Medium-sized Communities Research Articles

Dynamic Trip Generation for a Medium-Sized Urban Community

Traditional transportation modeling activities in medium-sized urban communities follow the four-step planning process: trip generation, trip distribution, mode split, and traffic assignment. These models forecast daily traffic volumes on major roadways of the communities to support infrastructure investment decisions. Recently, researchers have focused on dynamic traffic-assignment models, which provide time as a measure in the trip-modeling process, to support incident management and intelligent transportation system–based decisions. As a methodology to support the dynamic traffic-assignment models, development of a dynamic trip-generation model for a medium-sized urban community is considered. An overview of the need for dynamic trip-generation data is presented, and a methodology and a data-collection effort to develop a dynamic trip-generation model are discussed. Results are included of a validation study performed on the model. It is concluded that the models developed in the effort can provide dynamic trip-generation data and represent a first step toward making the dynamic transportation model a viable resource.

Perspective on Our National Air Transportation System: Past, Present, and Future

This presentation contains a discussion of the reconfiguration of the route structure and growth of the U.S. air transportation system from 1970 to 2000. It highlights the evolution and importance of the regional airline industry in providing feeder service to hub airports and service to small- and medium-sized communities. It discusses the expected growth of the demand for air transportation during the period 2001 to 2011. It reviews the situation with respect to airport delay and the factors contributing to these delays and discusses the impact of both demand and capacity changes on airport delay. It contains an indication of recent initiatives to address airport terminal planning issues related to level of service. Finally, it presents a review of aviation security and the implications of the events of September 11 on the airlines and passengers.

Coming Back from Economic Despair: Case Studies of Small- and Medium-Size American Cities

The authors examined a geographically and economically diverse group of 34 small- and medium-size communities that experienced long periods of economic prosperity built around a major industry or company and that then suffered economic declines when those industries substantially reduced their workforces and in some instances closed. The authors’ interviews with local officials and community leaders found that the response to this weakened economic position was typically delayed: Often, a decade or more was required before a plan of action to attract new business and diversify its employment base was developed. Environmental and labor stigmas also had to be overcome. These places provide a valuable insight into what may lie ahead for other small- and medium-size communities that could be affected by the loss of a dominant employer and others that may be faced with economic stagnation. The lack of leadership and a shared vision within a community is likely to prove economically disastrous.

The US Airport Hierarchy and Implications for Small Communities

This paper examines the nature and characteristics of the US airport hierarchy and compares the size distribution of air-traffic communities with the urban hierarchy, using data from 1997. Air-carrier network structures have a significant influence on the distribution of traffic in the US hierarchy, and it is demonstrated that there is greater variability in the relationship between traffic and urban population at the top and bottom sections of the hierarchy than for medium-sized communities. Small communities are examined in detail with economic and demographic characteristics of 'Essential Air Service' communities being presented. It is demonstrated that the subsidised communities are generally located in areas of lower economic growth and lie further from the larger air-traffic hubs than unsubsidised communities.

Alcohol home delivery services: a source of alcohol for underage drinkers.

This study describes the use of alcohol home delivery services by underage drinkers, and characteristics of grocery and liquor stores that deliver alcohol. The availability of alcohol home delivery services across the United States is also described. Individuals surveyed were from 15 small- and medium-sized midwestern communities. Of all enrolled 12th graders, 83.5% (N = 4,487) responded, and of a randomly selected cohort of 18- to 20-year-olds, 93.9% (N = 1,721) responded. All grocery stores that sold alcohol and liquor stores in the corresponding communities were invited to participate in the study and 124 (92.5%) of those businesses completed surveys regarding outlet characteristics and practices. Data for the surveys were based on a nested cross-sectional design with individual respondents nested within the 15 communities. Purchases of delivered alcohol were made by 10% of 12th graders and 7.3% of 18- to 20-year-olds within the past year; 20.2% of outlets delivered alcohol. Using bivariate analyses, purchasing delivered alcohol was associated with male gender, high-risk drinking (drinking five or more drinks on an occasion), more recent and more frequent drinking. Providing delivery services was more common among outlets selling keg beer and/or single servings. Multivariate analyses revealed positive associations between purchasing delivered alcohol and male gender for the 12th graders, and high risk and more recent drinking for both the 12th graders and 18- to 20-year-olds. For outlets, selling keg beer was positively associated with providing delivery services. A separate survey indicated that home delivery services appear to be available in many areas of the country. Home delivery is a previously unidentified source of alcohol for underage drinkers that could be curtailed with effective alcohol policies.

