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| SPR 639 |
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Driving Cessation Study
| Project Coordinator: |
Vince Van Der Hyde |
| Research Agency: |
Portland State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Margaret Neal |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
July 2006 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
July 2007 |
OBJECTIVES:
Using a sample of Oregon drivers and former drivers the study will conduct a mail, and, if possible, a telephone survey to address the following questions:
1. What are the factors that influence driving cessation?
2. What are the physical and emotional barriers that delay driving cessation?
3. What opportunities exist for alternative transportation after driving cessation?
4. Do drivers make relocation decisions on the basis of driving cessation?
5. What are the warning signs that make a driver stop driving?
6. Was there a crisis situation that forced the driver to stop driving, and if so, what was it?
With specific reference to the DMV Impaired Driver Program, assuming that a sufficient sample of those involved in the program can be located:
1. Was the process seen as fair?
2. Did the driver involved agree with the outcome?
3. Was the process seen as reasonable?
4. Was the process seen as timely?
5. Were other outcomes possible, such as a Limited Route License?
BACKGROUND:
A preliminary literature review has found no state-wide study of either the reasons for driving cessation or the need for transportation after driving cessation. Nor is there Oregon specific data. All of the studies located so far have been limited to small samples, often no more than a few hundred, and often as add-on to other studies or as special purpose studies. None have been of sufficient size to allow analysis of county or smaller geographic areas and few have samples large enough for detailed analysis of demographic data linked to reasons for cessation, driving problems or driving related issues. Nor have any attempted to establish the rate or fraction of that population that has ceased driving, either by self-regulation or because of outside pressures (such as family). There also appears to be little data comparing elderly current drivers with former drivers in the same population. Finally, little or now data has been found thus far that systematically looks at alternative transportation needs, let alone compares data across geographic areas.
IMPLEMENTATION:
The results of this study will be used:
1. By Public Transit Division and DHS to develop programs for alternative transportation services for the elderly after driving cessation, including the Special Transportation Program.
2. For the Oregon Transportation Plan in planning for the state’s transportation needs.
3. To support activities of DMV in their development, operation and evaluation of the Older Drivers Act program.
4. To estimate the number of driving impaired elderly down to the county level.
5. By ODOT’s Research Section to answer questions from the Legislature, internal ODOT and other state and local governments.
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| SPR 652 |
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Environ. Durability of Fiber Reinforced Composite Repairs for Diagonally Cracked Reinforced Concrete
| Project Coordinator: |
Steve Soltesz |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University
Portland State University
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| Principal Investigator: |
Chris Higgins |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
April 2007 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
December 2008 |
BACKGROUND:
Many of Oregon’s conventionally reinforced concrete deck-girder (RCDG) bridges built in the 1950s were designed to permit higher shear stress in the concrete than is permitted by current AASHTO standards, and contain less transverse steel and have poor flexural details that adversely affect the shear-moment capacity. Compounding this problem is the fact that modern trucks carry significantly heavier loads than in the past. These bridges are nearing the end of their design lives and have been exposed to millions of load cycles from traffic. As a result, Oregon highways have nearly 500 bridges exhibiting diagonal-tension cracks due to overload, fatigue, or some combination of these two factors. In addition, there are over 1000 bridges of similar construction and vintage that have the potential for diagonal cracking in the future.
ODOT has identified many diagonally-cracked RCDG bridges for strengthening instead of replacement. Externally bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are materials that show promise for strengthening these bridges. Application of supplemental CFRP reinforcement for highway structures is a more recent development, especially for shear strengthening beams with diagonal-tension cracks. Due to the speed and relative economy of repair with CFRP materials, some ODOT bridges have been strengthened using CFRP, and it is anticipated that other bridges in the inventory are candidates for repair. The current practice has been to post the bridge at a reduced load, epoxy inject existing shear cracks, and then bond on the supplemental CFRP. The bridge generally maintains the posted rating after the CFRP is installed, and the repair is considered a temporary solution with additional remediation necessary in the future. This approach is based on uncertainty about the long-term durability of the repairs under repeated loadings and in-situ environmental conditions. Recent research at OSU on the fatigue response of CFRP repaired RCDG girders indicated that the CFRP does not exhibit fatigue degradation although design methods for negative moment regions need to be improved. However, environmental deterioration remains uncertain with the published literature providing contradictory conclusions. Furthermore, many materials degrade more rapidly when repeated loading is combined with environmental exposure than can be accounted for by considering the isolated effects. Whether surface-bonded CFRP exhibits this adverse synergy is unknown. Field experience is unavailable because there are very limited case histories of CFRP shear strengthening for RCDGs at other state DOTs, and none have been in place longer than 5 years.
