Transportation Commons^™

The Boston Mpo Planning Process And Low-Income Suburban-To-Suburban Transportation Needs, Phillip Granberry, Michael Landon, David Terkla

David G. Terkla

The rapid evolution in the Boston MPO transportation planning process is discussed as well as its particular application to the suburban-suburban transportation needs of low income individuals. The results of two experiments designed to improve access to transportation for low income suburban individuals are discussed and policy suggestions are made for improving such access.

Risk Factors For Driving Cessation Vary By Race And Ethnicity, Elizabeth Dugan, Frank Porell, Chae Man Lee

Frank Porell

Driving is related to our identity and independence as well as allowing us to get needed goods, services, and social opportunities that enrich daily life. Yet with increasing age, the risk for developing threats to medical fitness to drive increases. Driving cessation is related to a long list of negative outcomes, such as: depression, social isolation, diminished access to health care, and diminished quality of life. We investigated risks for driving cessation, paying close attention to racial differences. This study used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), 1998-2008. The study included N=46, 528 older people (age 65 and …

Risk Factors For Driving Cessation Vary By Race And Ethnicity, Elizabeth Dugan, Frank Porell, Chae Man Lee

Elizabeth Dugan

Driving is related to our identity and independence as well as allowing us to get needed goods, services, and social opportunities that enrich daily life. Yet with increasing age, the risk for developing threats to medical fitness to drive increases. Driving cessation is related to a long list of negative outcomes, such as: depression, social isolation, diminished access to health care, and diminished quality of life. We investigated risks for driving cessation, paying close attention to racial differences. This study used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), 1998-2008. The study included N=46, 528 older people (age 65 and …

Senior Transportation Abstracts: A Focus On Options, Helen Kerschner, Nina M. Silverstein

Nina Silverstein

This collection of abstracts represents a publication of importance for understanding the needs, challenges, solutions, and/or every day issues related to senior transportation services. While several of the abstracts include information about senior driver safety, the collection’s primary purpose is to present a holistic approach to transportation options for older adults. Such a collection is timely because, although the practice of providing transportation to older adults is not new, research and preparation of practical informational and technical materials related to older adult transportation service needs and service delivery are quite recent.

Assessing Stakeholder Opinions Of Medical Review Of Impaired Drivers And Fitness To Drive: Recommendations For Massachusetts, Nina Silverstein, Kelli Barton

Nina Silverstein

Driving is the main mode of travel for Americans age 65 and older, and although older adults are generally found to be safe drivers, aging often brings about functional limitations and an increase in medications that can impede safe driving and fitness to drive (Rosenbloom, 2003; Kissinger, 2008; Adler & Silverstein, 2008). Effective licensing policies and Medical Advisory Board practices are critical components in identifying medically at-risk drivers and may even have a role in the transition to alternative transportation options; yet, states vary greatly in their approach to licensing and renewal practices and in the utilization, composition, and function …

Maintaining Diversity In America’S Transit-Rich Neighborhoods: Tools For Equitable Neighborhood Change, Stephanie Pollack, Barry Bluestone, Chase Billingham

Barry Bluestone

No abstract provided.

The Nature Of Context-Sensitive Solutions, Stakeholder Involvement And Critical Issues In The Urban Context, Marta Panero, Jan Botha

Mineta Transportation Institute Publications

Over the last several decades many transportation and planning agencies have experienced conflicting demands emerging from the need to develop projects in an expeditious manner while at the same time involving stakeholders in the decision-making process, which sometimes is perceived as slowing project delivery and/or increasing costs. Given this tension between apparently conflicting demands, it is important to understand how the stakeholder involvement is being carried out and what best practices may be recommended. This study examines the issue in the context of a relatively new policy framework – Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) – which supports the early integration of …

One Year Performance Of Longitudinal Waterborne Paint Pavement Markings Used On Primary And Secondary Roads Of South Carolina, Sudhakar Pandurangan

All Theses

Pavement markings are made retroreflective so that roads are more visible. But retroreflectivity degrades over time due to a number of factors. Although the Federal Highway Administration has yet to finalize minimum standards for retroreflectivity, the degradation of pavement marking retroreflectivity can be detrimental to safety. The primary objective of this thesis was to use statistics to develop and validate regression models to predict the degradation of water borne pavement marking retroreflectivity. This will provide the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) a systematic means to determine when markings should be replaced.
To achieve this objective an LTL-X handheld retroreflectometer …

Have We Become A Template Nation?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In his commentary, SMU assistant professor of law Eugene Tan observed that last week's three MRT service breakdowns have raised concerns over whether our public transport system is able to cope with the increased commuter load and public expectations. While the road and rail infrastructure has grown significantly in the last few years, doubts now fester as to whether the relevant organisations, the people who run them and the systems and policies, have kept pace.

Lane Transit District Integrated Functional Transportation Assessment Project: Findings From A Case Study And Developmental Evaluation, Margaret B. Neal, Susan Eliot, Mark Person, Jost Lottes

Institute on Aging Publications

This report describes the results of a case study and developmental evaluation of Lane Transit District's innovative project to develop an integrated functional assessment for transportation services, referred to here simply as the Transportation Assessment Project (TAP).