Joint provision of public goods: the consolidation of school districts

A new methodological approach investigates the factors that cause and inhibit political jurisdictions from jointly providing public services. Previous statistical approaches study whether consolidation occurs but are incapable of exploring with whom it occurs. The Poirier bivariate probit analysis suggests population and property value factors matter more than socio-demographic factors in determining whether two neighboring entities will form a consolidated school district. Small and large districts merge with each other, while medium-sized communities tend not to merge. Contrary to prior studies, neither racial composition, income levels, nor hypothetical school quality has a statistically significant effect on the probability of merging.

Changes in bacterial community structure in seawater mesocosms differing in their nutrient status

Quantitative and qualitative changes in bacterial communities from the Mediterranean Sea were analysed under eutrophication conditions simulated in batch mesocosms (addition of inorganic nutrients or phytoplanktonic lysate). A wide variety of methods including traditional microbial ecology techniques, n~olecularb iology and flow cytometry were combined to determine abundances, production, cell size, activity, culturability, and genetic and taxonomic diversity. In all mesocosms, the increase in biomass was rapidly controlled by protozoan grazing. Morphologcal and physiological changes were observed during the growth phase of bacteria and under grazing pressure. The proportion of medium-size and culturable cells increased during the growth phase. Grazing eliminates preferentially active and medium-sized cells withln communities regulating bacterial productivity. Small and large cells were produced as a consequence of grazing pressure, and the large active cells contributed to the remaining productivity after grazing. Although grazing had an effect on the genetic diversity of bacterial communities by eliminating some populations, other species were preserved. It seems that some species such as Alterornonas macleodii may have developed defence strategies to escape predation. We hypothesize that such species may escape grazing by producing small andlor large cells during their growing phase.

Public Transport Pricing Policy: Empirical Evidence of Regional Bus Card Systems in Finland

A research project is concerned with evaluating the effects of new integrated fare and ticket policies on bus use in Finland. The objective of the policy is to reduce energy consumption and the environmental effects of transport by encouraging a modal shift from cars to public transport. The scheme is based on introduction of a monthly regional bus card that offers a substantial discount on normal fares and that is valid from city center to smaller independent communities. The regional bus card is subsidized by local authorities and the state government. Estimates are presented of the fare elasticities of the demand for bus services in two regions in Finland—Oulu and Kuopio—where the regional bus card system has been introduced. The demand for bus cards and for travel with these cards is analyzed. The models used take into account different fare structures as well as the levels of fares, income, car-use costs, and service quality. The estimated elasticities indicate that in the medium-sized Finnish communities analyzed, the demand for both regional bus cards and trips when these cards are used are highly sensitive to price and income. The results are to be used in conjunction with other survey data for a preliminary assessment of the effect of the bus card system on bus patronage and car use.

