Quantitative Analysis of Hurricane Harvey Impacts on Texas Maritime Facilities
By: Kyle Bathgate, Antonio Perez De La Cruz & Dr. Zhanmin Zhang
PI: Dr. Zhanmin Zhang
Presenter: Kyle Bathgate
This study assesses the impacts of Hurricane Harvey on actual vessel movements in the Hou-ston region, using data extracted from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and the metrics of Net Vessel Count (NVC) and dwell time distribution. The methods may be applied by state transportation officials to quantify the post-disaster impacts of a disruption on port operations.
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Statewide Preliminary Engineering Cost Estimates by Unified Transportation Program Funding Categories
By: Dr. Junghye Son & Nabeel Khwaja
PI: Nabeel Khwaja; Dr. Junghye Son
Presenter: Junghye Son
The Unified Transportation Program (UTP) is TxDOT’s 10-year fiscally constrained plan and is projected to cost $75 billion. This study developed a model and an accompanying tool to help estimate and plan the UTP’s associated engineering costs by using its funding categories and their associated construction dollars.
Synthesis on Automated Pedestrian Data Collecting Techniques and Applications in Transportation Planning, Design, and Management
By: Angela Haddad, Kenneth Perrine, Lisa Macias & Dr. Chandra Bhat
PI: Kenneth Perrine
Presenter: Angela Haddad
This project aims to understand the state-of-the-art and the state-of-the-practice of auto-mated pedestrian detection, including well-established and emerging artificial intelligence and sensor-based technologies. Surveys and interviews aided the development of an infor-mation-based decision-support tool to evaluate the appropriateness of different equipment.
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The Texas Department of Transportation Alternative Delivery System Decision-Support Tool V2.0
By: Vassilina Demetracopoulou, Dr. William O’Brien & Nabeel Khwaja
PI: Nabeel Khwaja; Dr. William O’Brien
Presenter: Vassilina Demetracopoulou
This study presents the Alternative Delivery System (ADS) Decision-Support Tool V2.0, a de-livery method selection tool customized for TxDOT. It was developed based on Design-Build outcomes since it became legislatively available in 2012, V1.0 of ADS (2014), the contracting community’s experience with risk, and TxDOT’s programmatic changes for alternate delivery.
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Weather-Responsive Management Strategies
By: Dr. Chandra Bhat, Dr. Christian Claudel, Kenneth Perrine, Lisa Macias, Aupal Mondal & Hassan Iqbal
PI: Dr. Chandra Bhat
Presenter: Aupal Mondal
Winter operations sensing capabilities are added to TxDOT Abilene and Lubbock District ve-hicles to track where treatment activities are occurring. Existing fleet tracking and GIS appli-cation infrastructure are used to dashboard, analyze, and report live and historic winter weather activities, heightening safety and improving treatment quality..
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What Does It Look Like From…
By: Cameron Schmeits, Nabeel Khwaja, Juan Loayza, Kristopher Pruner & Mengyu Fu
PI: Nabeel Khwaja
Presenter: Cameron Schmeits
3D visualization is a valuable tool frequently used on major transportation projects to show the public what the finished roadways will look like before they are constructed. TxDOT and CTR have been utilizing 3D visualization in non-traditional ways (e.g., driver’s perspective of an overhead sign) to support decision-making in the planning and construction phases.
Analysis of Pedestrian Crashes at Texas Intersections and Mid-Blocks
By: Dr. Natalia Zuniga-Garcia, Kenneth A. Perrine & Dr. Kara Kockelman
PI: Dr. Kara Kockelman
Presenter: Kenneth A. Perrine
Ten years of TxDOT CRIS crash reports are used to analyze pedestrian crash counts at over one million intersections and mid-block segments. Traffic control, highway design, and land use modeled for Texas and the City of Austin suggest mid-blocks are more vulnerable than intersections and point toward the importance of factors such as economic inequity.
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Developing a Preliminary Engineering Cost Estimation Method for a Portfolio of Bridge Construction Projects in Project Planning Phase
By: Dr. Junghye Son & Nabeel Khwaja
PI: Nabeel Khwaja ;Dr. Junghye Son
Presenter: Junghye Son
This study proposes a preliminary engineering (PE) cost estimation method for bridge con-struction projects during the planning phase, when detailed project information is sparse. The proposed method estimates PE cost using construction cost estimates for different project types and sizes, which provides a more reliable and accurate PE cost estimate than using a single-percentage estimate method.
