Engineering Commons^™

Best Practices For Highway Project Scoping, Jeff Jasper, Samantha Wright, Jon Wilcoxson, Robin Baskette, Christopher Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

One of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) foremost priorities in fulfilling its mission is to deliver successful projects — quality solutions that meet the defined scope and are delivered on time and within the budget specified in the Highway Plan. When a project scope is not clearly defined or uncertain, revisions may take place after the project is already underway, leading to delays or overpromising what can be delivered. Ideally, a reliable, decisive project scope is defined in the early phases of the highway project development process. The scope should include a project definition that clearly communicates the project scope’s …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2020, Eric Green, Paul Ross, Christopher Blackden, Michael Fields, Kenneth Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.635:

“Every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.”

The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth.

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky 2016-2020, Eric Green, Paul Ross, Christopher Blackden, Michael Fields, William Staats

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky. A primary objective of this study was to determine average crash statistics for Kentucky highways. Where used, rates were calculated for various highway types and for counties and cities. Difference criteria were used for exposure.

Average and critical numbers, SPFs, and crash rates were calculated for various highway types in rural and urban areas. These metrics rely on crashes identified on highways where Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) volumes were available. Data in this report may be used to help identify problem areas.

The other primary objective of this study …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2019, Eric R. Green, Paul A. Ross, Christopher L. Blackden, Michael A. Fields, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.635:

“Every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.”

The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth.

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (2014-2018), Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Paul A. Ross

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Executive Summary

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 2014-2018. A primary objective of this study was to determine average crash statistics for Kentucky highways. Rates were calculated for various types of highways and for counties and cities. Difference criteria were used for exposure.

Average and critical numbers and rates of crashes were calculated for various types of highways in rural and urban areas. These rates used crashes identified on highways where traffic volumes were available. Improved methods of identifying crash locations have resulted in higher rates for the last couple of …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2018, Eric R. Green, Paul A. Ross, Christopher L. Blackden, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.635, “every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.” The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth. Data contained in this report are based solely on the observations and judgements …

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (2013-2017), Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Paul A. Ross

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Executive Summary

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 2013-2017. A primary objective of this study was to determine average crash statistics for Kentucky highways. Rates were calculated for various types of highways and for counties and cities. Difference criteria were used for exposure.

Average and critical numbers and rates of crashes were calculated for various types of highways in rural and urban areas. These rates used crashes identified on highways where traffic volumes were available. Improved methods of identifying crash locations have resulted in higher rates for the last couple of …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2017, Eric R. Green, Paul A. Ross, Christopher L. Blackden, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.635, “every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.” The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth. Data contained in this report are based solely on the observations and judgements …

Develop A Highway Inventory Data Quality Control Scheme (Pl-26), Mei Chen, Obaidur Rahman Kazi, Tony Fields

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Since passage of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), transportation agencies have become increasingly reliant on data for planning and programming, asset management, and performance tracking. An efficient asset inventory database with accurate data is critical for states to comply with MAP-21 (and now FAST Act) requirements.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Division of Planning maintains the Highway Information System (HIS), which is a primary source of this information for transportation professionals at the Cabinet (KYTC). Because highway system is continually changing, it is a challenging task to keep the information in the HIS up to …

Transportation System Vulnerability And Resilience To Extreme Weather Events And Other Natural Hazards: Report For Pilot Project — Kytc District 1, Benjamin L. Blandford, Scott Schurman, Candice Y. Wallace, Sarah M. Mccormack

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This research’s objective is to assist the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) in its efforts to develop strategies to address natural hazard vulnerabilities and improve the resiliency of Kentucky’s transportation infrastructure. Recent federal legislation calls for state transportation agencies to develop a risk-based asset management plan for National Highway System (NHS) assets that includes consideration of natural hazards. Similarly, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) calls for state transportation agencies to identify potential vulnerabilities associated with extreme weather events and climate change, and to incorporate these findings into transportation planning, design, and maintenance practices.

Resilient Modulus Of Compacted Crushed Stone Aggregate Bases, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Charlie Sun

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In recent years, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has recommended the use of resilient modulus for characterizing highway materials for pavement design. This recommendation evolved as result of a trend in pavement design of using mechanistic models. Although much progress has been made in recent years in developing mathematical, mechanistic pavement design models, results obtained from those models are only as good as the material parameters used in the models. Resilient modulus of aggregate bases is an important parameter in the mechanistic models. The main goal of this study was to establish a simple and efficient …

Characteristics And Engineering Properties Of The Soft Soil Layer In Highway Soil Subgrades, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Liecheng Sun

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this research was to examine the conditions and characteristics of soil subgrades that had been stabilized using mechanical compaction. Goals of the study are to identify and examine the engineering properties and behavior of the “soft layer’ of material observed at the top of untreated, highway pavement soil subgrades. Alternative methods of preventing, or mitigating, the development of the soft layer are discussed.

