Revolutionary advancements in vehicle technology and the changing dynamics of the modern roadway system have propelled the act of driving into uncharted territories, demanding a profound transformation in the driving experience. The current technological landscape — with its manifold innovations and tantalizing prospects on the horizon — holds the potential to revolutionize road safety and […]
safety
TTI’s Roadside Safety and Physical Security Division Spearheads Safety and Security Transportation Advancements
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Roadside Safety and Physical Security Division has been protecting occupants from roadside hazards since the 1960s. From the early days, this facility — located on the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus — has served as a test site for countless research projects improving both safety on the roadways and security of […]
Seeing the Road — TTI’s Visibility Research Laboratory Built for Visibility Testing
Seeing the road and everything around it while driving is not a preferred option; rather, it’s an essential component of safe driving. Driving is a visual activity, and as we make our way down a road, we all look at a wide range of visual inputs — the roadway, the surrounding terrain, other vehicles, roadside […]
TTI’s Connected Transportation Facilities
Connected transportation is a major evolution in how vehicles and infrastructure will interact in the future, affecting every facet of transportation safety and mobility. Vehicles and the infrastructure will be able to talk to each other and communicate their real-time conditions. The lifespan of this research is expected to be decades as communication and message […]
Rain or Shine: TTI’s SEC Lab Pioneers Roadside Environmental Management
As the wear and tear of time puts a toll on our roads and our environment, it’s imperative to have measures in place to combat potential issues that may arise. With the ever-changing climate and increasing environmental regulations, now more than ever it’s essential that the best products are being used on our roadways — […]
Taking Steps Towards Safer Streets: 2023 Texas Pedestrian Safety Forum Recap
On Aug. 24, 2023, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) hosted the fifth annual Texas Pedestrian Safety Forum at the Norris Center in San Antonio, Texas. Supported by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety (CTS), this in-person forum helped more than 200 people learn about how to make roadways safer for pedestrians in Texas.
IH 35 Waco Project Wins WASHTO Award for Operations Excellence
The Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT’s) My35 Waco Construction project was recently named a winner in Operations Excellence, Large Category (i.e., projects costing more than $200 million) by the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Youth Transportation Safety Summit Combines All Generations of Highway Safety Leaders
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Youth Transportation Safety (YTS) Program held the first of its kind Youth Transportation Safety Summit May 15–17. This year’s event brought together young traffic safety ambassadors from junior high to college students alongside highway safety professionals for the first time in the program’s history. The summit provided a national […]
Teen Safety Advocates from Texas, Ohio and Nebraska Win Big in Annual Driving the Message Contest
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens 15 to 18 years old in the United States, second only to teen suicide. Teen drivers are at a higher risk of being in a car crash due to driver inexperience. That lack of expertise — coupled with speeding, distracted driving or other risky behaviors […]
TTI’s Teens in the Driver Seat Program Partners With Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern has awarded a grant to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Teens in the Driver Seat program. These funds will support rail safety education and outreach to 100 high schools and middle schools throughout Georgia. The partnership will seek to raise awareness of the dangers around by railroad crossings. Tragically, a majority of […]
New Next-Generation Intersection to Enhance Safety for Vulnerable Road Users
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and the Texas Department of Transportation have been selected for a $1.9 million federal grant to develop a next-generation intersection that promises to improve safety for the most at-risk road users. “Protecting pedestrians, cyclists, and others who share the road with vehicles is key to a safe and accessible […]
You in the Driver Seat Mobile App Wins “Best New Mobile App” Award
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program was recently awarded the Platinum Award for Best New Mobile App by BestMobileAppAwards.com for their You in the Driver Seat (YDS) smartphone app. The app is aimed at encouraging safe driving behaviors in young drivers aged 16 to 25 and was selected […]
I-35 Waco Project Overview
This project will improve I-35 in Waco from 12th Street to North Loop 340 by improving safety and mobility, adding capacity, incorporating technology, and enhancing aesthetics. Improvements include widening main lanes to four lanes in each direction, improving frontage roads and ramps, reconstructing bridges, improving interchanges, adding U-turns, and improving bicycle and pedestrian access. The […]
Overcoming Barriers: Motorcycle Roadside Safety
Although motorcyclists make up only 3 percent of all registered vehicles, motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2020 in the United States. As these numbers have risen over the years, several state departments of transportation (DOTs) are taking matters into their own hands to address these related issues. In partnership with […]
Ribbon Cutting Marks Completion of I-35 Waco Project
The I-35 Waco Project is officially complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Nov. 9. The $341 million project finished on budget and ahead of schedule, beating its originally estimated end date by approximately 18 months. The I-35 Waco Project is part of the larger My35 Waco District Construction Plan, begun in 2012, comprised of 17 […]
TTI Develops Hazmat and Train Derailment Guide for School Districts
TTI recently developed a Hazardous Materials and Train Derailment Emergency Planning Guide for School Districts and Community Colleges to help school district administrators, emergency managers, and safety officers plan for hazmat incident and train derailment emergencies. Hazardous materials are transported through almost every Texas community every day—by road, rail, pipeline, waterways, or air. Places where hazardous materials […]
Overcoming Barriers: Motorcycle Roadside Safety
Although motorcyclists make up only 3 percent of all registered vehicles, in 2020, motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in the United States. As these numbers have risen over the years, several state DOTs are taking matters into their own hands to address these issues. In partnership with the Texas Department of […]
Teens Innovate Ways to #StopTrackTragedies
Every year, 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured when they engage in unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. Operation Lifesaver Inc., Union Pacific Railroad and Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program joined together Sept. 19–25 to observe Rail Safety Week (RSW) and urged the public to help […]
Transportation Leaders Discuss the Future of Technological Innovations at 2022 Transportation Technology Conference
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) hosted the 2022 Texas A&M Transportation Technology Conference Sept. 15–16 in partnership with The Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Engineering and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station. The event — sponsored by HNTB, Alliance Texas Mobility Innovation Zone, 3M and Cavnue — highlighted innovative projects […]
Clear the Way! Emergency Vehicles En Route
During an emergency, seconds matter. However, navigating through busy urban arterials may sometimes be a tricky task for emergency response vehicles, particularly through busy intersections. In 2021, of the 633,499 roadway crashes in Texas, nearly 37 percent occurred at intersections, emphasizing the importance of improving safety in these scenarios. An ongoing research project conducted by […]