Sarah Hubbard

Estimating Route Choice and Travel Time Reliability with Field Observations of Bluetooth Probe Vehicles

Route choice is often assessed with either a modeling technique or field observations. Field observations have historically used a variation of license plate matching. The proposed technique assesses route choice and travel time that uses an anonymous Bluetooth media access control (MAC) address sampling technique as a surrogate for license plate matching to assess route choice. The Bluetooth sampling technique was used to evaluate the impact of an unexpected bridge closure in northwest Indiana, including an assessment of the proportion of vehicles using each of four alternate routes. The Bluetooth technology also provided a means to collect travel time data for each alternate route; these observed travel times were also compared with travel time estimates obtained by route classification and link distance. In general, the route choice behavior was consistent with observed travel time estimates. The Bluetooth sampling technique is cost-effective to deploy, and although results are approximate, direct measurement of travel times and route choice is useful for public agencies to assess mobility and travel time reliability along alternate routes.

Integration of Real-Time Pedestrian Performance Measures into Existing Infrastructure of Traffic Signal System

Transportation system management requires balancing the needs of many users and multiple transportation modes. Historically, traffic engineers have relied on short-term engineering studies and intuition to manage traffic signal systems. The broad consensus in the traffic engineering community is that real-time performance measures would enable better operations. Motivation and means are presented to provide real-time pedestrian performance measures using existing controller and vehicle detection technology. Applicable pedestrian service models are identified, and procedures for collecting data for pedestrian performance measures are recommended. The resulting pedestrian performance measures can be presented in an easy-to-interpret visual format that provides a valuable tool for assessing and comparing pedestrian service. Pedestrian service may be compared at different crosswalks in the jurisdiction for prioritization purposes, or at the same crosswalk under different conditions. The proposed pedestrian performance measures may be used in conjunction with existing vehicle performance measures, resulting in an integrated approach to assessing the level of service for vehicles and pedestrians under different conditions and for different signal timing plans.

Developing an Index of Transit Service Availability

The procedures and results associated with the development of an index of transit service availability are summarized. This index uses the factors that most effectively quantify the availability of public transit service (both bus and rail) in an urban area at a macroscopic planning level. The factors that are included in the index are based on FTA Section 15 data and information from the 1990 census. The development of the index involved the application of more than 30 prospective measures of transit service availability to 228 urban area transit systems throughout the United States. The index uses three measures that quantify transit service coverage, frequency of transit service, and transit system capacity. The index is designed to serve as a planning tool and was specifically developed to facilitate the comparison of transit service availability between urban areas with similar demographics and allow transit systems to examine service availability over time. The index is not intended for use in assessing transit system efficiency or performance.

Ergonomics: Case Study: Safety Training Issues for Hispanic Construction Workers

H ispanic construction workers are a significant population in the U.S. construction work force and are disproportionately impacted by accidents, injuries, and fatalities on the construction work site. This column describes a pilot study that investigates potential safety training issues for Hispanic construction workers. The findings of this study indicate that although many Hispanics have worked in the construction field in the United States for a significant period of time, relatively few have had formal safety training. This study also found that the Hispanic workers participating did not understand many construction and safety terms that may be used in safety training, which may reduce the effectiveness of the training and increase the risk for injuries and fatalities.

Assessing the Impact of Turning Vehicles on Pedestrian Level of Service at Signalized Intersections: A New Perspective

The Highway Capacity Manual provides two methods, based on delay and space, for the assessment of pedestrian level of service (LOS) at signalized intersections. Current procedures for evaluating pedestrian LOS are examined, and results indicate that these procedures do not adequately reflect the negative impact of turning vehicles. Pedestrian LOS measures are proposed to reflect not only pedestrian delay and space but also traffic interruptions, freedom of movement, and comfort. These measures are consistent with LOS measures currently used for freeway segments and ramp merge areas. The percentage of compromised pedestrian crossings is proposed as a means to quantify the negative impact of turning vehicles on pedestrian service and as a LOS measure at signalized intersections. A pedestrian crossing is designated as compromised if a pedestrian is delayed or is forced to change travel path or speed in response to a turning vehicle. The percentage of compromised pedestrian crossings was assessed for 13 crosswalks. Results of the assessments illustrate that as right-turn volumes increase, the percentage of compromised pedestrian crossings increases. The proposed method provides an objective engineering tool for measuring the impact of turning vehicles on pedestrian service. It may be appropriate to use this measure to quantify the need for pedestrian improvements (e.g., if the percentage compromised exceeds 15%, then it may be appropriate to implement a leading pedestrian interval or other enhancement).

