Category: 1Unfiled Posters

ESTIMATED IMPACT OF GDOT’S HIGHWAY EXPENDITURES ON EMPLOYMENT, INCOME, AND TOTAL VALUE ADDED IN HIGHWAY DISTRICTS, LOCAL AREAS, AND THE STATE OF GEORGIA: 2009-2013

Project Description: 

Well-designed transportation investments have many short-term and long-term economic benefits. They can spur economic growth, create jobs, boost labor productivity and profitability, increase efficiency and accelerate local and regional economic development. Given the anemic job growth in the US economy today, and the growing fiscal constraints imposed on public agencies, policy makers and stakeholders are increasingly demanding that impacts of infrastructure investments be quantified. This would allow scarce resources to be allocated more efficiently and effectively. 

This study measures the impact of GDOT’s highway expenditures on economic activity in the State of Georgia. The study examines impacts at three levels (1) Statewide impacts; (2) Impacts within GDOT Highway Districts; and (3) County impacts. The timeframe of the analysis is January 2009 through May 2013. During this period, GDOT spent $3.6 billion on highway projects. Each project expenditure had a ripple effect on economic activity in local areas.

Posters:

  1. Economic Development and Workforce Impacts of State DOT Highweay Expenditures: 2009-2013 (September 2015)
  2. Estimated Impact of GDOT’s Highway Expenditures on Employment, Income and Total Value Added in Highway Districts, Local Areas and the State of Georgia: 2009 – 2013 (September 2013)

GRTA/GDOT REAL-TIME TRACKING AND CHOICE DATA

Project Description: 

The primary goals of this project are: 1) to demonstrate the capabilities of smart phone systems to provide more reliable freeway and arterial travel time data than currently provided by VDS spot speed measurements, and 2) to facilitate the monitoring and analysis of real-time HOT corridor and GRTA Express Bus performance data. Georgia Tech researchers will first integrate the existing Commute Warrior and Commute Viewer systems with the Flash-based data interface developed for the HOV-to-HOT monitoring project so that second-by-second travel data collected in the project can be reviewed by researchers. The team will then recruit 80 regular HOT corridor users, including express bus riders, HOT lane users, and drivers who regularly use the general purpose lanes. The team will deploy the Commute Warrior application on the Android Smart Phones of the volunteers to collect second-by-second vehicle activity data as the volunteers use the HOT corridor and major arterials. The team will compare monitored second-by-second corridor traverse travel times with travel time estimates derived from VDS spot speed data. The team will assess the potential benefits of more widespread deployment of the Commute Warrior App throughout the region. The team will also conduct focus groups with participants to gather information regarding the potential impacts of real-time data on their use of HOT lane and express bus services.

Posters:

  1. Commute Warrior Mobile Tracking App Development (September 2014)
  2. Commute Warrior: Android App for Real-time Travel Monitoring and Surveys (September 2015)

Project Information Forms:

  1. January 2012

VIABILITY OF CONCRETE PERFORMANCE-BASED SPECIFICATIONS FOR GEORGIA DOT PROJECTS

Project Description: 

To (1) review best practices for development and implementation of performance-based specifications for concrete structures; (2) compare initial and long-term costs associated with prescriptive and performance-based designs; and (3) generate guidelines for applying  performance-based specifications.

Posters:

  1. Assessment of Type IL Cements for Transportation Applications (September 2013)

ASSESSMENT OF SAND QUALITY ON CONCRETE PERFORMANCE: EXAMINATION OF ACIDIC AND SULFATE/SULFIDE-BEARING SANDS

Project Description: 

Project Objective: To evaluate early age properties, strength development; and durability of several sand sources to make recommendations for GDOT concrete aggregate specifications.

Posters:

  1. Assessment of Sand Quality on Concrete Performance: Examination of Acidic and Sulfate/Sulfide-Bearing Sands (September 2013)

ASSESSMENT OF CRACK DEPTH IN REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGE ELEMENTS BY ULTRASONIC METHODS

Project Description: 

The objective of this research project is to develop a simple field-ready method of assessing cracks in reinforced concrete bridge pile caps and of measuring cracks occurring through greater depths.

Posters:

  1. Assessment of Crack Depth in Reinforced Concrete Bridge Elements by Ultrasonic Methods (September 2013)

EVALUATION OF LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF RUBBERIZED PAVEMENTS, PHASE II

To investigate the long-term performance of well-designed rubberized PEM and SMA mixtures.

Posters:

  1. Asphalt Pavement Weathering System for Asphalt Mixtures (September 2013)
  2. Design and Selected Properties of PEM Mixtures Containing Crumb Rubber in Dry Process (September 2014)
  3. Micro-Level Analysis and Rheological Properties of Asphalt Binder Containing CRM by Dry Process (September 2014)

EFFECTIVE CAPACITY ANALYSIS AND TRAFFIC DATA COLLECTION FOR THE I-85 HOV TO HOT CONVERSION

Project Description: 

To (1) perform data collection and analytical efforts that support the regional conversion of HOV lanes into high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, and (2) assess the impacts of HOT conversion on the I-85 corridor.


