initially focused on investigating new tools to determine condition and compensation, the focus was shifted to traffic and the gas tax method to set the basis for the new procedure. It was concluded that the condition-based approach, even though accurate and consistent condition evaluations can be achieved, is not feasible or cost effective because of the current practices of data collection and also the logistics of the procedure. (CTRE Report/IHRB Project TR-470, April 2005, 32 p.)

Erosion Assaults the Unpaved Road
Water is said to be the enemy of pavements, but it’s the bane, nemesis, and destroyer of unpaved roads. And because two-thirds of the road network system in the United States — and nearly 90% of the roads in the world — are unsurfaced or lightly surfaced low-volume roads, it’s a big problem. Unpaved roads are associated with rural and remote areas, but they’re not just a rural phenomenon. Unpaved city streets are common in the southeastern states, and unpaved alleys are found in every city in every state. (Better Roads, February 2005, pp. 32-44.)

Improved Performance of Unpaved Roads During Spring Thaw (11 MB PDF)
Unpaved roads in Vermont are subject to deterioration from seasonal freezing and thawing, and many towns have roads that suffer chronic serviceability problems during the so-called “spring thaw,” or mud season. Several techniques thought to mitigate deterioration of unpaved roads during spring thaw were constructed on test sections of unpaved roads in two towns. Each potential remedy was aimed at providing some combination of limiting the availability of moisture in the winter, improving drainage during spring, and strengthening the upper portion of the road. Each technique used local and/or commercially available materials, and all were easy to construct, i.e., a town road crew could build them. (US Army Corps of Engineers Report ERDC/CRREL TR-05-1, February 2005, 179 p.)

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Structures

Development of High-Performance Concrete Mixtures for Durable Bridge Decks in Montana Using Locally Available Materials
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is performing research to develop a cost-effective, indigenous highperformance concrete (HPC) for use in bridge deck applications. The investigation was divided into two tasks: 1) identification of the optimum cementitious matrix for the HPC and 2) evaluation of the performance of this matrix in combination with aggregates readily available in Montana. The work focused on the use of binary, ternary, and quaternary blends of portland cement with fly ash (Class C and F), slag, calcined clay, metakaolin, and silica fume, in combination with Yellowstone River and Western Montana aggregate sources. (Montana DoT/FHWA Report FHWA/MT-05-005/8156-03, March 2005, 51 p.)

Implementation of Full-Width Bridge Deck Panels: A Synthesis Study
In this synthesis study, information related to full-depth precast deck systems has been collected and analyzed in order to facilitate implementation of full-depth precast deck systems in the state of Indiana. Nine full-depth precast deck systems were identified in the literature review. (Joint Transportation Research Program Report FHWA/IN/JTRP/2003-24, May 2004, 131 p.)

Aesthetic Guidelines for Bridges
Society values structures that are aesthetically designed and are attractive additions to their environment. In the past, bridge aesthetics have played an important role in the design and construction of bridges in Ontario. To continue with that tradition, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario has produced this guide. The document is intended for use in the planning, design and construction of bridges in Ontario. It focuses on bridges routinely constructed in Ontario. It can be used as a training document for new engineers and as a reference for experienced bridge designers. Bridge designers are also encouraged to seek additional professional advice on bridge aesthetics, as determined by the scope of the bridge project. (Ontario Ministry of Transportation, 2004, 170 p.) (Request this item from the TIS.)

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Pavements

Evaluation of Latex Polymers to Resist Stripping in Asphalt Pavements in Oregon
This study assessed the effectiveness of latex polymer anti-stripping treatment by inspecting and evaluation the condition of pavements constructed in Oregon from 1997-2001. Ten hot mix asphalt concrete paving projects were identified throughout the state. Five of the projects used hydrated lime as an anti-stripping additive, and five used latex polymer (UP-5000) as an anti-stripping additive. Each paving project that used UP-5000 as an anti-stripping additive was compared to a paving project that used hydrated lime as an additive. Both sites being compared shared similar aggregate sources. (Oregon Department of Transportation Report SPR 354, March 2005, 27 p.)

Guide for Curing of Portland Cement Concrete Pavements, Volume 1
This document provides guidance on details of concrete curing practice as they pertain to construction of portland cement concrete pavements. The guide is organized around the major events in curing pavements: curing immediately after placement (initial curing), curing during the period after final finishing (final curing), and termination of curing and evaluation of effectiveness of curing. Information is presented on selection of curing materials and procedures, analysis of concrete properties and jobsite conditions, and on ways to adjust curing practice to account for specific project conditions. (FHWA Report FHWA-RD-02-099, 2005, 49 p.) (Request this item from the TIS.)

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Planning

Cycling Trends and Policies in Canadian Cities
Bicycling accounted for an average of 1.2% of work trips in Canada in 2001, but with considerable variation by province and metropolitan area. In this study, the authors chose six Canadian cities for detailed analysis of their cycling trends and policies: Montreal and Quebec City in Quebec; Ottawa and Toronto in Ontario; and Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia. (Victoria Transportation Policy Institute, 23 April 2005, 27 p.)

Performance Measures to Improve Transportation Planning Practice: A Peer Exchange
TRB Transportation Research Circular E-C073 summarizes the results of a peer review on the use of performance measures to improve transportation planning and its relationship to project programming. The one-day peer review focused on how state departments of transportation are using performance measures to improve planning practices. (TRB Transportation Research Circular E-C073, May 2005, 15 p.)

