State Roadways Research Articles

Sustainable Development and Public Transport in Haryana

This study examined the efficiency of public transport in Haryana from 2015-16 to 2020-21 in cognisance of the sustainable development aspect. The depots of the state roadways are considered as decision-making units. The study employed the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique for estimating the scores of the overall technical efficiency (OTE) and pure technical efficiency (PTE) of decision-making units (DMUs) by using three inputs— fleet size, total staff and bus utilisation. The study considered the total daily passengers transported and effective kilometres covered for the output. Further, along with the efficiency measurement, each depot’s total number of accidents has been collected to measure safety. The findings estimated the mean value of the PTE score for all depots, which turns out to be 0.91, indicating that to improve the managerial efficiency of the entire public transport of the state, the depots need to increase the output by 9 per cent. The average OTE score of all selected units is 0.89, reflecting that these DMUs have 89 per cent worked efficiently from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The efficiency score is based on output-oriented issues, meaning that inputs will be constant for total efficiency. The study recommends the promotion of public transport based on sustainability and efficiency in the State of Haryana.

Impact of Solid State Roadway Lighting on Melatonin in Humans.

In 2009, the World Health Organization identified vehicle crashes, both injury-related and fatal, as a public health hazard. Roadway lighting has long been used to reduce crashes and improve the safety of all road users. Ocular light exposure at night can suppress melatonin levels in humans. At sufficient light levels, all visible light wavelengths can elicit this response, but melatonin suppression is maximally sensitive to visible short wavelength light. With the conversion of roadway lighting to solid state sources that have a greater short wavelength spectrum than traditional sources, there is a potential negative health impact through suppressed melatonin levels to roadway users and those living close to the roadway. This paper presents data on the impact of outdoor roadway lighting on salivary melatonin in three cohorts of participants: drivers, pedestrians, and those experiencing light trespass in their homes. In an outdoor naturalistic roadway environment, healthy participants (N = 29) each being assigned to a cohort of either pedestrian, driver, or light trespass experiment, were exposed to five different solid state light sources with differing spectral emissions and one no lighting condition. Salivary melatonin measurements were made under an average roadway luminance of 1.0 cd/m2 (IES RP-18 Roadway Lighting Requirements for expressway roads) with a corneal melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminances (EDI) ranging from 0.22 to 0.86 lux. The results indicate that compared to the no roadway lighting condition, the roadway light source spectral content did not significantly impact salivary melatonin levels in the participants in any of the cohorts. These data show that recommended levels of street lighting for expressway roads do not elicit an acute suppression of salivary melatonin and suggest that the health benefit of roadway lighting for traffic safety is not compromised by an acute effect on salivary melatonin.

Innovative Initiatives: A turnaround by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, India

Road transportation has been the largest means of surface transport along-with railways. To facilitate and monitor transportation State Transport Undertakings were formulated in different states. These undertakings were to be economically and financially viable. Over a period of time these State Transport Undertakings faced financial problems, labour unrest and survival problems. In due course of time ways to combat the problems through the path of innovation and transformation have been found. The first to come out with their innovative initiatives was Karnataka State Transport followed by Uttar Pradesh State Roadways. Implementing of innovative initiatives brought remarkable improvement in the performance of both the undertakings. Introduction of technology and effective organizational strategies both for improved customer services, employee satisfaction and designing ways and means for alternate revenue sources, new model of business gave these undertakings improved satisfaction of their stakeholders, resulting in higher performance.

Using Congestion-Priced Road User Charges to Restore Metropolitan Mobility and Fund Highways

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and evaluate a congestion-pricing strategy that could be used in metropolitan areas to supplement revenue generation mechanisms such as mileage-based user fees and fuel taxes. Congestion charges would be applied with transponder-based technology only on limited access metropolitan highway facilities to pay for the costs of their reconstruction and maintenance. Since most of the worst congestion in metropolitan and state roadways occurs on limited access facilities, this strategy would address the goal of restoring mobility without raising the kinds of privacy concerns that appear with regard to other types of more comprehensive road user charging systems that use location-based technology, such as mileage-based user fees. Proceeds from congestion charges could be used to pay for new low-cost, part-time (dynamic) shoulder travel lane capacity and transit and carpooling enhancements. This approach can increase public acceptability by providing multimodal travel alternatives. The paper discusses the strategy in the context of the reconstruction of the freeway system in a hypothetical metropolitan area, with an availability payment public–private partnership project delivery model to design, finance, build, operate, and maintain the improved freeway network. The analysis presented in the paper suggests that the approach could be financially viable and more economically efficient than conventional transportation funding approaches.

