|
SPR Active Projects
|
|
|
|
|
|
Article Content
Effect of Fluvial Performance Standard on Maintenance | Project Coordinator: |
Jon Lazarus |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Marvin Pyles |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
December 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
June 2011 |
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to quantify the benefit of larger channel openings for bridges and stream crossing culverts. There are two areas of benefit to investigate. First, potential reductions in maintenance costs will be quantified through examination of maintenance records of an appropriate sample of stream crossing installation built with and without the current performance standards. Second, the actual performance with respect to the standards will be examined for a sample of crossings designed under the current standards. Since the new standards have only been in place for a limited time period, site surveys of a sample of installations will provide a base-line condition that can serve to inform future monitoring activities and provide a limited assessment of current performance. Both objectives fall under the category of an engineering audit of projects. OVERVIEW: The "fluvial performance standard", developed for the OTIA III Bridge Program Programmatic Biological Opinion and incorporated into SLOPES IV, sets a minimum opening width for bridges and culverts that is intended to protect channel processes and in-stream habitat. A concern with the imposition of this standard on all ODOT projects is the additional cost arising from having to build longer bridges and place abutment protection away from the actual channel. While these costs are being tracked, no analysis has been done of the potential benefits of longer bridges/wider culverts. For example, the frequency of sediment cleanout at inlets to culverts, removal of drift accumulation on bridge piers, and repair of scour at both culverts and bridges may, in some cases, be substantially reduced compared to bridges and culverts that do not meet the standards. Without this information any analysis of the true cost of implementing the fluvial performance standard will be incomplete and flawed. This project will attempt to quantify the maintenance cost differential associated with bridges and stream crossing culverts that meet the OTIA III fluvial performance standard with respect to bridges and culverts that do not meet this standard. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: The project results and conclusions will be incorporated into a standard research report submitted to the ODOT research unit. Until the nature of the results is apparent it is not possible to state whether a design guidance brief can also be developed. Certainly affirmative maintenance cost information will help in the justification of future projects. EFFECT OF FLUVIAL PERFORMANCE STANDARD ON MAINTENANCE WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Supplemental Performance Measures for OHP Mobility Standards | Project Coordinator: |
Amanda Pietz/Myra Sperley |
| Research Agency: |
Portland State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
John Gliebe/Jim Strathman |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
September 22, 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
January 31, 2012 |
OBJECTIVES: The goal of this project is to identify a set of alternative performance measures that can effectively supplement/complement the v/c mobility standards that currently guide ODOT planning practices. The objectives of the project include the following: - prepare an inventory of potential alternative measures;
- assess the validity of the alternative measures against internal (i.e., data and measurement-related) and external (i.e., context and application-related) criteria;
- assess the potential compatibility of the alternative measures with other ODOT objectives (e.g., least cost planning, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, facilitating economic development), and to maintain and improve the safe and efficient movement of people and goods; and
provide an informative analysis of how each one would be likely to perform under various circumstances OVERVIEW: The 1999 Oregon Highway Plan (OHP) directs the manner in which ODOT plans, manages and funds state highway facilities. While several OHP policies define general mobility objectives, OHP Policy 1F establishes specific highway mobility standards. These mobility standards have three primary uses: documenting performance for planning activities; evaluating local plan amendments and zone changes pursuant to the Transportation Planning Rule (TPR); and guiding operations decisions to maintain acceptable highway performance. The OHP measures highway mobility performance through volume to capacity ratios (v/c), which were selected after extensive analysis of different measures and relationships to other OHP policies. A number of legal and policy activities rely on the v/c measures, making it important to retain them as the primary standard for mobility. While v/c effectively serves many aspects of planning work, it is less effective under congested conditions, as well as for assessing operations, safety and alternate mode improvements. Currently, many segments of the state highway system (primarily in urban areas) do not meet OHP mobility standards, and many other segments are forecasted to fail in the future. Strict adherence to a single mobility performance metric may challenge the approval of proposed land use changes and plan amendments in areas that are already congested. Further, some of the development projects or plan amendments that impact mobility standards are viewed as worthwhile for the purposes of economic development by the communities in which they are proposed. As it becomes increasingly difficult to meet current mobility standards, more parties are looking toward the development of alternate mobility standards, which must