Engineering Commons^™

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 2015-2019, Eric R. Green, Paul A. Ross, Christopher L. Blackden, Michael A. Fields, William Nicholas Staats

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Executive Summary and Introduction

This report documents an 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 types of highways and for counties and cities. Difference criteria were used for exposure.

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

Cdl Data Quality Assessment, Valerie Keathley-Helil, Mallory Brown, Andrew Martin, Amir E. Najarzadeh, Brian K. Howell, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Quality issues related to commercial driver license (CDL) data present ongoing challenges to state and federal transportation agencies. This study highlights several problems with CDL data, including a lack of standardization for state-specific traffic infractions; process and workflow difficulties that degrade the accuracy, validity, and timeliness of data; adjudication procedures that can potentially mask serious violations from CDL driver history records; inadequate recordkeeping in state law enforcement citation and court case management software applications; outdated mainframe systems in urgent need of upgrades; IT personnel who are not paid enough; and insufficient reporting requirements for federal agencies that issue traffic citations. …

Determination Of Steels In Kentucky Bridges, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Christopher Goff, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) maintains over two hundred steel bridges constructed with types of steel which are unknown. Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers have developed a procedure for determining steel tensile properties (0.2% yield strength and ultimate tensile strength) which can be used to help identify unknown steels. The procedure involves extracting small coupons from the lower flanges of steel deck girder bridges. Coupons are then machined into sub-sized tensile testing specimens and suitable shapes for chemical analyses. Sub-sized tensile tests returned values generally comparable to those provided in mill certifications of steels purchased for laboratory trials. Several analytical …

Longer Service Life Bridge Coatings, Danny Wells, Theodore Hopwood, Bobby Meade, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has maintenance oversight responsibilities for approximately 1,100 steel bridges; it also helps local governments and other entities with maintenance painting on other steel bridges. Because maintaining steel bridges is costly, Cabinet officials asked Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers to identify materials and methods that will prolong their service lives. Steel bridges are uniquely vulnerable to deterioration resulting from exposure to atmospheric conditions (e.g. moisture, ultraviolet rays) and chlorides, the latter due to the application of deicing materials. This study examines two strategies for extending service lives. First, it appraises a novel method of hot dip …

Crash Data Analysis Tool: Research Report + User Guide, Eric R. Green, Paul Ross

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This manual describes the Crash Data Analysis Tool (CDAT), which can be used by KYTC staff and the agency’s work partners to securely access crash datasets. CDAT users can query and download data using flags stored during post-processing. Unlike KyOPS, however, CDAT’s location data are validated using geographic coordinates and several of county, route, and milepoint fields to ensure crashes are properly geocoded. CDAT grants access to data and information that can be used in conjunction with KYTC’s Data Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) Implementation Guide to conduct highway safety analysis numerous KYTC processes. Historically, the Cabinet’s Division of Traffic Operations …

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Right Of Way Process Review (Phase I), Christopher W. Van Dyke, Bryan Gibson, Robin Baskette, Jeff Jasper, Candice Y. Wallace, Steven Douglas Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

From the Executive Summary:

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is responsible for planning, developing, constructing, and maintaining a prodigious inventory of roadway and bridge assets throughout the state. Project development is a complex process involving the coordination of numerous divisions and preconstruction disciplines across the Cabinet. On many projects, right-of-way (ROW) acquisition presents many challenges. Frequently, the ROW process is found on the critical path, meaning that it effectively governs a project’s overall duration. In some cases — especially on more complex projects — acquiring the ROW may take several years. Recognizing the need to shorten the duration and improve …

Evaluation Of Alternative Rumble Strip Designs, William Nicholas Staats, Kenneth R. Agent, Brian K. Howell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Since Kentucky’s initial rumble strip designs were adopted, there has been additional research and experimentation in other states with alternative designs as a response to complaints from the public about noise pollution caused by rumble strips. The new research indicates that other rumble strip designs might provide increased interior noise/vibration with decreased exterior noise. Application of these alternative designs in Kentucky could result in improved rumble performance, reduced damage to new pavement, decreased noise pollution, installation on roadways with lower speed limits, and allow reinstallation of rumbles on thin overlays/microsurfacing.

