Tertiary Roads Research Articles

Potential distribution of coyotes (Canis latrans), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the Chicago Metropolitan Area

Large-scale distribution models are effective predictors of habitat suitability and connectivity across broad landscapes and are useful management tools, though few large-scale species distribution models exist for medium-sized predators in urban landscapes. We modeled the potential distribution of 4 medium-sized predators in a 17,361-km2 portion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. We applied a maximum entropy algorithm model (MaxEnt) using presence-only data collected via remote cameras from 54 Lake County, Illinois, forest preserves during August–October 2008–2012. Environmental data layers used to model distributions were distances to forest, grassland, barren land, crops, wetlands, developed open space, developed low intensity, developed high intensity, water, primary roads, secondary roads, and tertiary roads. Coyotes (Canis latrans) had the greatest area of potential distribution followed by opossums (Didelphis virginiana), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and raccoons (Procyon lotor). Models for all species had high AUC values (0.90–0.94) indicating strong predictive performance. More than 50% of the study area was predicted to be within the distributional limit for each focal species. Distance to forest was the most important contributory predictor for all species modeled (82% - 96%) and higher probability of presence for all 4 species was indicated closer to forest and further from tertiary roads. However, coyotes and raccoons were predicted to prefer habitat closer to highly-developed areas. Our research indicates medium-sized predators are highly synanthropic and able to persist within the Chicago Metropolitan Area given adequate availability of non-urban land cover, particularly forest, and ample green space linking forest patches within highly-developed areas.

Caracterización de una escoria de alto horno para proyectos

The present study evaluated the potential use of Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) as forming material of untreated granular layers in pavement (e.g. base, subbase and subgrade), and as stone aggregate in the manufacture of asphalt mixtures. For that purpose, tests of characterization, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and imaging in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were executed on the BFS. As a general conclusion is reported that the BFS can be used in the formation of unbound granular layers of subbase. As granular base material, its use would be recommended on roads with low traffic volumes or with thick asphalt layers and as a selected material, in tertiary roads that support light traffic. In the case of HMA is not recommended to use the coarse fraction of the BFS as a stone aggregate. However, the obtained results indicate that the fine fraction shows good characteristics to be used in the production of the mastic of such mixtures.

Compensatory selection for roads over natural linear features by wolves in northern Ontario: Implications for caribou conservation.

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Ontario are a threatened species that have experienced a substantial retraction of their historic range. Part of their decline has been attributed to increasing densities of anthropogenic linear features such as trails, roads, railways, and hydro lines. These features have been shown to increase the search efficiency and kill rate of wolves. However, it is unclear whether selection for anthropogenic linear features is additive or compensatory to selection for natural (water) linear features which may also be used for travel. We studied the selection of water and anthropogenic linear features by 52 resident wolves (Canis lupus x lycaon) over four years across three study areas in northern Ontario that varied in degrees of forestry activity and human disturbance. We used Euclidean distance-based resource selection functions (mixed-effects logistic regression) at the seasonal range scale with random coefficients for distance to water linear features, primary/secondary roads/railways, and hydro lines, and tertiary roads to estimate the strength of selection for each linear feature and for several habitat types, while accounting for availability of each feature. Next, we investigated the trade-off between selection for anthropogenic and water linear features. Wolves selected both anthropogenic and water linear features; selection for anthropogenic features was stronger than for water during the rendezvous season. Selection for anthropogenic linear features increased with increasing density of these features on the landscape, while selection for natural linear features declined, indicating compensatory selection of anthropogenic linear features. These results have implications for woodland caribou conservation. Prey encounter rates between wolves and caribou seem to be strongly influenced by increasing linear feature densities. This behavioral mechanism–a compensatory functional response to anthropogenic linear feature density resulting in decreased use of natural travel corridors–has negative consequences for the viability of woodland caribou.

Spatio-temporal Network-Constrained Trajectory Data Model and Service Reliability Assessment

ABSTRACTDue to urbanization and increase in traffic density, provision of efficient public transport facility is a major component of planning and development. The spatio-temporal data of vehicles’ movement have mainly led to mobility pattern analysis, which eventually reveal new information about the efficiency of transport service. This research focuses on extracting mobility patterns of bus service for students in Lahore City. Trajectory data collected through GPS survey have been processed by using MYSQL spatial database applications and HTML to identify areas in entire route of bus service causing delay. Three different types of delay have been calculated, namely stop delay, simple path delay, and path repeated delay. The entire analysis results reveal that mainly the delay is caused at start segments of planned route or the last segment of stop route. The major cause of delay is bus movement on tertiary roads through congested commercial areas.