be v/c-related for application consistency. Which v/c-related measures hold the most promise for alternate mobility standard development? What supplemental measures (including non-v/c) may best be used to more fully represent the functioning of the transportation system? What are the considerations and implications of using these other measures in differing situations? What thresholds should be considered? PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: ODOT has formed a staff task force and technical advisory committee to examine mobility standard issues and the development of alternative mobility standards. The task force has drafted Guidance Document on alternate mobility standards for implementation by ODOT Regions and local governments. Findings from the research associated with this work would complement the Guidance Document and provide additional evidence in support of enhanced mobility standard discussions. SUPPLEMENTAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR OHP MOBILITY STANDARDS WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Relating TSMO Strategies to Policy Goals | Project Coordinator: |
Amanda Pietz/Myra Sperley |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
David Hurwitz |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
November 23, 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
June 30, 2011 |
OBJECTIVES: The goal of the research is to identify the quantitative strengths and weaknesses of select TSMO strategies relative to specific policy goals (such as greenhouse gas reduction, increased motor vehicle mobility, reduction of annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT), more efficient mobility and access, safety etc.). The objectives of the study are as follows: - Identify and agree on ODOT goals/objectives relevant to TSMO strategies;
- Determine which TSMO strategies are measurable, and predictable in relation to ODOTs policy goals;
- Quantify impacts of strategies; and
- Develop a comparison matrix that can be used by decision makers and reviewers to relate the trade-offs and benefits of each TSMO strategy in relation to ODOT’s goals/objectives. Consideration will be made to the context with which strategies are implemented as well as the interactive effects that may be present between individual strategies.
OVERVIEW: In an effort to maximize the use of limited funding, ODOT and other transportation agencies across the country are giving greater consideration to low cost strategies as a means of addressing transportation problems. The majority of these strategies can be grouped under, what is sometimes termed Transportation System Management and Operations (TSMO) strategies. TSMO strategies can then be categorized as follows: Transportation System Management (TSM) - Transportation System Management (TSM)
- e.g. signal retiming and optimization, transit signal priority, one-way streets
- Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
- e.g. park and ride facilities, congestion pricing, telecommuting, bike lanes
- Intelligent Transportation Solutions (ITS)
- e.g. traveler information (advanced or in route), traffic surveillance, electronic toll collection
The Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP) and Oregon Highway Plan (OHP) cite various TSMO strategies as effective ways to manage aspects of the transportation system. The OTP highlights the importance of applying TDM strategies to, “reduce peak period travel, help shift traffic volumes away from the peak period, and improve traffic flow,” while the OHP emphasizes an operational need for additional investment in ITS strategies that can “increase safety, increase travel time reliability, and relieve congestion especially in congested metropolitan areas.” While TSMO strategies have been recognized as potential solutions, the development of systematic guidance as to how TSM, TDM and ITS relate to particular policy goals has not been as widely researched. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: In addition to the final report, a matrix will be developed to show the impact of select TSMO strategies to each ODOT policy goal. Ideally the impacts of strategies will be displayed in a way that allows combinations of strategies to be examined for maximum performance or benefits. The matrix can be used by planners, traffic analysts and decision makers to determine the appropriate strategy or strategies given the outlined benefits and weaknesses. The research could provide a foundation for future efforts to develop decision-making matrices. RELATING TSMO STRATEGIES TO POLICY GOALS WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Mechanistic Design Guide Calibration for Pavement Rehabilitation | Project Coordinator: |
Jon Lazarus |
| Research Agency: |
Iowa State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
R. Christopher Williams |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
January 2010 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
January 2012 |
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the research is to provide ODOT with pavement performance models for HMAC overlays that predict fatigue cracking, rutting, and thermal cracking calibrated to Oregon conditions. PCC pavements will also be examined for validating the national level models. Benefits: The MEPDG will enable designs to be more economical as well as have the potential to link pavement design with actual material characteristics, and construction processes. Therefore savings to ODOT can be achieved by more economical pavement designs being developed that could represent savings as well as identify inadequate pavement designs from being constructed. Furthermore, as newer technologies and materials are being developed, characterization of their material properties will expedite their design review, thus resulting in use of the MEPDG. Several examples exist including the use of warm mix asphalt, post consumer asphalt roofing shingles in HMAC, and the development of a non-petroleum asphalt binder. OVERVIEW: The development of the MEPDG began in the late 1990s and its subsequent implementation has begun in the past few years by numerous owner/agencies across the US. National Cooperative Highway Research Project (NCHRP) 1-40B, titled Recommended Practice for Local Calibration of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide, has provided an excellent framework for calibrating the level 3 MEPDG for ODOT. It is important to point out that level 2 calibration is dependent upon material and mixture characteristics. Further the linkage of material and mixture characteristics to pavement performance is critical to the level 2 calibration. