Engineering Commons^™

Fiscal Year 2001 Fhwa-536 Report For The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Steven Douglas Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires state transportation agencies to submit a biennial report on local highway finances. The purpose of these reports is to provide FHWA with the data it needs to capture the financing of highway activities at the local level. Based on this information, it can identify trends in revenue, expenditures, investments, and program development, and in turn make decisions about future investments. The report, FHWA-536, asks agencies to report on four areas of local highway finance: 1) disposition of highway-user revenues; 2) revenues used for roads and streets identified by source and funding type; 3) road …

Accommodating Pedestrian And Bicycle Access On Parkers Mill Road From New Circle Road To Man O War Boulevard In Lexington, Lisa Aultman-Hall, Eric Jackson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In the fall of 2000 the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) began a planning study on behalf of the Kentucky Transporta tion Cabinet (KYTC) to investigate the bicycle and pedestrian access on KY 1968 (Parkers Mill Road) from Man O War Boulevard to New Circle Road in Lexington. The 1-mile section has a rural design with two 9-foot lanes, limited 3-foot earth shoulders and adjacent objects in the clear zone making travel on this road uncomfortable for pedestrians and cyclists. Yet this section of Parkers Mill Road represents a line of desired non-motorized travel due to parks, neighborhoods, a local high …

Construction Monitoring And Procedures For I-275 “Warranty Project”, Kenton/Boone Counties, Tim C. Scully Jr., R. Clark Graves, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In the summer of 2000, it was decided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that a portion of eastbound and westbound I-275 needed repair due to fatigue. The design was 10 inches PCC or 13 inches of asphaltic concrete for Section B, and 9 inches PCC or 12 inches of asphaltic concrete for Section A. Alternate bids were accepted from asphalt and concrete contractors with a required warranty of 10 years or 10,000,000 ESAL’s, which ever came first.

The Kentucky Transportation Center will be monitoring the performance of the pavement for the duration of the warranty and will be submitting an …

Improving Incident Management Response And Coordination Of Resources, Jennifer R. Walton, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Highway crashes cause a major impact to the transportation network by critically limiting the operational efficiency of the roadway. Traveler delay is the problem most often associated with highway crashes, but by far the most serious problem is the resulting secondary crashes that occur. Another related issue is the danger posed to response personnel serving the public at the scene. The magnitude of these problems is severe. A coordinated plan for managing the scene is needed to reduce the impact of highway crashes and improve the safety for everyone.

A Checklist and interagency workshop has been developed to address ways …

Evaluation Of Automated Bridge Deck Anti-Icing System, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Driving in snow and ice can be dangerous. This is especially true on bridges. Under certain cold weather conditions, moisture on bridge decks freeze because of the open air flow under them while the adjacent roadway is unaffected. This creates potentially hazardous driving situations for motorists who may not be expecting a change of condition from the road to the bridge surface.

To combat this problem, a bridge deck anti-icing system was installed on a bridge on southbound Interstate 75 at the north interchange to Corbin, Kentucky in October 1997. This system can be actuated early before ice and snow …

The Paris To Lexington Road Reconstruction Project, Raymond F. Werkmeister, Donn E. Hancher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report summarizes the effort to provide the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet with an evaluation of the results obtained for the Paris to Lexington Road Reconstruction Project from 1997 to 2001. A unique pre-qualification process was used for the project to select a fixed pool of contractor to provide input to the design and to bid on the work. The research started in 1996 during the design process and continued following construction until September of 2001.

Input was received from the Cabinet personnel working on the project, from the design firms, from the contractors, from the property owners involved, and from …

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (1996-2000), Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Monica L. Barrett

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 1996 through 2000. A primary objective of this study was to determine average crash statistics for Kentucky highways. Average and critical numbers and rates of crashes were calculated for various types of highways in rural and urban areas. These data can be used in Kentucky’s procedure to identify locations that have abnormal rates or numbers of crashes.

The other primary objective of this study wa s to provide data which can be used in the preparation of the problem identification portion of Kentucky’s Annual Highway …

Intelligent Transportation Systems Business Plan For Kentucky (Final Report), Jennifer R. Walton, Joseph D. Crabtree, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents a Business Plan for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Kentucky. The purpose of the Business Plan is to define ITS projects that are planned for implementation from 2002 through 2007. The list of projects contained within this document was developed using Kentucky’s ITS Strategic Plan, the ITS National Architecture, and stakeholder input.