A statistical process control approach using cumulative sum control chart analysis for traffic data quality verification and sensor calibration for weigh-in-motion systems

ABSTRACTWeigh-in-motion systems have been widely used by state agencies to collect the traffic data on major state roadways and bridges to support traffic load forecasting, pavement design and analysis, infrastructure investment decision making, and transportation planning. However, the weigh-in-motion system itself poses difficulties in obtaining accurate data due to sensor characteristics that can be sensitive to vehicle speed, weather conditions, and changes in surrounding pavement conditions. This study focuses on developing a systematic methodology to detect weigh-in-motion sensor bias and enhance current practices for weigh-in-motion calibration. A mixture modeling technique using an expectation maximization algorithm was developed to divide the vehicle class 9 gross vehicle weight into three normally distributed components: unloaded, partially loaded, and fully loaded trucks. Then the well-known statistical process control technique cumulative sum control chart analysis was applied to expectation maximization estimates of daily mean gross vehicle weight for fully loaded trucks to identify and estimate shifts in the weigh-in-motion sensor. Special attention was given to the presence of autocorrelation in the data by fitting an autoregressive time-series model and then performing cumulative sum control chart analysis on the fitted residuals. Results from the analysis suggest that the proposed methodology is able to estimate a shift in the weigh-in-motion sensor accurately and also indicate the time point when the system went out of calibration. This methodology can be effectively implemented by state agencies, resulting in more accurate and reliable weigh-in-motion data.

Data- and Performance-Based Congestion Management Approach for Maryland Highways

Across the country, state departments of transportation face challenges because of limited budgets and increased infrastructure needs. These agencies often are required to make and defend difficult decisions on project prioritization. With the increased availability of data, more quantitative measures can be used to assist in defining the most pressing project needs to improve mobility. This paper summarizes the findings of the 2012 Maryland State Highway Mobility Report, which evaluates the roadway transportation system operations and is a tool for assessing the annual progress of the state's roadway network. With a focus on policies, programs, and projects that systematically address both the recurring and nonrecurring nature of congestion, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has adopted a performance-based approach to provide users with a high-quality, reliable highway system. Four key focus areas were identified: mobility and reliability, incident management and traveler information systems, multimodalism and smart growth, and freight. Performance measures included input measures, such as vehicle miles traveled, travel time index, and planning time index; output measures, such as number of incidents cleared; and various analyses, such as the annual user cost savings attributable to congestion management. In addition, major controlled access corridors were evaluated from the standpoints of congestion, reliability, and bottlenecks with a combination of vehicle probe speed data and traffic volume data. Consistent performance monitoring allowed SHA to compare and prioritize projects much more effectively.

Safety Impact of Pavement Conditions

Pavement condition has been known as a key factor related to ride quality, but it is less clear how pavement condition is related to traffic crashes. The researchers used a geographic information system to link data from the Texas Department of Transportation crash record information system and the pavement management information system. Linking the data provided an opportunity to examine in depth the impact of pavement conditions on traffic crashes. This study analyzed the correlation between four key pavement condition scores and crash rates on a large number of crashes on Texas asphalt nonfreeway roadways between 2008 and 2009. The results overwhelmingly suggest that very good pavement conditions coincide with much lower crash rates compared with very poor conditions. The findings of this study provide insights into how pavement conditions might affect crash rates on different types of roadways. The study also provides critical knowledge that may lead to improvements in safety-oriented pavement design. Because of funding shortages, many state roadways suffer severe pavement deterioration, which may result in increased crash rates, as this study suggests. The findings of this study serve as scientific justification for more adequate maintenance of roadways to avoid further safety deterioration. The researchers recommend that state highway agencies maintain fair or good pavement conditions, at a minimum, on all major state highways. When possible, very good pavement conditions should be maintained to reduce crashes.

Feasibility of an Intermodal Terminal in Rural Texas to Enhance Marketing and Transportation Efficiency

This study examines the economic feasibility of investment in an intermodal terminal in west Texas and its implications for reducing roadway maintenance costs and CO2 emissions. The study focuses on cotton, a leading agricultural commodity in Texas, which is highly dependent on the international market and truck transport from west Texas to the Dallas-Fort Worth complex for purposes of accessing containerized railroad transportation to West Coast ports. Analyses were accomplished with a spatial model of the U.S. cotton industry that features details regarding cotton handling, storage, and transportation activities. The analyses indicate an intermodal terminal in west Texas’ intensive cotton-production region to be economically viable, attracting nearly 30% of Texas’ average cotton production. Implementation of an intermodal terminal in west Texas would annually reduce truck travel on state roadways and lower pavement maintenance expenditure by approximately $1 million and reduce CO2 emissions by 42% to 47%.