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: The results of this research effort (i.e., calibrated performance models for HMAC overlays) will be utilized by the pavement design engineer and pavement specialists in Pavement Services for the design of HMAC overlays for pavement rehabilitation projects. This will include cold mix over cold mix, full-depth HMAC, and HMAC over PCC. PCC pavement performance is anticipated to be limited, however, the validation of the associated models will be done. The outcomes of this research will be utilized by the pavement design engineer and pavement specialists in the Pavement Services for the design of HMAC and pavement rehabilitation projects. MECHANISTIC DESIGN GUIDE CALIBRATION FOR PAVEMENT REHABILITATION WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Climate Change Impact on Coastal River Estuaries in Oregon | Project Coordinator: |
Matthew Mabey |
| Research Agency: |
ODOT Research |
| Principal Investigator: |
Matthew Mabey |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
June 2010 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
June 2020 |
OBJECTIVES: It is proposed that ODOT monitor the physical processes and the roadway features of the Salmon River Estuary to better understand the effects of changes to ODOT’s facilities and various restoration efforts as well as sea level rise and climate change. The proposed data will targeted to form the foundation for ODOT’s efforts to maintain the function of the coastal roadway system and to fulfill our obligation as environmental stewards. The Salmon River Estuary has been selected from the many estuaries crossed by ODOT highways because of the existence of past monitoring and changes that are already planned for the highway. The Objective of this research is to improve our understanding of the interactions of ODOT’s facilities with estuary system. Specifically the intent is to gather data to verify that changes in ODOT’s facilities and in the estuary produce the expected results or give new understanding to what really happened. By monitoring conditions and changes in the Salmon River Estuary a better understanding will be gained of how the roadway/estuary system functions and how it responds to changes of all kinds (restoration, climate, sea level, construction). With this understanding ODOT will be better able to protect, maintain, improve, and construct these roadways. Our ability to do this while protecting the environment and enhancing ecosystem function will also be improved. Agriculture in the estuaries will benefit as well. In general ODOT will be able to make more informed responses to current and future changes to fulfill our agency mission. OVERVIEW: U.S. Route 101 and other ODOT highways traverse numerous estuaries along Oregon’s coast. These roadways affect, and in turn are affected by, changes in the function of the estuary caused by both the presence of the roadway as well as changes in sea level. Likewise, future climatic changes may also affect the function of both the roadways and the estuaries. A great deal of money and effort continues to be focused on restoring estuaries to their more natural function. To validate present methods, develop improved future methods, and to adapt to changing future conditions it is important to monitor conditions in the estuaries and along the roadways. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: The main focus of the monitoring proposed for this research project is the hydrology of the estuary around the highway. Conceptually this project will monitor flow and stage at a number of locations influenced by and influencing the highway and related structures. Additional physical parameters such as water temperature and water salinity will also be monitored at those sites. Settlement, aggradation, degradation, channel migration and avulsion are also intertwined with the hydrology. Therefore elevation profiles will be taken in and around the highway and monitoring sites to track changes due to those phenomena. The water table will also be monitored at some locations. It is proposed that monitoring be initially funded for 10 years. The budget includes some replacement and rehabilitation of equipment over the course of the project. The duration of monitoring can be easily extended or shortened as determined by circumstances. Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Quantifying Safety Performance of Driveways on State Highways | Project Coordinator: |
Mark Joerger |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Karen Dixon |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
November 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
December 2010 |
