TRB Transportation Research E-Newsletter - 03-03-2015

TUESDAY, MARCH 03, 2015

TRB Webinar: The Impact of Regulatory Compliance and Through-the-Fence Operations on Small Airports TRB will conduct a webinar on March 5, 2015, from 2:00pm to 3:30pm ET that will feature research conducted by TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) on the effects of regulatory compliance costs on small airports and the implementation of Through-the Fence (TTF) operations (outside entities gaining access to the airport’s airside... TRB Webinar: Next Generation Air Transportation System: A Research Update TRB will conduct a webinar on March 17, 2015, from 2:00pm to 3:30pm ET that will feature an update on the research conducted by TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) on the Next Generation Air Transportation System (“NextGen”)—a term used to describe a number of federal programs designed to modernize the National Airspace System (NAS). ... TRB Webinar: Developing Reliability-Based Bridge Inspection Practices TRB will conduct a webinar on March 18, 2015, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm ET that will cover NCHRP Report 782: Proposed Guideline for Reliability-Based Bridge Inspection Practices, which presents a methodology to develop a risk-based approach for determining the bridge inspection interval according to the requirements in Moving Ahead for Progress in the ... TRB Webinar: A Model for Publishing and Linking Transportation Datasets and Reports TRB will conduct a webinar on March 24, 2015, from 1:00pm to 2:30pm ET that will explore early initiatives to integrate discrete data publications with traditional scholarly publications by leveraging new and existing repository platforms and services. Webinar presenters will review the work flow integration among Purdue University's data... Waste Management and Resource Efficiency in Transportation Summer Conference: Abstracts due March 30, 2015 TRB is sponsoring the Waste Management and Resource Efficiency in Transportation Summer Conference in June 7-10, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA. The conference will explore the latest knowledge, expertise, and experience in development and integration of proactive environmental management systems and sustainability concepts into transportation programs.... 11th National Conference on Access Management*: Abstracts Due April 15, 2015 TRB is cosponsoring the 11th National Conference on Access Management on September 21-25, 2015, in Seattle, Washington. The conference will draw together engineers, planners, consultants, land developers, and academics from across all fields of highway planning, design, operations, and engineering. Abstracts are due April 15, 2015.  Open Data: Challenges and Opportunities for Transit Agencies TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 115: Open Data: Challenges and Opportunities for Transit Agencies documents the current state of the practice in the use, policies, and impact of open data for improving transit planning, service quality, and treatment of customer information. Transit 2014, Vol. 5 TRB’s Transportation Research Record (TRR): Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2419 consists of 12 articles that explore the impacts of real-time passenger information signs in rail stations at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; the performance of Australian light rail and comparison with U.S. trends; rail transit... Alternative IT Delivery Methods and Best Practices for Small Airports TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 128: Alternative IT Delivery Methods and Best Practices for Small Airports provides guidance and templates to help airport staff understand the appropriate IT delivery methods and best practices based on their unique strategic goals, requirements, and overall airport goals. Interactive Training for All-Hazards Emergency Planning, Preparation, and Response for Maintenance and Operations Field Personnel TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 468: Interactive Training for All-Hazards Emergency Planning, Preparation, and Response for Maintenance and Operations Field Personnel identifies interactive emergency training tools and sources that may be applied by maintenance and operations field personnel of state... TRB and Resilience: A Summary of Transportation Research Board Activities A slideshow summary of the Transportation Research Board's pre- and post-September 11, 2001, transportation security and resilience activities is updated monthly. TRB Security, Emergency Management, and Infrastructure Protection Research Status Report Since September 11, 2001, 145 security-, emergency management-, and infrastructure protection-related planning and implementation projects have been initiated through programs managed by the Transportation Research Board (TRB). One hundred eleven of these projects have been completed; 24 projects are in progress; and 10 projects have contracts... Naturalistic Driving Study: Descriptive Comparison of the Study Sample with National Data TRB’s second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has released report S2-S31-RW-1: Naturalistic Driving Study: Descriptive Comparison of the Study Sample with National Data that provides technical support to users of the SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data. Specifically, the report provides guidance for analysts with weighting SHRP ... Research Pays Off: Second-Generation, Full-Depth, Precast Concrete Deck System The latest edition of Research Pays Off included in the November–December 2014 edition of the TR News explores how the Nebraska Department of Transportation applied a precast concrete deck system to improve constructability and cost-effectiveness. Research Pays Off is a regular series highlighted in TRB’s bimonthly magazine, TR News. TR News... Maintenance Quality Assurance Field Inspection Practices TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 470: Maintenance Quality Assurance Field Inspection Practices summarizes practices used by state transportation agencies to support maintenance investments. Appendices A and B are only available through the online PDF document. Successful Practices in GIS-Based Asset Management TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 800: Successful Practices in GIS-Based Asset Management provides guidance for state transportation agencies on using geographic information system (GIS) technologies in transportation asset management (TAM). In addition to the report, the Executive Guide andImplementation Guide ... U.S. DOT Research Hub Website The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) has released the U.S. DOT Research Hub website, a searchable database of the latest agency-sponsored research, development, and technology projects. The database acts as a central location for information on projects funded by U.S. DOT... Evaluation of LTPP Climatic Data for Use in Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) Calibration and Other Pavement Analysis The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has released a tech brief that describes the use of the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications product as an alternative climatic data source for the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide and other transportation infrastructure applications. Review of FHWA’s Oversight of Bridge Safety The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General has released a report that details the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) efforts to improve bridge safety. Review of Public Awareness Initiatives for Drug-Impaired Driving The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report that discusses what is known about drug-impaired driving; challenges that exist for federal, state, and local agencies in addressing drug-impaired driving; and actions that federal and state agencies have taken and gaps that exist in the federal response. Seat Belt Use in 2014: Overall Results The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a research summary that compares seat belt use in the United States over time. Public Roads: January/February 2015 The U.S. Federal Highway Administration's has released the latest edition of its Public Roads magazine. The magazine highlights developments in federal highway policies, programs, and research and technology. Development of Wave and Surge Atlas for the Design and Protection of Coastal Bridges in South Louisiana The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has released a report that discusses the development of a wave and surge atlas for coastal Louisiana and the determination of the vulnerability of select coastal bridges. Evaluation of Overhead Support Inspection Program The Ohio Department of Transportation has released a report that considers the adequacy and frequency of its current structural support inspection program for overhead sign supports, mast arm signal supports, and high mast light supports. Safe and Effective Speed Reductions for Freeway Work Zones: Phase 3 Report The Oregon Department of Transportation has released a report that investigates the impact of 35 mile per hour advisory signs on vehicle speeds within highway paving project work zones. Location Choices for Climate Change and Transportation Decision Making: Phase 1 Report The Oregon Department of Transportation has released a report that explores residential location decisions and preferences, and the resulting travel outcomes by using Oregon household travel survey data. Evaluation of Box Culvert Maintenance Methods The Ohio Department of Transportation has released a report that evaluates the use of remote-controlled equipment for cleaning debris and accumulated sediment from large culverts. DriverSeat: February 2015 The National Advanced Driving Simulator center at the University of Iowa has released its monthly newsletter that provides updates on driver simulations that address driver safety. Evaluation of Automated Vehicle Technology for Transit The National Center for Transit Research at the University of South Florida has released a report that reviews the state of automated vehicle technology in transit, including the technology that could be used in demonstration projects. Integrated Freight Network Model The Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky has released a report that explains a GIS-based model used to of the three primary surface modes (highways, waterways, railways) as well as intermodal connections, which resulted in the Integrated Freight Network Model. Exploring the Role of Natural Gas in U.S. Trucking The Institute of Transportation Studies at University of California, Davis has released a report that investigates whether natural gas could provide fuel cost savings, geographic supply diversity, and environmental benefits for the heavy-duty trucking sector. The Purpose, Function, and Performance of Streetcar Transit in the Modern U.S. City: A Multiple-Case-Study Investigation The Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University has released a report that examines the experiences of the modern-era streetcars in various cities to consider the purposes that they serve. Do Changing Prices Portend a Shift in Fuel Consumption, Diminished Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Lower Fuel Tax Revenue? The Mountain-Plains Consortium at Utah State University has released a report that uses market mechanisms to evaluate long-range transportation planning assumptions with regard to growing uncertainty about oil prices and availability. Seat Belt and Mobile Phone Use Surveys: England and Scotland 2014 The Department for Transport in the United Kingdom has released a report that provides statistics on the proportion of drivers observed using a hand-held mobile phone and those observed wearing seat belts. Safer Journeys for People Who Cycle: Cycling Safety Panel Final Report and Recommendations Safer Journeys in New Zealand has released a report that discusses steps that central and local governments can take to ensure cycling as a safe transportation option. ETSC Speed Monitor: January 2015 The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has released the latest issue of its periodic newsletter on speed policy developments in the European Union. ETSC Safety Monitor: February 2015 The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has released the latest issue of its bi-monthly safety newsletter that provides updates on European Union transportation safety issues. Hearing on MAP-21 Reauthorization On February 25, 2015, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing to examine links between a long-term federal surface transportation bill and economic productivity, and partnering with states to maintain, modernize, and expand infrastructure to ensure a reliable national surface transportation network.