Research at the University of Colorado Denver leverages developments in spatial data to advance the literature and improve the understanding of pedestrian infrastructure, city-wide sidewalk characteristics, and the fair distribution of sidewalks.
Christopher Bareither received the ASCE 2020 Associate Editor Award for the 2020 Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. The award recognizes an associate editor who has provided consistent and exemplary service to a particular journal or practice periodical, or a substantial unique contribution to the enhancement of ASCE's publication activities.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute invites applications for post doc
researcher. The UGPTI offers a great environment for professional growth and inspiration in our
interdisciplinary research and outreach program. The candidate will work closely with partner agencies and
community stakeholders on rural traffic safety analyses related to human factors in traffic injury
prevention. The individual will have the opportunity to utilize his/her strengths in contributing to a growing
research program, data synthesis and knowledge building. Exceptional interpersonal, communication and
organizational skills are essential. This position is full-time benefited.
Brenda Lantz, associate director of NDSU's Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute and director of its Commercial Vehicle Safety Center has been named to the advisory board for Bluewire LLC, a new company that deploys data analysis in defense of the trucking industry.
NDSU researchers developed an analytical process for identifying optimal station locations for scooter and bike sharing systems and other forms of micromobility in small cities and rural areas. They used Fargo as a test case for their research.
Research at Utah State University into public perceptions of connected vehicles (CVs) and the data from them that is collected and shared will guide policy making that will make CVs more acceptable to the public and promote their adoption. CVs offer potential improvements, including improved efficiency, safety, and optimum use of infrastructure, to the existing transportation system.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute invites applications for a social science
researcher. The UGPTI offers a great environment for professional growth and inspiration in our
interdisciplinary research and outreach program. The candidate will work closely with partner agencies and
community stakeholders on rural traffic safety analyses related to human factors in traffic injury prevention.
The individual will have the opportunity to utilize his/her strengths in contributing to a growing research
program, data synthesis and knowledge building. Exceptional interpersonal, communication and
organizational skills are essential. This position is full-time benefited.
An overview of the Western Regional Commercial Vehicle Safety Summit was recently featured in Rolling Along, the magazine of the ND Motor Carriers Association. The Summit was hosted by the UGPTI and the Colorado State Patrol in Denver May 25-26.
Researchers at the University of Utah are developing and testing innovative systems for accelerated bridge construction that combine precast concrete elements with stretch length anchors.
UGPTI Director Denver Tolliver provided a high-level overview of UGPTI's biennial transportation needs study of county, township and tribal roads and bridges to the Greater North Dakota Chamber's Transportation Forum yesterday. The study shows $24.6 billion in investment will be needed to maintain local roads and bridges while only $10 billion in revenue is projected.
When cutting out brush and tree branches which have created sight and
clearance problems, there are several hazards to deal with. They include moving
traffic, hidden objects, unstable footing, poison ivy and oak, thorns, tools with
sharp edges, chain saws, chippers, and difficult access to the work area.
North Dakota State University’s Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute recently launched a special Tribal Sign Warrior calendar to raise awareness of the dangers of sign damage and vandalism among elementary age students. Illustrations in the calendar were created by fourth graders from tribes across the state. The calendar and this article were recently featured by Tribalsafety.org, an online community working to reduce injuries and fatalities from transportation incidents in Tribal areas.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at the North Dakota State University invites applications for candidates to direct the process of grant analysis, writing, application and management for various UGPTI programs, focusing on the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) Township Grant Program and other funding opportunities important to the State. The position will be stationed at North Dakota State University in the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at the North Dakota State University invites post-doctoral applications to oversee research projects and grant proposals focused on applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for cargo logistics and the remote sensing of surface transportation infrastructure. The position will be stationed at North Dakota State University in the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute.
Kimberly Vachal and Andrew Kubas The statewide driver traffic safety survey provides baseline metrics for the North Dakota Department of Transportation Safety Division and others to use in understanding perceptions and self-reported behaviors related to focus issues.
