Research Projects | Transportation Research and Education Center

Extraboard Management

Principal Investigator: James Strathman

This paper examines extraboard operations and management at TriMet, the transit provider for the Portland Oregon metropolitan area. The extraboard consists of a pool of operators who fill open work resulting from absences and other causes. The paper ... Read More

Maintaining Safe, Efficient and Sustainable Intermodal Transport through the Port of Portland

Principal Investigator: David Jay

Co-Investigator: Jiayi Pan

About $15 billion of freight passes annually through the Lower Columbia River (LCR) navigation channel to reach Portland and Vancouver, where most of it connects with land transport. This commerce plays a vital role in sustaining the regional economy ... Read More

Green and Economic Fleet Replacement Modeling

Principal Investigator: David Kim

Co-Investigators: Miguel Andres Figliozzi , David Porter

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how equipment replacement decisions are supported with data collection and quantitative models at state DOTs, and to determine if models found in the research literature offer any better ... Read More

Development of a Model to Predict and Mitigate Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Traffic Flows and Traffic Management Policies in Urban Transportation Microenvironments

Principal Investigator: Linda George

Co-Investigators: Christopher Monsere , Miguel Andres Figliozzi

It is well established that vehicles powered by carbon-based fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel) have a negative impact on air quality, especially in urban centers. Traditionally, air quality conformity studies analyze the macroenvironmental impact of tran ... Read More

Implementation of Active Living Policies by Transportation Agencies and Departments

Principal Investigator: Jennifer Dill

Co-Investigator: Deborah Howe

The built environment is an important factor in enabling people of all ages to be physically active on a daily basis whether for recreation or carrying out the tasks of everyday life. The extent to which a community has a system of well-maintained s ... Read More

Future Flooding Impacts on Transportation Infrastructure and Traffic Patterns Resulting from Climate Change

Principal Investigator: Heejun Chang

Co-Investigators: Martin Lafrenz , Miguel Andres Figliozzi

This study investigated potential impacts of climate change on travel disruption resulting from road closures in two urban watersheds in the Portland metropolitan area. We used ensemble climate change scenarios, a hydrologic model, stream channel sur ... Read More

Evaluation of Metro RTO Program, 2007-08

Principal Investigator: Jennifer Dill

To help implement the Growth Concept, Metro’s Regional Travel Options (RTO) Program works to increase awareness of non-SOV alternatives and increase the provision of those alternatives. The program complements other strategies, including land use p ... Read More

Assessment of VII to Implement Mileage Based User Fees

Principal Investigator: Anthony Rufolo

Final report can be found online at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/guidestar/2006_2010/vii/ConceptofOperations.pdf Appendix A (Background of Mileage-Based User Fees) describes the various approaches to and prior experiences with mileage-based user ... Read More

Long term evaluation of individualized marketing programs for travel demand management

Principal Investigator: Jennifer Dill

Co-Investigator: Cynthia Mohr

This research examines the use of individualized marketing as a transportation demand management (TDM) strategy, using the City of Portland’s SmartTrips program. This research project has two specific aims: (1) to evaluate whether the benefits of t ... Read More

Financing Mechanisms for Capacity Improvements at Interchanges

Principal Investigator: James Strathman

This report examines the use of alternative local financing mechanisms for interchange and interchange area infrastructure improvements. The financing mechanisms covered include transportation impact fees, tax increment financing, value capture finan ... Read More

Oregon Transportation Planning Experience

Principal Investigator: Carl Abbott

Co-Investigator: Samuel Lowry

This project was designed to outline transportation chapters of a planned written history of Oregon land use planning, written in ways that would make the transportation planning profession relevant to a popular audience. The writing would focus on s ... Read More

Food Delivery Footprint: Addressing Transportation, Packaging, and Waste in the Food Supply Chain

Principal Investigator: Madeleine Pullman

Co-Investigators: Darrell Brown , Scott Marshall

Transportation of food accounts for a significant fraction of the carbon dioxide emissions believed to be adversely impacting climate and the environment. And this impact is increasing as food supply chains become longer and more complex, and food pa ... Read More