Pedestrians are unlikely to use a marked crosswalk if it is too far out of their way. So how far is too far?

Like so many other things in transportation engineering, the answer is dependent on the context. In this case, variables may include the surrounding roadway characteristics, traffic, and the type of crossing facilities that are available. A pedestrian's decisions can also be affected by how far they are walking, how many streets they have to cross, and other factors.

Researchers at Portland State University (PSU) are embarking on a new study to determine the optimal spacing between marked crosswalks.

Based on their findings, the team will create a tool to inform transportation agencies when to add marked crosswalks (also known as zebra crossings) at unmarked intersections and midblock crossing locations.

Funded by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), the research team is led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and includes Joe Broach, Sirisha Kothuri and Nathan McNeil of PSU and Rebecca Sanders of Safe Streets Research & Consulting.

WHY IS THE RESEARCH IMPORTANT?

An estimated 6,205 pedestrians were killed in traffic collisions in the United States in 2019, and over 80% of those pedestrian fatalities occurred at unmarked midblock locations.

To reduce fatalities and injuries, agencies need to provide safely designed crosswalks that are properly spaced so that it is practical for pedestrians to use them.

Current guidance and research on marked crosswalk spacing is limited. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Council on Active Transportation’s Research Roadmap (July 2021) identifies “determining context-driven optimal spacing between marked crosswalks” as one of their six highest-priority needs.

This study aims to reduce pedestrian fatalities and severe injuries through a better understanding of appropriate marked crosswalk spacing.

WHAT WILL THE RESEARCHERS DO?

In the course of developing guidelines for crosswalk spacing, the research team will:

Identify and evaluate factors that influence pedestrians’ choice to divert from an unmarked direct crossing path toward a marked crosswalk.

Determine the maximum additional cost, in terms of extra travel distance and delays, that pedestrians will accept to use a marked crosswalk.

To accomplish these two things, the researchers will examine pedestrian crossing behavior in varied contexts. They will survey pedestrians about crossing preferences, and also recruit participants to log their walk trips to understand crossing behaviors.

Based on their findings, the team will then develop marked crosswalk spacing recommendations in various contexts, which will help guide agencies in placing crosswalks that are more accessible to pedestrians.

Read more about the project: NCHRP 17-115: Guide for Marked Crosswalk Design, Spacing, Placement, and Safety.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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Two Portland State University students were awarded Dwight D. Eisenhower transportation fellowships this month at the 104th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Kayla Sorenson and Ana Tijerina Esquino, both graduate students in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at PSU, were presented with the awards by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT). This was the second Eisenhower for Sorenson, who also received the fellowship last year. See below for a short interview with each of the PSU Eisenhower Fellows, and if you missed TRB this year, check out some of the PSU research highlights.

Ana Tijerina Esquino

Ana Tijerina Esquino is a civil engineering masters student and graduate research assistant. She is currently researching ways to advance seismic resilience for Oregon’s fuel storage infrastructure. 

Tell us about your research?

My work analyzes seismic vulnerability assessments from the state’s Fuel Tank Seismic Stability (FTSS) program, focusing on trends in geotechnical practices, liquefaction and ground failure estimations, and structural risk evaluations. By identifying best practices for vulnerability assessments, the research supports efforts to protect critical infrastructure like the CEI Hub, which supplies over 90% of Oregon’s liquid fuel and is highly vulnerable to Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes.

How does it feel to be recognized with an Eisenhower fellowship?

It’s an incredible honor, and I’m excited to attend TRB for the first time! I can’t wait to see how my research fits into broader transportation challenges and learn from others tackling similar issues. The fellowship is a huge motivator to keep working toward solutions that make our region safer and more resilient.
 

Connect with Ana on LinkedIn.

Kayla Sorenson

Kayla Sorenson is a civil engineering PhD candidate. Her work focuses on the liquefaction susceptibility of fine-grained soils, which has important applications for infrastructure resilience.

Tell us about your research?

