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
Assessing Cool Corridor Heat Resilience Strategies for Human-Scale Transportation
Ladd Keith Nicole Iroz-Elardo , Kristina Currans
Road pavement is a known contributor to the urban heat island effect. Several vendors are providing engineered pavements coatings – known as “cool pavement” - to reflect light and therefore heat to reduce the thermal load of roads. The City of Tucson is planning a pilot application of a cool pavement in Fall 2021 as a part of its Parks and Connections Bond work; our team has been working with the city and vendor(s) to set up an evaluation framework of the cool pavement.
Few of these cool…
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Racial Bias in Drivers' Yielding Behavior at Crosswalks: Understanding the Effect
Kimberly Kahn
Led by Dr. Kimberly Kahn of Portland State University, the purpose of this investigation is to explore social identity-related factors that influence drivers’ behaviors in interactions with pedestrians at crosswalks. Dr. Kahn and her research team conducted a field experiment where black and white male and female pedestrians wore identical clothing and repeatedly crossed the same intersection in a systematic manner, with coders in the field marking drivers’ behaviors.
The initial study …
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