Research Projects | National Institute for Transportation and Communities

Automated Detection, Tracking, and Safety Analysis of Pedestrians and Cyclists Using YOLOv9

Principal Investigator: Banafsheh Rekabdar

Co-Investigators: Sirisha Kothuri , Nathan McNeil

This applied research project aims to adapt and further train YOLOv9 to enhance its ability to accurately detect, track, and count cyclists and pedestrians in video data from the Portland Metro Area. The method will also extract surrogate safety metr ... Read More

Improving Accuracy and Precision of Pedestrian Volume Estimates Using Advanced Machine Learning Approaches

Principal Investigator: Sirisha Kothuri

Co-Investigator: Banafsheh Rekabdar

Counts provide the foundation for measuring nonmotorized travel along a link or a network and are also useful for monitoring trends, planning new infrastructure, and for conducting safety, health, and economic analyses. Most agencies still use manual ... Read More

Exploring Bike Bus Programs in the United States

Principal Investigator: John MacArthur

Co-Investigator: Nathan McNeil

Photo by Jonathan Maus, BikePortland The trip to and from school is made by nearly every child in Oregon every school day. Bike and walk buses, or organized groups of school children, parents, and ride/walk leaders, seek to encourage biking and wa ... Read More

Mobility and Accessibility Resilience of Transportation Infrastructures

Principal Investigator: David Yang

The objective is to address practical challenges related to mobility and accessibility following natural disasters. The anticipated outcome of this project will be to provide actionable insights and solutions that can be implemented in real-world tra ... Read More

Examining the Geotechnical Earthquake Hazard to Transportation Assets in Oregon and Washington: Characterizing Earthquake-Induced Deformations of Silt Soils

Principal Investigator: Diane Moug

Critical transportation infrastructure in Washington and Oregon is vulnerable to damage during strong earthquake shaking, including the anticipated magnitude 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone event. A major hazard to transportation infrastructure is the fai ... Read More

Understanding Human-centered AI through Data Integration and Analytics

Principal Investigator: David Yang

Human Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI) is an approach to developing and implementing Artificial Intelligence technology applications that focuses on the needs of individuals and communities who utilize these applications. This project intends ... Read More

Working Towards Operationalizing Equity into the Research Process

Principal Investigator: Aaron Golub

While our researchers are experts in various aspects of transportation research, not all researchers have the tools to address equity topics in their research or conduct their work following good equity practices, ranging from data collection and ana ... Read More

Expanding Transmobilities: An Art-Informed Methodology For Genderdiverse Travel Behavior

Principal Investigator: Nicholas Puczkowskyj

There is a significant gendered travel behavior research gap in the transportation literature. A plethora of transportation literature identifying and contrasting cisgender disparities exists, but more inclusive approaches to genderdiverse identities ... Read More

Improving Accuracy and Precision of Bicycle Volume Estimates Using Advanced Machine Learning Approaches

Principal Investigator: Sirisha Kothuri

Co-Investigator: Banafsheh Rekabdar

This study seeks to improve modeling methods for estimating bicycle volumes. Better estimates of bicycle activity on local road and trail networks can help agencies prioritize projects, plan and design new bicycle infrastructure, and conduct safety a ... Read More

Deploy LiDAR systems at intersections to improve equitable mobility

Principal Investigator: Taylor Li

Co-Investigator: Stephen Mattingly

In this project, the researchers will develop a series of technology transfer materials and plan to facilitate to deploy the research findings out of a NITC-funded project titled “Pedestrian Behavior Study to Advance Pedestrian Safety in Smart Tran ... Read More

Exploring the Use of Crowdsourced Data Sources for Pedestrian Count Estimations

Principal Investigator: Sirisha Kothuri

Co-Investigators: Nathan McNeil , Kate Hyun , Stephen Mattingly

Counts provide the foundation for measuring nonmotorized travel along a link or a network and are also useful for monitoring trends, planning new infrastructure, and for conducting safety, health, and economic analyses. For safety analysis, they are ... Read More

Tools and resources for gateway communities

Principal Investigator: Danya Rumore

Co-Investigator: Philip Stoker

For the last five years, our team has been studying the planning and development challenges of small towns and cities near national parks, public lands, and other natural amenities. Our prior and ongoing NITC funded research shows that these “gatew ... Read More