My current research focuses on soil liquefaction, and how varying the levels of soil saturation affects the strength of the soil. Think of soil like a sponge - when all of the holes and fibers are completely full of water (no air anywhere), then the soil is completely saturated (Sr = 100%). When this soil is cyclically sheared simulating earthquake loading, it will fail after a certain amount of time.

Now the sponge (soil) is allowed to dry just a little, and some of these holes and fibers now have tiny air bubbles throughout it (Sr < 98.5%). When this soil is tested under the same conditions above, the soil will take a longer time to fail since the soil has more resistance to the cyclic shearing.

To continue the analogy, while we know how the above tests affect a kitchen sponge (sand), we don't know how these tests affect a different type of sponge (silts, specifically for my research).

While the above work is being performed in the lab, it's a continuation of work done in the field. In the summer of 2019, field trials of microbially induced desaturation (MID) were performed at two sites in Portland Oregon which consisted of fine-grained soils (silts and clays). MID is an emerging bio-remediation technique that has the potential to be used underneath existing buildings in an non-invasive manner to mitigate liquefaction in these soils. Using in-situ microbes, they are fed a chemical solution which results in carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas. These gas bubbles lower the saturation of the soil which increases its resistance to liquefaction. The field trials have shown that MID is successful at treating fine-grained soils and persists for a number of years.

How does it feel to be recognized with an Eisenhower fellowship?

It's an honor to be recognized not only once, but twice! I consider it a special distinction as a geotechnical student to be awarded a transportation-focused fellowship.  I'm glad other people see value in my research and its potential to cross engineering disciplines.

Connect with Kayla on LinkedIn.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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The 104th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) will take place in Washington, DC. from January 5–9, 2025. Faculty and students from Portland State University (PSU) will be sharing their research and expertise across multiple sessions at the event, which typically attracts over 13,000 attendees each year, making it one of the largest gatherings of transportation professionals and researchers in the world. See below for a few highlights from sessions involving PSU faculty, and check out our student feature story to see what PSU students are doing at TRB. For a full list of sessions with PSU presenters, see the PSU at TRB 2025 Program.

Data Showcase: PORTAL and BikePed Portal

PORTAL and BikePed Portal will both be featured in a lectern session on January 8 at 3:45 PM- 5:30 PM: Visualization in Transportation Lightning Talks.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) maintains two large, public transportation data lakes: PORTAL and BikePed Portal. Our transportation data program manager, Tammy Lee, will be sharing the latest from the two Portals in a series of lightning talks focused on data visualization.

These two centralized data repositories, unique both in their size and in the fact that they are accessible (PORTAL is freely available to the public, and BikePed Portal has limited public access as well), are supported by multiple federal, state, and regional agencies. PORTAL is a centralized, electronic database that facilitates the collection, archiving, and sharing of transportation data and information for public agencies. PORTAL’s data supports Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan and the production of regional performance measures.

BikePed Portal is an invaluable resource for cities and transportation agencies: it serves as a comprehensive non-motorized data management system. Agencies who count non-motorized transportation users may have counters from different vendors, or use more than one platform to manage data. Bike-Ped Portal is able to accept data in multiple formats and convert them into a standardized format. Quality control tools are available, along with custom analytical tools.

Regional dashboads are a key feature: the National Capital Region dashboard allows users to see all the bike data from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area together in one place. The latest feature to be added to BikePed Portal is a similar dashboard for the Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA metro area.

Stop by the session on Wednesday afternoon to hear from Lee and discover what the Portals are capable of.

January 6, Lectern Session: Equity and Pedestrian Injuries

1:30 PM- 3:15 PM: Addressing Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Urban Pedestrian Environments

Jason Anderson of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (MCECS), Nathan McNeil of TREC, and Josh Roll of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will present research on "Urban Intersections and the Analysis of Pedestrian Injuries with Built-Environment and Equity Considerations." 

