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Melisa D. Finley, P.E.

Melisa D. Finley, P.E.

Associate Research Engineer
Work Zone and DMS Program - CE/TTI, Room 405J
Texas Transportation Institute
The Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3135
ph. (979) 845-7596 · fax (979) 845-6006
m-finley@tamu.edu

Short Biography

Melisa Finley is an Associate Research Engineer in the Operations and Design Division of the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) where she has been employed since 1999. She received her Bachelor of Science (Cum Laude) and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. Ms. Finley is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Since joining TTI, Ms. Finley has been a principal investigator or key researcher on over 30 studies relating to work zone safety and operations, traffic control device performance, and human factors. The majority of these research activities were conducted for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). However, Ms. Finley has also participated on National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), California DOT projects, and the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). In addition, Ms. Finley has conducted several research projects for private entities, including the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA).

Currently, Ms. Finley is involved in the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA). Within TRB, she is a member of the Committee on Traffic Control Devices (AHB50) and a friend of the Committee on Work Zone Traffic Control (AHB55). Within ITE, she is currently a member of the Policy and Legislative Committee, a member of the Traffic Engineering Council, and the chair of the Texas District Awards Committee. Within ATSSA, she is a member of the Temporary Traffic Control Committee.

In January 2006, a paper authored by Ms. Finley was selected by TRB Committee AHB55 as the 2006 best paper sponsored by the committee. In 2004, Ms. Finley received the District 9 (TexITE) Younger Member of the Year award and in 2001 she received the TTI/Trinity New Researcher Award.

Professional Interests

Work zone safety & operations

Traffic control devices

Photometry

Human factors

Traffic operations

Education

M.S., Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1999.

B.S., Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1997.

Experience

Associate Research Engineer, Work Zone and DMS Program, Texas Transportation Institute, May 2007 - Present.

Assistant Research Engineer, Work Zone and DMS Program, Texas Transportation Institute, February 2003 - April 2007.

Associate Transportation Researcher, Traffic Operations Program, Texas Transportation Institute, February 2001 - January 2003.

Assistant Transportation Researcher, Traffic Operations Program, Texas Transportation Institute, April 1999 - January 2001.

Research Associate, Traffic Management and Information Systems Program, Texas Transportation Institute, January 1999 - March 1999.

Professional Registration

Professional Engineer in Texas, Registration No. 90937, 2003.

Affiliations

Member, Transportation Research Board (TRB), Committee on Traffic Control Devices (AHB50).

Member, American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), Temporary Traffic Control Committee.

Member, Brazos Valley Section of ITE, 2004 - Present.

Associate Member, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), 1998 - Present.

Honors/Awards

Younger Member of the Year, District 9, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), 2004.

New Researcher Award, Texas Transportation Institute, 2001.

Best Committee Paper Award, Transportation Research Board Committee AHB55, 2006.

Selected Publications

M.D. Finley, D.S. Funkhouser, M.A. Brewer. Studies to Determine the Operational Effects of Shoulder and Centerline Rumble Strips on Two-Lane Undivided Roadways. 0-5577-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. August 2009.

Ullman, G., Finely, M., B. Ullman. Working the Night Shift. Red Retroreflective Raised Pavement Markings: Driver Understanding of Their Purpose, Vol. 1, Transportation Research Record. 2056. Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC. 2008.

M.D. Finley, L.D. Theiss, N.D. Trout, G.L. Ullman. Studies to Improve the Management of Regulatory Speed Limits in Texas Work Zones. 0-5561-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. December 2008.

R.E. Brydia, M.D. Finley, T.S. Geiselbrecht. Local Roads Safety Technology Transfer Marketing and Outreach Plan: Task 2 Report - Market Analysis and Research (Unpublished). October 2008.

G.L. Ullman, M.D. Finley, A.M. Pike, K.K. Knapp, P. Songchitruksa, A.A. Nelson. Studies to Improve Temporary Traffic Control at Urban Freeway Interchanges and Pavement Marking Material Selection in Work Zones. Research Report. 0-5238-2. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. March 2008.

G.L. Ullman, M.D. Finley, A.M. Pike, K.K. Knapp, P. Songchitruksa, A.A. Nelson. Improved Temporary Traffic Control Guidelines for Urban Freeway Interchanges. PSR. 0-5238-S. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. August 2007.

M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman. Work Zone Lighting: State of the Practice and Implementation Impediments. 401541-F. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. February 2007.

M.D. Finley, B.R. Ullman, N.D. Trout. Motorist Comprehension of Traffic Control Devices for Mobile Operations. Transportation Research Record, 1948. Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC. 2006, pp. 37-44.

M.D. Finley, N.D. Trout. Facilitation of the Implementation of Mobile and Short Duration Maintenance Operations Guidelines. Implementation Report. 5-4174-01-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. September 2006.

Ullman, G., Finley, M., B. Ullman. Working the Night Shift. Roads & Bridges, Vol. 1, No. 1, June 2006.

C.L. Dudek, B.R. Ullman, N.D. Trout, M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman. Effective Message Design and Display for Dynamic Message Signs. PSR. 0-4023-S. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. May 2006.

C.L. Dudek, B.R. Ullman, N.D. Trout, M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman. Effective Message Design for Dynamic Message Signs. Technical Report. 0-4023-5. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. May 2006.

M.D. Finley, J.D. Miles, P.J. Carlson. An Assessment of Various Pavement Marking Applications and Rumble Strip Designs. PSR. 0-4728-S. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. December 2005.

M.D. Finley, J.D. Miles, P.J. Carlson. An Assessment of Various Rumble Strip Designs and Pavement Marking Applications for Crosswalks and Work Zones. Technical Report. 0-4728-2. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. October 2005.

G.L. Ullman, M.D. Finley, B.R. Ullman. Motorist Safety at Active Nighttime Work Zones in Texas. PSR. 0-4747-S. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. June 2005.

M.D. Finley, B.R. Ullman, N.D. Trout. Practices to Improve the Safety of Mobile and Short Duration Maintenance Operations. PSR. 0-4174-S. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. April 2005.

G.L. Ullman, B.R. Ullman, M.D. Finley. Evaluating the Safety Risk of Active Night Work Zones. Technical Report. 0-4747-2. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. April 2005.

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