What is Transportation Engineering?
Michael A. Knodler Jr., Ph.D.
Dept.of Civil & Environ.Engineering
October 16, 2010
Scenario #1
Scenario #2
Scenario #3
What is Engineering?
en·gi·neer·ing (n.) -The application of scientific and
mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design,
manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical
structures, machines, processes, and systems.
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Chemical Engineering
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Civil & Environmental Engineering
What is Transportation?
The safe and efficient movement
of people and goods!
“the branch of engineering which applies technology,
science, and human factors to the planning, design,
operations and management of roads, streets,
bikeways, highways, their networks, terminals, and
abutting lands” The objective is to provide for the
safe, rapid, comfortable, efficient, convenient, and
environmentally compatible movement of people,
goods, and services.
Across all Modes
Across all Modes
Across all Modes
Transportation Quiz
For the famous
Chicopee curve
along I-91- Develop
a procedure for
identifying where to
place the curve
warning sign
Emphasis Areas
Operations
Planning
Design
Transportation Fun Facts
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16% of U.S. GDP
Approx $1.5 trillion on expenditures
70% of petroleum in U.S.
U.S. citizens travel on average
– 1hour per day
– 12,000 miles per year
• 80% of eligible…..have licenses
• 11% of the U.S. workforce
The Not So Fun Facts
• Bitten by venomous snake: 1 in 37,250 (9,000 venomous
bites and 12 deaths per year)
• Struck by lightening: 1 in 240,000 (100 deaths)
• Dying in a tornado: 1 in 5 million (60 deaths)
• Dying from bee, hornet or wasp sting: 1 in 5.33 million
• Being attacked by a shark: 1 in 11. 5 million
– 23 people were involved in shark attacks in 2000
(highest number on record)
• Being attacked by a bear: 1 in 36 million
• Being Killed in a Car Crash (Lifetime): 1 in 77
Leading Cause of Death from 5 to 33
70 out of 100 Children Born Today will be Injured in a Crash
U.S. Highway System
Human Factors
Driver Abilities
& Limitations
Perception/Reaction
Cognitive Processing
Design Considerations
Layout of Roadway Elements
• Alignment
• Grade
• Cross-Section
16
16
Source: www.metrokc.gov
Amity Street at
University Drive
Performance Measures
•Delay
•Level of Service
•# of Stops
•Queue Length
•Emissions
Planning Studies
Planning Studies
Travel Demand Forecasting
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Trip Generation – The decision to travel
Trip Distribution – Choice of destination
Mode Choice – Which mode to take
Network Assignment – Route/path choice
What factors influence this?
Network Analysis
Route 116
Points
North
I-91
Points
West
UMass
Route 9
I-91
Points
South
The Notch
39
124
73
41
142
148
154
109
94
149
95
110
167
40
42
125
126
175
127
11
74
75
133
12
43
44
45
76
47
46
77
13
134
48 14
168
143
150
49
51
3 50 5
135
52
137
53
4
128
78
87
88
111
4
3
16
54
15
5
55
171
113
114
2
1 4 112
5
56
136
129
79
138
59
57
17
169
172
58
60
61
18
63
62
173
174
64
115
117
170
Five Highest Impact Links
for Evacuation Activity
Chaining Scenarios
Evacuations
Evacuations
Predictions
•1.3 million evacuees
•0.5 million vehicles
Simulation Models
Western MA Roundabout?
Conceptual Design
Created By NYSDOT
Western MA Roundabout?
Roundabouts vs. Rotaries
Retrofitting Rotaries
Accommodating Left Turns
Traffic Control Devices
Rational Speed Demonstration
• Engineering
– Determination of 85th %tile Speed
– Roadway Inventory
Transportation Safety
Crash Data Analysis
Cottage St. & 78-81 South Main St.
Cross St./Walcott St. & 95-100 South Main St.
12%
Circular Ave./Curve St. & 115-126 South Main St.
14%
132-139 South Main St.
23%
150-153 South Main St.
7%
2%
Rockland St./Bear Hill Rd. &
172-184 South Main St.
26%
206 South Main St.
2%
14%
West St. & 250-266
South Main St.
2003 Nationwide Belt Usage
100%
2003 Safety Belt Use Rates
90%
Primary
Secondary
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Source: Glassbrenner, D. Safety Belt Use in 2003 - Use Rates in the States and Territories , NHTSA Technical Report
March 2004
Occupant
Configuration
Education Level
%
of
a
Community’s
Population
with
less than Some
College
Education Level
Teen
100
Adult
Elder Adult
90
81
80
66
Percent Belted
70
60
70
49 54
62
54
56
64
69
71 72
72 73
77
50
40
30
20
10
0
Group I
Group II
Group III
Education Level
Belt Use with
Education
Level
Group IV
Group V
ITS Technologies
Travel Time System
3:15
CAMERA 1
CAMERA 2
3:45
Travel Time Reporting
Web Camera System
Web
Camera
System
HPL Driving Simulator
Additional Areas of Emphasis
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Transportation Policy
Logistics
Administration
Economics
Public Health
Psychology / Sociology
Transportation Statistics
And more!
What Transportation is not…Hopefully
Questions
Exercise #1 – Traffic Volumes
Building Block
of Traffic
Engineering
Exercise #1 – Traffic Volumes
Exercise #2 – Speeds
• Another Basic Building Block
→ Speed = Distance / Time
• Applications of Concepts for Exercise
→ Units (e.g., mph, ft/sec)
→ Conversions
→ Scaling
• Real World Examples
→ Pedestrian Crossing Time
→ Compliance with Speed Limit
Exercise #3 – Multimodal Olympics
Trains, Planes & Ships
• Mode utility and purpose
• Re- engineering
Exercise #4 – Crash Test Dummy
Point Values
(10) Cotton balls – 5 max
(10) Toothpick – 5 max
(25) Cardboard Sq. – 6 max
(50) Paper sheets – 3 max
(50) per ft of Tape – 3 max
* Zip Lock Bag – is key!
Intersection Delay (sec veh)
Exercise #5 – Measuring Traffic Delays
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
Cycle Length (sec)
Major Performance Measure used to Drive
many Traffic Engineering Solutions
Multiple Exercises (92 to be exact)
www.ite.org
•
ITE Councils
(left side)
•
Transportation Education Council
(right side)
•
Recruitment Toolbox
(right side)