Although income is not recorded in most crash data, numerous studies have found that areas with lower incomes and higher poverty rates are associated with increased injury and fatality risk. Black or African American pedestrians and American Indian or Alaska Native pedestrians are more likely to be struck and killed while walking than the overall U.S rate. National data shows that lower-income and BIPOC households have fewer transportation options and are more reliant on walking and transit, modes that put them at greater risk of pedestrian crashes. For example, data from the 2017 National Household Transportation Survey shows that lower-income households and households with a Black primary household respondent were particularly likely to not have a car. There is also evidence that lower-income areas have fewer pedestrian facilities to help people navigate traffic threats. It is important to recognize these disparities and understand the underlying conditions that create them so that targeted and effective action can be taken. This research explores the relationship between the built environment, pedestrian safety, and socioeconomic factors with the aim of identifying strategies to make urban intersections safer for all road users. 

January 7, Poster Session: Bike Models with Crowdsourced Data

6:00 PM- 7:30 PM, New Insights from Bicycle Transportation Research

Joseph Broach of the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning, Sirisha Kothuri of MCECS and Nathan McNeil of TREC, along with Md Ashraful Imran and Kate Hyun of the University of Texas at Arlington, will present a poster titled "Transferability of Bicycle Volume Models Built with Crowdsourced Data: Applications to Statewide Prediction and Corridor Analysis Before and After COVID-19."

The research underpinning this project integrated and evaluated emerging user data sources (Strava Metro, StreetLight, and hybrid docked/dockless bike share) of bicycle activity data with conventional "static: demand determinants (land use, built environment, sociodemographics) and measures (permanent and short-duration counts) to estimate annual average daily bicycle traffic (AADBT). Static variables, Strava, and StreetLight complemented one another, with each additional data source tending to improve the model performance. The findings from this study indicate that rather than replacing conventional bike data sources and count programs, old "small" data sources will likely be very important for big data sources like Strava and StreetLight to achieve their potential for predicting AADBT. In this poster, the researchers will apply these findings to statewide prediction of volumes, and key corridor analysis, with a comparison of data before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated changes in transportation volumes and behavior. 

January 8, Lectern Session: Trimet's Shared FX2 Platform

8:00 AM- 9:45 AM, How Is the Intermodal Facility Performing?: Methods for Assessing Places Where Bikes, Buses, Trains, Scooters, and People Interact

In this lectern session, Nathan McNeil of TREC will be presenting, "Evaluation of User Interactions and Preferences of Shared Bicycle and Transit Platforms," a research project he worked on with TREC's Jennifer Dill, Sirisha Kothuri and Chris Monsere of MCECS, and graduate students Elizabeth Yates and Julia Plotts.

PSU researchers partnered with TriMet to evaluate the design of a new shared-use bus platform that incorporates a sidewalk-level bike lane. The project, FX2 Shared Bicycle & Pedestrian Platform Evaluation, assessed how well the new design is working for transit riders and other road users along Portland's Southeast Division Street. The most common bus and bike lane design typically has a bike lane directly adjacent to the right side of the bus lane with no physical barrier. This presents several safety concerns. In this scenario, a bike behind a bus would have to wait behind or pass the bus by riding into traffic. As vulnerable road users, these conflicts pose a potentially serious risk to bicyclists. To accommodate passing bicyclists and transit riders accessing the new FX2 line, TriMet worked with the City of Portland and a broad group of stakeholders and partners to create a design that would allow bikes to stay separated from automobile traffic, with the bikeway passing through the platform area next to where people wait for the bus. In addition to analyzing hours of video collected in the field, the research process also included surveys and interviews with people with low vision to see how well the shared platform was working.

January 8, Poster Session: Safety Performance & Analysis

10:15 AM- 12:00 PM, Safety Performance and Analysis with Crash Predictions

Tanmoy Bhowmik of MCECs, together with Dewan Ashraful Parvez of SRF Consulting Group and Naveen Eluru of the University of Central Florida, will present "A Joint Count and Generalized Ordered Fractional Split Approach for Addressing Temporal Instability in Road Safety Analysis." 