OBJECTIVE:
The objectives of this research are:
- determine the effects of environmental conditioning on performance of surface-bonded CFRP strengthening of CRC girders in shear dominated regions.
- develop design guidelines for the long-term performance of CFRP-shear strengthened concrete bridge girders including the effects of environmental exposure.
IMPLEMENTATION:
It is anticipated that practical design and analysis methods will be developed that can adequately account for environmental durability of externally-bonded FRP materials used to repair/rehabilitate 1950’s vintage RCDG bridge girders with diagonal-tension cracks. Workshops will be held for engineers to explain the procedures.
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| SPR 657 |
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At-Risk Drive Evaluation
| Project Coordinator |
June Ross |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Karen Dixon |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
October, 2007 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
July, 2008 |
BACKGROUND:
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has a comprehensive incident management program in place. Due to cooperative efforts among ODOT, Oregon State Police, local police, and emergency providers most incidents are cleared rapidly and traffic operations resume normally. However, a major traffic-related incident can take considerable time to clear; closure of a major highway during peak travel periods can cause major problems. It is not known to what extent institutional constraints may account for some inefficiency in incident clearance. These inefficiencies may result in extended time elapsing from incident detection through final site clearance.
OBJECTIVES:
The research proposed in this study will address several key objectives. These are summarized as follows:
· Using a variety of data resources, examine recent traffic incidents where full highway closure occurred to determine the extent to which the incident and associated traffic obstructions impact traffic operations;
· Identify institutional barriers that may affect the rapid clearance of incidents occurring on Oregon highways; and
· Identify administrative procedures that could be implemented to expedite incident clearance and estimate the benefit of these recommended procedures.
3.1 Benefits
Benefits of improved incident management are far-reaching. In addition to the potential for reducing the non-recurrent delay that often follows an incident, other benefits include reduced fuel consumption and vehicle emissions, fewer secondary crashes that result directly from the congested environment, improved travel reliability, and less direct impact on the stress or aggression levels of drivers. For the region, quick clearance times would benefit freight delivery, and minimize the impact on adjacent land use and the economy. An additional benefit of this project would be improved understanding by participating organizations regarding incident response and clearance procedures by various responding agencies.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Through the diverse structure of the TAC membership, the research results will be distributed to the various responding agencies in a truncated summary format suitable for use by multiple agencies. The results of this research may potentially modify the way that responding agencies in Oregon react to an incident, change the procedure for incident clearance, and result in a safer incident site for responders, injured parties, and the general traveling public. It is also possible that additional equipment investments may be identified such as adding supplemental message signs, providing additional incident response trucks, and improving information delivery to the traveling public and freight carriers.
The research results will be incorporated, as appropriate, in the Oregon Traffic Incident Management Strategic Plan currently being developed under the leadership of ODOT’s Maintenance Leadership Team.
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| SPR 658 |
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Institutional Barriers Delaying Incident Clearance
| Project Coordinator |
June Ross |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Karen Dixon |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
October, 2007 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
July, 2008 |
BACKGROUND:
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has a comprehensive incident management program in place. Due to cooperative efforts among ODOT, Oregon State Police, local police, and emergency providers most incidents are cleared rapidly and traffic operations resume normally. However, a major traffic-related incident can take considerable time to clear; closure of a major highway during peak travel periods can cause major problems. It is not known to what extent institutional constraints may account for some inefficiency in incident clearance. These inefficiencies may result in extended time elapsing from incident detection through final site clearance.
OBJECTIVES:
The research proposed in this study will address several key objectives. These are summarized as follows:
· Using a variety of data resources, examine recent traffic incidents where full highway closure occurred to determine the extent to which the incident and associated traffic obstructions impact traffic operations;
· Identify institutional barriers that may affect the rapid clearance of incidents occurring on Oregon highways; and
· Identify administrative procedures that could be implemented to expedite incident clearance and estimate the benefit of these recommended procedures.
