ABJ00
Summer 2011, Volume 4, Issue 2
In This Issue …
- 6 committees hold joint meeting
- Bike/Ped Data joint initiative and workshop
- ABJ Activities (policy study, activity level, health sub)
- AM 2012
- TSP plan examples
- Who We Are
- Upcoming Events
Six Committees Hold Joint Meeting
Six Data and Information Systems Section committees met at the Keck Center immediately following
the successful NHTS conference and workshop (Using National Household Travel Survey Data for
Transportation Decision-making ) ably chaired by Steve Polzin (ABJ10, National Data Requirements).
Committees holding individual and joint meetings in person and using GoTo Meeting were: ABJ10
(National Data Requirements), ABJ20 (Statewide Data), ABJ30 (Urban Data), ABJ35 (Traffic
Monitoring), ABJ40 (Survey Methods), and ABJ70 (Artificial Intelligence).
Highlights of the meeting included a welcome from TAC Chair Katie Turnbull and first meetings of two
new section joint initiatives (Bicycle and Pedestrian Data Issues and Travel Time, Speed, and
Reliability). Excellent kickoff presentations were made by Joe Schofer (Transportation Data Policy
Study recap), Tianjia Tang and David Jones (Office of Highway Policy Information, FHWA). An
informative Federal panel was convened, and included updates from David Winter (Director, Office of
Highway Policy Information, FHWA), Ross Crichton (Office of Transportation Policy Studies) and Li
Leung (BTS). Tom Palmerlee hosted an excellent pre-meeting dinner and Matt Miller had the meeting
logistics running smoothly as always. Thanks to all of you for your time and commitment to the
section.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Data Workshop Planned for Sunday at AM 12
Join the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Data Sub-committee in partnership with the Committee on
Bicycle Transportation (ANF20) for an exciting full-day workshop focused on how to manage, use, and
increase coverage of bicycle and pedestrian data. During this workshop non-motorized data required
for planning, operations, and research efforts such as health, safety, and prioritizing infrastructure
improvements will be discussed as well as ways to cooperatively integrate data sources through data
standardization to ensure consistency. Current best practices will also be addressed with a focus on
the known fundamentals of collecting non-motorized data and topics related to the lack of resources
for creating this type of data program. A tiered approach to managing the plethora of data sources will
provide an intensive overview and introduction to current and future data methods, standards, and
warehouses from which all interested parties can benefit.
Annual meeting papers are due August 1 – don’t forget to ask
for co-review of papers as appropriate (e.g., statistics)!
ABJ Activities
Policy Study Dissemination
Joe Schofer (ABJ At Large, Northwestern University) is giving overview presentations on
the Data Policy Study, (How We Travel, TRB SR 304) for these groups:
• Data section
• TRB Executive Committee
• AASHTO SCOP
Charlie Howard (Puget Sound MPO) is giving a similar overview talk at the Boston Mid
Year meetings.
Joe also wrote an opinion piece about the uses and value of data in infrastructure
management for the UTCD newsletter, URL shown here:
http://www.iti.northwestern.edu/publications/utc/safetea-lu/NL-2011-5-26.pdf (Article
is on p. 3).
Committee Activity for 2010-11
Are these correct? How can you
use these numbers to plan? Can
you read small print?
ABJ Activities
New TRB Health and Transportation Subcommittee
By Ed Christopher, FHWA, Section at Large
This update has been put together in an attempt to bring “all” our TRB leadership up-to-date on the
organization activities of what I believe will be a new and exciting area for TRB.
This past spring a new TRB Subcommittee was formed around Health and Transportation. While
subcommittees are not new to TRB this one faces some unique challenges. Organizationally, it is cosponsored by 4 Committees crossing 3 Sections and 2 Groups. Administratively, the Subcommittee
is coded as ADD50-01 and is linked to TRB through the Environmental Justice in Transportation
Committee. It connects to 3 TRB Program Officers with Martine being the primary link through the
ADD50 connection. Below is a breakdown of the TRB structural linkages.
