Transportation Intelligence

Volume 4 Number 3

June 2006

Traffic Operations

Maintenance

Pavements

Safety

Administration

Urban

Environment

Feedback

Environment
Highway Traffic Noise in the United States: Problem and Response
This paper discusses the three-part approach to dealing with the problem of highway traffic noise in the United States. The first part, noise-compatible land use planning, is traditionally an area of local responsibility. The other two parts, source control of vehicle noise emissions and highway project noise mitigation are the joint responsibility of private industry and of Federal, State, and local governments. The paper also contains FHWA's noise regulations and is intended for the general public, elected officials, and anyone interested in learning about highway traffic noise requirements. (US Federal Highway Administration Report, April 2006, 24 p.)

Maintenance
Risk-based maintenance optimization of aging highway bridge decks
This paper presents a practical approach for maintenance optimization of a network of aging highway bridge decks. The proposed approach is illustrated on a small network of ten bridge deck projects that are optimized for maintenance. (Advances in Engineering Structures, Mechanics & Construction, May 2006, pp. 723-734)

Safety
Safety Applications of Intelligent Transportation Systems in Europe and Japan
The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program sponsored a scanning study of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) applications deployed in France, Germany, and Japan to mitigate traffic safety problems. The team's recommendations for U.S. implementation include projects to increase support for and document benefits of automated enforcement systems, evaluate advanced video detection and incident analysis technology, deploy dynamic sign technologies, and conduct variable speed limit pilots. (Federal Highway Administration International Scanning Program Report FHWA-PL-06-001, January 2006, 54 p.)

Traffic Operations

Guidelines for Left-Turn Lanes at Signalized and Unsignalized Intersection
Existing guidelines for installing left-turn lanes have several limitations. They are mainly based on the traffic volumes at the intersection, and they use deterministic models with fixed gap acceptance and/or left-turn maneuver times. In addition, the guidelines for left-turn lanes for un-signalized intersections and signalized intersections must be specific for the type of intersection. In this study, new left-turn guidelines for both un-signalized and signalized intersections were developed on the basis of well-validated event-based simulation programs. (University of Virginia Center for Transportation Studies Report UVACTS-5-14-69, June 2004, 74 p.)

National Roundabout Conference: 2005 Proceedings
This report includes presentations made during the May 22-25, 2005, conference in Vail, Colorado. Issues examined during the conference included the range of settings where roundabouts may be used, design elements and criteria, and methods of estimating safety and operations impacts. The conference also explored alternatives analysis; experience and practice; evaluation, design, and completion; signs, paint, illumination, and landscaping; accommodations for pedestrians; modeling; and more. To view and print the papers/presentations referenced in this report, click on the appropriate link within the "bookmarks" tab of this PDF, which acts as a table of contents. Use your browser's "Back" button after viewing an associated document to return to the bookmarks in the table of contents.
(Transportation Research Board E-Circular E-C083, December 2005)

Final Report: Model Deployment of a Regional, Multi-Modal 511 Traveler Information System
This document presents the findings of the national evaluation of the 511 telephone traveler information system “Model Deployment” in Arizona. The United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) National 511 Model Deployment supported a wide range of enhancements to the existing statewide Arizona 511 system, including the addition of several new types of information and significant redesign of the user interface. (US Department of Transportation ITS Joint Program Office, 30 September 2005, 204 p.)

Evaluation of the Idaho Transportation Department Integrated Road-Weather Information System
This report presents the results of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) evaluation of the Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD) integration of their Road-Weather Information System (RWIS). This project offered an opportunity to study the potential benefits and impacts on public travel and state highway maintenance practice associated with the integration of ITD RWIS data with non-transportation weather data, and the improved information access. (Final Report - Battelle’s contract DTFH61-96-C-00077, Task BA7730, 2February 2006, 126 p.)