Amphibian and reptile road-kills on tertiary roads in relation to landscape structure: using a citizen science approach with open-access land cover data

BackgroundAmphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate species worldwide. However, little is known how they are affected by road-kills on tertiary roads and whether the surrounding landscape structure can explain road-kill patterns. The aim of our study was to examine the applicability of open-access remote sensing data for a large-scale citizen science approach to describe spatial patterns of road-killed amphibians and reptiles on tertiary roads. Using a citizen science app we monitored road-kills of amphibians and reptiles along 97.5 km of tertiary roads covering agricultural, municipal and interurban roads as well as cycling paths in eastern Austria over two seasons. Surrounding landscape was assessed using open access land cover classes for the region (Coordination of Information on the Environment, CORINE). Hotspot analysis was performed using kernel density estimation (KDE+). Relations between land cover classes and amphibian and reptile road-kills were analysed with conditional probabilities and general linear models (GLM). We also estimated the potential cost-efficiency of a large scale citizen science monitoring project.ResultsWe recorded 180 amphibian and 72 reptile road-kills comprising eight species mainly occurring on agricultural roads. KDE+ analyses revealed a significant clustering of road-killed amphibians and reptiles, which is an important information for authorities aiming to mitigate road-kills. Overall, hotspots of amphibian and reptile road-kills were next to the land cover classes arable land, suburban areas and vineyards. Conditional probabilities and GLMs identified road-kills especially next to preferred habitats of green toad, common toad and grass snake, the most often found road-killed species. A citizen science approach appeared to be more cost-efficient than monitoring by professional researchers only when more than 400 km of road are monitored.ConclusionsOur findings showed that freely available remote sensing data in combination with a citizen science approach would be a cost-efficient method aiming to identify and monitor road-kill hotspots of amphibians and reptiles on a larger scale.

Black bear (Ursus americanus) functional resource selection relative to intraspecific competition and human risk

The spatial scales at which animals make behavioral trade-offs is assumed to relate to the scales at which factors most limiting resources and increasing mortality risk occur. We used global positioning system collar locations of 29 reproductive-age female black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) in three states to assess resource selection relative to bear population-specific density, an index of vegetation productivity, riparian corridors, or two road classes of and within home ranges during spring–summer of 2009–2013. Female resource selection was best explained by functional responses to vegetation productivity across nearly all populations and spatial scales, which appeared to be influenced by variation in bear density (i.e., intraspecific competition). Behavioral trade-offs were greatest at the landscape scale, but except for vegetation productivity, were consistent for populations across spatial scales. Females across populations selected locations nearer to tertiary roads, but females in Michigan and Mississippi selected main roads and avoided riparian corridors, whereas females in Missouri did the opposite, suggesting population-level trade-offs between resource (e.g., food) acquisition and mortality risks (e.g., vehicle collisions). Our study emphasizes that female bear population-level resource selection can be influenced by multiple spatially dependent factors, and that scale-dependent functional behavior should be identified for management of bears across their range.

El papel de las vías secundarias y los caminos vecinales en el desarrollo de Colombia

Secondary and tertiary roads play an important role in national, regional and local integration, and also facilitate access to the national life of remote and isolated communities. These pathways as a whole, represent about 92% of total national road network. This article points out some points that should be considered during the planning and execution of secondary and tertiary, important road infrastructure if the Government wants to materialize post-conflict in rural country.

ACCURACY AND SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN GPS SURVEYING FOR LANDSLIDE MAPPING ON ROAD INVENTORIES AT A SEMI-DETAILED SCALE: THE CASE IN COLOMBIA

Abstract. The accuracy of locating attributes on topographic surfaces when, using GPS in mountainous areas, is affected by obstacles to wave propagation. As part of this research on the semi-automatic detection of landslides, we evaluate the accuracy and spatial distribution of the horizontal error in GPS positioning in the tertiary road network of six municipalities located in mountainous areas in the department of Cauca, Colombia, using geo-referencing with GPS mapping equipment and static-fast and pseudo-kinematic methods. We obtained quality parameters for the GPS surveys with differential correction, using a post-processing method. The consolidated database underwent exploratory analyses to determine the statistical distribution, a multivariate analysis to establish relationships and partnerships between the variables, and an analysis of the spatial variability and calculus of accuracy, considering the effect of non-Gaussian distribution errors. The evaluation of the internal validity of the data provide metrics with a confidence level of 95% between 1.24 and 2.45 m in the static-fast mode and between 0.86 and 4.2 m in the pseudo-kinematic mode. The external validity had an absolute error of 4.69 m, indicating that this descriptor is more critical than precision. Based on the ASPRS standard, the scale obtained with the evaluated equipment was in the order of 1:20000, a level of detail expected in the landslide-mapping project. Modelling the spatial variability of the horizontal errors from the empirical semi-variogram analysis showed predictions errors close to the external validity of the devices.