Evidence is presented that shows that a soft layer of soil frequently develops at the top of untreated, highway soil subgrades. Data are presented that show strengths obtained from mechanical compaction are largely destroyed …

Value Of Research From 2000-2005: The Kentucky Spr Program For Highway Research, Donald L. Hartman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The abstracts of the 79 SPR reports completed by KTC researches for 2000-2005 were compiled. Seven projects were selected for value review to demonstrate the various types of benefits that accrue from SPR project research. This review compared objectives with results and described the nature of the benefits (some quantifiable). All of the projects were analyzed to determine: 1) the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (and FHWA) goals supported and 2) the types of benefits that would reasonably be expected to accrue from implemented results of the research. Most of the 79 projects; results address both improving the performance of the Cabinet …

Examination Of Economical Methods For Repairing Highway Landslides, Liecheng Sun, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Bixian Ni

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spends millions of dollars each year in the repairs of highway landslides. In previous research, an inventory of highway landslides showed that about 1440 landslides of various sizes exist on major roadways maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Moreover, emergency repairs can exceed one million dollars for large embankment failures. In many instances, drilled-in, or driven, railroad steel rails were frequently used as a stop-gap measure to halt landslide movements or those efforts were tried as a permanent solution. The use of rails to serve as a restraining structure was usually not successful when the height …

Kentucky Highway User Survey 2004, Ronald E. Langley, Ted Grossardt

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to continue the efforts begun in 1997 to monitor Kentucky public opinion regarding the quality of highway systems, including a portion to measure satisfaction with current drivers’ license and registration renewal processes. Kentucky’s 2004 public opinion is compared to data colleted in previous years to gauge the state’s progress.

Long-Term Benefits Of Stabilizing Soil Subgrades, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Liecheng Sun, Bixian Ni, Barry Butcher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Chemical admixtures have been used extensively since the mid-eighties in Kentucky to improve bearing strengths of soil subgrades. Most pavements in Kentucky are constructed on clayey soils. Although short-term observations at a small number of sites showed that chemical stabilization worked very well, a need existed to perform a more comprehensive review and to assess the long-term benefits of this subgrade stabilization method. The main intent of this study was an attempt to address questions concerning bearing strengths, longevity, durability, structural credit, economics, and performance of pavements resting on soil subgrades mixed with chemical admixtures. In-depth field and laboratory studies …

Kentucky Highway User Survey 2001, Ronald E. Langley, Ted Grossardt

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to continue the efforts begun in 1997 to monitor Kentucky public opinion regarding the quality of the highway system and also includes a portion to measure satisfaction with the current drivers’ license and registration renewal processes. Kentucky’s 2001 public opinion is compared to data collected since 1997 to gauge Kentucky’s progress over the past years.

Kentucky Highway User Survey 2000, Ronald E. Langley

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to continue the efforts begun in 1997 to monitor Kentucky public opinion regarding the quality of the highway system and also includes a portion to measure satisfaction with the current drivers’ license and registration renewal processes. Kentucky’s 2000 public opinion is compared to data collected since 1997 to gauge Kentucky’s progress over the past years, and is compared to the NQI 2000 Survey done on the national level to show how Kentuckians’ opinions compare to those nationwide.

Resilient Modulus Of Kentucky Soils, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Charlie Sun, Bixian Ni

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In recent years, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has recommended the use of resilient modulus for characterizing highway materials for pavement design. This recommendation evolved as of a result of a trend in pavement design of using mechanistic models, which are based on the theory of elasticity (layered elastic analysis) or linear and non-linear, finite elements (and finite difference methods), or a combination of both of those theoretical approaches. Although much progress has been made in recent years in developing mathematical, mechanistic pavement design models, results obtained from those models are only as good as the …

Value Of Research: Spr Projects From 1995 To 1999, Donald L. Hartman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report provides summary documentation of the 45 “SPR” research projects funded at the Kentucky Transportation Center (University of Kentucky) from 1995 through 1999. Eleven of these projects were selected for highlighting with up-to-date information regarding results and benefits. They represent a diverse range of research and demonstrate considerable breadth in the implementation of results. Abstracts for all the projects are include in the appendix. A brief discussion of the need/purpose of research, the research process, and the program areas of research at the Kentucky Transportation Center is included.

A Recommended Master Plan For The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet To Build A Partnership With The Public, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Donald G. Hartman, Lenahan O'Connell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Public involvement with proposed projects is necessary to facilitate their timely implementation by state highway agencies. New procedures are necessary to involve the public in the project development process and adequately address their concerns. Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Study Advisory Committee members cooperated to identify a set of recommended actions to be considered for implementation by the Cabinet. That work consisted of a series of “internal” reviews of problems and proposed solutions. That was supplemented by external reviews and interviews conducted by KTC researchers to identify “best practices” of other transportation agencies related to promoting …

