Thomas

After 18 years as a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Gary Thomas, director of the Center for Professional Development and Fellow of ITE, has been elected to the ITE Board of Directors, representing the Texas District (TexITE). Thomas joins 15 other board members who will help set policy and “chart a path for ITE and its many programs and activities.”

Thomas’ three-year term begins January 1, 2009. He began his affiliation with ITE as a student chapter president while attending Arizona State University. He’s held numerous positions with the organization, including chair of the Education Council, officer of the Arizona and Missouri Valley Sections, faculty advisor at Iowa State University, and student chapter liaison and

Brewerwebmaster for the Texas District.

During TexITE’s summer meeting in San Antonio, Assistant Research Engineer Marcus Brewer was named the TexITE Younger Member of the Year. The award recognizes an individual member (35 years old or younger) for leadership, commitment to excellence, and activism within TexITE and other professional groups.

Also during the summer meeting, Graduate Student Jon Re received the Outstanding Student Paper Award in the Texas District and was named the Outstanding Student by the Texas A&M University student chapter. In addition, the ITE student chapter at Texas A&M was named the Outstanding Chapter of the Year in the Texas District.

High Five Video, TDS earn Tellys for TTI Communications

The High Five construction project video and the Teens in the Driver Seat (TDS) public service announcement (PSA) campaign have been awarded prestigious Telly Awards. Tellys are the most coveted recognition in video production. TTI Communications’ video group, headed by Coordinator of Electronic Media David Dennis, produced the segments.

“The Dallas High Five—Engineering Marvel/Transportation Masterpiece” is a 16-minute video chronicling the five-year Dallas High Five construction project from groundbreaking to completion. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) uses the video to show how a major road project can be completed ahead of schedule and on budget.
screen capture from TDS public service announcement

A screen capture from the TDS PSA describing the dangers associated with teen driving.

The TDS PSA campaign consists of two 30-second videos describing the dangers associated with teen driving. The PSAs were produced in both English and Spanish and are aired on Texas Association of Broadcasters-affiliated stations across the state. You can view the PSAs by visiting t-driver.com, clicking on the TV screen icon on the top right of the page and browsing through the videos.

The High Five construction project and Teens in the Driver Seat are both TxDOT-sponsored initiatives,” says Communications Director Richard Cole. “Both of these projects were very much cooperative efforts on the part of Texas Transportation Institute and TxDOT. We couldn’t ask for a better sponsor than the department.”

Drive Clean Across Texas campaign recognized by EPA

A partnership between the Texas Department of Transportation and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Drive Clean Across Texas (DCAT) campaign has been honored with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Excellence Award in the education/outreach category. The public education aspect of the campaign is managed by TTI.

DCAT is the nation’s first statewide public outreach and education campaign designed to motivate drivers to take steps to reduce their personal vehicle emissions.

The EPA’s Clean Air Excellence Awards Program, established at the recommendation of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, annually recognizes and honors outstanding, innovative efforts that help to make progress in achieving cleaner air.

Employees responsible for TTI’s role in the DCAT campaign are Brian Bochner, Kelly West, Michelle Hoelscher and Laura Higgins.

Texas landscape highlighted in Schutt retirement party

TTI Director Dennis Christiansen presents a retirement clock to Jim Schutt. Schutt retired after 20 years with TTI.

TTI Director Dennis Christiansen presents a retirement clock to Jim Schutt. Schutt retired after 20 years with TTI.

Crediting him with making Texas roadsides look good, friends and colleagues within TTI and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) honored Assistant Research Scientist Jim Schutt after 20 years with the Institute. During the reception, a slide show demonstrated the importance of Schutt’s work over the years.

“The roadsides of Texas would not look the same if it weren’t for Jim Schutt,” said Beverly Storey, TTI Environmental Management Program manager and a coworker of Jim’s. “You’ve made us all look good, and we appreciate that.”