Policy and Organization Group-POG (AB000), Johanna Zmud, Chair
Section - Data and Information Systems (ABJ00), Reg Souleyrette, Chair
Urban Data and Information Systems (ABJ30), Catherine Lawson, Chair
Planning and Environment Group-PEG (AD000), Mark Kross, Chair
Section - Travel Analysis Methods (ADB00), Ram Pendyala, Chair
Travel Behavior and Values (ADB10), Eric Miller, Chair
Section - Social, Economic, and Cultural Issues-SECI (ADD00), Leigh Lane, Chair
Transportation and Sustainability (ADD40), June Carlson, Chair
Environmental Justice in Trans, (ADD50), David Kuehn/ Anne Morris, Co-Chairs
TRB Program Officers
Martine Micozzi (SECI)
Kim Fisher (PEG)
Tom Palmerlee (POG)
Over the past few months the Subcommittee has been very active “pulling itself together”. It has
developed a website, an ever growing Listserve of friends, finalized a strategic plan and has issued a
call for papers for the TRB August 1st deadline. Attached is one-page flyer with the link to the
Subcommittee website, information on how to join the Listserve and the mission and scope
statement. Incidentally, the Subcommittee just acquired the domain name, ”trbhealth.org” and will
be changing its internet address in August. The Listserve currently contains 50 members and
consider the webpage under development as we are continuing to “get our act together”.
In terms of leadership, the Subcommittee is co-chaired by Ed Christopher, FHWA Resource Center
Planning Team Eloisa Raynault, American Public Health Association. Megan Weir, San Francisco
Department of Public Health is the Secretary.
We will be holding our inaugural meeting in Boston and plan to use email as a way of keeping our
various co-sponsoring committee chairs informed.
AM 2012
Click here for
TRB cheat
sheets!
2011 Annual Meeting Workshops Planned
Title
Sponsors
ABC40
Successful Asset Management
Business Models and Barriers to Their
Implementation
Date
Time
Hotel/Room
Sun 1/22/2012
1:30pm- 4:30pm
Hilton, Cabinet
Sun 1/22/2012
1:30pm- 4:30pm
Hilton, Columbia Hall 10
Sun 1/22/2012
C2KX + ACS1, 3, 5 = The Census Data ABJ30
of the Future
Collecting Bicycle and Pedestrian Data ABJ35, ABJ20, ABJ30, Sun 1/22/2012
9:00am-12:00pm
Hilton, Cabinet
9:00am-12:00pm
Hilton, Fairchild
Sun 1/22/2012
9:00am-12:00pm
Hilton, Columbia Hall 11
Sun 1/22/2012
1:30pm- 4:30pm
Hilton, Columbia Hall 3
Sun 1/22/2012
1:30pm- 4:30pm
Hilton, Columbia Hall 4
Sun 1/22/2012
9:00am-12:00pm
Hilton, Columbia Hall 4
ABJ70, AHB45(1)
Sun 1/22/2012
9:00am-12:00pm
Hilton, Columbia Hall 3
AFB80, AFH30
Sun 1/22/2012
9:00am-12:00pm
Marriott, Balcony B
Urban Data Integration
ABJ30
ABJ40
Moving Beyond Quantitative
Attributes in Stated Response
Surveys: Understanding the Role
Qualitative Variables Play in the
Choice Context
ABJ40
ABJ40, ADA60
Incorporating Social Media into
Transportation Surveys
ABJ50, ABJ60
Sensing Technologies for
Transportation Applications
Enterprise GIS: Return on Investment ABJ60
Agent-Based Modeling and
Simulation
Automated Machine Guidance and
Electronic Modeling for Highway
Design
TAC considered the 15 proposals received, and selected the following as
cross-cutting sessions (Note: the POG got 2!)
#
3
8
9
11
14
15
Session Title
Meeting Critical Data Needs for Decision Making in
State and Metropolitan Transportation Agencies
Transportation for National Parks – Promoting
Livability, Sustainability, and Strong Local Economies
Climate Change Adaptation Practices for Ports,
Airports, and Freight Terminals
Successful Transportation Mega Projects – Putting
Research and People to Work
Shipping Container Ownership (Handout)
Communicating Transportation Research to Public
and Decision Makers (see Agenda Item #2)
Proposed by
Policy & Organization Group
(Hilton)
Planning & Environment
Group (Hilton)
Planning & Environment
Group (Hilton)
Legal Resources Group
(Marriott)
Freight Systems & Marine
Groups (Shoreham)
Policy & Organization Group
(w/Ed Kussy, Katie Turnbull &
Peter Mandle) (Marriott)
TSP Elements – back to basics
ABJ40 Survey Methods prepares for triennial Strategic
Plan (TSP) – Identifies Research Needs
By Guy Rousseau, Atlanta Regional Commission (Chair)
In general, the list covers incorporating new technologies, identifying appropriate
sampling frames, and improving participation.