The research team reviewed national and state guidelines for conventional …

Full-Depth Reclamation Of Asphaltic Concrete Pavements, Tony L. Beckham, Brad W. Rister, Charlie Sun

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has used a full-depth reclamation (FDR) process over the past few years to rehabilitate asphalt pavements exhibiting widespread base failures. FDR transforms existing hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavement and underlying granular materials into a stabilized base layer. The stabilized layer is then overlaid with a new pavement surface layer. Until now, deciding when and how to use the FDR process has not been well specified in Kentucky — the Cabinet has commonly used a Special Note for Cement Stabilized Roadbed as guidance and relied on the contractor for acceptable materials design. Previous research conducted by the …

Crash Modification Factor Recommendation List, Reginald R. Souleyrette, Riana Tanzen, Eric R. Green, William Nicholas Staats, Federico Valentin Lause Iii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Practitioners use Crash Modification Factors/Functions (CMFs) to calculate the number of crashes expected once a countermeasure has been implemented. When evaluating design alternatives, CMFs can be used in conjunction with safety performance functions (SPFs) to derive crash predictions. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) maintains the CMF Clearinghouse as a repository for CMFs. Contributions are submitted by researchers across the U.S., Canada, and throughout the world. Typically, multiple CMFs are associated with a single countermeasure. Some CMFs only apply to specific facility or crash types. Furthermore, CMF quality varies, and some only apply to specific facility and/or crash types, regions, or …

Potential Effect Of Cable Median Barriers On Commercial Vehicle Crossover Crashes, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Shraddha Sagar, Samantha Wright, Eric R. Green, Reginald R. Souleyrette, Michael A. Fields, Teng Alex Wang

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In 2016, commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) were involved in 4,079 fatal crashes in the U.S., representing 11.8 percent of all fatal crashes. State of Kentucky crash data for 2015-2016 show that per capita crash rates and increases in crash-related fatalities exceeded the national average. Crossover crashes occur when a vehicle leaves its intended path and veers into the path of oncoming traffic, typically resulting in head-on or sideswipe opposite direction crashes. Cable median barriers are a countermeasure which can potentially be used to mitigate crossover crashes. This research investigated the potential effectiveness of cable median barriers on CMV crashes. Analysis …

Kytc Maintenance Field Operations Guide Supplement, Bryan Gibson, Candice Y. Wallace, Nancy Albright, Christopher W. Van Dyke, Steven Douglas Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is tasked with managing an asset portfolio that includes over 27,500 miles of roadway and 9,000 bridges. Keeping these assets in sound condition demands significant effort from KYTC’s Division of Maintenance, which includes activities ranging from mowing and litter pickup to cleaning out culverts and performing emergency roadway work. Despite the immense responsibilities shouldered by Maintenance personnel, until this project the Cabinet’s 12 districts lacked a systematic method for capturing and recording maintenance activities. Through a series of workshops held in each KYTC’s district with Section Engineer and Maintenance Supervisors, researchers at the Kentucky Transportation …

Traffic Incident Management Dashboard, Xu Zhang, Reginald R. Souleyrette, Alex Wang, Paul Ross, Eric R. Green, Mei Chen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traffic incidents remain all-too-common events on Kentucky’s roadways. They negatively impact the safety of the traveling public and emergency responders and cause significant traffic delays. Congestion associated with incidents can instigate secondary crashes, exacerbating safety risks and economic costs. Traffic incident management (TIM) provides an effective approach for managing highway incidents and reducing their occurrence and impacts. This report discusses the establishment of and methods of calculation for five TIM performance measures that can be used by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to improve incident response. The measures are: Roadway Clearance Time, Incident Clearance Time, Secondary Crashes, First Responder Vehicle …

Effect Of Socioeconomic Factors On Kentucky Truck Driver Crashes, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Shraddha Sagar, Samantha Wright, Aaron Berry Cambron

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky crash data for the 2015-2016 period reveal that per capita crash rates and increases in crash-related fatalities in the state outpaced the national average. To explain why the U.S. Southeast sees higher crash rates than other regions of the country, previous research has argued the region’s unique socioeconomic conditions provide a compelling explanation. Taking this observation as a starting point, this study uses an extensive crash dataset from Kentucky to examine the relationship between highway safety and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Its focus is single- and two-unit crashes that involve commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and automobiles. Using binary logistic …