Schutt’s retirement party included humorous stories from the people who worked with him for two decades. Agency Director Dennis Christiansen presented Schutt with a clock, saying, “The contributions from Jim Schutt have been significant. This is a bittersweet occasion for us.”

“All of a sudden, you turn around and 20 years have gone by,” Schutt told the crowd. “I wouldn’t have traded a day of it. I worked with a great group of people. Thanks for everything.” Schutt officially retired from TTI in June.

Successful interactive certification program runs its course

TTI Communications’ most successful interactive course has been retired by its sponsor, the International Right of Way Association (IRWA), as it adapts its curriculum to a changing work force.

Since the course’s delivery in October 2000, IRWA has distributed more than 800 sets to right-of-way agents worldwide. The course taught right-of-way agents the nuts and bolts of right-of-way acquisition, with a focus on effective research strategies and successful negotiations with property owners.

“In many ways this has been the flagship interactive educational product for TTI Communications,” says Communications Director Richard Cole, who co-designed the architecture and programmed much of the course’s interactivity.

The CD-ROM course featured video-based property negotiations, QuickTime virtual reality property walkabouts, land-plotting and description-testing mechanisms, and a web-based certification procedure. Original course materials were adapted to create the interactive manual contained on a second CD-ROM.

“When this course was completed and for the next several years, it was a key education initiative that allowed students the opportunity to obtain right-of-way education at their own pace,” explains David W. Sinclair, vice president for Wilbanks Resources Corporation. Sinclair served as IRWA’s technical expert during project development. “I’ll always appreciate the creativity and professionalism exhibited by the TTI team when the course was created.”

Childers becomes assistant agency director

Childers

The former deputy city manager for the City of College Station, Terry L. Childers, accepted the position of assistant agency director for Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) effective May 19. Terry Childers joins the Institute with a distinguished career in municipal government and private-sector management.

“Terry brings a unique set of skills and experiences that will provide TTI with strategic, objective insight into many of the challenges faced by all levels of government,” says Associate Agency Director Bill Stockton. “Furthermore, Terry has a long history of innovative organizational development that will benefit our professional development and research development goals.”

Childers received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Abilene Christian University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Texas. He held city management positions in Austin, Tyler and Oklahoma City before starting his own business and serving as its president for seven years. He accepted the position of deputy city manager of College Station in 2006.

According to Agency Director Dennis Christiansen, “TTI needs to be devoting more time and effort to strategic initiatives—sorting out where we want to be in three to five years and how we are going to get there. Terry brings an outstanding set of skills to help move us forward.”

Childers is a long-term board member for Abilene Christian University and is currently serving on the board of directors for the Brazos Food Bank and Bryan College Station Family Promise.

TTI Associate Research Engineer Joe Zietsman (right) is leading a research project aimed at converting landfill gas to fuel for refuse trucks in India.

The thriving province of Maharashtra is one of the most populous and prolific industrial centers in India. With a population of over 96 million residents, it is particularly vulnerable to energy demands and pollutant emissions. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is currently leading an effort to evaluate the feasibility of using the gases generated by Maharashtra landfills as a fuel source for its refuse trucks and municipal buses. This research is being performed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Mack Trucks Inc. and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO).

“Energy scarcity in all forms is a big issue in India,” says Deputy Director and Head of NEERI Rakesh Kumar. “Any attempt to get energy sources, particularly from unconventional sources, is most welcome. Landfill methane and its use for buses or refuse trucks provide an example of closing the loop of energy generation and its use.”

The world’s primary sources of energy are conventional fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. The most apparent negative impacts of these conventional fuels are global warming, poor air quality and adverse health effects. Considering the impacts of conventional fuels, and their finite availability, noncoventional sources of energy are under development throughout the world.

One such nonconventional alternative is using landfill gas as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel source for heavy-duty refuse trucks. The process involves converting methane gas, which is naturally produced by landfills, into LNG using a sophisticated chemical process. This process has been used with success in a pilot application in Burlington, New Jersey. The research team is seeking a solution to the problem of how to trap the escaping methane from Indian landfills.