ACCURACY AND SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN GPS SURVEYING FOR LANDSLIDE MAPPING ON ROAD INVENTORIES AT A SEMI-DETAILED SCALE: THE CASE IN COLOMBIA

The accuracy of locating attributes on topographic surfaces when, using GPS in mountainous areas, is affected by obstacles to wave propagation. As part of this research on the semi-automatic detection of landslides, we evaluate the accuracy and spatial distribution of the horizontal error in GPS positioning in the tertiary road network of six municipalities located in mountainous areas in the department of Cauca, Colombia, using geo-referencing with GPS mapping equipment and static-fast and pseudo-kinematic methods. We obtained quality parameters for the GPS surveys with differential correction, using a post-processing method. The consolidated database underwent exploratory analyses to determine the statistical distribution, a multivariate analysis to establish relationships and partnerships between the variables, and an analysis of the spatial variability and calculus of accuracy, considering the effect of non-Gaussian distribution errors. The evaluation of the internal validity of the data provide metrics with a confidence level of 95% between 1.24 and 2.45 m in the static-fast mode and between 0.86 and 4.2 m in the pseudo-kinematic mode. The external validity had an absolute error of 4.69 m, indicating that this descriptor is more critical than precision. Based on the ASPRS standard, the scale obtained with the evaluated equipment was in the order of 1:20000, a level of detail expected in the landslide-mapping project. Modelling the spatial variability of the horizontal errors from the empirical semi-variogram analysis showed predictions errors close to the external validity of the devices.

Evaluación del comportamiento mecánico de asfalto natural a partir de muestras a temperatura ambiente provenientes de Caquetá, Colombia

El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el comportamiento mecánico del asfalto natural por medio de la fabricación de muestras a temperatura ambiente. En primera instancia se realizó la caracterización del material con el ensayo de extracción cuantitativa del asfalto y así conocer el contenido de asfalto presente en el material, luego se procedió a fabricar muestras con la asfaltita pura en el compactador giratorio y por último se ejecutó sobre éstas el ensayo de Resistencia a Tracción Indirecta, RTI, en estado seco y en estado húmedo, para así conocer la viabilidad de su uso en vías terciarias, sin tener que someterla a altas temperaturas de fabricación y mezclado. Como resultado principal se evidencia que las probetas fabricadas a temperatura ambiente presentan resistencias muy bajas, por lo cual es necesario probar con la adición de agregados pétreos a la misma temperatura y emulsiones asfálticas.

EL PAPEL DE LAS VÍAS SECUNDARIAS Y LOS CAMINOS VECINALES EN EL DESARROLLO DE COLOMBIA

Secondary and tertiary roads play an important role in national, regional and local integration, and also facilitate access to the national life of remote and isolated communities. These pathways as a whole, represent about 92% of total national road network. This article points out some points that should be considered during the planning and execution of secondary and tertiary, important road infrastructure if the Government wants to materialize post-conflict in rural country.

Fine-scale tertiary-road features influence wildlife use: a case study of two major North American predators

Roads have become a major concern for wildlife managers. Determining if fine-scale features influence wildlife road use is crucial information when developing management strategies to protect species at risk or to assist in preventing negative trophic interactions. We investigated the effects of fine-scale habitat and road-related features on the tertiary-road use of two major predator groups, the American black bear (Ursus americanus) and wolves (Canis lupus, C. lycaon, and hybrids). Scat occurrence, used as a measure of a species’ intensity of use, along with several road-related features and surrounding fine-scale habitat variables, were recorded within tertiary-road segments near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. An information theoretic approach was used to determine which of several different candidate models best predicted tertiary-road use by our major predator groups. Road width and distance to primary roads were found to be the strongest predictors of occurrence on tertiary roads for both predators, with smaller road width and greater distances to primary roads leading to higher levels of occurrence. Habitat cover and cover type, expected to influence foraging opportunities, were not found to be strong predictors of tertiary-road use. Our findings highlight the importance of fine-scale studies for understanding road use.