Consumer Attitudes on Food Irradiation

This study determined the attitudes of Oklahoma Association for Family and Consumer Education (OAFCE) members toward food irradiation. Research questionnaires were mailed to 600 randomly selected OAFCE members. Data collected (N=171; 29% response) were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, t-tests, Duncan's Multiple Range Test and to determine if associations existed between personal and demographic characteristics of the respondents, their knowledge about food irradiation, and whether they will purchase irradiated meats, fruits, vegetables, and miscellaneous food items. Respondents were predominantly female (97%), 55 years or older (70%), White (90%), earning $35,000 or less annually (66%), and residing in communities between less than 500 to 25,000 population (77%). Only 39% of the respondents knew that food irradiation increased shelf life, 33% were aware of the availability of irradiated foods and would purchase irradiated meats, fruits, vegetables, and miscellaneous food items, and 10% knew about radioactivity, safety, and the changes in nutritive value, texture, and taste of irradiated foods. Respondents’ knowledge about food irradiation was obtained through print/radio/television, books, school, and family/friends. Respondents obtaining information through print/radio/television will purchase more meats, fruits, vegetables, and misc. (p≤0.05) than those obtaining information through books, school, family/friends. There are significant associations between race, income, education, residence, and purchasing trends. More Whites will purchase irradiated fruits than Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans (p≤.0.05). Respondents earning more than $35,000 will purchase more meats and fruits (p≤0.05) and more vegetables and misc. (p≤.0.1) than those earning less than $35,000. Those with Bachelor's or higher degrees indicated that they will purchase more meats (p≤0.05), vegetables and misc. (p≤0.1) than respondents with high school or less education. Consumers living in communities of < 5,000 and greater than 25,000 will purchase more irradiated foods (p≤0.05) than those residing in communities between 5,000 to <25,000 population. The results indicate a need for developing education materials that focus on irradiation's effect on the shelf life, safety, nutritive value, texture, and taste of foods. Education through print/radio/television is needed to reach all consumers, especially those residing in medium size communities. Since a great number of food items are now irradiated and are available from various food outlets, consumer education and marketing/advertising efforts could improve consumer acceptance of irradiated foods.

Interdisciplinary team training in geriatrics: reaching out to small and medium-size communities.

Since 1989, six teams in the state of Michigan have been involved in a team training program designed to promote the development of geriatric services in small to medium-size communities. The program was enthusiastically received by participants, but after 18 months, only half of the teams had implemented clinical services for older adults. Monitoring the progress of the teams over 18 months and analyzing the activities of two teams revealed that financially stable and supportive sponsoring agencies and the community were critical factors in the implementation of interdisciplinary clinical services in geriatrics. Future team training programs trying to promote the development of geriatric services in small to medium-size communities should try to address these issues through community organization interventions.

Changes in Leisure Time Physical Activity and High-Density Cholesterol Levels Among White and African American Women

ABSTRACT The objective was to assess the effect of changes in leisure time physical activity on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels among community-based participants. Data from a randomly selected cohort were obtained in 1987, with follow-up measurements in 1991. Two medium-sized South Carolina communities were study sites. The study population included women participants of the 1987 survey and assessment who were available for follow-up measurements in 1991, including 1,003 white and 348 African American women aged 18–89 years. Changes in HDL-C levels in four leisure time physical activity groups, adjusting for age, education, body composition, baseline HDL-C levels, and cigarette smoking status, were measured. Overall, over the 4-year period, mean HDL-C levels increased among women in both age groups, but this change was significant only among women age 50 and older. However, HDL-C increases for inactive women who increased their reported physical activity level at the time of the follo...

Information systems for primary health care: the case of the Aegean islands

The concern of this paper is the creation of an information system for primary health care. The problem environment is characterised by its location – health centres and agrarian surgeries serving small to medium size communities, which make up insular societies on the Aegean islands in Greece. The approach adopted was based on soft systems methodology (SSM) with the aim of obtaining operational models of the problem situation requiring the information system (IS). The SSM approach has proved most efficient in identifying important subsystems within the primary health care system. It also aided in this way the debate about the solutions to the problem of creating an IS in a health centre on the island of Samos.