3.1 Benefits
Benefits of improved incident management are far-reaching. In addition to the potential for reducing the non-recurrent delay that often follows an incident, other benefits include reduced fuel consumption and vehicle emissions, fewer secondary crashes that result directly from the congested environment, improved travel reliability, and less direct impact on the stress or aggression levels of drivers. For the region, quick clearance times would benefit freight delivery, and minimize the impact on adjacent land use and the economy. An additional benefit of this project would be improved understanding by participating organizations regarding incident response and clearance procedures by various responding agencies.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Through the diverse structure of the TAC membership, the research results will be distributed to the various responding agencies in a truncated summary format suitable for use by multiple agencies. The results of this research may potentially modify the way that responding agencies in Oregon react to an incident, change the procedure for incident clearance, and result in a safer incident site for responders, injured parties, and the general traveling public. It is also possible that additional equipment investments may be identified such as adding supplemental message signs, providing additional incident response trucks, and improving information delivery to the traveling public and freight carriers.
The research results will be incorporated, as appropriate, in the Oregon Traffic Incident Management Strategic Plan currently being developed under the leadership of ODOT’s Maintenance Leadership Team.
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| SPR 660 |
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Safety & Operations of High-Speed Signalized Intersections
| Project Coordinator: |
Mark Joerger |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Karen Dixon |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
Feb. 2008 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
July 31, 2009 |
BACKGROUND:
Many rural intersections occur at locations with approaching operating speeds of 45 mph or greater. These locations often occur on rural or urbanized two-lane or multi-lane highways. When such an intersection is placed under signalized control, it is not uncommon for a less alert driver to be forced to execute a rapid deceleration. Often this unexpected deceleration can result in a high number of rear-end or angle crashes. In the United States and Oregon, crashes at high speed signalized intersections are a significant safety concern. For example, in the ODOT 2006 Amendment One for the "Oregon Transportation Safety Action Plan" these high speed signalized intersection crashes are specifically cited as key safety emphasis areas. ODOT has recently examined efforts to improve the transition between low and high speed sections of State highways. Including the visibility and management of the initial signal and assessing the decision zone required for these high-speed intersections are natural complements to these current efforts.
OBJECTIVES:
The objective of this research is to study effective means for improving safety as high-speed signalized intersections (sites with posted speed limits of 45 mph or greater). The research will seek to answer questions about incremental measures required to enhance intersection safety. These may include improved advanced signing, extended amber or all-red clearance intervals, modified decision zones based on alternative reaction times, enhanced signal visibility, and assessment of potential technologies that will further increase safe vehicle operations at these high-crash locations.
Implementation:
The research results will be provided to ODOT for potential consideration as candidate treatments or countermeasures at the increasing number of high-speed signalized intersections. These treatments can range from physical traffic control devices such as advance signage or conspicuous signage to operation changes such as modified decision zone reaction-time assumptions or extended amber or all-red timing to accommodate at-risk maneuvers.
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| SPR 661 |
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Flexural Steel Anchorage Performance at Diagonal Crack Locations
Project Coordinator:
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Steve Soltesz
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Research Agency:
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Oregon State University
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Principal Investigator:
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Christopher Higgins
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Start Date for ODOT:
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December 2007
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End Date for ODOT:
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June 2008
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BACKGROUND:
Many of Oregon's reinforced concrete (RC) bridges built in the 1950's were designed to permit higher shear stress in the concrete than is permitted by current AASHTO standards. In addition, modern truck loads are significantly larger than service loads of the past. A large number of reinforced concrete bridges in the ODOT inventory have exhibited significant web-shear and flexure-shear cracks. A research project recently completed at OSU developed a reliability-based method to predict the remaining capacity and life of 1950's vintage conventionally reinforced concrete bridges with diagonal-tension cracks. The proposed method also requires a tensile capacity check of the longitudinal reinforcement on the flexural tension side per AASHTO LRFD 5.8.3.5. Application of LRFD 5.8.3.5 to several bridges indicates that many girders will be limited by the tensile capacity check.
OBJECTIVES:
The main objectives of the proposed research are:
- Assess longitudinal rebar anchorages in the presence of diagonal cracks for RC bridge girders
- Compare current capacity prediction methods with experimental results
- Based on laboratory test results, develop improved methods and recommendations for rating of longitudinal rebar anchorages in diagonally cracked bridge girders
1.1 Benefits
Ratings of 1950’s vintage RCDG bridge girders are often limited by the longitudinal steel anchorage check in the AASHTO specification. If the actual diagonal-crack angle may be used or improved analysis methods are available, the bridge rating may be increased, thereby permitting higher loads, fewer bridge replacements, or reducing the need for repairs. Alternatively, the AASHTO LRFD/LRFR specifications may require recalibration to ameliorate the current provision for evaluation of existing bridges.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Meetings and workshops will be held with ODOT personnel to present research findings in-progress as well as summary findings. Background information and findings will be described in reports, papers, and peer-reviewed journals. Explicit examples will be provided for the analytical methods developed to predict the capacity of longitudinal bar anchorages in the presence of diagonal cracks.
