Dr. M. Katherine Banks, vice chancellor for engineering at The Texas A&M University System, director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), and dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering, made her first official visit to TTI on March 22. She was accompanied by Dr. Dennis O’Neal, associate dean for research and deputy director […]
Vice Chancellor Spends the Day at TTI
TTI Has Major Role in State Congestion Relief Proposals
After months of working with local agencies about proposed transportation projects in the most congested corridors in the state, TTI presented a detailed report to the Texas Transportation Commission Feb. 23. The report, titled Mobility Investment Priorities — Early Recommendations Report, includes recommendations that will advance major projects that would improve mobility for the areas […]
New Study Makes Strong Case for Wider Edge Line Markings on Rural Two-Lane Highways
A recent study by the Texas Transportation Institute provides the most compelling evidence yet that wider paint lines on roadway shoulders (commonly called edge lines) are a cost-effective, statistically-sound approach to reducing crashes and fatalities on rural two-lane highways. The study, entitled “An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Wider Edge Line Pavement Markings,” was sponsored […]
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
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 […]
Fighting Congestion with Technology: The New Frontier
A technological revolution is underway that has transportation leaders, government officials and even attorneys abuzz with questions and hope about what it could mean in solving a growing and costly concern — congestion. Since the early 1980s, TTI has estimated congestion in hundreds of urban regions across the country. Published annually, the resulting Urban Mobility […]
TTI Focuses on Improving Motorcycle Safety
Motorcycle fatalities in Texas declined in 2009, halting an 11-year trend of steady increases, but there is no complacency among state officials. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Traffic Safety Program funded several projects to keep the momentum going and continue statewide efforts to improve motorcycle safety. Center for Transportation Safety (CTS) Research Scientist Patricia […]
New Guidebook Helps Agencies Develop Effective Sustainability Measures
Sustainability has become a key component in transportation planning at all levels of government, but until now few tools were available to help planners develop meaningful ways to measure the effectiveness of these efforts. A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies, created by Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) researchers and published this week by […]
Rail Conference Examines Safety Issues
Thanks to 180 participants from across the country, TTI organizers say the 2011 National Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Training Conference, held in Galveston Nov. 6-9, was a success. Held every other year, the grade crossing conference examines the current issues in the highway and railroad industries and serves as an information sharing and education program. […]
Researchers Identify the Nation’s Most Congested Corridors
Holiday travelers will have a better idea of exactly where to expect traffic delays, as well as some help in planning for them, thanks to a report released today by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), a Texas A&M University System agency. The 2011 Congested Corridors Report is the first nationwide effort to identify reliability problems […]
TTI Welcomes Back Denner
Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Safety Coordinator Stuart Denner was welcomed home from a Navy Reserves deployment in a reception at the TTI State Headquarters Building on November 8. Denner, a 15-year veteran in the Reserves, recently returned from a one-year deployment that included a six-month mission aboard the U.S.N.S. Comfort. The humanitarian mission known as […]