S. Sathisan

EVALUATION OF ACCESSIBILITY OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS

A framework is presented for evaluating the accessibility of urban networks to the transportation needs in urban areas. Accessibility has been defined from the point of view of the network configuration and its relationship to key factors influencing travel demand. The definition is a departure from the traditional methods of accessibility, which primarily describe the interaction of people and places. The definition in this study helps in assessing the interaction between the trip maker and the transportation network, thus helping in an evaluation of the utility of the network to trips in a study region. The methodology uses the computational capabilities of a geographic information system and relates them to the traditional urban transportation planning process. Specific indexes are presented to quantify the accessibility of the network with respect to key factors influencing trip production and attraction. The methodology presented is applicable to the analysis of accessibility of other transportation system networks and to comparisons of the accessibilities of networks of different urban areas.

Integrated Systems Methodology for Pedestrian Traffic Flow Analysis

A typical urban pedestrian transportation system involves three basic elements: sidewalks or walkways; midblock or intersection corner, holding, or queuing areas; and pedestrian crossings of roads, railway lines, or other physical features of the transportation network. The pedestrians on sidewalks or walkways have operating characteristics analogous to motorized vehicles on roadways. The level of service and capacity analyses of sidewalks have been documented in the literature. In a similar manner, the concept of capacity and level of service have been individually applied to the street corner area and the crosswalk. Each critical pedestrian element has been considered individually, but not as a balanced system, especially at the most critical link—the signalized urban intersection. A methodology and guidelines are presented to analyze existing pedestrian elements at a signalized intersection, that is, the sidewalk, intersection corner, and crosswalk, with a systems approach that identifies key interrelationships of the individual elements. This systems approach can guide the design of a balanced at-grade pedestrian transportation system. It can be used to evaluate existing signalized at-grade intersection pedestrian elements, and to develop decision support tools to evaluate the potential need for a grade-separated pedestrian facility.

Yucca Mountain transportation routes: Preliminary characterization and risk analysis; Volume 1, Research report

In this study, rail and highway routes which may be used for shipments of high-level nuclear waste to a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada are characterized. This characterization facilitates three types of impact analysis: comparative study, limited worst-case assessment, and more sophisticated probabilistic risk assessment techniques. Data for relative and absolute impact measures are provided to support comparisons of routes based on selected characteristics. A worst-case scenario assessment is included to determine potentially critical and most likely places for accidents or incidents to occur. The assessment facilitated by the data in this study is limited because impact measures are restricted to the identification of potential areas or persons affected. No attempt is made to quantify the magnitude of these impacts. Most likely locations for accidents to occur are determined relative to other locations within the scope of this study. Independent factors and historical trends used to identify these likely locations are only proxies for accident probability.

An Evaluation Of Emergency Preparedness ForHazardous Materials Transport

This paper presents a methodology for evaluating emergency preparedness for hazardous materials transportation. Emergency preparedness is measured in terms of response times, number of response units, and capabilities of initial responders. The first responder to an accident could be the police, highway patrol, ambulance, or fire units. The analysis involves identification of emergency response units, and their locations, determination of service zones, and evaluation of response capability. Knowledge of the capability of the response units is useful not only for evaluating units requiring capability upgrade but more importantly, for identifying specialized units for deployment. An analytical tool using a Geographic Information System (GIS) programming environment is presented to evaluate emergency preparedness. An example analysis for Clark County, Nevada, U.S.A. is presented in this paper. Results of the analysis permit development of strategies for allocation of resources such as establishing locations for new response units, improving the capabilities of existing ones, and providing mobile stations at critical areas. Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 24,

Yucca Mountain transportation routes: Preliminary characterization and risk analysis; Volume 2, Figures [and] Volume 3, Technical Appendices

This report presents appendices related to the preliminary assessment and risk analysis for high-level radioactive waste transportation routes to the proposed Yucca Mountain Project repository. Information includes data on population density, traffic volume, ecologically sensitive areas, and accident history.