Transportation Engineering Commons^™

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (2010-2014), Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Michael A. Fields

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 2010 through 2014. 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.

A Gis-Based Expert Systems Predictive Habitat Model For Threatened And Endangered Species: Case Study Using Kentucky Arrow Darter, Benjamin L. Blandford, Michael Shouse, John Ripy

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study presents a GIS-based predictive habitat suitability model for the Kentucky arrow darter (Etheostoma spilotum), a fish species of the upper Kentucky River basin that is a candidate for federal listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The model is based on previous work: the development of a similar predictive model for identifying the habitat of the blackside dace, a threatened minnow species of the upper Cumberland River basin in Southeastern Kentucky. The research describes a weighted, rules-based system which incorporates expert knowledge about habitat preferences for the arrow darter. For this model, five habitat factors …

Effect Of Thermal Loads On Substructures: New Trammel Creek Bridge On Ky-100 In Allen County, Kentucky, Zhihui Zhu, Michael T. Davidson, Issam E. Harik, Charlie Sun

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

When infrastructure is subjected to temperature changes, structural members that are either partially or fully restrained against motion can develop internal stresses. The phenomenon of temperature-induced internal stress development in superstructure members has prompted the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to include provisions for determining superstructure temperature load effects. However, little consideration has been given to explicitly quantifying the effect that thermal stresses have on foundation systems such as intermediate bridge piers. The objective of this study is to instrument a multi-span integral abutment bridge with temperature and bridge response monitoring devices, and ultimately, to make …

Synthesis Of Public-Private Partnerships: Potential Issues And Best Practices For Program And Project Implementation And Administration, Bryan Gibson, Candice Y. Wallace, Roy E. Sturgill

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Public-private partnerships (P3s or PPPs) offer an innovative procurement method for the public sector. P3s involve collaborations between the public and private sectors to finance, develop or maintain transportation infrastructure. In an era of shrinking budgets and increased demand for transportation infrastructure, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) can analyze experiences in other states to determine a best path forward on the issue of P3s. The objective of this study is to examine benefits and drawbacks of using P3s, current trends and past performance of P3s in the procurement of state transportation infrastructure projects, and common legislative statutes relating to P3s. …

Spatial Database For Intersections, Eric R. Green, Christopher L. Blackden, Michael A. Fields

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Deciding which intersections in the state of Kentucky warrant safety improvements requires a comprehensive inventory with information on every intersection in the public roadway network. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) had previously catalogued only those intersections where state-maintained roadways met. However, this inventory did not account for intersections between state- and locally-maintained routes, nor was it designed to accommodate regular updates. As such, the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) at the University of Kentucky developed a methodology to create and maintain a full inventory of every intersection in the state. The database contains precise location information as well as several safety …

2015 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green, Michael A. Fields

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of the survey summarized in this report was to establish a statewide safety belt usage rate in Kentucky for 2015. This rate can be compared to those determined from previous surveys. The 2015 statewide survey documents the continued increase in usage associated with the change in the law to allow primary enforcement and related education and enforcement.

Preventive Maintenance Program For Bridges, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Jared Fairchild, Bobby W. Meade, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) bridge inventory is rapidly aging. As such, the Cabinet needs to identify and implement relevant preventative maintenance (PM) actions to extend the useful service lives of those structures. Maintenance actions, costs, and application interval/repair durability information have been obtained for both cyclical and condition - based bridge PM. Additionally, information rehabilitation actions were acquired from a regional DOT survey and from other literature. As part of this study, the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers monitored a KYTC bridge washing project to assess its level of effectiveness and to identify potential improvements. Based upon these tasks, …

Jurisdictional Roadside Ditches, Sarah M. Mccormack, Christopher W. Van Dyke, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) mandates that state agencies and other entities perform compensatory mitigation when their activities impair jurisdictional waters. In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is required to pay in-lieu fees or purchase stream mitigation credits when a roadside ditch is impaired or relocated as part of a road construction project. In-lieu fees and stream mitigation credits are costly, and ditches that have suffered degraded habitat and loss of hydrogeomorphic functionality are treated as total losses when they are impacted by construction and maintenance activities. This raises the question of whether …