Road Weather Forecast Quality Analysis
The purpose of this research is to enhance the use of KDOT’s Roadway Weather Information System by improving the weather forecasts themselves and raising the level of confidence in these forecasts. However, to properly evaluate the forecast quality, accurate sensor data from the monitoring stations are essential. This report contains analysis that substantiates the problems with the data, analysis of the available data to compare the forecasts of the vendors and recommendations of procedures for monitoring sensor performance, data storage and retrieval, and items to consider in contract negotiations. (Kansas Department of Transportation Report KTRAN: KSU-04-5, March 2006, 72 p.)

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Maintenance

Deep Patch Road Embankment Repair Application Guide
Since 1990, engineers in Regions 5 and 6 have been using a design method for repairing road fillslopes with recompacted fill and reinforcement. They have used the term “deep patch” to describe this method. This application guide describes the background, performance, design, and construction details of the deep patch technique. This guide also details a consistent, simplified method for designing deep patches for use by engineers and technicians. (U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Report, October 2005, 32 p.)

Developing and Implementing Transportation Management Plans for Work Zones
This document is a compendium of guidance material, available resources, and suggested practices to help agencies develop, implement, and assess transportation management plans (TMPs). This Guide is not intended to present the only possible approach to develop and implement TMPs. Rather, it sets forth some basic guiding principles and describes a general approach for developing, implementing, and assessing TMPs in order to assist agencies with developing their own procedures. (US Federal Highway Administration Report FHWA-HOP-05-066, December 2005, 131 p.)

Full-Depth Reclamation of Pavement in Quebec
The first pilot projects involving the use of the full-depth reclamation (FDR) technique at the Ministère des transports du Québec (MTQ) date back to 1990. Full-depth reclamation is also referred to as pulverization-stabilization, especially in cases where the materials actually undergo stabilization. In Québec, FDR refers to three distinct processes, the choice of which mainly depends on the local environment and the condition of the pavement to be claimed. (Routes/Roads Issue 330, 2006, pp. 26-35.) (This item can be requested from the TIS.)

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Pavements

Evaluation of Deicer Applications on Open Graded Pavements
During the winters of 2002 and 2003, several accidents occurred on Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) highways constructed with open-graded pavement, after winter maintenance chemicals had been applied. The people involved in these accidents believed that the application of deicers on the surface of the road may have reduced the friction of the surface, creating a hazardous traction condition. The scope of this research was to study the effects of liquid magnesium chloride on open-graded pavements. (Oregon Department of Transportation Report SPR 616 or FHWA-OR-RD-06-12, April 2006, 44 p.)

Evaluation of Transverse Joint Forming Methods for PCC Pavement
This study examines alternative ways of developing transverse joints in portland cement concrete pavements. It investigated six separate variations of vertical metal strips placed above and below the dowels in conventional baskets. In addition, the study investigated existing patented assemblies and a new assembly developed in Spain and used in Australia. This report describes the design, construction, testing, and conclusions of the project. (Iowa Highway Research Board Project TR-532, January 2006, 112 p.)

US-69 Surface Texture and Noise Study
The components of noise generated by roadways comprise of noise from the engine, exhaust and tires. Changing the surface texture will impact the noise generated by the tire/pavement interface. The objective of this study was to study the effects of different surface textures on the noise generated by the roadway and the effects of the surface texture on surface friction and smoothness. (Kansas Department of Transportation Report KS-05-3, February 2006, 32 p.)

Load Testing of Instrumented Pavement Sections
This report summarizes and references seven previously written reports developed from this project. The objective of this project was to use the field-measured strains from a number of MnROAD cells to develop mechanistically based load equivalency factors (LEF). (Minnesota Department of Transportation Report Mn/DOT 2005-47, November 2005, 24 p.)

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Safety

Roadway Safety Design Synthesis
This document describes the effect of key design components on street and highway safety. Its purpose is to be a reference document for engineers and researchers who desire detailed safety information on various highway geometric design elements. (Texas Transportation Institute Report FHWA/TX-05/0-4703-P1, November 2005, 204 p.)

