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• 91. [Article] Urbanism Next: How Technology is Changing Our City

  Advances in technology such as the advent of autonomous vehicles (AV’s), the rise of E-commerce, and the proliferation of the sharing economy are having profound effects not only on how we live, move, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Urbanism Next: How Technology is Changing Our City Author: Larco, Nico Year: 2017 Advances in technology such as the advent of autonomous vehicles (AV’s), the rise of E-commerce, and the proliferation of the sharing economy are having profound effects not only on how we live, move, and spend our time in cities, but also increasingly on urban form and development itself. These new technologies are changing the ease of transport, the role of transit, and the places we spend our time. These changes will have profound effects on cities including large shifts in land use, changes in street design, a potential reduction on the need for parking, a shift on where we choose to live, and challenges for urban density, the extent of sprawl, and the vitality of urban areas. While there has been a focused effort of research on the technological aspects of autonomous vehicles and systems themselves, there has been a shortage of systematic exploration on their secondary effects on city development, form, and design, with implications for sustainability, resiliency, equity, cost, and general livability. SCI’s Urbanism Next initiative focuses on the ramifications of changes in technology on the design and planning of our cities. This presentation will provide an overview to the initiative, research that has been done, and future objectives. Title: Urbanism Next: How Technology is Changing Our City Author: Larco, Nico Year: 2017 Advances in technology such as the advent of autonomous vehicles (AV’s), the rise of E-commerce, and the proliferation of the sharing economy are having profound effects not only on how we live, move, and spend our time in cities, but also increasingly on urban form and development itself. These new technologies are changing the ease of transport, the role of transit, and the places we spend our time. These changes will have profound effects on cities including large shifts in land use, changes in street design, a potential reduction on the need for parking, a shift on where we choose to live, and challenges for urban density, the extent of sprawl, and the vitality of urban areas. While there has been a focused effort of research on the technological aspects of autonomous vehicles and systems themselves, there has been a shortage of systematic exploration on their secondary effects on city development, form, and design, with implications for sustainability, resiliency, equity, cost, and general livability. SCI’s Urbanism Next initiative focuses on the ramifications of changes in technology on the design and planning of our cities. This presentation will provide an overview to the initiative, research that has been done, and future objectives. Close

• 92. [Article] Annual Metro Regional Trail Count and Why Local Extrapolation Factors Matter

  Metro, Portland's regional governing agency, conducts annual two-hour counts along its regional trail every September. This upcoming fall (2017) will be the 10th year that the counts have been held, which ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Annual Metro Regional Trail Count and Why Local Extrapolation Factors Matter Author: Gibson, Geoff Year: 2017 Metro, Portland's regional governing agency, conducts annual two-hour counts along its regional trail every September. This upcoming fall (2017) will be the 10th year that the counts have been held, which means we at Metro can finally start seeing noticeable, long-lasting trends in the regional trail network. Perhaps more importantly, we are seeing how these data have directly impacted investments in future trail, bicycle, and pedestrian projects. This seminar will cover the history of the program, details of how it's conducted and why it's conducted that way, how data are used (including an inside look at future iterations of Metro's interactive trail count map), and why creating local extrapolation factors for adjusting to annual traffic is so important. Title: Annual Metro Regional Trail Count and Why Local Extrapolation Factors Matter Author: Gibson, Geoff Year: 2017 Metro, Portland's regional governing agency, conducts annual two-hour counts along its regional trail every September. This upcoming fall (2017) will be the 10th year that the counts have been held, which means we at Metro can finally start seeing noticeable, long-lasting trends in the regional trail network. Perhaps more importantly, we are seeing how these data have directly impacted investments in future trail, bicycle, and pedestrian projects. This seminar will cover the history of the program, details of how it's conducted and why it's conducted that way, how data are used (including an inside look at future iterations of Metro's interactive trail count map), and why creating local extrapolation factors for adjusting to annual traffic is so important. Close

