Research Projects | National Institute for Transportation and Communities

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

E-Scooters and Public Health: Understanding the Implications of E-Scooters on Chronic Disease

Principal Investigator: Nicole Iroz-Elardo

E-scooters are an emerging micromobility transportation option with implications on transportation systems and public health. To date, most research on public health and E-Scooters has focused on safety implications. Health implications other than in ... 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

Pedal the Old Pueblo: A Naturalistic Study on Bicycling in Tucson, AZ

Principal Investigator: Joey Iuliano

City investments in bicycle infrastructure can improve residents' health and wellness, lower pollution, fight climate change, and reduce congestion. While transportation geography and planning have long focused on looking at how vehicles, goods, and ... Read More

Applying an Equity Lens to Automated Payment Solutions for Public Transportation

Principal Investigator: Aaron Golub

Co-Investigators: Anne Brown , Candace Brakewood , John MacArthur

Our multi-year study on automated transit fare collection offers a key finding that won't surprise you: Despite the convenience, the rush toward cashless fare systems has created barriers for lower-income riders seeking to use transit. Results from f ... Read More

Green Waves, Machine Learning, and Predictive Analytics: Making Streets Better for People on Bikes

Principal Investigator: Stephen Fickas

Co-Investigator: Marc Schlossberg

Led by Dr. Stephen Fickas of the University of Oregon (UO), transportation researchers are working to give bicyclists smoother rides by allowing them to communicate with traffic signals via a mobile app. The latest report to come out of this mul ... Read More

Evaluating Mobility Impacts Of Construction Workzones On Utah Transportation System Using Machine Learning Techniques

Principal Investigator: Abbas Rashidi

Roadside construction – be it a detour, a closed lane, or a slow weave past workers and equipment – work zones impact traffic flow and travel times on a system-wide level. The ability to predict exactly what those impacts will be, and plan for th ... Read More

Identifying and Measuring Transportation Challenges for Survivors in Intimate Partner Violence Shelters

Principal Investigator: Sarah Leat

Environmental stressors within the built environment can greatly impact health. Environmental stressors, such as noise levels, crowding, and housing quality have been shown to impact physical healing as well as mental health. Although environmental s ... Read More

Free Movement: Enhancing Open Data to Facilitate Independent Travel for Persons with Disabilities

Principal Investigator: Shiloh Deitz

Co-Investigators: Amy Lobben , Henry Luan , Colin Koopman , Stephen Fickas

Nearly 40 million Americans report a disability, and of this population, 70 percent travel less because of the challenges they face. When they do travel, those with limited mobility are more likely to be pedestrians or public transit users. Today, fr ... Read More

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

Principal Investigator: Jonathan Bean

Co-Investigators: 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 Ec ... Read More

Rethinking Streets for Physical Distancing

Principal Investigator: Marc Schlossberg

Co-Investigator: Rebecca Lewis

Reallocating space on streets to accommodate new uses – particularly for walking, biking, and being – is not new. However, COVID-era needs have accelerated the process that many communities use to make such street transitions. A few overlapping p ... Read More

401 Results