Driver Attitudes and Behaviors at Intersections and Potential Effectiveness of Engineering Countermeasures
The objective of this focus group study was to identify driver attitudes and behaviors related to intersection safety and to assess the likely impacts of new or existing infrastructure-based technologies/countermeasures. Four focus groups were conducted at each of three test sites: Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; and Seattle, WA. At each site, the four groups corresponded to the age/gender characteristics identified as important to this project. The effort focused on identifying driver attitudes and behaviors with respect to four intersection scenarios: (1) red-light running, (2) left turns at busy intersections, (3) turning left onto a major road with moderate traffic, and (4) rear-end crashes. (Federal Highway Administration Report FHWA-HRT-05-078, November 2005, 174 p.)

Safety Impacts and Other Implications of Raised Speed Limits on High-Speed Roads
This report examines how safety, economic, environmental, and commercial conditions on high-speed roadway may be impacted by a change in the speed limit. Safety-related analyses included in the report were based on a comprehensive framework of the disaggregate relationships between speed limits, driver speed choices, crash occurrence, and crash severity. (National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-Only Document 90, March 2006, 197 p.)

High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane Safety Considerations Handbook
This handbook examines the relationship between safety on HOV lanes and variables that affect it. Its purpose is to disseminate information on HOV safety; promote integration of facility types, treatments, and practices that enhance HOV-lane safety; and raise awareness of HOV safety-research needs. (US Federal Highway Administration Pooled Fund Study Report, January 2006, 160 p.)

Guidelines for Transportation Emergency Training Exercises
The report is designed to assist transportation agencies in developing drills and exercises in alignment with the US National Incident Management System. The report describes the process of emergency exercise development, implementation, and evaluation. In addition, the available literature and materials to support transportation agencies such as state departments of transportation, traffic management centers, and public transportation systems are described. (Transportation Research Board Joint Report; TCRP Report 86 and NCHRP Report 525, 2006, 179 p.)

Characteristics of Emerging Road and Trail Users and Their Safety
Throughout the United States, there has been a dramatic increase in the varieties and numbers of nonmotorized users on trail and roadway facilities. The guidelines provided in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide to the Development of Bicycle Facilities are based on the physical dimensions and operating characteristics of bicycles only and may not meet the needs of emerging trail users. The results of this study can be used to help design professionals adequately design roadway and shared use path facilities to meet the operational and safety needs of a more diverse group of users. (US Federal Highway Administration Report FHWA-HRT-04-103, October 2004, 127 p.)

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Administration

6th National Conference on Transportation Asset Management
This electronic circular summarizes the content of the sessions and presentations from the November 2005 conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The circular includes a summary of each conference session as well as summaries of the individual topics included in the session. The circular is intended as a record and reference of the conference topics. (Transportation Research Circular E-C093, March 2006, 120 p.)

Expert Forum on Road Pricing and Travel Demand Modeling: Proceedings
These proceedings of the Expert Forum held in November 2005 had two goals: to provide a venue for travel demand modelers to share experiences on how to incorporate road pricing into travel demand modeling; and to develop ideas for future research on this topic. (U.S. Department of Transportation’s Travel Model Improvement Program Forum Proceedings DOT-OST/P-001-06, April 2006, 141 p.)

Guidelines for Analysis of Investments in Bicycle Facilities
This report includes methodologies and tools to estimate the cost of various bicycle facilities and for evaluating their potential value and benefits. The report is designed to help transportation planners integrate bicycle facilities into their overall transportation plans and on a project-by-project basis. The research described in the report has been used to develop a set of web-based guidelines, available on the Internet at http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/bikecost/, that provide a step-by-step worksheet for estimating costs, demands, and benefits associated with specific facilities under consideration. (National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 552, 2006, 119 p.)

Performance Measures and Targets for Transportation Asset Management
This report provides the current state of practice on the use of performance measures, principally in the context of transportation asset management. In addition, the report introduces a framework for identifying performance measures and setting target values. It is designed to help transportation agencies apply the concepts of performance management to their asset management efforts. (National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 551, 2006, 181 p.)