Final Report

Posters:

  1. Analysis of Variables that Affect HOT Speeds on I-85 Express Lanes in Atlanta Analysis of Variables that Affect HOT Speeds on I-85 Express Lanes in Atlanta (September 2013)
  2. Emissions Impact of HOV to HOT Lane Conversions in I-85, Atlanta (September 2014)
  3. High-Occupancy Toll Lane Decision Making: Income Effects on Atlanta’s I-85 Express Lanes (September 2015)
  4. HOV-to-HOT Conversion Socieoeconomic Impact Assessment: Atlanta I-85 HOV-to-HOT Conversion (September 2014)
  5. “I-85 HOV to HOT Carpool Survey Results”, presented at the 2015 UTC Conference for the Southeastern Region in Birmingham, Alabama, March 26-27, 2015.
  6. Pricing Impact on Users: Socioeconomic Study on I-85 HOV2 to HOT3 Conversion (September 2013)
  7. The I-85 HOT Lane’s Impact on Atlanta’s Commuter Bus and Vanpool Occupancy (September 2013)

DEVELOPMENT OF RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR STATE DOTS TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH VOLATILE PRICES OF TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS (RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR GDOT)

Project Description: 

The overarching objective of this project is to enhance transportation agencies’ understanding of the opportunities, challenges and best practices for utilizing risk management strategies for the asphalt cement price volatility in transportation projects. The final deliverable of this project is a comprehensive risk management guide that systematically addresses risk management for asphalt cement price volatility. The specific research objectives are:

  1. Identify and analyze the latest developments and trends in utilization of risk management strategies for the mitigation of asphalt cement price risk;
  2. Identify key features for the most promising risk management strategies and establish their respective potential benefits and limitations;
  3. Enhance the assessment of risk management strategies considering the strategic objectives of transportation agencies and unique project goals;
  4. Enhance the quantitative assessment of risk management strategies considering their key respective parameters;
  5. Devise appropriate risk identification and allocation matrices for the successful adoption of asphalt cement price risk management strategies; and
  6. Transform research findings into educational and professional development activities.

Posters:

  1. Recommended Guide for Next Generation of Transportation Design-Build Procurement and Contracting in the State of Georgia (September 2013)
  2. Analysis of the Effect of Offering Price Adjustment Clauses on Highway Construction Bid Prices in Georgia (September 2013)
  3. Analysis of the Effect of Offering Price Adjustment Clauses on Highway Construction Bid Prices in Georgia (September 2014)

Project Information Forms:

  1. January 2013

MANAGING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM HEALTH: SETTING PERFORMANCE TARGETS AND POLICIES IN NON-UNIFORM REGIONS AND JURISDICTIONS TO ACHIEVE UNIFORM STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Project Description: 

This project will develop a focused body of knowledge and tools, including a data-and-expert-knowledge-driven approach for addressing a multi-scalar issue involved in performance-based planning at multiple levels of decision making: namely, how to achieve broader national and statewide objectives while taking into consideration regional and local priorities and constraints. The project will apply a multi-methodology analysis to evaluate transportation system health metrics for selected jurisdictions and regions in the state of Georgia and selected states to tell a more comprehensive story about the cumulative impacts of investments at the statewide, metropolitan and local jurisdiction levels, as a basis for determining targets using both quantitative data and expert knowledge in a manner that considers local and metropolitan priorities while aiming to achieve statewide and national priorities.

Posters:

  1. Transportation System Health Analysis (TSHA): A Corridor-level Study of Georgia’s State Routes (September 2014)
  2. A Conceptual Framework for Transportation System Health (September 2014)
  3. Transportation System Health: Meeting Deficiency Needs and Growth Aspriations Systematically – Concepts, Applications, Significance (September 2015)

Conference Presentations:

  1. “Transportation System Health Analysis: A Corridor-Level Study of Georgia’s State Routes” , presented at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Poster Session in Washington, D.C., January 12-16, 2014.
  2. “A Conceptual Framework for Transportation System Health”, presented at the Second Annual GDOT/GTI Transportation Research Poster Session in Atlanta, Georgia, September 24, 2014.
  3. “Managing Transportation System Health: Setting Performance Targets and Policies in Non-Uniform Jursdictions to Achieve Uniform Statewide and National Objectives”, presented at the University Transportation Center (UTC) Conference for the Southeastern Region in Atlanta, Georgia, March 24-25, 2014.

REAL TIME ESTIMATION OF ARTERIAL TRAVEL TIME AND OPERATIONAL MEASURES THROUGH INTEGRATION OF REAL TIME FIXED SENSOR DATA AND SIMULATION

Project Description: 

A wide variety of advanced technological tools have been implemented throughout Georgia’s transportation network to increase its efficiency. These systems are credited with reducing or maintaining freeway congestion levels in light of increasing travel demands. In Georgia these benefits are primarily gained through the Traffic Management Center’s freeway monitoring and quick response in ridding the roadway of any obstacles that may reduce freeway service levels. There have been a number of efforts to leverage the work done by TMCs to provide travelers with more current traffic information such as Georgia 511 and Navigator. In addition, private efforts and partnerships have made the TMC’s information more accessible to travelers, aiding their traveler decisions. The effort presented in this report aims to compliment real-time freeway information by addressing the more limited availability of real-time arterial performance measures.

Posters:

  1. Real Time Estimation of Arterial Travel Time and Operational MeasuresThrough Integration of Real Time Fixed Sensor Data and Simulation (September 2013)
  2. A Case Study Evaluation of Arterial Travel Time Technology (September 2014)
  3. Real Time Work Zone Travel Time (September 2014)