The TAP is unique in that it is a collaborative effort between a public transit agency and local human service agencies to blend traditionally separate assessments for eligibility for transportation services. Specifically, in the TAP, Lane Transit District subcontracts with human services agencies to conduct personalized in-home assessments with individuals with special transportation needs and who are requesting paratransit rides. While in the …

Spatial Analysis Of Fatal Automobile Crashes In Kentucky, William Nathan Oris

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fatal automobile crashes have claimed the lives of over 33,000 people each year in the United States since 1995. As in any point event, fatal crash events do not occur randomly in time or space. The objectives of this study were to identify spatial patterns and hot spots in FARS (Fatal Analysis Reporting System) fatal crash events based on temporal and demographic characteristics. The methods employed included 1) rate calculation using FARS points and average daily traffic flow; 2) planar kernel density estimation of FARS crash events based on temporal and demographic attributes within the data; and 3) two case …

Development Of A Simulation Tool For Analysis Of Freeway Crashes Due To Cell Phone Usage, Sourabh Sriom

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research shows that drivers are susceptible to numerous distractions while driving which can be held responsible as the reason of a crash. Usage of cell phones, i.e. talking or texting while driving is considered one of the prominent distractions which causes a crash. This dissertation aims to study the number of crashes occurring on the freeways and their relation with the drivers of these cars using cell phones while they are driving. Since crashes occur relatively less frequently, the study of crashes is done using what is called the "rare event" theory. Java based simulations are done to model a …

Community Mobility And Dementia: A Review Of The Literature, Nina M. Silverstein, Megan Vanderbur

Nina Silverstein

By the year 2030, 70 million Americans will be 65 or older. Approximately 80 percent of this population will likely be driving themselves. And without appropriate and timely interventions, many are likely to be driving with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Current estimates suggest that 2 percent of the population 65 to 74, 19 percent of the population 75 to 84, and 47 percent of the population 85 and older are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder. By the year 2050, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease could range from 11.3 million to 16 million. This significant …

Tls Newsletter. Volume 6, Edition 3. November, 2011, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside the Newsletter: TLS Trivia Night, Wednesday November 9th. TLS President's Corner Tom Branning. TLS Community--Hubbard House and Propeller Club. TLS Tidbits: Business/Networking cards. Get to Know TLS Secretary Paula Nelson. TLS on Tour: Anheuser-Busch Brewmaster. Life after Graduation with Claudia Gorham.

Establishing New Orleans As A Leader In Active Transportation: Solidifying Progress, Moving Towards An Active Transportation Culture, Billy Fields

UNOTI Publications

Research in this brief by the Pedestrian Bicycle Resource Initiative (PBRI) at the University of New Orleans highlights the growing use of active transportation in New Orleans and the potential to solidify these gains through a process of culture change that makes active transportation an integral element in the overall transportation system. New Orleans is currently a regional leader in active transportation with a high national ranking in active transportation commute mode shares. While these rankings are promising, New Orleans lacks a clear, institutionalized system for integrating active transportation into the overall transportation decision-making structure. The process of solidifying and …

A Pomdp Model For Guiding Taxi Cruising In A Congested Urban City, Lucas Agussurja, Hoong Chuin Lau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We consider a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) model for improving a taxi agent cruising decision in a congested urban city. Using real-world data provided by a large taxi company in Singapore as a guide, we derive the state transition function of the POMDP. Specifically, we model the cruising behavior of the drivers as continuous-time Markov chains. We then apply dynamic programming algorithm for finding the optimal policy of the driver agent. Using a simulation, we show that this policy is significantly better than a greedy policy in congested road network.

A Capping Case Study: Integrating Freight Rail Into A Community Setting, Jeff Schnabel, Tristan Brasseur

TREC Final Reports

This investigation seeks to explore specific design solutions that could potentially enhance the capabilities of heavy rail facilities while increasing their safety and reducing their environmental and community impacts.

Using Portland's Brooklyn Rail Yard as the study site, this case study explored the potential of structural platforms (caps) built above the existing rail yards to provide development space for expanding rail capacity and rail related activities. The potential for capping to reduce /eliminate conflicts between rail and non-rail uses will also be investigated. Finally, the various designs were presented for caps at the rail yard.

Capping projects (the development of …

Design Of A Dynamic Activity Travel Modeling System For Metro, John Gliebe

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trip-based models are no longer adequate for some of the more complex questions. They fail to account for time of day sensitivity, dynamic congestion effects, variable pricing and tolls, and the reliability of both highways and transit. Existing activity/tour-based models lack the enhanced temporal element provided by a more dynamic, activity-based microsimulation. DASH is the next-generation model being developed by the Metro Research Center.

The Fairmount Initiative Quarterly Progress Report: People And Places: Understanding The Processes, Outcomes And Impacts Of Interventions Of The Fairmount Corridor, Donna H. Friedman

Center for Social Policy Publications

The Boston Foundation has contracted with the Center for Social Policy as an analytical and evaluation partner for a five year period, December 1, 2010 to November 30, 2015, to maximize effectiveness and create alignment among its people and place based efforts in Boston’s Fairmount commuter rail corridor. The geographic area, encompassing Fairmount neighborhoods which are home to approximately 88,000 residents, extends for 9.2 miles from the Newmarket Transit Station in the north to the Readville Transit Station in the south.

The detail to follow in this report provides an overview of each of the four initiatives, its progress over …

Promoting Safe Mobility Among Elders By Increasing Awareness Of Vehicle Modifications (Executive Summary), Elizabeth Van Ranst, Nina M. Silverstein, Alison S. Gottlieb

Nina Silverstein

This research project looks at one strategy to address the safety of older drivers, vehicular modifications. Specifically, a video demonstrating low-tech, low-cost features that may alleviate some driving challenges was produced to determine whether viewing the video would increase awareness of and motivation to use those features. Prochaska and DiClemente’s Transtheoretical Model of intentional behavioral change provides the theoretical framework for this study. This model posits five stages of change, a continuum over which the individual becomes more receptive to taking action.