Preservation Strategies for Flexible Pavement Network of Washington State Department of Transportation

The flexible pavement network of the Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) consists of 11,600 lane miles of asphalt pavement and 4,600 lane miles of chip seal pavement. Every year a portion of those lane miles will require rehabilitation. However, budget shortfalls in the past decade have created a backlog of pavement rehabilitation needs that must be addressed. Funding forecasts for the next 10 years are for roughly one-half the levels of those before 2000. The ability to maintain a good performance level with reduced funding comes from using innovative techniques and picking the best investment alternatives. Through such strategies, preservation funds are allocated for preventive measures to extend pavement life. The Washington State DOT uses four basic steps to address this mission: (a) continually monitor the condition of the road network, (b) manage the pavement network into the lowest life-cycle cost, (c) create preventive strategies to extend pavement life and reduce costs, and (d) generate 2-year and 10-year plans for preservation of the road network that are based on rehabilitation needs and available resources. Preservation of the concrete network is considered separately. The use of the state's pavement management system provides a framework for evaluating and continually monitoring the performance of the state's roadway investments.

2010 ENA National Scorecard on State Roadway Laws: A Blueprint for Injury Prevention

Concerns the USA Emergency Nursing Association's opinion of traffic laws in the 50 states. Language: en

Index for Estimating Road Vulnerability to Damage from Overweight Vehicles

One component of North Carolina's motor carrier enforcement program is focused on overweight trucks. The aim of this enforcement program is to protect the state's roadway infrastructure, and as such it is important to identify those facilities and roadway segments that are most susceptible to damage from overweight vehicles. For that purpose, a quantitative road vulnerability index (RVI) was developed. Vulnerability is expressed as a function of truck volume, pavement condition, and bridge condition. By weighting these factors, one can assign vulnerability values to road segments statewide. Vulnerable road segments are then mapped in the same geographic information system (GIS) environment used to capture and display motor carrier enforcement activities for overweight violations. In addition to providing information to aid in the spatial assignment of weight enforcement activities, the RVI uses GIS data as a useful tool for the visual analysis and integration of roadway maintenance and operations concerns across various divisions of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Relating Safety and Capacity on Urban Freeways

This research sought to investigate the relationship between capacity and safety on freeway roadways in New Jersey. Using the State's roadway database, capacity was estimated for State roadways using the procedures in the Highway Capacity Manual. Crash prediction models were developed relating crashes and crash rates to the geometric variables used to estimate capacity as well as to capacity and v/c ratio. The research showed that as capacity increases the number of crashes and crash rate also increases. As v/c ratio increased the number of crashes and crash rate decreased indicating that congestion may result in reduced speeds and as a result a lower number of crashes and crash rates. The research points to the need to include operational parameters in performing road safety evaluations.

Computation of Shortest Path in a Fuzzy Network: Case Study with Rajasthan Roadways Network

paper propose a shortest path problem with fuzzy parameters in the domain of Operations Research which is based on Bellman Dynamic Programming algorithm. Attention has been paid to the study of fuzzy network with topological ordering.. Here we discuss the shortest path problem from a specified vertex to all other vertices in a network. For illustration a real life example has been considered from Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Network.

2008 ENA National Scorecard on State Roadway Laws: A Blueprint for Injury Prevention

Emergency Nursing Association's (ENA's) Injury Prevention Institute views safe driving as more than just good practice. With 41,059 fatalities and 2.49 million injuries from motor vehicle crashes in 2007, safe driving is a public health imperative. In November 2008, ENA released its National Scorecard on State Roadway Laws: A Blueprint for Injury Prevention to promote its mission aimed at reducing the number of preventable injuries and deaths. By use of the feedback emergency nurses gave regarding the first scorecard, published in 2006, the 2008 report built on the notion that democracy in the United States is only an idea made real when people are doing the work of citizenship. Seeking to empower ENA members and stakeholders to engage in collaborative public policy efforts, this article provides tips for leveraging the scorecard as an advocacy tool.

Contribution of Behavioral Aspects of Older Drivers to Fatal Traffic Crashes in Florida

Fault in a set of fatal traffic crashes that occurred on state roadways in Florida, primarily in the year 2000, was examined. A case-study approach by a team of trained investigators was taken to examine data compiled from a variety of sources, including traffic homicide reports and crash scene photographs. Crash types were identified in which older drivers were significantly over- and underrepresented in fault. Finally, for crashes in which older drivers were at fault, various contributing factors were identified, including driver errors. Older drivers were overrepresented in fault by a factor of 1.37 compared with younger drivers in the data set. Older drivers were significantly overrepresented in fault in left turn crashes versus oncoming traffic and cross-traffic. Consistent with other work, older drivers were responsible for more intersection than nonintersection crashes. Among other factors, misjudging speeds of other vehicles, failure to observe other vehicles, disregarding traffic signals, and improper (disallowed) left turns were the major driver errors in intersection crashes. Sudden loss of control and driving under the influence of alcohol were the major contributing factors in nonintersection crashes. Approximately 10% of crash contributing factors indicated confusion, inappropriate action, or illegal maneuvers, with more than two-thirds of these cases being attributed to drivers aged 75 years and older. Another important finding of the study is that investigating officers have a tendency to frequently use the term “failure to yield right-of-way,” rather than identifying more specific contributing factors.