• 93. [Article] Regional Travel Options 2007-08 Program Evaluation

  To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional Travel Options 2007-08 Program Evaluation Author: Dill, Jennifer, Brown, Stephan Year: 2010 To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements other strategies, including land use policies and infrastructure investment. The most comprehensive data available for this evaluation come from commute surveys of employees at work sites that participate in outreach programs offered by TriMet. All of the RTO evaluations have used these data as a benchmark for overall progress, though the data only captures commute travel. The 2008 data reflect the commute patterns of about 120,000 employees commuting to 549 worksites. The long-term trend is positive, with the share of work trips made by modes other than single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) generally increasing since 1996 Figure 3. However, the data for 2007 and 2008 show a decline since 2006 in the share of work trips made on transit. Increases in bicycling and walking, compressed work weeks, and telecommuting helped offset that decline. The share of trips made in carpools and vanpools has remained about the same for the past four years, and is still lower than 1996. Title: Regional Travel Options 2007-08 Program Evaluation Author: Dill, Jennifer, Brown, Stephan Year: 2010 To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements other strategies, including land use policies and infrastructure investment. The most comprehensive data available for this evaluation come from commute surveys of employees at work sites that participate in outreach programs offered by TriMet. All of the RTO evaluations have used these data as a benchmark for overall progress, though the data only captures commute travel. The 2008 data reflect the commute patterns of about 120,000 employees commuting to 549 worksites. The long-term trend is positive, with the share of work trips made by modes other than single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) generally increasing since 1996 Figure 3. However, the data for 2007 and 2008 show a decline since 2006 in the share of work trips made on transit. Increases in bicycling and walking, compressed work weeks, and telecommuting helped offset that decline. The share of trips made in carpools and vanpools has remained about the same for the past four years, and is still lower than 1996. Close

• 94. [Article] Clinton Street MAX Urban Vision

  This document is the product of the 2011 Urban Design Workshop at Portland State University which worked to develop an urban design vision for the future Clinton Street MAX Station, part of the Portland- ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Clinton Street MAX Urban Vision Author: Abe, Darryl, Duncan, Allison, Fisher, Sheri, Higgins, Jay, Petch, Shawn, Rosenthal, Susan, Stein, Joel, Xu, Huifu Year: 2011 This document is the product of the 2011 Urban Design Workshop at Portland State University which worked to develop an urban design vision for the future Clinton Street MAX Station, part of the Portland- Milwaukie Light Rail line. This project follows two previous years of PSU workshops that investigated the urban design potential of Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail stations within the Hosford-Abernethy and Brooklyn neighborhoods in southeast Portland. While previous efforts were broad in scope, our project specifically addresses two oversized blocks immediately adjacent to the Clinton Street Station, refered to as the Powell Triangle. The blocks are bordered by 12th Ave. on the west side, 17th Ave. on the east side, Powell Blvd. on the south side, and Gideon St. on the north side and is bisected by 13th St. The Clinton Street Station is located on Gideon St. and will be bordered on the west side by 12th Ave., on the north side by the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks, on the south side by Gideon St., and on the east side by 13th St., providing some challenging access issues. Currently the land is zoned light industrial and is held by relatively few owners. Occupying uses are a lumberyard, a maintenance garage owned by the City of Portland and light warehousing and production. The tallest feature on the site is an abandoned fire tower that was once used for training purposes. This project was conducted under the supervision of Donald J. Stastny and Edward Starkie. Title: Clinton Street MAX Urban Vision Author: Abe, Darryl, Duncan, Allison, Fisher, Sheri, Higgins, Jay, Petch, Shawn, Rosenthal, Susan, Stein, Joel, Xu, Huifu Year: 2011 This document is the product of the 2011 Urban Design Workshop at Portland State University which worked to develop an urban design vision for the future Clinton Street MAX Station, part of the Portland- Milwaukie Light Rail line. This project follows two previous years of PSU workshops that investigated the urban design potential of Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail stations within the Hosford-Abernethy and Brooklyn neighborhoods in southeast Portland. While previous efforts were broad in scope, our project specifically addresses two oversized blocks immediately adjacent to the Clinton Street Station, refered to as the Powell Triangle. The blocks are bordered by 12th Ave. on the west side, 17th Ave. on the east side, Powell Blvd. on the south side, and Gideon St. on the north side and is bisected by 13th St. The Clinton Street Station is located on Gideon St. and will be bordered on the west side by 12th Ave., on the north side by the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks, on the south side by Gideon St., and on the east side by 13th St., providing some challenging access issues. Currently the land is zoned light industrial and is held by relatively few owners. Occupying uses are a lumberyard, a maintenance garage owned by the City of Portland and light warehousing and production. The tallest feature on the site is an abandoned fire tower that was once used for training purposes. This project was conducted under the supervision of Donald J. Stastny and Edward Starkie. Close

