Gerald L. Ullman, Ph.D., P.E.

Ullman, Jerry

Senior Research Engineer
Program Manager

Work Zone and DMS Program - TTI Headquarters and Research Building, Room 256
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
The Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3135
ph. (979) 845-9908 Ext. 59908 · fax (979) 845-6006
g-ullman@tamu.edu

Short Biography

Gerald Ullman is a senior research engineer and manager of the Work Zone and Dynamic Message Sign program of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska, and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Texas A&M University.

Since joining TTI full time in 1985, Dr. Ullman has been a principal investigator or key researcher on over 50 different research studies involving a wide range of topics, including:

Work zone safety and operations,

Transportation management for incidents and major emergencies,

Freeway operations and management,

Dynamic message sign message design and applications, and

Transportation management analysis of major freeway reconstruction projects.

This research has been sponsored by a variety of agencies including the state Departments of Transportation for Texas, New Jersey, Florida, and California; the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the city of Dallas, Texas. He has published well over 100 refereed journal articles and technical reports, and has made over 50 invited presentations to audiences in the U.S., Canada, and China.

Since 1997, Dr. Ullman has also led a team of TTI researchers in designing and operating the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse is a partnership between FHWA and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), with TTI as the operating subcontractor. The Clearinghouse has received numerous national awards and is considered by many to be the premiere resource available anywhere for work zone safety-related information.

In 1994, Dr. Ullman received the Fred Burgraff award from TRB for a paper of outstanding merit regarding freeway lane control signals. He is the University Representative for TRB at Texas A&M University, and is chairman of the TRB technical committee on work zone traffic control (AHB55). He is also a member of ITE, and co-authored the traffic regulation and control chapter for the 1999 ITE Traffic Engineering Handbook. He has served on several proposal review panels for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and is currently on the project review panel for the NCHRP Synthesis on Moving Lane Closures. Dr. Ullman is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Education

  • Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1995.
  • M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska, 1984.
  • B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska, 1983.

Experience

  • Senior Research Engineer, Work Zone and DMS Program, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, May 2007 - Present.
  • Program Manager, Work Zone and DMS Program, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, September 2002 - Present.
  • Research Engineer, Work Zone and DMS Program, Texas Transportation Institute, September 2002 - April 2007.
  • Program Manager, Traffic Operations Program, Texas Transportation Institute, September 1999 - August 2002.
  • Associate Research Engineer, Traffic Operations Program, Texas Transportation Institute, January 1995 - August 1999.
  • Assistant Research Engineer, Texas Transportation Institute, April 1990 - December 1994.
  • Engineering Research Associate, Texas Transportation Institute, June 1985 - March 1990.

Professional Registration

Registered Professional Engineer in Texas, Registration No. 66876.

Affiliations

  • Member, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).
  • Member, Transportation Research Board (TRB), Committee A3A02, Traffic Control Devices, February 2001 - January 2004.
  • Member, Transportation Research Board (TRB), Committee A3C04, Traffic Safety in Contruction and Maintenance Operations, February 2000 - January 2005.
  • Member, Intelligent Transportation Systems-Texas, Technical Committee 97-12, Survey od Speed Zoning Practices, 1998 - Present.
  • University Representative, Transportation Research Board (TRB), 1995 - Present.
  • Member, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Technical Committee 4S-6, School Speed Zone Limits, 1994 - Present.
  • Member, Transportation Research Board (TRB), Committee A3AO2, Traffic Control Devices, 1991 - 1997.
  • Member, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Technical Committee 4A-25, Speed Zone Guidelines, 1988 - 1993.

Honors & Awards

Researcher Award, Texas Transportation Institute, 1999.

Best Paper Award, Transportation Research Board (TRB), 1995.

Fred Burgraff Award, Transportation Research Board (TRB), 1994.

Member, Chi Epsilon - The National Civil Engineering Honor Society.

