TREC Trained Washington DOT Employees on Sustainable Mobility and Transportation Operations
Managing the entire transportation system requires an integrated understanding of all modes. While the focus of transportation system management and operations (TSMO) has been largely focused on vehicles, understanding how the transportation system can work better for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit can help provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation options to improve communities and economic vitality for people and businesses.
To encourage practical grounding of transportation from the different vulnerable road user perspectives, PSU's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) held a two-day training workshop for a cohort of around 100 Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) staff members.
The two-day workshop, which featured classroom presentations as well as mobile tours on bike, foot, and public transportation, was held September 26-28 at Portland State University. Presentations on topics like Transportation System Management, Safety, and Innovative Transportation Operations Solutions were given by both professionals of WSDOT—including Statewide TSMO Development Engineer Pam Vasudeva, and Director of Transportation Operations Dongho Chang—as well as guest speakers including Peter Koonce of the Portland Bureau of Transportation and Jingtao Ma of Traffic Technology Services.
Learning objectives included:
Identify transportation operation practices and approaches that promote active transportation.
Identify mobility and transportation operations strategies that are responsive to the needs of active transportation or vulnerable road users.
Understand the role of transportation operations and their impact on active transportation.
Various field tours on bike focused on signals and intersections, bicycle boulevards, and suburban bikeways; while walking tours showcased downtown Portland's protected bike lanes, aerial tram, and the Complete Streets retrofit of outer SE Powell Boulevard. See more photos from the event.
Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is home to the U.S. DOT funded National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), PORTAL, BikePed Portal and other transportation grants and programs. We produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education and participation in research.