Research Projects | National Institute for Transportation and Communities

Understanding the Impact of Decentralizing Homeless Services on Transportation and Mobility in Salt Lake County

Principal Investigator: Sarah Canham

Co-Investigators: Ivis Garcia , Jeff Rose , Shannon Jones

How can relocating services away from a downtown center change the transportation decisions and patterns for persons experiencing homelessness? And how do those changes affect access to the services they need? New research from the University of Utah ... Read More

Data-Driven Optimization for E-Scooter System Design

Principal Investigator: Jianqiang Cheng

Are e-scooters just the first sign of a shared-mobility revolution? If they are, then researchers at the University of Arizona intend to make sure that the emerging transportation system has functional models on par with other modes of transportation ... Read More

Is Transit-Oriented Development Affordable for Low and Moderate Income Households?

Principal Investigator: Reid Ewing

Co-Investigators: Nicole Iroz-Elardo , Arlie Adkins

Transportation and land use planning, as a field, is shifting away from segregated uses connected by highways and streets to more compact, mixed-use developments connected by high-quality transit. This new paradigm has brought special attention to tr ... Read More

Mobility for the People: Evaluating Equity Requirements in Shared Mobility Programs

Principal Investigator: Anne Brown

Co-Investigator: Amanda Howell

Shared micromobility programs for e-scooters and bike share are becoming more common each year. How can we make sure they aren’t just being used for fun, but they’re also being prioritized for those who need a quick, affordable and accessible way ... Read More

Evaluating Improved Transit Connections for Ladders of Opportunity

Principal Investigator: Stephen Mattingly

Co-Investigators: Yi-Chang Chiu , Sia Ardekani , Courtney Cronley , Noelle Fields

Many transit operators employ limited strategies to provide connectivity to transit, like bicycle racks on buses. This project will examine more innovative options, such as: subsidies, hybrid ride sharing business models, flexible routing, smaller tr ... Read More

Scooting to a New Era in Active Transportation: Examining the Use and Safety of E-Scooters

Principal Investigator: Kristina Currans

Co-Investigators: Reid Ewing , Nicole Iroz-Elardo

In recent years, shared electric scooters (e-scooters) have taken cities around the world by storm. But how are people using this new mode of transportation? Seeking to understand the potential impacts of e-scooters on land use, infrastructure and su ... Read More

Evaluation of Portland Shared E-Scooter Pilot Program Goals and Outcomes

Principal Investigator: John MacArthur

Co-Investigator: Jennifer Dill

Shared electric scooters (e-scooters) are fast becoming a mobility option across the U.S. Many cities are permitting their operation, in part, as a way to provide another option to driving private cars. This could reduce private vehicle miles travell ... Read More

Development of Intelligent Multimodal Traffic Monitoring using Radar Sensor at Intersections

Principal Investigator: Siyang Cao

Co-Investigator: Yao-Jan Wu

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) need traffic data to run smoothly. At intersections, where there is the greatest potential for conflicts between road users, being able to reliably and intelligently monitor the different modes of traffic is c ... Read More

Modeling Capacity: Multiple Weaving Areas

Principal Investigator: Sheida Khademi

Co-Investigators: Behruz Paschai , James Williams

Systematic, well-designed research provides the most effective approach to the solution of many problems facing highway administrators and engineers. Traffic congestion on freeway systems is one significant concern in urban areas throughout the U.S.A ... Read More

Data-Driven Mobility Strategies for Multimodal Transportation

Principal Investigator: Yao-Jan Wu

Co-Investigators: Xianfeng (Terry) Yang , Sirisha Kothuri

How can we use a variety of data-driven speed management strategies to make transportation safer and more efficient for all modes–whether you’re driving, walking or taking transit? The project was led by Yao Jan Wu, director of the Smart Trans ... Read More

Network Effects of Disruptive Traffic Events

Principal Investigator: Juan Medina

Co-Investigator: Xiaoyue Cathy Liu

Current traffic management strategies are based on expected conditions caused by recurring congestion (e.g. by time of day, day of week), and can be very effective when provisions are also given for reasonable variations from such expectations. Howev ... Read More

Optimizing Housing and Service Locations to Provide Mobility to Meet the Mandated Obligations for Former Offenders to Improve Community Health and Safety

Principal Investigator: Anne Nordberg

Co-Investigators: Stephen Mattingly , Jaya Davis

Imagine you've just been released from prison. You don't have a phone yet, or a car, but through your reentry service, you are set up for now with a place to stay. They also got you a job interview for next Monday, but it's across town. You also have ... Read More