This study addresses temporal instability in multivariate crash frequency models using data from the Greater Orlando Region (2011-2019). The researchers compare the performance of the Joint Negative Binomial-Generalized Ordered Probit Fractional Split (NB-GOPFS) Model with the performance of the Mixed Negative Binomial Model with a specific emphasis on parameter temporal variability. The dataset includes four injury severity categories: no injury, minor injury, non-incapacitating injury, and serious injury. The independent variables considered include sociodemographic, land use, and transportation infrastructure variables. Performance assessments using root mean square error (RMSE) values show that the NB-GOPFS model consistently outperforms the Mixed Negative Binomial model in accuracy and parsimony. The NB-GOPFS approach enhances prediction accuracy and model simplicity, making it effective for crash frequency modeling with temporal instability in exogenous variables.

This study supports the integration of advanced multivariate models in transportation safety analysis to improve intervention strategies and policymaking. Stop by the poster session for more details on how this analysis works.

January 8, Poster Session: Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases

3:45 PM- 5:30 PM, Current Issues in Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

TREC's John MacArthur, Sameer Aryal and Chris Cherry of the University of Tennessee, Luke Jones of Valdosta State University, and Cameron Bennett of Kittelson & Associates will present "Maximizing CO2 Emissions Reduction through E-Bike Incentives: Analyzing Adoption Patterns and Travel Substitution Potential."

Electric bicycles (e-bikes) offer a more affordable alternative to car travel and also provide increased physical activity. Riders with limited physical ability find that e-bikes extend their overall mobility, and research shows that e-bikes encourage users to cycle farther and more often than conventional bicycles. Most importantly to local and regional U.S. governments, e-bikes are a useful tool to address our current climate crisis by reducing transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This research demonstrates how e-bike incentive programs can reduce CO2 emissions and lower Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by encouraging the widespread use and adoption of e-bikes. The poster will offer indepth analysis of how e-bike adoption can affect greenhouse gas emissions, and which types of incentive programs are most effective at achieving these goals.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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One of the most common locations for fatal motor vehicle–bicyclist crashes is at intersections. A newly published report offers guidance for improving intersection safety, especially in situations where a bike is traveling straight through an intersection and a car is turning across the cyclist's path.

The objective of the study was to develop guidelines and tools for transportation practitioners to reduce and manage conflicts between bicyclists and drivers turning at signalized intersections.

"Reducing Conflicts Between Turning Motor Vehicles and Bicycles: Decision Tool and Design Guidelines" was funded by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), a program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The research was led by Toole Design in partnership with Portland State University (PSU), Safe Streets Research and Consulting (SS) and Oregon State University (OSU). The PSU team members were Chris Monsere, Sirisha Kothuri and Jason Anderson of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Nathan McNeil of the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC).

WHAT DID THE RESEARCHERS STUDY? 

The research team conducted crash analysis, video-based conflict analysis, and a human factors study to better understand the effects of known common risk factors. These known risk factors include vehicle volume, vehicle speed, and bicyclist volumes. They also evaluated the relative safety performance of five different intersection treatments: 

1. Conventional bike lane at intersection,
2. Separated bike lane at intersection,
3. Pocket bike lane,
4. Mixing zone, and
5. Protected corner.

While there are many other types of intersection treatments available, such as bike boxes, two-way separated bike lanes or shared-use paths, these five were selected for study based on critical knowledge gaps identified through a review of the existing research.

WHAT DID THEY LEARN? 

Based on the safety analysis, the researchers concluded the following for each intersection treatment:

Separated bike lanes and protected corners at intersections are the preferred treatments, with leading interval or full-phase signal separation in some conditions.

Conventional bike lanes at intersections are only recommended once practitioners have made every effort to reallocate space to provide a protected corner or a separated bicycle lane.

Pocket bike lanes are only recommended in limited situations.

