Research Projects | National Institute for Transportation and Communities

Development of a CDSS Database to Evaluate Effects of Earthquake-Induced Liquefaction on Bridge Foundations and Transportation Network

Principal Investigator: Arash Khosravifar

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake by the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) is believed to be capable of causing widespread soil liquefaction in the Pacific Northwest (PACNW). Affected infrastructures include highway bridges specifically the ones crossing the C ... Read More

Connected Vehicle System Design for Signalized Arterials

Principal Investigator: Xianfeng (Terry) Yang

Co-Investigator: Mingyue Ji

Now that we are decades into the Age of Information, it's increasingly important to minimize the age of information: that is, to make sure the information we have is the very latest. In the world of connected vehicle technology, Age of Information ... Read More

Revisiting TODs: How Subsequent Development Affects the Travel Behavior of Residents in Existing Transit-Oriented Developments

Principal Investigator: Nathan McNeil

Co-Investigator: Jennifer Dill

Does living in a transit-oriented development (TOD) actually change the way people travel? That's the fundamental question that 15 years of research in Portland, Oregon seeks to answer. Since 2005, Portland State University has worked with Portlan ... Read More

Key Enhancements to the WFRC/MAG Four-Step Travel Demand Model

Principal Investigator: Reid Ewing

Co-Investigator: Shima Hamidi

Conventional four-step travel demand modeling is overdue for a major update. The latest NITC report from the University of Utah offers planners better predictive accuracy through an improved model, allowing for much greater sensitivity to new variabl ... Read More

Emerging Technologies and Cities: Assessing the Impacts of New Mobility on Cities

Principal Investigator: Becky Steckler

Co-Investigator: Rebecca Lewis

Digital devices – such as smart phones, tablets, and computers – are significantly changing how people and goods move. Leaders in communities where new mobility services and e-commerce deliveries exist are grappling with how to take advantage of ... Read More

Developing Data, Models, and Tools to Enhance Transportation Equity

Principal Investigator: Amy Lubitow

Co-Investigators: Julius McGee , Raoul Liévanos

Data from travel surveys are used to forecast demand, inform transportation investments, and craft urban policies. Because these data are so essential to shaping our transportation system, it is critical that hard-to-reach populations—such as low-i ... Read More

Effects of Earthquake-Induced Liquefaction on Bridge Foundations and Transportation Network Using CDSS

Principal Investigator: Arash Khosravifar

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake by the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) is believed to be capable of causing widespread soil liquefaction in the Pacific Northwest (PACNW). Affected infrastructures include highway bridges specifically the ones crossing the C ... Read More

Evaluation of Bus-Bicycle and Bus/Right-Turn Traffic Delays and Conflicts

Principal Investigator: Miguel Andres Figliozzi

The interaction between transit vehicles and bicycles can create conflict when both share the same space. In particular, the location of transit stops poses specific challenges along bicycle facilities. Little research exists to offer insight on how ... Read More

Understanding Economic and Business Impacts of Street Improvements for Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility - A Multi-City Multi-Approach Exploration

Principal Investigator: Jenny Liu

Co-Investigator: Jennifer Dill

This NITC National project was the first phase of a research effort measuring the economic impacts of bicycle and pedestrian street improvements. See the findings, final report and other products on the Phase II project page: https://nitc.trec.pdx.ed ... Read More

Fast Track: Allowing Bikes To Participate In A Smart-Transportation System

Principal Investigator: Stephen Fickas

Co-Investigator: Marc Schlossberg

This project focuses on a mode of transportation that is currently left out of V2X (vehicle-to-everything) conversations: bicycling. The project demonstrates how university researchers, city traffic engineers, and signal-controller manufacturers can ... Read More

Understanding Economic and Business Impacts of Street Improvements for Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility - A Multi-City Multi-Approach Exploration [Phase 2]

Principal Investigator: Jenny Liu

This research project explores the economic impacts of bicycle and pedestrian street improvements in the United States using multiple data sources and analytical approaches. Building on studies in New York City and San Francisco, researchers examined ... Read More

Updating and Expanding LRT/BRT/SCT/CRT Data and Analysis

Principal Investigator: Arthur C. Nelson

This project will update and expand our station area databases (developed under previous NITC contracts 547, 650, and 763) to include new systems added since the late 2000s and more metropolitan areas. Under prior NITC contracts, we built station are ... Read More