Activities to Enhance Civil Engineering Recruitment and Coordination with Industry

With many transportation professionals soon reaching retirement age, the industry is facing challenges. A key component to the success of the profession is recruiting new employees with the technical and managerial skills to take on future challenges. This paper outlines how one civil engineering school addressed the challenge of declining enrollments by working cooperatively with industry to meet three goals: to increase the visibility of civil engineering as a career, to expand coordination with employers, and to enhance recruitment of students. To meet the goals, a number of strategies were pursued; these included expanding activities for freshmen, participating in K–12 outreach programs, revising the civil engineering career course, expanding the career fair to include a freshman showcase, facilitating civil engineering internships for freshmen, designating a single point source for industry communications, enhancing tools for coordination with employers, increasing opportunities for student employment, updating recruiting materials, using students and alumni as ambassadors, and fostering student interaction through activities. The recruiting activities discussed in this paper not only brought in new students but also fostered cooperation with industry and the engagement of existing students, which may contribute to enhanced retention. Many activities described in this paper can be implemented at other colleges, and some of the strategies identified are appropriate for employers seeking to enhance the effectiveness of their activities on campus.

Ergonomics: Case Study: Safety Training Issues for Student Interns

E ffective safety training for the construction work force is very important, as the construction industry has the highest rate of any industry in terms of workrelated injury and death in the United States.(1) In 2007, approximately 1 in 5 deaths and 1 in 10 injuries occurred in the construction industry.(2–3) New employees are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by studies showing that newly hired workers are more likely to be injured on the job than those with more experience.(4–5) Young workers are also at a higher risk for work-related injuries and fatalities.(6–9) To reduce accidents and injuries, the construction industry has developed safety training for both new and veteran employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-Hour Industry Outreach Program is used by many employers as an initial course to train their employees. The importance of safety training is reflected by the fact that six states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Missouri, and New York) now require that construction workers complete the 10-hour training in order to work on large, publicly funded construction projects.(10) To evaluate the effectiveness for OSHA 10-hour safety training of a new employee entering the construction industry, a series of surveys was conducted with undergraduate construction student interns from a major Midwestern university that requires that students work on a construction job site during the summer. For this reason, it was a unique opportunity to evaluate safety training for new, young employees with little prior construction experience. The objective of this case study was to identify benefits and limitations related to safety training for student interns. Student interns are a subset of two related demographic groups that are vulnerable on the construction site: (1) new employees, and (2) young workers. Surveying to learn about potential issues related to safety training for them provides two main advantages. First, students can be surveyed prior to and after their work experience, providing a survey horizon that would not be practical for most construction workers. Second, students are accustomed to test taking and can effectively communicate through a written survey, characteristics that may not be true for construction workers in general.

Automated Vehicle Legislative Issues

This paper provides a synthesis of issues addressed by state legislation in relation to automated vehicles (AV); technologies are rapidly evolving and many states have developed legislation to govern AV testing and deployment and assure safety on public roads. The expected benefits of AV include increased safety, increased capacity, decreased congestion, increased productivity because of hands-free travel, and increased mobility for people who cannot drive. The projected economic impact of AV is significant, with an estimated market of

Safety Culture: Examination of Safety Attitudes Across Transportation Modes

7 trillion by 2050. Potential challenges include increased costs, liability and licensing issues, privacy considerations, security and cybersecurity concerns, and potential job losses. Legislative responses to AV technology have varied significantly, depending on the state. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation related to AV, and six states have executive orders. Even after federal AV legislation is passed, there will still be an important role for states in AV licensure, registration, insurance, traffic laws, enforcement, infrastructure, and emergency response. The objective of this research is to identify and synthesize current state legislation related to AV, which shows diverse responses and has led to a patchwork of operating conditions from state to state. The information presented in this paper provides important information as agencies and decision makers develop strategic plans for AV activities at every level, and serves an important function by documenting the evolution of issues related to AV which is an important part of transportation history.

An Integrated Framework for Fostering Human Factor Sustainability and Increased Safety in Aviation Ramp Operations

Transportation safety is a top priority for all agencies, although traffic fatalities remain a leading cause of death in many age groups. One traditional approach to safety is a multifaceted strategy that addresses the 4 E’s: education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency response. In recent years, some agencies have also undertaken collaborative initiatives such as Toward Zero Death programs in an effort to increase safety. Although roadway fatalities have decreased, there is still opportunity for improvement. Many research studies have identified factors that correlated with roadway crashes (e.g., geometric factors) and have documented the impact of mitigation measures, such as roadway improvements, policy changes (e.g., speed limits), and safety programs (e.g., distracted driving campaigns). Although crashes may be considered an unavoidable consequence of mobility, fatality rates vary dramatically by transportation mode, and the impressive safety record in aviation suggests that fatalities should not be considered inevitable. This research explores safety attitudes and practices for young adults in the aviation and roadway sectors, examines differences in safety training for roadways and aviation that may contribute to a positive safety culture, and identifies practices in aviation that may be beneficial in the roadway sector. In addition to providing a benchmark for the current safety culture and comparing attitudes and practices in the roadway and aviation environments, this research lays a foundation to develop best practices that will contribute to a positive safety culture, improve safety, and reduce the costs associated with roadway crashes.