Mixing zones are only recommended if right-turning motor vehicle volumes are high and practitioners have made every effort to reallocate space to provide a right-turn lane and a separated bicycle lane at the intersection.

HOW WILL THIS HELP IMPROVE SAFETY AT INTERSECTIONS?

The decision tool and supplemental design guidelines shared in this report provide an expanded framework for practitioners to assess trade-offs between various intersection treatments, and guidance to help them make decisions to manage conflicts between bicyclists and right-turning motorists. 

The Decision Tool

The tool, illustrated here as a flowchart, provides guidelines related to urban, suburban, and rural town center land-use contexts. It focuses on the primary risk factors most likely to affect safety outcomes for bicyclists.  

The Design Guidelines

In a set of supplemental design guidelines, the researchers provide recommendations for mitigating known safety concerns for each intersection treatment. The fourth chapter of the report includes comprehensive detail and discussion of each treatment.

These guidelines incorporate the safety performance of treatments, while considering bicyclists’ perceived comfort, which can affect if and where people will ride bikes. 

In order to effectively apply the decision tool and the guidelines, practitioners should have an understanding of several key concepts, including the Safe Systems Approach, which are discussed in detail in the chapter on Decision-Making Principles.

This report stands as a valuable resource for transportation practitioners who are seeking evidence-based guidance on how to create safer intersections.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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Several Portland State University (PSU) students worked on research projects that will be shared at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). We're proud to have high-caliber students at PSU who are contributing to the discussion and technology transfer at the largest transportation conference in the world. See below for a quick look at each student, and check out the PSU program for more details!

Evan Howington

Session: Emerging Topics in Bicycling and Micromobility

Evan Howington is a master's student in urban and regional planning. He currently works as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) at TREC, supporting faculty advisors John MacArthur and Nathan McNeil. 

Evan will be presenting research in a lectern session on January 6. He'll be sharing insights from the project, "Bike Buses: An Evaluation of an Emerging Active Transportation to School Intervention." He also presented this research with MacArthur and McNeil in a PSU Transportation Seminar on October 25. 

Bike Buses are a relatively new form of Active Transportation to School (ATS) that have gained popularity in Europe and the United States in recent years. Generally, a bike bus consists of one or more adult supervisors, often parents, who guide a group of students along a defined ‘route’ to one or more schools. Using literature from the last 15 years published on ATS in North America, the research team identify four thematic areas of influence on Bike Buses: school policies, parent and student attitudes and behaviors, the urban environment, and the street environment. They conclude that Bike Buses can be situated within the larger body of literature about ATS and Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) but deserve research on their own merits for a variety of reasons. The presentation will also include findings from surveys of bike bus coordinators and parents at schools with bike buses in Portland, Oregon.

"Presenting our work to the wider transportation research community is incredibly affirming for the thousands of kids and parents who are changing the status quo of getting to school. The enthusiasm of this community is a much-needed, heartening reminder of the importance of making our roads and communities safer (and more fun!) for everyone," Evan said.

Connect with Evan on LinkedIn.

Elizabeth Yates

Sessions: Traffic Signal Control: Toward Safer and More Efficient Operations for Multimodal Users, and How Is the Intermodal Facility Performing?: Methods for Assessing Places Where Bikes, Buses, Trains, Scooters, and People Interact

Elizabeth Yates is a PSU civil engineering master's student. She received a scholarship last year from the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) scholarship. She was also a member of the PSU team that took second place in the 2024 Oregon ITE Traffic Bowl, held on on November 21st.

Elizbeth was involved in two research projects that will be presented at this year's TRB meeting. The first, "Pedestrian Volumes from Push-Button Traffic Signal Data in Oregon: Estimating Models and Assessing Model Transferability," will be presented in a poster session on January 6. 

Many, if not all, active transportation projects rely on pedestrian volumes to measure exposure and need for intervention. A method for determining those volumes from signal data rather than the traditional manual counts will allow agencies to spend more time and money on design and implementation, hopefully leading to greater numbers of completed active transportation projects and a safer system for all users.