There are 21 projects planned for implementation over the next 6 years at a total estimated cost of nearly $80 million. Another five projects will be considered when the Business Plan is updated in two years. These projects cover a wide range of topics including: …

Development Of Concrete Qc/Qa Specifications For Highway Construction In Kentucky, Kamyar C. Mahboub, Donn E. Hancher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

There is a growing trend toward quality-based specifications in highway construction. A large number of quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) specifications shift the responsibility of day-to-day testing from the state DOH to the contractor. This requirement for contractor-performed quality control testing has been partly due to the fact that state agencies are operating with a smaller pool of employees compared to previous years. Another driving force has been the application of performance-based specifications and realization that the contractor and the producer need some degree of flexibility in order to be more efficient and innovative. This report presents the background information behind …

Quality Based Prequalification Of Contractors, Donn E. Hancher, Sean E. Lambert, William F. Maloney

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report summarizes the efforts to provide the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet with a system for evaluating the quality of the performance of contractors on highway construction projects and using that evaluation in the Cabinet’s annual prequalification process for contractors. Contacts with several other state departments of transportation were made to identify best practices and concerns. An advisory committee of experienced KyTC engineers plus Kentucky contractor representatives met extensively to develop the final performance evaluation documents to be used in the process.

A performance evaluation process was developed to evaluate a contractor’s work on projects and the results from all of …

Analysis Of Traffic Growth Rates, Monica L. Barrett, R. Clark Graves, David L. Allen, Jerry G. Pigman, Ghassan Abu-Lebdeh, Lisa Aultman-Hall, Sarah T. Bowling

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The primary objectives of this study were to determine patterns of traffic flow and develop traffic growth rates by traffic composition and highway type for Kentucky’s system of highways. Additional subtasks included the following: 1) a literature search to determine if there were new procedures being used to more accurately represent traffic growth rates, 2) development of a random sampling procedure for collecting traffic count data on local roads and streets, 3) prediction of vehicle miles traveled based on socioeconomic data, 4) development of a procedure for explaining the relationship and magnitude of traffic volumes on routes functionally classified as …

2001 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to establish 2001 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2001 survey continues to document the results after enactment of a statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994. It also documented the long term results of the Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign which was conducted around Memorial Day. Data were collected at 200 randomly selected sites spread across Kentucky. Data from the individual sites were combined into a statewide percentage considering function classification, geographic region, and vehicle miles traveled.

The data show that the usage rate increase found in …

Evaluation Of Kentucky’S Click It Or Ticket Campaign, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this report was to document the results of the Click It or Ticket campaign in Kentucky. The campaign involved a combination of earned media, paid media, and enforcement. The earned media started about three weeks prior to Memorial Day 2001 and continued through the enforcement period. The paid media started about two weeks prior to Memorial Day. The enforcement period was a two-week period including the week before and the week of Memorial Day.

The evaluation of the campaign included documenting the activities associated with the program (publicity and enforcement) and evaluating the results. The evaluation involved …

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.

State Road Fund Revenue Collection Processes: Differences And Opportunities Of Improved Efficiency, Robert J. Eger Iii, Merl M. Hackbart

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Research regarding the administration and collection of road fund revenues has focused on gaining an understanding of the motivations for tax evasion, methods of evasion, and estimates of the magnitude of evasion for individual states. To our knowledge, little attention has been focused on the impact road fund collection, assessment, audit, and enforcement processes have on tax evasion. The purpose of this study is to review the current road fund assessment, collection, audit, and enforcement processes and procedures and to develop recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process.

Development And Proposed Implementation Of A Field Permeability Test For Asphalt Concrete, David L. Allen, David B. Schultz Jr., L. John Fleckenstein

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Pavement drainage contributes greatly to long-term pavement performance. Pavements undergo surface, as well as subsurface, drainage during prolonged rain events. It is this subsurface drainage that is of concern in this study. In the advanced asphalt pavements of today, where a drainage layer may be incorporated to facilitate the movement of water out of the above overlying pavement layers, water can be a problem in areas with variable permeability. High permeability may also cause other problems related to drainage such as frost heave, stripping, asphalt emulsification, and water coming out of the pavement surface from deeper layers in the pavement …

Highway Rock Slope Management Program, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Liecheng Sun, Bixian Ni, Barry Butcher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Development of a comprehensive geotechnical database for risk management of highway rock slope problems is described. Computer software selected to program the client/server application in windows’ environment, components and structure of the geotechnical database, and some of the primary factors considered in constructing the database are discussed. In the establishment of a large database that will be used widely, it is extremely important to select development software that will allow simultaneous use of the database by numerous users. Major integrated components of the database include rock slope, landslide, and soil and rock engineering data. This report mainly focuses on the …

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 …

Evaluation Of Reference Markers (Final Report), Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this research evaluation was to evaluate the reference markers which were installed on sections of interstates and freeways in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky area, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County area, the Louisville-southern Indiana area, and the Indianapolis area. The evaluation was conducted to determine if the use of reference markers at spacings of 0.1 or 0.2-mile intervals could improve the effectiveness of the emergency response and incident management processes. Also evaluated were color of the markers and the placement location within the right-of-way. Both "white on blue" and "white on green" markers were installed various projects, with some installed …

The Impact Of A New Bypass Route On The Local Economy And Quality Of Life, Eric C. Thompson, Joseph Miller, Jonathon Roenker

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Highway improvements such as bypass construction typically are motivated by a desire to improve the flow and safety of travel. But, given the importance of travel, transportation improvement projects often can affect the local economy and quality of life. This study assesses these potential impacts. The study was conducted by the University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research, as part of a subcontract with the Kentucky Transportation Center. The study is one component of a larger Kentucky Transportation Center study entitled Planning Decisions Related to Bypass Construction, Life-Cycle Costs of Access Control, and Safety Impacts of Rural Road …

Evaluation Of Trimarc Procurement Procedures (Final Report), Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

An Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), referred to as TRIMARC (Traffic Response and Incident Management Assisting the River Cities), was installed in the Louisville, Kentucky and southern Indiana area beginning in the summer of 1998. A system integrator approach was used for the installation, operation, and maintenance of this system. The system integrator approach involved using Special Experimental Project No. 14 (SEP-14) procedures to procure the services of an equipment installation contractor.

