July/August
2002
ALONG
THE ROAD
Along
the Road is the place to look for information about current and upcoming
activities, developments, trends, and items of general interest to
the highway community. This information comes from U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT) sources unless otherwise indicated. Your suggestions
and input are welcome. Let's meet along the road.
Policy
and Legislation
Growing
Traffic Congestion Threatens Nation's Economy, Quality of Life
In
testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee
on Highways and Transit, Federal Highway Administrator Mary E. Peters
said that increased traffic congestion is a growing threat to the
Nation's economy and quality of life of all Americans. Peters delivered
her testimony on May 21, 2002, during a subcommittee hearing on "Relieving
Highway Congestion through Capacity Enhancements and Increased Efficiency."
To enhance
the operation of highways, Peters called for increased coordination
among agencies responsible for roadway operations, including traffic,
public safety, parking, media, and emergency response agencies. Increased
capacity, improved efficiency, and proper system preservation have
positive effects on the environment, safety, and security of our Nation's
highways, she said.
A long-term
strategy is needed to address congestion by increasing capacity, making
the system more efficient, and preserving the Nation's system of roads
and bridges, Peters said. One of the major reasons for increased traffic
congestion is that the system has not kept pace with the growing demands
placed on it.
From
1980 to 2000, highway travel increased 80 percent, and the number
of drivers rose by 30 percent, while the number of miles of highway
increased only 2 percent. At the same time, 84 percent of the Nation's
$7 trillion in freight traffic uses highways, with truck travel expected
to grow by more than 3 percent annually over the next 20 years.
The number
of drivers is increasing slightly faster than overall population,
and drivers on average are traveling more miles each year. Presently,
91 percent of all person-miles traveled in the United States occur
in private vehicles. Although passenger travel growth is expected
to slow, it nonetheless will grow more than 40 percent over the next
two decades.
Peters
stressed that the physical condition of America's transportation infrastructure
is improving, in part be-cause of increased Federal funding from the
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and
the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).
A recent
Texas Transportation Institute study estimates, however, that the
cost of congestion in just 68 urban areas has grown from $21 billion
in 1982 to $78 billion in 1999 (36 hours per driver annually and 6.8
billion gallons of wasted fuel). The institute's study estimated that
congestion results in 4.4 billion person hours of delay annually in
the 68 urban areas it studied.
Peters
also testified that highway improvements, where appropriate, can help
save lives and reduce traffic crashes.
"Highway
improvements are sometimes the best way to reduce crashes, fatalities,
and injuries on our roads," Peters said. "Removing obstacles,
installing barriers and rumble strips, adding passing lanes, and widening
shoulders will both improve safety and relieve congestion."
Finally,
Peters concluded that while adding capacity, Federal, State, and local
agencies will continue to work with other modes of transportation,
environmental groups, and other partners and stakeholders to remain
good stewards of the environment.
NHTSA
Sets Standard for Tire Pressure Monitoring Devices
On
May 30, 2002, in response to a mandate in the Transportation Recall
Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation Act of 2000, the U.S.
Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) issued part one of a two-part final rule requiring tire pressure
monitoring systems that warn the driver when a tire is significantly
underinflated.
According
to NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., properly maintained,
properly inflated tires are crucial for safety. Runge said that this
new standard and NHTSA's continuing studies of its implementation
will help Americans keep their tires in peak condition for optimum
control and braking.
According
to an NHTSA research survey, 27 percent of passenger cars on U.S.
roadways are driven with one or more substantially underinflated tires.
In addition, the survey found that 33 percent of light trucks (including
sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks) are driven with one
or more substantially underinflated tires.
Operating
a vehicle with substantially underinflated tires can result in a tire
failure, such as blowouts, with the potential for a loss of vehicle
control. Underinflated tires also reduce tire life and increase fuel
consumption.
The new
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard applies to passenger cars, trucks,
multipurpose passenger vehicles, and buses with gross vehicle weight
ratings of 10,000 pounds or less, except those vehicles with dual
wheels on an axle.
