Engineering Commons^™

Evaluation Of Kentucky’S “Buckle Up Kentucky: It’S The Law And It’S Enforced” 2004 Campaign, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this report was to document the results of the “Buckle Up Kentucky: It’s the Law & It’s Enforced” 2004 campaign in Kentucky. The campaign involved a combination of earned media, paid media, and enforcement. The earned media started two weeks prior to Memorial Day 2004 and continued through the enforcement period. The paid media started one week 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 …

Conductive Concrete For Bridge Deck Deicing And Anti-Icing, Christopher Y. Tuan

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Product Development Process And Information Flow In The Manufacturing Industry: Problems And A Possible Wav Forward, E Opiyo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

No abstract provided.

Debt Capacity And Debt Limits: A State Road Fund Perspective, Merl Hackbart, Suzanne Perkins Sapp, Yongbeom Hur

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

State governments are facing major transportation infrastructure financing challenges as highway or Road Fund revenue growth has slowed and resistance to tax increases has strengthened. As a result, state transportation officials have turned to other financing methods to maintain momentum in meeting highway construction and maintenance needs. Among the financing methods being considered is the expansion of bond or debt financing. Changes in federal legislation that permits states to “pre-obligate” future federal funds, among other considerations, has made debt financing an attractive alternative for the states. As states consider the expanded use of this financing strategy, several financial management questions …

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.

Assessment Of Data Collection For Esal Determinations For The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division Of Planning, David Q. Hunsucker, R. Clark Graves

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Cabinet’s Division of Planning collects weight data, traffic volume data, and vehicle classification data. These data are used as inputs to determine ESALs (equivalent single axle loads). ESALs are used in the pavement design process to determine pavement thickness. There have been inconsistencies observed during the computation of the ESALs during the past three or four years. These inconsistencies have resulted in a significant inflation in the estimate of ESALs per year, which if used in the design process would result in significantly thicker pavements. For example, the ESALs per truck axle for rural principal arterials …

U-Turns At Signalized Intersections, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Teja Banu Kala, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of the study were to examine the safety consequences from the installation of U-turns at signalized intersections in Kentucky and to develop a set of guidelines for using this alternative in the future. The literature review indicated that the use of U-turns is very effective in reducing delays as well as crash rates. The most efficient configuration is that of stop-controlled median U-turns. An analysis of the crash data shows that the U-turn design in the Kentucky locations did not result in a large number of crashes involving U-turning vehicles. Also, at the Somerset location where the design …

Maintenance And Operations Plan For Intelligent Transportation Systems In Kentucky, Jennifer R. Walton, Joseph D. Crabtree

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents a Maintenance and Operations Plan for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Kentucky. It was developed using substantial stakeholder input and provides recommendations and specific strategies for supporting and coordinating ITS maintenance and operations activities throughout the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

A literature review and national survey helped to identify other states and urban areas that had already completed work on ITS maintenance and operations. From this information, best practices were developed that represented the lessons learned and practices implemented (or suggested for implementation) by these states. Another survey was conducted to determine the current state of ITS maintenance …

Case Study Of 4(F) Litigation/Rulings, Lenahan O'Connell, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study addresses issues related to compliance with Section 4(f). It produced two deliverables: 1) a guidance manual to assist Cabinet personnel in the assessment and handling of projects that encounter 4(f) properties; and 2) a review of court cases to establish the standards used by the courts when evaluating a Section 4(f) situation. The latter is an appendix to the guidance manual. By referring to the manual Cabinet employees will be to: 1) Conduct an assessment of proposed alternatives to evaluate prudence and feasibility of a proposed project alternative; 2) Prepare 4(f) documentation to justify the taking of protected …

Evaluation Of The Accuracy Of Gps As A Method Of Locating Traffic Collisions, Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this study were to determine the accuracy of GPS units as a traffic crash location tool, evaluate the accuracy of the location data obtained using the GPS units, and determine the largest sources of any errors found.

