TREC research addresses complex transportation problems by drawing on multiple disciplines, including engineering, planning, economics and design, from across the Portland State University campus. Use the search box at right to search for a specific project.

Research Highlights

Is There a "Buy Local" Case for Lower Travel Speeds? Testing Differences in Driver Recognition of Local Versus National Retail at Different Travel Speeds

Jonathan Bean Arlie Adkins , Tara Goddard
City officials and business leaders looking to increase economic performance and attract new residents recognize the benefits of having a strong local retail environment. Money spent at a local retail is more likely to stay in the community (Civic Economics, 2008; Patel and Martin, 2011) and sell goods that are sourced locally (Clark & Banga, 2010). A commissioned study in Grand Rapids, Michigan, found that locally owned restaurants spent 56% their revenues locally, compared to only 37% in the… Read More

Communicating Research through Comics: Transportation and Land Development

Kelly Clifton Kristina Currans
This project created a transportation comic, "Moving From Cars To People," which offers a succinct and fun introduction to a complicated topic: namely, how the built environment in the United States came to be designed for cars and what we can do about it. The comic includes a dialogue, taking place in various urban settings, between characters Kelly and Kristi who are based on the two principal investigators, Kelly Clifton and Kristina Currans. The two have a long history of collaboration… Read More