Investigation Of Driver License Issuance Alternatives, Steven Andrew Martin, Abraham Najarzadeh, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study develops an alternative model for issuing driver licenses and personal identifications in Kentucky. Under the current model, most licenses are distributed by circuit court clerks at 142 offices across the state while the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) provides central and regional support for specific license types. Given the cumbersome administrative structure and impending REAL ID requirements, both circuit clerks and KYTC administrators would like to explore an alternative distribution model. Researchers at the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) projected the costs of transitioning from the current issuance model to a centralized DMV model where licenses are distributed at 18 …

Construction-Ready Digital Terrain Models, Rachel Catchings, Steven Waddle, Hala Nassereddine, Gabriel B. Dadi, Makram Bou Hatoum, Walter Johnson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Since 2009, Kentucky has made its 3D design data available as a supplemental reference to bidders through the project delivery process. This research discusses methods for ensuring electronic engineering data (EED) — and specifically the proposed digital terrain model (DTM) — support modern construction management methods at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). Researchers performed a literature review, surveyed KYTC construction and design staff, engaged with Cabinet staff and industry members to understand the current state of practice, and evaluated quality- related attributes of the EED through case studies. The report presents a set of targeted recommendations for improving KYTC processes …

Effect Of Socioeconomic Factors On Crash Occurrence, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Shraddha Sagar, Samantha Wright, Aaron Berry Cambron

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. In Kentucky, per capita crash rates and crash-related fatalities have outpaced the national average for over a decade. Wanting to explain why the U.S. Southeast sees higher crash rates than other regions, researchers have argued the region’s unique socioeconomic conditions provide a compelling explanation. Taking this observation as a starting point, this study examined the relationship between highway safety and socioeconomic characteristics using an extensive crash dataset from Kentucky. This research sought to identify at-risk drivers based on the socioeconomic and demographic attributes of the zip codes …

Social Justice Mitigation In Transportation Projects: Why And How Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Can Support The Lexington Community Land Trust’S Path To Self-Sustainability, Pamela Clay-Young, Steven Douglas Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The city of Lexington has reached a critical shortage of affordable housing available to families earning 80% - 50% of area median income (AMI). This study focuses on how to grow the Lexington CLT into self-sustainability while also narrowing the affordable housing gaps in Fayette County. Current research offers support for the city’s affordable housing program to adopt the community land trust model (CLT). The research recommends using tools such as the Lexington CLT, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Landbank Authority (LFUCLA), and Lexington’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, along with new development incentives, to develop a housing strategy that is cost …

Developing A Baseline For Customer Satisfaction In The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Department Of Vehicle Regulation, Steven Andrew Martin, Christopher W. Van Dyke, Jennifer R. Walton, Jeeyen Koo, Valerie Keathley Helil, Brian K. Howell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Among the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) business units, the Department of Vehicle Regulation (DVR) has the most interactions with members of the public and other government agencies. Given its high profile and public visibility, it is critical for the department to provide high-quality customer service. Lacking data on customer perceptions of DVR’s level of service, the department commissioned researchers at the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) to conduct a baseline and rebaseline customer satisfaction surveys. Along with administering surveys to external customers, KTC’s research team also polled DVR staff to gauge employee morale and identify areas which could be improved. Approximately …

Analysis And Assessment Of The Reimbursement Rates And Mechanisms For Kentucky’S Publicly Funded Ferries, P. Gayle Marks, Bryan Gibson, Andrew Martin, Steven Douglas Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) reimburses publicly operated ferries, including when they cease operations due to severe weather or unforeseen events. Reimbursement procedures are not codified in law and are largely based on historical practice. To determine how the Cabinet should handle reimbursement, funding, oversight of ferry services moving forward, the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) reviewed practices adopted by 10 other states and conducted a detailed analysis of Kentucky’s current approach. Of the states KTC examined, only Tennessee reimburses ferry operations for closures (at 50 percent of the normal hourly rate for a period up to 48 hours). Half of …