Restructuring Urban Schools: The New Futures Experience

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s New Futures Initiative is an effort to increase the life chances of disadvantaged youth by promoting institutional change in the schools and other youth-serving agencies in several medium-sized communities. The research reported here was conducted over the first three years of the five-year initiative and focuses only on the educational portion of New Futures. The findings are not conclusions about the effectiveness of New Futures, but rather they offer a mid-point assessment of attempts at restructuring a set of targeted schools to better serve at-risk students. In general, it was found that educational initiatives have not yet stimulated the restructuring of these schools. For the most part, interventions were supplemental and left the basic activities and practices of schools unaltered. Little change could be found in the social relations between educators and students; curriculum and instruction left students unengaged in serious academic work; new roles for teachers and administrators largely failed to materialize; and schools were unable to find ways of collaborating with other institutions, both public and private, to strengthen their educational resources. Despite these disappointing findings, New Futures has succeeded in bringing together most of the major stakeholders concerned with youth in each community. Important dialogue has developed, and the inadequacies of the first set of interventions appear to have stimulated a reconsideration of how to change schools to make them substantially more effective. Finally, the need for a policy-making collaborative responsive to the problems of youth has been recognized.

Restructuring Urban Schools: The New Futures Experience

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s New Futures Initiative is an effort to increase the life chances of disadvantaged youth by promoting institutional change in the schools and other youth-serving agencies in several medium-sized communities. The research reported here was conducted over the first three years of the five-year initiative and focuses only on the educational portion of New Futures. The findings are not conclusions about the effectiveness of New Futures, but rather they offer a mid-point assessment of attempts at restructuring a set of targeted schools to better serve at-risk students. In general, it was found that educational initiatives have not yet stimulated the restructuring of these schools. For the most part, interventions were supplemental and left the basic activities and practices of schools unaltered. Little change could be found in the social relations between educators and students; curriculum and instruction left students unengaged in serious academic work; new roles for teachers and administrators largely failed to materialize; and schools were unable to find ways of collaborating with other institutions, both public and private, to strengthen their educational resources. Despite these disappointing findings, New Futures has succeeded in bringing together most of the major stakeholders concerned with youth in each community. Important dialogue has developed, and the inadequacies of the first set of interventions appear to have stimulated a reconsideration of how to change schools to make them substantially more effective. Finally, the need for a policy-making collaborative responsive to the problems of youth has been recognized.

High HIV risk-taking among young gay men

Previous research has shown younger age to be correlated with greater HIV sexual risk-taking among gay men. The purpose of this study was to identify variables associated with HIV risk-taking among younger gay men. Ninety-nine gay men aged 18-25 in three medium-sized West Coast communities completed self-report questionnaires regarding HIV-related behaviors and attitudes. Of the respondents, 43% reported having engaged in unprotected anal intercourse during the previous 6 months. Men who engaged in unprotected anal intercourse reported greater enjoyment of unprotected anal intercourse, perceived less risk of unprotected anal intercourse, labeled themselves as more at risk for AIDS, reported poorer communication skills with sexual partners, and were more likely to have a boyfriend/lover than men who had not engaged in high-risk sex. In addition, respondents perceived the likelihood of acquiring HIV from unprotected anal intercourse with young gay men to be significantly lower than with older gay men. These findings highlight the need for HIV risk-reduction interventions designed specifically for young gay men and identify critical areas to be targeted in such interventions.