“Landfills in India are very different from the sanitary landfills in the United States in that they are open pits without any gas collection systems,” says Joe Zietsman, TTI associate research engineer and director of the Center for Air Quality Studies. “In the sanitary landfills here in the United States, we cover them and are able to recover the trapped landfill gas using underground piping systems.”

A refuse truck pulls up to an LNG fueling station.

The researchers are working on a design to capture the escaping methane by first gathering the refuse into a large pile, covering it with a thin membrane layer and finally collecting the gas using pipes inserted from above, as opposed to the conventional underground systems used in the United States. The captured landfill gas will then be “cleaned” through a sophisticated chemical process to produce the LNG that can be used as vehicle fuel. In addition to powering refuse trucks operating at the landfill, the LNG can also be used to power local bus fleets.

If implemented, this approach will provide the citizens of Maharashtra a cost-effective fuel source and cleaner skies. “Methane is a greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere for more than 10 years. It is also 20 times more effective as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide,” says Zietsman. “To be able to recycle this harmful gas into a clean-burning fuel is a win-win proposition for everyone.”

“The EPA’s Methane to Markets Partnership is an international initiative that advances cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a clean energy source. The project initiated by TTI and its partners fits perfectly with the overall program, and we are very excited to see the results and hopefully move closer to implementation,” says Rachel Goldstein, EPA’s Methane to Markets contract manager.

“Enhancements to PIA System for Real-Time Control at Isolated Traffic Signals: Technical Report,” by Nadeem Chaudhary, 0-5507-1, May 2, 2008.

“Construction Details and Initial Performance of Two High-Performance Base Sections,” by Tom Scullion, 5-4358-01-1, May 2, 2008.

“Verification of the Load-Thickness Design Curves in the Modified Triaxial Design Method,” by Emmanuel Fernando, 0-4519-1, June 10, 2008.

“Underground Stormwater Quality Detention BMP for Sediment Trapping in Ultra-urban Environments: Final Results and Design Guidelines,” by Ming-Han Li, 0-4611-2, July 31, 2008.

“Evaluation of Traffic Control Devices: Fourth-Year Activities,” by Gene Hawkins, 0-4701-4, June 20, 2008.

“Flexible Base Ride Specification Development and Evaluation,” by Emmanuel Fernando, 0-4760-1, August 5, 2008.

“Feasibility Study for Development of Marine Exposure Site: Technical Report,” by Kenneth Reinschmidt, 0-5266-1, June 20, 2008.

“Integration and Consolidation of Border Freight Transportation Data for Planning Applications and Characterization of NAFTA Truck Loads for Aiding in Transportation Infrastructure Management: Second Year,” by Juan Villa, 0-5339-2, August 27, 2008.

“Creating Partnerships with Local Communities to Manage and Preserve Corridors: Technical Report,” by Ed Hard, 0-5606-1, August 6, 2008.

“Guidelines for Routine Maintenance of Concrete Pavement,” by Youn Su Jung, 0-5821-1, July 31, 2008.

“Evaluation of Stabilization of Sulfate Soils in Texas,” by Pat Harris, 5-4240-01-1, June 17, 2008.

Project Summary Reports and Products

“Evaluation of Curing Membrane’s Effectiveness to Reduce Evaporation,” by Moon Won, 0-5106-S, June 8, 2008.

“Evaluation of the Overlay Tester for Adhesion Testing of Crack Sealants,” by Fujie Zhou, 0-5457-S, August 5, 2008.

“Texas Successful Flexible Pavements (TSFP) Presentation,” by Paul Krugler, 0-5472-P10, August 18, 2008.

“Guidelines on Corridor Management and Preservation for Texas,” by Ed Hard, 0-5606-P1, August 7, 2008.