Researchers at Colorado State University developed computer models to evaluate the complex interactions between debris flows and the stress-strain response of steel structures of flexible steel, ring-net barriers, a common form of barrier used to mitigate debris flows and protect transportation infrastructure.
Antonio Molina, Narendra Malalgoda, Ali Rahim Taleqani, Jeremy Mattson, Kenechukwu Ezekwem, Taraneh Askarzadeh, and Jill Hough This study examines public opinion toward transit during the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in rider behavior, and responses by transit agencies. This was accomplished through two surveys.
Ali Rahim Taleqani, Kenechukwu Ezekwem, Antonio Molina, Taraneh Askarzadeh, Narendra Malalgoda, Jill Hough, and Jeremy Mattson This study examines public opinion toward transit during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was accomplished through topic modeling using social media posts on Twitter.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver are studying the use of a sophisticated surveying and remote sensing technology to assess and improve streetscapes.
Researchers at South Dakota State University used data from the South Dakota Department of Transportation to develop a new family of compaction curves to be utilized in base and subbase material compaction quality control.
With more than 500 local short-span bridges in need of replacement in South Dakota, federal and state funding falls far short of meeting those replacement needs. Researchers at South Dakota State University developed tools to help local governments make the most effective and economic decisions about how to replace bridges on low-volume roads.
Join SURCOM as we participate in the virtual Pennsylvania Automated Vehicle Summit Series "Suburban and Rural Applications of Automated Vehicles" webinar on Thursday, August 12th from 1:00 – 2:30 PM CT.
Each agency can be proactive in establishing and promoting roadway safety improvements that can be implemented by maintenance workers, by establishing policies and procedures that define roles and responsibilities.
Research at the University of Denver demonstrated that the AlertMeter, a commercially available electronic vigilance test that can assess fatigue/vigilance within two minutes, is a valid measure of fatigue.
As the maintenance forces begin to shift their work focus from winter/spring to summer activities, it is time to begin thinking about our mowing operations. In this safety talk, we discuss 25 rules to practice for safe tractor mowing.
The NDSU College of Engineering has announced the creation of the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. The new department was formed July 1 with the merging of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Construction Management and Engineering.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver developed an innovative system that can identify commute solutions to reduce negative environmental impacts of business commuting.
Researchers at South Dakota State University developed a cost-effective method of evaluating the corrosion potential of reinforcing bars in continuously reinforced concrete pavement.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at the North Dakota State University invites applicants for an IT System Administrator. The individual in this position will provide prompt and efficient information technology support for faculty, staff, and students at UGPTI.
SURCOM has published an updated edition of the Rural Transit Fact Book. This publication is intended to serve as a national resource for statistics and information on rural transit in America.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at the North Dakota
State University invites post-doctoral applications to oversee a project to assess and evaluate rail safety performance and risk project for a transportation corridor. The position will be stationed at North Dakota State University in the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute.
This hybrid event is being hosted from downtown Denver, CO, this week (May 25-26) and will bring together representatives from law enforcement, driver licensing agencies, universities, and industry to share research and best practices to ultimately improve commercial vehicle safety. #WSCSummit2021
MPC’s 2021-2022 research program includes work with reservations on the Upper Great Plains and Intermountain west and will focus on COVID-19 and transportation impacts on child hunger, inadequate pedestrian access, dust and a lack of GIS road planning and asset management.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute at NDSU seeks a candidate for a State Judicial Outreach Liaison position. The position's primary objective is to provide a foundation for outreach efforts to educate and inform local judges on impaired driving and highway safety issues. The duties of the SJOL include serving as an educator, writer, community outreach advocate, consultant, and liaison, regarding impaired driving and other traffic issues in North Dakota.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute invites applications for an Associate Research Fellow position. This position is responsible for the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program area in the Advanced Traffic Analysis Center (ATAC) at UGPTI. The position supports UGPTI’s partnering agencies by developing ITS plans and architectures; assisting in deployment of ITS devices; and providing training on ITS technologies and the systems engineering deployment process.