Forensic Pavement Evaluation For Us 31 W, Jefferson County, Kentucky Using Ground Penetrating Radar, Brad W. Rister, Kean Ashurst, R. Clark Graves

Kentucky Transportation Center Technical Assistance Report

The Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) utilized ground penetrating radar technology to provide a forensic evaluation of the existing pavement structure for the US31W pavement rehabilitation Project in Jefferson County, KY. Processed ground penetrating radar data indicated that the integrity of the underlying concrete pavement beneath the asphalt pavement appears to be competent and structurally sound. The clay soil beneath the concrete pavement appears relatively dry and well compacted. The analyzed GPR data also indicated that the average asphalt layer varied by lane throughout the project from 4.89 to 7.59 inches +/- ½ inch and that the underlying concrete layer average …

Hydrodemolition And Use Of A Rapid Early Strength Latex Modified Concrete Overlay, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Christopher Goff, Danny Wells, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Technical Assistance Report

On July 11, 2014, KYTC held a letting for the hydro demolition of two bridge decks on I-64 in Franklin County - main-line twin bridges over Cardwell Lane MP 51.516 (Contract ID 143915; Fed/State Project No. IM 0643(052)). The special notes for the project are provided in Appendix A. The tabulation of bids is provided in Appendix B. Five bids were received ranging from $787,836.00 to $1,082,639.46. The contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Halls Contracting. Each bridge is 30 ft. wide and 159 ft. long, with for a total area of 4,770 ft. The type 104 bridges have …

Highway Rail Crossing Prioritization, Bryan Gibson, Reginald R. Souleyrette

Kentucky Transportation Center Technical Assistance Report

Research team members at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Civil Engineering and the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) worked with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to develop a high-level mechanism for ranking highway-rail crossings for reconstruction and/or rehabilitation. The Highway Rail Crossing Prioritization implementation study yielded the Rail Crossing Improvement Priority (RCIP), which combined qualitative measures of crossing conditions with quantitative measures including proposed project costs and a valuation of the crossing based on rail and truck traffic. This effort provides a template by which further development can yield prioritization procedures for road-rail grade separation projects.

Assessment Program For Kentucky Traffic Records, Lenahan O'Connell, Eric R. Green, Reginald R. Souleyrette

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

During 2013, the Kentucky Transportation Center identified 117 potential performance metrics for the ten databases in the Kentucky Traffic Records System. This report summarizes the findings of three main tasks completed in 2014: (1) assessment of the utility of each metric and/or the availability of data; (2) collection of data on the metrics deemed useful with available data; and (3) assessment the possibility of incorporating a number of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) elements into the CRASH database. Interviews with liaisons for each database reduced the number of metrics from 117 to 51. The reason for rejecting the …

Integrated Freight Network Model: A Gis-Based Platform For Transportation Analyses, Ted H. Grossardt, John Ripy, Benjamin L. Blandford, Michael Shouse

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The models currently used to examine the behavior transportation systems are usually modespecific. That is, they focus on a single mode (i.e. railways, highways, or waterways). The lack of integration limits the usefulness of models to analyze the intermodal movement of freight. This project developed a GIS-based model of the three primary surface modes as well as intermodal connections. The resulting Integrated Freight Network Model (IFNM) accommodates highly detailed about shipping costs, transfer costs, traffic volumes (including non-freight auto traffic), and network interconnectivity properties. As a proof of concept, the research team conducted an exploratory analysis that asked what the …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2014, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2014 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 …

Railway/Highway At-Grade Crossing Surface Management: An Overview, Brett R. Malloy, Jerry G. Rose

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report draws on data from around the United States to describe the features of a successful railway/highway at-grade crossing management program; it emphasizes the highway/trackbed structures and crossing surfaces. Developing a structurally adequate crossing system is imperative, as this will produce a smooth surface and a stable highway/trackbed that prolongs crossings’ lifespans while keeping maintenance costs low and minimizing the number of disruptions encountered by highway and railway traffic. An overview of the guidance issued by several transportation agencies and organizations to facilitate the design and construction of railway/highway at-grade crossings is included here. Equally important to developing a …

Methods To Expedite And Streamline Utility Relocations For Road Projects, Roy Sturgill, Timothy R.B. Taylor, Seyedmahdi Ghorashinezhad, Jiwen Zhang

