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COVID-19 — UGPTI's staff is working remotely and may be reached by email. If you need immediate attention, contact Jody Bohn Baldock at jody.bohn.baldock@ndsu.edu or (701)238-8819.
  
Posted: Apr 1 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on April 1, 2021.Posted: Mar 20 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.Posted: Mar 18 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.Posted: Mar 10 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.Posted: Mar 5 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.Posted: Mar 4 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 occursPosted: Mar 4 The December 2020 North Dakota Dry Bean Stock Report is now online.Posted: Mar 3 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".Posted: Mar 2 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on March 2, 2021.Posted: Feb 26 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.Posted: Feb 19 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.Posted: Feb 11 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.Posted: Feb 8 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on February 8, 2021.Posted: Feb 5 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.Posted: Feb 2 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.Posted: Jan 28 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.Posted: Jan 26 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.Posted: Jan 25 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.Posted: Jan 11 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".Posted: Jan 8 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.Posted: Jan 6 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on January 5, 2021.Posted: Dec 30, 2020 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.Posted: Dec 29, 2020 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.Posted: Dec 16, 2020 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.Posted: Dec 15, 2020 A winter survival kit could save your life. Here are 16 items to have in your winter survival kit, and some tips to follow if you are stranded.Posted: Dec 11, 2020 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? Posted: Dec 11, 2020 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.Posted: Dec 8, 2020 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.Posted: Dec 7, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on December 4, 2020.Posted: Dec 7, 2020 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. Posted: Dec 3, 2020 NDDOT is accepting applications/nominations for Vision Zero Infrastructure Awards. These awards are an annual event to recognize people, groups, organizations, programs, and projects that improve infrastructure safety across the state of ND for a safer and better quality of life. Nominations are due by December 20, 2020.Posted: Dec 3, 2020 MPC researchers at the University of Utah are working to eliminate or reduce the bump at the end of Utah bridges caused by settling of soils that can occur long after construction. In some cases, the settling can result in a need to completely reinstall bridge approaches.Posted: Dec 1, 2020 A transportation expert at NDSU with expertise in computer modeling and a captain in the U.S. Navy have published research that shows how simple low-cost computer modeling techniques can be combined with practical expertise to assess the threat of terrorist attacks on port facilities.Posted: Nov 30, 2020 Dr. Chris Pantelides, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Utah, will present a webinar on his research, "Seismic Repair of Concrete Wall Piers Using CFRP Active Confinement," on Thursday, Dec. 3. Registration is required.Posted: Nov 27, 2020 UGPTI's Transportation Learning Network (TLN) has launched its 2020-2021 training season with an increased emphasis on high-quality, timely, innovative, and practical content that cooperators can use immediately.Posted: Nov 23, 2020 The research responds to the N.D. Legislature's request for a study of the transportation infrastructure of all county, township, and tribal roads and bridges in the state. Infrastructure needs were estimated using detailed traffic models and the most current crop and oil production forecasts, traffic estimates, and roadway condition data.Posted: Nov 23, 2020 Jeremy Mattson, Dilip Mistry, and Jill Hough
This study identified and analyzed existing transit and other passenger mobility options in North Dakota. Information about population growth trends and demographics across the state are described and used to identify areas with the greatest needs for mobility services.Posted: Nov 23, 2020 Kimberly Vachal, Seguy Tchakounte-Wakem, 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. Posted: Nov 18, 2020 MPC research at South Dakota State University will help roadway agencies reduce pavement stripping, a moisture-induced loss of bonding between aggregates and the asphalt binder that typically begins at the bottom of the hot-mix asphalt layer and progresses upward.Posted: Nov 16, 2020 An NDSU researcher has helped develop a simplified computer modeling technique to help forecast the effects of autonomous vehicles on land use.Posted: Nov 13, 2020 Portable generators can be a very useful piece of equipment during a power outage. Portable generators can also be very dangerous. If you plan on using a portable generator, it is essential that you take proper precautions for your safety and the safety of those working to restore the power.Posted: Nov 13, 2020 Kimberly Vachal and Jaclyn Andersen