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Developing Assessment Criteria for State DOTs’ Standard Specifications on Contractor Schedules
By: Byung Gi Han, Dr. Junghye Son, Nabeel Khwaja & Dr. William O’Brien
PI: Nabeel Khwaja; Dr. William O’Brien; Dr. Junghye Son
Presenter: Byung Gi, Han
Standard scheduling specifications serve as the basis for project schedule control, estab-lishing minimum requirements for the contractor schedule quality and allowing DOTs to effectively communicate and manage project schedule performance. From a review of 18 states, this study identifies assessment criteria that DOTs can use to benchmark their specifications.
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Development of Crash Database Parsing Tools to Support the Highway Safety Improvement Program in Texas
By: Manar Hasan, Dr. Zhe Han, Dr. Randy Machemehl & Dr. Michael Murphy
PI: Dr. Randy Machemehl
Presenter: Manar Hasan
This study presents a set of computerized tools that parse the crash database to identify crash hotspots, suggest potential treatments, and calculate safety benefits. These tools can be used by transportation agencies to support decision-making. A case study was conduct-ed that returned 6,174 candidate projects and recommended the most effective treat-ments.
Energy Corridor Analysis: Forecasting Rapid Pavement Wear Due to Oil Drilling Activity
By: Jennifer Zuehlke, Carolina Baumanis, Dr. Mehmet Kunt & Dr. Randy Machemehl
PI: Dr. Randy Machemehl
Presenter: Carolina Baumanis
Using drilling permits along with water source and disposal data, the CTR team developed a procedure for predicting oil drilling traffic volumes and potential damage to low volume roads before the drilling occurs. This is particularly relevant as the $100+ per barrel crude oil price spike due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine is likely to stimulate oil drilling.
Evaluate Improved Streamflow Measurement at TxDOT Bridges
By: Dr. David Maidment, Harry Evans & Dr. Paola Passalacqua
PI: Dr. David Maidment
Presenter: David Maidment
Radar stream-gauging sensors are being mounted on 80 TxDOT bridges to provide real-time measurement of water surface elevation and velocity. These data are combined with National Water Model forecasting to provide maps of current and predicted flooded road depths and warnings for bridges at risk for flooding.
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Examining the Impacts of a Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee for Daily Weekday Travel: A Case Study of Oregon
By: Michael Moore, Dr. Andrew Waxman & Dr. Randy Machemehl
PI: Dr. Randy Machemehl
Presenter: Michael Moore
This study presents an approach to evaluate the impacts of a switch to a vehicle miles trav-elled (VMT) fee on road users groups. A gas tax equivalent fee and alternative VMT fee structures were examined to assess their revenue generation capabilities and equity im-pacts by road user group and socio-demographics.
Exploring the Use of Artificial Intelligence to Leverage TxDOT Data for Enhanced Corridor Management and Operations
By: William Alexander, Dr. Stephen Boyles, Kenneth Perrine & Dr. Natalia Ruiz-Juri
PI: Dr. Natalia Ruiz-Juri
Presenter: Natalia Ruiz Juri
Project 0-7034 is testing real-time travel time estimation methods under field conditions. The models implement machine learning to compute dynamic travel times on freeway corridors using probe-based speeds from INRIX and ITS sensors traffic volumes. Prelimi-nary experiments show accuracy improvements of up to fifty percent with respect to cur-rent practice.
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An Extreme Weather Risk-Assessment Framework for Port Infrastructure Systems
By: Kyle Bathgate, Jingran Sun, Shidong Pan, Dr. Zhe Han, Dr. Michael Murphy & Dr. Zhanmin Zhang
PI: Dr. Zhanmin Zhang
Presenter: Jingran Sun
This study presents a framework for the risk assessment of port system infrastructure to extreme weather events. The framework is straightforward for easy implementation using existing GIS datasets. The methods inform port stakeholders of the susceptibility of their infrastructure assets and offer a tool to increase system resilience through project selec-tion and allocation measures.