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Executive Summary This report describes best practices and tools to streamline and expedite utility relocations when they are required as part of road construction projects. As part of this effort, a research team from the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) conducted extensive qualitative research that involved mapping current practices at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and reviewing utility manuals from KYTC and other state transportation agencies. The KTC research team also conducted in-depth interviews with KYTC engineers and staff as well as representatives from utility companies (UCs). Based on the data from these investigations, KTC developed a number of recommendations to …

Railway/Highway At-Grade Crossing Surface Rehabilitation Manual: Recommendations And Guides, Brett R. Malloy, Macy L. Purcell, Jerry G. Rose

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This Railway/Highway At-Grade Crossing Surface Rehabilitation Manual offers guidance to engineers and project planners for designing, constructing, and managing railway/highway crossing rehabilitation projects. The manual includes information on pre-project administration, project execution, and post-project management and oversight. Suggestions are provided for determining the most cost-effective rehabilitation procedure, techniques to insure the appropriate installation procedures are followed onsite, and instructions for post-project administration and inspection procedures. The primary goal of this manual is to aid with the implementation of a crossing rehabilitation program; all of its guidance underscores the importance of achieving costeffective solutions through the use of best practices to …

Recommendations For Kytc’S Railway/Highway At-Grade Crossing Surface Management Practices, Brett R. Malloy, Jerry G. Rose, Macy L. Purcell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

An ideal Railway/Highway At-Grade Crossing Management program involves selecting costeffective practices when designing new crossings and rehabilitating existing crossings. This report outlines two strategies to enhance KYTC’s existing program. First, it describes a process that uses decision-option diagrams to optimize the assessment and implementation of engineering solutions in order to restore desired smoothness, minimize settlement in the postconstruction phase, and foster acceptable long-term performance of crossings following their rehabilitation. Decision-option diagrams rely on assessments that are site-specific and based on historical performance, the present observed performance and condition, and the measureable parameters specific to particular crossings. To supplement this process, …

Effect Of Enhanced Trackbed Support On Railway/Highway At-Grade Crossing Performance, Jerry G. Rose, Brett R. Malloy

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents the long-term performance of 89 railway/highway at-grade crossings in Kentucky and adjacent states that contain asphalt underlayment underneath the ballast. Asphalt underlayment increases load carrying capacity for trains and highway vehicles while enhancing the support structure’s waterproofing and confinement. The asphalt underlayment crossings studied were installed at sites that had historically exhibited poor performance and short service lives. Most of the crossing sites evaluated were 10-15 years old; however, their ages ranged up to 30 years. All of the crossings investigated have shown excellent performance since the installation of asphalt underlayments. No crossing failures, such as excessive …

Inland Waterways Funding Mechanisms Synthesis, Doug Kreis, Bryan Gibson, Christopher W. Van Dyke, Candice Y. Wallace, Sarah M. Mccormack

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The inland waterway system is a vital part of the nation’s multi-modal freight network. Although less visible than other modes, inland waterways allow shippers to transport bulk commodities in a relatively cheap and environmentally-friendly method. To ensure this transportation mode remains a feasible option and accommodates growth, it must continue to be safe, efficient, and functional. This synthesis provides comprehensive perspective on the financial prospects of the inland waterways system. It analyzes current funding levels, along with proposed funding changes and reforms.

Financial support for the inland waterways system comes from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF). Historical data gathered …

Audit Template For Inland Port Sustainability, Doug Kreis, Sarah Mccormack, Christopher Van Dyke, Bryan Gibson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report serves as an assessment of port sustainability and its potential applications for the inland river ports of Kentucky and the surrounding region. The report discusses and defines sustainability, both generally as it relates to business and industry and specifically as it relates to the port industry. Given the unique nature of the inland port industry, the report reviews lessons learned from 11 port site visits conducted by Kentucky Transportation Center in 2012, primarily at major U.S. coastal ports but also representative inland ports. KTC’s analysis identifies the sustainability challenges facing various domestic and international ports, and what policy …

Inland Waterway Operational Model & Simulation Along The Ohio River, Doug Kreis, Roy E. Sturgill, Brian K. Howell, Christopher W. Van Dyke, D. Stephen Voss