The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute will host the second Western Regional CMV Summit May 25-26 in downtown Denver, CO. The event will bring together representatives from law enforcement, driver licensing agencies, universities, and industry to share research and best practices to improve data quality and the collection and use of CMV data.
Tom Jirik, Jody Bohn Baldock, and Shannon Olson were recently recognized by NDSU for milestone years of service to the university. Jirik (25 years) is UGPTI’s communications coordinator. He joined NDSU in 1995 and has been with UGPTI since 2003. Bohn (15 years) joined UGPTI in 2006 and serves as department manager. Olson joined UGPTI in 2015 and is the TLN help desk coordinator.
Using virtual meeting technology, staff and students from MPC universities attended and presented more than 40 research Posters and Presentations at the virtual annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in January.
Research at Utah State University is establishing a reference for transportation agencies to use in making budgetary or policy decisions regarding autonomous vehicles and big data management.
A North Dakota State University researcher tested machine learning techniques to identify key causes of railroad accidents in a study recently published in the Journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.
Xianfeng "Terry" Yang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Utah, presented his research during a webinar Thursday, April 1. The webinar is based on MPC project 590, which focuses on developing a system that can integrate connected automated vehicle data and traffic sensor information to concurrently address the need to improve urban arterial safety and mobility.
ND county and tribal road managers, we NEED your input on changes that are being considered for the next North Dakota local government bridge needs survey. FHWA has phased out the Sufficiency Rating factor so a new tool that will replace it in the needs decision process will need to be developed. Please fill out this short survey and hit the submit button as soon as you can! Thank you!
The Western Energy Roundtable will be held Thursday, May 6. Registration is required, however there is no registration fee. The roundtable provides an opportunity for county leadership in the western oil counties to glean recent technical information and share best practices with their peers.
Researchers at the University of Utah implemented machine learning techniques to optimize snow plow truck life. Snowplow trucks serve a crucial role in winter highway maintenance activities of deicing and snow removal, activities that are essential to public mobility and safety.
It does us no good to be trained on how to use a portable fire extinguisher if it is not ready and available for use when needed. So here are a few of the steps we can all take to help ensure we maintain all of our portable fire extinguishers ready for instant use.
Xianfeng "Terry" Yang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Utah, will present his research during a webinar Thursday, April 1, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The webinar is based on MPC project 590, which focuses on developing a system that can integrate connected automated vehicle data and traffic sensor information to concurrently address the need to improve urban arterial safety and mobility.
The UGPTI recently released a 2019-2021 Biennial Highlights report focusing on efforts to date during the current biennium. The report illustrates how the Institute continues to build on its history of providing research, education, and outreach to support transportation in North Dakota.
Abbas Rashidi, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, will present a webinar on his research, "Image-Based 3D Reconstruction of Utah Roadway Assets," on Thursday, Mar. 11. Registration is required.
Because of their relatively low cost and ease of construction, bridges using double-tee (DT) girders are widely used on local road networks across the United States. It has been found that rapid deterioration of longitudinal joints between DT girders, which can significantly degrade the structural performance of these bridges, frequently occurs
NDSU transportation researchers Ying Huang, Raj Bridgelall and Pan Lu were recently selected as editors of a special issue of the journal Smart Cities. The journal's theme is "Advances in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles".
Congratulations to Neal Fisher who represents the North Dakota Wheat Commission on the UGPTI Advisory Council and served as chair of the Council from 2006 to 2013. Neal will be inducted into the N.D. Agricultural Hall of Fame March 10 at the N.D. Winter Show in Valley City.
Seat belts are the single most effective safety device to prevent death and injury in a motor vehicle crash. Seat belts restrain occupants in the vehicle's designed protective space, giving them room to live in the event of a crash and prevents them from colliding with other occupants in the vehicle. A seat belt also keeps the driver correctly positioned behind the wheel to help maintain control of a vehicle. The failure to wear a seat belt results in more motor vehicle fatalities in North Dakota than most other factors.
