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.

• 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

• 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

Source: www.metrokc.gov
16
16
Amity Street at
University Drive

Performance Measures
•Delay
•Level of Service
•# of Stops
•Queue Length
•Emissions
Planning Studies
Planning Studies
 Travel Demand Forecasting

• 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 UMass
West Route 9

I-91

Points
South The Notch
 39 41
142 148 154 109
124 73 40 167

42
125 74 11 12 94 149 95 110 168

75
126 133 43
44 143
47
45
175 76 46
48 14
150
127 77 134 13
49
51

3 50 5 52 111
135 137 53
4 4
54
171

3 113
2
128 78 87 88 15 16 114
5
55
1 4 112
5 169
56
59
57
136 138 172 170
58 60
129 79 17 18

61 63 173 Five Highest Impact Links

62 64 174
for Evacuation Activity
115 Chaining Scenarios
117
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%

Rockland St./Bear Hill Rd. & 2%

172-184 South Main St.
26%

206 South Main St.

2%

14%

West St. & 250-266

South Main St.
 2003 Nationwide Belt Usage

100%

90%
Primary Secondary
2003 Safety Belt Use Rates

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
100 Teen Adult Elder Adult
90
81
80 77
70 71 72 72 73
69
70 66 64
62
56

Percent Belted
60 49 54 54
50
40
30
20
10
0
Group I Group II Group III Group IV Group V
Education Level

Belt Use with

Education
Level
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

• 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!

Exercise #5 – Measuring Traffic Delays
80

Intersection Delay (sec veh)

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)