The SEP-14 process is an innovative means of procuring projects that may be uncharacteristic to the traditional projects normally encountered by highway departments. SEP-14 provides an opportunity to …

Management And Effective Use Of Changeable Message Signs (Final Report), Jennifer R. Walton, Monica L. Barrett, Joseph D. Crabtree

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Changeable message signs (CMS) are used to communicate accurate, timely, and pertinent information to travelers on Kentucky’s roadways. This information helps travelers avoid hazards or delays and respond properly to changing roadway conditions. In an ideal environment, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) would be able to allocate CMS to various areas of the state based upon changing needs. The location of each sign would be monitored, and the message could be controlled and checked remotely.

Currently these capabilities do not exist. KYTC has four different types of portable CMS in use throughout the state. Each type has different internal and …

Evaluation Of Tennessee Reference Markers, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Reference markers were installed on sections of interstates and freeways in Tennessee in 1999 and 2000. An evaluation was conducted to determine if the use of reference markers at spacings of 0.2-mile intervals could improve the effectiveness of emergency response and incident management processes. The evaluation included an.general observational survey, meetings with emergency response personnel, and an opinion survey of the application, placement, color, and overall benefits of the reference markers. The condition of the markers was found to be very good and there appeared to be only minor problems within the relatively short period of time since installation.

Interview …

Ky-Ctds Kentucky Contract Time Determination System (Kyspr 99-195-Lf), Donn E. Hancher, Raymond F. Werkmeister

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This paper reports on the results of research that was funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) to develop a new method for determining construction contract time for its highway construction contracts. The current and other DOT systems were analyzed to determine how a new system could provide better estimated duration. It was pre-determined that a PC computer based system was best suited. The development of the system input was developed from KyTC engineers with construction experience. The study advisory committee worked with Kentucky Transportation Center research engineers to develop the basis for the new contract time determination system, called …

Countermeasures For Fatal Crashes On Two-Lane Rural Roads, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Nikiforos Stamatiadis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In the first phase of this study, characteristics of crashes on two-lane rural roads were summarized and compared to all crashes. Also, one-mile sections having high crash rates were identified. In this phase of the study, a detailed analysis was conducted for a random sample of 150 fatal crashes which occurred on a two-lane rural road. Recommendations were made for countermeasures to reduce the number and severity of crashes on this type of roadway. The potential effectiveness of these countermeasures in preventing the crashes or reducing their severity was evaluated.

Crashes were selected from the years of 1996 through 1998. …

Innovative Financing Options For Kentucky’S Transportation Infrastructure, Merl M. Hackbart

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A strong linkage exists between economic growth and the availability of an adequate and efficient transportation system. Due to its location, geography and economy, this linkage — particularly in regard to highway transportation — is critical to continued economic progress in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. However, Kentucky’s ability to provide the infrastructure investments needed to be competitive in the new “global economy” is constrained by the structure of its funding mechanism, the Road Fund. During the last two decades, Road Fund revenue growth has dramatically lagged the growth of motor vehicle travel. As a consequence, Kentucky faces highway investment needs …

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.

Report On County Road Finance And Fhwa Biennial Form 1998-1999, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report shows the revenues and expenditures associated with county and city resources for fiscal year 1998-1999 within the state of Kentucky. Federal Highway Form 536, which is included as the primary product of this project, shows where all revenues were generated as well as all allocations of the local highway funds. Also included within this report is a detailed report on county road finance, which is widely used within government throughout Kentucky to determine where allocated funding has been spent.

Safety Impacts Of Rural Road Construction, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Crash data in Kentucky show that the fatal crash rate on two-lane rural roads is substantially higher than on any other type of road. Improvements have been proposed at some locations on this type of road which involve either upgrading the existing two-lane road or adding lanes resulting in a four-lane road. As part of the public information process, highway officials have been asked to document the previous results of this type of construction. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify sections of two-lane rural roadways where either the two-lane road had been realigned and reconstructed or additional …

I-275 Warrantied Pavement, Boone/Kenton Counties Kentucky, R. Clark Graves, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Interstate 275 in Boone and Kenton Counties (MP 1.05 - 7.15) has been in service for more than 20 years. This rehabilitation project consists of the eastbound lanes from MP 1.04 - 4.07 and both east and westbound from MP 4.07 - 7.15. The westbound lanes from MP 1.04 - 4.07 were rehabilitated in 1991.