“Develop Guidelines for Routine Maintenance of Concrete Pavement: Project Summary Report,” by Dan Zollinger, 0-5821-S, June 18, 2008.

“Texas Access Management Outreach Materials,” by Bill Frawley, 5-4221-01-P1, July 16, 2008.

“Access Management Program: Processes and Benefits,” by Bill Frawley, 5-4221-01-P2, July 16, 2008.

“Operator’s Manual for FlexPrep Twin Blade Saw,” by Fujie Zhou, 5-4467-01-P2, June 16, 2008.

“PAVECHECK: Updated User’s Manual,” by Wenting Liu, 5-4495-01-P1, July 15, 2008.

“RAM—Roller Acceleration Monitoring System,” by Tom Scullion, 5-4774-01-P2, June 5, 2008.

TTI Publications

A full catalog of TTI publications and other products is online at http://tti.tamu.edu/publications. You can find the publications by searching for either the title or publication number listed here. Most of these publications are available as free downloads in portable document format (PDF).

Printed, bound versions of these reports are also available through the URL above. Publication prices vary depending on length. The Texas Transportation Institute accepts checks, money orders and credit cards.

Riding the bus to school. For many of us, it’s a pleasant memory full of children’s laughter, a bumpy (but fun) ride and the reassuring hiss of airbrakes.

While some commuters only have to decide if they’ll drive their car to work or not, parents have other factors to consider. Their number one concern is getting their children to school safely.

Many school bus drivers began their routes this year dreading the hazards associated with their job. They witness motorists illegally zipping by them as they pick up or drop off children along their routes. Pick-ups and drop-offs are the most dangerous times of the day for the estimated 1.4 million Texas children who ride a bus to school.

Yet, very few motorists are ticketed for the offense, known as a “stop-arm violation.” In most cases, a law-enforcement officer must witness the violation in order to write a citation.

Researchers with the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) are determining just how widespread the problem is. In 2006, the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted a one-day survey asking bus drivers to record the number of stop-arm violations. About 60 percent of the Texas school districts participated, recording 12,850 incidents in that one day.

“The problem is serious and seems to be getting worse,” says Patricia Turner, associate research scientist with TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety. “The figures indicate that the potential for death and injury is extremely high.”

Even so, there were only 831 stop-arm violation convictions in Texas in 2006 (the last figure available), a 42 percent decrease in convictions from 2001.

As part of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)-funded project, Turner and other researchers will evaluate the effectiveness of video cameras on board school buses to monitor the magnitude of the problem and possibly identify stop-arm violators. TTI is working with the College Station Independent School District to test a video system.

“This pilot project is using digital camera technology to capture greater detail about the violations,” explains Sam Sinclair, program manager with TxDOT’s Traffic Safety Section. “Our expectation is that the lessons learned will allow state and local officials to implement effective public education and law enforcement campaigns, reducing the severity of the problem.”

Several states, including Texas, have or will consider legislation allowing the use of stop-arm cameras on buses. In 2007, legislation was introduced in Texas that would have permitted school districts to install digital or video monitoring systems, but the bill did not receive a public hearing.

Turner and her team will continue their efforts in a follow-up project aimed at raising awareness of the problem. Brochures and other materials are being developed for bus drivers and motorists to better inform them of the issue and, hopefully, reduce stop-arm violations through education.

US 75 in Dallas, Texas. ICM is a comprehensive, team approach to battling congestion by coordinating within a corridor.

Transportation agencies do an outstanding job of operating their transportation networks with limited staff and fiscal constraints, but we still have congestion. Ideally, every agency in a region would have tools to allow collaboration in operating the entire transportation system for the greater good.

With the help of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), three U.S. cites are trying to improve the way we manage congestion. Working together locally, these cities want to give their agencies information on how improved operating strategies will benefit the traveling public and empower travelers through better information and more choices.