The rise of ride-sourcing services such as Uber and Lyft in recent years has revolutionized urban transportation across the globe. We intend to understand public perception of ride-sourcing services and identify key contributing factors and behavior patterns that may trigger the use of such services by those outside of the typical millennial, urban market.Posted: Nov 12, 2020 Celebrate the rich culture, history, traditions, and recognize the achievements and contributions of Indigenous Peoples. All events are free and open to the public.Posted: Nov 4, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on November 4, 2020.Posted: Nov 2, 2020 An NDSU doctoral degree in transportation and logistics put James Leiman in the right place at the right time. After 20 years of work, North Dakota officials recently announced new intermodal rail service will come in North Dakota.Posted: Oct 26, 2020 The virtual summit for legislators and local government officials and transportation management officials will be October 29. Topics will feature critical asset information and management techniques and best practices for local county, township, city and tribal roads. UGPTI is helping plan the summit and several UGPTI staff are presenters.Posted: Oct 15, 2020 The four environmental conditions that cause cold-related stress are low temperatures, wind, dampness, and cold water. Two or more of these conditions together can make working outdoors very dangerous.Posted: Oct 14, 2020 The Rural Transit Fact Book serves as a national resource for statistics and information on rural transit in America. This publication includes rural demographic and travel behavior data as well as financial and operating statistics for agencies receiving section 5311 funding. In addition to national-level data, statistics are presented by state, FTA region, tribe, and mode, as well as other agency characteristics.Posted: Oct 9, 2020 Work by MPC researchers at Colorado State University was recently published in several journals. Be sure to check out "Streamlined bridge inspection system utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles and machine learning," "Hybrid nonlinear seismic analysis of bridges with moving traffic," and more.Posted: Oct 8, 2020 The July 2020 North Dakota Dry Bean Stock Report is now online.Posted: Oct 5, 2020 A report is currently in draft form and available for comments. Comments will be considered as the draft is finalized to present to the North Dakota Legislature.Posted: Oct 5, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on October 5, 2020.Posted: Oct 2, 2020 A team of six students at the University of Utah is designing a six-block corridor of bike lanes in Salt Lake City. MPC researcher Cathy Liu is the faculty mentor for the Civil and Environmental Engineering senior capstone project.Posted: Sep 29, 2020 A study that will help analysts better use the vast volume of data collected from connected vehicle systems was recently published by NDSU researchers.Posted: Sep 25, 2020 Two transportation experts were recently added to the staff of NDSU's Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute to assist with local transportation planning and investments in Dunn, McKenzie, and Williams Counties and with the Mandan Hidatasa Arikara Nation.Posted: Sep 25, 2020 Australia may hold important lessons for improving road safety in the United States, according to MPC researchers at the University of Colorado Denver. Because Australia is more similar to the United States than European countries, the strategies and practices used there may provide direction for saving lives on U.S. roads.Posted: Sep 21, 2020 Mandated implementation of positive train control technology in the U.S. rail industry will cost billions of dollars. Researchers at NDSU's Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute developed a computer model to help railroad companies assess the cost effectiveness of using that technology to further enhance safety and improve railroad operations and efficiency.Posted: Sep 17, 2020 MPC researchers at Colorado State University are improving the hydrologic analyses used to evaluate dam safety and to design bridges and roads.Posted: Sep 17, 2020 Research on methods to calibrate sensor readings from smartphones so that they can be used as a replacement for specialized equipment used for measuring road surface roughness was recently published by NDSU researchers.Posted: Sep 16, 2020 Heavy equipment is designed to handle very large volumes or heavy loads. Therefore, these are powerful machines that are dangerous to everyone around them if they are not operated correctly. It is important to remember the proper methods used to move them from one site to another and how to work around their operation.Posted: Sep 16, 2020 MPC research in South Dakota regarding tolerances for tie-bar placement in concrete pavements could result in improved pavement service life and reduced maintenance costs. This research study investigates the effects of different tie-bar misalignments on the tie-bar performance to establish acceptable placement tolerances.Posted: Sep 11, 