This
document establishes two compliance options for the period between
November 1, 2003, and October 31, 2006. These options are designed
to allow vehicle manufacturers to use either of the two types of tire
pressure monitoring systems currently available one measures the pressure
in each tire and the other uses a vehicle's antilock brake system
to sense tire pressure differences by monitoring the speed of tire
revolution.
The second
part of the final rule will be issued by March 1, 2005, and will establish
performance requirements that will become effective on November 1,
2006. In the meantime, NHTSA will leave the rulemaking docket open
for the submission of new data and analyses concerning the performance
of the monitoring systems, including systems in the field as well
as those under development. The Agency urges anyone who submits comments
to supply data and information to substantiate the comments to the
maximum extent possible.
NHTSA
also plans to conduct a study comparing the tire pressures of vehicles
with no monitors to the pres-sures of vehicles with the systems. The
study will help the Agency evaluate the differences in tire pressures
be-tween vehicles with and without the equipment, which will influence
the decision on the second part of the rule.
Management
and Administration
U.S.
Transportation Department Recognizes Commuter Choice Pioneers
In
presentations at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters
in Washington, DC, Federal Highway Administrator Mary E. Peters joined
EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman in recognizing public sector
organizations for expanding choices available to commuters. On May
14, 2002, in conjunction with National Transportation Week, DOT Secretary
Norman Y. Mineta commended 11 publicly supported agencies from eight
States and Washington, DC, as pioneers in providing choices for commuters
in dealing with congestion and the challenge of getting to work:
- King
County Department of Transportation, Seattle,
WA
- Washington
State Department of Transportation, WA
- CARAVAN
for Commuters, Inc., Boston, MA
- The
Rideshare Company, Windsor, CT
- RIDES
for Bay Area Commuters, Oakland, CA
- Metro
Commuter Services, St. Paul, MN
- TMA
Group, Franklin, TN
- Ride
Arrangers Program, Denver Regional Council of Governments, Denver,
CO
- Valley
Metro, Phoenix, AZ
- Commuter
Connections, Metropolitan Washington Area Council of Governments,
Washington, DC
- Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Washington, DC
By improving
the choices available for commuters, these agencies are playing an
important role in reducing the overall impact of congestion and protecting
the environment, Secretary Mineta said.
Commuter
Choice is a partnership between government and business, designed
to help employers create customized solutions to the commuting challenges
faced by employees. Commuter Choice can involve communities and residents,
schools and students, and even developers and future tenantsall working
to provide and promote choices for travelers.
Peters
said that these public agencies led the way on Commuter Choice through
transit and vanpool benefits, consolidated ownership of vanpool fleets,
guaranteed ride programs, telecommuting, ride matching services, alternative
work arrangements, parking programs, bike and walk initiatives, and
commute trip reduction laws and ordinances. Several are providing
real-time traveler information and services at employment sites.
Additional
information about the Commuter Choice initiative is on the Internet
at www.commuterchoice.gov
and www.commuterchoice.com.
Mineta
Announces $11 Million Grant to Reduce Congestion in Washington, DC
DOT
Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced $11 million in Federal discretionary
funds to improve safety and reduce congestion on the 14th Street bridges
connecting Washington, DC, and northern Virginia on heavily traveled
I-395. U.S. Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia and DC Delegate Eleanor
Holmes Norton joined the Secretary at the Jefferson Memorial for the
May 13 announcement.
Under
the 14th Street Bridges project, safety improvements will be made
to the interchanges where I-395 meets the bridges from the Virginia
and the District of Columbia sides and to the nearby Humpback Bridge
on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which intersects I-395.
The overall project also includes access improvements to the Columbia
Island Marina on the parkway and improvements on roads within the
District of Columbia.
The 14th
Street Bridges project is eligible for funding under the Public Lands
Discretionary Funding Program, one of several discretionary funding
categories administered by FHWA.