Dallas, Texas; San Diego, California; and Minneapolis, Minnesota, are partnering with the U.S. DOT for stage two of its integrated corridor management program (ICM). The multi-year project promises to reduce travel times, delays, fuel consumption and emissions, as well as increase the reliability and predictability of travel.

The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is a team member on the Dallas project leading the analysis, modeling and simulation stage of the project. Joined by Southern Methodist University (SMU), Telvent Farradyne and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), the evaluation team will support the U.S. DOT in assessing the benefits that can be achieved by a more collaborative approach to corridor management.

The Dallas project will focus on the US 75 corridor from Dallas to Plano, Texas. ICM is a comprehensive team approach to battling congestion by coordinating within a corridor. It’s designed to synchronize various operations programs to help maximize the capacity of all facilities and modes. More specifically, the project focuses on tying together various congestion-fighting tools, such as traffic incident management, traffic signal timing, managed high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, real-time traveler information and mode shift to light-rail transit.

The DalTrans facility is a state-of-the-art traffic operations center.

The U.S. DOT has recognized that congestion is made worse by not having the tools and strategies to foster institutional collaboration and coordination. The resulting lack of integrated operational strategies and procedures can result in reduced mobility.

Stage one of ICM included eight cities that developed individual operational plans. Now, in stage two, those plans will be analyzed to create a corridor model to analyze and simulate various strategies. This effort will measure the anticipated benefits of deploying ICM strategies in a corridor. The cities with the greatest potential to demonstrate the ICM concept will be invited to the final stage. In stage three, the U.S. DOT will select up to three demonstration sites to deploy the most beneficial strategies and to serve as model corridors to the rest of the nation.

Once ICM demonstrations are completed in 2010, a region of the country will be able to match congestion solutions and tools developed during the ICM program to its individual circumstance.

“We are pleased to be picked for ICM’s stage two,” says Christopher Poe, assistant agency director at TTI. “The goal of our team is to develop a mesoscopic transportation model that can be used both to evaluate the benefits of ICM and as an operation tool designed to help predict future conditions with and without ICM strategies based on the current traffic situation. It’s never been done on this scale before.”

The mesoscopic model, named DIRECT (Dynamic Intermodal Routing Environment for Control and Telematics), is being developed by SMU.

In addition to the modeling and evaluation, TTI serves as a liaison between the stakeholders. The US 75 ICM team is led by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) with strong support from the North Central Texas Council of Governments, North Texas Tollway Authority and Texas Department of Transportation in addition to the Texas cities of Dallas, Plano, Richardson and University Park, and the town of Highland Park.

Despite its own congestion challenges, the Dallas area is considered an innovator when it comes to addressing transportation concerns. As proof of that, Dallas proponents quickly point to numerous local projects:

• the 2005 completion of the $260 million Dallas High Five (a five-level stack interchange connecting I635 with Central Expressway),
• this year’s completion of a 54,000–square-foot DalTrans facility (which expands the capabilities of DalTrans and becomes the central traffic operations center for all highway management and intelligent transportation system integration),
• this year’s doubling of the region’s HOV lane system,
• the construction of the region’s first managed HOV lane project on I-30 between Fort Worth and Dallas,
• the continuous expansion of the light-rail system and
• the first contraflow HOV facility in the world to use the Quickchange® Moveable Barrier (QMB) technology.

“Because we have a light-rail transit line parallel throughout the US 75 corridor, it allows us to showcase the ability to shift travelers to transit under the appropriate conditions in stage two,” says Koorosh Olyai, assistant vice president at DART and lead for the overall US 75 team. “Our transportation simulation model specializes in modeling the traveler’s choices of highway, street or transit. This modeling tool could be adapted in other corridors that also have, or will have, light rail.”

The U.S. DOT is also developing the necessary tools for knowledge and technology transfer to other cities around the country interested in implementing the ICM program. Webinars with more information about each stage will be available throughout the ICM program.