Assessment of the invasive status of newly recorded cactus species in the central Tugela River basin

Background: Current distribution information on cacti in the Tugela River basin in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is scant. Accordingly, surveys in this region substantially improve our understanding of regional invasions by this succulent group. The identification of new or extended invasions requires (re)assessments of their invasion status and consideration of possible management interventions.Objectives: To identify and collect cacti either not previously recorded or poorly known in the central Tugela River basin, and to assess their invasion status.Method: A 40 km section of tertiary road was travelled through the topocadastral square 2830 CC, from the R74 main road northward across the Bloukrans River towards the Tugela River. Herbarium specimens were collected to vouch for new instances of naturalisation of cacti, the colony sizes of which were estimated and invasion stages determined. An applicable weed risk assessment model was used to determine the threat status of one cactus species not previously evaluated for South Africa. Based on the South African Plant Invaders Atlas database records and field observations, management recommendations were suggested for six cacti species.Results: The first naturalised population of Opuntia microdasys in KwaZulu-Natal was detected, as was the first confirmed South African record of Echinopsis oxygona. Four populations of Peniocereus serpentinus were also found, ranging in size from several square metres to 0.4 ha. Echinopsis oxygona generated a score that falls into the reject category of the risk assessment model used.Conclusion: It is recommended that E. oxygona be added to the Species Under Surveillance for Possible Eradication or Containment Targeting list to investigate whether this species requires formal legal listing and the development of a specific eradication plan. Immediate action from local authorities is recommended for the manual removal of P. serpentinus and O. microdasys populations.

Measurement of Truck Transport Vibration Levels in China as a Function of Road Conditions, Truck Speed and Load Level

Transport vibration levels in trucks were measured as a function of truck speed, road conditions and load level. The trucks consisted of one normally loaded truck and one overloaded truck with leaf‐spring suspensions. Truck speeds were divided into three groups: 0–30 km/h, 31–60 km/h and 61–90 km/h. Traffic roads consisted of highways, arterial roads (ARs), secondary roads (SRs) and tertiary roads (TRs). The results revealed that transport vibration levels increased with truck speed; TRs contributed to the highest transport vibration levels, followed by SRs, ARs and highways. The power spectral density peaks were at 3 or 3.5 Hz. Overloading probably suppressed transport vibration levels especially at low speeds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rješenje prometnih usluga za ruralna naselja pomoću tercijarnih ruralnih cesta

The article focuses on the issue of traffic service for rural settlements and related production, tourist and recreation activities in rural areas in the conditions of the Czech Republic by means of rural tertiary roads. The article declares their critical importance for assurance of traffic service and penetrability of the Czech rural areas. Theoretical grounds have been specified for their designing , as well as basic criteria and parameters. A selected territorial segment is used to demonstrate a system approach to this issue and traffic flows are classified in terms of the type, direction and intensity. In conclusion, the article summarizes benefits of the solution defined by the described method.

Resource selection by wolves at dens and rendezvous sites in Algonquin park, Canada

Eastern wolves (Canis lycaon) are a species of special concern in Canada and their geographic range appears to be restricted mainly to Algonquin Provincial Park (APP) in Ontario, Canada. Previous work showed pup survival was relatively low throughout portions of APP which may limit the extent to which this protected area can act as a source of dispersing individuals to adjacent areas. We modeled resource selection by wolves at dens and rendezvous sites to identify environmental variables that were selected and avoided in APP during pup-rearing. We also quantified differences in resource selection between den and rendezvous sites and investigated links between home-site selection and pup survival. Wolves selected dens closer to wetlands and water, farther from secondary roads, and on steeper slopes relative to rendezvous sites. When we modeled den and rendezvous sites separately, wolves selected wetlands, water, conifer forests and tertiary roads at dens, whereas they selected wetlands and conifer forests at rendezvous sites. Packs that lost pups to starvation and intraspecific strife avoided water and selected wetlands and mixed forests at home-sites more than packs that did not lose pups to these mortality agents. Previous research showed that pup starvation occurred for packs in APP with lower beaver density in their territories, and our results indicate that these packs selected habitats at dens and rendezvous sites associated with alternative prey (moose). Moose are likely more difficult prey than beavers to kill during summer which may contribute to the higher nutrition-related mortality of pups in packs with decreased access to beavers. Our results inform eastern wolf conservation efforts and should be considered during forest management and park planning activities in APP. More broadly, our research provides novel insight into temporal differences in home-site selection across the pup-rearing season and the relationship between resource selection and pup mortality.

