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

Access to Opportunities: Redefining Planning Methods and Measures for Disadvantaged Populations

Arlie Adkins Stephen Mattingly
This project will be made up of two separate studies that together will investigate areas where transportation planning and engineering can better serve disadvantaged and underserved communities. An interdisciplinary team of planning and public health researchers from UA will investigate how standard measures and conceptions of walkability hold up across socio-economic contexts. Pilot data from a CDC-funded project suggest that many standard measures of walkability may miss important elements… Read More

Advancing Safety At Intersections: Measuring The Effectiveness Of Traffic Signal Strategies For Speed Management On Operations And Safety

Sirisha Kothuri
Many states are adopting the Safe System approach (USDOT, 2022) to improve traffic safety. As the role of speed in injury severity is becoming increasingly clear, one of the key elements of a Safe System approach is Safer Speeds. Specifically, higher motor vehicle speeds lead to higher injury severity during a collision, especially for nonmotorized users (Rosén and Sander 2009; Tefft 2013) who are the most vulnerable users in the transportation system. Most pedestrian crashes occur on higher… Read More