The second project, "Evaluation of User Interactions and Preferences of Shared Bicycle and Transit Platforms," will be presented in a lectern session on January 8. Fellow PSU student Jules Mai Plotts, an urban studies graduate student who currently works as a GRA at TREC, also contributed to the research. In a parntership with TriMet, PSU evaluated the design of a new shared-use bus platform that incorporates a sidewalk-level bike lane. Read more about the study.

"This project not only looked at the safety of the bus stop design, but also the ease of use for disabled people--particularly blind/low-vision people. Centering this community really drove home the challenges they face in navigating complex environments and accessing public transit. I am excited to take this experience forward into practice," Elizabeth said. 

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.

Sophia Semensky

Session: Strategies for Law Enforcement to Advance Traffic Safety

Sophia Semensky is a civil engineering master's student. She currently works as an engineering associate at Kittelson & Associates. Sophia also serves as the VP of Events & Finances for PSU's ITE student chapter, Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning (STEP).

Sophia will be sharing an in-progress research project funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), "Best Practices for Automated Speed Enforcement: Results from a Semi-Structured Interview of Agencies in the United States," in a lectern session on January 7. 

Connect with Sophia on LinkedIn.

We're proud to celebrate each of the students who are presenting at TRB, and excited to see the great work being done by the future transportation workforce. See more PSU research being presented at TRB.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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Winter term classes begin January 6 at Portland State, and there are some exciting transportation courses available this term. Not a current PSU student? You can still take a course: Anyone interested can register for classes through the non-degree application process, as a post-baccalaureate student, or for free if you're a senior citizen. Taking a course can be a good way to see if one of our graduate degree programs is right for you. 

Check out the listings below to see what's on offer at PSU.

New Program: Urban Studies and Planning Bachelor + Master (B+M) 

The Toulan School at Portland State University has recently added a new enrollment option called the Urban Studies and Planning Bachelor + Master (B+M) Program. The B+M allows junior- and senior-level students enrolled in the undergraduate Community Urban Studies and Planning (CUSP) program to earn up to twenty hours of college credit that count toward both their CUSP degree and Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) degree. For students who want to pursue a career in urban planning, a master’s degree is usually necessary. The B+M provides a cost-effective option that ensures enrollment in a master’s program while still completing an undergrad degree. Learn more about this new program.

Urban Studies and Planning (USP) Winter Transportation Courses

USP 544 Urban Transportation Planning

Instructor: Liming Wang

Delivery: In person, Thurs 4:00 - 6:30 pm

Prerequisite: USP 535 or equivalent coursework in descriptive and inferential statistics and data presentation.

Recommended: USP 515 or USP 537 or an equivalent intermediate-level course in applied microeconomics.

Introduces fundamental concepts and methods used in multi-modal urban transportation planning, including problem identification, alternatives analysis, evaluation and decision making, plan implementation, and program management. Exposes students to processes and analytical methods from multiple disciplines, such as law, politics, engineering, sociology, economics, finance, management and marketing. Emphasis on analysis of moderately complex technical information and its interpretation for communication with decision makers. 

USP 570 Transportation and Land Use

Instructor: Liming Wang

Delivery: In person, Monday 6:40 - 9:20 pm

Recommended prerequisites: USP 515 and 544

An analysis of transportation and land use interactions in urban areas. The impact of highway and transit changes on travel behavior, locational decisions, and urban form are examined.

Civil and Environmental Engineering (CE) Winter Transportation Courses

Non-degree or non-PSU students should contact the Civil Engineering Academic Program Manager at ceedept@pdx.edu in order to register for a CE course, as the system requires an approval to process the registration.

CE 324 Elements of Structural Analysis

Instructor: David Yang

Delivery: In person, Tue/Thur 12:00 - 1:50 pm

Prerequisites: Completion of EAS 212 and Mth 261 with a C or better.