Colorado
DOT "Unwire" Provides Travelers with Real-Time Road Condition
Information
The
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is providing a new and
innovative service that enables travelers to obtain real-time information
on weather and road conditions just about anywhere in the State and
even the country. The "unwire" is a process that enables
mobile
users to access dynamic information from CDOT's Web site and other
databases, using virtually any Web-enabled cell phone, personal digital
assistant (PDA), or other wireless device. Travelers can access statewide
infor-mation on current incidents, weather, and road conditions by
entering www.cotrip.org in a wireless browser.
The technology
provides critical information to drivers, enabling them to make informed
decisions on whether to travel, the route to take, or the best way
to prepare for travel. Colorado is among the leaders in
the Nation in providing this type of technology in
a user-friendly format that accommodates many devices.
For more
information, contact Frank Kinder with CDOT's Intelligent Transportation
Systems at 3035125820.
Colorado
Department of Transportation
![Screenshot of Colorado DOT's new real-time traveler informtion Web site](images/alongcotrip.jpg) |
The
Colorado Department of Transportation's new real-time traveler
information Web site at www.cotrip.org
provides travelers using Web-ready cell phones and personal
digital assistants with access to everything from weather conditions
and road closures to rest area locations and current ski conditions.
|
FHWA
Awards $2.9 Million for Improving U.S. 212 In Minnesota
On
April 29, 2002, DOT Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and U.S. Congressman
Mark Kennedy of Minnesota announced that FHWA is awarding Minnesota
with $2.9 million in discretionary funding for U.S. 212 in the Twin
Cities area. The project will help provide safer and more efficient
movement of people and goods in the Twin Cities area, Secretary Mineta
said.
U.S.
212 is a new 29-kilometer (18-mile) freeway from I-494 in Eden Prairie
to Cologne through the cities of Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, Chaska,
and Cologne in Hennepin and Carver counties. Construction was completed
on part of the road, from I-494 to CSAH 4 in Eden Prairie, with right-of-way
and other work underway or planned for the rest of the road. The estimated
cost of completing the project is $175.6 million.
Because
Minnesota borders Canada, our Nation's largest trading partner, the
U.S. 212 project is eligible for funding under the National Corridor
Planning and Development Program and the Coordinated Border Infrastructure
Program, which provide funding for planning, project development,
construction, and operation of projects that serve border regions
near Mexico and Canada, and other high-priority corridors throughout
the United States. The programs are among several discretionary funding
categories administered by FHWA.
Under
the corridors program, States and metropolitan planning organizations
are eligible for discretionary grants for corridor feasibility and
planning, multistate coordination, environmental review, and construction.
Under the borders program, they are eligible for grants for improvements
in transportation and safety infrastructure, operations, regulations,
coordination, and safety inspections.
Technical
News
University
of Nebraska Researchers Develop SAFER Barrier
The
University of Nebraska's Midwest Roadside Safety Facility,
a research organization focusing on all aspects of highway design
and safety, developed a new Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER)
barrier, which was installed in all four turns at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway. Under development since 1998, SAFER is designed to
absorb energy during a crash, thus giving the driver a better chance
of survival at crashes up to 150 miles per hour. The research facility,
receiving some funding from the Midwest Regional Pooled Fund program,
is looking for ways to incorporate the barrier into highways.
Saskatchewan
Project Aims to Deter Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions
Wildlife-vehicle
collisions soon may be reduced if a pilot project tested in rural
Saskatchewan, Canada, proves effective. Saskatchewan Highways and
Transportation, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, and a local Canadian
company partnered to install a wildlife warning system along a 5-kilometer
(3-mile) stretch of highway with a history of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
The devices
consist of a small cabinet containing electronic and communication
hardware, sensors for vehicle detection, and an animal warning devicemounted
to roadside poles every 300 meters (980 feet). Approaching vehicles
trigger a sensor that activates the warning system, which uses sounds
and lights to repel wildlife. The solar-powered warning system has
no physical barriers, allowing animals to maintain their normal migration
patterns.