• 95. [Article] Modeling Injury Outcomes of Crashes involving Heavy Vehicles on Texas Highways

  A growing concern related to large-truck crashes has increased in the State of Texas in recent years due to the potential economic impacts and level of injury severity that can be sustained. Yet, studies ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Modeling Injury Outcomes of Crashes involving Heavy Vehicles on Texas Highways Author: Hernandez, Salvador Year: 2014 A growing concern related to large-truck crashes has increased in the State of Texas in recent years due to the potential economic impacts and level of injury severity that can be sustained. Yet, studies on large truck involved crashes highlighting the contributing factors leading to injury severity have not been conducted in detail in the State of Texas especially for its interstate system. In this study, we analyze the contributing factors related to injury severity by utilizing Texas crash data based on a discrete outcome based model which accounts for possible unobserved heterogeneity related to human, vehicle and road-environment. We estimate a random parameter logit model (i.e., mixed logit) to predict the likelihood of five standard injury severity scales commonly used in Crash Records Information System (CRIS) in Texas – fatal, incapacitating, non-incapacitating, possible, and no injury (property damage only). Estimation findings indicate that the level of injury severity outcomes is highly influenced by a number of complex interactions between factors and the effects of the some factors can vary across observations. The contributing factors include drivers’ demographics, traffic flow condition, roadway geometrics, land use and temporal characteristics, weather, and lighting conditions. Title: Modeling Injury Outcomes of Crashes involving Heavy Vehicles on Texas Highways Author: Hernandez, Salvador Year: 2014 A growing concern related to large-truck crashes has increased in the State of Texas in recent years due to the potential economic impacts and level of injury severity that can be sustained. Yet, studies on large truck involved crashes highlighting the contributing factors leading to injury severity have not been conducted in detail in the State of Texas especially for its interstate system. In this study, we analyze the contributing factors related to injury severity by utilizing Texas crash data based on a discrete outcome based model which accounts for possible unobserved heterogeneity related to human, vehicle and road-environment. We estimate a random parameter logit model (i.e., mixed logit) to predict the likelihood of five standard injury severity scales commonly used in Crash Records Information System (CRIS) in Texas – fatal, incapacitating, non-incapacitating, possible, and no injury (property damage only). Estimation findings indicate that the level of injury severity outcomes is highly influenced by a number of complex interactions between factors and the effects of the some factors can vary across observations. The contributing factors include drivers’ demographics, traffic flow condition, roadway geometrics, land use and temporal characteristics, weather, and lighting conditions. Close

• 96. [Article] Webinar: The Association Between Light Rail Transit, Streetcars and Bus Rapid Transit on Jobs, People and Rents

  What are the job, residential development and market rent outcomes of Light Rail Transit (LRT), Streetcar Transit (SCT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)? LRT, SCR and BRT investments are spreading rapidly across ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Webinar: The Association Between Light Rail Transit, Streetcars and Bus Rapid Transit on Jobs, People and Rents Author: Nelson, Arthur C. Year: 2016 What are the job, residential development and market rent outcomes of Light Rail Transit (LRT), Streetcar Transit (SCT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)? LRT, SCR and BRT investments are spreading rapidly across the country but there is scant evidence of their effect on where people work and live, and effects on market rents as an indicator of value. This webinar will summarize several years of NITC-sponsored research into development outcomes associated with these transit investments. The webinar will be led by NITC researcher Arthur C. Nelson who was the principal investigator of two projects: Do TODs Make a Difference? and National Study of Bus Rapid Transit Development Outcomes. Using a common database and analytic methods applied to 11 LRT systems, 8 BRT systems, and 3 SCT systems, Nelson will summarize key findings relating to: The extent to which these transit systems shifted job and population patterns, How these systems are shaping the real estate rental market for office, retail and apartment developments, Their influence on job attractiveness by wage categories, and, The spatial interactions between transit and land use patterns. This webinar will also raise questions for future research. Title: Webinar: The Association Between Light Rail Transit, Streetcars and Bus Rapid Transit on Jobs, People and Rents Author: Nelson, Arthur C. Year: 2016 What are the job, residential development and market rent outcomes of Light Rail Transit (LRT), Streetcar Transit (SCT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)? LRT, SCR and BRT investments are spreading rapidly across the country but there is scant evidence of their effect on where people work and live, and effects on market rents as an indicator of value. This webinar will summarize several years of NITC-sponsored research into development outcomes associated with these transit investments. The webinar will be led by NITC researcher Arthur C. Nelson who was the principal investigator of two projects: Do TODs Make a Difference? and National Study of Bus Rapid Transit Development Outcomes. Using a common database and analytic methods applied to 11 LRT systems, 8 BRT systems, and 3 SCT systems, Nelson will summarize key findings relating to: The extent to which these transit systems shifted job and population patterns, How these systems are shaping the real estate rental market for office, retail and apartment developments, Their influence on job attractiveness by wage categories, and, The spatial interactions between transit and land use patterns. This webinar will also raise questions for future research. Close