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this research is two-fold. The first objective is to analyze and assess the key issues related to ODOT access management decisions for driveways. The second objective is to provide factual support for changes to existing ODOT policies, statues and rules to support reduce crash risk and improve operation on the state road network. OVERVIEW: The research on crash potential at driveways is limited and some of the methods used to determine the safety effects of driveway density, for example, are outdated. For example, Gluck, Levinson and Stover (1999) [1] used linear regression to develop safety performance functions that incorporates access density. Since this work, the use of Poisson and Negative Binomial regression became accepted as state of the practice in crash modeling. Several gaps also exist in the knowledge regarding the safety performance of driveways. In particular, the knowledge gap has predominated in the area of: design, volume, functional class, roadway geometry effects, the land use it serves, and proximity to intersections and other access points. In some cases, the underlying assumptions that some access management strategies are based on, such as the prohibition of accesses within the influence area of an intersection, have not been validated with crash data. This research will further the knowledge of the safety impact of access management at a national level. The results will strengthen the fundamental basis for good practice in access management while supporting crash-reducing and operational improvement strategies of ODOT. The research will be limited to the arterial state highway system and will focus only on safety related aspects of driveways and access management. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: The research results would provide input and factual scientific support for recommended changes and adjustments to statues and rules related to access management decisions and refinements to procedures to assess safety impacts.. Where appropriate, ODOT can incorporate safety performance functions (SPFs) or crash rates for particular intersection and segment types identified in the study into the online resources that are currently used by the region access management engineers during the highway approach permit process. The research team will present the research results to relevant committees and divisions within ODOT. These presentations could be to the Access Management Unit (AMU), and the Highway Safety Engineering Committee, as examples. In addition, the research team will prepare a final project report that summarizes the findings from the listed activities and prepare a paper for potential presentation at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. The research team’s expectation is that the necessary ODOT persons (including a representative of the ODOT staff that administers the ODOT Access Management Program) will be involved with the TAC. This will increase the likelihood that the recommendations are adopted and implemented. It is likely that the findings will not only impact policies within Oregon but also those of local and other transportation agencies. QUANTIFYING SAFETY PERFORMANCE OF DRIVEWAYS ON STATE HIGHWAYS WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Shrinkage Limits and Testing Protocols for High Performance | Project Coordinator: |
Steve Soltesz |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Jason Ideker |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
October 2010 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
June 2013 |
OBJECTIVES: The research goals are to 1) provide shrinkage threshold limits for ODOT Materials Specifications and 2) provide a robust test procedure (or set of procedures) so that materials suppliers can easily determine compliance with specified threshold limits. OVERVIEW: ODOT has observed varying degrees of cracking in concrete structures. Cracking of high performance reinforced concrete structures, in particular bridge decks, is of paramount concern to ODOT. Cracking at early ages (especially within the first year after placement) results in additional costs and a significant maintenance burden to ODOT. These added costs could be avoided through improved testing techniques, improved material specifications, and improved construction requirements related to reducing cracking risks in such structures. The most significant challenge to overcoming cracking risk is to reduce the shrinkage, and ultimately the stresses generated as a result of such shrinkage, in concrete mixtures. Without a commonly agreed upon testing method and subsequent shrinkage threshold limits, it is essentially impossible for ODOT, under current guidelines, to specify and receive crack-free concrete with a high degree of confidence. The literature along with several state DOTs and materials suppliers purport shrinkage limits, but these values vary widely. From the testing perspective, several well-established relatively simple tests exist for assessing shrinkage and/or cracking risk of concrete mixtures (e.g. ASTM C 157 and ASTM C 1581); however, each of these tests has deficiencies that do not allow complete characterization of concrete shrinkage. Research in the past 10 years has developed laboratory-based analytical tools such as rigid cracking frames that enable researchers to more accurately quantify concrete behavior. Additionally, powerful computer models such as ConcreteWorks (a free program) provide further guidance for minimizing cracking risk in HPC. A development effort that draws on the existing understanding of concrete shrinkage and the tools available for measuring cracking potential would be able to define appropriate shrinkage threshold limits and a test procedure for Oregon’s concrete bridge decks. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: Task 1: Literature Review. Perform literature review with a particular focus on other DOTs and industry that have shown advanced procedures for dealing with concrete bridge deck cracking (Kansas DOT, Texas DOT, Illinois DOT). This review will also focus on identifying the best testing method(s) for shrinkage evaluation in concrete materials. Task 2: Evaluation Plan. Develop the experimental plan based on statistical methods for conducting shrinkage tests and analyzing the results. The evaluation will consider shrinkage test correlation with a baseline measure of cracking potential (rigid cracking frame), sensitivity, and repeatability over a range of Oregon bridge deck concrete mixes. . Task 3: Laboratory Evaluation. Task 3a: Determine shrinkage values of a range of concrete used in Oregon bridge decks based on standard testing methods (e.g. ASTM C 157, 1581 and 1698). It is anticipated that these test methods will require at least some modification to more accurately predict cracking potential of field concrete. Other test methods also may be investigated as deemed necessary by the research team and the TAC. Task 3b: Once shrinkage values are established, a subset of concrete mixtures from Task 3a will be tested using rigid cracking frames. The rigid cracking frame provides the best laboratory predictor of how concrete will behave in the field. Task 3c: The results of Tasks 3a and 3b will be evaluated using the statistical analysis plan from Task 2. Shrinkage threshold criteria will be established based on the outcome of the analysis and information from the Task 1 literature review. Task 4: Testing Method Determination. Based on the results from Task 3, a testing procedure for evaluating shrinkage across a wide range of concrete mixture designs for Oregon bridge decks will be defined. Ease of use and cost will be important considerations in addition to test capabilities and limitations. A round-robin evaluation of the test procedure will be conducted among Oregon concrete materials suppliers and contractors as a final check on the efficacy and practicality of the test method. Task 5: Reporting and Implementation. A final report documenting all findings from the research project as well as methodologies for technology transfer will be prepared. Presentations will be made to ODOT, suppliers, and contractors to explain the research outcomes and to provide training. SHRINKAGE LIMITS AND TESTING PROTOCOLS FOR ODOT HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Criteria For the Selection and Application of Advanced Traffic Signal Systems | Project Coordinator: |
June Ross |
| Research Agency: |
University of Washington |
| Principal Investigator: |
Yinhai Wang |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
January 2011 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
June 2011 |
OBJECTIVES: The final objectives of this research project (including both Phases I and II) are as follows: - To understand the state of current practices in advanced traffic signal system applications.
- To develop criteria for the selection and application of advanced traffic signal systems.
- To make recommendations regarding how the criteria developed should be incorporated into policies, guidance manuals, and training materials as well as specifications and standard drawings.
- To set up measures to evaluate effectiveness of advanced traffic signal system
This Phase I study will focus on the first two objectives. OVERVIEW: Recently ODOT and major cities in Oregon have begun upgrading traffic controllers at signalized intersections. Model 170 controllers have limited memory and slow processing speeds which limit their functionality. Model 2070 controllers are now required on new construction and are being installed at some locations such as high-volume actuated-coordinated arterial signal systems where the additional functionality of the controller offers the option of traffic responsive and adaptive traffic signal systems. These systems offer advantages over pre-timed and actuated systems and lead to improved traffic flow, reduced congestion and delay, and increased safety through reduced rear end crashes. The ODOT Innovation Grant Program includes four projects that are implementing different types of advanced traffic signal systems. These projects are anticipated to provide benefits to the transportation system, either through reductions in travel time, number of stops, vehicle and person delay, and vehicle emissions. In addition, the safety benefits of effectively coordinated signals systems are well documented. While each project includes an evaluation component, a comprehensive review of the implementation requirements and results has not been funded. The investment in Model 2070 controllers, required vehicle detection enhancements, software, and trained staff to operate and maintain an upgraded system is significant and must be made carefully. The challenge facing ODOT and local agencies is a lack of criteria and guidance in determining the most appropriate traffic signal systems to match the prevailing or expected roadway conditions. The issue is further complicated by the number of vendors and emerging technologies whose appropriateness of application and true cost to benefit ratio is not well understood. Guidance is needed to help determine the most cost effective traffic signal system solution(s), particularly as ITS solutions are stressed as alternative treatments to traditional capacity enhancement projects. IMPLEMENTATION: The deliverables of this Phase I research include a summary of the literature review, survey report, performance analysis report on the recently implemented systems including the planned Mission Street Voyage Test Corridor. The applicability of work being accomplished through the FHWA funded project, Model Systems Engineering Documents for Traffic Signal System Control Alternatives, to Oregon will be identified. Phase II will be dependent on results of Phase I and the continued need for research on this topic. The Phase 1 report will include a description of what should be included in Phase II. A work plan will not be developed until it is determined that a second phase is needed. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION AND APPLICATION OF ADVANCED TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS: PHASE I WORK PLAN Quarterly Reports:
Back to Top
Multi-State ABC Decision Tool and Economic Modeling | Project Coordinator: |
Steve Soltesz |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Toni Doolen |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
December 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
June 2011 |
Pooled Fund Project State of Work
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|