2020 MPC researchers at South Dakota State University are developing enhanced technology to improve the quality of runoff water from highway construction sites. The research promises to help maintain the quality of surface waters, promote environmental sustainability, and reduce the need for costly dredging of water systems.Posted: Sep 10, 2020 MPC research to calibrate the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) for local roadways in South Dakota will make the manual more useful for the South Dakota Department of Transportation as that agency works to improve highway safety. The calibrated manual will help SDDOT screen roadways to find problem areas for further safety review, compare safety design alternatives, evaluate site-specific safety issues and program and plan future safety projects.Posted: Sep 8, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on September 8, 2020.Posted: Sep 8, 2020 Several NDSU transportation and logistics graduate programs recently were designated as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programs, signaling to potential students and employers that graduates will be skilled in the latest technology and data science in their field.Posted: Aug 31, 2020 MPC researchers conducted a systematic study on the long-term cost effectiveness of various short-span concrete structures. The research will help state and local governments choose the most cost-effective options when replacing concrete structures on their road networks. Posted: Aug 7, 2020 University of Utah Transportation Engineering Ph.D. Student Zhiyan Yi recently received two honors from the Intermountain Section of the Institute of Traffic Engineers.Posted: Aug 4, 2020 Colorado State University Ph.D. student Abdelrahman Abdallah won second place in the Great Minds in Research award for his research topic at the Graduate Student Showcase in November.Posted: Aug 4, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on July 30, 2020.Posted: Jul 29, 2020 Because of the continued incidence of COVID-19 and related concerns for the safety of its guests, students and staff, the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute will not hold its 2020 Annual Awards Banquet in October. UGPTI expects to again honor the region's transportation leaders at the 2021 Annual Awards Banquet. More information will be forthcoming.Posted: Jul 27, 2020 View the recorded webinar and presentations. On July 21, we conducted a webinar that examined a wide array of transportation issues, and provided information we need to plan ahead. Posted: Jul 22, 2020 MPC researchers at Utah State University are finding ways to improve the flexibility of bridge decks made with GFRP. They tested decks containing steel reinforcement, GFRP reinforcement, and discrete GFRP-reinforcement combined with alkali-resistant fiberglass composite macrofibers.Posted: Jul 21, 2020 Heat stress is a buildup of body heat generated either internally by muscle use or externally by the environment. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke result when the body is overwhelmed by heat. As the heat increases, body temperature and the heart rate rise painlessly. An increase in body temperature of two degrees Fahrenheit can affect mental functioning. A five degree Fahrenheit increase can result in serious illness or death.Posted: Jul 15, 2020 On July 21, you are invited to join a webinar that provides a glimpse of our roadway network's future, helping us to set the course for success. Posted: Jul 14, 2020 This study is being proposed to investigate the effects of commonly-used deicing agents on durability and performance of asphalt mixes exposed to those chemicals and freeze-thaw cycles. The outcomes of this study will help the transportation agencies and highway authorities to gain a clearer understanding of any possible negative effects of using deicers on pavement performance.Posted: Jul 9, 2020 This project proposes a modeling framework for the planning and evaluation of an infrastructure-enabled autonomous driving system.Posted: Jul 6, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on July 6, 2020.Posted: Jul 1, 2020 MPC research at the University of Utah shows that reinforced concrete bridge wall piers constructed using older codes can be retrofitted with carbon reinforced polymer rods or vertical CFRP anchors to increase stiffness, load carrying capacity, and hysteretic energy (as occurs in earthquakes) dissipation. The method can also be used to repair damaged bridge wall piers.Posted: Jun 25, 2020 This study analyzes the residual seismic capacity of grouted coupler pier connections that have been subjected to varying levels of vehicular impact. Both the damage level under impact and the resulting reduction in seismic capacity are evaluated to determine the reliability of such connections under a sequential multi-hazard loading scenario.Posted: Jun 24, 2020 Project results in the form of transportation planning and safety analysis tools—enhanced with the use of pedestrian signal data—are expected to help improve pedestrian safety by advising agencies about risk factors and potential countermeasures as well as advance pedestrian planning efforts to create more livable communities.Posted: Jun 19, 2020 The purpose of this proposed project is to evaluate the current public perception of the collection