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Household Surveys or new technologies: Methods to improve respondent
participation in travel surveys (using technology, social media, etc.)
Household Surveys: Methods to obtain more representative travel survey
samples (mitigating non-response)
Household Surveys: Revisiting sampling approaches to mitigate coverage bias –
how to effectively include cell samples, e-mail lists, and field address-based (US
Post Office database), revisit Random-Digit Dialing sample too (i.e., if we are
moving to cell-based households, how many take their landlines as their cell
numbers?)
External Surveys: Evaluating alternative approaches to document trip
movements into and through metropolitan areas (blue tooth, secondary data from
sources like INRIX, AirSage and TomTom, etc.)
Freight surveys: defining freight and identifying the best methods to measure its
movements
Freight surveys: identifying differences in freight movements within urban areas
vs. the larger interstate movements and how these might inform appropriate
survey design depending on modeling needs
Freight surveys: evaluating alternative sampling frames and identifying which is
most appropriate based on the type of freight being surveyed
Stated-Preference surveys: understanding attributes beyond time and costs
Stated-Preference Surveys: research into the area of prospect theory
Stated-Preference surveys: research into the relationship between StatedPreference and behavioral economics
Workplace surveys: identification of best practices for workplace surveys,
including special generators (synthesis report?)
Airport surveys: identification of best practices (synthesis report?)
Long distance travel surveys: understanding state-of-the-practice and identifying
research needs
TSP Elements – back to basics
ABJ50 Information Systems prepares for TSP with Brainstorming
By Frances Harrison, Spy Pond Partners, Chair
Focus Areas
Sensor Technologies
Construction Management Technologies
State DOT IT Management – opportunities for innovation and efficiency improvements,
relationship with ITS, response to emerging technology trends (in partnership with
AASHTO IS)
Mobile Computing Technologies
Data Collection, Fusion, Management and Discovery Technologies in support of
transportation safety, operations, maintenance/asset management and construction
Potential Initiatives for 2011/2012
Annual Meeting Workshops
Sensor Technologies (Colin Brooks)
Information Technology to Support Better Construction Management Workshop (Ioannis
Brilakis)
Annual Meeting Sessions
TBD – Potential Topics are:
o Putting Innovative Technologies to Work: Survey of rapidly developing technologies
impacting transportation planning and operations (in line with conference theme) –
might include new sensor technologies for tolling, customer service; serving data to
decision makers
o Use of new mobile device applications for smartphones and tablets in the field
(traffic operations, surveys, maintenance, incident management) – implications for
data management and security
o Interactive web applications and 3D visualization – integrated with mapping and
modeling to enhance public involvement
o Integrating and visualizing network wide traffic information
o Moving Public IT Resources into the Cloud – opportunities and issues
o Shared service models for IT and GIS (e.g. city of Houston, western states cloud
contracting initiative)
o Impact of universal broadband service on access to communication
o Benefit and challenges of using social media within transportation organizations
TSP Elements – back to basics
ABJ50 Information Systems prepares for TSP with Brainstorming (cont.)
Peer Exchange/Workshop
Cloud Computing (Doug Couto)
Webinars:
cloud computing – addressing security concerns (Doug Couto)
sensor technologies (Colin Brooks)
Research Needs Statements
sensor technology (Colin Brooks)
cloud computing (Doug Couto – update to existing)
Call For Papers
sensor technology (Colin Brooks) – for 2013 Annual Meeting
Partnerships
AASHTO Subcommittee on Information Systems
USDOT CIO
ASCE TCCIT Data Sensing and Analysis Committee
Construction Management (AFH10) - AFH10(1) joint subcommittee on Information
Systems in Construction Management.