• 97. [Article] Wider Dissemination of Household Travel Survey Data Using Geographical Perturbation Methods

  Public agencies spend vast amounts of money collecting information about passenger travel in household travel surveys. These data are valuable for the rich and detailed information they provide, which ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wider Dissemination of Household Travel Survey Data Using Geographical Perturbation Methods Author: Clifton, Kelly J., Gehrke, Steven R. Year: 2014 Public agencies spend vast amounts of money collecting information about passenger travel in household travel surveys. These data are valuable for the rich and detailed information they provide, which contribute to regional and statewide travel demand models. These data have utility beyond travel demand modeling in their application to transportation policy and travel behavior research. As the demand on these data increase, so have the quantity of information collected. Detailed geospatial referencing of the home, work and other travel destinations are common practice and permit the integration with other spatially archived data sources, such as land use characteristics, transportation system information, and other built environment, social and economic data. Other public agencies, private consultancies, non-profits and educational institutions may benefit from access to the original data with applications to areas such public health, equity, transportation safety and urban planning. Oregon Modeling Collaborative (OMC) has entered into an agreement with Oregon Modeling Steering Committee (OMSC) to host and make available Oregon Household Activity Survey (OHAS) datasets. But wide distribution of these important and expensive data is limited by the requirement to protect the confidentiality of survey participants, who are guaranteed anonymity in exchange for participation. Data are often aggregated to a geographic level such as Census tracts or transportation analysis zones (TAZs) before disseminating to the public, which limits the utility of this information. This project aims to develop a methodology to permit dissemination of these spatially-explicit data to a wider range of public constituents while at the same time, protecting the identities of study participants. Making use of these data, this project will use geographical perturbation methods to add noise to the original data to protect confidentiality while at the same time allowing the detailed geo-spatial referencing to be included in the disseminated data. The process includes: The coordinates (locations) will be geographically perturbed (masked) so that they do not reveal the identity of the traveler while at the same time retaining spatial relevance and resolution. Here the limits of the perturbation (minimum and maximum displacement) need to be determined that a) ensure confidentiality and b) minimize the errors introduced to the data. The original and perturbed (masked) data will be compared using various statistical approaches to develop a set of confidence measures for different types of transportation applications. For example, geographically perturbed (masked) may be more robust for automobile travel measures, such as vehicle miles traveled (VMT) or transit accessibility than for detailed pedestrian or bicycle trip attributes. This exercise will allow spatially-explicit OHAS data to be released to the public with some information about the confidence to which it can be applied. These data will be archived at Portland State University and made available to the public. The information and algorithms can be shared with other agencies collecting and archiving travel data, such as the National Household Travel Survey, metropolitan planning organizations and state departments of transportation, to permit wider dissemination of their data. Title: Wider Dissemination of Household Travel Survey Data Using Geographical Perturbation Methods Author: Clifton, Kelly J., Gehrke, Steven R. Year: 2014 Public agencies spend vast amounts of money collecting information about passenger travel in household travel surveys. These data are valuable for the rich and detailed information they provide, which contribute to regional and statewide travel demand models. These data have utility beyond travel demand modeling in their application to transportation policy and travel behavior research. As the demand on these data increase, so have the quantity of information collected. Detailed geospatial referencing of the home, work and other travel destinations are common practice and permit the integration with other spatially archived data sources, such as land use characteristics, transportation system information, and other built environment, social and economic data. Other public agencies, private consultancies, non-profits and educational institutions may benefit from access to the original data with applications to areas such public health, equity, transportation safety and urban planning. Oregon Modeling Collaborative (OMC) has entered into an agreement with Oregon Modeling Steering Committee (OMSC) to host and make available Oregon Household Activity Survey (OHAS) datasets. But wide distribution of these important and expensive data is limited by the requirement to protect the confidentiality of survey participants, who are guaranteed anonymity in exchange for participation. Data are often aggregated to a geographic level such as Census tracts or transportation analysis zones (TAZs) before disseminating to the public, which limits the utility of this information. This project aims to develop a methodology to permit dissemination of these spatially-explicit data to a wider range of public constituents while at the same time, protecting the identities of study participants. Making use of these data, this project will use geographical perturbation methods to add noise to the original data to protect confidentiality while at the same time allowing the detailed geo-spatial referencing to be included in the disseminated data. The process includes: The coordinates (locations) will be geographically perturbed (masked) so that they do not reveal the identity of the traveler while at the same time retaining spatial relevance and resolution. Here the limits of the perturbation (minimum and maximum displacement) need to be determined that a) ensure confidentiality and b) minimize the errors introduced to the data. The original and perturbed (masked) data will be compared using various statistical approaches to develop a set of confidence measures for different types of transportation applications. For example, geographically perturbed (masked) may be more robust for automobile travel measures, such as vehicle miles traveled (VMT) or transit accessibility than for detailed pedestrian or bicycle trip attributes. This exercise will allow spatially-explicit OHAS data to be released to the public with some information about the confidence to which it can be applied. These data will be archived at Portland State University and made available to the public. The information and algorithms can be shared with other agencies collecting and archiving travel data, such as the National Household Travel Survey, metropolitan planning organizations and state departments of transportation, to permit wider dissemination of their data. Close