Guide to Contracting ITS Projects
This report provides guidance on the procurement of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), including variable message signs, traffic detectors, signal controllers, and a variety of other hardware and software. The report highlights best practices and recommends contracting strategies and contract types, terms, and conditions for ITS development, integration, system acceptance, warranty, maintenance, and upgrade. (TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 560, 2006, 47 p.)

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Urban

Transit Signal Priority: A Planning and Implementation Handbook
The Overview of Transit Signal Priority was updated and expanded in 2004 and is available on the ITS America Web site at http://www.itsa.org/tsp.html. This handbook goes deeper into TSP and provides technical guidance. It does not repeat everything in the overview and is meant to be a companion document. The handbook contains the steps one should follow to implement a successful TSP project, based on eight case studies in which a great deal of information was gathered. (U.S. Federal Transit Administration Report, May 2005, 212 p.)

Effects of Light Rail Transit on Traffic Congestion
There is a great possibility for vehicles to experience additional delays when there is interference by Light Rail Transit (LRT) operations, such as in the case of at-grade crossings or due to priority being given to LRT vehicles at signalized intersections at the expense of conflicting turning movements. This study examines the effects of light rail crossings on average delays experienced by vehicles. Using the VISSIM 3.70 computer simulation model, four scenarios were examined: isolated crossings of two-lane and four-lane roads, a case in which light rail transit is located in the median of a street, and a larger network that includes four crossings. (University of Virginia Center for Transportation Studies Report UVACTS-5-14-68, May 2004, 83 p.)

Strategies for an Intra-Urban Circulator System
While several urban communities have recently implemented trolley services, or are in the process of developing one, currently there are no such guidelines to use in the implementation and operation of the service. This study develops a synthesis of existing circular systems in Florida and other select systems around the country. The study further identifies key characteristics for developing an effective circulator system as well as critical operating strategies. Finally, general guidelines are provided from which individual Florida communities and others across the country or elsewhere can develop systems unique to their needs. (University of South Florida National Center for Transit Research, November 2005, 96 p.)

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Environment

Restoring and Managing Native Wetland and Upland Vegetation
In 2002 the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) was amended to include requirements that wetland mitigation sites must have vegetation management plans developed and implemented. The intended goal is to ensure that restored wetlands develop into the desired wetland type meeting the function and value requirements of WCA. These guidelines were originally written for restoring and managing newly created transportation (Mn/DOT and BWSR Local Road) wetland mitigation sites. Also included are some guidelines for non-transportation cost share projects. (Minnesota Department of Transportation Manual, January 2006, 70 p.)

Impact of Alternative Storm Water Management Approaches on Highway Infrastructure: Guide for Selection of Best Management Practices - Volume 1
The study presented in this report had a goal of evaluating storm water BMPs that are located adjacent to roadway infrastructures. The primary objective was to assess the potential adverse impact of storm water BMPs on the function and long-term operational cost of roadways. A secondary objective was to evaluate a method for assessing the effectiveness of storm water BMPs in controlling storm water runoff volume. (Minnesota Department of Transportation Report 2005-49A, February 2006, 60 p.)

Best Practices Handbook on Roadside Vegetation Management
This handbook was written to provide guidelines for effective management of roadside vegetation for local agencies, and highlights seven best management practices (BMPs) that were identified through research, surveys, and discussion with industry experts. (Minnesota Department of Transportation Report 2000-19, September 2000, 137 p.)

Assessing the Effectiveness of Deer Warning Signs
This study examined the effectiveness of deer warning signs by a comparison of crash rates before and after sign installation. Deer-vehicle crashes were then studied with respect to an array of potential predictor variables with the intent of developing a predictive model for deer-vehicle crash rate that could be used to prioritize segments for mitigative action. (Kansas Department of Transportation Report K-TRAN: KU-03-6, April 2006, 150 p.)

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