Featured Research
TTI Helps TxDOT Evaluate the Economic Impact of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway
Despite its benefit to the petrochemical industry and the state’s overall economy, most Texans know very little about the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). Though it stretches from Brownsville, Texas, to Carrabelle, Florida, the Texas leg hugs the shoreline to Orange. The robust activity along those 379 miles of coastline will soon be described in a study conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) as part of a first-of-its-kind GIWW master plan being developed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
“Our interest in studying all aspects of the Intracoastal Waterway really grew from the planned Panama Canal expansion project,” Sarah Bagwell, TxDOT’s policy and planning coordinator, explains. “Last year, we established the agency’s first Maritime Division to keep tabs on the expansion and study what that could mean for Texas. A GIWW master plan is a natural step for the division.” (Read More)
Multimodal Freight Transportation
The Multimodal Freight Transportation programs research technology, policy, and operational issues associated with freight transportation as well as issues associated with the interconnection of modes. In addition to freight transportation, the multimodal group also researches issues associated with intercity passenger rail and proposed High Speed Rail (HSR) systems throughout the U.S. Research units within the multimodal group include:
The staff and associated personnel include professional researchers from academic backgrounds including transportation and industrial engineering, as well as urban and regional planning, computer science, transportation management, and economics. Their expertise includes transportation operations and analysis, computer modeling software design and development, structural dynamics, soil mechanics and dynamics, data collection and management, advanced systems applications, and the development of technology transfer strategies. Researchers frequently present papers, lectures, and training sessions on their studies at locations throughout the U.S.
