Transportation and Sustainability in the 21st Century Nothing lasts forever. For researchers in transportation, that particular cliché presents a challenge. If nothing lasts forever, how can we build a better, more efficient, longer-lasting network? Bang for the buck. More from less. As stakeholders in transportation, you no doubt know these phrases by heart. The key […]
Archives for 2012
Capitol Staff Members Briefed on High-Priority Research Initiatives
More than a dozen staff members representing various state legislators and committees visited TTI on February 21 to hear updates on some of the Institute’s high-priority efforts. The program lineup began with an overview of TTI by Agency Director Dennis Christiansen. Other key research area presentations by TTI personnel included: Steve Roop provided a status […]
General Motors Executive Describes Future of Emissions-Free, Safe Cars
Envisioning a world with all-electric cars that don’t crash, a General Motors (GM) official met with TTI employees and two Texas A&M University engineering departments Jan. 31 prior to a presentation he gave that evening at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at the George Bush Presidential Library. Nady Boules, the director of GM’s Electrical and […]
Turnbull Named National Associate
Texas Transportation Institute Executive Associate Agency Director Katie Turnbull has been named a national associate of the National Research Council (NRC). The selection is based on her volunteer service with the TRB. Turnbull joins 28 others in the 2011 Class of National Associates. The program began in 2001 “to recognize extraordinary contributions made by individuals […]
Center for Railway Research to be Established at TTI
With a focus on improving railway safety and enhancing the performance of the nation’s rail system, the Texas A&M Board of Regents has approved establishing the Center for Railway Research (CRR) as a part of the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). “Having this center is a very positive step in our plans to increase the breadth and […]
Energy Developments and Our Roadways: Impacts and Strategies
In recent years, there has been a boom of energy-related activities in Texas. While these efforts enhance the state’s ability to produce energy reliably, many short- and long-term impacts on the state’s right of way and infrastructure are not properly documented. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) recently completed a project to document some of these […]
TTI Research Honored at TRB Annual Meeting
D. Grant Mickle Award A prestigious “best paper” award was given to a team of Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) researchers during the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 90th Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. The D. Grant Mickle Award for the outstanding paper in operations and maintenance was awarded to Kay Fitzpatrick, Susan T. Chrysler, Vichika Iragavarapu, and […]
Alcohol Studies Center Transfers to TTI
On Jan. 4, with approval from The Texas A&M University System chancellor, the administrative responsibility for the Center for Alcohol and Drug Education Studies (CADES) was transferred to TTI. CADES — which was founded and directed by Maury Dennis, a retired Texas A&M University professor and a current senior research scientist at TTI — began operating […]
TTI to Lead Regional Center
The Texas Transportation Institute is the recipient of a $3.5 million federal grant that will extend operations of the Southwest Region University Transportation Center (SWUTC) another year. The funding announcement was made this week by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. As a result of the funding, transportation programs at Texas A&M University, The University of Texas […]
TTI at TRB
TTI researchers were selected to present papers at the annual Transportation Research Board meeting this month on multiple topics, ranging from infrastructure and safety, to economics and the environment.
Transit Group Tour of TTI Could Lead to New Research
More than 40 representatives from transit agencies across the state toured the Environmental and Emissions Research Facility (EERF) on Friday, December 16. For many of the transit agency representatives, it was an introduction to TTI’s one-year-old facility. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Maintenance Vice President Michael Hubble said the EERF could help his agency accurately […]
High Crash Rates Among Hispanics and Military Prompts Study
The Texas Transportation Institute’s Center for Transportation Safety (CTS) is investigating the reasons why two distinct population groups — Hispanics and U.S. military personnel — are experiencing above-average crash rates. Each is a separate research initiative, and both projects are just getting underway as researchers gather crash data and begin looking for clues. “We have […]