Loads on structures as dictated in various codes and specification; load flow through a structural system and tributary areas; methods of analysis of statistically determinate planar trusses, beams, and frames; concepts of stability and indeterminacy; axial, shear, and bending moment; calculations of displacements and rotations by virtual work, Castigliano's theorem for trusses, beams and frames; computer analysis of structures using an existing commercial program. 

CE 351 Introduction to Transportation Engineering

Instructor: Tanmoy Bhowmik

Delivery: In person, Mon/Wed 11:30 am - 1:20 pm

Prerequisite: CE 316

A study of engineering problems associated with the planning and design of urban and intercity transportation with emphasis on systems approach to problem definition and solution. Vehicle operational characteristics and traffic control devices for land, air, and water, data collection methods and development of transportation models for the establishment of design criteria for transportation structures. 

CE 421/521 Theoretical and Computational Soil Mechanics

Instructor: Diane Moug

Delivery: In person, Mon/Wed 9:00 - 10:50 am

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Presents a theoretical framework for soil properties and soil behavior. Topics include Cauchy stress tensors, Hooke’s elastic theory, plasticity theory, Mohr-Coulomb soil model, and modified Cam clay elasto-plastic soil model. Part of the course uses computer simulations of geotechnical laboratory tests with FLAC software to apply geomechanical theory. Also offered for undergraduate-level credit as CE 421 and may be taken only once for credit. 

CE 450/550 Transportation Safety Analysis

Instructor: Jason Anderson

Delivery: In person, Mon/Wed 11:30 am - 1:20 pm

Prerequisite: CE 351

Incorporating safety in highway engineering and transportation planning that includes highway design, operation, and maintenance, as well as human factors, statistical analysis, traffic control and public policy. Design concepts of intersections, interchanges, signals, signs and pavement markings; analyzing data sets for recommendations and prioritization; principles of driver and vehicle characteristics in relation to the roadway.

CE 510/610 Transportation Data Science

Instructor: Miguel Figliozzi

Delivery: In person, Mon/Wed 2:00 - 3:50 pm

Prerequisite: CE 351

An introduction to transportation engineering data types, manipulation, analysis, and modeling techniques. Knowledge of statistics required and knowledge of Python programming recommended (or keenness to learn a new programming language). Restricted to graduate students. Undergraduates must contact the instructor for permission to register. 

CE 510/610 Sensing and Monitoring of Structures: Applications

Instructor: Thomas Schumacher

Delivery: Tue/Thur 12:00 - 1:50 pm

Prerequisite: Sensing and Monitoring of Structures: Fundamentals

In this course, students learn about various non-destructive testing (NDT) methods used to examine concrete, steel, and timber structures. Methods include: Visual inspection, rebound hammer, infrared thermography, impulse response testing, ultrasonic testing, ground penetrating radar, half-cell potential, and electrical resistivity. Additionally, structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques based on strain, motion, and ultrasonic waves for tracking conditions changes over time are introduced. Each method is studied by discussing its physics principle, instrumentation, data processing and visualization, and applications and limitations, followed by hands-on laboratory sessions.

Friday Transportation Seminars

Fridays, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Offered as a class for credit in the Fall, the Friday Transportation Seminar series at PSU is not a for-credit class in Winter or Spring terms. However, seminars will be scheduled periodically during the Winter and Spring terms, and students are always encouraged to attend. The seminars are open to the public, and can be watched online from anywhere. You can find upcoming seminars on the TREC website.

Graduate Certificate in Transportation

The two disciplines, planning and engineering, also collaborate to offer a Graduate Certificate in Transportation for established professionals looking for a deeper understanding of transportation disciplines. Increasingly, transportation professionals need multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills to anticipate social, environmental, and technological trends and incorporate them into intelligently-integrated transportation systems. The Graduate Certificate in Transportation will offer you advanced education at the intersection of urban planning and civil engineering for those seeking to build upon their knowledge and credentials.

Photo courtesy of Portland State University

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us at the links below.

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