The analysis showed that the currently used GPS unit is capable of obtaining accurate latitude and longitude data at a crash site that would allow the site to be properly located. However, substantial differences were found between the location of some crashes as identified with the GPS and milepoint (CRMP) data. Of a sample of 100 random crashes, 55 percent …

Integrating Gis And Transportation Modeling Operations For The Nebraska Department Of Roads, Sunil G. Narumalani, Markus Craig

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Development Of Dynamic Recursive Models For Freeway Travel Time Predictions, Xiaobo Liu

Dissertations

Traffic congestion has been a major problem in metropolitan areas, which is caused by either insufficient roadway capacity or unforesceable incidents. In order to promote the efficiency of the existing roadway networks and mitigate the impact of traffic congestion, the development of a sound prediction model for travel times is desirable.

A comprehensive literature review about existing prediction models was conducted by investigating the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of each model. Based on the features and properties of previous models, the base models including exponential smoothing model (ESM), moving average model (MAM), and Kalman filtering model (KFM) are developed to …

Cross Drain Inspection I-65, Mile-Points 0.00-24.8 And 40.5-91.3, Brad W. Rister, Jonathan Fisher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The following report contains detailed inspections of cross drains and headwalls located on I-65 in Kentucky from mile point 0.0-24.8 and 40.5-91.3. A condition assessment was performed for each located drainage structure and the discovered distresses were then recorded by location and severity. Of the 830 cross drains inspected, 313 may need some form of remedial action. Of these 313 pipes, 134 may need to be repaired or replaced and 179 may need to be cleaned.

Nu-Deck Precast Deck Panels And Innovative Bridge Research And Construction, Maher K. Tadros, Charles J. Vranek

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Most of the deficiency in existing stringer-type bridges lie in deterioration of the bridge deck. Cast-in-place reinforced concrete decks experience cracking shortly after construction due to large differential creep and shrinkage with the supporting beams, and due to the temperature drop experienced during the hydration cycle. The NUDECK (Nebraska University) system is a full-depth precast/prestressed concrete bridge deck panel system. The combination of high performance precast concrete, where little creep and shrinkage occur after the deck is made composite with the beams, and two-way prestressing assure continued pre-compression of the deck during its life. With this system, construction time and …

Tl-5 Development Of 42 And 51-Inch Tall Single-Faced, F-Shape Concrete Barriers, Ronald K. Faller, Dean L. Sicking, Jordan Larsen, Robert W. Bielenberg M.S.C.E., E.I.T., John R. Rohde, Karla A. Polivka

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Application Of Freeway Video Surveillance For Accident Investigation, Aemal Khattak, Yu Liu, Geza Pesti

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

This report presents information on Research Project Number Z820 (UNL Ref. No. 26-1118- 0057-001) titled “Application of Freeway Video Surveillance for Accident Investigation.” Traffic accident investigation requires detailed documentation of the accident scene, vehicles, and persons involved in the collision. To adequately document an accident scene, investigating officers accurately record various measurements (e.g., skid marks, dimensions of different highway geometric elements, etc.). Typically, a measuring tape and/or a total station (theodolite) are used to obtain the needed measurements. Advances in digital imaging and computer technology make it possible to develop cost-effective traffic accident investigation system alternatives that provide sufficient accuracy, …

Evaluation Of Traffic Information And Prediction System (Tips) As Work Zone Traffic Control, Jerry G. Pigman, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

As part of a pavement rehabilitation project on I-64, the Traffic Information and Prediction System (TIPS) was installed as a means of providing real-time data for motorists in advance and through the work zone. This system collects real-time data using roadside non-contact (microwave) sensors, processes the data in a personal computer, calculates travel time between different points on the roadway, and displays the travel time information on several portable changeable message signs positioned at pre-determined locations along the roadway. The system displays information in the form of travel time and distance through the work zone. The objective of this report …

2003 Motor Carrier Survey, Ronald E. Langley, Ted Grossardt

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The goal of this study was to conduct a survey to evaluate usage and satisfaction with the KYTC’s new program allowing motor carriers to credential vehicles and pay taxes via the Internet. Specifically, the study was to examine how many Kentucky motor carriers took advantage of this capability, why they did or did not, what improvements could be made to the system, and what incentives could be offered or obstacles removed to entice more motor carriers to use it.

Effect Of Pavement Resurfacing On Traffic Safety, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this study were to analyze the before and after crash history and speeds on routes which have been resurfaced , inspect resurfacing projects, make recommendations to improve the resurfacing process, and determine improvements which could be made in conjunction with the resurfacing project to improve the overall safety of the roadway.