Analysis of Fatal Run-Off-the-Road Crashes Involving Overcorrection

In an attempt to identify characteristics that have a strong positive association with overcorrection, data on 579 fatal run-off-the-road (ROR) crashes on state roadways in Florida were analyzed with logistic regression techniques. To overcome shortcomings of traditional analysis methods relying primarily on crash reports, this study relied on case reviews using a broad variety of resources from various disciplines. The data set in this study represents a significant enhancement in accuracy and completeness over that in the initial crash reports; overcorrection was identified using traffic homicide investigation reports. A full model involving 23 explanatory variables was developed, and backward stepwise regression was conducted to identify the most predictive variables. Over-correction cases were strongly associated with alcohol, inattention, high speed, and fatigue and sleeping. Outcomes ranged from roadway departure in the opposite direction, to vehicle impact on returning to the roadway. The study indicated that females were approximately 40% more likely to overcorrect in a fatal ROR crash than males were, with the greatest disparity occurring among middle-aged drivers. Further, while fewer than 20% of fatal ROR crashes occurred where rumble strips were present, drivers were more than 50% more likely to overcorrect than when they were not present. On high-speed (70 mph) roadways with rumble strips, there was almost an 80% higher risk of overcorrection in the crash. Thus, while it appears that rumble strips are effective in preventing many ROR crashes, the contribution of auditory and vibratory sensations of rumble strips to panic oversteering should also be investigated.

Feasibility of Accelerated Pavement Testing to Evaluate Long-Term Performance of Raised Pavement Markers

Raised pavement markers (RPMs) are used to provide long-range nighttime guidance to drivers. The visibility of these markers lessens over time, and they must be replaced. Thus, many state departments of transportation test various markers to provide the most durable marker available. One of the most critical approaches is the field test whereby markers are subjected to a roadway environment for a specified time. Because of the durability of typical RPMs, several years of field testing may be required before a product is qualified for state roadways. To shorten the product evaluation period, the feasibility of using the heavy vehicle simulator (HVS) to perform accelerated wear and deterioration testing of raised pavement markers was investigated. The HVS allows for controlled application of realistic wheel loads to a pavement system, simulating long-term, in-service loading conditions. This paper summarizes the initial results of HVS testing on four types of RPMs with regard to degradation of both the phys...

Feasibility of Accelerated Pavement Testing to Evaluate Long-Term Performance of Raised Pavement Markers

Raised pavement markers (RPMs) are used to provide long-range nighttime guidance to drivers. The visibility of these markers lessens over time, and they must be replaced. Thus, many state departments of transportation test various markers to provide the most durable marker available. One of the most critical approaches is the field test whereby markers are subjected to a roadway environment for a specified time. Because of the durability of typical RPMs, several years of field testing may be required before a product is qualified for state roadways. To shorten the product evaluation period, the feasibility of using the heavy vehicle simulator (HVS) to perform accelerated wear and deterioration testing of raised pavement markers was investigated. The HVS allows for controlled application of realistic wheel loads to a pavement system, simulating long-term, in-service loading conditions. This paper summarizes the initial results of HVS testing on four types of RPMs with regard to degradation of both the physical structure of the element and its level of retroreflectivity. Preliminary accelerated testing indicated similar degradation patterns to field testing, thus showing the potential for HVS accelerated testing to simulate existing field tests. Further evaluation is required to understand better the correlation between accelerated testing and actual in-service degradation rates.

Survey of State Law Enforcement Personnel on Work Zone Enforcement Practices

An important first step in maximizing the effectiveness of work zone law enforcement is to determine how officers operate. Although transportation professionals may understand the benefits of different enforcement strategies, does this translate to improved enforcement methods in the field? A survey was developed and administered to determine the problems encountered by various state law enforcement agencies when enforcing work zones. The survey was also an attempt to identify areas of improvement and innovative practices worthy of further development. State law enforcement agencies from 20 states were contacted by telephone to determine how work zones were enforced in their respective states. Officers were asked questions regarding funding for work zone enforcement; techniques used by law enforcement at work zones; locations in or near work zones where officers are typically stationed; the level of coordination between law enforcement, the state highway authority, and the construction contractor; and initiatives that helped maximize the effectiveness of law enforcement in work zones. A strategy identified in this research was the formation of specialized units to patrol work zones and to train other officers to effectively patrol work zones. A second strategy allows local law enforcement officers and retired officers the opportunity to enforce work zone practices on state roadways to overcome a chronic shortage of available officers.