Short Courses Taught

Freeway Traffic Operations. NHI Short Course. Columbia, SC, June 2001. Nashville, TN, May 2001. Peoria, IL, April 2001. Baton Rouge, LA, October 2000. Columbus, OH, September 2000. Reno, NV, April 2000. Honolulu, HI, October 1999. Santa Fe, NM, September 1999. Miami, FL, April 1999. Sacramento, CA, September 1997. Chicago, IL, July 1997. Washington, DC, May 1996.

Transportation Management for Major Emergencies. Texas Engineering Extension Service. Houston, TX, May 1995. College Station, TX, June 1994.

Traffic Management. Texas Engineering Extension Service. Houston, TX, February 1994.

Highway Capacity Manual. Texas Engineering Extension Service. Austin, TX, August 1991. Austin, TX, June 1990.

Traffic Engineering Characteristics. Texas Engineering Extension Service. College Station, TX, October 1989.

Short Courses Developed

Freeway Traffic Operations. NHI Short Course. Washington, DC, November 1995 - October 1999.

Transportation Management for Major Emergencies. Texas Engineering Extension Service. December 1992 - August 1993.

Selected Publications

V. Iragavarapu, G.L. Ullman. Literature Review on Implementation of Safety Interventions in Construction. 601031-1. February 2013.

B.R. Ullman, G.L. Ullman. Investigation of Issues for Electronic Specific Service Signing within the Roadway Right-of-Way. 600171-1. March 2012.

G.L. Ullman, V. Iragavarapu, D. Sun. Improved Positive Protection Guidance for Work Zones. 0-6163-S. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. 2011.

D.R. Middleton, G. Pesti, P. Songchitruksa, R.E. Brydia, K.N. Balke, G.L. Ullman. Use of Intelligent Transportation Systems in Rural Work Zones. 0-6427-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. December 2011.

G.L. Ullman, T.J. Lomax, T. Scriba. A Primer on Work Zone Safety and Mobility Performance Measurement. FHWA-HOP-11-033. September 2011.

B.R. Ullman, G.L. Ullman. Evaluation of Precision Solar Control Portable Changeable Message Signs: SMC1000 ST and SMC2000 FM ST. 406511-1. May 2011.

G.L. Ullman, V. Iragavarapu, D. Sun. Work Zone Positive Protection Guidelines. 0-6163-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. May 2011.

G.L. Ullman, T.J. Lomax, F. Ye, T. Scriba. Work Zone Performance Measures Pilot Test. FHWA-HOP-11-022. April 2011.

N.D. Trout, M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman. Motorist Understanding of Alternative Displays for Speed Limits in Work Zones. Transportation Research Record. 2169. Journal of Transportation Research Board, TRB, Washington, DC. 2010.

Ullman, G., Finely, M., B. Ullman. Local Roads Safety Technology Transfer Marketing and Outreach Plan. Crosswalk Marking Field Visibility Study, Vol. 1, Research Report. FHWA-HRT-10-068. Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC. September 2010.

M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman, A.A. Nelson. Path Guidance Information in Advance of Work Zones at Urban Freeway Interchanges. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC. 2009, pp. 45-51.

L. Theiss, M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman. Merging Taper Lengths for Short Duration Lane Closures. Report 476990. Florida Department of Transportation. December 2009.

G.L. Ullman, R.J. Porter, G.J. Karkee. Implementation Guide for Monitoring Work Zone Safety and Mobility Impacts. 0-5771-P1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. September 2009.

M.D. Finley, G.L. Ullman, A.A. Nelson. Guiding Force. Safety Today, Vol. 4, No. 1, June 2009.

G.L. Ullman, R.J. Porter, G.J. Karkee. Monitoring Work Zone Safety and Mobility Impacts in Texas. Technical Report. 0-5771-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. May 2009.

G.L. Ullman. Dynamic Message Sign Message Design & Display Manual Training: PowerPoint Training Materials. Research Report. 5-4023-01-P2. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. March 2009.

G.L. Ullman. Dynamic Message Sign Message Design & Display Manual Training: Participant Notebook. Research Report. 5-4023-01-P1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. March 2009.

G.L. Ullman. DMS Message Design Workshops. Research Report. 5-4023-01-1. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX. March 2009.