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The inland waterway system of the U.S. is a vital network for transporting key goods and commodities from the point of production to manufacturers and consumers. Shipping materials via the inland waterways is arguably the most economical and environmentally friendly option (compared to hauling freight by trains or railways). Despite the advantages the inland waterways enjoys over competing modes, key infrastructure – such as locks and dams, which help to control water levels on a number of rivers and make navigation possible – is declining. Limited funds have been allocated to make the necessary repairs to lock and dam facilities. …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2013, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2013 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 …

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (2009-2013), Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Michael A. Fields

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 2009 through 2013. 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 high ways 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 …

Roadway Contributing Factors In Traffic Crashes, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This project involved an evaluation of the codes which relate to roadway contributing factors. This included a review of relevant codes used in other states. Crashes with related codes were summarized and analyzed. A sample of crash sites was inspected to evaluate the accuracy and consistency of the data being evaluated.

The results of the study are recommendations for a coding format to enable accurate and consistent data concerning the roadway as it affected the crash as well as examples of areas of training to improve the accuracy and consistency of the data.

Recommendations relating to coding of the police …

2014 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green, Tony Fields

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of the survey summarized in this report was to establish a statewide safety belt usage rate in Kentucky for 2014. This rate can be compared to those determined from previous surveys. The 2014 statewide survey continues to document the increase in usage associated with the change in the law to allow primary enforcement and related education and enforcement.

2013 Barge And Rail Symposium: Moving Freight Between Multimodal Systems, Doug Kreis, Candice Y. Wallace

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Symposiums and peer exchanges are critical venues in which researchers meet and exchange new ideas and share the results of projects with colleagues. These gatherings are particularly important for multidisciplinary research areas. Despite knowledge rapidly developing in these fields, too often conversations do not take place between individuals who occupy different research niches. This delays efforts to implement new solutions to critical, everyday problems. Currently, there is no annual meeting at which researchers doing work on freight transportation shipped on the inland waterways and railways gather to present their findings to a broad cross section of government, industry, and academic …

Coordinating The Use And Location Of Weigh-In-Motion Technology For Kentucky, Andrew Martin, Valerie J. Keathley, Jerry Kissick, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Several agencies in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet make use of data collected by weigh-in-motion (WIM) scales throughout the state. These scales are used to collect traffic counts, weigh vehicles, weigh individual axles, determine vehicle length, classify vehicles, and determine speed. The data is primarily used for planning, law enforcement related to commercial vehicles, and pavement design. This study details the applications of WIM data, and reviews existing literature on how WIM data is used and shared. The study provides survey feedback from other states, specifically about how they use WIM data. It details competing WIM technologies currently on the market, …

Green Infrastructure, Sarah M. Mccormack, Roy E. Sturgill, Brian Howell, Christopher W. Van Dyke, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The transportation industry has increasingly recognized the vital role sustainability serves in promoting and protecting the transportation infrastructure of the nation. Many state Departments of Transportation have correspondingly increased efforts to incorporate concepts of sustainability into the planning, design, and construction phases of projects and congruently adopted sustainability measures into their internal standard policies and procedures. Sustainably constructed highways foster economic development, promote stewardship of the environment, and solicit citizen involvement for an integrated, comprehensive approach to project planning. As part of an effort to understand the extent to which sustainable design and construction principles are being used, this report …

Sealants, Treatments And Deicing Salt Practices To Limit Bridge Deck Corrosion And Experimental Deck Sealants And Pier Cap Coating On Interstate 471, Danny Wells, Sudhir Palle, Bobby W. Meade, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This project evaluated the ability of concrete sealants to impede the ingress of chloride ions into concrete bridge decks. Laboratory testing evaluated 24 concrete-penetrating sealants and four film-forming products. The products were selected based on survey results from adjacent state transportation agencies. KTC assisted the KYTC in developing Special Notes for applying four experimental sealants to two bridges (B00056L & B00056R) located on Interstate 471, over 6th Street in New Port, Kentucky. The sealants chosen for the field-testing were intended to reduce the ingress of chloride ions when deicing materials are applied to road surfaces. Pre- and post-application friction test …