and potential uses of connected vehicle data by transportation agencies (federal, state, and local).Posted: Jun 16, 2020 A recently published study by researchers at NDSU's Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute suggests that large cities should continue to invest in public transit improvements even as ride hailing services proliferate with the potential to attract users away.Posted: Jun 12, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on June 11, 2020.Posted: Jun 8, 2020 How can soybeans help our local road network? For the past three years, UGPTI has supported NDSU efforts to develop, test, and, hopefully soon, market a soy-based dust palliative and asphalt rejuvenating agent.Posted: Jun 5, 2020 In a recent webinar, MPC researcher Dr. Chris P. Pantelides shares the research findings of MPC-405 and MPC-491.Posted: May 28, 2020 Online mapping systems offer route guidance for travelers, but may also increase congestion as increasing volumes of traffic are routed to vital network corridors. Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver developed an enhanced approach with the objective of optimizing global road network utilization by selecting from a set of generally fair user route alternatives.Posted: May 22, 2020 This project proposes the integration of both visible and thermal images captured by visible & thermal dual camera and the use of deep learning to enable robust, accurate and automated detection of potholes to help prioritize highway maintenance.Posted: May 21, 2020 Jaclyn Andersen joined UGPTI as a research support specialist with the UGPTI's Rural Transportation Safety and Security Center. She will be involved in a wide range of rural traffic safety research related to driver behavior and agricultural data collection to support local industry decision-making.Posted: May 20, 2020 The overall goal of this project is to develop guidelines for using a nonlinear UH framework that recently became available in the widely used modeling software HEC-HMS. Theoretical approaches will be developed to estimate two functions that are required to implement the UH method.Posted: May 14, 2020 In a recent webinar, MPC researcher Dr. Patrick Sherry, shares the research findings of MPC-409.Posted: May 12, 2020 The objectives of this project are to, first, study ways of grouping bridges (or other assets) to allow for multi-fidelity modeling of a group; second, apply multi-fidelity modeling techniques using existing data sources; and third, evaluate the efficacy of multi-fidelity modeling in the context of transportation asset management considering the accuracy of predictions and lifecycle cost implications.Posted: May 8, 2020 UGPTI's Geographic Roadway Inventory Tool (GRIT) was recently featured in the Crossroads, Minnesota's transportation research blog. The blog highlights efforts by UGPTI, with support from the Minnesota Local Roads Research Board, to add a pavement condition forecasting tool to GRIT. Posted: May 6, 2020 Chris Padilla has been named director of UGPTI's Transportation Learning Network (TLN). He had been serving as associate director. He replaces Tim Horner who recently retired. TLN is a partnership with the Departments of Transportation, Mountain Plains Consortium, and the ND Local Technical Assistance Program. Padilla will provide leadership to the network in setting program direction, cultivating partnerships and assuring the network's training offerings meet the needs of transportation agencies and professionals.Posted: May 6, 2020 Monthly reports for the North Dakota Grain Industry Data (Grain Trax) page were updated on May 4, 2020.Posted: Apr 30, 2020 In a recent webinar, MPC researcher Dr. Patrick Sherry, shares the research findings of MPC-532.Posted: Apr 28, 2020 This project aims to appropriately define various natural hazards and incidents, which may cause transportation disruption in urban and rural settings; as well as, develop a general method to model the caused disruptions on transportation system, particularly roads and bridges, due to full or partial blockage.Posted: Apr 24, 2020 The Mountain-Plains Consortium has approved more than 20 research projects at its seven collaborating universities so far in 2020.Posted: Apr 23, 2020 Marv Halling, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Utah State University and longtime MPC collaborator and principle investigator has been named MPC director for USU. He currently serves as head of the department's Structures Division. As director, he will coordinate USU's participation in the eight-university consortium and will serve as liaison to MPC's lead university, North Dakota State University. Halling replaces Paul Barr who was recently named vice provost at USU. Barr served as MPC director at USU for more than eight years.Posted: Apr 23, 2020 In this study, we propose to develop two analytical tools based on deep learning models for enhanced bridge management. Our proposed tools will address the problems of bridge subtyping, and bridge deterioration forecasting.Posted: Apr 21, 2020 Dr. Patrick Sherry, Professor at the University of Denver, will lead an upcoming webinar presentation based upon Mountain Plains Consortium Research Project 409 – Identification of Fatigue Countermeasures for the Short Line Railroad Industry.
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