Portland State University

It has been a record-breaking year in research for Portland State University, and transportation research at the university is also on a roll. As 2023 wraps up we're taking a moment to look back at all the new transportation research and education projects awarded at PSU in the past year. Browse the list of projects below, and follow the links to learn more about these and other initiatives supported by PSU's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC).

Partnership in a Regional University Transportation Center

The Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) is the Regional University Transportation Center (UTC) for Federal Region 10. As a result of a recent federal competition, Portland State University is now part of PacTrans, which is based at the University of Washington. Being a part of this center will mean that PSU will receive support for projects looking into various topics such as e-bikes and structural engineering solutions.

Earlier this month, Portland State University’s Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning (ITE-STEP) group competed in the 32nd annual Bill Kloos Traffic Bowl Competition held by Oregon ITE.

It was a tight finish against University of Washington and Oregon Tech, but the PSU student team took first place and impressed the crowd with their knowledge of signs, MUTCD, roundabouts, factors, and all things transportation. They won a $600 cash prize to support STEP activities. Because of this win, the team will now have the opportunity to compete in the 2024 ITE Western District Traffic Bowl.

Portland State University 2023 Team

• STEP Community Service Officer Phil Armand, Undergraduate Student, B.S. Civil Engineering
• STEP VP of Communications Elias Peters, Graduate Student, M.S. Civil Engineering and Masters of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP)
• Head of STEP Committee to Fun Isa Swain, Undergraduate Student,  B.S. Civil Engineering
• STEP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Elizabeth Yates, Graduate Student, M.S. Civil Engineering

PSU Civil Engineering student Mouhamad (Moe) Taha was also a member of the team; he competed in the preliminary round and switched out with Elias Peters for the final round of competition.

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Managing the entire transportation system requires an integrated understanding of all modes. While the focus of transportation system management and operations (TSMO) has been largely focused on vehicles, understanding how the transportation system can work better for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit can help provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation options to improve communities and economic vitality for people and businesses.

To encourage practical grounding of transportation from the different vulnerable road user perspectives, PSU's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) held a two-day training workshop for a cohort of around 100 Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) staff members.

The two-day workshop, which featured classroom presentations as well as mobile tours on bike, foot, and public transportation, was held September 26-28 at Portland State University. Presentations on topics like Transportation System Management, Safety, and Innovative Transportation Operations Solutions were given by both professionals of WSDOT—including Statewide TSMO Development Engineer Pam Vasudeva, and Director of Transportation Operations Dongho Chang—as well as guest speakers including Peter Koonce of the Portland Bureau of Transportation and Jingtao Ma of Traffic Technology Services.

Learning objectives included: 

• Identify transportation operation practices and approaches that promote...

Since 2011, Portland State University and the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation have offered a unique opportunity to students: a two-week study abroad course that introduces participants to cities with stellar bike cultures. In past years, classes have explored the Netherlands. This year’s class of fourteen students, led by Professor John MacArthur and supported by funding from the Scan Design Foundation, explored Denmark. See photos from the trip.

Students chose to go on the trip because they knew of the countries’ renown as excellent places to cycle and wanted to learn new strategies that they could bring back to the US. Melissa Kostelecky, a PSU student pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Transportation, was inspired to take the trip because she is on a mission to create a better world for her children. In biking, she sees “relief from the isolated, sedentary lifestyle that car dominance has,” “economic freedom,” “a...