An analysis of the before and after crash data did not show a reduction in total crashes after resurfacing. There was a reduction in crashes which occurred on a wet pavement. A comparison of speeds before and after resurfacing did not find a major change in …

Access Management For Kentucky, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Barry House, Jeremy Brickey, Donald L. Hartman, Mei Chen, Jerry G. Pigman, Kavita Boddu, Emily Elwood

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Access Management Manual published by the Transportation Research Board in 2003 defines access management as the ?systematic control of the location, spacing, design, and operation of driveways, median openings, interchanges, and street connections to a roadway1.? The purpose of access management is to provide vehicular access to land development in a manner that preserves the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. Access management principles stress mobility for higher-class roadways and safety for lower-class roadways. An effective access management program can reduce crashes as much as 50 percent, increase roadway capacity by 23 to 45 percent, and reduce travel …

Analysis Of Inconsistencies Related To Design Speed, Operating Speed, And Speed Limits, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Huafeng Gong

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this research was to examine the relationship among design speeds, operating speeds and speed limits and address safety and operational concerns regarding the presence of disparities among these speed metrics. Roadway sections were selected throughout Kentucky based on the relationship between design speed and posted speed limit (greater or lower) and on the number of lanes (2 or 4). Speed data and roadway geometry data were collected along these sites to allow for the development of the appropriate models. The general conclusion for 2-lane highways is that the operating speed is different than the design speed indicating …

Intercity Travel Demand : A Utility-Consistent Simultaneous Trip Generation And Mode Choice Model, Guilin Li

Dissertations

An intercity travel decision includes a complex set of subdecisions, such as when to travel, where to travel, which mode to choose, and others. The main focus of this dissertation is to examine trip frequency and mode choice of intercity non-business travel.

The objective of this study is to understand intercity travel behavior using disaggregate models. The proposed conceptual framework for intercity travel behavior leads to a nested logit/continuous choice model that is rigorously linked to the utility maximization theory. Compared to a traditional intercity travel demand model, the proposed model is utility consistent in that trip generation and mode …

A Conceptual Framework For Using Feedback Control Within Adaptive Traffic Control Systems, Renu Chhonkar

Dissertations

Existing adaptive traffic control strategies lack an effective evaluation procedure to check the performance of the control plan after implementation. In the absence of an effective evaluation procedure, errors introduced in the system such as inaccurate estimates of arrival flows, are carried forward in time and reduce the efficiency of the traffic flow algorithms as they assess prevalent traffic conditions. It is evident that the feed-forward nature of these systems cannot accurately update the estimated quantities, especially during oversaturated conditions.

This research is an attempt to develop a conceptual framework for the application of feedback control within the basic operation …

Safety Performance Evaluation Of The Nebraska Open Bridge Rail On An Inverted Tee Bridge Deck, Karla A. Polivka, John R. Rohde, Dean L. Sicking, Ronald K. Faller, James C. Holloway M.S.C.E., E.I.T.

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2004 Report, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2004 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 …

Evaluation Of The Et2000 Guardrail End Treatment, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to report the results of the monitoring of the performance of the ET2000 guardrail end treatment in traffic crashes. This end treatment has an energy absorbing design in which a vehicle will push a guardrail extruder back as posts designed to breakaway are broken. The W-beam guardrail is flattened as it goes through the extruder and exits a slot away from traffic.

Data for a total of 135 collisions involving the ET 2000 were identified. A crash report was obtained in the majority of crashes and the damaged guardrail was inspected in almost all …

The Fuel Tax Compliance Unit: An Evaluation And Analysis Of Results, Suzanne Perkins Sapp

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The construction and maintenance of our nation's system of roads and highways is a major financial challenge. A majority of the responsibility for financing public roads and highways lies with state governments. Almost all states have special funds called Road Funds into which user fees and taxes associated with highway use are deposited. Unfortunately, Road Fund revenue growth has been slow due to the relative inelasticity of its revenue sources. At the same time, states face resistance to tax increases designed to enhance Road Fund revenues. One method of increasing such revenues, without increasing taxes, is to reduce evasion. Increased …

Deceleration Lanes Of Left-Turn Bays Of Four-Lane Expressways, Karen Schurr, Patrick T. Mccoy, Geza Pesti, Anthonny Egelhoff, Rebecca Burdick

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Fiscal Year 2003 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 …

Implementation Of The Superstructure/Substructure Joint Details, Maher K. Tadros

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.