"This
unique initiative could make highways much safer for drivers since
wildlife collisions are a major problem in Saskatchewan," Highways
and Transportation Minister Mark Wartman said.
The wildlife
warning system will be tested for 2 years. A committee including representatives
from Saskat-chewan Highways and Transportation, Saskatchewan Environment,
Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
the Canadian Automobile Association, and others will evaluate the
effectiveness of the pilot project.
Government
of Saskatchewan
AASHTO
Adopts New Asphalt Temperature Prediction Standard
The
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials'
(AASHTO) Subcommittee on Materials recently adopted a new asphalt
pavement temperature prediction standard developed through FHWA's
Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program. The standard provides
an improved method for predicting the temperature within the asphalt
layers of a pavement, using readily available data such as the infrared
pavement surface temperature collected during routine deflection testing,
the average air temperature the day before testing, and the time of
testing.
Being
able to predict pavement temperature accurately and its effect on
the deflection testing is important, as deflection testing is used
to evaluate such pavement characteristics as axle and vehicle load
capacities, structural life, and uniformity. To analyze the data
effectively, the researcher needs to adjust the deflection results
to account for both seasonal and temperature variations. Along with
the temperature prediction method, the LTPP program developed procedures
for adjusting the deflection data for temperature. Applying these
procedures allows data collected under varying temperature conditions
to be compared and used interchangeably.
The new
AASHTO standard entitled, Prediction of Asphalt-Bound Pavement
Layer Temperatures (No. T317-02), will be published in the 22nd
edition of AASHTO's Standard Specifications for Transportation
Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing. The new edition
is expected to be available in August 2002.
The
temperature prediction and data adjustment procedures developed by
the LTPP program are available in the report, Temperature Predictions
and Adjustment Factors for Asphalt Pavements (Publication No.
FHWA-RD-98-085).
The
report is available on the LTPP Web site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/pub_listing.cfm?areas=LTPP.
Or request a printed copy from the FHWA Research and Technology Report
Center at 3015770818. For more information, contact Cheryl
Richter at FHWA, 2024933148 or e-mail cheryl.richter@fhwa.dot.gov.
For
more information on the AASHTO standard, contact the AASHTO Publications
Order Department at 8002313475 or visit AASHTO's Web site
at www.transportation.org/publications/bookstore.nsf.
Public
Information and Information Exchange
Study
Shows Economic Impact of U.S. Vehicle Crashes Reaches $230.6 Billion
A
comprehensive new study released on May 9, 2002, by DOT's National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that the economic
impact of motor vehicle crashes on America's roadways has reached
$230.6 billion per year, or an average of $820 for every person living
in the United States. The new report, based on calendar year 2000
data, calculates the U.S. economic costs of an average roadway fatality
at $977,000 and estimates the economic costs associated with a critically
injured crash survivor at $1.1 million.
"This
new report offers further proof of the enormous toll America faces
each year due to death and injury on our roadways," said Transportation
Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. "It underscores the compelling need
for all of usindividuals as well as governmentto strengthen our commitment
to highway safety."
The NHTSA
study highlights the vital importance of seat belts. The use of seat
belts prevents an estimated 11,900 fatalities annually and 325,000
serious injuries, saving $50 billion in medical care, lost productivity,
and other injury-related costs. Conversely, the failure of crash victims
to wear seat belts leads to an estimated 9,200 unnecessary fatalities
and 143,000 needless injuries, costing society $26 billion.
The report
underscores the huge economic expenditures associated with alcohol-involved
crashes, which resulted in an estimated 16,792 fatalities in 2000
and 513,000 in nonfatal injuriesamounting to $50.9 billion in economic
costs. Alcohol-related crashes account for 22
percent of all crash costs. The impact of alcohol involvement increases
with injury severity. Crashes linked to alcohol accounted for 46 percent
of fatal injury crash costs, 21 percent of nonfatal crash costs, and
10 percent of the costs in crashes involving property damage only.
