Technical Report

Developing a System for Computing and Reporting MAP-21 and Other Freight Performance Measures

URL: https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/844.1.pdf

Publication: Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC)

Publication Date: 2015

Summary:

This report documents the use of the National Performance Monitoring Research Data Set (NPMRDS) for the computation of freight performance measures on Interstate highways in Washington state. The report documents the data availability and specific data quality issues identified with NPMRDS. It then describes a recommended initial set of quality assurance tests that are needed before WSDOT begins producing freight performance measures.

The report also documents the initial set of performance measures that can be produced with the NPMRDS and the specific steps required to do so. A subset of those metrics was tested using NPMRDS data, including delay and frequency of congestion, to illustrate how WSDOT could use the freight performance measures. Finally, recommendations and the next steps that WSDOT needs to take are discussed.

This report describes the outcome of the initial exploration of the National Performance Research Monitoring Data Set (NPMRDS), supplied by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to state transportation agencies and metropolitan planning organizations for use in computing roadway performance measures.

The NPMRDS provides roadway performance data for the national highway system (NHS). The intent of the NPMRDS was to provide a travel time estimate for every 5-minute time interval (epoch) of the year for all roadway segments in the NHS. The NPMRDS data are derived from instantaneous vehicle probe speed data supplied by a variety of GPS devices carried by both trucks and cars. The data are supplied on a geographic information system (GIS) roadway network, which divides the NHS into directional road segments based on the Traffic Message Channel (TMC) standard.

The report describes the availability, attributes, quality, and limitations of the NPMRDS data on the Interstates in the state of Washington.

Based on the review of the NPMRDS data, this report recommends a set of performance metrics for WSDOT’s use that describe the travel conditions that trucks moving freight within the state experience. It describes specific steps for computing those measures. And it uses a subset of those measures produced with the NPMRDS to illustrate how WSDOT can use those measures in its reporting and decision-making procedures.

Authors: Dr. Ed McCormackSaravanya (Sara) Sankarakumaraswamy, Mark E. Hallenbeck

Recommended Citation:
Hallenbeck, Mark E., Ed McCormack, and Saravanya Sankarakumaraswamy. Developing a system for computing and reporting MAP-21 and other freight performance measures. No. WA-RD 844.1. Washington (State). Dept. of Transportation. Research Office, 2015.

Technical Report

Managing Increasing Demand for Curb Space in the City of the Future

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URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1773/48599

Publication Date: 2022

Summary:

The rapid rise of on-demand transportation and e-commerce goods deliveries, as well as increased cycling rates and transit use, are increasing demand for curb space. This demand has resulted in competition among modes, failed goods deliveries, roadway and curbside congestion, and illegal parking. This research increases our understanding of existing curb usage and provides new solutions to officials, planners, and engineers responsible for managing this scarce resource in the future. The research team worked with local agencies to ensure the study’s relevance to their needs and that the results will be broadly applicable for other cities. This research supports the development of innovative curb space designs and ensures that our urban streets may operate more efficiently, safely, and reliably for both goods and people.

The research elements included conducting a thorough scan and documenting previous studies that have examined curb space management, identifying emerging urban policies developed in response to growth, reviewing existing curb management policies and regulations, developing a conceptual curb use policy framework, reviewing existing and emerging technologies that will support flexible curb space management, evaluating curb use policy frameworks by collecting curb utilization data and establishing performance metrics, and simulating curb performance under different policy frameworks.

Authors: Anna Bovbjerg AlligoodDr. Ed McCormackDr. Andisheh Ranjbari, Kevin Chang

Recommended Citation:
Chang, K., Goodchild, A., Ranjbari, A., and McCormack, E. (2022). Managing Increasing Demand for Curb Space in the City of the Future. PacTrans Final Project Report.

Technical Report

Understanding Pacific Highway Commercial Vehicle Operations to Support Emissions Reduction Programs

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URL: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/18660

Publication: Transportation Northwest (TransNow)

Publication Date: 2011

Summary:

This research, enabled by a data collection effort at the international commercial vehicle crossing at Blaine, WA, addressed three key questions regarding commercial vehicle border operations and near border operations. First, what are the unique features of border operations at Blaine, WA, that are not captured within the standard simulation tools (such as Border Wizard)? Second, what logistical inefficiencies are created by the border that increase empty miles traveled, emissions and total travel time between origin and destination? Third, what has the impact of electronic manifest filing been on primary inspection time? The research objectives were to (1) describe near border operations and identify possible solutions to reduce empty truck miles, (2) improve the understanding of the relationship between primary processing time and border crossing time, and (3) identify the impact of ACE (the commercial trade processing system being developed by Customs and Border Protection to facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen border security) electronic manifest filing on primary processing and primary processing time. The report is organized as follows: Chapter 1 describes near border operations through analysis of survey data, current knowledge of the impact of policy on near border facilities, and suggests changes to improve near border operations. Chapter 2 describes the features of processing at Blaine discovered during the data analysis that contribute processing time and border crossing time. Chapter 3 evaluates the impact of ACE on interview time, and compares interview times, crossing times, and volume in the 2009, 2006, and 2001 studies.

Authors: Dr. Anne Goodchild, Matthew Klein

Recommended Citation:
Goodchild, A., & Klein, M. (2011). Understanding Pacific Highway Commercial Vehicle Operations to Support Emissions Reduction Programs (No. TNW2010-11). Transportation Northwest (Organization).

Technical Report

An Examination of the Impact of Commercial Parking Utilization on Cyclist Behavior in Urban Environments

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URL: http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/research/projects/an-examination-of-the-impact-of-increasing-commercial-parking-utilization-on-cyclist-safety-in-urban-environments/

Publication Date: 2016

Summary:

There is little research on the behavioral interaction between bicycle lanes and commercial vehicle loading zones (CVLZ) in the United States. These interactions are important to understand, to preempt increasing conflicts between truckers and bicyclists. In this study, a bicycling simulator experiment examined bicycle and truck interactions. The experiment was successfully completed by 48 participants. The bicycling simulator collected data regarding a participant’s velocity and lateral position. Three independent variables reflecting common engineering approaches were included in this experiment: pavement marking (L1: white lane markings with no supplemental pavement color, termed white lane markings, L2: white lane markings with solid green pavement applied on the conflict area, termed solid green, and L3: white lane markings with dashed green pavement applied on the conflict area, termed dashed green), signage (L1: No sign and L2: a truck warning sign), and truck maneuver (L1: no truck in CVLZ, L2: truck parked in CVLZ, and L3: truck pulling out of CVLZ).

The results showed that truck presence does have an effect on bicyclist’s performance, and this effect varies based on the engineering and design treatments employed. Of the three independent variables, truck maneuvering had the greatest impact by decreasing mean bicyclist velocity and increasing mean lateral position. It was also observed that when a truck was present in a CVLZ, bicyclists had a lower velocity and lower divergence from right-edge of bike lane on solid green pavement, and a higher divergence from the right-edge of bike lane was observed when a warning sign was present.

Authors: Dr. Anne GoodchildDr. Ed McCormackManali Sheth, David S. Hurwitz, Masoud Ghodrat Abadi

Recommended Citation:
Hurwitz, David S., Ed McCormack, Anne Goodchild, Masoud Ghodrat Abadi, and Manali Sheth. An Examination of the Impact of Commercial Parking Utilization on Cyclist Behavior in Urban Environments. 2018.