Adobe PDF version

Inside This Issue:

Editorial

• There are many alternatives

Transportation Options

• One person, one vote, one car?
• Saving your breath
• Share and share alike?
• Putting the “ICM” in team
• Clean fuel from landfills in India
• Navigating work zones: The pedestrian perspective
• Making room for the railroad
• SCHOOL’S IN, but are commuters paying attention?

Hall of Honor

• Texas Transportation Hall of Honor 2008 Inductees

Institute News

• Awards and more

TTI Publications

• Available reports and products

by Dennis Christiansen, TTI Director

The engine of a Trinity Rail Express commuter train, which offers rail service between Fort Worth and Dallas.

Passenger rail was the best way to travel long distances 100 years ago. In the 20th and early 21st centuries, rail has been the exception rather than the rule. But in the wake of rising gas prices and reduced mobility, transportation planners are now looking at this venerable travel mode in a completely new light.

After the development of the highway system, automobile travel exploded while rail and other transit ridership fell. Texas congestion problems were solved by building new roads or expanding the ones we had. But since at least the mid-1990s, many Texas cities are running out of real estate for highway expansion, and funding for new road construction is limited. Combine that with an ever-increasing population, and you get an estimated 350,000 additional passenger vehicles on Texas roads each year. That’s a recipe for a crisis—imagine what the traffic will be like after we double our population over the next 30 to 40 years.

To be fair, the recent high cost of gasoline has relieved some of the pressure as a small percentage of motorists have turned to other options such as public transit, telecommuting, carpooling and high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. However, experts agree that any congestion relief will be short lived because population increases will more than fill in the gaps. Most believe that the solution lies in providing alternatives, including passenger rail.

“There has been a greater interest nationally in commuter and intercity rail,” according to Jeff Arndt, a research scientist with the Transit Mobility Program at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). “It’s an alternative that should be considered. Not because it will mean automatic congestion relief, but because we have to accommodate travel demand using as many options as possible…buses, carpools, HOV lanes, managed lanes, rail, even alternative work weeks and telecommuting, along with the traditional solution of expanding and building new roads.”

Two definitions are crucial in understanding the main types of passenger rail. “Commuter rail” is considered medium-haul rail passenger service operating in and between metropolitan and suburban areas, running mostly during morning and evening peak periods. “Intercity rail” is express train passenger services that cover longer distances than commuter trains. The Trinity Railway Express is an example of commuter rail, while Amtrak service between Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio is an example of intercity rail.

Arndt recently completed a light/commuter rail project for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the results of which will be published this year. The research effort examines two areas: rail projects around the country focusing on the roles played by departments of transportation (DOTs) and how rail projects achieve the five strategic goals of TxDOT.

“TxDOT has traditionally played a catalyst role in the consideration of commuter rail projects for Texas by funding feasibility studies,” Arndt says. “This project looks at additional roles that TxDOT may wish to undertake.”

In an August speech at the Texas Transportation Summit in Irving, Texas, TxDOT Executive Director Amadeo Saenz told attendees that the state has partnered with Amtrak to study the feasibility of providing additional intercity passenger rail service between Austin and San Antonio.

“Amtrak already operates one train in the corridor—the Texas Eagle—which travels between San Antonio and Chicago,” Saenz said. “TxDOT wants to provide more reliable service in the corridor while allowing passenger and freight trains to operate on the same route.”

Saenz announced that TxDOT recently applied for $3.5 million in federal funding for an Amtrak rerouting project in Fort Worth. “The federal government is looking for states to play a larger role in improving intercity passenger rail systems and networks. And they’ve provided some—but not all—of the funding needed toward that end,” he said.

So…how do we create an intercity passenger rail system? How much will it cost and how do we pay for it? Can passenger rail and freight rail interact? In an earlier 2005 project, TTI sought to answer these and other questions. That effort analyzed four states: California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It also looked at one multi-state corridor, the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor of Washington and Oregon.