Corporate Community Responsibility: A Vision Of Partnership

Abstract The author presents a case for closer corporate-community involvement in terms of oil and gas development in the 1990s. He states that people will demand more and better project information; more participation in selected decisions such as sting, access, emergency planning, pollution control, local benefits; more information on environmental/social impacts and the mitigation of negative ones; more documentation about the need for a project; a wider discussion of compensation issues; and more of a role in monitoring project operations and in planning for their termination. The author presents a model of corporate community partnership to address these trends. Introduction This paper grows out of the work of the author's recent experiences in working with oil and gas companies, government departments and a variety of smaller to medium-sized communities. Specifically, this work has involved sour gas, heavy oil and tar sands exploration and development in Alberta; oil and gas exploration and northern benefits in the Mackenzie District of the Northwest Territories. The author's role centred on designing and carrying out community relations activities to bring government, companies, communities, and individuals into a better understanding of each other and into a better working relationship around projects. Since 1980 the author's work has taken place in the Alberta communities of Pincher Creek, Hinton, Mulhurst and a number of Pigeon Lake summer villages, Bearberry, Sundre, the Elizabeth Metis Settlement, Hythe, Fort McMurray, Fort McKay, Fort Chipewyan, Red Earth, and Grande CentreCold Lake; and the Northwest Territories communities of Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort Norman, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife. Corporate clients have included Canadian Superior Oil Ltd. (now Mobil Oil Canada Ltd.), Shell Canada Limited, Esso Resources Canada Limited, Diamond Shamrock (now Maxus Energy Canada Ltd.), Norcen Energy Resources Limited, Forest Oil Corporation, Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Ltd. Gulf Canada Resources Limited, and Canstar (Petro-Canada/Nova). Government clients have included The Northern Alberta Development Council, The Energy Resources Conservation Board, Alberta Environment, and Energy, Mines and Resources Secretariat, Northwest Territories. Community Relations Basic Assumptions The author's approach is based on several assumptions about the rights and obligations of the various participants in any oil and gas development. These assumptions include:people affected by a project need to know about and understand it;people need to have timely, quality information in a form usable to them;people need to have a way of expressing their questions and concerns relative to a project;people need to have a way to share their knowledge and experience with each other and the project developer;people need to be consulted and involved in same of the details involved in project decision-making;people need to have manageable recourse for damages or for ocher disputes;people need to be prOlectcd from any negative effects of project and to understand and participate in thm protection;people need their environment protected and sensitlvely urilized;people need to accept the responsibili[y for becoming informed and in responding to project-related issues and questions; andopportunities to participate need to be provided by all panies.

The Political Styles and Organizational Strategies of American Prosecutors: Examples from Nine Courthouse Communities*

This paper focuses on the relationship between the political styles and organizational strategies of prosecutors in nine medium‐sized courthouse communities in the United States. Three political styles are identified and a choice model developed that rests on the prosecutors' satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the status of their offices and on their view regarding the expected value of conflict. In turn these styles lead to different organizational strategies in which bureaucratization and office culture, given the mediating effects of office size and staff loyalty, are used as policy tools to achieve prosecutor goals.

Changing Seats in a Medium-Sized Remote Community: The Implications of this Phenomenon

This paper addresses the implications of social workers changing their position within the same medium-sized remote communities (that is, approximately 20,000 - 30,000 people). This issue has particular relevance to these communities, yet would not be relevant to the same extent in larger cities. Social workers who have changed their position within this sized community (Whyalla) completed a questionnaire examining what they perceived to be the implications for the worker, agencies involved, clients and the community.

Organized kidney retrieval on a regional basis. A new approach.

A network of small to medium-sized communities has been developed to increase the supply of cadaveric kidneys for renal allotransplantation. After a training period, community physicians and the community hospitals were designated as members of the transplant team to retrieve kidneys. A threefold increase in the number of cadaveric kidneys has resulted from this project. This mechanism for organized kidney retrieval on a regional basis could be used to augment the supply of cadaveric organs in other areas of the United States.

The relationship between safety belt usage as observed in selected California communities and belt configuration in the vehicle

In the fall of 1971, safety belt usage (lap belt only or lap/shoulder combination) was observed for more than 9000 front seat occupants of certain late model automobiles in three medium-sized communities in California. Vehicles were observed in low speed and high speed driving situations and observations recorded accordingly. Data were obtained for Chrysler. Ford and General Motors passenger cars for model years 1968–1971. Belt configuration is defined across three design variables—(a) push-button vs lift-latch buckle; (b) manual vs automatic belt adjustment; and (c) three-point vs four-point belt. It does not appear that belt usage is a function of vehicle age or manufacturer. Moreover, at the 5 per cent significance level, only one of the 12 relevant tests supports the hypothesis that usage is a function of belt configuration. One additional test supports this hypothesis at the 10 per cent significance level.