• 98. [Article] Modeling biomass transport on single lane forest roads and monitoring GPS accuracy for vehicle tracking under different forest canopy conditions

  The transportation of wood and biomass resources from landing and other collection locations to processing and distribution sites is a substantial cost within the wood supply chain. These high costs provide ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Modeling biomass transport on single lane forest roads and monitoring GPS accuracy for vehicle tracking under different forest canopy conditions Author: Simwanda, Matamyo The transportation of wood and biomass resources from landing and other collection locations to processing and distribution sites is a substantial cost within the wood supply chain. These high costs provide a basis for research aimed at improving biomass transportation planning decisions and potentially reducing biomass transportation costs. Chip vans have been identified to be the most cost-efficient mode of transporting biomass provided the roads are suitable for the trucks which are generally built for highway use. Research to develop chip van performance simulation models for travel time prediction could potentially reduce biomass transportation costs by improving transportation planning decisions. GPS technology has the ability to record information such as location (longitude, latitude and elevation), movement (speed, heading) and travel time which makes it an attractive tool for data collection to develop, test and validate vehicle simulation models. In spite of several studies investigating the accuracy and performance of GPS under different forest conditions, the reliability of GPS receiver measurements for moving vehicles under forest canopy and in mountainous terrain has not been examined. This dissertation includes two manuscripts. One manuscript presents a Chip Van Travel Time Prediction Simulation Model (CHIP-VAN) that was developed using data collected by GPS receivers to track and monitor chip vans. The vans were exclusively used for transporting chipped (ground) biomass from forest operation sites in western Oregon. The other manuscript examines the accuracy and reliability of GPS for vehicle tracking under different forest canopy conditions and mountainous terrain. The model, CHIP-VAN, is developed based on the maximum limiting speeds on each road segment as limited by road grade, stopping sight distance (SSD) and road alignment as well as modeling the driver's behavior as these road conditions change. A two pass simulation was used in the model; the first pass simulation calculates the maximum limiting speeds on each road segment and the second pass simulates the driver's behavior and calculates the travel time. To emulate the driver's behavior, four cases that determine whether a driver will accelerate, decelerate or continue at current speed, were developed. The model has been tested for validation using the data collected for the study. The validation tests suggest that the model is appropriate for predicting travel time for chip vans on single lane forest roads with acceptable accuracy. The findings in the second study demonstrate that the GPS tracking accuracy of vehicles on forested roads are clearly influenced by the composition of the surrounding canopy, with the strongest influence being from heavy forest canopy cover. Accuracy is generally improved in areas with less forest canopy. The study concludes that the consumer-grade GPS receiver measurements determined are acceptable for tracking and improving biomass transport from forest supply locations to distribution and processing centers. The analysis of the range of accuracies found for vehicles operating within heavy forest canopy cover demonstrates that the accuracies are probably acceptable for many forest transportation monitoring and planning applications, including the mapping of forest road locations and other forest transportation operations. It is expected that the CHIP-VAN model and GPS accuracy studies will aid forest transportation managers in decision making and transportation planning in biomass operations. Most importantly it is hoped that the results