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| SPR 662 |
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Multi-Modal Investment Criteria & Freight's Economic Importance
Project Coordinator:
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Alan Kirk
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Research Agency:
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Oregon State University
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Principal Investigator:
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Lei Zhang
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| Start Date for ODOT: |
October 2007
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End Date for ODOT:
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September 2008
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BACKGROUND:
The Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) makes decisions about investments on the highways and to a lesser extent for other freight-moving modes; e.g., through special funding programs for specific purposes such as rail spur improvements. To guide investment decisions, the OTC has adopted project eligibility criteria and prioritization factors. For example, “projects that support freight mobility” is one of the prioritization factors established for the 2008-2011 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). As used for the STIP, projects that support freight mobility are defined as modernization projects on freight routes of statewide or regional significance. These are projects that would remove identified barriers to the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of goods and/or would support multimodal freight transportation movements.
More recently, the OTC has been charged by the Oregon Legislature with making decisions on state-authorized funding for aviation, marine, public transit, and rail projects through the ConnectOregon program. ConnectOregon I (ORS 367.080) from the 2005 Oregon Legislative session directed the OTC to consider factors, such as transportation cost reduction, multi-modal connections, system efficiency, project costs, and economic benefits, in selecting projects to be funded via the ConnectOregon program. However, these broadly-defined investment criteria have not been used consistently to assess alternative multi-modal projects in the ConnectOregon program, highlighting the research need for a data-driven yet practical procedure for applying investment criteria and achieving policy objectives. Systematic methods (e.g. risk analysis and management) for decision-making under imperfect information (due to future uncertainty and data inadequacy) can be employed to improve the existing investment criteria and decision-making processes.
Past work related to multimodal investment criteria includes a 1998 ODOT research report titled The Prioritization of Mobility Improvements using a Multi-Criteria Prioritization Algorithm [1], which develops a ranking procedure for selecting multimodal mobility improvement projects. Similar freight investment criteria have been proposed in Vermont, Washington State, and the Midwest corridor studies [2, 3, 4]. However, these previous studies emphasize a comprehensive and deterministic approach that often assumes substantive data availability and agency commitment. More promising probabilistic methods that are likely to produce immediately useful investment criteria and procedures have not been adequately explored.
The proposed research is especially timely due to several recent developments in multimodal transportation planning in and outside Oregon. The 2006 Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP) provides guidance on addressing freight’s economic importance through an economic vitality goal as well as calling for on-going public information and education about transportation needs and funding alternatives. During 2007, ODOT expects to begin work on a Freight Master Plan, which will help shape freight policies and future investments in freight transportation systems. The master plan will include further development of criteria and procedures for prioritizing multimodal projects. The new National Freight Cooperative Research Program sponsored by the US Department of Transportation and managed by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), also identifies freight investment criteria as a key research area.
OBJECTIVE:
The proposed research will be conducted in two phases. The goal of Phase One, detailed in this research work plan, is to review multimodal investment criteria adopted by public sector transportation agencies, and summarize how system performance and economic impact issues are currently considered in multimodal planning and investment decision-making. The Phase One project has the following specific research objectives:
1. Review literature on multi-modal investment criteria for freight projects, ways to describe the economic importance of freight transportation, and ways of communicating freight’s economic importance. Given the observed difficulty and inconsistency in implementing qualitative investment criteria in Oregon and elsewhere, the review will focus on measures and techniques for quantifying project benefits and costs.
2. Identify Oregon perspectives on multimodal investments and project selection criteria.
3. Recommend new or refined multimodal freight investment criteria that ODOT could use.
IMPLEMENTATION:
The research findings will be implemented in a variety of ways to help ODOT and other relevant agencies improve freight investment decision-making and achieve the identified policy goals with minimum costs, including:
- Production of a research report which details the background, methodology, findings and limitations of the research;
- Presentations to ODOT staff, advisory committees, the OTC, and at other meetings/seminars;
- Preparation of written and visual materials for inclusion in ODOT documents and web pages where appropriate;
- Preparation of papers for submission to professional journals.
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