Road Weather Information System Environmental Sensor Station Siting Guidelines
This document provides guidelines for siting an RWIS ESS and its associated environmental and pavement sensors. These guidelines are intended to help establish uniformity in siting ESSs and to improve the usefulness of road weather information derived from ESS observations. The document provides siting criteria that satisfy as many road weather monitoring, detection, and prediction requirements as possible. The siting criteria are based on an analysis of published documents on the siting of weather and pavement sensors, and the results of interviews with nearly two dozen road weather experts representing State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), equipment suppliers, and consultants. (FHWA Report FHWA-HOP-05-026, April 2005, 46 p.)

Performance Metrics for Freeway Sensors
Performance measures play a critical role in the operation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), because they provide feedback to the operators regarding system operations and efficiency. Traffic management systems use archived data, provided by various sensors, as a basis for describing normal conditions and predicting traffic conditions that may be expected at a particular time and place in the highway system. However, data quality is one of the principal concerns of archived ITS data users. This project examined several quality control issues on one of the nation’s busiest sections of Interstate, the Borman expressway (I-80/94). Various tests such as speed and volume comparisons, data availability and average effective vehicle length test were developed and applied. (Joint Transportation Research Program Report FHWA/IN/JTRP/2004-37, December 2004, 125 p.)

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Safety

Traffic Safety Information Systems in Europe and Australia
Safety data is key to making sound decisions on the design and operation of roadways, but the quality of many States’ crash databases has eroded because of resource reductions. The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program sponsored a scanning study of how agencies in the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia develop and use traffic safety information systems. (FHWA International Programs Office report FHWA-PL-04-010, October 2004, 112 p.)

Implementation of a Real-Time Intersection Accident Detection System (Phase 1)
The focus of this research is the feasibility study for the implementation of a real-time accident detection system at intersections. After reviewing accident detection algorithms investigated in the prior phase of the research, we explored schemes to improve the algorithm, conducted algorithm tests both in the lab and in the field, investigated system architecture and communications mechanisms, and evaluated the feasibility of implementation. (FHWA and Mississippi DOT Report FHWA/MS-DOT-RD-04-164, October 2004, 62 p.)

Safety Evaluation of Red-Light Cameras (Executive Summary) (Full Report)
The fundamental objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of red-light-camera (RLC) systems in reducing crashes. The study involved an empirical Bayes (EB) before-after research using data from seven jurisdictions across the United States to estimate the crash and associated economic effects of RLC systems. The study included 132 treatment sites, and specially derived rear end and right-angle unit crash costs for various severity levels. Crash effects detected were consistent in direction with those found in many previous studies: decreased right-angle crashes and increased rear end ones. The economic analysis examined the extent to which the increase in rear end crashes negates the benefits for decreased right-angle crashes. (FHWA Report FHWA-HRT-05-049, April 2005, 8 p., 98 p.)

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Administration

Cost/Benefit Study of: Spring Load Restrictions
Across the state of Minnesota, asphalt roads under the jurisdiction of counties, cities and townships have been controlled by restrictions that limit the total weight of each truck that uses those roads during the spring thaw period. During this time, the pavement weakens and the bearing capacity of the roadway is reduced. These policies vary from county to county and from road to road, depending on the capacity of the roads––typically, 5, 7 and 9 tons. While spring load restrictions serve to extend the useful life of the road, they also add significant burdens to truckers who are forced to re–route their vehicles and/or increase the number of trips in order to adhere to the policies. This study assesses the economic impact of lifting all vehicle restrictions during the spring thaw period.. (Minnesota Local Road Research Board Report, March 2005, 317 p.)

Highlights of an Expert Panel: The Benefits and Costs of Highway and Transit Investments
The nation's economy and its citizens' quality of life depend on our transportation system. While all government levels have made significant investments in transportation, projections of future passenger and freight travel indicate that considerable investment will be needed to maintain the system. However, this comes amid growing concern about the size of the federal budget deficit and increasing demands on state and local government revenue. As a result, careful decisions will need to be made to ensure that transportation investments maximize the benefits of each dollar invested. The House Appropriations Committee report accompanying the fiscal year 2004 Departments of Transportation and Treasury and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill, required GAO to review the benefits and costs of various transportation modes. (US GAO Report GAO-05-423SP, May 2005, 100 p.)

Highway And Transit Investments: Options for Improving Information on Projects' Benefits and Costs and Increasing Accountability for Results
Projections of future passenger and freight travel suggest that increased levels of investment may be needed to maintain the current levels of mobility provided by the nation's highway and transit systems. However, calls for greater investment in transportation come amid growing concerns about fiscal imbalances at all levels of the government. As a result, careful decisions will need to be made to ensure that transportation investments maximize the benefits of each federal dollar invested. In this report GAO identifies (1) the categories of benefits and costs that can be attributed to new highway and transit investments and the challenges in measuring them; (2) how state, local, and regional decision makers consider the benefits and costs of new highway and transit investments when comparing alternatives; (3) the extent to which investments meet their projected outcomes; and (4) options to improve the information available to decision makers. (US GAO Report GAO-05-172, January 2005, 92 p.)

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