of this research will increase transportation management planning efficiency for biomass and lead to improved methods for developing biomass cost assessments Title: Modeling biomass transport on single lane forest roads and monitoring GPS accuracy for vehicle tracking under different forest canopy conditions Author: Simwanda, Matamyo The transportation of wood and biomass resources from landing and other collection locations to processing and distribution sites is a substantial cost within the wood supply chain. These high costs provide a basis for research aimed at improving biomass transportation planning decisions and potentially reducing biomass transportation costs. Chip vans have been identified to be the most cost-efficient mode of transporting biomass provided the roads are suitable for the trucks which are generally built for highway use. Research to develop chip van performance simulation models for travel time prediction could potentially reduce biomass transportation costs by improving transportation planning decisions. GPS technology has the ability to record information such as location (longitude, latitude and elevation), movement (speed, heading) and travel time which makes it an attractive tool for data collection to develop, test and validate vehicle simulation models. In spite of several studies investigating the accuracy and performance of GPS under different forest conditions, the reliability of GPS receiver measurements for moving vehicles under forest canopy and in mountainous terrain has not been examined. This dissertation includes two manuscripts. One manuscript presents a Chip Van Travel Time Prediction Simulation Model (CHIP-VAN) that was developed using data collected by GPS receivers to track and monitor chip vans. The vans were exclusively used for transporting chipped (ground) biomass from forest operation sites in western Oregon. The other manuscript examines the accuracy and reliability of GPS for vehicle tracking under different forest canopy conditions and mountainous terrain. The model, CHIP-VAN, is developed based on the maximum limiting speeds on each road segment as limited by road grade, stopping sight distance (SSD) and road alignment as well as modeling the driver's behavior as these road conditions change. A two pass simulation was used in the model; the first pass simulation calculates the maximum limiting speeds on each road segment and the second pass simulates the driver's behavior and calculates the travel time. To emulate the driver's behavior, four cases that determine whether a driver will accelerate, decelerate or continue at current speed, were developed. The model has been tested for validation using the data collected for the study. The validation tests suggest that the model is appropriate for predicting travel time for chip vans on single lane forest roads with acceptable accuracy. The findings in the second study demonstrate that the GPS tracking accuracy of vehicles on forested roads are clearly influenced by the composition of the surrounding canopy, with the strongest influence being from heavy forest canopy cover. Accuracy is generally improved in areas with less forest canopy. The study concludes that the consumer-grade GPS receiver measurements determined are acceptable for tracking and improving biomass transport from forest supply locations to distribution and processing centers. The analysis of the range of accuracies found for vehicles operating within heavy forest canopy cover demonstrates that the accuracies are probably acceptable for many forest transportation monitoring and planning applications, including the mapping of forest road locations and other forest transportation operations. It is expected that the CHIP-VAN model and GPS accuracy studies will aid forest transportation managers in decision making and transportation planning in biomass operations. Most importantly it is hoped that the results of this research will increase transportation management planning efficiency for biomass and lead to improved methods for developing biomass cost assessments Close

• 99. [Article] Travel Mode Choice Framework Incorporating Realistic Bike and Walk Routes