The study
determined that excessive driving speed is associated annually with
12,350 fatalities and 690,000 nonfatal injuries, representing 30 percent
of all fatalities and 13 percent of all nonfatal injuries. Crashes
in which at least one driver was exceeding the legal speed limit or
driving too fast for conditions totaled $40.4 billion in 2000, or
$144 for every person living in the United States.
The NHTSA
study, The Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes 2000, also
estimates the annual economic cost of roadway crashes:
- $61
billion in lost workplace productivity
- $20.2
billion in lost household productivity
- $59
billion in property damage
- $32.6
billion in medical costs
- $25.6
billion in travel delay costs
All told,
the cost of motor vehicle crashes in the United States has reached
2.3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.
The
new study is available on NHTSA's Web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
ITS
Operations Guide 2002 Now Available
An
online version of the FHWA ITS/Operations Resource Guide 2002
is now available. The guide is a comprehensive listing of more than
300 documents, Web sites, training courses, software tools, and points
of contact related to intelligent transportation systems (ITS).
To
access the guide, visit
www.its.dot.gov/guide.html.
New
CD Offers Information on ITS Standards
The
ITS Standards Program Resource CD 1, released by DOT at the ITS America
Annual Meeting in May 2002, contains resources to help transportation
professionals learn about, procure, and deploy standards-based intelligent
transportation systems. The CD contains links to resources on the
ITS Standards Web site www.its-standards.net
and multimedia presentations about the benefits of using ITS standards.
The CD also contains information about the extensive technical assistance
resources offered by the ITS Standards Program to public agencies
considering standards-based ITS equipment.
To
request free copies of the CD, complete the online form at www.nawgits.com/jpo/stdscd1_req.html.
FHWA
Announces 2001 Roadside Photography Winners
Twelve
States submitted more than 100 photographs for consideration in FHWA's
annual Photo Opportunity competition, which recognizes outstanding
photographs of protected or restored native flowers and vegetation
along State and Interstate highways.
![Photo of flowers](images/alongflower.jpg) |
The
Missouri Department of Transportation increases public and agency
awareness of roadside vegetation by hosting an annual photography
competition. |
Four
States brought home all the first-place awards. Maryland earned three
first-place nods in the categories of Planted Non-natives, Public
Awareness, and Invasive Species. Idaho picked up two first-place awards
in the categories of Planted Natives and Restoration and Management.
California took first place in the Close-Up category, and Minnesota
came through with a first-time win in the Protective Natives category.
This
year's photographs included a number of exceptional views from the
roadway and roadside, representing the many roles that vegetation
plays in transportation corridors. A selection of these photographs
will be featured in the 2003 Earth Day calendar. Bonnie Harper-Lore,
a restoration ecologist with FHWA's Roadside Vegetation Management
Program and organizer of the awards, is especially enthusiastic about
the newest category, Invasive Species. "Maryland's work on a
laminated guide to distinguish between the invasive Ailanthusor tree
of heavenand the common native plant, Rhus, or sumac, will certainly
be useful for maintenance crews and others," Harper-Lore says.
"Identification is the key first step in controlling costly weeds."
![Photo of Idaho roadside](images/alongidaho.jpg) |
The
Idaho Transportation Department plants native penstemons and
other species as part of its roadside beautification program.
|
The
deadline for photo submissions for the 2002 Photo Opportunity Awards
is November 5, 2002. Visit FHWA's Roadside Vegetation Management Web
site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/veg_mgt.htm
or contact Bonnie Harper-Lore at 6512916104 for more information.
Washington
State Doubles Its Ability to Clear Disabled Vehicles
Under
a $3 million program, Washington State is doubling its incident response
trucks (IRTs) from 19 to 38, beginning in July 2002. Washington's
legislature authorized the Washington State Department of Transportation
to borrow money from the State's paving program to expand the incident-response
team.
The vehicles
will be positioned on 34 segments of the busiest and most congested
sections of freeway in the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. Along
with tow trucks, other IRT vehicles will include large trucks that
can push disabled cars out of the roadways, flash warning signs to
oncoming cars, carry crews to clean up debris, change flat tires,
and deliver gas to stranded motorists.