“Some of the rail programs were completely state owned; others were partnerships with Amtrak,” says Curtis Morgan, assistant research scientist and program manager of TTI’s Multimodal Freight Transportation Program. “Some had multiple routes of higher speed corridors connecting the major urban areas of the state, while others were partnerships between freight railroads and state DOTs.”

Researchers examined the numerous funding methods of those rail projects, including state bond and general funds, local and federal funds, and a combination of monies from Amtrak and private freight railroad company sources. Researchers offered numerous recommendations for TxDOT to consider when making the decisions regarding investment in intercity passenger rail.

TxDOT has also funded an ongoing research project, led by Morgan, that is evaluating future intercity transit needs throughout Texas where passenger rail or express bus services may one day be realized.

“Implementing intercity passenger rail is obviously a huge undertaking,” Morgan says. “Funding is perhaps the biggest concern, but developing the system without impacting freight rail lines, we think, is an important element. It will take a lot of planning and cooperation, but in my view, it’s essential and worth pursuing.”

Navigating a work zone can be a tricky and dangerous proposition for individuals in wheel chairs.

When we talk about alternative modes of travel, it’s important that we not forget the most basic mode—pedestrian traffic. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has a mandate to accommodate pedestrians, including those with special needs, in temporary work zones. Work zones can be dangerous places, and not just for workers. Of the fatalities occurring at work zones, 14 percent are pedestrians.

In order to help TxDOT meet this mandate, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) conducted a two-year research project to first compile information on the current state of the practice. This task entailed gathering information from a variety of sources, including the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.

The second task was conducting several human factors studies to examine how pedestrians, especially the impaired, navigate work zones. Since work zones are constantly changing, no single set of traffic control devices can satisfy all conditions. Researchers tested a variety of devices using focus groups and offered recommendations on the devices’ use. For example, they tested various guidance signs and determined that the use of an orange background increased the compliance of pedestrians; however, the shape of the sign had little or no impact.

“ADA guidelines were important to our research,” says Brooke Ullman, TTI assistant research engineer and the research supervisor on the project. “Work zones present a special challenge for the disabled person.”

The MUTCD suggests the use of audio speech messages to assist visually impaired pedestrians. However, no guidelines exist on exactly what the messages should say.

“We found a lack of information on how to help the visually impaired navigate work zones safely,” explains Ullman. “A big part of the human factors research involved testing speech messages for the visually impaired.”

Researchers conducted studies with visually impaired pedestrians and gave them way-finding tasks, with a researcher accompanying them to record their reactions and ensure safety. Participants started at a designated point and began their trip as normal. During the trip they encountered a motion-activated audio message device with test messages.

According to the participants’ responses, the alternate route message should

• clearly state where the path is directing the pedestrian,
• use blocks or landmarks to mark distance, and
• clearly state the initial turning or crossing instructions and the distance the pedestrian needs to travel on that path.

Responses also showed that when the message gives details about path features (uneven pavement ahead, etc.) where the sidewalk is not closed, it should clearly state that the path is open.

After discussions with state and local agency officials, the TTI team identified a need for guidelines to aid in handling pedestrian traffic consistently in temporary traffic control situations. They created a checklist, which offers advice on how to address pedestrian concerns during the various stages of a project. The checklist also provides topics and issues to be considered, as well as examples or discussions for each topic.

“This issue is something that hasn’t been officially addressed in policy and guidelines yet,” says Doug Skowronek, the TxDOT project director. “The issue of how to accommodate pedestrians is complex. The checklist gives a lot of examples of what’s encountered and different ways to address those situations. It’s an easy-to-use, hands-on document and can serve as a building block to create standards and manuals in the future.”

The checklist also stresses planning when it comes to the pedestrian mode of travel. “The most important factor we found was that pedestrians should be part of the traffic control plan from the very beginning,” states Ullman. “We need to make it easy for pedestrians to navigate around work zones, and planning helps do that.”

So the next time you take that stroll, think of the transportation agency that created your pathway…because they’re thinking of you.