  For a number of reasons--congestion, public health, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, demographic shifts, and community livability to name a few--the importance of walking and bicycling as transportation ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Travel Mode Choice Framework Incorporating Realistic Bike and Walk Routes Author: Broach, Joseph Paul Year: 2016 For a number of reasons--congestion, public health, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, demographic shifts, and community livability to name a few--the importance of walking and bicycling as transportation options will only continue to increase. Currently, policy interest and infrastructure funding for nonmotorized modes far outstrip our ability to model bike and walk travel. To ensure scarce resources are used most effectively, accurate models sensitive to key policy variables are needed to support long-range planning and project evaluation, and to continue adding to our growing understanding of key factors driving walk and bike behavior. This research attempts to synthesize and advance the state of the art in trip-based, nonmotorized mode choice modeling. Over the past fifteen years, efforts to model the decision to walk or bike on a given trip have been hampered by the lack of a comprehensive behavioral framework and inconsistency in measurement scales and model specification. This project develops a mode choice behavioral framework that acknowledges the importance of attributes along the specific walk and bike routes that travelers are likely to consider, in addition to more traditional area-based measures of travel environments. The proposed framework is applied to a revealed preference, GPS-based travel dataset collected from 2010-2013 in Portland, Oregon. Measurement of nonmotorized trip distance, built environment, tour-level variables, and attitudinal attributes as well as mode availability are explicitly addressed. Route and mode choice models are specified using discrete choice techniques, and predicted walking and bicycling routes are tested as inputs to various mode choice models. Results suggest strong potential for predicted route measures to enhance walk and bicycle mode choice modeling. Findings also support the specific notion that bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure contribute not only to route choice but also to the choice of whether to bike or walk. For decisions to bicycle, availability of low-traffic routes may be particularly important to women. Model results further indicate that land use and built environments around trip ends and a person’s home still have important effects on nonmotorized travel when controlling for route quality. Both route and area travel environment impacts are mostly robust to the inclusion of residential self-selection variables, consistent with the idea that built environment differences matter even for households that choose to live in a walkable or bikeable neighborhood. The combination of area and route-based built environment measures alongside trip context, sociodemographic, and attitudinal attributes provides a new perspective on nonmotorized travel behavior relevant to both policy and practice. Title: Travel Mode Choice Framework Incorporating Realistic Bike and Walk Routes Author: Broach, Joseph Paul Year: 2016 For a number of reasons--congestion, public health, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, demographic shifts, and community livability to name a few--the importance of walking and bicycling as transportation options will only continue to increase. Currently, policy interest and infrastructure funding for nonmotorized modes far outstrip our ability to model bike and walk travel. To ensure scarce resources are used most effectively, accurate models sensitive to key policy variables are needed to support long-range planning and project evaluation, and to continue adding to our growing understanding of key factors driving walk and bike behavior. This research attempts to synthesize and advance the state of the art in trip-based, nonmotorized mode choice modeling. Over the past fifteen years, efforts to model the decision to walk or bike on a given trip have been hampered by the lack of a comprehensive behavioral framework and inconsistency in measurement scales and model specification. This project develops a mode choice behavioral framework that acknowledges the importance of attributes along the specific walk and bike routes that travelers are likely to consider, in addition to more traditional area-based measures of travel environments. The proposed framework is applied to a revealed preference, GPS-based travel dataset collected from 2010-2013 in Portland, Oregon. Measurement of nonmotorized trip distance, built environment, tour-level variables, and attitudinal attributes as well as mode availability are explicitly addressed. Route and mode choice models are specified using discrete choice techniques, and predicted walking and bicycling routes are tested as inputs to various mode choice models. Results suggest strong potential for predicted route measures to enhance walk and bicycle mode choice modeling. Findings also support the specific notion that bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure contribute not only to route choice but also to the choice of whether to bike or walk. For decisions to bicycle, availability of low-traffic routes may be particularly important to women. Model results further indicate that land use and built environments around trip ends and a person’s home still have important effects on nonmotorized travel when controlling for route quality. Both route and area travel environment impacts are mostly robust to the inclusion of residential self-selection variables, consistent with the idea that built environment differences matter even for households that choose to live in a walkable or bikeable neighborhood. The combination of area and route-based built environment measures alongside trip context, sociodemographic, and attitudinal attributes provides a new perspective on nonmotorized travel behavior relevant to both policy and practice. Close

• 100. [Article] Techniques for Assessing the Socio-Economic Effects of Vehicle Mileage Fees