Since
January 1, 2002, the State's IRTs have responded to nearly 3,000 incidents.
The sooner an IRT can get to an incident, the sooner the traffic can
flow once again.
Video
to Help Curb Road-Building Delays from Utility Relocations
FHWA
has produced a 19-minute video for audiences in highway construction
agencies and utilities, outlining seven States' successful approaches
for saving time and money when coordinating utility relocations.
The video,
"CCC: Making the Effort Works!" focuses on the "CCC"
principles of coordination, cooperation, and communication that can
help infrastructure builders and utility staff compare notes earlier
in the relocation process to receive better results.
Based
on research and recommendations contained in the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Utilities
Guidelines and Best Practices, the video provides tips about how
agencies and utility companies can partner and work together through
the process.
Copies
of the video may be obtained by contacting FHWA's Paul Scott at 2023664104
or John Perry at 2023662023.
Personnel
Mineta
Announces Federal Transit Deputy Administrator
On
May 29, 2002, DOT Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced the appointment
of Robert Jamison to serveas
deputy administrator for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Jamison
has more than 15 years experience in domestic and international corporate
planning, operations, and management. He comes to FTA from the American
Red Cross, where he served as an operations manager from 1997 to 1999,
when he became Senior Operations Officer, with responsibilities for
managing a $2.5 billion budget and a 33,000-employee nonprofit organization.
His management experience also includes 13 years at United Parcel
Service, where he had many roles ranging from operations supervision
to oversight of investment in foreign operation infrastructure to
management of systems and infrastructure for the Washington metropolitan
area for the $30 billion company.
As deputy
administrator, Jamison will lead the operations of the 170-person,
10-region field staff that administer the $6 billion FTA programs
with hands-on, day-to-day contact with transit operators across the
country. He will shepherd the investment of FTA's $4.5 billion budget
for transit capital construction to ensure that America's transit
riders continue to get the most from America's transit resources.
Jamison
is a 1987 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Memphis.
He and his wife, Meg, reside in Alexandria, VA.
FHWA's
First Environmental Statesmanship Award Goes to Bradley Mallory
FHWA
awarded the Agency's first Environmental Statesmanship Award to Bradley
L. Mallory, secretary of transportation for Pennsylvania. The award
recognizes individuals whose high standard of commitment contributes
in a positive way to both the environment and transportation.
Under
Mallory's leadership, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
(PennDOT) increased transit ridership; added hundreds of miles of
new walkways and bikeways; and benefited from programs like wetland
banking, land-use planning, and environmental research.
At the
award ceremony, Mallory said, "I strongly believe that a commitment
to the environment is crucial if we are to move transportation forward
both in Penn-sylvania and around the Nation. We at PennDOT are working
hard to be good environmental stewards as we provide a safe, swift,
and smooth transportation experience."
FHWA
Executive Director Frederick "Bud" Wright presented the
award to Mallory during the spring meeting of the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials in Farmington, PA.
Conferences/Events
Register
Now for Traffic Court Seminar
The
American Bar Association's 58th Annual National Traffic
Court Seminar will take place October 911, 2002, at the National
Judicial College on the University of Nevada Reno campus.
Among
the topics for discussion are instruments for checking vehicle speeds,
the admissibility of speed check evidence, and railroad grade crossing
safety. Attendees also will have the opportunity to participate in
live demonstrations of breath testing instruments and to learn more
about problems involving drug- and alcohol-impaired drivers.
To
register or find out more, contact the Traffic Court Committee at
8002382667, ext. 5700.
Other
Articles in this issue:
Taking
Concrete to the Next Level
Getting
It Together
Fine-Tuning
Innovative Technologies
On
the Road Testing Roads
Paving
the Way
Making
Roads Better and Better
Texas
Tests Precast for Speed and Usability
The
Biggest Bang for Your Buck
New
Software Promises to Put Whitetopping on the Map
Road
Map to the Future