Geospatial Data Acquisition Technologies in Design and Construction (AFB 80)
Geographic Information Science and Applications (ABJ60)
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ABH15) – Information Technology in ITS
Library and Information Sciences (ABG40) – web 2.0, data grids, findability
Critical Transportation Infrastructure Protection (ABE40) – data and information system
security
Strategic Management (ABC10)– state DOT efficiency improvements
Visualization in Transportation (ABJ95)
Application of Emerging Technology for Design and Construction (AFH 30)
Public Involvement in Transportation (ADA 60)
Research Watch List
SHRP2 L13A – Reliability Data Archive
ITS America Connected Vehicle Technology Scan
DUAP – Data Use Analysis and Processing (merging data from connected vehicles)
iRODS – Data Grid - Policy-Based Data Management, Sharing and Preservation
FHWA RFI for Virtual Access of Transportation Data From Multiple Data Sources For
Improved Decision Making
ABJ00 Who we are …
ABJ00 Section - Data and Information ABJ40 Travel Survey Methods
Systems
Guy Rousseau , Chair
Atlanta Regional Commission
Reg Souleyrette, Chair
Iowa State University
ABJ50 Information Systems and
Technology
Thomas M. Palmerlee
Frances D. Harrison , Chair
Associate Director, Technical
Spy Pond Partners, LLC
Activities Division
Transportation Research Board
ABJ60 Geographic Information
Science and Applications
Matt Miller
Cesar A. Quiroga, Chair
Senior Program Associate
Texas Transportation Institute (TTI)
Transportation Research Board
ABJ70 Artificial Intelligence and
Advanced Computing Applications
Committees
Shinya Kikuchi, Chair
ABJ10 National Transportation Data Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University (Virginia Tech)
Requirements and Programs
Steve Polzin , Chair
ABJ80 Committee on Statistical
Center for Urban Transportation
Methods
Research, Univ. of S. Florida
Simon P. Washington, Chair
ABJ20 Statewide Transportation Data U.C. Berkeley
and Information Systems
ABJ90 Freight Transportation Data
Jack R. Stickel , Chair
Scott R. Drumm, Chair
Alaska Department of
Port of Portland, Oregon
Transportation and Public
Facilities
ABJ95 Visualization in Transportation
Michael Anthony Manore, Chair
ABJ25T Task Force on the Traffic
Vispective Management Consulting,
Monitoring Conferences
LLC
Cathy McGhee, Chair
Yinhai Wang, Vice Chair
Subcommittees
Research Subcommittee
James P. Hall, Co-Chair
University of Illinois, Springfield
Harvey J. Miller, Co-Chair
University of Utah
Metadata Subcommittee
Tamer Al-Diraby, Chair
University of Toronto
At Large Members
Thomas Bolle
USDOT/RITA
Edward J. Christopher
Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA)
Jonette R. Kreideweis
Minnesota Department of
Transportation
Joseph L. Schofer
Northwestern University
Johanna Zmud, POG Chair
and ABJ00 Past Chair
Rand Corp.
ABJ30 Urban Transportation Data
and Information Systems
Catherine T. Lawson , Chair
University at Albany
ABJ35 Highway Traffic Monitoring
Peter L. Keen , Chair
Digital Traffic Systems, Inc. (DTS)
For more information about ABJ00, please contact Reg Souleyrette, chair
(reg@iastate.edu) or Tom Palmerlee, TRB (tpalmerlee@nas.edu)
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ABJ Upcoming Events
Midyear meeting Boston July 10-12, 2011;
Committees meeting there: ABJ00 (Data Section);
ABJ30 (Urban); ABJ35 (Traffic Monitoring); ABJ50
(Information Systems); ABJ90 (Freight )
2011 International Visualization in
Transportation Symposium August 20-23 2011;
Chicago http://www.trbvis.org/SYMPOSIUM2011/Overview.html
Performance Measures & Livable Communities
September 7-8, 2011; Austin
Using Census Data for Transportation
Applications October 25-27, 2011; Irvine
Improving Safety Programs through UniversityAgency Partnerships Conference November 2-3,
2011 Washington, D.C.
9th International Conference on Transport
Survey Methods November 14-18, 2011; Chile
Data Needs for State and MPO Decision Making
Dec 5-7, 2011; Irvine
NATMEC 2012 June 4-7, 2012; Dallas
Data Section priority issues
1) privacy and confidentiality developments and their
implication on the transportation community
2) impact of transportation on the economy, which
includes, but not limited to
a. Congestion, as is the focus of the recent 1201
proposed rule
b. Domestic transportation of international trade
Useful links
• Section Google Group
• Section Newsletter archive
• Temporary Section Website/data archive
Data Section Spring Conference Call
Date/Time TBA
(877)339-0018, Access *360-7711*
• Consider plans for Annual Meetings
• Discuss Data Section priority issues
• Share updates from section members
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