  This project considers the socio-economic impacts of the new highway user fee structure made possible by advanced technology. The fee structure also has implications for land use and healthy communities ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Techniques for Assessing the Socio-Economic Effects of Vehicle Mileage Fees Author: McMullen, B. Starr, Nakahara, Kyle, Biswas, Smita, Zhang, Lei, Valluri, Divya Year: 2008 This project considers the socio-economic impacts of the new highway user fee structure made possible by advanced technology. The fee structure also has implications for land use and healthy communities ( urban/rural, income distributional, and environmental impacts). The 2001 Oregon Legislature created the Road User Fee Task Force (RUFTF) to make recommendations regarding a potential replacement for the gasoline tax. A vehicle mile tax has subsequently been proposed as the replacement. Preliminary work has been devoted to exploring technical and institutional options for implementation of such a charge. OSU researchers have developed the technology and there is a pilot project in progress in the Portland area that tests charging vehicle mile road user fees using this technololgy. Media feedback on the proposed vehicle-mile tax has focused on 1) the possible (dis) incentives it could provide to the adoption of more fuel efficient vehicles 2) how the tax may unevenly impact drivers in urban versus rural Oregon, and 3) whether the change in tax structure will have an adverse impact on low income groups. The purpose of this study is to develop a model which provides an analytical framework from which to quantify the impact of changing to the proposed vehicle-mile tax. ODOT will use the results from this study to help formulate the specific form of the vehicle-mile tax (flat tax, a graduated tax, a higher tax for less fuel efficient vehicles, a differential tax for urban/rural areas, etc.). Perhaps just as important is the fact that ODOT needs some quantitative information on the socio-economic impact of such a tax, to use in public relations. A huge factor in determining the ultimate adoption of such a tax structure will be the public acceptance of this change and, in turn, they need to have full information on what it will do. Given the decreasing ability of the gasoline tax to cover the costs of the highway system, an alternative financing scheme is necessary to insure future mobility. There are also implications for environmental stewardship as a vehicle-mile tax has also been suggested as an emissions tax. Finally, once the technology is in place for a vehicle-mile tax, it becomes possible to implement a vehicle-mile tax that may vary by time of day and location, providing an efficient congestion pricing tool. The FHWA has five focus areas for policy research as listed in USDOT, Research, Development, and Technology Plan, 6th edition, FY 2005. One is developing analytical tools to evaluate the impacts of a broad range of highway policy options (p. 4-12). Under Future Direction in Highway Finance: to examine the long-term viability of existing highway financing mechanisms and explore issues relating to alternatives, including the future role of the private sector in providing and managing transportation resources. And under Legislative Analysis and Strategic Planning: Support the development, analysis, and implementation of transportation legislation and address strategic initiatives that are likely to influence future legislative and political directions. Thus, this project is consistent with national and state transportation strategies and priorities. Title: Techniques for Assessing the Socio-Economic Effects of Vehicle Mileage Fees Author: McMullen, B. Starr, Nakahara, Kyle, Biswas, Smita, Zhang, Lei, Valluri, Divya Year: 2008 This project considers the socio-economic impacts of the new highway user fee structure made possible by advanced technology. The fee structure also has implications for land use and healthy communities ( urban/rural, income distributional, and environmental impacts). The 2001 Oregon Legislature created the Road User Fee Task Force (RUFTF) to make recommendations regarding a potential replacement for the gasoline tax. A vehicle mile tax has subsequently been proposed as the replacement. Preliminary work has been devoted to exploring technical and institutional options for implementation of such a charge. OSU researchers have developed the technology and there is a pilot project in progress in the Portland area that tests charging vehicle mile road user fees using this technololgy. Media feedback on the proposed vehicle-mile tax has focused on 1) the possible (dis) incentives it could provide to the adoption of more fuel efficient vehicles 2) how the tax may unevenly impact drivers in urban versus rural Oregon, and 3) whether the change in tax structure will have an adverse impact on low income groups. The purpose of this study is to develop a model which provides an analytical framework from which to quantify the impact of changing to the proposed vehicle-mile tax. ODOT will use the results from this study to help formulate the specific form of the vehicle-mile tax (flat tax, a graduated tax, a higher tax for less fuel efficient vehicles, a differential tax for urban/rural areas, etc.). Perhaps just as important is the fact that ODOT needs some quantitative information on the socio-economic impact of such a tax, to use in public relations. A huge factor in determining the ultimate adoption of such a tax structure will be the public acceptance of this change and, in turn, they need to have full information on what it will do. Given the decreasing ability of the gasoline tax to cover the costs of the highway system, an alternative financing scheme is necessary to insure future mobility. There are also implications for environmental stewardship as a vehicle-mile tax has also been suggested as an emissions tax. Finally, once the technology is in place for a vehicle-mile tax, it becomes possible to implement a vehicle-mile tax that may vary by time of day and location, providing an efficient congestion pricing tool. The FHWA has five focus areas for policy research as listed in USDOT, Research, Development, and Technology Plan, 6th edition, FY 2005. One is developing analytical tools to evaluate the impacts of a broad range of highway policy options (p. 4-12). Under Future Direction in Highway Finance: to examine the long-term viability of existing highway financing mechanisms and explore issues relating to alternatives, including the future role of the private sector in providing and managing transportation resources. And under Legislative Analysis and Strategic Planning: Support the development, analysis, and implementation of transportation legislation and address strategic initiatives that are likely to influence future legislative and political directions. Thus, this project is consistent with national and state transportation strategies and priorities. Close