2000 Highway Cost Allocation Update, Monica L. Osborne, Jerry G. Pigman, Eric C. Thompson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This update of the highway cost allocation study is the ninth in a recent series that began in the early 1980′s by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinetand the Kentucky Transportation Center. The primary objectives are to determine the level of revenue contribution and cost responsibility for each class ofhighway user. The base year of this study is FY 1999; the most recent time period for which revenue and cost data are available. Highway user or travelactivity for calendar year1998 is the most recent available. A basic premise of the study is that only state maintained highways are of interest in recouping …

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's: Annual Assessment Of Customer Needs And Satisfaction, Patsy Anderson, Kris Koehler

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to continue the efforts begun in 1997 to monitor Kentucky public opinion regarding the quality of the highway system and also include a portion to measure satisfaction with the current drivers' license and registration renewal processes. Kentucky's 1998 public opinion is compared to data collected in 1997 to gage Kentucky's progress over the past year, and is compared to the NQI Survey done on the national level to show how Kentuckian's opinions compare to those nationwide.

1998 Highway Cost Allocation Update: Technical Report, Samantha S. Jones, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This update of the highway cost allocation study is the eighth in a recent series begun in the early 1980's by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Transportation Center. The primary objectives were to determine the level of revenue contribution and cost responsibility for each class of highway user. The base year of the study is FY 97; the most recent time period for which revenue and cost data were available. Highway user or travel activity for calender year 1996 was the most recent available. A basic premise of the study was that only state maintained highways were of …

Annual Assessment Of Customer Needs And Satisfaction, Patsy Anderson, Kris Hockensmith

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, both through its own quality initiative and a statewide "Empower Kentucky" campaign, has a commitment to achieve new levels of quality in the development, construction and maintenance of highways. In order to gage progress, there is a need to establish a baseline of customer satisfaction with the current highway system, and determine needs as perceived by the users of the highway system. As a result, the University of Kentucky Transportation Center, Technology Exchange Unit, was contracted to conduct a customer needs and satisfaction survey. The objectives of this study are to:

A. Ascertain Kentucky highway users' …

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Annual Assessment Of Customer Needs And Satisfaction: Mail Survey, Patsy Anderson, Kris Hockensmith

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, both through its own quality initiative and a statewide "Empower Kentucky" campaign, has a commitment to achieve new levels of quality in the development, construction and maintenance of highways. In order to gage progress, there is a need to establish a baseline of customer satisfaction with the current highway system, and determine needs as, perceived by the users of the highway system. As a result, the University of Kentucky Transportation Center, Technology Exchange Unit, was contracted to conduct a customer needs and satisfaction survey. The objectives of this study are to:

A. Ascertain Kentucky highway users' …

1996 Highway Cost Allocation Update: Technical Report, John A. Deacon, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This update of the highway cost allocation study is the seventh in a recent series begun in the early 1980's by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Transportation Center. The primary objectives were to determine the level of revenue contribution and cost responsibility for each class of highway user. The base year of the study is FY 1995; the most recent time period for which revenue and cost data were available. Highway use or travel activity data for calendar year 1994 was the most recent available. A basic premise of the study was that only state maintained highways were …

Impacts Of The Extended-Weight Coal Haul Road System, Jerry G. Pigman, Joseph D. Crabtree, Kenneth R. Agent, R. Clark Graves, John A. Deacon

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Extended-Weight Coal Haul Road System, created by the Kentucky Legislature in 1986, consists of all roads which carry over 50,000 tons of coal in a calendar year. Trucks hauling coal on this system are authorized to exceed normal weight limits through the payment of an annual decal fee. A research study was initiated in July of 1992 to analyze the impacts of the extended-weight system.

Analyses in this report are based on the following: historical data on coal production and transportation: data from coal decal applications; interviews of legislators. transportation officials. coal company representatives. and coal trucking representatives: newspaper …

Modification Of Highway Soil Subgrades, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, David Q. Hunsucker

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Major study objectives were to develop highway pavement subgrade stabilization guidelines, examine long-term benefits of chemical stabilizers, such as cement, hydrated lime, and two byproducts from industrial processes, and to establish a subgrade stabilization program in Kentucky. In developing a program, a number of design and construction issues had to be resolved. Factors affecting subgrade behavior are examined. Changes in moisture content and CBR strengths of untreated and chemically treated subgrades at three experimental highway routes were monitored over a 7- year period. CBR strengths of the untreated subgrades decreased dramatically while moisture contents increased. CBR strengths of subgrade sections …

Impacts Of The Extended-Weight Coal Haul Road System (Interim Report), Joseph D. Crabtree, Jerry G. Pigman, John A. Deacon, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Extended-Weight Coal Haul Road System, created by Kentucky's Legislature in 1986, consists of all roads which carry over 50,000 tons of coal in a calendar year. Trucks hauling coal on this system are authorized to exceed normal weight limits through the payment of an annual decal fee. A research study was initiated in July of 1992 to analyze the impacts of the extended-weight system. This interim report, prepared after one year of a three-year study, describes the analyses performed thus far and presents preliminary findings, recommendations, and a discussion of future work.

Analyses in this report are based on: …