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Hydraulic Analysis of Portable Concrete Median Barriers for Flood Prone Regions
By: James Holyoke, Dr. Blair Johnson, Dr. Michael Barrett & Greg Hendrickson
PI: Dr. Blair Johnson
Presenter: James Holyoke
Concrete median barriers are used in roadway design to reduce accidents; however, they can obstruct flow and increase roadway flooding during storms. Therefore, it is necessary to study the hydraulic efficiency of a barrier to determine the optimal design to retain structural integrity while also maximizing its flow capacity.
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Integration of Stated Preference and Revealed Preference Methods in Regional Travel Survey Programs, with a Teleworking Application
By: Katherine Asmussen, Aupal Mondal, Lisa Macias, Katherine Dannemiller & Dr. Chandra R. Bhat
PI: Dr. Chandra Bhat
Presenter: Katherine A. Dannemiller
This study aims to demonstrate state-of-the-art stated preference (SP) techniques within a revealed preference (RP) survey. These techniques are exemplified through the design, deployment, and analysis of an RP-SP survey that explores telework behavior across the state of Texas during COVID-19, today and into the unpredictable future.
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Modeling Impacts of COVID-19 on Capital Metro Ridership
By: Jennifer Hall, Carolina Baumanis & Dr. Randy Machemehl
PI: Dr. Randy Machemehl
Presenter: Jennifer Hall
This research examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon bus ridership through autoregression and multi-linear regression models. The autoregression model was able to capture 75% variability throughout the pandemic (R2 = ~75%). The multi-linear regression models showed that COVID-19 confirmed cases as well as fatalities were significant toward weekday and Sunday travels, but not toward riders on Saturday.
Multifunctional Centerline Rumble Strips for Highway Condition Improvement during Winter Weather Operations
By: Md Al Amin, Vivek Turkar, Michael Rung & Dr. Raissa Ferron
PI: Dr. Raissa Ferron
Presenter: Md Al Amin
The use of snowplows in northern Texas results in loss of RPMs, which is not only costly but also creates unsafe driving conditions. This study showed that rumble strips can be used in a multifunctional way to not only provide sound awareness, but also protect RPMs from snowplows.
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Network Assignment-Based Estimation of Origin-Destination Matrices with a Full Travel Demand Model
By: William Alexander, Carlin Liao, Rishabh Thakkar, Karthik Velayutham & Dr. Stephen Boyles
PI: Dr. Stephen Boyles
Presenter: William Alexander
Traditional techniques for origin-destination (OD) matrix estimation that focus on adjusting the matrix directly are prone to overfitting and reduce its behavioral interpretability. We propose tuning trip generation parameters instead. Our procedure calibrates an initial estimate of trip generation rates using a local search to reduce the error between the flows predicted by a demand model and link flow observations as a proxy for finding the true (but unobservable) trip generation rates.
Optimal Sensor Placement on Highway Networks: A Traffic Dynamics Based Approach
By: Dr. Sebastian Nugroho, Suyash Vishnoi, Dr. Ahmad Taha & Dr. Christian Claudel
PI: Dr. Christian Claudel
Presenter: Suyash Vishnoi
This study investigates the engineering problem of traffic sensors placement on highways with ramps. Since it is virtually impossible to install traffic sensors on each highway seg-ment, it is crucial to find placements that result in optimized network-wide traffic observ-ability. Consequently, this results in accurate traffic density estimates on segments where sensors are not installed.
Quantitively Assessing Readiness for EV Charging Infrastructure
By: Anna McAuley
PI: Dr. Zhanmin Zhang
Presenter: Anna McAuley
Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption is growing across the country as individuals, commercial freight, and government fleets transition to cleaner transportation options, but many areas do not have the EV charging infrastructure required to support this increasing demand. This work presents a framework for an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Readiness Index to measure the degree of readiness a region is to support the projected EV charging demand. The EVSE Readiness Index methodology is applied to zip codes across Texas to identify and predict areas’ readiness considering demand projections for the year 2030. The study also investigates relationships between readiness and geographic, socio-demographic, and environmental factors at the zip code level. This work highlights the need for data-informed investment and planning for EV charging infrastructure deployments, summarizes the EVSE Readiness Index methodology, demonstrates the applied case study, and highlights key findings.