English

The continued growth of off-highway vehicle (OHV) activities -- demonstrated by the dramatic increase in OHV sales, number of users, and areas experiencing OHV use -- has elevated concerns about their ecological effects, the impacts on wildlife, and the sustainability of OHV use on secondary and tertiary road networks. Conflicts between visitors and wildlife are raising concerns about system resiliency and sustainable management. In order to quantify the spatial and temporal impacts of OHV use it is imperative to know about the timing and patterns of vehicle use. This study tested and used multiple vehicle-counter types to study vehicular OHV use patterns and volume throughout a mountainous road network in western Colorado. OHV counts were analyzed by time of day, day of week, season, and year. While daily use peaked within a two to three hour range for all sites, the overall volume of use varied among sites on an annual basis. The data also showed that there are at least two distinct patterns of OHV use: one dominated by a majority of use on weekends, and the other with continuous use throughout the week. This project provided important, but rarely captured, metrics about patterns of OHV use in a remote, mountainous region of Colorado. The techniques described here can provide land managers with a quantitative evaluation of OHV use across the landscape, an essential foundation for travel management planning. They also provide researchers with robust tools to further investigate the impacts of OHV use.

Forest opening with a secondary road network

This paper presents the results of an analysis of the position and density of a secondary road network in the group-selection management system. The research was conducted in the economic unit Prosara in the north west of the Republic of Srpska. The network of skid roads in the analyzed sections was recorded using the GPS devices Garmin GPS 60 and Garmin Map 62st, and the analysis software package used was ESRI ArcInfo 10.1. Adhering to the general guidelines, the slope of skid roads was analyzed within six predefined intervals: 0-12 %, 12-16 %, 16-20 %, 20-30 %, 30-40 % and over 40%. Relative openness with a secondary road network was determined for a maximum distance between the skid roads of 130m and it ranged from 82.62 % to 96.37 %. Such openness was classified as very good and excellent. Together with all factors related to stand and terrain characteristics, it appears that in all the compartments, the density of the secondary network of skid roads is adequate for the application of a skidder with a winch, without extending above the maximum length of the winch rope. Out of the total length of analyzed skid roads, 24% is within an appropriate slope interval for a planned conversion to truck roads, whereas 37 % is the maximum slope from the ecological point of view. The average terrain slope for the whole analyzed area is 26.4%. Such moderately sloping terrain is suitable for the construction of skid roads with low investment and small environmental impact. Due to their specific configuration, the main skid roads were designed along the ridge, while the secondary and tertiary skid roads most often separated from them at the maximum slope, forming an irregular fish bone shape.

Novel wireless pervasive sensor network to improve the understanding of noise in street canyons

This paper presents the first results of the application of an array of up to 50 novel wireless pervasive sensors, referred to as motes, developed at Newcastle University in the project, MESSAGE (Mobile Environmental Sensing System Across Grid Environments). The motes measure noise, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, temperature, humidity and traffic occupancy/flow. The system has wireless communication (using ZigBee standard) to allow daisy-chaining of data from mote to mote (either static or dynamic) to router technology which forwards the data into a gateway. This passes the data through GPRS (or hard wired web link) to be captured in real-time into an Urban Traffic Management and Control, compliant database. Following a brief discussion of the health impacts associated with noise exposure and the policy context, the validation and proof of concept of the use of a pervasive sensor array to measure noise in an urban area is demonstrated through separate deployments in Leicester (UK) and Palermo (Italy). The motes provide real-time minute by minute, noise data [Leq in dB(A)] and their low cost and small size means that they can be pervasively deployed. From the two applications the results clearly show the potential of these motes to measure noise levels and to improve the understanding of the effect of traffic flow characteristics on the minute by minute variation in noise levels in busy urban streets. The distribution of one minute LAeq noise levels measured by the standard deviation were shown to exhibit consistent but different characteristics depending which of three measurement clusters, primary congested road and well ventilated secondary roads with busy traffic, tertiary roads without acoustic screening from busy roads and finally residential streets. Predictive relationships which allow the magnitude of the standard deviation to be expected depending on the noise level are presented. The results demonstrated a measurement system and predictive method that offers potential to explore more suitable noise parameters that correlate the human response to traffic related noise.

Analysis of the effectiveness of control measures to mitigate road dust emissions in a regional network

The effectiveness of control measures to reduce road dust emissions is analyzed using a year’s data of road dust emissions collected with a mobile sampling platform and a survey of road maintenance practices in the Lake Tahoe Basin of Nevada and California US. Attributes such as sweeping practices, anti-icing, shoulder improvement, pavement condition, trackout, and abrasive material from road segments were analyzed with a feature subset selection algorithm. Street sweeping was found to be an effective means of controlling dust emissions from roads. Road dust from dirty tertiary roads served as a continuous source of suspendable material for adjacent high-speed roads in the winter time. To be most effective, emission control strategies require that not only primary roads, but all roads be swept after snow storms to recover applied abrasive material.