Kelly Bengtson, UGPTI road and bridge engineer was one of three analysists involved in developing "The Top 20 Innovations for Rural Bridge Replacement and Repair," a report highlighting cost-effective approaches to replacing and repairing rural bridges without compromising safety so that rural ag producers can maintain access to markets. The report was published by the Soy Transportation Coalition, an organization comprised of 13 state soybean boards, the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board.
Xiaoyue "Cathy" Liu, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Utah, will present a webinar on her research, "Inferencing Hourly Traffic Volume Using Data-driven Machine Learning and Graph Theory," on Thursday, Feb. 18. Registration is required.
NDSU developed and patented a soybean-based dust control product that is being produced by BioBlend, an Illinois-based manufacturer of biodegradable lubricants and industrial products.
Researchers at Colorado State University developed a method that engineers can use to optimize a road segment and all bridges on the roadway for height above a river or creek to reduce the potential damage to the transportation network to a consistent level of risk and assure transportation access for residents during flood conditions.
NDSU researchers have developed a method to identify and more precisely locate railroad track irregularities using the vast amount of data generated by low-cost sensors or sensors already in use aboard various railroad equipment.
To determine the effectiveness of deck sealants and their performance on bridge decks in South Dakota, immediate and rigorous laboratory and field testing-based research considering different types of deck sealants must be done. This work will not only help validate the claim for efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the sealants for South Dakota bridge decks, but also provide technical recommendations regarding their practical use.
We use solvents practically every day in our lives. At work, we may use or be exposed to solvents when we come in contact with paints, coatings, while using dip tanks, thinners, degreasers, cleaners, glues or mastics. As a result of this widespread usage, it is important to know some of the hazards that are associated with the group of chemicals, generally called "solvents".
Congratulations to Theodore Sjurseth who has been named the 2020 University Transportation Centers Student of the Year for the Mountain-Plains Consortium. Sjurseth is a master's student in civil engineering at South Dakota State University.
Jill Hough, Ali Rahim Taleqani, and Rob Lynch The National Transit Institute (NTI) contracted with the Small Urban and Rural Transit Center to complete a survey to assess the immediate training needs of rural and small urban transit agencies. The immediate training needs were based on the already existing NTI courses that could be adapted to meet the needs of rural and small urban agencies.
Dilip Mistry, Del Peterson, and Jill Hough This study was conducted to provide the Oklahoma Transit Association and state policy makers with information that will allow them to plan for mobility challenges and address coming greater mobility needs stemming from population growth and changes in the state’s demographics.
A recorded webinar hosted by UGPTI’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Center discusses a tool developed by Iowa State University in partnership with the Iowa DOT, that provides detailed data to help target enforcement efforts to reduce and prevent future heavy truck crashes.
Gravel roads are dusty. For many roadways, the dust creates unsafe driving conditions. Additionally, the loss of fine material degrades the ability of the driving surface aggregate to bond together and shed water. Logically, increased traffic volumes result in increased dust. So what can we do to reduce the dust?
The 2021 Sign Warrior Calendars are now available for download. Thanks to the fourth grade students who participated in our poster contest. Your efforts make this calendar possible and bring out the sign warrior in all of us.
Researchers with UGPTI's Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility have completed the study, "Assessment of North Dakota Mobility Options, Transit Needs and Characteristics of Users," for the N.D. Department of Transportation. The study analyzed population and demographic trends in North Dakota to identify areas with the greatest current needs for mobility services and areas expected to have the greatest increases in demand.
Trucks are an important mode of economic connectivity in rural states like North Dakota. The size/mass difference between 80,000-pound trucks and 4,000-pound passenger vehicles, along with operational differences such as acceleration/deceleration times and turning radiuses, heighten risk for crash events.
